Within Seconds // Barry Allen

Try Hard King Kong

"Grodd is the name on the cage downstairs," Parker explained. "But I don't know what was ever in that cage.."

Cisco clapped his hands together, gaining everyone's attention and looking rather annoyed. "However, Caitlin and I do. Why don't we show you?"

The team retreated to the Cortex where Cisco projected a video filmed from inside the cage, showing Caitlin stroking the top of a gorilla's head.

"Oh," Barry said in mock happiness. "Grodd is a gorilla."

"About five years ago, Eiling and Wells were working on a project that would expand soldiers cognitive ability during battle," Cisco started to explain.

"What we didn't realize," Caitlin continued, "was that Eiling was trying to create soldiers with psychic abilities."

"What do you mean psychic?" Joe asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Eiling was aiming for these super-soldiers, with telepathic and telekentic abilities," Cisco said.

"But when Wells found out about the terrible experiments Eiling was doing, he shut down the entire project," Caitlin assured.

"So our psycho-killer has a soft spot for animals," Joe said. He gave a nod. "That's sweet."

"And what happened to Grodd?" Parker cut in.

Cisco and Caitlin glanced at each other. By the look on his face, Cisco knew nothing of it. Caitlin obviously did, judging by the way she bit her lip.

"We don't know.." Caitlin said. "After the Accelerator exploded, I went down to check on him, and his cage was empty."

That left two options, one of which, Parker decided to voice.

"So, a gorilla was effected by the explosion as well. Okay, did somebody say King Kong? Or maybe Planet of the Apes, if that's your style."

Cisco's eyes widened, his hand slapping Parker's hand in excitement.
Her silly reference had actually generated some thinking about the entire situation, some of which made sense.

"When the dark matter hit Grodd, all the serums that Eiling injected him with could have been activated! Maybe the Accelerator explosion created a meta-gorilla," A dorky smile on his face, wonder in his eyes, Cisco continued, "And I think we all know what happens when an intelligent ape who's pissed off at human's escapes captivity."

"Cisco's right," Caitlin said. Quickly, she added, "About the first part. This is the first brain scan I did on Grodd, and this is the brain scan I did on Eiling."

"They're the same," Joe observed. "They are connected?"

"I think that somehow Grodd is transmitting neural signals to Eiling's primary motor cortex," Caitlin said. "Mind control, telepathy.. Who knows what he's capable of now?"

Joe sighed. "What do we think Grodd wants?"

"Revenge on Eiling," Barry said instantly.

"But he got that when he captured him," Parker disagreed.

"I don't think it's a coincidence that this gorilla shows up when we're looking for Wells," Joe said, throwing his idea into the fold. "The guy rescued him. He must feel some sort of need to repay him."

"Grodd and Wells did always have a special bond," Caitlin said.

"It wouldn't be a surprise to find out that Grodd was a distraction. I think that if we find Grodd, we find Wells. If we find Wells-"

"-then we find Eddie," Iris predicted, making an entrance. "And I'm going to help."

Caitlin, however, was the only one who wanted Iris' help.