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“Your honor, Barry Allen is—“
Iris started before being surprisingly interrupted by a flash of lightning and a gust of wind. Somehow Barry was able to take her into Flashtime, right there in that court room.
“Wait, what?!” Music Meister shouted out from his seat, popcorn slightly falling out of his bowl. No one heard him though, as he was only spectating their lives, watching them like they were channels on cable television, rather than actually being there physically. Albeit, he could if he wanted to, as seen last year when he put Barry and Kara in a musical. Ever since then though, Barry’s and Kara’s lives have only gotten more interesting and he couldn’t help but keep watching, which led him to this moment.
‘Barry, how are you doing this?” Iris asked him.
“The question isn’t how Iris, it’s why.” He muttered to himself, annoyed and confused at the same time.
“I don’t know” Barry replied.
“Oh, come on…seriously?”As he continued watching the rest of the conversation, he was horridly shocked as Barry talked Iris out of revealing his identity to the court, and in doing so the world. “Excuse me! How could you say that?! The city needs you, Barry!” He yelled like a dad watching a sports referee call a foul on his favorite professional team.“No no no no no, he can’t do this,” he muttered to himself,
“I won’t let him.”
And just like that he was gone with a simple ‘poof’.
———
Barry was currently running late—not surprising whatsoever—but what he was running late for was…sentencing.He knew the case was over as soon as the trial began. Even after Cecile had offered him an out, he knew he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t reveal his identity, and not in a million years would he ever consider it.He had already accepted his fate, truly.So as he ran through the streets of Central City, for probably the last time in a while, he soaked in everything around him. Feeling the wind on his face, the electricity coursing through his veins, and the rush in his very bones: It felt wonderful—just like it always did when he ran. He was at peace again, despite the terrible thing he was running towards.Unfortunately, like most good things in life, it was cut short.Something—no—someone yanked him off the street as he was running. The abrupt change sent him tumbling through the empty alleyway nearby.“Heyyyyy!” Music Meister enthusiastically greeted Barry who still was picking himself off the floor, “Remember me?”Barry instantly recognized that voice. To be fair, Music Meister wasn’t exactly someone who was hard to remember. “How could I forget?” Barry asked as he slowly stood up. He then felt a pain in his side. He pulled up his shirt a little to reveal a large scrape. It wasn’t fully bleeding, but it was already turning blue and purple. Not to mention it hurt like crazy.“Ooooo” Music Meister reacted to the wound, “Sorry about that buddy, but I needed to get your attention.”“You couldn’t have gently patted my shoulder? Or called my phone? Or just waited till I wasn’t running at full speed?” “This was faster, pun intended, and I knew your hefty little speed-healing could fix any damage afterwards…see?” Music Meister said, gesturing to that same wound that was already starting to slowly heal.“Yeah, but it’ll take a lot longer than usual.”“Why?” But before Barry could respond, Music Meister stated what Barry was going to say, “Because you’re body’s still healing from the radiation you were just exposed to.”“Uh, yeah.” Barry replied a little dumbfounded before remembering that Music Meister’s abilities practically had no limitations—at least none that were known to him and his team, “So, you have my attention, what are you doing here?”“We need to talk.”“Why, do I need to learn another lesson?” Barry said jokily. Despite the fact that he was forcibly put into a musical coma because of Music Meister, and was hurt just now, he didn’t exactly feel that threatened by his presence. Music Meister may have seemed like a threat before, but if Barry learned anything from his musical journey, it’s that his heart was in the right place. He was only trying to help, even if he did use crazy tactics to express that. Not only that, but without his lesson, he and Iris wouldn’t be where they are today. So, he does kind of owe a bit of his marriage to him—in a sense.“Yes, Barry. You definitely do.”‘Oh great’ He sarcastically thought to himself. Just because he didn’t feel threatened by Music Meister, didn’t mean he wanted him to be around.