totally meta

chapter 23

Henry jogged at a steady pace down the sidewalk, trying to blend in with the early morning crowd. He was careful to run like he used to—fast enough to get some exercise but not fast enough to attract attention. After everything that had happened recently, he didn't need anyone connecting him to the Flash.

As he approached the café, a police car pulled up beside him, its window rolling down. Henry's stomach sank. He slowed to a stop, heart racing for an entirely different reason now.

"Hey, kid," the officer said, leaning out of the window. He looked calm, but there was a sharpness in his eyes. "You mind stopping for a second?"

Henry swallowed, trying to act casual. "Uh, sure. What's up?"

The officer glanced around, as if making sure no one else was listening. "I know you're involved with Seven Labs somehow. And I know they've got some connection to the Flash."

Henry felt a jolt of panic shoot through him. His mind raced, trying to figure out how much the officer knew. Did he suspect *he* was the Flash? Or was it just the lab?

"What do you mean?" Henry asked, doing his best to sound confused. "I mean, yeah, I work there, but I don't really know what you're talking about."

The officer raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying the act. "Look, kid, we're not looking to arrest anybody. We've seen the way the Flash operates. He's saved a lot of people in this city, done a lot of good. But we also know Seven Labs is involved, and that means we need to know more. We're not after him, we're just trying to make sure we're on the same side."

Henry's guard went up at that. He crossed his arms, looking the officer in the eye. "And if you're not after him, then what are you planning to do? Because I've seen the way the police treat meta-humans. You expect me to help you guys capture a hero?"

The officer raised both hands, a gesture of peace. "Whoa, hold up. We're not trying to catch him, okay? We've seen the good he does. Honestly, some of the guys down at the station would like to work with him—maybe even form some kind of partnership. We've got bigger problems in this city than trying to take down a hero."

Henry blinked, surprised. He hadn't expected that. "You want to work *with* the Flash?"

The officer nodded. "We've had to deal with a lot of meta-human incidents lately, and frankly, the department could use the help. This city's not what it used to be, and we're running out of options. We don't need more enemies—we need allies."

Henry felt a strange mixture of relief and suspicion. The idea of the police wanting to work with the Flash was unexpected, but he couldn't shake his distrust of them. Meta-humans weren't treated kindly by law enforcement, and he wasn't sure how they'd react if they found out who the Flash really was.

"Well, if you're serious about working with him, maybe you should think about how you treat meta-humans," Henry said carefully. "Not all of them are bad, you know. Some just need help."

The officer's face softened, and he nodded slowly. "You're right. Not everyone sees it that way, but we're trying to change that. Look, I don't know how close you are to the Flash or Seven Labs, but if you can get the message to him... let him know we're not his enemy."

Henry glanced at the café, feeling the weight of the conversation settle on his shoulders. "I'll... see what I can do," he said finally.

The officer gave him a small smile and tipped his hat. "That's all we can ask for. Stay safe out there, kid."

As the police car drove off, Henry stood there for a moment, processing everything. The police wanted to work with the Flash? That was something he hadn't seen coming. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, but he knew one thing—he couldn't afford to let his guard down, not yet.

With a sigh, he walked into the café, his mind still spinning as he ordered his coffee. Things in the city were changing faster than he could keep up. And for someone with super speed, that was saying something.