Short on Time

Chapter 115

"Oh, nice table," Ralph said. "Liking the new digs.""Well, technically, they're old digs," I said. "But I guess there is an upside to remodeling after an attack," Iris said."Did you guys find anything?" Esther asked. "Well, I put out an article, but none of my readers have seen Dwyer or this new Cicada," Iris said. "I talked to Earl Cox, all my contacts nothing," Ralph added. "How long till the satellite can scan for dark matter?" I asked. "How about now?" Cisco said. "Well, if this new Cicada even has traceable dark matter," Esther started"I mean, we've seen Cicada numero deux do things that we've not seen before, right?" Sherloque asked. "Yeah, I mean, he can dampen powers, he can control the dagger just like Dwyer, but it's I don't know, it's also like... Like he could take control of us," Cisco said. "Let's hope Caitlin can figure that out at the Tannhauser site while we figure out where he is," I said and then an alarm went off. "What now?" "We got a Starchives asset in Kolins Woods," Iris said. "Starchives?" Ralph asked. "What is this?" "Well, it's a place where we house everything Flash related Prototypes, super suits I mean, everything since day one," I explained. "Okay, and the alarm is going off because..." Esther saod. "Because somebody just stole something from us," I said. "Something really, really, not good," I muttered. ~*~"What are you looking at?" Esther asked me. I glanced back at her, "I can't go help Iris and Cisco look for the missing time sphere.""Obviously not," Esther said glancing at my barely showing stomach.I rolled my eyes, "so I thought to try to figure out who the new Cicada is." "Well, they just found out something very interesting," Esther said."What?" I asked giving her a look."The time sphere isn't missing, it's from the future," Esther said."Cicada is from the future?" I questioned in surprise. "Considering that Nora and I are here, it's not really surprising," Esther said. "I just wonder which future Cicada is from.""Why?" I asked."It could be before Cicada retuns to his killing spree," Esther said. "Before he's stopped.I looked at her even more surprised, "I thought your father never caught Cicada.""He didn't," Esther said. "But somebody else did, but it was too late. It cost too much.""Who eventually stopped Cicada?" I asked."You," Esther said softly. "I did?" I asked."Cicada almost killed Henry, and you were furious," Esther explained quietly. "He killed so many metas, but you are so protective of all of us, especially after dad vanished."I was quiety for a moment before the dots finally connected, "that's how I die."Esther nodded darkly, "I'm going to find this Cicada and stop him."
"Who says it's a he?" I asked. "Somebody as heartless as Cicada, I guess I always guessed it was a guy," Esther said. I looked at Esther sharply, "but someone from the future, who cares enough about Dwyer to travel to the past to try to change the future.""Sounds familiar," Esther muttered."Nora wanted to meet us," I said."Because she loved you so much and wanted to meet her hero," Esther said."Who would emulate Dwyer so much?" I asked. "It would have to be someone who knew that Dwyer was Cicada," Esther said.I nodded, "but with recent events everyone would pretty much know." "So it would have to be someone who loves him," Esther concluded."The only people alive who would love Dwyer is-" I began."Grace," Esther said, her eyes widening. "I guess family visiting from the future is a new fad," I muttered.~*~"Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?" I asked Alice as she woke up. Nora and I were with Vickie's family while Barry, Joe, and Cecile checked on Grace. Esther decided to talk with Sherloque for some unknown reason. "What happened?" Alice asked."Your mom lied, that's what happened," was what I heard behind me.I sighed, "you're safe now." "You need to leave," Mr. Bolen told his wife, and so the argueing ensued. Nora looked back and forth between the parents in growing panic, "go get the others," I told her gently as I stood up and looked at the parents. "Let's just focus on keeping your family safe."They of course ignored me. "Vickie, I asked you to leave!" "She's my daughter." "No," Alice pipped up. "I want my dad.""Can't you see that she's terrified of you? She could've been killed!" Mr. Bolen shouted. "I was trying to protect you guys," Vickie tried. "By lying? You're a meta, Vickie!" Mr. Bolen