7 Chapter 7 - Press Play - "Poker Face"

"How are you feeling?" Concern? Was he worried? Or did he ask purely out of curiosity?

"Fine, no different from before." While that was ture, the underlying truth was buried even deeper.

"That's good, I think." He paused and looked around for a bit. "I will move back to the workshop for a bit, see if I can get anything from these numbers."

"That's alright." Came the dry response, he was unable to discern his feelings.

Nathan watched Cisco as the latter left the lab, he stood from the bed now bereft of the equipments that were monitoring his vitals just minutes ago.

He put on his jacket and looked at his hands, the current being weaker than yesterday. But he didn't show it, he kept the encounter of yesterday a secret. He did, however, mention of his ability to siphon Barry's dark matter.

Now, he was being subjected to multiple tests; Caitlin had finished hers just minutes ago. He didn't know if it was his feeling but, he felt Harrison Wells' gaze following him like hawk whenever he was near that man. Was he suspicious? He did lie yesterday.

"Mr. Williams, if you would follow me to the workshop." Speak of the devil. Nathan nodded at the crippled man and followed as the man took the lead. The place felt more constricting than ever and Nathan felt a sense of alienation from his surroundings. He smiled.

"You are here, I was just going through your reports again and there's something very interesting showing here." There it was, the techy enthusiasm that was hard to take away from the bubbly engineer. Nathan took a look at the long haired man, his friend.

Harrison Wells moved to the side and held the tab he was handed. Cisco took the lead and started explaining, "We monitored the process when you 'siphoned' dark matter from Barry's system. As usual, any energy you seemed to consume simply went poof."

"I know that." Nathan nodded his head at that.

"However, this time we noticed a change. It was subtle and had we not build something specific like the one for weather wizard, it would've been hard to notice." Cisco pulled a graph on his computer screen and Nathan focused on the lines. "There is a sort of mutation in your own dark matter, like it's taking the properties of the dark matter you siphon from others."

Nathan rubbed his chin in thought. This was something he had guessed and being proven right was liberating in that sense, but there was still something bugging him.

"You are wondering why you seem slower than after Siphoning the dark matter?" As if he had read his thoughts, Dr. Wells came to rescue on his wheelchair. Nathan nodded. "The reason Nathan, is because your dark matter is loosing mutations at very fast rate after Siphoning. Working theory is that your siphoned dark matter is highly unstable or your own dark is showing an inert state. Whichever the case, it's highly likely that you do not retain the mutation for long."

"However, if that's the case," Nathan frowned took a look back at the graph and then at the doctor, "Why am I still faster even after weeks have passed?"

"That's the million dollar question." The man smiled and pointed back at the graph. "And my theory is that, the higher the concentration of dark matter in your system, the faster the expulsion, but once it achieves a certain threshold, it seems to achieve a sort of equilibrium with your own dark matter." The graph showed the line rising high in an instant and then falling rapidly, but as the line went down, the decrease took longer than previous time. At one point the line almost plateaued against the axis. "However, we also suspect that your dark matter is adapting to the foreign properties being introduced. So in theory, if you continue to siphon Mr. Allen's Dark matter, you should start building an immunity to your own leakage. We are not, however, sure if properties will become permanent at one point."

Nathan bit his bottom lip, his thoughts revolving around the incident of yesterday. It was as the man said, his electric currents were weaker than yesterday, but he didn't sense them getting any more weaker. If that was the case, this meant that he had growth potential, but he would weaker than many at the beginning.

"Is there a limit to how much mutation I could induce in my own dark matter, I mean in variety terms?" Nathan asked cautiously to not arose their suspicion. He watched as the two exchanged a glance, and the doctor took another look at his report.

"We are not sure Nathan, this would require practical experimentation and examination." Harrison Wells looked at him with frown marring his features, "In theory, however, there should be a limit. If your dark matter is highly malleable, then giving it certain properties would mean loosing that malleability, given the fact that you do in fact retain those properties. So, yes, there should be a limit. At least that's what I think, so you need not strees yourself thinking of useless things for the time being."

Nathan nodded his head, and fell back into contemplation.

He was woken up from his thoughts when Dr. Wells asked him a question, "If I may ask Nathan, you seem a bit wistful today, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I did mean to ask, but thought to let you say it without me asking." Cisco interrupted from the side just when he was about to reply. Nathan smiled.

