Episode 18 - The Tricksters

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T H I R D   P E R S O N

Barry and Team Flash stood in the cortex, watching the playback of the Trickster's broadcast.

"Tricked ya. HAHA look who's back my tricks my treat but I'll give you something good to eat. The days special a city in ashes the trickster proudly welcomes you to the new... disorder."

"Talking in the 3rd person that's never a good sign," Cisco muttered under his breath.

"You're just mad because he named himself," Caitlin said rolling her eyes at Cisco.

"Actually, he didn't. Twenty years ago Central City was hit with a series of terror attacks. One man killed at least ten civilians' two cops. That man called himself the Trickster." Joe stated.

"Woah! Someone was rocking the unheard." Sophia laughed as she pulled up the old police file.

"James Jessie." Barry read out loud.

"Like Jessie James but only more twisted," Joe added.

"Well, where is this Mr. Jessie right now?" Dr. Wells asked Joe.

"He's serving several life sentences at Iron Heights. He was just about the most dangerous thing Central City had ever seen." Joe remembered his early days on the force.

"You mean until the particle accelerator blew up." He seethed as his eyes focused on Wells.

Barry turned around to face the rest of the team, his lips pressed into a hard line. From the corner of his eye, Barry caught sight of Wells looking suspiciously concerned at him. Averting his gaze Barry shrugged away his burning gaze and focused on the rest of the team.

"Barry and I will go see this James Jessie at Iron Heights and see if he can give us something that could catch this groupie," Joe suggested, breaking the tension growing in the room.

"I'll analyze the video see if I can figure out the source," Sophia added as she started to type on the keyboard.

~ Later ~

"So, this was posted a few hours ago. Whoever this trickster is he certainly is not shy." Dr. Wells concluded as they finished watching the most recent Trickster blog.

"Well, not every criminal likes to hide in the dark," Barry replied with a snarky remark.

"Cisco, have you traced where the video was posted from?" Sophia initiated, she noticed Caitlin eyeing Barry cautiously.

"I tried but this guy is using some crazy Felicity caliber screening scrambler as I've never seen. The origin of the upload is coming from hundreds of different locations. Until he uploads another video it's going to be tough." Cisco replied.

"This psychopath has the capabilities to destroy the entire city." Barry voiced agitated.

"Hey, I said tough... not impossible." He defended.

Barry glanced at Caitlin who had been eyeing him warily. He watched her as she closed the distance between them. She placed her arms around his waist and her head on his chest barry immediately relaxing in comfort.

"Barry, we'll catch him. We always do." She smiled reassuring him.

Barry's eyes softened as he looked into her eyes and gave her a sweet kiss.

"Hey, Caitlin."

"Hmm."

"I need a favor. Do you mind heading down to Iron Heights to give this to a guard so he can pass it along to my father," he asked.

"Of course." She said without a second guess.

Caitlin grabbed the piece of paper, carefully placing it in her pocket. Moving closer Caitlin rested a hand over his chest as she reached forward and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Whatever's going on Barry... everything is going to be okay." She promised.

Barry walked back down to the cortex after his much-needed escape. Caitlin always knew what he needed even before he knew himself. That's one of the many things he loves about her. The way she knew him as no one else did.

The monitor's alert system goes off throughout the lab.

Cisco started to approach him.

"Heads up Tricksters broadcasting again," Cisco informed pulling out his phone, showing Barry the latest broadcast.

"Let the games begin. I have a bomb. It's a big bomb. It will make a big bang and then a big hole and then a big drop in the POPulation. Hehehe. But never say the Trickster is not fair. The bomb is somewhere between 52nd Street and Avenue B-"

Before Wells could order Barry on what to do... Barry speeds out into the streets of Central City, his eyes searching for the bomb. Coming to a halt.

"Guys, I can't find it. I need your help." Barry called to Cisco and Sophia over the coms.

"There's nothing on traffic cams or CCTV but I've re-tasked the S.T.A.R Labs satellite to scan the area for in scenery devices because of a bomb that large should be giving off some kind of thermal chemical signature," Cisco explained.

"Then why can't you guys find it?" Barry responded frustrated.

"Because it's a trick, Barry. The bomb's not there." Dr. Wells told him.

"No, it has to be. I'm going to keep looking." Barry ignored Wells, speeding off throughout the streets.

"That's what he wants. For you and the police to keep running around looking. Barry listens to Wells you need to trust him." Sophia said.

"I'm going to keep looking," Barry replied stubbornly.

"BARRY! For the love of-" Sophia yelled.

