The Death of Vibe

1 Previously on "The Flash" We have a kid who defied the laws of physics to hang out with her parents. - Melt. - Killer Frost Is gone. The only time you need your mother is when you're in trouble. My father's death certificate. The M. E. who signed off on it, he doesn't exist. Now I know why she never wants to leave her dad's side and never wants to be by mine. I just lost my speed. [GROANS] Sounds like an insect. Like a cicada. Who's Cicada? [DRAMATIC MUSIC] As a kid there was a part of the Flash Museum that always scared me. I guess it's normal for children to be afraid of monsters. But this monster was different. No one knows where he came from, how he got his powers, who he is. All that's known is his alias, and the last sound his victim's hear. [HEAVY BREATHING] But that's not what makes him scary. What makes him scary is you never catch him. We never catch him? Supergirl, The Legends, even The League tried, but no one was successful. Probably 'cause he can dampen everybody's powers with that magic friggin' dagger. Not all superpowers are meta-humans though. - What about - Green Arrow? Yeah, he tried too once, but So we're dealing with a meta-human Jack the Ripper. - Amazing. - [SIGHS] What else do you know about him? Just that he he's early. What do you mean he's early? In my history, Cicada's first victim was a meta-human named Floyd Belkin. And he never killed Gridlock or Block. They're completely different victims. Because the timeline changed. Yeah, and now they're both dead because of me. Okay, there's no telling the ripple effect of this change or what kind of future Nora's gonna return to. We gotta catch this guy fast. You mean catch the guy that future us can't catch? Right, I thought beating The Thinker was hard. [ELECTRONIC BEEPS] Guys, it's Joe. CCPD needs help downtown. - Okay, I got it. - No, I'll I'll do it. - Are you sure? - Yeah, I got it. You guys stay here and deal with the meta serial killer. Okay, guys, look, we got this. Let's just canvass some crime scenes, interview some witnesses, and see if there's any common acquaintances between Gridlock and Block. I have a plan. You you've got a plan already? I know how to fix this. Now nobody try nothing funny. This baby is solar with a zero carbon footprint. I spent a week in the sun charging with U, V, A, B, and C! So y'all stay put. Hey. Hey! I told you, I brought my own bags. - Sorry. - Apology accepted. Don't forget the other kind of greens. What the hell? Fear not, good citizens. Elongated man is here. [LAUGHTER] Why do I feel like you're focusing on the wrong thing? I just saved you Okay, if you're gonna Just don't post don't post I saw you post it. So your plan is to contact Herr Wells? Yes, that's my plan. I know in the future you guys never bring in a Wells to help you catch Cicada. So if you want a different result this time I try something new. It's a great idea. - 'Cept it's not. - What? It's a terrible idea. If you're looking for cooperation, trust me, this is not your guy. He is just an asshat. That's way harsh, Cisco. - I'm sorry, I'm being harsh? - Yes. Go ahead, call him. See if you don't get a steaming pile of side-eye. Okay. Yah? [SCOFFS] The Flash. [SCOFFS] Wait for it. - I love The Flash. - What? Oh, you Barry Allen, yah? With the zoom, zoom, and the defy the physics laws and gravity. Always with some style and grace, yah. Thanks, man. Das Kinder Flash. Child of the Flash. Obviously, you have your father's moral fiber, yah. And your mother's smarts, and classic beauty. - Oh, my God. Stop. - Thank you, Herr Wells. [STAMMERS] No, don't thank him. Don't fall for this ruse. Clearly this guy is putting on an act. He's a charlatan. But you hurt me, stab me in the back, this guy who must be Cisco. - You know who I am. - Hey, don't be rude. All right, look. Hey, I'm sorry. We need your help catching a meta-human serial killer. Yeah, I have heard of this Cicada. Of course, the message already from Kinder Flash. Unfortunately, I'm otherwise occupied, unable to assist you at this time. - You can't? - Nein. But, I have done one better and called someone who can. This man is a legend, this man is the greatest detective in all the Multiverse. So I've attached his coordinates - if you want to look at them. - Okay. - Yah, do you see it? - Got 'em. - Good. - Cisco. Cisco what? You want me to breach him here? - Yeah. - Hello? I just got Benihana'd. - Hurts a little bit. - Sorry. Why don't we just breach him here the old fashioned way? Hey, man, thank you for this. This is great. Privilege