OR

WELCOME TO THE SPEED FORCE

 

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The Justice League has finally made its way to the silver screen!

 

and it falls flat on almost every aspect.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love a fluffy, disposable action movie as much as the next guy, let me tell you that I would have found almost zero enjoyment in this film if not for seeing it with a friend so we could at least vent to each other and laugh at how outright terrible some of the scenes are..

 

Before I get too far into the bad stuff in the movie, let me tell you what I liked.

 

The moments with flash in the Speedforce, these were very visually striking. I especially like the one during the Superman fight when Supes turns to see him. Generally Flash and Superman Clicked together as well.

 

The only one of the many "jokes" that actually made me laugh, was the sight gag with Superman carrying the building.

 

The music cue for the John Williams Supes theme when he punches Steppenwolf.

 

There was one shot with Aquaman diving off of a dock with a wave warning sign in the foreground I thought was cool.

 

NOW

 

everything else.

 

Let's do it a character at a time because that is the best way of doing it I am able to think of.

 

Batman:

Absolutely awful. I have no idea what happened here. Ben Affleck in this movie is so bad that I'd honestly say he isn't as good as Kilmer if this was the only movie id seen him in. there is also so much about the character that doesn't make sense as well. How does he know that the Parademons smell fear? Why does he wait a full year, days before the attack before gathering the league to stop it? why the fuck did he build the flying fox? What purpose would it serve in Gotham?

 

Wonder Woman:

Is pretty mediocre here. the only thing keeping the character afloat is Gal Gadot, but even then is just kind of present.

 

Flash:

Despite having cool moments in the speedforce, Ezra Miller manages to be the second to worst character in the film. this seriously wouldn't be a problem with me, but is he actually autistic? He says so much random shit in this film, and it is very apparent that he is written as comic relief, but random does not always equate to funny as is very apparent here.

 

Aquaman:

Not the worst here, but still pretty bad, is super passive when it comes to plot, the only thing you'd lose is the mother box being in Atlantis. A little tangent here, but I can't get over the part where fucking Aquaman says like "Yeah Batman" while he's talking to Bruce Wayne, and the extras they walk past visibly look as if they heard him, and when he goes in the water he calls him Bruce Wayne, with the same people in an earshot. whether they speak English or not, is stupid.

 

Green Lantern:

oof

 

Superman: I really like the direction they took the character in. He is not brooding in here and feels like a real genuine Superman. The upper lip is super distracting though.

 

Cyborg:

Cyborg is far better than he deserves to be. He is the only character I could actually relate to, he is surprisingly very well acted. probably my favorite character, and I am shocked to say that.

 

Steppenwolf:

God awful. He looks like a World of Warcraft villain and the CGI on his face is just as bad. His voice is actually pretty cool though.

 

This movie is so bad that it makes me appreciate BvS and Suicide Squad.

 

that speaks for itself right there

 

At least it's more coherent than suicide squad, surprisingly so with having twice as many directors.

 

I get its a big event for JL fans, but I just can't see enough entertainment value to neglect the flaws in it.

 

don't give me this shit like these movies are for justice league fans either, because they aren't. comic fans alone do not crush the box office.

 

in conclusion, it's a bad movie.

 

share your differing opinions below, because I know they're out there.

The Flash - Using a suit that harnessed the 'speedforce' to go back through time, this traveller from the future is now stuck in our time with amnesia to boot. He appears to move faster than light but is in fact slipping through pauses in time to move from place to place.

 

Aquaman - Arthur Curry was a naval officer whose ship was caught in a storm in the Atlantic. The sole survivor of the wreck, he was rescued by the secretive Atlantaens and given abilities that enabled him to survive in their community. Arthur would later use his military knowledge to prevent a rebellion, and win the hand of the King's daughter.

 

Wonder Woman - Diana Prince was the daughter of a greek tycoon. On her attempt to fly solo around the world her plane crashed in the Amazonian jungle. Saved by a mysterious tribe of warrior women, Diana was restored to full health and more. She returned to Greece to reclaim her father's fortune, then emigrating to the USA where she used her new powers and fortune to fight for the oppressed.

 

Superman - Captain Clark Kent was NASAs first astronaut to attempt a flight that would take him beyond the edge of our solar system. When the experiment went wrong he was frozen in space, eventually being brought back to life when his pod crashed into a planet called Krypton. On his return to earth he discovered the Kryptonian restoration had given him almost god-like powers. He would take a job as a journalist at the Daily Planet whilst maintaining a secret identity of 'The Superman' to fight for truth and justice.

 

The Batman - Bruce Wan was only a young boy when he witnessed his parents murdered. His father was a successful cantonese businessman, but had many enemies. Bruce was left afraid and alone, and lived on the streets of Hong Kong until taken in by a kindly old man. Trained to survive he would learn his father's death was connected to the mysterious 'League of Shadows'. On inheriting his father's fortune at the age of 18 he would devote his life to becoming a scourge to the evil that hid in the shadows, as 'The Batman'.

 

Martian Manhunter -

An alien known as J'onn J'onzz, isn't actually from Mars. His ship crashed to earth in 1947, now known as 'The Roswell Incident'. He has numerous otherwordly abilities, including flight, telepathy, telekinesis and shape-shifting.

 

The Green Lantern - Alan Scott, a collector of antiquities, came into possession of a magical lamp whilst trekking in the Himalayas. When, at a moment close to death and in an attempt to warm himself with the lantern, he unlocked it's ancient power, his lifeforce became entwined with the lamps own 'Greenforce'. Now using the lantern he can harness this energy, the lamp's light granting him mystical powers and the ability to create green light constructs, he can also phase his body through solid objects and travel at the speed of light.

 

Now, united by the fact that they've all been given a 'second chance', this group or extraordinary survivors seek to protect earth and its inhabitants from those that would seek to harm it, by bringing hope and justice to the oppressed.

 

-----------------------------------------------------

This is my entry to Sam K Bricks' alternate Justice league contest. www.flickr.com/groups/3910356@N21/

Meanwhile at the Nemo Docks... *

 

Aquaman: I'm at Paprihaven Lake. Now that I know what I'm looking for, my sonar relay has spotted it.** It's deep and well camoflauged. I'm going to need to get my trident back at the Hall of Jus-

 

fwwwooooosshhh!!!

 

Aquaman: -tice.. and, thank you Flash. Okay, got my trident, going in.

 

Batman: If this operative has taken such pains to hide it, it will be well defended.

 

Aquaman: Yep. Good thing I'm ready for a fight. Like I said, the Nemo Docks are crazy quiet, given the chaos going on in the city.

 

Superman: Aquaman, this is your area so just let us know what you need as you progress. We'll make sure you have it. Do you think it would be good to go ahead and have Power Girl with you?

 

Aquaman: Karen's company is always a delight, but she's in action like the rest of you. I'll let you know if I need back-up.

 

Wonder Woman: Speaking of which, I'm with Hal now and this Juggernaut fellow is... well, we may need back-up too.

 

Superman: Really? Even with you and Hal there?

 

Wonder Woman: Plus Lina and Space Ghost. I don't know yet, I'm just about to engage, but he's giving off big 'major hitter' vibes.

 

Green Lantern: She's not kidding! ***

__________________________

 

* See the wonderfully convenient Map of Paprihaven!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/20400598379/

 

** "It" is Ming the Merciless' underwater headquarters, revealed in issue 1576!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/49306369392/

 

*** As the other heroes have found out in Chapter 23, Juggernaut is a handful!!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/41914111011/

Something spontaneous that I photographed and shared to Patron a few months back. There wasn't anything beyond this, but I thought it was pretty cool. Kudos if you can recognize the original panel this was inspired by :)

 

(Uploaded Exclusively To Patreon August 2018)

  

***

  

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everybody!

 

2018 has been a crazy year for me! Having to do my best maintaining uploads while waiting on figures throughout the year, while also working two jobs on top of running the Patreon account!

 

If I thought I didn't have free time before, I'm impressed that I can get anything done at all! :P

 

Anyway, I'm sure you all remember last year I shared some of my favorite bonus posts from Patreon over the course of 2017. I felt like you all really enjoyed that, so here's only a teeny tiny fraction of what I've shared to Patreon in that time! (Plus a bit from the end of 2017)

 

If you like what I do, or the art that I put out to the world, I encourage you to join my Patreon page to see 100% of the work I put out there. It takes time and money and sweat and tears and blood (on more occasions than I'd like to admit) :P

  

If you too would like to be part of the club, be sure to join me over there and you'll get to see all of this stuff (plus more) as it's posted through-out the year! In 2019, I already have new projects scheduled including photoshoots for The Dark Knight Interrogation Room, More Dr Fate, Iron Man and Captain America, New Brickheadz, New Frontier Batman, Shazam etc... and these will be available to you first, plus bonus content for each of those uploads :)

 

So just think what you're missing out on! Think of what's to come! Help support the content you see here, and join some of our other flickr friends!

 

Here's a very special thanks and a happy holidays to all of you!

 

But a truly grateful thank you goes out to JamPotStudios, Phoenix Custom Bricks, Sara Ahh, Fan Xu, Metrix, | Jonathan |, DoctorLate28, ParisCustomBricks, Taylor Mazzone, My Mom, and of course a very special thank you to my first Patron (who's still with me today), Mr Anthony Scott himself! :)

 

You all do so much and help keep the lights on here in the photography studio. I couldn't have made it as far as I have now without you guys! :)

 

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to all you champs! See you in 2019! Woo! :D

  

***

  

Patreon: andrewcookston

 

Instagram: a.cookston.photography

 

Twitter: @acookston_photo

 

Facebook: andrewcookstonphotography/

One of the new additions in the Sideways comic, that is one of many speedster's struck by the Speedforce storm. Looking forward to reading Sideways coming out in a couple weeks! It's gonna be good!

This built was inspired by one of the photos made by Andrew Cookston. He created a similar practical effect with lego pieces and I wanted to try it out the effect myself!

 

What do you guys think? Like the effect? I might start using it where I have more room in my photo instead of simply creating a photoshopped effect.

Fisrt of all, apologies for the recent inactivity, I haven't had a lot of characters made and was stalling to upload them, also I've been busy with school, but I'll get more stuff done this week. Now, I've wanted to make this version of Reverse Flash for a while, I was worried about how he would turn out, but I love the end result.

In a Silver Age Flash story, Barry's lab assistant Patty Spivot was exposed to the same chemicals that turned Barry into the Flash, plus a few extras. Her newfound powers backfired in some weird ways, basically causing every attempt to earn the Flash's respect to turn into a horrible disaster. Oh that Silver Age, dripping with misogyny!

 

I've been hoping to make a Patty minifig in the form of her speedforce-powered motorbike-riding alter ego Hot Pursuit, but I guess some dreams just die, don't they? I've been trying to make figures based on characters I can't name in Sporcle quizzes, and this one hit first. Sorry!

Jetting between Dublin & Holyhead, the view from the stern of the Irish Ferries Dublin Swift catamaran, its journey time of 1 hour 49 minutes all thanks to four Caterpillar 3618 diesel engines which have a maximum speed of 33 knots / 61 km/h or 38 mph.

  

"Look out!" Flash shouted as Clock King drew a gun and switched on his time altering device. "Think fast!" he mocked as he began to fade from Grayson's vision. Barry only had miliseconds before that gun would go off! He watched as Tockman's device altered the speedforce around him. "Com'on Barry gotta think quick!"

  

The stakes have been risen and William Tockman is no man for negotiation. What is Flash going to do to save his friend? Will he stop the shot in time?!

We'll just have to wait till tomorrow and see ;)

  

Nearly done with these guys now. Personally, I'm not a great fan of the helmet. Normally, it'd look good, but it looks a little too futuristic for the time this Flash was around in. And I nicked him from another thing, but we'll ignore that. Probably should have used a miners helmet, but oh well. As always, lemme know what you think :D

 

Flash I

 

A college student with a bright future, Jay Garrick was going to make something of himself. He'd studied hard, and was determined to make it. This was until a stupid mistake almost cost him his life. While taking a smoke break in the laboratory he had been working in, Garrick inhaled heavy water vapours, which transformed his body chemistry in many ways. He could run at incredibly fast speeds, and heal at inhuman speeds. He knew he had to use his new powers to help people, knowing he could do more with his new powers than he ever could as a scientist.

 

So he donned a red and blue suit, and began his career as the Flash. Using his scientific knowledge, he was able to build a helmet to shield himself from the extreme forces exerted on his body whilst running at superspeed. He began his crimefighting career as the Flash in 1938, a year before the outbreak of World War 2. When war broke, Jay chose not to sign up for the army. As a scientist, it was not necessary. Instead he took up the role of the Flash almost full time, keeping America running. From basic things like keeping the postal service running, to running errands for various state governments.

 

Once the war was over, Jay cut down on his time as the Flash, so that he could spend more time with his wife, Joan. However, he had become somewhat of a national hero, and was approached by Superman, Wonder woman and Captain Marvel in 1953. They asked him to join a new superhero team, the Justice Society of America. Naturally, Jay was thrilled to be serving the nation alongside the Super-trinity. Alongside other super powered beings, Jay continued his fight against crime, and the evils of the world. However, there was a shock coming.

 

After the murder of Kent Nelson, the first Doctor fate, the league began to Splinter. In 1962, Jay Garrick retired. He was getting older, and wanted to spend his twilight years with his wife Joan.

 

But this retirement was brought to a swift end when in 1979, young Barry Allen was involved in an accident that through some kind of cosmic coincidence, gave him the same powers Jay had. Confused by these new powers, Barry found Jay, and begged him to help him master his powers, and become the second Flash. Although originally against the idea, Jay came round and helped Barry to master the speedforce. In 1984, Barry was ready to take up the mantle of the Flash. Jay was satisfied at the job he had done, and went back to retirement. He passed away in 1989, peacefully, at his home on the outskirts of Central city, at the age of 73. Although he had access to Luthor-chem life extenders, he always refused. When asked why, he responded with "God put us on this Earth, and it's not up to us to keep him waiting"

Cobb stirred his tea slowly, his other hand tapping against his thigh erratically, as his eyes scanned the room for any sign of the card. "It’s not coming, is it?" he spoke at last.

 

"No," Nygma confessed. "I don’t think so."

 

"It’s a shame, we made a real connection this evening," Cobb said, reaching into his robes and grabbing a round detonator.

 

"Don’t!" the group yelled in unison, but it was too late. The gloved fingers made contact with the device and then- Click.

 

Nothing happened.

 

"That’s not right," Cobb stammered.

 

"Yes, it is," Kuttler's voice rang out. "I’m afraid there will be no nuclear holocaust tonight. At least, not one in Gotham..." he added hastily, his eyes drawn to the still smoking remains of Havenrock.

 

"Noah," Drury exclaimed jovially. "My knight in lilac spandex! You saved us!"

 

"Yes, I suppose I did."

 

Nygma straightened his tie, and raised a grateful hand towards his colleague. "Thank y-" he began, only to be cut off. Kuttler punched him across the face, hard. For a moment, Nygma was concerned that he had learned about his daughter's death, or perhaps even their role in Havenrock.

 

Instead, Kuttler merely scowled. "That's for my mug! There’s a lipstick stain I’m not getting out!

 

Sionis glanced at him warily. "Are you sure that’s all you’re mad about?"

 

"Yeah, why?" Kuttler snapped back suspiciously.

 

"No reason."

