Bab 32: The Nuclear Man...
Chapter 26 - The Nuclear Man...
(Concordance Research)
Inside of Concordance Research, a research company located within Central City, was a man elderly man walking around the corner and out of an entrance. The elderly man is a physicist of this very research company by the name of Quentin Quale. He had a phone placed on his ear as he walked through the entrance and a metal briefcase in his other hand.
Alas, as he walked, he did not notice the form of young man walking from the other side of him. However, this person is a young man by appearance, but in truth, he was anything but young. "Quentin Quale."
Looking in the direction of where voice called out from, Quentin placed his phone back in his pocket and asked the "young man", "Can I help you, young man?"
Ronnie Raymond… no… Professor Martin Stein stated almost bemused with a fidgeting head and repeatedly flexing fingers, "Haven't been called that in quite some time." His tone and his words were unlike those of the age group his body appeared to be in.
Confusion dawned over him, making Quentin asked, "I'm sorry, do I know you?" Parts of him told him that the young man before him knew him somehow.
Then the most unexpected reply came from the "young man", "We went to school together."
Quentin Quale thought that the "young man" referred to another fact. "You're one of my students."
"No, classmates." Martin argued with a counter and a reminder from the past, their past, "University of Chicago, class of '74. We protested the war. "Make love, not napalm", remember?"
The physicist was unsure and skeptical of how this man knew of his old motto from his younger days. But the Internet was available to everyone nowadays. He didn't want to pay anymore mind to it and turned to walk away, "Look, I don't know if this is some kind of practical joke…"
"I know about your brother!" Martin tried his last option, even though it is a low-blow to deal as well as a stab by a knife called "past". Martin began breathing harshly and raggedly. But it didn't stop Quentin from walking, forcing him to continue. "The truth is, he committed suicide." This got the physicist to halt. "You found the body." The "young man" continued.
Quentin then said surprisingly and shockingly, "I never told anyone about that." Mouth gaped with shock as he slowly turned around.
And the man behind him raggedly continued with a heavily breathing voice while stepping closer to him. "You told one person."
This time, Quentin made eye contact with him and his eyes ran over the form. He couldn't believe it… it was impossible…he couldn't be that person. Quentin follows the news, and he knew that he was missing right now… no one have found or heard of him after the night of the particle accelerator explosion…but was it possible…
…For this young man to be his friend?
This question caused his mind to be filled with that mind-boggling question, almost forcing him to ask the young man with disbelief. "Martin?"
A growl came out of his mouth as both of his hands burst with dazzling flames. Eyes turning complete white and flames erupted from his head. Teeth gritting in anger while he felt his entire core burst up with flames, burning him within.
"I need you to help me." He stepped closer to him.
But before he could get an appropriate response from him, Martin's hands and body began flinching again…
… And the next moment their occupied area began involved in a bright yellow flash as Martin's flames erupted again more violently in an explosion of fire. The only sound emitting from their area was Quentin Quale's screams as his last moments were reduced to ashes, like himself.
X
(Seth's loft, the Next Morning)
Whenever Seth woke up early from a good night's sleep, he was always pleased to find Caitlin right beside him, sleeping soundly with a smile on her face.
No matter what happened in the past, no matter what kind of threat they faced yesterday, it didn't affect his affection for Caitlin. Even with his past, being held in her embrace slowly made it fade away from his soul. Even when his life was still piecing together slowly, even when his sister is still nowhere to be found… he could still find her right there…
… for him…
But he knew that his time with her would be short.
"Why are you so adamant on Caitlin leaving us?" Venom finally inquired of his host, wondering what the foundation of his thoughts was.
"At first, it was because of me being an anti-hero." Seth replied. In his mind, it was the right thoughts he had, thinking that no one other than a truly amazing woman like her would be with a killer like him. But it changed after the night of her kidnapping, making him realize that she truly cared for him and saw past his dark past. "But now, I can't stop thinking now that Ronnie is back… she might just end up running to him instead."
Venom could understand his host's confession of truth, from his point of view. Fearing that the woman, who was able to slowly piece his heart together after so much pain and heartbreak, it was understandable after all.
And it pained the symbiote to ask his host but it needed to be asked. "If the situation was reversed… and Stefanie with Bucky were to return… would you leave Caitlin then?"
When Venom asked his partner that fateful question, he expected some anger filled response. But this time, it was not that. Instead he let his hand go down to Caitlin's sleeping face, his fingers brushing her hair out of her face.
With a steadfast heart he confessed his heart once again, "Unlike Ronnie, we both know that Stef and Bucky are dead. We held them in our own hands, Venom, remember. We saw them just like that… Stef's body broken and hurt, that hole in her chest… Bucky's flesh cut off…" A tear escaped his eye as he recalled the feeling of holding his deceased loved ones in his hands, on his knees with an absolutely shattered heart… because of that deranged murderer who wanted him to fight with absolute abandonment. And because he denied Carnage of that, his loved ones paid the ultimate price, a world of suffering compressed into one single moment.
Feeling the sadness and rage of his partner's, Venom growled. "We'll find him, and end him once and for all."
Seth's eyes turned to his side, "Or die trying." From the pits of his soul, he could feel the time for the truth drew ever so closer right now, telling him that it'd be soon for him to confess his secrets.
A small stir beside him, made Seth looked down to the other side of his bed. A smile formed his face as he saw Caitlin rub the sleep out of her eyes before waking up, amber eyes looked up into his azure blue eyes. "Good morning, Seth." She purred as she now placed her head on his shoulder.
"Good morning, yourself Caitlin." He said back, giving a kiss on her forehead.
When his lips left her forehead, she leaned upwards and brought her own to his lips. Seth smiled as he accepted her lips and enjoyed the feeling of her soft lips. When she pulled away, she placed her feet on the floor and moved away. "What are you going to do today, Seth?"
Shrugging his shoulders, the elemental placed his feet on the ground and moved himself off of the bed. "Not sure about that. Maybe I'll go on another patrol again, haven't found my sister yet. I'll see if she's somewhere else, this time."
Caitlin looked into his eyes strangely and asked, "Is there a place you haven't looked at before?"
"Not sure." He replied with a shaking head, while he walked over to the nearest window with his clothes forming around him. Pushing the curtain to the side, he looked over the city from his view. "I know there is some place, somewhere in this city… somewhere in this universe, my little sister is out here and I'm going to find her, no matter what."
Stepping up behind him came Caitlin and wrapped her arms around him from behind and hugged him, "You're going to find her again, Seth. I'll help you now. When you need it, I'll be there and help you."
Taking her hand, he placed it near his mouth and placed a soft kiss on it. "Thank you, Caitlin. It means a lot." He said sweetly while feeling grateful that she was here with him. "Oh yeah, did you hear that Barry went on a date with a girl he met not long ago."
"Yeah, Cisco told me the same." Caitlin added. "It's good for him. You know, moving on to better things."
"It's a good thing, yeah." He agreed with her. "And hopefully things go well with them."
"We highly doubt that. That speedster has a tendency to use speed at every chance he gets. And has he ever had a relationship before that did not go down the drains." Venom said in utterly blunt honesty, making Seth chuckle lightly.
Turning to Caitlin he smiled. Then their heads perked up when they heard Caitlin's phone chime. Walking over to it, she picked it up. Looking to her side, she saw Seth standing behind her.
Smiling at him, she looked at her phone again and read the message she got from Cisco briefly. "Sounds Barry and Cisco and Matt are meeting up for coffee at Jitters. They're wondering if we want to join."