and an honor to help The Flash, yah, and Kinder Flash, and Iris Flash, yah. Bye, Kinder Flash. Bye, Herr Wells. [GIGGLES] Nice guy. What are you talking about, man? - He's awesome. - He's not You know what? Let's just turn on the extrapolator and get this master detective out here. [DRAMATIC MUSIC] Well I imagine your Earth would be colder. Harrison Sherloque Wells at your service. I'm here to catch your killer. [TENSE MUSIC] [QUIETLY] Barry, what is he doing? [WHISPERS] I don't know. Maybe it's some kind - of CSI kit? - Voila. [WHISPERS] Shh. Just let him Mmm. That's the stuff. And now we can begin. - Tea? - That's right. We've been watching you for 20 minutes. You're welcome. - Cannot rush excellence. - This is a waste of time. Thank you very much for coming, Cumberbatch. I'm sure you would like it if I took my leave, right? Could have more time to recover from your recent heartbreak. What are you talking about? Subcutaneous under-eye bruising, which indicates you've been crying. Flaky skin, which indicates dehydration, probably from alcohol consumption. Alcohol plus crying can only mean one thing. You have been dumped. Wrong, detective. - I have not been dumped. - Oh, no? It was a mutual decision, okay? Cynthia and I, we reached a decision together as a team. Sure. Of course. Okay, and I haven't been sobbing. In fact, I can't remember the last time I cried about it. Excuse me. [SOFT MUSIC] You are the resident speedster, I presume? - How did you - Who favors stopping on his right heel? Can tell from the wear and tear on your footwear. It's uneven. A trait that you have inherited from your father. Although you do share a little bit more body language with your mother, who's been touching her left shoulder since I came around here. What are you hiding from me? Excuse me? I am not hiding anything. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Yes, you are, but what? You have touched it, like it's something there, then gone again, something removed. A tattoo, right? Yes, perhaps from a former lover? Okay! [CLEARS THROAT] You know what? I think that this Sherloque has proven himself and that we should start finding Cicada. Excellent. Let's find Cicada. But first, the question of my fee. You're charging us? This service is not free, right? I don't work for charity. Can already tell the young doctor here is expecting to hire me for another case. I saw you glance at your purse, and I'm happy to assist you in that mystery. But first, I think we can all agree that a villain of Cicada's caliber will require a substantial fee. - Yeah. - [GASPS] Shrap, that's a lot of money even from when I from. I'm very expensive, but very worth it. What do you think? I mean, we could sell off some of Star Labs stock. - Yes! We have an agreement. - Yeah. - Do you hear that? - [FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING] Sounds of these frantic steps, we're being approached either by a tall, sensitive man, or a frightened, baby giraffe. I got I got a problem here, guys, and I - Hey. - Hello, baby giraffe. Harry, how are you? This is Sherloque Wells. Loque. Sherloque. "L-O-Q-U-E. " Sherloque. I'm French. - "Sher-lowk" here is - Loque. is gonna help us find Cicada. Oh, cool, so you're like a detective. Oh, detective, the fans. Who should I make the autograph out to? Little baby giraffe. Uh, no, no, no. I'm I'm listen. I'm a detective as well. - [SPEAKING FRENCH] - Yeah. Yeah. Ah, well [SPEAKING FRENCH] That's right, well, you're a detective. What what have you solved recently? Most recently? I uncovered the case of the stolen Chevy. [CLEARS THROAT] Of Impala. - Funny. - Hmm. Very funny from the looks of things. Well, okay, so I saved all these hostages and and all anybody can talk about is this picture, and turned into a meme. And and it's This is I just I don't think anybody in this city takes me seriously. Oh, there's 14 million people in this city. Only 500,000 have reposted this. Yeah. So, uh Cicada? Cicada, yes. I've reviewed your evidence and I know where to find your killer. So, shall we, let's get this done before dinner, right? All right, allons-y. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Not so fast, baby giraffe. Two detectives only complicates matters. Especially when only one is a master. So why don't you stay put? You can, bite the leaves. Everyone else, come with em. [SPEAKING FRENCH] [CLEARS THROAT] - You okay? - Hmm? Oh, yeah. I'm [LAUGHS] Yeah, I'm I'm great. I just got shut down by Jean-Claude Van Damme. You know Cicada's not the only mystery around here that needs solving. [SIGHS] Yeah. Mom, I know it sounds crazy, but we think someone forged Dad's death certificate. Have you any proof? No, well, yes, sort of. It's complicated, but I just thought you should know. - Unless I already knew. - I didn't say that. It's why you're here, isn't it? If this is some elaborate, possibly nefarious cover-up, it must be mom's doing. It's not like she's ever had your best interests at heart. You always do this. I just want to know the truth. I think I deserve to know that. Is my dad even really Caitlin, your father is dead. And if you care about my feelings at all, you'll just let this be. Thanks, mom. Pleasure as always. Don't become obsessed with the past. Your father had that flaw. It nearly led to his ruin even before his death. I trust you know the way out. [SIGHS] I'm sorry we came all this way for no reason. No, I'm impressed. Your mom is a really good liar. Yeah, I know she forged this death certificate. I just She's never gonna tell us why. We've hit a brick wall. Ah, but where you see a wall this detective sees a brick door with no handle. What I mean is I know exactly how to get what we came for. [ELECTRICITY SURGES] [DRAMATIC MUSIC] - You sure he's in there? - I'm certain. Now, your evidence, while slight, was enough to build a psychologic profile. This is a man hiding in the shadows. This is someone who's been pushed to the peripheries of society, and then now he sits alone waiting for the moment to strike. All this, plus the census data cross-referenced with the location of his attacks, and the profile narrows to one name David Hersch. Nora's plan might actually work. Well, it will work. [SIGHS] Once inside, you should find a small booby trap. I found it. I'm on it. Here is the critical part. It's a decoy. [EXCITING MUSIC] Sorry. I got caught off-guard. [GRUNTS] Not so tough without your dagger, huh? We got him. [DRAMATIC MUSIC] [FLOOR CREAKS] [HEAVY BREATHING] That's ridiculous! I don't know what you're talking about. You don't got anything on me! - Well, he sounds angry. - Yeah. Forensics examined Hersch's hideout and they found evidence linking him to several anti-government bombings. He's been doing it for a while. - So we got him. - I don't know. They didn't find any sign of his dagger or his mask. Dad, one CSI to another look at the facts, okay? Sherloque is the best detective in the Multiverse. His profile led us to David Hersch, and we found evidence that David Hersch is a mass murderer. What are the chances that this isn't our guy? - I mean, maybe. - Come on, we should celebrate. Okay, I'm gonna gather everyone up, make some drinks, and we can have our first party - in the new lounge. - I don't know, Nora. I [CICADA CHIRPINGS] Detective Joseph West. What do you want? To finish what I started. The meta-human called Vibe. Call him here now. I can't. I don't even know him. [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC] You were saying? Yes, I mean, he helps CCPD, but it's not like I have a Vibe phone so I can just call him up. He's just a masked do-gooder that shows up at crime scenes. This could be a crime scene. When you said you had a plan, Ralph, I didn't mean you meant breaking and entering into my mother's company's files. [SIGHS] Reinforced steel. It's times like this I really miss Killer Frost. Oh, don't you worry. Ralphie's got it. Okay. Yep. Almost there. Hang on. Yeah, almost got it. [GASPS] Oh, my God. - What is it? - Lasers. Rooms filled with lasers! Holy snakies. Oh, my God. It's like a Rubik's Cube of pain. I don't know the code. Try something that your mother would [GASPS] Caitlin! There's gotta be something. Got it. [SIGHS] You okay? Nothing a gallon of Aloe won't fix. Ooh. Look for the name Thomas Snow. [DRAMATIC MUSIC] Jackpot. [CHUCKLES] What is that? It's a game my dad and I used to play. He would teach me the periodic table, but he would let me make up my own fictional compounds and elements. Nerd-onium? He used to say it's what made us so smart. [LAUGHS SOFTLY] We used to have so much fun together. Catching bugs in the backyard, looking at constellations through a telescope we built. He taught me so much about science and life. [SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC] Maybe he still has something left to teach you. What is it? It's a letter from my dad. Saying goodbye. It's a suicide note. [UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING] Alcohol, thank you, very much. Merci. - There he is. - Hey. Dad, we're all set to celebrate No, hey, um. Actually, Hersch isn't Cicada. What? He has to be. No, I checked Cicada's boot print from both the Block and Gridlock crime scenes and it's three sizes larger than Hersch's. It's not him. Well, of course it's him. It's always Hersch. Every time I capture Cicada it's always the same man. Wait a minute, you've caught this guy before? 