Within Seconds: Sylas & Allen

The Path Less Traveled On

Parker came to, eventually. Groggily, she squinted into the darkness, searching the room. It was expansive, she could tell, by the echo that came with the pitter-patter of her shoes against the concrete floor. In the distance in front of her, she saw very slight moonlight scattered underneath a door.

"Hello, Parker."

"What's goin' on?" she yawned. 

"Do you know where you are?"

"Should I?" she asked. He was silent. She sighed. "Let's see. Well, for one, I'm in a dark room. I am tied to a chair. I'm hungry, and I'm thirsty, and I'm cold. I think my toes are getting frostbite. You may consider giving me a blanket if you're going to be keeping me long."

"Just until your husband decides to agree to race me."

"Race you? What the hell are you talking about?"

"The Flash and I are more similar than you may think," he said mysteriously. 

"The dead parent, the desire to be the fastest, I know. I heard."

"He's going to become me. He's going to enjoy killing."

"Have you met Barry?" giggled Parker, "the boy can't kill a spider without saying a few goodbye words."

Zoom passed dangerously close to her ear. "All the more reason to use his leverage..."

"Maybe I should stop talking." 

"You should hope he agrees soon."

"Or what?" challenged Parker.

"I'd watch my tone, if I were you."

"You're not going to kill me just because I'm a nuisance."

"We'll see about that."

"You said something about a race, didn't you?" called Parker into the darkness, "Tell me what the consequences are. I'll tell you what he's going to do. He's going to do whatever he thinks I would do. I can tell you exactly what he'll do, if you tell me what this race means to you."

"You ask him."

Parker paused. "Say what?"

In a second, her hands were untied from the chair and retied in front of her, only that time, a cell phone was placed on her palms. 

"Five minutes. Use them wisely," he said, then he was gone in an electric blue show of lightning. 

Parker winced at the phone's brightness. Hurriedly, she peered at the keypad, poking the digits of Cisco's cell phone. She knew how finicky Barry was when an unknown number called him. 

"This is Cisco Ramon," he mumbled. 

"Cisco!" shouted Parker.

"Park? Park, is that really you?" he breathed, sounding entirely more alert than before. 

"Yes, it's me, now listen--"

"What the hell? Where are you? Can you stay on the phone? I can trace it. Stall for as long as you can."

"Save it. I assume it's a prepaid, he's not stupid, unfortunately. Look, I have five minutes. I need to talk to Barry right now."

"I can get him," said Cisco, then he paused to sprint to wherever her husband resided. He wheezed, "Barry, phone!"

"I don't want to talk to anyone right now," she heard. He sounded broken. His voice was monotone, tired beyond explanation. 

"Not even your wife?"

"Give me the goddamn--" said Barry hurriedly, "Baby? Baby, where are you?"

"I don't know, Barry--"

"Can you see anything? Can you hear anything?"

"No, Barry, If I did, I obviously would have slipped some hints. Now, would you stop and list--"

"Is he listening?"

"I have no idea, Barry! I can hear breathing, so that might be him, but it could also be a giant rat, because there was most definitely some furry shit that trampled across my feet earlier!"

"Parker, please don't yell at me."

"Then stop interrupting me!" she snapped, "Listen. I have less than five minutes. I need you to tell me about this race."

"Oh, uh, I don't know, he told me he wanted me to race him."

"Why?"

"To see who was the fastest of the Earth's."

"What's the plot twist?"

"I don't know."

"I need you to do better than, 'I don't know.'"

"All I know is that I have to race him. I have to save you. The team doesn't agree."

"It's an impulse decision. They're right, for now. Tell me, if you were me, what would you do?"

"I wouldn't go with my impulse."

"Beautiful, keep going," she encouraged.

"I would try to find a cheat. I would find different way to save you," he said, "I don't know. I'd find you to tell me what I'm supposed to do..."

"I'm afraid that's not an option, Barry."

"Parker, I'm so sorry you're in this position..."

"We don't have time for sorry's. I put myself in this position. That's it. I think my time is running out, so, right now, I just need to listen to me when I tell you that everything's going to work out. All is going to be just fine, in time. And, baby, if I don't talk to you again--"

"I can't handle another goodbye. Please, Park, please don't let this be a goodbye."

"Not yet. I can promise that much. Just... Be smart, Barry. I'm begging you," she said quietly.

"I'm going to save you."

"Okay," she decided to say, knowing she couldn't agree, "Barry, I love you so incredibly much, okay?"

Zoom appeared then. He ripped the phone from her ear. "What do you say, Flash? Are you ready to find out who the fastest is?"

Barry didn't take long to respond. His answer aligned with what his wife would do. He said a strong no. 

Zoom crushed the phone within his hand. It was the only thing he could hurt, considering he didn't yet know how to harm the woman without Barry witnessing it. He wouldn't have to fret for long. Soon, so soon, he would discover their mutual weakness. He would use it to get exactly what he wanted.