Chapter 1

25 years ago

"Why do you spend all of your time, Doctor, on this Veritas project?" Harrison Wells asked. A vaguely amused Virgil Swann looked up at his fellow scientist, "Is it such an impossibility?"

"What, an alien dubbed 'The Traveler' is going to come down to Earth and save us all?"

"You don't believe in aliens?"

"I don't believe in heroes." The 21-year-old had been interning with Dr. Swann for a few months now and Swann had just shared with Harrison his hypothesis he created about the transmissions. The two scientists were currently conversing in Virgil's office at the back of the observatory. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I trust you Harrison and right now you're the only one I can trust," The billionaire's voice became hushed, "There's a few people who are helping me in this project, but I'm not quite sure I can trust them all."

"Dr. Swann?"

Virgil Swann turned to the window and looked up at the starry sky. "I want you to work at S.T.A.R. Labs."

Harrison Wells was shocked. "Why?"

"So you can help The Traveler learn about himself and this planet. So we can teach the world that aliens aren't a threat to humans." The doctor turned around and smiled at his intern, "And you can start believing in heroes." Swann wheeled himself to face a large screen with a bunch of symbols on it. "Besides, it's probably much safer than a job Luthor or Queen could give you." Virgil chuckled, "God forbid you end up living the rest of your life in a chair like me."

Now

In Central City, Harrison Wells was in his lab, observing Barry. Today Cisco, Caitlin and he were testing Barry's stamina on the treadmill. "Hey, Barry?" Caitlin said, "That's good enough for now."

"No way," Barry said, "I'm barely feeling tired. Turn it up!"

"No. She means that there is a massive building collapse going on down on Zhinas Boulevard,"Cisco explained. Barry immediately gets off of the treadmill.

"How big are we talking?" Wells asked.

"Well it's the Glans building that's collapsing so pretty big." Suddenly, Barry and Barry's suit weren't in S.T.A.R. Labs anymore.

Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Clark was having a busy morning, before work, taking down small time thieves, rapists, and other criminals.

"Watchtower to Superman," Chloe spoke through the ear piece.

"Superman here," he responded.

"Clark there's been a massive building collapse in Central City."

He instantly sped toward the city. "What building?"

"The Glans building on Zhinas Boulevard and Clark you better hurry."

"I am hurrying."

At the same time there was a lot of action going on at the Daily Planet. Reporters were running around, trying their hardest to get a good view of one of the many televisions with a live broadcast of the Glans building collapsing in on itself. Among these reporters was Lois Lane and the young Jimmy Olsen. Their view of the televisions didn't last very long because as soon as Superman was seen on the screen, Perry came out of his office commanding Lois and Jimmy to get to Central City for an interview with him right away.

"Do you think that everyone else gets jealous that we get the interviews and photos of Superman?" Jimmy asks Lois.

"Probably but I don't think it really matters much."

"Really? Not even to Clark?"

"Especially not to Clark." The two of them stop out onto the crowded city streets. "Taxi!" Lois waves and a taxi pulls over to take them all the way to Central City.

"How many people have I gotten out?" Barry asks through the ear piece. He could barely catch his breath and was actually feeling worn out.

"495 people," Cisco responds.

"And how many people are still in there?"

"5297." The Glans building had originally been built during the 1930s as part of Roosevelt's New Deal and had employed countless people during the depression. After it was built, it was used as housing to house people who had lost their homes. Over the years, it's uses changed from housing to office space and can hold a maximum of six thousand people.

Barry sighs. It's going to take a miracle for him to get everyone out of the building before it fully collapses. He goes in again and continues saving more people. He doesn't stop except for when he's quickly distracted by a blue blur go past him so fast, it was like it was flying. Together, Barry and the "blue blur" managed to get everyone out before the Glans building collapses and crumbles to the ground. The only reason that it didn't injure any of the bystanders was due to the "blue blur" which Barry quickly found out his identity.

"Hey Barry? What happened? Did you get everyone out in time?" Caitlin asked.

"Yeah," Barry says, "but I had some help."

"What? From who?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Superman."

When Clark landed he was instantly bombarded by reporters, photographers, cameramen, and the CCPD; all of them launching questions at him. Clark decided to talk to the police first and spoke to Detective Joe West.

"Was anyone badly injured?" Clark asks the detective.

"The ones who were were already taken to the hospital. Thanks to you we had no deaths. So thank you Superman."

"I'm just glad everyone's okay." At that point Barry walked up to Joe and Clark. He was no longer in his red and gold suit and was now dressed in his everyday work clothes.

"Barry, this is Superman. Superman, Barry Allen; my lead forensic scientist."

"Pleasure to meet you," Clark says to Barry. "Detective, I don't think this building collapsing was an accident."

"You're saying that the buildings collapse was intentional?" Barry said.

"I'm saying that a building that was built for so many people should not collapse without any outside forces. I should probably check the basement for any man-made disturbances."

"Barry can go with to give you a professional viewpoint about what happened."

Through all of the white ambulances leaving, the yellow taxi that was driving to the scene stuck out like a sore thumb. The fashionably late Lois Lane and Jimmy stepped out and into the sun.

"Excuse me," Clark says, "I have to talk to someone. Barry you can get a head start." Joe gives Barry a look that seems to say Go do what you do best. Barry enters the building and headed down into the basement. Meanwhile, Clark headed towards Lois and Jimmy, who was busy taking photos of everything.

"Hello Miss. Lane," Clark said, "Hello Jimmy."

"Hi Superman!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"Hi Superman." Lois said, "Is there anything interesting about the collapse of the Glans building?" She asked, pulling out her notepad; not letting any of their personal life leak into their professional one.

"Not that I know of right now but I still have to examine the building for any anomalies."

While every floor above the ground had been destroyed, the basement had appeared to have been untouched. When Barry went down in the Glans basement, Barry had just made a discovery. The entire room was wrecked by, what Barry assumed to be, a bomb. Every inch was covered in pieces of metal shards, glass, and green rocks.

"Joe you should probably get down here."

"What is it Barry?" Joe shouts but is quickly stopped in his tracks by the magnitude of the destruction. "Oh my god."

About a minute later, Clark walks down to the basement but stops in his tracks, not because of the wreck, but because of the Kryptonite that's scattered across the room. He uses his x-ray vision to observe that metal shards are lead and underneath a couple of boxes was Clark Luthor's Ultraman symbol.

AN: This is my first story so please feel free to review. I love constructive criticism. Also, I know Jimmy and Lois traveling from Metropolis to Central City in under 30 minutes is inaccurate so I have the two cities at the Kansas/Missouri border even though I'm pretty sure that's not where they're located. So...Yeah. Feel free to tell me what you think and I should get the next Chapter up soon. Happy Thanksgiving to Americans and Happy Thursday to everyone else!

AN2: I went through and edited this chapter so hopefully it's easier to read. If there's anything I missed feel free to tell me.