章 27: Progression
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The morning sun broke through the blinds, casting streaks of light across the room and nudging Wally awake. Rolling over in his king-sized bed, he felt the weariness of yesterday melt away—until his phone buzzed insistently on the nightstand. He opened one eye, annoyed. Who decided 7 a.m. was prime time for a heist?
He was tempted to ignore it, but the responsibility he'd taken to protect Central City weighed on him. Leaving this for Barry didn't feel right; he knew how these small incidents could spiral into larger threats.
In a blur, he sprang from bed, dashed through his morning routine, and suited up. A quick glance around, then he sped out, heading for the jewelry store in question. As he arrived, he caught sight of Barry being flung backward, and Wally nearly laughed, resisting the urge to snap a photo. He studied the robber, noting the advanced-looking rifle in their grip.
While in Flash Time, Wally calmly approached the thief. Barry recovered and, seeing Wally, sighed in slight embarrassment. Together, they subdued Morillo without much trouble and returned to S.T.A.R. Labs. But Wally couldn't help but notice something weighing on Barry's mind, almost like he was lost in thought.
After a routine check by Caitlin, everyone scattered to their usual tasks. Wally, however, took the opportunity to slip into his pocket dimension.
"Welcome, Sir," Alfred greeted respectfully, his hologram bowing slightly.
"Hey, Alfred. Are all the preparations ready?" Wally asked, eyeing the assembly line where drones were coming together at an impressive rate.
"Yes, Sir. Everything is set. We can begin at your command," Alfred replied. A surge of excitement rose within Wally. The journey he'd begun with nervous anticipation now felt like a leap toward self-reliance and security. Who would've thought he'd come this far?
"Let's start," Wally said, flinging his jacket aside. He approached the sleek pod, a grin tugging at his lips—until Alfred's voice interrupted.
"Based on my calculations, this process will take a week, during which you'll be in deep sleep, Sir."
Wally paused, rubbing the back of his neck. As eager as he was, now wasn't the right time. People expected him to be around for the incoming housewarming. Vanishing for a week would only stir up questions he wasn't ready to answer.
"Alright, Alfred," he said, stepping back from the pod. "Put it on hold, but keep everything on standby. I'll jump in as soon as things settle down."
"Understood, Sir," Alfred responded smoothly. "Shall I redirect focus to improving drone production efficiency in the meantime?"
"Yes, and designate one-tenth of the pocket dimension for West Tech's inventory. Also, keep working on the security bots."
Turning from the pod, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. With the intelligence booster prepared, his next focus was on securing a building for West Tech and planning for the necessary facilities. Alfred was already quietly pulling funds in Robin Hood fashion to finance the venture.
One of Wally's recent achievements was his upgraded suit, outfitted with enhanced tech, better defenses, and a sleek new aesthetic.
Glancing at the clock, he realized he still had time. With nothing pressing to do, he began browsing the Dominator database. Suddenly, a particular file caught his attention, and he paused, his interest piqued.
"Alfred, take a look at this," he called.
Alfred's image materialized, and as he scanned the holographic screen, a rare hint of regret crossed his face. "My apologies, Sir. I seem to have overlooked this information."
Wally sighed but offered Alfred a small smile. "We all make mistakes; we just have to make sure we learn from them."
Wally had stumbled upon a piece of information Alfred had missed. Of course, it wasn't surprising; the Dominator database contained more information than expected. It would take several days to decipher and assimilate, so naturally, Alfred must have missed it in his mission to unravel it all as soon as possible.
This information, in particular, contained ways in which enhancement can be divided into stages. Of course, Alfred could have thought of this, but he had no particular resources or information to further it. Attempting to do so would only delay the instructions he had been given.
"With this as a layout, we can divide the intelligence and regeneration enhancements into stages, starting with the latter," Wally said, earning a nod from Alfred.
Starting with the regeneration enhancement would indeed make the enhancement of his intellect easier, since possible damages would heal faster.
"How long until you can alter the Bio-regenerative serum?" Wally asked, still glancing at the information.
"In a few hours, Sir," Alfred responded, already deep into the work. "We'll need to dilute the original solution to twenty percent of its concentration. This means the procedure will require five rounds to reach full effect."
"It's acceptable," Wally mused lightly. "Finish it as soon as possible," he instructed before he continued reviewing the sea of information. He searched up basic building construction and integrity out of curiosity and was quickly satisfied.
