“Yeah, but here’s another thing,” Barry went on, now peeking at a fragment of paper in his other hand. “Actually found a fifth one… or what’s left of it. Lying with a few other pieces of refuse right where it looks like Mardon unleashed all this energy. I think the only thing that helped keep this image from being vaporized was the fact that it also got soaked as heck. I could barely make it out, either way, but it’s definitely another image of Clyde Mardon.”
“Now that is really odd. Wonder what it means?”
“One last thing. A lot of this is very fresh. I doubt we missed him by very much. You able to track anything yet?”
“No activity at all that we haven’t attributed to the storm,” Cisco answered. “It’s almost like he faded away.”
The Flash eyed one of the clippings. “Faded away. You know that figure I saw on the roof? The one that Joe also saw?”
“What about it? We figured it was some metahuman we haven’t crossed paths with yet. That makes the most sense. Maybe even one who’s convinced the Weather Wizard that he is Clyde Mardon.”
“Maybe. But I keep thinking how Mardon acted and how certain he was just who he was shouting to. He had no doubts that it was Clyde. I’m not sure he’d be fooled by a fraud, although I could be wrong.”
Cisco was silent for a moment. Then, “What’re you getting at, Barry? If it’s not another metahuman in disguise, then what is it?”
The Flash held one of the clippings as far away as he could, imagining the figure in it to be even farther away and in a darker location. “I don’t know. Do you believe in ghosts?”
* * *
Another day in the tombs, Joe thought as he looked at the old clock on the painted cinderblock wall. Tombs, all right. I wonder just who the hell even designed this place?
The detective glanced at the other windowless walls. The basement was generally used for data and record storage. Most of the officers around Joe were either very near retirement or permanently injured. Joe respected all of them highly, but still chafed at not being out on the streets. He had spent years helping keep Central City safe from all kinds of hoods. That was where he belonged, not down here.
But his superiors had deemed otherwise.
Sighing, he finished the paperwork in front of him, stamped it, then set it aside for later filing. As he reached for the next batch, Joe paused to look at his phone. He and Iris had hardly talked since the Weather Wizard’s last attack on him and that bothered Joe a lot.
Might as well do it, he thought with some trepidation. Picking up the phone, he called up Iris on the speed dial. Joe listened as the phone rang and rang and rang. However, when the voicemail came on, he didn’t bother with a message. Instead, he dialed Wally… only to receive the same result.
Making a face, Joe set the phone down. He glanced up at the clock again—which hardly seemed to have budged in the meantime—and not for the first time calculated to the very second how much time he had left on his shift.
* * *
Wally West looked at the clock on his phone and did a calculation of just how long his father had left on his shift. That done, he sighed in exasperation and settled down again.
Wally watched police headquarters from a dark corner far across the street where an awning protected him from the storm. While he could have been on the other side of Central City and still reached headquarters in less than a single breath, after his debacle with the Weather Wizard, Wally had wanted to take no chances… especially with his father. By keeping an actual eye on where Joe was, Wally felt certain that nothing could go wrong.
His phone vibrated again. Wally glanced at it, this time answering. “Hi.”
“Where are you?” Iris asked.
“Watching Dad like I promised. I had free time, so I thought I’d stick close by police headquarters. It doesn’t help to be fast if I don’t hear about what’s happening until it’s too late. I’m not going to let something happen because of that.”
Her tone when she responded was full of both relief and concern. “I don’t know how to thank you for doing that, Wally… but just be careful yourself, all right? Don’t take Mardon on if he shows up. Just grab Dad and go.”
“I’ll do that. I promise.” But once he’s safe, I’ll deal with Mardon right, you’ll see, Iris. He took a quick look at police headquarters. “He won’t be on duty much longer. I’ll follow him home and once I know he’s sticking there, I’ll check in at regular intervals… without him knowing, natch.”
“That sounds reasonable. Remember what I said, though. I want you to be careful too. Please.”
