Tiger Stripes and Lightening Strikes

13: Attack

Although Barry spent most nights with Iris, this one was decidedly far more different than the rest. They were in her little car, parked just opposite from Diddy's home amongst a mix of other vehicles. Slight rain speckled the windshields and pattered on the roof. Barry was sitting with his head against the headrest, his eyes glaring through the window at Diddy's house. The only sounds that passed between them, was the gentle whooshing of their breath.

Barry's mind was spinning in circles with all the information he'd learned over the past week. Of all the events that had happened. Lucas Smythe, one of the last people on their watch list, had been murdered. Sebastian evidently blamed Barry, although he seemed not to care in the slightest his father was dead. Perhaps it was just another way for him to torment Barry.

"Alright, what is it?" Iris sighed. Barry faltered, his head turning towards her. He raised a brow. "You haven't said a word in hours." His jaw fell open, but he was quick to close it. "What is bothering you?" she demanded.

"Nothing," he shrugged, scratching the back of his head.

"You can't lie to me, Barry," a smirk of amusement played across her lips. "I've known you far too long for that." Grumbling, he let out a long breath. "Is it something to do with Sebastian?" she asked gently.

"How did you know?" Barry's voice hitched.

Iris cast him a long stare. "Whenever you've been in a bad mood for the past month it was because of Sebastian," she hummed.

Barry let out a long and low groan. "He is just so..." he let out an exasperated huff. Shaking his head, he pinched at the bridge of his nose. "I think there is something Joe isn't telling us about him."

"What do you mean?" Iris asked, turning to face Barry with a tiny frown.

"I mean, he defends Sebastian all the time," Barry's hands curled into fists.  "When Smythe told us about all the terrible things Sebastian had done, Joe wasn't surprised. Not in the slightest. It's like he already knew and he still defended Sebastian." Barry jutted his jaw to one side and shook his head. "Joe told me that he had been asked to speak sense into Sebastian and get him to confess, but when those two were talking, it was like Sebastian was trying to kill him with his eyes." He blew out a frustrated breath. "Something more than Joe is telling us happened."

"Barry," Iris spoke softly, gently gripping his upper arm. "This is my Dad we are talking about. If he isn't telling us something, then there is good reason for it."

"I know... I just..." Barry blew out a restless breath.

"I can look into it, if you want," Iris offered. "I'll find out what really happened." Barry paused to look at her rounded and stunningly dark eyes.

"Thank you," he murmured, and she gave him a sweet smile in response.

A muffled scream jolted Barry's attention. Both snapped their heads towards the house. In a matter of seconds, he was combing the large home in flash time. The moment he found Diddy, his heart leapt into his throat. The man was cowering in the corner of a intricately furnished living room. Couches had been shredded and overturned, the lamp lights shattered into pieces.

At the centre of it all, stood a towering giant. It was a wolf like humanoid, with long strings of drool that dangled from his gaping jaw. Diddy's eyes flicked to Barry, and in them he saw nothing but terror. Moving in a Flash, he grabbed Diddy and deposited him into the car with Iris. She let out a startled squeal. "Drive," Barry barked. With no further argument, she took off in her car.

The beast burst out of Diddy's front door, letting out a roar so loud that Barry's eardrums ached. He stared up at the creature, rolling his shoulders and raising his fists. The creature's yellow eyes fixed on him. It snarled, dropping onto all fours and creeping towards him.