"No, don't listen to him. Betty, you don't know what he did to Central City, and you don't know what he'll do to you. He's dangerous—very, very dangerous." Barry Allen, still reeling from losing his speed, hurriedly tried to convince Betty. "The particle accelerator explosion changed you, and it changed me too. Dr. Harrison Wells is the one who created it; if anyone can help you, it's him."
Jack Kadere, who had been watching Barry flail desperately, let out a low chuckle. He turned his back to them and began fitting himself into his armor.
"I really need to upgrade this later," Jack muttered under his breath, his voice carrying a touch of amusement. "The way it attaches and detaches still isn't stylish enough." Slowly, he lifted off the ground, blue thrusters glowing.
"Wait—I'll go with you!"
At last, Betty made her decision.
She wasn't sure if the military could help her, or if Harrison Wells could truly fix what she had become. But she had seen Jack Kadere absorb the Flash's speed with her own eyes. That kind of power wasn't just talk—it was proof. And if there was any chance of regaining control over her life, she wasn't about to let it slip away.
Betty had once been a bomb disposal expert. Now she was a walking bomb. She didn't want this existence hanging over her every second.
"No…!" Barry's cry was filled with frustration as Jack, clad in his armored suit, scooped Betty up effortlessly and shot into the sky.
Helpless, Barry could only stand there on the street as they disappeared.
"Oh my god, that guy's insane."
"Total creep!"
Whispers followed Barry as he stood on the corner of the street, still clutching his torn clothes around him. His face burned as he hailed a cab, lowering his head and pretending not to hear the judgment in the voices and stares around him.
The Flash—forced to take a taxi. Unthinkable.
…
About an hour later, Barry finally walked back into S.T.A.R. Labs. His teammates froze at the sight of him.
"You said… your speed was absorbed by Jack Kadere? That doesn't even sound possible!" Cisco exclaimed after Barry had changed into clean clothes and finished explaining. Caitlin Snow's brow furrowed in disbelief, and even Harrison Wells' usually calm expression showed a flicker of surprise.
Barry threw up his hands. "Maybe you should ask the cab driver who had to bring me back here. The Flash—taking a cab. Guys, just… tell me, is this permanent? Or temporary?" His voice was strained, anxious.
Cisco and Caitlin exchanged uneasy glances, saying nothing.
Finally, Harrison Wells spoke, his voice grave. "We don't know yet, Barry. But we'll figure it out."
Barry's face paled, his jaw tight with dread.
…
Meanwhile, back at Jack Kadere's villa, Laura had been waiting when the familiar roar of thrusters finally echoed outside. Her eyes widened, though, when she saw Jack wasn't alone.
A red-haired woman stumbled as they landed, her body trembling slightly before she steadied herself.
Anyone would feel shaken after being carried directly through the air at high speed, but Betty had the added burden of trying not to trigger her explosive powers. She couldn't even cling to Jack's armored frame during the flight.
Jack set her down gently before heading to the garage. By the time he stepped back out, the armor removed, Betty had recovered enough composure to greet Laura politely.
"Is this… your home?" she asked, scanning the surroundings out of habit.
Jack didn't answer immediately. Instead, he bent down, plucked a small stone from the ground, and held it out.
Betty froze as the stone began to glow faintly—the exact same unstable energy she carried within herself.
"Watch closely," Jack said.
With a casual flick, he tossed the stone into the air. Halfway up, it detonated with a sharp crack, scattering sparks and debris.
Betty's eyes widened. "You—you can…?"
Jack gave a low laugh. "Being my enemy is about the unluckiest fate anyone could ask for. If you could amplify your ability three or four times over, you'd be able to fully control it—turning anything into an explosive at will. But getting to that level? That might take a lifetime." He stepped closer, his tone shifting to something more pointed. "So why don't you tell me exactly what trouble you're in right now."
Betty swallowed hard, her nerves evident. "How can you help me?"
Jack smiled faintly. "Admiral Wade Eiling is hunting you down, isn't he? If I absorb your energy and you still get captured, do you really think he'd let you walk away alive?"
Betty's face darkened, the weight of his words sinking in.
"So," Jack said, his grin sharp, "the solution is simple—kill him."
Betty blinked at him, surprised by the simplicity of his response. But then she nodded sharply. "Okay."
"Good. Come find me once it's done." Jack waved his hand dismissively, turning away as if the matter were already settled. Betty hesitated for a moment, then turned and left without another word.
Meeting Betty had been pure chance. Jack hadn't planned on interfering, but when he saw Barry Allen trying to win her over, curiosity got the better of him. Whether Betty could actually carry out the task didn't matter much to him. If she succeeded, he'd consider helping her. Her powers were fascinating—terrifying for her, perhaps—but for Jack Kadere, they were full of potential.
Through his experiments with her energy, he'd already discovered that stacking the ability granted him greater control. He could decide which objects would explode, and with further layers of refinement, he could shift the detonation from instantaneous to delayed or even remotely triggered. It was unpredictable, dangerous, and incredibly fun.
Perfect for making people's lives miserable.
The real question was: who should he target next?
While Jack was lost in thought, Barry Allen—the very definition of unlucky these days—was busy meeting with a man he had specifically sought out for help.
"That's how it is, Oliver. I need your help."
At a corner table in Jitters, Barry Allen finished recounting his recent run of misfortune, his voice weighed down with frustration. Across from him sat the man he hoped could provide the guidance he desperately needed.
Oliver Queen.
The so-called legend of Starling City. Once known as a spoiled billionaire playboy, Oliver had vanished after a shipwreck, only to return five years later. Where he had been and what he had endured on the remote island of Lian Yu remained shrouded in mystery. But the man who came back was not the same one who left. He returned hardened, skilled, and eventually took up the hood and bow of a vigilante—the Green Arrow.
Yet Oliver's life was far from glamorous. After everything he had endured, he came back determined to save Starling City and atone for the sins of his family, particularly the damage his father had caused. But reality had been harsh.
The city already had vigilantes: Huntress, whose methods were brutal and uncompromising, and the Birds of Prey, who struck from the shadows. If they weren't constantly clashing with each other, Starling City might not even have needed a Green Arrow at all.
Oliver found himself sidelined, his father's list of corrupt names already handled or dismantled before he could even make a move. With no clear direction, he sank back into the hollow life of a wealthy heir, masking his frustration with shallow indulgence.
Barry Allen, before ever becoming the Flash, had once worked a case in Starling City. That was when he'd crossed paths with Oliver Queen and uncovered his secret identity. Although Barry hadn't contributed much at the time, he remembered admiring Oliver's determination and strength. And now, with danger closing in and options running out, Oliver Queen was the only person Barry thought he could trust.
…