Chester P. Runk (Earth-1: Pre-Crisis)

"I don't believe in quitting."

- Chester P. Runk

Chester Phineas "Chuck" Runk is a scientist and the technology consultant on Metahuman affairs to the CCPD. Runk is also the son of inventor Quincy P. Runk.

Runk gained his abilities after his experiments failed, causing destruction in Central City. He was then placed in the MAC for weeks before finding himself in S.T.A.R. Labs. Runk soon joined The Flash's team and served as its technological support, working alongside and later succeeding Cisco Ramon.

Biography
"What's up, party people?"

- Runk's catchphrase

Early Life
Runk was born to Quincy P. Runk on July 5, 1991, in Masonville.

In 1998, Runk was starting to build creative technology using trash. It was later revealed to him when he travelled back in time that his father was leaving parts he needed in the trash and teaching him lessons. However, his father died soon and left his own invention blueprints to Runk.

When Runk is 11, he tried to build a hovercraft out of her grandmother's car. However, it failed and he sees it as his worst experience.

During Runk's sixth grade, he built a miniature copy of Millennium Falcon for his school's science fair. Due to rust in the intake valve, the copy did not fly and the teacher refused to let him fix the problem, saying people like him do not get second chances, which later became one of his greatest lessons.

After Runk graduated to high school, he moved to Central City with his grandmother.

At some point, Runk became a believer of Rao and worshipped him.

After the particle accelerator explosion and Grodd's first appearance, Runk chose him to be his favourite villain.

Becoming a Metahuman
After one of his experiment went wrong, his body was infused with Dark Matter and became a Metahuman. He was then saved by Team Flash and was placed in the MAC where Barry Allen would visit and talk to him.

Joining Team Flash
In 2020, Runk and Kamilla Hwang stood up as the mission control of Team Flash during Cisco Ramon's travel across the planet. They helped The Flash fight Hartley Rathaway, better known as Pied Piper. After the latter's escape, Barry returned to the facility to calculate the changes caused by the Crisis with the help of Gideon. Runk entered and saw Barry using his speed which made him know his secret identity. Runk then try to help but was refused by Barry due to him not being a member of the team. Runk then went to CC Jitters after Barry hurt his feelings.

Soon after his upgrades to Gideon, it malfunctioned and sent Barry to Grodd's mind. Runk refused to help as he was guilty at himself due to his tinkering sent Barry to Grodd's mind despite it did improved it. Frost then talked to him and told him that mistakes are valuable lessons. Runk then worked with her and allowed Barry to return safely.

After the chaos, Runk found Barry's parents, Henry and Nora's graves which Barry struggled to find. Barry apologized for his anger and invited him on the team. Runk accepted and aided Barry's later fight against Pied Piper soon after the latter's reappearance.

Assisting The Flash
Weeks later, Runk was in charge of mission control due to Cisco Ramon leave of absence to Atlantis. He then woke Barry from the Cryo Pod as Eva McCulloch resurfaces.

Later, Runk assisted the construction of the Artificial Speed Force and was fascinated when all Harrison Wellses' brainwaves take over Barry's mind. He was then present when Nash Wells' sacrifice, who told him and Allegra to look out for each other.

Invasion of Central City
Returning after visiting his grandmother, Runk was attacked by one of Eva's Reflections. Runk was able to escape back to S.T.A.R. Labs and regroup with Team Flash. He later assisted the team on issuing a half-city blackout to prevent any more Reflections from entering Earth-Prime from the Mirrorverse.

Central City Strong
A weeks later, Runk and the other members at S.T.A.R. Labs helped rebuild the city and promoted the slogan "Central City Strong". He was then assigned his first case as a tech consultant to the CCPD after Abra Kadabra's murder. After his defeat, Runk played Fortnite with Cisco, who told him to stop beating him unless he wanted to leave the team.

Stuck in 1998
When Runk arrived back at S.T.A.R. Labs, he was fascinated by the Speed Force and introduced the Isotopic Signal Booster to the team, telling them that he could detect the Forces of Nature as well as which specific ones. Later that night, Runk and Cisco drove the van to Masonville, Runk's home town. As they installed the booster, they were hit with a green energy wave of Temporal Energy and were unable to find their cell phones. They then walked to Masonville and attempted to find phones to dial S.T.A.R. Labs, only to find multiple stores and advertisement that are not from 2020. They then realized that they were sent back to 1998 by the energy wave. They soon investigated the person who sent them back after detecting the identical Isotopic Signal when they were sent back.

