ϟ It hadn’t been entirely difficult to find Hartley. At least, not for Thawne. Rathaway was a gifted mind, and like most rare and treasured things, traces of those gifts created a trail, a pattern. Eobard could feel them; the kindred mind surrounding him. Hartley truly was a clever boy; to dupe Cisco multiple times. Even if he’d had to burn down the bridge that had connected them, it was worth noting that Thawne truly had been fond of Hartley; with his brilliant theories (Well, for his time.), his invested ambition in the particle accelerator, and, yes, even the boy’s sour attitude. It was a shame to let him go; but it had to be done. It could’ve been worse: He could’ve just killed the boy. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. That rage was reserved for the Flash, not the Pied Piper.
Hartley had holed himself up in a loft on the south side of Central City. Clever, again, to be hiding in plain sight. He appeared to had invested most of the funds that he received working for “Dr. Wells”, so that he would never find himself cut off again without some means of survival. He’d learned that lesson the hard way. Thawne had found him, and broken in numerous times, observing all of his research, his gadgets. Another shame, that this mind was to eventually become an ally of The Flash. Such talents that could’ve been used elsewhere.
It came time to confront him. Thawne’s time in this era; it was drawing to a close. Soon, he would be back in a distant era, his era. But, he wanted things even between him and the Piper. There was little the boy could do to stop him, not that he would. So, as Hartley settled in for one of those lonely nights, Thawne made his move, wrapped in red lightning as he entered into the loft. Hartley knew more than he had lead on. He had figured out that there was more to “Harrison Wells” a long time ago. Eobard had expected the blank look on the Piper’s face. “You were waiting for me.” He murmured, his vocal chords vibrating at that ungodly frequency. “Then there is no need to hide.”
Thawne tugged the yellow mask from his face, his own eyes relaxing softly onto Hartley. “When did you figure it out, Hartley?” He grinned. Such a clever boy.