Chapter 7: The Nuclear Man
The new normal at S.T.A.R. Labs was a peculiar blend of scientific rigor and superheroics. Barry, now officially "The Flash" (Cisco's name had stuck, much to his delight), was getting better at controlling his speed, though he still had a tendency to overshoot his targets or leave a trail of displaced air in his wake. My own body was slowly recovering from the Mardon encounter, the lingering exhaustion a constant reminder of the Adapt System's demands.
Then, Danton Black appeared.
"Okay, so this guy can make copies of himself," Cisco explained, pointing at a blurry security camera image of a man multiplying. "Like, full-on, physical duplicates. It's insane! What do we call him? Copy Cat? The Duplicator? Multi-Man?"
"Multiplex, Cisco. It's Multiplex. You literally named him that in the show. Don't make me do all the work here." "How about… Multiplex?" I suggested, leaning against the console. "Sounds scientific. And cool. Like, he's got multiple… plexes."
Cisco's eyes lit up. "Multiplex! Adam, you're a genius! That's perfect!"
Wells, who had been observing our banter with his usual inscrutable expression, merely nodded. "Indeed. A fitting moniker. Now, the challenge is, how do we stop a man who can be everywhere at once?"
"He's got to have an original, right?" I mused, tapping my chin. "Like, even if he makes copies, there's got to be a prime. A source. If you can take out the source, the copies should… disperse. Logically." See? Just logic. Totally not meta-knowledge.
"That's a good point, Adam," Caitlin said, looking at me. "But how do we identify the original among so many identical copies?"
"Maybe… focus on the energy signature?" I suggested. "The original might have a slightly stronger, or perhaps even a weaker, energy signature. Like a bad photocopy. The copies are just… echoes."
This set the scientific minds of Caitlin and Cisco whirring. Barry, meanwhile, was already itching to go. "I can just run through them! Find the real one!"
"Barry, no!" Caitlin exclaimed. "You don't know what his powers could do to you if you hit the wrong one!"
But Barry, being Barry, was already gone, a red streak heading towards the latest Multiplex sighting.
We watched the live feed from Barry's suit cam. He was in a bank, and Danton Black was everywhere. Copies swarmed him, punching, kicking, overwhelming him with sheer numbers. Barry was fast, but he couldn't hit what wasn't there, or rather, what was too much there.
"He's getting overwhelmed!" Caitlin cried, her voice tight with worry.
"Barry, focus on the one that feels… off!" I yelled into the comms, my voice urgent. "Like a bad photocopy! The one that feels like the least amount of effort to create!"
Suddenly, a copy of Danton Black, seemingly materializing out of thin air, lunged at the comms console in S.T.A.R. Labs. What?! He's here?! This isn't how it happened in the show! Timeline deviation! Oh, fudge.
Before I could react, the copy was on me, its fist swinging. I barely registered the blur of motion.
[IMMINENT THREAT DETECTED. PHYSICAL IMPACT. MULTIPLE ATTACKERS. INSUFFICIENT PHYSICAL STRENGTH.]
[ADAPTATION: ENHANCED STRENGTH. DOUBLING THREAT'S PHYSICAL STRENGTH. ACTIVE.]
A familiar, electric surge coursed through me, but this time, it was different. It wasn't just durability; it was raw, unadulterated strength. My muscles bulged, my grip tightened instinctively, and when the copy's fist connected with my jaw, it felt less like a punch and more like a very firm pat.
"Whoa. Okay. This is new. And kind of awesome. And terrifying. And also, I'm pretty sure I just broke his hand. Or mine. Probably his."
I grabbed the copy's arm, my newfound strength allowing me to twist it with surprising ease. Another copy lunged, and I met it with a desperate shove that sent it sprawling across the lab. I wasn't fighting gracefully; I was fighting like a cornered animal, fueled by the Adapt System's brute force. I was holding off several of them, a desperate, flailing human shield.
"Adam!" Caitlin screamed, rushing towards me, her face pale with terror.
"Stay back!" I grunted, parrying another blow. My body was screaming, the strain of maintaining this enhanced state immense. I felt like every cell was being stretched to its limit.
This unexpected distraction, however, was enough. "Barry, he's distracted!" Cisco yelled into the comms. "Adam's holding them off here! Now's your chance!"
In the bank, Barry, following my earlier advice, found the "original" Danton Black, the one whose energy signature felt subtly different. He delivered a powerful punch, and with a ripple effect, all the copies, including the ones attacking me, shimmered and vanished.
[ADAPT SYSTEM: DEACTIVATED. EXTREME STAMINA DRAIN. RECOVERY INITIATED.]
The strength drained from me instantly, leaving me weak and trembling. My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the lab floor, gasping for breath. My muscles felt like they'd been shredded, then reassembled incorrectly.
Caitlin was instantly by my side, her hands flying over me, checking for injuries. "Adam! Are you okay? What was that?! You just… you fought them off! How?!"
"Just… really, really didn't want them messing up the comms," I wheezed, trying to force a sarcastic smile, but it came out as a pained grimace. "And… adrenaline. Lots and lots of adrenaline."
Wells wheeled over, his eyes narrowed, scrutinizing me. "Mr. Stiels, that was no mere adrenaline. Your physiological readings during that incident were… unprecedented. Your muscle mass, your bone density… they spiked to levels that defy human biology. Are you a metahuman?"
"Crap. He's on to me. Or at least, on to the 'meta' part. Time for some classic deflection." "Metahuman?" I scoffed, trying to sound offended, though I was barely holding myself up. "Me? Nah. Just… really, really good at faking it 'til I make it. Or maybe I just have a very overprotective immune system. It's a mystery, Dr. Wells. A beautiful, baffling mystery."
Caitlin, however, wasn't letting it go. She pulled out a small syringe. "Adam, I need a blood sample. This is… scientifically fascinating. And frankly, terrifying. We need to understand what's happening to you."
Damn it. Knew this was coming. "Fine, fine," I grumbled, offering my arm. "Just don't tell me I'm secretly an alien. My life is complicated enough."
As Caitlin drew the blood, her touch was gentle, but her gaze was intense, a mix of scientific curiosity and deep personal concern. She was worried about me. And that, more than any superpower, was a truly terrifying thought.