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[ It's late at night, when most good little residents should be asleep.

The video feed focuses on the face of a man in his early 50's, only mildly disheveled, propped up against a wall in one of the many corridors of the mansion. He pushes his glasses up on his nose and offers the tight, almost sheepish smile of a prideful man gathering up the courage to ask for help. His free hand settles on the back of his neck, squeezing it. ]

While it seems customary to make an introduction, I'm afraid that this isn't, entirely what that is.

[ His cadence seemed to speed up and slow down with odd emphasis. ]

My name is Harrison Wells. A name, I am sure, some will find at least somewhat familiar.

It seems that whatever has brought me here, or by whatever means, neglected one very important piece of equipment. You see, I am--

[ He started to shift his position, he elbow driving back against the wall, but he didn't seem to get very very. ]

--I'm paralyzed from the waist down, and by whatever means I was transported here, my chair did not make the journey. If anyone would be so kind as to find some manner of assistance, I would be very grateful. Though I'm afraid I have little frame of reference for where I am, but I will help the best I can.

[ Then his tone shifts. It's rather subtle, and to the uninformed it merely sounds as though he suddenly became gravely serious. But to those he addresses, there's no mistaking the shades of the true Eobard showing through. ]

And Barry. Caitlin. Ms. West, if you've been brought up to speed. You must be careful of what you say, especially to one another. I have reason to believe we've been pulled through time as well as space, and cannot be sure our starting point was the same. Sharing certain details could cause irreparable damage to each others' timelines. The four of us will need to sort this out.

[ There was nothing more than a lift of his eyebrow and a slight cant to his head. Those he addressed would know what it meant. ]

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[ playing into thawne's hands is exactly what barry doesn't want to do. he'd felt the temptation to run out to him — and still does, but with iris' hand in his, he finds himself more grounded than he's been in the last two years. it helps to know she and caitlin have his back. though they're not as quick as him, they have the equivalent to wonder woman's lasso. one sharp word and he's paralysed, incapable of moving from the lasso of not necessarily truth, but common sense. ]

[ it also helps there's minor differences between eobard thawne and harrison wells. for one, harrison wells wouldn't call him barry. ]

[ personally, barry doesn't even know if harrison wells knows his name. ]

[ reminding himself this isn't harrison wells of earth-2, and he hadn't even had the opportunity to meet the one born to his earth, barry finds it easier to disassociate the man on his screen from the one who had shoved a knife into his back. it still hurts. that sting is worse than his spine breaking beneath zoom's hands. ]

[ feeling tense, barry shrugs his shoulders partly to disperse that tension and partly to feign humility. barry's the flash, and he knows everyone from home would suspect he's run up every wall and phased through every corridor by now to see if there's a rabbit hole hidden in between the brickwork and plaster. ]

I've heard there's no point in trying to work out these corridors. No one knows where they're going.

[ wells had opened his eyes once about eobard thawne. though he's studied him for fifteen years, barry still knows he can surprise him. the less he gives, the better. there's no one more stubborn than a speedster who can dig his heels in and refuse to move — or who has the allen genes. ]

It's pretty curious.

[ Give him time, Barry. That's all he needs. Time. He got the world to think he was truly Harrison Wells. Somewhat changed after the death of his wife, but who would really question that? No one suspected anything more. He convinced the world he was paralyzed from the waist down. Even those working with him, day in and day out (you, for example) never once question his disability.

Imagine what he could accomplish if he knew of his Earth 2 counterpart. Could you tell the difference then, "Allen"? A change of clothes. For getting to brush his hair. If only he knew of this other version.

He didn't bother to hide his skepticism. Barry was stalling and he could see that much. He wanted Barry to know that he knew that. But this was a show. Not for Barry, but for the rest of Wonderland. Who would the fine people trust? The humbled, paralyzed scientist so willing to find everyone a way home, or the stubborn speedster refusing to lend a hand? Not very heroic, Barry. ]

Barry. [ Skepticism faded into a weary sort of laugh that was barely more than a sigh. As if he couldn't believe this were happening. ] Of all times to start listening? In my experience, you've never been one to let impossible stop you. Never let "everyone says there's no point" even slow you down. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, nothing drives you harder than being told it can't be done.

