Chapter 4

I sat by the window while Caitlyn got the middle. It took ten hours to get to Mojave. When we got off the plane we got our luggage and I drove our rental car to my house. When we got there I saw Charles's truck. I went and knocked on the door. Barry and Caitlyn stood behind me. Mom opened it. "Tina!" She hugged me. "Don't you dare try to scare him away," she hissed in my ear. She let go.

I glared. "It's just like you to be in a dangerous relationship, Mother." I call her 'Mother' when I'm mad at her.

She shook her head. "Don't." Then she looked at the others. "Aren't you going to introduce your friends?"

I smirked. "I think I should do that in front of Charles, don't you?"

She glared and led the way to the kitchen. "Charles, this is Tina and her friends."

Charles turned from the fridge. "Hello, Tina."

"Now will you introduce your friends?" Mom asked politely.

I gave her a look that told her that I knew she was faking that niceness. "Barry Allan and Caitlyn Snow. Guys, this is my mother Irene and her fiancee Charles. Who was my English teacher in tenth grade."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Pole," Caitlyn said while Barry nodded in agreement.

Mom smiled. "It's nice to meet you too, Miss Snow and Mr, Allan."

I rolled my eyes. "I lead them to their rooms." I motioned for them to follow me. I led them to one. "The one next to this one is a guest room too."

"How long do you think it will take before Zoom finds out you're here?" Caitlyn asked.

I thought for a moment. "The next time Charles speaks to him."

Barry nodded. "Did your English teacher ever do anything suspicious when he was teaching you?"

I shook my head. "I'm not sure. His was the only class I didn't pay attention to much."

"Why?"

I snorted. "It was extremely boring." Then I frowned. "Huh, maybe there was something that was odd."

"What?"

"He had us read the exact same stories as we did in ninth grade. We even had that same tests. Maybe he was doing something because he never taught anything new."

Barry frowned. "Nothing?"

I nodded. "I only paid attention in my other classes because I was being taught new things."

Caitlyn frowned. "Maybe I could hack into Charles's computer. Does he still work at that school?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe I'll ask at dinner."

Barry nodded. "Yeah. Did you ever have crimes that seemed odd here?"

I nodded slowly. "Several. All of them were houses being completely frozen."

Caitlyn's eyes widened. "The whole house?"

"Yes." I pulled out my phone and looked one of the houses up. Then handed it to her. "See?" The image was a house that was painted yellow covered in blue ice.

"Wow," Caitlyn said. She scrolled. "That's a lot of houses."

"Yeah, and all the people who lived there were frozen to death."

"Do you think it could be Charles?" Barry asked.

"It's possible," I murmured.

"It is," Caitlyn agreed. "Did all these happen at night?" She handed my phone back.

"Yes. So I wouldn't have noticed if he was doing anything because during the day he did nothing."

"Tin, dinner!" Mom called.

I sighed. "Looks like it's time for the interrogation."

Barry smiled. "You're a cop. You should get used to it."

"Asshole," I muttered as I went downstairs with them behind me. I heard Barry chuckle. We all sat. I let everyone get a few bites in before I began. "So, Charles, do you still work at the school?"

Charles smiled. "I love teaching the kids."

I suppressed a snort and nodded. "Are you still teaching tenth grade? Or did they move you up?"

"Down, actually. I'm teaching ninth."

As well you should, I thought. "Why?"

He shrugged. "They said I was teaching my tenth grader's ninth-grade stuff."

"Really? I never noticed. I enjoyed your class." Barry kicked me under the table and I glanced at him. He nodded slightly to the glass Charles was holding. I looked and I could see ice crystals beginning to form.

Charles smiled. "Yes. You were always paying attention."

Obviously, he wasn't paying attention or he would have known I wasn't. But then he doesn't remember me. "Are you sure you don't remember me? It seems like you do," I teased.

He laughed. "I just needed to see you to remember." His glass exploded showering me and Caitlyn with glass and water.

Mom jumped up quickly. "Charles! Are you okay?"

I scowled. Yeah, that's who she's worried about. Not the two other people who got hit. "Caitlyn, Tin, are you alright?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, none of it cut. We're just soaked," Caitlyn answered because I was too busy scowling at Mom.

"I'm fine, Irene," Charles said. "I guess I squeezed a little too hard."

I forced my scowl off my face. "You weren't nervous about meeting me, were you?" I asked politely.

He smiled. "Nah, I just squeeze glasses too hard."

I smiled sweetly. "Does your friend Zoom know that?"

He froze and then laughed. "Oh, your mom told you, huh? Yeah, Zoom knows. He and I go to bars and usually, it's both of us who get splattered."

I chuckled. "Well, the three of us got it."

"True." His phone rang. He answered. "Hey, Zoom. We were just talking about you."

I stiffened and felt Barry grab my hand. Caitlyn grabbed the other.

"Oh, sure, I'll put you on speaker." He did. "Everyone's here. Irene's daughter too."

"Her daughter, hmm? What's her name?" Said the voice I could never forget.

"You know it," I said. "Barry is here too."

Silence then a laugh. "I see. I really can't wait for the wedding so can finally meet you, Irene."

"Oh, I know. I can't either. I wish I could move it up but I can't."

"I know."

I ground my teeth together. "Is there a reason for this, Zoom?"

"I need a reason to see your mom? She is marrying my friend."

"Do you..." I stood up. "Nevermind. Just listen, you hurt my mother and I will kill you. Got it?"

"Tina Pole!" Mom said.

Zoom laughed. "It's fine, Irene. I'll keep that in mind, Tina."

I stormed out of the room. Geez, he's not even here and yet I wanted to reach through the phone and strangle him.

"Tin, are you okay?" Barry asked.

I nodded. I was too mad to say anything.

"You aren't."

"Just pissed," I forced out.

"I know." He smiled. "You had to make sure he knew I was here, huh?"

I shrugged. "I know I shouldn't have but...I just blurted it out without meaning to."

He hugged me. "We won't let him do anything to your mother."

I nodded. "I'll do anything I can. Charles has ice so I'll use fire."

"Charles is yours."

"Good." I leaned into the hug. "I'm not sure how this wedding will turn out."

"Oh, it will come to a fight."

I laughed. "That's the only thing I do know will happen." I sighed. "I meant with my mom. She's going to see that the person she loves and the person she wants to meet are evil. She'll be crushed."

"You can always stay here after this."

I snorted and pulled back. "And let you have all the fun in Central City? I don't think so."

He chuckled. "Don't worry. There will be plenty of villains for you to fight when you get there." He looked me in the eye. "Your mom will need you after this is over. You can't leave her."

I sighed. "I know."