37 times. I've captured 37 Cicadas, 37 different Earths, and every time I try to capture him trail always leads back to that Earth's David Hersch. So this psychological profile that you created, you just made it up? Not, the first time. Now the next 36, then I just trot it out there. You know, to impress the client, and then skip to the end. And here I thought you just a bad detective, but you're not a bad detective. You're just a lazy one. [SPEAKING FRENCH] I'm not lazy. I'm efficient, right? - Anyway, that's not the point! - Ow! The point's simply that there's no reason for the Cicada of this Earth to be anyone other than David Hersch. Well, there may be one reason. What's that? The timeline. Yes, since Nora got here things have changed a bit. Yeah. Oh, mais no, you must How can you not tell me this? How am I expected to operate when you don't give me all the variables? I don't know, but what we can expect is a refund, so Yeah. Oh, no, no, no. That money is long gone. What do you mean "it's gone"? You spent all that money in one day? - Right. - On what. My ex-wife-ves. . Ex-wives. Seven marriages. Five wives. Lots of alimony. That's not the point! The point is simply this is not my fault. It's your fault. She is to blame. Timeline variance. [SCOFFS] Dad. [EXHALES] You're not gonna let Hersch off the hook because of a boot print. He's a meta. How do we know what this guy can do? That's the other thing. Hersch has no dark matter readings. He's not a meta. All right, remember. From one CSI to another, we have to look at the facts, right? We got the wrong guy. No, not this time. You know what we should do? We should throw him in the pipeline for safe keeping until he talks. I'm gonna go get him. Hey, what are you No, you're not. We're not gonna kidnap a suspect in police custody. If you don't see what's wrong with that, you can sit this one out. [SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC] Well, guess we're back to square one with Cicada. Yeah. Let's hope it's not too late to save his next victim. [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC] [CICADA CHIRPINGS] You have a lovely family, Detective West. By not giving me what I want, by putting your life in danger, you're gambling their future with you. If you knew what I know, you'd cherish them more. I'm not luring Vibe into a death trap. You can threaten me all you want. I'm not afraid. I believe you. But you should be. [PAINED GROANING] [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC] Still swirling around up there? I just don't get Nora. I mean, I thought our training was sinking in. She defeated Block. She was really making process. And next thing I know, she wants to break into CCPD and kidnap a suspect in police custody. I mean, it's like she wants to make Hersch Cicada. Barry, you really don't get why she's obsessed? - Wait. Should I? - Think about it. She's been hearing about the ripple effects on the timeline since she got here and at first they were relatively small, but now - Cicada and - It's not so small. He's one of the worst serial killers in history, and now because of Nora he's here early. And an entirely different person. With an entirely different set of victims. That is a huge weight to bear for someone who just wanted to spend time with a dad she never knew. She feels really guilty, Barry. She wants to try to fix her mistakes whatever that takes. Sounds like another speedster I know actually. [SCOFFS] [CELL PHONE BEEPS] Nora says there's an emergency in the pipeline intake. Are you sure that Sherloque. - Yeah. - What happened? As far as I can tell it looks like he was in the wrong place when this fusion cell went critical. I think it wasn't placed in its cradle properly. - Vaporized into ash. - What a way to go. - Shenanigans. - Good grife! I call shenanigans. You see, these cells right here, they run in a redundant cascade circuit. That's how they power the pipeline, in the first place, so if one of them blew they all would have blown. Yeah, the whole pipeline would have exploded. Exactly right. - Ugh. - Mm. Darjeeling, oolong. Tea leaves. Barry, be a dear and check the building for a weasel in a pork pie hat, about yay tall, smells vaguely of poutine. [SIGHS] Whoa. Tell