“Don’t you worry.” He frowned as he heard background noises from her side. “Where are you? Are you in a car in this weather?”
There was a long pause. “Caitlin wasn’t feeling well, so I thought I’d check in on her.”
“Not too serious, I hope.”
“No. Wally, I’m in traffic. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Sounds good. Like I said, don’t you worry. Drive careful. I worry about you too, sis.”
“I’ll be fine. Bye.”
Wally let her disconnect, then resumed watching headquarters. “Just let him come,” he whispered to the air. “Once Dad’s safe, Mister Wizard’s all mine.” Then, glancing at his phone, he added, “Sorry, Iris. You just wouldn’t understand. I’ve got to take care of it. Guess I’m just more like Dad in that way than even I figured.”
* * *
“Sorry about that,” Iris said to H.R. as she turned onto the next street. “I suddenly felt like I just had to call him. I had to know he was all right.”
H.R. raised both hands slightly. “You won’t get any argument out of me. I think it’s good to have family. Never really had much of one myself on my Earth.”
“Thank you for understanding. Here we are, thank goodness.” She pulled into a parking place at Caitlin’s apartment complex. “Let’s hope it’s not bad.”
“Let’s,” H.R. replied in a dubious tone.
They dashed from the car to the entrance. H.R. stepped back and leaned against the other side of the doorway as Iris tried the buzzer. After four futile attempts, she looked to him for a suggestion.
His gaze flickered to the sealed glass door keeping them from Caitlin. Something inside caught his eye. “Try one more time.”
Frowning, Iris turned back to the buzzer. As she pressed it, another occupant opened the door and stepped through.
“Oh. Pardon me!” H.R. exclaimed, jumping out of the man’s way in what Iris thought a somewhat exaggerated manner.
The man nodded briskly and moved on to face the storm.
“She still isn’t answering,” Iris muttered.
“Not a problem anymore.” H.R. indicated the door, which was now slightly ajar.
Iris looked down to see his foot in the doorway.
“Saw him coming. Hoped it might work with you and the weather as distractions.”
Patting him on the shoulder, Iris rushed into the building. With H.R. at her heels, she headed up to Caitlin’s apartment.
“Everything seems pretty calm,” Iris muttered as they moved unhindered through the building. “Maybe she actually is just a little sick.”
“Maybe.”
They reached Caitlin’s floor. As they stepped into the main corridor, both instinctively came to a halt.
“Is it noticeably colder here than downstairs?” H.R. asked.
“Could be just the way the air conditioning for the common areas is set.” Still, Iris’s expression indicated to him that even she did not believe what she said.
Moving more cautiously, they came to Caitlin’s door.
“It’s even colder here,” Iris murmured. With the utmost care, she reached for the handle.
“Hang on a moment!” blurted H.R. As Iris pulled back, he covered one hand with part of his shirt and took hold of the handle. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Oh boy, that’s cold! We’re in luck, though. It’s unlocked. Here we go.”
He pushed
open the door enough for both of them to enter. A wave of Arctic cold pressed against them, but they stepped inside nonetheless. H.R. immediately shut the door behind him.
“Oh my God,” Iris blurted.
“Yep,” echoed H.R. warily.
The entire scene before them was bathed in glittering frost. Couch, table, walls, fixtures… everything.
H.R. shook his head in horror. “It’s almost pretty…”
Iris looked behind him. “That’s funny… Oh.”
“What is it?”
“I felt a faint warmth. Look at the thermostat. It’s practically set to broiling, but you have to stand right in front of it to even feel anything.”
“That’s not good, but at least there’s a little hope.” He folded his arms over his chest in a vain attempt to keep some body heat. “Clearly, Caitlin tried to fight it.”
“‘Tried’ being the operative word. This doesn’t look very much like success. We need to find her quick—” Iris gasped.
H.R. followed her gaze to a spot just off the center of the room and partially obscured by a couch. “What is that? All ice?”
