Ch - 36 The Army?

The next day, Barry went to his day job as usual to fulfill his duties as a CSI, but things turned out quite unusual.

When Barry returned to S.T.A.R. Labs, he informed the team about the peculiarities of the previous night's incident. He shared all the information he had gathered so far, and while handing them the file he had managed to secure with his super speed during the confiscation of all the important case details, he informed them about the military's involvement.

Cisco, who was handed the file by Barry, inquired, "A VA file number is all the info you have on the bomber?"

Barry further explained, "C.C.P.D.'s been ordered off the case."

"Why would the Army get involved in this case though?" Caitlin asked curiously.

Barry provided more information about the person in charge of the operation. "I don't know why the Army is getting involved, but what I know is that the person leading this operation is some general named Eiling, I think."

As Barry mentioned the name Eiling, Harrison Wells, who had just entered the room, provided Eiling's full name. "General Wade Eiling."

Swayam, who had been silently listening, looked towards Harrison Wells and questioned, "Dr. Wells, do you know him?"

Harrison Wells looked at Swayam and spoke, "Yes, I know him. About ten years ago, General Wade Eiling contacted S.T.A.R. Labs to develop enhanced gene therapies for soldiers. I was interested in the potential medical benefits for civilians. General Eiling really wanted to develop mind-reading capabilities for interrogation purposes. I stopped the study when I saw his techniques up close, but our split was less than amicable."

After hearing about General Wade Eiling from Dr. Harrison Wells, Barry informed the team about what General Wade Eiling had done. "He took all the evidence I collected on the bombing. Everything but the folder."

Cisco, a tech genius, spoke while turning towards the computer. "Well, lucky for us, the VA finally joined the new millennium and digitized their records."

Cisco accessed the VA database and retrieved the information about the bomber. "There's a lot of redacted info, but our girl's name is Bette Sans Souci, an EOD specialist for the Army."

Caitlin, unfamiliar with the term EOD, asked Cisco what it meant. "What does EOD mean?"

Cisco explained, "EOD stands for Explosive Ordnance Disposal. EOD technicians are highly trained specialists responsible for the safe handling and disposal of explosives, including bombs, mines, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs)."

Barry, now looking through Bette Sans Souci's information, questioned, "Did you find anything else, Cisco, like an address or something?"

"Here we go. One person in case of emergency: Cameron Scott, Anglewood." Cisco found information about a possible contact and lead.

Receiving a lead on the bomber, Barry was about to don his superhero suit and rush towards the address when he heard a voice behind him. "Hey Barry, do you need my help? Should I also come with you?"

"No Sam, I don't think that would be necessary," Barry replied before leaving S.T.A.R. Labs.

Except for some major plotlines, Swayam didn't know every detail of what happened in most of the episodes. That's why he suggested going with Barry. He was afraid that if something unforeseen happened to Barry, he wasn't sure what might happen to this world and timeline. But since Barry said he didn't require his help, Swayam, although reluctant, let Barry do as he wished, which resulted in the team losing contact with Barry.

Just like Cisco and Caitlin, Swayam was also growing anxious for Barry. But just as Swayam was about to rush to the place where Barry went to look for the bomber, Barry returned to S.T.A.R. Labs, naked, although thankfully, he had his underwear on.

After putting on a T-shirt, Barry walked toward the trio. Just as Caitlin was about to say something, Barry preemptively replied, "Don't ask."

Cisco, concerned about his invention, asked, "I'm gonna ask. Where's my suit?"

Barry sighed, "It's gone."

Swayam also questioned him, "Why, what happened?"

Growing angry, Cisco asked again, "What do you mean, it's gone? Tell us what happened. What did you do with my suit?"

Irritated, Barry said, "It blew up, dude. I managed to get out of it before it went kaboom."

Cisco, unable to believe his invention could blow up, said, "My suit went kaboom?"

Barry, still irritated, elaborated, "Fun fact about Bette Sans Souci: She's not carrying the bombs. She touched the emblem on the suit and turned it into a bomb. She's a metahuman."

Just as Barry explained the situation, Harrison Wells entered the room and began to explain Souci's ability. "She's a metahuman with the ability to cause spontaneous combustion upon tactile contact."

Cisco, still upset about losing his invention, said, "She blew up my suit."

Caitlin, irritated by Cisco's childish behavior, spoke, "You have three."

Cisco immediately replied to Caitlin, "Okay, I have two more. And I loved that one."

Swayam, unable to tolerate Cisco's behavior, tried to change the topic. "What else do we know about her?"

Cisco immediately responded, "Oh, I don't know, except that she's pure evil. But we're gonna find this girl and send her butt into the pipeline. No one blows my tech to smithereens and gets away with it." He then came across her photo and immediately changed his statement, "Unless she looks like that."

Barry softly explained their brief encounter. "I don't think she meant to hurt me."

Harrison Wells, internally being an evil guy himself, immediately comprehended why General Eiling was interested in her and informed the team, "Her being a metahuman explains General Eiling's interest in her."

Just as Harrison Wells finished speaking, Joe entered the room and said, "That also explains why he stole the case from the C.C.P.D. because he didn't want anyone to know what she could do."

Seeing Detective Joseph West inside S.T.A.R. Labs, Harrison Wells greeted him with a nod, "Detective."

Joe reciprocated his nod, "Doctor." He then looked at Swayam and gave him a nod, which Swayam reciprocated.

Swayam had been familiar with Joe from when he sometimes came to visit Barry while he was in a coma. They became more familiar with each other when Swayam, as Shadow, helped Joe stop a kidnapping one night. The next day, when Joe asked Barry about who the Shadow was, Barry revealed that Swayam was Shadow.

Although Swayam didn't mind Joe knowing, he reprimanded Barry for revealing his identity and made him promise not to tell anyone else.

As these events went through Swayam's mind, Joe, who had just nodded at Swayam, said, "So human bomb. Must be Tuesday in Central City."

Harrison Wells, knowing General Eiling's personality, explained, "Yes. And General Eiling's not one to give up a potential asset without a fight."

While they conversed, Swayam wondered what would happen if he came into direct contact with Bette Sans Souci. Would he also become a bomb?

When Barry heard what Harrison Wells said about General Eiling, he said factually, "Then we have to find her before he does."

Just as Barry finished speaking, Joe asked him to go with him for a talk.