“Really? Does it have anything to do with the fact that I’m about to receive a lengthy prison sentence?” He hurriedly looked down at his watch in realization, “Speaking of, I have to get back to the courthouse before they start. Can I get a raincheck?”To be honest, right now Barry didn’t have the time, patience, or even energy to deal with this right now, so he was desperately hoping Music Meister would postpone his nonsense for at least a couple days. Especially because both of them knew if Music Meister really wanted to, he could easily overpower and trap Barry in another coma dream, so that he could once again force Barry to learn another lesson. This time though, he wouldn’t have Kara with him, and even worse, he’d been watching a lot of horror movies lately. He’d absolutely hate getting stuck in one of those; he probably wouldn’t survive either. ’Science nerds never last that long’ He shivered a bit as he thought about it.“No, we have to do this now Barry, before your sentencing…You have to tell them you’re the Flash!”“Whoa, keep your voice down.” Barry said as he quickly walked over to him, hoping the closer proximity would quiet him down a bit, “Secret identities are supposed to stay secret.”“Well, not this time.”“I can’t tell everyone my secret. I’d never be able to live something like that down. No matter where I went, my family and I would never live a safe or normal life again.”Music Meister huffed a small laugh.“What’s so funny?”“Your priorities are so out of whack. The city needs you, Barry. You should know that by now and you can’t protect it from Iron Heights.”“I don’t have to, I have my team to cover for me.”“You expect Vibe and Killer Frost to keep everyone safe?”“More or less, and there are other heroes.”“Wait, don’t tell me. You think your new recruit—the stretchy guy—can fill your shoes?”He apparently took Barry’s sigh as a yes, “You do, don’t you?”“He just needs time to grow into himself.”Music Meister was outwardly laughing now, so loud that it almost tested Barry’s patience and ability to stay calm. Who was he to doubt Barry’s team anyway? They’ve been there for him through thick and thin, they have hearts of gold, and according to Barry, they could protect he city even better than he could.“I trust that my team can defend this city”“Oh really? Maybe with Wally there, but he’s way out in Cambodia isn’t he?”If it wasn’t for Barry’s newfound maturity and self-peace from his stay in the speed force, he would’ve challenged him right then and there in the name of his friends, his family. Instead though, he reminded himself of how quickly Music Meister could beat him in a fight and decided to prioritize getting rid of him rather than fighting him. And the only way to do that was to convince him that Barry didn’t need whatever lesson he had planned. “They can handle it, at least until they find a way to legally get me out of prison.”“You know, Central City used to uphold this golden standard. It was full of joy and sunshine. Of course there were still robbers, muggers, and other criminals, but it was still deemed one of the safest cities in the state due to its brilliant police force,” Music Meister said as he practically paced around Barry, who was still holding his side as it painfully healed. “All of that changed after the particle accelerator went off. There was a spike in unsolved cases, suspicious deaths, and unexplainable situations, but you already knew that didn’t you. What you don’t know is that during the 9 months you were in a coma, the city went through hell and trust me, it was bad.”“So? What’s your point?” Barry asked, trying to speed things along. (Pun not intended)“Ever since the Flash showed up, the city has been rejuvenated and filled with hope and a sense of security. People could finally go back to living their lives even with meta-humans around. It was a glorious time…but then you left. Poof! Into the speed force and the city was once more left to suffer.”Barry looked down, away from his eyes. He knew that leaving was the right thing to do—the only thing he could do—but that didn’t make it any less difficult, or easier to accept for that matter.“Your city was a mess, even with your team on the case, only proving that this city will always need the Flash to protect them. Not his team. Sure, they could eventually get you out of prison—maybe—but how long would that take? It sure as hell didn’t take very long for the city to delve into chaos, so the question is: Do you truly believe, with the amount of evidence against you in this case, that your team could get you out in time to save the city from itself?…I know I don’t.”Barry trusted his team wholeheartedly, but knew that logically Music Meister was right.
That was the problem.
