Ultimate Flash #6: The Price of Heroism.

[jay]

Ultimate Flash #6

"The Price of Heroism"

________________________

Time Unknown. Location: The Speed Force.

“Again...”

Barry Allen sighed getting off of the dirt. He looked at Windrunner. The oldest of the speedsters that he meet in the dimension known as “The Speed Force” stood in front of him. Barry charged at him and swung his fist. Barry never even saw Windrunner move. Barry ended up flying about ten feet backwards onto the dirt and rolling for about another five. His head, gut, and ribs throbbed with pain. A single sweat drop went down Windrunner's forehead.

“Again...”

“How about a break for a moment.” Barry asked as he sat up. Windrunner vibrated for a moment and in his hands was a tomahawk. Barry's eyes widened.

“Your opponents will not give you the chance to catch a breath. Perhaps you need some motivation!” Windrunner threw the tomahawk. Barry, on pure instinct, vibrated through the ground below him. In a sea of dirt he started swimming through it. He shut his eyes. He listened. He could hear Windrunner's heartbeat beat once. He figured out where he was and came up swinging an uppercut. No Windrunner. A smack to the back of the head sent Barry down to the ground again.

“How did you...” Barry said turning around to face Windrunner. Windrunner just smiled.

“Now. You have had enough. If that had been a normal man you would have taken him down. Your instincts with your speed powers are finally kicking in. This is a good step on your path.” He sat down next to Barry and got into a cross legged position. “So tell me. Why did you go through the earth instead of running?”

“Well...it seemed to be the best way I could hide and then catch you off guard.”

“Interesting. Why didn't you catch the tomahawk and slam it into my head?” Barry turned to Windrunner. The older man smiled at him. Barry looked away from his mentor and sighed. “You do not want to kill do you?”

“I...I can't kill anyone. Not after all the death I've seen.”

“Death follows you Barry Allen?” Windrunner says standing up and grabbing the tomahawk. “How so?”

“When I was born into a cop family. My older brothers, my sister, and my uncle all got killed in the line of duty. When I was born...I even lost my twin brother. I. I just don't see a point in killing someone. It causes nothing but pain.”

“You speak truth beyond your years, but you will have to kill at some point in your life. The life you live with these great powers you will have to make a choice. Those choices will dictate your future and the future of others. One day you will have to kill or be killed. There is no way around that path.” Windrunner held up the tomahawk. Barry stood up and dusted himself off.

“I don't believe that there is never a just one solution to a problem.”

“Ah, your science again. Just like the other two. Blinded by theories to explain how this or that can happen. Trying to find out every single detail of their existence in numbers and letters. Truth is far more simple than that. You have the power of this place within you. What more do you need?”

Barry thought for a moment and then cleared his throat. He walked over to a stream that was near where he and Windrunner were training at. He drunk some water and then responded.

“Apparently a tether. So why aren't you out fighting bad guys anymore?” Windrunner nodded and sat down next to Barry.

“My line ended.”

“Excuse me?”

“I have no family left. Over the years as a speedster I have lived my life through the love of my family. They all died. Without a tether I came here. I've been here ever since. To leave without a tether is dangerous. You know that lesson well.”

Barry thought back to the incident with hypertime. He didn't want that to happen again. He stood up and got into a position to fight.

“Hm? Up for more punishment?” Windrunner said. He put the tomahawk to the ground and then stood perfectly still. Barry squinted his eyes for a moment and instead of lunging forward he speed up and appeared behind Windrunner. Windrunner spun around and caught Barry's fist in his hand. “You're learning...”

“Faster than you think.” Barry said. Windrunner looked down. His tomahawk was next to his gut in Barry's other hand. Windrunner smiled.

“You might show promise yet. Now, let us talk about your tethers...”

________________________

Barry sat down under a tree catching his breath as Jay Garrick stood off to the side still running in place.

“Come on kid. It can't be that tiring on you?”

“I'm a scientist...not an athlete.”

“Please. The powers will make you faster than any track runner, but what they won't do is improve you endurance. You are going to be pushing your body into overdrive. You need to have the mentality to run even when you feel you can't run.”

“Keep going even if you know you're going to fail...” Barry said getting up.

