11 Bomb Queen

It was another day in STAR Labs, the team got back to their usual routine of training, working and saving Central City and they seemed to have gotten back their usual rhythm after Cisco apologized to August for his role in the creation of Captain Cold. He'd realized that he had to trust August otherwise, it would be better if they just dissolved the team instead of there being problems in the field.

There had been no metahuman incidents for a week and so August invited the STAR Labs team for a night out. Dr. Wells had excused himself, citing that him going out in public like that would just remind people of the tragedy less than a year ago.

August was drinking his fifth beer as he watched one of the cops he'd seen around when he was patrolling as Godspeed and his girlfriend, who worked at Jitters, play some darts. Caitlin and Cisco were talking animatedly. He finished the beer and noticed he wasn't feeling buzzed at all. He walked over to the bar to get another drink.

"Excuse me, can I get some whiskey?" August asked as the bartender nodded and got him a small glass of whiskey. He watched the cop lift his girlfriend up and hug her feeling jealous within. The bartender noticed his gaze.

"Hey man," he laughed, "I see things like this every day. If it makes you feel any better, half of relationships don't last that long. They'll break up eventually."

'How on Earth is that supposed to make me feel better?' August thought as downed the glass in one gulp and turned to leave.

Even after downing the whiskey, he still felt fine. He ordered five more shots and walked over to the table where Cisco and Caitlin were standing by. "Guys, I think we have a problem." August said.

"We all do when guys like him exist." Cisco said looking at the cop who was still lost in his beautiful girlfriend.

"Yeah, he's so hot." Caitlin said and then seeing the dumbfounded gazes looking at her, she blanched. "Uh, I mean, genetically speaking. Because I'm a geneticist, of course. Oh my god, I am rambling so I am going to shut up now."

Laughing at the ever-composed Caitlin, August said, "I'm not talking about him. I'm talking about this." He used his super speed to down the five shots in a second. "I can't feel anything."

"Yeah, that usually what happens when you drink too much." Cisco said as he and Caitlin chuckled.

"No, that's not it. The alcohol is not affecting me. I've been drinking with you guys and no buzz. I'm literally, completely fine." August told them.

"Its your hyper metabolism. I need a sample." Caitlin said as she opened her purse.

"I'll get some more shots." Cisco said as he left for the bar.

"I swear I had a Vacutainer in here." Caitlin said.

"Wait, you carry a blood collection kit in your purse?" August asked.

Caitlin blushed. "You have your hobbies, I have mine." She replied. They laughed.

Caitlin pricked August and drew a small blood sample to run some tests later. Cisco returned with a tray of shots and they all took a drink. Cisco and Caitlin groaned but to August, it was like drinking water or juice.

"Nothing?" Cisco asked and August shook his head no.

"No. This is ridiculous. I'm not even thirty yet and my drinking days are over." August said and Caitlin rubbed his shoulder in sympathy.

Suddenly his phone buzzed with a message from EVE. "Guys, there's been a bombing on Eight and pass. Eve thinks its meta related."

They all gathered their things and left the bar. As soon as they were out of sight, August super sped them to STAR Labs and grabbed his suit before dashing down to the building. He stopped and slid to a stop in an alley next to the building. The east side of the 15th floor windows were destroyed with fire and smoke spewing out. He also saw a window washer on a platform that was about to break.

After analyzing how high it was, Godspeed tapped the side of his mask, switching to thermal view and saw there was a security guard stuck on the 15th floor, trapped by the fire.

"EVE, how far out is the fire department?" Godspeed asked.

"The fire department is 5 minutes out, sir." EVE said as the fire began to spread.

"No time. You'll have to do this yourself." Cisco said.

He concentrated, he had already figured out how-to run-on walls a while ago, it involved going as fast as possible on the way up and maintaining his velocity on the way down if he didn't want to end up as pile of skin and bones. But running at such a speed was disastrous to the person he was supposed to be saving, just a little contact might reduce his bones to pulp. He had to be extra careful on this one.

"Got it." Godspeed said and then took off running as fast as he could, running up the side of the building. Upon reaching the platform, he extended his hands to grab the window washer and with straining effort, extended the aura that protected his body over the window washer's as well protecting him from their collision at high velocity and then just as the platform beneath them shattered, he sped off. Instead of heading down, he cut through a destroyed window to the floor where the security guard was. Dropping the window washer, he stretched out his hands and rotated it at high speeds, his actions creating a vacuum that sucked in the Oxygen in the flames causing them to sputter and die out.

