3 weeks later
So. For the past three, very long weeks, I have:
1:) been getting poked and prodded by Caitlin as she tests me for my abilities,
2:) Discovered that Harrison Wells is not who he says he is. And
3:) found out I absolutely hate needles.
Cisco and Joe ended up ditching us for Starling City to go over the night of Tess Morgan's death, leaving me alone, with Caitlin and her toys.
"Cait please, my arms are bruising from how much you've poked me with your evil needles!" I said as Caitlin grabbed my arms to examine them.
"Your rapid healing seems to be working." She said as I protested the needles. But, as always, I lost the battle, feeling the needle stab into me.
"So. . ." I started, trying to diminish the silence. "Wheres Barry?"
"Guy is selling stolen diamonds. He should be back shortly." Caitlin answered blatantly as I nodded.
"Eddie is okay with all of this. . . Right? He doesn't want to arrest Barry anymore?" I said, nearly forgetting that Barry told Eddie he was the flash.
"Nope. He's all good with it." Airlines answered as she pulled the needle out, sticking gauze and a bandaid on, although it was unnecessary.
"Well, maybe later we can go out for coffee? We never really got the chance to really get to know one another." I said as Caitlin looked at me before I saw her smile.
"I'd like that, Cora." She said as I smiled, getting up as Barry ran in.
"Well we got a new meta. A shape-shifter." Barry said as Caitlin and I frowned.
"A shape-shifter? Like a werewolf?" I asked as Barry shook his head.
" I literally saw a grown man, like. . . morph into a teenage girl." Barry said as I frowned.
"That's fascinating." Dr. Wells said, startling is all. "Today's physicists have always regarded programmable matter as nothing more than a theory but I guess your shape-shifter proves it can be done." He continued as I pressed my lips together.
"So. . . This shape shifter, can just morph into anyone he touches?" I asked as Barry shrugged, nodding. "That's bad news. What if you two come in contact while you're the Flash? He can. . . Reveal your identity to the world or-or use your speed for bad and possibly kill you or-"
"Cora. It will be fine." Barry said as he tried to reassure me.
"Miss Agápi is right. If you're touched
while you're the Flash and he transforms... we run the risk of him exposing that Barry Allen is the man behind the mask." Dr. Wells said as I sighed through my nose.
"All right. Got it. Hands of the meta-human." Barry said as he raised his hands in surrender.
"So. . . How are we supposed to find someone who can literally change their appearance in a matter of seconds?" I asked.
"We start from the beginning." Harrison suggested as Barry nodded.
"Find the first person the shape-shifter morphed into... when they discovered their powers.vPull up the C.C.P.D. records of cases... where the perpetrator plead innocent when they were on camera... committing the crime." Barry said as Wells smirked.
"You're good Barry Allen." He said before Barry gestured for me to follow him.
"I can go with you to the first scene. Then after that I'm not sure what I'll be able to do." I said as Barry nodded.
☀︎︎
I knocked gently on the front door of a tiny house, where an old woman quickly answered the door, a warm and welcoming smile on her face.
Eddie was supposed to join Barry and I, but it ended up with him canceling due to Iris wanting to spend "quality time" with him.
"Well, hello dear." The woman said as I smiled down at her. "What can I do for you?"
"Barry Allen and Cora Agápi, forensic analysts for the CCPD. We are here for an ongoing investigation involving your grandson, Hannibal Bates." I said as the woman froze for a minute.
Shit. I heard her think, forcing back a brow that was about to raise as she smiled once more, letting us in. "Come on in." She said as Barry smiled, walking in as I followed behind.
"Have you heard from your grandson recently, Mrs. Bates?" Barry asked as we sat down in the tiny couch.
"Recently? No. Uh uh. Why do you ask?" I was finally able to put my superhearing to use, using it to check her heart beat. Her heart skipped a beat. It was a lie.
I tapped Barry's knee with my pinky, giving him a slight shake of my head as he frowned at me.
