Cisco looked just as confused as he stared at his mentor. Caitlin had known the truth for a while, but he hadn't. Just two minutes ago, he'd treated Dr. Wells like a teacher, like a father figure. Now that same father wanted him dead. His heart felt cold, aching with a complicated mix of emotions. He looked urgently at the Reverse-Flash, waiting for an explanation.
"Why did I do this? Good question! You're both my finest students—Caitlin, Cisco. Cisco, you know what? When I look at you, it's like looking at my own son."
The Reverse-Flash gazed around with a touch of nostalgia. Though Caitlin had frozen the place into an ice cave, the original structure was still recognizable.
"This has been my home. You, and... and Barry—you've all been like family to me. The time I've spent with you has been the happiest of my life."
"Then why?! Why did you do this?!" Cisco shouted furiously, blood at the corners of his mouth. He couldn't understand why Dr. Wells, whom he respected so much, would kill Barry's mother. The two had no connection whatsoever.
A subtle flicker crossed the Reverse-Flash's gaunt face—so brief that anyone not watching carefully would think it an illusion. He was about to speak when he sensed something and switched back to his mocking smile. "Barry's coming back. He should be able to answer your questions. I'm looking forward to our next meeting."
With that, he vanished in a streak of red lightning.
The moment he left, Barry returned to the lab in a flash of yellow lightning. Seeing his two friends unharmed, he didn't bother explaining and immediately gave chase.
The two speedsters began an intense pursuit through Central City. Barry had just leveled up twice, but the Reverse-Flash had benefited as well—his speed was even faster and more agile. Unlike Barry, he had unmatched experience and intimate knowledge of the terrain. This chase felt like he'd rehearsed it countless times in his mind.
Thea didn't join the race. Barry was still too green at this stage—a setback would do him good. Besides, she genuinely couldn't catch up. Of course, she had plenty of excuses: the grass was too soft, the grass was too hard, it was too cold, it was too hot, she didn't have proper running gear...
After giving Cisco some basic treatment—the guy with the slightly goofy personality was seriously hurt, physically and emotionally—Thea asked him what had happened. His expression was wooden as Cisco recounted the events.
The situation wasn't complicated. The Reverse-Flash had been genuinely spooked by all the random metahumans running around Central City. He himself had nothing to fear, but he worried that Barry might not survive someday, and then it would be too late for regrets. The problem was Barry had the kind of personality where he'd literally die if he didn't help people—his whole body would ache from not assisting others. The exasperated Reverse-Flash had to apply pressure from another angle.
He deliberately exposed himself, personally engaging Barry in a chase through Central City. The result was inevitable: Barry lost completely.
Realizing he had countless deficiencies, Barry sought help from Dr. Wells, tearfully declaring that he wanted to train. The Reverse-Flash naturally obliged, and Barry reduced his crime-fighting activities to focus on long-distance running with his coach.
To remove himself from the suspect list, the Reverse-Flash staged an elaborate deception.
The effect had been excellent at the time—Barry gritted his teeth and settled down for a few days. But cracks always showed eventually. Today, Cisco discovered the flaw. One tiny crack brought down the whole dam; a single error collapsed his scheme.
Hearing this, Thea felt a pang of sympathy. Setting aside the fact that the Reverse-Flash had killed Barry's mother, he'd been incredibly good to Barry and Cisco. "Taught them everything" wasn't an exaggeration to say about him. Now the three had turned against each other, and the once-united cutting-edge tech lab could never return to its former glory. It was truly regrettable.
Before long, a disheveled Barry ran back. Anyone could tell he'd lost his target.
"There was a wall. I watched him phase straight through it, but by the time I went around to find him, he was gone." The rookie speedster looked thoroughly dejected. Just when he'd thought his speed had peaked, the Reverse-Flash had taught him another lesson. Phasing through walls—he couldn't do that.
Once his emotions stabilized, they began exchanging information. Cisco learned that the Reverse-Flash was a time traveler; Barry learned why his mentor had been exposed. Both fell into silence.
"So he's from the future, and he's training you to return to his own timeline? And Barry, you had a chance to time travel tonight, but Thea stopped you?" Cisco sorted through the relationships and finally felt the fog clearing.
"But why did he kill my mother?" The Reverse-Flash's various abnormal behaviors now made sense, but Barry still couldn't understand the murder.
Cisco was equally puzzled.
Thea didn't participate in their discussion. Her gaze had grown increasingly distant, and she couldn't help wondering sometimes.
Did Barry's mother actually exist? Could she be an avatar of the Speed Force itself, coming to Earth specifically to give birth to Barry?
Creating an avatar or simply possessing an ordinary person.
Otherwise, there was no explaining Barry's incredibly close connection to the Speed Force. He was too special! If he was literally the Speed Force's biological son, everything made sense. As she'd theorized before, it wasn't coincidence that lightning struck him—the lightning chose him. This was destined.
Reproductive barriers weren't even an issue.
Kryptonians could have children with humans. Trigon could have children with humans. Darkseid could have children with ancient Earth humans, the modern-day Amazons. Why shouldn't the Speed Force manage the same?
Human genes might be weak, but their compatibility was virtually infinite. Thea thought this was the most reasonable explanation.
Barry's mother hadn't died at all! She'd simply used the Reverse-Flash to complete her mission.
But she kept this absurd theory to herself. Barry was still far from understanding the Speed Force. Let him discover the truth on his own.
"What are your plans moving forward?" Thea felt there was nothing more for her here. She still needed to get back to her role as campaign mascot.
"I'm going to catch him and ask why he killed my mother. And find evidence to clear my father's name." Barry had always been the team's vice-captain. With the captain gone, he had to make the decisions.
"Your father's case—do you need my help?" Thea wasn't boasting. Without using magic or any special means, with her current influence, the justice system was just a matter of one sentence. Directly releasing him might be difficult to arrange, but medical parole? No problem.
One simple sentence stumped Barry. He wasn't deaf or blind—he understood exactly what Thea meant. But that was the main source of his hesitation.