 

Cobb shifted around in his handcuffs anxiously. "What happens now?" he asked. "You’re going to execute me?" he presumed.

 

"I don’t do that," Drury stated.

 

Cobb nodded, smirking slightly. "Yes, of course. That’s more your wife’s thing, isn’t it?"

 

"Ok, maybe I can make an exception," Drury began, a hand on his holster.

 

"Go ahead," Cobb retorted. "It’d be doing me a favour. A quick death!"

 

Riddler tutted at them condescendingly. "I’ve got a better idea."

 

————————————

 

Arkham Forest. Two Miles Away

 

A yellow blur burst through the forest, it's source racing towards the Arkham ruins. Cobb would be dealt with,

 

The bullet hurled through Thawne's shin, his momentum interrupted, he was thrown along the hard ground.

 

"Getting slow in your old age?" a voice asked.

 

"Miss Gaige," Thawne coughed. "What a surprise, albeit far from a pleasant one."

 

A guttural scream bellowed from behind them. For a second, Thawne's red eyes shifted to his natural blue, his voice grew higher as his anxiety mounted.

 

"Get out of my way," he snarled.

 

"No," Miranda said firmly, her hand pressed tensely against her scabbard.

 

"Oh, I see," Thawne nodded disappointedly. "Why should you even care," he grunted. "He wasn't even blood."

 

The voice screamed again, and Thawne's voice shifted back to panic. "I'm taking that card," he stated.

 

"No," Miranda repeated.

 

Thawne's body crackled with red lightning. "I really don't have time for this..." he chuckled. "Who's stopping me? You? Those idiots in the Asylum upstairs?"

 

"That."

 

Thawne tilted his head around, and took a step back. The figure was thin and gaunt; skeletal, rotting flesh hung from its' bony body, and it wore a Flash costume. Black, with red fins and boots. Its' dead, white eyes latched onto Thawne and with a inhuman screech, and though he made a final, desperate run from it, it tackled him to the ground, and forced it's hand around his skull.

He knew, that in his current state, he had no way to fight it, that this was it, but he struggled and screamed until his last breath regardless. And as the Black Flash did its work, and the last traces of the speedforce was drained from Thawne's veins, the yellow suit fell to the ground. Empty. And as quickly as it had arrived, the Black Flash was gone once more.

 

Miranda crouched beside the last remnants of the Reverse-Flash, held his ring in her hand, and hurled it swiftly into the air.

  

~

 

Jules- Get in.

 

Cobb- You can’t lock me up!

 

Riddler- Why not? You’re obviously not of sound mind, you destroyed one city and threatened another. All over a piece of laminated card.

 

Drury- *snort*

 

Cobb- Oh do you find my predicament amusing Walker?

 

Drury- A bit. But that’s not why I’m laughing. It’s your cell mate.

 

Cobb- What about him?

 

Drury- See, after Blackfire destroyed this place, all the inmates either escaped or died. Except him. His cell door must’ve gotten stuck

 

Cobb- Hilarious

 

Drury- Don’t you get it?

 

Cobb- No.

 

Drury- He’s called *snort* Getaway Genius! Hahahaha! Getaway. Genius. Hahahaha!

 

Blake- But that was... two years ago! How are you alive?

 

Genius- I ate some things I’m not proud off

 

Riddler- I don’t want to keep you in here -but- it’s too perfect!

 

Genius- It’s ok man, I get it. It’s like Mr Freeze dying of hyperthermia

 

Drury- Ah, he’s such a good sport! Don’t worry man, we’re giving you some company

 

Genius- Thanks.

 

Cobb- But... you can’t! You can’t!

 

Ragdoll- And thus, the threat has concluded!

 

Blake- Hey Doll, nice mask!

 

Ragdoll- Quite. This has been a near perfect day.

 

Drury- Who wants ice cream?

 

Ragdoll- I stand corrected. This has been a perfect day!

 

Drury- Hey Gar? Yeah, Cobb’s been defeated. I know, we haven’t talked in weeks! Listen, I’ve got some rhubarb crumble with your name on it!

 

Gar- Don’t play with my emotions.

 

Drury- I’m not! I’ve got it right here.

 

Gar- Son of a bitch. See you at Lenny’s?

 

Drury- See you at Lenny’s

 

Eraser- I didn’t hear you ask me about that.

Drury- C’mon man. Apple and cinnamon.

 

Eraser- Ah, what’s the harm in opening for a few hours? You better deliver on that ice cream.

 

=======

 

"So you're back," Waller tutted. "Just in time to clean up my 'mess' as per usual..."

 

"Was it worth it Waller? Havenrock?" a voice called out.

 

Waller played with the card, and sighing, placed it back onto the desk.

 

"Of course not," she replied. "These things never are. You know, I'm not the monster you think I am.

 

"Tell *them* that," the voice said back. "The people of Havenrock, Mayor Hady, all the others"

 

"Are you saying, that, in my position you wouldn't do the exact same thing? If you had the chance to bring *them* back?" Waller asked the visitor.

 

His eyes narrowed. "The people I care about? They wouldn't be in Hell. And, you know that yours aren't either."

 

...

 

Waller slung the card against the wall, and sighed heavily. "Damn you."

  

In the 25th century, the Justice League's history- their origins, their identities, are all an open book, and they're all linked by one thing. Tragedy. It's inescapable. There is no life without loss. No progress without pain. Barry Allen lost his mother when he was a boy. Bruce Wayne lost his parents. J'onn Jonzz was the last son of Mars. And in my time, they are heroes. They are better because of it. They know what they have to sacrifice to win, to be greater.

...I know tragedy too. I lost *my* mother when I was eight, my father was gunned down by police. I lost my marriage, my mentor, my ability to walk, to tragedy. It's what brought me to the Reverse-Flash, and it's what finally gave me a new purpose.

My name is Hunter Zolomon, and for years I was best friends with Wally West. Ever since I met him, I wanted nothing more than to be his teacher, to show him that tragedy is not something to be avoided, it is *necessary.* Time and time again, he rejected my gift. He didn't understand that you can't save the world with a smile on your face. You can't save the world without dirtying your hands. Some consider him a lost cause, that he can't be helped, and that? That hurts me more than anything.

 

===Arkham Asylum===

 

Since the inmates were transferred to Arkham City the year before, the Asylum had been quiet. Peaceful, one might even say. No more desperate screaming through padded cells. No more deranged cackling from the basement.

As far as most people knew, it had been abandoned. The acting mayor even had plans to demolish it come spring.

 

But it wasn't abandoned.

 

The low trundle of a wheelchair squeaked against the wet ground. A greyish hand grasped the wheel, and propelled himself forward. The last of Arkham's patients. He'd been told he wouldn't survive the trip to Slabside. That his body was too broken. And so they sent him here, discarded him like a broken toy. He looked down to the grounds below- Maybe... Yes, from this height, the fall would kill him, he thought.

And yet, he'd thought the same thing last time, during the quake, and all that had left him with was a broken body. Jonathan Crane sat there, in silence, the faint outline of his city just visible through the trees- Wayne Enterprise's latest steel monstrosity towered above the rest, as though it were mocking him...

 

"Ooga Wooga Booga!"

  

Crane turned his head slowly, unimpressed. "I knew you'd come, sooner or later. Don't presume that your little... jaunts across the island have gone unnoticed."

 

Knelt beside him, dressed in a bright purple suit and grinning like a hyena, was The Joker. "It's true!" he giggled. "You can't be spooked!"

 

Crane's tone shifted as he whispered bitterly. "I don't want to talk about it."

 

"Sure, you do... That's all you ever did. Lecture on top of lecture, speech on top of speech. Sure, *occasionally* you'd unleash some horrible doomsday weapon, create a new virus, but if there's one thing you loved more than fear, it was the sound of your voice when you talked about it."

 

"Eno-" Crane begins, but Joker's already raising a finger to silence him.

 

"Heh... It's funny, Straw Man," he smiles, rising to his feet, his hands on the wheelchair. "One push and... game over. "

 

"Joker, enough! I won't play your game."

 

"But it's fu-un," he sings, as he trundles the chair closer to the edge.

 

"In case you've forgotten, *I* can't be scared, so these cheap theatrics of yours are meaningless"

 

"No, but you *can* be killed," Joker continues, rocking the chair back and forth. Back and forth.

 

"I would welcome it!" Scarecrow hisses back.

 

...

 

"Now isn't that interesting..." Joker chuckles, his hands sliding off the handlebars.

 

"Let me tell you a secret Jonathan," he whispers. "There's a reason why they dumped you out here. A reason why they'd rather drop you here, than roll you out to Slabside with the big boys. They're not scared anymore. Why would they be... most evil lairs don't have disabled access after all! But I have a solution, a nasty, vile, undoubtedly bloody solution, and for that... I need your latest plague."

 

Crane paused. "Then, I suggest you check the bottom of the Gotham river. *Kite-Man* destroyed my factory."

 

"Please, don't lie, not after all we've been through- The good times! Drury's trial, the Cloudburst, others, that ellude me..."

 

Crane's ear's pricked up. "What do you want with that... idiot?" he asked, a note of disgust in his voice.

 

"Play nice, and I'll tell you... Hell, maybe I'll keep you around. Heh. You might even enjoy yourself," Joker laughs, as he pats Crane on the back, and lifts his cane up off from the ground.

 

"Joker, wait," Crane called out. "There's a rumour, that the pup has her father back..."

 

Joker smiles.

 

"So it's true?" Crane sighed. "There used to be a saying, do you remember? "Only the good villains come back." Though, I suppose that once Ted Carson was resurrected, that all went out the window."

 

"Heh. Rumours... Nasty, those. I think I killed him, you know. Maybe. Bullet to the skull really ought to have done it, but, heh, this is Gotham."

 

Crane nods. "Rumours, yes. I *may* have heard that the snowman took two gallons of my toxin..."

 

...

 

"Johnny, I love you, but you have to be more specific. Do you mean Freeze, or the literal hairy, yeti Kelsey Grammar bloke?"

 

...

 

"Yes, I meant Freeze."

 

~

 

It's 1991. I come home to find my parents dead. My father, gunned down by police. My mother, his final victim.

 

2003. The Flash, Barry Allen, encounters his first villain: Leonard Snart- Captain Cold, a self titled rogue armed with a cold gun. My fascination with these... Rogues is piqued.

 

2004. During my first year of college, I fall in love with my classmate, Ashley. I strike up a friendship with her father, the criminology professor at our school.

 

It's 2008. My wedding day. Ashley's father is my best man.

 

2010. Her father- in many ways *our* father, lies dead in my arms, a victim of my error. Ashley files for divorce.

 

2012. I come to Keystone City for a fresh start. Becoming the "Rogues Profiler" for KCPD, I meet a young man called Wally West. The Flash.

 

2013. A riot at Iron Heights renders me paralysed. In desperation, I turn to Wally, urging him to travel back in time, and fix my life. He refuses. In an attempt to use the treadmill myself, it explodes, effectively knocking me out of the timestream. I become Zoom. My new mission, to help the Flash, no matter the cost.

 

"The Flashes, are not worth your time Hunter."

 

~

 

Now, it is 2018, Louisiana. "They're nothing but selfish, cruel, vain individuals, not worthy of your... kindness." Beside me, Thawne tinkers with a machine. In a few hours, Lex Luthor will give the order, and the Secret Society will activate our Fear Gas Bomb in the heart of Gotham. Of the thousands affected, one in two will emerge stronger, their demons conquered.

 

"Idisagreeeeeeeee. You've spentyour eeeeeeentire life making BarryAllenbetter, JokerandBatman, Sineeeeestro- Haaaaal Jordan, BlckMnta- Aquaman. You aaaaall makeheroes strong."

 

"That's where you're wrong, Hunter. I don't want to *help* Barry Allen, I want to destroy him. Take apart all that he has. All that he *is*. You've seen my files. Do you really think Manta fights Aquaman to make him better?! Heh. Black Manta is a sociopathic maniac with an inane case of daddy issues. However, he does make an excellent tuna sandwich. He doesn't know I steal them."

 

~

 

Two years earlier, I am visited by an older Thawne. He's dying. Having just escaped an alternate timeline, the energy it took has dampened his speed. His one hope is a "Get out of Hell Free card." In the year that follows, Thawne recruits Drury Walker to infiltrate the Suicide Squad and find him that card. I'm not sure why he chose *him.* Thawne said it was a cruel irony of sorts, brought about by his time in this other timeline. Mothpoint. He uses the opportunity to punish Walker for his failings, and to tie up loose ends, by murdering the Van Cleer boy. His son. Moments later, the Signal Man issues a city wide blackout, wanting the card for himself. In the ensuing chaos, Thawne succumbs to his wounds, killed by the boy's stepmother.

 

Walker's grief, and role in Cobb's defeat inspires him to become more than a simple criminal. He runs for Mayor. A year later, the boy is resurrected. The tragedy, was undone. The lessons Walker learned? Unlearned.

 

2018. While Bane works to reshape the Society, Thawne is set on the path that will lead to his death. A confrontation with the Ratcatcher and the KGBeast ends with him retreating into the speedforce, as time changes around him. He's dumped in December, 2018. A new world, and is forced to work with Walker's boy. His disobedience and compassion makes him an unreliable ally. He plans to murder him once the timeline is restored.

 

2019. Thawne visits Bane one final time. I, am sent to deal with a rival Society spearheaded by Lex Luthor. The key, is the Riddler's journal.

The Joker destroys it before I can learn what he might have planned. The Society is satisfied.

 

2020. During an assault on the League of Assassins, Bane, Calculator, Sinestro and Zod are all apprehended. Kuttler's testimony grants him freedom. Though Faust, Ocean Master and Black Adam remain, each go their separate ways. The Society is finished. Intent on confronting the Joker, I travel to Gotham City. Instead, he imparts on me a new mission.

 

=Drury's Apartment, Keystone=

 

"Drury- Drury!" Wally called out. "Axel's been spotted with the Rogues, and I just- Drury?"

 

"Wah-Wah-Wah-Wah-Wah" a voice answered back, mockingly. Sat in the living room, draped in a tartan blanket, and a glass of scotch in his hand, was Drury Walker. Opposite him, playing Cooking Mama on the TV, was The Suit.

 

Wally sighed. "C-C'mon, man, that's just childish."

 

"Mi-Mi-Mi-Mi-Mi-Muh."

 

Wally edged into the room, and knelt beside Drury. "You don't want your kid in Iron Heights. I get it... I don't either! But he keeps going out with the Rogues, that's what's going to happen."

 

Drury took another sip of scotch. "Let him have his fun. He hasn't had *his* hopes and dreams stabbed yet.

 

Wally bowed his head. "Look, I'm not thrilled with this arrangement either. But we could at least try to get along, right? How about a pizza? Would you like a pizza."

 

"Gotham's are better."

 

"I can go to Gotham. Fastest man alive and all that."

 

"Lucky!" Drury called back sarcastically.

 

"Right. It's been a pleasure. Suit," he nodded, the empty costume putting the controller on the table and waving goodbye. The door slamming behind him, Drury rushed to the window. "Thank god he's gone," he smiled, and ripped his dressing gown off to reveal the costume underneath. "Now, where were we?"

 

He flipped the tablecloth over, unveiling a map of the prison on the other side.

 

"We really need to re-evaluate your artistic merits..." Drury murmured, as Suit rolled in a large mirror, and handed Walker a silver blaster.

