EXPEDITE ▇▇▇▇ VOLUME ONE
━━ ❛ 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕, 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘 ❜
chapter no. 009!
THE ROUGH PAINTWORK OF THE BLACK CHERRY WOODEN BAR WAS COVERED BY GLASS BOTTLES AND MINUSCULE SHOT GLASSES THAT RANG EMPTY ONCE THEY WERE SLAMMED DOWN. Laughter was heard over the music from the speakers in the back of the restaurant. Sliding a bottle of beer across the island, Piper Lita shot a customer a friendly smile.
Turning away, she wiped her hands on her apron. She'd been working a double all day. Her shift, for the most part, had been dull, except when she witnessed a customer bumping into one of her co-workers and causing her to spill an entire table's order on the floor.
"Hey, beautiful," a customer greeted. Piper looked up to see a handsome blonde man with piercing green eyes. He had a chiseled jaw and wore a black button-up with skinny jeans, paired with a pair of white converses.
"Uh hi," she smiled nervously. "What can I get for you tonight?" Placing her hands across the bar, Piper smiled politely.
"Nothing. I was about to leave with my parents, but I wanted to come and ask for your number." It was very evident to the redhead that he was nervous talking to her, which surprised her. The man was model-status stunning and dressed like it too. Never in a million years did Piper think a guy would be nervous to talk to her. Let alone ask for her number. "So, here I am."
Her cheeks flamed red, and she coughed, looking away for a second. "Yeah, yeah, sure." Digging into the pocket of her apron, she pulled out her miniature notepad and quickly jotted down her number. The inside of her stomach was a raving storm as she handed the guy the slip of paper.
"Thanks. I'm Kyler, by the way," Kyler introduced, sticking his hand out, and she glanced down before grabbing it, shaking softly.
"Piper."
"I'll um, I'll text you," he said, backing away, giving her a bright smile before disappearing into the crowd of faces.
Taking a deep breath, Piper turned around and started cleaning up the bar as customers slowly started leaving. It crawled closer to ten, and the bar grew emptier as people returned to their tables, eating and laughing with their friends and family. Looking up, her chocolate brown eyes caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure in front of the front doors. Straightening up, Piper narrowed her eyes as a strike of familiarity hit her like a tidal wave.
Zoom.
Piper's skin turned ghostly pale as the glass cup in her hand fell to the floor, collapsing into a thousand pieces. Multiple pairs of eyes shot in her direction at the sound. Before she could apologize or clean up after herself, cries of confusion echoed.
The redhead quickly untied her apron and tossed it on the counter, ready to take on the black speedster, but he had other plans. Seizing a girl who looked maybe thirteen years old, Zoom wrapped his arm around her neck tightly. Customers screamed as her co-workers stood frozen to the spot. Horror settled upon everyone as the girl cried.
"Piper Lita," the glowing blue monster spoke slowly.
He knew who she was. He knew she was the masked speedster in S.T.A.R. Labs last week.
Jay knew who she was.
"Let the girl go," she pleaded, stepping forward. "She's just a kid."
Zoom tilted his head in a mocking-manner, staring into the redhead's soul. Chills went down her spine as she took another step forward. "Please, let her go. Nobody needs to get hurt." In the corner of the restaurant, Piper could see her manager, Robert, calling who she assumed was the police. She glanced at the terrified girl when she swept her eyes back to the villainous monster. Heavy tears were soaking her cheeks, her lips trembling as she stared helplessly at Piper.
"Take me," the redhead's voice cracked. "Take me instead. This girl has a family— a life. Don't rob her and her family of that. Please." Her vision was blurry with hot tears as Zoom just threw his head back, a wicked laugh echoing.
"Everybody will die." He seethed, ignoring the pleas that sounded from around the room.
"Let my daughter go!" A man yelled, tears streaming down his face as he held his wife and son protectively. "She's only thirteen! Please!"
The inevitable came speeding like a bullet as the speedster began vibrating his arm before striking it straight through the girl's chest.
"No!"
The curly-haired girl fell to the ground limply; her eyes closed as her breathing ceased. Piper's heart felt as if it had been ripped from her chest and fed to Zoom. Hot and angry tears fell down her face as everyone crowded around the girl, her parents and brother sobbing.
Zoom glanced at the redhead before he sped out of the restaurant. Noticing that everyone was distracted, Piper allowed her anger to take over as she followed after him.
They turned down sharp corners and streets for a few seconds before the purple speedster grabbed onto Zoom's arm tightly, yanking him down an empty alley. Breathing in through her nose sharply, Piper projected streaks of purple lightning from her fingertips, using them to slam his body into a brick wall.
