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CHAPTER FOURTY-TWO
oxlii. would he hate me?
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"HAS HARTLEY MADE contact yet?" Dr. Wells asked as he wheeled into the cortex, Barry and Chloe not to far behind.
"What makes you so sure he will?" Caitlin questioned.
"Because he's Hartley, and he'll want to have the last word." Dr. Wells stated like it was obvious.
"Cisco, you should be resting." Barry called out to the man who was up and walking around like he didn't have a concussion.
"The answer to why Hartley fooled us into catching him is in here, and I'm going to find it." Cisco told Barry, Chloe letting out a small smirk, "Hell yeah, I'm helping too." Chloe followed him into the small room.
"You have nothing to prove." Dr. Wells spoke as he wheeled into the room.
"Not true." Cisco retorted.
Chloe stayed silent, she knew that, she just wanted to catch Hartley, maybe distract herself from her on the run boyfriend she hasn't seen in a long ass time.
Dr. Wells chuckled. "Do you know why I hired you Cisco?" Dr. Wells asked.
"You said you saw something in me- I know." Cisco nodded.
"What I saw was humanity. You and Hartley, Cisco, you're both brilliant. You both have mental-" Dr. Wells snapped his fingers, "-Sparks. But his brilliance subtracted from the experience of working here, whereas your brilliance, your heart, your warmth, your humor, it just adds to it." Dr. Wells paused as Cisco took in his words. "There's no chosen one, Cisco. No second or third favorite. Never was. It's just us." Dr. Wells told him making Cisco smile slightly.
Suddenly there was a sound of what Chloe thought was speakers popping.
"What's that?" Caitlin asked panicked.
"Nice gambit, Harrison. But this isn't over." Hartley's voice came through the speakers.
"Hartley, what do you want? What do you want, Hartley? I already gave my mea culpa today!" Dr. Wells voice rose as Cisco and Chloe followed him into the main part of the cortex.
"The city already hated you. You don't think I noticed that press conference was a pathetic bishop sacrifice? No, no, no. I've played with you too many times to let you get away with that. This is between you, me, Electra and the Flash." Hartley told Dr. Wells.
"You don't want to play for those kind of stakes with me, Hartley." Dr. Wells warned.
"Actually, I really do." Cane Hartley's reply, "What do you say? One last game of chess?" Hartley asked his tone taunting.
"You and I both know the winner of the game is the one who makes next to last mistake, and you clearly have a move in mind."
"You're right. And I'm already at the board. So why don't you move your precious Scarlett Knight and precious Electra..." Hartley paused, "While I take out a few pawns."
BARRY AND CHLOE were both suited up, Chloe having turned on the voice changer before she set off with Barry to face Hartley.
"All right. All right, Cisco where do I take Chloe and I to?" Barry asked the Tech.
"I can't trace his signal. He could be sending his messages from anywhere." Cisco told him.
"Cisco, scan for seismic activity." Dr. Wells told him, "If Hartleys using sonic blasts, the vibration could cause tremors."
After a few seconds of looking around Cisco spoke up, "Look. Over here. Quake activity but no fault line."
"The Keystone Clever Dam." Caitlin spoke worried.
"Barry! Don't underestimate him. He's brilliant. And Chloe," Dr. Wells turned to the female, "Don't let your emotions get the better of you, Hartley may know things about you that we can't predict. Same goes for you Barry."
Chloe nodded, scared of what that could mean, what if he knew about Lenny somehow?
But Barry just smiled, "Well, good thing I'll have you in here." He picked Chloe up and off the speed to the Keystone Cleaver Dam.
Barry quickly set Chloe down before running back down towards the car that was falling and grabbed the woman inside, softly placing her besides Chloe.
"Barry, Chloe, you need to disarm Hartley immediately. Immediately! Do you hear me? He is a master of distraction. He is a master of hiding his true endgame." Dr. Wells told them through the comms.
Hartley thrust his hands out and about six cars went flying into the air, Barry speeding to save the people inside them as Chloe thrust her hands out and sent Hartley flying back a few feet, her eyes glowing blue.
"A-ha!" Chloe heard Cisco in her ear, before he let out a, "Uh-oh."
"A-ha what?" She heard Dr. Wells ask.
"I figured out what Hartley stole from STAR Labs, why he let himself get caught."
"Which brings us to the "uh oh."" Chloe heard Caitlin say.
"He has all the data on Barry and Chloes molecular scans." She heard Cisco tell Caitlin.
"Why would he want that?" Chloe heard Caitlin ask as the redhead tried her best to keep Hartley from moving closer to her.
"He can get out frequency's!" Chloe called out her voice modulated.
"Barry! You need to get out of there! You and Chloe need to get out of there immediately!" Dr. Wells told them.
"No shit, Wells!" Chloe yelled, still trying to hold Hartley down, but he said something that made her lose her hold.
"What would your boyfriend think if he knew you had powers? Would he try and go after you next instead of The Flash?" His taunt was so quiet that nobody but Chloe heard it as she was standing in front of him.
