CHAPTER 13: The Prank Master's Magnum Opus
With a significant portion of the financial requirement for his first system upgrade now met, Adam felt a renewed sense of purpose. The pressure was off the money front, allowing him to focus on the other, more morbid, aspect of his quest: accumulating more deaths. But before he fully delved back into that, he decided it was time for a truly epic prank. One that would perfectly encapsulate his chaotic genius and further solidify his place within the team.
" A hero's work is never done. And neither is a prankster's. Especially when you have a captive audience of brilliant, yet easily flustered, scientists. This is going to be glorious. "
His target? Harrison Wells. The man who was secretly Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash. The man who thought he was always ten steps ahead. Adam decided it was time to prove him wrong, in the most Adam Stiels way possible. He spent days meticulously planning, using his Minor Wind Control and Minor Bio-Electricity Manipulation in subtle, almost undetectable ways.
The prank began subtly. Wells's coffee would mysteriously taste like salt for a few sips, then revert to normal. His tablet would occasionally flicker, displaying random, nonsensical equations before returning to his data. His wheelchair would, on occasion, emit a faint, high-pitched whine that only he seemed to hear. Wells, being Wells, initially dismissed it as equipment malfunction, but a subtle paranoia began to set in.
Then, Adam escalated. He used his wind control to subtly shift the air currents in Wells's office, causing his meticulously organized papers to constantly, inexplicably, fall off his desk. He used his bio-electricity to create tiny, localized static shocks on Wells's chair, just enough to be annoying, but not enough to be harmful. He even managed to subtly alter the temperature in Wells's office by a degree or two, making it just slightly too warm, then too cold, then just right, then wrong again.
The culmination came during a particularly tense strategy meeting about a new metahuman threat. Wells was mid-sentence, pontificating on the physics of a particular energy signature, when his wheelchair suddenly, and inexplicably, began to play the "Yakety Sax" (the Benny Hill theme song) at a surprisingly loud volume. Simultaneously, a series of pre-recorded, high-pitched squeaks and chirps (courtesy of Cisco's soundboard, subtly hacked by Adam's bio-electricity) began to emanate from various hidden speakers around the Cortex. And finally, a small, perfectly aimed gust of wind from Adam caused a single, brightly colored feather to slowly, dramatically, drift down and land directly on Wells's nose.
The effect was instantaneous. Cisco burst out laughing, unable to contain himself. Barry, after a moment of stunned silence, let out a chuckle. Even Caitlin, despite her attempts to remain professional, had to cover her mouth to stifle a giggle. Wells, however, was a picture of controlled fury. His eyes, usually cold and calculating, blazed with a mix of confusion, irritation, and a terrifying, nascent rage.
"Mr. Stiels," Wells said, his voice dangerously low, the feather still perched on his nose. "Did you have something to do with this?"
Adam, feigning wide-eyed innocence, shrugged. "Me? Dr. Wells, I am deeply offended! I was merely observing the fascinating acoustic properties of this room! And that feather? Clearly a rogue avian. Perhaps a pigeon with a penchant for dramatic entrances. You know, for science!" He then, with a subtle flick of his wrist, used his wind control to blow the feather off Wells's nose, directly into Cisco's open mouth. Cisco promptly choked, dissolving into another fit of laughter.
Wells glared at Adam, a silent, terrifying promise of retribution in his gaze. But Adam merely smiled, a triumphant, unrepentant grin. He had successfully rattled the man who thought he was unshakeable. It was glorious.
" Mission accomplished. Operation: Annoy the Evil Speedster was a resounding success. Now, about that cold alliance… "
Later that week, a new metahuman, a pyrokinetic, was causing havoc in the city. Barry was struggling to contain the fires, and the team was stretched thin. Adam saw an opportunity. He subtly suggested to Barry, "You know, my 'future insights' are telling me that sometimes, the enemy of my enemy is… well, still an enemy, but a useful one. Captain Cold. He's a criminal, sure, but he's also got a very specific set of skills. And he hates chaos. He likes things… orderly. Maybe, just maybe, he could be convinced to help us with this fire problem. Just a thought. No pressure. Unless you like burning buildings."
Barry looked at him, surprised. "Work with Snart? Adam, he's a criminal!"
"I know, I know," Adam said, waving a dismissive hand. "But desperate times, Barry. Desperate times. And besides, he's got a code. A very weird, very self-serving code, but a code nonetheless. And he hates people who mess with his turf. And right now, this fire guy is messing with everyone's turf. Think about it. A temporary, uneasy alliance. Just for this one fire. What's the worst that could happen? He freezes your suit? You've got like, five of those now."
Caitlin and Cisco were horrified by the suggestion, but Wells, surprisingly, chimed in. "Mr. Stiels's suggestion, while unorthodox, has a certain… pragmatic appeal. If Captain Cold can be convinced to assist, even temporarily, it could mitigate the damage. And it would provide valuable data on his capabilities."
Reluctantly, Barry agreed to a highly tense, highly supervised meeting with Captain Cold. Adam, of course, insisted on being there, providing sarcastic commentary and subtle nudges to keep the fragile alliance from collapsing. Snart, surprisingly, agreed to help, his own twisted sense of order offended by the pyrokinetic's wanton destruction. The fire was contained, the pyrokinetic captured, and a strange, uneasy understanding was forged between The Flash and Captain Cold.
Adam watched it all, a satisfied smirk on his face. He was playing the long game. And the pieces were slowly, but surely, falling into place.