The Great Escapes

[run_barry]

Since Yamato offered to come to Central City and help with the epidemic crisis, things have been crazy, but handling them has been a whole lot easier now that Barry isn't operating alone.

He even got some rest in, on Yamato's orders, and they've got a bit of down time as far as emergencies in the city go so they're using it to work on other problems.

While Yamato recalibrates the S.T.A.R. Labs satellite to track the new meta they suspect is behind a whole bunch of the crime, and a death-trap or two set for Barry, Barry is getting his science nerd-amateur virologist on, trying to find a cure to the bug that has so much of the City down; including his team.

Sitting at a desk in the Cortex, Barry works away with a microscope taking notes on a tablet. Beside him are several boxes of chicken nuggets which he's working through, with a few empty ones already in the waste bin nearby.

In the middle of the space on the floor GP the porg is munching on shrimp treats while bopping around an inflatable S.T.A.R. Labs beach ball.

Comments

[run_barry]

"Wait so this is what like, alien tech?" he asks, grinning. "That's so awesome."

While Yamato works on getting them into CCPD, Barry gets back to the microscope. He's just wrapping up the last of the observation notes he can make when Yamato announces there's a transport set.

"Great. Alright, so check it." Stepping up to the large monitor with the pulled-up map of Central City showing, Barry uses the touchscreen to lay in the route the transport is likely to take.

"That early they won't be worrying about rush hour traffic, but they'll still avoid going straight through downtown so they don't get any calls from ticked off rich guys or politicians."

Drawing it out on the map, Barry shows the route all way out to Iron Heights.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"All right, let's take a look," Yamato says, skimming his eyes over the route. "We need somewhere where there's good enough sightlines to see the transport coming, but where it'll be easy to corner them and block off their escape, preferably while still allowing people on foot to get away."

After a few moments of concentration, he picks out about four spots on the route, bringing up aerial photographs of them. One gets dismissed immediately, another one shortly afterwards.

"How's the virus treatment going? Made any breakthroughs?" He asks as he goes through the images. One last one gets dismissed, and he brings up the one remaining photograph: A stretch of narrow road with several even narrower alleyways connected to it, with a T-junction at the end. "There. They'll probably use a vehicle to block off the road on the west end, and then have people waiting in the alleyways."

[run_barry]

Barry covers a yawn with his hand as he watches Yamato work through the route map.

"Not really, but I think I've mapped it out pretty well. Hopefully Caitlin can take that and work something out from it the next time she gets up enough energy to take a look."

Looking at the spot Yamato picks out, Barry nods.

"Yeah, I can see that. The transport would be boxed in. If they've got guys in all of the alleyways, though, where am I going to take the officers to get them out of the way?" There didn't seem to be a whole lot of cover to be had in the narrow space.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Good work. If being a CSI doesn't work out for you, you could definitely go into virology," Yamato grins.

His expression sobers slightly as he turns his attention back to the route.

"We don't know that they'll have all the alleyways covered, but we can't be sure they won't. They'll most likely block the route from the front first," he says, tapping the map, "and they'll block off the rear last. My suggestion would be taking the officers backwards to a point where the road opens up again."

He traces his finger down the route, back the way the transport would have come, until it gets to a wider road with more roads leading off it.

[run_barry]

Barry gives a chuckle. "Yeah, well I guess it's always good to have options."

Looking at the path Yamato suggests, Barry nods. "Alright, yeah, I can do that. They'll probably be less likely to backtrack themselves, too, so they shouldn't run into the officers trying to make a getaway." On the chance that Barry doesn't get them all taken care of before they have a chance to flee.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"This is another time where I'd love to go into the field," Yamato sounds a little rueful about that, because even if this is their best option, he's still nervous about sending Barry out there on his own. "But I'd be a liability, and even if that wasn't true, someone has to stay here to run the scan anyway."

