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Len is a criminal. Fact. Flash is a hero. Also a fact. Len has Flash on speed dial? ...Fact.
After all the times the kid has spent with the Rogues, despite Flash's protests, it was finally agreed upon by both Len and the hero that they should have a way to contact one another in case of an emergency or just to ensure that the kid is okay. Len's called when he's heard through the criminal grapevine about a particularly bad mission with the Young Justice team. Yes, he knows about it. He has his sources. So, of course he calls to check up on the kid.
Flash called when he was worried when the kid didn't show up to their meeting. The kid had run to the Rogues for help after he was caught by school bullies and beaten to a pulp. It's not just that the Rogues' hideout had been closer. Okay, well, they had, but he hadn't wanted Flash to see him like that. He remembers that day, being so pissed he wondered if it would so wrong to drop the bullies off a bridge. It hadn't surprised him when Flash had been equally pissed, so the two paid the bullies a visit and might've threatened to drop them in Iron Heights for the weekend. They'd both taken a unique pleasure in watching the bullies tremble in fear.
Len had to admit that seeing the Flash willing to throw the bullies into Iron Heights had sent a cold chill down his spine. Still, that had put the Flash in a more positive view for Len. Even the Rogues felt that way when Len admitted that he'd already taken care of the bullies with Flash. Didn't make him any less hostile towards the red clad hero. They were on opposite sides of the law and that was that. The kid was an exception.
Remembering that time, Len smirked, dark thoughts of revenge feeling his mind. If Flash had been so criminal towards bullies, Len could only imagine how rough he'd been with the two wannabe heroes who had actually meant to kill or maim the kid. Len was right there with him though. Picking up his cell phone and pressing the speed dial, he knew that by the time this situation was figured out, he'd be feeling much better.
“Hello? Len? What's going on? IsKidFlashokay?Whathappened?” Len blinked as he tried to make sense of the fast words. He could vaguely hear other heroes in the background complaining about the interruption. Tough shit. This wasn't going to wait.
“Chill. The kid's watching Indiana Jones. But...” Len paused, trying to think of how to put what happened into words. Just remembering what happened brought a hot fury raging to the surface and he clenched his jaw.
“But?” Flash asked nervously.
“Some wannabe heroes attacked him in the middle of a fight,” he bit out, unable to keep the anger from his voice.
Flash went silent on the other end and Len's brows furrowed in confusion. They were still connected because he could hear someone asking what was wrong in the background.
The venomous voice he got almost made him flinch. “Who.”
Swallowing his own shiver, he replied. “Kid called them Blaze and Razor.” When Flash cursed, he asked. “You know them?”
“They attacked him on the Watchtower a week ago. I thought I told them what would happen if they ever touched him again.” Flash practically snarled, angry. Len's free hand tightened into a fist. Obviously they hadn't listened.
“A little bird told me they're about to be released from the hospital.” And of course he knew which one. Len had sent them there himself hours ago and he wasn't about to let them off that easily. And he knew Flash would want to have a word with them.
“Where?” Flash demanded, edgy. Len raised an eyebrow, not that Flash could see. “Meet me at Central City General in ten minutes,” he told him, emotionlessly and promptly hung up.
It would take Flash a few minutes to explain and excuse himself. Len would beat him there. He was a couple of minutes away himself. He just turned a few corners and there he was, standing outside the entrance to the hospital.
“Getting slow, Flash,” Len remarked as the wind rustled and Flash appeared by his side. Flash didn't even try to come up with a retort. He just shook his head, aggravated and asked when the two were. Len was tempted to step away from Flash as he saw violent, furious vibrations wrack the Speedster's form. It didn't take a genius to see the way the hero's eyes sparked with electric fury.
Two figures caught his eye and Len inclined his head towards the two bandaged wannabes walking out of the hospital. “Just in time it seems.”
Sweeping his eyes, Len spotted an off the beaten path alley and motioned Flash towards it. Flash nodded as Len headed towards the alley. It was hard to miss the movement in the air as Flash raced by with the two miscreants undertow.