 

"McCulloch this mirror gun better fucking work," Drury mused, as he pointed it at the mirror, and fired a white beam of light. The mirror now a dazzling portal, Drury winks back, and enters through the looking glass.

=Simon's Apartment- Before=

 

*Simon was moving the last of his stuff. Most guys his age couldn't wait to move out of their family's house, and find their own place, but after everything- The Tournament, Garth, Charaxes... Simon couldn't wait to get back. He was taking one last glance at the dingy, one room flat, when there was a knock at the door. Opening it, he found himself face to face with a blonde haired, kind faced man, a gold ring on his finger*

 

Barry- Simon. Hi.

 

....

 

Simon- You're the Flash.

 

Barry- Please, call me Barry.

 

*Simon had been to his wedding recently, but he was really more Emi's friend, Simon was just her plus one. He reminded Simon of Jay in a lot of ways, his optimism, his enthusiasm, but looking at him right now, Simon could see the seriousness behind his smile*

 

Simon- How can I help you?

 

*Barry's smile fades, and he bows his head*

 

Barry- Simon. We need to talk.

 

===Thawne's Lair- Now===

 

Thawne- Bridget, Bridget, Bridget... Hmph. I suppose I should have killed her when I had the chance, but then.. then I would've been back at square one- no leads.

 

Simon- But- we know who did it, don't we?

 

Thawne- Don't be stupid. Pike's IQ is average at best, she's *far* too emotional, let alone intelligent enough to unlock the secrets of time travel. That narrows it down though. There's very few time travellers who would actually lower themselves to mercenary work... Then, discounting Speedsters- not even the most reckless speedster would allow the Speedforce to be left so vunerable, that still leaves us with a few possible options. I'll get back to you on that. Presently? We need to work on your tech.

 

Simon- Why?

 

Thawne- We're talking about a time traveller who knows what they're doing, making precise strikes in history to ensure their work could only be undone by their own hand. Therefore, a pair of tights and some incredibly bulky shoulder armour isn't going to do much good. I mean, just look at this helmet! Feels more Bat than Bug if you were to ask me. Hmph. Curious.

 

*Examining Simon's helmet, Thawne plucks out the voice modulator*

 

Simon- That's sensitive-

 

Thawne- This modulator... feels familiar.

 

Simon- Hey, I remember that! I used a-

 

*Embarrassed, Simon stops himself. Thawne runs the device through his fingers*

 

Thawne- Go on.

 

Simon- ... I used a Darth Vader voice changer.

 

Thawne- Oh. That's disappointing, if not somewhat predictable. And yet-

 

Simon- You have Stars Wars in the future?

 

Thawne- Tch, Simon, of course we do, those films never stop. Now-

 

*Left on the table, Simon's phone begins ringing. Growling at being interrupted *yet* again, Thawne swiftly grabs it off the table and thrusts the screen at Simon's face, his voice snapping to one much more business-like*

 

====Gotham City====

 

Emi- Are we going to talk about that?

*Arrow gets on his bike, his face darkened by the hood now pulled over his head*

 

Emi- Ollie, talk to me!

 

Ollie- What's there to say?

 

Emi- Well, for starters, you tried to *kill* him!

 

Ollie- You tried to kill Tockman. You tried to kill Onomatopoeia. Hell, you *actually* killed Komodo.

 

Emi- Ok, that's not fair at all, that's-

 

Ollie- How's it different Emi? He mocked Roy!

 

Emi- To get a rise out of you, c'mon Ollie, can't you see you're giving him what he wanted?

 

Ollie- I don't think he wanted a broken nose.

 

*He revs up the bike*

 

Emi- Ollie, stop!

 

Ollie- I'm done Emi! Roy's killer's still out there, I'm not going to-

 

*Beep*

 

...

 

Ollie- What was that?

 

Emi- It's nothing.

 

Ollie- Emi.

 

...

 

Emi- *sigh* It's Walker. He's escaped.

 

...

 

Ollie- Then what are we waiting for?

 

Emi- Just...

 

Ollie- Just, what?

 

Emi- Don't break *all* his ribs. Not without me.

 

*Ollie turns back, surprised*

 

Emi- ... Like you said, Roy deserves that much.

 

*Ollie throws her a slight smile*

 

Ollie- You've been spending too much time with Damian.

 

===Thawne's Lair===

 

Thawne- Do you know this number?

 

*Simon shakes his head*

 

Thawne- Hmm.

 

*Thawne answers, holding the voice changer close to his mouth*

 

Thawne- This is the Bug. Who's calling?

 

*The caller answers, and Thawne addresses Simon*

 

Thawne- It's "Zodiac" from "The Gang"

 

Simon- I have a gang?

 

Thawne- It appears so.

 

Simon- And Zodiac's a part of it?

 

Thawne- Seems that way.

 

Simon- I'll... I'll take it.

 

*Thawne turns his attention back to Zodiac*

 

Thawne- I'm busy.

 

Simon- Oh- Oh, could you at *least* put it on speaker phone? please.

 

Thawne- The things I do for you....

 

*Thawne rolls his eyes and puts Zodiac on speaker*

 

Zodiac- Please boss-

 

Thawne- Would you look at that, he calls you boss.

 

Zodiac- It's Walker boss, and he's pissed

 

Thawne- Oh, whatever did you say to him?

 

Zodiac- Nothing!

 

*A gunshot rings out on Zodiac's end*

 

Zodiac- Well, I may've made a *slight* remark.

 

*Completely indifferent and uncaring, Thawne cuts him off*

 

Thawne- Sorry. I have to go.

 

*Despite Zodiac's pleas, Thawne ends the call, and looks back at Simon, knowing exactly what's going on in his head*

 

Thawne- Don't try it.

 

Simon- That's my Dad, maybe I could-

 

*A flash; the colour in Simon's cheeks fade, his breathing gets heavier as Thawne tightens his grip around his companion's throat*

 

Thawne- Listen to me *very* carefully.

 

Simon- I

 

*Simon thrashes his arms about, struggling*

 

Thawne- I said *listen*! This *isn't* your world. He *isn't* your father. So don't go sauntering about on a wild goose chase, trying to talk down a father who neither knows or cares about you. This, is the mission, not some twisted family reunion! Do you understand?!

 

Simon- I- gah-!

 

Thawne- You. Aren't. A. Hero. You never *will* be. There's no Lightning Bug Museum in the future. There will never be a Statue at your grave, or a signal in the sky, you won't be *remembered!* Not in this time, not in mine! Electrocutioner is more respected than you will ever be! Electrocutioner! You belong to me. You will do as *I* say, when I tell you to do it! Or when all this is said and done, I will find you. I will find your father. And I will make your life hell. Heh.

 

*Thawne drops Simon back to the ground, sufficiently pleased with his rant*

 

Thawne- So... Do we have an accord?

 

Simon- Y-yeah.

 

*Simon presses the button on Thawne's motherbox, pilfered when he was thrashing his arms about, and before even Thawne can do anything, an echoing "boom" fills the night, and Simon is gone.*

 

Thawne- Hmph. What an idiot.

 

==Carson Manor==

 

- Hey, it's Fred Carson! -

- Drink the elixir -

- The Cockroach! -

- Oh, it's just you Carson -

- Sit your ass down -

- Pyg will make you better! -

- The Legion of Ted, eh? -

- We have a lot of catching up to do -

 

*The voices, the visions continued- remnants of a life Carson never had, yet, they felt real, those were real feelings, real rage boiling in his blood, what the hell was happening to-*

 

Bridget- Dad? You ok?

 

...

 

Carson- Heh. Never better kid. What is it?

 

Bridget- You were just-

 

Carson- I was just what?

 

Bridget-... It's nothing, I was just going to tell you there's been a Lightning Bug sighting, Zodiac's place. I... love you Dad.

 

*Carson smiles, a massive, boyish grin, then kisses her on the forehead. The visions were clearer now, moreso than they'd ever been*

 

Carson- I love you too.

 

Inside the house of Commander Steel, Doctor Mid-Nite is still looking for some clues as to who did it and some evidence. While he's looking at the table with the blood stains he feels a small breeze. He looks behind him, as a bolt of lightning runs past him.

 

Charles: "Speedster. Jay, is that you?"

 

The bolt of lightning runs past him again. Charles grabs his moon darts and prepares for a fight.

 

???: "It's not Garrick. You could in fact say I'm the reverse. Perhaps even his biggest rival."

 

Charles: "It can't be."

 

???: "Yes, it is."

 

Charles gets punched in the face and the assailent stands before him.

 

Charles: "Clarice. How are you alive?"

 

Rival: "The negative speedforce does wonders for your age."

 

Charles: "Did you do this? Did you kill Commander Steel?"

 

Rival: "Sadly not. One of my co-workers did. Shame I didn't get the chance, but you will do nicely as well."

 

Charles: "There are more assasins..."

 

Rival: "You guys decided to team up, why shouldn't we."

 

Charles: "The other JSA'ers are on their way, Clarice. You won't have enough time. You either have to kill me, or run away."

 

Clarice: "Hm. I think I can manage both."

 

Before Charles can make another move or say anything, Rival vibrates his hand through Charles' body. Rival immediately runs away as Charles lies there bleeding out, not being able to reach his JSA communicator as that was knocked away from him after he bluffed that his team mates were on their way. As he tries to crawl away, the children of the JSA arrive at the house.

 

Pieter: "Charles!"

 

Pieter rushes over to Charles and he looks at the wound.

 

Pieter: "It went completely through. I can't fix this."

 

Pieter looks hopefull at Jesse.

 

Pieter: "Can you run him to the hospital?"

 

JQ: "I- I can't. I'm not connected to the speedforce, so I wouldn't be able to bring him into Flashtime with me. The running would only make things worse. I'm sorry."

 

Pieter: "No, no, no!"

 

Rick turns to Jesse.

 

RT: "I've looked an hour from now, Jess. He won't make it."

 

JQ: "There needs to be something we can do."

 

Charles: "There is *cough* nothing you can do. Pieter and Jesse are right. *cough* The wound is too big, and the running would *cough* make it worse."

 

Pieter: "Charles. I- I can't do this. I can't lose you. I can't do this on my own. You were there for me when my parents were murdered. You taught me how to use my blindness to an advantage. You saved me, and took me in... I can't do this without you."

 

Charles: "You don't need me anymore, Pieter *cough*. You have grown so much. I have basically taught you all I know. You can do this on your own. It looks *cough* like *cough cough* you made new friends too, haha *cough*."

 

Pieter: "As you told me to.."

 

Charles: "Don't give up when I'm *cough* gone, son. Keep living this life. Keep the lega- legacy go- go- going..."

 

Pieter: "Charles! No..."

 

TC: "He's gone man..."

 

Jesse: "Pieter..."

 

Rick walks over to Pieter, putting his hands on his shoulder.

 

RT: "I'm so sorry man..."

 

Pieter Cross. Orphan, doctors assistant, superhero... and lost.

A bolt of lightning strikes Barry's Lab again, giving Wally West the power of super speed!

Some evil speedsters the have faced against the Flash. From L to R: Zoom (Hunter Zolomon), Reverse Flash (Eobard Thawne), Godspeed (August Heart)

 

Hit and miss

 

What looks like a bolt of lightening streaks through the streets of Gotham. It winds and twists through the streets, the alleyways, until finally, it settles in the docks. Two figures have been following the bolt: The Amazon, and the Emerald knight. They have a mission. A mission from God. Well, the next best thing. The two figures descend from the sky and approach the bolt, now standing still, but crackling with electricity. The speedforce is a pathway to many abilities, some considered by many as unnatural. Superspeed, phasing, even time travel. Barry Allen, the Flash, knows all these powers well. He calls out to the Amazon and the knight. "This is the place. It's the closest match to the location Nygma gave us".

 

The Amazon nods and signals the Knight. They rise, before flipping in mid air, and diving into the ground. It shakes, as if an almighty force had struck it.

 

Cracks form in the ceiling of the base. Then, suddenly, they break open, like wounds, spilling dirt and rocks. The Flash is the first in the room. As always, Barry Allen likes to be the first. He circles the room before slamming on the breaks, sending powerful gust of wind whooshing around the room. The other two, Wonder woman and Green lantern descend, like gods, from the break in the ceiling. They land, their feet gracefully touching the floor, as if they are weightless. They're ready for a fight. The Amazon has looked forward to this. But she is left disappointed. The base is empty, deserted.

 

"Shit" the knight mutters under his breath. This is bad. He knows how the Amazon gets when facing any kind of disappointment. He takes a moment, deciding whether it is worth speaking, saying that no one is here. He knows that she is one to take out her anger on others. Although he wasn't there, he heard rumours about what she did to Hawkgirl. It is the Flash who is first to speak. "They're gone, took everything with them".

 

Wonder woman is angry. She has disappointed her lord, and if there is one thing Diana hates, it is failure. She rips her helmet of her head, flinging it to the floor. "Flash, search through that door" she snaps as she steps towards it, fists clenched. She grabs the mighty iron door, at least 6 inches thick, and rips it open, the metal wrenching and squealing as she does so. The Flash zooms through the doorway, or what's left of it.

 

Throughout all this, Green lantern remains silent. He has decided that the best course of action for him is to remain silent until he finds anything worth mentioning. So, he floats up, and begins scanning with his ring. He knows he'll find nothing, but he scans nonetheless. He floats around the room, his ring making feint blipping noises as it flicks through different modes. Thermal, X-ray, even geiger counter. Nothing emerges. The base has been abandoned for some time.

 

The Flash returns, racing into a chair and reclining. He has found nothing. There is no sign of hostiles, as he expected. "Nothing, looks like they've been gone for a while, I'd estimate about a week."

 

Wonder woman clenches her fist, fury burning in her heart. She has failed, and she does not tolerate failure, even her own. She slowly walks back across the room, stooping low to retrieve her helmet, hardly breaking pace. Anger and hatred burning within her, she ascends the steps, towards the doorway. Without warning or expectation, she slams her helmet covered fist into the doorframe, smashing through concrete with an almighty cracking sound. Nygma is a dead man.

-^- Mardon Household, Central City, 1986 -^-

  

"What is that idiot doing!?"

  

From his bedroom, Marco could hear his grandfather yelling at… something. Who or what he was yelling at was too hard to discern, but he sounded angry.

  

"Just go to bed, Marco," Claudio, his older brother, said, propping himself up on his elbow. "He's probably yellowing at Dad for one of those dumb weather gimmicks."

  

"They aren't dumb, Dio," Marco said, a frown on his face. "That weather machine will be remembered forever."

  

"Keep telling yourself that, nerd," he responded, throwing a crumpled up paper at Marco before rolling over.

  

Marco pouted, opening up the paper. His eyes widened a bit, a smile overtaking his face. On the paper was his drawing he made, schematics for a "weather wand." He planned to eventually try to make one as a gift for his father, but it would take quite some time.

  

"He's what!?"

  

Marco looked out the crack of his bedroom door. Looking back at the paper, he quietly hopped out of his bed, his small feet pattering across the hardwood floor. Slipping out of the door, he traversed the hallway, making his way to the stairs. From there, he saw his grandfather, mother, and uncle watching the television; his grandfather was on the phone with someone.

  

"That lunatic… are you sure he's gone?" his grandfather asked, making Marco confused. "Damned idiot. I'll make funeral preparations soon… dammit."

  

His fist slammed into the wall, the shelves shaking slightly. "Dad…?" his uncle asked.