"Sure thing. Let's go." Seth said back with a smile on his face, as the two of them readied themselves for a meeting with their friends.
X
(CC Jitters)
Caitlin and Seth walked through the entrance of the popular coffee shop and waited for their other friends to arrive as well, but it looks they were early. The elemental then thought to buy them a couple of drinks. But as he went to move to the counter, he looked to it and saw a familiar young girl with brown hair and pink streaks in her hair.
When Frankie Kane received her change, she graciously put it in the tips jar beside the cookie jars. Moving to walk she stopped with surprised wide eyes when she saw Seth and Caitlin standing there. The mutant looked at her with a smile that reflected on her face.
"Hey little badass." He greeted the young girl with a quip as he stepped closer to her.
"Hey Dr. Fury." She quipped back with knowing smirk, knowing full well that the mutant doctor did not like to be called Doctor.
Behind Seth, Caitlin began giggling like a school girl again. Turning to his giggling girlfriend, he commented, "Really?" She didn't stop. The mutant chuckled and turned to Frankie. "See what you just did?"
She laughed again brightly and turned to the female doctor. "Nice to see you again, Caitlin."
Caitlin stopped giggling and moved over to hug the young girl, who hugged back with one hand. Her other hand holding her drink. "Nice to see you too Frankie. You seem to be doing well."
"I am." Frankie then held up her iced chocolate mocha with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. "But people think I got a bit of an addiction here."
Looking over her drink, he was surprised to see that she had bought a heavily chocolate-drink, even more so it was the same kind he bought. Though he usually bought his with another twist, "Nice choice, but next time, buy one with cookie crunch on top of the whipped cream. It's heavenly."
"Will do that." Frankie said with a smile.
Seth stepped closer to her and asked the young, while Caitlin moved over to the line and ordered their drinks while they conversed. "Detective Joe West told me that you… found a murder scene. Did you?" Frankie nodded slowly fearing the memory of that time might resurface again to the forefront of her mind again. "Hey, don't worry, I'm not going to make you said anything, I'm just worried for your sake right now, Frankie."
"You believe me?" She asked him in disbelief. Parts of her knew that after her meeting with the detective at the murder scene, then he'd tell Seth about it. But parts of her thought he wouldn't believe him, Detective West didn't seem to believe her, so why would he?
"Of course, I believe you Frankie." Seth told her at once, getting the young girl to smile in response to his words. "You're not the kind of girl who'd lie about something like this. But are you okay? Really? You saw a dead body, it's not something girls your age should ever have to see. It's gory stuff."
"I'm okay, but thanks for caring about me." The young girl replied to him with another smile. "But yeah, it wasn't something I'd want to see every day. Weirdest thing is, the body was gone after me and Detective West visited the same place again."
"Missing?" he wanted to clarity. A nodding of her head came as his response. "That's weird. But I'm sure, Detective West is able to solve this crime. He's one of the better detectives of the police department, I think."
Frankie then got an inquiring look and stated, "Does that mean he eats a lot of doughnuts, cause that does not sound healthy?" At her joke he laughed again.
By the counter, Caitlin saw the interaction between the two of them and found It adorable. Every time she saw them like that, it was like she saw Seth regain a piece of his former self, a piece that she never witnesses return… but only when him and Frankie are together again.
But she wondered if Seth was able to hold onto the piece forever the next time he gets it again.
… Because when he's like that, it's like a father and daughter comforting each other again…
Frankie said a few parting words before moving to the exit, but not before the two shared a hug. Seeing the young girl move away, Caitlin walked over and handed him his chocolate drink. "Here you go."
"Thank you, dear." He thanked her like an elderly man in mock and two of them sipped on their drinks.
"Dude," The two of them heard a familiar voice of a familiar mechanical engineer behind them, making the couple turn to the direction and saw Barry, Cisco and Matt walking over to them. "you are a crime-fighting lady-slaying machine." Cisco finished off happily for his friend as he and the speedster shook hands.
Seth gave an inquiring look to Matt who recognized the look and briefly explained, "Barry's date last night went well apparently."
"Really?" His eyes went to the smiling metahuman of their group. "Well congrats Barry. You deserve that, man."
Barry smiled at Seth's words of gratitude and happiness for his sake, "Oh, God, it was so cool. She was so cool. We're going on another date tonight." The speedster felt like a man who had just reached the heaven, in a place of pure happiness and bliss.
"Tonight?" Caitlin inquired curiously.
"Really?" Seth inquired further shockingly.
"Aren't you worried about moving too fast?" Cisco inquired even further cautiously as their group walked up the stairs to the upper level.
Barry turned to his questioning friends and remarked, "No. What do you mean? It's a second date." They walked up a few steps of the staircase.
Cisco then elaborated for him in better terms. "No, no, no, no, I meant going too fast… hurrying." They took a stop at the split landing of the staircase. Barry drew a blank, "Look, I mean, you're fast, but there's fast, and then there's fast. Am I being subtle enough?" He directed at the two doctors, whom gave no response to him.
"You're really not." Barry breathed out. Unlike them, he didn't see the problem at all, he wanted this, he needed this and go forward and move on from Iris. Matt was happy for him though, hearing some of the speedster's not so successful streak of dating.
Caitlin and Seth however were a little more cautious and chose to tell the truth instead. The female doctor started, "Cisco's right. With your increased blood flow and increased heart rate, theoretically, your speed could cause you to…"
Seth then continued darkly, in his own humorful opinion, "You might wanna take it a down a notch or two. Just for your own safety and for the safety of your… hopefully future-better-half, if things go well, of course… I mean, we're talking about an innocent young woman here, Barry Allen. Could you handle taking her life, taking from her family… taking away her decisions, once and for all." Barry began sweating bullets as he heard Seth talk darkly to him as though that a wrong decision by him would be at the expense of Linda's life.
Taking the elemental by his shoulders, Matt pulled him back slightly, "How about you take it down a notch, Grim Reaper? You're gonna end up performing CPR on him because you're slowly giving him a heart attack with your sharp words."
Seth rolled his eyes. Cisco saw the speedster shaking in fear of the elemental's words and tried to use… lighter words. "You're gonna need to think about a lot of dead puppies."
The nanite mutant added then, "Like, we're talking a whole kennel."
"And baseball." Cisco continued as their group found a table to sit.
"Cold showers." Caitlin then added with an evil smile. Matt and the other males knew that Seth was the inspiration of that smile, and they thought that Seth was slowly becoming a bad influence on the otherwise sweet doctor.
"You know what? Nuns." Cisco added again.
The elemental then added dark humorously, "Basically keep those hormones in check on your date tonight. And I'm pretty sure, you also have to think of Joe. I mean, he's not ready yet to become a Grandfather yet. I know I've asked him. Just make sure to use con-" He didn't get to continue as Caitlin's hand slapped over his mouth and gave him a stern look of curiosity. Seth shrugged his shoulders and placed his head on her shoulder.
Venom laughed loudly inside of Seth's head as he took in Barry's fearful expressions from his host's words of discouragement. And it looked to do the job as Barry briefly imagined the thought of not using protective countermeasures, which made him shake his head repeatedly and quickly, to the point of using his powers briefly.
His friends saw that his head began vibrating actually from his shaking. Worried that someone else might see that or, worst case-scenario, Barry's head falling off his body and over the railing, Matt pinched Barry's finger, using some mild sensations of pain to halt his rapidly vibrating head. Once he stopped shaking his head, the speedster calmed them down with his words. "Okay. It is just a second date."