Seeing as everyone was alright, Godspeed turned and ran out the window, making sure to maintain his speed on the way down. Upon reaching the ground, he saw the Cop's girlfriend that he'd seen at the bar earlier looking at him, but in the next moment, he was gone.

Iris was amazed when she saw a white blur breeze past her leaving a bluish-white lightning trail behind. "Wow." Iris said.

xxx

By morning, CCPD was all over the bombing. They had pushed out all resources to get ahead of the case incase it was the work of terrorists.

When August got to STAR Labs, he asked EVE to bring up the CCPD reports on the case. Apparently, EVE was right, the bombing had to be meta related. It had no signature, no fragmentation, no sign of an oxidizing agent. It was like the floor had blown itself up. But at least, they had a suspect. Witness reports from the guard he had saved, stated that the bomber was a woman with red hair, though there was no security feed to corroborate his claims but it seemed like one of the Cabinets had its handle blown off so whatever the bomber wanted was something in those cabinets. The case had been suspended by order of a US General, General Eiling and CCPD was to halt all investigations.

With nothing else to go on, August had Eve try to see if she could get through the Army's firewall to find out the real truth of the matter and left his lab to get some training in.

Cisco had renovated an old science lab, turning it into a training room and after changing into his workout gear, he was surprised to see Dr. Wells there as well looking through the glass window.

"We're not training my speed this time?" August asked.

"No, today we're training your reflexes and your mind's ability to think in stressful situations. So, I've had Cisco develop a little test." Dr. Wells said over the intercom.

"Now, if you'll step onto the X in the middle of the room, we can begin, young padawan." Cisco said as August did. "So, I figured the best way to test your reflexes and your brain's power to think would be to replicate a situation you would encounter in the field. Heads up."

Suddenly, a computer-controlled assault rifle came out of the wall and fired at August as August managed to dodge at the last second and saw it was a BB-pellet. August looked at the pellet as it rolled on the ground. "BB's?" August asked.

"Cheaper than bullets and a good idea of what you're gonna be facing." Cisco said as he activated four more controlled assault rifles as August smiled and cracked his neck.

"All right. Come on!" August shouted as the rifles fired and August began speeding around the room, dodging back and forth, zipping like a spinning top. Cisco monitored his vitals and the computers that controlled the BB-guns while Dr. Wells checked August's speed and was impressed that he crushed his previous time of 550 mph and was now averaging 600 mph.

"He's doing well." Cisco said to Dr. Wells as they saw that August was managing to dodge the BBs well.

"Yes, and his speed is improving. Its really impressive." Dr. Wells said as Cisco chuckled.

"Don't tell him that." Cisco joked as he decided to kick it up a notch. "All right, level two."

More toy rifles came out of the walls and began firing which made it a little harder but August kept dodging and speeding around the room, looking behind and over his shoulder to keep an eye on any stray BB that would hit him. Cisco pressed another button and a rope launcher fired a bolo that managed to catch August off guard and wrap around his feet. August fell on the ground with a loud thud as the BB's hit him all over.

"Ow, ow. Ow! OW!" August shouted as Cisco quickly turned the rifles off. August sat up as he rubbed his face where the bruises of the BB were. "Ok, that hurt."

"Nicely done, August but we've still got room to improve." Dr. Wells said as August nodded.

"Yeah, I'm just glad they were BBs." August said as he untied the bolo around his feet. They kept training for another hour and this time when Cisco was about to shoot the bolo, August felt a tingling at the back of his skull, following his instincts, he did a butterfly flip out of the way avoiding the bolo but in doing so, getting hit by the BBs all over again. Seeing this, Dr. Wells called for a break. August was getting his bruises and cuts looked at by Caitlin just to be on the safe side but August swore he was fine.

"Ow." August said as Caitlin rubbed some cleaning alcohol on a bad cut.

"Sorry. The cuts and bruises should be gone in an hour but take it easy for a bit. We don't want them to get worse." Caitlin said as August nodded. "I still can't believe you shot him, Cisco."

"What? Dr. Wells wanted to test August's reflexes and it was a better idea than rubber bullets. Those suckers hurt." Cisco joked as Dr. Wells wheeled in.

"Still the results are promising. August is showing enhanced reflexes when he uses his speed. His reaction speed is off the charts too." Dr. Wells said as August smiled. "What was that at the end though. I've never seen you do anything like that?"

