Chapter 11: The Bomb III

Chapter 11: The Bomb III

Myles continued to zoom around the room, his movements almost too fast for Bette to follow. He was humming a jolly tune as he set up a makeshift bed for her, made sure there were enough blankets, and stocked the mini-fridge with her favorite drinks and snacks.

Bette watched him in fascination, amused by how Myles could be so hyperactive and yet still manage to get everything done. But as she turned on the TV, her mood soured as she saw the news report. The headline read "Meta-human Terrorizes Central City," and there was a clear image of her face on the screen.

Her heart sank, realizing that the military had already labeled her as a threat. She looked at Myles, gesturing towards the TV as she explained her fears.

"Myles, what are we going to do?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. "The military is after me, and now everyone in Central City thinks I'm some kind of monster."

Myles stopped his frenzied movements and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen to me, Bette," he said, his voice firm but reassuring. "We'll figure this out. You're not a monster, and I won't let anyone treat you like one. We'll find a way to clear your name and get you out of this mess."

Bette looked up at him, grateful for his words of encouragement. She knew Myles was right; they couldn't give up now. But the fear and uncertainty lingered in the back of her mind, and she wondered if they would ever be able to outrun the military and the stigma of being a meta-human.

Myles could sense her doubts, and he squeezed her shoulder gently.

"Hey, don't worry about it now," he said, flashing her a bright smile. "Let's just focus on getting you some rest and figuring out our next move. Everything will be okay, I promise."

---

Team Flash was seated in the lab as they tried to figure out how to contact Myles without alerting General Eiling. Cisco had just suggested that Caitlin should go with Barry to the last place she saw Myles.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Caitlin said, shaking her head. "Eiling already knows I was with Myles. If I show up with the Flash, he'll know something's up."

"Okay, then, what do we do?" Cisco asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"I don't know," Caitlin admitted, frustration creeping into her voice. "Myles has never given me a way to contact him. He always just shows up when he wants to."

Barry tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought. "Wait, what about the alley where he dropped you off?" he suggested. "Maybe he left something there that could give us a clue."

Caitlin's eyes widened as she realized Barry was onto something. "That's it! He always leaves things behind. Maybe he left something for us to find him."

"Then it's settled," Eobard/Wells declared. "Caitlin and Barry will go to the alley and look for any clues."

Caitlin and Barry nodded in agreement before quickly getting up and heading out of the lab. The tension in the room had been palpable, but now that they had a plan, there was a sense of purpose and determination among the team.

Barry and Caitlin walk through the dirty alley, scanning their surroundings for any sign of Myles or his hideout. The stench of garbage and urine fills their noses, and Caitlin can't help but gag at the overwhelming smell. Barry covers his nose with his hand, but it does little to mask the odor.

"Ugh, this is disgusting," Caitlin mutters, holding her breath.

"I know, but we have to find Myles," Barry replies, scanning the area.

Suddenly, a homeless man approaches them, holding out a crumpled piece of paper. "You're looking for Myles, right?" he asks, his voice rough and hoarse.

Barry takes the paper, and upon opening it, realizes it's a letter from Myles. "How did you get this?" he asks the man.

"I'm a friend of Myles. He helps us out sometimes," the man answers, before shuffling away.

Caitlin leans over Barry's shoulder to read the letter. "It says we can contact him with a pager," she says, pointing to a set of instructions at the bottom of the page.

"Okay, let's give it a try," Barry says, taking out his own pager and following Myles' instructions. Within moments, the pager buzzes with a response.

"Looks like it worked," Caitlin says, nodding toward the pager.

Barry grins. "Alright, let's go meet Myles." With renewed energy, the two speed off toward Myles' hideout, leaving the foul-smelling alley behind them.

Myles arrived back at his hideout and found Bette sitting on the couch, still watching the news with a look of concern on her face. "Hey Bette, I'm meeting up with Caitlin," he said as he made his way to the fridge. "I've got some food in here for you if you're hungry."

Bette nodded and thanked him, grateful for the distraction from the news. Myles quickly changed into his costume before leaving, reminding Bette to lock the doors behind him.

As he made his way to the meeting area he had given Barry and Caitlin, Myles couldn't help but feel a little anxious. He had worked hard to keep his identity a secret, and meeting up with the Flash and his team was a risky move.

Upon arriving, Myles decided to play a little prank on Barry and Caitlin by sneaking up on them and yelling "boo!" causing both of them to jump in surprise.

After the initial shock had worn off, Barry got straight to the point. "We figured out why they're after Bette. Their weaponizing her." he said, his expression serious. "We haven't figured out how to deal with General Eiling, and we need to find a way to stop him from weaponizing Bette."

