Chapter 22: Out of Time

Chapter 22: Out of Time

The aftermath of the Firestorm incident left me utterly drained, both physically and emotionally. My body felt like a husk, slowly recharging, and the memory of absorbing that raw, nuclear energy still sent phantom shivers through me. Caitlin, bless her heart, had been a constant presence, nursing me back to health with a fierce, worried devotion that both warmed and terrified me.

"Okay, Adam. You survived a nuclear explosion. You survived the Reverse-Flash. You survived a date with Caitlin that involved a teleporting thief. What's next? Oh, right. Time travel. And Cisco dying. Fun times. Just gotta keep my poker face on and try not to scream." My internal monologue was a chaotic blend of exhaustion and dread.

Mark Mardon, the brother of Clyde Mardon, the first metahuman we ever faced, made his appearance. Weather Wizard. And I knew exactly what that meant: the time travel episode. The one where Barry accidentally breaks the timeline. And the one where Wells reveals his true colors by murdering Cisco.

"He's using his brother's staff," Cisco explained, looking at the weather patterns Mardon was creating. "He's more powerful. And he's coming for Joe."

"He's not just coming for Joe," I said, my voice tight with a tension I couldn't fully hide. "He's coming for everyone who put his brother away. And Barry… Barry, you need to be careful. This isn't just a fight. This is… this is a trap. And sometimes, trying to fix things can make them worse." I looked at him, my gaze intense. "Time is… fickle, Barry. Messing with it can have unforeseen consequences. Like a butterfly flapping its wings and causing a hurricane."

Barry looked at me, a puzzled frown on his face. "What are you talking about, Adam? Butterfly effect?"

"Just… a theory," I shrugged, trying to appear casual. "But seriously, be careful. This guy's dangerous. And he's going to push you to your limits."

My internal conflict was raging. I knew what was coming. I knew Cisco was going to die. And I knew I couldn't stop it. Not without potentially derailing the entire timeline, and risking even worse consequences. I had to let it happen. I had to watch my friend die. It was a horrifying, isolating burden.

The confrontation with Mark Mardon was chaotic. He unleashed a full-blown tornado on the city, pushing Barry to his absolute limits. Barry, in a desperate attempt to stop Mardon, pushed himself faster than he ever had before.

Then, it happened.

The comms crackled. "Barry, you're going too fast!" Caitlin's voice was filled with alarm.

A blinding flash of light. A ripple in the air. Barry was gone. And then, he was back. But something was… off.

"What… what just happened?" Cisco asked, looking around, bewildered.

"I… I think I went back in time," Barry whispered, his face pale with shock. "Just for a second. I saw… I saw myself."

Oh, God. He did it. He actually did it. The timeline is about to get a hard reset. And I'm the only one who remembers.

Later, back at S.T.A.R. Labs, the tension was thick. Wells, with his usual calm demeanor, was observing Barry, a subtle, triumphant smirk playing on his lips. Cisco, still oblivious to his impending doom, was excitedly theorizing about time travel. Caitlin was worried about Barry's mental state.

Then, Wells called Cisco into the Time Vault. My heart hammered against my ribs. This is it. This is the moment. Don't look, Adam. Don't react. Don't give him any reason to suspect you.

I forced myself to focus on a random data stream, my hands trembling slightly. I heard the muffled voices from the Time Vault. Wells's calm, chilling explanation of his true identity. Cisco's horrified gasp. And then… the sickening sound. A wet thud. Followed by silence.

My blood ran cold. My breath hitched in my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut for a split second, a silent scream trapped in my chest. He did it. He actually did it. He killed him. Right there. My friend. Gone.

I forced my eyes open, forced my face into a mask of shock and horror, mirroring Caitlin's reaction. She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, tears instantly springing to her eyes.

"Cisco?!" she cried, rushing towards the Time Vault door.

Wells emerged, his face a mask of sorrow. "He… he's gone, Caitlin. Mardon… he must have had an accomplice. A final trap." His voice was laced with a chilling, deceptive grief.

My stomach churned. I wanted to scream. I wanted to punch him. I wanted to tell Caitlin the truth, to expose him right then and there. But I couldn't. The timeline. Barry's speed. The future. It all depended on me playing along.

I watched Caitlin collapse in grief, her body wracked with sobs. I wanted to comfort her, to tell her it would be okay, that he would be back. But I couldn't. I just stood there, a silent, horrified witness, burdened by a secret that felt like a lead weight in my soul.

[ADAPT SYSTEM STATUS: DORMANT. NO DIRECT THREAT TO HOST. EMOTIONAL TRAUMA DETECTED.]

The system remained silent. It couldn't protect me from emotional pain. It couldn't bring my friend back. It could only watch, just like me. And in that moment, the weight of my meta-knowledge, the burden of knowing too much, felt like an unbearable curse.

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you can read also to chap 45 chapters of "MCU: The Adapt System" "B99/HIMYM: I M here" "In Marvel With Auction System" " IN MARVEL WITH MISCHIEF SYSTEM" "Universal Marchent : MCU/ARROWVERSE " "In Marvel With Guild System" "Marvel : Please Kill Me" "Sitcomverse: TBBT, HIMYM, B99, & Modern family" "The Boys: I'm the New Hue, I Need More Power" and "legends of tomorrow : Im a Legend Now"+"Arrowverse: I'm a Hero"+"The Flash : Please Kill Me" "Arrowverse: I m A Fifth Dimension Being"

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