The 25th CenturyA tall man in a business suit sat, enshrouded in shadow, in the main control room of his spire-like skyscraper headquarters. Mere minutes ago, he had made a trip to the world of four centuries previous, there to ensure that events played out exactly as he wished them to- and now it remained only to see the results. He bent forwards, a frown creasing his face, as a countdown clock on the main computer continued to tick on.
“Meloni,” he snapped briskly. “Prediction?” At once, the computer responded in its typical lilting voice.
“The timestream should settle into place in six minutes, forty-one seconds, twelve milliseconds and eleven and a half nanoseconds.” He grunted acknowledgement, stroking his beardless chin, blue eyes gleaming as he thought. Time was a straight line, but easily malleable- every time he dipped into the past, everything after that moment went into flux. It would take minutes for the chronal ripples to fully play out, and then he would be able to observe what his alterations had wrought- both in the present day and, via this computer, in the past.
“No sense keeping myself in suspense….” He muttered, and then louder, to the computer again- “Meloni, vidscreen display direct feed of Subject: Allen, Barry, let’s say… oh…” He considered for a moment. “Seven minutes after Flux Point.” Meloni gave a hum of acknowledgement, and then suddenly the screen lit up, and he saw the two subjects he had chosen as his instruments- known in this time as “Quicksilver” and “Johnny Quick” as they faced down the man he hated more than any other.
Timestream complications aside, he was going to enjoy this.
* * *
Johnny doesn’t give me time to get back onto my feet- instead he runs straight at me and begins hammering. He’s rusty, I think, and out of practice- at least he must be because he’s definitely slower than Jay usually moves, and I remember Jay saying they’ve always been about equal. Come to think of it, it’s possible he and Quicksilver are both doped up on something- that would explain the occasional hesitations and the slightly glazed look in their eyes. Plus, y’know, why they’re attacking me in the first place. Whatever, I don’t have time for deep thoughts now.
The delay is just enough for me to throw myself to one side while he blazes right through where I’d been- I try to leap to my feet in the few seconds I’ve bought, but instead something crashes into the back of my head and I fall forwards onto all fours, my vision clouded with pain. Quicksilver. Before I can make another move, Johnny sweeps by again, and this time he hits me in the face and I collapse backwards- I may be the Fastest Man Alive, but even I can’t stand up to both of them. And at the speeds all of us can reach, you can’t even hear your foe before they come, because we leave sound behind.
There’s another crash to my face- I can taste blood, and the fight’s lasted less than a second. Where the hell is Jay? I know they’re coming back, so I do the only thing I can- I start vibrating my hands rapidly, so rapidly that they pass between the molecules of the ground below me, and that allows me to momentarily sink into the ground so that when the next blow comes, I’m under it. And that gives me time enough.
I spring to my feet with all the speed I can muster- which, as it happens, is quite a lot- and take off. My plan is to work up a bit of momentum and then swing round, but it looks like they have different ideas, because I feel something in my slipstream and realise Johnny Quick has followed me- I can only hope Jay can take on Quicksilver. I swing myself to a stop, hoping to throw Quick off, but he comes out as soon as I do. I just have to hope his daze will throw him off enough for me to take him down. But he’s immediately moving- we’ve stopped somewhere in more rural Kansas, and I see a giant barn ahead- it looks pretty much abandoned, but Johnny’s running up the side onto the roof, and I have no choice but to follow- can’t waste any time.
Suddenly, I know what he’s doing but even with my reaction time, I can’t move away fast enough. With a grin, he vibrates downwards through the roof. And with all us speedsters, there’s one common thing about what happens when we vibrate through something without being incredibly careful….
With a huge crashing noise, the roof shatters into a thousand deadly pieces of flying shrapnel and suddenly I have nothing to stand on. There’s only one thing I can do, of course, and Johnny must know it, but I have to do it anyway. I steal the speed from all the shrapnel headed in my direction, absorbing all that extra kinetic energy so that when they hit, they have no energy at all. But energy, as they say, can’t be destroyed, it can just be created, destroyed, and transferred…. And with all that extra kinetic energy, I fall to the ground like a stone. And suddenly I taste blood again, but I struggle to my feet, wondering why Johnny hasn’t hit me. Then I look up and see that he’s run away, so I try to follow, only to duck just in time to avoid something else, and suddenly Quicksilver’s bearing down on me.