At the impact of his body, the brick wall crumbled, rock and dust spewing from it. Marching up to him, she spun and kicked him in the chest, sending him back into the wall before he could even blink. Throwing her arm back, she delivered a blow to the head. Zoom grabbed her by the throat and shoved her to the ground, straddling her as he threw punches left and right. She was able to doge a few until he got her square in the jaw and nose. At the sensation of blood filling up her mouth, she spat it out.
Fazing through his hand, she stood up and swung her right leg around his head. Leaning down, she placed both hands on the ground and threw him over her. Multiple bones shattered in his spine, and he groaned again.
Piper stood up and sent a kick to his side before stepping on his chest. She peered down at him; blood was smeared across her left cheek and was drying underneath her nose. Her white shirt was covered in her and Zoom's blood, and her skinny black jeans now had holes. Reaching down, she yanked off his mask, throwing it down the alleyway, her eyes never leaving his.
"Hey, beautiful," Jay grunted, confirming her theory of him being the black speedster. Raising her foot, she stomped down on his chest, causing him to gasp and shut his eyes in agony. "You don't seem surprised, seeing that I'm the one targeting the Flash."
"Because I'm not," she hissed, lowering her face to meet his. "I knew the moment I saw you at dinner with Doctor Light that something wasn't right, that I couldn't trust you or anything you said."
Jay chuckled humorously, grinning maniacally at the redhead. "I'm surprised you figured it out before everybody else."
"If I were you, I wouldn't dare underestimate me." Piper seethed, their faces inches apart. "You're not going to win, Garrick. You can bet your life on that."
The speedster reached up and tucked some of her hair behind her ear before she slapped his arm away. "You know... It's really hot when you threaten me. It kind of makes me want to believe you." She narrowed her eyes. "I'll let you have this one, beautiful. After all, how could I resist such a stunning woman?"
Piper rolled her eyes and stomped on his chest one more time before he grabbed her ankle, throwing her off balance and pinning her to the ground in one swift movement. Lowering himself on top of her, he caressed her face. She turned away as he held her hands down. Kissing her cheek, Jay pulled away, smiling.
"See you soon, Pipes." He growled, his voice fading to the dark, low, monstrous tone that set her teeth on edge. His eyes shrunk to a stormy black before he raced off.
Letting out a cry of pain, she looked down and pulled up her shirt. He'd stabbed her in the chest right as he ran off. Breathing in deeply, she squeezed her eyes shut as flashes of the girl falling to the ground played in her mind on a loop. Re-opening her eyes, she slowly pushed herself off the ground, stumbling as she stood. Looking down, her eyes landed on a pool of blood that trickled down the street.
If she didn't get help soon, she would bleed out.
Caitlin. She's a doctor.
Taking in one more deep breath, Piper set off towards S.T.A.R. Labs. Her feet felt like they were moving sluggishly slow as she sailed through streets, her vision blurring. Entering through the front doors of the infamous building, she darted upstairs, speeding straight into the Cortex.
Cisco and Barry were laughing at something while Iris and Caitlin were talking. Harry worked in the corner of the room. At the sound of wind blowing and papers flying, the room went still, and everybody looked at the doorway to see Piper leaning against the wall miserably. She was barely breathing as blood trickled from her lips.
"Oh my God..." Iris gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. Ignoring that his legs were still slightly paralyzed, and he could barely take more than five steps, Barry's eyes glowed yellow with electricity, and he sped over to Piper.
Cisco and Caitlin ran over, worry and panic reflecting in their eyes.
"Barry," Piper choked out as black dots clouded her vision. Pushing her hair out of her face, Barry leaned against the door frame as he held her up. His eyes roamed over her face before he glanced down to see blood seeping through her shirt. "I'm right here," he whispered.
"We need to get her to the operating room. She's bleeding out," Caitlin sputtered, grabbing onto one of her arms. "Cisco, help me carry her." The two carefully carried Piper to the operating room. Iris rushed over with Wells's wheelchair and helped Barry into it. As soon as he sat down, he was right behind everyone else.
The door slammed shut behind Harry as he rushed to the operating table. Barry moved to the side so he could see her as he rubbed his eyes, praying to whatever God that existed that she would be okay.
She had to be okay.
"Piper, it's Caitlin. I have to take off your shirt so I can see where the bleeding is coming from, okay?" the doctor asked. The redhead nodded weakly as her friend removed her shirt. "She's bleeding from the veins near her aorta... Piper, I'm going to have to go in and clamp the blood vessels and arteries around your heart. Everything's going to be okay, all right? Just keep breathing."
Dr. Snow quickly put on gloves as she grabbed the clamps, tape, tweezers, needle, and thread. Turning the light above them on, she slid on safety goggles and a surgical mask.
