In an alternate timeline, taking place shortly after Outsiders, the Light find Wally West first,
“Have I got a surprise for you.”
Luthor rolls his eyes. After the PR and legal hell he’s been through, he could use a win, but he doubts Psimon has anything as good as all that for him. He leans back in his desk chair, and turns to gaze out at the Metropolis skyline.
Still…
“And what’s that?”
He can almost hear Psimon grin; so proud of himself for whatever reason.
“The original Kid Flash.”
Luthor rolls his eyes. “Didn’t he die? Honestly Psimon-”
“Oh no. I’ve been inside his mind. It’s really him. He disappeared years ago, but I found him. He’s ours now.”
“Hm. Interesting.”
*****
He meets Psimon in Nanda Parbot the next night, where Ra’s and Talia are there waiting at the Lazarus pit.
It’s uncomfortably hot in the cave, and it smells of death; putrid flesh.
“The Lazarus pit will either rejuvenate him, and kill him,” Psimon tells them.
“He’s valuable to us,” Luthor points out. “Is this worth the risk?”
“He’s a shell right now,” Talia explains. “A full recovery would take months; months we do not have.”
Luthor frowns and looks to the boy…man, really. Young, but a man. Green eyes stare vacantly ahead, mouth slightly agape. His Kid Flash uniform is ripped and torn, his body ravaged by malnourishment.
It’s clear he doesn’t know where he is or what’s going on. It’s likely he doesn’t even know his own name anymore, let alone which side he fights for.
Luthor waves a hand slowly in front of the boy’s face and snaps his fingers.
Nothing.
No response.
He turns to Ra’s and Talia.
“Do it.”
*****
Consciousness hits him like a freight train, and when his eyes snap open, he realizes he’s underwater.
His super speed propels him out of the pit and to the other end of the cave, limbs shaking, breath shallow and harsh. He collapses in a heap.
“My dear boy.”
It’s a gentle voice, and when he looks up, there’s a woman standing over him, looking…
Concerned. Possibly.
“You are alright now,” she tells him, kneeling in front of him. “We have saved you.”
He blinks. “I…”
“Do you remember anything?” she asks.
He thinks hard, but nothing comes. He feels…blank.
What’s his name? Where does he come from? What day is it? What is his favorite food?
His stomach rumbles, and he frowns, feeling himself flush with embarrassment.
“It is alright now, my love,” Talia says gently. “You are safe here with us. No one will ever hurt you again.” She smiles.
And it’s not quite a…kind smile.
But it’s a smile.
“We will make certain of that,” she promises.
And he believes her.
He has no reason not to.
*****
Recovery is quick from there. He doesn’t know what happened; all he knows is that he can run.
“You have the meta gene,” Talia told him over tea one day. “It has given you enhanced speed. We believe you may be the fastest man alive.”
He nods, processing that. He hasn’t been able to talk much; his voice feels too raw and words seem…
Words belong to other people.
“Come,” Talia orders gently. “Finish your tea. There is much to do.”
*****
Fastest man alive is probably accurate.
He learns eight different fighting styles in a week, and four languages on top of it.
He can run a mile in less than ten seconds.
He hears his masters talking one day.
“It is public record that he was never that fast previously,” Ra’s says. “This is new. Something happened to him. We must find out what.”
“Yes, Father,” Talia nods. “And in the meantime, I will keep training him.”
“See that he is prepared.”
“Yes, Father.”
*****
Preparation means a lot of things.
In the League of Shadows, it means being able to withstand torture; being prepared to end your life should the need arise; it means being loyal.
Always loyal.
He’s tortured nearly to death, and buried alive. He is stabbed and shot at, electrocuted and he doesn’t break.
There is nothing to break.
But when he’s allowed to rest; when the sun cracks through the clouds at the end of his third week of training, he dreams.
*****
“Wally, what is all this?”
“Happy Valentine’s day, Babe.”
“It was two days ago.”
“Well, you were on a mission and I was buried under schoolwork…I figured we could have a little late celebration. I got your favorite.”
“Are those the veggie dumplings-”
“From down the street. And extra plum sauce to go with.”
“My hero.”
“Hands down my favorite job. I love you.”
*****
When he wakes up, alone in his quarters on the mat on the floor, he can still hear the woman’s voice, smokey and warm. She had been…blonde? Blonde, with dark eyes, and a knowing smile.
Was he…had he been…Wally?
*****
“What’s my name?”
Talia doesn’t look at him, busy as she is with bathing the baby in a small basin. Damian is only a few weeks old. He’s cute, but demanding, taking up his master’s time.
“What do you mean?” Talia asks lightly.
“Was…I…am I…Wally?”
He doesn’t get a response.
But the world goes black.
*****
He wakes the next morning from a dreamless sleep, and Talia stands in the doorway.
“You have more training.”
*****
The Red Hood watches him curiously. He’s young, but his skills are honed.
The Red Hood is…familiar.
They don’t talk about it.
They don’t talk about anything.
*****
Talia comes to him the night before his naming ceremony, where he’ll be officially inducted into the league, and drops her robe, naked before him.
He stares at her for a long, quiet moment, and thinks of…
Dark eyes. Thin, strong fingers stroking his hair lovingly.
“My Wally…”
When Talia leans in to kiss him, he turns away.
“No,” he says, his voice quiet but firm.
“Good,” Talia says softly. “You are focused.”
She slips her robe back on and heads for the door. “Tomorrow you become one with the Shadows.”
