Barry called Joe as he left the Time Vault, the weight of Thawne's confession still heavy on his mind. The phone rang twice before Joe picked up.
"Barry, it's good to hear your voice," Joe said warmly. "Are you back in Central City?"
"Yeah, Joe, I'm back. And I have something that might get Dad out of prison," Barry replied, his voice filled with cautious hope.
There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Barry," Joe said, his tone serious. "I know you want to believe it, but you need to let this go. Your father killed your mother. There's no supernatural being with lightning involved."
Barry sighed, the frustration and sadness evident in his voice. "Joe, you have to believe me. What I saw that night was real. And now, with everything happening in Central City, you have to know there's more out there than we ever imagined."
Joe remained silent for a moment, and Barry could sense his skepticism. He realized it was time to reveal the truth, to show Joe that he was the man behind the mask.
"Joe, there's something I need to tell you. Can you stay where you are? I'll come to you," Barry said, determination in his voice.
"Sure, I'm at home," Joe replied, still sounding unconvinced. "But Barry, this better not be some wild goose chase."
Barry smiled, though Joe couldn't see it. "Hold on tight, Joe. You're about to experience one hell of a ride."
Before Joe could respond, Barry took off at super speed, racing through the city streets. He reached Joe's house in mere seconds, finding him sitting on the couch with his phone still pressed to his ear.
Barry couldn't resist a bit of fun. He disconnected Joe's call, switched his phone to camera mode, and took a picture of Joe's surprised face—all in slow motion. Then, in a blur of red and yellow, he whisked Joe off his feet and sped back to STAR Labs.
Joe barely had time to register what was happening before they arrived. As Barry set him down gently, Joe looked around in shock, trying to process the whirlwind journey.
"Barry... what the hell just happened?" Joe asked, breathless and wide-eyed.
Barry smiled, finally ready to reveal his secret. "Joe, I'm the Flash."
Joe's eyes widened even further as he looked at Barry, then at Cisco and Caitlin, who nodded in confirmation. The pieces started to fall into place, and Joe's disbelief slowly turned into understanding.
"You're... the Flash?" Joe repeated, his voice filled with a mix of astonishment and realization.
Barry nodded. "Yeah, Joe. And I need you to believe me. Thawne confessed. We have it all on record. He killed Mom, not Dad. We can finally clear Dad's name."
Joe took a deep breath, trying to absorb the flood of information. "Barry... how is this possible? How did you become the Flash?"
Cisco, unable to contain his excitement, jumped in. "It all started with a particle accelerator explosion, Joe! It released dark matter, creating a storm that struck Barry with lightning. The dark matter bonded with his cells, giving him super speed."
Joe blinked, still trying to wrap his mind around it. "So, you were in Metropolis, saving the world with Batman and a red-capped alien flying in the air?"
Barry nodded, a hint of a smile on his face. "Superman, yes. We teamed up to stop a Kryptonian invasion."
From the Time Vault, Eobard Thawne scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "Superman? More like super alien."
Joe turned his attention to Eobard Thawne, his expression a mix of confusion and anger. "So, Harrison Wells is the man who killed your mother?"
Caitlin stepped forward, her voice steady. "Yes and no, Joe. His real name is Eobard Thawne. He's from the future and hates Barry to the core. He even named himself the Reverse Flash, the opposite of everything Barry stands for."
Joe's eyes widened further in disbelief. "Thawne? As in Eddie Thawne, my current partner?"
Barry nodded. "Yes, Joe. Eddie is the ancestor of my nemesis. Eobard Thawne came back in time to destroy everything I care about."
Joe took a deep breath, trying to process the information. "So, Eddie's connected to this... to everything?"
Barry placed a reassuring hand on Joe's shoulder. "Eddie doesn't know any of this. He's a good man, Joe. He has nothing to do with Eobard's actions."
Cisco's eyes lit up with an idea. "Wait, doesn't that mean killing Eddie would get rid of Eobard?"
Barry shook his head, his expression grave. "Yes and no, Cisco. Killing Eddie would only get rid of the current Eobard now, but he's from the future and has already infected himself throughout the time stream. Getting rid of this one would just bring another one. There's no end to him."
Joe looked between Barry and Cisco, trying to grasp the implications. "So, even if we stop this Eobard, another will come? How do we fight something like that?"
Barry sighed. "It's complicated, Joe. But for now, we have what we need to free Dad. We need to focus on that and deal with Eobard as he comes."
Caitlin stepped forward, her voice firm. "We'll figure it out, Joe. We always do. Right now, the most important thing is getting Henry out of prison."
Joe nodded slowly, the weight of the situation settling on his shoulders. "Alright, Barry. Let's get this confession to the authorities and get your father out of there."
Barry smiled, relieved to have Joe's support. "Thank you, Joe. This means everything to me."
From the Time Vault, Eobard Thawne watched them with a smirk. "Enjoy your little victory, Barry. It's far from over."
Barry glanced back at Thawne, his resolve unshaken. "We'll be ready for whatever comes next, Eobard. Count on it."
With the confession recorded and their plan set, they prepared to present the evidence and finally bring justice to Barry's family.
A/N
Just decided to use this medium to let those who loved The Omnipotent System that I have began rewriting it and I am going to release the chapters tonight and would like you all to support me by adding it to your collection.