Chapter 5: The Flash, The Thief, Multiplex II

Chapter 4: The Flash, The Thief, Multiplex II

Outside in front of another Central City Bank, someone was sitting on a bench as he eyes the people go about their day. Not knowing the danger they're in, specifically their wallets.

Myles took a sip of his hot cocoa, savoring the warmth as it spread through his body. He was waiting for Multiplex, a Meta-human known for his ability to create multiple versions of himself, to arrive at the Central City Bank. Myles had a plan and he was ready for it to unfold.

He thoughts about this reality of the Flash and how the events of the episode are completely stretched out. There should have been hints of some meta-humans but no they're spawning one by one. He had been waiting for Multiplex for three days now, going as far as to not even rob a bank or museum.

Just as he was about to take another sip of his drink, he saw a group of heavily armed men entering the bank. Myles quickly put down his cup and picked up his phone. He put it on his ear and whispered, "Gideon."

"Yes, Myles, how may I assist you?" Gideon responded.

"How long until Flash arrives?" Myles asked, his heart racing with excitement.

"Approximately 90 seconds," Gideon replied.

Myles thanked the AI and started counting down the seconds. As he waited, his mind drifted back to how he had stolen Gideon. A journey that started with a simple inspiration from an episode of Rick and Morty.

He remembers the steps he had to take, how he had to commit himself and his future self to pestering Barry until the day Gideon was invented. He remembers how he had to make sure that Barry recorded all the information about the speedforce, making sure that even Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash, wouldn't know about it. The only way to access the file was to utter an embarrassing phrase, a phrase that only he knows.

Eobard had successfully stolen Gideon, bringing it back to the past with him. Myles remembers the anxiety he felt as he snuck into Star Labs, hiding from the Reverse-Flash. He knows the danger his plan involves, the risk that any speedster from the future could have used it. But his plan went off without a hitch, and now he has the AI of the future, forever ahead of the rest.

"When you look into the future, it changes," he quotes Nicolas Cage, a smirk playing on his lips as he counts down. "Three...two...one... action!"

In a blur of yellow lightning, the Flash arrives on the scene, ready to stop the robbery. Myles watches from the sidelines, chuckling to himself as he thinks about the partnership he has with the Flash, even if the man doesn't know it. And he can't help but thank Eobard for bringing Gideon to him, right on schedule.

Central City Bank was in chaos. Myles, the thief, watched from the sidelines, sipping his hot cocoa and cheering for the Flash. "Come on, Barry, show them what you got!" he shouted, as he asked Gideon to play some epic music to accompany the fight.

"C'mon, Gideon, give me something good to go with this," Myles muttered to himself as he sipped on his hot cocoa.

Gideon, the advanced artificial intelligence, responded promptly. "What genre would you like to hear?"

Myles chuckled. "Just pick something epic."

The sound of a classic rock anthem filled the air as Barry raced towards the robbers. Myles watched in awe as the hero effortlessly took down each of the robbers, one by one.

Barry was a blur of red and yellow, taking down the robbers one by one. But as the fight went on, the hero seemed to be slowing down. Suddenly, another group of robbers appeared each one a clone of the first. Barry was in for the fight of his life.

But things took a turn for the worse when Barry uncovered the leader of the group, "What the hell?" Barry muttered.

"Barry, what's wrong?" Caitlin Snow asked as she joined the rest of the team.

"They're.." Barry replied. "They're all the same person."

Just then, another group of clones rushed toward the hero, and an epic battle began. Barry was having an easy time taking down the goons, but Multiplex kept creating more clones. EveryEvery time he defeated one, another would appear in its place. It was a battle of attrition, but Barry finally got the upper hand and knocked out the original.

As the Flash stumbled, looking more exhausted than usual, Myles realized was the source of the problem he was seeing. "What an idiot," Myles mutters to himself. "He's not eating enough to replenish himself. He's pushing himself too hard."

Just as Barry was about to take Multiplex back to Star Labs, he screamed in pain as he reflexively caught a bullet that was about to go through his head. The hero pushed himself to the limit as he kept the bullet from moving for each passing second. Finally, he succeeded, but he fainted from exhaustion.

Just as Myles prepared himself to act, Multiplex changed his mind and left with his clones, much to the surprise of the two speedsters. Myles walked over to Barry, grumbling about the hero's idiocy and how he needed to eat more to replenish himself.

"You need to eat more, man," Myles grumbled, as he checked Barry's pulse. "You can't keep pushing yourself like this." The thief didn't realize that the rest of the Flash's team was listening, and they exchanged worried glances.

Barry was alive, but he was in a bad way. Myles knew he needed to get the hero back to Star Labs as soon as possible, and he quickly gathered him up and carried him away.

But even as he dragged Barry away, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. The scarlet speedster may have been foolish, but he was still the greatest hero Central City had ever seen. And Myles was proud to have been a part of his journey, even if it was just as the biggest thief.