me - who died? - [CLEARS THROAT] - Found him with this. - [GRUNTS] Of course, you did. So you thought you could just leave to another Earth without paying us back? Worked on my fourth wife and my sixth. - Same woman. - Oh. Okay, Cisco, maybe it's time to have a talk about a little place called debtor's prison. Come with me. - All right. - You make me miss Herr Wells. Come with me. I'm I'm taking you! You okay? Yeah, yeah. It's just for second I thought me inviting Sherloque here got him killed, and I just, um least that's one thing that's not my fault. [SCOFFS] Hey, I wanted to talk to you actually. I think I understand how you're feeling. Sometimes our powers are so extraordinary it makes our mistakes feel amplified, especially guilt. Yeah, but I should feel guilty. [SIGHS] I've never messed up this badly before, and I can't stop thinking about it. That's just cause you care. It's okay. It's a good thing. But [SIGHS] Nora, if every time you make a mistake you just rush in to fix it you're only gonna make things worse. Trust me, I know that better than anyone. You just gotta have a little more patience. Take a moment. Think before you act. Fix the problem the right way, all right? Okay. Listen, Caitlin, I'm sorry. For what? For all of this. Just I-I felt like a complete joke after that hostage thing, and then Sherloque shows up and everybody swoons over his so-called "Master Detective-ness. " You were nice enough to invite me along, and I pushed you into that, and I'm really sorry. Ralph, this thing you pushed me into gave me something I've never had before. Your first felony? [SCOFFS] No. Closure. It may not be pretty, but I finally know the truth. And that means everything. So, for my book, you're the best detective a girl could ask for. [SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC] [LAUGHS] Hey, you never told me what the code was on your mom's Resident Evil laser grid of death. It was my birthday. [HIGH-PITCH WHIRRING] [WHIMPERS] [GASPS] [GROANING] All this and not even a scream. You've experienced pain before, but not more than me. No, Cecile don't. No. That's what he wants. I didn't want to do this. Not to a family man. But I will. Time to make a decision, Detective West. While there's still some of you left. [BABY CRIES] [BEEPING] No, no, no! Leave her out of it! [GROANS] [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC] What's wrong? He took Cisco! - Cicada took Cisco. - What do you mean took him? - Took him where? - I don't know. They jumped into a breach right when I got here. But a breach could take them anywhere. Cisco, can you hear me? Guys, can you hear me? [GRUNTS] Cisco, where are you? I don't know. My breach fritzed out and spat us out in a forest somewhere. Can you breach out? [GROANING] [BREATHING HEAVILY] - It's not working. - [WHIRRING] [GRUNTS] Cicada's dampening his powers. Without a satellite I can't pin point his location. I mean, in this state alone there's over 14 million acres of forest. All right, Black Forest and Roanoke are closest. I'll start there. We're not gonna find him in time, are we? Well, before you give up, - what kind of trees? - What? In the forest, what kind of trees, ask him. Cisco, what kind of trees are they? I don't know! I'm in a forest! What kind of trees, little one? - Pine trees, I think. - Good. Some of them have pointy leaves. Ah, pointy. ash trees, of course. All right, now I need you to hold your breath. What? Why? Because I need to hear the forest, So, shh. - [INSECTS CHIRPING] - [EXHALES SHARPLY] [INDISTINCT FAUNA] Crickets. You hear this? Assuming that's field crickets. They live in the soil. Anyway, cross-reference field crickets with a high concentration of pine trees, ash trees, in an open field, and you have - Kolins Woods. - On my way! [GASPING] [GRUNTS] [DRAMATIC MUSIC] [GRUNTING] Barry, you got to get out of there! We have to help him. Barry? [EXCITING MUSIC] It takes time to hone your skills, Nora. You can't just skip rungs on the ladder or jump right to the big stuff, that's not how it works. Take a moment. Think before you act. Fix the problem the right way. I got it. I can fix this. I've thought this through. I won't mess it up this time. I promise. I trust you. Go. [DRAMATIC MUSIC] All these years in Central City spent defending metas instead of ending them. Those days end now. Starting with you. [PAINED GROAN] [EXCITING MUSIC] Use this! Hey, Michael Myers, dampen this. [GRUNTS] [EKG BEEPS] No. No. No. No. Cisco's gone. Oh, my God [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC] [GROANING] [GROANS] [FLATLINE] [SOMBER