Runk and Cisco then went to Runk's former high school and interviewed several students. Their scanner then detected the same signal on Parker and quizzed him with movie references. However, he was able to respond to a reference of The Matrix, a film that was not yet released. They then accused him of sending them back in time, only to restart the day with a time loop and sent back to where they started.

With the loop resetting, Runk referenced Game of Thrones and fixed Cisco's mind, which reverted to his seven-year-old self. They then realized that Runk was shielded by the scanner and that it was damaged. Later, they went to the Techstation and attempted to buy the X-67 Power Convertor. However, it was bought by Runk's father and they returned the school. They then talked about the convertor and Cisco motivated Runk to ask his father for the device.

"So you don't care about your work more than your son? You care about your work because of him. I'm just a man trying to do the right thing. Make my son proud."

- Runk and his father

Returned to his childhood home, Runk used the pseudonym of John Boyega and kindly asked for the convertor. Runk did not reveal any future information and talked to him about how he loved his son. Quincy was soon convinced by Runk and worked with him to rebuild the sensors of the booster.

Runk then met Cisco back in the auditorium after acquiring the convertor and was attacked by Deon Owens, who was able to control time. Runk attempted to convince Deon to stop, knowing they are not strong enough to fight him, with the latter teleporting away for a different way to restore his own past and future. Runk and Cisco were then sent back to 2020, with them telling the story to their teammates.

First Solo Case
When an imposter started framing Frost for murder, Runk was assigned his independent case as an advisor. Working with Barry and "Nora", Runk was able to give Barry a sample of the ice, later revealing that it had a different structure as that of Frost, proving her innocent. However, "Nora" gave Barry a rush of energy and he accidentally deleted the files as he damaged the computer.

Return of Timeless Wells
Days later, Runk, Cisco and Barry discussed the methods to prevent the Forces of Nature from being created and stop the Speed Force. Barry then told them that they could go back in time and erase the Forces from existence. However, despite the method working, it would disrupt the timeline and Barry turned to Timeless Wells for assistance. With Wells' power to protect the timeline, Runk and Cico started working on the Particle Harness Collector in order to collect Forces' particles from 10 days prior.

As they worked on the device, the team was approached by Deon Owens. Runk and Cisco then attempted to calm him down by complimenting him, with him pausing time on Runk, Cisco and Wells while talking to Barry. Barry and Wells later returned to the creation of the Forces and activated the collector as Runk Cisco and Runk monitored the percentages. However, Barry was affected by the creation and chose not to kill his "children". Runk and Cisco were surprised by the choice Barry made and agreed to work with him on another method.

Unforgiving Storm Ravages
During the final showdown between the Forces of Nature, Runk finished his Temporal Isotopes Sensors, allowing Barry to find Deon Owens through a wristband. With Barry unable to convince Deon, he returned to S.T.A.R. Labs and Runk and Cisco informed him that their brainstormed methods will not be able to contain "Nora". Later, Barry returned once more and asked if "Nora" saying the storms are not her fault is accurate. Runk and Cisco confirmed her sayings and Barry changed his mind on fighting her, now choosing to talk her down.

When the storm started forming a cyclone, Runk and Cisco informed the team that at critical point, it would create a reversed Big Bang, wiping out not just the city. Thankfully, Barry was able to stabilize the cyclone and prevent an apocalyptic event from happening. Runk, Allegra, Cisco and Kamilla then went to CC Jitters, while gathering to share their recent events. Runk told them that he built an Electronic Sock Warmers for Grandma Runk with Allegra telling him that she finished the Chopped marathon. As Kamilla talked to Cisco privately at his ear, Runk and Allegra were embarrassed and looked at each other, then quickly looked away.

Goodbye Cisco
With Cisco announcing his leave to A.R.G.U.S., Runk met him at the Starchives. He was then quickly fascinated by the inventory over the past 6 years. He took the Flash helmet and played with several gadgets as Cisco smiled at him. Cisco informed him that all those gadgets now belong to him after his leave, except a box of t-shirts that Cisco would talk with him.

