The Flash

by Richard Knaak

  H.R. offered her a hand. Caitlin climbed up, then settled in place.

  Cisco moved to her side and began investigating the device. “Been through some heck of late, but still functioning. Let me run some short internal diagnostics. There are some things the machine doesn’t transmit.”

  “Cisco… I nearly turned.”

  “But you didn’t. Besides, you’ve got me, H.R., Iris, Barry, and more to watch over you. With a team of friends like us, you’ve got nothing to worry about.” He started pressing buttons. A new screen popped up on the wrist device.

  Caitlin’s eyes widened. “I’ve never seen that before.”

  “You wouldn’t need to. This is for repair purposes for the most part. I check it every time we make an update.”

  “Is Barry still searching?” Iris asked suddenly.

  Cisco nodded. “Yeah.”

  Iris couldn’t see his face directly, but Caitlin could. She clearly saw a look in his eyes. Cisco shook his head ever so slightly, in response to which she bit her lip.

  “Caitlin, you’re in better hands here,” Iris went on. “Do you mind if I go make a phone call?”

  “Wally’s out too,” Cisco quickly added, “but Barry made him promise that he wouldn’t do anything on his own.”

  “I don’t like that, but I suppose he’ll listen. I’ll just call Dad then.”

  “Uh… Yeah, okay.” Cisco kept his grimace hidden from Iris. “Actually, could you help me with something here?”

  Iris toyed with her phone, then nodded reluctantly. “All right.” She put the phone away. “What is it?”

  “Keep an eye on Caitlin’s face as I check things. Maybe hold her hand too, just for good measure.” When Iris wasn’t looking, he winked at Caitlin. She nodded slightly.

  “That’s it?”

  Cisco shrugged. “I’d appreciate it.”

  “No, it’s fine, I don’t want anything else to happen to her.”

  Caitlin smiled at her. “Thank you, Iris. I’m really, really sorry.”

  As Iris came around the other side, she patted Caitlin on the arm. “Don’t apologize for anything! We’re friends. How could I refuse?”

  “H.R., can you go to the console and read me whatever numbers come up?” Cisco asked.

  “That I think I can do.”

  “Cisco—” Caitlin began.

  “You just relax,” he quickly interrupted. “Let me see what these readings say.”

  “The numbers are changing on the screen,” H.R. called. “Do you want them?”

  “Sure. Go ahead.”

  H.R. read them off. Cisco grunted, then made some adjustments. He grunted again at what he saw on the small screen from the device, then said, “How about now? Any change in them?”

  “No change,” H.R. responded.

  “No change?” Cisco studied his own numbers, at the moment forgetting that he was keeping everyone around him in the dark about something. He looked up at Caitlin. “Your powers are akin to the Weather Wizard’s in some ways, you know that?”

  “You’re saying that I’m being affected by what he’s been doing?”

  “Seems so. Apparently it makes you particularly sensitive to how he’s manipulating his own meta abilities. The more he twists the energies to suit his desire, the more it affects you.”

  “That’s not a pleasant thing to find out.” Caitlin’s expression screwed up in confusion. “But it never happened before. We faced both Mark and his brother and I never felt anything.”

  “That’s because he hadn’t been hooked up to that system at Iron Heights then. We provided some of the data, then someone else went and made the same mistake as I did with the wand. Instead of keeping him at bay, they helped him build up his power. I think it might be temporary now that he’s not attached to the machine at the Heights, but that might be a moot point if it stretches on long enough.”

  Iris straightened. “The wand! Why haven’t we used that yet? That’s how we stopped him last time!”

  “Yeah,” H.R. interjected. “Why haven’t we… Not that I’d know about it since I’m not the same me from then.”

  “I’d forgotten the wand,” Caitlin added. “How could I? Cisco, why don’t we—”

  Cisco shook his head. “We don’t dare use the wand. Right now, with how they wired him in Iron Heights, the wand is more likely to magnify his abilities further, not control them.” Cisco rubbed his chin. “Magnify… That’s what… No…”

  The others waited, but Cisco just kept staring off in thought.