“What?”

“Something my older brother, Sam, use to say. He was Dad's favorite. My oldest brother. Dad was always working on the force so Sam was more of a father to me than Dad was. He was the only one who understood when I said I didn't want to be a cop. I was so scared to tell dad that I wanted to be a scientist instead of a cop. He told me you have to keep going even if you know you're going to fail.”

“Did you fail?”

“No, but he fell. Died the night I graduated high school. I graduated at sixteen.”

“I can see the hard part for you is the tethering more than the actual powers huh kid?”

“How did you end up here. I know you mentioned the bomb but...”

“Oh the day I stopped that bomb was the day my wife left me. Woman I had spent over sixty years with.”

“She died?”

“To me at least. She left me a “Dear Jon” letter. That day there was the nuke incident and I ran to fast. I ended up here. Poof. End of story.”

“I'm sorry to hear that.”

“I made a mistake and kept my love for just one person kid. Do yourself a favor. Eventually everyone hurts you. Just make sure you don't close off your heart to much to other people taking that person's place. You'll end up stuck here for the rest of eternity.”

“Doesn't seem so bad.” Barry says as he gets up. “Shall we go some more.”

“Sure kid. I'll even give you a bit more of a lead.”

________________________

“Johnny? Professor Chambers?” Barry asked walking into the cavern. Suddenly there was a hand around his throat. Johnny Quick looked into the eyes of Barry Allen.

“What. Do. You. Want?” He said as he released Barry. Barry choked for a moment. Johnny went back to starring at what was in the cavern. Barry walked up next to him.

“Windrunner and Jay said I should talk to you.”

“What about?”

“What this can do to me.” Johnny cut his eyes back to Barry. “This power. They said if I wanted to hear a horror story I should come talk to you.”

Johnny turns his head back and keeps starring. Barry looked at what he was starring at. It was a human figure inside of a huge black crystal.

“Whose that?”

“Savitar. He's the man who ruined my life.”

“How did he do that?”

“Savitar was one of us. A speedster, but instead of using his power for good and to help the world he decided to form a cult around himself. He decided he was to be the only speedster. There was no way to trap him. So I had to severe my tethers and bring him here.”

“You had to...”

“My wife. My kid. I had to turn away from them. I had to hate everything. All to save the world from that egotistical son of a bitch. So I sit here. Waiting for him to try and break out just so I can slam his ass back into the freeze. I've taken his speed. It's a power I've been the only one to master. He literally can't move. If he ever builds up enough energy. I take it from him.”

“That sounds horrible.”

“I don't want your pity.”

“I'm not giving you pity. You made the decision and you have to live with that. I just hope I never have to make one like that.”

Barry started to leave, and then he turned around.

“When I wake up...if you want I can tell your family you are all right at least.”

“They wouldn't care if you did.” Johnny turned to Barry. “Thanks though. You got a good heart kid, just be ready to have it shattered.”

________________________

Real time. May 28th 2013.

Barry opened his eyes. He heard the sounds of beeps and boops. Hospital equipment. How long had he been out. Had it all been some weird dream. It was night in his hospital room.

“Good. You're awake. I was worried the solution wouldn't finally kick start you out of the coma. Have to tell the R and D boys that their toy worked.”

Barry tried to find the voice. His weak muscles strained for him to move. Out of the darkness of his room he saw a figure. A black fedora, black hair, black trench coat, black pants, and black shoes were all he could make out. A black full fingered glove extended out to him.

“Allow me to introduce myself Dr. Allen. I've felt like we've known each other for months. It's a pleasure to see you finally awake. In a few moments the staff will come to check on you. You will not tell them I was here. I work for a government agency. I'm here in this city to help with the crime situation of the group known as “The Rogues”. We think they were responsible for the attack on you. Tomorrow you will meet a man. Agent Victor Sage. He works for me. You will tell him everything you know about the attack. Every little detail. We want to catch the person that did this to you.”

“Who are you?” Barry asked reaching out to the man.

"What an interesting philosophical discussion for another time. What you need to know is this. I am an agent of A.R.G.U.S., but you can call me..." The man leaned into the light. Barry could see the man had no face. No face at all. "The Question."

To be continued...