Myles looked at Barry and asked, "So, what gave you the idea that I have one?" Barry shrugged and said, "You're the only one with crazy ideas that might scare off the General." Myles let out a chuckle and replied, "You're not wrong, I do have one idea, but I don't think you're going to like it."

Barry looked at Myles, raising an eyebrow. "What is it?" he asked, curious yet hesitant.

Myles grinned mischievously. "We dress up as clowns and pretend to be part of a traveling circus," he said with a laugh.

Barry looked at him incredulously. "Are you serious?" he asked, not sure if Myles was joking or not.

Myles let out a boisterous laugh. "No, no, I'm kidding," he said, still chuckling. "But hey, if you're ever up for it, I'm game."

Barry and Caitlin stare blankly at him before Myles tells them about the plan. Neither of them liked it.

---

Myles quietly slips back into his hideout, careful not to wake Bette who is sound asleep on the couch. He moves silently around the room, turning off all the lights and locking the doors before heading to the bedroom.

He grabs a blanket from the closet and gently covers Bette with it, making sure she's warm and comfortable. He then takes a seat in a nearby chair and begins to think about their next move.

As the night wears on, Myles' mind starts working on more backup plans, taking into consideration all possible scenarios that could happen. He knows that Eiling won't stop until he gets his hands on Bette, and Myles is determined to keep her safe no matter what.

Finally, exhaustion takes over and Myles falls asleep in the chair, his mind still racing with ideas and plans.

The next morning, Myles wakes up to the sound of sizzling coming from the kitchen. He rubs his eyes and stretches before heading to the kitchen to see Bette cooking breakfast.

"Good morning," Myles greets her with a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

Bette turns around and smiles back at him. "Yeah, I did. Thanks for everything, Myles. I really appreciate it."

Myles nods and takes a seat at the table. "No problem. So, what's for breakfast?"

"Just some eggs and toast," Bette replies as she sets the plates down on the table. "It's not much, but it's something."

Myles takes a bite of the eggs and nods in approval. "This is great. You're a good cook, Bette."

Bette blushes a bit at the compliment. "Thanks. I learned from my grandma."

Myles smiles at her. "Well, it's good to have some skills. You never know when you might need them."

Bette nods in agreement before asking, "So, what's the plan now?"

Myles knew he had to start planning their next move. He went over to Bette and sat down next to her on the couch.

"Bette," he began, "I need your help to make General Eiling back off. But I want you to know that it's entirely up to you. You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

Bette listened intently, unsure of what he was asking of her. "What do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

Myles explained his plan to her, knowing that it was risky and dangerous. He told her that they needed to convince General Eiling that Bette was too dangerous to be used as a weapon. They would have to make him think that she was out of control and uncontrollable, but in order to do that, they would need her to use her powers in a destructive way.

"I need you to use your powers to create a diversion," Myles said, leaning forward. "Something big and flashy that'll make Eiling think twice about coming after you."

Bette considered this for a moment. "And if I don't want to do it?"

Myles shrugged. "Then I can't make you. It's your choice, Bette. But just remember, if we don't do something soon, Eiling will keep coming after you."

Bette nodded, turning off the stove and serving up the breakfast. "Can I have some time to think it over?"

"Of course," Myles said, standing up from the table. "I know this is a big decision, and I don't want to pressure you into anything." As he was about to leave, Bette stops him.

"Can I ask you something?" she says, hesitantly.

"Sure thing," Myles replies, pausing his packing to face her.

"Why are you doing all of this? Helping me, I mean," Bette asks, looking genuinely curious.

Myles smiles. "Because you need my help, and I happen to be really good at what I do," he says, half-jokingly.

Bette raises an eyebrow. "And what do you do exactly?"

"I'm a thief," Myles says simply. "I steal things for a living."

Bette looks surprised, but also intrigued. "So why are you helping me instead of, I don't know, robbing a bank or something?"

Myles shrugs. "I am actually stealing things. I'm stealing the general's hand grenade."

Bette chuckles. "I guess that makes sense."

Myles grins. "Glad you think so. Now, I've got to go meet up with the Flash and the gang. But remember, take all the time you need to make your decision. I'll be here when you're ready."

Myles pats her on the back as he zoomed out of the hideout.

Bette sat alone in the kitchen, deep in thought. She knew that whatever decision she made would have serious consequences, but she also knew that she couldn't just sit back and do nothing. As she stirred her coffee, she tried to weigh the pros and cons of Myles' plan.

After what felt like hours of contemplation, Bette finally came to a decision. She knew that helping Myles was the right thing to do, even if it meant putting herself in danger. With a sense of determination, she stood up from the table and got ready to leave the hideout, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

By the time Myles got back after setting up the trap, Bette was already waiting at the door.

"I'm in. What do you want me to do?"