"You filed a missing-persons report on your grandson a little over a year ago." I said as Mrs. Bates stopped once more.
"Oh, yes. I certainly did. You'll have to forgive me. My memory is not quite as it used to be." She said as I once again held back a suspicious look. "And of course, neither are my manners. Can I get you two anything? Coffee? Tea?"
"Yea would be nice, thank you." I said with a smile as Barry shook his head, the woman disappearing around the corner.
"Cora w-"
"Sh." I shooshed Barry, placing a finger over my mouth as I listened to Mrs. Bates thoughts.
"I need to get out of here." My attention snapped to Barry.
"She's running." I said before shooting up. Barry went to use his speed before I stopped him. "Don't let him catch you using your speed!" I said as Barry frowned.
"Then what am I supposed to do?!"
"Do it the way everyone else does it, Barry!" I said before sprinting out the back door while Barry took the front.
"Hannibal Bates stop where you are right now!" I said as I took out the taser I had taken from the precinct, aiming it at Hannibal.
"I said freeze!"
Barry
I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find Bates. Maybe Cora got him?
"Barry! Did you find Hannibal?" I turned to see Cora, a confused look on her face as I groaned, shaking my head.
"He must have gotten away." I said, now frustrated as Cora gave me a defeated look.
"We should um. . . Head back to CCPD." Cora suggested as I shook my head.
"No. We need to get back to S.T.A.R. Labs. Call Eddie and tell him Bates got away." I said as Cora nodded, quickly calling Eddie and repeating what I told her to do.
"So. How far is S.T.A.R. Labs from here? Good hour long walk?" Cora asked as I frowned at her.
"It takes us two seconds." I said quickly before picking her up and speeding to S.T.A.R Labs.
Cora snapped her attention to me when I set her down, an evil yet terrified look on her face. "The Flash." She muttered as I gave her a weird look.
"There you guys are!" Caitlin said as we turned out heads to her.
"Yes. . . Here we are." Cora uttered as Caitlin walked into the lab room, me and Cora following behind.
"I figured a way to stop our shape-shifter from morphing into other people." Caitlin said as Cora stood further away from us, looking at everything like she's seeing it for the first time.
"Oh really?" Cora said, turning to face us as Caitlin nodded.
"What if I create a serum that will terminate the polymerization reaction? Essentially forcing the bonds to revert to their original form. Stop him from being able to control his power." Caitlin suggested as Cora walked up.
"You can do that?" She asked as Caitlin smiled, nodding.
Something isn't right. I said to myself, glaring at Cora, who looked over at me nervously.
"Let's figure out how to catch this 'Everyman.'" Caitlin said as I frowned. "Bad nickname?"
"No." Cora said quickly, a smile on her face as she shrugged. "I kinda like it."
"Alright. Now let's give this serum a little spin. . ." Caitlin put the tube into the spinner, while Cora glared daggers at it.
"This. . . Serum. Will it take his lowers away permanently?"
"Not permanently. Just long enough that we can stop him." Caitlin said as she started to trail off.
"I was going through the video of one of the latest robberies by Hannibal, and look." I said as we all walked over to the monitors. "The man claimed to be right handed."
"Still seems pretty convincing to me. She is being a bag in the other hand." Cora said as I turned to her, frowning before shaking my head.
"Anyway, I think that- WOAH! Cora! Dr. Wells what did you do?!" I yelled as Cora fell to the ground, now unconscious after being tased.
"Your observations about the robber were spot on, Mr. Allen." Dr. Wells said as Cora's hand fell out from behind her, revealing a gun.
"The man is indeed left handed, as is this one in front of us." He said as I frowned at Doctor Wells before looking at Cora before my eyes widened.
"Thats- that's Hannibal Bates. . ." Caitlin said as I ran a hand through my hair. "Barry?"
"Bates he. . . He saw me use my speed. Cora is still at Mrs Bates house.. . ." I sped off in a matter of seconds, searching up and down the streets before I found Cora, conscious and leaning against Mrs. Bates house, holding her nose as it bled.