shouted. "A human time bomb! How do you keep that from us?" "Mr. Bolen let's take a breath," Joe said gently. "Let's step outside." Vickie reached for her daughter after the guys left, but Alice just turned away from her. "Come on, she's safe right now," I told Vickie gently as I grabbed her arm and walked her out. Barry and I shared a look as we walked out, and then Vickie started crying. "I hurt her so badly.""Just give her a minute," I said gently. "And give yourself a minute, then go back and talk with her. Okay?" "But-""Family is important," I said gently. "She loves you, and you can help her understand why you kept this from her. It just takes time." "You're right," Alice said."That's what my husband tells me," I said smiling. ~*~"And that's why I didn't tell you about my powers," Vickie told Alice. "I thought it would be too hard for you, but you're tough. Tougher than I've ever been. So maybe you can be tough for me too?"I looked back as Nora walked up. "They're a good family," Barry told her. "Told you they'd figure it out.""It's what family does," I told Nora as Barry wrapped an arm around me. "Dad," Nora said. "I need to tell you something." "That's not a good face to make," I said to Nora. "Ah!" We heard Cecile cry out. "Stay here," Barry said. "What's going on?" Alice asked confused."Don't worry," I told them. The next moment the dagger came flying at us, "I take that back.""Are you okay?" Barry asked, now as the Flash as Nora joined him. "Vickie Bolen!" A voice shouted. "Give yourself over to me, or your husband dies.""This Cicada doesn't care if someone's a meta or not," Barry explained. "She'll kill anyone who stands in her way." "XS, get her out of here before Cicada tries that again," I said. "Do not slow down," Barry added. "Detective, we need to get her somewhere safe.""Mom?" Alice asked. "I'm not leaving without Alice," Vickie said. "You're the target, Mrs. Bolen," Barry said. "She's safer without you.""Trust us," I told Vickie. "Good luck," I told Nora as Vickie nodded."XS, go!" Barry ordered, and then they were gone. "Come on, now, let's go," Joe told Alice. "You need to go too," Barry said. "Please, be careful," I told Barry as I kissed him quickly. "And please go," Barry said. I didn't argue as I followed after Joe, Cecile, and Alice."Come on, sweetie, let's get you somewhere safe," I told Alice as we ran out. I stopped right outside of the hospital."Ginger," Joe warned. I turned to look at Joe desperately, and then someone was suddenly in front of me. "Listen to him," a girl said."What is with random people turning up at the worst time?" Cecile asked from behind me as Joe pulled out his gun. "Who are you?" Joe demanded."LS," the girl answered. "You take after your mother way to much," I said. The girl smiled, "I do enjoy running into trouble.""And she likes puns too," I said shaking my head as LS ran off."Who was that?" Cecile asked."My daughter," I said as we ushered Alice away from the hospital. "How many kids do you and Barry have?" Joe asked, exasperated. I thought about it, "I think when we were in Nora's memories that there were at least seven." "Seven?!" Cecile asked as we climbed into the car. "Dang girl, you been busy." ~*~"Barry," I said as I walked in with Joe and Cecile. "I'm fine," Barry said as he hugged me tightly. "I can't believe she killed Dwyer," I said in shock. "Yeah, as brutal as Dwyer was, his love for his niece always kept him from crossing certain lines," Ralph said. "Not Grace," Esther said. "No, and her powers are incredibly dangerous," Caitlin said. "I ran some tests while I was at the Tannhauser offsite Her dark matter has some sort of binding quality. It allows her to telekinetically manipulate dark matter within a certain proximity.""Including the dark matter in us?" Cisco asked."I think so," Caitlin said. "I think what makes her powers different from Dwyer's is that they came from a wound in her head. That's why she's so much stronger." "How was Nora able to see what Grace was seeing?" I asked. "Nora and Grace seem to be psychically connected," Caitlin said. "I think it's because of the time that Nora spent in Grace's brain.""And why not Esther?" Nora asked."I don't think she's been close enough to any of the events for it to happen," Caitlin shrugged. "Is there any sign of her?" I asked. "No," Esther said. "She definitely ghosted.""What about Vickie and her family?" Barry asked. "Uh, federal