He grimaces a little, then shrugs. "More immediately, you need to sleep some time before then. Sleep, fuel, all that stuff. If you get shot because you weren't at your best, I won't ever let you live it down."

[run_barry]

"Maybe next time," he says, patting Yamato's shoulder. "When Cisco is back in the saddle on comms."

Because Barry would be thrilled to have Yamato out there with him, but without Yamato's powers it is risky, and with so many potential players, having someone on the monitors was going to be important.

"But, I'll be fine," he assures Yamato. "It's our setup this time, we've got these guys."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"I know. Doesn't mean I don't worry about you," he says, knocking his knuckles lightly against the hand on his shoulder. "But you can handle this, and I'll be in your ear helping you out the whole time."

Even Yamato's not sure whether he's trying to reassure Barry or himself at this point, but it also doesn't really matter.

"And I meant what I said about sleep. I will knock you out myself if I have to, you need to recharge your batteries. I'm pretty sure we have the stuff to make hot chocolate here, too, that might help you get to sleep."

[run_barry]

Barry bobs his head, touched by the concern but also unable to help teasing just a bit. "Mother hen."

Smiling, he gives Yamato's shoulder a shake before pulling back.

"Who's also violent, by the way. You threaten me to take care of myself a lot." Bemused but relenting, he says, "Hot cocoa and a nap sounds great. 6 AM is pretty early to be up and running."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"I am not a mother hen," he grumbles, shutting his eyes. After a moment, he adds, with a slightly awkward clearing of his throat: "Sorry for all the threats."

Knocking someone out is a terrible way to try to get them to have a restful sleep, after all. Other, more effective methods are available.

"All right, I'll make you some hot chocolate. If you want a bedtime story, though, you're going to have to ask someone else."

[run_barry]

"It's fine," Barry assures him, laughing. "Can't really complain since you've never followed through on any of them."

And Yamato isn't the first one to threaten Barry in one way or another to try and make sure he makes good decisions.

"You don't have to, I can get it," he says to the cocoa offer. "And I'll get right to sleep after, promise."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato grins for a second, ducking his head.

Then: "Good. I'll be here if you need me, just monitoring the city and finishing up these calibrations."

[run_barry]

"Alright. But you should try and get some rest in, too. Call me if anything comes up."

With that Barry heads back downstairs to tidy up the room he destroyed in crisis mode and then have some cocoa and a few Zzz's before it's time to take down Camera Commander.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato keeps working until the satellite's calibrations are finished, then eventually (if also somewhat reluctantly) finds himself a blanket, sets an alarm and puts all the alerts to the noisiest they can be, and dozes off in his chair.

[run_barry]

Going into catching some sleep, Barry would have said all he needed was a quick recharge. Getting up awhile later, he could definitely stay horizontal a lot longer if that was a possibility.

There isn't time for that now though, they have a meta to catch and a bunch of bad guys to keep in custody.

Whether Yamato is awake or not, the Cortex is hit with momentary windy conditions. The first gust that hits the room brings with it a tray with two large to-go coffee cups and a bag of donuts, while the suit on display across the room disappears. The second gust brings back Barry, now wearing the suit, the cowl pushed back to rest like a hood between his shoulders, with one of the coffees in one hand, and a donut in the other.

"Man, I forgot Jitters doesn't open until six. Who even gets up this early?"

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato is still mostly asleep when those gusts of wind arrive, but he's a light sleeper, and he jerks awake sharply as Barry arrives with the second gust. There's a momentary look on his face of somewhere between disorientation and alarm, and his digivice has been pulled off his belt and into his hand before he's even completely straightened up.

It takes a few more seconds, during which time he looks very much like he expects a giant monster attack at any second, but he does relax after a moment, as he groggily realises where he is and that the wind was just Barry.

"I usually get everyone up at five when we're on a mission, 'cept Jyou and Hikari," he supplies, helpfully, if not also somewhat groggily. "Ugh. Thank you for bringing coffee."

