The Flash : Please Kill Me (Complete Remake)

Chapter 8: First Steps – The Flash Begins (REMAKE)

The call came in the middle of a particularly intense game of online solitaire. Joe West. "He's awake, Adam. Barry's awake."

Adam nearly dropped his phone. "Seriously? Already? I thought he'd at least sleep through a few more seasons of 'Game of Thrones' re-runs."

"Adam," Joe's voice was stern, "hospital. Now."

"On my way, Detective," Adam replied, a genuine thrill shooting through him. This was it. The moment the show truly began. He grabbed his jacket, mentally rehearsing his "concerned friend" persona.

He arrived at the hospital to find a whirlwind of activity. Joe and Iris were beaming, relieved. Barry, looking a little dazed but undeniably awake, was already demonstrating his new… peculiarities. Adam watched from a slight distance as Barry accidentally vibrated a flower vase off a table, then zoomed out of the room and back in before anyone could properly react.

" Oh, Barry. You're going to be a menace. A lovable, super-fast menace. And I'm going to be the guy who cleans up your messes. Literally. And figuratively."

Joe, ever the pragmatist, was already trying to make sense of it all. "He's… fast."

"Understatement of the century, Detective," Adam quipped, stepping forward. "He's like a human blur. A very clumsy, very confused human blur. My 'Enhanced Observation' is telling me he just broke the sound barrier trying to get a cup of water."

Joe shot him a look. "Your 'enhanced common sense' is going to get you in trouble, Adam."

"Probably," Adam conceded cheerfully. "But right now, it's telling me that whatever happened at S.T.A.R. Labs, it didn't just explode; it changed him. And if you want to figure out how, you're going to need people who know about… well, impossible science."

This was his opening. He knew Joe would be wary of S.T.A.R. Labs after the explosion, but he also knew Joe was desperate for answers.

"I mean, who else would know about this stuff?" Adam continued, gesturing vaguely towards the hospital corridor where Barry had just zipped past again. "The guys who built the thing, right? Dr. Wells, Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon. They're probably the only ones who can even begin to understand what's happening to him."

Joe hesitated, then sighed. "You might have a point. But I'm not letting him go alone."

"Of course not," Adam said, nodding sagely. "And I'm not suggesting you do. But maybe… maybe I could tag along? You know, as your 'consultant.' I'm surprisingly good at asking the dumb questions that no one else thinks of. And I'm very good at observing things. Like, really, really good. I once spotted a rogue dust bunny from across a room. It was terrifying."

Joe looked at him, then at Barry, who was now excitedly talking to Iris about his new "super-speed." The detective's shoulders slumped in resignation. "Fine, Adam. But you're on a very short leash. And if you break anything, you're paying for it."

"Deal!" Adam grinned. "Though I'm pretty sure Barry's going to break more things than I ever could. It's kind of his thing now."

The next few hours were a blur. Barry, Joe, and Adam arrived at S.T.A.R. Labs. The building, still partially damaged, felt like a mausoleum of broken dreams and nascent superpowers. Adam felt a shiver of anticipation. This was it. The inner sanctum.

They found Caitlin and Cisco in the remains of the main lab, looking like two exhausted but brilliant scientists. Dr. Harrison Wells, confined to a wheelchair, was surprisingly composed, his eyes sharp and analytical. Adam felt a prickle of unease under Wells's gaze, knowing the truth behind those seemingly benevolent eyes.

"Dr. Wells," Joe began, "this is Barry Allen. He was struck by lightning the night of the explosion. And now… well, he's fast."

Wells's eyes, however, seemed to linger on Adam for a moment, a flicker of something unreadable – curiosity? Recognition? – before turning to Barry. Adam felt a cold knot in his stomach. Had Thawne already noticed him? Was his "subtle" approach not subtle enough?

"A speedster," Wells murmured, a faint smile touching his lips. "Fascinating."

Cisco, meanwhile, was practically vibrating with excitement. "Dude! You're like, a real-life superhero! A metahuman!" He then turned to Adam, his eyes wide. "And you! You're the guy who knows everything! Joe told me about your 'enhanced common sense.' That's awesome!"

"It's a gift," Adam deadpanned, offering a small bow. "Mostly for annoying people. But also for spotting things. Like, for instance, the fact that your coffee machine in the corner is about to short-circuit. Just a hunch."

Cisco immediately darted to the coffee machine, unplugging it just as a spark flew. "Whoa! How did you know that?"

"Enhanced observation," Adam repeated, shrugging. "And a healthy dose of paranoia about faulty wiring. You'd be surprised how often it saves lives. Or at least, prevents minor electrical fires."

Caitlin, ever the cautious one, looked at Adam with a mix of suspicion and fascination. "You're… not a scientist, are you?"

"Nope," Adam said cheerfully. "Just a guy who reads a lot. And has a knack for spotting patterns. And occasionally, for getting into trouble. But hey, I'm here to help. Consider me your unofficial, unpaid, highly sarcastic intern. I can fetch coffee, make bad jokes, and occasionally point out the obvious. It's a very valuable skill set."

Barry, still trying to process his new reality, looked at Adam, then at the excited Cisco, then at the wary Caitlin, and finally at the calm, calculating Wells. He was clearly overwhelmed.

" Welcome to the circus, Barry. And I'm the ringmaster. Or at least, the guy who sells the popcorn and occasionally trips the clowns. This is going to be a long, strange ride."

Adam felt the familiar hum of the System. He was in. He was part of the periphery. Now, to navigate the minefield that was Eobard Thawne, and figure out how to get some useful skills from the coming meta-human parade. And maybe, just maybe, save a few lives along the way. Without dying too much.