Chapter 12 - A Step Closer

Central City Police, the sign read. Nathan took a look at it and went up the stairway. He paused as he saw someone familiar. "Good morning."

Iris greeted him back, giving him a polite smile. "Nathan, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I came to meet Barry." Nathan had his hands in his pockets. He pointed up at the second floor as he asked, "Is he here?"

"Yes, of course. In fact I was going to meet up with him." Iris led the newbie up the stairs. Just as they approached the door, they saw Joe West leaving the room, his mood somber.

"Hello." Nathan shook the man's hand and the man greeted him back.

Detective West looked at his daughter for a second before turning to Nathan and said, "You are a good kid, but don't trust others blindly." He patted him on the shoulder and left.

"What's up with him." Nathan watched the man leave and pointing, he asked the man's daughter.

"Oh, dad is grumpy most of the time, but it seems Barry's made him mad this time." Iris answered.

Nathan nodded and two went inside.

"Good morning, Barry" Nathan greeted the man who nodded and asked how he was feeling. The former shrugged his shoulders, saying he was feeling fine.

"And why are you looking at me like that?" Barry asked looking at the young woman who stared daggers.

"You were supposed to meet me at the jitters, to help me with scientific background for my article." Iris looked really mad. "And now I have to come up with an article topic in 24 hours or I fail the assignment."

"I am sorry..."

"I know you are sorry–"

"Guys," Nathan cut her off and two looked at him. He smiled and pointed at the door. "I don't mean to interject, should I wait outside while you sort this out."

"Oh no, no need." Iris shook her head and looked at Barry. "I just want to know what's going on with you, Barry?"

Barry was about to say something when Nathan spoke again, "I think Barry hasn't recovered fully, yet. Please give him sometime, Iris, I'm sure he will come around."

Iris sighed and seemed to be hesitating when a beep forced the trio's attention to the computer running some sort of program.

"That's impossible." Barry looked surprised as he read through the data.

Nathan moved over to take a look and saw what looked like a cell in state of mitosis. "What's impossible?"

"There was a murder last night." Barry said. "These skin cell belong to the murder, but these cells are naive. Stem cells that can replicate and become anything the body needs them to. They only come from babies."

"This means your killer is what, a newborn?" Nathan gave iris a pointed look as she joked. He shook his head and frowned.

"We will finish this talk later." Iris stepped back and said, "I'll leave you two gentlemen to themselves, while I take my leave."

Nathan said his goodbye and once Iris was gone, he looked at Barry and asked, "Meta-human?"

"Possible." Barry nodded his head. "Anyway, what brings you here?"

"Oh yes, that." Nathan scratched at his brow in thought. "Almost forgot. Actually I had this notion last time and I was hoping that you could help me understand if it works."

"What do you need?"

"Just your hand?"

Barry looked at him in silence, "Are you trying to do what you did yesterday?"

"Somewhat." Nathan shrugged and waved his arms. "But nothing like yesterday. I just want to try something that's been bugging me."

"Then why come here? You could've asked this at the S.T.A.R Labs?"

"Yeah, I could've. But, I'm just too exited and can't wait to test it out."

"Will I grow slower like yesterday, because I haven't fully recovered yet, and I might need my speed." Barry pointed at his computer that was still showing the same graphic representation of the cell.

"Oh, nothing so drastic. Just believe in me Barry."

"Alright." Barry sighed but in the end agreed to his pestering.

"Great." Nathan beamed and grasped hold of his hand. Rather than let loose like yesterday, he pulled gently. A wave much smaller than yesterday was being sucked into his body and he could feel it better.

He focused, envisioning the thin strands of energy that was leaving his body flow back. It traced the ethereal pathway and back into Barry's body.

Barry stilled. His eyes turned unfocused for a second and he looked at Nathan. "What was that?"

Nathan released his hold on the man and smiled, "Did it work? Did you feel something?"

"Yeah, it was weak but no doubt I could feel it flowing back. How did you do it?" Barry was still in doubt and looked at his hand and and then at the younger man.

Nathan grinned. "I thought of this yesterday. If I could take dark matter from someone and transfer it into something else, why not transfer it back also." He pointed at the man. "Like I did now, I took some dark matter from you and gave it to you back."

