Regan Williams

"Captain Lance, I'll be fine," I told my superior officer as I packed some of my needed belongings at my desk in the Starling City Police Department into my satchel. "Taking on one small investigation with the CCPD is a task I think I can handle."

"You sure?" He raised an eyebrow, roughing up the back of his shaved head nervously. "You definitely won't ditch the job here, right?"

I gave him a small chuckle, "Of course not. My home and heart is and will always be in Starling."

Clasping the strap of my satchel locked, I placed the messenger bag about my shoulder before giving my boss an amicable embrace.

"Come back soon. I don't think the forensics sector here at SCPD can live without you," Captain Lance gave a mocking sniffle. "In any case, figure out that case quickly and well. I doubt you'd want to embarrass us officers at Starling. Make us proud."

I smiled, "Definitely."

With that being said, I left the police department to home, where I would assemble my needed belongings before I was off to Central City.

Barry Allen

I rushed through the doors of the CCPD in a daze. I was late yet again.

Joe walked over to me after he finished talking to the Captain, chiding, "Really, again?"

I rubbed my forehead, apologizing, "Joe, I'm sorry . . ."

"I swear that's my name now," Joe sighed. "'Joe, I'm sorry.'"

I grimaced.

"There's a murder case we're onto and it links to a similar investigation in Starling City. The SCPD's sending one of their scientists from forensics over to help and report back to her authority. But until that scientist arrives, the police collected some skin cells at the murder site. Run it through the PCR and replicate more of the DNA, you hear me?"

"Yes, sir, I hear you," I exhaled a deep breath.

Then Joe leaned in the whisper by my ear, "Are you going to Star Labs later?"

"Yeah, I am," I whispered in reply. "Gonna go out to patrol again via . . . Well, you know . . . Flash."

Joe chuckled, patting my back, "Well, then. I'll see you later."

With that being said, I jogged up the stairs to my laboratory to replicate the DNA samples collected . . . Exactly as Joe asked.

~*~~*~~~*~~~~*~*~~~~*~~~*~~*~
Regan Williams

I stepped off the train with my luggage before dragging it down the port towards the exit ramp. Everything was damp and adhesive, sticking everything together through the hydrogen bonds in water. The constant and steady pitter patter of rain made the world seem like a monotone metronome. Everything seemed colorless- purely black and white.

I rushed down the pavement to the streets before glancing at my phone for the directions to the CCPD. I was scheduled to be there at 9:00 A.M. sharp, and I definitely did not want to be late for my first CCPD appearance and investigation.

I sighed. This was going to be quite the hassle.

Following the directions on my phone, I managed to reach the Central City Police Department without much further ado.

I entered the glass doors and was immediately taken back by the detail in decór the CCPD elaborated at their station. Golden frames with portraits of bronze statues were adorned at the center of the foyer. Marble spanned across the walls and ceiling. It was utterly stunning.

As I gazed at the marveling structures around me, I failed to notice someone approach me.

"Hello," the man extended his hand to greet me. "The name's Joe West. I'm a detective for the CCPD. You must be Regan Williams."

I shook his hand firmly in return with a warm smile plastered across my face, "Indeed I am. Thanks for having me help out in your investigation. I'm sure it will help with the SCPD's similar case as well."

Detective West chuckled as he shook his head, "Nah, it's fine. Besides, we've only had one forsensic scientist here at Central City at a time, so it's nice to have another scientist around. I'll show you to where you'll be working. You'll be working with our forensics scientist Barry Allen. He's the best around these days, though he's always tardy."

I gave him a small smile as he led the way upstairs to the office, or should I say lab, I would be working at.

We past by several hallways before finally reaching the wooden, steel-plated double doors to a relatively messy and clean (if that could even be possible) laboratory. Millions upon millions stacks of papers were filed and piled everywhere across the room, but it wasn't exactly done hastily or lazily either. They were placed appropriately and neatly, though it wasn't in rows or columns either. A shelf held many of the chemicals needed to replicate DNA samples: restriction enzymes, gel panels for gel electrophoresis, NaCl, carbon-based polymers, so forth. At one of the tables in the room, there were five PCR machines, all of which were in use.

