102

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"Owe you for the java, rookie." Ralph told me as we were stood by Jitters, "Can't believe I left my wallet at home."

"Don't worry about it." I mutter, putting sugars into zee's iced coffee, stirring it well before placing the top back on, picking up both hers and mine, "It could happen to anyone five times in a row. And could you please stop calling me rookie?"

"Sorry, uh old habit from when I was your superior officer." Ralph said, as we walked out of Jitters, "You know, before you got me fired, ruined my career destroyed my life. Crushed my spirit, left me alone - without a friend in the world."

"Don't forget how I turned you into an amorphous, stretchy blob." I sip my coffee, the warm liquid slipping down my throat as we turned the corner.

"Actually, that's the one good thing you've done for me." Ralph admits, "Course, you didn't do it on purpose, so you don't get credit."

"Both of you, hand over your cash, now!" A man shouts from behind us, causing us both to halt and then, a smile and laugh coming from me as I pointed at him, this being the same man that tried to rob me when I first got my speed, "Hey."

"Uh, pardon us, okay? One second." Ralph told him, as we turn back around.

"Okay, this is perfect." I told him, "I've been teaching you, right? Muggers are like Superhero 101."

"Ooh, Ralphy like-y." Ralph says.

"All right, what's your plan?" I question.

"Okay, I was thinking about this in the shower this morning: how sweet would it be to turn into a giant slingshot?" Ralph looks at me.

"That's a weird plan, but okay." I shrug.

"Oh, I got an even cooler idea-" Ralph began.

"Hey! I'm still robbing you guys!" The man from behind us cuts him off.

"We will be right with you, sir! Please!" Ralph says to him, before turning back to me, "Okay, what if I did, like, a human Slinky thing? Maybe wrap him up, throw in a few on-theme puns?"

"Whatever, Ralph." I roll my eyes, "We just gotta- hurry up a little bit."

"Relax, rookie." Ralph exclaims, "I've seen a lot of thugs. This guy is no shooter."

As if on cue, the man shoots Ralph, Ralph's skin creaking and stretching, shooting the bullet right back at the man, as he lets out a wail in pain, falling onto the ground, "My leg!"

"Well. Our work here is done." Ralph turns to walk away.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing? We can't just leave." I stop him, "You just shot him."

"I didn't shoot him. He shot him." Ralph defends himself, "Do you feel like I shot you?"

The man shot him again after the question, the bullet coming right back at him, shooting into him again, as he wails again, shouting.

"Stop shooting him!" I shout at Ralph.

"I am not shooting him!" He shouts right back.

"Oh, they shot my ass!" The man wailed.

"Okay, so he's a little banged up, but we caught the bad guy. Isn't that what superheroes do?" Ralph questions.

"No, a superhero's first job is to protect people." I told him.

"Oh, God." Ralph scoffs, "What's the second job? Long-winded lectures before noon?"

"I barely- take this." I hand him both coffees I was holding, scoffing, walking over to the man, "One day, I'm gonna throw a lightning bolt so far up- I'm taking him to the hospital!" I look at him, looking my palm up, "And you owe me five coffees."

"It's fine. I know. Come on, get up." I told the man, pulling him up, "I'm not gonna hurt you. This way, come on."

-

[ zee's pov ]

"Ouch." Barry spoke as he walked into the cortex, with me on his back, wearing his jacket I had stolen right when he walked in and took it off over the olive green t shirt I had tucked into a pair of blue ripped jeans. Barry held onto my legs so I didn't fall, as I had my arms loosely wrapped around his neck, sipping the coffee he had brought me, "All-nighter, huh?"

"I haven't been this tired since Killer Frost decided to go to Burning Man." Caitlin sipped her coffee.

"Yeah? Well, how is our search for the mysterious Devoe coming?" Barry asks.

"Allen, we're searching for an evil mastermind. The only clue we have to go on is his name, of which there's literally thousands, so how's the search going? It's-" Harry throws something at the wall, the tool clattering against it, "Fantastic."

Cisco giggles, "I missed that."

"Maybe he's old." I suggest dumbfounded, my mind not fully awake, as I sip more of my coffee.

"Drink your coffee." Barry told me, "You'll sound smarter after you're done with it."

"Hey-" I hit his shoulder lightly, "Mean."

"I love you-" Barry kisses my cheek, then turns his head, looking back at Harry.

"If we're gonna find Devoe, we need more brain power." Harry sighs.

"Well, why didn't you say so? One master detective, ready to detect." Ralph walks in.

"I'm already here." I looked at him, sipping my coffee.

Ralph shot me a look, as Harry spoke up, "I said more brain power."

Ralph sighs, his hand resting on the keyboard, "."

The alarm starts to blare loudly, Ralph stammering as he tries to stop it, a countdown from ten happening, Harry pressing a button, silencing it, "Like I said, we need more help. Maybe I should call my friends."

"Your what?" Barry blurts out, staring at Harry, the words that came out of Barry's mouth catching all of our attention.

Harry repeats, "My friends."

"I know I haven't had all my coffee yet but-" I slip off Barry's back, clearing my throat, looking between Harry and Barry, my eyes lightly squinted with confusion, "I think he's saying friends."

"Is he saying friends?" Barry asks, looking at Caitlin.

"I think he's being sarcastic." Caitlin admits.

"No, no, no." Cisco points at Harry, "This is delirium. He's cracked from being awake all night."

"Hey, Harry, all of your friends- are in this room." Cisco snaps his fingers.

"I have other friends. You asked me to make new friends. I made new friends. It was a task." Harry sets his coffee down, "I complete tasks."

"That's so great." I let out a weak, tired laugh in happiness, "Harry Wells has friends."

"I can't wait to meet them." Caitlin smiles at him.

"Harry, you listened to me." Cisco smiles tiredly, "I'm so proud of you."

"Look, my friends are smart. They'll help us.I'll call them." Harry says, leaving the room.

"All right, well, um, in the meantime, we gotta find the rest of these bus metas." Barry crosses his arms, "Somehow they're connected to Devoe's plan."