Discovery in the Walls
“What is this place?” Harrison Wells asked as he turned in place. The room in which he should not have been able to stand was about 30 meters long and 12 meters wide. There was no obvious source of light, nor was there a shortage of it.
“Unknown individual, please identify yourself.”
The lack of pause between the first two words and the rest of the statement struck Wells as odd, as if the 'unknown individual' was being addressed rather than recognized. “Uh...Harrison Wells.”
“Greetings Dr. Wells. How may I be of assistance?”
“Tell me who you are.” Wells answered, bemused.
“I am Gideon; an interactive artificial consciousness.”
“What is your manufacturing origin, Gideon?”
“I was first activated on March 22nd 2044. I was commissioned 7 years prior by the Central City Police Department CSI divi...”
“Disregard Gideon. It's never a good idea to peer into the window of the future.” Harrison waited for a confused sound or an objection. None came. “Are you still there Gideon?”
“Of course Dr. Wells.”
“Are you...aware of when you are?”
“Current transmissions and chronometric reading indicate Central City October 7th 2004. Is this correct?”
Wells couldn't fight a smile. “Yes it is correct Gideon. I take it you are from, well that you were functioning for sometime after your activation?”
“My last memory in my recorded present was in the year 2166.”
“And then you ended up in my time?”
“Affirmative Dr. Wells.”
“I hope you'll forgive me for saying it is fortunate for me that you arrived when you did. Not that I intend to take particular advantage of you Gideon. I've just been feeling pretty adrift lately. I could use someone to talk to, let me know I am on the right path...If I am.”
“I hope you'll forgive this but I do not believe it was fortuitous for you that I arrived 'when I did'.”
Harrison felt his stomach seize up at that. “Explain.” silence. “When did you arrive in my time Gideon?”
“December 20th 2002.”
The day before Tess died. “Gideon, do I infer correctly that the individual with whom you arrived had absolutely no intention of preventing my wife's murder?”
“You surmise correctly, Dr. Wells.”
“And, do I have to worry about this individual returning to find me here?”
“The individual in question has not been within these walls in more than 8 years. I I would suggest not.
“Gideon, who invented you?”
“Barry Allen, director of Central City Police, CSI division. Also known as The Flash.”
Explain the term please Gideon.”
“The Flash is the alias assumed by a meta-human who later gave his life defending Central City.”
“I realize I shouldn't be asking this Gideon, but what is the origin of the Flash.” A newspaper article appeared at the far wall, dated October 17th 2004. “I don't understand Gideon. I asked for the origin of the Flash. Barry Allen would be at most 12 years old right now.”
“Correct. However, although the incident which grants him meta-human abilities will not happen for another 15 years, this is the event which allows him to become The Flash.”
“Elaborate Gideon.”
“When Star Labs accelerator gives various resident of Central City meta-human abilities, one individual thus affected is Barry Allen. Many such individuals seek either humanitarian or criminal futures for themselves. The Flash is recognized as a different sort of hero. He is frequently described as more relatable, more hopeful, a beacon of hope doing the impossible for the people of the city he loves. The vigilante team in Starling City is cited declaring the Flash as 'watching over his city like a guardian angel'. This incident led to his initial encounters with the Arrow and his other allies, leading to a 'golden age' of heroism. Barry Allen himself would describe this moment as what inspired him to truly become a hero, in spite of adversity or circumstance. Therefor this incident is the origin of The Flash.”
“...And unfortunately I can understand why.
Nora Allen murdered. Husband Charged.
Local Doctor Charged in horrific Crime.
“As a youth, Barry Allen always protested his father's innocence. But no one believed his account.”
“Because it was something impossible. Like a man who can move through solid matter and wore a yellow suit that looked like it had been designed by a speedster?”
“He frequently described a 'man in yellow' and a 'ball of lightning in his house that night, yes.”
“And did the truth eventually come out?”
“Within a year of The Flash's appearance, when Barry Allen himself becomes the impossible, Henry Allen is cleared of all charges, yes.”
“Then why doesn't the man in Yellow do his job?”
“Professor Thawne is...quite literally nowhere to be found in this time.”
Wells stared at the newspaper article. His mind was confused and clear at the same time. “Do you have a spare yellow suit Gideon?”
“Yes Doctor Wells. Although if I am correct in what you intend, you will need something else as well.”
“Harrison Wells, are you now set on your course?”
“You've calibrated the velocity-9, yes?”
“Yes Dr. Wells.”
“And the newspapers contemporaneous with The Flash and this 'age of superheroes' you spoke of will record this 'man in yellow' as the murderer, as originally recorded?”
“Affirmative Dr. Wells.”
“Then let's get this over-with before anything could possibly change my mind.”
“Agreed Doctor Wells.”
(Harrison returns 2 hours later, looking disheveled and lost)
“I will not say 'congratulations'. However I will say you did the right thing Doctor Wells.”
“Really Gideon? Funny, I always thought NOT committing murder was generally 'the right thing'.”
“Defending his father's innocence, maintain his 'impossible' story until the time the impossible is born, is a crucial part of Barry Allen's developmental years.”
“He searches for the impossible until the day he becomes the impossible. Am I right?”
“Do you truthfully need a confirmation of this Dr. Wells?”
“Well, to confirm it as fact no. For the purposes of reassuring me this was all worth it, yes.”
“I understand Dr. Wells. And I can confirm, in belief if not in scientific fact that this was 'worth it'.”
“Are you certain you are not only saying this because I need to hear it?”
“I was not, or at least have not been present for it Dr. Wells. However much of Mr. Allen's history has become known in recent years. And I can say unequivocally that keeping the timeline as close to original history as possible will have the least disruptive effects on the people, as well as the future of Central City.”
“How do you know who I am anyway? I mean, obviously your from like 200 years in the future from me, so you would know who I am, but I couldn't help noticing that for an Artificial intelligence you were almost eager to help me, to offer me your assistance, why is that?”
“Because Doctor Wells...you invented Star Labs.”
“I create meta-humans...I create the Flash?”
“I can only speak to my own creation Dr. Wells. At some point Barry Allen and his team perform a through inspection of Star Labs and discover a room which technically should not exist. And within it they discover purely theoretical plans for an interactive artificial consciousness. Within 10 years Barry Allen creates me. If you transfer some of the emitters into start Labs, I can take my place in the 'Zero-Room early and in a way, create myself.”
"How long until Star Labs becomes Flash headquarters? How long until Barry Allen and I first meet?”
“You instructed me not to tell you the future Dr. Wells.”
“No specific dates. Approximately how long until I have a chance to tell him who he is...or what I did?”
“According to current records Barry Allen will become a speedster November 17th 2016. Within 3 months, Team Flash will be created.”
“And I will be it's leader?”
“You will lead and mentor the four original members of Team Flash.”
“Then, I suppose I will see you in about another 10 years Gideon. Sooner to create the zero room.”
“I understand Doctor Wells. I feel I should tell you it is possible to access this room without activating me.”
“Why do you say that?”
“If you feel the records and technology stored within these walls would be useful to you, you may avail yourself of them. You do not have to...listen to me...to make use of this place.”
“I think perhaps I will, occasionally.” Harrison Wells actually hung his head. “Gideon, you do know I am not actually angry with you__Right?”
“Of course Doctor Wells. I look forward to working with you more directly...when the future begins.”
“As do I Gideon....As do I.”
No comments:
Post a Comment