"I found it." He said smugly pulling his hand up to his earpiece approaching a wooden box hidden in the basement of an abandoned warehouse factory.

Opening the box gently, Barry peeled off the lid, his eyes widening in surprise at what lay beneath.

"He tricked you." Dr. Wells implied bluntly.

"Uh, Oh, there's an explosion at Iron Heights." Cisco interrupted his thoughts.

"Dad!" Barry and Sophia said in unison.

Barry quickly pulled out his phone dialing Joe.

"Joe. It was all a diversion so the Trickster could help Jessie escape." Barry explained to him.

"I know Jessie got away. Barry look they took hostages." Joe informed him.

"What! Who did he take? The guard? The Warden?" Barry asked impatiently. This was all his fault. If he had only listened to Dr. Wells...

"No, your Father... and Caitlin," Joe said.

Barry looks horrified at what he said.

"No! We have to find them!" He exclaimed.

"We will Bear. The son of a botch messed with the wrong family." Joe reassured him putting a hand on his shoulder.

Caitlin rolled her head around, aching in stiffness she cringed at the tightness of her muscles. How long had they been sitting here? A bead of sweat rolled down her temple as she struggled to remain still under the pressure of sitting under a large number of sharp objects ready to fall under the slightest fraction of movement.

Caitlin peered down to see Henry looking at her with utter concern as he too knew that if they tried to escape there was no way they'd make it out unscathed.

"The Flash will save us. Don't worry." Caitlin reassured Henry as she continued to struggle ever so slightly against her restraints.

"You have a lot of faith in the Flash..." Henry paused before continuing.

"...in my son." He smiled proudly at that fact.

Caitlin stared at Henry confused.

"H-How did you know?" she stammered.

Henry broke into laughter. "I'm his father. I know these things. Although this is not how I wanted to be introduced to the famous Caitlin Snow in these circumstances."

Caitlin met his eyes with a warm smile.

Barry had found the location of his father and Caitlin. Without a second thought, Barry raced over to them, his need for them to be okay pushed him faster to where they were held.

As Barry entered the converted warehouse, he came to a sight of them sitting under a dangerous amount of sharp objects. Flashing first Caitlin out of her seat and outside, Barry reappeared with his father beside her.

As Barry set his father down on his feet, Barry moved so fast over to Caitlin engulfing her in a strong embrace. He was desperate to get his arms around her... to feel her in the safety of his arms. As the warmth of her body radiated into him, Barry felt his heart ease to a normal rhythm, sighing into her hair and giving her a passionate kiss.

'I missed you so much, Snowflake."

"I missed you too, Bear."

"Ahem." Henry's cough cut through.

Laughing Barry took his father into his arms for a long-overdue hug.

"You always did look good in red." His father teased causing Caitlin to giggle.

~ S.T.A.R. Labs ~

Caitlin, Barry, Henry, and Joe walked into the Cortex.

"Daddy!" Sophia said. She ran up to him and gave him a giant hug.

"Sweetpea," Henry said and smiled softly tearing up.

"I missed you so much, Daddy." She said tearing up.

"I missed you too, Sweetpea," Henry said and kisses the top of her head.

Everyone stared in awe and had tears in their eyes as they watched the scene unfold in front of them. Barry's smile grew even wider as his dad and sister shared a precious moment.

"Wow, half of this stuff didn't even exist when I was practicing." Henry stammered amazed.

"Yeah, well, I'd be happy to give you a crash course of all of it when you get out. I'm going to shut up now." Cisco trailed of biting his tongue.

Caitlin stifled a laugh as she saw the guilty look on Cisco's face.

"That's okay." Henry laughed.

Caitlin smiled as she moved forward and hugged Henry.

"Thank you for making him happy and welcome to the family," Henry whispered in her ear. Caitlin tightened her embrace before pulling away to let him say the rest of his goodbyes.

Henry turned back around and gave Barry a tight hug. Caitlin bit her lip to keep from crying, hating that he had to say goodbye to his father. If only it would be legal to keep him here.

With a bit of a goofy smile, Henry held out his hands to Joe. "It's time, Joe."

Joe only shook his head. "No." He leads him instead by the shoulder as they walked out of the Cortex.

Caitlin walked up to Barry."It seems you could use a hug." She whispered before snaking her hands around his neck pulling him close to her.

Barry wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tighter to his body. Caitlin took a moment to breathe him in. Feeling his skin under her fingers sent heat and electricity pulsing through her body.

"I love you," Caitlin said in a loving voice.

"I love you too," Barry said ad they shared a romantic kiss.