Pinch Hitter

[run_barry]

Opening the door from Milliways Barry leads Yamato through and into S.T.A.R. Labs.

"And here we are, welcome to Central City and S.T.A.R. Labs."

They step out into a medical lab space, complete with fancy equipment and an exam table. The place looks pretty high-tech, but it's also currently a shambles. Things are knocked over on the countertops, several drawers have been pulled open and rifled through, there's an IV stand laying on the ground, and the red Flash suit is discarded on the floor beside the exam table.

It's the sort of scene that happens when a speedster on his last legs storms through an infirmary trying to help himself and not pass out in the process.

Glancing around, Barry frowns and rubs the back of his neck.

"Sorry about the mess."

Comments

[run_barry]

"You did a great job quarterbacking and figuring out a solution, so thanks," he replies, then gets to work freeing people and making sure they get out of the building okay.

It's a great relief to see everyone okay, and a pair of cruisers arriving to take care of the bad guys he left inside.

With the situation handled and police on-scene, Barry heads back to S.T.A.R. Labs.

"Man that was intense," he says, sliding to a stop and peeling back the mask. "Iris mentioned one time getting a group together for one of those escape rooms, but if she does I'm totally going to pass."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato's not a hundred percent sure what quarterbacking means, but he can figure it out from the context, more or less.

Once Barry's back, Yamato throws him a sidelong look, cracking a quick grin. "To be fair to Iris, I don't think most escape rooms have hostages or people with guns. Those are probably stuff you have to pay extra for."

He plucks up one of the bottles of digi-juice, tossing it towards Barry, although he does at least make sure Barry can see it coming this time.

"Drink. Your vitals had me worried for a while there," he says, rather gruffly. "It looks like Dark Cisco -- the Amazing Eyeballer? Camera Commander? Actually, that one's pretty good -- has pulled back for now, so you've got some time to rest."

[run_barry]

Barry laughs, catching the bottle against his chest and opening it.

"Another busy day. But hey, I felt great for most of it," he says, taking a drink. Brushing his mouth with the side of his hand hold the bottle, Barry throws a nod towards Yamato.

"So what've you got on this... Camera Commander?" Trying it out, the name doesn't sound too terrible.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"You did well, especially when you were starting without a full tank of energy anyway," Yamato says. "But now, you at least need to drink that, take a half hour nap, and get some proper food in you. No excuses."

He turns back towards the console, bringing up the wave pattern of the strange radio signal. "This was mostly getting lost in the general radio noise of the city, but when they thought they were losing control, they overextended themselves to try to make up for it, and we were able to get a clear reading," he says. "There isn't any kind of mechanical source that I know of that produces a signal like this, which means this signal is unique to Camera Commander. We can calibrate the S.T.A.R. Labs satellite to track it the next time it shows up."

He pauses for a moment. "Not gonna lie, it'll take me a while to get all the calibrations done, a lot longer than it'd take Cisco, but if we know one thing about Camera Commander, it's that they're a coward. They'll be licking their wounds for a while," he says. "So we have time for me to do that, and you to take a rest, eat some food, and work on the cure."

Which is something Yamato definitely can't help with, is the unspoken implication. Engineering, physics, and computers he can handle just fine, biology and medicine are a ways outside his realm of expertise.

[run_barry]

"Hey, as long as we have a minute of quiet I can do all that," Barry replies, posing no argument to Yamato's orders.

Taking another drink of the juice, Barry steps in to take a look at the wave pattern Yamato found.

"Nice job finding that. Without anyone back here on the equipment I would never have seen it." How any hero does this stuff solo Barry really can't fathom.

"So if the signal is that unique we're dealing with what, some kind of stylized hacker or something?"

For a moment he wonders if they shouldn't give Felicity Smoak a call, see what she makes of all of this.

Tabling that thought for now, Barry shakes his head. "That's fine. I'll grab a bite and catch some rest and stuff. If you need a break or help though, let me know."

Because they didn't want Yamato running himself down, either.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"We were getting some scattered dark matter readings at the same time. I don't think it's a hacker, I think it might actually be a meta," Yamato says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Some kind of meta with, I guess, hacking powers. It'd explain why we were able to get a signal back quicker than them, too -- working with actual equipment is probably easier than reaching into computers through sheer force of will."

He cracks a quick grin. "Truth be told, when you were down in the basement, I kind of hated that I couldn't go out in the field and help directly." He'd be a liability right now, after all, having none of his powers and, thus, being in every respect a normal (and highly vulnerable to bullets) human, but that doesn't mean it doesn't suck. "But I'm glad I can help a little, even if it is just reading off a console."

He gives a quick nod at that last, tossing a meal bar over to Barry. "I'll be fine, Gramps. I won't need to take a break, I'm not the one who's been running around an entire city, after all."

[run_barry]

"What? A meta hacker? Cool," Barry enthuses before amending a beat later, "I mean awful."

This person did try and kill him and all.

"Dude you helped a lot," he assures Yamato. "And now I can rest easy for awhile knowing that you've got the city and my friends covered."

And after a week of exhaustion and uncertainty that meant a lot to Barry.

Meal bar in hand after a bobbled catch, Barry salutes Yamato with it while heading towards the door. "I'm gonna go eat this and get changed and all. Call me if anything comes up."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"It is cool," Yamato agrees, very somberly. "I mean, they happen to be on the opposing side to us, but that doesn't mean they're not really cool."

His cheeks go a little pink at that second part, and he turns towards the console, slipping very easily back into being gruff again.

"I will. And you better nap for at least thirty minutes. There'll be a quiz," he growls.

Which stage of the sleep cycle did you achieve, show your working, will be the first question.

[run_barry]

"Yes sir, Sergeant Hen," Barry says, popping off a grinning salute before leaving in a whoosh.

A few seconds later the whoosh returns for a moment then leaves again and the mannequin on the far wall of the Cortex is now displaying the suit.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato's about to fire off an old man joke, but then Barry's gone, and then he's back, and then he's gone.

"Jeez," Yamato mutters, grinning a little as he settles into a chair and starts work on re-calibrating the satellite.