Legends of the Flash #5

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Legends of the Flash #5
Hostile Environments

Written by Nikolai Peter Fomich
Edited by Daniel Dyer

"Mr. Allen?” walking towards the quiet, unmoving man, Doctor Helen Claiborne frowns. It had been a long night in the hospital, and though Professor Thawne had been stabilized, she was unsure when he would come out of his coma. Doctor Claiborne had just finished checking on her patient, and was getting ready to leave when she saw Barry Allen waiting outside the hospital room. She had not heard Barry arrive, and was surprised to see him at this late hour – especially without his girlfriend, Iris, who frequented the hospital visiting her elderly father, the famous Nobel Prize-winning professor, Ira West. When Barry didn’t respond, she moved closer to him, saying, “Mr. Allen, are you alright?”

As though snapping out of a trance, Barry looks at her with a confused look, and then remedies his facial response by adding a smile. “I’m sorry Doctor Claiborne. I was just… distracted. It’s been a long few weeks.”

“Well, I’m not your doctor, but I am a doctor, and I recommend some sleep. Really Barry, you look like you could use some.”

Turning away, the doctor heads toward the elevator doors, but stops at the sound of Barry’s voice. “Doctor Claiborne?”

“Yes, Mr. Allen?”

“Would… would it be OK if I could see the professor?”

Hesitating, Doctor Claiborne’s initial, instinctive response is to say no. But, one look at Barry is all it takes for her to reconsider. “Only if you promise to get some rest afterwards. Immediately afterwards.”

This time a small, but genuine smile lights Barry’s face. “Thank you, Doctor.”

Leaving the hospital, Helen Claiborne tries to breath in the fresh air… only to be reminded of the city she lives in. But the smell of gasoline, while not welcome, is much preferred to that of hospital disinfectant. She had been cooped up there all day. Taking a last look, she glances towards the recovery ward window, giving a final thought to Barry Allen and whatever he may be thinking.

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Barry Allen’s thoughts had been drifting toward Iris as he heard the approaching footsteps. Having already been startled once this night by Doctor Claiborne during his Speed Force-induced trance, Barry planned to keep it at only once. That hope, however, diminished with the opening of Professor Thawne’s hospital door. “It’s funny, Barry,” the man said, approaching the hospital bed, “how everything is connected. Wouldn’t you agree…Flash?”

Standing up from his chair, Barry comes forward, face to face with the seedy scientist. “Hello Mr. Kenyon.”

“I see you’re visiting your old colleague. How is Eobard doing? I hear this was caused by an explosion in his lab…interesting. Didn’t you mention you were going to try and help him out with the ‘Speed Force’ experiment?”

“Is there something I can help you with?’

“Yes. You can tell me how you gained your extraordinary powers. You can explain your exact connection with the good Professor over there. And you can tell me where my stolen private files are. Last time I checked, Officer Allen, felony is a crime.”

“What are you doing here, Mr. Kenyon? Perhaps there’s a little humanity hidden away, and you’ve come to visit the man you helped destroy.”

For a second, Keith Kenyon’s face loses color…but it soon reverts to its normal, smug expression. “I’m going to expose you, Barry.”

Walking out the door, his head raised a little higher, Barry allows a final look at Keith Kenyon. “I have nothing to hide. From you or anyone else. Can you say the same?” With that, Barry is gone, leaving Keith Kenyon alone with thoughts of his life’s troubles, looking to place the blame on anyone except himself.

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

The Annual Carmine Infantino Fair. Held in Infantino Park, it extends a feeling of joy and belonging to the citizens of Central City, a sense of unity. This particular individual, however, seems immune to those feelings. Quietly setting up his own toy stand – certain he has a good view of the stadium where Senator Creed would be giving his speech later today – George Harkins smiles at the approaching children.

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

I’m so glad you could come Barry. You’re always working so late, and it does you good to get away from the lab sometimes.” Barry had been invited, along with Iris, to join Sue Dearbon and Ralph Dibny at the Carmine Infantino Fair. As the two couples walked toward an ice cream stand, Barry wonders what Iris would think if she knew he was the Flash. Although maybe she wouldn’t have to wonder about it much longer…

“Nah, Barr here gets out enough. He just likes his work.”

“That’s right Ralph. Speaking of work, how is your latest novel going?”

”Novella, actually. And it’s going pretty well.” Giving a smile to Sue, Ralph adds, “Sue over here says it’s my best work so far.”

“And it’s true Ralph.”

Feeling Iris’ eyes on him, Barry looks over to her. “Are you OK?”

“Yes, I was just thinking about the Professor. How is he?”

Barry knew Iris had no love for Thawne, and really wanted to know how Barry is doing. “He’s alright, I suppose. The doctors aren’t sure when exactly he’ll recover. But I heard that he’s healing at a very rapid rate. They’re unsure exactly how, though.”

