"I don't care how you deal with Kyle Nimbus," Joe West said, his voice as cold and hard as a stone soaked in ice water.
"But stay away from Barry."
In the medical wing of S.T.A.R. Labs, Joe stood blocking the doorway with his arms crossed, like an insurmountable wall. His gaze stayed fixed on Yang Ming, who was calibrating a centrifuge.
Yang Ming didn't even turn around. With practiced movements, he placed a blood sample in the rotor, closed the lid, and set the speed.
"Detective Joe, I'm just a doctor." Yang Ming adjusted his glasses, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather. "I treat illnesses. Or prevent viruses from spreading."
"Kyle wasn't a virus. He was a criminal! He should have stood trial, not been punched to death in my yard!" Joe's voice simmered with suppressed anger. "I don't want Barry learning your methods. Fighting violence with violence doesn't solve anything!"
"Really?" Yang Ming finally turned and leaned against the lab bench, watching Joe calmly through his gold-rimmed glasses. "When you and Barry were choking to death on poison fog, was it a courtroom that saved you, or my 'fighting violence with violence'?"
Joe's face flushed scarlet. His lips moved, but not a single word came out.
"I respect your profession, Detective Joe." Yang Ming picked up a report. "But this is Central City, not a police academy textbook. There are things the law can't handle. I can."
He handed the report to Joe.
"This is Tony Woodward's medical report. When he turns to metal, his body tissue undergoes irreversible fibrosis. A few more transformations, and even if Barry never touches him, he'll turn himself into a pile of living scrap metal."
"You can't save him. Neither can the law. But I can." Yang