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Chapter 1: The Offer

The first thing Abigail heard when she woke up was a soft beeping noise. She had been expecting angelic bells to greet her not that incessant noise. Her groggy eyes blinked open and she was greeted with a metal ceiling. Strange this was not how she pictured the afterlife. Then again perhaps people just got too imaginative with all the clouds and pearly gates. She went to sit up in the chair she was in but the room spun making her queasy.

"I really wouldn't do that." A female voice echoed from somewhere in the room though Abigail couldn't tell exactly where from. She froze looking around scanning the room, but she couldn't see anyone. A Disembodied voice? Nobody that she can see? That meant one thing.

"Oh my god you're an angel." Abigail breathed out in awe. That must be why she couldn't see this person.

"Not quite." The voice answered in reply. "I am Gideon, an artificial intelligence programmed to operate this vessel. Captain Hunter shall be here in just a moment to explain things more thoroughly. Please just remain still you suffered traumatic injuries and are still recovering."

"Vessel? Wait, I'm on a ship?" Abigail questioned in confusion. Was that what heaven was? A bunch of ships sailing on clouds? But if that were the case why would their be Ai? Wasn't that just something one saw in sci-fi movies? What was going on? And why was she still in pain? She thought the pain would have ended once she died.

"Ah, Good you're awake." Rip remarked walking into the medbay his trench coat billowing behind him as he moved. "For a moment I had thought I was too late."

"Too late?" Abigail asked confused.

Now it was Rip's turn to look confused. "Too late to save your life, what else?"

Abigail gasped as the realization dawned on her. Tears sprung to her eyes and she shook her head. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! She was still alive, Damnit, she had been so careful. Taken every precaution to make sure she wouldn't be interrupted, that no one would find her, and yet this man.

"Why?" Abigail asked fighting back the urge to cry.

"Why..?" Rip echoes hesitantly. Perhaps he should have Gideon give her another sedative and come back later. The woman was in quite the fragile state.

"Why did you save me?" As soon as she asked that question even more sprung to mind and went flying out of her mouth. "Why'd you bring me here? How did you know where I was?"

"I'll explain everything you just need to relax." Rip told her but that response did nothing to stave off the sudden worry she felt for herself.

My name is Rip Hunter-"

"That's a made up name if I ever heard one." Abigail scoffed. "Already starting this explanation with a lie."

"I'm not lying about my name." Rip shook his head.

"I've heard a lot of lies in my life. I've gotten pretty damn good at spotting them."

"Well my name really isn't one of them. I'm from the future. As Gideon already informed you you're on my ship, the Waverider. It's a time machine and it's been mine for over a decade."

"That still doesn't explain why I'm here or how you knew where I was." Abigail crossed her arms in front of her chest in an effort to protect herself from this strange man.

"I knew where you were because your death made front page news including where your body was found. So I dug further found the coroners report, and uh, popped in just as your effect on the timeline was about to end."

"Why would you do all that? You some crazed fan of me from the future or something? Not that there are many of them these days." Abigail muttered the last sentence.

"I brought you here because I need your help." Rip told her earnestly.

"My help?" Abigail asked confused. "What the hell would you need my help with?"

"I'm here to recruit you to help me and several others defeat a man by traveling through time and capturing him before he turns into the monster he becomes."

"What's this guy's name?" Abigail asked.

"Vandal Savage, he's an immortal tyrant who will one day conquer the world."

"What do you think I can do against him then?"

"Don't sell yourself short. In my time you're remembered as a legend Miss . Taken from the world far too early."

Abigail held back a scoff. Her? A legend? Yeah right. If she was a legend then she'd have paparazzi following her around, and over a million followers on social media, but considering she currently had none of that she was calling bullshit.

"You don't believe me?" Rip asked his eyebrows furrowing.

"I used to be in the spotlight, I had fans, but now not so much. I thought I was going to be a legend once and hearing it now is just..."

"This may all be a little much to hear I know, but this is what's in store for your world one hundred and fifty years from now" Rip warned as a hologram projected Central City burning to the ground appeared on the ceiling. Abigail frowned, and batted a hand at the image making the light show Rip had produced stop.

"I've seen enough." Abigail frowned the image haunting her. It looked like hell.

"I could've chosen any time and any place. Out of all the people who ever lived I chose you. And I certainly hope that you won't let the world or me down."

"And if I do refuse?" Abigail asked carefully well aware she was already on this man's ship.

"Then you're free to go as soon as your injuries have adequately healed." Rip told her.

"I'm going to need some time to think." Abigail told him with a frown.

"Yes, right, you have 24 hours to think it over." Rip told her leaving the room. "Then I'll be leaving with whoever else joins."