As he said that, another person heard his exclaim of assurance to his friends from her table. Making her say out loud in wonder, "A second date? With who?" The group turned to the direction of the table and saw Iris stand up from her table and walk over to them.
"Uh, with Linda Park, the sports reporter." Barry answered her question. Cisco got a phone call from someone and answered it, moving to the back.
Seth looked into Iris' eyes and saw something through her eyes. Worry perhaps? Or maybe a much stronger emotion instead, he was unsure. But something was definitely there. And her next words, made it even more clear of what was hidden in her eyes. "That's great. Linda seems great, and you're great. So…Great."
The elemental looked over the metahuman's shoulder and looked at Cisco who was still conversing on his phone. "Think it might be Bette he's talking to?" he wondered of his friends.
Turning the side of his head to the other engineer, the weapons expert said, "Maybe. They were together yesterday and she spent the night there as well. I'm sure she's sleeping right now, if I recall correctly." They all smiled happily as they heard their friendly mechanical engineer having a good time with Bette Sans Souci.
Cisco returned to his friends and said hastily. "Hey, I gotta go. I gotta help out a friend."
Barry saw him move away and called after him, "Everything okay? We just got here."
The engineer then assured the speedster sheepishly, "Yeah, I'll see you guys later." He continued and walked away.
Seth then leaned up to his girlfriend's ear, "He's lying, obviously."
"I know that." Caitlin said with her turned to him, their noses briefly rubbing against each other.
They then heard the television behind them go on, and a news report was in the process of being stated. And from the sounds of it, it sounded like the news reporter was reporting an attack. Caitlin, Iris, Seth, Barry, and Matt turned to it. "Quentin Quale was attacked near his lab at Concordance Research last night." They saw the newly deceased scientist being carried on a gurney into an ambulance. "There were several unsubstantiated reports of the so-called "Burning Man" in the area following the attacks."
At the mention of the "Burning Man", Seth looked to Caitlin and saw her face riddled with conflict making her look down in sadness. "Burning Man strikes again." The symbiote said.
"Looks like it, yeah." Seth thought back in agreement.
"Burning Man?" Iris recognized the name and directed at the female doctor, "Caitlin, weren't you asking about him a few weeks ago?"
Caitlin couldn't respond to the question from her, but her eyes went to Seth's facial expression who remained stoic at the mention of Ronnie Raymond's media granted nickname. His expressions changed when felt a familiar small hand slither under his own and squeeze his own hand, hoping for him to give her comfort. Her wish was granted when he squeezes it gently and stroked it with his thumb.
But as he did, Seth knew that he'd have get his answer to why he was suddenly attacked by the blazing metahuman.
X
(S.T.A.R. Labs, The Cortex)
After the group heard the news report at Jitters, they moved themselves to the facility of S.T.A.R. Labs to continue talking about Ronnie, this time with Harrison Wells joining them. But while they were there, Seth couldn't help but keep his eyes on Caitlin out of worry, feeling like the reappearance of Ronnie Raymond was like a knife to his guts.
But he knew that Ronnie was dangerous right now, willing to burst into flames at even mildly populated areas without a care. Willing to let his flames rip even with Caitlin near him. And even though he heard from Matt about Martin Stein behind the steering wheel, it didn't sit right with him.
And with what just happened with Quentin Quale, it meant that none of them could stand idly by and were forced to use every tool in their kit against him. Either that, or the so-called Burning Man had an alternative agenda behind this burning death he bestowed upon the innocent scientist.
"Perhaps we can now get an answer from that metahuman of his aggression towards us." Venom suggested.
"Without a doubt, yeah." Seth thought back.
Harrison had heard what happened and now stated bluntly behind the computers of the main console, "Well, it appears letting Ronnie roam free is no longer an option."
Caitlin from her spot in front of another computer, where she's been gathering information on Ronnie said, "He's not even Ronnie anymore." She started, "He's Martin Stein walking around in Ronnie's body…like a vampire."
"Let's hope that's just a bad thought." Seth added discomfortingly, not wanting to deal with supernatural threats like vampires.
Barry then asked a question that's been bugging him for a while, "Is there a reason that Stein's brain is in control of Ronnie's body, not the other way around?"
Seth added his explanation, "I'd imagine that it'd be like something along the lines of Darwinism, wouldn't you agree Brains?" he directed at the founder of the facility. "You know, choosing the right genes and body for a better chance at survival."
"I agree, Mr. Rogers." Harrison said with a nodding head before explaining, "A brand-new organism will select the strongest parts of itself in order to survive. Survival of the fittest."
"And in this case, it'd be Ronnie's body, the younger and stronger physique, and Stein's mind, the larger and more evolved intellectual brain." Seth further added for the paralyzed scientist.
Dr. Wells liked that explanation as did the others of the members of their team here. They really liked how Seth was able to use his background as both doctor and bio-engineer to simplify some of their words, "In any event, he badly hurt an innocent man, and we have hunted metahumans for less." He rolled over to look Caitlin in the eyes, "Caitlin, we need to know that you're on board with what needs to be done here."
Caitlin didn't respond for a few moments, letting the words set in. And she couldn't find the right words. Seeing her inner struggle, Seth stepped closer to her and rubbed her back. "Caitlin, don't worry, we're not going to hurt him, badly though."
She looked in his eyes and said back, "Seth…"
"We're not going to hurt him badly, unless it's necessary. I promise you that. Worse come worse, I'll freeze the burning bastard when he's on the ground again. That way he's not going to get hurt again, nor will he hurt anyone again." The elemental told her with assurance.
Caitlin felt his honest words and knew that he'd make sure to do so, and keep his promise to her. His words filling her with strength and determination, making her ask strongly. "How do we find him?"
Harrison Wells smiled as he heard her determined voice. As he did, he stated, "Quentin Quale, the scientist that Ronnie attacked, is a former colleague of Martin Stein. If Martin is indeed in control of Ronnie's body, he may be trying to figure out exactly what's happening to him."
Matt stood behind in the back and thought to himself while looking to his best friend, "Wonder if he's going to…"
"What do we know about him?" The speedster started, "I don't even know what Stein looks like."
"Jarvis!" Seth called out to the AI system, who showed the picture of the elderly man with gray hair and glasses over his eyes on a monitor.
"Martin Stein." Jarvis stated to them.
Barry and the rest of them turned to the monitor with the picture of the elderly scientist. "That's Stein?"
"Affirmative, Mr. Allen." The AI continued.
The speedster moved closer to the image on the monitor, "I've seen him before."
"When?" Caitlin asked him.
"On the train, the day the accelerator exploded." Barry revealed to them, while his mind returned to the past, reliving the moment he met the scientist, who was not dead at the moment.
Matt then stepped forward and jogged their memories, "Guys, you seem to have forgotten something?"
"What?" Harrison wondered.
"Ronnie, Martin, whoever it is in the cockpit of their messed up little plane right now, went after Seth multiple times." Matt started, Seth looked to him with his eyes showing signs of agreement. "He attacked Seth all of those times, something inside of him is making him go after him. And he's gonna go berserk again when he sees Seth again."
"If you think that's going to stop me from going after him, then you're dead wrong." The elemental told his friend, who threw his hands up in defense. Turning to Harrison and the others, he said, "Is there any place we might be able to check out? To find him I mean."
Matt moved over to the main console and pressed a few keys, pulling up some of the search results he found before when he searched for Professor Martin Stein. "His wife." He showed the picture of the woman on a monitor. "One Clarissa Stein. She's been searching for her husband and printing flyers of a missing person, according to what I found. Maybe, she'd know something about the pair in one man."
