3 The Flash, Awakened
Hearing Elon's tale, the group was stunned.
"Could it be that the particle accelerator explosion produced unknown substances, opening a portal to your world and sucking you in?"
They were all shocked, hardly daring to believe it, for it was too much like science fiction, defying logic.
Yet, there was so much about science they didn't understand, so the possibility remained, however improbable.
"You've just awakened; rest for now. We need to discuss this. Cisco, Caitlin, come with me..."
Dr. Wells placated Elon, gesturing for Cisco and Caitlin to follow him out.
Watching them leave, Elon let out a sigh of relief. He didn't know how to face or deal with this situation, but a buffer time to clear his thoughts was welcome.
Once calm, he turned his attention to his body and discovered an unprecedented clarity in his brain, his thoughts active and unburdened, as if he had shed heavy chains and was yearning to fly.
Memories flooded his mind.
The warm feeling of suckling as a newborn...
The tactile sensation of toddling...
The panic of being sold at two or three years old...
The loneliness in the orphanage...
The warmth of meeting her...
His entire life, every action, every object he touched, every passerby he encountered, all crystal clear in his mind, as if his life was flashing before his eyes.
The deluge of memories brought a brief, dizzying headache, like a shaken soda can full of fizz, which his lively thoughts quickly sorted out.
This active and clear thinking led to a rapid self-understanding.
'It seems I've been struck by lightning and developed some kind of power.'
He pondered, glancing at his handcuffed hands.
With a slight tug, the handcuffs snapped in two.
Twisting his hand, he contorted and broke the remaining half, flinging it to the floor.
With his palms pushing against the bed, Elon sprung up.
The immense physical strength swept away his gloom, filling him with delight.
'What is my ability? Struck by lightning alongside Barry, it must be Speed Force.'
He thought with a thrill.
The Speed Force.
A force independent of the four fundamental forces.
Unparalleled speed.
Faster than the speed of light.
The speed to traverse time.
Subduing his excitement, he closed his eyes, focusing inwardly.
Gradually, he sensed an enigmatic energy in his head, seemingly connected to something distant.
His consciousness transformed into a bolt of lightning, his neural impulses into electric currents, coursing through his body.
His robust heart pumped blood, and as it circulated, he saw his organs—the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys.
Cells seemed to cheer at his inspection, conveying happy yet hungry signals.
His entire body, strong and... hungry!
Yes, he was famished.
Every cell conveyed messages of dryness, hunger, a craving to "eat."
Elon's eyes snapped open, silver lightning flickering within them.
He raised his hands above his head, fingers sparking with silver arcs. He felt he could control all the electricity in the room.
'Crackle and pop.'
Electronics short-circuited.
The smell of burning wafted through the air.
Dozens of power cables charred.
Countless currents surged towards him from above.
Mad streams of electricity coiled around his fingertips, crackling as they entered his body, greedily devoured by his cells.
A terrifying silver electric net formed above him, hissing as it flowed into Elon.
————
Outside the room, Cisco and Caitlin confirmed Elon couldn't hear them before speaking.
"This is impossible, Dr. Wells. It's very likely the lightning bolt confused him or induced hallucinations. His mind isn't clear," Caitlin suggested, her expertise in bioengineering leaning towards the idea of Elon experiencing delusions.
"Not necessarily. The dark matter from the particle accelerator explosion is beyond our understanding. It could have caused a world-crossing event. How marvelous is that? To think there might be another Earth," Cisco mused, captivated by the grand discovery, a blessing for any scientist.
"Caitlin, give Elon a thorough check-up. Cisco, perhaps we should prepare something special for our visitor from another world," Dr. Wells smiled, believing Elon's story, as he saw no difference between himself and Elon.
'Thump... thump... thump...'
The sounds from the surgery interrupted their conversation.
"NO~~NO~NO~~NONONONO!"
Hearing the noise, Cisco rushed back to the surgery, his exclamations reflecting his shock.
The smell of charring.
Sparks flying from electrical devices.
The concentrated currents above the room.
Elon, enveloped in a halo of electricity.
All this overwhelmed his senses.
"Elon, Elon..."
Dr. Wells, pushed by Caitlin, arrived, shouting.
Hearing his name, Elon snapped out of it. He had only intended to replenish his energy, not to wreak havoc with electronic malfunctions and rampant currents, forming an electric web overhead.
Seeing Elon conscious, Dr. Wells quickly instructed,
"Cisco, cut the power to surgery immediately. Elon, slowly absorb the electricity. If you can't, guide it into the ground, okay?"
Upon hearing this, Cisco dashed out to cut the power.
Within 5 seconds of the power cut, the flickering silver arcs in the room were absorbed by Elon.
Calm returned, leaving the room in disarray.
"Are you okay?" Caitlin asked.
Elon, controlling the currents within his body, saw his eyes gradually shift from silver arcs back to normal black pupils.
"OK."
He understood that much English.
"What happened? How did you start drawing electricity into your body?" Dr. Wells asked.
Before Elon could respond, Caitlin cried out in alarm.
"Barry Allen!"
Near Barry's bed, chaos reigned as well. Instruments and respirators had been ripped away during the convulsions, his body shaking wildly on the bed like an epileptic fit.
"Come help, we need to move him. The equipment here is broken, damn it, even the sedatives are useless now!"
Caitlin rushed to restrain Barry.
As Barry began convulsing, Elon felt a strange energy stirring in his head, an energy seemingly linked to Barry, urging Elon to draw closer.
What's happening? What's this in my head? Why do I feel compelled to approach Barry?
Puzzled, Elon moved closer to Barry, placing his hand on Barry's chest.
The moment he touched his chest, yellow arcs of electricity flashed across Barry's torso.
Barry's convulsions ceased, and he calmed down.
The peculiar energy in Elon's head, upon making contact with Barry's chest, flickered like electricity and then settled.
"Where am I? Who are you? Why are you touching my chest?"
Barry Allen gasped, suddenly leaping from the bed.
The Flash had awakened.
