05. Paradox

...STAR LABS AT THE PIPELINE...

The team stood in front of pipeline where the members of the consortium were kept handcuffed and imprisoned.

"It's been half an hour now and we haven't been able to get anything out of them." Barry said, frustrated.

Caitlin gently placed a hand atop his shoulder, "Hey... Relax. You've done a good job already. I cannot begin to imagine how hard it was to take on five metas at once. We'll eventually figure it out."

She paused for a brief moment, then continued, "Come to think of it, their expressions when we asked them who they were working for and what they want, was extremely stiff. Almost like they were trying to hide something. We can assume right now that there is a higher command involved in this and they're only the pawns."

"So, going by this information." Wells said, "They could have only been carrying direct orders without having any idea about the main plot. That is, whoever they are getting their orders from is the one we need to watch out for."

"So, a puppeteer behind the stage. Just keeps getting better and better" Cisco chimed in as they all left the pipeline. "Well, I think we all need to take a break for maybe a day."

"Yeah. I second that, besides I kinda have to go now. CSI duties." Barry said looking at his wristwatch. "I'll see you guys, later?"

"Yeah sure." With that Barry disappeared from the room.

Wells quickly wheeled himself out of the room too, "You two should also take some time to relax your mind. Meanwhile, I have something to attend to."

He left the room and slowly wheeled himself across the corridor, stopping in front of a random wall. He looked around for a second and pushed his palm against a section of the wall in front of him. The next section of the wall slowly unraveled as he entered.

There was a podium in the middle of the room. As Wells entered, he stood up from his wheelchair and walked towards the podium, "Gideon, display the article from the future, please."

In the next second, a holographic display lit up on the wall of the room displaying an article. The headline read;

"YEAR XXXX. THE FLASH PREVENTS THE DESTRUCTION OF CENTRAL CITY."

[A/N: Pardon me, I won't be adding the exact year here. I feel it might make the narrative a little stiff and expose what I plan]

His expression immediately turns stiff as he gazed at the article. "How did it become like this?"

He moved closer to the article as if that would change whatever was written on it. "It's still the same article written by Iris West. So, how has the narrative changed drastically within such a short time frame when there haven't been any major time changing events?"

He paced for a while trying to figure it out. "The only way a thing like this would happen, is if someone, maybe a speedster or anybody else, messed with the timeline creating a paradox. I'll have to keep my eyes on 'Barry.' He might be the major one affected by this change. And I have to find this anomaly."

...LATER, AT CC-JITTERS...

Although, life has a speedster was a little too much to handle for Barry in navigating his daily life at first, he quickly got used to his new role as "The Flash", but the constant battles left little room for respite.

To cool off for a moment and gather his thought, he decided to seek a moment of solitude at 'his' favorite coffee shop, CC Jitters.

He walked in, the familiar aroma of freshly brewed coffee welcoming him as he approached the counter.

As he ordered his coffee, he couldn't help but smile back at the barista who recognized him. "The usual, Barry?"

He slowly nodded, grateful for the small comforts that remained constant in this life. He found a quiet corner to sit, sipping his coffee, letting the warmth wash over him.

The café's soft jazz music played in the background, creating a soothing ambiance. He used this moment to reflect on his Journey as The Flash so far and the mysteries surrounding The Consortium. He knew the battle ahead would be tough, but for now, he just wanted to... take things slow.

As he sat there, lost in thought, he noticed Cisco and Caitlin entering the coffee shop. They spotted him and joined him at his table, carrying their own cups of coffee.

Cisco greeted him with a grin as he sat down, "Hey, Barry! Taking a break from saving the city?"

Barry chuckled, appreciating their company. "Just a quick breather. How's everything at S.T.A.R. Labs?"

Caitlin leaned forward, her expression semi-serious. "Well, we're making quite some decent progress in understanding The Consortium. It's just a matter of time before we uncover their secrets. Don't worry about it too much."

Barry nodded. "I know you all are doing your best. I just... I miss my old life a little, you know? My family, my job."

Cisco placed a reassuring hand on Barry's shoulder. "We get it, man. But we're in this together and we'll figure it out."

'I really wished you really understood.'

As they chatted, Barry's worries seemed to ease, if only for a moment. He was reminded that he had a team, of friends, who would stand by him no matter what challenges lay ahead...