The Flash

-We're running late. -We'll make it.

Keep it under the limit. I don't wanna get stopped.

Never got a ticket in my life.

Roadblock up ahead.

How did they find out we were coming?

Keep it cool. Maybe we can bluff it out.

Good evening, officer. What's the problem?

We've had an infestation of fruit flies in the area.

Any fruits or vegetables in the car?

No. We've been on the road all afternoon.

We didn't even stop for dinner.

Mind opening the trunk?

It's empty.

-Is it really necessary? -Afraid so.

All right.

Open the trunk for the officer, Parry.

I'd be delighted.

Can you recommend a good motel in Central City?

Sure thing.

It's stuck. Maybe you can get it open.

What?

Get out of here!

I knew we'd be late.

-Where's our regular guy? -How should I know?

-You want this or not? -We're closed.

-It ain't even 7:00. -I lock up when I want. So beat it.

Yeah, well, I'm sure as hell not lugging this back to the truck.

Nine-eighty, pal.

You want me to keep the meter running or what?

Keep the change.

You laughing at me?

Hell, a 20-cent tip makes you a hell of a comedian.

No!

-Oh, I'm sorry, man. -It's okay.

-Barry, I thought you went home. -I changed my mind.

I wanted to check out that security briefing.

Oh, my hero. Look, if you need anything, just call me at Sabrina's.

Better yet, don't call.

You're still representing the department. I'm going on my own.

There's someone I want to see. A little unfinished business.

Business? If you'd get off of this sugar train, you could slow down.

-Take a night off. -You're late, Julio.

Go on. I'll get this.

I'm federal agent Mitch Lestrange.

Ladies and gentlemen, we've got a serious problem here in Central City.

This evening, one of my field agents...

...transmitted snapshots from East Helltown.

The photos you're about to see cost him his life.

Lights, please.

By now you're all familiar with this thing.

The death mask of Rasputin, Russian national treasure.

First and only time away from home. Everybody wants to see it.

We think six people wanna steal it.

Here they are: Kate Tatting, cat burglar.

Careful, son.

This one would tear that whistle out of your throat.

Mark Bernhardt, pyro freak, demolitions ace.

Franco Mortelli, professional driver.

Known in the Italian press as the fastest man on earth.

Parry Johnson, chemist. Did the gas in that Munich hanger heist.

Darrell Hennings. Has guns, will travel.

And Chu Lee, formerly aligned with the Green Dragon cult...

...until he realized his electronics expertise was more profitable on the open market.

Everyone came into town tonight.

They're all here for one reason. Believe me, it's not the local cuisine.

Lights, please.

-Questions? -What's the mask worth?

Stones recut, pull down about 15 million or so.

Intact, it's priceless.

Gold, jewels, of course.

But its history makes the mask irreplaceable.

For those of you who don't know him, this is Ted Preminger...

...head curator of the museum.

I came down here tonight to let you know that my staff and l...

...are willing to cooperate in any way to protect the mask.

There are some people who would just as soon move the tour past Central City.

But the museum needs this exhibit, desperately.

We've sold thousands of tickets. If Miss Wayne could have arranged...

...a longer stay, we could have filled the hall for months.

Look, let's just get through the next couple of days, okay?

Two hours ago we raided the pool hall where the photos were shot.

The suspects scattered, and we have nothing to go on.

Remember, don't call.

Ted.

Barry Allen.

It's been a long time.

So, what do you think? Did I inspire the troops to greatness?

I think the reward money is inspiration enough.

Right.

Last time I heard, you'd been in some sort of lab accident.

-You all right now? -Yeah, I guess you could say...

...I was a little under the weather, that's all.

Lestrange is sweating.

If so much as a housefly gets through security tomorrow, he'll pull the exhibit.

-Celia Wayne, Barry Allen. -Hi.

-Haven't we met before? -Maybe.

-I think we both took Ted's classes. -And Celia made a career out of it.

I asked special permission for duty at the museum.

-You don't have to. -I want to do everything I can...

-...to help it go smoothly. -It's not necessary.

But if you've already made the arrangements...

Yeah, besides it's been years since I've been to the museum.

Why's that?

Well, I haven't had the time.

Yeah, you and the rest of the city. But it's no surprise really.