At the far end of the room, by the glass windows sat a tall, lean, young man who was fixated at a computer screen, seemingly analyzing data from several investigations. His hair was brown, his eyes of a light gray, and he was wearing beige khakis, loafers, and a plaid shirt topped with a gray sweater. He barely seemed to notice Detective Joe and I walk in.

"Hey, Barry," Detective Joe called out the boy's name.

He seemed a bit surprised at our presence, for he fumbled from his seat to stand up and greet us properly.

"Hey, Joe," the so-called Barry gave his superior a small smile. "What's up?"

"Starling City has a similar case to the murder investigation we're having right now, so I asked the SCPD to send over someone from their forensics department to help out. We both believe that the killer is the same, but whether or not it's true depends on how your tests go, Barry. In any case, and this is Regan Williams. She's the best in forensics in Starling City, according to Captain Lance, and so she'll be helping us with our investigation. You two help each other, alright? I have some other matters to discuss with the other men downstairs."

"Yes, sir," Barry replied with a smile as Detective West headed towards the door.

Before leaving, Joe added, "Oh, and, Barry, show her around the station."

The boy gave a nod of his head before hastily cleaning up his desk.

I stood there awkwardly as I waited for him to finish whatever it was that he was doing.

After he finished jumbling his cleaning, he turned his attention to me and shoved his hands in his pockets nervously.

He then proceeded to hastily extend his hand out for me to shake, "The name's Barry Allen. I'm a forensic scientist here in Central. What's your name?"

I mentally laughed. We were re-introducing each other, even though Joe technically already introduced us to one another.

I shook his hand firmly, before answering, "Regan. Regan Williams."

He gave me a smile, "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," I replied evenly.

We stood there slightly flustered for several more minutes before I told him what I knew.

"Well, my commanding officer back in Starling gave me a folder containing what happened at the site, the autopsies of the bodies, and so forth," I began, pulling out a folder from the side pocket of my luggage.

I flipped out to a page in the folder, showing a picture of the mangled bodies at the crime scene.

"The bodies look like the people were utterly shocked before they were killed. There were no bullet holes evident at the crime scene or any wounds or scars from the victims' bodies. That is, except for one."

I flipped onto the next page to show him a picture of a small puncture wound at the necks of the victims.

"This wound was seen on all the victims. It's a rare way of murdering, though," I pursed my lips. "Bl-"

"Black widow bites," Barry finished my sentence. He crossed his arms in a thoughtful manner, seemingly absorbed in the case. "Where was the crime scene?"

"Right outside of an ex-Queen Consolidated tech building," I responded in a heartbeat. "Where was the crime scene for this one in Central?"

"Nearby Star Labs," he replied, eyes widening. "Knowing this, they were probably trying to receive information about . . . Hm . . ."

Right then, the PCR machine beeped, signaling that the DNA replication was completed.

"Can you . . ." Barry asked me before I interrupted him.

"Get my sample of DNA from Starling?" I gave him a small knowing smile. "Sure."

He gave me that flashy-white, usual smile of his and a nod of the head before rushing over to the PCR machine to extract the DNA sample.

As we were taking the DNA samples out of their carriers, I attempted some small talk, "How is working as a scientist for the CCPD, fun?"

He smiled yet again, "Yeah, it is. It's nice working with Joe, especially. He can be a handful sometimes, but it's worth it. He's the best detective out there. So . . . do you know anyone in Central?"

I chuckled softly, "Not really, no."

He raised an eyebrow, "Not really?"

I answered the impending question stuck in his mind, "Yeah, a friend of mine passed away during the particle accelerator explosion last year . . ."

Barry gave me a knowing look, before smiling, "I was hit by lightning last year via particle accelerator."

I arched a brow, "You sound like that's a good thing."

He laughed lightly, before muttering, "If only you knew."

Knowing that he probably meant for me not to hear that, I let the latter go.

"So what was the name of your friend?"

I sighed, "Well, he wasn't exactly a friend. He was just my science partner during college several times. Ronnie Raymond, if that rings any bell."

Barry's eyes widened, meaning that he knew the name, "I know him . . . Kind of."

