In the months that had passed as the season turned from cold to moderate, Nathan had met his fair share of people. Of them, there were few he would consider friends, mostly from the S.T.A.R Labs, but this was not one of them.

"Felicity Smoak, I am from Star City."

Nathan shook his hand with the blonde woman wearing glasses. "Nathaniel Williams, I am from Central City." There was a pause at the end, but the woman didn't seem to notice.

She turned to introduce herself to Cisco, the only person left of the three. Dr. Wells wasn't present and Caitlin had just exchanged her greeting.

Still, Star City. Nathan shook his head with mild chuckle, remembering the newspaper he had read few weeks prior. The hero of the Star City, Green Arrow.

Nathan watched as the woman went up to Allen's bed and left a flower bouquet at his headrest. As the man lay in coma, there was hardly anything for the woman to do, as was with every other person who had visited; the detective father, the waitress sister, friendly colleagues, and now some girl from another city, Nathan envied the man.

Two days later, Harrison Wells called the three to the lab and for the first time, the objective of the task left Nathan giddy with excitement.

"I am sending you and Nathan to pickup some supplies from our warehouse in Starling City." Harrison Wells had mentioned for Caitlin to stay and look after Mr. Allen; Cisco and him were to retrieve the supplies.

"You look awfully happy?" Cisco gave the young man a sidelong glance as he turned the ignition on. There was a hum and the wheels started to turn.

Nathan looked outside window, past the mashed fence and took a deep breath. "How could I not, it's my first time visiting this Star City, or any city for that matter."

Cisco laughed and the two engaged in idle chatter as they neared the City, unaware of that path that lay ahead for them.

As the two had left in the evening, it was already night by the time they parked near the warehouse, which now that he was looking at, looked more like a sophisticated building much like S.T.A.R Labs. The two alighted the vehicle and made their way inside.

It didn't take long before they found the complete catalogue inside the database. Nathan looked through the lists as he scrolled to their needed items. It was in the restricted area.

"The combined inventory of every scientist who ever worked for the S.T.A.R Labs, all houses right in here, I hereby christen this building 'da bomb'."

"Hey what's this?" When Nathan called him over, Cisco tore his eyes from the numerous boxes and looked at the entry that Nathan was pointing at.

"Bio-transfuser (?), doesn't ring a bell." Nathan moved onto next, this time showing a gun; one weird looking creating by the man named Arthur Light.

"Let's just focus on what we need and stop dilly dallying." Cisco pated the man's shoulder and click of the door being opened sounded out.

"What was that?" Nathan sat from his chair and two turned to look at the door.

Cisco squinted and without looking at him said, "Could be the security guard."

Two exchanged a glance and moved towards the door, suddenly face to face with a man, who definitely looked the part.

Cisco smiled and relief washed over him, "oh, hey we should done in a few, so don't need to worry about us."

The gaurd didn't reply, his gaze hollow as he stared at the two. Nathan felt goosebumps rise along his skin, he met Cisco's gaze and realised the man thinking the same.

The guard fell with a thud, a knife logged in his back. And behind stood a man unlike any other Nathan had ever seen. He had military attire but his mask instilled more fear in him.

"Run."

Cisco ran forward with Nathan quickly falling behind. The two heard the man give chase but he seemed content in toying with them. Nathan thought he heard the man murmur something.

"What now?" It was a simple question, but the answer would decide their fate so Cisco didn't answer readily. Then suddenly he ran to his left and two found themselves before the restricted section.

"Wait, are you thinking what I am thinking?" Cisco didn't answer but Nathan caught a nervous chuckle escape the man.

 

The two entered and searched for their savoir. Nathan found the casing and the number on it and two removed the heavy metal weapon of mass destruction.

Cisco took a hurried look and confirmed it dead. Nathan felt his heart skip a beat at that, only for the engineer to reassure him of his competence; if it weren't the life and death moment, Nathan would've hit him in the head.

Soon the man entered with his sword drawn. Cisco hid behind the crate and Nathan decided to act as the bait. 