"Ah, it's nothing, just asked this girl out last night, she refused. I was feeling a bit down is all." Nathan replied without a hitch. Lying was easy when you could easily control your emotions. Although he was no actor and neither did he posses some impeccable control over his emotions, he had however trained to lie from a young age.

...young age‽

Nathan's eyes widened in surprise.

"Something wrong, buddy?" Cisco who was leaning on his desk asked in worry.

"No, nothing. I just recalled something. Anyway is there anything more for me to do?"

Harrison Wells smiled and said, "I think this is enough for today. I will leave you two here; I will check on Caitlin and see if it has any biological effects on your body."

Nathan nodded at the doctor and looked at Cisco who shook his head, and suddenly gave him a hug.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I understand man, the heartbreak is no joke. Let's go get some drinks after work today."

Nathan deadpanned at first, but soon smiled in sympathy.

...

"Anything of note?" Harrison Wells asked the blonde doctor in her lab coat. 

"Ah, Dr. Wells," Caitlin startled look back at the door where the man sat on his wheelchair. She soon recovered from the surprise and motioned at her report. "I did a thorough analysis, but found no change in Nathan's cells or DNA for that matter. His metabolism and vitals seem normal, so does his other bodily activities."

"So he's not suffering the same effects as Mr. Allen?" Caitlin shook her head at the question.

Harrison Wells nodded his head thoughtfully. He might not need Barry Allen after all. Eobard Thwane had a new pawn to play and he was exited, especially when the said pawn could send him back home.

...

Nathan ran. The empty streets passed in blur. His strides eating miles in matter of minutes. Nathan felt fast. He was fast, faster than ever before. Faster than anyone he knew of. He smiled.

By estimation, Nathan was fast enough to run 1 and half miles per minute. His speed aside, his reaction speed was what excited him even more. The fact that he could slow his mental perception of the world and react to certain extent made him feel the worth of this ability. This did however made him think of Barry Allen extensively; how fast was that guy?

Nathan skidded to halt at the road sign on the highway. The night air was fresh and stars dotted the sky. His eyes flashed with dim glow and his hands crackled electricity. Despite it being weaker than before, Nathan had to admit that even this was enough to send a normal man his merry way; all he needed was a zap at the right place.

"Now this feels more like a meta-human." Nathan ran back.

...

[25 September 2014]

🎶And after he's been hooked I'll play the one that's on his heart

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-e-oh-oh-oh

I'll get him hot, show him what I've got

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-e-oh-oh-oh,

I'll get him hot, show him what I've got🎶

There was a beat, synthesized electronic beat. It was a Synth pop song with a forceful rhythm. Listening to it felt like hearing it somewhere far away and yet it seemed to draw near.

Barry awoke to the music playing in the background. He knew this song, in fact he liked it enough to put it on his facebook page. His eyes opened and he sprung from his bed.

Barry Allen was awake!

...

[A few moments earlier]

"So are we listening to songs today?" Nathan turned his head from the tab playing songs to the engineer who just smiled in return.

"These aren't just songs, you know." Cisco walked upto him and pointed toward the man in coma. "I checked his facebook page and saw the songs he liked. Caitlin said that he could wake any day now, why not welcome him into more familiar environment?"

"This lab is anything but familiar environment." Nathan stressed.

"Dude was CSI before all this, pretty sure a lab is the most familiar he is with anything."

Caitlin passed by the two and went to check up on the man. She opened his eye lids shining light on his pupils, watching as they constricted to limit the intensity of light. "Normal as usual."

"Hah, think he is hearing this right now?" Cisco leaning in over the man beside the doctor, who shoved him and glared.

Cisco just laughed and hummed the tone. He was really liking this song, and then suddenly,–

"Holy!"

–the man woke from the dead.

Cisco hurriedly alerted Dr. Wells.

Caitlin was on him in a second, asking questions all the while trying to examine his state. Cisco seemed happy and was warding off the doctor to not scare the man.

Nathan watched it all, his eyes following the man as he looked around in confusion asking questions. All the while, Cisco and Caitlin answered to the best of their abilities.

"Lightning gave me abs?" Barry eyed his figure, his eyes looming over his well defined muscles and lean build.

"Oh hey, didn't notice you there." He turned to Nathan who had been content in silent observation till now.

Nathan smiled and walked forward, his hand extended, he said, "Hello, I am Nathan. Welcome back."

Barry shook his hand, "Thanks, I am Barry. Oh and by the way, how long have I been in coma?"

"Nine months." Harrison Wells walked in through the door. "It's been nine months since you went into coma. Welcome back, Mr. Allen."