Because he wasn’t human, Music Meister had a hard time being empathetic, which is why instead of just talking it out or something like that last year, he immediately resorted to trapping Barry in a musical with Kara to fix their problems, completely disregarding their consent because it was faster that way. Forcing them to confront their relationship issues would logically fix them, but being stuck, away from your friends and family, some place without your powers, where you could also die, emotionally adds new ones. In the same way, logically revealing his identity would remove a big chunk of Barry’s current problems, but what Music Meister failed to see is that it would also emotionally add a whole bunch of new ones.“Believe it or not, I love this city. Reveal your identity and all your problems go away, Barry. It’s that simple.”This type of ‘the ends justify the means’ mentality was dangerous and Barry knew he had to get Music Meister to understand.“In this line of work, nothing is ever that simple. Outing myself would mean that I’d never have a normal or safe life again. I wouldn’t be able to do anything without being judged or stalked, or even attacked.”“You’re the fastest man alive: a superhero who fights crime. I wouldn’t think normalcy or safety is in the cards for you.”“Yeah and what about my family? Don’t they deserve normal lives? It’s not just me who has to endure the backlash, all of them, and anyone else who’s ever been close to me, or even known me, would have that target on their backs.”“I know that. And I also know that you don’t think I understand emotions and that I struggle with empathy.” Music Meister said, tone accusatory and much more serious than before.‘Can he read minds?’ Barry quickly thought.“Hey, look I didn’t mean—“ Barry started before being interrupted.“I know what you meant Barry but you’re wrong. I may not have a family or friends, but I understand this universe way better than anyone else, which is why you have to listen to me.”“But how could I knowingly do that to them, do that to myself?”“The pros outweigh the cons, substantially. Tell the world you’re the Flash, Barry. It’s for the best.”Before Barry could react, let alone respond, he was back in the courtroom. He looked around to find that Music Meister had disappeared from sight and Cecile was already asking him if he wanted to testify one last time.Without hesitation, he shook his head no.“The defense rests your honor.” Cecile stated and much to Music Meister’s disdain, Barry’s fate was sealed as the court announced him guilty and sentenced him to life in prison.“I’ll show you, Barry Allen.” Music Meister swore under his breath from the back corner of the courtroom and from then on, Barry developed a slight dreading feeling that Music Meister wouldn’t let it end like this.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Barry had spent the last few weeks—judging by the new lengths of his facial hair—in a quaint little cell in Iron Heights, his father’s cell in fact. Prison really wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. Or maybe that was just him looking on the bright side? All he knew is that, in prison, he could easily win every card game. In prison, they had delicious pudding cups. In prison, the weight of the world was off his shoulders. Maybe it’s wrong for him to feel like this, but in prison, there were significantly less complications, no super-powered bad guys to fight or brainiacs to outsmart. No inter-dimensional beings trying to teach you a lesson or people counting on you all the time. Of course there were some issues, but he had a simple routine he’d follow everyday and even though he lived in a prison cell, he’d never felt more free. He was surprisingly happy.So happy that by the time everything came crashing down, he’d pretty much forgotten about the whole Music Meister encounter.Unfortunately for him, he was poofed out of his cell one night into a dark room.“What the?…” he muttered under his breath.He was currently sitting in a chair, contrasting to the floor where he was previously about to devour another delicious pudding cup.It could just be his tired eyes—from running all the way to China to drop off Big Sir—failing to adjust, but he couldn’t see anything in the darkness. He tried to stand up, but was prevented by several somethings pulling against him. In that moment, he recognized that his speed was gone, sending a sprinkle of fear through him but not enough to fully shake him.He fought against those somethings, but couldn’t push through. Instead, he felt painful sensations.He felt nothing too painful around his ankles as his long socks protected them, but his wrists felt like they were being burned as they rubbed against those somethings.
‘Wait a minute…rope burns.’
That was it.This time panic sprinkled through him.He could properly feel the rope now, digging into his skin and without his speed healing he thought,
’Thats definitely gonna bruise.’
He currently had both of his wrists tied to the armrests, and his ankles to the legs of the chair.
‘Just great.’
