Only Because I Need You Too

Chapter 5: Cell Block Tango

Barry had known that they would have to wait for Medusa to make the first move, but he hadn't been expecting it so soon. Alarms flared to life in his ears. The Scarlet speedster jolted to life, team Flash had gathered for their regular morning update meeting in the cortex, only for it to be interrupted by alarms. Half a second passed before the team jumped into action. Cisco and Caitlin dove behind the welcome desk beside Iris and Barry threw on his suit in a stream of yellow lightening followed quickly by Nora. "Iron Heights, the meta wing has been put into lockdown. Facial recognition has picked up Medusa there."

Barry turned to Nora, and with a nod they stepped into the speedforce. The city and streets around Barry merged into the same diluted streak of washed out colour. The only thing that remained constant was his daughter running right by his side. Before Barry knew it, he was in the meta wing. High concrete walls with powerful synthetic light sources entrapped him in. The corridors were alight with red alarm. A high pitching wailing noise screamed in their ears. Guards charged around, clutching their guns close to their chests. Turning the edge of a corridor he skidded to a halt. Standing at the end of the corridor, in the middle of the pentagonal room, was Medusa. By her side, a man Barry had never seen before. He was well dressed and well groomed but his face was scarred and worn.

Medusa turned over her shoulder to stare at them, barking an order to her companion, "STOP THEM!"

Barry squeezed his eyes shut, but not before reminding Nora to do so herself. The speedster went to progress into the room, but the sound of grinding stone stoped him. A shadow passed over his closed eyes. "Dad?" Nora asked cautiously. Barry didn't reply. Sucking in a deep breath, he pried a hand from over his eyes. The corridor that had been just in front of them was completely cut off, isolating Barry from the Meta Human cells and Medusa from the speedster. The Flash let out a grunt of annoyance before charging straight at the wall. His whole form began to tremble and vibrate. Lightning crackled across his skin. "WAIT!" Nora cried, but it was too late. Barry hit the wall head on. Staggering back a few steps, the speedster turned to his daughter with a cocked brow whilst rubbing his forehead.

"What happened? Why did you stop? Medusa is right in front of you," Cisco's voice chattered down their ears.

"A rock wall appeared between us and the meta chamber. For some reason I can't phase through it." Barry grumbled down his intercom.

"That is Christopher Pickle. Also known as Sandman, he had the complete control over rock and sand, he can even vibrate the particles of the ground he is controlling. We cannot get through there." Nora explained to Barry and team Flash, sending her father a small smile.

"She is right," Caitlin hummed. "It could take you several minutes to figure out the correct vibration to phase through that wall. So go through the ones around it."

Barry nodded, leaning back onto his heels and jumping into the speedforce. Lightning crackled at his feet as he charged straight for the stone wall beside him. The next thing he knew, he was standing in an empty meta cell, staring out through tinted glass to the meta chamber. From where he was, he couldn't make out much of Medusa or what she was doing. With a push of effort, Barry phased again, jumping through the door and landing square on his feet in the centre of the oddly shaped room.

A tight sensation seized Barry's chest, forcing him to drop to his knees. Excess followed in her father's footsteps, ending up on her own knees right beside him. Barry could feel his heart thundering in his chest. He could feels his lungs rapidly pulling in short breaths of air. He could feel his own body beginning to tremble. With wild and panicked eyes, Barry searched the room for the source of his terror. Barry's ear piece was alight with questioning voices, but no words escaped him.

There he was. Tate Jonning standing tall over them with a wicked smile. Medusa had taken the backseat along side Pickle. They watched with mildly amused eyes and upturned lips as Tate brought the famous speedsters to their knees. The other metas pressed their faces against the glass. Some of them grinning, others watching with downturned expressions. "Flash..." Tate murmured, crouching down to the speedsters level. "It's been a while," Tate's previously short hair had been grown out into a long mop of dark locks. His wide and crazed eyes held Barry's own with brutal intensity. Feeling the corners of his vision go red, Barry dropped his gaze to the floor. Tate reached out and patted their heads. "Who's this?" Tate murmured, turning his gaze to Excess.

Barry could feel his chest seize up. Desperately he tried to call out. To tell Tate to remove his filthy hands from their heads. Yet nothing came out. "That's his daughter. Nora," Medusa spelled out from behind him.

A wicked cackle tore from Tate's lips. "Daughter? Isn't that precious." Wiping a tear from his eye, he turned to the Sandman, "Kill her."

Barry sucked in a deep breath, and almighty wheeze escaped his lips. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the form of his daughter shaking, staring with wide eyes at Tate. "Don't," Medusa stopped the Sandman before he could move. "She is from the future like me. She is responsible for your death, but we can kill her in this time."

"It's good to see you never loose your creativity." Tate murmured. Standing to his feet, he stretched his arms far above his head. "But why not just kill the old one now, and the young one later?" Barry felt hot nipping at his eyes. His arms twitched repeatedly.

"Now that is a good idea," Medusa's face was torn by a wicked smile. "Then he will have to suffer the pain of loosing his daughter twice." The woman pulled a handgun from her belt and passed it to Tate. Nora let out a whimper as Barry let out a snarl of rage. Just as the mad man was aiming his gun, a magnificent blue light tore a hole in the air beside him. A shot of blue ice broke free from the breach, colliding with Tate's hand and freeing the gun from his grasp.

Tate let out a cry of pain. An ice spike was embedded in his hand. Blood coated it's sharpened point. Tate's eyes grew wide, staggering back a few steps he cried, "Ice?... it's her. We need to leave."

With no further instruction the trio fled the scene, demolishing the rock wall as they went. Barry pulled in ragged breaths. His ears rang as he slowly pulled himself to his feet. Killer Frost stepped through the portal. Platinum blonde locks swayed at her back. Before Nora was even on her feet, Barry pulled her into a tight hug. He inhaled sharply, feeling the warmth of his daughter in his arms. His heart slowed to a resting pace. Nora patted his back gently before pulling herself from his grasp. "Frost, you need to turn back to Caitlin," Nora told the blonde. Excess's eyes were larger than usual. Her whole body tense and her chest heaving.

Frost stretched her arms above her head. "Why's that? I quite like being free." The breach behind her dissolved into nothing.

"Because it will kill Caitlin," Nora snapped.

Both Frost and Barry snapped their heads around to face Excess. "Here isn't the place," Barry instructed them, casting a wary eye around at the countless Meta prisoners pressed up against the glass. "Just listen to Excess for now please Frost," the icy hero rolled her eyes and within seconds her silvery hair had reverted to its normal toffee colour.