I'm counting on the box office from the mask to save our necks.

I've seen it happen in museums all over the country.

Civic art funds drying up, private patrons disappearing.

These days it's hard to keep the wolf from the door.

There are six wolves I'm worried about.

Barry, cool. You're just in time to try some of Sabrina's herbal tea.

-It's from her own garden. -No, thanks.

Come on, Barry, it's terrific. It's all-natural.

-Looks like a backed-up sink. -Great for your digestive system.

One cup after every meal, man. And you know the way you eat, right?

-What was that? -Earthquake?

-Been getting enough sleep? -Yeah.

Sabrina's got this brew. It'll knock you out all night.

Julio, lay off, will you? I'm fine.

This wouldn't have anything to do with your old pal...

...at the museum, would it?

-No! Now, can we just drop it? -Okay, fine. With pleasure.

Sabrina's got this girlfriend. Came in town from New York.

She's a model. Lingerie catalogs, man.

I'll bet she has a lot of interesting little hobbies too, like ant farms and voodoo.

So that last chick Sabrina set you up with was a little spacy.

A little spacy? Julio, she was engaged to Elvis' ghost.

-Now, what was that? -I'm a little tense.

I'm gonna bounce down to the gym and punch the bag a while. Okay.

Okay. I'll catch you later, man.

Sorry.

And put your gloves on.

Mr. Hennings, begin the operation now.

Yes, sir.

Johnson, ready for alarm-circuit interrupt. Go ahead and cool the box.

Three minutes, Mr. Kovacs.

-Oh, you scared the life out of me. -Sorry.

Have to work on that back draft thing. It's hell with doors.

It's after midnight. What are you doing here?

-Well, I just wanted to talk to you. -You might have phoned.

Well, I called you at home. You weren't in.

I can almost beat a phone signal here, so...

In that case, you must be starved.

-No, thanks. I'm fine. -Barry, this is about something, right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

This speed thing.

Now, it's possible it's affecting my brain, right?

I mean, psychologically, emotionally.

Maybe. Why?

I feel like my mind is stuck in overdrive, you know?

If I start thinking about something, anything, it's like opening a floodgate.

I haven't slept in three days.

-So, what happened three days ago? -You don't have to play therapist. I know.

It was a newspaper article about the Russian mask. The one on tour...

...with a nice big photo of Ted Preminger...

...who was my archaeology professor in college.

-I didn't know you were interested in-- -Archaeology? Oh, yeah. Big time.

I even worked a couple summers at the museum.

It was great.

Before I met Ted, I was afraid to walk into the place.

Did you think one of the Aztec mummies was gonna grab you?

No, I did not. I thought my father would.

See, he was always hoping I'd be in a hockey rink...

...or a duck blind somewhere, I don't know.

When I went to work at the museum, for the first time in my life...

...I could do what I wanted, without fear of criticism from anybody.

Then my junior year I switched my major to police science.

And this man, my mentor, my friend...

...he didn't speak to me for 10 years.

-Until tonight. -Well, that's good, isn't it?

Tina, you don't get it.

Henry Allen wasn't much of a father to me, all right?

Ted sort of took his place.

And when he shut me out...

...it hurt.

Maybe more than I realized.

And then tonight, like a damn idiot...

...I volunteered for security detail at the museum.

Well, what's wrong with that?

Every time I close my eyes, I see those thieves who blew into town...

...crawling all over the museum, ready to snatch that mask from Ted's fingers.

Hook up one of your sensors to this brain and find out what's going on.

I don't need to do that, Barry. The problem is painful. But it's human.

You'd see that if only you'd stop whipping yourself.

-Whipping? -Yes.

You didn't let Preminger down.

You didn't owe him your life's work any more than your father...

...for not becoming a street cop.

Look, if it makes you feel any better, you wound up square in the middle.

What is a police scientist if he's not one half cop and one half archaeologist?

An apple for the therapist?

-What was that? -Is there anyone else in the labs?

-No. -Stay here. And I mean, stay here.

It's Hennings.

I'm in the main corridor.

Nailed it, Mr. Kovacs. No guards. Just a lot of quiet alarms.

I'll keep scanning until the--

What the hell was that?

Hennings?