(Flash I #286) - Police captain Darryl Frye started loading up Barry Allen with overtime shifts, and he began to worry that his late nights at the lab and lack of sleep were affecting his performance as the Flash, but he saw no way out of it. After a late night clash with the Rainbow Raider Barry was late for work and Frye reprimanded him.

(Flash I #287) - The newly discovered element dyrithum possessed the density of diamond and the Central City police were interested in using it to make improved bulletproof vests. The snag was that dyrithium was a heavy element, causing a weight problem when used to make bulletproof vests, so Barry Allen and Patty Spivot were tasked with coming up with a formula for a lightweight dyrithium alloy. Patty went to work while Barry stepped out to get coffee and donuts. Dr. Alchemy used his Philosopher’s Stone to melt a hole in the police lab’s wall, knocked out Patty with ether, and stole the dyrithium. Barry was disappointed to see that Al Desmond had returned to a life of crime, and changed into Flash and confronted him, but Alchemy knocked him out with a cloud of carbon monoxide. When Flash recovered he changed back into his civilian identity to find Darryl Frye checking in on the recovering Spivot. He demanded to know where Barry had been for the past 20 minutes, and Barry said he witnessed the robbery and followed Flash, helping him recover after the carbon monoxide attack. The police arrested Al Desmond at home, but the new Dr. Alchemy, actually the “psychic twin” of Desmond broke him out and shackled him in a cave, planning on pinning more crimes on him.

(Flash I #288) - Captain Frye gave the squad a briefing on Dr. Alchemy and how Al Desmond had reformed in the past only for his criminal personality to resurface in times of stress and return to a life of crime. Barry Allen gave a scientific talk, theorizing that Al had escaped police custody because he now had a telepathic link with the Philosopher’s Stone.

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