He struggled a bit more, but made no progress in freeing himself, so he resorted to trying to assess his dark surroundings. “Hello?…Anyone there?” He asked into the quiet darkness.His eyes were still adjusting so he couldn’t really see what was around him or anyone around him, but what he did notice was a faint blue light coming from below him.‘What is that?’ He thought.He moved his ankles around in the rope that secured them, only to feel something slightly heavy on his left foot. ‘Whatever it is, it’s not good.’ He decided.He started banging it against the sturdy wood of the chair, hoping to—at the least—damage it. He couldn’t exactly tell if it was working as he couldn’t see in the dark, and the loud noises coming from his banging only made him that more anxious about the whole situation. “I see you found the meta-dampener.” A low voice suddenly rang through the room, almost with an eerie echo.‘Oh come on’ he groaned in annoyance.“Hello, Barry Allen.” The voice said sinister and serious, “Welcome to the beginning…of your end.Barry knew exactly who it was before the lights abruptly came on, attacking his retinas. His sense of dread came back instantly as he recognized that voice.As Barry’s eyes blinked and squinted, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness, Music Meister broke out into laughter, “Nah, I’m kidding. I’ve always wanted to do that you know, the whole villain entrance thing.”Barry only responded through an annoyed sigh. He was just as annoyed as he was confused.“Seriously? What are we doing here?!”He was in a fairly small, gray room. There were no windows and single door, which for some reason felt out of place.“Come on, Barry. Did you really think this was over?”“No, but I at least thought you wouldn’t resort to kidnapping!” Barry shouted at him not in anger, but frustration.In that moment, Barry knew 5 things.1) Music Meister wouldn’t hurt him—at least not intentionally—so he wasn’t in any immediate danger, his identity however, definitely was.2) He probably wouldn’t be able to convince Music Meister that not revealing his identity was the best option. He already tried that and look where it eventually got him.3) He couldn’t just give in and do what Music Meister wanted either. His identity was the most important secret he had.4) Fighting his way out was out of the equation as we all know how that’ll end: another poof back to square 1. ‘It’s not like I can move, let alone fight anyways.’ He thought bitterly.5) If he did manage to escape, Music Meister could find him anywhere. There was no running or hiding away.So how would he get out of this one? There was only one option. Although it was only half-baked at best, it was the only thing he got: Send a message. If he could get a message out to Team Flash, they could help him. They’ve put Music Meister in the pipeline once before while Barry was in the musical, and Barry trusted that they can do it again.‘Crap, the pipeline can’t hold him…’ He remembered.Music Meister was an impossible challenge and right about now Barry was regretting not doing more to find out about his origins and powers.
‘…I’ll burn that bridge when I get there’
“For your information, I just saved you from the meta-human wing of Iron Heights.”“I wasn’t in the meta-wing.”“Not yet you weren’t.”“What do you mean?”“Guess you didn’t know that Warden Wolfe had a camera installed next to your cell after all that drama with the other prisoners. He found out that you were the Flash.”“He knows?”“Yep. Not only does he know, but he was about to make bank because of it. He put something in that pudding you were about to devour and was going to transfer you to the meta-human wing, where Amunet would’ve bought, and then sold you to the highest bidder.” Barry was in shock, almost unbelieving in what he was being told,“Wolfe’s crooked?” Barry finally got out.“Yep, but that’s not why you’re here. Well, it is why you’re here now rather than later—“Then Barry realized,“Wait, I had two pudding cups. The lunch lady gave me an extra. I ate one and was about to eat the other before you took me…”So, that’s why he felt so tired.
‘Shit’
Although he knew that fundamentally Music Meister wasn’t a bad guy, he really didn’t want to be unconscious around him.“Yikes, you’ll probably be feeling that soon,” Music Meister laughed, “At least now I don’t have to worry about you escaping tonight, though I doubt you could without your speed…Anyways, you’re here because I want your confession.”“How many times do I have to say it? I refuse to reveal my identity.”“Yeah, and you don’t have to. I will, tomorrow morning at the CCPD press conference.”A freezing shiver made its way throughout his entire body. Though he wasn’t sure if it was due to the fear of his identity being exposed to a room full of reporters or the drugs from the pudding cup. Either way,
‘Not good, not good, not good.’
