chapter 60

Cage wasn't hiding; he deliberately stayed away from Central City for a single reason. He understood the immense risk of hastening Snow's appearance. However, he had no choice since she was the only one who could affect Myles.

What caught him off guard was Myles suddenly finding motivation to stay alive for her sake. Cage messed up, and he couldn't undo it. He knew Myles wasn't trapped within that prison, as the TV show The 10th Doctor once said. The mind is free. Moreover, he knew that staying anywhere would likely anger Myles.

He was certain that the only reason he was still breathing was that Myles had weakened and forgave him for bringing Snow out.

Taking a deep breath, he contemplated whether he should leave the DC universe and settle elsewhere, such as MHA or Invincible.

Speaking of... Did he tell them about the primal force? oh crap.

***

Myles winced as Melanie tended to his injuries. He had three ribs broken and another three fractured, including his arms and bones. He considered himself fortunate for having slightly enhanced the host's body to peak performance.

"Your recklessness could cost us," Grodd warned. "The Flash is onto us."

"Nah, they're too occupied to look for us. Plus, they wouldn't even recognize me in the first place." Myles smiled, recalling Barry's obliviousness. "People have tunnel vision. As long as I don't stand out too much, they'll remain clueless. Besides, Shawna burned the whole thing down to the ground."

"Hmph," Grodd grumbled, acknowledging Myles' point. "So, what's the plan now?"

"I don't know. I'm running out of ideas without giving away that I'm still on the move," Myles shrugged. "What about you?"

"Grodd has some plans," the gorilla mentioned, grabbing a blueprint and placing it on the table. "This will aid our endeavors."

Myles took a moment to comprehend the blueprint. "Not bad. You're making your own cerebro," he murmured.

"What?" Grodd inquired.

"Nothing. Just a copyright strike. Anyway, it's an impressive setup you've got. Truly top-notch. But, you know, I've been thinking..."

Grodd grunted in response, clearly irritated by Myles, but he was willing to hear him out.

"What if this contraption turns your brilliant mind to mush? Ever considered that, big guy? A vegetable doesn't make for a formidable world ruler," Myles playfully remarked.

Grodd growled. Myles' implied insult offended him, for he was a genius and this maniac treated him like a child. "I've taken every precaution. Your concern is unfounded."

Undeterred, Myles leaned in, speaking in a hushed voice. "But what if it goes wrong? Instead of reigning over the world, you end up with a one-way ticket to Insanityville."

Grodd shot him a glare, his massive arms crossed in annoyance. "Enough with your hypotheticals, Myles. If you have a solution, speak up."

Myles, grinning mischievously, straightened up. "Listen, all I'm saying is, why not include an extra failsafe? A little button to prevent your brain from turning to mush. Just a small insurance policy, you know?"

Grodd considered the idea. "A failsafe, you say? It must not impede the machine's primary function, though."

Myles responded confidently, "Of course not. This contraption is a masterpiece. We don't want to compromise your greatest creation. Just a safeguard to avoid a catastrophic meltdown. We can't have you going loony now."

After a moment of deliberation, Grodd finally relented. "Very well, Myles. I will incorporate an additional failsafe mechanism. Are you satisfied?"

Myles, wearing a satisfied grin, took a step back and adopted a British accent. "Splendid, old chap. After all, what are friends for if not pointing out flaws in their world-conquering machines?"

Grodd rolled his eyes and dismissed Myles with a wave of his hand.

***

Cisco was at a loss. He didn't know where to begin. First, Joe was abducted by another weather wizard. Then, shockingly, the kidnapper met their demise through a pipe bomb. The gruesome scene was etched in Cisco's memory with its horrifying display of guts and blood that made him feel sick.

This led to the question of who was responsible. Barry's account hinted at a fight, as the witnesses had mentioned. Although they couldn't identify the killer, they did find the person who had saved Joe.

Her name was Shawna Baez.

However, nobody had any clue about her whereabouts. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. Her disappearance correlated with the time Myles took Oliver Queen hostage. This left Cisco contemplating whether Myles had assistance during that period or if it was a mere coincidence.

And then there was Snow, who alluded to something involving Dr. Wells. Cisco delved into this matter, tracing back to the time of Harrison's accident. A camera was present at the scene, but something was off about it. The model indicated it was from 2013, a time when such technology didn't exist. This raised more questions for Cisco.