  “So what can be done?” Iris finally asked.

  “I think I can do something, but I need to check one more item.” He made a few adjustments. “H.R., what do you see now? There should be two lines of numbers. Which one is lower and by how much?”

  “Second line is lower. Is this time that I’m reading?”

  “Yes. So nearly ten minutes before the top started,” Cisco said.

  “Six seconds less. That’s it.”

  Cisco made a few more adjustments. “Okay, I see what I’ve got here. How are the readings now?”

  “Different, I guess? What do you need?”

  “Same gap between them?”

  H.R. hesitated, then, “Pretty much the same. Seven seconds less than ten.”

  “Before?”

  “Before.”

  Cisco tapped a button on the device. The screen faded away.

  “What is it?” Caitlin asked, the worry clear on her face. Cisco felt bad for her. She had assumed the device would keep her safe and it had failed her. In his eyes, that meant that he had failed her.

  He stepped back. “We’ve already confirmed that your powers are especially influenced by their similarities to the Weather Wizard’s and we know why. Wasn’t expecting this though. I’m pretty sure if I double-check other times, it’ll all be about the same.”

  “Please make sense quickly,” Iris pleaded. “Can’t you see how anxious she’s becoming?”

  “Sorry, Caitlin. Look, with the storm as it is, it’s hard for me even with the computer to catch exactly when the Weather Wizard starts using his powers in any significant manner. Been getting close, but not close enough. Those later sets of times I had H.R. look at, those were the ones the system recorded when it first registered Mardon’s use of his powers. The others are when you first seemed to be influenced by his work.”

  H.R. snapped his fingers. “So wouldn’t that help you maybe catch him this time if you had those earlier numbers?”

  “You got it. Caitlin, with early detection possible through your reactions, I’d definitely be able to pinpoint him not only before he started anything significant, but also before he runs away!”

  Although he and H.R. grew upbeat with this news, Caitlin and Iris didn’t look as pleased.

  “Can you use the old readings in any way to find him now?” Iris asked warily.

  “No. It’d have to be exactly when it was happening.”

  Iris gasped. “Oh no… No, Cisco. You can’t let her do that! Do you remember how near she came to changing completely? You corrected the device, didn’t you?”

  “Temporarily. I have to do a few more things to make it permanent.”

  “Well, do it now! Caitlin can’t risk another incident like that!”

  Cisco spread his hands. “Iris—”

  “No!” Caitlin broke in.” She patted the hand Iris had placed on her other one. “Iris… I’m so very grateful for all your concern, but I need to do this. I can’t let anything happen if it’s the best chance to…” She trailed off, but her eyes shifted to Cisco.

  Iris didn’t miss the look. “What is that? What’s going on that I should know about? Oh dear God!”

  She grabbed for her phone, pulling it up before Cisco could bring himself to say anything.

  “Wait!” He ran a hand through his hair. “Iris… the Weather Wizard has Joe. It just happened a short time ago.”

  “What? After everyone promised me he’d be safe? Where’s Barry? And Wall
y? Are they all right?”

  “Wally got knocked around again, but he’s okay. He and Barry are out there right now, crisscrossing the city over and over.” To Caitlin, he said, “Listen. Between the two of them, they’ll scour things like no one else can! We probably won’t even need to do what we just discussed—”

  Frowning, Caitlin interjected, “I can’t take that chance. Not and risk Joe. If I can help you pinpoint the Weather Wizard, I’m willing to take the risk.”

  “No, Caitlin. I can’t let you. Not even for my father.”

  Caitlin ignored her. “Cisco, is there any way to prevent it from affecting me very much?”

  “I’ve got the device attuned as much as I can without putting together a proper update. We don’t want to do that right now, though. Without it on, if Mardon starts to do anything, you might not be able to keep from giving in to your powers.”

  “So, how likely is this to protect me then?”

  Cisco looked guilty. “To be honest, to make sure we get what we need, I’d probably have to return it to nearly what it was when you got struck down in your apartment.”

