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Seeing Caitlin's trembling form gradually calming down, Allen squatted in front of her with a faint, amused smile tugging at his lips.
"That's right," he said softly.
"Calm down and be quiet. No need to scream like a heroine from some melodramatic soap opera."
"That would just ruin your image in my eyes… Although, to be honest, I'm more interested in the other you."
Caitlin looked up at him with wide wary eyes, still trembling slightly.
'The other me?'
'What was that supposed to mean?'
"I didn't intend to hurt you," Allen continued, his tone gentle but firm.
"You can leave safely and unharmed once Cisco finishes what I asked him to do, in about an hour. But until then, I hope you can stay calm. Can you do that for me?"
Caitlin hesitated, then nodded slowly.
"Good." Allen reached out and lightly patted her head with a satisfied look on his face, as if praising a child for cooperating.
Then with casual ease, he asked.
"Have you ever had a boyfriend?"
Caught off guard by the question, Caitlin blinked and shook her head.
"No boyfriend?" Allen raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
"That's okay. You seem more suited to being single anyway."
Caitlin's expression immediately darkened.
Her brows furrowed, and she glared at him.
'More suited to being single?'
Irritated, she fired very quickly.
"Why?"
Why, indeed.
Allen didn't answer right away, but his thoughts filled in the silence.
It was absolutely because of her "Killer Frost" side.
Her icy dangerous alter ego seemed to doom every relationship she touched.
First, there had been Ronnie Raymond, her fiancé and colleague at S.T.A.R. Labs.
After the particle accelerator explosion, he had fused with Professor Martin Stein to become Firestorm.
In the end, Ronnie had sacrificed himself to save Central City.
Then came Hunter Zolomon, a.k.a. Zoom from Earth-2.
A monster who ruled his world, toyed with Barry Allen and ultimately perished in the madness he helped create.
And finally, Julian Albert who was once her partner, briefly her lover and eventually just another person who vanished from her life without closure.
Looking at it objectively, Caitlin's love life seemed fated for heartbreak and loneliness.
Allen gave her shoulder a gentle pat and leaned in slightly.
His voice lowered, laced with mock solemnity as he declared with theatrical flair.
"Remember, don't get a boyfriend. If you really need one, you can always come find me. I'm tough, and you can't kill me!"
'Come find him? If I need a boyfriend?'
What does he mean, she can't kill him?
Was he seriously implying she was some kind of curse?
Caitlin stared at him, utterly speechless.
If she couldn't overpower him physically, she'd at least would have wanted to argue her case!
Huffing, she turned her head to the side with a pout, refusing to look at him.
Like a child sulking, she silently conveyed the message:
'I'm mad, and I'm ignoring you.'
Still, despite her irritation, the tight grip of fear that had held her earlier was loosening.
He was definitely annoying, no doubt about that, but he hadn't harmed her.
Now that the fear had gone away, something else began to stir in its place:
Curiosity.
Though she wasn't as obsessed with metahuman abilities as Cisco was, her background as a bioengineer made her extremely intrigued by Allen's powers.
The way he generated electricity like that without any visible tech was fascinating.
If it were possible, she would absolutely love to run a full diagnostic and analysis on him.
"What's your name?" Caitlin asked cautiously, as if testing the waters.
"Allen," he replied with a grin.
"Are you from around here?"
To that, he shook his head.
"Were you born with your powers, or did they manifest later? Have you ever had your body examined?"
Allen raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"What, you want to examine me?"
Caitlin nodded without thinking, then quickly shook her head while flustered.
She didn't want to scare him away.
"Although there are no confirmed cases quite like yours, your ability seems like a result of a unique genetic mutation."
"If I could run a full-body scan, perform a molecular and neurological analysis, and maybe take a blood sample… I might be able to figure out the root cause of your abilities,"
"Like how they were triggered, how they work, and where the limits are."
She let out a sigh, disappointed by her current helplessness.
In this situation, there was no lab, no tools, and no chance to help him or herself.
"If you can keep my secret," Allen said, his expression suddenly serious, "Maybe I'll come to you one day and let you do the tests. But let me warn you, if you betray me, I won't hesitate to kill you."
His words were threatening, but there was something honest in the way he said them.
A warning, not a boast.
And surprisingly, despite the ominous tone, Caitlin saw a hint of curiosity in his eyes too.
As if he genuinely wanted to know the truth about himself.
"Really?" she asked, her eyes lighting up with eagerness. "When?"
Allen shook his head. She was just too excited.
"When I feel like it."
"Deal! I won't tell anyone. I just want to understand." She fumbled in her pocket and handed him her phone number on a business card.
"When the time comes, just call me so I can prepare everything in advance."
"Alight." Allen accepted the number and nodded in approval.
Suddenly, Caitlin tilted her head slightly.
"Why do you need that sonic equipment anyway?" she asked, the question finally surfacing in her mind.
Given his abilities, something like that seemed unnecessary.
"You'll find out soon enough," Allen replied cryptically.
Time passed more quickly than expected while they talked.
Allen hadn't restrained Caitlin or anything.
Eventually, they walked downstairs together, side by side, and made their way back to S.T.A.R. Labs.
At the lab entrance, the security guard Allen had shocked earlier was being treated inside.
Meanwhile, Cisco stood outside the main door, holding a box alongside Harrison Wells.
The two were clearly waiting.
Then they saw Allen and Caitlin walking over, talking like old acquaintances, maybe even friends…
Both men froze in place, stunned by the sight.
'What the hell is going on?'
Cisco's eyes darted between Caitlin and Allen.
She'd been kidnapped by this guy and yet, here they were, strolling back like they had just finished a coffee date.
"Caitlin, are you okay?" Cisco asked, his voice filled with concern.
Caitlin glanced briefly at Allen before answering.
"I'm fine. He didn't do anything to me."
"Thank goodness." Cisco let out a relieved sigh and handed Allen the box.
"This is what you asked for."
Allen took the box and opened it.
Inside was a compact round device, no larger than a coin, mounted on a slim black metal ring just two fingers wide.
He raised an eyebrow as Cisco began to explain.
"Just tap the center with your fingers to activate it," Cisco said quickly.
"Tap again to adjust the sonic intensity and…"