"I promise to make it quick," The man rasped and lunged, Nathan ducked and felt a wave of energy coalesce above him. For a moment he felt the torrent of energy before it blasted forth sending their attacker tumbling on the ground.

Cisco gave a shriek and dropped the weapon. Nathan didn't ask, neither did he had the time as the two bolted straight for the entrence.

...

"That was awesome." Nathan smiled at man beside him.

Cisco gave him a look, "we almost died," his eyes gaining a mrith in them and he continued, "but yeah, it was awesome."

The two waited as the they heard the sirens drawing near and soon they were swarmed by the multi colored lights from the cars of the cops. The two gave the report as was asked, but Cisco refrained from mentioning exactly what was lost. Secret sort.

"Felicity!"

"Oh my god, are you two okay." Nathan looked ahead toward the familiar woman he had met just a day or two ago.

"Fancy running into you here." Nathan turned to look and the man beside him before focusing on her.

"Oh, I was a bit worried when I heard about you two, he didn't hurt you did he?" There was genuine concern in her voice, Nathan gleaned, even if he wasn't an expert he felt himself apt at reading other people's emotions.

Cisco warded her concern off as he smiled, a bit too brightly, Nathan thought, his eyes drawing into a frown. That was when the tall black man behind Felicity introduced himself as John Diggle who worked for Queen Consolidated.

"Do you have any idea what the masked man may have taken?" The man named John asked.

Nathan saw his eyes dart between the two. Although he wasn't sure what it was that was taken he still turned his eyes to look at the smart engineer. As it turned out, Cisco didn't answer either. Was it due to security reasons or that he didn't know what exactly it was that stolen? Nathan thought it mix of the both.

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries. Felicity mention to John about Barry and as it seemed the man knew Barry too. Cisco assured the two of the man's condition before they turned to leave.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" Cisco answered the question with another question.

"That. With Felicity. You were being extra nice."

Cisco narrowed his eyes at the road, not looking Nathan in the eye he replied, "Nothing wrong with being extra nice. You should try it, how about that Rachel girl."

Nathan let out a snicker. Shaking his head, he focused on the road. He thought of the incident not too long ago. How some blood crazed psycho had almost gutted him alive. No matter how much he laughed at the scenario, he couldn't help feeling even more fearful.

"Is this common?" At his question, Cisco looked at him but turned his sight back to road when a truck passed by.

"The world has gone crazy with all these things popping up. The guy we met there, just one of the numerous out there who are trying to burn their piece." Nathan narrowed his eyes, but Cisco smiled. "Thankfully though, we have figures like Green Arrow, Black Canary and others, so I guess nothing to worry about."

"Is that what you think?"

"Why? Do you disagree?"

Nathan kept quiet, for a brief moment sombre atmosphere took over the vehicle. After sometime he opened his mouth and exhaled, "No I don't."

That was entirety of the conversation that took place between the two and while Cisco remained worried that something was bugging the younger man, he refrained from pressing if the man wasn't willing to talk.

After the two dropped the supplies at the lab, they went their own way.

Throughout his walk back home, Nathan wondered how someone could live with the fact that someone out there might end his or her life in an instant. Cisco's nonchalance had struck a chord in his heart, knowing that smart engineer was not the one to accept his fate if he could do something about it. But then again, what could one do against the tides of destiny when they swept you off your feet. Nathan wondered.

If someday, he found himself in a similar conundrum, would he accept his fate or would be struggle. Would he leave it those so-called heroes to save the day, for someone to swoop in and carry him in bridal carry away from the chaos of it all. Could he place his hopes and dreams in another's hands. Nathan questioned.

If by some peternatural twist of luck he somehow stumbled in a similar situation, Nathan was sure he would struggle for life. But if it were his own incompetence that led to his death, he couldn't blame anyone but his foolishness. But if the situation was out of his control, then he could only blame his luck. Nathan realised.

