Within Seconds // Barry Allen

The Cold Truth

"Oliver... Ollie Queen! I need to talk to you. Please call me back."

"Bro, I know it's a bad time since you're probably working-- wait. Do you even work? Didn't you have a company? I don't know. Just call me back."

Four calls and no answers from Oliver. It was a little suspicious, seeing as it wasn't late at night, and as far as she knew, Oliver didn't have a job.

Before Parker could contact Felicity, Oliver's number popped up on her screen.

"Ollie!" Parker sung into the speaker. "What's up, mi amigo?"

"This is a recorded call. I've made this for you, and for Barry, although I don't want you telling him this until he absolutely has to know.

I have gone to fight an enemy of mine, Parker. Someone I may not.. be able to beat. I need you to hold down the fort. And by fort, I mean the lives we live. Felicity. Dig and Roy.. Barry. He needs you. He needs you to guide him in the right direction. You can help him inspire people. I need you to continue doing that. There's some good in this world, Parker. You can help make it last.

In the short time I've known you, you did nothing but show me what a good person you are. Keep that up, Park."

Oliver released a heavy sigh, then ended the call.

Parker shook her head frantically, trying to convince herself the opposite of the inevitable truth.

"Felicity!" Parker cried into her phone. "Fel, where's-"

"He's missing."

Felicity Smoak was not herself. Her normal bubbly attitude was lost, replaced with a broken, confused girl.

"But he's going to be back," Felicity said, voice cracking towards the end.

"Yes," Parker mumbled, trying to have the same amount of hope Felicity had. "Yeah, Fel. Oliver's going to be back. Soon. And as soon as he is, you call me."

"Yeah..."

>>>>>>>>>

Assuming her unofficial suspension from S.T.A.R. Labs was still in play, Parker spent the day at her house, revisiting her mystery regarding the Burning Man.

"Parker!" Iris greeted. "While it's great to hear your voice, I am at work. I leave in five minutes -- we could hang out? Talk about your boyfriend?"

Excluding Cisco, no one showed more happiness than Iris about the confirmation of 'Parry.'

"I just need you for a minute today, but we can hang out this weekend." Parker insisted. "What did Caitlin want with the Burning Man case? Did she say?"

Iris hummed in thought. "Uh.. Not that I recall. Can I ask why?"

"Your blog has spiked an interest in me, Ms.West. I enjoy your research quite a bit, so much that I am starting to do a bit of my own," Parker covered.

"Parker Sylas, we could be a great team. I write, you draw?"

"I'll stick to being a solo artist, thanks. I'll call you later."

"Park, wait! Caitlin just walked in...She's meeting with a man. Maybe you can ask her yourself?" Iris suggested.

"Great idea, Iris! You're the real MVP. Thanks!"

Being wrapped in three layers of winter gear wasn't helping Parker stay warm as she walked to Jitters.

Desperate for warmth, Parker sprinted the remaining four blocks to Jitters.

She was warm, but when she made it to the parking lot of the café, she took a seat to catch her breath.

Disappointed at how fast she was tired, Parker held a faint thought about getting in shape for a New Years resolution.

Like most resolutions, that idea went out the window.

Unknowingly, Parker picked a good time to arrive.

Caitlin pushed through the door of Jitters, her eyes locked on the ground in front of her.

Parker couldn't blame her. Due to the cold weather, the ground was slippery and icy. On the way over, Parker almost fell a dozen times.

"Caitlin!" Parker chimed, clapping her hands together. "What a coincidence!"

Like most of their out-of-work encounters, Caitlin was wide eyed.

"What are you doing at Jitters?" Parker asked.

"Oh, just.. Grabbing a coffee," Caitlin said.

Parker skipped beside Caitlin as she walked to her car.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm asking Iris about an article she wrote. Something to do with a Burning Man," Parker said. She faked a curious expression, wanting a reaction from Caitlin.

A reaction she did receive, but not from mention of the article.

Caitlin's hands were on Parker in the blink of an eye, pushing her to the cold concrete.

Parker let out a terrified shout when a gust of cold air shot over her, freezing her speech.

A sense of nostalgia washed over her when she heard the crackling-- the sound of something being iced.

Parker was pulled to her feet, standing face to face with a smirking Captain Cold.

"Miss me, beautiful?" he teased.

"What can I say that will keep me alive?" Parker asked in return.

Captain Cold smirked. "Smart answer," he complimented.

He grabbed a fistful of her hair and rammed her forehead into Caitlin's frozen car, knocking Parker out cold.