Whatever he had to do, it was clear he had to do it tonight, before he passed out—which felt more and more impossible as his eyes started to feel heavy.“With a confession, the people are significantly more likely to rally behind you to pressure the court in case you’re still somehow found guilty. You’d also have a more positive reputation among the city for being honest rather than being outed. It’s a win-win.”“Not for me,” Barry said as he started struggling again, the indignation slowly rising within him, keeping him awake, “And not for my family.”“I truly am sorry about this Barry, but it’s for the best.”“Is it?”“Just stay here, safe out of Wolfe’s grasp and then I’ll take you to the press conference tomorrow, where all your problems will disappear.” Music Meister wiggled his fingers to form jazz hands as he said it. He then turned to walk away but was stopped by Barry’s question,“And the lesson is?… What, self-sacrifice?”“No. Priorities, Barry. Both your options involve self-sacrifice in some way, but you need to prioritize between your wants and needs because they have an attachment to the city's well-being. And right now, your needs of getting out of prison must be put above your wants to have a safe, normal life for yourself and family so that this city can be ready for future challenges.”Once again, before Barry could react, let alone reply, Music Meister was gone with the wind and Barry was left to his thoughts.He had to f o c u s, to fight the effects of the d r u g s. Un for tu na te ly, his brain was l e t t i n g go—without his consent.And before he knew it, he was out cold.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
He woke up slowly, his eyes adjusting to the newfound brightness. He was in the same room as before, but the door had somehow disappeared and was replaced with a small clock.It was currently 9:14 am.Working at CCPD, he knew that press conferences worked in intervals. If Music Meister didn’t show up in the next minute, then Barry’s identity would probably be safe.‘At least until 9:30‘ He shivered a bit at the thought, panic creeping its way into his mind, but he fought it off. It wasn’t over yet.He got to work struggling against his restraints.Each move only hurt more though as the rope dug into his wrists. Nevertheless, he persisted. If it meant he had a chance of getting out and protecting his identity—even delaying the reveal—he would fight till his hands were purple.He was glad he woke up before the conference. Music Miester didn’t specify what time it’d be, but Barry felt like he was out of time, which is why after several minutes of failure, he decided he should try a different technique.Maybe if he focused on trying to break the dampener, he could get his speed back. He didn’t have that much wiggle room, but he did what he could to add pressure.Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t enough.He was losing hope until finally the blue light coming from the dampener finally turned off.‘It worked?!’ He thought.He wasted no time phasing himself free, but surprisingly the dampener wouldn’t come off. He tried and tried again, but no matter how much he tried to phase it off, the dampener wouldn’t budge. It was definitely strange, but he didn’t really have time to worry over it. He didn’t have much time before 9:30 rolled around.He had to get out and somehow smooth over his “breakout” from Iron Heights with the court.‘Is it really a breakout if you were kidnapped?’Without a door or any other clear way out, Barry tried to phase through the wall closest to him, but halfway through, he was pushed back. When he touched the wall nothing happened, but when he tried to go through it, it’d shock him.It was almost as if the barrier was in the wall, rather than being the wall itself. He tried again with the others walls, just to get the same result.
He then tried to break or at least crack the wall by repeatedly punching it at super speed.
All he succeeded in doing though, was bloodying his knuckles.
After taking a second to battle the pain exploding from his hands, he thought,’Maybe I could short-circuit it?’He ran around the room a couple times, gathering the energy to throw a lightning bolt. It bounced back and directly hit him, slamming him into the wall behind him.He slowly and weakly got up, trying not to collapse.It wasn’t the first time Barry had been hit by lightning—obviously—but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt like hell.Unfortunately for him, as his speed healing started to kick in, that too was ripped from him as the dampener suddenly turned back on.“Damn it!” He said to himself in frustration.
Barry was no closer to getting out. Instead he had bruises and blood covering his wrists and hands and that burning hot feeling of electrified veins.
He threw the chair at the wall, breaking it. He grabbed a sharp piece of broken chair and starting aggressively attacking his dampener.He missed a couple times, hitting around his ankle, but he ignored the pain in this desperate attempt to free himself.With the amount of self-inflicted pain and injuries he’d already given himself in pursuit of escaping, what was one more?After a couple of minutes he gave up on that plan as blood started to cover up his ankle and the chair piece.It was probably for the best for to stop. Even if he could get the dampener off, he wouldn’t be able to run if he messed up his ankle too much. He lay the back of his head against the wall, desperately trying to come up with something, anything.He then closed his eyes defeated, trying to focus on his panicked breathing. How could he ever stop someone as powerful as Music Meister, whose abilities weren’t just beyond this Barry’s, but beyond the very reality Barry lived in.His identity was done for and no matter how much he tried to find a positive spin or deny it, he knew it was over.
Suddenly, he heard a lock unclick.He opened his eyes to see that the door had somehow poofed back into the room.He slowly got up, trying to preserve his energy, and cautiously heading towards it.Every cell in his body was telling him that he shouldn’t open it, let alone go through it. It could easily be a trap, but what else could he do?He was out of options.He twisted the knob and slowly opened the door. The doorway was lit up by some bright white light, making it difficult to see what was on the other side. Weighing his options, Barry made the impulsive and desperate decision to walk through it.
He instantly regret it.