“More likely Caitlin. Help me!”
They rushed to the low mound. Iris bent down to study it, carefully rubbing one hand over the top.
She pulled back in horror. H.R. grabbed her by the shoulders in support as both looked wide-eyed at what she had uncovered.
Caitlin lay on her back, seemingly staring at the ceiling. Her skin was frost white, her lips almost blue. Most of her hair had turned the color of snow.
They both knew that look. They both knew the name that went with it.
“This is bad,” H.R. finally managed. “So bad.”
Iris carefully put her hand back on the mound. When nothing happened, she pressed slightly on it. To the surprise of both, the area beneath her hand crumbled.
“It’s like a shell… of frost…” H.R. offered.
“Or more like a cocoon. Look at her. She’s slowly changing. We’ve got to wake her before it can’t be reversed.” Unspoken by her was the possibility that it was already too late.
“Is that wise? What if she doesn’t… respond well?”
“We have to take that chance,” Iris insisted. “We can’t leave her like this.”
H.R. looked anxiously at Caitlin, then nodded. “Cisco. His device. On her wrist. Maybe we can get to it.”
They battered at the frost over her arm. Iris carefully raised Caitlin’s arm up so that they could view the mechanism.
Another, thicker layer covered Cisco’s creation… and only Cisco’s creation.
“Now that looks like a lot more than just a little fragile frost,” H.R. pointed out.
Iris gingerly touched the surface, then recoiled. “I’ve never felt anything so cold!”
“But why is this so much harder than the rest of this mound?”
Gazing at Caitlin, Iris finally answered, “It’s almost as if her powers are focused on the device… intentionally.”
“Caitlin wouldn’t do that—”
“I didn’t say she did. I said her powers.”
He gave her a blank look. “How does that happen?”
Iris looked around for something to use to warm up the device to melt its frosty covering. “Never mind that now. She has one of those portable candle lighters in the far right top drawer in the kitchen. Go get it while I call Cisco!”
As H.R. obeyed, Iris dialed.
“What’s up, Iris?” Cisco’s tone hinted of grave concern. “How is she? I’ve been getting more and more questionable readings for the past few minutes.”
“Not good. We’re trying to melt a thick layer of frost around the machine you gave her—”
“What? That shouldn’t happen!”
H.R. returned with the long-stemmed lighter. “Got it.”
“Hold the trigger there and squeeze,” she instructed. “Should get a little gas flame.”
“And gently heat the surface. Right.” He went to work.
To Cisco, Iris asked, “Do you think we can reprogram it once we get through?”
“Temporarily at best. Let me know as soon as we can do anything.”
“Starting to get through,” H.R. informed her. “Shouldn’t be much more than—”
The half-melted covering refroze.
“Uh oh.” H.R. held the flame closer. Unfortunately, as both watched, now only a slight hint of unfreezing occurred before freezing happened again.
“What is it?” Cisco called. “If she’s gone full Frost, you guys maybe better get out of there.”
“It’s the coating on your device! It’s refreezing as fast as it melts!” Iris blurted into the phone.
“Uh… Iris…”
She looked at H.R., who stared at Caitlin with wide eyes. Iris immediately followed his gaze to the other woman.
Caitlin stared back.
* * *
Mark Mardon stirred. As he did, a wind blew in his face. He blinked, trying to clear his eyes. Through his blurred vision, the Weather Wizard made out an indistinct figure.
“Clyde?”
He blinked several times. The figure finally coalesced into his brother.
“About time you woke,” the younger sibling responded. “You sleep like the dead.” He chuckled at his joke.
“Where the hell are we?” This was not the building where he had tried yet again unsuccessfully to bring his brother back.
“You don’t remember? I brought you here, just like on that first night after Iron Heights.”
Try as he might, the Weather Wizard could summon no memory of the journey. “But you can’t touch anything.”
Clyde scowled. “Go ahead and be ungrateful! I’m the one who should be ungrateful after that last try!”
