Rocky Raymond //Book Two//COMPLETED

Chapter 23- Running to a Stand Still

MacKenzie's POV

Jay puts the wand on a stand on a table and I smile at Cisco and mine's work.

"Barry." Jay says.

"Yeah?" Barry asks, putting his phone away and walking over.

"How's it look?" Jay asks.

"Wow, eerily familiar." Barry says.

"How's Patty?
Caitlin asks.

"She is, um, hiding a lot of pain behind her smile." Barry says.

"They say couples start to resemble each other after a little while." Caitlin says.

"The thing is, I mean, she only opened up to Flash, not me." Barry says. "So even if I could got her on the phone, I don't know what to say."

"Well, it's been my experience that just being around you can be a big help." Caitlin says.

"Thank you." Barry says.

***

Later that night, we're in the cortex.

"What's that? Is that Mardon?" Barry asks as the computer beeps.

"That's definitely him." Cisco says. "Atmospheric pressure just dropped 200 hectopascals."

"Where?" Barry asks.

"Central City Square." I say.

"The tree lighting ceremony." Caitlin says.

"There's thousands of people there." Barry says and he speeds out of the cortex with the wand.

We listen and watch Mardon and Barry.

"Oh, glad to see you. Maybe you can help me." Mardon says.

"Help get back into a jail cell? It'll be my pleasure, Mark." Barry says.

"No. No, see, I'm trying to decide if I should kill everybody down there with a deadly hail storm, or... little trickier, with acid rain, what do you think?" Mardon asks.

"Ah, let me think, um... How about neither?" Barry suggests. "You see this wand here? Guess what?" Mardon jumps off the building. "Um... guys? He's flying."

"He can fly? Since when can he fly?" Caitlin asks.

"Well, he's using his powers to alter the air pressure around him to create pockets of updraft that can..." Cisco says.

"No, he can fly." Harry says.

"Barry, get him." Jay says.

Barry chases Mardon.

"You didn't really think I'd let you hurt all these people, did you?" Barry asks.

"No, of course not, but bet you're gonna let me hurt you." Mardon says.

"Feliz Navidad! Time for a real war on Christmas." The Trickster says.

"What is this?" Barry asks.

"That is a box with a bomb in it." Mardon says.

"Yup, I've handed out about 100 of them today It feels so good to give." The Trickster says.

"You see, right now, there are 100 random children who've each taken home a box just like that one and are shoving it under their Christmas tree. There's no way for you to to all of them, even if you knew where to look." Mardon says.

"Oh, no, Please don't do this." Barry pleads.

"What? Me? Kill 100 families?" Mardon asks. "No, that's up to you. I'm happy just to take your life. So this is how it's gonna be. You are gonna stand there and let me end you. Very publicly and very painfully and I'll let everybody live, but if I see even a little flicker of electricity on you... the casket makers in this town are gonna have a very merry Christmas. So, Flash... what's it gonna be? Huh?" Barry hands him the wand. "There you go."