  

"Mateo is dead… the idiot killed himself," his grandfather spoke, fist clenching. Marco heard a strangled cry from his mother, falling into his uncle's arms.

  

'Dad…' he thought, his lip quivering and eyes beginning to water. 'Dad is…'

  

He felt a tear fall from his eye, the droplet landing on the schematic he held. Looking down, he saw the wet mark at the tip of the wand design. Bringing his hand to his face, he wiped away his tears, sniffling softly.

  

'I'll do it dad… I promise.'

  

-^- Present Day -^-

  

Marco knelt in front of the broken machine, tears running down his cheeks.

  

"I made a promise dad!" he yelled, slamming his fist onto the ground. "I promised you, I'd let your legacy live on!"

  

Seething, Marco stood, traversing to his desk in the corner of the room. Flinging the desk drawer open, he pulled out an old, slightly yellowed, piece of paper. The blue ink was splotchy, a few stains causing it to leak.

  

"I won't break that promise."

  

-^-

  

Barry sat in the off-balanced chair he came to know so well. The lightly stained glass window separated his father and himself, their only connection being the phone line.

  

"A… lightning bolt," his father, Henry Allen, asked, astounded by the claim. "A-and you aren't hurt, right?"

  

Barry smiled, chuckling slightly at his father's reaction. "Nope, I'm… I'm actually feeling better than ever, if not a little hungry," he reassured, leaning his chin on his open palm. "Though, I've been getting some migraines that come and go. The doctors said that's normal though."

  

"Thank god," his father said, his eyes tearing up slightly. "After… after that day… if I lost you too-"

  

"Dad, I'm here," Barry said firmly. "I'm not going anywhere, at least not until I get you out of here."

  

"Barry, we talked about this…"

  

"I know," he responded happily. "I'm done talking about it, I'm gonna do it."

  

"Barry…"

  

"Allen, your time is up," called one of the guards, walking over to Henry.

  

"Don't worry about me dad, honest," Barry said, smiling at his father. "I'm fine."

  

His dad smiled, nodding his head, "Alright son… just don't fumble this time with Iris, 'kay?"

  

"Alright," Barry said, chuckling. "Love you."

  

"Love you too."

  

Barry stood from the chair, watching as his dad was handcuffed and taken away from the visiting area. His fist clenched slightly, the same it always did when he saw his father being dragged away.

  

He'd free him, that was a promise.

  

Y̸̭̗̍ͅő̸͔̈́ũ̵̪̤̳̌'̶̤̻̥̽ȑ̷͎̱̞̐e̷̜̐̍ ̶͓̈́̌t̸̢̽̉̀h̸̪̜̓̅ͅe̴̯̝͗͝ ̶̳̦̃̈́͠o̷̼͝n̵̙͓̏e̵͔̰͆͗͆͜

  

Barry's hand shot to his head, fingers gripping his temple hard. The migraine returned, harder than it had before. He'd told everyone around him it was a simple pain, one that a few aspirin could take care of. He never expected the way his head would split upon each return.

  

S̵̥̾͒̀͜t̸͎̒́͜o̸̞̓̇͘p̶̨͇̹̉̐̎ ̸̦͍̪̈r̷͓͒͒ë̵̮͇́̅͆s̷̘̓i̴̱̤̎̉͝s̷͙̻̽̂t̵̞̿̒̆i̸̧̛̩̻̅̈́n̷̙͈̲͑̌ģ̵̯̂

  

"Sir… are you okay?" one of the guards asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I can get you a doctor if you-"

  

"Nope," Barry mumbled, working up a smile. "I'm good, thanks though. I'll be going."

  

"Alright?"

  

Barry stumbled out of the room, his hand landing against the wall to brace himself.

  

T̷͖̰͓̄̄h̴̙̓͗i̸̧̱̲͘s̶̻̑̌ ̸̢̦̘̂̍͠ĭ̴͖̺̼̐s̵̭̺͋ ̴̧͖̆͌̔f̵̳̠̏̏̄ơ̵̩r̶͘͝ͅ ̴̖̗̽̒̒ý̸̝̔ȏ̶̮̜ữ̸͓̠̳̅r̸̼̈͌ ̴͇̗̓̕̕ŏ̴͈͛͒w̸͈̩͌n̶͙̞̈́͝ ̵͔̈̄̏g̴̯̀ǫ̴̺̓͝ͅọ̴̢̫́ḍ̶̪͊̿

  

Barry groaned, tears building up in his eyes. This was the worst, there wasn't a debate. A voice called to him, but the words were hard to make out; the pain was distracting him too much and the words were distorted.

  

Barry felt his body weight shift, his head turning to the wall he was braced on. his eyes widened watching his arm fall through the wall, bringing his head to crash against the wall, hard. His body began tumbling, his eyes slowly falling. Before they shut, he watched his own arm come out of the wall, as if it were intangible.

  

It was the last thing he saw before falling unconscious.

  

-^-

  

Jay felt a cool breeze against his skin. Looking down, he saw his hands were nothin but a red blur, his body the same. He'd done it, the new one's body had finally succumbed to the speedforce.

  

20 minutes earlier

  

"Jay, honey, are you sure about this?" Joan asked, holding a silver bowl-like helmet above Jay's head. Connected to the helmet were multiple jumper cables, all being plugged into a battery on the floor.

  

"Don't worry, Joan," Jay reaffirmed. "I've lived this long, I don't plan to go just yet."

  

The woman nodded her head, placing the helmet onto her husband's head. Stepping over to the battery, she mumbled a quick prayer, before turning the device on. Her husband jumped, her hand shooting to turn the machine off.

  

"No… Joan," Jay said, teeth clenched. "I..

 

I'm alright."

  

Joan was hesitant, but nodded.

  

"So… you're… the one?" Jay asked, golden lightning dancing around his body. "You… can complete it?

  

"Kid… what're you… stop resisting," he ordered, his voice becoming more strained. "It's… you're gonna hurt yourself."

  

"I've gotta… activate it…" he said, veins bulging from his forehead. "This is for your own good."

  

At that instant, his body became engulfed in lightning, forcing Joan backwards. She turned the battery off, but his body stayed inside the swirl of gold.

  

"Be safe, Jay."

  

'Alright then,' Jay thought, bringing himself to a stand. He looked around the room he was in; a small kitchen, the dining table set for two. He walked around the room, eyeing the fridge. On it was a chore list.

  

Barry: Toy Round Up, Bed Maker

  

Malcolm: Dish Duty, Assistant Chef

  

Daddy: Trash Man, Bills :p

  

Mommy: Vacuuming, Head Chef

  

'Where the devil am I?'

  

-^-

  

A blast of air burst down the building's doors, countless people running out screaming. Stepping into the room was Marco Mardon, body covered in black robes with yellow and silver armor plating his arms. His cape and hair blew in with the light breeze coming from outside.

  

"What the fuck?" Claudio said, his face full of confusion.

  

Marco stared at him, one eye still swollen from the wrench swing. As the breeze died down, Marco began walking toward his brother, eyes narrowing the closer he got.

  

"Dio…" he greeted, watching his brother rise from his chair.

  

"What the hell are you doing!?" His brother screamed, pointing to the empty room. "You scared off everyone in the damn building!"

  

"That's not important," he responded, shifting his right arm. His brother's eyes fell to his hand, the confused look from earlier returning. "It's time, I perfected it."

  

"Don't tell me…"

  

"Yeah, it is," Marco said, a small smile forming as he raised the silver rod into the air. "Dad's dream… I can finally make it a reality."

  

"I thought I told you…" his brother began, face beginning to turn red with anger, "to stop with that failure's-"

  

"He isn't a failure!" Marco shouted, activating the rod.

  

Suddenly, papers in the room began to swirl into the air. Claudio stumbled backwards, falling into his chair. He quickly reached into his blazer, pulling out a handgun and pulling the trigger. The bullet was blown away by the wind, lodging itself in the wall.

  

Marco's eyes widened, the whirlwind around them stopping. His head turned to the wall, fixating on the bullet hole.

  

"Look, Marco…"

  

Marco's head turned back to Claudio, eyes no longer having any light in them. Moisture began forming around Claudio, the droplets of water slowly becoming a single mass. Claudio swiped at the bubble of water as it lifted him into the air, his attempts at escape all futile.

  

Marco turned, beginning to make his way out of the building.

  

"Mar...co…"

  

Marco turned his head. In the reflection of the bubble, he saw himself, only nine years old. Inside the bubble his brother, fourteen, struggled and begged for his help.

  

Clenching his fist, he dropped the bubble, water splashing on the floor. His brother gagged, spitting out water and gasping in air.

  

"I want you to watch me," he said, turning back to the door. "You'll see that dad wasn't a failure."

  

NEXT TIME: The Speedforce Lives?

'Barry… and Malcolm?' Jay thought, looking at the chores list. 'I must be in the new guy's house. Now the question is, where.'

  

Jay stepped out of the kitchen, spotting a small boy laying on the living room sofa. A rag was laid over his head with a blanket pulled over his body. Sitting at the edge of the couch, by his feet, was an older woman, maybe mid thirties. She idly rubbed the boy's back as the two watched television.

  

"Malcolm, sweetie?" the woman asked, gaining the attention of the boy. "Are you ready for lunch?"

  

'So the boy is Malcolm,' Jay noted, watching him shake his head. 'That must be his mother.'

  

"Can't we wait for Barry?" the boy asked, pouting slightly. "He had to go to school today, so we should at least wait for him."

  

"Sweetie, Barry didn't have a fever this morning," the mother explained, bringing herself to a stand. "Besides, you know your brother, he'd cry about having to miss school even in an emergency."

  

'So this boy had a fever, and his brother didn't,' he thought. 'Where is dear old dad?'

  

"I guess…"

  

"Well," the mother said, kissing him on the forehead and walking over to the kitchen, "you guessed right."

  

Jay watched the woman start the oven burners, placing a pot onto the blue flame. His eyes drifted back to the boy on the couch, now sat up with the rag hung around his neck.

  

"Hun," the mother called, looking over her shoulder, "chicken noodle or plain noodle?"

  

The woman stood for a moment, reading water in the pot. "Hun?" she asked, turning around. Jay turned with her, shock filling his core.

  

"Oh my god, Malcolm!?" the mother cried, rushing into the living room.

  

On the couch where the boy had been sitting was a pool of blood, nothing left but the crimson liquid and his clothing.

  

'What in God's name?' Jay thought, scanning the room. His gaze locked onto the cracked open door, the slight black energy left around the area. 'No… it couldn't be…'

  

"Malcolm!!!" the mother screamed on her knees, her hands clutching the bloodied pajamas.

  

Like a flash of lightning, a black figure entered the room. Jay's heart sank upon recognizing the dark aura.

  

"Clariss!" he shouted, sparks of golden lightning dancing around his finger tips.

  

The figure looked up, it's glowing red eyes narrowing at Jay. A large smirk spread across its face, the white of it's teeth shining against it's shadowy body.

  

"A ghost from the future," it said, vocal chords in constant flux. "Too bad I'm not a ghost…" The figure disappeared, appearing back an instant later holding a kitchen knife. "I'm the reaper."

  

The knife was shoved into the woman's heart, her screaming silenced moments after. Her body fell to the floor with a thud, blood oozing out of her chest and onto the carpeting.

  

It had to be him. The only man he's met with that dark of an aura, the only man with that malice filled smile. Edward Claris… had murdered these two people.

  

"Mom… Malcolm," a young voice called from outside. "School let out early!"

  

Jay's head turned back to the chore board, staring at the name at the top of the list.

  

Barry.

  

"M-m-mom?"

  

Jay watched in horror as the figure smirked at the boy, dashing up to him. He stopped in front of the boy, standing tall before dashing out of the house.

  

Jay's eyes fell to the boy, widening. He was covered in a yellow aura, an almost golden light.

  

It was him, he was the one.

  

Jay took a step forward, holding out his hand, letting out his own lightning.

  

-^-

  

Barry shook his head slightly, the world around him foggy. Looking down, he found himself sitting in a lake of some kind. The water was a pale grey, however, only a few inches deep.

  

"Where am I?"

  

"Good, you're finally awake," a voice spoke. Barry looked around, spotting a glowing red figure across from him. "It's nice to meet you, Barry."

  

"H-how do you know my name?" Barry asked, crawling backwards.

  

"Calm down, son," the figure said, it's arms raising to a surrendering position. "I'm not gonna hurt you, I just would like to talk."

  

"T-talk… I don't even know who or… what you are!" Barry fired back.

  

The figure looked down, cursing under its breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was still like this," it apologized. "My name is Jay Garrick."

  

Barry was hesitant, but stood up slowly. "Right… and you know me how?" he asked, brushing off his pants.

  

"That… is complicated," Jay said, Barry returning a sigh. "Look, I'll try to explain things the best I can."

  

"Okay… you can start with explaining whatever… this is," Barry said, motioning to the fog and water around him.

  

"This place is known as the Speed Force… well, a facet of it anyways," he explained, bending down and touching the waters. "It's something similar to a dreamscape."

  

"What's the, what did you say, Speed Force?" Barry asked, scratching his head. "And what does it have to do with me?"

  

"The Speed Force, hmm," Jay said, his hand moving to his chin. "The Speed Force is a force of nature, like Time and Space. Only difference is, the Speed Force is alive. It has been, for centuries, millennia. Maybe even since the dawn of time itself."

  

"Why do you sound so unsure?" Barry asked, an eyebrow raised.

  

Jay began to chuckle at the words. "It's because I am, actually," he explained. "I've only learned bits and pieces over my many years, but it's still a mystery to me."

  

"Okay, a cosmic entity…," Barry said, with a nod, "so what's it got to do with me?"

  

"Well… well I think it'll be better if I show you," Jay said, the fog between the two of them clearing.

  

In its place were five silhouettes, all with distinctive glows around their bodies. The first was almost shadowlike, fully blacked out, but the other four were clearly visible.

  

"Who… who are they?"

  

"they are all those who have made a connection to the speedforce," Jay said, a streak of golden lightning extending from his hand like a pointer.

  

"Not much is known about this first one; Savitar, the God of Speed," Jay explained, pointing to the blacked out figure.

  

"Savitar… like Savitr, the Hindu God of Motion?" Barry asked.

  

"Uh… I guess?" Jay responded. "Like I said, not much is known about him. What I do know is that he was the first to tap into the speedforce.

  

"Moving on, Johnny Chambers, a soldier from the 1800s known as Johnny Quick," Jay explained, now pointing to the blond man in red. "I'm sure you've heard about him, he had a cartoon based on him."

  

"I thought that sounded familiar, Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle, right?" Barry asked.

  

"Bingo. On to the next," he said, moving the pointer to the man with the orange aura. "This is Whip Whirlwind, a hero of mine. He was around during the late 1800s, a true hero."

  

"What happened to him?" Barry asked.

  

"I… I'm not sure, actually," Jay said, his voice lowering. "He disappeared after assisting in the first World War.

  

"Enough about that, this next one was actually a chum of mine," Jay said pointing to the next figure. "Eddie Jones, the Black Vulcan."

  

"Eddie Jones?!" Barry asked with shock on his face. "Black… Vulcan… Vulcan Veggies…"

  

"What is it?" Jay asked, confused.

  

"I… It's nothing… don't worry about it," Barry said, shaking his head. "Continue?"