"Okay, Matt you go up in the air and search, maybe he's gonna make the mistake and fly in broad daylight." Seth instructed him with a finger pointing upwards. "Me, Brains and Caitlin will speak with Mrs. Stein. Barry you're tagging along, might need that CSI brain of yours."
Barry nodded and the others agreed with the mutant's words, each of them had received an assignment and they're going to follow them upon acceptance.
X
(Stein's residence)
Inside of the missing Martin Stein's and Clarissa Stein's house, is Caitlin, Seth, Harrison Wells, and Barry looking around the household for anything that might help them determine Martin's next course of action. The elemental looked at a picture of the elderly couple, seeing them both smile happily. Wondering if they had a happy life together.
And wondered if he could have the same with Caitlin.
Placing the picture back on the table, Seth heard Clarissa talking to Barry, "Of course I've heard of S.T.A.R. Labs. Martin was always vocal about the competition."
The elemental stepped closer to them and added, "Then you'll be happy to hear that S.T.A.R. Labs is gonna provide aid to the CCPD, focusing on looking into your husband's disappearance, Mrs. Stein."
"Oh, please. Call me Clarissa." She said before asking the mutant, "I'm not sure we have been probably introduced."
Scratching the back of his head embarrassedly, Seth answered, "My apologies, ma'am. My name is Seth Rogers, I'm an intern of S.T.A.R. Labs. Me and another fellow intern, Matt, are also looking into your husband's disappearance as well. And we promise you, that we'll do everything in our powers to find him again." He said honestly but parts of him didn't like the fact that he was helping so much right now, this being Caitlin's former fiancée and possibly getting him back into her life.
"The Conway Prize for Scientific Advancement." Harrison admired one of Martin's many trophies.
Clarissa added, "Martin was very proud of that one."
Then to the surprise of everyone present, Dr. Wells said jealously, "I'd always hoped to win one of these myself. Oh, and look at that. He won it three times."
Seth moved closer to him and leaned down to speak in his ear. "Sorry to say, Brains. But the police will still pat you down, even if you're paralyzed." Harrison wondered curiously why the mutant thought that he would steal one of the missing scientist's trophies…but some dark part of him contemplated that though. It'd be easy for him, and quick.
Barry then told the widow, "Takes a special kind of person to make Dr. Wells jealous."
Seth walked over to Caitlin in the back and asked her, "Are you okay?" The woman nodded merely to his inquiry, not willing to respond with words for now.
Clarissa said, "Well, Martin had a talent for making people jealous. Even me." She finished off sadly to the surprise of everyone in the household. When she felt the eyes on her, she said sadly, "I sometimes think Martin loved his theorems and experiments more than he did me."
Caitlin stepped ahead and assured the elder woman. "I'm sure that's not true."
She didn't seem to be convinced by the younger woman's words, so Seth stepped forward himself and said. "Any man who have made the vows as you and your husband have made and spoken, in front of your friends and family, means that there's nothing more important than your significant half. Even the value of those trophies is nothing more than the same value of stones compared to love. He loved you, Mrs. Stein, without a doubt."
The mutant's words seemed to have done the job and convinced the elder woman of her husband's love, even though it wasn't himself who said it.
Barry smiled as he saw the smile on her face, but he had to continue with his questions. "And you haven't heard from your husband since he disappeared."
"No." Clarissa said back.
The speedster then looked to the elemental, hoping that he'd ask the next question with the picture in his pocket in his pocket. Seth nodded as he pulled out the picture, "Mrs. Stein, could I show you a photograph?" He showed the picture of Ronnie Raymond to her, "Have you seen this person before?"
Clarissa saw the engagement ring on Seth's finger and found it weird that he held one, but returned to the matter at hand. "Yes, I have." Caitlin visibly gaped her mouth in mild shock, the mutant saw it and registered it sadly. "Who is he?" she handed the picture back to him.
"A person of interest in your husband's case." Seth said stoically, not having the slightest desire to dip into a matter that involved the former fiancée of his girlfriend.
Caitlin stepped closer again and asked, "When did you see him?"
The elder woman inhaled deeply before confessing, "I started getting the feeling that someone was watching me, and sometimes I still do. And about a month after Martin disappeared, that young man showed up here." Clarissa continued telling the tale of what happened the time of his visit.
After which the group went to move outside and to their vehicle, but Clarissa stopped Seth from moving on and pulled him out of earshot, making sure that none of the others could hear them. "Is she the lucky girl?"
Seth saw her gesturing with her head through the window and at Caitlin who waited outside for him. He wondered what she meant, but then she pointed at his engagement ring from Stef. "No. This is the ring that my late fiancée gave me the day I proposed to her. She was a quite the trickster, that one."
Clarissa saw the look of sadness on the young man's face and realized what she just said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."
"No need to apologize, Mrs. Stein." He waved off her apology. "But please contact us if you might run into the young man, the one we showed you before?" she nodded as she allowed the mutant to walk away.
"You really think that Ronnie guy will come and return to this place?" Venom wondered of his host.
"Remember, right now it's not Ronnie in the driver's seat. It's Clarissa's husband, Martin that's taken that place right now." Seth reminded his partner. "Even so, something about him is pulling him to us, for some reason."
He made his way to Caitlin, Dr. Wells and Barry. The founder of S.T.A.R. Labs said, "So it appears Martin Stein and Ronnie Raymond have something in common besides sharing a body. They both feel the need to protect the women they love."
Seth clenched his fists as he registered the paralyzed scientist's words. He didn't like that, and it didn't seem remotely true. Cause if Ronnie ever felt anything for Caitlin, then he'd overpower Stein's mind within seconds, keeping him from almost burning the woman he loves in the parking lot. "Load of bull." He muttered.
Caitlin saw the mutant clenching his fists, she could even hear his knuckles crack loudly at Harrison's words. It made her sad that anger began growing inside of him. And even though she did love Ronnie in the past, she wasn't sure she could feel the same in her present time. Yet, she didn't know if Ronnie was even still inside of his body right now.
Barry nor Harrison didn't hear his knuckles cracking so the speedster said, "Clarissa said she feels like she's being watched."
The paralyzed scientist stopped his movement and said humorously, "Well, then, this has all the makings of a stakeout."
"But Barry's got a date tonight." Caitlin told them.
"I'll cancel." Barry assured them.
"No! Go and have fun. Me and Matt will be here and take of it." Seth told him. "Plus, we can actually fight against a flyer from distance, something you aren't able to do, yet, our dear Speed-Freak."
The secret speedster smiled before he turned to the side and sped away, readying himself for his date tonight.
Turning to the two beside him, he told them, "I'm gonna go myself. Told Matt that I'd give him a hand while he's in the air." His clothes began shifting and his form began enlarging into his Venom form and leaped into the air, going to find Matt's location.
Caitlin couldn't help but sad as she saw Seth swung away from them, like he was swinging away from her.
X
The large anti-hero met up with Matt on top of a building near the Stein's household. The armored mutant shifted his eyes to him and his helmet opened up. His demonic black mask opened up and Seth's face revealed itself.
Matt inhaled deeply and said, "You know… once this Ronnie guy comes back, it's bound to be complicated between you and Caitlin." Seth lowered his gaze down to the ground. "It is her fiancée after all… and knowing you, you've already thought about what might follow afterwards, right?"
