the flash and the black widow: truma

untouchable

Anastasia pov

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Central City Speedster 500 is about to begin.
But first, I've got five-to-one odds Barry takes down Wally.
Are there any takers?" Cisco asked, and H.R lifted his hand.

"Yep.
Game of speculation?
Are we... Are we betting?
Yeah, no, I'm in.
On my Earth, financial wagering was banned after an unfortunate incident with Vice President Al Capone." H.R. said.

"Well, lucky for you, you live here now." Iris smiled.

"Yes." H.R smiled back.

"Put me down for 20 for Barry," Iris said.

"Joe got to be in it... Come on." H.R told him.

"No, not me.
That's Sophie's choice. I'm not going to make it." Joe said.

"$80 on Barry.
Mama needs a new confocal microscope." Caity said quickly.

"All right, H.R., you put your life in my hands, so I know for a fact you like high stakes.
How much are you in for?" Cisco asked.

"Wallace's recent speed tests ensure that he is a lock.
Put me down for an Abe Lincoln." H.R. said.

"Hm?" Cisco asked.

"Uh, 100.
Whatever 100 is on this Earth, put me down for that." H.r told Cisco.

"Guys, we're ready," Barry announced.

"All right, all right.
All bets are in, and may the odds be ever in your favor.
Gentlemen, start your engines." Cisco told the boys.

"At the first marker, 1/3 of the way in, Flash is on the lead... Or is it kid flash?" Cisco asked/ announced.

"Kid flash! Come on, little Joseph, go!" H.R said, "Come on, Mama needs a new pair of shoes.
Come on, Wallace, down the lane!"

"I think he's done this before," Iris said, referring to H.R.'s behavior.

"Second marker, Wally's on the lead," Cisco announced.

"Yeah! Wallace, that's my boy!" H.R. said.

"You mean, this is my boy." Joe corrected him.

"I wanna double down.
I wanna double down on that." H.R. told Cisco.

"H.R big spender, are you serious?" Cisco asked.

"Serious?
Serious as a heart attack, Rich."

"Guys, they're neck and neck," Iris announced.

"and almost at the finish line," I added.

Barry won!

"Oh!" Iris clapped her hands, "pay up." She told H.R.

"Now?" H.R asked. "Do you guys take...?
I owe yous...?"

◇◇◇

I put on my gloves and got closer to the body.

"Покойся с миром," I whispered. (Rest in peace.)

"What's his name?" Caity asked.

"Doesn't really matter much now, does it?" Julian asked.

"Of course, we should call him by his name," I said.

" Especially after everything he's been through, he deserves that much respect," Caity added.

"He is a corpse, thus impervious to such bedside manners," Julian told us.

"Well, thank goodness, 'cause I'd hate to have to subject him to yours," Caity told Julian.

"The victim is male, between 30 and 40, with a highly necrotized epidermis.
We plan to do a full-body scan
and a chest wall retraction." Julian told the recording as I opened the bag he was in.