Central City
Inside S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry Allen, Cisco Ramon, and Caitlin Snow stood facing the unexpected visitor.
Cisco continued staring at Daniel in complete disbelief before slowly turning toward Barry.
"Barry, would you pinch me? I feel like I'm dreaming."
Before Barry could move, Caitlin reached over and pinched Cisco's arm.
"Ow!" Cisco jerked his arm back and rubbed the sore spot. "Caitlin, not that hard!"
Caitlin gave him an unamused look. "You wanted proof you weren't dreaming."
Cisco sighed while still rubbing his arm. "I was expecting something a little gentler."
Daniel chuckled quietly before walking toward one of the chairs in the cortex. He sat down comfortably and looked at the three of them.
"So, this should be our first proper meeting. My name is Daniel Haken. It's nice to finally meet all of you in person."
Barry nodded politely while Cisco was still trying to process the fact that the person he admired was casually sitting inside S.T.A.R. Labs.
"Before any of you ask how I know your identities or anything similar, don't. Explaining it won't help us, and we don't have the time." Daniel's expression became serious. "I came here because I need Flash's help. What we're dealing with now isn't something I can handle alone."
Barry's attention sharpened immediately.
"Earth is on the verge of a full-scale invasion from another planet. Their civilization is far more advanced than ours, and their commander is already here preparing to bring the rest of his forces. If that happens, this planet won't survive."
Cisco stared at him for a few seconds. "So... we're talking about an actual alien invasion? The kind where the whole world is at stake?"
"Exactly."
Barry stepped forward. "What do you need me to do?"
"I need the Flash."
There wasn't even a moment of hesitation.
"If people's lives are on the line, then you already have my help."
"Good. Then let's go save the world."
Cisco struggled to contain his excitement. "Before you leave... can I ask one thing?"
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Cisco scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Can I take a selfie with you?"
Barry laughed while Caitlin sighed, unsurprised that this was the first thing Cisco wanted.
Daniel shrugged. "Sure."
Cisco immediately pulled out his phone and hurried over. Standing beside Daniel, he held the camera up and took several selfies before stepping back with an enormous grin.
"This is officially the best day of my life."
Daniel smiled before turning toward Barry. "Flash, how about a race? I've always wanted to see how I compare against the Fastest Man Alive."
Barry's competitive side surfaced instantly. A smile spread across his face as orange lightning crackled around his body, wrapping around him before settling into his Flash suit.
"You're on."
Daniel walked toward the entrance of S.T.A.R. Labs and looked down the long road leading out of Central City.
"The finish line is Gotham."
Barry stepped beside him and lowered himself into a sprinter's stance while orange lightning danced across the floor beneath his feet. Daniel mirrored the stance, black energy gathering around his legs as the air between them began to distort.
Cisco and Caitlin instinctively moved several steps back.
"Three... Two... One."
The instant the final word left his mouth, both of them launched forward. The floor cracked from the force of the start as a thunderous shockwave echoed through the cortex.
Orange lightning and black energy shot out of S.T.A.R. Labs side by side, tearing through Central City's streets at impossible speed and disappearing beyond the skyline in less than a heartbeat.
Cisco stared at the empty entrance before lowering his phone. "I... didn't even see which one got the better start."
Caitlin looked at the cracked floor. "They're already halfway to Gotham."
Inside the Batcave, Bruce, already wearing the Batsuit, stood before the Batcomputer while Superman and Diana waited nearby. Satellite imagery and tactical data continued updating across the massive monitors as Alfred silently worked another console in the background.
A streak of orange lightning shot into the cave. Almost simultaneously, Daniel landed beside Barry.
Daniel glanced at him and smiled. "Looks like I lost. I have to admit, living up to the title of Fastest Man Alive isn't easy."
Barry grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Daniel looked around at everyone gathered in the cave. "Good. Everyone who needs to be here is here." He turned toward Bruce. "I'll be back in a minute. There's one more person we need."
Bruce gave a slight nod. "Don't take too long."
Daniel disappeared from the Batcave.
The cave fell quiet.
Barry looked around, taking in the rows of vehicles, advanced equipment, and the giant computer built into the cavern. His eyes eventually settled on Batman.
For years he had heard stories about Gotham's vigilante. Some people claimed Batman was real, while others insisted he was nothing more than an urban legend spread by police to frighten criminals and exaggerated by the media.
Barry had never expected those stories to be true. Seeing Batman standing only a few feet away felt strangely unreal.
*****
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