He didn't want to bring it up to him, he didn't want see Seth lose himself to sadness again. But it was only to make sure that he was ready for whatever might come. Inhaling deeply himself, the elemental said, "Yeah, I thought about that. But I'm not sure of what to do, honestly. It'd… be worse than what happened with Stef, that's for sure."
"Cause Stef was brutally murdered by that monster Carnage and Caitlin might just leave you of her own volition." Matt rather stated than asked quite bluntly and harshly. The elemental nodded immediately. "I'm here for you, Seth. And you're stronger than most people, you'll bounce back no matter what happens."
"Thanks." He told his armored friend.
Matt could see that this entire situation was tearing him from the inside, eating away at him. "Seth… be honest with me? Do you really want to help Ronnie? Even at the cost of Caitlin, the woman who actually changed you back to who you were back then?"
Seth chuckled hollowly, he felt like at every mention of Ronnie Raymond's name it felt like a new and painful knife was being sunk into him now. "Even at the cost of that, Caitlin's happiness is above my own. And if that means she's going back to Ronnie, I'm not going to stand in the way. If she chooses him…if she's happy with him, then I'll accept it."
"Whatever happens, I'll be here and stay with you." Matt told him with an assuring voice. Seth had saved him from so many horrible experiences at a young age, and this time he had to be one to save him.
However, Seth had other plans in mind for him. "It might not come to that." Matt got a blank look on his face. "If or when this happens… I'm going to look for Liv and Carnage, one last look around and within the city. And if there's no luck, then… I'm going to leave Central City and look in other cities instead."
"You're just gonna leave!" Matt shouted back in anger. "What the hell, Seth!"
"Calm down." The elemental told him. "You and I both know that I'm on borrowed time as long as Carnage is out there, still alive and breathing. And I'm the best chance this entire universe got at defeating that monster." Matt couldn't disagree with that, he knew that if Liv hadn't stopped him then he wouldn't be on borrowed time. "So I want you to stay in Central City and make sure this city's under protection. Don't get me wrong, Barry's on the right path, but he still can't and won't raise a single punch."
Matt found his words unbelievable. His best friend leaving the city and travel around this planet to find his sister and, most likely, this universe's newest and worst serial killer with mutant and symbiotic powers. It was crazy thinking, to some degree… but then again, it was Liv. Seth slaughtered humans to get her out of that hellhole that tortured the living soul out of them without mercy at their young age. It shows that he'd do anything to protect her even raise hell to find her in a different city every day. And then there was Carnage… the same monster who destroyed and took Seth's loved ones from him, torturing the young 3-year-old to the point of death, while in front of the woman who saw him as her own child, the same woman who accepted an loved Seth with all of her heart and gonna be his wife, while her body was being eaten and broken because of that psychopath's unique and venomous mutant powers.
"Promise me, Matt. Promise me that you'll protect this city in my stead…. Protect our friends and family." Seth asked of his best friend.
Matt inhaled and made eye contact with him and swore, "I promise to fight."
"And if the worst scenario comes… you know what." He gestured to his right side.
"I promise you, old friend." He said back.
The two heroes from the other universe pointed their eyes ahead, feeling that the next events of the day would change their lives and the lives of their loved ones.
X
(Stein Household)
Outside of the Stein household, Caitlin and Harrison Wells sat in a S.T.A.R. Labs issued van, the two occupants of the van were there, waiting for the newly returned metahuman.
And while Harrison Wells was enjoying himself with his menu from Big Belly Burger, Caitlin was slowly drifting away in the sea of thoughts in her mind.
They were close now… close to get Ronnie back again.
But she was still struggling with the fact that this was becoming their reality now, she didn't like it… it didn't feel right, that she had to choose soon.
Soon, she knew that. Soon, she'd have to choose between two guys, both of whom have a large place in her heart. And she wished upon everything that was good, that she wasn't forced to be in this situation. But the reality was, she'd have to, whether she liked it or not.
Harrison saw her struggling inwardly, even as she was eating her own food, so he tried to divert her mind with something other for her mind. "Want some of my fries?"
Caitlin was snapped out of her thoughts briefly because of his offer, "No, thanks." She politely declined him as she looked to the house again. "Why would he come back here?"
Wells took a bite of his burger and said, "Because this is his home." Gesturing to the house, he added. "I don't mean the actual house. I mean Clarissa. She's his home. We all want to go home again. You know, where we feel safe. Where we feel loved." He was about to state that Ronnie was her home, but then recalled the elemental who had dropped from the skies and into her life.
The woman seemed to feel what his next words were and stated. "Not anymore. And I'm not even sure anymore, I mean, Seth's here now."
"Remember what I told you on your first day at S.T.A.R. Labs?" Harrison tried to remind her.
""A scientist's work is never finished."" She remembered with a confident smile.
Wells nodded, "A scientist's work is never finished. Well my work did this to Ronnie and did this to Martin Stein. But it's not finished, and it won't be until we bring them both home. And for what it's worth, I believe that Seth is doing this…" he gestured to her, "…for you."
"What do you mean?" She didn't understand his point.
"I believe that Mr. Roger's feelings for you are genuine, as much as Ronnie's, perhaps even stronger than his, if his actions and words are any indication." He said to Caitlin's utter surprise. "And I do not believe that he's doing this for Ronnie's benefit, I believe that he's doing this for you. To make sure that you're having the best life, with whomever you choose to be, that's my theory at the very least."
Caitlin was about to speak to that, but then from above an orange light emitted, flashing against their window. The two of them turned their eyes to the sky and saw that it was a man flying through the air with his hands blasting of flames to thrust him off. They knew instantly that it was Ronnie in the air, or rather Martin who landed near the house.
At the sight, Caitlin pulled out her phone as Harrison quipped worriedly, "So I'm assuming you have Mr. Rogers on speed dial? And hopefully Mr. Almond too." She called the only Seth, knowing full well that the other mutant was with him.
A moment later, after Martin was done stalking his wife, Seth dropped down in the driveway along with Matt beside him. Both mutants had continued their talk at a building not far from the household, so they were able to make it there quickly, and both of them in their suits. The nanite mutant wore his Frost-Flame armor for this battle, thinking that it'd take the powers of fire and ice from above to take down Martin in Ronnie's body.
Seeing that the elder man in the younger body hadn't sensed their presence yet, Seth took the moment to inhale deeply and gathered up the courage he needed and stepped forward. "Professor Stein." He got the man's attention, which instantly spiked at into anger at the sight of the pitch-black demon.
"What are you doing here?!" Clearly the metahuman's unknown reason for hating Seth was still strong. "I told you to stop following me!"
Matt stepped forward to stand beside his friend, "We're not here to hurt you." the man's eyes began to flicker as though a waring conflict was struggling inside of him.
"I don't believe you!" Martin shouted to them. "I know you're with him! You're no better than he is!"
The armored mutant didn't feel right to be compared to his best friend honestly, but didn't pay any mind to it and continued, "Doesn't matter right now, and we both know that you don't want to hurt anyone else, so if you could just not…" And much to Matt's dismay, Ronnie's body ached to his command and his hands and head lit up with bright flames, each heat source dancing around. "…flame on."
Venom snapped his head to his friend, "Wuss."
"Fuck you!" he insulted his friend.
Ronnie's eyes spiked with more anger and lashed his blazing hands forward at both mutants, sending out two large blasts of fire. Seth swiped a clawed hand cloaked with lightning at the blast directed at him, sending the fire attack to the ground and neutralizing it. Matt fired off a repulsor blast at the fire attack, nullifying the fire blast instantly because of the increased power in his blasts.
