Chapter 27: Outed Truths

Much later, Joe was helped out of the room by Caitlin and Cisco. Together they made their way to the cortex where Barry and Iris were waiting. On the plasma a feed of the operating room was open, showing Artemis watching over Harrison and cleaning up from the work they had done. As the trio entered, Iris and Barry stood. A long silence filled the room.

Caitlin broke it. "I don't know." Sighing, she crossed her arms. Her eyes were half-closed as exhaustion tugged at them. "There's a lot of damage. With Artemis to watch over him, he has a chance." Dropping into a chair, she watched the young man on the plasma feed. The stranger had showed no signs of tiring as they'd work. His medical knowledge was complete and he'd wielded the tools of the profession with an expertise Caitlin had not seen before. The only hiccup had been when he'd finished and stood back to examine Harrison's body. It was the first emotion Caitlin had seen from Artemis, a look of worry and fear instead of the cool, clinical, calm he'd displayed earlier.

"Thank you for trying," Joe said. "Cisco, Iris, thank you so much." He shook Cisco's hand and hugged his daughter tightly.

"Artemis said that the chip they had implanted into Dr. Wells's back was what enabled him to walk. It acted as a bridge to carry the nerve signals over the damaged areas of spine. No signals were supposed to be carried back but when Dr. Wells wasn't using the implant it could cause feedback making the seizures worse," Caitlin informed them. "Artemis isn't sure if there's permanent damage or not. If there is Dr. Wells might never wake up." She looked around the group, letting the information sink settle. Barry stood back from everyone, arms crossed in annoyance and frustration. He couldn't forgive Wells and he was struggling to understand everything that was going on now.

"At least we won't have to worry about the blood and cellular deterioration," Cisco said. "I figured out what was causing it. This suit integrates with the body and feeds off the low level electrical currents in our bodies. By using it every night, Dr. Wells was basically killing himself." He shook his head, saddened at what his friend had done. It upset the young engineer to think that if things had gone differently, Harrison might have asked for help and may have avoided being injured.

"He said he was just trying to make up for killing so many," Iris told them. She had blood on her shirt and hands. There was a dazed look in her eyes, as if she wasn't completely seeing the world. "Dad, he said to tell you he was sorry but he hoped you would understand."

Biting his lip, Joe crossed his arms and nodded. Iris could tell her father was trying to control his emotions. "Thanks baby." Wrapping an arm around her, Joe held her close. "Thank you all so much. I just hope it was enough. Hopefully Harrison is strong enough to pull through this."

There was another silence. This time Barry broke it, finally voicing his concerns. "Are we sure we're doing the right thing? Joe, he killed you, he lied to us. He's been running around doing whatever he wants as the Chameleon." He didn't understand why everyone seemed so willing to forgive Dr. Wells.

"No! Damnit Barry. Don't you get it? He saved me!" Anger seemed to instantly fill Joe as he rounded on his son. "I owe him everything right now. You all think you know so much? Well guess what, I know that Harrison injected me with something."

"Yeah, and it killed you," Barry countered. "If the doctors hadn't been there to bring you back-"

"I told him to do it!" Joe roared at Barry. Tears started to fall from the detective's eyes but Joe didn't look away from his foster son. "I could move one fucking finger. One finger!" Angrily Joe held his index finger up. "Harrison came in and started talking to me and I knew he'd understand. I tapped out a message to him! He told me he had been working on a serum to repair his own body." Joe was trembling as he struggled to keep what little calm he had left. Locking his gaze intently on Barry, he tried to make the young man understand. "He said if it didn't work, it would probably kill me. I didn't want to live like that, Barry. I told him to give it to me. I would rather be dead, than some lump in a bed you two would have to take care of for the rest of my life."

"Then why didn't he tell us?" Barry shot back. Disbelief and fear filled his face. Fear that everyone else was right and he'd helped punish an innocent man.

"Because I asked him not to tell you. I was ashamed. I was selfish." Finally Joe turned away, emotion pouring out of him with his tears. "I didn't even think of what it meant to Harrison. Now here I am, walking around as if nothing ever happened."

"Why doesn't he just use it on himself?" Barry asked desperate for a way to alleviate his shame and horror.

"It was made from a mixture of components he isolated from the blood of a meta that died fighting you," Joe supplied. "He had enough for one dose and he used it on me. He gave me back my life and settled for using that damn chip that nearly killed him." Muscles in Joe's cheek flexed and he wiped tears angrily away.