I smiled serenely, "Well, yeah. That's the past. In any case, the sample?"

I walked over beside Barry, who was applying the DNA sample to the gel panel for electrophoresis.

Taking my sample as well, I took a dropper and dropped the DNA sample from the SCPD into one of the wells of the panel as well.

I stepped away from the panel as Barry turned on the shock switch.

"It's gonna take a bit before the DNA segments start separating," Barry muttered aloud.

"How about I show you around in the meantime?" Barry suggested, pushing himself off from leaning on the desk. "Some of the sculptures here are really breathtaking."

"Sure," I replied, slightly eager. "Lead the way."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Barry teased before exiting the laboratory to give me the official tour of the Central City Police department.

"So where are we going first?" I asked him, before jesting. "Bathroom?"

"Lavatory," he said seriously. "People always end up forgetting where it is, and it always annoys Joe when they keep pestering the same question of 'where's the bathroom?'"

I chuckled, agreeing, "Alright."

After he showed me where the bathrooms upstairs were located, he then proceeded to show me the supplies room, where the CCPD stored their chemicals, first aid materials, and other maintenance supplies.

"The firearms are in another room," Barry told me. "Down in the basement specifically. So in case any bad guys idiotically enter the CCPD . . . You know where to find it."

I nodded my head in understanding.

Barry then showed me the offices and the other fellow policemen, detectives, and captains present. It was nice meeting the CCPD policemen. They were much more kind and carefree than the SCPD.

Starling's atmosphere was always gloomy, intense, and nerve-racking. Here in Central, however, everything was . . . Less intense, more sunlight could be seen outside . . . There were no slums like the Glades. Well, at least not as much, and the crime rate in Central was one of the lowest in the nation.

On our way down to Joe's office (a particular destination Barry really wanted to pass by), we passed by one of the gold statues that decorated the CCPD.

I admired it's beauty as we passed by. What was there not to like about it? In Starling, there were no statues or beautiful sculptures and works of art. There was only office boxes next to office boxes like beehives, and that would be where we all worked. We had cadavers in the "freezer" to preserve since there were some cases when we couldn't determine the cause of death of victims on site. It was kind of creepy, to be honest. Working in the same building as dead bodies were stored . . . It wasn't exactly the nicest thought in mind.

"Nice, huh?" Barry smiled knowingly at bother and the sculpture. "When I visited Starling, the police department there looked pretty dull. No offense."

I chuckled, "None taken. What were you there for?"

"Oh," Barry tarried. "Um, an investigation."

I arched an eyebrow, "How come I've never seen you around before?"

He coughed nervously, "It was classified information."

I stared at him blankly, knowing that he was lying, but decided it was better to ignore it.

Once we reached over to Joe's office, we saw Joe working tediously at his desk, scribbling words down on several papers- probably reports.

"Hey, Joe," Barry knocked in the frame of the already open door. "What's up?"

Joe looked up from his desk with a grim face before breaking out into a smile.

"Why, hello there Ms. Wilson," Joe smiled warmly as he stood up. "I trust that Barry here has been kind to you."

The said man gave a pointed look towards Barry.

"He's been really kind in giving me a tour around the department and some insight as well," I smiled in return. "He was no trouble at all, Detective West."

Joe then walked over to the side of his desk, saying, "No, no. Please. Just call me Joe."

Barry seemed to notice that I was hesitant that my manners would seem out of place, so he added, "Everyone here calls my old 'Joe,' so there's absolutely no need to feel out of place."

With that being said, I offered, "Then I would like for you to call me simply as 'Regan.'"

Joe grinned, "You have yourself a deal, Regan."

"So . . ." Barry joked, for he already knew the answer to the question. "Does that offer apply to me as well?"

An edge of my mouth curved up in a half-smirk, "I think you already know the answer to that one, Barry. Of course you can."

He glanced at the watch on his wrist before saying, "The electrophoresis process must be done by now. How about we head upstairs, finish analyzing, type up the work, and then head out for lunch?"

Joe remarked, "Go to CC Jitters. It's the best place to grab a bite here in Central."

