"Ladies and gentlemen, Senator Creed Phillips.” Beginning the applause herself, Fiona Webb marvels at the crowd. She has been Creed Phillips’ personal secretary and confidant for many years, and though she did not agree with all his views, she knew him to be an honorable man. Looking at the large crowd gathered, she cannot help but smile: Creed deserved this.
And it’s not even an election year…“Thank you, everyone. Standing here today as we celebrate one of Central City’s finest sons, I feel honored to be in a position to better serve our great city. In fact, I remember growing up here, years ago, when…” Amid the photographers, Iris West clicks her camera away, all the time trying to figure out how genuine Senator Phillips is. She had not voted for him, but listening to him now, she could not help but admire the man. But with his next few lines, Iris West remembers why she had not followed the ‘We Need Creed’ crowd. She didn’t want Central City turned into a police state.
“Across the country, there has been an influx in costumed individuals. Metropolis and Gotham were just the start, for now reports are coming in from the West Coast that so-called ‘super heroes’ are emerging. But let me remind you that with these super-powered heroes come super-powered villains. There may have been only a few incidents thus far, of specialized burglary, but I ask you: how long before Central City gets its own version of the Joker? This Flash character has saved lives, there’s no questioning that. He has done well. But I am here today to ask him to leave our fair city, spare us what the media has dubbed ‘Gotham Fever’. The Flash has had a good track record so far, that much is obvious. But it’s not perfect. In his debut, I watched as a man identifying himself as ‘Captain Cold’ win out in a meta-human battle against the fastest man alive. Who’s to say it can’t happen again? Next time it might not be some costumed crook, but a psychopathic maniac. So I am asking that the Flash take his business elsewhere, and leave Central City the burden of costumed maniacs running around the city. Our officers in blue are the only heroes we need, sacrificing themselves day in and day out, without the aid of any ‘powers’.”
Turning sideways to his friend, Ralph whimsically whispers “This guy’s laying it on a little thick, don’t you think Barry? Barry? Are you OK man?”
“Huh? Oh yea, yea, just fine. Sorry, I was just thinking, that’s all.”
“Don’t tell me you’re actually buying into all this stuff man?”
“I don’t know Ralph…” Scanning the stage, Barry sees his friend and new neighbor, Fiona Webb. Somehow, she finds his face in the crowd, and smiles back.
Finishing his speech, the senator thanks the public, grateful for the large crowd. Although he was due back soon at his home, Creed Phillips decides to stay and answer a few questions before departing.
“Iris West, Central City news service. Senator, in your speech you act as though the Flash has been doing a disservice to the police department when in fact one of his biggest supporter’s has been the very prominent Captain Daryl Frye. Do you really think that the Flash hinders more than helps the CCPD?”
“The Flash has been a service to the police department, undoubtedly. But, Ms. West, my main concern is what affects having a super-powered being is going to have in our community. These super-villain attacks are getting out of hand.”
“Super-villain attacks? There have been only four such know events in recent times in Central City, perpetrated by separate men, one already in custody. Do you think this all may be too reactionary on your part?”
“No, I do not. I don’t know when such an attack will be next, but I know this: Central City cannot afford to have the Flash, and we do not need the Flash. We can take care of our own problems.”
Before another reply can be made, a razor-sharp boomerang flies out of no where, heading directly for the Senator Philips’ forehead. Suddenly appearing on stage, the Flash catches it in time, only to have it explode in his hand. Having thrown it up in the air before most of the damage is done, the Flash is still unable to negate some of the explosion’s impact. Taking the brunt of it, the Flash’s hand begins to bleed badly, though he is able to quickly wrap his wound with a ripped piece of his costume. But several more boomerangs had been thrown within seconds of the first, and now the Flash is trying to catch them all. The razor-sharp boomerangs never hit their target, however, and the only casualty becomes the well-being of Barry’s hands. Taking a split second to catch a breath, Barry decides to pursue the source of the problem, only to find that he cannot. Within the minute that the attack had taken, the stage the senator and his staff had begun to lose its foundation due to the explosion. Now, the Flash raced to get the people off the stage, indeed, to get everyone out of the immediate area. Running towards Fiona Webb, a pillar collapses in front of Barry, trapping her against the wrecked stage. “Just hang on, Fiona!” Using his superhuman speed to drawn the fumes away from her, Barry decides that if he can’t get to her himself, he’ll have to stop the fire. Quickly drawing the flames away, the Flash is glad when he finds that the flames had been dealt with. Sighing for a moment, Barry turns his head, managing to duck out of the way from another boomerang just in time. Turning, he meets the latest addition to his rouges: the W. W. Wiggins toy man who had been selling boomerangs to kids. “Let me guess: the Living Boomerang?”
Smiling sardonically, the Australian manages to look more confident than most. “Captain Boomerang, actually.”
“Captain?”
“Never could join the Navy. Had to be captain somehow.” With that, the new foe prepares to throw another boomerang, only to have the Flash race right up towards him, grabbing his arm.
“Sorry, Captain, but you’ve caused enough trouble today.”
“I’d think not enough, really.” Throwing a punch at the Flash, Barry easily moves out of the way but he fails to notice Digger Harkins slipping a miniature throwing device from his shirt sleeve pouch. Throwing it in Barry’s side as he throws the punch, the Flash falls to the ground.
“I don’t care how fast you are, Flash. Nothing beats a little pain.” Getting up to run after Captain Boomerang, Flash finds that he cannot. Digger had thrown another of his boomerang ‘toys’ at the Flash: this one binding his legs with a cord. Laughing as the Flash hits the floor, Captain Boomerang gives a mock salute as he prepares to leave. But before he can take another step, the Flash quickly picks up one of the villains’ own boomerangs and throws it, knocking him unconsciously. Eventually breaking free of his binding with another one of Captain Boomerang’s blades, this one razor-sharp, Barry thanks God for his enhanced healing factor.
* * *