[ A fierce edge started to creep into his voice. A challenge. Find him, Barry. Find him or you're a coward. Find him or you're just a young man who was struck by lightening. ]

[ thawne doesn't need the last — next? — fifteen years to study barry so intently to glean that. barry allen believes in the impossible, and nothing has stopped him from remaining stubborn in his beliefs, not even a bunch of cops, joe west, or dad. thawne won't stop him, either, no matter how hard he tries. ]

[ barry knows what thawne's doing. he can feel his fingers poking into his back, tempting him to leave his room to come find him. barry's not sure what to expect from it. without cisco to vibe the future, or to provide him with some sense of direction alongside caitlin and iris, barry has to rely on himself. and his instincts are all skewed up, twisted with grief and lingering anger toward both zoom and reverse-flash. ]

[ it helps thawne's not wearing the yellow suit. that'd be the decision maker for him. ]

It's Wonderland. I'm pretty sure me believing the impossible's possible isn't on the list of the six impossible things I believed before breakfast.

[ he's been shown it can be done, after all. thawne had been the one to help him realise the impossible was possible if you worked hard and believed in it intensely enough. but he remains as neutral as he can, even though he clenches his jaw and finds his hand tightens around the phone. he's just glad he hasn't phased his fingers through his phone (yet). ]

[ but barry shifts his feet, as though he's ready to kick off from where he stands. ]

I've been listening. Are you letting everyone who's offered to help you help? Or are you waiting for a special invitation?

[ are you waiting for him, thawne? ]

[ A smile deepened the lines of his face as he bowed his head ever so slightly. The faintest laugh, more breath than sound, escaped as he lifted only his eyes to the screen again. A look of long suffering amusement to the untrained eye. Of an old mentor once again dealing with a willful pupil, knowing the lesson would never be fully realized.

But to someone like Barry it would be something completely different. He knew the game Barry was trying to play. But could he see all the pieces? Could he see that Eobard had picked an intentionally difficult to locate spot? Devoid of any true land marks. Far enough away from common areas to have few visitors. Very difficult to stumble over him. Far from occupied rooms. ]

Of course any who wish to lend a hand would be much appreciated, but that assumes they're able to find where ever I've found myself. Not many seem able to tell me just where that is. No special invitation necessary, only whoever gets here fastest.

[ Yes, Barry. He is waiting for you. Leading everyone else in circles, distracting them with seemingly innocent questions, until you act. Will you act, Barry? Or will you hide? ]

[ barry doesn't know wonderland like the back of his own hand to be able to decipher where thawne is. there's a wall and nothing much else. he's seen the corridors shift to accommodate him and his yellow streaks, and he doesn't think it'll somehow shimmer into a telltale number or sign of where thawne happens to be located. it's a pity; it's the only time he's needed wonderland to be on his side and be a little mad in an intelligent kind of way. ]

[ he knows this has to be a trap of some sort. it's thawne; everything has been a test designed to give him a way to evaluate barry's progress. with the information he's gained from thawne travelling back through time to his "origins story", barry understands what it is he may be looking for. but he doesn't really know how he's going to get it in wonderland. he could walk as quickly as any human, run as fast as any speedster, and still manage to miss thawne lying hopelessly and uselessly against a wall. ]

[ barry grits his teeth. ]

You want me to come and get you.