Deciding to let the subject drop as they reach the ice cream stand, Iris picks out her ice cream flavor – vanilla, Barry was sure of it – while Sue opts for butter pecan. Ralph gets the same, and Barry buys three for himself, obeying his heightened metabolism.

“Geez, Barr, you sure seem to have developed a love for food lately.”

Barry begins to respond to his best friend’s retort, only to find that Ralph seems to have wandered off. Following him, he comes to the W. W. Wiggins’ Toy Stand, where a man dressed in a colorful blue and white costume is showing children – and now Ralph, too – extraordinary boomerangs. Throwing one into the air, it explodes into tiny pieces of confetti, a sound soon engulfed by the applauding kids of all ages. Seeing Ralph approach, the boomerang man asks, in a slight Australian accent “Care to give it a try, sir?”

“Sure! What’s this one do?”

“This boomerang gives off musical notes, my friend. Give it a try.”

Half smiling to Sue and his friends, Ralph throws the boomerang in the air, and as it rises, so does its pitch. “Wow! That sounds great. How do you make these things anyway?”

“Ah ah, that would be telling my friend. We at W. W. Wiggins like to keep our secrets.” Knowing that Ralph would most likely miss the catch, the costumed man catches the boomerang with practiced ease. Turning to Barry, he casually asks, “How about you, Mr. Allen?”

Surprised, Barry comes closer to the red-headed man. “How do you know my name?”

Laughing, the smiling man points to his shirt. “Well, that’s what name tags are for, aren’t they?”

“Oh right!” Barry had stopped by the lab before his way here, the reason he had been a little late. “I had completely forgotten about that.”

“No worries friend. Care for a throw?”

Looking at his watch, Barry realizes the senator’s speech is about to start. While the rest of them may have been here for fun, Iris was here for the Central City newspaper. She had some pictures to take, and Barry planned on keeping her company. “Sorry friend. Maybe some other time. I didn’t catch your name…”

“My friends call me Digger. And no worries, Mr. Allen, like you said: some other time.”

With that, the group heads for where the senator’s speech would be taking place – actually not too far from the toy stand. Still smiling, Digger Harkins checks his watch one last time.

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Alone in a hospital bed, a broken man stirs. Thrashing about in his sleep, Eobard Thawne is having a nightmare. “Fast…time. Not enough time.” Ever since the explosion, Professor Thawne has been dreaming...but not his usual dreams of glory, of recognition. “Fast….fast enough…. mistake. Barr- Barry. Flash.” He has been dreaming of revenge. “Flash…”

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

"Ladies and gentlemen, Senator Creed Phillips.” Beginning the applause herself, Fiona Webb marvels at the crowd. She has been Creed Phillips’ personal secretary and confidant for many years, and though she did not agree with all his views, she knew him to be an honorable man. Looking at the large crowd gathered, she cannot help but smile: Creed deserved this. And it’s not even an election year…

“Thank you, everyone. Standing here today as we celebrate one of Central City’s finest sons, I feel honored to be in a position to better serve our great city. In fact, I remember growing up here, years ago, when…” Amid the photographers, Iris West clicks her camera away, all the time trying to figure out how genuine Senator Phillips is. She had not voted for him, but listening to him now, she could not help but admire the man. But with his next few lines, Iris West remembers why she had not followed the ‘We Need Creed’ crowd. She didn’t want Central City turned into a police state.

“Across the country, there has been an influx in costumed individuals. Metropolis and Gotham were just the start, for now reports are coming in from the West Coast that so-called ‘super heroes’ are emerging. But let me remind you that with these super-powered heroes come super-powered villains. There may have been only a few incidents thus far, of specialized burglary, but I ask you: how long before Central City gets its own version of the Joker? This Flash character has saved lives, there’s no questioning that. He has done well. But I am here today to ask him to leave our fair city, spare us what the media has dubbed ‘Gotham Fever’. The Flash has had a good track record so far, that much is obvious. But it’s not perfect. In his debut, I watched as a man identifying himself as ‘Captain Cold’ win out in a meta-human battle against the fastest man alive. Who’s to say it can’t happen again? Next time it might not be some costumed crook, but a psychopathic maniac. So I am asking that the Flash take his business elsewhere, and leave Central City the burden of costumed maniacs running around the city. Our officers in blue are the only heroes we need, sacrificing themselves day in and day out, without the aid of any ‘powers’.”

Turning sideways to his friend, Ralph whimsically whispers “This guy’s laying it on a little thick, don’t you think Barry? Barry? Are you OK man?”

“Huh? Oh yea, yea, just fine. Sorry, I was just thinking, that’s all.”

“Don’t tell me you’re actually buying into all this stuff man?”

“I don’t know Ralph…” Scanning the stage, Barry sees his friend and new neighbor, Fiona Webb. Somehow, she finds his face in the crowd, and smiles back.