  

"He and I were on a team together way back in the day, it brings back some great memories," Jay said, sighing slightly. "He went off the grid once he left the team, he's still probably kicking somewhere."

  

Barry felt an uneasy feeling in his gut, but he didn't want to speak on it, he'd rather not give Jay false hopes.

  

"And that brings us to the most recent person connected to the speedforce… myself," Jay said, pointing to the final figure. "For fifty years I acted as a superhero, The Flash."

  

Barry's eyes widened, "You… were The Flash?"

  

"Did you not see the silhouette next to you?" Jay asked.

  

"I was paying attention to the order," Barry explained, rubbing his neck.

  

"Y'know, I already like you, kid," Jay said with a chuckle. "Like I was saying, for fifty years I was known as the fastest man alive, however I didn't make a connection to the Speed Force until… until my last days as the Crimson Comet."

  

"What do you mean?"

  

"On my last mission… I… I accidentally murdered a supervillain named Mateo Mardon, he was known as the Weather Warlock," Jay said, his head tilting downwards. "I erupted in golden lightning and simply couldn't control it… from what I've gathered, similar phenomenons have happened with all the others."

  

"Does it mean something?"

  

"It's like I said before, the Speed Force is a living entity," Jay explained, his lighting pointer aiming towards Barry. "That means, it grows and changes over time. It was merely a child all that time, but now?"

  

Barry's eyes widened looking down to his hand, lightning dancing around his forearm. "It's… it's an adult now?"

  

"I think… no, I know…" Jay said, the lightning disappearing, his body slowly fading from the plane. "You'll be the first to truly master the Speed Force, Barry."

  

Barry reached his hand out, but his vision flashed a bright light. When his eyes opened, he was in a medical cot.

  

"What… happened?" Barry said aloud, holding his head. 'Was that… was that a dream? It felt so… real.'

  

"You tell me, Barry," a familiar voice called. Standing in the room was Harrison Wells, the Warden of Iron Heights Penitentiary. The man helped Barry greatly with visiting his father from a young age. "You had me worried for a little while."

  

"Mr. Wells!" Barry exclaimed, sliding off the cot. "Did… did I faint? How long was I out?"

  

"Like I said, I'm not sure what happened, all I know is Gregory found you unconscious outside the visitor center," he explained, sighing lightly. "He'd thought an inmate had done it, almost went on one of his rampages."

  

"I'm sorry about that… I don't know what happened," Barry said, rubbing his temple. "My head was hurting really bad, then I had a super strange dream… then I was here."

  

"Well… if you're alright, you best be going home," Harrison suggested, pointing to the clock. "It's already 5:00."

  

"Right, thank you Mr. Wells, I'll see you around."

  

As Barry left the room, his mind went back to the dream. 'There's only one way to find out,' he thought. 'I hope you're open, Mr. Jones.'

 

NEXT TIME: Weather Wizard Unleashed!

=The Fireflies' Lair- Carson Manor=

 

*He was lying. He had to be. They couldn't be dead. Not Uncle Gar, not Miranda... But with one more glance at Bridget, Simon knew Carson was telling the truth and realised exactly what had been changed. By now Bridget was backing away, slowly at first*

 

Carson- -hate to be the bearer of bad news kid, really, but hey- could be worse, eh?

 

*It wasn't the man's fault, not really, but after dislocating his thumbs and breaking free from his bonds (another trick picked up from his counterpart no doubt), Simon couldn't help enjoy the beating he gave Carson, even if he was sure he was trying to apologise in-between punches to the face. The chime of the elevator meant Bridget had escaped, but, his jetpack meant that wouldn't be much trouble. There was only one thought on his mind- revenge.*

 

======

 

*How could he remember? thought Bridget, Chronos said no one would, yet the rage on his face proved otherwise. Flamethrower at the ready, she was primed to take him down. Then she heard the crackle of lightning behind her. She saw the yellow glow, and for the first time in a long while, Bridget screamed*

 

=====

 

*This had to end. Now. Any argument, any valid point Bridget might've held was gone in Simon's eyes. She'd killed them, his family, even if just indirectly. What about Axel? Kitten? He felt certain that Cammy, his youngest brother didn't exist anymore and that made him angrier than ever. But then, it stopped. The anger, the rage, it all dissipated, it melted away at the sight of *him* and in it's place came dread. And shear terror*

 

???- Oh don't worry Ms Pike I'm not here for you... but all the same-

 

*His hand was vibrating, like some kind of saw, aimed directly at Bridget's chest. That image was forever burned into Simon's mind, that same hand was plunged into his own chest not so long ago and and just as he was sure that he would do it- kill her as effortlessly he killed him, the figure stopped, and looked directly at Simon*

 

Thawne- Happy Holidays, Bridget.

 

=====*Thump*=====

 

*Once again Simon found himself handcuffed, the strong smell of coffee and the indistinct chatter indicating to him he had to be in a cafe... but why? Opening his eyes revealed the focus of so many nightmares sat right across from him, as though he were an old friend- not Simon’s one time murderer: Eobard Thawne- The Reverse Flash. He may not be wearing his yellow suit, but those piercing, inhuman red eyes could belong to no one else*

 

Thawne- I must say, if there's one thing this time does better than mine, it's the coffee.

 

*Thawne gulps it down hungrily. Simon begins to wonder.... The Flash mentioned Thawne was from the future and so, consequently he often met him in the wrong order. Was this what was happening now? From the way he addressed Bridget, he knew her, which surely meant he heralded from Simon’s time, after all The Arkham Moth no longer existed here. Was this Thawne, the one who worked with Lex Luthor and Scarecrow, from before the Signal Man Crisis, from before he killed-? Well, he certainly didn’t recognise Simon, not the way he expected him to. There was yet another reason for his behaviour though- one Simon didn’t want to think about- Thawne didn’t know him, because he was simply forgettable. Indeed, Thawne seemed far more interested in his Christmas Latte*

 

Thawne- Aaaah, lovely spot. That hint of cinnamon *mwah!* Now, about those tachyons...

Simon- What-?

 

*Before he could blink, Thawne had moved, now sitting right beside him. Simon’s stomach lurched.*

 

Thawne- Tachyons. You're covered in them. And yet you're as ordinary as they come.

 

*Simon attempted a sarcastic remark, but found him incapable of getting the words out*

 

Thawne- Of course, of course, you must still be shaken up. My name, is Eobard Thawne, but it’s more likely you know me as-

 

Simon- You’re the Reverse Flash.

 

*Thawne looks a little taken aback, but soon contorts his face into a mirthless smile*

 

Thawne- Why, yes, although admittedly I prefer “Professor Zoom”, I think you'd find it a better expression of myself. But... enough about me.

*Another flash, Thawne’s now right behind him*

Thawne- See you, Mr Van Cleer, are the real enigma. Like I say, Tachyons, they must have somehow shielded you from the temporal changes in time- which can only mean you have friends in high places, isn’t that surprising? You of all people. Killer Moth’s son- a wannabe hero in one timeline, an enforcer for I want to say Black Mask(?) in the other

 

*Simon finds his voice, if just for a moment. He couldn’t let Thawne continue to torment him*

Simon- It's, um, the Great White actually.

 

...

 

Thawne- Oh lord it's worse than I imagined.

 

*Simon ignores this remark and gets to work undoing his bonds, wondering just how many times he’d have to dislocate his thumbs today. Yet, Thawne presses a button and the cuffs immediately electrocute Simon*

Simon- Aaargh-!

 

Thawne- Yeah, don't do that again. Now, I like a time travel romp as much as the next person, but, frankly, I don't quite appreciate being on the receiving end. This time? All wrong. And since those *idiots* irreparably damaged the speedforce I can't even go home!

 

Simon- The speedforce is broken?!

 

*No. That was the only way he could fix all this... If he had just found The Flash, gotten him to restore time to how it was *supposed* to be, and save Uncle Gar and Miranda then it would be over by the end of the day. Now? What could he hope to do? He didn’t exactly have the knowledge needed to build his own time machine*

 

Thawne- Oh don't look so glum. There's more than one way to skin a cat... I’ve materials at my warehouse, but we’ll have to be... quick.

 

*Thawne gets up, but something Simon says stops him*

 

Simon- There's something else... There's things I say, or do, that isn't me... Like it's someone else talking, like the other me, the one from this time is trying to-

 

Thawne- You're being assimilated.

 

Simon- I’m- what?

 

Thawne- How best to explain it? You don't belong here, not in this time- you're an aberration, not meant to exist, not like this, so reality is trying to slot you in.

 

Simon- What happens then? Once I'm “assimilated”

 

*Thawne speaks, quite casually*

 

Thawne- You'll cease to exist. You'll be replaced, by the you you're supposed to be, White Shark's cruel, smug enforcer, destined to continue on with his sad little life until finally, some angry rival puts a bullet in his brain. Merry Christmas.

Simon- Then why's it not happening to you?

Thawne- Well for one thing, I'm from the future, there's nowhere to put me, not like you. And the other... I'm dead. At Iris West's hands of all people, that's irony for you!

 

...

 

Thawne- That's a in-joke, you wouldn't get it.

The Flash travels to a Different Universe while running through time...something feels familiar.

The Flash

Barry Allen and his trusty sidekick Wally West!

==Arkham Asylum: Guard Quarters==

 

"Let me see! Let me see!"

 

“Careful, you’re crumpling them!”

 

"Ooh, such wonderful emotions! Delicious, frozen expressions!"

 

Abner Krill’s face was pressed against the microwave, like a child’s at the zoo’s red panda exhibit, as he waited for his cocoa to be ready; the room was small, modest, and utilitarian, which had suited the Asylum Guards just fine in the past. Hayden and Billings had cornered their newest member, Mister Camera, and were clearly enjoying themselves as they perused through the shoebox he’d retrieved from the 'Bug House.' The microwave pinged, and Krill removed the steaming mug from inside.

Billings had spotted a particularly erotic photo from the pile and grabbed it, bearing a crooked smile as he rubbed his thumb across the edge. "My my, is that lace? That naughty little bug girl… Rather nicely composed too...”

 

Krill snorted from the sidelines, as he stirred a sixth spoonful of sugar into his hot cocoa. "You don't know dick about composition, you peg legged twat."

 

"I'm a filmmaker, Krill, an auteur, I picked up a few things,” Billings replied condescendingly.

 

"Mm. About filmmaking or alcoholism? 'Cause, didn't it bomb? Like, bomb so bad the suits sent you to rehab? Twice."

 

Billings spun around, photo still in hand. "Now, you listen here, you pimpled prat! That was entirely out of my hands!" he scowled, his face turning a deep scarlet. "The Society completely dicked me over! Class A censorship from small-nubbed pricks! If I was allowed to tell my vision-!"

 

"Stop it! You're dribbling alcohol onto them!" Sims clutched Billings arm, protecting his precious photos from Spellbinder’s spit.

 

The squeak of rubber on metal broke up the argument. The crackle of lightning kept it that way. Crane sat in the doorway, two tired, mismatched eyes and a downturned mouth peeking out from behind his burlap mask; Zoom stood behind him, fists balled. "Cease your juvenile ogling, you primitive pack of apes, you all have work to do," Crane chastised the group. They didn’t need to be told a second time; Sims exited first, carrying the shoebox under his arm; then Hayden, kicking the ground defiantly; Billings shuffled away last, wiping the rim of his flask with his cuff.

 

Zoom however, stayed rooted to the spot, his blurred gaze fixed on Krill. Crane stared at him suspiciously, then wheeled himself away.

 

"Yeah?" Krill eyed the Speedster expectantly, slurping his hot chocolate from an Arkham-Branded mug.

 

“I haaaaaaaaavea job foryooooooouuuuuuuu,” Zoom slurred. “Offthe record.”

 

Krill smirked back, a greedy glint in his eyes. "Will it pay?"

 

"Ohyes."

 

==GCPD==

 

A group of four entered the GCPD; security was lax as of late; with so many dead and even more injured, it was easy for Chuck, Gar, Joey and Bridget to slip in through the roof; Chuck went on ahead to check out the interrogation room and gather clues while the three pyros lingered by the cell block. Confused, Joey looked at Ted Carson, still held behind iron bars.

 

"Joker didn't want him?" he whispered to Gar, conscious not to upset Bridget.

 

"Would you?" Gar answered back coldly.

 

“Laugh it up, Bug Boys,” Carson growled at the duo. “I’ll get outta here, and I’ll kill you all.”

 

“Hn. And I thought some time to yourself would give you space to reflect,” Gar stared at him, flicking his lighter shut. “Guess I figured wrong.”

 

“Ah, but it did. ‘Cause now I know what to do. No more schemes. No more plans. No more lousy, two-faced partners. I’m just gonna burn it all down.”

 

Gar’s brow shifted slightly. “Good luck with that,” he scoffed, stepping aside. As he did so, Carson finally noticed his daughter. His jaw slackened, his eyes narrowed, his puffed-out chest deflated, at the sight of this final, crushing betrayal.

 

"Bridget?" he choked, struggling to process her presence.

 

Bridget fidgeted with her hands, avoiding her father’s gaze. "Dad..." she began to defend herself, but nothing came out. It probably wouldn’t have made a difference anyway.

 

"You're with them now, is that it?” Carson scowled. "Figures.”

 

Gar exhaled, stepping back in front of Bridget defensively. "You, are an idiot,” he remarked. “A big, shiny, Megazord of an idiot."

 

"Careful," Carson warned.

 

"Oh, please! If you were any sort of a husband or father, if you ever cared for your wife, for Bridget; for Jumbo for crying out loud, you'd have gone back to your family as soon as you'd woken up, when you were resurrected that very first time. Or the second time. Or the third. Or the fourth. But no, you just had to get revenge on your killer, on a drunk fuckin' driver, no matter what! You couldn't let it go that the great "Ted Carson" got punted 100 yards by Killer Moth in his bright purple Mothmobile. If that were me, if I had died, and somehow, through divine, demonic or whatever that crap was, intervention, I'd run back to my apartment, I would hold my little girl in my arms, and I would not let go. But look at you! You! You let yourself get so fucking consumed by vengeance that you let it all slip away.

 

Drury didn’t ruin your life. He didn’t destroy your family. By the way, he didn’t put you in Arkham either. You did that all on your own."

 

Finished, Gar stormed off, Joey in pursuit. Yet, despite every fibre of her being telling her not to, Bridget lingered by the door to her dad’s cell.

 

“Go on then,” Carson growled. “Run back to ‘daddy.’”

 

But Bridget didn’t. She couldn’t. Despite everything he’d said and done, despite her newfound loyalty to the Misfits…

 

He was still her father.

 

~-~

 

Chuck knelt beside an upturned table in the interrogation room, peeling off a scrap from an orange jumpsuit that had been caught on the edge. ‘Drury…’ he lamented quietly. Amongst the glass, and the trails of dried blood, he found something else; a single Joker card pinned to a sheet of A5 paper. The door behind him opened, signifying Gar and Joey’s arrival.

 

“Anything?” Gar asked, not expecting a whole lot.

 

"Looks like he left a note,” Chuck replied, noticing some writing on the back.

 

“What's it say?” Joey inquired.

 

Chuck cleared his throat, and began to read: "225g plain flour, two teaspoons bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, a pinch of cinnamon, 75g unsalted butter, 100g soft brown sugar and 100g golden syrup. To decorate: one bar of dark chocolate, finely grated."

 

"I- I think it's a shopping list."

