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“I was hoping you’d track down Victor Stone,” Bruce said.
“Which leaves you with Central City,” Diana said. Bruce sighed. “How long have you been Batman?”
“Not long enough to be prepared for Central City.”
“I expect the Flash feels the same way about Gotham. Luthor’s notes had articles going back eight years.”
“Iris West-Allen is still our only lead,” Bruce said.
Iris West-Allen lived in a small house in one of Central City’s bright and sunny suburbs. A swing hung from the tree in the front garden, and Bruce knocked on the door.
Mrs West-Allen herself was late thirties, pretty, with dark skin, hair, and eyes. She looked tired, and a ring hung from a thin gold chain around her neck. She didn’t seem surprised to see Bruce Wayne on her doorstep.
“Sorry about the mess,” she said. “This is my nephew, Wally. Wally, would you go and get the coffee pot from the kitchen?”
Wally nodded and shot off. A wail came from the other room.
“Excuse me,” Mrs West-Allen said. “Please, make yourself at home.”
“Thank you,” Bruce said. He sat on the armchair. Wally West, taller than his aunt but young, no older than nineteen, like Dick, appeared with a mug. “Thank you.”
“You’re Bruce Wayne.”
“I am.”
“Aunt Iris never does interviews at home.”
“I’m not here for an interview.”
“Sorry,” Mrs West-Allen said. Wally took one of the babies she was carrying. “You know what growing children are like.”
“I skipped the infant stages,” Bruce said.
“But fifteen is far worse. I thought Wally was going to bankrupt us when he had his growth spurt. So, Mister Wayne, what can I do for you?”
“I wanted to ask you about the Flash.”
“Now, why would a billionaire from Gotham want to know about our local superhero?”
“I’m sure Central City has seen the creatures coming from the sky.”
“We’ve seen a lot of things, Mister Wayne. If you’re worried about me publishing this conversation, I’m on bereavement leave. I wouldn’t say no to an interview if you’re offering.”
“I’ll pencil something in. The Flash has certain abilities I’m interested in.”
“I’m sure he’ll come running.” Mrs West-Allen smiled and brushed her finger over the ring on her necklace. Bruce noticed the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “He’s faced creatures from other worlds before, but we’ve never seen anything like this. I’m surprised we haven’t seen Green Lantern recently, but he does often disappear for months on end.”
“You do know him.”
“Everyone in Central knows the Flash. Everyone in Central has a story of a day he’s saved them.”
“Aunt Iris, I think Dawn’s hungry again,” Wally West said.
“Excuse me, Mister Wayne. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
She took the baby and headed towards the kitchen. Bruce stood up.
“The world’s in danger, isn’t it?” Wally asked. Bruce nodded. “It was nice to meet you, Mister Wayne.”
“Thank you for the coffee.”
Bruce caught sight of a picture on his way out. Mrs West-Allen with a tall, blond man in a bowtie, both of them hugging a young Wally with a toothy grin.
Bruce nodded and left.
Diana was waiting when Bruce’s jet landed.
“How was Central City?”
“Bright,” Bruce said. “Did you speak to Victor Stone?”
“We spoke. He needs time. Did you find the Flash?”
“Mrs West-Allen knows him. She’ll pass along the message.”
The Bat-signal lit up the Gotham sky.
Jim Gordon was waiting on the roof.
“Eight people have been abducted from S.T.A.R. Labs and the surrounding area. This is the perp.” He offered Bruce a crude drawing.
“Parademons,” Diana said. “They must have found the scent of the Mother Box and taken them to find out where it is.”
“So, these eight people should still be alive,” Bruce said.
“Nine,” Victor Stone said. He landed. “They just took the head of S.T.A.R. Labs.”
“I’m glad you made it,” Diana said.
“There has to be a nest of them nearby,” Bruce said. “The sightings I’ve found in Metropolis and Gotham don’t seem to have a pattern.”
“Maybe you’re just looking at it from the wrong angle.” Blue lightning streaked in next to Diana and revealed a man in a red suit with yellow boots and a lightning bolt on his chest. “I heard you were looking for me.”
“Flash,” Bruce said.
“I totally called that you were real.”
“He’s right,” Victor said. “These lead back to Braxton Island, through the tunnel under the harbour.”
“These are the air vents. The project was abandoned in ’29, but it’s still there.”
“We should get going then,” the Flash said, bouncing slightly. “Bye, sir!”
He darted off.
Steppenwolf had the nine people, and a lot of parademons.
“This was a mistake,” the Flash said. “I should not have come, this was a huge mistake.”
“Flash,” Bruce said.
“I can’t do this without Uncle Barry, I can’t-”
“Flash.”
“Kid Flash.” Wally West pulled down his cowl. “Uncle Barry was the Flash. Reverse Flash came back, there was this wormhole or something, Uncle Barry died. I’m not surprised you didn’t know, it was right after Superman died, everyone was focused on that, they didn’t notice yet another weird thing happening in Central. Aunt Iris wanted me to stay at home, but you said the world was in danger, and Uncle Barry wouldn’t stay at home. But now I’m here and I’ve never done this without Uncle Barry, I can’t do this-”
“Just save one person,” Bruce said. “That’s all you have to do. Everything else will follow.”
“I’m not who you wanted.”
“You’re here. Yes you are.”