Rico watched the news broadcast and saw the criminals in their colorful outfits as they taunted the police while having their hostages lined up against the windows. Fortunately the police had kept their search contained to the single block.
Apparently they found the criminal's getaway vehicle on the roof of the building that they were robbing. They had taken hostages of people that were working the weekend shift in the back area. They were colored in clowney outfits that made them look like Central City's Trickster, at least before he died.
If he recalls, the Trickster died during a hostage situation. A member of Central City's swat used a sniper to shoot through a window and kill him during a confrontation with Flash. He remembered reading about the fallout that resulted from that event. There were investigations and an open court case that resulted in general consensus being that it was fine to kill a supervillain if they were the criminal. Of course that also stirred the pot with these villain and hero worship groups.
"Badger, we are through the wall. Moving into the facility to secure the Cryo Pod." T-Dog announced and Rico quickly sent a message over to Gearbox.
"Understood. We will hold for another minute before moving to the underground garage." Rico responded as he double checked his weapon. Then he looked over at Doctor Fries who was hastily putting back his weapon together. "We are trying to keep casualties as low as possible. So please try to restrain yourself."
"Very well." Doctor Fries moved next to the door as the vehicle began moving. "But I will step in if my wife is in danger."
"Understandable." Rico nodded his head as he prepared to open the back door while the garbage truck began moving.
They heard the sliding of metal and could see a Gearbox slipped open the metal slot that would let him talk to them. "Hey we are going around the block to enter through the back underground entrance."
Rico gave a thumbs up as they waited until they could feel the truck going down a ramp then Gearbox called from the front. "Passig the guard stand, there is one on duty."
"Go through, I will deal with them." Rico answered as he opened the door and climbed out. Jumping out and rolling on the ground as the garbage truck went right through the barrier.
"Hey!" The guard yelled in surprise. At the same time Rico ran towards him and punched him in the chest, sending him flying back into the booth, knocking him out completely and preventing him from radioing a warning.
Rico glanced down and then back up the ramp. Making sure that no one had seen their action. But he noticed a camera that had a view of the upper ramp. Then he heard the radio crackle to life. "Hey John, what was with that garbage truck?"
Rico frowned and pressed his comm piece while he grabbed the radio and held the speaker button while putting it next to a radio that was playing a baseball game on it. He then walked away from the booth. "Hey, they have cameras down here. You have a limit on the time before they get suspicious and either call the police or send someone down to check."
"We are on the freight elevator now. There was only a skeleton staff present." T-Dog explained. "Pull up the rear of the truck to the front of the freight elevator."
Rico kept watching, glancing up and down the ramp. It did not look like there was anyone around. But he could barely see into the garage so he was just stuck in this exposed area. Keeping watch for anyone that would pull up.
After a minute the garbage truck started coming up the ramp and he walked towards it as it went past with Gearbox and Sweetie in the front seats. He grabbed a handle as it drove past and rode on the outside until they pulled onto the road and then he slid onto the roof after confirming the back of the vehicle was closed. He laid down on the roof of the garbage truck.
"We have a roadblock ahead!" Gearbox called out.
"Toss out the blue bag T-Dog. Gearbox, just drive through and take a right into the tunnel. We are going to have to take the alternate plan to get back to Gotham." Rico explained as he peeked over and spotted the police roadblock that they were talking about.
—-----------------------
Barry dusted off his hands as he looked at the wannabe tricksters that were tied up and restrained. He was the current acting Flash, but he was planning to retire by the end of this year. It was getting too much for him while Wally West was almost ready to take over the mantle. Just like he took the mantle from Jay Garrick.
"Flash, we have a problem." One of the police officers walked up. "A garbage truck just ran through a police barricade and dropped a bag. It happened while you were dealing with these guys. We already lost them once they got past the barricade but they left a device at the scene. They have left it alone just in case."
"Where?" Flash asked.
The officer pointed down the street and he raced down. Arriving to find a blue duffle bag sitting in the middle of the street. He stopped a few feet away and walked forward calmly while waving at the officers.
He could see through the opening of the bag and saw a timer. He crouched down and opened it up slightly. "Clear the area, this is a bag full of plastic explosives." Flash announced as he looked closer at the contents of the bag. "Kid, I have a bag of plastic explosives with an entire suite of sensors. I need the materials necessary to build a safe around it. I can't move it and I can't mess with the wires. Fortunately there is no timer and the remote trigger has a range limit."
"So we can take our time?" Kid Flash asked over the open channel. Getting a chuckle out of Barry. He would spend time chasing the culprit but it would be better to slow down and search after the fact.