Fate of the Speedsters - Part I

“Welcome to the Bonneville Salt Flats! I’m Snapper Carr here to cover what is a unique event!” The broadcaster’s enthusiasm was reminiscent of a child on Christmas Morning. “Can you believe that we’re going to witness this? I can’t!”
It was a clear Sunday morning and a huge crowd had gathered for what was a unique event. Speed week was certainly a highlight for those in the automotive industry but today was a first – an official speed record for a human on two feet. While there had been speedsters before – the first Flash was part of the Justice Society in the 1950’s – there had never been an official attempt at a speed record before. So when a meta-human from Delta City by the name Sirocco announced that he was going to attempt to break the sound barrier with the assistance of Johnny and Jesse Quick and stated that this was a charity event, the governing board had no choice but to allow the attempt to stand as an official record. News traveled quickly and the event was a media sensation.
Several sponsors attempted to attach themselves to the attempt to break the sound barrier on foot but the only sponsors accepted were Firestone Tires, Speedo and Volkswagen. The shoes used a special vulcanized rubber with metal spikes which Firestone helped to develop; Speedo provided the design of suit but the overall development of the suit was actually in the hands of Volkswagen who employed consultants from across the globe. At the center of the effort was an advanced helmet that Sirocco would wear for the attempt; normally he wore square sunglasses as he sped across Delta. This helmet was far more aerodynamic and included sensors and communication devices to allow for this attempt to be recorded and verified. VW was proud of their work and had even announced a special version of one of their cars to be released – the Sirocco Speed Force edition.
Hailing from the Caribbean originally the man called Sirocco had only been on the paranormal scene for perhaps half a year, but this was certain to put him on the map. While he had engaged on limited heroics this stunt appeared to be motivated by fame and fortune; he expected endorsements to come in quickly after this event. Little was known about how he acquired his powers and his claim that he was the second cousin of Gold-Medal sprinter Usain Bolt couldn’t be verified. Yet there he was, playing to the camera with this new helmet in his right hand and his trademark sunglasses on. Clearly he loved the attention.
“Lois Lane, Daily Planet.” The woman with the microphone was not impressed with the circus atmosphere, but she had a job to do. “So how fast do you think you can go today?”
“Well,” Sirocco began with an air of confidence, “I plan to run at about 780 miles per hour miss Lane. About as fast as I hope I make your heart beat!” He gave her a suggestive wink.
She was not amused. “Why should anyone care?”
Sirocco was somewhat flabbergasted. “Why…well…um…y’see dis is very, very important.” He recovered himself and flashed a bright smile. “The attention that we draw today to a list of charitable causes will hopefully mark the beginning of the end for poverty and the beginning of wellness across the globe.”
“I understand that you refused to be sponsored by Stark Industries?”
“Yea, didn’t really want them here.”
“Why was that?”
Sirocco’s expression lost a bit of its glamour. “Stark has made great things at his company but he’s not really the kind of person that I thought would be interested in this. The offer from Chang Industries was something that we did accept but that’s just charity work. Really the technical expertise that I’ve gotten from Vee Dub-ya has been a great Godsend.”
“So why are the Quicks here?” Lois rolled her eyes; this wasn’t true journalism but her boss Perry insisted that she report from on the scene.
“Johnny and Jesse are going to help me break the sound barrier, but they’re also here to help in case anything goes wrong.” “What,” she replied drolly. “What on Earth could possibly go wrong?”
“Only one ting, Miss Lane.” He leaned forward with a huge grin. “Y ‘might not get t ‘kiss me!”

At the starting line Sirocco checked all his equipment. There had to be as little drag as possible because while he certainly could alter the air around him using his powers he wanted to concentrate on speed as much as possible. Johnny and Jesse came over to discuss the plan.
“So,” Jesse said nervously. “Am I taking the lead or is Dad?”
Johnny Quick replied with some degree of pride. “I’m slower than you Jesse so I should go first. You’ll be stage two.”
“Dad, you make it sound like you’re a turtle!”
“Well, my fastest times are far behind me now…”
“Fine Dad. You start up, I’ll follow and ‘Rocco can follow me. You push some of the air out of the way and when the time comes I’ll pass you and ‘Rocco can just slipstream past you, then slingshot past me.”
“After Sirocco passes me I’ll follow him as a safety. With the boost that he’ll get from us he should break the sound barrier, then everyone slows down.”
“Or I could take a victory lap!” Sirocco was becoming overconfident.
“Be very careful Sirocco,” Johnny warned. “You can’t take this kind of speed for granted and you have to be careful. Don’t think I’m going to cut you slack because you’re my son in law..!”
“Dad..!” Jesse was pleading. “We have enough to think about already! It’ll be okay!”
“I guess so, but I still worry about you two.” Johnny kissed his daughter on the forehead. “Post time in thirty seconds.” He walked over to the starting line.
“Time alone Mister Montgabo,” Jesse said suggestively. “After, you want a quicke?”
Rolling his eyes he replied “Funny girl, funny girl..!” Kissing her he hoped his headache would go away by the time they finished this run.