Len was… unsurprised to say the least, to see the two wannabes on their asses with Flash towering over them. “I told you that if you ever touched Kid again, I would make you regret it,” Flash raged at them. Len was oddly impressed with the way this was going. He knew Flash was protective of the kid, but to this extent? Maybe they would be better as villains. He wonders if he could convince them to give up their do-gooding and join the Rogues.
Taking a few paces, Len, becoming Captain Cold, stepped up beside Flash, cold gun at the ready. He sneered at the fools venomously. “Hello again kiddies,” he said, pointing the gun right at Razor's head. It was thrilling to see the way they shivered in fear. Still, fear wasn't what they were after. This time it was personal.
“From what I hear, you've treated our kid quite… rough and Flash and I tend to frown upon anyone roughing him up. So. We're here to teach you a lesson.” A cold grin formed on Cold's lips and he felt the air vibrate next to him. Oh yes, Flash was ready to… educate the failed heroes.
The two heroes sprung into action before the wannabes knew what hit them. Flash subsequently broke their casts, giving them a few hits every now and then. Cold froze their broken limbs. The icy chill would soak into their bones and make the healing less than ideal but not impossible.
When they broke off of their beating, Cold and Flash both had to rub some blood off of their fists. The two looked even more broken than when the Rogues had had their own revenge for Baby Flash, but now they just looked half dead. They weren't of course. But appearance-wise, they could've been. Flash and Cold were both too careful to kill anyone, even if they did deserve it.
“Now then,” Cold said as he rubbed a smear of blood on his chin, absentmindedly. “We're going to let you go. Flash here will even help you right back in front of the hospital. But,” he emphasized, “from now on your mugs are on the Rogues' black list. They see you, you end up back in the hospital.”
“And you meet any heroes, even associated with the Justice League, you end up back in the hospital then jail,” Flash added. “But if you ever touch Kid again, we'll skip the hospital and jail and put you in the ground. Are we clear?” Flash told them coldly, eyes shining darkly.
It was almost comedic how the two were staring at the hero-villain pair with wide eyes, quivering like their lives were flashing before their eyes. It was extremely satisfying to see two telling wet spots on their pants. They'd wet themselves. 'Pansies,' Cold thought to himself.
With a shared look, Flash grabbed the two and unceremoniously flashed them back in front of the hospital, dumping them like trash.
“Kid?” Flash asked, materializing beside Len. “Safe house,” Len grunts. “We'll get him home once the movie marathon is over.” Flash nods, a bit unhappy at not being able to take him home yet. Still, he understood that Kid Flash would want to unwind and he needed some time to unwind and have fun.
Len holds out an micro-SD card. “Took some pictures of the kid's injuries. Figured you might want them for records,” he explained as Flash took the card, nodding. “This'll help,” he said, looking cautiously at the card as if images of his hurt young hero would appear.
“Now, are you going to send me the pictures you took?” Len asked. Flash looked sheepish behind the cowl. He'd taken some pictures of the frightened, wet pants'd idiots. Sue him, it was amusing. There was a quick movement and Len's phone vibrated. With a raised eyebrow he looked at Flash who just grinned and shrugged. Of course he'd send it fast. Speedsters didn't do slow.
“Take care of him?” Len nodded. “Always.” The firm voice made Flash smile and relieved some of the tension. He had to get back to the League and maybe he'd slip up and mention how those two League failures hurt his adopted son. There were a few Leaguers who would love to know who hurt their little ball of energy.
Len stayed long enough to see the two get helped inside the hospital. Their faces were stained red with shame and the way they hobbled and limbed made Len grin.
Once they were out of sight, Len turned and headed back to the hideout. He wasn't a fan of their choice of marathon, but he did enjoy listening to the kid, James, and Hartley figuring out if they could really pull that stunt in real life. Actually, now that he thought about that, he really needed to make sure they didn't attempt any of those action scenes and doubled his pace. Yeah, he wasn't getting a 'chat' from Flash if the kid managed to hurt himself trying anything out.
Still, the thought of the kid watching movies and having fun with the Rogues made him smile. He was their Baby Flash and they would always have his back. The Rogues were more than willing to have a 'chat' with anyone who thought they could muscle their way passed Kid Flash.