We race at super speed, him moving backwards effortlessly as I run forwards. He slashes at me a dozen times, precisely aimed chops. I’m not used to fighting in this style, but I still move fast enough- or almost fast enough- to block. One gets through and slices my arm, and I nearly cry out in pain- he managed to hit a nerve ending exactly. This guy, wherever the Hell he’s from, knows exactly what he’s doing.
“Give up,” he taunts me- or at least, I think he does, because I can just see his mouth forming the words before they’re snatched away, but in response, I give a dozen vicious punches in quick succession- one connects, but he doesn’t slip, just keeps running. And then suddenly, he ducks aside and he’s gone. I pause, turning to see If I can find him, but instead I turn just in time to see Johnny Quick running at me again. I try to repeat my earlier trick of vibrating down through the ground to escape, but he sees it coming and sneers, lashing viciously downwards- I actually have to vibrate down into the ground entirely, and by the time I vibrate out, he’s come back around to throw a punch which I can barely block. And before I’ve even prepared myself to take him on again, he’s gone, and Quicksilver’s running for me again, and I still haven’t had one chance to catch my breath.
These speedsters have separated us and are playing games, and it’s only a matter of time before Jay or I slip up and the other one finds themselves facing two.
Wally, I think,
this would be a really, really great time to show up. * * *
“Hmph…. Well…” Warden Wolfe’s piercing eyes scanned the report and, unable to find any triviality to criticise, he was forced to accept that Iris’ credentials were genuine. “…Very well,” he allowed at last. “But I must say, Mrs Allen, I find myself curious as to how even a former reporter such as yourself could convince the ‘saviour of Keystone’”- these last words he invested with a heavy scorn- “To allow you here.” Iris merely gave a friendly smile.
“You weren’t here, Warden, but when this particular criminal attacked before, he attacked me. The Flash allowed me this as a favour- as you can see from his signature on the deposition which, I’m sure I don’t have to remind you, is legally admissible as equal to that of a law enforcement officer.” Wolf ran a hand through his neatly trimmed goatee and then turned as though suddenly remembering.
“Of course, Mrs Allen, I remember- the criminal was under the belief that you had some relationship with the Flash…” He gave a dark chuckle as Iris, though she betrayed nothing, felt her heart pound faster. “A…. delusion, clearly,” He added, tapping the slip which admitted her pointedly. But she refused to be cowed. Wolfe was silent for a few moments, and then he spoke again. “My predecessor, Warden Stirk, was weak,” He snapped. “And that weakness led to inmates escaping but I assure you, Mrs Allen, I am made of sterner stuff.” From what Iris had heard, Stirk had been a dictatorial tyrant with a fist of steel, but she kept quiet as he continued. “…And it is incidents like this, like allowing
civilians into our prison, like allowing
vigilantes to act as officers of the law, which caused that weakness. You may see the Inmate, but finish your business in this meeting- do not count on another. You may rest assured, Ms Allen- I am not Stirk. I have no weaknesses. This will not happen again.” With a sweet smile to him, she nodded, and then crossed to the door, where she paused for a second and turned.
“Please understand
this, warden….” And her voice betrayed a deeper coldness. “I don’t have any weaknesses either.” Then leaving the unpleasant man with that, she turned and followed the guards to Savitar.
* * *
All things considered, Jay Garrick had enjoyed better vacations.
“Johnny, for God’s sake,” he pleaded, instinctively defending from two dozen punches at once while refusing to hit back himself. “Calm down- think this through.” But his reasoning was not having any visible effect, which, unfortunately, could not be said of the other speedster’s onslaught. Jay was not as fast as he had once been, and the only advantage he had was that Johnny wasn’t either. Then, as he had come to expect, Johnny was gone- Jay kept running, knowing it was the only way to avoid Quicksilver’s strike when he came. As anticipated, the other speedster was then nearly on top of him.
In an effort to shake off his pursuer so he could find Barry, Jay ran towards a more rural area and found a barn, the roof of which appeared to have exploded in only the last minute or so, with some shrapnel still in the air. He vibrated carefully through one wall, and then the other, instinctively ensuring he did no damage to someone’s private property. Immediately afterwards, in the brief few nanoseconds where he was out of sight, he ducked to one side, vibrating his molecules through the barn wall again.