[ he should laugh. they're all mad here. it's the best joke he's heard all day. thawne wants him to come fetch him like a good errand boy, and barry hates that he's thinking about it. everything's tipping over toward that choice: he can't let someone else deal with thawne and those possible repercussions. ]

[ he looks away, features pinched almost in anger. barry's talked himself into doing it without much of a fuss. he's figured out how these rooms work. he's figured out what thawne wants, even though it makes little sense in wonderland. thawne hates him, and barry knows his little secret: once a fanboy, always a fanboy in some respects. it's on the tip of his tongue to reference it, but barry bites it, and doesn't look at either caitlin or iris for their reactions. ]

[ when he looks back at thawne, barry's expression is sharp, and he's resigned himself to this particular fate. give thawne what he wants, see what that reaps for him. ]

Where?

[ when iris thinks back to that night she and joe chose to trust this man with barry's health, her skin crawls. the hospital had no idea what to do, and eobard had promised to stabilize him. to do what others couldn't; iris had been so desperate to get her best friend back that she would have agreed to nearly anything.

it figures, really. she's finally moved past the harrowing events of the previous year, and this man's voice brings it all back in one fell swoop. he doesn't sound like harrison wells, if one is paying close attention, and she is. she's learning the tells, a quiet anger brimming underneath the surface while she listens. the more she does listen, the more that anger settles into her belly. it speaks to her, and iris trusts her instincts: this man has no right in any world to tell them what to do. his reasons, his obsession, his choice to hurt others is entirely on him. iris refuses to indulge the man who killed nora allen. she refuses to listen as eobard baits that woman's son.

enough has been lost.

eddie didn't die for nothing. everything they have lost and endured can't be for nothing. she can't let barry play his game.

except it's hard to communicate all of that, presently. her hand has continued to hold barry's throughout, fingers locked almost too tightly with his. the moment barry asks where, dread replaces anger, worry replaces righteousness, and all she can think about is consequence.

her voice is a whisper. low and urgent, for barry and barry alone: ]

Barry, no.

[ His eyebrow quirked up, hearing a whisper. Too indistinct and too quiet to know who it was that had spoken, just that someone out of frame and said something. Barely louder than a breath. It was easy to assume just who it could have been. There were only two options really. But now he knew why Barry was able to stay rooted so easily. He had help.

This meant he needed to do something to motivate the young man a little better. Barry's attachments had always been his strongest motivation, even when Eobard had thought otherwise. Whether he lost them or kept them close. They were what made Barry what he was today. Which apparently meant they were stronger now than ever.

He made a show of peering around the hall, the camera shifting and moving awkwardly, pressing against the chest of his sweater as he leaned as far forward as he could. As if searching for something he hadn't seen before. Finally he leaned against the wall again with a mild look of defeat. ]

All I can tell you is that the doors I can see are numbered in the mid-sixties and I haven't seen a single person since I ended up here. There's little else I can give you, Barry, as to the where.

[ As he spoke, a private text, filtered to just Barry arrived: ]

Do you want to be responsible for what happens to anyone who happens upon me before you find me?

[ maybe that's the reason why barry becomes lost in 2024. he doesn't have iris by his side. ]

[ what barry does know, however, is thawne is a liar. he knows exactly where he is, but he's pretending he doesn't. he's pretending he hadn't walked himself there to pull the pity card for all of wonderland to see. it's how he'd won over barry's sympathy, believing the particle accelerator had severely injured the man responsible for so much destruction caused to the city. ]

[ despite iris' words, much softer than they'd been on joe's porch, barry knows he'll do the opposite. not rising to thawne's bait would be smart. but not reacting to him means he'll grow more desperate, and barry doesn't need to see how far thawne will go in order to elicit a reaction. he's predictable in the direction and tone of his threats, but barry's never been one to let a falling building crumble just because he has the choice to not react. ]

[ looking away from the phone, he runs his tongue along his teeth, jaw still tense. he glances at caitlin, a quick flick of his eyes to her, and then turns to look at iris, giving the phone his profile. keeping her out of frame on purpose, he doesn't talk to thawne, doesn't acknowledge any text even though thawne's message has been loud and clear long before he'd put it into words. ]

I have to go. Turn your phone on.

