"Do you have any idea how Harry was kidnapped?" Barry asked, his expression hardening as several troubling thoughts ran through his mind.
This just had to happen now, when the next headline from the future showcased a Gorilla army attacking Central City. It seemed this incident was somehow tied to the eventual attack. The future wasn't changing as much as he'd hoped.
He wasn't alone in this line of thought. Other members of Team Flash seemed to share similar concerns.
The entire team was present this time, including Pietro, who—despite not knowing much about Harry—had shown up out of concern for the situation.
"I don't know exactly," Jesse admitted, her voice tinged with frustration. "But somehow, he was mind-controlled. All I saw in the STAR Labs footage was him walking into a car and then being driven to the airport."
Barry frowned at the explanation, his mind racing. He couldn't shake the feeling that gorillas might be involved, though he desperately hoped otherwise.
"Then how do you know it was telepathic gorillas and not some telepathic metahuman?" Barry questioned, his skepticism evident.
"My dad always carries a tracker with him," Jesse replied quickly, as though she'd anticipated the question. "The last signal was traced to the African jungle, right on the outskirts of Gorilla City."
As Jesse recounted what she knew, Wally found himself reflecting on the nature of the timeline and how events seemed to unfold. It reminded him of two magnets moving along predetermined paths.
One magnet represented destiny and fate, while the other symbolized the present. Both moved in sync, locked into the same trajectory.
To truly change the timeline, one would have to knock the present magnet so far off course that it couldn't realign with its predetermined path. Otherwise, even minor deviations would eventually correct themselves, pulling everything back into alignment with fate.
"I mean, of all things, this can't be a coincidence," Cisco muttered under his breath.
The room went silent as everyone turned to look at him. Jesse, in particular, seemed perplexed and slightly alarmed.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, her expression growing serious.
Cisco glanced at Barry, who caught on immediately. In a flash, Barry sped to Cisco's workshop and returned with a board covered in headlines. One, in particular, stood out: City still recovering from Gorilla attack.
"These headlines are from the future," Cisco explained, his tone heavy with worry. It wasn't just Harry's situation weighing on him. His mind was also occupied by the looming fear that they might not be able to stop Caitlin from becoming Killer Frost.
"The future?" Jesse's eyes widened as she quickly pieced together the implications. "So... they must need him to create a breach to Earth-1 Central City?"
Her deduction hung in the air, but it only raised more questions.
"But why would they want to attack Earth-1 instead of Earth-2?" Jesse asked, voicing the concern they were all feeling.
The team exchanged uneasy glances as the question lingered. Then, Joe's eyes widened in realization.
"It's Grodd," he said grimly.
The name struck a chord with everyone, their expressions darkening as they began to piece together the sinister implications.
"So that murderous gorilla is out for revenge. That makes sense," Joe said, his voice heavy with unease. The revelation overwhelmed him, dredging up old memories of having his thoughts pried open by Grodd. It was an invasion he despised, and the thought of facing it again filled him with dread.
"And not alone, by the sound of things," Cisco added grimly, the weight of the situation evident in his tone.
"How long? How long has Harry been missing?" Barry asked, his frustration barely concealed. The thought of ending Grodd once and for all to prevent this future crossed his mind for a fleeting moment, but he quickly pushed it aside.
"It's been three days," Jesse replied, her voice tinged with guilt. "At first, I thought he was just busy with his experiments or work. But he didn't leave any messages behind this time, and I only realized he was missing a few hours ago."
Barry sighed deeply. "So, Grodd is planning to use Harry to get back to Central City. If we can rescue Harry, maybe we can stop whatever Grodd is planning and change the future."
"Which would change my future," Iris added, her voice hopeful as she glanced at Barry and Joe.
Joe nodded thoughtfully, his hands resting protectively on Iris's shoulders. "So, we save Harry, we save Iris. But we're not sure, are we?"
"No," Barry admitted, his determination sharpening. "But I'm going either way. Harry's my friend. I'm not just going to abandon him. I'm heading back to Earth-2."