Whether he had successfully evaded the other speedster, he did not know, but it proved irrelevant anyway, for they had not been as careful as he in heading through the walls, and suddenly the entire building was falling apart, two of its walls exploding and the rest rapidly collapsing. And the
whizz behind him told him he had been found at the same time as a thousand pieces of shrapnel whizzed through the air towards him.
“….Oh dang…” he breathed.
Gotta say, it would be a good time for Wally to arrive….* * *
“Yo, Speedy.” Savitar’s eyes remained firmly shut as he sat cross-legged in his cell, paying no attention to the call. The guard responded by rapping him viciously with his nightstick, a move which made Iris wince internally. Clearly Wolfe had appointed guards who shared his world view. The guard gave the prisoner another whack, but if Savitar noticed, he gave no sign, taking the blows in silence. He was, she had been assured, securely restrained in his cuffs, and sedated enough that he could scarcely stand, let alone try to attack her, though his mind was fine and he could still talk. Despite that, she could not help but repress a shudder when she saw him, sitting calmly in seeming harmony. Though she had not encountered Savitar himself before, she had been attacked by Lady Savitar when the mysterious duo first appeared*, and it had nearly cost them Bart. Hardening herself, she stepped in.
*See the Flash #16-17 for that incident!
“Iris Allen,” Savitar said at once, without opening his eyes. “I knew you’d come.” Refusing to show even a hint of fear, Iris fixed both guards with piercing stares- she needed to talk to this monster coyly, and that meant no eavesdroppers. Shrugging, they withdrew, though they told her they’d be waiting just on the other side of the door. In theory, even Savitar couldn’t possibly pose a threat, but if he did, they’d be ready. It would have to do. When they were gone, Savitar opened his eyes and smiled. “Have you come to know how I will kill your husband, the Flash? How he and your little nephew will die for their theft of the speed that belongs to me? Or have you come, Iris Allen, to see the God of Speed humbled?” Ignoring his monologue, she cut straight to the chase.
“Fifty years ago, you battled a speedster named Quicksilver and you both disappeared. What happened?” She asked abruptly. He cocked his head slightly and frowned- though clearly, it took effort with the sedation that had been pumped into his lower body.
“Quicksilver,” He spat in derision. “He was a fool- a pretender to the speed, like your husband.” Iris was thankful the guards were outside, and couldn’t help but wonder how Savitar hadn’t told everyone in the entire prison about her husband’s identity yet. But he pressed on. “So I did what I was
meant to do, what I
had to do. I tried to reclaim what was mine. And in the heat of our battle, we ran- we ran into the essence of speed itself, the power that imbues me, the power that others have stolen. The Speed Force. And there we might have rotted forever if my lord had not saved me.”
“Your lord?” Iris asked sceptically. “You mean the man who was giving Lady Savitar orders? The man who….” Her voice caught in her throat. “….Who looked exactly like my husband, except for the hair?” She had caught a glimpse of him when she was attacked before- only a glimpse. As Savitar nodded the affirmative, she frowned. “Who was he? Why did he bring you back?”
“Who is he? You already know,” The speedster goaded. “He left a note for your husband, did he not? And he brought me back, Ms Allen, to kill your husband. And poor, bewildered, doomed Wally. And anyone else who dares to steal the speed that rightfully belongs only to me…. And I
will.” He lent forwards, grinning maniacally, but Iris refused to be cowed.
“Where is he?” she snapped. She didn’t know why Savitar was being so forward, but there was a saying about looking gift horses in the mouth. “Where is…” She didn’t have to think hard to summon to mind the name that had signed off that terrifying note. “….Eobard Thawne?”
* * *
“….your husband, the Flash?”
“…your husband, the Flash?”
“….your husband, the Flash?”“Well, well, well, Ms Allen…” murmured a deep voice from the shadows of his private office as he watched the security camera footage of Iris’ meeting with Savitar again and again. Warden Wolfe leant forwards, a smile on his face, fingers knit. “…It seems you do have a weakness after all.”
* * *
Jay Garrick scowled as Johnny Quick came after him again.