[ find the feed. watch it. it's the only way thawne knew both caitlin and iris were here, unless he's somehow been snooping around undetected. but with iris investigative reporter west and caitlin detailed oriented snow? he doubts thawne would get away with the latter, not after the numerous lessons he has purposefully and unintentionally given them all. ]

[ iris glances at caitlin when barry does, noting her composed silence. after everything she has been through recently and their history with eobard, iris understands why she wouldn't want to draw attention to herself. it's smart, and iris doesn't want to do anything that could mess that up.

she does, however, focus on barry when his attention returns to her. iris isn't one to panic easily. she jumps out of windows and fires guns at meta-humans, and she dusts herself off afterward. but she's already shaking her head, well aware of what barry plans to do.

sometimes, she swears she can anticipate barry's movement before it happens, fast though he may be. it just doesn't keep her from trying.

would anything? ]

Barry, listen to me. Please —

[ that's the thing about barry: he listens, but he doesn't quite enact on what someone else says. he has to go with his gut, and his gut's telling him he needs to find thawne before he lets him truly take hold of the power he has over him. ]

[ it's little, barry thinks. it's a little slip of power thawne knows how to wield like it's the mjolnir of thor, but barry lets him believe it's much bigger than that. being from the future gives him an advantage, but it also exposes his weaknesses — eddie had been one, and barry knows what thawne hadn't been able to study of his flash is a strength he can wield like any weapon in a norse god's arsenal. he just needs to figure out what those portions of his life happen to be. ]

[ barry lowers his phone, pressing the camera against his leg so the screen is dark. he turns to iris, his hand slipping from hers to glide his fingers up her wrist to loosely curl around. glancing over his shoulder at caitlin, barry turns back to iris, and looks down at where his fingers try and find her pulse. ]

[ it's a long moment for barry, but perhaps it's a mere second for them. with a gust of kinetic wind, barry's gone in a streak of yellow and electricity, phone in his pocket and iris' slotted between her fingers. ]

[ he sweeps through the mansion in search of him. it isn't until barry glimpses thawne on the floor in the far distance he disappears, yellow lightning gliding into a room where he scoops up a wheelchair — dull and unlike the one thawne had built for himself back home — from inside a closet. before he even appears again, barry sends iris a message with the number of the floor he's on, even though he knows he doesn't want her to come. when a door opens and closes, it's barry, pushing that wheelchair down the corridor toward thawne at a human-like speed. ]

[ with his expression pinched and his jaw set, he doesn't guide the chair all the way to him. leaving it a good arm's length away from him, barry stands before him and looks down on a man who he'd once gazed up at. ]

Found you.

[ Any who might tune into this little conversation would just see Eobard, waiting somewhat patiently. Quietly. Taking in the hall around him, peering around for Barry. It wasn't a very long wait, after all. Not even all that long for a speedster to wait. He keeps the video on in the event Barry decides to be a little too brash when their paths cross at last.

He has no doubt that Barry is from some time after Eddie's death, but still well before 2024. Still so many reasons to be angry. So many reasons to become violent. It would so damage the young hero's reputation to have it broadcast as he slammed his fist into the obviously crippled older man. It was only a slight change Barry would try for it, but he had no way of being sure.

He perked up the moment he saw Barry. Not when he was walking at normal speed, but as he flashed by in all of his speedy glory. Showing off as always. But that's what Eobard wanted. For people to catch glimpses of that red streak. To know there was a speedster among them. It would muddy the waters. Throw off suspicion, provided he could keep Barry and his friends quiet. That was what was really necessary here. Because Barry. Oh, Barry. He could never stay quiet, never keep a secret. Even when the safety of the entire future depended on it.

As Barry approached with the chair, he lowered the device, still keeping himself somewhat in frame. He started to say something, with a weary but relieved smile, then stopped. Realizing just where the other had stopped the chair. He stared at it, intently, not making that useless swipe for it. He bowed his head, with a faint scoff, before looking up at Barry again. ]

And, I see, you've found what I need. If you don't mind-- [ He extended his hand to Barry, making sure it was visible from the seemingly loosly held device in his other hand. ] --We can soon be done with this whole affair and actually get to work on finding ourselves a way home.