Myles brought Barry to Star Labs, waiting for the team to pick him up. As Cisco and Caitlin walked out of the laboratory, they saw the thief holding their unconscious hero. Myles offered to carry Barry inside the medical ward, but the two scientists looked at him with suspicion.

"Hold up, man," Cisco said, raising his hand. "What are you doing here?"

"I just want to help," Myles replied, holding up two fingers like a boy scout. "Scout's honor, I won't do anything bad."

"What happened?" Caitlin demanded, worry etched on her face.

Myles tried to keep his voice nonchalant, "Just a little tiff with some bank robbers. Nothing for you guys to worry about."

Cisco raised an eyebrow, "And you just happen to be there?"

Myles shrugged, "I was in the neighborhood."

Caitlin rolled her eyes but knew she had no choice in this matter, "Right, come on, let's get him back to Star Labs."

The trio made their way to Star Labs, Myles carrying Barry as if he weighed nothing. As they entered the building, Myles set Barry down on a gurney, watching as the team quickly got to work checking his vitals.

"I'll go put on some coffee," Myles offered, heading toward the kitchen.

As he brewed a pot of coffee, he could hear the team talking in hushed tones, discussing the events of the day. He knew they were suspicious of him, but he couldn't help feeling a twinge of guilt. He had gotten too caught up in the thrill of the chase, and now he was worried he had pushed the hero too far.

As he walked back into the main room, the team walked in and started asking Myles questions about what had happened.

"Whoa, slow down," Myles said, caught off guard. "I was just passing by and saw the commotion."

Caitlin stepped forward, "Okay, Myles, if that is your real name, what's really going on?"

Myles sighed, "I'm not here to talk about myself. I'm here to make sure Barry is okay."

"Bull," Caitlin retorted, pressing him for answers, her eyes narrowed, "You expect us to believe that? You were there for a reason. What is it?"

Myles took a deep breath. "Okay, fine. I wanted to see Barry get faster. Our game has gotten a little too predictable, and I wanted to spice things up."

The team looked shocked. "You're using Barry as a pawn in your little game?" Cisco asked incredulously.

Myles shrugged, "He's a big boy, he can handle it."

Just then, Harrison Wells walked in and greeted Myles, "Hello, young man. What happened to Barry?"

"Hello, Professor Wells, Barry fought Multiplex and pushed himself too hard," Myles explained, earning their attention. Cisco, on the other hand, mutters, "That's a good supervillain name."

Myles ignores it and continues. "You guys have been with him longer. Didn't any of you notice anything? Like I don't know exhaustion?"

Caitlin looked thoughtful, "He does seem more exhausted lately."

Myles nodded, "Exactly. As a fellow speedster, I know how important it is to refuel. Barry here has been eating the same amount as a normal human, which he is not."

Cisco noticed something about the mug that Myles used looked familiar. Realization dons on him as he yells, "Hey, that's my favorite mug! Where did you get it?"

Caitlin and Harrison exchange a look, knowing that this was about to get interesting.

Myles, who was in the middle of taking a sip, pauses and looks at Cisco, "What do you mean 'your favorite mug'? I found it in the kitchen."

Cisco scoffs, "Found it? That's my favorite mug, man! I have it marked and everything!"

Myles raises an eyebrow, "Really? I must've missed the marker. My bad." He takes another sip of his coffee, completely unphased by Cisco's outburst.

Cisco, however, was far from done. He approaches Myles, getting right in his face, "Okay, look. I'm serious. That's my mug. Give it back."

Myles takes another sip, "Sorry buddy, I kind of like it. Plus, it makes a great coffee cup. You got any other mugs?"

Cisco throws his hands up in frustration, "Yeah, I've got other mugs. But that's my favorite one! I want it back!"

Myles, with lightning quick reflexes, ducks and sidesteps, avoiding Cisco's grasp. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down there, Vibe. I'll give it back, I just really needed a coffee."

Caitlin and Harrison watch in amusement as the two bicker back and forth, each trying to grab the mug. Myles' quick wit and humor only fuel the fire, as he makes sarcastic comments and jabs at Cisco's expense.

Caitlin shakes her head and says, "You two are like kids fighting over a toy."

Harrison mutters to himself, "I think I'm enjoying this more than I should be."

Myles finished his coffee and reluctantly gives it back to Cisco, who is elated to have his favorite mug back in his possession, "I should get going. Thanks for the coffee."

As he made his way to the door, Barry stirred on the bed, groggy and confused. The team rushed to his side, asking him what happened.

Barry rubbed his head, "Myles... he was there."

The team turned to look at Myles, who was already slipping out the door, a small smile playing on his lips. He couldn't help feeling a little pride in the knowledge that the hero remembered him, even in his weakened state.

The thief leaves, but not before giving Harrison a playful wink.

The time-traveler remained quiet but felt a bit of his pride had been bruised by his fellow speedster. Harrison chuckles to himself and says, "Well, that was quite entertaining. I think I need to get myself a coffee."

In the end, Central City Bank had three days where Myles didn't rob them blind. He was busy watching Flash fight Multiplex like what happened in the episode with Multiplex committing suicide.