"I don't know. When Cisco fired that Bolo, I felt like something tingling at the back of my skull, so I just followed my instincts." August said.

"Hmmm…" Dr. Wells hummed pensively as he wheeled out of the room, deep in thought.

Caitlin then asked, "So how about that bomb incident from last night, did you look into it?"

"Yeah, there were some discrepancies with the crime scene and I think we've got a meta-human bomber on our hands." August said as they gathered around.

"That's not a good mix." Cisco as he had EVE bring up the file. "So, the bombing was a cover for stealing a VA file?"

"That's all EVE got? A VA file number?" Caitlin asked.

"The CCPD have been ordered off the case." August said.

"Who has the authority to do that?" Caitlin asked.

"The army. Some general came in and ordered them off the case. His name was Eiling." August told them. "I've already told EVE to try and get past their firewall and find out more about him."

"General Wade Eiling." Dr. Wells said as everyone looked at him.

"You know him?" August asked.

"Yes, I know him. About 10 years ago, General Wade Eiling contacted STAR Labs to develop enhanced gene therapies for soldiers. I was interested in the potential medical benefits for civilians. General Eiling really wanted to develop mind-reading capabilities for interrogation purposes." Dr. Wells said as Caitlin remembered this being the longest one on the team with the exception of Dr. Wells.

"I ended the study shortly after but our split was less than amicable." Dr. Wells said.

"Well, he took the evidence the CCPD collected on the bombing. Everything but the folder." August said as Dr. Wells looked at it.

"Well, lucky for us, the VA finally joined the new millennium and digitized their records." Cisco said as he brought up the files from EVE and saw it was the file of a soldier with a lot of redacted information. "A lot of redacted info but our girl's name is Bette Sans Souci, an EOD specialist for the Army."

"EOD?" Caitlin asked.

"Bomb disposal." August told her as she nodded.

"Is there an address?" August asked.

"Hold on, here we go. One person in case of emergency, Cameron Scott, Inglewood." Cisco said as August grabbed his suit and left before anyone could say anything else.

"Well, he's fast." Caitlin said worried while Dr. Wells smiled.

"It's all right, Caitlin. It's just a recovery, I'm sure Mr. Heart will be fine out there." Dr. Wells said as Caitlin nodded and they waited for August to return.

"Hey man, how's it going?" Cisco asked as they waited for him to reply but he didn't. Cisco was going to try again when the bio feed from his suit wasn't responding with a signal. "What the hell?"

"No signal." Caitlin said. "August!"

Then a whoosh of air and bluish-white lightning ran past them as they saw August walk out of the med bay as he put on a S.T.A.R. labs shirt and sweatpants. "Uh…?" Cisco said.

"Don't ask." August told them.

"I'm gonna ask, where's my suit?" Cisco asked.

"It's…gone." August said as Cisco looked at him.

"What do you mean it's gone? What happened to my suit?" Cisco asked.

"It blew up, dude. I managed to get out of it before it went kaboom." August said.

"My suit, went kaboom?" Cisco asked, horrified at what he was hearing.

"Fun fact about Bette Sans Souci: She's not carrying bombs. She touched the emblem on the suit and turned it into a bomb. She's a metahuman." August told them.

"With the ability to cause spontaneous combustion upon tactile contact." Dr. Wells said as Cisco turned to him.

"She blew up my suit." Cisco repeated.

"You have like three more." Caitlin said.

"Ok, I have two and I loved that one. We did mad enhancements to it." Cisco replied.

"All right, so what else do we know about Bette Sans Souci?" August asked.

"Oh, I don't know, she's pure evil? We're gonna find this bomb girl and send her butt into the pipeline. No one blows my tech to smithereens and gets away with it." Cisco said as he brought up an image of Bette. "Unless she looks like that."

"I don't think she meant to hurt me." August said as they looked at him.

"You think it was an accident?" Caitlin asked as August nodded.

"She didn't seem to want to hurt me. I don't think she can control her powers." August said.

"Well, her being a metahuman explains General Eiling's interest in her." Dr. Wells said.

"And why he stole the case from CCPD. He doesn't want anyone to know what she can do." Cisco said.

"So, human bomb. Must be Tuesday in Central City." August said trying to lighten the mood. They all smiled.

"Yes, and General Eiling's not one to give up a potential asset without a fight." Dr. Wells said.

