124

"As a kid there was a part of the Flash Museum that always scared me." Nora trialed off in explanation, "I guess it's normal for children to be afraid of monsters."

"But this monster was different." Nora looked down, "No one knows where he came from, how he got his powers, who he is. All that's known is his alias, and the last sound his victim's hear." She takes a deep breath, "But that's not what makes him scary. ."

"We never catch him?" Barry quietly speaks up.

"Supergirl, The Legends, even The League tried, but no one was successful." Nora looked up.

"Probably 'cause he can dampen everybody's powers with that magic friggin' dagger." Ralph said from beside Caitlin and I.

"Not all superpowers are meta-humans though." Caitlin began to reason, "What about-"

Nora cuts her off, already knowing what she would say, "Green Arrow? Yeah, he tried too once, but-"

Nora goes quiet, as Cisco speaks up, "So we're dealing with a meta-human Jack the Ripper. Amazing."

I sigh, leaning my head back against Cisco's arm where he was leaning on my chair, "What else do you know about him?"

"Just that he- he's early." Nora quietly mutters.

Barry instantly questions, "What do you mean he's early?"

"In my history, Cicada's first victim was a meta-human named Floyd Belkin." Nora informs us, "And he never killed Gridlock or Block. They're completely different victims."

"Because the timeline changed." Barry finishes for her.

Nora looks down in guilt, "Yeah, and now they're both dead because of me."

"Okay, there's no telling the ripple effect of this change or what kind of future Nora's gonna return to." Barry stands by Nora, looking at all of us, "We gotta catch this guy fast."

"You mean catch the guy that future us can't catch?" Cisco spoke my mind, "Right, I thought beating The Thinker was hard."

The monitor in front of us beeps, causing me to sit up and Caitlin to address what was on the monitor, "Guys, it's Joe. CCPD needs help downtown."

Barry sighs, "Okay, I got it."

"No, I'll do it." Ralph stops him.

"Are you sure?" Barry asks him.

"Yeah, I got it." Ralph nods, "You guys stay here and deal with the meta serial killer."

Ralph leaves the cortex, leaving us all in silence.

I clear my throat, looking up at everyone, stepping in as my job as Team Leader, "Let's just canvass some crime scenes, interview some witnesses, and see if there's any common acquaintances between Gridlock and Block."

"I have a plan." Nora blurts out.

"You-" I stammer, gaping at her, "You've got a plan already?"

Nora stares at us all, "I know how to fix this."

-

"So your plan is to contact Herr Wells?" I trail off, stood with Nora, Barry and Cisco in the Speed Lab, my eyes glued to Nora.

I had practically stolen Barry's wardrobe once again, my messy straight hair tamed by Barry's beanie, dressed in a navy blue hoodie of his, his jean jacket on top, one of his watches on my wrist, a pair of my own ripped jeans on, and black converse on my feet, my badge and holster simply resting in the glove compartment of Barry's car.

"Yes, that's my plan." Nora nods, "I know in the future you guys never bring in a Wells to help you catch Cicada. So if you want a different result this time I try something new."

"It's a great idea." Barry shrugs, smiling lightly, proud of his daughter.

"Except it's not." Cisco mutters from beside me.

"What?" I looked at him, "Why?"

"It's a terrible idea." Cisco looks up at me, "If you're looking for cooperation, trust me, this is not your guy. He is just an asshat."

"Awh, Cisco." I wrap my arms around him, putting my chin on his shoulder, "You don't gotta be harsh about it."

Cisco looks at me in disbelief, "I'm sorry, I'm being harsh?"

"Yeah-" I nod, "You totally are."

"Okay, ," Cisco emphasizes, referring to how I was dressed in mostly Barry's clothes today, Barry quietly chuckling a few feet away from me, "Go ahead, call him. See if you don't get a steaming pile of side-eye."

"That is exactly what I'm gonna do." I let go of him, pressing the button on the monitor, Herr Wells appearing a few feet across from us.

"Yah?" Herr Wells scoffs, looking at us, "The Flash."

Cisco scoffs from besides me, "Wait for it."

"I love The Flash." Herr Wells boasts.

"What?" Cisco looks up, his face straight, secretly shaken over this.

"Oh, you Barry Allen, yah?" He points at Barry, "With the zoom, zoom, and the defy the physics laws and gravity. Always with some style and grace, yah."

Barry laughs, "Thanks, man."

"Das Kinder Flash." He points at Nora, "Child of the Flash. Obviously, you have your father's moral fiber, yah."

His eyes fall on me, "And your mother's smarts, and classic beauty."

"Oh, my God." A small blush takes over my cheeks, "Stop."

"You don't blush when I compliment you-" Barry stares at me, the tone of his voice ranging high, "Is this the thing that happens in movies where a new guy compliments a girl and sweeps her off her feet because-" Barry was already at my side, wrapping an arm around me, looking at Herr, "This is my woman- okay- don't even think about it-"

"Barry-" I looked up at him, my eyes wide with humor, "Cool it."

"I just had to let him know you were my wife-" Barry began to trail off, mumbling to me, his arm remaining around me.

"You don't think he knows that already?" I stared at him, muttering back, "Considering our daughter is right in front of him?"

Barry lightly shrugs, causing the sarcasm comment to drop from my mouth, in a mutter once more so Herr Wells didn't hear us, "Yeah, cause I'm about to drop everything I have to run away to a different Earth because one of Harrison Wells' doppelgangers complimented my smarts and beauty."

"Zee." A small pout falls onto Barry's lips, causing me to roll my eyes playfully, lightly nudging him.

I cleared my throat, looking at Herr Wells, "Thank you."

"No, don't thank him." Cisco stammers, "Don't fall for this ruse. Clearly this guy is putting on an act. He's a charlatan."

"But you hurt me, stab me in the back, this guy who must be Cisco." Herr Wells acts out his words.

"You know who I am." Cisco said from beside me.

"Hey, don't be rude." Barry instantly told him, looking at Herr Wells, "All right, look. We need your help catching a meta-human serial killer."