Mark jumped up. “Easy, Clyde! I didn’t mean anything by it! It’s all appreciated, especially after what happened… or didn’t.”
The younger brother beamed. “Good. How’re you feeling now?”
Stretching his arms, the Weather Wizard grinned wide. “Feeling pretty good. Feeling pretty clear in the head too.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah… Clear enough to know how best to handle the Flash. How best to set him up for how we need him.”
“Oh? And how’s that?”
Mark grinned. “We’re going to play an old favorite just for him.”
12
Wally raced back to his observation point, having only been gone exactly one second. He had returned home, changed clothes, eaten some food, and returned in that time. Confident that he had missed nothing, Wally now debated one last step.
Exhaling, he dialed his phone.
“Central City Police Department. Detective Joe West speaking.”
“Hey. It’s Wally.”
“Wally? Something wrong with you? Iris?”
The tremendous concern made Wally smile. “No, Dad. Nothing wrong with us.”
“Well, so to what do I owe this honor? Not that I’m complaining.”
“Are you still getting off in an hour?”
“You know it. One long, long hour.”
Wally laughed, then sobered when he recalled why he had contacted his father. “I’ll be there to pick you up.”
“Oh, not you too,” Joe moaned. “I thought you were on my side.”
“I am… and on hers too. This is about all of us.”
His father’s tone shifted. “All of us? Listen, Wally, I don’t want you ever facing Mardon again! You got that?”
Shaking his head, Wally interrupted, “I’m going to meet you when you leave. Talk to you then.”
He hung up before Joe could say anything else.
* * *
Iris stared into Caitlin’s open eyes… and after a moment realized that they didn’t actually stare back.
“We’ve still got a chance,” she murmured to H.R.
“Not at the rate this is going. Is there anything else we can use?”
Iris wracked her brain, but could think of nothi
ng more focused. “No, we’ve got—”
Caitlin’s eyes blinked once. Iris watched, but when Caitlin didn’t blink again, she went on, “—to try to—”
Again, Caitlin blinked.
“What is it?” H.R. asked anxiously.
“She seems to be responding to my voice—there! Look! She blinked once.” Iris leaned over the other woman. “Caitlin! It’s me. It’s Iris.”
Another blink.
“That’s right, Caitlin! Listen to my voice. Focus on it. We’re here for you. H.R. is with me.”
“Hello,” he greeted weakly.
“Come on, Caitlin! Follow my voice back!”
“I saw that time! Two blinks!”
Iris nodded. “I saw them too. Caitlin, you can do it. You can do it—”
“God!” H.R. blurted. “Did it just get colder?”
“Her skin’s almost utterly white!” Iris cupped Caitlin’s face. In a stronger, more determined voice, she called, “Caitlin… Caitlin…”
The eyes shut. At first, Iris feared the worst, but then she noticed a warmth beginning to spread.
“That’s right, Caitlin! You can do it! You can do it!”
“Is that a slight flush in her cheeks?” H.R. asked.
Iris looked. To her relief, she did notice a slight hint of color in Caitlin’s face. “You’re doing it, Caitlin! You’re doing it!”
“The hair’s changing back too,” H.R. added. “See?”
“Come on, Caitlin!” Iris called. “You’re almost home.”
“I-Iris?”
The eyes opened slightly. Iris kept her gaze on Caitlin’s.
“Iris… So cold…”
“I know.”
“Tried to make more heat. Didn’t work.”
“We saw that. You did what you could. Keep fighting. You’re almost back to us!”
Caitlin moaned. Iris at first took the reaction for a lapse, but then saw that the color in the other woman’s cheeks had improved several times over.
“You can do it!” she repeated. “You can!”
“I can actually feel some heat from the vents,” H.R. muttered.
“Now’s our chance. Try to work on the device.”
He did as she bade, gently running the lighter over the frozen mechanism.
“It’s melting better again,” he reported to her.
The Flash Page 15