Martin lashed both of his hands downwards, launching himself into the air and flew off. Venom snapped to the Iron Knight. "Go! I'll catch up." Matt nodded and flew off after him. Looking around him, Seth found a building within firing destination and fired off a tendril before swinging off.
X
In the air, Ronnie saw himself being followed and fired off two blazing fire attacks at the armored mutant. Reeling his left arm, he blasted a long fire stream from his Heat Gun that swiped from left to the right, intercepting the two fire blasts. Blasting two blasts off from his both his repulsors, he dodged a series of fire attacks and spun around in the air. When he stopped spinning, he launched an ice blast from his Cold Gun.
Ronnie mimicked the armored mutant's tactic and spun around after shooting off fire blasts to the side for better momentum, dodging the incoming ice blast from the Iron Knight in process. Halting his spinning, he launched a flamethrower from his hand and aimed it at the flying mutant.
But it never connected with him as a spiraling flamethrower from below them shot up and clashed against the metahuman's own flames, leaving a smokescreen in the air as the aftermath of the attack. Behind his helmet, Matt recognized the flames and the spiraling pattern as a combination of fire and wind, and leaving one person in this universe to do so.
Both flyers looked down to the tall building below them, and got their answer as they saw Venom standing on the top of the building with smoke emitting from his mouth as he panted. "Thought as much…" Matt muttered to himself.
"Knight!" The Iron Knight turned to the demonic roar-like exclaim from below. "Closer!" he formed two ice blades, one on each arm to empathize his point.
Matt turned back to the other flyer and subtly nodded to his friend, while his own arms swarmed with nanites and around the elemental guns. Reeling them both back, the Iron Knight had turned both of his gauntlets into two large energy blades.
Martin was shocked to see the armored mutant now wield large blades. Too shocked to see or notice the black tendril that latched onto his foot and dragged him down to the roof of the building where Venom was. The blazing metahuman got back on his feet and turned his eyes to the large anti-hero who wielded icicles as blades on his arms.
"You and your friends are just going to hurt her! I'm not letting that happen!" Martin shouted to the mutant adamantly, not going to let the magenta-haired young woman be hurt by either of them, and not willing to listen to them no matter what lies they chose to utter.
Venom felt his blood and his elements boil in anger as he heard those words by the metahuman. "You're one to talk! You almost hurt her yourself, you bastard!"
"Lies!" Martin slammed his hands together and fired off a concentrated blast of fire at the mutant who turned his body to adamantium, not willing to move a single inch and took the fire attack head-on and stepped closer with earthquaking footsteps. Raising a hand, a white mist gathered around it before it formed an ice scythe on his hand.
Venom reeled his bladed hand back as he set his demonic white eyes on the metahuman in front of him, who still continued his fire attack on the unyielding mutant. Martin ended up stepping back in fear as he saw the pitch-black demon step ever so closer to him, looking as though he has the intent to take his life right now.
His scythe raised in the air, and in that moment, Martin felt like he was staring straight into the face of the Grim Reaper, and feared that his life was going to be taken from him soon enough.
…
…
But the anti-hero never brought the ice blade down, just held it up in the air. It was the same situation as before. Seth couldn't bring himself to strike down Ronnie Raymond, knowing that it will result in more pain to the woman he cares for with all of his heart.
And the last thing he wanted was to bring her pain.
However, Matt didn't see the need to hold back himself and opened up a compartment on top of his wrist and fired of a small device from it. The shot was silenced so neither of them heard it being fired off, and it was so small that Martin himself didn't feel it connect with him.
But when he saw the anti-hero not moving, Martin snapped both of his hands downwards and launched himself back into the air again, flying away from the two mutants who didn't follow him and remained on the rooftop.
Matt dropped down to his friend who lowered his scythe. Opening up his helmet, he looked to his friend who spoke. "I still can't do it… I can't bring myself to hurt him… it might hurt Caitlin." Even with the demonic voice, he could clearly hear the sadness in it.
"I know that." The armored mutant surmised to him, knowing everything that was going through the elemental's head right now. Knowing that was the sole reason for him to hold back against Martin in Ronnie's body.
X
(S.T.A.R. Labs)
The next day, after the events of what happened when they encountered Martin in Ronnie's body, the two mutants along with metahuman gathered there as well with Caitlin and Harrison.
The two mutants didn't converse with the natives of this universe. The founder spoke first to the gathering of people after pressing a few keys on his computer and pulling up a map with a red dot at a special location, "And we now have a location on Professor Stein." He looked to the nanite mutant, "Silently shooting off a tracer, impressive thinking, Mr. Almond."
"All in a day's work, Dr. Wells." Matt said back with a smile.
Barry smiled as well, before inquiring, "We have a way of stopping him that doesn't involve either of us getting melted or dropped from a mile high?" at his question he gestured between him and the two mutants.
"Yes, I noticed his new molecular structure allows him to resist gravity." Harrison stated with a peaked interest while his eyes turned to the elemental who didn't utter a single word to anyone.
"I know how to bring him in." the eyes of every single male in the room turned to Caitlin who spoke her words quite confidently, and happily, to Seth's pain.
"How?" Barry asked, while his eyes went to Seth didn't utter a single word.
Caitlin then answered, "By giving Martin Stein what he really wants, his home." None of the powered beings didn't understand her words, but thankfully the founder of the facility did so.
And after he said a few words, mainly their assignments, both Barry and Caitlin walked away. The founder turned to the mutants and asked, "Mr. Rogers, can I talk to you for a few moments?" Seth nodded to him, and Matt took the hint and walked out, leaving the two to talk alone.
Seth started them off, "I think I know what you're going to say." He had a feeling that the founder was going to ask him of that very question, and the elemental was going to deny it.
"From what we witnessed before..." Harrison inhaled as he rolled out from behind the main console to look into his eyes. "… it appears that Martin Stein does not react well around your presence, Mr. Rogers. And to that end, to bring Professor Stein in, perhaps it would be better if you were to remain here and not encounter them again."
Stepping closer to him, Seth told him unwaveringly. "That's not possible Dr. Wells. And you already know why."
"Caitlin…" He deduced without even trying.
He nodded to him in agreement, "I don't care if it's Ronnie Raymond or Martin Stein in the driver's seat, one or the other almost hurt Caitlin back in the parking lot, when they faced off against me before. And I'm going to let them do that again." His conviction was unflinching and his determination was burning bright like a flame. "I'm going to be there, but they're not going to see me."
Seth went to walk, but Harrison stopped him with his next words. "Mr. Rogers… Seth." The elemental stopped, "Are you comfortable with the thought of Ronnie returning back to Caitlin's life."
"No." he said immediately, "But it's her life and her happiness… if she's truly happy with him, then I won't stand in her way, Dr. Wells. Keep this between us, okay?"
Harrison nodded to him as the elemental moved out of the exit. And while the founder was left alone, he wondered how this would affect the future… his future.
X
"There he is. Looks like the tracker Matt placed on him worked." Caitlin remarked surprisingly as she, Barry and Martin Stein's own bewildered wife, Clarissa, walked over to an area near a bridge and saw Ronnie underneath the bridge. He stood in front of a hole which resembled a small hole, and it looked like something was in it, and it was… shining with a strange shine.
The entire area looked like a place for homeless people and other people who struggled with their place in society.
The group of three walked closer and closer to the place, like a team. But while they each took a step, Caitlin couldn't stop her heart from aching with each step, as if she was committing a mistake, and perhaps the biggest one of her life.