[ barry's hard expression doesn't shift once. ]

[ he doesn't like this. speaking but not saying what they mean. he holds a plethora of questions in his hands he wants to ask: why did he make the video confessing to nora allen's murder? why does he hate him so much? why is he pretending to be poor harrison wells, the man paralysed by his own creation? why not parade about as eobard thawne and wish for a way home? ]

[ but barry doesn't ask any of them. he simply looks down at thawne, then lets his eyes trail along his legs. they work. if he kicked him, thawne would react. he doesn't know what he intends to do or wants from this situation, but he keeps his eye on him, looking for a twitch, waiting for a sizzle and crackle of unnatural electricity. ]

[ of course, it doesn't come. ]

[ what barry expects is what happens: thawne doesn't once break, doesn't let a crackle of electricity spark at the mere sight of him. barry feels he can hardly keep it together, his expression so stony and his heart beating heavily and hard in his chest. the man who had started it all sits before him now, and barry knows he can't do anything to pay him back for the pain he's caused not only to himself, but to countless others. ]

[ looking at his hand, barry begrudgingly takes a step back and reaches for the chair, pulling it along by the arm as he keeps his gaze on thawne. it's a clumsy drag as he doesn't pull it along in an exact straight line, but barry hadn't kept it too far away from them. ] You might want to put your phone away. Wouldn't want you to drop it. [ his expression doesn't once shift. closer to him now, almost on the heels of barry's feet, toes of his converse shoes almost brushing against thawne's legs, barry then takes his hand to help pull him up and manoeuvre him into the chair. ]

[ Eobard simply waits. An expectant lift to one eyebrow. The faintest smile of satisfaction. All now out of view of the camera, as he's holding his phone at an angle that shows only Barry. Because he knows he has the other speedster pinned. Because he knows Barry better than anyone. Because he knows even Barry wouldn't be stupid enough to lash out when everyone could see him. ]

Oh, it'll be fine.

[ He was dismissive, giving a vague wave of the device. Practically wagging it at Barry. The phone wasn't going anywhere. Best to keep Barry quiet, keep him guessing, keep him from asking all of those questions that must be eating him up inside.

It was just like old times. Behaving as if his lower half really was dead weight. All a show for Barry. Hauling himself up as much as he could with his arms. Slinging an arm around Barry's shoulders. Once he settled in the chair, he tightened his grip around the younger man's neck. Stronger than a wheelchair bound scientist aught to be. ]

You were always the one to do the right thing, weren't you. Barry.

[ A nearly ominous hiss of the words. A threat? A promise? Praise? It was always so hard to tell with Eobard. ]

[ he doesn't flinch. ]

[ once upon a time, he would've. he would've flinched and there's a good chance he would've shifted away abruptly. but barry doesn't. it's not like thawne can hurt him any worse than he already has, any sharper than zoom has succeeded in doing so. ]

[ his expression remains neutral and unaffected, perhaps like he's immune to words that may otherwise appear as complimentary. it's a mocking. and barry hears it in two voices: eobard thawne's, in the body of harrison wells, and hunter zolomon's. ]

People are allowed to make mistakes.

[ he did, when trusting "dr wells". thawne has, in underestimating him. he's doing so now, even if barry doesn't have much of a contingency plan. all he has working for him is what thawne doesn't know — or what he assumes thawne doesn't know. that's the difficulty in being the one behind in the timeline. he doesn't know what he knows. ]

[ he thinks to draw back, and makes to do so. ]

Where are you staying?

[ Reluctantly, Eobard loosened his grip around Barry's neck and let him stand up, as he let the question hang in the air for just a little too long. An odd question to ask a man who had so very "obviously" just arrived. But Barry was too smart to believe that little lie. The performance put on for everyone else, but not for Barry. ]

You know, Barry, I've not really had a chance to to look around...