As soon as he made it to the other side, he was swarmed by flashing lights and shouting reporters all trying to get their story.The chaos was overwhelming.“Settle down, everyone quiet down” Music Meister calmly said, his magic carrying his voice throughout the room.That got everyone’s attention, giving Barry time—if only a little—to process what just happened to him.He was standing on a small platform stage, right in the middle of CCPD, where there were tons of reporters and photographers in front of him, forming a crowd a about a foot or two below him.As the press settled down, the officers did the opposite.“Hands in the air, Allen!” An officer shouted.Several officers pulled out their weapons and Barry complied.
As the cops approached him, handcuffs at the ready, someone in the crowd abruptly shouted,
“Mr. Allen, is it true?” “Is what true?” He responded nervously with a hint of panic.“Are you really the Flash?” Someone else replied.’Shit’ He thought.
In that split second, a rush of panic filled his entire body as it felt like the walls were caving in and the air was suffocating him.He was too late.Just like he always was.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Of course he’s the Flash!” Music Meister yelled out.The crowd erupted in gasps, not because they believed Music Meister, but instead because he then proceeded to freeze all the cops in the building. It was almost as if time stopped and Barry couldn't decided if that was a good thing—because now he wouldn't be arrested, again—or a horrible thing—because now he had now way out of this very much life-changing press conference.“Haven’t you wondered why there hasn’t been a Flash sighting in weeks?" Music Meister announced, directing the focus back to him, "Why some random CSI would suddenly kill a college professor and leave all that evidence?"Although most people would've bailed after the cops froze—a clear sign of potential danger—, there were no braver souls than journalists out for a story, which is why they let Music Meister continue, "The last Flash sighting was the day Barry Allen was sentenced to life in prison. Can’t you all see it?” As the crowd's shock was started to redirect back to curiosity, Barry understood that, more than ever, he had to do something quick, but his nightmare had come true and he couldn’t see a clear, or really any way out—that didn't include time travel at least.
'Wait, no...even if I did time travel—which would be a bad idea—there's no place on Earth, or even in this universe that Music Meister couldn't find me.'
He was stuck, in more ways than one.
Even if he denied it—assuming that Music Meister didn’t already have a plan for that scenario—the seeds of suspicion have already been planted. He's be under a microscope, which is secretly every superhero's worst fear.If his identity didn't come out now, then it surely would later down the line. The truth is that there was no way he could ever be safe or normal again.Feeling cornered and desperate and surprisingly scared, Barry’s most internal instincts kicked in and without his brain even registering, he tried to do what he did best:
Run
He tried to bolt to the elevator door, but of course he wasn’t fast enough, especially with the dampener and pain in his ankle.He was whisked away in a white poof and landed right back where he started, in more ways than one. He was tied up…again. In the same way too. His chair was center stage and Music Meister had poofed by his side, setting a hand on his shoulder.“When will you learn, Barry? You can’t run away from your problems. Metaphorically and now, literally.” Music Meister playfully whispered to him.‘No no no no no.’ were the only thoughts in Barry's brain as he thrashed around the restraints a bit, to no avail.There was no getting out this time, not without his speed. And he'd already learned the hard way that trying to escape someone as powerful as Music Meister never led to success, only pain.Eventually, Barry just settled on trying to shift his focus, so that he could push down the pain coming from his ankle. Unfortunately, when he landed in this position, the ropes ended up right on top of the wound, digging into it in the worst way possible. He just couldn't catch a break. He was so done with all this, and at this point, his identity was beyond done for.“Anyways, like I was saying,” Music Meister continued, “Barry Allen is the Flash, and he was framed for murder.”The room was instantly filled with overlapped shouting. “Wait, why should we believe you?!” Someone yelled from the crowd, silencing everyone else.“Yeah, where’s the evidence?!”“You wanna see evidence? I’ll show you evidence.” Music Meister happily replied. ‘Here it comes...’ Barry thought to himself. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew Music Meister was powerful enough to get evidence from anywhere with little effort, so he mentally braced himself for another loss. Several TVs poofed into the room, covering all corners, with the biggest one next to Barry onstage for the audience to easily access.“This is a recording of Barry using his powers...” Music Meister announced, "...recorded earlier today" he emphasized. Barry’s eyes widened as a recording of his earlier escape attempts were now being showed on all the screens.