Ronnie felt and heard the voices and footsteps of the group, making him step out from under the bridge, his face turned to annoyance at the sight of the woman and man from S.T.A.R. Labs, and his face also filled with anger at the probability of the mutant elemental nearby. He wouldn't let him go and hurt her again.
Barry chose to let the women do their thing so he stepped back and let them do handle the situation. But he didn't like how neither of the mutants were brought along here.
As he got out, Martin heard the female scientist call out, "Professor Stein?"
Martin Stein grunted at the voice and reminded her bluntly, since he wasn't the one who held feelings for her, "Ugh, I told you to stay away from me."
Caitlin then said promisingly, "And I will, but there's someone else who wants to talk to you."
Martin didn't stop walking, but he did when the next female meaningful voice called out to her, "Martin?!" He slowly turned around and saw his baffled wife creeping closer to him. "Do you who I am?" she asked with a voice filled with surprise and disbelief.
His head fidgeted again wildly and with a hoarse voice said, "Clarissa." A voice full of surprise and shock.
"Is it really you?" The wife asked still in shock of the man before being her missing wife.
"I don't know." Martin said hoarsely again, his ears nor eyes and ears of the others never caught sight of the presence near the small hole. "I hear the other inside of me. He wants to go home…" his shaking eyes went to Caitlin. "…to her."
Barry saw a massive surge of conflict come over Caitlin's face at his words, convinced that it involved the elemental who had reopened her heart again.
"But we can't." Martin said in Ronnie's voice hopelessly. "I want to be me again." His eyes drifted down the body he currently inhabited with the other man pushed into the back.
"Martin…" Clarissa got him to stop. "What's my favorite color?" It was a question only her husband knows the answer to.
It made a series of gears turn in his mind, Martin's mind. He slowly answered, "You could… you could never decide, so you chose stripes."
Clarissa gasped loudly as she heard his answer, the answer that only her husband, Martin Stein, would be able to answer. The answer that made her smile and made tears manifest in her eyes.
But the tears blew away from her cheek because of the increased wind current that came from the side. Still, no one felt it.
Her hand slowly went to touch his cheek, but he flinched away from it. "You shouldn't see like this."
However, she persisted and placed her hand on his cheek. And she poured her heart out in her next words. "I see you. I see you, Martin." Martin looked up into his wife's eyes, full of tender and care, and love. "These people can help you. They say the can. Please let them."
Ronnie slowly turned his eyes to Caitlin and Barry, "Please… help us." His eyes slowly went to the side, "And help… he-" he stopped himself and backed away when he looked to where the hole is…
The other three followed his eye line…
… and to the everyone's surprise they saw the unmistakable form of Seth Rogers standing in front of the hole, his eyes looking down in the hole and his back looking back at them. A wind slowly picking up around him.
At the sight of the mutant there, Ronnie lit up with flames again and Clarissa backed away. Reeling his arms back he was about to fire off blasts of fire "No-"
But he was suddenly caught of soul-shattering horror and terror when he saw Seth look at him with one lifeless eye at him. Snapping his arm forward, the mutant let out a loud cry of anger as he thrusted his arm forward again, unleashing a viciously spiraling storm at the blazing metahuman.
Barry saw the storm unleashed and used his superspeed to get Clarissa out of the way and to safety. When she back safely away from the blast of wind, the three of them looked at the mutant who didn't even hesitate to release that powerful wind that resembled a small-scale tornado.
"Martin!" Clarissa shouted in worry, seeing her husband be pummeled by the vicious storm.
When the storm died down, they saw that Martin was smashed into the ground, Ronnie's very own body dug into the ground from the pressure that followed the powerful wind. His eyes along with the group's eyes fearfully drifted to the mutant… and saw absolutely lifeless anger in his eyes.
Wind gathered around his body, pushing off the heavier objects around him like they were nothing. Fire igniting around his body, burning the grass and other life forms around him to piles of ashes. Lightning sparked off his body, shooting off and blasting into the ground without trouble. Earth fissured around him with each spike of anger in his body. Ice froze the ground underneath his feet. Adamantium became his skin as each of his fists clenched in rage. Water boiling and sipping out of his skin like blood that were ready to shoot off like pressurized bullets. But his eyes were stronger than any of his elements could ever hope to compare to, shaking their very cores immediately.
Raising an adamantium-enforced finger and pointing it at him, he sneered. "You and I are going to talk! Whether you like it or not! And if I don't like it, then you'll die, right here and right now!"
Barry and Clarissa stepped back in fear at his tone. Caitlin however have seen worse actions of him, but he had never attacked Ronnie before for some reason. But he just did, in front of them. It was so unlike anything he had done before.
So she stepped closer to him and looked behind him, and her eyes widened at the sight.
A young woman was in the hole. Her body clothed in a black catsuit, highlighting all of her well-endowed curves, enhancing her beauty. Her skin akin to Seth's own, white skin, pale-as-a-ghost white skin. Long magenta colored hair spread wide around her head.
An invisible force with pink energy lighting was wrapped around her body. The energy had the form of a cocoon around her body, but it looked to be on the very edge of cracking.
Caitlin looked between the enraging Seth and the woman repeatedly and realization dawned on her.
"Seth's sister… Olivia."
X
(S.T.A.R. Labs)
A while after, they returned to S.T.A.R Labs, and Caitlin, Barry and Harrison kept their eyes on the young woman who was placed on the gurney with her invisible energy formed around her. Martin was cleaning himself up, cutting his hair and getting new clothes.
Seth stood over his sister and looked pleased at the sight of her cocooned living sister, alive and well. He told the news to Matt who said he'd came back as soon as possible.
Matt jumped down through the skylight in his Iron Knight suit, which he quickly took off and ran into Caitlin's lab. Everyone's attention was focused on the two mutants, making them listen to every word that were spoke in the private lab.
When he got in the lab, Matt's eyes leaked tears of joy and happiness at the sight of his girlfriend safe and sound. "She's…She's safe. Liv's safe." He said with tears flowing down his face as he turned to Seth's smiling face.
"Yeah… she is." He wiped away his own tears. "Can't wait for her to wake up again."
The nanite mutant looked around her cocoon, seeing the cracks on her shield. Taking in every one of them, he felt his anger spike, "Who… did… this?" he sneered out angrily.
"Wait… and see." Seth slowly his own anger barely contained.
Barry didn't want to involve the mutants so he asked the others. "Well, we got him. Them. Now what?" his eyes also went to Seth, whose eyes looked down. And he could understand it, a relationship built with someone amazing, only for the old partner to come back, ending up with yourself forced out of the relationship.
Harrison looked between the two mutants and the cocooned young woman, before answering the speedster, "Well, Stein clearly thinks he can separate himself from Ronnie's body using nuclear fission."
"What do you think?" Caitlin asked, the elemental's eyes lowering themselves even more.
Wiping his tears away, the nanite mutant joined the conversation after hearing their words. "Is it possible?"
"What do I think?" he recited Caitlin's words. "Is it possible?" this time Matt's words. "Theoretically. But splitting an atom and splitting a man are two very different things."
As he said that, everyone's eyes turned to the other side of the Cortex. Finding Martin Stein coming in Ronnie Raymond's body, this time cleaned up, and looking like Ronnie Raymond of the past. Martin fidgeted slowly as he saw Seth's eyes looking at him angrily like a flame was focused on him intensively.
Seth saw the way Caitlin was looking at him, and he hated it, how terrible he felt inside of him intensified. He didn't know what to feel or do right now… instead of purely enraged hate directed at Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein.