Cisco later got "whammied" by Rainbow Raider 2.0's powers and the team chose Runk to take care of him in case of danger. Runk and Cisco then stayed in the Starchives as they discussed as to why the Vibe Goggles were stored there. Cisco quickly answered and mistook Runk blocking the entrance as a method to prevent him from seeing a surprise party. Runk was unable to block him and Cisco arrived in the Cortex, playing videos of cats on Barry's HUD.

Barry was then "whammied" as well and returned to the Cortex breaking dancing with Cisco, Runk entered the room and joined them, later using the Vibrational Filter and fixed their constant joy.

After The Flash and Mecha-Vibe completed their final mission together, Cisco returned to the Cortex for debriefing, only to be stalled by Runk. Cisco slowly realized that there was a surprise party at the loft. Before they left, Cisco gave Runk the key to S.T.A.R. Labs, officially handing over the torch to Runk and reminisced his past events with Team Flash over the past 6 years.

Erased Future
In the distant future, Runk helped Bart Allen on his differentials of mathematics homework multiple times and improved Nora West-Allen's gauntlet efficiency by 2000%.

Powers

 * Black Hole Manifestation: After being exposed to a Dark Matter-powered black hole, Runk gained powers to open black holes. However, it is unknown whether he is able to control his powers.

Abilities

 * Genius-level Intellect: Runk has a high-level intellect and was able to understand complex concepts of physics and engineering.
 * Physics: Runk was shown to be an expert physicist when reading a book on high level physics.
 * Engineering: Runk was proven to be a master engineer when he assisted on the construction of the Artificial Speed Force.

Weaknesses

 * Power-Dampening Technology: Like all Metahumans, Runk is unable to use his powers when in range with Power-Dampening technology.

Current Equipment

 * Mobile Gideon: Runk utilized Gideon when diagnosing Barry while his mind has been taken over by Harrison Wellses.
 * Stealth Audio Speakers: Runk installed the speakers in the workshop after Cisco's departure.

List of Works

 * Artificial Speed Force: Runk worked on the later stages of the creation of the ASF and was present during its activation. However, it removed Barry's emotions and was eventually destroyed.
 * Particle Magnet: To harness the Multiversal Particles in Nash Wells's body, Runk and Nash worked together and built a metallic vest capable of attracting the particles to the Fusion Sphere.
 * Isotopic Signal Booster: Working with Cisco Ramon, they installed the boosters in Masonville and monitored the motions of the Forces of Nature.
 * Temporal Isotopes Sensors: Later on, Runk created handheld sensors to locate Deon Owens.
 * SEE (Solar Encryption Engine): Runk attempted to finish his father's invention from the latter's blueprints.
 * Transmogrifiers: Runk worked on the devices and attempted to modify it to fit Frost.
 * Particle Harness Collector: Runk, Timeless Wells and Cisco worked together and upgraded the Tachyon Enhancer to collect the particles from the Forces of Nature, erasing them from existence.
 * Electronic Sock Warmers: Runk built a pair of sock warmers for his grandmother after the "Unforgiving Storm".
 * Radiation Gun: Runk was given the task to create a weapon that could harm Despero against his will.
 * Ray Gun: At some point, Runk built a ray gun based on the designs of the fictional "Marvin the Martian". However, the weapon malfunctioned and burnt down his best friends' house.
 * Neural Conjoiner: In an erased timeline, Runk built the Neural Conjoiner with the Telepathic Crown in order to boost Cecile Horton and Rosa Dillon's abilities, allowing them to find The Flash.
 * Particle Eradication Distributor: Bringing the PED back from the Reverse Flashpoint, Barry have the device to Runk, who converted the device into a pair of gold belts for The Flash Suit.

Trivia

 * Both Cisco Ramon and Chester P. Runk are fans of Star Wars. Additionally, Runk is a fan of Doctor Who, with knowledge of the time machine TARDIS and the species Daleks.
 * The following are movies and television Runk is a fan of:
 * Star Wars
 * Doctor Who
 * Back to the Future
 * Hot Tub Time Machine
 * Runk is a pacifist.