The world was a blur as Jack ran. The wind whistled in his ears, the streets rushed past in streaks of color, and time seemed to bend to his will. This time, though, he wasn't experimenting. He was running because he felt something—a strange pull deep in his gut, like a magnet dragging him toward some unknown point. It wasn't fear or danger, but something more… instinctual.
The status screen had flickered into existence in his peripheral vision earlier, briefly flashing new updates about his progress. He hadn't paid it much attention, though. There was something more pressing—an odd disturbance in the air, almost like another presence. Something fast, something powerful.
Suddenly, the world around him shifted, and without warning, Jack found himself slowing down. He skidded to a stop in an empty park, the only sounds being the rustling of trees and the distant hum of traffic. His heart pounded in his chest as he scanned the area. It was too quiet—almost eerily so.
Then, he felt it.
A gust of wind that wasn't his own.
Jack spun around, eyes wide, just in time to see a red blur materialize in front of him. His mind barely had time to process what he was seeing before the figure solidified, standing just a few feet away, a familiar symbol glowing on his chest: a bolt of lightning.
It was him. The Flash.
Barry Allen, the Scarlet Speedster, stood in front of Jack, his eyes scanning the young boy with cautious curiosity.
"You're fast," Barry said, his voice calm but firm. "But not just fast—you're something else."
Jack's breath caught in his throat. He had always admired the Flash in his previous life, but seeing him in person was… surreal. There was no room for fanboying, though. Barry wasn't here for autographs.
"I, uh—" Jack stammered, unsure of what to say. "I'm… still figuring that out."
Barry took a step closer, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You're connected to the Speed Force, but it's different. I felt your presence, but it's not like any speedster I've encountered."
Jack swallowed hard, his mind racing. He didn't want to give too much away, but how could he explain this? That he wasn't just fast, but that his soul had merged with a game file and the Speed Force? That he had been reborn in this world with no clear purpose?
Before Jack could respond, Barry's demeanor softened. "I'm not here to scare you, kid. I just need to understand. You've got power, and power like that… it can be dangerous if you don't have control."
Jack nodded slowly. He could sense that Barry wasn't here to fight or apprehend him. If anything, Barry was trying to help.
"I don't know what's happening to me," Jack finally admitted. "One minute, I was just… normal. And now, I can do things—things I don't fully understand."
Barry's expression remained neutral, but there was a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "I've been where you are. When I first got my powers, I didn't know what to do with them either. But the Speed Force is more than just speed—it's a connection, a force of nature. And it's part of you now."
Jack hesitated. This was his chance—maybe Barry could help him understand more about his powers. But at the same time, Jack knew that his abilities weren't just about the Speed Force. There was the game file, the strange glitches, the energy manipulation—things that had no connection to Barry's powers.
"I feel… different," Jack began, struggling to find the right words. "Like there's something else inside me. It's not just speed. Sometimes I see things—data, code. And I can control energy, not just my speed."
Barry's brow furrowed in confusion, but he didn't dismiss Jack's words. "Data? Code?"
Jack nodded. "It's like… the world around me glitches sometimes. Like a video game."
For a moment, Barry was silent, processing the information. Then, he looked at Jack with a mixture of concern and curiosity.
"Okay," Barry said slowly. "I've never heard of anything like that, but if you're seeing things like that, it means there's something more going on here than just the Speed Force. But the fact that you can control your speed is a good start."
Jack bit his lip, unsure of what to say. There were so many questions buzzing around in his mind, but he didn't know how much he could trust Barry—how much of his secret he should reveal.
"You don't have to tell me everything right now," Barry added, sensing Jack's hesitation. "But if you want help, I can offer it. I've been dealing with this speed stuff for a long time, and it's not something you want to face alone."
Jack nodded slowly. As much as he wanted to figure things out on his own, Barry was right—this wasn't something he could tackle alone. The more he unlocked his abilities, the more unstable they seemed to become. And if the Speed Force was involved, he'd need guidance.
"Okay," Jack said quietly. "I could use some help."
Barry smiled, a reassuring and genuine expression. "Good. We'll take it one step at a time. I'll help you understand your connection to the Speed Force, and together, we'll figure out the rest."