Barry seemed starstruck staring at the man, before he smiled, "Dr. Wells, can't believe I am meeting you in person."

Wells led Barry to change his clothes while the rest of them started working on as usual. Nathan was deep in thought.

"Now I am not the most popular person in town these days, but detective west and his daughter gave me permission to move you here, where we were able to stabilize you." Harrison Wells alongside Barry entered the lab and Nathan turned back to the man who wore a shirt on him.

"Iris?"

"Iris, yes. She came to see you quite often."

Caitlin came from the side and handed Dr. Wells his drink. "She talks a lot."

"Also, she's hot." Cisco chimed from behind.

"I need to go." Barry seemed to recall something as he said absentmindedly.

Nathan frowned, "I don't think you should leave yet, Barry."

"What, I feel fine alright."

"No, Mr. Allen there's still things we need to check on, so much we don't know yet." Dr. Wells tried to stop the man, but he just moved toward the exit.

Nathan wondered if he had to intervene, but it wasn't a serious situation so he didn't move.

Barry laughed and shrugged his shoulders, "I feel fine, don't worry." And left. Only to return a second later, "Can I keep this sweatshirt?"

"Yeah, keep the sweatshirt." Harrison Wells waved his hand in exasperation.

Nathan, seeing the man not trying hard enough to stop turned to him and asked, "It seems you are sure he will return back?"

"That I am Mr. Williams. It won't be long before Barry realises the difference and comes back on his own." It was hard to dismiss the confidence from the man's voice, but Nathan couldn't help feel doubt.

"What are the chances that Barry Allen doesn't turn on us? I mean what guarantees that he won't become a criminal?" Nathan pressed on.

Cisco took a look between the two and came to intervene, "Dude you need to relax. Have you read his file? This guy is anything but a criminal."

Nathan took a glance at the man and smiled, "I apologise. It seems I might've come off more rude than I intended. If you'll excuse me."

Nathan moved to leave the lab. Cisco stared at him silently. Harrison Wells watched him intently, an imperceptible smile tracing his lips.

...

Author's note: I. Am. Exhausted. Quite literally, so. I was going through a few family complications due to my father being ill and all. This chapter came later than intended because I was busy at the hospital. I will try to update the next chapter ASAP.

Let's talk about this chapter now. First, Nathan is going through a phase where he is doubtful, as can be seen. This state was triggered by his doubt of his friends and what they would do if they were know of his circumstances. Feelings dictate that they will help and support; a more rational and pragmatic side thinks that it's better to not let others in on his secrets. This has sort of created a divide because now Nathan is lying, so the fault doesn't lie in Caitlin, Cisco and Wells but with himself.

Now about Nathan and his abilities. First of all take note that whatever information you gain from the characters is rather unreliable. In short, while what characters portray isn't wrong, it doesn't necessarily have to be right either. So any assumption made by characters, may or may not be correct. As for Nathan, he is, well fast. The scene where Nathan is seen running is where he is on doping/Siphoning. His peak is somewhere near 95 miles/hour. Very fast. But that's his juiced up state, however; even at his at more permanent state he is around 60'ish. Relatively fast but compared to Barry at the start with 750+, the results are humbling.

There are two things you need to keep in mind regarding Nathan, one is the state where he has recently siphoned dark matter. Other is when a certain time has passed since his last Siphoning. At former his abilities gain a certain boost due to freshness of it all, but at later he is more stable and his abilities permanent (of sorts).

That was July 28 and it's September 25 now, so much time has passed and Nathan is comparatively faster than before after a lot of testing and such. As for how much, let's find in the next chapter. That reminds me, the exact date of when particle accelerator explodes is bit uncertain. Officially it's shown to explode on 11 December 2013 but DeVoe stated that it exploded on 7th January 2014. While the discrepancy is of month only, this changes things a bit; like Barry's awakening. It's been stated that it was 7th of October, but I will be going with September for this one.

On the side note, after all comments I got and did some thinking, I realised that forcing romance into the plot might just ruin it, or worse, make it complicated. So I have decided, unless I get some better prospects I will not be adding any love interest for the time being. I can however insert one once we are nearing the end, or after the end–I can just write a few side stories and such–and in the case of latter of the two, I am willing to take a shot at Kara (Sorry guy's, while Patty is good, it's undeniable that she just doesn't cut it).

And at last, support this work if you like it, keep me motivated and thank you once again for making it this far. Leave a powerstone or two while you are at it.