"Then we have to find her before he does or we'll have a super-powered bomb maker in the hands of the army." August said as everyone nodded and got to work.

August stuck around to help Caitlin and Cisco analyze the info EVE was bringing up as she tracked down Bette. They kept looking over her file, seeing if any of her non-redacted info could help but there wasn't much to go on until EVE managed to get a back trace on the military's radio frequency so they could follow Eiling's search. August was combing through the files when Cisco got a hit.

"I got it. The army just sent out a call to Eiling. The lovely Ms. Sans Souci was just spotted in Anglewood." Cisco said.

"The same neighbourhood as Dr. Harold Hadley, the military surgeon who performed several procedures on her. That's why she was looking for the folder." Caitlin said.

"She's probably trying to figure out what happened to her." August said as they nodded. "All right, I'm on it."

August quickly grabbed Cisco's spare suit. It was red and wasn't full masked, instead masking his eyes and leaving the rest of the face open. He frowned but with little choice, he put it on and sped off through the streets until he came to the Centre for Inflicted Wounds where Dr. Hadley was working. He sped into the room as a gush of air caused Bette and Dr. Hadley to look at him in awe and confusion. August then noticed green lights from the windows and before he could do anything, a bullet came in and hit Bette in the arm.

August saw Hadley reach into his desk for something and not wanting to risk it, he quickly sucker-punched him and knocked him out. He then knelt to check on Bette. "You okay?" He asked as he heard footsteps outside. "Look, I can get you out of here. I can help you understand what happened to you."

"How?" Bette asked.

"Because it happened it happened to me." August said. "Please."

Bette nodded when August saw a flashbang break through the window and enter the room so he quickly grabbed it and tossed it back outside before it went off. Eiling and his men were hit with the loud noise and light while August grabbed Bette and ran back to STAR labs.

August retrieved Bette and took her to the cortex so Dr. Wells could explain how the Particle Accelerator Explosion led to people like August and Bette gaining powers. He was explaining everything as one of the computer screens played the data and a simulation of what happened.

"As the detonation dispersed throughout Central City, a number of people were exposed to a wave of unquantifiable energy. Godspeed, the one brought you here, was among those affected, as are you. You were in Central City 10 months ago." Dr. Wells said as Caitlin handed Bette a pair of special gloves. When she grabbed them, they didn't explode.

"Uh, I had just returned from Afghanistan. I was there diffusing roadside bombs and…shrapnel ripped through me. I was flown back Stateside, spent months at the base recuperating. And the next thing I know, I became the thing that almost killed me. And Eiling's favourite new lab rat." Bette told them as she put on the gloves.

"The dark matter must have combined with the bomb particulate inside your body." Caitlin told her.

"I thought Eiling did this to me." Bette said as they looked at her.

"Eiling is not smart enough to create someone like you but clever enough to see your value." Dr. Wells said.

"And if we don't stop him, then we'll have bomb making super soldiers controlled by the US army and I've watched enough movies to know that ends bad. Especially, if someone like Eiling is in control." August said as he walked into the lab, having taken off his suit.

"Do you know of any others who were changed?" Bette asked.

"There've been a few." Caitlin said.

"But no one that looks like you." Cisco said as August chuckled and Cisco realized what he said. "I'm sorry, that was inappropriate. Please don't leave."

"I know how to perform a lobotomy." Caitlin warned him.

"Disregarding Cisco's statement, Bette we'll do everything we can to help you. STAR labs is one of the most advance labs in the world and with Dr. Wells, we'll come up with something." August said as Dr. Wells and Bette smiled.

Bette was moved to one of the med labs and was sitting on the gurney as they used the computers to run rudimentary scans of her body and her molecular structure for their tests and to figure out how her powers worked.

"Her cellular structure is unlike anything I've ever seen before." Dr. Wells said.

"And her nitrogen levels are off the charts." Caitlin said as they looked at the scans.

"You think that's the source of her power?" August asked.

"It's a possibility. In order to help her, we must understand her power and to understand her power, have to study her in action." Dr. Wells said.

"You want her to blow stuff up. Yes, now we're talking." Cisco said, excited.

"Not in here. She's too unstable." Dr. Wells told him.

"I know." Cisco replied.

"I know you know." Dr. Wells replied.

Caitlin walked into the lab to check on Bette and prepare some tests. "So, this is your life now, huh? Testing people like me?" Bette asked.

