Chapter 18 - THE TRICKSTER(1)

He arrives at Caitlin's house and saw the car. He opens the door and saw scratches all over the chair as to when she struggled with the kidnappers. He searches the car for a while, but found nothing.

Just when he was about to leave, he received a phone call.

He checks the caller ID...

"Caitlin??!!!..... "

"Barry please, help me, i have been.... "

she began muffling. Obviously they gagged her mouth.

"Hello, Allen",a man voice sounded from the speaker...

"Whoever you are let Caitlin go"

"No so fast Allen, or should I say Flash",the man said and chuckled.

"Huh" Barry was startled,

"Who are you, and how did you know who I am", Barry said, fuming with anger

"Well I go by many names...some call me psychopath, thief, criminal... but I prefer to be called 'the Trickster'".

Barry eyes widened as he heard that name.

"Check the note under the driver seat. I'll be expecting you, Flash.", he said and hung up

Barry checks and finds the note.....

The note reads;

"I just took a little compensation for the cargo you spoiled. Nothing personal .Come to 17th South Avenue. Will be expecting you Flash"

"As much as I don't like this. I have to share a little intel with Cisco." I wouldn't want him to get suspicious.

***WHOOSH***

MEANWHILE AT STAR LABS...

Wells moves his wheelchair slowly into the room and meets Cisco pacing.

"What's the matter, Ramon?", he asked moving his chair closer to him.

"Uhm... Caitlin's been kidnapped" Cisco replied.

"Kidnapped?? Shed more light on this, will you?"

5 minutes later....

"We just have to wait for Barry to come back. Don't get worked up, Cisco." Wells said and places his hand on Cisco's palm.

Barry arrives almost immediately.

"She's been kidnapped for sure. I found out their hideout", Barry said

"Then we have to call the Police", Wells said.

"No, we can't do that", Barry replied.

"Why", Cisco said some hints of anger on his face.

"They know about my identity as the Flash", Barry said and sighed.

"What!!!" Wells and Cisco exclaimed.

"Yeah and they want me to come in-person or she dies. So, we can't contact the Police. I'll think of something", He said

"We have to think of a plan.",Cisco said

"There's no time for that. She might be killed if we delayed." Barry said, swiping the Sonar Machine off the table.

"I'm going now. But I'll survey with the Sonar machine. I'll bring Caitlin back", Barry added

"Good luck. Barry" Wells said.

"If I've got a plan. I'll radio you. I'll get the place under surveillance",Cisco said.

Barry nods and zooms off....

He arrived at the location and got to the top of the building adjacent to the supposed hideout.

He brings out the Sonar machine and begins to scan. The frequency level hikes up uncontrollably.

"This is amazing. It's never recorded this much before. The people there must be powerful."

He gets down and enters the building while activating quantum tunnelling. He looks around and fine two dozens of bulky men, with well toned muscles. But Caitlin was nowhere to be found. He deactivated it.

"Huh, you finally came",one of them noticed him as he materialized.

"Where's Snow", he asked his face gleaming with rage.

"We're not in winter dude. Ha ha ha", all of them laughed.

"Some few test subjects for my new power. If you don't talk now, you're dead", Barry said.

"Ooooh, I'm scared", he replied and smirked

*Boom*, Barry lands a punch on his abdomen, the man falls to the ground, blood seeping from his mouth.

The other men charged forward, seeing their comrade on the ground.

"This is gonna be fun", Barry smirked.

He grabs a metal pipe, bangs it on the head of one of them, and picks him up, throwing him into the charging men. They fell to the floor.

Barry just stood there, pipe in hand, staring them down.

"So do you wanna tell me where she is now?", he asked swinging the pipe.

"The hard way it is then."

(Slow motion)

Everything around him becomes almost static, moving at extremely slow pace.

He moves around for a while and guesses that this place must have been abandoned.

He moves closer to them and punches one of them, he didn't even have time to cry in agony.

He kept hitting all of them at the neck, abdomen, chin.

He stops to catch his breath...

"Huff, pant... "

13 guys drops at once....

"What the heck, he was here a moment ago, but now... ", one of them exclaimed.

Then from his back pocket, he brought out a gun. The rest followed suit and brings out their guns...

"Can you move faster than a bullet", he said and shot.

The rest also fired their guns.

After a sec...

Barry brings his clenched hand to the front

and and said, " You mean this bullets? "

He opens his hand and bullets drop from them.

"You....you.... caught them?" he asked, shivering .

"Hey, don't let down, keep on firing, let's see how he handles a barrage of bullets" he said.

"Yeah" the rest replied

Then continuous rounds of shot were fired.

"Hmm" Barry grunts

Quantum Tunnelling On.