distance ? barry allen [1]

14. performance issues

The monitor let out a ping, alerting them of results. "Guys, according to the software, there's an 82% chance your victim looked like this." Cisco said, his friends looking over his shoulder at the image.

"82?" Barry asked, unimpressed.

"Hey, it was zero when you walked in here, pal." Cisco shot back making Spencer and Caitlin chuckle.

"Can you cross-reference that with the DMV database, maybe get a name?" Spencer suggested, Barry nodding his head enthusiastically in support.

"Absolutely. This software can do just about anything now that Felicity reprogrammed it."

"God bless Felicity Smoak." Stated Spencer.

"Casey Donahue. No wife. No kids. Used to work at the Petersburg electrical substation." Cisco announced after receiving results.

"That can't be a coincidence." Caitlin said.

"That's weird. Someone just used his ID to enter the substation." Cisco stated.

Caitlin glanced at her own monitor and stood up. "The Petersburg grid is experience a power drain right now."

Spencer turned around in her seat. "Barry, stay..." But he was already speeding off. "Safe."

Everyone turned their attention back on the monitors to keep track of Barry. After a few moments they heard a burst of some sort.

Cisco scrunched his face in confusion. "Woah, what was that?"

Soon, there was a spike in Barry's vitals and all that could be heard over the comms was Barry's heavy breathing. Spencer's heart rate picked up in concern.

"Barry, what's happening?" Wells questioned.

Again a loud burst sounded and everyone froze. It lasted for another few seconds before they could hear Barry groaning.

"Get out of there." Wells demanded.

Spencer bit her lip in anticipation, waiting for him to come back to her- them.

"Barry, run!" Wells urged again.

"I can't," Barry stated, breathing heavily. "My speed...is gone."

~

When Barry finally made it back to STAR Labs, the first thing he did was change and they had him run on the treadmill to test what was happening to him. And sure enough, he wasn't able to run his usual speed.

"He runs slow even for a normal person." Cisco remarked, studying him.

"You can't just lose your powers, okay? Your DNA was transformed by the particle accelerator blast. There's no way to untransform DNA." Caitlin insisted, frustratingly. Spencer nodded furiously in agreement.

"Yeah, tell that to the Uber driver who charged me 65 bucks to take me here." Barry retorted, sitting on the edge of the treadmill, out of breath. "I had to tell her I was coming from a cosplay party."

"So we were wrong." Stated Wells. "This metahuman doesn't electrocute people; he siphons electricity, thereby removing your power."

"All right, do we think this is temporary or..." Barry trailed off, not daring to finish his thoughts

"We have to run tests." Wells told him.

"Yeah." Barry nodded, sighing. Then he stood, "I've got to warn Joe."

"Barry, we will find a way to restore your speed. I promise you that." Dr. Wells assured, stopping Barry in the doorway.

He nodded solemnly before walking out.