Flash and Shazam worked in perfect tandem now. Barry's crimson blur whipped around Atom Smasher like a cyclone, keeping the giant disoriented while Shazam floated above, landing calculated punches with a precision that belied his usual reckless energy.
Atom Smasher roared in frustration, his massive form swaying as the combined force of lightning and speed wore him down. Every time he tried to lash out, his fist met only air as Shazam dodged expertly, staying just out of reach.
"Keep it up!" Flash shouted, his voice sharp and encouraging as he maintained the swirling vortex. His body moved like clockwork, his breathing steady despite the high-speed maneuvers. There was no sign of fatigue—Barry Allen was in complete control.
Shazam, now fully in the rhythm of the battle, grinned. The punches he threw were no longer wild, but focused. His eyes were sharp, watching for every opening in Atom Smasher's defenses. "Almost there!" he yelled, charging his fists with one last bolt of electricity. The blue lightning crackled in the air, illuminating his determined expression.
With a final roar, Shazam hurled the lightning at Atom Smasher. The bolt struck the giant square in the chest, sending a ripple of electricity coursing through his body. Atom Smasher let out a guttural scream as he collapsed to his knees, his massive frame shrinking slightly as the radiation he'd absorbed was forcibly expelled.
Flash slowed his pace, his red lightning dissipating as he skidded to a stop beside Atom Smasher. He was calm, his chest rising and falling lightly from the exertion. With practiced efficiency, Barry pulled out a pair of meta-dampening handcuffs, quickly snapping them around Atom Smasher's wrists.
The giant groaned, struggling briefly, but his strength was gone. "Stay down," Flash said quietly, his voice carrying the weight of authority. He glanced at Shazam, who floated down beside him, his chest still heaving from the fight.
"That was awesome," Shazam muttered, wiping sweat from his brow, still buzzing with adrenaline. He looked down at Atom Smasher, the victory obvious in his wide grin. "We make a pretty good team, huh?"
Barry smirked, but his expression shifted when Atom Smasher, weakened but defiant, looked up at him with a sneer. His voice was low and rasping, but the words he spoke cut through the air like a knife.
"He's coming…" Atom Smasher wheezed, his eyes locking onto Flash's. "Zoom is coming... and he wants you dead."
Shazam's grin immediately faltered. The name "Zoom" hit him like a thunderclap. His eyes widened, and his youthful confidence evaporated, replaced by a mixture of fear and confusion. "Zoom? Wait, who's Zoom?" he stammered, his gaze darting between Atom Smasher and Flash.
Atom Smasher chuckled darkly, even as his body sagged from exhaustion. "Zoom... the fastest man alive in his world. And he's coming for you, Flash. He's coming for your speed."
Shazam's panic only grew as he processed the words. His mind raced. A speedster fast enough to challenge Barry? Someone after his speed? He took a step back, his fists clenching reflexively. "Flash, is this guy serious? What if—"
But Flash wasn't panicked. In fact, as Atom Smasher spoke, Barry's expression remained calm—eerily calm. His gaze was steady, focused, as though he'd already anticipated this. A slight, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Shazam blinked in surprise. "Flash… you're not… worried?"
Flash exhaled slowly, his eyes never leaving Atom Smasher. "I've been waiting for Zoom," he said, his voice low but unshaken. There was no fear in his tone—only certainty. "If Zoom wants a fight, he knows where to find me."
Atom Smasher's head tilted, his breathing ragged. Even he seemed momentarily confused by Flash's lack of concern. "You don't know what you're up against," he spat. "Zoom is—"
"I know exactly who Zoom is," Flash interrupted, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "And I've faced worse."
Shazam's brows furrowed as he stared at Barry, trying to reconcile the calm, collected man in front of him with the overwhelming threat they were apparently facing. "You're serious," Shazam whispered, his earlier panic beginning to fade, replaced with something else—trust.
Barry nodded, his eyes now softening as he turned toward Shazam. "Listen, Shazam, I've been through this kind of thing before. Zoom might be dangerous, but we're ready. You're ready."
Shazam swallowed, nodding slowly. His shoulders relaxed, and though his heart still pounded in his chest, the fear was ebbing away. If Barry wasn't afraid, then maybe—just maybe—they could handle this.
As for Atom Smasher, he slumped against the cold ground, the last vestiges of his strength leaving him. "You're a fool," he muttered, his voice barely audible now.
Flash merely tightened the cuffs and stood, his posture as composed as ever. "We'll see."
The familiar halls of S.T.A.R. Labs were a sharp contrast to the chaos they'd just faced. Flash and Shazam arrived in a blur, their victorious energy hanging in the air, but as soon as they stepped through the doors, Billy didn't waste a second.
With a single word—*"Shazam!"*—the young hero was enveloped in a brilliant flash of lightning. In a blink, the towering figure of Shazam vanished, replaced by the much smaller frame of Billy Batson. His body visibly slumped in relief as if the weight of the battle had lifted the moment he returned to his human form. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, his wide eyes betraying his youthful anxiety.
Barry, still in his suit but now more relaxed, glanced at Billy and offered him a reassuring smile. His mask had been pulled back, revealing the steady, confident face of Barry Allen. "You did great back there," he said, his voice calm and grounding.
Billy, however, seemed less convinced. His mind still buzzed with the name they had just heard: Zoom. "I don't get it, Flash," Billy muttered, pacing the room with restless energy. His hands waved in the air, the anxiety bubbling over. "Who is Zoom? If he's as fast as Atom Smasher said, shouldn't we be, I don't know, *freaking out*?"
His voice cracked slightly, betraying the fear simmering just beneath the surface. Billy's brow was furrowed, his youthful face drawn tight with worry, and he shot a quick glance at Barry, expecting some kind of reassurance.
Barry leaned against one of the lab's consoles, his arms crossed, and shook his head, his demeanor completely at ease. "I told you, Billy, it's not the first time I've dealt with someone like Zoom." His tone was measured, almost nonchalant, as if Zoom was no more than a minor inconvenience, heck even the Reverse Flash is more of a threat than Zoom if he was sincere. "He's dangerous, sure. But we don't panic. That's how we beat guys like him."