"Stopping people like you. It's not what I thought I'd be doing." Caitlin said as she prepared a syringe to take a blood sample. "Actually, aside from Godspeed, you're the first metahuman that we've tested."

"Metahuman?" Bette asked.

"It's just a term." Caitlin said when she noticed Bette was bleeding. "Oh, my god. What happened?"

Bette rolled up her sleeve to shot a bullet wound. "Why didn't you say you were shot?" Caitlin asked.

"It just grazed me." Bette said as Caitlin looked closer and noticed something.

"There's something in there." Caitlin said as August and Dr. Wells looked alarmed. Caitlin grabbed a pair of tweezers and carefully pulled out a small round object from her wound.

"A tracker." Bette said as everyone was alarmed.

"Oh crap." August said as the proximity alarm went off and August checked the cameras and saw it was General Eiling with a squad of armed soldiers.

"Lock down the pipeline. Get Bette out of here. I'll take care of Eiling." Dr. Wells said as Cisco went to prep the truck and August left to lock down the pipeline while Caitlin left with Bette. They left via a secret entrance and took the S.T.A.R. labs truck to the same place they first tested August's speed while Dr. Wells dealt with Eiling.

Dr. Wells went to the main lobby of S.T.A.R. labs to meet General Eiling and saw him there with a squad of armed soldiers. "Harrison Wells. How the mighty have fallen." General Eiling said in a smug tone as Dr. Wells kept a calm demeanour.

"General." Dr. Wells said as the squad of soldiers walked down the corridor and began searching the building.

"STAR labs. Oh, this place used to be so important. Tell me, what does one do after such a spectacular public failure?" General Eiling asked.

"One adapts, one evolves. One takes a step back to prioritize one's focus and become intent on reversing one's fortune." Dr. Wells said as Eiling smirked.

"Always the idealist." Eiling commented.

"A trait I picked up from some very good friends." Dr. Wells said as he and Eiling heard footsteps coming up and saw August walk in.

"Dr. Wells, I just wanted to see what was keeping you. We need to run simulations for that equation." August said innocently, looking to the world like a STAR Labs employee.

"I'll be there in a moment, August. Just greeting our unwelcomed guest." Dr. Wells said as August walked to Dr. Wells side.

"Guess it's too late to ask if you have a warrant to be on private property?" August asked as Eiling chuckled and looked at the two men who stood by the elevator.

"Do you think we need one?" Eiling said with a chuckle as he looked August up and down. "What's your name son?" He asked.

"I'm August Heart. Nice to meet you General." He shook his hands.

"Mr. Heart. Nice to meet you indeed. You look like a smart one. If you ever need a job working for the military, give me a call." He brought out a card. "It would definitely be a step up from this." He looked around with scorn in his eyes.

"Thank you general." August smiled, "But I'm happy here in STAR Labs."

"Loyalty, an admirable quality, one I see you share. Otherwise, you wouldn't be beside a failed scientist. You could have made a big difference if you joined the military and put that mind of yours to work on saving this country." Eiling said.

"I prefer to make a difference in helping the country advance forward, not by taking lives." August replied.

"Such an interesting protégé Harrison." Eiling said not paying him attention any further.

"What do you want, Wade?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Where's my assist?" Eiling asked as Dr. Wells shrugged.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Dr. Wells replied.

"We tracked her here, Harrison. Turn her over before you see the rest of your precious palace crumble." Eiling threatened him.

"Wade, Wade, Wade." Dr. Wells said as he shook his head.

Eiling then motioned his men to move forward as he passed Dr. Wells. "We could have changed the world, you and I. But I guess you're happy where you are." Eiling said as he passed Dr. Wells and August.

"God, I wanted to punch him after the way he talked down to me." August said as Dr. Wells chuckled.

"I know and a part of me wanted you to but General Eiling is well protected. Even with your powers, there are still enemies you can't fight." Dr. Wells said as August nodded.

"Any idea on how to get Eiling out of Central City without giving up Bette?" August asked.

"I'm working on it." Dr. Wells said as they moved back to the lab.

…

The next day, August walked into the cortex to see how Bette was doing. He saw the team in the med bay looking glum.

"Hey, what's going on?" He asked, sensing the bad vibe with the group. "Did Eiling find you?"

"No. Caitlin was about to give me the not-so-good news." Bette said.

"The shrapnel in your body has merged with you on a cellular level." Caitlin said as Bette felt like her world was crashing down.