A Lesson in Speed
Barry's offer to help wasn't just words. Over the next few weeks, Jack found himself learning more about his powers than he could have imagined. Barry took him under his wing, showing him how to better control his speed, how to avoid burning out, and how to tap into the Speed Force without losing control.
Jack learned quickly. His raw talent was undeniable, but there were moments when he felt the glitches creeping back in. Moments when his speed wasn't just speed—when it felt like reality itself was bending around him, warping in ways that didn't quite make sense.
One evening, while training with Barry, Jack experienced one of those glitches again.
They were racing through the outskirts of Central City, practicing quick turns and sprints. The world blurred around them, and Jack felt the familiar rush of the Speed Force. But then, as he pushed himself harder, something changed. The world didn't just blur—it glitched. Buildings flickered, the ground seemed to warp, and Jack felt like he was moving through layers of reality.
He stumbled, slowing down as the glitch intensified. His vision was filled with digital patterns—code, data streams—and for a moment, he felt like he wasn't in Central City anymore.
Barry noticed immediately and rushed over, pulling Jack out of his daze.
"Jack! Are you okay?" Barry asked, concern lacing his voice.
Jack blinked, the glitch fading away. "I… I don't know what just happened. It was like everything around me broke for a second."
Barry's brow furrowed. "That's not normal Speed Force stuff. This has something to do with whatever else is inside you."
Jack nodded. "It's like… the world turns into code. I can see it sometimes when I push myself too hard."
Barry's expression grew serious. "We need to figure out what's causing this. If you're seeing things like that, it means there's something deeper going on."
Jack sighed. "I've been trying to figure it out, but it's hard. It's not just the Speed Force. It's like I'm stuck between two realities—this one, and something digital."
Barry placed a reassuring hand on Jack's shoulder. "Whatever this is, we'll figure it out. But you need to be careful. Pushing yourself too hard could make things worse."
Jack nodded, grateful for Barry's guidance. But in the back of his mind, the questions lingered. The status screen, the glitches, the energy manipulation—it was all connected, somehow. And he was determined to uncover the truth, no matter how long it took.
A New Challenge
As Jack continued to train with Barry, his powers grew stronger, but so did the disturbances. The glitches became more frequent, and the data streams he saw in his vision became clearer. He could feel the game file's influence on him growing, but he still didn't understand what it all meant.
One day, while out on a routine training run with Barry, they encountered something unexpected. A burst of energy erupted from a nearby building, sending a shockwave through the streets. Jack and Barry skidded to a stop, their eyes wide as they looked up at the source of the disturbance.
A figure floated in the air above the building, surrounded by crackling energy. Jack's eyes narrowed as he recognized the figure—it was someone he had seen before, from the DC universe.
It was Zoom.
Barry's expression hardened. "Stay back, Jack. This is dangerous."
Jack nodded, but his heart raced. He had seen Zoom in the Justice League game before, but now, standing in front of him in real life, it was an entirely different feeling. This wasn't a game—this was real.
Barry wasted no time. In a blur of red, he shot forward, engaging Zoom in a high-speed battle. Jack watched from a distance, his hands clenching into fists. He knew Barry was fast, but Zoom was just as quick—maybe even faster.
The battle raged on, the two speedsters colliding in flashes of lightning and thunderous booms. Jack felt the urge to jump in, to help Barry, but he knew he wasn't ready—not yet.
But then, something unexpected happened. As Barry and Zoom raced through the streets, Zoom suddenly turned his attention to Jack. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes locking onto the young speedster.
"You," Zoom growled, his voice filled with malice. "You're not like the others."
Jack froze, his heart skipping a beat. How did Zoom know?
Zoom took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. "I can feel it. There's something inside you—something… different."
Barry, still recovering from their last clash, called out to Jack. "Run! Get out of here!"
But Jack couldn't move. Zoom's gaze was fixed on him, and Jack could feel the tension in the air. This was more than just a random battle—Zoom knew something about him, something that even Jack didn't fully understand.
Zoom grinned, his smile twisted and cruel. "We'll meet again, kid. And when we do, I'll show you what real power is."
And with that, Zoom disappeared in a blur of lightning, leaving Jack and Barry standing in the aftermath.
End of Chapter 3