Red Racer Pt. 25.

{5:45 P.M.}

 

The thief got away before the police could stop her. Perhaps it’s my fault for not recognizing the woman, or the “Top” as she called herself, as the threat. Her clothing didn’t strike me as that of a “typical thief” garb. Though knowing now that she’s a meta makes me realized that was probably the point. The Rogues aren’t normally known for wearing generic clothes. I think that’s mainly due to the fact that we superheroes often wear bright colored outfits. No matter the reasoning I must take that knowledge forward and do what Barry said he learned from Bruce, survey an area before going into battle. No matter how harmless a situation may be, no matter how easy the bad guys look to take down you must always be prepared for them to hiding something. You need to always be one or even two steps ahead of the people you are taking on.

 

Now normally a meta would hit one bank and be done for the day. Wait for the heat to cool down but this Top doesn’t seem to have that same mindset. A woman with her exact description was seen entering a bank not too far from the bank she had originally stolen from. I quickly arrive outside the bank and take a quick peek at the surroundings. Again the people outside the bank all seemed to be in a drunken, stumbling state and those inside had completely fallen to the floor. I spot the Top joyfully spinning into the back room. Knowing she would be distracted by the large amounts of boxes, I decided to make my move. I quickly run into the bank and make my way to the back room. Within an instance I am at the door. Knowing the room locks from the outside, I swiftly grab the door handle and slam the door shut. That ought to stop her from causing anymore mischief until the cops get her.

 

{5:51 P.M.}

 

“Thank you, Flash. Without your help I don’t think we could have ever safely put this woman under custody.” Commissioner Bellows says as the Top gets seated into a squad car. “Those anti-meta cuffs work wonders. I can see why Iron Heights has trusted them for years.”

 

”Thanks, but it was my mentors invention.” I respond as I shake his hand.

 

“Well, next time you see him tell him I said thanks.” Bellows smiles as he says this. I quietly sigh at the statement though.

 

”I-I will be sure to.”

 

{5:52 P.M.}

 

After Bellows says goodbye I quickly make my way back home. I’ve got a date with Linda at six and I don’t want to be late. As I get home I quickly take off my Flash suit and quickly change into an outfit more suitable for my date. The clock on my wall reads five fifty-three. I’ve got just enough time to just normally walk to Infantino’s. Perfect. Sometimes being the Flash I forget to slow down. That was something Barry always made sure to tell me. Something his mother always told him was that “life is locomotion. If you’re not moving, you’re not living, but there comes a time when you’ve got to stop running from the things and you’ve got to start running towards something.” Barry added that “You’ve got to forge ahead. Keep moving. Even if your path isn’t lit, Trust that you’ll find your way.”

 

That’s has stuck with me ever since he told me about that. It’s important as a Speedster to always have a lightning rod. Something to keep you grounded. Without a lightning rod we’d have nothing to cling to. We’d constantly speed off into the Speed Force. Jay used to know a man named Max Mercury. He was the Flash even before Jay. Now Max had nothing to cling to. Sure he had Jay, but that bond wasn’t strong enough. Jay said that he used to hear Max screaming in his sleep for a Laura. Jay never really thought anything of it until one night Max’s screaming stopped. By then, Jay realized that this Laura was Max’s lightning rod and he was subconsciously trying to find her. Jay never figured out where Max went. He even searched for him for more than a year but to no avail.

 

I don’t want that to happen to me. I was fortunate enough to have Joan while I was in high school and college. Unfortunately we had a falling out, but fortunately I found Linda shortly thereafter. Linda, since then, has been my lightning rod. When Barry died I almost ran myself into the speed force but I remembered one name. Linda. She kept me from losing myself. Speaking of.

 

“You’re late.” Linda points to her watch that reads six-o-one.

 

”I’m sorry, I must’ve got lost in my thoughts on the way h…” Linda cuts me off by swiftly kissing me.

 

“It’s fine, Wally, I don’t mind. You’re here now and that’s all that matters.” She says with a smile on her face. That smile is what keeps me here…

Done