[center][img]http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u118/EBJ05/RPG%20Banners/flash.png[/img][/center]
[quote=@Gowi]Carol turned her head back towards the surface as she saw Flash take the magic-slinging witch down with relative ease. [i]“[color=gold]He makes it look so easy.[/color]”[/i] She thought.

Lowering herself to the ground, she nodded in slight approval. 

[b]“[color=gold]You do good work, Flash.[/color]”[/b]

Not waiting for a reply from the Scarlet Speedster she ran her left hand through her hair, pushing it back as she did so. [b]“[color=gold]I think we’re done here. We can have CCPD take care of clean-up and then head back to our normal routine. Unless you want to be bored in pearly white Metropolis. What do you think?[/color]”[/b][/quote]
I turn towards Carol, happy to see that she's still in possession of all her teeth. I furrow my brow and look for Thor, but he's nowhere to be seen. He must've fled, either as a result of Carol's talk or simple self-awareness on his part. Either way, it's not the first time he's had to excuse himself so soon after the heat of battle. I guess it's not easy making the adjustment from warmongering god to selfless protector. Still, he's the only one on this team who can lift that hammer, so that's gotta count for [i]something[/i].

[b][color=ff2400]"What can I say? I live to serve,"[/color][/b] I answer in response to Captain Marvel's compliment. I fold my arms after listening her subsequent proposal, relishing the opportunity to stand still for a moment. [b][color=ff2400]"As fun as an afternoon romp in the City of Tomorrow with you sounds, I should probably get back to the ol' day job. My boss is going to chew me out already as is."[/color][/b] Such are the harsh realities of life with a secret identity, I suppose. Everyone I know thinks I'm a slacker, that I duck out on work and can never keep an appointment. If they only knew what Barry Allen did with all that time...

[b][color=ff2400]"Take care of yourself, Carol. Say hello to Steve and Zee for me if you see them,"[/color][/b] I say with a wave. And not a second later, I've already taken off towards the mountains in the distance. I race for Missouri with the same urgency as before, this time running not [i]away[/i] from home but towards it. Before long, the great plains give way to the stocky, hard-edged skyline of Keystone. I zoom between buildings of mortar and brick, passing the blue collar workers who call Central City's sister their home. Then it's just a matter of crossing the Van Buren Bridge, and I'm back in my domain. Zigzagging through the streets, I find my way to the Central Precinct while also swapping out my costume for my civilian clothes.

Moments later, I'm stepping out onto the Crime Lab's floor. I've almost made it home free when I spot my boss, Director David Singh, hunched over a desk reviewing materials with one of our interns. As soon as he sees me, his eyes narrow. He says something to the intern and then starts marching straight towards me. Here comes the lecture. "Mister Allen. Kind of you to join us. Mind explaining where you've been for the past half hour?" he asks sharply. Director Singh doesn't much care for me. He thinks I got this job through my connections to Captain Frye -- not entirely untrue -- and I haven't given him much reason to warm to me, what with the lateness and the absences.

[b][color=ff2400]"Oh, I was at the--"[/color][/b]

"Don't even say the museum groundbreaking," he interjects suddenly. "Half the department was there, and yet they all managed to find their way back promptly after it ended."

Damn. I was hoping the ceremony would've thrown off schedules enough to let my absence go unnoticed. Well, time to suck up the hit to my reputation. [b][color=ff2400]"Honestly, I was at the ceremony,"[/color][/b] I begin, the last truthful thing to leave my mouth. [b][color=ff2400]"But... once it was over, I thought I'd have time to stop by Jitters. Turns out I wasn't alone in that idea. Took me twenty minutes just to get my order."[/color][/b]

Director Singh sneers, clearly unhappy but buying the lame excuse nonetheless. "Well, since you decided to treat yourself to a long lunch, I'm sure you won't mind making up that time at the [i]end[/i] of your shift. By sorting through the unprocessed cold case paperwork that's been piling up."

I frown at the thought of that, but I don't have a leg to stand on in the argument. Solemnly, I nod, accepting the small price that comes with the life I lead.