The Flash : Please Kill Me (Complete Remake)

Chapter 11: The Duplicator – More Metahuman Madness (REMAKE)

The S.T.A.R. Labs Cortex was a symphony of flashing screens and stressed scientists. Barry was pacing, a red blur of nervous energy. Caitlin was meticulously analyzing data, and Cisco was… well, Cisco was trying to name the new threat.

"Okay, so he can make copies of himself," Cisco announced, adjusting his glasses. "Like, a lot of copies. I'm thinking… 'Copycat'? No, too generic. 'The Multi-Man'? 'Duplico'?"

"How about 'Headache Inducer'?" Adam quipped, leaning back in his chair, a half-eaten bag of chips in his hand. "Because that's what he's giving me. And probably Barry, who has to fight ten versions of the same guy."

"He's Danton Black," Caitlin stated, pulling up a mugshot. "A bio-engineer. He was working on cellular regeneration before the accelerator explosion."

"And now he's regenerating himself," Joe West grumbled, walking in, looking even more tired than usual. "He just robbed the Central City Bank. Again. And left a dozen copies of himself for the police to deal with. My guys are getting dizzy."

" Danton Black. Multiplex. The guy who makes fighting himself an actual job requirement. This is going to be fun. For me, anyway. For Barry, it's probably going to involve a lot of running into himself."

Adam knew the drill. Danton Black was one of the early metahumans, a test for Barry's burgeoning powers. And a prime opportunity for Adam to get a strategic death. He needed a skill that would help against multiple targets, or at least make him less susceptible to being overwhelmed.

"So, the copies," Adam began, pushing himself off the chair. "Are they all… him? Or are they just projections? Because if they're solid, then Barry's going to have a bad day. If they're not, then there's a trick to it."

"They're solid," Wells confirmed, his voice calm and precise. "Each one is a fully formed, albeit temporary, duplicate of Mr. Black. They share a single consciousness, but each possesses his full physical capabilities."

"Great," Adam muttered. "So, it's like a really aggressive, highly coordinated flash mob. With punching."

Barry was already vibrating. "I have to go. He's probably hitting another bank."

"Wait, Barry," Adam said, stepping forward. "Think about it. Why does he need so many copies? Is it for strength? Or is it to distract you? What if the real one is the one who isn't doing all the flashy stuff? The one who's just… observing?"

Wells looked at Adam, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "An astute observation, Mr. Stiels."

"Comes with the territory," Adam said, trying to look modest. "I've seen enough bad spy movies to know that the villain always has a tell. Or, you know, a very obvious primary target."

They tracked Danton Black to a high-rise office building, where he was attempting to steal some highly classified data. Barry zoomed in, a red streak against the glass. Adam, Joe, and the rest of Team Flash were in the comms, guiding him.

"He's got at least five copies up here, Barry!" Cisco's voice crackled through the earpiece. "They're everywhere!"

"I'm trying to hit the real one!" Barry yelled, his voice strained. "But they're too fast! And there are too many!"

Adam saw his chance. Danton Black's duplicates were swarming Barry, trying to overwhelm him. The real Danton Black, Adam remembered from the show, usually stayed back, observing, directing his copies. He needed to get close to the real one.

He spotted a maintenance access panel, a shortcut to a lower floor. "Joe," he said, "I think I see a way to get a better vantage point. Maybe I can spot the original. My 'Enhanced Observation' is practically begging for a clearer view."

Joe hesitated. "Adam, it's too dangerous."

"Relax, Detective," Adam grinned. "I'm basically a human chameleon. I can blend in. Besides, someone needs to provide the comic relief if Barry accidentally runs into a wall. It's a vital role."

Before Joe could protest further, Adam slipped through the panel, using his 'Urban Navigation' to quickly find a path through the building's ventilation shafts and service corridors. He emerged on a floor below the main action, peering through a grimy window.

He saw Danton Black, surrounded by his copies, directing them with subtle hand gestures. This was the original. Adam needed to get close enough for a "death." He spotted a loose piece of ductwork above the real Danton Black. It was precarious, held by a single, rusty bolt.

" Okay, Adam, this is it. Gotta make this look like an accident. A very, very specific accident. Something that screams 'I was just trying to get a better view and then gravity decided to be a jerk.'"

He took a deep breath, then, with a well-aimed kick, he dislodged the rusty bolt. The ductwork groaned, then slowly, agonizingly, began to fall. Danton Black, distracted by Barry's latest attempt to punch a duplicate, didn't notice until it was too late.

The heavy metal ductwork crashed down, directly on top of the real Danton Black. And Adam, who had conveniently "tripped" and fallen directly underneath it a split second before impact.

Pain. A dull, heavy thud. Then, darkness.

[SYSTEM ALERT: DEATH DETECTED. CAUSE: BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA (MULTIPLEX).] [LIVES REMAINING: 0/3 (Current Life Activated)] [DEATHS ACHIEVED: 2/15 (Next System Level: Level 4)]

[SKILL ACQUISITION: 'ENHANCED TARGET TRACKING' HAS BEEN UNLOCKED!] [DESCRIPTION: Improves the ability to identify and track a specific target within a crowd or among duplicates.]

Adam gasped, his eyes snapping open. He was back in his apartment, disoriented but alive. He felt a strange clarity in his vision, as if he could pick out individual threads in a tapestry. He focused on a distant siren, and suddenly, he could almost pinpoint its exact location, even through the city noise.

" 'Enhanced Target Tracking'! Yes! This is actually useful! No more losing my keys, no more wondering which identical twin is the evil one. This is going to be a game-changer. Thanks, Danton. You were a real pal. A murderous, duplicating pal."

He quickly changed, then raced back to the scene. He found Joe and Barry, looking grim but also relieved. Danton Black, or rather, his original, was unconscious, pinned under the ductwork. His duplicates had vanished.

"Adam!" Joe exclaimed, rushing over. "What the hell happened? We thought you were… gone! And then the duplicates just… vanished!"

"I… I don't know," Adam feigned, rubbing his head. "One minute I was trying to get a better angle, the next, that thing just fell! And then… everything went dark. When I woke up, I was a few blocks away. Must be my 'enhanced common sense' again, telling me to get out of the way of falling debris. And maybe it was the original, Joe. The duplicates vanished when he went down."

Barry looked at him, his eyes wide. "You think you hit the real one? That's incredible, Adam! You saved me!"

"Just doing my part, Flash," Adam said, giving him a tired grin. "Someone's gotta keep you from running into yourself. Literally. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need a very large, very strong cup of coffee. And maybe a nap. Fighting multiple versions of the same guy is exhausting, even when you're just observing."

He was in deeper now. With a new, incredibly useful skill. And the trust of Team Flash. This was going to be an interesting ride. And he was already two deaths closer to Level 4.