Furthermore, there was footage of a confrontation between Barry, the man in yellow and Myles, catching Cisco off guard. He wondered why he hadn't considered it before. According to Barry, he had witnessed a bright ball of yellow and red light.

This meant that during Nora Allen's murder, there were two speedsters present.

Cisco needed to inform Joe about this and seek his assistance. He wasn't certain if Barry should know just yet, but he firmly believed he was onto something significant. The only concern that plagued him was Snow's insinuation regarding time travel. Could it be possible that the man who killed Nora Allen was from the future?

The unsettling feeling within Cisco persisted, despite his attempts to deny it. Regardless, he relied on Joe's help until he fully recovered, as he had to figure this out on his own.

***

Eobard let out a tired sigh, taking a break from his relentless pursuit to repair his altered past. In a twisted way, he had to acknowledge Myles' cleverness. By tampering with his own timeline, Myles managed to wield influence over Eobard without causing severe consequences. He accomplished what Eobard himself couldn't without triggering a paradox.

Yet there remained a burning curiosity within Eobard. He desperately wanted to comprehend how Myles had achieved this. The young man was undeniably doing something different.

Another sigh escaped Eobard as a realization dawned upon him. His newfound memories revealed that his life was essentially the same—only worse, but fundamentally unchanged. He still became Flash's number-one fan, created the negative speed force, and so on. "Damn it!" Eobard shouted in frustration, hurling at a nearby table.

At last, Eobard grasped how Myles had instigated such extensive alterations to his past while still arriving at the same outcome. Unlike Eobard and Barry, Myles didn't alter the ending itself, but rather the path leading to that ending. Put simply, whenever Barry and Eobard altered something, their primary objective was to change the future. However, Myles focused on modifying how the future unfolded.

In a way, Myles prolonged the journey toward reaching the fixed points in the timeline. As long as Myles didn't interfere with those critical junctures, he possessed the freedom to do as he pleased.

How could Eobard not have recognized this before?! He had employed this idea countless times against Barry, but Myles had successfully executed it!

That bastard!

***

Snow gazed at Myles' frozen body, her face reflecting conflicting emotions. Did she truly have an impact on Myles, or was he merely pretending all along? The answer always filled her with more doubt than certainty. She longed to hear him confess that he had used her as a pawn, even if it meant enduring tremendous pain. At least then, she could free herself from his web of deceit.

However...

There was also a fear deep within her. She couldn't bear the thought of discovering that her happiest moments with him were nothing more than a facade. She had been reduced to a plaything, a mere amusement in his eyes.

Inside her mind, Caitlin whispered, "You must truly love him."

A bitter chuckle escaped Snow's lips. "Isn't it obvious? I genuinely believed I knew him," she managed to utter through her restrained tears. "But it seems I've become the punchline of his jokes. I never really knew him at all."

Caitlin wished she could manifest a physical presence, just to offer a comforting embrace to Snow, the woman in pain. "I loved him so much... but it turns out it was all an illusion, wasn't it, you despicable excuse for a human being?" Snow's icy glare fixated on Myles' frozen form.

Curious, Caitlin asked, "What kind of person was he?"

"What's the point? It was all a lie," Snow replied bitterly.

"I may not have known your Myles for long, but I'm genuinely interested in learning how he treated you." Caitlin had always wanted to ask this, ever since she learned about Snow and Myles' relationship.

Wiping away her tear-stained cheeks, Snow began recounting her experiences with Myles. With each passing hour, Caitlin started to form a clearer picture of Myles' character.

"I don't know how to put this, but I don't think Myles ever lied to you," Caitlin gently declared.

"Really? What makes you say that?" Snow inquired while dabbing her runny nose with a handkerchief.

"Because Myles was waiting for you." Seeing Snow's confusion, Caitlin proceeded to share her own past encounters with Myles. "When Myles was in a calm state, he behaved in a way that was oddly familiar, as if he knew me personally and expected a specific reaction."

A bitter smile crossed Snow's face. "So it was my own doing. I asked him to find me; maybe I should have requested something different?"

Caitlin silently agreed but refused to place blame on Snow. If Myles wasn't consumed by madness, he was truly a kind person, reminiscent of a blend between Robbie and Barry.

Which just made it more sad when she realized just how tragic their love was.