One red, one yellow. Two streaks of lightning instantly shot out of the coffee shop.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The two chased each other, darting through Central City's neon-lit streets like dueling comets.
For Barry Allen, Iris West was everything. She was the most important person in his life—the one he cared for most. But this guy, Jack Kadere, had dared to cross that line, toying with Iris in a way that made Barry's blood boil. Rage surged through him, and there was only one thought in his head:
Catch him!
Faster! Faster! Faster!
Barry pushed himself harder, lightning sparking in his wake. He was closing the gap with the red blur ahead of him. Just as he thought he might grab him, Jack darted forward and didn't stop—he ran straight toward a skyscraper.
Barry skidded to a halt, sparks burning the asphalt beneath his boots. His eyes widened as Jack didn't slow down but instead bolted up the vertical wall of the building. In an instant, he was gone, already reaching the rooftop.
Barry swallowed hard. He'd never tried running up something that tall before. Dozens of stories of sheer glass and concrete loomed in front of him.
"Come on, Barry. If he can do it, so can you… just run fast enough."
He backed up several yards, took a breath, then shot forward. His feet slammed against the wall, and his body tilted forward as he pushed upward. The rush of adrenaline drowned out his fear. Step by step, he was climbing the impossible.
Success!
A grin broke out across his face as he neared the rooftop. But before he could savor the victory, he saw Jack running down the building—faster than freefall, faster than gravity itself. The crimson lightning whipped past Barry, creating a violent gust of wind that tore his balance away.
Barry's stomach dropped. His body tilted backward, and suddenly, the world flipped upside down.
"Ahhhhh!" Barry screamed as he plummeted. The fear clawed at his chest. He reached desperately for the wall, scraping against it before his feet found some traction. His body bounced and tumbled, rolling in painful arcs down the glass and concrete.
At the last second, instinct kicked in. Barry spun his legs beneath him, landing in a running stance that let him hit the ground alive. He didn't stop until he had sprinted several blocks before collapsing onto the street, chest heaving.
His heart pounded like a jackhammer. His legs trembled, his muscles felt like jelly, and a wave of nausea nearly brought him to his knees.
"Exciting, isn't it?"
Jack Kadere stood casually in front of him, not even out of breath.
"You—" Barry tried to push himself up, anger seething in his voice, but his legs buckled again and he dropped to the pavement.
Jack clicked his tongue with mock sympathy. "Tsk, tsk. Looks like you really enjoy the little gift I gave you. Don't worry—if you're embarrassed, I don't mind giving you another one every time we meet. Always fresh."
Barry glanced at the item still clutched in his fist—proof of Jack's cruel taunting.
Jack smirked, opening his hand. "It's just a bit of a hassle having to wash up every time. You understand."
"What do you want from me?" Barry spat, fury and shame mixing in his voice. The thought of Jack constantly dangling Iris in front of him was unbearable.
Jack's eyes gleamed. "Gods don't trouble simple-minded children, Barry. But people? People absolutely do. If you don't understand why I do what I do, maybe I'll just keep doing it." He paused, his smirk widening. "Actually, I thought about giving you Iris's bra too. But then I figured… nah, better save that for another time."
Barry's fists clenched so hard his knuckles whitened.
Jack stretched, checking his watch. "Anyway, my coffee should be ready by now. Oh, and a reminder: using the Speed Force drains your blood sugar. You might want to grab something sweet. Also—" his eyes flicked over Barry's smoking shoes and charred clothes—"you should probably change before you set yourself on fire."
With a final whoosh, Jack vanished, leaving only sparks in his wake.
Barry groaned and slapped at his clothes. Smoke curled from his sleeves and sneakers, singed from the insane friction.
"Why is he fine?!" Barry muttered bitterly. Jack had been moving faster than him, yet he hadn't shown a single sign of weakness. No exhaustion, no burns, no dizziness.
Shaken, Barry pulled out his phone and called Caitlin Snow. His voice was rough as he told her he had to leave, and asked her to explain things to Iris. Hanging up, he stumbled into the nearest fast-food joint. He needed sugar, and he needed it fast.
Back at the coffee shop, Caitlin hung up her phone and turned toward Jack Kadere, who was sipping his latte like nothing had happened.
"What did you do to him?" she demanded.
Jack smiled faintly. "Relax. I just gave him a little gift. And I told him his mother's death wasn't on me—because if I had done it, I wouldn't waste time denying it. Truth is, Barry can't beat me, and deep down, he knows it."
Caitlin crossed her arms. "So… are you two finished?"
Jack tilted his head. "For now."
Her eyes narrowed. "Then tell me—forcing Weather Wizard to attack S.T.A.R. Labs… was that connected to the favor you asked me for yesterday? Did you get the result you wanted?"
Jack's smirk widened into a grin. "Oh yes. And it's better than I hoped."
His red lightning flared briefly across his fingertips. "My Speed Force? It has nothing to do with his."
Caitlin exhaled in relief. "So I don't need to keep monitoring him for you anymore?"
"No need," Jack confirmed.
"That's… good," Caitlin admitted, shoulders easing. The responsibility of secretly keeping tabs on Barry had weighed heavily on her.
Just then, Jack's phone rang. He frowned slightly before answering.
"Laura? What's wrong?"
On the other end, Laura's voice was calm but curious. "There's a woman here who insists on seeing you. She says her name is Felicity… and that she's your girlfriend."
Jack's brow lifted in surprise, though his voice stayed level. "Got it. I'll be back shortly." He ended the call.
"If you've got something to take care of, go ahead," Caitlin offered. "I'll wait here—when Iris comes by, I'll have her pass along the message to Barry."
"Thanks." Jack gave a nod, then vanished in a streak of lightning, leaving the café behind.
...
At the villa, Laura set her phone down and looked toward the blonde woman standing by the window.
"He'll be back soon," Laura began, only to cut herself off when a spark of red lightning lit the air. "Correction—he's already back."
Felicity Smoak spun around, startled, and her breath caught when she saw him.
"How long has it been?" Jack asked, voice softer than usual.
"Over five years, I think?" Felicity's attempt at composure lasted only seconds before all the longing she had carried through those years broke loose. Tears welled in her eyes, and without another word, she rushed forward, throwing her arms around him. Her lips found his in a desperate, passionate kiss.
Jack returned the embrace, feeling the familiar warmth of her body against his. The ache of absence radiated in her touch, her kiss, her trembling breath.
When they finally pulled apart, Felicity raised her hand—then snapped it forward in a slap.
"Smack!"
Or it would have, if Jack hadn't smoothly sidestepped, letting her hand land against her own shoulder. He chuckled. "I'm not some fool who just stands there and takes it. That's not my style."
Her eyes widened at his words. "So you're admitting I'm your girlfriend?"
Jack tilted his head, smirk tugging at his lips. "Shouldn't your real question be how I just dodged that fast?"
Felicity stared at him, conflicted between anger, relief, and the flood of emotions that had been bottled up for years. But one thing was certain—their reunion was far from over.