Johnny was gaining on Jay now, riding his slipstream, coming ever closer. Neither of them could move as fast as Barry, or even Wally, but that didn’t matter, all that mattered was that Johnny, however doped up he might be, was faster than Jay, and in the slipstream he was able to move ever faster. Jay had heard about what Quicksilver had done to Barry and was conscious of ensuring his speed couldn’t be stolen.
Jay sped up, but Johnny matched him, and the deadly race continued over the deadly countryside of the south-west. It was time, Jay decided, to take some offensive action. He suddenly skidded to a halt, as quickly as he dared, but his attempt to put Johnny off failed completely- the other speedster kept on going. He intended to build of momentum, Jay realised too late, and crash into him, vibrating and shattering Jay into a million pieces.
Well, that tore it, Jay thought- definitely some kind of mind control in operation here.
He saw a flicker of light out of the corner of his eye- Johnny was coming in again, and he threw himself down to avoid it, narrowly escaping. For a few seconds, Johnny hovered in place, still drawing from the Speed Force, appearing to vibrate as he stood there. With one last desperate gesture, Jay drew back his hand and cast his winged metal hat at the befuddled old hero, filling it full of all the kinetic energy he could muster, enough to easily knock a man out.
Johnny vibrated through it contemptuously.
“Nice try,” he snarled.
And that was when the hat exploded into a hundred pieces, slashing into Johnny’s back and head, striking him with over a dozen fragments. Johnny’s eyes widened for a moment, and then he collapsed, still very much alive, but out of commission.
“…My best hat too,” sniffed Jay, as he jogged over to check that his old friend was okay.
* * *
Quicksilver’s battling me now as we race at super speed- he has for a while. He is, I’ve discovered, far more dangerous than Johnny. Unlike Johnny, he’s still fresh from Mohis glory days, and he’s very dangerous in hand to hand- unlike me, I get the sense he’s used to fighting speedsters. When this is all over, there’s a lot I could learn from him. If I’m alive. His hand slashes into my wrist again, and I know I can’t win like this- I have to make it about force and brains, not combat.
I bank suddenly to the left, and as I do, he banks simultaneously right. We’re both doing exactly what we did last time- building up speed and momentum before we turn to head straight at each other at way past the speed of sound. I can feel myself climb faster and faster, and now once again he’s directly ahead of me as we race towards one another, a flash of light on the horizon. I’m faster, of course I’m faster…. And, lemme see (A=∆V/T, and with Momentum….)… at this rate, should we clash, besides a lot of pain, we should continue to travel with a reduced speed in my direction, which gives me a big advantage, so in theory I should win…. But for a split second I hesitate. Last time we chased, he stole my speed and took me out of the fight entirely. He won’t repeat the trick, I don’t think- he knows I’m expecting it, that I’ll slow down enough to sap the momentum if it happens. For a moment, I consider doing it to him, but he’ll be expecting that, too, and he’ll slow down as well. So that’s off the table. It took Jay to stop him beating me before- and I’m still not fully recovered, and I’ve no idea where Jay is, and Johnny’s there somewhere, and he can do the Maths as well as I can, so he must have a trick up his sleeve and…. Suddenly, I stop myself. After telling Wally a thousand times that the worse thing to do at our speed is panic, I go and do it myself? No way- I’m a scientist, remember? When in doubt, the best thing to do is think analytically.
He doesn’t bother trying the trick again, but I know already he has more of up his sleeve- he has decades of experience, and I can see a smile on his face. I run, and he runs, and we’re suddenly getting closer and closer, and it’s going to be less than a second now, and I wonder if my idea will work, but it’s way too late for second thoughts, and he’s still smiling and I know he’s going to try something, and then he banks to one side again to avoid hitting, just as he did before, and in response all I can do is….
….deliberately shunt all my kinetic energy over to him, transferring all my speed as easily as he’d stolen it last time.
His mouth opens in shock as he flies past me, suddenly racing at twice the speed he had before, with all our kinetic energy combined.
Then, as he passes, I snatch it back.
Old Sir Isaac does the rest, as he’s catapulted radically forwards by sheer momentum.
Ow.
I slow to a stop- I know from experience how painful this can be, but it was the only way to take him down, and I just have to pray I haven’t broken his neck. I race out to where he’s fallen and examine him as he lies there, my heart racing- a pulse, give me a pulse… don’t let Quicksilver have died because of me, don’t let…. And there’s a pulse. Not weak either, but beating, strong. He’s alive. I breathe a sigh of relief- he had been trying to kill me, but I was not heartless.