"It's about damn time you figured out that wasn't me." Cora scoffed as I ran up to her.
"Are you okay? I'm so- so sorry Cora I didnt-" Cora cut me off with a long sigh.
"Barry. I know you're sorry. You are always sorry. But right now, we need to get back to S.T.A.R. Labs and throw Copycat in that damn meta prison before I blow a fuse." Cora said as she wiped her nose.
"That's. . . Probably a good idea." I said as she nodded, outstretching her arms as I grabbed her, racing back to S.T.A.R. Labs.
"Cora. Are you sure you're alright?" asked as she nodded, grabbing a tissue and wiping the dried blood off her nose.
"I'm fine other than being knocked out for five minutes by a meta human that chose the best person to steal an identity from is a sarcastic bitch that can surely hold a grudge." She said with a scoffed as I chuckled.
"Where is Hannibal, anyway?" I asked as Dr. Wells rolled in.
"Cailtin and Miss West came in, took Mr. Bates to the CCPD to release someone who was being accounted for a robbery." Wells said as Cora gave me a wary look.
Cora
My phone started to buzz, an incoming call from Caitlin. "Hey Cait. What's up?"
"Bates! He-He got out! He's gone." She yelled as I snapped my attention to Barry, who had heard the whole thing.
"Look. I see that you guys can handle this. But I just got knocked the shit out of me, and I'm tired." I said, looking to Barry and Wells as I hung up. "I think I'm gonna crash on the crash cart for a few minutes while you guys handle Bates. Is that alright?"
"That's perfectly fine, Miss Agápi." Wells said as I pressed my lips together in a thin line, walking into on of the small rooms where a medical bed laid. I jumped onto it, adjusting myself before I yawned.
"Cora?" I heard Barry say as he walked in. I smiled at him, scooting over to let him sit. "About what happened a few minutes ago-"
"Barry when will you give yourself a break?" I asked, sitting up. It was probably a bad idea, considering how close we now were. "You're always apologizing to everyone, and frankly, I'm getting sick of it."
"It's just all these problems I have caused that I'm trying to run from. . . It's messing up my relationships with everyone. And ours the most. . ." Barry trailed off as I gave him a sad look, placing my hand on top of his as I absentmindedly rubbed circles with my thumb.
"Sometimes even the fastest man alive can't outrun his problems, Barry." I said as he slowly looked up to face me. "There are going to be situations where you will feel the need to apologize, but for the last time Barry, stop apologizing to me. I know you are going to be sorry for whatever happens, I just don't want to hear you say it anymore or it'll drive me mad."
I placed my hand on his cheek, tilting my head slightly as I smiled at him. "You know I care about you a lot, right?" I muttered as Barry smiled weakly, nodding.
"I-I care about you too, Cora. I just don't want to see you get hurt anymore."Barry said as I rolled my eyes.
"That's part of working with a hero. You're going to get hurt and threatened. But I'll still be here, Barry." I whispered as Barry sighed, nodding.
Should I have looked at his lips? Probably no- oh look he's looking at mine. Should I just do it? Maybe I should wait until he-
My thoughts couldn't contain themselves anymore as Barry placed his lips on mine, my heart racing a mile a minute as I barely took in a sharp breath.
I don't think I had ever felt like I was on cloud 9. Though the kiss lasted only a good 15-20 seconds, it was the best kiss I'd ever had.
It probably would have lasted longer if Caitlin didn't come into the cortex yelling for Barry. He turned to me, a sad look in his eyes saying he wanted the moment to last longer as I frowned at him, giving him a short kiss before I forced him out of the room, falling back into the bed.
I frowned out the voices in the room next to me as I heard a gust of wind, no doubt meaning Barry had disappeared to fight Hannibal Bates.
☀︎︎
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THE NEXT CHAPTER IS GOING TO BE SHORT BUT HAVE A BIG IMPACT
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