Running Over Water

[16 - Shooting the Shot]

Percy

"We got it!" Barry yells triumphantly as we all walk back to the Cortex. Everyone turns to us as they grin at our accomplishment.

"Really? I hadn't expected Dr. McGee to give the prototype so willingly," Dr. Wells sets down the stack of papers in his hand and rolls to greet us. He admires the tachyon prototype that Barry was carefully cradling in his arms.

"Yeah, uh, you'd disagree with this but it did require a bit of persuading," Barry chuckles, distracting himself from his true feelings. He shifted his weight and looked down at his feet, as if he was ashamed of himself for what he had done, but I didn't understand why. It was a mini crime, people do it all the time. He got the job done. But I guess that's the effect he acquires when he becomes a hero.

"He means blackmailing," I grin and Barry just gives me a death glare, in conjunction to a few groans from everyone else. I expected Dr. Wells to scold at this, however, he doesn't. He smiles at Barry as if he had done nothing wrong.

"Of course, in other circumstances, I'd chastise you for such things. And even though such a method isn't exactly ideal, it worked. And that's what we were going for." A light smile teased on his lips. "Now, let's set this trap, shall we?"

•••

"Okay, it's in place!" Cisco shouts echo from the speakers on the desk. We watch his and Caitlin's movements from the computer screens. Barry, Annabeth, Joe, and Dr. Wells all stare at the screen intensively. I, however, watched my distance.

We then watch as Cisco hooks up some wires to the device and the big trap that took up a third of the room. Just looking at it made my brain hurt, knowing that there were so many things there I couldn't be able to pronounce. After another minute of hooking up wires, he looks at the camera and flashes us a thumbs up when he's done. And they both walk out of our sight, on their way back to us. Now the screen shows nothing except the small prototype sitting on a pedestal, wires and a computer right near it.

But I was still shocked at how quickly Cisco, Annabeth, and Wells had built this trap of theirs. Of course, I had no doubt that the three smartest people I know would build an amazing contraption, but I underestimated them. Annabeth's eyes leave the screen and looks at everyone. She asks, "When will this play out?"

"We're thinking tonight," Barry replies. "But we still need to figure out how to advertise the tachyon prototype to the Reverse Flash. Any ideas?"

"We got that covered," Joe looks at Wells and gives him a curt nod. "Leave it to us."

"Okay, that's fine," Barry gives them a curious look, but then Cisco and Caitlin walk in and join us in our little circle.

"So that means we can go back to the hotel?" I question and everyone nods accordingly. I sigh at the response, happily, of course. It's not them, it's just that it's hard to have fun when I can't even do anything to help. I mean, of course, that means if something bad happens, nobody can blame me. But everyone else has a job to do, even Annabeth!

I'm also really looking forward to taking a revitalizing nap. Since I had gone to bed so late yesterday due to a certain someone, my energy was not at its highest. And especially with my encounter with Joe, that drained me out.

"Yeah, I'll drop you off," Barry said. But then looks at everyone else when he says this next part, "But I might take awhile coming back."