"Dr. Wells, I'm going to need you to shine a light near the upper part of the cut," she instructed, and Harry nodded hastily, taking the flashlight that Cisco handed over to him. Turning it on, he shone it where she instructed. "Barry, I need you and Cisco to talk to her. Keep her conscious. She could seize if she blacks out." Both boys nodded, and Barry came closer to the table, reaching out and grabbing Piper's hand, so she knew he was there.
Tears glistened in Iris's eyes as she kept her hand over her mouth, looking away once Caitlin started pulling back Piper's skin to dig into the cut.
"Hey, hotshot, we're right here. Okay?" Cisco asked shakily from where he stood next to Harry. "We're right here, and we aren't going anywhere. Everything's going to be okay."
Barry nodded in agreement as he squeezed her hand, the familiar spark of electricity between them coursing through his body. "Stay with us. We need you to stay with us," he spoke in a hoarse voice, clearing his throat.
Her vision was growing blurrier the longer they continued to talk to her. She could hear their voices, but they sounded light-years away. Her head turned to the side, eyes fluttering shut. Every breath she took felt like she was being stabbed all over again, and she could feel Caitlin's hand in her chest and the cold touch of metal against her skin.
"Piper! Hey, keep your eyes open!" Barry called, gradually bringing the redhead's attention back to the present. "Listen to the sound of my voice, Pipes."
Pipes.
The speedster reached up and tucked some of her hair behind her ear before she slapped his arm away. "You know... It's really hot when you threaten me. It kind of makes me want to believe you." She narrowed her eyes. "I'll let you have this one, beautiful. After all, how could I resist such a stunning woman?"
Piper rolled her eyes and stomped on his chest one more time before he grabbed her ankle, throwing her off balance and pinning her to the ground in one swift movement. Lowering himself on top of her, he caressed her face. She turned away as he held her hands down. Kissing her cheek, Jay pulled away, smiling.
"See you soon, Pipes." He growled, his voice fading to the dark, low, monstrous tone that set her teeth on edge. His eyes shrunk to a stormy black before he raced off.
She gasped for air, and her heart rate on the monitor sped up. "Piper, calm down. Just breathe. I'm almost done with the stitches." Caitlin announced, but Piper shook her head.
"Zoom," she whispered, and everything around her seemed to freeze.
"He did this?" Barry asked incredulously, sitting up, his grip on her hand tightening protectively. "He attacked you?"
Piper nodded somewhat as she struggled to keep her eyes open. "He..." She managed to breathe as Caitlin finished stitching her up.
"He what?" Harry asked quickly.
The woman blinked slowly, trying to stay awake.
"Piper?" Iris asked cautiously, stepping forward. The redhead simply closed her eyes and stopped moving, remaining perfectly still. "Piper?"
"She blacked out, but she'll be okay. We just need to wait until she wakes up." Caitlin spoke, glancing at Barry, who had pressed his forehead against the side of the table, his eyes shut tightly as his hand remained in Piper's.
────
SLAMMING THE CAR DOOR SHUT, ERIN OSBORN MARCHED TOWARD S.T.A.R. LABS AND STORMED INSIDE. Thanks to the cameras Piper had installed long ago, she had a partial idea of where she was heading. She ran up two flights of stairs, pushed through a door, and walked quickly down a curved corridor, following the sound of voices. Turning left, she walked into the room that was always on her best friend's laptop.
"Where's Piper?" she demanded.
At the sound of an unfamiliar voice, Iris stopped talking to Barry, and Cisco and Caitlin turned around. The unknown woman stood there with an intense expression, a set of car keys in her hands while her hair was up in a messy ponytail. The rims of her eyes were red and puffy.
"Who the hell are you?" Cisco retorted, raising his eyebrows.
"Piper's best friend. I saw the video. Where is she? Please don't tell me that he has her." Erin said desperately, walking around the circle of desks.
Barry glanced over at Caitlin, who gave him a clueless shrug. "What video?" he asked, moving forward in his wheelchair.
The woman pressed the palm of her hand to her forehead, groaning. "God, I thought you were supposed to be on top of all these meta-attacks and shit."
"What video?" Barry repeated, and Erin looked over at the hero, who her roommate never shut up about.
"Zoom came to our job tonight and killed a kid right before her. Then, he took her. Please tell me she's here," she pleaded as the color drained from everyone's faces.
"She's in there," Caitlin answered softly, pointing over to the side room where the redhead lay unconscious in a hospital bed.
Without hesitation, Erin bounded over to her best friend's side, taking her hand in hers. Tears rose in her eyes as she saw a cut on Piper's jaw and the bruises that decorated her cheeks and wrists. Squeezing her hand, she kissed it and stared at her helplessly.
Footsteps made their way closer, and she turned her head to see Team Flash behind her, along with Iris West. Usually, at any other given time, Erin would burst with gay joy at the sight of her, but right now, her main priority was Piper. "How badly did he hurt her?" she asked.
