Sandstorm {Discontinued}{Rewritten}

40. The Pilgram

"Well this brings back memories." Mick scoffed  at Leonard's statement. The two lead the way through the courtyard of juvenile detention hall, Dez and Ray following close behind.

It was 1986, and the four Legends were dressed as guards; they had just infiltrated Mick and Leonard's old home, so to speak. It hadn't taken long for the team to find trouble upon getting back from Earth 38. Chronos had recruited one of his Time Hunter buddies, the Pilgrim. Apparently she was even more deadly than he was, so much so that Rip had even tried hiding the Legends in the Old West. (It didn't work. The two Time Hunters had found them within hours.) Now, the Hunters were going back in time to kill the Legends' younger selves: the Omega Protocol they'd called it. The Legends planned to get their young selves before the two bounty hunters. First on the list: Leonard.

"Wouldn't it make sense to pick up both of you?" Deserey wondered as they sifted through the crowd. "I mean, you're both here. It doesn't make any sense to get Mick in a different time."

Leonard didn't say anything, keeping his eyes directly in front of him. He was hyper focused on the mission, as he so often became. Ray, however, got all shifty. He kept opening his mouth, like he wanted to say something, but then Leonard would glare at him and he'd quickly close his mouth again. Dez raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"Nothing," Ray said a little too quickly. He remained silent for a beat, but evidently Dez was staring him down pretty hard because he went on. "Well, actually I think the reason Chronos and Pilgrim aren't going after Mick is because he is --"

"Great plan," Leonard cut him off. "We'll look for Mick. You two look for me." He stalked off, yanking Ray behind him with more force than what was necessary.

"Wait. What were you going to say, Ray?" Deserey called after them, only to receive no response. "Secrets don't make friends!" There was still no response. "Okay. Rude." She turned to Mick. "Hmph. Let's go find a Baby Leonard, I guess."

While the two set off to find a miniature Captain Cold, the adult version of Leonard was shoving Ray towards the wall, glaring at him. "What happened to not spoiling anything?"

"Uh, well, technically I never agreed not to --"

"Mick doesn't need to know."

Ray stood up a little straighter. To his credit he didn't look very afraid. Most people would have wet themselves by now. "Well, I think he does."

Leonard narrowed his eyes, but the idiot still didn't budge. "You don't get to decide that."

"What, and you do?"

"Yes."

Ray threw his hands out, as if Leonard was being a completely unreasonable asshole. "It's his future, Leonard!"

"It's a future," Leonard corrected. He'd failed to change his father's past, and he was big enough to admit he was never going to win that one. But that didn't mean he couldn't change Mick's future. He'd be damned if he was going to let something like that happen to his partner. If he had to take Mick out of the time line, risk their entire partnership, or even ruin their whole friendship... Then so be it. "He doesn't have to become Chronos if we remove him now. So, you just stay quiet." From under his coat Leonard raised his Cold Gun, an unspoken threat.

"Go ahead and shoot me," Ray said carelessly. "But I still think he has a right to know, and I'm going to tell him."

It was tempting to kill him right then and there, but before Leonard could even contemplate pulling the trigger, a fight broke out. He turned, half expecting to see the Pilgrim and Chronos or even Mick picking a fight with one of the actual guards. Instead, there was a group of bulky boys surrounding one smaller kid -- a scrawny boy with a lanky figure. He was fighting back as best he could, but he was vastly out numbered and much, much smaller than the rest of them.