I hear a noise behind me and tense in case it’s Johnny…. But instead I find it’s Jay, albeit without his hat, who looks as relieved as I feel.
“Johnny?” I ask, and he shrugs.
“Down,” he confirms at last. He looks crestfallen and I can’t blame him- these guys were his friends for years, after all- Johnny’s been his friend for decades. But as rusty as he seemed, it looks like Johnny had never really forgotten any of it.
“W….Wind….” We both turn sharply to find Quicksilver, barely conscious, stammering, his expression confused. “….Wise Owl?” He blinks and looks up- his eyes glaze as he sees me, not recognising me, and then he looks to the side and…. “….Jay? Jay, is that you? God…. Have you come here as well? Have you….”
“Quicksilver,” Jay leans forwards, and his eyes look watery. “You’re… you’re back, old friend. You’re back. Quicksilver takes his hand and gives a kind of sigh, before he slips into unconsciousness, and Jay sits there, a smile on his face. I realise how grateful he must be- it looks like I was right and they were doped up, but whatever it is, it’s wearing off. For a long moment, we stay, Jay nearly weeping with joy to have his friend back after so many years, safe and whole. Then there’s a buzzing noise, something else blurs into the corner of our view and we both turn.
“….Hey Uncle Barry,” Wally breathes, panting. “Sorry. Old man. Island. Staff. Big fight.” He looks up eagerly. “So, did I miss anything?”
* * *
We hear the full story late that night. Quicksilver and Johnny both go to hospital, and even with accelerated healing, it takes them the day to recover. The astonishing thing, as Jay notes, is that while he and Johnny had theoretically aged, Quicksilver looks exactly as he had the moment he vanished. When they wake up at last, they are firmly themselves.
“…It’s all so strange,” Johnny confesses as Jay, Iris and I stand by his bed- Wally’s off with the Titans again, as ever. We had tried to contact Johnny’s daughter Jesse, but she’s off with the Justice Society. Like father, like daughter. “I was out for a jog around the city….” Johnny’s explaining- I have to suppress an instinctive smile at that- old habits die hard, it seems. “…and then you appeared, Barry, but there was… there was something different about your appearance….” He shrugs. “…And that’s all I remember.”
“The different thing,” Iris urges, and I know what she’s going to ask- we spoke after she got back from Iron Heights. “….Was it that his hair…”
“….Was dark,” finishes Johnny. “Yes, now I remember! That was it!” We three exchange a knowing glance. Johnny catches the look and narrows his eyes. “What is it?” he asks.
“Nothing, Johnny,” Jay waves it off. “You’re in retirement now, there’s no…”
“Retirement?” echoes Johnny, and he gives a brief laugh that causes us to look quizzically at him. “Not that retirement wasn’t nice, Jay, but old fogeys like us never
really retire. I thought I could leave things to Jesse, but it looks like someone had other plans for me.” He offers us a smile. “When I first got my powers, Quicksilver acted as a mentor to me. Now he’s stuck here, fifty years ahead of everything he knows, in a very different world. It’s the least I can do to do the same for him.”
Quicksilver has a pretty similar story. It takes us five minutes to calm him down when he wakes up, but Jay’s presence helps, and Johnny attempts to join us as well before he finally allows a nurse to wrestle him back to his bed, but eventually Jay gets him to tell his story before he gives him the news which will destroy his world.
“I… I was fighting Savitar,” he whispers at last. “Fighting, and fighting, and then… I was everywhere and I was nowhere. I was running through time, and I could see everything, and yet I could comprehend none of it, and then I was in golden nothingness. And it was….” He gave a sigh, and his eyes glaze. “…It was so wonderful, Jay.” He turns to us, his eyes normal. “And then suddenly I’m somewhere in the desert and there’s someone who looks a lot like this gentleman,” And he points to me. “…And that’s the last thing I know.” The story told, he sits there, as we all wonder how we can possibly brace him for the shock of what must come next. “…So, I’ve told my story,” he says at last. “And don’t look so awkward, please, I’m no fool. I know that this is an entirely different time to the one I knew, one look at Jay tells me that. Now please, Jay… when am I anyway?”