  She sighed. “I’m not going to think about it anymore. All right, Cisco. Do it. Put it back the way it was… but get something strong to knock me out if I start changing, whether it’s due to Mardon or not. Make it as strong as possible. I don’t want you to take any chances.”

  “I can do that, but it’s going to take a very powerful sedative. That in itself could be risky. You know how strong you are. You’re like Elsa on steroids.”

  “Do it. There can’t be any chance of danger. You can’t afford an uncontrolled Killer Frost as well as the Weather Wizard. Central City certainly can’t. If anything should happen—anything at all—you need to put a stop to me before I become a threat.” Caitlin swallowed. “Even if it ends up meaning something permanent.”

  14

  Slowly, so very slowly, Joe began to emerge from the darkness in fear. As he did, two things took his attention. The first was the throbbing pain coursing through him from head to toe. There seemed like no part of his body that did not hurt. It nearly sent Joe back into the dubious comfort of the deep darkness, but a part of him knew that giving in was not a wise choice. After all, there was a very good chance he might not wake up.

  The second thing was the voices. Although he could not yet make sense of their words, he could hear and even feel the intense anger and bitterness in them. There was an odd orderliness to them that for some reason, even then, the detective could not get past.

  Finally, consciousness returned enough to enable him to try to open his eyes. As he struggled to do so, fragments of memory returned. He saw police headquarters under attack again, and his son tossed about like a rag doll. The image of the man responsible burned into Joe’s mind. Mark Mardon. The Weather Wizard.

  And that enabled him to recognize one voice. Mardon’s. That recognition stirred Joe to stronger effort. He finally managed to get his eyes open, if only as slits.

  At first, only more darkness greeted his gaze. Joe blinked and blinked, gradually regaining his vision. Through tearing eyes, he at last beheld a single shape standing several yards ahead of him. The Weather Wizard. Joe instinctively went for his gun, only to find his arms pinned against him. It slowly dawned on him that not only were his arms bound, but so were his legs. Despite the tightness of those bonds, the detective squirmed around, trying to find some weakness he could possibly exploit.

  Unfortunately, his movements, however slight, caught the attention of others.

  “He’s awake. Finally.”

  Still groggy, Joe couldn’t tell who had spoken. He only finally assumed it to be the Weather Wizard because of the fact that only a breath later Mardon loomed over him. The metahuman forced Joe’s chin up.

  “Not quite with us yet. Almost. Here, let me give you a little jolt to wake you.”

  Joe screamed as electricity coursed through him. He felt as if his entire body were burning from the inside out. The detective didn’t want to give the Weather Wizard the pleasure of seeing him surrender to the pain, but could not hold back.

  The horrifying shock ended abruptly. The agony it caused remained for some time after, albeit to a lesser degree.

  “That enough, detective?” asked Mardon as thunder boomed. “Or do you need a little more to wake up properly?”

  Joe refused to answer, even if it meant more torture. He clenched his teeth, expecting the worst.

  “The big brave lawman,” the second voice, now also nearer, scoffed. “Especially brave when he has a gun on an unsuspecting target!”

  There was something about the second voice that drew Joe’s attention. It was not just that it had similarities to the first, but that the tone and timbre reminded him of someone in particular.

  “Easy, Clyde. He’s all ours now. He’ll get the justice he never let you have. You’ll see.”

  Clyde… Clyde Mardon … the detective managed to think through his pain. Clyde Mardon… Only he’s dead…

  “Him and the Flash. They’ve both got to pay for what they did to me… but only after you use the Flash to bring me back.”

  This made no sense to Joe, but then, the fact that Clyde Mardon was even talking made no sense to him. Joe blinked, trying to better see the other figure.

  The Weather Wizard solidified in front of the detective. Some of the details of their darkened surroundings did as well. Joe identified the interior as part of a half-completed industrial building. That rang a bell with the law officer. There was a lot of industrial construction going on around the edge of Central City. The knowledge didn’t do him any good at the moment, but Joe filed it away nevertheless.

  As his eyes adjusted to the dimness, he finally made out the second figure standing far away from both the Weather Wizard and Joe. Joe strained in an effort to see detail, but failed.

