Believe in the Impossible ϟ The Flash

Chapter 21: The Big Bad Revealed

I couldn't believe the words I was seeing, let alone hear as Cisco said, "Flash missing. Hecate vanishes in crisis." I covered my mouth with one hand as a lump appeared in my throat. Barry continued reading as I stared at the image of the two of us on the cover of the newspaper.

"After an epic street battle with the Reverse-Flash, our city's very own Scarlet Speedster a disappeared in an explosion of light. With her partner missing, Hecate seems to have dropped off the face of the Earth."

"Look at the date," Caitlin pointed out. "April 25th, 2024."

"Guys, when I fought The Reverse-Flash at Christmas, he said that we'd be fighting for centuries," Barry said as I went to rub my shoulder where my birthmark was as I stared at the picture of me. Caitlin couldn't really believe what we were looking at was from the future. Normally, I wouldn't blame her, but we had seen a lot of crazy things these last few months.

Cisco piped in, "I have to say, I'm really digging the brighter red suits. And the white on the symbols? That's dope. Wait a second. Suppose we now change the color on your suit. Will it be because we got the idea from this picture? And where did that symbol come from?" Cisco pointed to the symbol that was on my chest in the picture.

"My birthmark," I said as I pulled my jacket to the side for him to see.

"How the hell did you get a birthmark like that?"

"It is about as trippy as the name on the byline," Caitlin said. We all focused our attention to the left side of the picture. The small lump in my throat grew a little bit more.

"Iris West-" started Barry.

"Allen," I finished.

Cisco raised his eyebrows, "Mazel tov?"

"Hebrew," a disembodied female voice came from above. We all jumped back as it continued talking in its robotic sounding voice. "Ancient language of the Jewish people."

My voice shook a bit, "What the hell? Is someone here?" A giant face popped up in place of where the news clipping was. It looked like a floating female face. But it was better than just a talking voice from above.

"Good evening, Rose Parker."

"You know me?" I asked it as I stepped closer to it.

"Of course. Rose Parker, co-director of Central City Police, CSI Division alongside co-director Barry Allen."

It was Barry's turn to raise his own eyebrows, "First Iris and now a promotion?" The voice continued after Barry stopped talking.

"Also known as Hecate. Founding member of-"

"If," I interrupted the voice once more. "I can just ask a question. What you are?"

It seemed to smile at that, "I am Gideon, an interactive artificial consciousness." Cisco exhaled as a smile grew a bit on his face.

"AI. Sick."

"You know Dr. Wells?" Barry asked Gideon as he came up to my side. "Do you know who he really is? What is he doing here? Why did he come here?" Gideon went from being a floating head to a full figured being before it answered Barry.

"To kill you."

"Delightful," I said as my hands went to my hips. "Just delightful. Any other plans?"

"To destroy you by killing Barry," Gideon answered once more.

I nodded with a sarcastic smile as Cisco's phone vibrated, "Wells is in the building."