Since the first time in three months, Nathan felt a restlessness growing under his skin, something trying to break free. He rubbed at the ache in his heart and felt it soothe the pain into an itch that also vanished in seconds.

Once home, Nathan took a moment to organise his room and kitchen, cleaning whatever dust had gathered and tidying his room of the books that lay strewn.

Once he was done, he decided to order some chicken fried rice and salad. Not the healthiest by a long shot, but Nathan felt his taste buds carving for some fired meat.

...

"Meta-human." There was a hint of finality in his tone as if no further arguments were to be entertained. Cisco gave him a look that begged to be disagreed, proactively so, and Nathan knew the result that would follow.

"Is that really what we are going with?" Nathan gave a tired sigh at the man who swiveled on his chair to give him a hard look.

"Excuse me, do you have any brilliant idea, Sir Sherlock?"

Nathan shrugged, "Mutants?"

"Eww, that's horrific. They might have become different but they are still humans, not abominations. Let's just stick with Meta-humans."

"What's this fuss about?" The blonde doctor entered the lab with a small bundle of sheets that she dropped at Cisco's desk.

"What's this?" The engineer asked, while ignoring the previous question.

Caitlin took a look at him and then at Nathan and smiled, "This is Barry Allen's release date."

Cisco sprung his feet off and hurriedly sifted through the sheets, Nathan hovering right above his shoulder as he read the data complied.

According to her research, the Dark Matter in Barry Allen's system was somehow transforming his biology to adapt to its properties. The graphs showed increase in metabolism, regeneration factor, and other unknown, possibly supernatural or in this case sci-fi abilities.

It mentioned how the more it assimilated into his body, the more the increase in his ability. At the bottom the expected time to completion showed six months, more or less. Nathan stared wordlessly.

"Does Dr. Wells know?" Cisco asked, looking the blonde doctor in her eyes. Before she could open her mouth to answer however, a gruff voice asked from behind them.

"Know what?"

"Jesus!" Cisco jumped out of his seat as he looked behind him. "That nearly scared me."

"Nearly - ?" Harrison Wells smirked, picking the report to glance at the data before looking at Caitlin, "This is genius, Dr. Snow. Thanks to you, we now know when to expect Mr. Allen's arrival."

Nathan smiled feeling the lightness of the atmosphere. He took a deep breath and looked over the man behind the glass. He was one of them, a Meta-Human.

...

As time passed Nathan assimilated a daily training routine in his already packed schedule. He would wake up early to go to gym and after that he would stop by a dojo where he trained self defence from the retired military guy. Overtime Nathan got used to his routine.

Right before sleeping he would meditate an hour to try and actively seek his ability, the efforts remained futile even after months passed. It was like there was nothing for him to see, like he was a normal human. It befuddled the young Meta-human but he persisted.

Nights passed, days left. Winter grew into spring and that in turn welcomed the summer. As it was still early summer the heat felt just right for the people of the Central City. But where there was calm now a spread of gloom had washed over.

Conspiracies about military doing unethical experiments spread among the masses as the activities of the elusive criminals grew to become an enigma. Sudden thunderstorms, people dying of reasons unknown, entire floors suddenly catching fire, a guy dead on the highway due to being electrocuted despite the lack of any source nearby. The city didn't show it but people were growing restless.

Nathan sat at his table combing through the articles, his brows set in frown. His gaze turned to his own hand, 'can I do something similar', he wondered. For a brief moment he focused on his hand as if willing for a spark to leap through or the space to shatter, his chunni part excited with glee and hope. At last nothing happened and Nathan sighed.

The existence of Meta-humans and their potential abilities ensnared his young mind in the thrill of it all. But there was also worry; was the world ready to accept the fate it was about to be thrown? Probably. As for the people, they would have to adapt or risk losing the race of survival. To Nathan this was as plain to seeing the water in a crystal glass.

Survival of the fittest.

Well, no matter. That was their headache. He was wholly inclined to keep himself and those close to him safe. After all, Nathan was no hero.