* * *
“Eventful day,” Iris notes as she settles down into our bed. I stare at the ceiling, not sleeping, not even close. She continues. “I can’t say I like that new Warden at the prison. He’ll be trouble for you, Barry, I know it.” I still don’t say anything, but she keeps going. “Johnny acts reluctant, but he’s thrilled to be returning to active duty. I think retirement must have been boring him a little, though he assures me it doesn’t- so hard to slow down after all that. And it’s nice that he’s helping Quicksilver adjust, that can’t be easy for the poor man.”
“Thawne,” I say at last, and it’s the first thing I’ve said in hours. She looks at me, leaning on one elbow, and I elaborate. “First he took Savitar and Lady Savitar out of the Speed Force to attack us, and now he brainwashes old friends after us. And I still have no idea who he is or where he is, but he must be connected to my half brother- who I
never even knew existed. I looked up the entire Keystone directory this evening- not one Thawne. No Malcolm, no Eobard.” I turn over, and my hands are both fists. “He knows who we are, Iris. He knows who we are and he’s not going to stop until I find him.” I don’t offer the alternative.
“And you will,” Iris assures me, not batting an eyelid. “You always do. You’ve beaten the Rogues, those newer psychopaths, Doctor Spectro, that Gorilla in Africa- you’ve fought Gods, and you helped save the world more times than I can count. And whoever this Thawne is, he miscalculated, because now you have Quicksilver and Johnny Thunder to help you.” I don’t respond to that, but I know she’s wrong. He didn’t miscalculate. He’s sending speedsters after me- four assassins, four speedsters. None of them previously active in our time- now all of them are. There can’t be a coincidence. He wants us all here, and I don’t know why- even Savitar doesn’t know why, or else he’s lying. I change the subject.
“Quicksilver… he’s changing his name, did you hear?” I ask distantly. “He doesn’t even know anything about our time and he’s already decided he needs a new identity. Doesn’t know what, but…”
“Barry,” Iris cuts me off, and she’s giving me that look- the one that tells me she knows exactly what I’m thinking and there’s no use trying to hide it. God I love her. So much that I have to drop the final bombshell, the one that spooks me even more than the rest.
“Do you know why my dad crashed?” I ask distantly. “The real reason?” She frowns, shaking her head. “Because he thought he saw me.” I ensure she sees the significance of my words. “He saw me in the middle of the road and he skidded and crashed. Only then my mom realised it couldn’t have been me…. Because his hair was too dark.”
He’ll do anything to get to me, I think as Iris absorbs that.
And maybe it’s only a matter of time before he succeeds…. * * *
In the 23rd Century, a man who looked so very much like Barry Allen save for his dark hair sat in his business suit behind the vast table that dominated his office. The lights were dimmed, and there was no movement save for his restless hand tapping against the table. So, his gambit with the speedsters had been unsuccessful. No matter- if nothing else, he had ensured there were more active speedsters in that era than ever before, and that could only help him when it came to the next phase of his plan.
“Meloni?” he snapped, and the reply came at once:
“Less than one minute, sir, until he reaches this point in the timestream.” He gave a risk nod.
“Very well. Redirect him as soon as it happens.” The computer did not bother to register compliance, it was expected and forthcoming. The clock ticked on, and just as he was about to demand another update, a swirling maelstrom of golden energy seemed to materialise in the air in front of him, and he stood with an expectant smile as without a sound, a figure appeared.
“….weeks at most before it is the end of time for you,” the figure was saying spitefully, before he suddenly froze, staring around. “…What is this? Why….”
“Greetings,” the man in the suit nodded. “I apologise for the shock- the Flash had sent you hurtling forwards through time before I was able to intercept your temporal momentum and bring you out.” The figure stared at him for a few seconds.
“And why…” he asked slowly. “…would you do that?” The other smiled instinctively.
“Because I’m a- forgive the pun- long-time admirer, sir, and because unlike most of those who share my goals, you are exceedingly competent.”
“…And what goals would they be?” The newcomer asked warily.
“Why, the destruction of anything and everything the Flash holds dear, of course,” The man in the suit smiled, and held out a hand. “My name is Eobard Thawne, Mister Kadabra. Why don’t you sit down?”
