Countdown

[run_barry]

After a detour to Milliways to recoup and get the suit cleaned, Barry is back. Caitlin went to the hospital to check in on Lyla's condition. Cisco is with Felicity and Roy upstairs, and even though there's a thriving nightclub above, in the Arrow-bunker things are grimly quiet.

While the others opt for giving Oliver space, Barry sticks around. Watching the man look so defeated and beaten up by guilt makes Barry feel bad for the whole situation. Oliver isn't to blame for what's happened, Barry knows that, what he doesn't know is what to say to Oliver to convince him of that fact.

They have no leads on Harkness, no immediate course for action, but still Barry and Oliver remain suited up. Maybe it's in the hope that Harkness will turn up soon and they'll be ready to act, more likely it's because neither one of them want to walk away from things as they are. The Flash and Arrow can't give up, not now.

"This is all my fault."

Barry lifts his head when Oliver's voice finally breaks the silence. Barry shakes his head, even though with his back to him Oliver can't see it, and says, "It's really not."

The leather on Oliver's glove creaks as he clenches his fist, and his voice is gravelled and heavy as he speaks.

"I tortured Marcos to give up that phone. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for me."

Barry frowns, knowing that wasn't the right course to take from the start, but not about to kick Oliver with it now. Instead Barry accepts that Oliver is at least rethinking what was done.

"I get the feeling you don't say that very often," Barry notes softly.

"To do what I do, Barry, takes... conviction," Oliver says, finally turning around to look at Barry. He meets Barry's eyes, treading slowly through his thoughts as he puts words to them. "But, more often than not, it's the will to do what's ugly. Every time I do that, I'm-- I'm trading away little... pieces of myself."

Barry listens, and he can't imagine what Oliver's life has been like, those lost five years and the time after since Oliver put on the hood, but he can hear the man's pain and how lost Oliver sounds.

Giving voice to the impression Oliver goes on saying, "So... You asked what's wrong with me, that's-- that's what's wrong, because the part that I'm trading away is Oliver Queen. And lately I've been feeling like there is nothing left except the Arrow."

Barry digests that for a moment before stepping up to confront Oliver and convince the man that he isn't lost.

"I think you're full of crap," Barry says, starting with a blunt statement because sometimes that's the best way to get through to his stubborn friend. It has the desired effect, Oliver gives Barry a surprised look, but it's clear that he's listening.

"Look, you've convinced yourself that everything you've been through took away your humanity," Barry goes on, gentler but still with conviction. "But I think it's because of your humanity that you made it through. You wouldn't have survived, much less come out the other end a hero, somebody who wants to do good, if you didn't have a light inside of you."

Oliver doesn't respond, but there's a shift, like the words are settling in. Maybe Oliver's not entirely convinced, but Barry can at least see that what he's said is being mulled over.

Both men turn their head when they notice Felicity on quiet approach. She looks between them, hesitant and apologetic when she speaks.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting. I ran facial recognition on Harkness and I have a match."

Barry and Oliver exchange a look and it's Oliver who responds, his voice stony calm.

"Where is he?"

*****

Harkness is at the train yard, obviously trying to skip town. With so many people around it could be a bad spot for a confrontation, if not for Barry.

Barry arrives just ahead of Oliver, and with his speed he clears out all of the civilians, grabbing each one and zipping them to safety in a whoosh. When the platform is clear it's just he and Oliver, and Harkness.

"Get on the ground," Oliver demands, bow drawn back and an arrow aimed for Harkness.

Barry stands by, ready in case Harkness does something stupid, like run.

The criminal only laughs, a sly smile on his face. "Now why would I want to do that?"

"You hurt a friend of mine," Oliver grates. "You really think there's anywhere in the world you could run where we won't find you?"

"Hmm, probably not," Harkness replies, in a tone that makes both Barry and Oliver wary. "Which is why I have a contingency in place."

From his pocket Harkness produces a remote, casually depressing a button which lights up on the device.

"Five bombs planted throughout Starling," Harkness says, taunting when he adds, "Now, you can stop me, or you can stop the bombs. But you can't do both. Bombs are armed. In 90 seconds, this city will be on fire."

Barry is hit with shock and his heart sinks. He gives an anxious glance over to Oliver who only has one word to say.

"Go."

In a whoosh Barry takes off, leaving Oliver to deal with Harkness as Barry races across the city desperate to find the bombs.

"Guys!" Barry calls out over the comm system, knowing that the others back in the bunker are listening. "Harkness just triggered five bombs throughout the city. We don't know where."

While the teams rush to track down the bombs Barry zips up and down the streets of Starling, not knowing what he's looking for, but trying all the same to find it.

"I need a location! I need five locations!" Barry calls back earnestly, knowing both teams are working together on it, but feeling the seconds ticking down.

Finally Cisco calls back with guidance. "Nearest one is behind a restaurant at Faith and Flower."

Barry glances at a passing street sign to orient himself, then races for the address. When he arrives he gives a worried glance over towards the people eating on the patio, enjoying a nice night out and unaware of the danger.

He finds the explosive in a trash can, a counter ticking away.

"Ok, hey, guys, I found it." Barry announces. "I'm going to run it out of the city."

"Barry, wait!" Felicity calls out, her urgent voice stopping Barry from grabbing the package even as he knows they're running out of time.

"That's not an option," Barry points out.

"We think the bombs might be linked," Cisco explains.

"What?" That freezes Barry in place and he listens as the others explain that the bombs are equipped with a secondary trigger, a transmitter, and that disarming one will trigger all of the others.

"You have to defuse all the bombs at the same time," Cisco says and Barry shakes his head at the impossibility of that statement.

"You're thinking of Multiplex. I can't be in five places at once," Barry says, mind whirling until he realizes, "But... I don't have to be."

Leaving the one bomb where he found it, Barry speeds off, heading for the bunker.

Five bombs. Five people.

Pouring out speed, Barry races from the bunker back out into the city, grabbing one person and taking them to a bomb before heading back for another.

Felicity, Roy, Caitlin and Cisco each get picked up and deposited next to one of Harkness's devices and Barry takes up position at the last.

Over the comm comes Cisco's voice, tight with anxiety, but somehow still confident as he gives instructions.

"Ok, everyone has to cut their wire exactly on three. 1... 2... 3!"

Barry snips his wire, holding his breath for a few anxious seconds after until he's sure everyone is okay.

"Screw you, Captain Boomerang," Cisco says and hearing his friend in his ear, Barry lets out a sigh of relief.

When Barry arrives back at the train station he's glad to see that Oliver not only has Harkness handled, but the man is still breathing.

Barry is also proud when he hears Oliver's response to the villain calling him out.

"It just means, you're weak," Harkness taunts, cable-tied to a post by a pair of Oliver's trick arrows.

"It means I have some humanity left," Oliver informs the man, right before he puts an arrow through Harkness's hand when the guy tries to launch a boomerang Oliver's way.

"You just couldn't resist, could you?" Barry asks Oliver, more amused than anything.

This is a win, all the way around as far as Barry is concerned, and he'll take it.

[ooc: dialogue taken from Arrow 3.8: The Brave and the Bold]