Within Seconds: Sylas & Allen

*insert crying emoji*

Parker quickly discovered it was not moonlight or daylight that peeked from underneath the door across the room. It was a fluorescent lamp outside of the room. It made it impossible for her to tell what the time of day was, or how many days had passed since she was taken. 

When Zoom entered, retying her hands on her lap and placing a different cell phone within her hands, she assumed it had been a full day. 

"Call," he ordered.

Again, she called Cisco. 

"Parker?"  asked a voice, but it was Barry's, not Cisco's. 

"Barry," said Zoom.

"Don't hurt--"

"Was your father enough?"

"He was. H-He was."

"Ah, a hesitation. You see, Barry, I can't stop until I know."

"Don't touch her," he begged, "please."

"Pathetically begging," muttered Zoom shamefully.

"Would you expect anything else?" asked Parker.

"Park?"

"Hi, Barry, are you all right?"

"Am I all right?" he chuckled breathlessly, "Don't worry about me, baby, please. I'm just fine."

"What did you find out about the race? Anything?"

"It's supposed to siphon our speed. Doing it will create some sort of opening to other Earth's, then proceed to destroy them. He wants to leave one Earth at his disposal. Our Earth. In running, I give him the chance to do that. I give him the chance to reign over our Earth and destroy the infinite multiverses, if I lose."

"Then you don't lose," said Parker simply.

"Right. Right, well, you see, that's the problem."

"What is?"

"They tranquilized me."

"Excuse me?"

"Joe caught me in the Accelerator Ring. I was going to practice, but he shot me. I woke up in a cell. He left Cisco's phone with me in case you called again."

"Where the hell are the rest of them?" asked Parker.

"I assume Cait's still inconsolable. She chose us, but I think her heart is still with Jay, you know?"

Zoom wouldn't have known, by any chance, that Barry was lying. Parker knew only from the change in the woman's name. He only used her nickname in times of consoling. It was a hint to her. The team was planning something. Barry didn't know what, but in his clue, he tried to grant her with any fraction of hope. 

"I know," she lied expertly, "what do you think they plan to do?"

"Keep me from saving you. I don't blame for second-guessing. They're at as much of a loss at what to do as I am, Parker. We need you. I need you here."

"I know that, and I'm so incredibly sorry, baby, but these phone call's are all we have."

"Parker," interrupted Zoom.

"Present."

"Do you remember the first time we met?"

"Was it a nail salon? I think you'd need hella work to keep those claws sharp," she said. In less than a second, those claws were at her throat. "Okay! Oh, my God, okay. I won't joke anymore. I got you, I got you."

"Did he touch you? Did he touch you, baby? If you lay a finger on her, I swear, I'll k--" Barry stopped. He meant to say kill. Kill. He could practically feel Zoom's excitement through the phone. That was it. They both knew Barry was too close.

"Parker, recite for me what you told me that night. When I almost killed your husband."

"Which time?" she sassed. His claws pressed into her throat. "Ow, ow, okay, Jesus, take a joke."

"Tell him what you told me," he ordered.

"Uh... Uh, okay, I said that you went through a lot of planning, you should have known Barry and I were together, blah, blah. I said... I said, in that moment, you held more than just his life in your hands. You held my own, with it."

"And?" he egged on. 

Parker rolled her eyes. Quietly, she mumbled, "And that I couldn't let you kill him without killing me, too."

"You hear that, Barry?" said Zoom excitedly, "Your lives are tethered, bound, intertwined. I kill one, I kill the other. She's the missing link you need to become me."

"Stop this! Stop. I'll do anything. I'll do whatever you want me to do, just give them back to me."

"Quit bargaining for me, I'm not worth it," snapped Parker.

"You're worth everything to me!" bellowed Barry.

"'Them,'" quoted Zoom slowly. 

Barry and Parker felt their chests clench. 

"Oh. Oh," chuckled Zoom, "Parker's pregnant. You got her pregnant with a speedster. That's rich, isn't it?"

"You won't touch her," seethed Parker. That was enough to make her absolutely livid.

"Barry did say not to touch you... But a speedster? A child speedster? Tell me, Barry, what's the likelihood she'll have a direct link to the Speed Force?" teased Zoom.

"Don't," uttered Barry softly. He was begging.

"A direct link to the Speed Force is better than anything Parker could give me."

"You can't keep me for nine months," challenged Parker.

"Watch me."