“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Barry Allen at 9:14 am and that is a meta-power dampener on his ankle. Pay close attention what happens when the light switches and it turns off.” Music Meister said, gesturing to the screen.The recording showed him phase himself free, him trying to break and phase through the walls, the unhelpful lightning throw, and even his attempt to use the broken chair piece to break the dampener.‘There was a camera in there.’ Barry thought as it all came together in the worst ways possible, ‘That’s why the dampener turned off and on again. Music Meister wanted me to use my speed.’He shouldn’t have been surprised, but here he was dumbfounded. The irony hit him the hardest though. While trying to escape and prevent the reveal, he was giving Music Meister all the proof he needed—or at least part of it as someone shouted, “How do we knew the video is real?” “Yeah, is that even him?” Someone else added.“As you can see folks,” he started as he walked over to Barry, “the power dampener is still in the same spot as the video.” He then knelt down to Barry’s ankle. He took a few seconds to wiggle the rope and adjust the dampener out from over the injury so it can be seen better, causing Barry to involuntarily yelp in pain, “And the injury he received in the video is still in place.”“That might prove he has speed, but it doesn’t prove he’s the Flash.” A familiar voice called out, stepping onto the stage.“Iris?” Barry questioned.Iris nodded in determination. He knew that she would defend him, and that gave him some much-needed comfort.“Ah, the wife.” Music Meister stated, a smile forming on his face. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t interested in what she’d try to keep Barry’s secret.“You all want to know who Barry Allen is? I’ll tell you.” She said as she walked over to him. “He is an innocent man that you abducted from Iron Heights." She accused to Music Meister. She then started untying Barry's hands as Music Meister just stood there, watching in anticipation and amusement.Noting that Music Meister wasn't trying to stop her, she continued, addressing the audience next,“Are we seriously going to believe a madman who holds people against their will? Someone who thwarts the police’s efforts to arrest a wanted man?” everyone looked around to the forgotten, but still frozen officers of the precinct, “Someone who inflicts harm on others?” She held up one of Barry’s hands, earning some sympathetic reactions from the crowd as they took in the saddening sight. “Someone who denies medical treatment to someone in need of it?” She says as she grabs Music Meister pocket handkerchief and wraps it around Barry’s bloody ankle.Iris then helped Barry up on the chair and stood proudly by her husband, giving them both sliver of hope as they knew in their hearts that as long as they were together, noting could hurt them.“Someone who—“Music Meister slowed clapped, laughing in between the silences. “Someone who tells you the truth.” he finished, “All this talk about how untrustworthy I am, well...look in the mirror honey, you're no different. All this, coming from the woman who runs the most popular Flash blog in the city. Always first to a major story regarding the Flash. One would have to wonder how? Right? So how’d you do it Iris? Are you psychic or something?…Hmm, I think I have a more plausible idea, maybe it’s because he’s your husband. You knew this whole time, Iris, and you lied, to your friends, to your fellow reporters, to everyone. It's okay though, you don't have to tell any of us the truth...that's what Barry's here for”Without another word, he sent Iris flying to the ceiling.“Barry!” She yelled as she was propelled upwards.“Here’s how it’s gonna go Barry, you use your speed to save Iris or she crashes head-first into this lovely pit of acid. I know it’s kinda cliche, but it gets the job done. You wanna save your wife, then why don't you show off those fancy powers of yours to a live and curious audience?”"Don't do this—" Barry tried to plead.“Tsk, tsk, tsk. No time to talk, Barry, better get moving.” With that, Music Meister turned off the dampener and let Iris free fall. Without difficulty, Barry speeded off and caught her by the stairs, setting her down on the balcony. “Nice save, that proves you love your wife. Now let’s prove you’re the Flash shall we?”With a poof, a pile of syringes with green liquid appeared onstage.“This drug is the only antidote to the deadly poison which everyone in this room—besides you, me, and Iris of coursse—has just been exposed to. It’s time for you to be a hero again. You have 20 seconds before they all die.”Every reporter and photograph in the crowd suddenly began to violently cough, proving that statement.“Run, Barry, Run.” He said menacingly. Music Meister was definitely enjoying this a little too much, giving Barry a sense of mortifying panic in what this could mean for the future, but he had no time to dwell on that now as he raced to give each and every person in that crowd the antidote.He worked his way from the back to front, rapidly injecting people. By the end of it, he was out of breath, sitting on the floor by the edge of the stage.“Good work, Bar—“ Music Meister was interrupted by a scream as a woman collapsed in the middle of the crowd. “Oooh, maybe I spoke too soon.” Iris ran down the stairs while Barry immediately sped over to the woman, kneeling down and checking her pulse.“Looks like you missed one. Nice try though.” Music Meister said mocking.Barry didn’t care about the crowd that surrounded him as he got up with watery eyes.“She’s dead,” he stated, heartbroken.A few stray tears came down his face,
‘I failed.’