[ He made a point of bringing his phone almost to eye level. Of shutting it off and finally killing the video feed. And the moment it was off, that thin mask of kindness and warmth at last faded. No sign of Harrison Wells. Just Eobard Thawne. ]

But I was thinking...

[ He pushed up from the chair, slowly rising to his feet. To anyone else, the move might have seemed casual, but to someone who knew him so well, it was anything but. An ominous, almost threatening move. ]

...the fourth floor might be nice.

[ One eyebrow twitched upward as he spoke. Pointedly. ]

[ it's not surprising at all thawne selects that floor. ]

[ neither is barry's knee-jerk reaction. he wants to push him back into that chair. he also wants to pack up both caitlin and iris and haul ass to another floor. but that's what a younger, more naive barry would do. he wants to try and control the situation, but he can't. there's no point in doing so, anyway. it isn't a battle he wants to use his energy up fighting. it's a minor fight he's almost forcing himself to be happy to concede to. ]

[ at the end of the day, thawne's given him what he wants: his father back. thawne hadn't taken henry away from him. that pain he feels is on zoom. ]

[ there's nothing he can do about it, and he has to acknowledge and accept it. thawne will continue to try and pull the strings of a puppet he knows little to nothing about within this moment. barry has to work off the belief thawne doesn't know every step of his life, every stone that's been placed upon others that have built the flash into what he becomes in the future. ]

[ he hasn't moved, not when thawne had pulled himself from his chair, and he doesn't now. glancing toward thawne's phone, barry looks up at him again, face as hard as stone. there's no one he hates more than eobard thawne, but there's nothing he loathes less than being unable to enact on that rage he feels. ]

Leave Iris and Caitlin alone. [ a part of him is grateful neither of them have followed him here. but a small part of him wishes they had. but neither of them are here, and that means barry can make sure he shoulders this one alone. ] You want to mess with me? Fine. But you leave them out of this.

[ Eobard just stands there, waiting and expectant, practically challenging Barry to act. They were completely alone on the floor, as far as the eye could see. No more video broadcasting their conversation. Only a few people who may or may not be searching for which floor he's on. And still Barry did not act.

So much had changed if Barry were able to keep such impulses under control.

He needed to know what happened to Barry. It didn't matter if he knew, it wouldn't change the timeline. His own timeline was already completely ruined, unless this strange detour was a chance to fix it. Knowing what terrible thing had finally tamed Barry's impulses was too big to ignore.

He wanted to ask "who ~~else~~ hurt you, Barry?"

What struck him as interesting was that it was just Iris and Caitlin. Not Ray. Not anyone else he'd spoken to. Only those two. At least his overwhelming loyalty hadn't changed. ]

Iris, no problem. But won't it be suspicious, Barry, that I completely ignore someone who had once been one of the only people I trusted?

[ barry's already followed his impulses, and it lead him to here. consider him needing a recharge before he acts stupidly. he already knows the ramifications of his decision, and it weighs him down greatly. like concrete stones tied to his feet, he can barely pull himself afloat, let alone act instinctually and angrily. ]

[ his answer is quick: ]

No.

[ he doesn't look down at thawne. a part of him simply wants to look through him, but barry's never been able to phase his gaze through that face. it's been difficult with harry, but he's managed to look at him with something much softer and warmer. to know eobard thawne sits before him now, pretending — he looks over his head instead. ]

[ but after a long moment, he lowers his gaze, unable to ever really let that carrot dangling above his eyes remain unacknowledged. ]

No one here knows that, Thawne. [ the curve of his mouth remains in a thin line, but barry almost looks smug. a part of him feels it, and perhaps the cockiness of the speed force is still with him. fear is healthy, it ensures he understands there's a risk — but barry feels slightly invincible now. ]

[ and for all the wrong reasons. ]

This isn't Central City. Leave Caitlin alone.

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