Ch - 18 Run, Barry. Run!

When Barry and Swayam arrived at the pinged location, chaos reigned. A massive tornado twisted violently above a devastated farm, tearing through the landscape and wreaking havoc in all directions. The air was thick with debris, and the sheer force of the storm sent shivers down their spines.

As the tornado grew larger, it began attracting heavy objects. One such object, caught in the cyclone's furious rotation, was flung toward Joe and Eddie, who were leaning against a police car. Eddie lay unconscious, having been struck on the head during Clyde's earlier attack with compressed air. Joe, cradling Eddie in his arms, was powerless to react in time. Panic surged through him as he braced for impact, thinking to himself that this was the moment he would die.

Just as the object was about to collide with them, a figure appeared before them. Swayam, with a fluid motion, caught the object with his bare hands, the force of the impact absorbed with ease. He gently placed it back on the ground, a testament to his incredible strength.

Moments earlier, when Swayam and Barry arrived, they had immediately noticed Joe and Eddie's perilous situation. Barry's instinct was to rush in, but he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. "Let me help them, Barry," Swayam urged. "You need to focus on stopping Clyde."

As Swayam went to assist Joe and Eddie, Cisco's voice crackled through Barry's earpiece. "Barry, the tornado's getting closer! Wind speeds are at 200 miles per hour and rising. Can you hear me?"

Barry shouted back, "Yeah, I can hear you loud and clear!"

Cisco continued, urgency creeping into his tone, "If it keeps up, we could be looking at an F-5 tornado."

With horror, Barry turned to see the tornado's path heading straight toward the city. "It's headed for the city! How do I stop it? Guys?"

While Cisco and Caitlin fell silent, Swayam, having just helped Joe and Eddie, suggested, "What if you unravel it, Barry?"

Caitlin, skeptical, interjected, "How's Barry going to do that, Sam?"

Before Swayam could explain, Barry's eyes lit up with realization. "What Sam suggested is possible. I just have to run around it in the opposite direction and cut off its legs."

Cisco quickly calculated, his voice steady. "You'd need to clock 700 miles per hour to pull that off."

Caitlin's expression shifted to concern. "Your body may not be able to handle those speeds. You could die."

Swayam, confidence radiating from him, reassured her, "Don't worry, Cait. Barry can do it."

Barry echoed that confidence, determination fueling his resolve. "Yes, Caitlin. Have some faith in me. Just like Sam said, I can do this, and I will!" With that, he took off, sprinting clockwise around the tornado.

As Barry raced around the storm, Clyde noticed his attempt to intervene. With a malevolent grin, he conjured lightning through his atmokinesis, striking Barry and sending him tumbling away from the cyclone. Gritting his teeth, Barry got back on his feet and gazed at the tornado with a heavy heart. "I'm sorry, Sam. I don't know if I can stop it. It's too strong."

In that moment of despair, Harrison Wells's voice rang through Barry's comms, invigorating him. "You can do this, Barry. You were right. I, and my S.T.A.R. Labs, are responsible for all of this. So many people have been hurt because of me. When I looked at you, all I saw was another potential victim of my hubris. Yes, I created this madness. But you, Barry, you can stop it. Now run, Barry. Run!"

Encouraged by Wells's words, Barry felt a renewed sense of purpose. He surged forward, pushing past his limits, and with a final, desperate sprint, he slowed the tornado until it finally ceased to exist.

But the danger wasn't over. As Barry stabilized himself and caught his breath, a voice from behind cut through the chaos. "I didn't think there was anyone else like me." Clyde Mardon aimed a gun at Barry, a sinister look in his eyes.

Just as Barry was about to respond, Swayam stepped forward, his voice steady and cutting. "The world is vast, and you were just a frog at the bottom of the well."

Clyde's expression twisted with rage at the insult, and he shifted his aim to Swayam, pulling the trigger without hesitation.

Instinctively, Barry shouted, "Get out of the way!" Despite knowing Swayam was a metahuman, the human instinct to protect his friend surged within him.

Joe, witnessing the unfolding drama, recognized Swayam as the one who had just saved him and Eddie. In a moment of clarity, he drew his gun and fired at Clyde, hitting him before he could pull the trigger again. Clyde dropped dead, the threat neutralized.

As Barry rushed over to Swayam, concern etched on his face, he asked, "Are you okay? Did he hit you?"

Swayam, a bit awkwardly, reassured him, "Barry, my skin is impenetrable. Even if I were somehow injured, I'd heal automatically in no time at all. You don't have to worry about me." He nodded toward Joe. "Instead, I think you should check on Joe."

After Barry assessed Joe's condition, he turned to Swayam, who was observing the scene intently. "I think it's best if you leave, Sam. This situation could get messy, and we don't need any unnecessary trouble."

Swayam nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Alright, I'll head out." With one last look at his friend, he slipped away into the night, his thoughts racing with the events that had just unfolded. The battle was won, but he knew the fight for Central City was far from over.