Barry gave his boss a pointed look, "You know, you're just saying that because Iris works there, right?"

The two men in the room must have noticed my confusion before Barry added, "Joe's daughter. She's a good friend of mine. She works by there sometimes when she doesn't have work at the reporters' office."

"I see," I commented, before glancing at my own watch. "Want to try to finish before 12:30? That'll give us about two and a half hours until then."

"Sure," Barry flashed me a smile. "You want to join us later, Joe?"

Joe shook his head, a smile still plastered across his face, "Nah, I'm good. Maybe next time. I still have a lot of paperwork to do before I can go anywhere. Well, see you around."

Barry simply gave Joe a nod of the head before heading back out the door.

"See you around, Joe," I bid my farewell before tagging behind Barry.

As we walked upstairs, Barry rambled, "Just a footnote, but the sculptures here were actually commissioned from the art museum here. Pretty interesting, if you ask me. Since they've been here with the CCPD since the beginning, we eventually forgot where and when they were made. So, during my spare time, I researched some stuff about art and eventually came across the records of where and when the art sculptures were made. Fun times . . ."

I mentally noted how observant Barry was. No wonder he was the only needed forensics man at Central City. He alone was the one-man job.

Once we reached the lab, Barry and I immediately headed over to the electrophoresis panel to see whether or not the DNA segments separated or not.

"Well," Barry muttered, eyeing the gel panel as he put on his lab gloves and goggles. "That's done. Can you get the camera on the shelf behind you? Oh, and, there's an extra set of goggles and gloves on the shelf there too."

"On it," I replied in a heartbeat as I headed over to the shelf to first put on my gloves and goggles before getting the camera.

Once I got back, I snapped several pictures of the board for police cross-reference.

"I'll go and scan this onto the computer and send it to Joe. Why don't you analyze the DNA."

I simply nodded my head before adjusting my goggles one last time. The two DNA fingerprints were one of the same. That was for sure and a given. The segments matches each other perfectly and therefore, it meant that the the killer was the same person. But who would travel to and from Starling and Central just for science, unless, of course, it meant that the suspect wanted something from the sites. Nothing was reported stolen from Starling. The only thing damaged there was three gun shots at a now damaged computer screen. Three rounds . . .

"It's going to take another four hours before the DNA scans can process the DNA of who this is," Barry informed me with a heard exhale. "In the meantime, we can work on the papers due from the DNA scan. How about I work on the PCR process and forms, and you work on the electrophoresis portion of the investigation and the research papers? That alright wig you?"

"Sure," I gave him a small smile. "I'll work on it right now."

Three hours later . . .

"Gosh, I'm hungry," Barry sighed, leaning back against his rolling chair.

"Well," I forced back a smile. "Are you done yet?""

"Still need several more lines," he muttered, rubbing his eyes.

I rolled my eyes, "Well, then, flipping finish it, Mr. Allen."

He shrugged, now twiddling his thumbs, "They don't exactly need it by today."

I sighed as I typed up the last bits of my papers and sent them to the printer here in the lab, "I'll help you finish then."

Barry teased praising the heavens, "Thank you, Mother Earth."

I laughed as I walked over to his station, "Funny, Barry. Really funny."

Sarcasm dripped from my very words.

After we finished both Barry's and my papers, we quickly printed them out before heading down to Joe's office to hand them to him.

After that was completed, Barry and I decided to go over to Jitters for lunch before returning back to the CCPD to finish cross-referencing whose fingerprint/DNA the sample belonged to.

"Ready?" Barry asked me as he slid on his coat and grabbing an umbrella, since it was still raining.

"As I'll ever be," I chuckled, quoting something epic, as I too put on my petticoat and beanie into place.

Barry gave me a 'discerning' look, before opening the steel-played doors of the lab.

As we both exited, he started going down the stairs before turning back to extend his hand to mine. Slightly flustered, it took me a nanosecond before I reached out and clasped my hand against his.

He smiled, dragging me down so that I was on the same step as him before sliding an arm around my waist.

I blushed the lightest shade of coral.

If anything at all, this gesture was something I wouldn't and couldn't forget. Besides . . . Who even could?