"He stabbed her in the chest, puncturing veins near her aorta. I was able to stop the bleeding and stitch her up. She'll be okay." Caitlin replied, and Erin nodded, glancing over at the unconscious speedster.
"How did you know she'd be here?" Iris questioned curiously.
For a split second, the short-haired woman stopped breathing. "Ever since she revealed herself to all of you, this building has become a safe place for her. She loves being here with all of you."
Barry smiled lightly, looking over at the wounded woman, who looked nothing less beautiful.
"You know about her powers?" Harry asked suspiciously, injecting himself into the conversation. Any and everything about Piper Lita was intriguing and questionable to him. There was more to her than what they knew. He could feel it.
"You mean Expedite? Hell yeah. I'm the first person she ever told after she'd been here for a while. I met her at a comic-book store right before she got the job at Streetwise Bay; we work together. She became my best friend and moved in with me since my old roommate left. She had been secretly spending the night at motels." Erin explained.
"Why had she been staying at motels secretly?" Harry followed up, crossing his arms.
Erin turned her head and looked the man up and down. "It's fucking weird how much you look like Eobard. Not to mention, you find everything that moves or breathes suspiciously just as he did."
The doppelgänger narrowed his eyes, growing tired of being compared to the man that wasn't him.
"I take it you know everything about us just like Piper did?" Cisco asked, and she nodded.
"She told me everything a few months ago. It drove her insane that she had no one to talk to about how she ended up here and you guys. Eventually, she confided in me, and I've been keeping up with you like the Kardashians ever since."
Iris chuckled, and Erin looked over at her, making a small smile on her face. The two locked eyes briefly, and Erin's cheeks burned lightly.
"I haven't told anyone, and I never will. You can trust me. Also, Doctor Wells the Sequel," the short-haired woman called, looking over at Harry. "You can quit glaring at me and getting your knickers in a twist. Not everybody alive is working with Zoom or conspiring with the world against you."
Cisco giggled, earning him a scowl from the man in question.
"Erin shut the hell up," a groggy voice complained. Everyone's attention was directed to the redhead staring tiredly at her roommate.
Erin gasped and threw her arms around her. "Get your hands off me, woman. I'm fine." Piper groaned as the woman kissed the top of her head affectionately. She pulled away with a watery smile as everyone crowded around the bed.
Barry moved to the opposite side of the bed and met the woman's gaze. A smile naturally appeared on his face, and she smiled back at him. Erin watched the two with diligent eyes, prepared to harass the hell out of Piper later.
"First, Zoom goes after Barry, and now you. I'm getting tired of this." Cisco sighed, and Caitlin nodded her head in agreement.
"Erin told us what happened. Well, part of what happened at least." Iris stated, looking over at the woman already gazing at her. Erin quickly smiled, and Piper held herself back from remarking.
"How do you know what happened? You weren't working today." Piper pointed out weakly, gaining the attention of her best friend.
"Someone at the restaurant took a video of what happened," she responded softly, nervous about how the redhead would react. The broken woman squeezed her eyes shut and covered her face, holding back her tears. "At the end of the video, it showed you are standing there one minute and the next there was a flash of blue and you were gone. Robert called me after the police and paramedics showed up. He didn't know where you were or if you were alive. I lied and told him that you were okay and had gotten away from that monster so he wouldn't worry. The police are going to want to question you, though. You were right there when—"
"Stop. Please." Piper whispered, her voice cracking.
Barry watched with sorrowful eyes as the woman beside him struggled to keep herself together in front of everyone.
It was silent before Iris spoke, "I found the video." Caitlin looked over at her and shook her head, mutely advising her not to play it.
Pulling her hands away from her face, the redhead wiped away her tears, trying to keep herself intact.
"Did Zoom take you, or did you follow him?" Barry asked.
"I followed him and threw him into the side of a building in an empty alleyway," Piper replied, looking down at her wrists with bruises in the shape of Jay's hands. Gulping, she pushed the wave of nausea she felt away. "I struck him with lightning and broke his back and nose, and I probably gave him a concussion."
Cisco whistled. "Remind me never to get in a fight with you," he stated, and she rolled her eyes.
"Oh, trust me," Erin began. "She may be tiny, but she kicks some serious ass. A couple of months ago, I wanted her to teach me some self-defense moves, and it turned into a sparring match with me ending up with a concussion and bloody nose."
Piper gasped. "First of all, I'm not tiny! And second, you gave me a black eye, so don't even go there." Her best friend grinned sheepishly, giving her a playful wink.
"Next time Zoom comes for us, I won't put meta-dampening cuffs on you again," Barry promised, giving her a cheeky smile.
God, if only there were an 'us.'
"Yeah, I might just put them on you." Piper teased, and he laughed softly.