Legends of the Flash #3

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Legends of the Flash #3
Slip-Ups

Written by Nikolai Peter Fomich
Edited by Daniel Dyer

"Incredible. She’s just... wow. She laughs and I mean- I don’t really know what I mean.” Ralph looks up from his cold coffee to the sympathetic face of his best friend.

“I think I do, Ralph. You’re-”

“Don’t say it.

“-in love.”

His face longer than usual, Ralph smiles sheepishly. Taking a sip of the coffee, he immediately spits it out. “What is this? Why is my coffee cold?”

Laughing, Barry replies, “Because, Ralph, we’ve been sitting here for 20 minutes and all you’ve been doing is moping. I can’t see why though.”

“Don’t you see? She’s Sue Dearbon, and who am I?”

“Ralph Dibny, mystery writer.”

“Ha! Don’t you mean struggling mystery writer? I haven’t had a single book published yet and you know it.”

“That’s because you’ve never tried to get any of your stories published! Every time you finish something, you tuck it away on a shelf before it can even be read. I had to practically steal the last story you wrote from you in order to read it!”

“Barry, you don’t understand. When I write something that isn’t a complete waste, I’ll have it published immediately. Until then, I’m content at the library.”

“You hate working there. You need the attention. Besides, what ever happened to Ralph Dibny, the adventurer? Or Ralph Dibny, the risk-taker?”

Ralph smiles, this time a little sadly. “He died along with Ralph Dibny, the kid.”

“Tell that to the woman who’s life you saved. Sue says you’re a hero- so does Iris. Heck, there was an article about you in the paper.”

“That was about the Flash, Barry. You were there- you saw those incredible things he did.”

Barry had been waiting to do this. No longer content on keeping his secret to himself, Barry knew he had to tell someone. He wanted and needed to get it out in the open, at least with his best friend. “Ralph, there’s something I should tell you.”

“What is it, Barr?”

“You see, I’m actually-”

The sound of a cell phone ringing interrupts Barry’s last few words. “Hold that thought. Hello? What? Is everything OK? He’s right here. It’s Iris. She sounds upset."

The phone is in Barry’s hand before Ralph can even reach over to give it to him. “Iris, what’s wrong? What? Why, what’s going on over there? Iris? Iris?”

“Barry, what’s going on?”

“I’ve got to get over to Kenyon Labs. And fast.”

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Damn phone went dead. Her tip had come from a Ms. Blackmon. Ms. Bonnie Blackmon that is, Keith Kenyon’s personnel secretary and, unknown to anyone else, Iris’s own little mole in Union Gold Industries, the biggest industrial and scientific organization in Central City. So when Bonnie Blackmon called Iris, saying that something had gone wrong at Kenyon Labs, she was gone before she had even finished the phone call. What she had found there was awing, but in the worst way. It started with the booming of glass, as various windows around the area began to shatter. Thousands of shards lay on the street and suddenly, reality seemed to change. Each piece of glass seemed to turn into a smaller black-hole of some sort, and all sorts of objects were being sucked in and transported elsewhere. Or at least that is how it appeared. In reality (whatever that was at the moment) Iris could not tell exactly what was going on, except for the fact that the current by which things were being pulled into the pieces of glass was growing stronger. Iris was afraid. But she was still a photographer. Snapping shots of what she could, Iris felt a feeling of terror creep over her as she seemed to get closer to one of the ‘holes in reality’. Trying to turn back, she found that she couldn’t. Saying a prayer, Iris decides to take another photo- that seems all that she can do in this strange, startling moment. Focusing the lens, she sees the shard of glass, sucking her in. But, as she clicks the button of her camera, she notices that something has obscured her view- all she sees now is red!

“Now that was a little too close, wouldn’t you agree?”

Dumbfounded, but smiling, Iris shakes her head yes as the Central City News building appears right before her eyes. Letting Iris down gently, the Flash turns back, ready to leave. “You’re the Flash.”

He smiles. “That’s right.”

“A picture? For the paper?”

“I’m sorry miss, but I have to get back there now. Still more people to save. I’ll take a rain-check on the photograph though.” And with that, the fastest man alive races back to the scene.

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Another diaster. Keith Kenyon’s cold rage had grown considerably in the past week. First the debacle with Thawne. Then Snart stealing his cold gun equipment. And now this. Beautiful. Just beautiful. Kenyon’s team of scientists had been trying to get the mirror/hologram technology to reach it’s full potential, a cause fueled by Kenyon’s notion that using it to catch the traitorous Snart would be poetic justice. But they had pushed it too far. What exactly had happened would probably never be fully explained, but Kenyon had a sinking feeling that while his scientists had been trying to establish the maximum energy possible for the mirror tech, in order for it to reach it’s full potential, they had accidentally tapped into another experiment nearby on hiatus: namely, project ‘Weather Wizard’. Whatever the cause, Keith Kenyon felt as though things were not going to improve, despite the fact that this particular crisis had been dealt with. After years of experience, Kenyon realized that you can only go so far; gain so much power- until you topple. Such were the pessimistic thoughts of Mr. Kenyon when he suddenly bumped into a certain Central City police scientist. Suddenly, his day was looking much better.

“Barry? Barry Allen? It’s great seeing you again, although I wish it was under more pleasant circumstances, eh? It seems as though one misfortune after another brings us together.”

