Three Women, Plenty of Drama, and Barry Allen's Little Gift

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Starling City.

In the basement of Felicity's villa, which served as the Birds of Prey's base and command room, Felicity Smoak, Laurel Lance, and Selina Kyle stood around an open computer. All three wore the same style of light sleepwear, each in a different color, and all three were staring at the email on the screen.

The message contained only one sentence:

Damon Keller appeared in Central City.

It was only one line, but the three women looked at it for a long time before Laurel Lance spoke first.

"Could this be the Huntress setting a trap? A year ago, we collected enough evidence to put her father, Frank, in prison, but the Huntress refused to let it go. She has been looking for a chance to kill Frank ever since. I heard Frank applied for protected medical treatment from prison. What if the Huntress wants to use that chance to make a move and sent us Damon's location to draw us to Central City?"

Selina Kyle could not help scoffing.

"Even Batman has returned to Gotham. Damon has been missing for so long without a word. If he really came back, he should have returned to Starling City. Felicity is his actual girlfriend. Why would he show up in Central City? It does not sound very credible."

Felicity's expression darkened, though she tried to sound casual.

"You both know what happened with the Huntress. He is not exactly the kind of man who only loves one woman. And after all this time, he... he might already have a new girlfriend."

"So what?" Selina said. "You two never broke up."

"Does that make a difference?" Felicity snapped. "It is just a title. Even before he disappeared, he spent every day with the Huntress. Are you telling me he never touched you, never looked at you, never took advantage of either of you?"

"Why are you dragging me into this? I did not say anything," Laurel said quickly, trying to clear herself.

"He took advantage of you the most," Selina said without hesitation, throwing the blame straight at her.

The three of them had formed a team, lived together for convenience, and spent enough time around one another that each already understood the little things that had happened between Damon and the others. Even so, Laurel still felt guilty and changed the subject.

After all, Damon had taken more liberties with her than with Catwoman.

"Can you trace who sent the email?"

"Whoever sent it knows what they are doing," Felicity said. "They erased every trace after sending it. All I can confirm is that the email really came from Central City."

"Then check what the Huntress is doing."

"On it."

Felicity's fingers flew across the keyboard. Twenty minutes later, she had Helena's current movements.

The Huntress was still in Starling City, apparently dealing with street criminals.

"It probably was not her," Felicity said.

"That does not rule out her asking someone else to help," Laurel said.

"I say stop overthinking it," Selina said, her tone dropping. "Felicity, go to Central City and look for him yourself. If it really is a Huntress trap, you can still support us remotely."

"All right."

Felicity thought it over, then nodded. The decision was made.

Night gradually fell.

Damon glanced at the time and turned to Laurie.

"I am going out. I am not sure when I will be back. Sleep in my room tonight."

Laurie hesitated in silence, but Damon had already activated the Speed Force and left.

Lilah and Valentina's departure had not affected Damon much. After they left, he pulled Laurie over and began studying how to give her the Speed Force. Unfortunately, he had no experience with that, so half a day's work produced no progress. When he happened to turn his phone back on, Caitlin Snow's call came through almost immediately.

Apparently Barry Allen wanted to see him.

Damon had nothing else to do, so he agreed.

The meeting place was the coffee shop where Iris West worked.

The shop had not closed yet. Barry Allen and Caitlin Snow sat in a corner, drinking coffee while they waited for Damon to arrive.

"Barry, are you nervous?" Caitlin asked softly from across the table. "Actually... he is not that hard to deal with. And both of you have the Speed Force, so try not to be too tense."

Barry opened his mouth to answer, but a figure flashed. In the next instant, someone was sitting beside Caitlin Snow.

"Damon?"

Caitlin froze for a moment before recognizing him.

"No coffee for me?" Damon asked, glancing at the table with a smile.

"I did not know when you were coming or what you like," Caitlin explained as she stood. "What do you want? I will order."

"Same as yours."

Damon watched Caitlin head to the counter, then turned to Barry Allen.

"What do you want to ask?"

Seeing Damon again, Barry was not as talkative as last time. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"When I was a child, my mother..."

"Stop."

Damon cut him off after one sentence.

"I can almost recite the story of your mother from memory, so you do not need to tell it every time. Let us make this simple. I did not kill your mother. Believe it or do not."

"Why should I believe you?" Barry asked in a low voice. "All I saw was someone with the same speed and the same light."

Damon shook his head slightly and activated the Speed Force. Barry flinched, thinking Damon was attacking, only to realize Damon was not coming toward him at all.

"Fast."

Barry tried to follow Damon's movement, but his eyes could barely catch the red lightning.

He was at least twice as fast as Barry.

That thought had barely crossed Barry's mind before Damon returned.

"Open your hand," Damon said.

"What?"

Barry blinked in confusion.

"I said open your hand. I brought you something nice."

Damon's mouth curved.

Barry placed his hand on the table and opened it. Damon dropped something into his palm.

"You..."

Looking at the black scrap of fabric that looked very much like a woman's underwear, Barry instinctively tried to throw it away.

"That belongs to Iris. Are you sure you want to toss it?"

Damon's wicked laugh sounded beside him.

"I know you like Iris, but she has a boyfriend now, and you still do not dare confess. So here is a gift. Do whatever you want with it."

"You..."

Barry was no longer surprised. He was furious.

Damon had actually taken Iris's...

Barry instinctively glanced at Iris, who had noticed nothing. Then he activated the Speed Force and charged at Damon in rage.

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