I am Wally west

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'It has to do with Flashtime?' Wally's brow furrowed at Barry's words. "What do you mean it has to do with Flashtime?" he asked, a bit perplexed.

Barry sighed, then began explaining. "When Gypsy woke up and attacked in a panic, you used Flashtime to restrain her. When you activated it, I couldn't move or access my speed because of this dampeners, but somehow, I was still able to track your movements by sensing your Speed Force energy."

Oh, that's what he meant. Wally nodded silently, piecing together what Barry was trying to convey.

"So, you need my help using Flashtime to increase your progress?"

"Yeah, basically," Barry agreed.

Wally glanced at Barry's expression, which was filled with determination. Seeing Barry humble himself and set aside his ego to ask for guidance inspired Wally to reciprocate with respect. He gave a nod and decided to help.

They quickly made their way to the Speed Lab, where they sat down in a lotus position. "Ready?" Wally inquired, glancing at Barry, who had already closed his eyes to focus.

"Ready," Barry replied, exhaling slightly. With an invisible pulse, the world around them slowed to a crawl, almost to the point where time seemed frozen.

Wally studied Barry for a moment before closing his own eyes. His focus locked on Barry, carefully monitoring the energy coursing through Barry's veins. Despite the dampeners still clasped on his wrists, Barry's body began to vibrate slightly—a signal that he was steadily drawing on more Speed Force energy, even against the repulsion caused by the cuffs.

Wally's eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. Barry was making steady progress, something Wally hadn't expected this early in the exercise. Barry's body vibrated at regular intervals, signaling his growing connection to the Speed Force. Meanwhile, Wally's thoughts began to wander.

His gaze flickered toward Barry as he reminisced about how Barry had squandered the potential of Flashtime in the original timeline. If utilized correctly, Flashtime could make a speedster nearly unbeatable against normal foes. Only individuals capable of moving at superhuman speeds would even stand a chance.

No, even that wasn't entirely true. Wally's mind corrected itself. As long as someone wasn't a Speed Force conduit, they would remain frozen in time. With Flashtime, Barry had once outrun a portal that closed in just three picoseconds—1/1,000,000,000,000 of a second multiplied by three. Barry had managed to cover hundreds of meters in that span.

While he had absorbed some additional energy along the way to boost his speed, the feat remained astounding. It placed Barry's speed at massively faster-than-light levels.

It made Wally wonder how Barry had ever lost to someone like DeVoe. With the sheer speed Barry possessed, he should have been able to defeat DeVoe in the blink of an eye. Even with the twelve meta abilities DeVoe had absorbed, including quantum manipulation, none of it should have mattered—he simply wouldn't have been able to react to an attack in Flashtime. However, Wally didn't entirely dismiss DeVoe's threat. In a world like theirs, intellect was power, and DeVoe's mind was a weapon of unparalleled precision.

At this moment, Wally didn't have the means or time to measure or compare their respective speeds. Not even Alfred could communicate with him in Flashtime, which left him to rely solely on his observations and instincts.

Lost in thought, Wally was suddenly snapped back to the present as he noticed a spike in Barry's Speed Force energy. Sparks danced across Barry's body, crackling like miniature lightning bolts. Wally couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"He's got a lot of potential," Wally muttered under his breath, impressed.

Despite Barry's evident progress, Wally observed that his bodily functions had returned to normal speed, even though he still couldn't move. Beads of sweat formed on Barry's forehead, trickling down as he strained to maintain his focus. Seeing this, Wally realized Barry was nearing his limit.

Without hesitation, Wally took the initiative and deactivated Flashtime, letting the world return to its natural flow.

"Ugh…" Barry exhaled in exhaustion, nearly slumping onto his back before forcing himself to sit upright. He quickly removed the dampeners from his wrists, allowing his speed to return. Thanks to the perks of being a speedster, his stamina was restored to its peak in just a few minutes.

