Barry's Taunts

Cisco drove the research van with Elon riding shotgun, while Caitlin monitored Barry's vitals from the control room. They were all in communication, ready for action. Elon, as the consultant for S.T.A.R. Labs and dubbed by Cisco as the nemesis of super-criminals, was more than capable of leading them in battle, especially with his knowledge from the TV series. He clipped the lightning-shaped earpiece communicator, designed by Cisco for each team member, to his ear.

"Barry, be careful. You can't confront Mardon head-on like last time," Elon advised through the comm link, just as the vehicle halted at a red light.

Frustrated with the delay, Elon chastised Cisco, "What's with the stop? We've got a supervillain to catch!"

Cisco gestured helplessly at the congested traffic, "Hey, it's rush hour. Be glad we're not stuck in a jam."

As they waited, the irony wasn't lost on them—super-criminals' nemesis held up by a traffic signal.

"Elon, what should I do?" Barry's anxious voice broke through, signaling his approach to the target location.

"Barry, if there's a chance, save the hostage first. But regardless, keep moving. Don't stop," Elon instructed. "Weather Wizard's air-pressure blades are fast, but not faster than you. Watch his moves; you can easily dodge them. Stay sharp, Barry, and keep running."

Near the hunter's cabin in the southern woods, Eddie lay unconscious on the ground, blood from internal injuries pooling around him. He had been dropped from a height by Mardon and was in critical condition, barely clinging to life.

Joe stood vigil by Eddie, wracked with guilt. If only he had brought Elon instead of Eddie. If only he hadn't brought Eddie at all. His oversight had led to this tragedy.

"Mardon, please, Eddie needs medical help. Let me call an ambulance. Do whatever you want with me," Joe pleaded with despair, the sight of Eddie's suffering tearing him apart.

Mardon reveled in Joe's desperation, savoring the power he held over life and death. He looked down at Joe with contempt, basking in the mortal's pleas, a god reveling in his dominion. Yet, when he saw the reminder of his missing arm, his pleasure turned to fury.

"Wait till that guy shows up. You and the one lying there will be his burial companions. Enjoy every second of breath you have left because soon, I'll grind you all into pulp," Mardon hissed with venomous hatred.

But the awaited adversary wasn't the one he despised. The lightning man was stuck at a red light...

A red streak of lightning, The Flash, arrived first. Barry reached the scene, relieved to find Joe unharmed but distressed at the sight of Eddie's severe injuries.

"Elon, Joe is safe, but Eddie's badly hurt. What should I do?" Barry whispered into the communicator.

"You, the red clown," Mardon laughed mockingly. "Did you rush here to die first because that other guy didn't make it in time? Last time, I almost killed you because of him. Let's see if he can save you at the last moment this time."

Mardon's cold mockery was punctuated by the gathering of a dense fog in his palm, more concentrated and powerful than before.

Barry, still haunted by his previous defeat, hesitated, but Elon's voice came through the communicator, providing guidance.

"Barry, draw Mardon's attacks away from Joe and Eddie. Use whatever means you can, even if it means cursing his family or giving him a backhanded compliment. Just pull him away."

Taking Elon's advice to heart, Barry taunted Mardon, "Hey, One-Arm, couldn't finish me off last time? Having trouble keeping it up?"

Mardon seethed at the mention of his disability, his anger fueled by his fear of Elon and his loss of dignity. He resented his incomplete body and the audacity of the Flash to speak to him so insolently.

"You are nothing but a pathetic weakling, a defeated underling. Without him, you'd be dead," Mardon spat out, his hand releasing a trio of compressed air blades toward Barry.

Barry, vigilant and quick, dodged the blades, which seemed to slow down as he sprang into action. He knew as long as he stayed alert, he could evade such attacks.

Transforming into a blur of yellow light, Barry sprinted to the opposite side of Joe, successfully avoiding the air blades and boosting his confidence.

"Hey, Mardon, how's the one-armed life treating you? How do you manage to eat?" Barry taunted again, hitting a nerve.

Mardon's fury rose as he followed the Flash. "Do you think your words can change your fate?" he sneered, launching another volley of air blades.

Barry dodged again, the blades slicing through the trees behind him, toppling several birches.

Feeling the pressure, Barry called out, "Elon, I've drawn Mardon away by a few hundred meters. How do I defeat him?"

Elon stroked his chin, contemplating. "Barry, human reaction time is about 0.15 to 0.4 seconds. With your speed, you can cover 90 meters in a second. Within a ten to twenty-meter range, I bet you could circle behind him and land a punch before he even starts to react."

"That's a brilliant idea. I think I can do it," Barry responded, ready to put the plan into action.

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