She froze, her eyes widening as they turned back to their normal soft blue, not the glowing electric blue they were before, her hold on Hartley now completely gone.
"How? H- How?" She mumbled in shock, her words now getting a bit louder, "No. No. No. He- He- He would never do that." She didn't notice the man charge up his gauntlets to fire at her. Barry speed her away before it could happen, staring at his sister in confusion, he didn't know what Hartley and said.
Chloe still frozen in shock as Hartley tried shooting at Barry only now, feeling like Chloe had enough of a shock already, though she wouldn't stay unscathed for long, Barry speeding out of the way each time. Finally Barry speed forward to Hartley knocking him down as he grabbed his gauntlets and threw them to the floor.
"It's over! You lose!" Barry told Hartley.
"Amazing. He replaced me with you? Total moron, unlike Chloe over there she's smart, but she's in quite a shock right now, but you? I got you with the same trick twice." Hartley told him.
Chloe didn't process the conversation in front of her, or when Barry's ears started ringing from the vibrations Hartley was sending to his body. She was too caught up in her thoughts.
Lenny wouldn't do that! He wouldn't leave me! He promised- So he wouldn't leave me because of my powers, he wouldn't go after me next, I bet he already knows of my identify! Yeah... Chloes thoughts raced.
"I got the idea watching you and Harrison chit chat... to use your suits own speakers to kill you."
Barry groaned, Chloe couldn't hear it over her thoughts, she didn't know he was dying.
"That feeling? That's your organs shearing apart. And you activated the frequency when you disarmed me. In chess, we call that a discovered attack. You don't see it until it's too late. Right, Harrison?!"
Barry groaned again.
"Chloe?Chloe?! Why aren't you responding?!" She heard her friends through her comms.
But she couldn't think straight, all she could think about was how what if when she told Leonard about her powers he'd freak out, even in her heart she knew he wouldn't, somehow Hartley's taunt had put her into shock. She didn't want anyone else to leave her yet. She didn't want her Lenny to leave just yet.
"You don't seem so special anyone. Given how easy it was to bring you down, Chloe on the other hand has always let words get the best of her, tell her something that will make her doubt and she'll be shell shocked. I wonder if Harrison will even miss you." She heard Hartley tell Barry, though his voice was quiet as if he was far away, Chloe slowly fell to the ground sitting on the side of the road in shock.
She could hear the mummer of the car radios and she could see Hartley's gauntlets backfire, she could hear Barry gasp for air but she could do anything.
She was so confused how Hartley's comment about her boyfriend shifted her mind that much, to where she couldn't help her brother in a fight. She saw Hartley freak out and then pass out.
"Barry, Chloe can you hear me?"
"Sort of!" Was Barry's loud reply, Chloe stayed silent and still, sitting with her knees scrunched up to her chest as her mind raced.
AFTER CHLOE HAD come back to her senses, they made it back to STAR Labs, changing back into there normal attire, Chloe still spaced out slightly as she sat in her desk chair.
"Okay!" Barry sighed as he walked into the cortex.
"How do you feel?" Caitlin asked.
"Fine! I mean there is a little ringing in my ears, but other than that I'm good, so..." Barry trailed off, talking loudly.
"You're speaking very loudly." Caitlin told him with a smile.
"Sorry."
"It's okay, it'll pass." Caitlin told him making Barry chuckle.
Chloe fiddled with her necklace, the one Leonard had given her, in a trance, listening to her friends and brothers conversation.
"Nice moves." Cisco told Barry as they did a high-five handshake thing.
"Thank you." Barry thanked.
"Anytime. I think I'm gonna take my doctors advice and go lie down." Cisco joked slightly though he wasn't lying.
"What a great idea!" Caitlin told him making Cisco laugh, walking by Chloe he set a comforting squeeze to her shoulder before walking out with Caitlin, "Man, I feel like I'm hungover times ten."
"I'm not surprised." Caitlin responded.
"It's difficult for me..." Dr. Wells started, "To admit when I'm wrong. Certainly in front of an entire city but also..." Dr. Wells paused, "Also to my closest friends." Barry let out a smile, Dr. Wells going on, "So I hope one day to restore your trust and faith in me."
"That day was today." Barry told him, shaking hands with Dr. Wells, after Barry handed something to Dr. Wells before walking out, Chloe getting up and following him.
Barry stopped her outside of the elevator, questioning, "What happened out there, Chlo? What did Hartley say to you?"
"N- Nothing really- Just . . Uh . . Something that made me rethink things." Chloe told him, "I have to go home and make a phone call but it'll make me feel better, I promise."
"Okay, sis. Have a nice night, Chlo." Barry hugged his sister, Chloe returning it, "You too, Barr." With that Barry speed off, Chloe walking into the elevator as she made her way to her car to drive home.