Silence fell, collapsing in on the room. Not looking at anyone else, Iris stepped up and wrapped her arms around her father. In a painful change of roles, she held him the way he had her when Barry had been hurt. His tears soaked her shoulder and she rubbed a hand in circles on his back.

Realizing just how much pain Joe was carrying around, Cisco stepped forward and patted the detective gently on the shoulder. "It's okay Joe. This isn't your fault. We're all to blame. I asked Dr. Wells not to tell anyone about me. I stayed quiet when he took the blame for my power. I put that damn 'suppression cuff' on him." Tears were streaming down Cisco's face too, and in a moment of complete vulnerability, Joe hugged him, hard and tight. "If we'd been nicer to him, he might have trusted us with all of this."

"I'm sorry to break up such an emotional group," the soft voice came from the doorway. After a moment, Artemis stepped inside. "I wanted to let you know that Harrison is stable. If you'll permit, I'll watch over him a while longer." His blue eyes studied the group intently as if he was trying to understand all the emotions flying around. Something about the way he held his arms at his side made him look more like Harrison.

"Of course. But, what are you?" Caitlin walked over to him, staring intently at him. He calmly returned her gaze.

"I am an artificial intelligence created by Dr. Harrison Wells and Dr. Tess Morgan twelve years ago. This physical form is an autonomous unit Harrison created by combining technology with organic material."

"So he made you from himself," Barry muttered. The young speedster was still struggling with his own emotions. A mix of anger, regret, and horror were swirling around in Barry's chest making him feel sick to his stomach.

"Incorrect," Artemis replied. "My genetic component was derived from a unique DNA sample Harrison had from a deceased individual." His voice was devoid of emotion as he spoke.

"You look a little like him. Like Harrison," Joe said. Joe felt like he'd seen Artemis somewhere before and not just because of the young man's resemblance to Harrison Wells.

"A portion of the genetic component of my benefactor was derived from Harrison." Artemis seemed to wait calmly as Joe processed, translated, and reprocessed the statement.

"The baby Tess lost in the accident," Joe said. "The accident that killed her in our time but only killed their baby in this one. That's where he got the DNA for you. You're him."

"Only physically. My intellect is more complicated," Artemis replied. "While this form is mostly human, it requires less nutrients and rest than most. I am not completely human and I am still connected to the computer components housed within Harrison's home."

"It was you in the Chameleon suit," Joe realized. "When Harrison was in the hospital."

"That is correct. He was injured in his battle with the metal-meta, Tony Woodward, and didn't manage to teleport the full distance home. Instead he ended up in the woods. Carlton notified me of Harrison's condition and I made sure he was stabilized before following his instructions to help him fake the motorcycle accident."

"Cause he had to explain the injuries," Joe supplied. Artemis nodded agreement.

"Please be assured, I maintained physical contact until you and Mr. Ramon were on sight. I watched over all of you until EMS arrived."

"Why didn't Dr. Wells just tell us what he was doing?" Caitlin asked.

"Would you have let him?"

"No."

"Yeah. That's why he didn't talk to us about it," Joe said with a sigh. "Will he be able to use another implant to walk?"

"No. The implants work but only on individuals who have not suffered cranial damage to the degree Harrison has. Now that it is removed, he will not be able to have a new one implanted. Nor will he be able to use the suit. If the city is in need of a Chameleon, I can function in that capacity."

"Why not just have you be the Chameleon all along?" Iris asked.

"Harrison felt he could not repay the debt by having me do his work. He cited the necessity that the 'dirt be on his hand' for it to be proper penance for what he has done and what the man who was him in your timeline did." There was a painful silence as the team realized that Harrison had taken up the responsibility for Eobard's actions as well as his own. Silently, Artemis turned and headed back to tend to his patient.

"Guys," Barry said, finally speaking. There were tears on his face. "I owe you all, a huge apology. Especially Dr. Wells."

"He prefers Harrison," Joe muttered. It earned him some looks. "I'm just saying. You want to do right by him? Start by calling him Harrison."

"Okay," Barry agreed. He looked to Caitlin. "What else can we do?"

"Nothing. All we can do is wait." The silence returned and filled the room again, stretching out. A long sigh slipped from Cisco's lips and with a nod, he turned and followed Artemis back.

"I'll sit with him first," the young engineer declared.

"I'm coming with you," Joe added, stepping up. They left the room, allowing the silence to rule supreme over the three remaining occupants.

Yep, that's it, the end. I know, death to the author. I'm working on the next story now. I've run into a bit of a block but am hopeful that I can finish it soon. Thanks for joining me on this crazy ride and I hope you've enjoyed! -CT