MUSIC] Cisco? [THRUMS] [SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC] He's alive. - [LAUGHS] - He's alive. Hey. Hey. Sorry. Sorry. [ELECTRICITY THRUMS] Your daughter. She remembered there's more than one way to open a breach. Figured Cicada wouldn't give up until Vibe was dead, so we gave him what he wanted. Thanks, fangirl. You saved my life. I did good? You did great. [DRAMATIC MUSIC] It's almost like you're really dead. Yeah. I almost really was. [SIGHS] [SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC] How the hell are we gonna catch this guy? Not with our powers. We know that at least. We don't know much else either. Variations in the timeline, they've shifted the elements, complicated the equation. - Now - Not all those elements are bad though. You could be the new element that saves us. You could be the reason we catch Cicada. I must admit, Miss Nora here pulled the rug right under from Cicada. Woof, alley-oop, huh? - Very impressive. - Yeah, that's the only fake death we're gonna see around here 'cause you're sticking around until you pay us back every cent. Well, I have to say, prospect of another mystery with Cicada puts a little pep in my step. Also, that breach device you used to get in and out of places, I suppose that's under lock and key right now? That's at the bottom of the ocean as far as you're concerned. Well, then I'm staying! - Great! - Course you are. I'm watching you, Holmes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Well, you'll learn a lot. - Good for you. - Ow. All right, shall we, sidekick. I'll sidekick your face. Something tells me those two are gonna be - just great friends. - [LAUGHS SOFTLY] So You guys up for a family dinner night? [SOFT MUSIC] Sure. Yeah. And then maybe after we could help you move into the loft. I know you've been kind of cooped up here, and now that Sherloque is gonna need a place to stay I thought you could crash with us. I think it's a great idea, Nora. Okay, thanks, yeah. Thanks. Let me get my purse. - Okay. - This will be good. I think it could be just the thing to bring you two closer together. I really hope so. [FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING] Hey. Taking Cisco out for some drinks in memoriam of Vibe. - You wanna come? - I'm okay, but thank you. Anything you want to talk about? [SIGHS] My dad wasn't really the letter writing type. I feel like he would have found some other way to tell me. No luck with his work notes? No, I mean, these molecular models are gibberish. There's gaps everywhere and some of these compounds don't even exist. It's like his mind was the first to go. But, maybe I should just listen to my mom and forget about the past. Well You left this behind. Sometimes the past is worth remembering. Thank you. [SIGHS] [DRAMATIC MUSIC] They don't exist because they're not supposed to. [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC] [EXHALES] So this is all I could remember about Cicada. It's not much, but No. No. No, this is This is great. I mean, every little bit we get helps build a profile on him. I will comb over this in the morning. You should go be with Cecile right now. Feel better. Wait. There's There's one more thing. He made these comments about family and cherishing them. And then the way he picked up Jenna's blanket, and I got this feeling when I looked in his eyes. What what kind of feeling? I think Cicada's a father. [DARK MUSIC] [SOMBER MUSIC] [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC] Hello, Orlin. [DRAMATIC MUSIC] Any progress? She's not coming out of it. Let me see it. [BUZZING] It's not healing. Doesn't matter. You can't keep doing this. You have to stop. Not until I'm finished. Oh, hi. I'm just looking for my purse. I'm about to have dinner with my parents. It's on the chair. In the Cortex. By the mannequin. Right. Thanks. Well, enjoy the couch. Nora. [SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC] Can you help me with something? I've been wondering You. You've traveled back into all these great moments of your parent's lives, right? Some wonderful, some dangerous. Most not as dangerous as punching a falling satellite, right? And yet that is the moment when you made the decision to act, altering the course of history forever. That decision Did you come to it on your own? Of course you did! Right? No, of course you did. - You're Excess! - [CHUCKLES] The temptation was too much, I'm sure. It was. [TENSE MUSIC] Well, please, forgive me. You have a dinner to go to. Good night.