During the countdown both Jesse and Johnny recited the speed formula, allowing them to run at a phenomenal speed. Immediately after the two of them left the starting line Sirocco followed at a decidedly slower pace. He wasn’t like them; he had to build up to a higher speed where they could attain top speed almost instantaneously. But he was fast and had reached two hundred miles per hour in mere moments. His heart was pounding in his chest as he concentrated on the thin black stripe in the middle of the Salt Flats, allowing everything else to become a blur. The chase was on.
Using his wind powers he gave himself the strongest tailwind to get him to a stable 532 MPH according to his heads up display. He leaned forward and allowed the wind to decrease from behind him and focused on the wall of air before him. Johnny Quick was directly in front of him and in an instant Sirocco felt his draft.
“Passin’ ya now, Pop-in-law.” He made his move.
“Go get it!” Johnny Quick was truly exuberant in his reply. All of them were enjoying this.
Sirocco felt something inside him. Now was the time. This was the place. This was his moment of glory. Tapping into strength he had never embraced before he pushed past Johnny and quickly gained on his wife. He noticed brief sparks near his feet which he assumed was either the friction of the spikes against the flats or the static charge caused by the friction around him, but he accelerated without hesitation.
“Are you ok?” Jesse was worried. “You don’t look…”
Sirocco passed her traveling nearly 750 miles per hour. The wall of air in front of him felt like pushing a mountain, but suddenly it felt as soft as cotton candy. He pushed on, the static leaving a trail of lightning.
“Jesse! Something’s wrong!” The Elder Quick attempted to catch up to his daughter, but it was difficult. “I can’t get him on the horn.”
“Take my hand,” she said as she slowed down just enough for him to catch up. “We’ll catch him together.”
There was desperation in her movements while she attempted to catch her husband of thee years. He had never been anywhere near as fast as she, yet here he was fading off into the distance. She pushed onward and let go of her father’s hand; he was slowing her down. Still Sirocco would not be caught.
Then she saw the lightning and the resulting cloud of dust and she feared the worst. Whatever was speeding him toward glory had caused him to lose control. Tears in her eyes she sped toward the black cloud to find her love.
It was the last thought she had. Her neck snapped with a sudden stop.
Johnny Quick only saw her dash into the cloud, but followed her inwards he felt a hand on his throat and a European accented voice spoke softly. “You have this coming. More on the way.” There wasn’t time to panic as whoever this was clearly had the edge in speed. His only thought was for the life of his daughter, and that The Flash would…could…stop this bastard.
This time however The Flash would have to take this villain on alone because the three speedsters that helped The Flash last time were no more.
As the dust cleared a solitary figure, dressed in a black outfit with red gloves and boots stood over two bodies. There was no VW logo on his chest but a silver thunderbolt through a red circle. The black cowl had silver lightning bolts on each ear. The eyes were covered with black lenses but the chin, pale as snow, was exposed. As the figure turned towards the camera he spoke.
“Flash. Yes. I loooooove the taste of sacrifice in the morning.” Instantly he was directly in front of another camera, filling its view with his head. The grin across his face belayed that of madness. “You, there, Miss reporter. You. You’re name. Now. I haven’t all day to ta-ta.”
Quickly a nearby woman steeled her gaze. “Bub, he’s a camera man. I’m Lois Lane for The Daily Planet. Do you have a statement..?”
“Flash. You thought you could best me. I’ve always been faster than you, and I was faster than your father.” “What do you mean Mister..?”
Pulling away his hood his brightly silvered hair blew in the breeze. Oblivious to the shrieks of terror he spoke with defiance.
“Quicksilver," he boasted. "The Fastest Mutant Alive.”

-Fin-

Conflict Type

Showdown