I'm tired of running. Let's just get this over with. Give 'em what they need so we can all move on. You've got one shot at this, Doctor. 
The Flash (Volume 4) #5 is an issue of the series The Flash (Volume 4) with a cover date of March, 2012. It was published on January 25, 2012.
Synopsis for "The Flash"
In the basement of his lab, Dr. Darwin Elias, a brilliant physicist, leads Mob Rule down to his Genetic Re-Coding device. They hope that with the help of Manuel Lago - the man from whom all of Mob Rule is descended, they can recode their genes in order that they can prevent their inevitable early demises.
Meanwhile, at Iron Heights Prison, Iris West manages to escape the cell that she was trapped in by Captain Cold during the power outage. Unfortunately, she escapes to find many of the other inmates have also found their ways out of their cells. She braces herself as they advance on her.
On the Gem City Bridge, Patty Spivot does her best to assist the Central City Police Department in holding back the crowd of people who are waiting to get back across the bridge to Central City after the Flash vibrated through it. Precedent suggests that the bridge could very well explode, and so the citizens are being kept away from it. Unfortunately, those citizens are becoming restless, and a riot seems immanent.
Fortunately, Flash is on the way, carrying two 600-ton barges in his slipstream. The barges, courtesy of Wayne Enterprises, are stocked with supplies, generators, and emergency vehicles. He assures the citizens waiting nearby that the bridge is safe, and they can all go home. As Flash enjoys his success, he notices chunks of ice floating in the river that are out of season. Realizing that Captain Cold is likely behind it, he rushes off to Iron Heights.
Luckily, Iris has managed to hold her own, thus far, smashing Folded Man in the face with a ventilation grate. Before she can be attacked by Tar Pit, Flash appears, thawing out the frozen guards with friction and blowing away Iris' attackers with the water from the melted ice. After Flash verifies that Iris is alright, she delivers a message from Captain Cold that he has "upped his game" and he is coming for him. Just then, Flash catches a glimpse of a bright green light coming from within Central City, and he has to go. Iris begs for a ride, and he carries her back to the city at super-speed.
Manuel has given up on resisting Mob Rule's demands, and enters the genetic re-coder. Dr. Elias begins the process, hoping that only the genetic flaw in Mob Rule will be targeted by the device. Meanwhile, The Flash rushes to the scene and fights his way into the lab, not realizing that Manuel and the doctor have willingly agreed to help the clones.
The doctor pulls Flash back from Manuel, explaining that this is their only chance to help Mob Rule. However, something in the process begins to go wrong, and it threatens to kill Manuel. Dr. Elias urges Flash to contain the blast, despite Manuel's desire to be left alone so that the process can complete. More concerned about Manuel's life than Mob Rule, Flash begins speeding around the device in order to contain the blast and disperse its energy into the atmosphere.
In the aftermath of the blast, Manuel is alive, but Mob Rule is dead. Every clone expires before Manuel's eyes, and while he felt responsible for bringing them into the world, he now blames Flash for their deaths. Angrily, he knocks both Flash and Dr. Elias unconscious, and leaves.
Elsewhere, Patty and the rest of her department at the CCPD investigate the scene of the fire where Barry Allen was last seen. Unfortunately, all they can find are charred skeletons. Patty is overcome with emotion at the thought of losing Barry, but he appears behind her, admitting that he had to make the sacrifice for Manuel because he's family to him. Patty happily embraces him, scolding that his friends in the department are his family.
Somewhere, Manuel thinks about Mob Rule, realizing that his many clones were the closest thing to a family that he has. He vows that he will find another way to save them as he pierces his skin with a knife. From the drops of blood are grown several more clones, and Mob Rule is born again.
Later, Flash visits Dr. Elias, who explains that all of these recent negative events were actually their fault. The EMP Blackout and what happened with Mob Rule last night were connected. The EMP blast that blacked out the city three days ago was the same one created by the electromagnetic generator the night before. Flash's attempt to contain the blast actually sent the energy blast back in time. This is not the only instance, either. In the Badlands, several anachronistic objects - things taken out of their own time - have been found there. Dr. Elias explains that every time Flash uses the Speed Force to approach the speed of light, time rifts are created. Dr. Elias warns that they will have to destroy the Speed Force - the source of Barry's power - in order to prevent oblivion.
Appearing in "The Flash"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mob Rule (Apparent death)
- Folded Man (First appearance)
- Girder (First appearance)
- Tar Pit (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Central City Police Department
- Capt. Barrow (First appearance)
- James Forrest
- David Singh
Locations:
Concepts:
Items:
- Genetic Re-Coder
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in The Flash: Move Forward and The Flash: Starting Line.