Heroes of Central City

The Sound and the Fury 2

Dakota and Cooper made it outside the building where Barry was standing in front of Hartley. 

"I can hear the waves emanating from your suit. Are they going to hear you die?" Hartley asked.

"Go Cooper." Kota murmured.

"No. They're going to hear you get your ass kicked." Barry replied.

Cooper leapt onto Hartley's shoulder and bit. He yelled in pain and Barry grabbed the hand devices. He tossed them to the ground where Dakota picked them up.

"You always need my help don't you?" Dakota smiled. "Heel Cooper." Cooper let go of his shoulder and licked the blood from his mouth. "Good boy."

"Who are you?" Hartley smirked and winced in pain.

"Shut up."

STAR Labs

"I really enjoyed being brought in by a guy cladded head to toe in red leather and a girl with her bloodthirsty dog." Hartley said. "Thanks."

The elevator door opened to reveal Cisco and Caitlyn on the other side.

"Not sure if bloodthirsty is the word I'd use." Kota replied.

"Cisco. Caitlyn. How nice to see you." Hartley pointed out.

"Shut the hell up." Barry shoved him and Cisco continued to shove him down the hall towards the accelerator ring.

Barry, Dakota, and Cooper walked into the Cortex and Barry changed out of his suit.

"I had that back there." Barry grinned at Dakota.

"I'm sure you did. I didn't learn much from Mr. Rathaway except that Hartley has a temper. And really smart." Dakota sat down in a chair.

Cisco and Caitlyn came back from the accelerator and listened to Wells talk with Hartley.

He came back a few minutes later, "I assume you all heard that."

"What was he talking about?" Barry asked.

"Hartley warned me the particle accelerator could explode. That's what we argued about. I went on with it anyway." Wells said. "It was a small risk. There were so many achievements-"

"So many people died that night!" Dakota shouted. "Barry could've died that night!"

"He didn't. And now he's a gift to this city." Wells argued.

"He didn't have to be!" Dakota argued. "What happened to this city is your fault. Their blood is on your hands! It's a stomping ground for metahumans all because you wanted to protect your pride." Cooper snarled. "I guess you and me aren't so different after all."

Dakota stormed out of the Cortex with Cooper at her heels.

"Next time you put our lives and the lives of people we love at risk I'll expect a heads up." Caitlyn murmured and left the Cortex.

Precinct

Dakota and Cooper were chilling in the lab watching TV. She was flipping through the channels until she found the news. Dr. Wells was sitting in front of a podium with microphones in front of him.

"Thank you for coming." He began.

Dakota dropped the remote and ran down the stairs with Cooper following her.

"Most of you know already how the particle accelerator malfunctioned. But the truth is I got a warning that it would malfunction. I chose to ignore it on the count of my pride and the achievements of the accelerator being on." Wells explained.

Dakota froze and nodded to him.

"A new friend pointed out to me that I failed this city. I let all of you down." Wells murmured. "Are there any questions?"

"Do you plan to rebuild the accelerator now or in the future?" Mason from Central City Picture News asked.

"Miss West. Do you have a question for me?" Wells looked at Iris.

"Maybe you didn't hear him so I'll ask it again. Do you have plans to rebuild the particle accelerator now or in the future?" Iris demanded.

"Of course not." Wells glanced at Dakota. "No further questions."