protection," Cecile said. "They're gonna be fine. They're getting new identities as we speak.""And somehow, we all came out of this alive," Esther said. "Way to stay positive," a voice said and we all turned around to see another red-headed girl."Lucia?!" Esther asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?" "I couldn't let you two have all of the fun," Lucia said. "Don't tell me," Cisco said as everyone stared at the girl in shock. "Another one?" Ralph asked. "One would think we taught them that they shouldn't time travel," I whispered to Iris, who just nodded in agreement. "Hi Daddy," Lucia said. "How many redheads do we have?" Barry asked."This was the speedster who helped Nora?" Iris asked. "I litterally just interviewed you for a photography gig..." "LS," Nora said. "Light Speed," Lucia explained, "and I needed to figure out what was going on." "What do you mean helped Nora?" Esther asked."While you were babysitting yourself," Ralph began and she glared at him. "It's the truth." "When Nora was trying to keep Vickie from Cicada she was slowing down, and then suddenly there was another speedster," Iris explained. "And just as quickly, that speedster also vanished," Ralph finished explaining to Esther."Lu, why did you travel back in time too?" Esther groaned. "I had to come back," Lucia said as she looked pointedly at Nora. "Lu?" Barry asked, not noticing the look between the sisters. "After Mum," Lucia said. "I don't know about anyone else, but I could use a drink," Cisco announced. "Honestly, not a bad idea," I said. "Yeah, I'm in," Caitlin said. "You want me to call a sitter?" Joe asked Cecile. "Yeah," Cecile agreed. "We need to call our sitter," I told Barry. "I feel like we need to catch up with our daughters," Barry said. "I feel like our sons are more responsible," I whispered back."I heard that," Esther muttered. "Cisco, you want to bring Kamilla?" Ralph asked. "Not for this one," Cisco said. "Nora, you coming?" Iris asked. "Nora?" I asked, at the same time Lucia said her name and gave her a pointed look. "You want to tell us something, don't you?" Cecile asked. "She wants to tell you her secret," Sherloque said as he walked in. "Right? She doesn't know where to start.""Sherloque," Esther warned. "Difficult to know where to begin when your secret threatens everything, everyone around you," Sherloque said."Sherloque, stop it," Nora ordered. Esther grabbed Sherloque's arm, "I don't think, whatever it is that you found, that this is the best way to talk about it.""Esther," Lucia said as she shook her head pointedly. "Maybe start at the beginning," Sherloque said. "It's a very good place to start. When you first time-traveled. So careful to leave the lightest footprint. Until you suddenly change course and brazenly interfere with the Thinker satellite as it crashed to Earth."I think to myself, "Nope, nope. This excessive action doesn't make sense." "Until you understand that it wasn't your idea," Esther said. "You knew?" Lucia asked."I suspected something," Esther said. "Please stop," Nora begged. "Someone instructed you to do it," Sherloque said. "Stop." "Someone whose handwriting is in your journal," Sherloque said. "Someone who wrote- "The timeline is malleable," Esther said. "Same person who's been directing you all this time, making puppets of all of us as he seeks to alter the timeline to suit his own purpose," Sherloque said. "Eobard Thawne.""The Reverse-Flash," Esther said in surprise. "Your teacher," Sherloque continued. "Your partner. Your secret." "Nora?" I asked. "Please tell us this isn't true.""She can't," Lucia said. "Dad-" Nora tried. "Because it is true," Lucia said. "That's why I came here, to try to get to the bottom of things." "Mom?" Nora asked, and the look on her face broke my heart. "I wanted to tell you. I-I tried to tell you. Dad-""Barry-" I warned, but he had already taken her away. "Dammit, Barry." "What just happened?" Lucia asked. "Just stay here," I said as I ran off. I ran to the pipeline, but stopped at the door when I heard crying. "I'm sorry I lied to you!" Nora said. "So am I," Barry answered before walking away from her. He stopped when he saw me, and I winced when I heard Nora sobbing. "I need to-" I said as I moved to walk into the pipeline, but Barry grabbed my arm. "Barry, I need to talk to her.""No," Barry said shaking his head. "Barry, please.""Not right now," Barry said pulling me to him. "I can't."~*~