"The technology required to unsplice your DNA…it hasn't been invented yet." Dr. Wells said as Bette tried to hold back tears.

"Bette…" August said.

"It's ok. Roger that, I—I just need a minute. I'm pretty sure I can cry without making stuff blow up." She said as she left the pipeline to get some air. Everyone felt horrible for Bette as they couldn't do anything to help her.

"Now what?" Cisco asked.

"I got an idea." August said as he sped towards his lab only to return with a slim futuristic bracelet.

"These are a set of power dampening cuffs I designed with Dr. Wells a while ago, it's not finished yet as we haven't solved the energy problem yet but it can last for 12 hours everyday before needing to be charged once more. So, till we find a way to take care of the problem permanently, we could make it so that she's not a ticking time bomb." August ran his hands through his hair. "Thing is, it can only be charged here, so she has to stay here."

"This is only a temporary solution August. If she to remain at STAR labs, it would put all of us at risk." Dr. Wells said.

"From who, Eiling?" August asked.

"Eiling is a dangerous man, August. We do not want him as an enemy." Dr. Wells said.

"Well, we can't let Eiling take her either. If he gets his hands on her, then we're just leaving her to get turned into a lab rat." August said.

"And what alternative is there?" Cisco asked.

"Time will tell, Mr. Ramon. For now, let's see configure this dampening cuffs you talked about." Dr. Wells said as they got to work.

…

Hours later, August had made progress in his research for a stable and clean energy source and was on his way to show Dr. Wells his discoveries but he couldn't find him in his office and so he figured he was in the cortex. If he wasn't, he most likely went home but it didn't hurt to check. August was walking to the cortex when he heard talking and recognized the voices as Bette and Dr. Wells.

"Cisco?" Bette called out as she looked at the scans of her body and turned to see Dr. Wells.

"He went home. I think our young Cisco is developing a bit of a crush on you." Dr. Wells said as he rolled over to her. August was listening and decided not to interrupt until Dr. Wells left because he didn't want to interrupt an important or sagely conversation.

"Not sure I'm prizewinning date material anymore." Bette replied.

"Change is hard. The same accident that changed you put me in this chair." Dr. Wells told her.

"Sorry, I didn't know." She said.

"I don't share that story with you to garner sympathy. I tell it to you to illustrate a larger point." Dr. Wells said.

"And what point is that?" Bette asked.

"That I would do anything…to get back what I lost. As would you." Dr. Wells said in a very serious tone. August recognized this tone as the one that Dr. Wells used when he was 100% serious and it scared him sometimes because Dr. Wells seemed to be a different person when he spoke like that.

"I would. I just don't know how." Bette replied.

"Young Mr. Heart designed a pair of power dampening bracelets so that you're no longer a hazard to the people around you but you know that it isn't a permanent solution." Dr. Wells said as he looked at her. "You soldiers, you call yourselves Sheepdogs. Am I right?"

"Happy and normal until someone attacks our flock." Bette said.

"Every good person who was changed that night, people like you…people like August, those people are your flock now, Bette. And General Eiling will never stop attacking that flock. And he always gets his target." Dr. Wells said. "Unless you stop him. You know your duty, sergeant. Kill Eiling. One last mission…and then you go home."

August couldn't believe what he was hearing, Dr. Wells just told Bette that she should kill Eiling. He could understand why that would be necessary but it was the last thing he expected from the amiable, peace-loving Dr. Wells. August heard Bette coming so he decided to call it a night and left. Somehow, he felt relieved knowing that when push came to shove, there was someone else at STAR Labs who would be willing to do what needed to be done. He tossed and turned all night thinking about the situation, while he believed that Eiling needed to die, he felt, at the same time, that with all he'd been hearing about the man, death would be a release. That, and it was his duty as a protector to stop these threats. He couldn't send someone else to do it.

The next morning, he walked into the cortex to see Caitlin comforting Cisco. "What happened?" August asked.

"Bette. She left." Caitlin said.

"Left? Where did she go?" August asked as Dr. Wells wheeled in.

"She didn't say." Dr. Wells replied as August looked at him.

"I think I got an idea of where she is. EVE, tap back into the military feed. If Bette is out there, Eiling is probably right on her tail." August said as EVE got to work. It took her a little longer than normal because she had to make sure the military couldn't back trace her hack but she did it.

"EVE tapped into the military's radio feed. Looks like they've gone to the waterfront after Eiling got a call from Bette. She's turning herself in." Cisco said as August looked at the screen.

