Episode 31 - Flash Fanfiction - Nightfall

Chapter 1

Barry rushed through Captain Singh's office, once again late for work. "Barry... for the fastest man alive, I wish that you would use that speed for your own benefit and turn up to work on time for once." Captain Singh said, "But, in saying that, on my way to pick up my double-shot espresso, I must say that I was impressed to see a couple of criminals tied up right before my very eyes, by a streak of red... so I'll let it slide, this time... just please try and be here, early tomorrow morning."

Barry nodded, "I can always try, sir." He replied, with a smug grin, just as Joe entered the office, closing the door behind him.

"Good, now that the two of you are both here." Captain Singh said, shuffling a few things around on his desk, "Something's been going on which I can't quite put my finger on. The crime rate in our city has dropped dramatically... and I'm not sure if that has been thanks to our scarlet speedster and his team, or..."

"I agree," Barry said as he looked over Joe's shoulder to ensure that no one was listening in, and then turned back to Captain Singh. "Normally, the Flash prefers to target meta-humans... but lately, I'm not finding any... This past month, it's like they have all been vanishing." Barry said under his breath.

"What are the two you getting at, here?" Joe asked them. "I'm thinking, low crime rate... that's good, it means we're all doing our job. Central City a is much safer city."

"That's what I thought too..." David Singh said, "Which would be great, considering I have my wedding this weekend, and I would love to not be pestered. But, it's like something big is coming our way and I just can't shake it... and I normally pride myself on being a rational thinking man."

Barry nodded. "I can always get my friends down at STAR Labs to..."

"...To look into it? Thanks, Barry! Alert me on your findings. Joe, I need you to keep your ear to the ground. Send out a bunch of feelers. There has to be something going down in my city." Captain Singh said, waving them both out of his office.

As Barry and Joe left the office, Joe turned to Barry and asked, "It seems that ever since you moved out, I never see you, son. How has everything been with you?"

"Everything's been great, Joe. I was actually thinking of having everyone around for a dinner, tonight. You know to catch up." Barry replied.

"You won't be cooking, will you? Because I remember the last time you tried to cook..." Joe laughed as he remembered a time that Barry had almost set the house alight.

"You'd be surprised. I've actually picked up a few things. I've even been studying recipe books. Sure, there's been a lot of trial and error... but Caitlin has been willing to taste test all of my cooking, until I get it right."

"I suppose that it helps with her being a doctor and all... at least she knows what to do when it comes to food poisoning." Joe joked.

"Yeah... there's that. So, what do you say? How bout you, Iris and Wally come round tonight?" Barry asked hopeful.

"Sure, we'll be around at six. See you then... Now you should probably head up to STAR Labs, just to check on Captain Singh's notion about this city being too quiet." Joe said as he led Barry out to the elevator.

"I'll get right on it." Barry answered, swinging his backpack over his shoulder and stepping into the elevator.

"Oh and Barry? Say hi to them for me."

"I will, Joe." Barry replied, before the elevator doors closed.

"Now, Frost for this to work, I really need you to cooperate with me, here." Astrid said as she sat across from the white haired version of her friend Caitlin.

"It's Killer Frost..." Frost said, "this isn't going to work, Sutherland." She stood up and went to storm out of the office, driven to act out her vengeance on Harry. "We're wasting time here, when I should be out there taking down that murderer..."

Before Frost could open the door, Astrid released a mild mind scream into Frost's head.

"Owww!" Frost groaned as she was brought down to her knees. "Must you do that?" she snapped at Astrid. She went to release an ice blast but Astrid brought the pain up a notch.

"Sit back down. We're doing this, regardless of what the rest of the group might think... I will not quit on you. Besides, you're not a killer, so I'm not going to refer to you, as one. You're angry, I get that... so you are going to talk to me. Otherwise, you know the consequences..." Astrid pointed Frost back to the seat and stopped the mind scream, so Frost reluctantly took her seat again.

Barry entered the cortex to find Cisco loitering outside Astrid's door. "What's going on?" Barry asked him.

Cisco brought his finger to his lips, gesturing for Barry to be quiet. "Astrid's putting Frost through therapy. She's going all Dr Phil on her."

"Yeah, I don't think that hanging around the doorway is such a good idea, Cisco." Barry replied. The two of them headed over to the computer desk as Cisco replied, "You sound like Harry. But how else will we be prepared if Elsa goes all Frosty on us again?"

"I'm pretty sure that Astrid has it covered. I've had to sit in on one of her interrogations, she's pretty good... and if things get out of control, she always has her mind scream."

"Which would most likely be like one big brain freeze in Frost's case... Do you like what I did there? Because, you know Frost... and the mind scream thing?" Cisco asked his friend, with a smirk.

Barry stared at Cisco, not laughing, and changed the subject. "I'm actually here on a notion of Captain Singh's. He's concerned that the crime rate has dropped dramatically as of late."

"You're serious? Shouldn't that make the man happy? I mean, I for one am thrilled that I get to take a little down time. Yesterday, I got through the entire Lord of the Rings movies... as well as the hobbit... and the special features!" Cisco said.

"Cisco, this is serious." Barry replied.

"Yeah, I take my special features very seriously! Just ask Astrid, she knows." Cisco said.

"Yeah, he does take them very seriously." Astrid spoke as she and Caitlin entered the room, making Barry and Cisco both turn to them. "So, why are we talking about special features?" she asked.

"Captain Singh is concerned that Central City's crime rate has dropped," Barry said, "Well, the crime rate in relation to meta-villains has dropped."

Caitlin and Astrid looked at them confused, the two subjects were entirely separate from one another. Nonetheless, Astrid addressed Barry's topic, "I don't know why I didn't notice this sooner. We have been much lighter on the work load, lately." She replied.

"...And there have been a lot less meta-humans throughout the city." Caitlin added.

"Why is this even a problem?" Cisco asked them, "I think we all deserve a break."

"Because..." Caitlin began, "The less meta-human activity there is, could point to there actually being a lot less meta-humans out in Central City, and in a city that is generally booming with meta-human activity... it leaves us with one question."

"Where are all the meta-humans?" Cisco asked softly.