The Flash Beginnings

Miranda Baker Stone

Episode 3: Master Manipulator

"You don't know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from." Cormac McCarthy.

"Hey Allen! Can I have a word?"

"Yes Coach!" I answered.

I stopped in the middle of the track and let the other guys pass by before I started jogging back to the coach. I fiddled with the bracelet on my left hand, spinning it around. Caitlin made a device that would negate most of my speed powers. It didn't remove all my abilities but at least it still let me participate in some activities where I would have an unfair advantage -track and field would be one of said activities- over everyone. Even with the inhibitor some of my abilities still showed. My uncontrollable perception of time for example.

"I know that it's been a few months since you woke up from your coma, son. And a few weeks since you joined track. Don't get me wrong you're doing great. In fact your the fastest runner in the school. That's why I wanted to know if you want to participate in the race tomorrow against Gotham, Star City, and Coast City," I just looked at him speechless. "Well Allen? What do you say?"

I laughed in disbelief stuttering. "Wow. I-I don't know what to say. I-I mean, yeah. Of course. I accept your offer. Thank you Coach I won't let you down." I accepted with a wide grin.

"The race is tomorrow night. Right on this track. 8:00 sharp. Don't be late."

"When have I ever?" I joked.

"Allen you do not want me to answer that question. Now go keep practicing, you have a long day ahead of you."

-=-=SC=-=-

"Hey Bar. Have you seen the news of those enhanced humans?" Cisco asked through mouthfuls of mac'n'cheese.

"Yeah I saw them on the news. They tried to rob the bank. How can you ever eat that cheese covered rubber? I still don't know why you like that disgusting food.

"The answer is that Mac'n'Cheese is the best comfort food to ever be created."

"Clearly you are mistaken because..." I open my lunch bag and take a baggie out, "Tuna sandwiches are the best comfort food. They can top any other especially your cheese covered rubber," I smirk.

"I wasn't talking about the criminals. There is a new enhanced in town. He robbed a bank yesterday. The witnesses say that during the whole thing a black thundercloud formed inside the bank and caused a lot of winds."

I stopped from taking a bite from my food when he said that. Another in Central City. So there are more people who were affected by the PA explosion. I don't know why I expected no one to be affected by the explosion, but whether or not it's what I expect I still have a responsibility to help stop the enhanced threat.

"You know I've been thinking if their names should be changed to META-Humans. It sounds better," Cisco commented.

"If it's not broken why fix it?" I answered.

I licked my fingers as I finished the last bite of my lunch. My stomach growled, not yet satisfied with what it was fed with.

"Well I just think that enhanced isn't like a proper term for them. Sure they were enhanced by the PA explosion, but I think that what actually gave them their powers was a wave of foreign matter that was released into this world through a rift that the PA created. Dr. Wells and I call it Dark Matter," I had to lean in to hear what he was saying because of him whispering and the sounds of chaos in the cafeteria.

"You're still working with Dr. Wells?" I asked in surprise.

My brow furrowed in anger at his name. I couldn't believe that Cisco could still be working with him. Caitlin had more common sense than Cisco. She knew that her father would go to any length in order to achieve a scientific success. That's why she understood why I wouldn't tell her father what had happened with me. And why we worked in secret in a hidden area of STAR LABS. But she still sometimes insists that we tell him. Her reasons are that we can't do this by ourselves and need help. Especially to make a better suit.

"Hey guys," Mauricio spoke before Cisco had a chance to answer.

"Mauricio, hermano, brother. I thought that you were going to be in Tijuana for the rest of the week," Cisco greeted him with a big smile on his face.

Mauricio had always been like gum stuck on Cisco's shoe. He switched to this school right after I fell into my coma. He only ever knew to speak Spanish and since Cisco could also speak spanish he ended up following him like a lost puppy. At first Cisco was annoyed, but Mauricio grew on him and he didn't mind anymore.

"Plans were cancelled. My papa was called into the office yesterday," Mauricio had learned to speak english well, but he still chose to add some spanish into his speaking. "Besides if I did then who would help this linda princesa to the cafeteria?"

Miranda had her arm in Mauricio's arm crook. Some of her honey brown hair hung over her eyes -not that it mattered, since she couldn't see anymore- and draped across her shoulders. The light blue highlights on it matched her eyes perfectly, and seemed to somehow compliment her slightly dark skin tone. She was wearing her usual style of clothes. A short blouse with small sleeves, it hugged her figure tightly showing all the curves on her body, and a black skirt that stretched all the way down to her knees. Mauricio helped Miranda to the seat next to me where she sat down. Mauricio sat on the opposite side to us, next to Cisco. Miranda and Mauricio both had mac n cheese for lunch on their trays. I crinkled my nose in disgust, but my stomach growled at the sight that made my mouth watered.

"Barry!" Miranda exclaimed with enthusiasm.

She flung her arms around me and pulled me into a hug. She did this every time when she that I'm there with her. At first it just felt awkward, but now I've gotten used to it.

I hugged her back making my face get buried in her hair. It was soft and silky, smelling of fruit. It took me back to an old memory of my mother that I didn't know I have. I was small. 7 years old. My mom was baking a cake, candles were on the counter beside her. She was mixing the cake batter. I went up to her and looked at her.

"Hi Barry. Is my little slugger ready for his birthday?" she laughed.

Her face had a wide, white, enthusiastic smile. She reached down and picked me up.

"Are you going to stay for the party?" I asked.

"Of course Barry, I'm never gonna leave. Especially not at your party. After all I am your mother, and mothers are supposed to be there for their children. To protect them and love them. Forever..."

"Barry? Hello? Barry!?!" Miranda broke me out of my daze. "Are you okay Barry?"

I looked at her face, met by her dark glasses hiding her eyes.

"Y-yeah. I'm alright. I'm okay."

I reached for my sandwich blindly. My hand waved around on the empty table in front of me. I groaned realizing that I finished my food and I was still hungry.