After catching his breath, Barry closed his eyes once more, focusing intently. This time, there were no cuffs restraining him, and they weren't in Flashtime. For the first time, he could genuinely feel his progress. Though he was still unable to absorb more Speed Force energy, he sensed he was close—on the verge of a breakthrough.

Gaining traction in his efforts, Barry continued training on his own, his determination unwavering. Meanwhile, Wally quietly slipped away, leaving him to his work.

As Wally exited the Speed Lab and Star Labs in general, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, he saw Lyla's name on the caller ID. A grin instantly spread across his face. He didn't even need to pick up the call to know he'd already succeeded.

"Hello, Mrs. Michaels, What can I do for you?" Wally answered, adjusting his tone to sound more professional.

"Mr. West, I'm on my way to West Tech," Lyla began, her voice steady but professional. "I'd like to discuss a potential partnership between A.R.G.U.S. and your company. We've considered sponsorship and think there's a lot of potential in the technology you've been developing."

Wally almost chuckled with pride but quickly suppressed it, opting for a smile instead. "That's... great to hear. You've got my attention. What's the plan?"

"I believe it's better we talk in person," she replied. "I've already drafted a preliminary contract, which I'll be bringing with me. Shouldn't take long to review once we meet. Are you available now?"

Wally nodded, even though she couldn't see him. "I'll be expecting you. See you soon."

Hanging up, he hurried to his office at West Tech. As he entered, he glanced around at the structure and had to admit it wasn't quite to his taste. His plans for renovations had been temporarily put on hold due to the building's outstanding payments.

But now, with A.R.G.U.S. stepping up for cooperation, the renovations would begin by next week. He made his way to the top floor for a quick look. The boardroom was there, and it was more than enough for his meeting with Lyla.

Noticing the large number of seats in the room, he began to wonder whether he should offer Cisco and Caitlin positions at West Tech. At Star Labs, there wasn't much for them to do, contrary to what many might think. The crime rate in Central City was at an all-time low, and unless meta-human attacks occurred, the police could handle everything else.

He would make Cisco the Chief Technology Officer and Caitlin the Chief Medical Officer. As for the other divisions, he'd make those decisions later.

It wasn't long before Lyla arrived at the building. She pulled up in her usual black SUV, accompanied by several agents, whom she instructed to stay behind.

Wally met her at the first floor where they first shook hands. "Mr. West. I have to say you works are beyond impressive,"

Wally smiled, shaking her hand firmly. "Thank you, Lyla. I'm glad to hear that. But I'm sure you didn't come all the way out here just to compliment me."

Lyla chuckled. "True. As I mentioned on the phone, we're interested in a partnership. The advancements you've made with your technology are exactly what A.R.G.U.S. needs. Frankly, it's decades, if not centuries, ahead of the world's best technology. It's exactly what we need to better our operations."

"Is that so?" Wally replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "West Tech accepts any cooperation as long as the terms are acceptable." He gestured toward the boardroom. "Let's sit down and go over the details."

They walked into the boardroom, where Wally indicated a seat at the head of the table. As Lyla sat down, he followed suit, taking a seat at the opposite end.

"Here's the thing," Lyla continued, sliding a tablet across the table. "As you must know, A.R.G.U.S. is heavily invested in controlling and neutralizing threats that could endanger the world. Your tech could become a crucial part of that, but we need to ensure we're not dealing with a double-edged sword here."

Lyla's gaze was serious, making Wally sigh in understanding.

Wally took a breath, considering her words carefully. "If you're worried about where and how our tech will be distributed, you don't need to worry. Our tech won't be reaching any illegal entities—at least not directly."

Lyla raised an eyebrow, contemplating his words before speaking. "I trust you, Mr. West. I'm sure that as the creator of such advanced technological pieces–I think you should be more than aware of the problems it could cause in the wrong hands." She paused, knowing that if someone was capable of creating tech this advanced, they should also be capable of protecting it. She just wanted to confirm his awareness.

They both paused as Lyla tapped the tablet, bringing up the draft contract. "I'm sure you're already familiar with the terms, but let's go over some specifics. We're interested in a shared research facility and having access to your..."