Barry nodded his head. "Well, if I had to put the feeling into words, I would say; if you took 10 units of dark matter from me, then you returned back about 3-4 units."

Nathan clasped his hands in accomplishment. Although the method had vast limitations, like he could only give the dark matter back or to others what he was loosing himself. Like now for example, he took some dark matter from Barry and what he was emitting, he instead transferred it back. This also proved a certain hypothesis of his.

"That's good, this way you can be more efficient about Siphoning." Barry smiled and suddenly he seemed to remember something and said, "You wait here, I will hand in report to the captain."

Nathan nodded and as Barry left, he took a look at the lab. Haphazardly strewn lab equipments, ranging from test tubes to centrifuge. He looked through the shelves of chemicals, all labelled and in different colors.

He didn't miss the chart board right next to the desk, displaying a well detailed map of the Central City. Nathan moved forward to examine more when Barry came back hurriedly.

"What's up, you don't look good?"

Barry had anxiety plastered on his face. "Joe's in danger." He moved to the wardrobe to open it. "He was at the Stagg industries, where a group of armed men suddenly showed up and started shooting."

"Group of men." Nathan frowned, his gaze turning to the computer and he asked, "You think this is our guy, the meta-human?"

"It's possible, and if it, then Joe is danger and I need to help." Barry moved in a flash and Nathan hated how he saw all his movements. Seeing him undressing and then dressing back was weird, at least he wore underwear. "I need to go."

"Be careful, Barry. If this guy is really a meta-human, you might find yourself in a pinch." Nathan warned just when the Speedster was ready to leave. "I will be waiting for you at the lab."

And he was gone. Nathan waited for a few moments, before he moved to the computer. He put on his gloves and started doing his speed typing, thankful that the computer processor was able to keep up with his quick response time.

He hadn't planned on this when coming today. Oh well, all is well that ends well. Nathan smiled and looked through the case file of Nora Allen's murder. It wasn't hard to find this outside, but the amount of details was certainly something that would differ.

Once done, Nathan left the place and decided get a cup of coffee first. It was still early, and he hadn't had a proper breakfast due to the urgency he felt. So, he went to jitters, got a cup of espresso.

It took him sometime but he eventually stepped into the lab, only to meet the solemn faces of the group. It was like drama here everyday, since the day Barry awoke. What was up with them?

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Nathan asked, looking around and finding them looking at him and then at Barry. He also looked at the Speedster, and found him bruised.

"Barry got beat." Cisco said from the side.

"I got my ass handed to me, because I was way over in my head." Barry said in mock indignation. His hands crossed, he asked in self-doubt. " I don't think I am cut for this job."

"Whoa, you got beat up?!" Nathan looked at him in wonder.

"That's the part that surprises you, yes I did get beat up!" Barry looked on the verge of exploding.

"No offense man, it's just you are super fast and you know can do things not possible." Nathan just shrugged and said. "Was this guy super strong?"

"He could replicate." Cisco pointed at the screen where the photo of a man named [Danton Black] who was supposedly a bio-geneticist, former employee of Stagg industries.

"Wow, that's definitely bad." Nathan looked in wonder. To be able to replicate and multiply in numbers, that was certainly a handy ability. "Was he also super strong, though? Or fast?"

"No, he was baseline human." At Cisco's reply Nathan nodded and turned to look at Barry, only to find the space empty and the man gone.

"Caitlin, see if you can get anything from the blood sample." Dr. Wells suddenly voiced. "I will be back soon."

After saying his piece the man on the wheelchair maneuvered to the door and left.

Cisco came forward and in hushed voice asked, "Is Captain Clone bad?"

"Is that what you are calling him?" Nathan looked at the man, and frowned.

"Well, I am trying to come up with something better so." Cisco shrugged and made face.

Nathan nodded and pointed at the bar of chocolate on the desk. "Is that chocolate?"

"It's a protein bar I whipped up for Barry." Cisco took the foil wrapped bar and sat behind his desk. "Given the amount of calories the man needs, this should hopefully sustain his energy consumption."