"No, she's not. She's doing something else." August said as he grabbed the spare suit and ran to the waterfront as Dr. Wells looked at August's lightning trail as he left.

"Please let him get there in time." Cisco said.

August ran through the city and to the waterfront and saw small smoke stacks from explosions and several military vehicles. He could see a dozen soldiers on the ground, unconscious and Bette walking towards someone with her hand out so he quickly stopped in front of her in a whoosh of air.

"What are you doing here?" Bette asked.

"Stopping you. There's a difference between fighting a war and cold-blooded murder. Even if it's Eiling. Don't let him make you into a monster." August said as he heard a gunshot and Bette hit the ground. August's eyes filled with rage as lightning flashed in them as he quickly sped to Eiling and sucker punched him across the face and knocked him out cold. He then knelt to Bette and took off his cowl. "I'm sorry, I didn't see the gun!"

August tried to stop the bleeding as Bette smiled at him. "Don't be. It's not your fault. I'm glad you stopped me." Bette said as she smiled at him.

"Hang on. I'll get you to STAR Labs and Caitlin will fix you up!" August said as Bette grabbed his hands.

"August. Dr. Wells, he…he…" Bette struggled to say as August knew.

"I know. I know." August said as he nodded and Dr. Wells who was listening in on the conversation narrowed his eyebrows. Bette smiled at August as she closed her eyes and her head fell to the side. August exhaled in sadness at her death when he noticed her glowing. "Guys, we got a problem."

"Is Bette okay?" Cisco asked.

"No. Eiling killed her. She's glowing. I think she's gonna detonate." August said

"Oh, my god. A mass that size, the explosion would be—"

"Devastating." Dr. Wells said, finishing Caitlin's sentence.

"August, you have to get her away from the city." Caitlin told him.

"I don't think that'll work. I won't get her out of the city in time." August said as he looked at the road leading out of the city when he looked at the waterfront. "I got an idea. Can I run on water? I've built up enough speed to run up a building, how fast do I need to go to run on water?"

"Uh, assuming your weight…450 pounds of force per step for vertical suspension. Accounting for fluid drag…" "Approximately 700 miles an hour." Dr. Wells said, finishing Cisco's calculation. (2)

"But that's not it. When you get Bette away from the city, you have to outrun the blast, or you'll die too." Cisco told him as August nodded.

August took a breath, put his mask on and took Bette into his arms. He then ran forward with his lightning trail right behind him as he was actually running on water, reaching 700 mph, and kicking up a wave of water as he ran. Cisco, Caitlin, and Dr. Wells were watching the monitor and tracking August's suit's tracker as he was running out to the ocean.

August made it a mile off shore and dropped Bette's body in the water and ran as fast as he could back to the city. When he got a quarter mile away from dropping off Bette, a huge underwater explosion went off that created a water cloud at least 500 feet high. With the explosion, a huge tidal wave of water spread out and rushed in all directions as August raced back to ground as fast as he could. August looked back and saw the tidal wave getting closer so he pushed himself as hard as he could and felt himself tapping into the same energy he felt before on the cosmic treadmill when he got that wave of visions.

"RAHHHHHHHHH!" August shouted as he zoomed forward like a rocket, creating a loud sonic boom, and tumbled onto the ground safely making it to shore. August took off his mask as he was breathing heavy and looked out to the water and saw the explosion dispersed and the tidal wave had turned into a small ripple of water as it got to the city.

"August! August, are you ok?" Caitlin asked as August touched his comms.

"I'm fine. I'm coming back." August said as he ran back to STAR Labs.

…

August and the group were in the cortex watching a news report on the explosion in the river and General Eiling was being interviewed but he immediately had a cover up. "Nothing out of the ordinary occurred. The military was simply conducting an underwater weapons test. There is no need for panic or alarm. Central City is safe, I guarantee you." Eiling said to the camera as everyone watched the screen.

August watched the screen in silence and his eyes flashed red for an instant which no one but Dr. Wells caught and he frowned, deep in thought. Sensing his displeasure, Caitlin rubbed his shoulder and Cisco patted him on the back.

"Powerful men have a way of avoiding consequences." Dr. Wells said.

"Bette's death won't be in vain. Eiling will get what's coming to him eventually." August said with determination as he turned around and Caitlin looked at him.

"Are you ok?" Caitlin asked as August smiled.