Finishing his speech, the senator thanks the public, grateful for the large crowd. Although he was due back soon at his home, Creed Phillips decides to stay and answer a few questions before departing.

“Iris West, Central City news service. Senator, in your speech you act as though the Flash has been doing a disservice to the police department when in fact one of his biggest supporter’s has been the very prominent Captain Daryl Frye. Do you really think that the Flash hinders more than helps the CCPD?”

“The Flash has been a service to the police department, undoubtedly. But, Ms. West, my main concern is what affects having a super-powered being is going to have in our community. These super-villain attacks are getting out of hand.”

“Super-villain attacks? There have been only four such known events in recent times in Central City, perpetrated by separate men, one already in custody. Do you think this all may be too reactionary on your part?”

“No, I do not. I don’t know when such an attack will be next, but I know this: Central City cannot afford to have the Flash, and we do not need the Flash. We can take care of our own problems.”

Before another reply can be made, a razor-sharp boomerang flies out of no where, heading directly for the Senator Philips’ forehead. Suddenly appearing on stage, the Flash catches it in time, only to have it explode in his hand. Having thrown it up in the air before most of the damage is done, the Flash is still unable to negate some of the explosion’s impact. Taking the brunt of it, the Flash’s hand begins to bleed badly, though he is able to quickly wrap his wound with a ripped piece of his costume. But several more boomerangs had been thrown within seconds of the first, and now the Flash is trying to catch them all. The razor-sharp boomerangs never hit their target, however, and the only casualty becomes the well-being of Barry’s hands. Taking a split second to catch a breath, Barry decides to pursue the source of the problem, only to find that he cannot. Within the minute that the attack had taken, the stage the senator and his staff had begun to lose its foundation due to the explosion. Now, the Flash raced to get the people off the stage, indeed, to get everyone out of the immediate area. Running towards Fiona Webb, a pillar collapses in front of Barry, trapping her against the wrecked stage. “Just hang on, Fiona!” Using his superhuman speed to drawn the fumes away from her, Barry decides that if he can’t get to her himself, he’ll have to stop the fire. Quickly drawing the flames away, the Flash is glad when he finds that the flames had been dealt with. Sighing for a moment, Barry turns his head, managing to duck out of the way from another boomerang just in time. Turning, he meets the latest addition to his rouges: the W. W. Wiggins toy man who had been selling boomerangs to kids. “Let me guess: the Living Boomerang?”

Smiling sardonically, the Australian manages to look more confident than most. “Captain Boomerang, actually.”

“Captain?”

“Never could join the Navy. Had to be captain somehow.” With that, the new foe prepares to throw another boomerang, only to have the Flash race right up towards him, grabbing his arm.

“Sorry, Captain, but you’ve caused enough trouble today.”

“I’d think not enough, really.” Throwing a punch at the Flash, Barry easily moves out of the way but he fails to notice Digger Harkins slipping a miniature throwing device from his shirt sleeve pouch. Throwing it in Barry’s side as he throws the punch, the Flash falls to the ground.

“I don’t care how fast you are, Flash. Nothing beats a little pain.” Getting up to run after Captain Boomerang, Flash finds that he cannot. Digger had thrown another of his boomerang ‘toys’ at the Flash: this one binding his legs with a cord. Laughing as the Flash hits the floor, Captain Boomerang gives a mock salute as he prepares to leave. But before he can take another step, the Flash quickly picks up one of the villains’ own boomerangs and throws it, knocking him unconsciously. Eventually breaking free of his binding with another one of Captain Boomerang’s blades, this one razor-sharp, Barry thanks God for his enhanced healing factor.

* * *

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Alone in his cell, George “Digger” Harkins can’t help but smile. It had been a simple job, this one. Wreck havoc during the senator’s speech, and help make the Flash look inept. Though he had been defeated, Captain Boomerang had managed to give him a pretty good fight… and even better, prove Senator Phillips right, exactly what his employer, a certain Keith Kenyon, had wanted. Kenyon had plans for the Flash… and though he was interested in what was to become of Central City’s hero, Digger had plans outside of Central City. Whistling, Harkins leans over towards his jail bars and calls the attention of one of his guards. “Do you happen to have the time?”

Looking suspicious, the guard checks the clock on the wall, although he has a watch on his hand. “11:45. Why?”

An explosion rocks the jail room, a sound that Captain Boomerang equates to freedom. “No reason. No reason at all.” Smiling crookedly as his saviors enter the room, Digger Harkins realizes once again how smart he had been to take up that offer for a job in Gotham as he steps around the bodies of unconscious policemen. Who’s to say the bad guys always have to lose? Laughing again, Captain Boomerang can’t help but wonder about the Flash, and how the young hero will cope with the things to come.

Continued in Legends of Batman #5