Feeling the eyes on him, Martin stated uncomfortably. "I don't suppose it's necessary to point you're all staring?"
Barry and Caitlin lowered their eyes to the ground as did the founder. Seth however was not so polite, not with him. "If you don't like it, we have a cell we can throw your pathetic ass in if that's better. And just for good measure, we'll throw away the key."
The natives were surprised to hear the venom in Seth's words, the way he spat them out. It was unlike everything they have ever seen before or even heard before. "Our apologies." The founder said apologetically after shaking off the shock from his body.
"It is remarkable." Martin said as he stepped closer into the middle of the Cortex, Seth stepped in front of the entrance to Caitlin's lab, not letting the metahuman come any closer to his sister. Martin stopped as he saw the mutant's action, "I feel clearer than I have since the accident. What did you give me?"
"Considered rat poison, but that would have given rats a bad name." The elemental sniped bluntly.
Once again Harrison had to shake his head from shock, "A cocktail of anti-psychotics, depressants, and mood stabilizers."
"The same formula used to treat dissociative identity disorders." Martin recognized the recipe while his eyes looked to Caitlin. "I assume this was your idea?" he stepped closer to her. She could only nod, and hoped slightly that the mutant would come to her. "Very clever, Cait."
"Don't call me that." Caitlin said immediately, as her eyes went to Seth but his eyes never met hers and were filled with rage and hate. She then turned to Martin in Ronnie's body again, and said sympathetically. "Please."
"I apologize." Martin told her.
Caitlin inhaled her briefly and said slowly, "We'd like to run some tests on you, if you don't mind."
"Of course, Dr. Snow." Martin told her and went to move, but Seth wasn't letting him off that easily.
"Wait a second, you bastard." Everyone snapped to Seth who rushed down to the middle of the Cortex and looked into the quivering eyes of Martin in Ronnie's body. "I want to know… why?" he said slowly. "Why… you tried to burn my… sister?!"
At his words, Matt snapped up and turned his murderous eyes to the metahuman. "He did what?!" he leaped to the middle and slammed him into the wall. The others saw the wall crack behind him, and worry filled them when they saw him swarm his arm with nanites and formed a large broadsword. He raised it to Martin's neck, drawing a line of blood when it touched the skin.
Caitlin placed her hands over her mouth in shock and sadness. Barry and Harrison Wells looked on worried. Seth didn't move a muscle, yet.
Matt turned his eyes to his friend and demanded to know, "Give a reason… to why you haven't killed this fucking bastard yet?! He could have killed Liv! Our Liv!"
"I know that." Seth said back.
Matt then reminded him angrily. "You promised to always protect her!"
"I know that!" Seth raised his voice, "Goddamn it, I know what I said! I know that!" Matt softened his expression as he shifted his gaze between his friend and the worried Caitlin behind him. "I know what I said, Matt. But please… just hold it in."
"Okay." Matt said while he lowered his blade from Ronnie's throat. But his eyes turned to the quaking in fear conjoined metahuman, "He has one reason for not burning you and turn your ass into a pile ash. I don't. So come anywhere near Liv again, then I won't hesitate to kill you." Martin grit his teeth in pain when he felt Matt press his finger to the side of his forehead. "I don't care if there's two people in there, or even if they're innocents, you could have killed the one woman I love, so don't fool yourself into thinking that I won't strike you down if you come near her."
"And I won't stop him. You could have killed my sister if that went wrong." Seth stated adamantly to Martin's surprise. Matt nodded and walked back to Olivia's gurney, to watch over her. "Now before any tests are run on you, you're going to answer a few questions now. And you don't get to say no, and don't even try to lie to me cause I'll know it. Understood? Not that you'd have a choice though." Harrison took a mental note of Seth's ability to determine a liar.
Ronnie nodded rapidly, the others wondered what Seth was going to demand of the metahuman who could have killed his sister. He started, "Why did you try to burn my sister and why did you go after me this entire time?"
"I was unsure if if your sister could survive within that sphere of energy, if she could breathe to be exact." Martin started, "And ever since I met her, like that, I kept getting these… visions… of you attacking wildly, like you were trying to kill her. And I was worried that you might come back and finish the job, as they say. Nor did I know that she was your sister."
"Why the hell would I kill my own little sister?" The elemental didn't believe his words.
"Your sparring sessions." They looked to Matt who looked down on Liv's sleeping form in the cocoon. "Liv used to say that your sparring sessions were the happiest times between the two of you. And Seth you probably forgot all about it, but there were ten months were Liv felt as though her big brother wasn't even there anymore. And she missed that one, for so long."
Seth felt the pain and cold truth in his best friend's words. He knew that he had gotten estranged from those that mattered to him after Stef and Bucky's death, especially from his little sister. His sister who was one of Stef's closest and best friends, and she wanted to brother there to support her through her most painful experience.
Matt continued, "She must have used her powers to send those memories into his mind, and he interpreted them the wrong way and he thought that you might be out for her blood. Guess it's kinda of your fault, you Rogers never had a normal sibling bonding unless it involved either of you being punched or kicked." He quipped at the end using their alias last names.
"Normal went out the window a long time ago." Seth countered before shifting to Martin in Ronnie's body. "And don't ever try to burn my sister again, you bastard. Otherwise, he's not going to be your only threat in this world." Martin nodded again, rapidly this time, almost to the point of breaking his neck.
The mutant accepted that and moved away but when Caitlin moved over to lead the metahuman away, he realized a very important fact. "Wait." He got them to stop. "When you found my sister, was my sister alone? Or was there someone else there?"
"No one, just her." Martin answered him immediately, fearing that anything but the truth would end up with being blasted with wind again or worse, with him facing the end of his cold scythe again.
"Okay." He said with a nod. Caitlin continued leading Ronnie, but she briefly looked at Seth who gave her a smile. When she saw the smile on his face, it gave her some comfort again. But his eyes remained enraged when they drifted to Ronnie's body again, and she understood why. It wasn't easy for him not to kill the same guy who could have killed his little sister, when he was right in front of him.
And she had no idea on how to help him, with either words or actions she was unsure.
With a conflicting heart, she led Martin away to another room to check him over while Barry answered his vibrating phone.
Harrison wheeled around the main console and went to talk to the elemental. "Seth what is that barrier-like cocoon around Ms. Rogers' body?"
"It's one of her abilities, she calls it "Stasis"." Seth began, "Olivia is a mutant with advanced telepathic and telekinetic powers and able to teleport mildly as well, but it's a pain in her ass, from what I recall. What you see in there is a telepathically and telekinetically induced coma Liv has put herself in, as she induces herself into that she also wraps herself around in a shield of telekinetic energy as well. Strong enough to take on various missiles and flames."
"Fascinating power your sister possesses. But how long does it take for her Stasis to come undone?" The founder further asked.
"That's weirdest thing. It normally takes around an hour or so to come undone." He said, "But it never came undone because of Martin kept blasting her cocoon with dark matter flames. One thing I learn from being here, is that dark matter is able to affect mutant powers so far, in a unique way." He finished off before walking over to his best friend who was still beside his comatose girlfriend.
"You thought Carnage might have been with her in beginning, right?" He whispered to Seth.
He nodded to the question and continued seriously and dreadfully, "Chances of him being not being thrown into this universe just got slimmer than ever."
Matt widened his eyes as he realized, "You don't mean…"
"I do. Carnage is here, in this universe." Seth said seriously while he prepared his mind for the fight against the deranged monster who destroyed his life.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone