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 [b]PART ONE: ROGUE TAKEOVER[/b] 

 [sup][i]A STORM BREWING[/i][/sup] 

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There was always a stillness to the air before a storm. Leonard Snart, the self proclaimed Captain Cold lay in his little hiding spot near the edge of the badlands. The plan had fallen through with the Gotham [i]Penguin[/i] and his lieutenant [i]Mr.Freeze[/i]. Thankfully while the participation of someone who possessed more or less the same abilities as his weapon did was desirable it wasn’t necessary for the next part of the  plan. Get the [i]Flash[/i] outside of Central City, then he had time to execute the plan before[color=#93c47d] [/color][i][color=#6aa84f]Weather Wizard[/i] [/color]was captured. Should he succeed in actually taking out the [i]Flash[/i] then that would save him a lot of time and effort, but he sincerely doubted it. He hadn’t won last time afterall. 

Snart flipped open his phone, hit speed dial number three and as soon as the phone was picked up he spoke. [color=#a4c2f4]“One hour. Then it’s go time.” [/color]Flipping the phone closed without listening to the response he turned and slapped his driver on the shoulder, breaking him from his reverie. Without a word they walked towards the black [i]‘Prizn Buss’[/i] parked at the edge of their little outlook.

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Iris sat at her computer, hands sitting on the keyboard. [i][color=#ff9900]This is typically the point where you start writing West.[/color]  [/i]The words didn’t come though, writing some piece on the decline of crime since the arrival of the Flash, and the apparent knock on effect. She had barely been active in the last couple of weeks, hell she hadn’t donned the cowl for days since she took down Atom Smasher. Part of her felt bad about that, there was always more she could be doing. She should be doing her part for everyone rather than just going to work, going home and then reading a book. This whole Wally mess though had her all thrown around, a wrench in her plans sending her off the rails and into a spiral that was all too familiar.
 
Iris had been like this when Barry had died, albeit to a greater extent. Life thrown into chaos at losing him, the only thing holding her together being her work. She looked at the flashing I-Bar, it’s flashing mocking her as her mind refused to provide her with a view to write. She wasn’t entirely sure that the decreased crime was because of her, and that was half the problem. She groaned in frustration, slamming her head down onto the desk.

[color=#42c400]“Coffee Miss West?”[/color]

Iris turned her head up to see a cup of coffee held out towards her, a lightning bolt on the cup. A [i]Flash[/i] as it was being called around the city. She had to admit she found it a little odd having a drink named after her, she had yet to see someone drinking a ‘Thor’. That said he would be [i]ideal[/i] for hair adverts. Looking up further she saw the white hair of the intern Tommy, and that continuous mischievous grin plastered across his face. He had started working here as an intern a couple of weeks ago, after having recently moved to Central City with his foster family. Iris pretended not to notice but he spent a lot of time hanging around her desk, trying to peek at stories or sources for her information on the [i]Flash.[/i] She wasn’t entirely sure what it was that had him so obsessed about the cowl but after she found him looking through her notes she took extra precautions to hide the information on her sources. 

She didn’t suspect any ill intent, he just seemed to be a serious fan of the [i]Hero of Central City[/i] as everyone was calling her. The last thing she needed however was a seventeen year old shadow following her around and finding out her secret. It would likely be on Snapchat or Instagram by the end of the week. Iris took the cup and nodded her thanks to Tommy, not surprised at all when he didn’t move off with the rest of the Coffees on his little cart. Sighing she looked back at him. [color=#ff9900]“What’s up Tommy?”[/color]

[color=#42c400]“Do you need some help? No offense, but you seem a little-”[/color]

[color=#ff9900]“Stuck?”[/color]

[color=#42c400]“Frustrated.”[/color]

Iris let out a short chuckle. [color=#ff9900]“It’s all part of the process. You’ll learn that one day.” [/color]She pointed at the cart of coffee before he had a chance to complain at his status as an intern.[color=#ff9900] “Once you’ve finished paying your dues of course. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.”[/color]

Tommy groaned in frustration. The boy liked to move fast, everyone in the office knew that. The issue was that there was a right way to do it, in their profession if you moved too fast and didn’t pay attention you missed facts or details. An incomplete story was worse than no story, and until he learnt not to rush things he wasn’t likely to do much more than grab the coffee. [color=#42c400]“I know I just get a little-”[/color]

[color=#ff9900]“Frustrated?”[/color]
Tommy nodded to her.[color=#42c400]“You know, I’m no Jimmy Olsen yet but I think I’m a pretty good photographer, I’m fast and can get into places not a lot of people can. I just need to-”[/color][color=#ff9900] [/color]Iris tuned him out as the rest of the room went quiet, a couple of people standing up from their desks all looking towards the TV in the corner of the room. She couldn’t hear it though as Tommy hadn’t quite gotten used to the way the newsroom worked. 

Iris turned to look at Tommy. “Shut up a second, look.” She nodded her head to the television as the colour rose into Tommys cheeks, embarrassed at making such a fatal mistake. For a second she thought he was going to speak again to apologise but he seemed to realise better. Someone nearer the television set reached up and turned up the volume on the set. There was a face on the television set, one she recognised.

Mark Mardon, the [i]Weather Wizard[/i] standing in the middle of an open area. If Iris had to guess she’d assume he was out in the badlands. The camera zoomed out, obviously mounted on some form of drone. She didn’t flinch as there was a crack of thunder outside. [color=#6aa84f]“Dear Central City. Did you miss me?”[/color]

There was murmuring around the room as people grabbed phones, typed into computers or grabbed files out of desk and out of cabinets. Iris fixed her attention solely on the screen and nowhere else. [color=#6aa84f]“I’m back and oh I’ve missed you. Which is why I’m going to be nice. Give me five million dollars, transferred into a secure bank account - the details to which are posted online for those that know how to find them. In return I won’t let a storm loose on the Gem Cities the likes of which they have never seen.”[/color] Mardon went to turn around, turning back nonchalantly as if this was him ordering food from a café.[color=#6aa84f] “Oh and by the way, you have one hour.” [/color]

Iris stood up leaving Tommy behind. She spotted David, the editor, standing amid a crowd. She waved her hand in the air and yelled. [color=#ff9900]“Chief?!” [/color]He raised his head to her, and nodded.

Without waiting to hear what he said she dashed out of the door as fast as she could, or at least as possibly believable. Once outside she darted down a nearby alleyway, lightning streaked across the sky as she sped into a full pace run.

If [i][color=#6aa84f]Weather Wizard[/color][/i] was feeling nostalgic after getting out of prison, then he was just going to love the reunion she had planned.