“Are those tears, Barry? You care that much about a stranger who would no doubt publish the story that reveals your identity, ruining your life and those of your family? Only the Flash could be so empathetic. Am I right guys?”“You killed her!” Barry shouted before he sped over to Music Meister, aggressively grabbing him by his collar. All the anger and frustration Barry had built up was finally coming out and that was difficult to push back in.“Wow, slow your roll. I didn’t kill her. At least not permanently.”The crowd started to murmur as the previously pronounced dead woman started moving.“Look at her, she’s fine.” Music Meister said nonchalantly.Barry turned to see the lady being helped up by Iris, who nodded to him in acknowledgment of the lady’s now perfectly healthy condition.“The poison only temporarily stops your heart. Seriously Barry? Did you really think I would kill the only bunch of people who could properly share the knowledge of your identity?”Barry let go of him, trying to process what just happened.“So we can all agree that Barry Allen’s the Flash, yes?” Music Meister asked the audience.However, he was only met with blank stares and fearful silence.No matter how brave journalists were, everyone in that room just had a brush with death and even if it was temporary, it was still the scariest reality check known to man.Luckily, it was a reality check that Barry desperately needed.“You could’ve killed us!” Someone yelled suddenly.“Yeah!” Someone else yelled.“Don’t be so dramatic.” Music Meister replied, practically brushing it off as if he didn’t just almost commit a massacre, “It wasn’t even permanent.”“But it could’ve been.” Iris added, trying to, and successfully lighting a fire.”She’s right!””We almost died and for what?! So you can prove a point?!”What started as a couple angry one-liners evolved into a full-on riot.With a twist of events, the crowd erupted into an angry and downright bloodthirsty mob, all thoughts of Barry long forgotten.Barry sped out of their way next to Iris as the mob quickly approached Music Meister onstage.Unexpecting such a violent response—like seriously, these people are the type to buy pitchforks and burn witches at the stake—Music Meister froze them all in time, sighing at the situation. “This doesn’t mean you’re off the hook, Barry.” Music Meister said as he poofed out, unfreezing everyone—including the cops.“Woah, where’d he go?” Yelled a reporter. “He’s gone.” Iris answered.“For now.” Barry finished, knowing this was far from over. He wouldn’t let himself forget and relax like last time. He’d seen what Music Meister was capable of, physically and morally. Someone with that much power and that much disregard for peoples’ lives was clearly a danger to everyone around him. Barry would take him down, even if it was the last thing he’d do.It took a second for the cops to adjust back from being frozen. For them, no time had passed, but that obviously wasn’t true as it seemed like the escapee and crowd had switched places. After that second of lag though, the guns were right back on him.“H-hands in the air!” An officer yelled nervously. This time though, Barry had no choice but to run.This wasn’t a movie. There was no way in hell that a crowd of reporters would keep his secret. Despite the resentment they now felt for the one who revealed it, the cat was out of the bag and his identity was just too big for them to ignore.If he stayed, he’d be arrested. And with a successful escape attempt on his record, he had virtually no chance of getting his repeal approved. Not only that, but after the events that conspired today, he’d be sent to the meta-human wing, where he'd be defenseless.Then again, because everyone would know he was the Flash, the judge would most likely believe what he has to say and set him free. However, he can’t risk being defenseless in a prison filled with people he put in there, even if it was for a short time while the new repeal case was being prepared.And then there was always the possibility that the court didn't believe him even if they did know he was the Flash. All evidence was practically non-existent and even though this city has seen meta-humans and aliens, it would still be difficult for people to get on board with a body snatcher.In every scenario, he couldn’t ensure his or his family’s protection. He knew he had to physically be there to fend off anyone who might come after them. If not just for their safety, but for their peace of mind.And so he did just that. Without a second to spare, he and Iris were gone in a flash.