Nathan nodded and said, "Well I am sure you can come with something better, guy can multiply and all. That said, I should get work as well."

Harrison Wells didn't come back until later. Sometime after the trio heard a scream from Caitlin's lab. Nathan was fast and in a second he stood right next to the doctor, looking dumbfounded at the man before him. "What the heck is this?"

Cisco and Harrison Wells soon followed and they all shared the same question. Caitlin took a moment to get over the surprise and explained everything.

"You grew this thing?" Nathan asked in strange tone, his brows pressed together.

"And why does it have clothes?" Cisco made face and pointed at the black garb the man wore. It was one thing to clone cells and grow a body, but what of the clothes.

"Matter replication." Harrison Wells suddenly moved forward and touched the rim of his jacket. "It's possible that alongside Danton, the clothes were also affected."

Nathan wanted to call bullshit but the fact stood before his very eyes. Still he couldn't keep his curiosity from spilling. "How much did you feed this thing, for it to grow fully?"

"I put it in a vat of protein gel, and this is what came out."

To create matter from nothing wasn't possible. Only if a tremendous amount of energy was expended would it be possible to create matter. This dark matter was something of a magical energy wasn't it?

"Intriguing. Dr. Snow, do a brain scan on him, let's see why he isn't responding." Harrison Wells smiled Caitlin nodded.

The two helped moving the body and soon they understood how this thing was supposed to work. Or they thought they did, Nathan didn't know what to believe. On one hand, they used science to explain science and on the other the very science failed the science. What the frick was going on?

Apparently the motor functions were active, but the brain showed no response to stimuli. Cisco traced the dark matter readings and concluded the body acting as a sort of receiver.

They took the body out and Caitlin decided to call Barry; the man didn't seem to come at first but at her insistence he relented.

Barry soon arrived, astonishment showing on his features.

It took a few minutes but Barry soon nodded his head in understanding. All of those present had started to relax a little when the body suddenly moved. Nathan reacted, months of experience and instincts honed from a strict training with Richards, had spared the young man from being surprised.

He pressed the guy and looked at the entrance, where the detective had drawn his arm but stood motionless. Nathan was thankful that the man hadn't shot.

The body struggled but Barry was upon him. He looked at Dr. Wells and man stared back.

"The prime is moving. It's being summoned." Harrison Wells said with a dour expression. His gaze lifted to meet Barry's.

"I, I can't..." Barry stepped back after Joe cuffed the replica to the table.

"Barry, it's moving to the Stagg industries." Seeing hesitation in his face, Joe sighed. "Listen Bar, the police can't fight this, neither can I; but you know who can? It's you Barry."

Nathan watched the man motivate his son with an impassive gaze. The drama was beyond the youngster, who couldn't understand the heart of the hero. Barry Allen, the man who was the most motivated to put criminals to justice, capture meta-humans who used their power for evil. And now suddenly, he was the one with doubt.

He shook his head and focused elsewhere. By the end Barry looked motivated enough and ran to stop the guy. Nathan instead focused on the bound clone and focused.

"Looking for dark matter, Nathan?" Harrison Wells looked at him smiling.

...

Author's Note: A cliffhanger, 😱

Anyway.

There are two points I wanted to make in this chapter. One, Nathan is starting to understand Harrison Wells' plot. Apparently, in Nathan's opinion, Dr. Wells is {#£_@&@_££_@££@@£&£&&£@#_#} (read next chapter for uncensored content).

Anyway, the other point I wanted to prove was, how absurd the dark matter is, even when taken as something akin to a sci-fi energy.

Another fact to consider is Barry Allen. You realise how absurd his ability is, and yet is beaten by chumps like this, who are base human. When plot needs it, Barry can catch a boomerang flying at his back. And when it matters, he can't stop a meta-human from walking up (yes! Waking up to him) and letting her touch him. (Refer to season four for both, former with Amunet Black and later with Null)

It's absurd, but we won't be following this absurdity soon enough. The plot is already diverged so much that you might not realise it, but we are drawing infinitely near the climax.

(On the side note, if someone is going to say this and that about antimatter and the possibility of matter appearing out of nowhere. That wasn't what I was talking about here.)