Fix You

Step Closer

Blake took one glance at the car labeled with the Inter-city Lab Delivery logo before yanking the steering wheel left and stepping on the gas, shooting out into the flow of traffic. He narrowly avoided running head on into a frozen foods delivery truck that switched lanes at the last minute. Wally sputtered and choked on his granola bar and Roy let loose a less-than-manly yell as they careened down the main street of Blüdhaven. Blake quickly righted the truck and got it under control, slowing down to driving the speed limit and keeping just behind the car.

"What the heck was that about?" Roy demanded, shooting glares at Blake and Artemis in turn.

"Can't you see what that car says on it, idiot?" Artemis retorted, pointing out the window. "'Inter-city Lab Delivery'? Ring a bell?"

"So you're actually believing that fraud?"

"Guys," Wally whined, swallowing the rest of his granola bar. "I thought we fought about this already."

"Yeah," Artemis glared at Roy. "And I thought we agreed that the guy probably knew what he was talking about!"

"His name is Karl," Wally interjected. "Give the man some respect."

"He sells illegal drugs to criminal experimenters," Roy growled. "So there's no reason to respect him or believe him."

"Ugh, sometimes I just wish I could wring that self-important neck of yours," Artemis hissed. "We are doing this to save Robin. Anything's better than nothing. We are following that car whether you like it or not. Feel free to jump out at any time. You won't be missed." When she was done talking, Artemis slouched back in her seat and crossed her arms. She was tired of Roy's attitude and tired of arguing and tired not getting anywhere.

"I'm with you all the way, Babe," Wally told her, looking into her eyes with a more serious expression than Artemis thought she'd ever seen on the freckled face. And did he just call her 'babe'?"

"Since I'm driving, I think the decision is really up to me at this point," Blake finally put in. "And I'm with Artemis. We'll follow this car, see where it goes. See what happens. But I for one think we may be on to something."

Roy, to his credit, didn't say anything more and they continued to drive in silence. Blake was skilled at tailing cars without making his presence known, but there was so much traffic on the street that anyone would be hard pressed to notice anyone following them. They drove the speed of the traffic, staying a car or two behind the lab delivery car, one lane to the left to provide a better view but always leaving space to the right in case the car made a turn. They drove for a good twenty minutes or so and eventually everyone settled down a bit and sat back in their seats, all eyes trained lazily on their prey. Wally pulled out a second granola bar at some point, offering another one to Artemis but she declined. She couldn't eat on the job. It upset her stomach.

Eventually the car pulled into the far right lane and Blake followed, sneaking in behind a garbage truck. They were cut off from view of the white car, but Blake managed to maneuver Wally's uncle's truck to the far right side of the lane and they were able to watch as the car turned on its right turn signal as it approached the next intersection. The car pulled off of the main street, followed by the Barry Allen's truck, and onto a crappy back road framed by dilapidated structures and paved with cracked and pothole-y concrete.

"Well this looks promising," Roy muttered, his tone dangerously sarcastic.

Nobody replied to him. Blake slowed down considerably, lengthening the distance between the truck and the white car, but still keeping it well in sight. The buildings along the crumbling road were mostly old apartment buildings interspersed with a few tacky shops selling various types of antique junk. The continued down the back road in silence for another five minutes until finally the brake lights of the car lit up and it slowed to a stop one hundred yards up ahead. Blake pulled over to the curb, slightly shielded from view by a low-hanging tree before cutting the trucks engine.