Chronicles of the Time-Swift Siblings

Chapter 2: The Accidental Time Travel

Mailin and Henry Allen-Danvers had trained for almost every contingency imaginable, whether defusing explosives or disrupting magnetic waves. However, they could not have prepared for the night that would change everything.

It started like any other mission: identify, locate, and apprehend ChronoJack, the time-manipulating villain and leader of the Time Marauders. Their intel had led them to a derelict warehouse on the edge of Central City, where they expected to find ChronoJack experimenting with his temporal technology.

With caution, they navigated the shadowy corridors until they found a steel door behind which a soft hum reverberated. The siblings exchanged a nod, signaling readiness to breach.

Inside, ChronoJack stood before a cylindrical device pulsating with energy, his lips curled in a smirk. "Ah, the Time-Swift Siblings. You're right on time."

Before Mailin or Henry could react, ChronoJack flipped a switch. A blinding light erupted, and the room twisted around them as they were engulfed in swirling energy, like being caught in a rip current.

Darkness descended.

When they regained consciousness, Mailin and Henry found themselves sprawled on a pavement. The night air was cooler than usual, and the sounds of the city were unfamiliar. Skyscrapers and traffic suggested that they were still in a metropolis, but somehow, not their own. They sat up groggily and examined their surroundings.

"Still in Central City?" Henry asked, confused.

Mailin squinted at a billboard, promoting the mayoral campaign of someone she didn't recognize. "I think we've traveled back. This doesn't look like our central city."

They wandered the streets, puzzled, until they caught a glimpse of a familiar emblem on a screen: the red lightning bolt of The Flash.

"Hold on," Henry said, his eyes widening as he noticed his dad in his old Flash costume alongside Supergirl. "that looks like dads old costume!"

Mailin hits him upside down the head. "Of course it's his old costume, you idiot!"

The siblings blended into the crowd until they reached S.T.A.R. Labs, where their dad's team operated. However, entry required a familiar face, and Mailin and Henry had neither.

Instead, they ventured to the Central City Police Department, where their dad worked. At the front desk, they asked for Joe West, Barry's adoptive father and their grandfather, under the pretense of being part of the investigation involving ChronoJack.

Within minutes, Joe West greeted them cautiously. "Who are you two?"

Thinking quickly, Mailin explained, "Hey Grand-"

Before she could slip up, her brother rammed his elbow into her side, cutting her off.

Henry stepped forward quickly, his voice steady as he said, "We're with the Special Investigations Unit, on assignment to apprehend ChronoJack. We believe he's been tampering with some dangerous temporal technology."

Joe West's eyes narrowed as he sized them up, a mix of skepticism and intrigue flickering across his features. "Special Investigations Unit, huh? Funny, I don't recall seeing either of you around before. And who is ChronoJack?"

Mailin and Henry exchanged a brief glance. Time was of the essence, and they couldn't afford to raise further suspicion. Henry cleared his throat, "Our team's new. ChronoJack's is a time villain, and his activities have escalated, and we've been sent to provide additional support. Is da-"

Mailin elbows him harshly into his ribs this time. Henry winces and corrects himself. "Is Barry here?"

Joe's brow furrowed. He rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "He's out on an assignment," he lies, knowing full well Barry is moping at home watching musicals. "But he should be back soon. You two can wait in my office."

The siblings followed him to a small, cluttered office that smelled of old paper and strong coffee. Joe leaned back against his desk, crossing his arms. "So," he began, "what makes you so sure that this... ChronoJack's the one behind all this?"

Mailin and Henry exchanged another look. "His temporal technology," Mailin began carefully, "creates anomalies that are consistent with the energy spikes we've tracked."

Henry continued, "If left unchecked, those anomalies could distort the timeline, potentially causing irreversible changes."

Joe nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll buy that—for now. But let me warn you: Barry's not going to take kindly to strangers poking around without his knowledge. You'd better hope your information's solid."

As they settled into the office chairs, the tension grew thicker. The ticking of a wall clock seemed to echo ominously in the silence. Henry glanced at the door every few seconds, expecting their father to appear any minute.

When footsteps finally approached the office, both siblings tensed, hearts pounding. The door swung open to reveal their father, Barry Allen, in normal clothes. Mailin and Henry pouted slightly, upset at not seeing their dad's old superhero outfit in person.

As Barry Allen enters the office, his gaze falls upon the unfamiliar faces of Mailin and Henry. Initially cautious and guarded, Barry's expression softens slightly as he takes in their features. There's a flicker of recognition in his eyes, a sense of familiarity that tugs at his heartstrings, though he can't quite place why.

As he looks at them, Barry experiences a surge of conflicting emotions—confusion, curiosity, and a subtle undercurrent of protectiveness. It's as if something deep within him stirs, a primal instinct to shield these strangers from harm, even though he doesn't fully understand why.

Despite his uncertainty, there's a warmth in Barry's demeanor as he addresses them, a hint of paternal concern mingled with genuine interest. He tries to keep his tone measured and composed, but there's an underlying tension beneath the surface, a sense of unease at the unexpected arrival of these mysterious newcomers.

Barry's mind races with questions and possibilities, his thoughts swirling like a whirlwind as he tries to make sense of the situation. Yet, amidst the chaos, there's a glimmer of hope, a whisper of possibility that perhaps these strangers hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of the past and shaping the future.

As he watches Mailin and Henry, Barry can't shake the feeling that there's more to them than meets the eye, that their presence here is somehow significant. And deep down, beneath the layers of uncertainty and apprehension, there's a primal instinct—a father's instinct—that tells him he needs to protect them, no matter the cost.

"Joe, who are these two?" Barry asks, his voice cautious, absentmindedly confused by his earlier emotions.

Before Joe could respond, Mailin stands up, her chin held high. "I'm Mailin, and this is my twin brother Henry."

"And why are you here?" Barry asks suspiciously, his eyebrow raised.

Mailin and Henry shrink back at their father's stern look.

"We have valuable information about a villain!" Henry blurts out.

"And we know who you are. The Flash." Mailin adds and wincing after having let that slip.

The two adults stare at them in shock.

The chime of Barry's phone makes them snap out of it. He pulls it out to see a text message from H.R. telling them to come immediately.

Barry looks at Joe in alarm "Joe, we gotta go, now."

Joe is putting on his jacket when he notices the twin looking at him expectantly.

"What about these two?" Joe asks Barry.

Barry sees the two looking at him with puppy dog eyes, he doesn't know why but fees like he can't say no. He sighs in defeat, his shoulders sagging "Come on." He waves them along. The twins high five.