Chapter 21: Beyond the Veil
If a breach truly existed, then all it would take to return home was to open it—a simple and convenient solution. Why hadn't Elon thought of this before? He had been caught in the belief that only Wells' 25th-century scientific knowledge could send him back, struggling within that confining circle.
The truth was straightforward: find a breach where he arrived, and step through it, just like opening and walking through a door. Everything was that simple.
Elon, invigorated as if injected with adrenaline, was brimming with excitement. He grasped Wells' arm, his voice filled with fervor, "It must have been the lightning striking that black energy sphere, activating some unknown, extraordinary interdimensional power source. Perhaps that black energy sphere itself was the interdimensional energy, activated to create a passage to this world."
"In theory, interdimensional energy could leak from one universe to another. With enough leakage, it might form an interdimensional black hole leading to another world."
Elon's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, and he unintentionally gripped Wells' arm a bit too tightly.
Wells winced in pain, feeling as if his arm were trapped in a vise. "Ah..."
Realizing his excessive excitement, Elon quickly released Wells' arm. His strength, especially when agitated, was not something ordinary people could withstand. He had felt Wells' bones give under his grip, leaving a deep red imprint on Wells' arm.
Watching Wells sweat and gasp in pain, Elon felt a mix of guilt and secret elation, although the grip had been an unintentional result of his excitement.
"Dr. Wells, I'm so sorry, I got carried away," Elon apologized genuinely.
Wells, trembling, replied weakly, "Elon, your priority now is to create a detector to find interdimensional energy, while I... I need to find Caitlin for some treatment..."
Wells looked almost comical, shaking in his wheelchair like a person with epilepsy, a stark contrast to his usual composed and erudite demeanor. Elon nearly laughed but managed to restrain himself and hurriedly wheeled Wells to Caitlin for medical attention.
"My God, it's almost a fracture," Caitlin exclaimed upon seeing the deep purple bruise forming on Wells' arm.
"It was an accident, pure and simple. I'll get the blood activators, painkillers, and anticoagulants. Caitlin, please start massaging around Dr. Wells' wound to promote circulation and apply a cold compress."
Elon rushed to the medicine cabinet, well-acquainted with the lab from his frequent examinations alongside Barry. Caitlin massaged Wells' arm, easing the pain as Elon returned with the medicines.
After their care, Wells was out of danger, though he needed to avoid straining his arm for a few days. The combination of medication and exhaustion lulled him into a restful sleep on the hospital bed.
Caitlin pulled Elon aside in the hallway, her eyes wide with a ferocity akin to a tigress, "Elon, if you dare hurt Dr. Wells again, I'll slap you silly!"
She raised a file above her head, threatening to bring it down. The sight of Wells in such agony had frightened her; she had never seen him like this, sweating and gritting his teeth in pain.
During her darkest days, when she had lost her reputation, her fiancé, and everything that mattered, Wells had been there for her, consoling and guiding her, assuring her that things would get better. To her, Wells was more than a boss; he was a respected, trustworthy, kind, and grateful mentor. She wouldn't allow anyone to harm him.
Elon, apologetic, assured her, "No, Caitlin, I didn't mean to hurt Dr. Wells. Why would I harm him? We were discussing a potential way for me to return home, and I got too excited, that's all."
Caitlin relaxed, accepting Elon's explanation. She asked, eagerly intrigued by the sci-fi reality, "So, you and Dr. Wells found a way home?"
Elon's excitement reignited, "Yes, possibly, no, I'm certain I can return home. There's no reason it wouldn't be possible."
"Come on, let's find Cisco. I'll explain everything to you, and we need to build a device to detect interdimensional energy."
On the hospital bed, Wells opened his eyes, a cold light glinting within. Elon's strength had both shocked and pained him. For a moment in the basement, he'd thought Elon had discovered his identity as Reverse-Flash and was about to kill him. At such close range, Wells would have had to sever his arm and flee using his speed force to survive.
With his eyes narrowed and his arm throbbing, Wells made a firm decision: Elon must leave soon. This variable was becoming too uncontrollable, especially since Elon was such an intelligent individual. Wells couldn't be certain how long he could keep his Reverse-Flash identity hidden from him.
The information leak that night had been too much, and there were few people Wells could suspect. An investigation could easily trace back to him, a worrisome prospect indeed.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone