Walking down the streets in spandex isn't exactly what I'd call healthy.

Flash picked up a quarter from the pavement, and sighed. Everyone was staring at him, as he made his way to the payphone. The man who was standing beside it stared in awe, as the hero picked the receiver and dialed a number. And he waited.

" . . . Hello . . . ?" the voice mentioned, as Wally pressed his mouth towards the receiver, already anticipating the shock to come. "Johnny! It's me," Flash muttered. Astonished, the man on the other side yelled in delight. "WALLY?!?! Wally, is that you over there? S'been a long time . . . "

"I know, Johnny," Flash said, trying not to attract attention (like he can help it) as much as possible. "Listen, can you pick me now. Where I am? I'll need your help."

"Shoot. Where're you now?"

The scarlet speedster searched for landmarks and sighed. "Near the clock tower. The payphone with a crowd."

He propped the phone back, as the line faded into the alarming sound that it makes. He turned, and eyed the mini-seconds. Suddenly, an echo filled the air, and suddenly, Wally found himself at the hands of one of the most famous speedsters carrying him back to his lab. "Feels weird, when it's not me running like lightning . . . " Wally said, as he leaned on the wall, trying to shake his dizziness.

Johnny Quick grabbed his pills, and swallowed them. "Yep, these pills Alan gave me back then still work. I'm as young as can be," he said, coughing. "Ol' Alan? Don't tell me he's still wielding that wedding ring on his finger . . . "

Wally laughed and tried to hide his shame. "Johnny . . . Alan's not the Sentinel anymore. He's something else now . . . "

Suddenly, the beakers on the table beside began to bubble. The old hero grabbed the beakers, and began to stir it with the plastic rod. "Now . . . what do you need again?"

Wally sighed, trying to check his heart rate mentally. " . . . some crook whacked me and my molecules are shot*. Badly."

*(See the last issue for details)

"Must be some crook to be able to hit you then."

"Please, his name was Captain Boomerang. Can an action figure be far behind?"

Johnny Quick smiled, and placed the final concoction on a flask, stored in his cupboard. "Well, I'd say you shouldn't underestimate your enemies, even those with the bad names." He sighed, and brought out a injection, and motioned Wally to roll one of his sleeves.

"He'll be back you know. Beating the Flash can do that to an ego."

" . . . how do you know?"

"Barry went through the same things, too."

Wally yelped in pain, as the needle released a new chemical into his blood veins. "There . . . that relaxant should slow down your molecular strands . . . you'll be better in minutes. But just in case . . . " Johnny said, grabbing onto a sheet of paper, and began writing down a formula.

"No, Johnny. I don't think I'll be needing that."

The old speedster sighed, and threw the formula into the garbage bin. "Memorized it . . . well, you should be going now."

"Say hi to Jay and Jesse for me."

Flash began to vibrate, and in split-seconds, disappeared. Johnny Quick sat on his chair and sighed.

"Hey! Watch the dust!" Bart yelled.

"I don't believe this, Len . . . how could you do this?" she said, giving her brother a cup of hot cocoa. "You could damage my name as a figure skating star . . . after I changed it to Star, of course." Covering himself with a blanket, Len sneezed. "I-I . . . s-sorry, Lisa. I was chased, and scared."

"You didn't look chased when you came to my door."

"We've got to warn the Flash," he said, his eyes widened. "Someone's after him."

Lisa smiled, and humored him. Then got up and closed the door, intending to call Atlanta's Mental Institution. Overhearing her, Len shuddered, and then noticed he was still holding the notes in his pocket.

"No choice but to use them. Now or never," he muttered. "Lisa's not going to help me . . . I need someone who can."

Letting the rope down the window, Len escaped the attic, but not before the neighbors mistake him for a prowler. Len Snart ran, his life was already a forfeit. Everything was wrong, all wrong, for him and his world.

"I must have someone who can . . . "

"Yes, Mr. Berkins, I already have the story on the Captain Boomerang attack in . . . yes sir, I mean -- no." Linda Parks sat on the steps of the station, already jotting down notes for her boss. "No sir, the bake sale was fine . . . no, not flakepail, sir, bake sale."

Linda felt a chill down her spine, as the wind bellowed a low whistling sound. She won't admit it, but the night shift she had to take for extra credit. She wanted to be a news anchor, not some errand girl for the board of directors. Sighing, she took a bite of her sandwich. Then, she heard an unearthly howl. Dropping her meal slowly into the garbage bin, she silently tried to make her escape, only to find black gloves clutching her throat. The man (or woman) in the suit was as silent as a stone, as Linda felt his hold on her tighter than ever. Her notes began to fall to the ground, as she wrestled to try and coax a scream out of her lips. Suddenly, the man let go, dropping her to the floor. Picking up the notes, he found the Flash written all over it.

" . . . Yesterday, a bank robbery committed by felon Captain Boomerang, otherwise known as George Wiggins, was thwarted by the red lightning of Atlanta City, the Flash. Experts say . . . "

His breathing grew still, as he ripped the page apart, and turned to Linda. Suddenly he reached for his gun. Linda Parks was crying, for the first time in her life, she was crying in fear.

She was so afraid. She shouldn't be.

As she felt her lower limbs beginning to freeze, the man was breathing excitedly. And he left her there, her lower body frozen in ice. He turned to her and his pained voice whispered in her ears.

" . . . I am Freeze. Tell the world I will be waiting for Wally West, the Flash, in the abandoned Pier Ten."

And he turned away, leaving Linda alone in the dark street. She dried her tears, and looked up, with a puzzled look on her face.

" . . . Wally?"

" . . . Wally, I know the feeling too."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Wally stretched his arms, and rushed to open the door.

"Hey," Linda said, all wet. "Late in the evening and you're watching . . . ???"

"Horror Theater," Wally said in shock. "Well, I guess the next time I wish something, I should go for a million bucks."

"What's that about?"

"Nothing. How'd you get wet?"

Wally ushered Linda to the sofa, giving a towel to her. "It's a weird thing, Wally . . . I met this man," She uttered. " . . . who was looking for you."

"Me?"

"Okay, I can't keep it . . . you're the Flash, aren't you?" she said, eyes lighting up. "Wally West? The Flash? The guy who beat Captain Boomerang?"

"What are you talking about?" Wally nervously sat on the chair. "Don't lie to me, West," Linda said in her interrogative tone. "I do believe I have a big report for ANC tomorrow . . . "

"Linda! Wait! Don't do.."

"Don't do what?" Linda Parks turned to Wally. "Well, I'll see you later in those assets, Wally. Pier Ten, meet me there."

"Why should I?"

"Some guy named Freeze told me."

"Freeze . . . Victor Freeze . . . ?" Wally sat on his chair, trying to contemplate.

"Of course, there's also the fact I could rat in on your identity, West . . . "

"That's blackmail!"

"I know," she said, and walked out of his apartment.

"I'll show you, Barry, I can make a difference. In my life, as well as others," Wally said, taking off the mask. " . . . and I won't let you down."