"I'm fine. I'll see you guys later." August said as he grabbed his jacket and walked out of the cortex with Dr. Wells following after him. August put on his jacket and fixed his collar as he got to the elevator.

"I heard what you said to Bette. Everything." August heard as he turned to see Dr. Wells.

"I figured you were listening in." August said as he zipped up his jacket. "You sent her on a kill mission."

"I only told Bette the truth, you know that August. I thought I saw a way to keep you safe from Eiling." Dr. Wells said as August looked at him.

"Keep me safe? I understand where you're coming from Dr. Wells and I have nothing against you. I am disappointed though. It is our responsibility to go against these threats, she was just a soldier who was in the wrong place at the wrong time." August said.

"Eiling was a danger to you, Bette and every other poor person who was changed the night the accelerator exploded. Eiling is a tactical genius and when he sets his sight on a target nothing short of a godly intervention will stop him. It was only a matter of time before he discovered you and once that happened, he will become obsessed in catching you." Dr. Wells said.

"Then we find another way. Or we do it ourselves. Its my firm belief that we handle all these in the darkness so that others can live peacefully in the light." August replied as Dr. Wells smirked.

"And I admired your attitude and your beliefs August, but there's one lesson that you must take to heart. I know the future has big plans for you, both as a scientist and as Godspeed but that means there will be people at every corner who will try and break you down or take advantage of you. Look at the people already in the world: Simon Stagg, General Eiling, Dr. Thadeus Sivana. The list can go on and on and these people, once they get a glimpse at your potential, they will be there to take you apart until there is nothing left." Dr. Wells warned him. "Eiling has enough innocent blood on his hands that it would have been what he deserved. And I kept this from you and the others because I didn't want you all to bear the burden of what would happen should we succeed. Bette was a soldier who has seen combat and was more suited for the task." Dr. Wells said as August began to calm down and understood Dr. Wells thinking.

"You know I would never do something like this unless it was to keep you safe. Above everything else, my main goal is to protect you and everyone here."

"I know, Dr. Wells. I know. It's just that…perhaps her death is affecting me more than I thought." August said as Dr. Wells moved to August's side.

"I understand. When I see you run out to protect the city, I feel that it should be me bearing the burden of what you do but instead I'm confined to this chair. Bette's death is my burden to bear, but Eiling is the one who pulled the trigger, you tried to save her." Dr. Wells said as August nodded. "Don't let her death burden you. Honor Bette's memory by making sure that nothing like this can happen again. You're already on your way there."

"What do you mean?" August asked as Dr. Wells handed him a data pad.

"Today was the fastest you've ever run. You achieved Mach 1." Dr. Wells said as August looked and saw the data from his suit recorded his speed today at 334 m/s or 767 mph.

"I broke the sound barrier." August said in amazement. "I didn't think that was possible."

"It is. You achieved something amazing today, August and in only a few months after first getting your powers." Dr. Wells said as August nodded.

"I need to get some sleep. Dr. Wells, I'll see you tomorrow."

August left STAR Labs and the others followed soon as Dr. Wells remained in the cortex for a while longer to look at the scans from Bette's body and on August's recent accomplishment. He heard one of the monitors beep and saw video footage from the elevators, showing General Eiling coming to see him.

Dr. Wells waited in the elevator lobby as Eiling walked out of the elevator. "What do you want, Wade?" Dr. Wells asked.

"I was wrong about you, Harrison. You're still one step ahead. Impressive for a man without the use of his legs." Eiling said.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Wade." Dr. Wells told him.

"A girl who can transform ordinary objects into explosive with the touch of her hand. Today I saw a man who can move faster than the blink of an eye. Extraordinary. The night your particle accelerator died was the night the impossible was born. I think we should start working together again, Harrison." Eiling said as Dr. Wells didn't look pleased. "Failing that, I'll take that August kid instead. I looked him up, he's bright enough to help me and I'm sure I can make him more compliable than you are."

"I think you should leave now, General." Dr. Wells warned him.

"You know I can have a squadron of soldiers here in minutes to take you and him by force, if necessary." Eiling threatened him.

"I can have an army of press here…like that." Dr. Wells said as he snapped his fingers. "Believe me, general, I'd be more than happy to testify to your involvement in activities that were less than humane. Threaten me or August Heart ever again…and I will end you, general. And I'm not talking about your career."

Eiling glared as he pressed the elevator button. "You know, I figured out your little secret Wells. Won't be long before the public does as well." He said as he left.