 

~-~

 

The group walked back the way they came, despondent over their lack of leads. Carson remained in his cell, but something had changed in his demeanour, an underlying quiet malice. Dragging behind, a voice called out to Chuck from the cell diagonal Carson’s. A cold, refined voice that Chuck had hoped he’d heard the last of:

 

"Charlie?"

 

Chuck turned around: Julian was standing by the bars, a quizzical expression on his face.

 

“You look healthy,” Chuck replied, perhaps a little more venomously than he had intended.

 

“Your poison has worked its' way out of my system, yes. As you can see, the GCPD is rather short staffed at the moment,” Julian observed, a slight, malicious smile on his face.

 

“That ‘poison’ is meant to help you, Julian,” Chuck responded. “You’re sick.”

 

“Yes, of oh so many things… You never understood Diaxymine, Charlie. It’s not a solution, it doesn’t suppress my darker half and worse impulses. It never did. It’s a flood. Drowning me in remorse. Burying me in sorrow and pity and regret. Is this how it is for you? For the Misfits? Knowing that despite how hard you try to better yourself, the things you’ve done, those terrible terrible things will stick with you, forever.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How can you bear it?” Julian inquired, in a tone that revealed an underlying pain.

 

“By trying my hardest, doing the best I can.”

 

“Then surely, you understand why I tried to free you from that burden? From that pain? To escape from that baggage and be your truest self?” Julian asked softly.

 

Chuck took a step towards the exit and opened it. “No,” he called back. “And I never will.”

 

==<???>==

 

Emerging from a kaleidoscopic vortex, Krill and his charge stepped forward onto weightless ground, only to be hit by a blinding wave of white light; They were standing in a void of white clouds, lit up by bolts of coloured lightning. The only sounds were the faint rumblings of thunder in the distance. Krill lowered his goggles over his eyes and began scanning for signs of life. "Thought you said this place was a prison?" he squinted.

 

Zoom looked out at the howling wilderness. "Itis."

 

Krill frowned. It didn't look like a prison. It looked like Cloud Cuckoo Land, and Zoom’s non-committal responses weren’t helping matters. He peeled a dot off his chest, and hurled into in the endless void, hoping it could find something his scanners couldn’t. They were standing in something elemental; Krill knew that much. Something ancient. Something ethereal.

 

Something wrong.

 

As they walked (that's right, walked not ran), something changed in the air, the fluffy white clouds all around them turned grey, as though they were travelling into a hurricane of swirling wind. The sounds of thunder overhead became louder. The lightning changed too, gone was the rainbow of colours, only one hue remained, angrier, more aggressive than the rest: Red.

 

And the further they walked; the more anxious Krill became. "Where are we? What... what have you done?" he asked, uncharacteristically uncertain. Shaken.

 

"Zoom. Where are we?" he asked again.

 

"Thislesson isbeyondme. Ineed someone toshow me the way,” Zoom whispered quietly, merely raising more unsettling questions.

 

"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU TAKEN ME?!" Krill bellowed, his entire body quaking; tiny globs of spittle flew out of his mouth and landed on Zoom's face. He ripped two dots off his shoulders and pointed them at Zoom’s face, both glowing with neon energy.

 

"Iwould nooooooot do thaaaaat ifiwere youuuuuuuuuu,” Zoom wagged his finger back and forth.

 

"Yeah? Why the hell not?" Krill demanded, his eyes bulging.

 

"Youuuuuuuuuuuuu'll unsettle the wraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiths."

 

Krill’s arm fell by his side, the energy dissipating from his fists. Realisation had set in, and grovelling even quicker. "Oh... Oh, God. I... I was loyal. Didn't betray you, didn't tell Bats or the Kite-Man shit. You don't... You don't have to do this. Please, don't do this."

 

Zoom cocked his head to one side, a motion that could almost be described as pity. "Youmisunderstand, Aaaaaaaaabneeeeeer. Thisis not apunishment. Thisisa leeeeeeeesssoooooooon."

 

"Lesson." A word that anyone who had ever been on Zoom's receiving end had learned to fear. But Krill wouldn't stick around for the demonstration, he reached for the dial on his belt, and then a final, gut-wrenching twist of the knife: The belt was gone.

 

As Krill struggled to reconcile what had happened, Zoom raised his hand, and his heart beat even faster than before: all his hopes of escape vanished at once. Dangling from Zoom’s wrist was his red belt. Krill had never even noticed he'd taken it. Zoom’s syllabus was at last revealed with one haunting phrase: "Suuuuuuuuuuuuurvival ofthe fittest."

 

"No. Please. I'm not like the rest of the psychotic grunts who lube themselves up over LiveLeaks or nuke cities for jollies," Krill chuckled nervously, sweat across his pimpled brow. "I'm... I'm like you."

 

Before Zolomon could answer, a third voice broke through the fog; calm, arrogant, evil. "Oh, Abner, I don't think we're alike at all.”

 

“Quite the reverse, actually."

 

Krill tried to offer a pitiful rebuttal, but it was too late: Lightning bolts wrapped around his wrists like manacles, dragging him deeper into the void, his corporeal form fading, then for a moment: silence.

The Storm had accepted Zoom's offering. And then all at once, red lightning shot down on the spot Krill had been standing prior, forming a yellow silhouette. "In academic circles, this is what we'd call a 'teaching moment,' Mr Krill,” the figure smiled, his image becoming clearer; he looked like Zolomon but his uniform was a brighter yellow, his build was leaner, his red irises were exposed, and he was smiling. The Professor, was in.

 

“Class dismissed.”

 

Zolomon offered his mentor Krill’s belt; the device clicked as Thawne fastened it around his waist; a portal opened, but more destructively than before; without its true master, the circular vortex was jagged, unstable. But the Reverse-Flashes didn't need long. Faster than you could blink, they were gone; and the portal folded in on itself, leaving the Speedforce quiet once more.

 

==Keystone City. West Residence==

 

Wally West closed the door to his daughter Irey’s bedroom, then sped downstairs, yellow lightning trailing after him. His wife Linda was on the sofa, who, upon spying him, raised a bottle of non-alcoholic wine off the coffee table.

 

“Kids asleep?” she asked slyly.

 

“Yep,” Wally smirked; in an instant, he was sitting beside her on the sofa. He held up a glass and she began to trickle wine into it.

 

“Merry Christmas, Mr West,” she kissed him on the cheek.

 

“Merry Christmas, Mrs Park,” he smiled back cheekily, reciprocating with a longer smooch on the lips.

 

Then suddenly, Wally stumbled back, clutching his head as images flooded his head. The glass hit the floor, shattering on impact, and staining the floor a blood red.

 

"Wally? You OK?" Linda knelt beside him, placing her arm around him comfortingly.

 

"I... I don't know."

we can only hope!!!

art by Francis Manupaul

 

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==Gaige's Submarine==

 

It had been twenty minutes since the Tiger Shark had left the submarine and descended into the bowels of the Asylum. Since then, the Walker siblings had received no further communication from the outside world. The boys were sat across from one another, playing with Pokémon cards as part of a flimsily constructed game to pass the time; To his detriment, Simon was only using Electric Types, a fact that, coupled with a series of good bluffs, Axel was using to his advantage. Having spent the first five minutes looking over her twin brother's shoulder, awwing at the wide-eyed creatures that made up his deck, Kitten was now sat by the command console, her brow furrowing as she noticed a single blip on the targeting monitor. Coming in fast.

 

Unnaturally fast.

 

Then it was gone; there was no impact, no hole in the hull, just a slight, almost electrical, humming, no louder than a household refrigerator's quiet buzzing, as an unseen spectre passed through the metal walls. Almost unnoticeable against the rattling of the Tiger Shark's vessel. Almost. Kitten reached under the desk, she knew Grandpa Gaige kept an extra shotgun below the table, but just as she found the barrel, a gloved hand grasped her wrist.

 

"That, is an awfully big gun for such a small girl," its' owner tutted.

 

The voice cut through the quiet like an axe through bone. His red eyed stare bore into her soul, its' menace matched only by its' accompanying sadistic grin. And as her eldest brother watched on, frozen, it was like he was back in that bathroom.

 

"I will squeal. Really loud," Kitten warned, her defiance doing very little to mask her terror.

 

"Try. You'll find it's awfully difficult to make any sound with a hand through your vocal chords," Thawne responded, his free hand vibrating inches from her throat.

 

A globule of snot-like green slime shot out of Axel's gun, narrowly missing Thawne's head at it splattered across the back wall of the sub, sizzling away at the metal plating. Thawne lowered his hand, fascinated to see what the siblings' next move might be. "Get lost, asshole," Axel demanded, his hand gripping the handle of his Snot Gun.

 

Thawne's beady eyes shot between him and his brother, his smile never faltering, even as he released his hand from Kitten’s wrist. "Ah, good. You're short one, but I'm glad the rest of you made it here, safe and, well, perhaps not 'sound.' How old is the youngest now? Four? Five? I've been gone for a while, time... Well, let's say it ran away from me. You'll have to forgive me."

 

"Never."

 

Thawne glared at Axel with a newfound, if brief, respect. "Hm. Isn't this nice? The spawn of the Anti-Batman vs the progenitor of the Reverse-Flash dynasty. Do you know what your exhibit in the Flash Museum says, 400 years from now? 'Born to a criminal father, Axel Walker was a delinquent tag-along to the notorious gang of Rogues, never quite achieving the same level of fame as his mentors Captain Cold and Heat Wave. Using another man's title, another man's tools and another man's costume, he did little to leave his mark as The Trickster. Following his premature death, no one else dared take on the mantle.' Just something to look forward to." With that, he turned to Simon, now aiming his own pistol at the Professor, beads of sweat on his brow. "You can put down the gun, 'Lightning Bug,'" he chuckled dismissively. "In this metal hearse, you'd only be killing yourselves. Unless... I've misjudged you. Unless you'd cook your own siblings just for a chance to finish me off," he grinned, goading him with sadistic pleasure.

 

No, of course he wouldn't. His father's son through and through, Simon's arm dropped to his side. Limp. Deflated.

 

"No, I didn't think so," Thawne smirked at him triumphantly.

 

Axel however, stared back, stone-faced. He wouldn't rise to Thawne's taunts with another juvenile response. Not after everything he'd done. He killed his brother. He was helping Joker, putting his dad through god knows what. Now he had Kitten. He had his sister. There was a time for games, for tricks. But this wasn't it. That, was what their dad taught him. He pulled the trigger and... nothing.

 

Thawne yawned, placing a snot canister onto the table beside him, and smiled. “Ha. Tricked you.” Sure enough, Axel checked his gun: empty. Seizing her opportunity, Kitten ran, reaching the relative safety that her siblings provided, and wrapping her arms across Simon's torso. Thawne, of course, had let her. Whether she was one foot or twenty away was irrelevant, if he'd wanted her dead, he would have killed her already. He would have killed all of them already.

 

He hadn't, of course, and that worried Simon more than anything else. He reached into his utility belt, and retrieved a small remote, awaiting Thawne's twisted explanation:

 

"Come now. You're no good to me dead. Not yet. Not here. Not when I can simply... wait an hour and rip what remains of your father's heart from his chest. Your dear old dad will break free of Billings' little lightshow. He may be an idiot, but he's a tenacious one. And call it an old professor's intuition, but I have little faith in the ability of a washed up, drunken D-Lister to keep him docile. No. No, your father should bear witness to your deaths. Simon knows the merits of a well-executed execution, don't you?" Thawne asked. He walked towards them slowly, purposefully prolonging the game, like a cat playing with its prey. Red lightning crackled beneath the sole of his boots, rattling against the metal floor.

 

Simon swallowed, finally noticing Thawne's belt. Red, with a circular dial in the center. "That belt... That's how you survived. How you're back. You killed Krill-"

 

"Oh, nothing so crude," Thawne scoffed. "Abner is, however, soaked in multiversal energy. Why, he could almost be mistaken for a speedster, all those tachyons floating around him... And the Speedforce is no more all-knowing than the early AIs of the 21st century, struggling to identify traffic lights and road signs and fingers."

 

"So you traded him for your freedom."

 

"That's right. With The Polka Dot Man serving my eternal sentence in the Speedforce, I was able to slip away, free of consequence. But perhaps I’ll send you there to keep him company. How does that sound?"

 

"Sounds like a load of poop!" Kitten shrieked, standing in front of her brother like a shield.

 

"Kitten, don't taunt him!" Simon warned her.

 

"I don't think you quite grasp the concept of superspeed," The Professor cocked his head in a pitying manner, then shot behind her. "Stupid, girl."

 

Kitten smirked. "Nah, I do, I just wanted to get you in position."

 

Simon pressed the remote, and twin blast doors shot out, sealing Thawne in the brig, but only for a moment; The siblings sprinted forwards, using their minimal headstart to pull the hatch open and lower the ladder; they didn't have long, seconds at most, but hopefully that was enough. Thawne was already phasing through the doors, neglecting the belt, perhaps out of pride. Kitten went first, then Simon. Axel went last, as but soon as he reached the top, Thawne gripped his arm.

 

His prosthetic one.

 

With a press of a button, Axel released it, dropping it and Thawne to the floor. The Professor smiled in amusement. Then he noticed the beeping.

 

"Tricked ya."

 

The resultant explosion tore a hole in the sub; seizing his chance, Axel emerged from the top hatch, wet and down an arm, but otherwise unharmed, joining his siblings on the shore. Even as the sub was swallowed by the sea, there was no sign of Thawne, although none of them ruled out an unseen, speedy exit.

 

"You have a bomb in your arm?!" Kitten gasped, at last, as she picked sand out of her hair.

 

Axel, rubbed the base of his stump, a slight smile on his face. "Had, yeah."

 

~-~

  

Drury was sat in a waiting room, surrounded on all sides by Gotham’s wayward souls. Garth, bless him, stayed with him as he waited, however his presence alone did not fully allay Drury’s stress. As he sat there, all he could think of was the poor souls with broken minds brought here out of desperation and necessity. Since he’d taken office, there had been improvements in poverty rates, crime, unemployment... But no matter how hard he tried and how many bills were passed, there was always going to be some people that slipped through the cracks. Drury sighed. If only there was a place they could go to, a proper psychiatric clinic, like an asylum-

 

Drury looked up: The waiting room was empty; it was just him and Garth, as it always had been. And everything he was troubled by, his doubts and concerns, had faded away quicker than the memory of a once-vivid dream.

 

“Ah, that’s us,” Garth turned his head towards the opening door and Drury’s stomach lurched. The back of Garth’s head was, well, it was gone. His scalp was torn open, his skull was fractured and the mashed remains of his brain were poking through the open cracks. It was like he’d fallen from a great height, and landed head-first onto solid ground. “Sir?”

 

“Coming,” Drury shivered, as he rose from his seat, unable to look Garth in the eye. The room was empty, but those doubts were once again swirling around his troubled mind.

 

~-~

 

Drury’s foot tapped against the floor involuntarily, synchronised with the ticking of the grandfather clock positioned behind his psychiatrist’s bald scalp. Scratching the back of his hand, again, subconsciously, he finally spoke up: "The visions, Doc. They're back."

 

The doctor leaned forward, his fingers steepled; a beam of sunlight bouncing off his tinted-red glasses. "Have you pondered the significance of such hallucinations, Mr Mayor?" he inquired, in a tone that implied curiosity rather than empathetic concern.