  “Detective Joe West, Central City Police Department,” Mark Mardon growled. “Executioner…”

  “Your… Your brother had every chance to surrender,” Joe managed. “He chose death.”

  “The hell he did!” responded one of the voices.

  Electricity burned its way through Joe again. He screamed, and when it ceased he fought for breath.

  “I think you’re trying to make me kill you quickly,” the Weather Wizard rasped. “Well, it’s not going to work.” He leaned close to his prisoner. “I’m a lot better with my powers since Iron Heights, West! I can summon storms as I like. See?”

  Mark extended a darkened hand palm up to Joe. As he did, energy suddenly crackled over the palm. Mist gathered to create a tiny, but dark cloud. The dark cloud crackled some more, causing several tiny bolts of lightning to play out over his palm.

  “You see that?” Mark asked almost gleefully. “I am a storm god! Lord of the heavens!”

  Joe saw Mark’s display… and so much more. For the first time, he beheld the Weather Wizard up close and well illuminated. What he saw shook even a man who had worked in law enforcement on the streets for years.

  Mark Mardon was drenched in sweat. He looked emaciated, almost as if he hadn’t eaten in more than a week. His skin had a red rawness to it that made it look as if someone had flayed the Weather Wizard alive.

  The eyes had an extremely manic quality to them and constantly darted back and forth as if seeking something. Joe noted that the whites were filled with jagged veins.

  “Dear God,” he muttered without thinking.

  “So glad you agree,” the Weather Wizard replied, grinning wider. He backed up, in the process dismissing the violent elements in play over his palm. “Pretty soon, everyone will see the truth of that!”

  “You’d be better off putting an end to this by surrendering, Mardon,” Joe blurted. “Can’t you see what you’re doing to yourself? Whatever you plan, it’s eating you alive! Just look at yourself!”

  To his surprise, the Weather Wizard hesitated. “What’re you talking about, West?”

  “I mean that you look like you�
��re literally burning out! You need help, man! Let me bring you in and we can get—”

  The moment of hesitation passed. Anger again filled the rogue’s twisted face. “You got a lot of guts, detective, I’ll give you that! Most in your position wouldn’t have the brass to suggest I should give up everything and go back with you so that they can fit me with a new damned helmet!”

  “Mardon—”

  The escaped convict tapped his head. “Do you know what it was like having that thing playing with my thoughts twenty-four hours a day every day? Do you know what they considered ‘healthy rehabilitation techniques’, West? Scrambling my thoughts every few seconds so that I couldn’t focus enough to use my powers!”

  The news startled Joe. He understood that for a time Cisco and the others had had to take extreme measures to keep some metahumans under control and that Iron Heights had gone on further in their own way. Still, Joe couldn’t blame the prison for what it had done. Mark Mardon, his brother, and other law-breaking metahumans presented a danger to people like nothing anyone had ever experienced before.

  “But they finally screwed up. They made me stronger instead. You probably saw my handiwork at Iron Heights. I paid them back well, didn’t I?”

  “All right,” Joe conceded. “Listen. I’ll speak for you. We’ll make certain they don’t do anything like that again—”

  The Weather Wizard laughed loudly, not a pleasant sound to the detective. Mardon abruptly spun to face the half-seen figure. “You actually hear that, Clyde? Isn’t that altruistic of the good detective? What do you say? Should I accept?”

  “What a crock!” came an answer.

  Joe frowned. Although the figure had moved one hand dismissively at the time, the voice had come from somewhere else. He shook his head in the hopes of clearing away the last cobwebs. So far, it was obvious the others had no idea where he was. Barry or Wally would have already been here to rescue him. For now, Joe had to do what he could to free himself. That meant that, in the meantime, he had to try to keep the Weather Wizard from proceeding with anything affecting him. Not an easy task considering the delicate balance Mardon apparently dealt with at the moment.

  With few other options available to him, Joe tried to continue the conversation. “Just hear me out, Mardon. Obviously I’m not altruistic. I also know you hate me for what I had to do. I never wanted to shoot your brother—”