“Mr. Kenyon…hi. Are you and your people OK?”

“Call me Keith. Yes, yes, my people are fine. Though I can’t say the same for my reputation. How is the work coming along?”

“I’m just here to collect some chemical evidence- I’m sure one of the investigators could better help you with that question.”

“Ah, but I’m not friends with any of the investigators, am I? Besides we never were able to finish our discussion regarding Professor Thawne. Have you seen him?”

Hesitating briefly, Barry finally replies “I did see him. But it wasn’t under the best of circumstances. He took his project failure pretty poorly.”

“Of course. The ‘Speed Force’ he called it, right? Ironic that this Flash character appears with abilities exactly similar to what our esteemed professor wanted to achieve in his experiment. It would take a fool not to think that the two aren’t related. What are your thoughts, Barry?”

Barry’s composure slips for only a moment, but a moment is enough. “That’s something only the professor can answer.”

“But didn’t you come into my lab five days ago, with urgent news for the professor?”

“Oh- that. I had thought I had discovered something that might help the professor in his experiment, but it turned out to be nothing. Trust me, I’m as disappointed as you are at not learning anything new about the Speed Force. Now if you’ll excuse me, Mr. Kenyon, I know you’re a busy man. And I have to get back to work.

And you, Mr. Allen, are a very poor liar. It’s not in your nature. “Of course.” As Barry begins to turn back to attend to his duties, Kenyon calls after him again, smiling. “Oh, and Barry: the name is Keith.”

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

The creeping tinkering of a lonely man are the only sound heard on an otherwise silent night. Lost in his own thoughts, of fame, of respect, Eobard Thawne continues working on his life’s work: the perfection of his Speed Force Serum. Just a little more time. This will make all life’s pain, all the ridicule worth it. It has to. It’s all I have left.

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

"Iris, you could have been killed- or worse.”

Crossing her arms, Iris smiles sarcastically. “And what is worse than dying?”

“You know what I mean. I just- I worry about you.”

“I’ve been in trouble before, you know. Oh, and can you please bring your cell phone around with you from now on? Poor Sue almost had a heart attack after I talked to Ralph. He phoned her the minute after you left him there alone.”

“I’m sorry Iris- I had just forgot it at home. Look, just try to be more careful. Please.” Taking her hand, Barry can tell Iris is still a bit shaken up by the whole ordeal.

“That’s sweet Barry, really. But I’m fine. The Flash saved me. He’s quite the hero. Did you see the front page of the Central City Daily Paper? He actually came back like he promised, and not only did I take his picture, but I got to write an op-ed on the entire thing! That reminds me, have you found anything out at the police station?”

Barry frowns, shaking his head. “Iris, you know I can’t tell you that sort of thing.”

“Not even a hint?”

“Captain Frye will be making a statement shortly.”

“Oh Barry. Always by the book.”

Smiling a little, Barry remembers the few escapades as the Flash that he has had so far. “Not always Iris.”

“You know, the Flash was very brave. And handsome.”

“Is he?”

“Hmm.” Looking at Barry quizzically for a moment, she gets up from the kitchen table. “Barry, I should get back home. Thanks for the great dinner.” Kissing him, she heads out the door, a slight smile on her lips. Still thinking about what she said, Barry remembers his very first escapade, and a certain agreement he has with a friend of his: Albert Desmond.

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

"I was about to call you Barry.”

Sitting down in the library-like den of Desmond’s house, Barry knew his friend would come through. “What have you got for me, Albert?”

Giving him the smile he usually reserves for when finding a favorite passage in book through fate, Albert elaborates. “The ice sample you gave me from the crime scene? It’s artificial.”

“What do you mean?”

“It doesn’t have the same properties one would associate with normal ice. It seems to have been cryogenically manipulated.”

“Cryogenically? I’m not surprised. I knew there seemed something scientific about Cold’s equipment- but with all the craziness going on in the world right now, it could have been magic for all I knew. But how could he come up with such a devise? He didn’t seem like much of a scientist from what I observed at the Gala.”

“I’m sure he stole it. From what you described to me over the phone about the incident, I am positive he is not a scientist- no decent scholar would resort to petty theft.”

Remembering his earlier discussions with Kenyon, Barry shakes his head. “I wouldn’t be too sure, Albert. Keith Kenyon doesn’t strike me as a man who doesn’t have a few skeletons in his closet.”

“You’re right Barry. And least we forget Professor Thawne.”

Unsure what Albert means by this, Barry frowns. But before he can inquire about the eccentric professor, Albert changes the subject. “If I were you, Barry I would try to check in on any robberies in the past few days with that kind of equipment. I’m sure someone like Kenyon would have let it go unreported and covered it up, but it doesn’t hurt to try. But I must go now. I still need to catch up on my studies.”

Smiling half-heartedly, Barry nods. “Of course Albert. Thanks for everything.” But as he races away, Barry can’t help but wonder what else his friend knows of the now mysterious Professor Thawne.

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Finally. His project complete, Professor Thawne smiles, almost wickedly, at the notion that his greatest work is finished. His family, his career- it would all be restored with a flick of a button. Powering the generators, his glee glows- but then flickers out as fast as it had come, as his home is destroyed in a great explosion, along with his dream.

To be continued