 

"Sure, it means I'm losing my mind; that's unexpected," Drury said bitingly.

 

The doctor smiled, politely, not warmly. "I see that, if nothing else, your wit continues to occur, Mr Mayor. Consider this, you see these horrible visions, because you truly believe that you don't deserve your success; the adulation of your public, the love of your family, the loyalty of your friends; so, your brain manifests these illusions as a form of punishment. Imposter syndrome is well documented, I have numerous patients suffering it, but none have symptoms quite as dramatic as your own."

 

“And Batman?” Drury asked, worried what an imaginary, black-clad figure of the night might say about him.

 

The doctor rose from his desk, tucking in his chair, as he walked towards the large window on his left. “Ah, yes. The superhero of your daydreams. But look at this city. Do you think we need a protector, dressed in a cape and cowl, diving off rooftops?”

 

Drury stayed seated. “I don’t know-“

 

“No,” the doctor cut him off firmly, sitting back down and adjusting the golden nameplate on his desk; embossed in large black letters was the name ‘Professor Hugo Strange,’ a name that Drury swore meant something else to him in another life. “The Batman is merely a manifestation of those same fears. You fear you’re not doing enough to help the city, so you have invented a guardian to cross the lines you can’t.”

 

Drury's eyes widened, as blood dripped from the doctor’s eye onto the papers below. A cracked glasses lens denoted the place a bullet had entered Strange’s skull. Isolated and afraid, Drury scrunched his eyes shut. Soon, Strange’s words were drowned out by a melodious whisper in his ears and, when at last, Drury reopened his eyes:

 

There was no bullet. There never had been.

 

"My suggestion,” Strange finished. “-Is that you take a drive; somewhere, anywhere, where it is just you and nature. Where you can think and reconcile with the part of yourself that believes your victory is unearned, false."

 

==Metropolis: The Bowman Estate==

 

As the group of five made their way through the dusty, abandoned halls of Bowman’s Manor, Nygma never failed to indulge himself in one-sided, self-gratifying conversations, even if the rest of the party would have preferred he didn’t. “Interesting, isn’t it?” he mused to Kuttler, softly caressing the barrel of his gun as he reminisced. “The last time we were on the same side, we held a truce to stop Cobb. And here we are again. Poetic, almost. And you, William, you were Cobb’s right hand man.”

 

“My alternative was death,” Tockman rolled his shoulders. “So, yes, when the offer arose, I chose time.”

 

“The last time we were on the same side, Sionis executed my daughter, a crucial piece of ‘trivia’ you withheld to ensure my cooperation,” Kuttler frowned, disputing Nygma’s recollection. “And while you were playing parlor games, I was severing his connection to 17 missile silos. I am a man of science, Edward, just as you claim to be. I would not expect you to be swayed by arbitrary coincidence.”

 

“I can’t help it if I see patterns, Noah,” Nygma exhaled. “It’s always been one of my greatest assets. However, there remains one riddle that I still can’t figure out. How did Drury Walker sway you to his side?”

 

“He didn’t,” Kuttler sighed, removing his violet-tinted glasses and wiping the lenses with a matching cloth. “Thomas Blake did.”

 

“The Catman?” Nygma giggled. “Come now. You were a married man, last we spoke.”

 

“Don’t.”

 

“Why not?”

 

The glasses were back on, hiding Kuttler’s puffy red eyes behind purple glass. “Do you want the honest truth? Because, despite subjecting me to an obscene amount of innuendos, Thomas Blake was the first person in three years to offer his condolences. But I shouldn’t be surprised by your apathy. You never were above murdering children to make your point.”

 

Nygma raised his palms in the air, at last relenting. “Poetic,” he repeated, quieter this time.

 

"Jesus, I’ve heard less bickering from the bleeding Gallagher brothers," Jenna muttered under her breath.

 

As they at last arrived at the library, Nygma raised his cane, brushing along the worn out spines of Bowman’s collection, until he arrived at Long and Awdry’s book, ‘The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway.’ Like he were hooking a rubber duck at a carnival, Nygma pulled the book forward, and the bookcase retreated into the wall, revealing a tight shaft. He clapped his hands together, and ushered Mayo forward.

 

"Ah, Mr Mayo," he spoke in a palpably patronising drawl. “I do believe your skills are required,” he beamed, as he wrung his hands together.

 

"Really?" Mayo asked, inhaling a bubble of snot back up his nostril as a demonstration of his commitment to their mission.

 

Nygma nodded, and promptly shoved him through the awaiting opening. As Jenna moved to intervene, voicing her protests, Tockman raised his arm in front of her, blocking her path. Concurrently, as Mayo plummeted to the bottom of the shaft, Nygma pricked his ears up as he recorded his descent and the subsequent impact made by his landing. "16 feet," he concluded with a satisfied smile.

 

Jenna and Kuttler both glowered at him. Tockman, meanwhile, stifled a chuckle beneath his clock-like helmet. The coup de grâce came when, shining a light from the base of his cane, Nygma announced to the others that: "Oh, silly me. There was a ladder!"

 

Massaging his bruised backside, Mayo looked up as the others joined him at the bottom. “How did you know I wouldn't die?” he asked Nygma at last.

 

“Hm? What's that now?” Nygma asked airily, answering Mayo’s question in an indirect way. “I took a, shall we say, 'calculated' risk. You are, after all, the least valuable amongst us.”

 

“Least valuable?” Mayo gasped with tear-filled eyes, his chin wobbling.

 

“Surely; The ranking goes myself, Noah, Tockman, the woman and you.”

 

Nygma paused for a second, as he savored the hurt expression on Mayo's face. "Oh, I see. They give you a brand new costume and teach you to wear your underwear on the inside and you think you're part of their team? Their star quarterback who passes gas instead of pig skin? No. No, I'm afraid not. You're their mascot. Didn't you know that? I wonder, if there is even a brain between your wax-laden lugs."

 

"Hey, it’s alright,” Jenna promised, tenderly wrapping her arm around Mayo. “You didn’t break anything, did you?”

 

Mayo shook his head, his head retreating into his shoulders like a hurt child's. “I don’t think so.”

 

“Ignore his mewling. We don't need him,” Nygma warned.

 

“Listen!” Jenna rose to her feet, wiping the dirt off her knees. “He saved our necks at the Royal. With a cart of sauce and pure determination. So, cut him some slack, you... knobhead."

 

Kuttler raised an amused eyebrow. It wouldn’t have been his chosen insult for Nygma, and he certainly had dealt out quite a few over their shared careers.

 

His cheeks red and his pride bruised, Nygma took a deep breath. "That speaks less to his strength, more to your weaknesses. But have it your way. A jar of gherkins won't stop Cobb."

 

~-~

 

Drury exited his car, slightly perturbed; he wasn't sure what exactly had brought him here, to this place of rolling hills and cheery townsfolk. Professor Strange said he needed the fresh air; Gar told him he needed to face reality. So here he was, wherever here was.

 

He slid down the riverbank, and frowned: a man was standing in the water, ankle-deep; his shoes were cast aside, and his trouser legs had been rolled up; he was dressed in a white shirt and a black waistcoat, which matched his distinctive bowl cut.

 

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone else would be here," Drury apologised.

 

"It's alright," the man nodded, skimming a stone across the water. "Plenty of river for the both of us."

 

"Right," Drury agreed, nodding. "I'm Drury," he introduced himself, twirling the strap of his lanyard around his finger. "Drury Walker."

 

"I know who are," the man responded briskly, tossing another stone. "What brings you out of Gotham, Mr Mayor?"

 

"Dunno... Suppose I fancied a drive." Drury paused, finding it odd the man had not yet introduced himself, and odder still that a man who lived two hours away from Gotham recognised him by his face alone. He certainly didn't know Bludhaven's Mayor.

 

"Well, here's as good place as any," the man nodded once more. "I like to come here sometimes. To think. To escape. To cast aside the pain and regret and just... take a moment, to take a breath, to take it all in, because it won't last. None of this," he finished, a solemn resignation in his words.

 

Drury leaned in closer, intrigued now; he rolled up his sleeves, and picked up a small pebble of his own. "Missed the sign coming in, swerved trying to avoid a trucker... What's this place called?"

 

"You never could see the signs..." the man whispered under his breath, as he tossed a final stone, the biggest yet.

 

"Havenrock."

 

Drury’s brow furrowed. Why did that name ring a bell? The man had stopped throwing stones, his gaze diverted by a figure stood on the other side of the river.

 

The sun in his eyes, Drury squinted, as he struggled to make out the figure. It was an orange silhouette without any discernible features, as though perpetually out of focus. The almost-person stared back, or at least it appeared to; it didn't have eyes, but a black swirl in place of any facial features. Drury had thought, or rather hoped, it was just an art installation, but the hairs on the back of his neck were telling him otherwise.

 

“You had better go,” the man exhaled, a slight bitterness to his tone that hadn’t been present before. “He doesn’t like it when you go off script.”

 

~-~

 

The first thing Nygma spotted, as they entered the bunker proper, was a metallic skeleton sprawled across the floor; using his cane like a crowbar to pry the head loose, Nygma picked the metal skull off the floor and stared into its hollow eye sockets. "Alas poor Phillip, I knew him well."

 

"I knew him," Kuttler responded.

 

"Yes, I'm aware,” Nygma answered back.

 

"No, the line is "Alas poor Yorick, I knew him." No 'well.'"

 

"He's 'no' well,'" Jenna gestured at Nygma, whispering to Mayo in an attempt to comfort him, who in turn sniffled appreciatively.

 

"Yes, perhaps I was mistaken..." Nygma replied with a pursed smile, hot air escaping his nostrils.

 

"Perhaps," Kuttler returned his smile. He tapped the far-most wall with his knuckles, privately noting that it wasn't as reinforced as the others. Lexcorp engineering at its’ finest... He stepped back, and rejoined the others at the center of the room.

 

“I think he’s… hibernating,” Jenna hypothesised, gazing at the huge cluster of monitors. Cobb’s ghostly silhouette was present on the screens, but dormant, as though he were sleeping.

 

“That means he's drawing all his energy to Arkham. Good, now's our time,” Kuttler nodded, seating himself behind the center keypad.

 

"Those look like DNA strands," Tockman observed, gesturing to one of the smaller monitors.

 

"They are. Cobb's genetic structure has been completely digitised. I think I should be able to alter the command chain, feed in the cancellation code. On auto, he's not going to notice until it's too late,” Kuttler keyed in a few basic commands, then reached a lock screen.

 

"Nygma, that's you. You're up. Nygma?"

 

No response. He was probably still sulking about his Shakespeare misquote. Kuttler exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose before asking again.

 

“Nygma.”

 

No sooner had Kuttler swivelled his chair around, did a loud bang fill the room. The chair, moved back. Kuttler’s lilac shirt turned red. He slumped forward, and when he could stay upright no longer, he hit the floor, and his glasses shattered. And holding the smoking gun, a victorious grin on his face, was Edward Nygma.

 

“Riddle. Me. This. What do the dead dream of?”

 

“Mein gott,” Tockman gasped, his native tongue slipping through. “What have you done?”

 

“An excellent question, Mr Tockman. And I do so like questions,” Nygma replied, his gun still raised.

 

“What are you doing?!” Jenna protested.

 

"Apologies for the subterfuge, Noah, I perhaps over-emphasised your usefulness..." Nygma smiled, obnoxiously raising his voice to drown out Kuttler's gurgled gasps for breath. “In actual fact, I would be as dim-witted as, well, Mr Mayo over there if I were not to peruse this fabulous new library you've found for me. What Cobb knows; I'll know. And Cobb is connected to every computer, phone and database on the planet. Account numbers, passwords... Nuclear codes."

 

“Mr Kuttler, it’s gonna be OK,” Mayo panicked, in truth, trying to reassure himself more than he was Kuttler, as he attempted to stop the bleeding with a stack of paper napkins.

 

"No, it won’t be," Nygma teased, leaning on his cane as he watched Mayo’s farcical attempt at a medical operation. “Oh, sorry about your daughter,” he scoffed, adding insult to injury. “But it’s just like I said. Poetic.”

 

“Please, Mr Kuttler, please be Ok” Mayo begged. Kuttler was now muttering something about walls, barely coherent as the blood began dripping from his mouth.

 

"WOULD YOU STOP INTERRUPTING ME YOU INTELLECTUAL TOADSTOOL?!" Nygma shrieked. The cane swung forward and hooked itself into Mayo's cheek, carving into his face. "Where was I? Ah, yes- I was TRYING to bid farewell to the only man who ever matched my intellect. Will you let me gloat?”

 

Kuttler spat a mouthful of blood from his lips, his cheeks drained of colour, as he battled with his failing body to deliver a final message to his opponent. “You’re not... You’re not as smart as you think-”

 

“You’re right,” Nygma frowned, leaning in closer to his years-long nemesis. “I’m smarter.”

 

But Noah Kuttler never heard him. If he had, he would have surely lectured him on the illogical fallacies behind his last remark. Instead, he had died with the satisfaction that he had wiped that smug, arrogant smile off of the Riddler’s face. If only for a moment.

 

"You murdering piece of shit-" Jenna spat, adopting a fighting stance.

 

"Oh, please, don't insult me, Ms Duffy,” Nygma rolled his eyes. “I am not about to engage in fisticuffs with a 100 pound girl.”

 

"Funny, was gonna say the same about you,” she glowered, her fists raised.

 

Nygma’s smile faltered, just for a second. “Oh, Mr Tockman? I'd say it's time you partnered with someone who appreciates your talents. Wouldn’t you?”

 

Tockman looked at Riddler, at Duffy and Mayo, and then at Kuttler’s body, sprawled out on the floor in an ever-growing puddle of his own blood.

 

"Don’t-" Jenna warned, her eyes red.

 

“Apologies, frauline,” Tockman sighed, bowing his head, as he took his place at Nygma’s side.

 

Nygma smirked, with triumphant vindication. "Oh, and just so that you're aware, my cranium is completely phallus-free."

 

At the Tower of Fate, the rest of the JSA is gathered. The team now known as the All Stars, comprised of their children and students, has sent them there for their own protection. Two JSA members have already been murdered, and they are all still in mourning.

 

Jay to Liberty Belle: "You know... Henry was one of the first. I've known him since the Cold War, when Fate assembled the group to rescue us. We've never lost contact."

 

Libby: "You were all close to each other. It's understandable. You've been through a lot. Lost a lot of friends..."

 

Jay: "Way too many. The first Mr Terrific, the first Starman, Johnny Thunder. Hawkman, Hawkgirl and Spectre were reincarnated and all, but it's just not the same. And now Charles and Henry... You see, it's way harder to cope with it, since I have a reason to live longer. Henry and Charles didn't have the privilege of the speedforce, the starheart, the helmet of Fate, nine lives or Kryptonian features."

 

Libby: "I see what you mean..."

 

As a silence falls, Fate teleports into the room. (Injustice year 3 style)

 

Fate: "We've been breached!"

 

As he says that a portal opens and two bolts of magical lightning come out of it, hitting and incapacitating Doctor Fate and Power Girl. After that Mordru, Shadow Thief and Sportsmaster enter the tower.

 

ST: "Good idea to take out the heavy hitters first."

 

Mordru: "You two know what to do. Shadow Thief, you and me cover Sportsmaster, while he retrieves the package."

 

ST: "Let's play!"