He's guessing that he was more tired than he thought he was, because after a little bit of sleep he just feels like his head is full of cotton fluff.

[run_barry]

Barry stands back regarding Yamato as he gets his bearings.

"Sorry, just me," he says. "You alright?"

Barry takes a glance around, just to make sure they aren't under immediate threat, then relaxes when Yamato does.

"Just gas station stuff but it's fresh?" he says, taking a sip of his coffee. "And I'm so glad we don't generally keep hours like that."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"I'm fine," Yamato says, shaking his head and clipping his digivice back onto his belt. "Waking up is always an experience."

Alarm clocks produce a not wholly dissimilar fight-or-flight response, and Hiroaki Ishida learned shortly after Yamato got back from his first adventure in the Digital World that trying to nudge him awake was an excellent way to get a broken wrist.

He takes a gulp of his coffee, despite how hot it is. "Ah, you get used to it. It means everyone can get breakfast, clean themselves up, and get the camp mostly packed up to travel by six or six-thirty. Doesn't take long to fall into the rhythm of it."

[run_barry]

"You just not a morning person or have you had a lot of rude awakenings?" he asks with some concern.

Finishing his donut and fishing another one out of the bag, Barry shakes his head.

"Yeah... I dunno about that. I uh, kind of struggle with the nine to five right now. I don't think I'd find much rhythm rolling it back even earlier." He has mentioned his penchant for being chronically late, hasn't he?

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Trying to kill us when we sleep was a pretty favourite tactic of -- man, a bunch of people. Devimon did it once, Etemon was always tracking us so we'd only get a few hours of sleep at a time before he showed up, Vamdemon tried it a few times, MetalSeadramon, Pinocchimon, not to mention that Bakemon are everywhere and most active at night," Yamato says, with a slightly helpless smile. "And, y'know, I don't sleep that well anyway. And I don't like being caught unawares, and waking up is pretty much just being caught unawares every morning."

He takes another gulp of the coffee, then reaches over to pick up a donut.

"I dunno. Mimi struggled with it at first -- that and sleeping on the ground, she kind of hated that the first time around -- and even she got used to it. It helps that sleeping in isn't that appealing when you're not in an actual bed."

[run_barry]

"That's intense," Barry says, shaking his head. "Makes me glad I wear a mask. And that, like you said before, operating out of this place isn't common knowledge to others out there."

Barry's never been the paranoid sort, but given all that Yamato describes, he can't blame Yamato for being so wary.

"Yeah, I'm not really that much for camping," Barry admits. "I mean, I guess I had fun the times I went with Joe but, not my first destination choice."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Wryly: "Well, being the only eight humans in the Digital World was bound to make going incognito difficult. Most people on Earth don't know we're the Chosen, though, so that's something. I don't know how I'd cope with it being common knowledge."

He takes the lid off his coffee, dipping his donut in and taking a few more bites.

"I definitely wouldn't want to camp as a fun vacation," he notes. "I get to do more than enough of it on missions, and I won't miss it at all when this mission's over. But my old man's not exactly one for father-son trips anyway, so he sure as hell isn't going to suggest a fun camping trip any time soon."

[run_barry]

"Yeah, I guess you couldn't dress up in Digi-suits or anything."

At least things are easier on Earth for Yamato.

"Do you guys do anything together?" he asks when Yamato brings up his dad.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato laughs a little at that second question, rubbing the back of his neck. "Are you kidding? The man's the world's worst workaholic, he doesn't even take Christmas and New Year's off. Always has been. He does stuff with Takeru a few times a year, but that's it."

[run_barry]

"Oh." Barry stubs the toe of his boot into the ground, not really sure what to say to that.

Finally he offers a shrug and says, "Maybe you should ask him."

Of course, maybe Yamato has before and been turned down. Treading carefully around what might be a sore subject, Barry steps away from it.

Walking over to the monitor where the map of Central City is still up, he asks, "Where are we with our transport? Have the duty officers checked in yet?"