"So that's my story. I've spent my whole life searching for the impossible. Never imagining that I would become the impossible." Barry finishes as I make myself comfortable on the rooftop vent.
"Did you like, rehearse that first?" I ask out of the blue. "Because damn."
Oliver snorts and Barry stifles a laugh as they both give me a look and I smile innocently. "It's a valid question!"
"You're actually smiling!" I tease, giving Oliver a goofy smirk. "Would that have anything to do with your date I've heard so much about?"
"Not a word Rani," Oliver says, shaking his head and smiling, looking toward Barry. "So why come to me? Something tells me you two didn't just run 600 miles to say hi to a friend."
"Well, technically he did the running," I say. "I'm just here for moral support."
Barry gives me a side glance before continuing on his story. "All my life I've wanted to just do more, be more. And now I am. And the first chance I get to help someone, I screw up. What if Wells is right? What if I'm not a hero? What if I'm just some guy who was struck by lightning?"
"I think I can speak for Rani on this one too," Oliver says, looking over at me and I nod. "I don't think that bolt of lightning struck you, Barry. I think it chose you."
"I'm just not sure I'm like you, Oliver," Barry worries. "I don't know if I can be some vigilante."
"You can be better. Because you can inspire people, in a way that I never could. Watching over your city like a guardian angel, making a difference saving people. In a flash." Oliver says before looking back over at me. "Look after each other."
Barry and I look at each and share a look.
"We will."
Oliver glances between the two of us and sends us his signature half smile. "And Barry, take your own advice. Wear a mask."
After giving us one last glance, Oliver jumps off the roof, shooting an arrow at another building to swing out of view.
"Cool," Barry says before looking over at me with a glint in his eye. "You ready?"
And before I can even respond with a "Wait, what?" Barry picks me up and races the two of us back to Central City. He runs us back to CCPD to pick up some files and unexplained cases before he runs us to STAR labs.
I call Caitlin and Cisco over, making sure Dr. Wells is out of sight. Not that I don't trust him....but he's gonna flip if he knows what Barry and I are gonna try and pull. Like I've seen the meme of that one lady in a wheelchair somehow standing in the alcohol aisle; so I don't want to know how he's gonna be if he finds out.
Barry sets down the large stack of files we got from CCPD before he starts talking. "I've been going over unsolved cases from the past 9 months, and there's been a sharp increase in unexplained deaths, and missing people. Your metahumans have been busy." He says and Cisco shifts uncomfortably, feeling at fault. I give him a smile and touch his arm.
"Look we're not blaming either of you guys. I was here too. I get it." I say and Barry nods, continuing my thought.
"Exactly. I know you all didn't mean for any of this to happen. I know you all lost something." Barry says, meeting Caitlin and I's eyes. "But I need your help to catch Mardon and anyone else out there like him. But I can't do it without you."
Cisco nods, a smile growing on his face. "If we're gonna do this I have something that might help. Something I've been playing with." He shows us this bright red suit on a stand. "It's designed to replace the turnouts firefighters traditionally wear. I thought if Star Labs could do something nice for the community, maybe people wouldn't be so angry at Doctor Wells anymore."
"How is it gonna help us?" Barry asks.
"Well, technically it'll help you. I don't have one that fits Rani. Yet." He says before he turns to me, with an incredibly excited look on his face. "I have so many ideas for your suit, you know...once we figure out how your powers work. What do you think about blue?"
"Cisco!" I interrupt, smiling. "Stay focused."
"Right! So it's made of a reinforced tri-polymer, it's heat and abrasive resistant, so it should withstand your moving at high-velocity speed. And the aerodynamic design should help you maintain control. Plus, it has built-in sensors, so we can track your vitals, and stay in contact with you from here."
"Thanks," Barry says. "Now how do we find Mardon?"
That's where Caitlin comes in. "I re-tasked Star Labs satellites to track meteorological abnormalities over Central City. We just got a ping. Atmospheric pressure dropped 20 millibars in a matter of seconds. I've tracked it to a farm just west of the city."
Barry looks back up at the suit before he uses his speed to change into it in the blink of an eye.
"What do you think?" He asks looking at all of us with uncertainty and a little self-consciousness.
I give him a reassuring smile before saying, "You look like a hero."
------------
"Barry?" Cisco asks as we see his tracker race to the farm. I quickly hack into the nearest surveillance camera and am able to pull up a visual of a very scary looking tornado. "Barry, can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear!" He responds. "But this thing's getting closer!"
"Wind speeds are 200 Miles-per-hour and increasing," Caitlin reports.
"Barry!" I say. "If this keeps up it could become an F5 tornado."
"Rani, it's heading toward the city. How do I stop it?"
Silence....
"Guys?"
Caitlin, Cisco and I share uncertain looks, unable to think of something that could work.
"What if I try unraveling it?" Barry suggests
"By running in the opposite direction of the cyclone? Like in that movie Zoom!(A/n: Yup that's actually a movie XD)" I exclaim before turning to Cisco. "How fast would he have to run?"
"He'd have to clock 700 Miles-per-hour to do that," Cisco answers.
"Your body may not be able to handle those speeds." Caitlin worries. "You'll die."
"I have to try," He responds as the comms go silent.
"The suit's holding up!" Cisco giggles as Caitlin and I watch nervously watch his vitals.
"But he's not," Caitlin responds and Cisco shakes his head. "He can do it. I know he can do it."
"It's too strong!" Barry says as we watch him take a tumble.
"You can do this Barry," Dr. Wells says, startling the three of us. How did we not hear him come in?
"You and Ms. Raymond were right. I am responsible for all this. So many people have been hurt because of me, and when I looked at you, all I saw was another potential victim of my hubris. And yes I created this madness, but you, Barry you can stop it. You can do this. Now run Barry, RUN!"
Barry takes off with a newfound spirit and runs as fast as he can, successfully containing the tornado.
"I didn't think there was anyone else like me." An unfamiliar voice says, presumably Mardon.
"I'm not like you. You're a murderer." Barry says and a smile grows on my face, only to be wiped away by the all-to-familiar sound of gunshots.
"Barry?!"
"It's over." He responds and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding in. "I'm okay."
Cisco and I share a gleeful look and for the first time in forever, Caitlin smiles. Like a genuinely happy smile. Dr. Wells, however, wheels away without a word.
But we're all too happy to notice.
I left Starling City to get away from this superhero chaos. But for some reason, I keep finding myself surrounded by it.
But this time, I'm not going to run. It's time that I make the most of this life, after all, that's what Ronnie would want for all of us.
A/N: Alright apology time.
Two weeks without an update is pretty terrible and I'm really sorry about that. I've gotten pretty caught in school work and PSAT prep and all of that "fun" stuff.
So yeah, also I've kinda been wanting to change the cover of my book to something else, so if you guys want to send in any creations that would be AMAZING!!! My only requirements are for it to have:
- The Title
- My username
- An image of Barry
- (optional but would be preferable) and image of Ronnie
So yeah! Send in any of your creations and the one that I end up picking will get a shoutout in this book, a follow and I might even make a random comic-relief civilian after you (maybe)!
So yeah! Until next time!
-StraightOuttaArrows