 

Shadow Thief takes out Liberty Belle rather quick as Mordru blasts Wildcat, Mr Terrific and Atom Smasher with some more bolts of lightning. Liberty Belle retaliates and punches Shadow Thief and Green Lantern smashes him with a construct. Sportsmaster throws a disc at Liberty Belle, but Lantern intercepts and gets hurt in the process as the disc exploded into small slivers of wood.

 

ST: "Totally forgot he sucks against wood."

 

At that point Sandman appears behind him and doses him with his sleeping gas, but Mordru opens a portal and throws Sandman into the Dreaming. Starman uses his rod to keep the portal open, but in turn gets knifed by Sportsmaster, but Sandman manages to get out before the portal closes. At this point Flash, Liberty Belle and Hourman are the last ones standing. As Flash runs at Mordru, he takes the lightning from Jay's Speedforce energy and throws it at Liberty Belle who gets slammed into a wall. With Jay distracted, Hourman takes on Sportsmaster but loses and gets taken hostage. The three villains then stand together as Green Lantern tries to get one last shot at the them, but Mordru opens a portal and they disappear. Jay stands up and looks horrified at the defeated JSA. He manages to wake up Starman, as his knife wound isn't as bad as it seemed.

 

Jay: "We... What the hell just happened?!"

 

Star: "We were surprised. There's nothing we could do about it. It was smart of them to take out Fate and Karen first. Then the smartest of our group, another muscle and a martial artist. They were well prepared."

 

Sandman tends to Lantern's wounds.

 

Sandman: "They were really well prepared. Sportsmaster had a disc with wood slivers in them. I thought everyone forgot about that."

 

Jay: "Well they didn't. Wes, try to wake up Kent. He is our only ticket out of here. Ted, you take care of Alan. I'll warn the kids. When Fate wakes up we need to help them."

 

Jay takes his communicator and contacts Jesse.

 

Jesse: "Jay? What's wrong?"

 

Jay: "We've been breached. They took Hourman..."

Update my Wallace West Kid Flash minifig, so he has an actually cowl like the official Flash and my Custom Wally West figure!

Just a comic book representation of the fight that took place in the Justice League movie.

First off, I want to thank everyone for their entries. You all did great with your entries, so much so that I may have to eventually bring in more than 1 into my CCR story at some point. Anyway, here's the results.. Congratz to the winners! Here are some honourable mentions. Smash-Dragon by Rednas (Love the combination especially), Old Timer by Lego Creationist (Quite Dapper) , and Crimson Racer (Speedforce fueled vehicles is an intriguing concept) by Harrison Hill. I'll get started on making the figures and the shoutouts ASAP.

 

3. Prismatic by BrickTailor. Honestly was the front runner for quite a while. The possibilities with the combination of his powers is intriguing. He also has flaws with the fact he can only draw upon 3 colours at a time.

 

2. Firewall by Slight of Brick. The fig, while having a simplistic design, works for the character. Loved the power choice, as it's surprisingly uncommon.

 

1. Dim Reaper by rwBricks. Everything about this entry was great. The name was spot on, and the combo's really work for the character. But what I especially loved was the backstory. The way Harold becomes Dim Reaper is intriguing, while being tied to one of the more uncommon Flash villains.

Jesse: "What do you mean they broke into the tower?!"

 

Jay: "Mordru opened a portal and he, Sportsmaster and Shadow Thief went in and surprised us. We were all caught off guard. They took out Doctor Fate and Power Girl first, our strongest members. The rest are all injured as well. Starman, Sandman and I are okay, but they really did a number on the rest. Besides... they took Hourman."

 

Jesse Chambers, aka Jesse Quick is currently at S.T.A.R. Labs with her father Harrisson Wells and the Star-sprangled Kid. After her father was attacked by Shadow Thief, the two of them were first at the scene and rescued them, and are currently waiting for A.R.G.U.S. support.

 

Jesse: "... Does Rick know?"

 

At that point the rest of the All Stars come barging in. Pieter carries Sandy as Nate carries Grant.

 

Jack: "Jeez? What happened?!"

 

Rick: "Rival and Zahl happened. They've got my father Jesse."

 

Jesse: "I know. Jay is on speaker."

 

Jesse and Rick hug and Nate approaches Harry.

 

Nate: "Damage and Sand are injured. They need medical attention, right now!"

 

Harry: "Bring them to the medical bay. I'll send a medical team to take a look at them."

 

Pieter: "They'll be okay. I've checked on them already. Damage has the most injuries, he needs looked at first."

 

Tom: "We need to track that speedster. Zahl was talking about location Echo."

 

Tom uses the computer and looks at the negative speedforce patterns.

 

Tom: "Monument Point warehouse district."

 

Nate: "Always a damn warehouse."

 

The All Stars all make their way to the warehouse district. All of them move in silence and sneak up on warehouse E. The JSA will only be able to give them support whenever Doctor Fate regains conciousness, so they are on their own to rescue Hourman.

 

Jesse: "Alright people, one last time. I'll take on Rival, Hourboy takes Sportsmaster, Star-sprangled Kid takes Shadow Thief, Black Midnight takes Zahl, and Citizen Steel and Tomcat have to try and subdue Mordru. I know I'm giving the two of you the hardest tasks, but you are the strongest and the most agile, so you guys can hold him off for a short time before back-up arrives."

 

Nate: "It's okay Jess. We got this."

 

Jesse: "All Stars, move in."

 

Inside the warehouse, Sportsmaster tortures Hourman.

 

ST: "So when is my turn?"

 

Zahl: "Soon, my friend. I'll even give you the killing blow, since Sportsmaster and Rival already had their fun and Mordru just wants Fate."

 

Mordru: "I'd like to spare my energy."

 

Zahl: "Totally understandable."

 

SM: "No, not really."

 

As Sportsmaster says that, he breaks Hourman's leg.

 

Rex: "AAAARGH!"

 

As Hourman screams, the All Stars barge in and Jesse immediately goes after Rival.

 

Zahl: "No. This was not supposed to happen! They are here too early! Take them!"

 

Shadow Thief tackles Tomcat and Star-sprangled Kid tries to help him. While Tomcat is occupied with Shadow Thief, Citizen Steel tries to attack Mordru, but he starts teleporting all over the building. Hourboy runs towards Sportsmaster, dodges his attacks and knocks him into a bunch of crates. Rick kneels next to his father.

 

Rick: "Dad, are you alright?"

 

Rex: "Could've been better, son. The rest of the JSA? Are they-?"

 

Rick: "They're fine for as far as we know."

 

Rex: "That's good. That's goo-"

 

At that point Mordru teleports next to him. Citizen Steel punches him, but he gets blown away with lightning. Then without saying a word, just staring Rick in the eyes, with another blow of lightning, he severs Rex's leg clean off.

 

Rex: "AAARGH!"

 

Rick: "No!"

 

Rick jumps at Mordru, ready to attack. In the process however he gets blown away by lightning. Mordru bows over the injured Rex while forming an orb of lightning with his hand.

 

Mordru: "If Fate's not here, you will have to do."

Charles arrives at Henry's house and he sees an A.R.G.U.S. vehicle already outside. He enters the house and he sees agents Michaels and Gunn covering up the body, with Mister Terrific analysing the place and Power Girl talking with Hank Heywood, aka Sarge Steel. Charles walks over to them before inspecting the body.

 

Charles: "Hank, I am so sorry for your loss."

 

Hank: "I could say the same for you, Doctor. For all of you."

 

PG: "Are you sure you're alright Sarge? You just lost your father."

 

Hank: "Gotta keep it professional now, Power Girl. It is of upmost importance that we find his killer as fast as possible. Mourning comes later."

 

Charles looks at Karen with a worried look.

 

Charles: "I'll leave you to it then."

 

Charles walks over to the agents and Mister Terrific.

 

Charles: "Agents. Michael."

 

LM: "Good evening Doctor. We are sorry for your loss."

 

Charles: "Thank you miss Michaels. I appreciate it. What do we have?"

 

MrT: "Multiple stab wounds, coming from his own kitchen knife. He probably wanted to protect himself, but it appeared he just chose his own murder weapon."

 

Charles walks over to the body and he lifts the cover.

 

Charles: "Hm. Stab wounds in the chest. Bruises all over his body. Fractured ribs. The old man still had some fight left in him."

 

MrT: "Was he talking about retiring to you too?"

 

Charles: "I believe I was the first one he told. Such a shame..."

 

Terrific looks at Charles and he sees a small tear dropping from his eye.

 

MrT: "It is okay Charles."

 

He clears his throat and whipes away the tear.

 

Charles: "We should get to work. Have you prepared your T-spheres already?"

 

MrT: "Wanted to let the agents do their work first."

 

DG: "You should be good to go."

 

MrT: "Thanks, mister Gunn."

 

As Michael launches his T-spheres, a car can be heard stopping in front of the house. Nate steps out of the car and he runs inside of the house.

 

NH: "No, no, no! Don't tell me it's true! Dad?!"

 

Hank: "I'm sorry, son. Your grandfather is dead."

 

NH: "I was gonna visit him tomorrow..."

 

Nate looks at his father who looks extremely cool under the situation.

 

NH: "What the hell are you doing?"

 

Hank: "What?"

 

NH: "You are doing nothing! Not even crying, not mourning! You're just standing there like some kind of big shot!"

 

Hank: "Watch your tone Nate."

 

NH: "Don't act all tough on me! Your dad was just murdered! My grandfather! SHOW SOME GODDAMN EMOTION!"

 

Hank: "I'm here working my ass off, to find his killer! You want to cry and mourn? Sure! Go ahead, and let me do something useful!"

 

PG: "Enough! Both of you!"

 

NH: "Screw you dad. Good luck with your investigation. If you need me, I'll be mourning my grandfather."

 

Hank doesn't even look at his son anymore as he leaves.

 

Hank: "Nothing to see people. Just get back to work."

 

Charles looks at Michael.

 

Charles: "Kids..."

 

MrT: "The kid lost his grandfather, he'll pull through. How is Pieter doing?"

 

Charles: "Fine. I told him he should interact with the other JSA children more."

 

MrT: "You sure? After what happened with Rick?"

 

Charles: "He has to make friends. He hasn't met Jack, Grant, Tom or Sandy yet. If he can make a good first impression on that front."

 

MrT: "That's true."

 

Charles: "And he is friends with Jesse, so that helps. I guess. I don't understand those modern ways anymore with Spacebook and Flapchat."

 

MrT: "You mean Facebook and Snapchat?"

 

Charles: "Those too."

 

MrT: "You've been getting old as well, Charles. Have you been thinking of retiring?"

 

Charles: "Sometimes. I don't have the speedforce, a magic helmet, connection to the Dreaming, or a mystical ring to keep me fit. Hell, I'm even blind. I have been thinking about it, Michael."

 

MrT: "What holds you back?"

 

Charles: "Pieter. He's not ready to take over yet."

 

MrT: "You want him to take over as Doctor Mid-Nite?"

 

Charles: "Who else?"

 

Hank: "We are all done here. I got orders that you took the body for a closer examination?"

 

MrT: "That is correct."

 

Hank: "Keep us updated."

 

MrT: "We will. Charles, are you coming too?"

 

Charles: "I'll stay here for a while. Collect some things, looking at everything for one last time."

 

PG: "Need me to help?"

 

Charles: "No, my dear. It's all fine. I also want to be alone for a moment."

 

MrT: "We understand. We'll prepare the body at the base."

 

Terrific and Power Girl head to the JSA base, as Doctor Mid-Nite stays behind, and sheds a few more tears for his fallen friend.

This week we saw season 3 of “The Flash” wrap up! Let’s take a look at what happened (NOTE: SPOILERS ARE AHEAD):

 

CHARACTERS: There were so many good characters and so much character development! I especailly loved Caitlyn, Cisco, HR and Julian’s arcs; we got to see Caitlyn’s fall from grace and redemption, as well as a more serious side to Cisco dealing with his best friend’s betrayal. To be honest, I didn’t like HR and Julian at first, but I grew to love them as we saw that Julian was more than an annoying coworker and HR was more than a dumb “genius”; when HR died, I was literally on the edge of my seat, I didn’t see them killing him off, but they did, and his motive was believable. He got to be the hero he wanted. I really loved Wally’s character too, his journey to become the Kid Flash was cool to watch; he fulfilled his dream. The only negatives about the characters were that I found Cisco annoying at the beginning of the season (I know he was completely justifed in being angry at Barry, but it felt dragged out), and I found the characters of HR and Julian annoying at the beginning too.

 

STORY: This has got to be my favourite season of the Flash. They brought in past characters who we didn’t think we’d see again, especially in the Speed Force episode, which was one of my favourites. The Speedforce is one of the more mysterious things in the Flash, and we got to explore it. I loved how they really dove into Barry and Iris’ relationship and how much it would mean if she was taken from him. This season not only was a great superhero show but a good mystery, you didn’t know almost until the very end who Savitar was, and it was mind-bending trying to figure it out how the whole paradox-thing with the Time Remnant worked. Some other great parts were the switch HR pulled, I definitely didn’t see that coming, and in the very last episode where Team Flash actually tried to help Savitar. I loved the dynamic between Savitar and Caitlyn, and it was interesting to see how Flashpoint affected everyone, which brings me to my o gripes: we hardly saw anything of Flashpoint. While I didn’t want it to be a whole-season issue, I felt like they really teased it only to have it all solved in 45 minutes. I would have liked to see at least 1 more episode involving it, and seeing more of Flashpoint. The last 10 minutes of the finale should have been saved for the first episode of season 4, in my opinion. I wish they could have just left them where they were, and had saved the whole part about him running into the storm for season 4. Other than that, I thought the story was well done and well written.

 

VILLAIN: Hands-down Savitar is my favourite villain so far. He was menacing, driven, and, when you came down to it, he was just a normal guy who had been hurt by his friends. He wanted a place of belonging, but couldn’t have it, so he decided everything would belong to him as a Speed God. I actually really felt bad for Savitar, being abandoned by Team Flash and all. Also, the whole Time Remnant thing was genius, I never saw it coming. Plus the metal suit was so freaking cool! The only issue I have–and this isn’t really with the character himself–is that I thought the scars were a bit much, it felt like a copy of Two-Face. I wasn’t against giving him scars, but I thought the way they did it was sloppy.

 

So, there we go: “The Flash” delivers another amazing season, not failing to satisfy. I give it 8/10. What did you think? Let me know in the comments, and have a good day. (PS: Happy 40th, Star Wars!)

 

Picture creds to the Official Flash Instagram page

Captain Cold and Heatwaves guns go flying trying to hit the scarlet speedster.

 

But the Flash is too fast and manages to avoid all of the shots.

 

The flash runs toward Captain Cold and knocks him out of his feet.

 

He then charges toward Heatwave, avoiding a fire blast from his gun and charges toward him as well.

 

Eventually he goes down. The Rouges are Defeated!

Custom Godspeed lego Minifig made by BrothersFigure. Far superior to the one I made a couple months ago, haha.

My custom lego Godspeed Minifigure!!! I worked with sculpting material for the first time ever and for what if it's worth I think the cowl/head turned out pretty cool. I plan on making a more refined ver in the future as I'm still not 100% satisfied with how it looks.

New York Comic Con 2015

Check out this photo at TechRepublic

 

Also check out this photo at SpeedForce.org

More on www.hellobricks.com

Taken at AwesomeCon Washington DC June 2023

The Flash