He smiled and quickly separated the information into his archive. He planned on making the building a very tall one. It would model after a reputable building he knew in his past life—the Stark Tower. In fact, he planned on making it taller.
Before he knew it, the serum was ready. "Sir, the serum is ready to be administered."
Wally smiled at the news and quickly rolled up his sleeves. He knew this serum would give him the regenerative boost he needed to handle future enhancements more safely. Sitting down in a reclining chair within the lab, he let Alfred administer the first dose.
The cool liquid surged through his veins, an odd tingling spreading through his body. His senses sharpened, almost as if his cells were waking up, rejuvenating at a microscopic level. It was an overwhelming but empowering sensation, one that left him feeling ready for whatever came next. The pain he initially thought would come was nowhere to be found, causing him to sigh in relief.
"How are you feeling, Sir?" Alfred asked, his voice holding a hint of concern.
"Better than ever," he murmured, though a tingling still coursed through him—a reminder the serum was still taking effect. He remained in the recliner, letting the sensation ebb, until suddenly, his body jolted upright. Lightning surged through him uncontrollably, crackling outward in all directions and scorching everything in its path.
He hurriedly asserted control over the outburst of his energy. It took a while before it was fully under control. Fear and confusion quickly morphed into a grin when he noticed the reason for this phenomenon. His hand still occasionally sparked with blue lightning.
"Alfred, run diagnostics. ASAP," he instructed. A bot appeared beside him, promptly drawing blood and scanning his form.
The bot processed the data for a few seconds before Alfred's voice chimed in. "It seems the serum worked as expected—and then some. According to the diagnostics, your cells appear more vigorous and are generating higher-than-usual energy levels, which likely triggered the sudden outburst. Your body should fully adjust soon."
"That means my base speed should have increased as well." His speed had been stagnating lately, especially as he'd begun closing in on Barry's top speed. Now, he couldn't help but wonder just how much further he could push it.
"Alfred, is the treadmill almost complete?"
"It should be finished soon," Alfred responded. They could have completed it earlier, but resources had to be allocated carefully to balance priorities.
He glanced at the clock. Nearly 8 p.m. Soon, H.R. would open the S.T.A.R. Labs Museum—an endeavor destined to fail. Still, he wondered if he should lend H.R. a hand, perhaps accelerating the project's success ahead of schedule.
"Alfred, prepare the first phase of the intelligence enhancer for tomorrow. And drop me off close to S.T.A.R. Labs," Wally instructed, glancing at the watch he always wore. It served a dual purpose: ensuring Cisco couldn't vibe his location and feeding him falsified data if needed.
He swiftly changed into a suit before speeding into S.T.A.R. Labs in time to see everyone dressed up and in the Cortex.
"Okay, who's ready for the opening?" H.R. bust in jovially, to which everyone turned and sighed.
"Come on, aren't you excited for the opening? It marks a new beginning for us all," he continued.
"How do you know if it's even going to succeed?" Cisco countered.
"Of course, it's going to succeed... You guys clean up well," H.R. commented as he began leading the team to the lower floor.
And just as expected, no one showed up. Barry and Iris came last, only to find everywhere empty. Apparently, no one had made an appearance.
"Caitlin, where's everybody? No one's here," Barry inquired.
"No one showed up," Caitlin replied, disappointment etched on her face.
Just then, a couple entered, only for them to run out in the next few seconds. Wally couldn't help but chuckle.
"Don't bother, no one's coming," Cisco spoke up in dissatisfaction. His face brimming with scrutiny.
"Why isn't this working?" H.R. questioned rhetorically.
"You see this? Do you see what you've done, H.R.? You have distracted us for months, so what? So you can feel useful? You are not useful. This museum is not useful," Cisco voiced out.
"You know what, that's mean..." said H.R.
Just then, Julian entered, and H.R. quickly turned around to welcome the customer.
"Come on, guys, it's just Julian," HR complained. Wally, taking his chance quickly, called HR to the corner.
"What is it, Wallace?" HR asked, trying to cover up his disappointment with a smile.
"You must be disappointed that the opening failed, right?" he inquired, glancing at HR's shifting expression.
"Yeah, I guess," he said with a chuckle.
"How about I offer you some help...?"w
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