Chapter 11: The Secret and the Speed
The call from Central City came in the dead of night, a frantic, excited burst of static from a very familiar voice. "Felicity! He's awake! Barry's awake!"
Adam, who had been half-asleep, immediately shot upright. "This is it. The big one. The moment the Arrowverse officially becomes the Flash-verse. Get ready for some super-speed, some lightning, and a whole lot of 'My name is Barry Allen, and I am the fastest man alive' speeches."
"We're on our way, Cisco!" Felicity chirped, already scrambling out of bed. Adam, with a dramatic groan, followed suit. "Alright, alright, I'm coming. Just let me grab my 'I told you so' banner and my 'future hero's first aid kit'."
The drive to Central City was a blur of caffeine and Felicity's excited chatter. Upon arriving at S.T.A.R. Labs, the scene was exactly as Adam remembered it: a disoriented Barry Allen, still in his hospital gown, surrounded by a whirlwind of scientific equipment and the eager faces of Cisco Ramon and Caitlin Snow.
"Barry! You're awake!" Felicity exclaimed, rushing forward to hug him.
Adam, meanwhile, made a beeline for Cisco. "Cisco Ramon, I presume? Adam Stiels. And let me tell you, it is an absolute honor to meet the man who will one day be responsible for 90% of the Arrowverse's pop-culture references. You're like a walking, talking encyclopedia of awesome."
Cisco, a wide grin spreading across his face, looked utterly delighted. "You know about my references? Oh, this is going to be great! I thought I was the only one!"
"My friend, you have found your people," Adam declared, clapping him on the shoulder. "We speak in memes, movie quotes, and obscure comic book lore. It's a beautiful, beautiful language."
Barry, still a little woozy, looked at them, confused. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Don't worry about it, Barry. It's a geek thing. You wouldn't understand. Yet," Adam said, winking. "So, about these new 'powers' of yours. Feeling a little... zippy?"
Barry's eyes widened. He looked at Felicity, then back at Adam. "How did you know?"
"Let's just say I have a knack for predicting the future. Or maybe I just watch a lot of superhero movies," Adam shrugged. "Either way, you're fast, you're confused, and you're probably going to need a cool name. Something that screams 'speedy hero' but also 'not a creepy stalker'."
Cisco's eyes lit up. "A name! I've been thinking about names! Like, 'The Streak'?"
Adam wrinkled his nose. "No, no, no. 'The Streak' sounds like a bad laundry detergent. Or a questionable public indecency charge. We need something with more... oomph. Something that really captures the essence of, you know, being super fast." He paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "How about... 'The Flash'?"
Cisco's jaw dropped. "The Flash! Oh my god, that's brilliant! It's so simple, so direct, so... flashy!"
Cisco (POV): This guy, Adam, was amazing. He just got it. He understood the references, he appreciated the names, and he even came up with "The Flash" like it was nothing. It was like finding a long-lost brother, but a brother who was also a walking, talking pop-culture database. He already knew this was the start of a beautiful friendship.
Barry, still processing his new reality, looked at Adam with a mix of awe and bewilderment. "How did you come up with that so fast?"
"Just a lucky guess, Barry. Or maybe the universe just whispered it in my ear," Adam said, winking at the System, which remained silent.
Later, as Barry was undergoing his first speed tests, Adam stood by, watching with a critical eye. Barry was fast, but still clumsy, still learning. During one test, he was about to collide with a piece of equipment.
"System, give Barry a lucky boost. Just a small one. Enough to prevent a minor injury, but not enough to make it obvious," Adam whispered, activating the System.
[LUCKY BOOST ACTIVATED. COST: 5 NON-PLP.]
Barry, mid-stride, suddenly stumbled, his foot catching on an invisible imperfection in the floor. He pitched forward, narrowly missing the equipment, and landed in a heap, laughing. "Whoa! That was... clumsy! But I'm okay!"
Caitlin, ever the cautious one, rushed over. "Barry, are you alright? What happened?"
"I don't know! My foot just... slipped!" Barry chuckled, picking himself up. "Guess I'm still getting used to this whole 'super speed' thing."
Barry (POV): He was still reeling from everything. The coma, the lightning, the speed. It was overwhelming. But having Felicity and Adam there, with their easy humor and their unwavering support, made it feel a little less terrifying. Adam, especially, seemed to understand him in a way no one else did. He was a little weird, a lot sarcastic, but he was also genuinely kind. And somehow, he always seemed to know what to say, or what to do, to make things just a little bit better.
Adam grinned. "See? Told you. Clumsiness is a superpower, Barry. Never underestimate the power of a well-timed trip. It's like a built-in safety feature."
[MISSION COMPLETE: CITY OF HEROES. REWARD: 300 NON-PLP.]
"Three hundred LP! And a PLP! This is going to be a good day. Barry's alive, he's speedy, and I'm getting paid to watch it all unfold. Life is good. Now, if only I could convince Cisco to make me a costume. Something with, like, a cape. And maybe a utility belt filled with snacks."
As Barry continued his tests, Adam and Cisco immediately launched into a rapid-fire discussion about metahuman powers, comic book villains, and the sheer coolness of it all. Felicity, watching them, just smiled, shaking her head. Her two favorite geeks, finally united. The multiverse was about to get a whole lot louder.
System Status After Chapter: Non-PLP: 45. PLP: 4.
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