Chapter 29: Rogue Air

Chapter 29: Rogue Air

The air in S.T.A.R. Labs was thick with a new kind of tension. Thawne was trapped, Grodd was contained, but the Pipeline, our metahuman prison, was a ticking time bomb. The team had decided to move the captured metahumans to Lian Yu, Oliver Queen's infamous island prison. A high-stakes, incredibly dangerous prison transfer.

"Oh, great. A prison break. With super-powered inmates. What could possibly go wrong? Probably everything. And knowing my luck, Captain Cold and Heat Wave will be there. Because they just love to crash my parties. And my internal organs." My internal monologue was a symphony of impending doom.

"We need a plan," Barry said, pacing the cortex. "A foolproof one. These metahumans are dangerous. And we can't afford any mistakes."

"We need to anticipate their moves," I said, pulling up a schematic of the transport route. "Snart and Rory will be there. They'll try to free the others. They'll probably hit us at the most vulnerable point. A choke point. A bridge. Or a tunnel. Somewhere we can't use Barry's speed to its full advantage." I looked at Oliver, who had arrived with Diggle to assist. "And we'll need all hands on deck. Including Firestorm."

Oliver nodded grimly. "Agreed. We can't take any chances."

The plan was complex, involving Barry, Oliver, Firestorm (Ronnie and Stein), and the rest of Team Flash. I was tasked with coordinating the ground team, anticipating the Rogues' moves, and providing real-time intel.

The prison transport was a tense affair. The armored truck, carrying the metahumans, rumbled through the city streets. And then, just as I predicted, they struck. Captain Cold, Heat Wave, and a few other Rogues materialized on a bridge, blocking the path.

"Surprise, Flash," Snart drawled, his cold gun gleaming. "Did you miss us?"

The battle was chaotic. Barry was a blur, trying to contain the Rogues while protecting the transport. Oliver and Firestorm engaged the other metahumans. I was positioned near the truck, trying to get a read on the Rogues' tactics, when Snart and Rory, seeing an opening, lunged directly at the truck, aiming to disable it.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me. Again? You two just love to mess with my internal temperature regulators, don't you? Fine. Let's dance, you fiery ice clowns."

I threw myself in front of the truck, a human barrier. Snart unleashed a blast of ice, while Rory spewed a torrent of fire. Both then lunged, aiming to physically overpower me.

[IMMINENT THREAT DETECTED. DUAL PHYSICAL ATTACK. EXTREME COLD. EXTREME HEAT. INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH. INSUFFICIENT RESILIENCE.]

[ADAPTATION: DUAL ACTIVATION. ENHANCED STRENGTH. DOUBLING THREAT'S COMBINED PHYSICAL STRENGTH. ENHANCED RESILIENCE. DOUBLING THREAT'S COMBINED RESILIENCE. ACTIVE.]

A familiar, electric surge coursed through me, but this time, it was an overwhelming combination of brute force and unyielding resistance. My muscles bulged, my bones felt like solid bedrock, and the blasts of ice and fire slammed into me, but I held firm. I was an immovable object, a human fortress. I grabbed Snart's arm, twisting it with impossible strength, making him yelp in surprise. I met Rory's fiery punch with a solid block, absorbing the impact without flinching.

"Yeah, buddy! You want to play rough? I can play rough! My body is a temple of pure, stubborn, adapted power! Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I just dislocated my moral compass."

I held them both off, a desperate, powerful struggle, buying crucial seconds for Barry and Oliver to intervene. I was physically straining, every fiber of my being screaming, but I held my ground, a human shield against two powerful metahumans.

Oliver and Barry, seeing my impossible struggle, zipped in. Barry disarmed Snart, while Oliver engaged Rory. The Rogues were quickly subdued.

[ADAPT SYSTEM: DEACTIVATED. EXTREME STAMINA DRAIN. RECOVERY INITIATED.]

The power drained from me, leaving me utterly spent. My limbs felt like jelly, and I crumpled to the ground, gasping for air, my body trembling uncontrollably.

Caitlin was by my side in an instant, her face pale with worry. "Adam! You just… you fought them both! How?!"

"Just… really, really didn't want them to steal the metahumans," I wheezed, trying to force a smile. "Turns out, I'm a big fan of keeping dangerous people locked up. And also, I'm apparently a human brick wall."

Oliver and Barry stood over me, their expressions a mixture of awe and grudging respect.

"You're a formidable ally, Mr. Stiels," Oliver said, his voice gruff. "Remarkable."

"Yeah, you really went toe-to-toe with them," Barry added, shaking his head in disbelief. "I don't even know how you do it."

"Me neither, Flash," I said, a tired grin on my face. "Me neither. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need a very long nap. And maybe a very large sandwich. With extra pickles."

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