Don't Look Too Close

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Central City, a place many people love. Full of life, love, friends, family, alcohol . . . just an all around great place for any 26 year old to be.

However, despite how much she loved it, Scarlet hated coming back here, to her, it wasn't all fun. She held some of her darkest memories here, and some of her best. Her mother was killed here, about 22 years ago.

So, instead of going to clubs or bars, she went to a small cemetery just outside of town.

There, on a small headstone, away written in cursive "Beloved Mother, Sister, Daughter, Wife. Beatum me" the last words were Latin for 'my happy', something that Scarlet had added when she was 19.

She stood staring at the stone and walked to it to place the single white orchid, her mother's favorite flower, on its base. As she stood up she heard a rustling behind her, and spun around, coming face to face with a fancy looking gun.

"I'm sorry I have to do this today Scarlet," said the man who was attached to the gun, in a strong British accent. Then, she saw a flash of blue and passed out.

Time Skip

Opening her eyes slowly, Scarlet tried to remember what had happened. She remembered going to the cemetery and then being attacked.

She stood and looked around her, seeing eight other people passed out around her.

"Oh God I hope it's not a serial killer" she mumbled, "I hate it when they're serial killers". She took a step back into the shadows as she saw the others begin to come to, deciding to stay hidden for a while.

She saw a man that she thought she recognized in a blue parka, and as he stood he looked at an older man and said "Stein? What the hell are you doing here?"

The old man, Stein, looked at the other one as he said rather smugly "For once, I'm as ignorant as you."

Parka looked away, while another man across from him wakes up and says "How did I get here?"

A kid from behind Stein replies "Why don't you ask the guy who knocked us out and kidnapped us? British dude with a flashy thing ring any bells?"

"The name's Rip Hunter, and I'm from East London. Oh and the future". All of the people on the roof looked up to see a tall, thin man standing near the edge of the roof, wearing a long brown coat.

"Nice to meet you Rip," said a big man standing next to Parka as he reached towards what looked like a fancy gun on his hip.

"Um, while you were sleeping, I may have tampered with your weapons," said Rip quickly as the man put his hand down. Scarlet reached down into the hidden pocket of her jacket and was pissed to find that the man had, in fact, taken her favorite knife. Also, she could already tell that the big man had a temper and noted it in the files she had begun constructing in her mind of all the people around her.

"I've assembled you all here because I need your help. The world is in peril because of a man who goes by the name Vandal Savage."

A very concerned man who looked like he was in his mid to late twenties looked at Rip after he said that, and said, "That can't be, we destroyed him" A woman standing beside him added, "Yeah, the Green Arrow and Flash helped us do it," fearfully.

"Therein lies the problem. Unless you or Mr. Hall deliver the killing blow, Savage can be restored from but a single cell.

By now Scarlet was getting confused, but decided not to ask questions, and a few were answered when the big guy standing by parka guy said, "What the hell are you talking about?"

'Mr. Hall' replied to that with "Vandal is immortal. Kendra and I reincarnate," and from behind him another woman said, "Yeah I've done that". So have I, Scarlet added in her mind.

Big guy was starting to look like he wanted to shoot everyone and said, "What the hell does this Randall guy have to do with us?"

Scarlet internally scoffed, and thought "Well I guess he's not the sharpest tool in the shed . . ."

"Vandal," Rip corrected, annoyed, and then continued dramatically, "In the future, he will employ the evil that he has perfected over his very long life, the power that he has amassed throughout history and will finally conquer the world. I've been tasked with assembling an elite team to stop him."

Lie thought Scarlet. She always had the uncanny ability to tell when someone was lying, a great tool to have in her line of work, yet she still said nothing.

"How?" asked the other woman who apparently had reincarnated. Scarlet decided to call her Blondie, and the other one Heels.

"By traveling through time." Rip said matter-of-factly like it was the most common thing in the world. "To capture Savage before he grows into the monster he will become."

Scarlet scoffed and though she thought it was silent, Parka looked around like he had heard it before saying, "You got the wrong guy, hero ain't on my resume." Big guy agreed and said, "Or mine."

Maybe I'm not the only criminal on this rooftop Scarlet thought, studying the two.

"I know it's difficult for you to fathom, but where, no when, I'm from, the year 2166, you and everyone on this roof-" Rip paused for a moment and looked around, his eyes coming in contact with Scarlet's for a brief moment before he continued "-aren't just considered heroes . . . you're legends."

Another lie. Scarlet knew he was lying, but let her curiosity get the best of her and did nothing about it. She looked around, seeing bewildered looks on the others' faces.

"Legends?" said a tall man in what seemed to be a knock-off Iron Man suit excitedly.

"I um, hate to nitpick, but doesn't a legend have to be dead?" said the old man.

You'd be dead by 2166 anyway, Scarlet thought as she fought to contain a laugh.

"Yeah, see, that's a deal breaker for me, I'm gonna pass," said the boy standing next to apparently and future world's oldest man.

"It's dangerous for any of you to know too much about your own futures, but I am here because each of you, as individuals, is destined for greatness," Rip replied.

Lying again. Man, this guy really is laying it on thick. Knock-off Iron Man interrupted Scarlet's thoughts by saying, "I could get behind that".

"And if you don't come with me, this is what is in store for your world one hundred and fifty years from now" Rip said, and held up a black device that made a hologram of the future appear beside him.

Scarlet looked at the image, seeing the world burn. As she stared, it started reminding her of her father. He isn't lying this time. This man is going to ruin the world.

"I could've chosen any time, and any place. of all of the people who have ever lived, I chose you nine. I certainly hope you won't let me, and the world, down. If your answer is yes, me at this address in thirty-six hours," Rip said, and then left.

After he was gone, the others gathered around the old man, who had a piece of paper with the address in his hand.

"Wait, he said you nine," the young man said, looking at the others and counting, "there are only eight of us".

"I'm not too sure about that," said Parka, as they all looked around.

Scarlet took that as her cue to step out of the shadows, and walked up behind the group and cleared her throat.

They all turned around, and big guy said, "Who the hell are you?"

Without saying a word, Scarlet walked up to the old man and looked at the address before walking to the edge of the roof. She looked at Parka and smirked, and then she jumped.