Only Because I Need You Too

Chapter 30: Death Row

Medusa snarled violently to herself, pacing the length of the sticky floor. Only a dim yellowed light swung above them. Which cast their faces with eerie contours. The pungent smell of alcohol and bodily fluid seared the inside of her nose. Empty booths and tables were scattered around the room. The bar was abandoned with only a few shattered glasses at its base. "Stop pacing, you're giving me a headache," Pickle snapped from his seat on a booth near her. He was reclined backwards with his legs crossed, swirling a strong whiskey.

Medusa turned to him slowly, her eyes narrowed to murderous slits. "I wouldn't be pacing if you had been faster at impaling the speedy maggots. It that backstabbing snake hadn't protected them," Medusa spat, her face tinging bright red. "I knew something was off with her when she stuck the Barrys right before I could kill them." Clenching her fists she dropped into the booth opposite the Sandman. "I should have trusted myself." She hissed through clenched teeth and dropped her head into her hands.

"In this world, the only person you can trust is yourself," Pickle snorted, knocking back the rest of his whiskey.

"Now Tate is in prison. We lost the West-Allen captives and we couldn't even kill those meddling speedsters." Clenching her fists tighter, she took on an even brighter hue of red. "I always suspected Nora was Excess. I mean it makes sense. The daughter of the Flash would be the Flashes protégé. She was even around the same age." She grunted. Pickle frowned at her, leaning forwards in his seat and arching a dark brow. "But no, Tate insisted it could be someone else, that we shouldn't risk it. Then she got him killed and I found out I was right all along." Medusa inhaled deeply and stayed unnervingly still.

"So the brat is your main target?" Pickle asked with a chuckle.

Medusa's blank eyes rested on him. Pressing a smile onto her face, she nodded slowly. "Precisely." Tracing circles slowly onto the wood in front of her, she sent the Sandman a cunning smile. "But after everything that had happened with the Observer and team Flash, I think it's time I repaid my end of the bargain."

Pickle leaned forwards, the muscles in his jaw went taught. "So you will tell me who kills me in the future?" He asked, staring intently at her as though he was afraid she might vaporise when he blinked.

"Of course... that was the deal." Medusa's smile widened. Pickle cocked his head to the side, his dark eyes narrowed. "The person who kills you in the future, was Tate." A heartbeat passed before a loud bang erupted in the air around them. Pickle jolted forwards, his face was strained and red. Veins throbbed violently in his forehead and neck. "You're right Pickle." She mused, throwing a smoking handgun onto the in front of her as blood began to drip from his mouth. "The only person I can trust is myself." Wide, watery, onyx eyes held hers for a moment. The noise of dripping filled the air before Pickle finally gave up and collapsed forwards onto the table with a loud thunk.

*

Ethan fidgeted with the fluff in his back pocket. His heart thundered in his ears. Caitlin's presence beside him was the only thing keeping him rooted to his spot. They were in the pipeline, staring directly into the containment chamber. He could feel his hands going slick as two hazel eyes peered into his. Dawn wasn't smiling. Her arms were crossed over her chest and a look of inherent boredom gripped her features with a vicelike hold. "Can I help you?" Dawn cocked a brow, leaning slightly towards the glass. Ethan stopped himself retorting, he was all too aware that team Flash was listening intently to their conversation.

"Why?" Caitlin's strong voice asked. Dawn tilted her head to the side. "Why did you become the Observer? Why help Medusa?" The doctor asked, her voice unwavering. Ethan stared down at her, how she was keeping it together was beyond him. Just beneath the surface he could feel his muscles twitching to run or hide.

Dawn pursed her lips. "Let's play a game." She cleared her throat. Caitlin reeled backwards a little, "it's called: guess how many people are left alive in team Flash in my time." The mother and father traded a wary glance. Dawn's unsmiling stare scalded them. "None. The answer is none." Loui leaned back onto her heels. "Add the whole of Central City to that too and you get bonus points." A waver of emotion flickered in her face for only a moment.

"So what? You came back here to kill yourself before you killed the whole city? Why now?" Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly. His heart ached. It hurt in his chest. He knew the guilt of being a murderer, it hung limply around him every day. To imagine what it felt like to be the cause of death of thousands of people made goosebumps erupt on his skin.

"Something like that," she snorted. "I guess I just got too greedy with the number of people I wanted to save." Dawn's eyes rested on Caitlin for a moments before flicking back to Ethan. The corners of her lips twitched downwards. No criminal in their right mind would choose to attack and kill a baby protected by several powerful heroes at their peak potential. Not unless they had a valid reason.

"You still helped Medusa. You even helped her keep Iris and Nora away from Barry," Caitlin's voice had an edge. An edge he knew all too well.

A smile cracked onto Dawn's features. "Did I really?" She asked, raising both her brows. "Do you think it was just blind luck that Ethan managed to pull the one thing from me that could help you find Iris?" Caitlin's mouth opened to say something, but it remained frozen in place. Dawn's smile widened and she leaned back on her feet. "Do you think Medusa wouldn't have shot a bullet through Ethan and Barry's head if I hadn't demobilised them?" The smile fell from her face. "The best way to help you was to be right beside Medusa."

Ethan traded a glance with Caitlin. There was no doubt the girl had a point. Although her execution and practice were questionable, her heart was clearly in the right place. Loui had already gone through enough as it was. Caitlin sent him a sympathetic smile. "So how many zombies are there to deal with?" Loui raised her brows and leant against the inside of the cell.

"Zombies?" Ethan queried with a frown.

"You know, the heat draining zombies that leave three in their place?" Loui offered, a grimace etches into her features. Ethan's mind went reeling backwards. Yes, Nora had mentioned them briefly. Caitlin seemed to have catches on, her face lit up with realisation. "Great, you remember... now please tell me you have the bodies?"