Calculations

"Dr. Wells, I'm not being reckless. There are just some things I have to do, things I'm capable of doing. Just now, over a dozen lives, including children, were at stake. If I hadn't acted, they would have perished. Should they have died instead?"

Barry spoke with conviction, certain that his actions were both right and necessary.

Dr. Wells smiled gently, "Barry, just be sure to measure your capabilities."

Caitlin slammed a folder down on the computer desk, pointing at Barry with a stern voice, "Next time you wreck your body, don't expect me to always be there to patch you up."

With that, she turned and left the control room, her frustration evident.

Caitlin finally understood why Barry had been showing up with fractures and various injuries lately. He'd always excused them as a lack of control over his powers, but now she'd witnessed their covert operations firsthand.

It wasn't Barry's heroism that infuriated her; it was his disregard for his safety and not involving her. If she had been there to monitor Barry's physical condition, she could have provided immediate and appropriate treatment for his injuries. But the men's insistence on acting independently had left her feeling excluded and angry.

The men exchanged glances. Dr. Wells apologized to Barry and Elon, "Since the particle accelerator explosion, Caitlin has been deeply affected. Don't take it personally."

Barry, puzzled, furrowed his brow, "The particle accelerator explosion caused her psychological trauma?"

Cisco let out a bitter laugh, "It's best if she tells you herself. We all hope she can move past it."

Suddenly, Dr. Wells turned to Elon, "Elon, please, go check on Caitlin."

Elon, who had been comfortably observing from the sidelines, was taken aback. Why was he being dragged into this? He didn't understand comforting girls; even his girlfriend had pursued him first.

"Why me?" Elon asked, genuinely perplexed.

Cisco nudged Elon with a smile, "Lately, you and Caitlin have been getting along. She doesn't seem as cold around you."

Despite Cisco's encouragement, Elon remained unmoved. Eventually, he rolled his eyes in resignation and left the control room to follow Caitlin.

"Alright."

Although Caitlin and Elon had been conversing well, it was only about biology and Elon's physiology. The sudden shift to comforting a woman grieving her fiancé was daunting for him.

Elon found Caitlin in the surgery room, which had originally been used for studying biological particle reactions. After the particle accelerator explosion, it had become more of a makeshift operating room for Elon and Barry.

Scratching his head, Elon was at a loss for words.

Caitlin, assuming Elon had more biological queries, admired his rapid learning and innovative ideas.

"Elon, what brings you here?" she asked, her expression as unreadable as ever.

Elon decided to be direct, "Are you upset about what happened earlier? Or that we kept our actions from you?"

"No, what you guys do is none of my business," Caitlin replied coolly, her tone hiding a simmering anger that any normal man would recognize as a cue to apologize profusely.

But Elon was not a normal man.

He responded with apparent relief, "Oh, you're not angry. That's great."

Caitlin's incredulous gaze fell upon him, "Any normal man could see I'm furious. I'm beginning to question your intelligence."

Elon was silent, feeling utterly confused by the complexity of women.

Back in the control room, after Elon's departure, Dr. Wells inquired about the earlier events. Barry and Cisco recounted the entire operation, with Barry praising their teamwork and the device that made the rescue possible.

Barry held the lightning emblem, expressing his admiration for its effectiveness. Dr. Wells examined it closely, activating its biomagnetic pull and causing Cisco to stagger forward.

"Amazing," Cisco exclaimed, "I felt drawn to it without control."

Barry beamed, "Right? It's only effective within thirty meters, but it's incredibly powerful."

Dr. Wells, satisfied with the device's potential, handed it back to Barry, "Excellent work. Just remember, Barry, to act within your limits."

Barry was elated by his idol's approval and the joy of saving lives.

Once Dr. Wells was out of sight, his expression darkened. That biomagnetic device was undoubtedly designed to counter speedsters. The one Barry carried might be weak now, but it was only a prototype. Dr. Wells surmised that Elon had more powerful electromagnetic applications in the works, far beyond this initial biomagnetic tool.