AFTER ARRIVING HOME, Chloe pulled out her phone and made a call to the number Leonard had been calling her on. She was told to wait for calls from him, but this couldn't wait, she needed to tell Leonard she had powers. She knew he wouldn't hate her, she knew in her heart that he loved her, but Hartley's words had stuck in her brain.
What would your boyfriend think if he knew you had powers? Would he try and go after you next instead of The Flash?
So she called the number it ringing a few times before a female voice answered.
"How do you have this number? Who are you?" The woman demanded.
Chloe smiled slightly, questioning, "You're Lisa, right?"
"How do you know that?" The woman - Lisa - snapped back.
"I'm Lennys girlfriend, Chloe. I need to talk to him." Chloe answered hearing Lisa chuckle on the other line.
"Oh that makes sense... I'll go get Lenny, one minute." She heard mumble talking, she assumed it was Leonard and Lisa.
After a few long seconds she heard a, "I thought I said to wait for me to call you, Princess. Not the other way around." Leonards voice was calm and soft, a slight chuckle to his words.
"I know. I know. . But this couldn't wait, I need to tell you something." Chloe rushed out, her eyes watering slightly, Leonard heard the panic in her voice.
"Chloe, is something wrong?" Leonard asked worriedly, using her real name instead of the nickname he always called her, "Because if there is don't think I won't race over there to see you, even if it risks my hiding."
Chloe smile, she knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt her, she giggle slightly, "As much as I'd love to see you, we should wait another week or two. But back to what I wanted to tell you..." Chloe paused taking a deep breath.
Leonard was silent waiting for her to speak.
"I- I uh- I'm just gonna say it." Chloe mumbled, "I have powers and I didn't want to tell you because I was scared of how you'd react even though I know you love me, and I love you too. But I was still scared so, uhm, yeah." Chloe rushed out, quite quickly, closing her eyes. She heard Leonard chuckle on the other end, "Why are you laughing?"
"Oh, Princess . . . I already knew. I'm perfectly okay with it, I'll always love you no matter what, I told you I'd never leave didn't I?"
Chloe chuckled softly, "Yeah, Yeah you did, I don't know why I was so worried..." She paused, "Wait- How did you know?!"
"You talk in your sleep and you said something about having powers, I don't remember." Leonard chuckled making Chloe laugh as well.
"That makes sense." Her smile then fell, "I miss you, Lenny. I miss you so fucking much."
"I miss you too, Princess. You don't even know how much I want to see you and kiss you and just hold you." She heard someone in the background, jokingly say how "Leonard was growing soft" and then she heard the man reply with, "Lisa shut the fuck up!"
Chloe giggled at the siblings, "I know, Lenny. I wish I could just be near you too." She glanced at the time, it was almost 9pm and she promised Cisco she would visit Hartley with him.
"Oh shit! I have to go Lenny, I love and miss you so much!" Chloe called into the phone, hearing Leonard let out another laugh.
"Okay, Princess, I love and miss you too. I'll try and see when I can actually see you next. Bye, I love you."
"I love you too." Chloe smiled softly, hearing a click seeing he had ended the call. Chloe quickly grabbed her coat and keys and ran out of her apartment, locking the door and taking the stairs down instead to make it to STAR Labs in time.
ARRIVING AT THE pipe line to see Hartley just about waking up she walked over to Cisco, panting slightly.
"Hey. I see he's waking up." Chloe called.
"What took you so long?" Cisco asked as Hartley got off the floor.
"Phone calls."
Cisco just nodded turning to Hartley.
"Your evil hearing aids won't help you escape this time. So I'd get comfy." Cisco told Hartley.
"And if you do try something I'll fry your brain, Hartley." Chloe glared at him.
Nobody talks shit about my boyfriend and gets away with it. Chloe wanted to add on but Cisco was there, and the cameras around them stopped her.
Hartley turned to her, a mocking smile on his lips, "I see everything went well with you know who. Glad too see I could get into your head like that, Chloe." Hartley nodded.
"Don't talk like that Rathaway. I could kill you in a second." Chloe hissed to him, Cisco watching the encounter in confusion.
Hartley turned back to Cisco, "You must be enjoying this, Cisco."
"I am." The man in question answered.
"Ah, well, if that scares you, I can't imagine how you're gonna feel when you both open up these doors and let me out of here."
"Hmm... Maybe I'm going deaf, 'cause I could've sworn you just said we're gonna let you out." Cisco retorted.
Hartley nodded, "And very soon too."
"Why would we ever do that?" Chloe asked, her eyes narrowed.
"Because I know where Ronnie Raymond is."
Cisco and Chloes eyes both widened.
"I know what really happened to him that night. And I know how to save him." Hartley told them.
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AUTHORS NOTE | word count : 2782
And that's episode eleven!
Whooo- Wasn't this a huge ass roller coaster?!
Also poor chloe-
This isn't a side i've showed of her yet is it?
I don't think so-
Haha i'm evil-
So uh yeah how'd you like this?
Favorite part?
I'll see you in the next one!
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