"And I suppose you'll want somebody to go with you. Who's going to open the breaches for you?" Cisco asked, his voice reluctant but already resigned.
Barry managed a small grin. "I mean, we had so much fun last time."
"Fun-ish," Cisco corrected with a smirk. "But fine, I'm in."
"I'll come too," Caitlin chimed in, her voice calm but firm. "I have a… special connection with Grodd. Maybe we can use that to our advantage."
Barry hesitated, but eventually nodded. "Okay, yes."
Jesse, visibly worried about her father, stepped forward, but Wally quickly interjected. "I'm going too," he said firmly. "I feel like it'd be best if I come along, just to make sure we can handle any unseen dangers."
As he spoke, every individual present shot a glance at him. Some of their gazes were sharp, with Joe's particularly piercing, enough to make Wally briefly second-guess himself. But he stood his ground.
Barry grumbled internally, knowing the added risk of bringing Wally. However, he couldn't ignore the reality: Wally had far surpassed him in terms of Speed Force usage. Bringing him along would undeniably increase their chances of rescuing Harry.
Joe looked to Barry, silently pleading for him to refuse, but Barry had already made his decision. "Fine," Barry said reluctantly, "but that's all."
Before they could move on, Jesse interrupted. "I'm coming too," she declared.
Barry didn't hesitate before shutting it down. "No. I'm sorry, Jesse. No."
"Look, I didn't come here for you all to bear the risk alone. I'm going to help," Jesse insisted, her tone resolute.
"Your dad would kill me if I let you come along," Barry countered, trying to keep his tone calm but firm.
"I'm a speedster now! I can take care of myself," she argued, her frustration clear.
Barry sighed, understanding her point but remaining steadfast. "I know, which is exactly why I need you to stay here. This city needs protecting while we're gone."
Jesse hesitated, her resolve faltering.
"Besides," Barry added with a small smile, "maybe you can teach Pietro a thing or two while we're away."
The added responsibility gave her pause. She didn't like it, but it was hard to argue with. After a moment, she nodded reluctantly.
"Okay," Barry said, addressing the group. "We prepare tonight and leave early tomorrow."
As the team dispersed, Barry quickly caught up to Julian, who was heading home. "Hey, Julian," Barry called out, pulling him aside. "Can you cover for me at work for a few days? This might take longer than expected."
Julian folded his arms, contemplating the request for a moment. "Fine," he said finally, "but only on one condition."
Barry frowned. "What's that?"
"I come with you," Julian responded sharply.
Barry opened his mouth to protest but hesitated, seeing Julian's determined expression. He sighed. "Fine. As long as you can cover for us, you can come along."
Meanwhile, in STAR Labs, Wally and Jesse sat in the speed lab, a quiet tension between them. Jesse rested her head on his chest, her mind clearly preoccupied. She stayed silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"You didn't want me to go. That's why you spoke first, right?" she asked, her voice soft but sharp with understanding.
Wally sighed at her question, nodding. "Yeah," he admitted, his tone soft but sincere. "I knew Barry would shut you down, but I wanted to make sure I was there to back him up."
Jesse lifted her head from his chest, her expression a mixture of frustration and understanding. "You don't think I'd be a liability, right?" she asked, concern clouding her eyes.
Wally shook his head immediately. "No, not at all. Why would you think that?"
Her eyes softened at his reassurance, but the weight of her thoughts still lingered. "I just feel so helpless sitting here," she confessed, her voice heavy with emotion. "My dad's out there, and I'm stuck on the sidelines."
Wally's gaze softened. "Not exactly. You know your dad wouldn't want you putting yourself in danger. Besides, protecting Central City is just as important as going to Earth-2. Trust Barry and the others—and most importantly, trust me. I'll make sure to bring your dad back."
Jesse's worry eased a little at his words. "You promise?" she asked, her voice soft, almost vulnerable.
"Yeah, I promise," Wally said, offering her a reassuring smile.
Jesse chuckled softly, her eyes filled with affection despite the tension. "Just don't do anything stupid."
Wally smirked, his tone playful. "No promises, but I'll do my best."
"And I'll make sure to come back in one piece."