"We've got new help!"
A red whirlwind swept into S.T.A.R. Labs. Barry Allen practically bounced up to the main console, his face brimming with excitement he couldn't contain.
Cisco had an energy bar between his teeth and nearly choked at the news. He shot out of his chair. "Who? Who? Another Flash? One from a parallel universe? Like in a sci-fi movie?"
"Even cooler!" Barry waved his arms excitedly. "It's that guy from Star City..."
"No!"
The cold, resolute shout doused the excitement that had just flared in the lab like a bucket of ice water.
Joe West stood in the doorway, his face dark as a thundercloud. He had just finished a call with the precinct, and the moment he walked in and heard Barry's exuberant voice, the unease in his chest erupted.
"I absolutely refuse!" Joe repeated. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried unquestionable weight.
The air in the lab instantly froze.
The smiles stiffened on Cisco's and Caitlin's faces. Barry looked like a duck being strangled, his excitement frozen into a rather comical expression.
"Joe, what's... what's wrong?" Barry asked cautiously.
"What's wrong with me?" Joe advanced step by step, his gaze cutting across Barry like a knife. "I should be asking what's wrong with you, Barry! Do you have any idea what you were just saying? Who are you planning to work with?"
"Star City's Arrow. Oliver Queen." Barry took a deep breath and said it anyway. "He's a hero too, Joe. He can help us!"
"A hero?" Joe looked as though he had just heard the funniest joke of the century. His lips curled into a cold smile.
"He's a murderer, Barry!"
Joe's voice suddenly rose. He pointed at Barry, his finger trembling slightly with the force of the gesture.
"He carries out vigilante