Back at Star Labs, in Surgery.
Barry's condition was stable and good; all that remained was to clean and disinfect the wounds to prevent infection, and then stitch them up.
The few of them were busy for over half an hour.
Barry's injuries, under Lin Li's control, were no longer a major problem.
"Was it a terrorist attack? How did Barry sustain these injuries?"
"Lin Li, are you sure you don't need to lie down? To take care of that X?"
"What happened with that white mist?"
"Okay, now Barry's condition is all good, but a major problem has appeared before us."
"Who among you will stitch up Barry's wounds?"
Seeing both of them acting like mimes, Caitlin got angry and directly shouted.
"What?"
"What?"
Lin Li and Cisco responded in unison.
Their sudden responses made Caitlin grit her teeth and curse, "I'm a biological engineering expert, not a doctor. I studied genetic engineering, cell engineering, protein engineering, microbial engineering, biostatistics, bioinformatics, microbiology, cell biology... and twenty-four other disciplines. Not one of them taught me how to stitch up wounds."
Cisco's mouth hung open as he stammered, "Then what do we do? Just let Barry heal automatically? These kinds of wounds won't heal, right? If we don't stitch them up, will Barry just keep bleeding to death?"
Lin Li suggested, "We push Barry's wounds together, and then cell division will stick them together. That should work." His own wounds healed that way, taking half an hour and leaving a large X-shaped scar. Lin Li thought that if Barry could control the Speed Force, he should be able to do the same.
"Get lost! You're a monster whose wounds regenerate and heal themselves. Barry's wounds can't recover."
Hearing them both talk like that, Caitlin really wanted to hit them with a hammer.
In the end, Caitlin reluctantly had to stitch the wound, because she had supposedly read in a book how to do it, but had never actually practiced.
Of course, actually doing it still made her very uneasy. After all, this wasn't pork, but a person's chest. Being able to face it without changing expression was already a professional habit from seeing too much rotten flesh, but actually stitching it was another matter.
"Maybe we should still send Barry to the hospital."
Caitlin said nervously.
Lin Li patted Caitlin's shoulder, nodding seriously to her and saying, "Caitlin, you can do it. Afterwards, Barry and Cisco will be very happy that you joined their The Flash organization."
Cisco quickly added, "Yes, Caitlin, we need you."
Caitlin glared at them both, annoyed, but she wasn't as nervous anymore. Then she rolled up her sleeves and got to work.
"Clean the wound."
"Give the anesthetic shot."
"Is the needle disinfected?"
The two men moved around, preparing everything, and Caitlin plunged the needle into Barry's chest.
The deed was done; the process won't be mentioned. A beginner's attempt can't possibly be pretty, and Barry will surely regret this injury.
After over an hour of busy work, seeing Barry's pulse and blood pressure were normal, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Okay, I'm inevitably going to help you with your injuries here, but now please tell me in detail what exactly you encountered? Why do both Lin Li and Barry look like they were cut by knives, and Barry was even blown to bits?"
Caitlin asked. This was really bad. She found she couldn't help but care about their heroic actions, because they were often injured, and this time was the most serious. So, she might as well understand more and be better prepared in the future.
"It happened like this..."
Cisco rattled off everything.
"Weather Wizard, that's the name I gave him. It's so cool! You can't imagine a metahuman who can control weather changes."
Caitlin was dumbfounded.
In Cisco's description, it was as if Weather Wizard fought Thor for one hundred and eighty rounds, as if they were tearing the heavens and earth apart, destroying the world, and then Weather Wizard, unable to defeat the righteous Thor, finally lost.
Caitlin was too shocked for words.
"Didn't the mist only cover one Marden Street?"
After being exposed, Cisco showed no embarrassment. He said seriously, "Caitlin, that's not the point. The point is Weather Wizard, a metahuman, a metahuman who controls the weather, an evil metahuman."
"Oh my God, it must have been the particle accelerator explosion! That unknown energy gave him this ability. Sure enough, not only Lin Li and Barry have these strange abilities. It's our fault; we created him, we created an evil metahuman."
Caitlin covered her head, flustered, and said worriedly.
"Anyone who might be harmed by them, we are indirectly accomplices. This is truly terrible."
"No, no, I must inform Wells to see how to handle this matter. We've already caused enough trouble for Central City."
Caitlin mumbled to herself as she walked out of Surgery to inform Wells.
Caitlin left Surgery, leaving Lin Li and Cisco in silence, with Barry lying on the hospital bed, the instruments beeping.
"Lin Li, I'm so sorry. If it weren't for me, that metahuman wouldn't have escaped."
Cisco hesitated for a moment and said, if he hadn't been afraid to shoot, that metahuman wouldn't have escaped. Caitlin's reaction made him realize the seriousness of the situation. It was truly possible that he had also become an accomplice. As long as that metahuman harmed others, Cisco felt a little panicked, worried, and angry at his own weakness.
Lin Li knew at a glance that Cisco was caught in his own self-blaming emotions.
He shook his head and said, "Cisco, don't blame yourself. I was too extreme and selfish to ask you to kill. Killing isn't that easy; you have to abandon your humanity and emotions and live in a nightmare of guilt and crime. Fortunately, you didn't shoot, otherwise the humanity you would lose would plunge you into darkness."
"Now is not the time for self-pity, Cisco. I think you should find Weather Wizard as soon as possible to prevent him from harming more people. That is the most important thing right now."
If Lin Li had to choose, he would choose to kill Marden. It wasn't that he was bloodthirsty, but that he had to ensure Barry's safety, and his path home couldn't be obstructed. Barry's performance in the TV show made Lin Li feel very foolish. Kindness and compassion were common flaws in The Flash TV show, but it was also this flaw that made Lin Li willing to trust them.
The TV show's brand of kindness wasn't suitable for him, but he had no reason to force Cisco to be like him.
If you are kind, then let me be the devil.
Lin Li said silently in his heart.
Cisco nodded at Lin Li, his eyes showing a determined will, and said, "I will find that guy, definitely, definitely."
Just then, Caitlin, who had only recently left, returned, holding a ringing phone. She held up the phone and asked, "Which of you has the courage to answer Barry's phone? I just noticed there are more than ten missed calls, and I think Joe won't let us off the hook."
It was Barry's phone, which he always left at Star Labs whenever he changed into his Lightning Suit.
Joe West's photo was displayed on the screen.
The few of them exchanged glances, all feeling a sense of dread.
Lin Li took the phone, his finger swiping across the screen, and Joe's impatient roar immediately came through.
"Barry! Where are you? Get back here..."