12:02 AM - May 30, 1893

"What are you planning on doing at this time of night?" Lucy asked as she stepped out of the Mothership, gazing at the night stars.

"Nothing," Flynn replied, glaring at Anthony Bruhl, their pilot. "Someone must have gotten their times wrong."

Anthony shrugged. "I'm human. I make mistakes."

"We'll find a hotel to stay at until daylight. I could use some sleep anyway," Flynn said. Taking a flashlight from the ship, he tilted his head in the direction of the town. "Let's go."

As Flynn, Lucy, and Flynn's henchman, whom Lucy had never bothered to learn the name of, walked through the forest towards town, Lucy worried about what Flynn's plan was for the Chicago World Fair. Who was he hoping to meet here?

Lost in her thoughts, Lucy didn't notice the giant stick lying on the ground. As she stumbled, a pair of large hands kept her from falling. Lucy told herself it was the near escape of a face plant and not the tall man who'd steadied her that caused her heart to race.

Flynn's fingers lightly encircled her tiny, somewhat scrawny, arm and kept walking. She attempted to tug free, but was immediately met with some side eye.

They had at least a good half an hour journey on foot before reaching Chicago. Flynn and his henchman weren't much for talking so they walked in silence.

Lucy contemplated everything she knew about Garcia Flynn. His career doing good things for people in desperate situations, the death of his wife and child two years ago, his bloodthirst for revenge, his erratic behavior. He was clearly highly intelligent as well as fully trained in weaponry and fighting. He must have had a minor in history in college or at the very least read a ton of history books. He navigated through time too well not to have some kind of background in it.

She couldn't wrap her head around the enigma that was Garcia Flynn. He was hard and callused. He hadn't thought twice before shooting the elder Rittenhouse yet was clearly distressed when faced with killing the man's young son. He was doing this all for love yet he didn't think that after what he did he deserved love. He'd told her he would leave his family willingly if he got them back. He was a total conundrum. She was in such a state of confusion. Even in his intense moments, she knew the sorrow and hurt that lay underneath. She could tell how lonely and wounded he was. And part of her wanted to help him with that.

But how could she be feeling empathy for someone who was holding her hostage? She recalled the massive body count he'd racked up as well as the less than hospitable treatment she'd been met with at the warehouse where she'd stayed the last few days. Even though this man might have a heart deep down somewhere, he was still a villain. A loose cannon. He was keeping her from Wyatt and the rest of her team not to mention her mom. As she thought of each strike against Flynn, her ire rose and her desire to escape him grew.

Lucy's inattention to her surroundings almost foiled her again, but Flynn's quick reflexes saved her from running into a thick, low-hanging branch.

"You really should be more careful," Flynn noted.

"What's it to you?" Lucy snapped, stopping abruptly and attempting to free herself from his clutches. "Let me go!"

Flynn pulled her closer not changing the strength of his grip on her arm. "It'll be easier if you just do as I say," he whispered. "Let's go."

"No!" Lucy replied, digging her heels in and using all her might to jerk herself free. She would not give in to this man. He was going to do something to evil and nefarious and she refused to be a part of it.

The henchman looked at Flynn and took a step towards Lucy. Flynn put his other arm out, stopping him. "I've got this. You go on ahead of us and find us an inn and a room."

The henchman nodded and set out.

Lucy's rage increased as all her attempts to wrest herself free ended up being futile. He just stood there, immobile. He wasn't even trying that hard. His right hand had a firm but not painful grip on her arm. Her best efforts did nothing to shake this mountain of a man.

Her only option as he began to move forward was to dig her heels in and refuse to move, similar to an unruly child at a grocery store. When Flynn tugged on her arm, she shook her head and stood her ground.

Flynn chuckled. "You have two choices, Lucy. You can walk to the inn or I can carry you there."

Seeing the dangerous gleam in Flynn's eyes, Lucy decided it would be best just to walk.


"We got the last two rooms left in this place," Flynn's toadie said. "The owners weren't very happy to be woken at this time of night, but I think they'll get over it."

Lucy's eyes roamed to the inn's proprietor gleefully counting money over by the counter.

Flynn took a key and headed up the stairs. She had no choice but to follow. At least maybe she could find a way to escape. Maybe tie some sheets together and climb out the window. A smile flickered over her face as she remembered the I Love Lucy episode where Lucille Ball had attempted to do just that. Hopefully, she'd have a bit more success. With any luck, Rufus and Wyatt would be here soon and she could find them and come back home. Maybe this inn thing wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Flynn unlocked the door and escorted her inside before turning around and locking the door from the inside.

"What…what do you think you're doing?" Lucy asked.

Flynn took off his hat and jacket, placing them on the coat hanger next to the door. "What does it look like? I'm making myself comfortable. Maybe get a little shut eye for a few hours. The meeting isn't until four this afternoon."

"What meeting?"

Flynn tsked. "All will be revealed in good time."

Flynn continued to undress, taking off his vest and tie. The fact that this man was just making himself at home infuriated her.

"Stop. Why are you doing this in my room? Shouldn't you and your lackey be sharing a room?"

Flynn smirked. "Who would keep an eye on you then? Murray needs to rest up for later on today so I'll be on historian duty while he takes a nap."

"You can't be serious," Lucy all but shrieked as she anxiously paced the room. "You can't expect me to just be OK with you and I spending the night in the same room?"

"Whether you're OK with it or not. That's what's happening. If I don't keep my eye on you, you'll escape. Probably try to use the sheets like that I Love Lucy episode you love so much."

Lucy gasped at Flynn's apparent reading of her mind. "How?"

Flynn shrugged. "Your journal."

That cursed journal again!

"How did you even get it?" Lucy asked, wanting more details.

"You gave it to me." Flynn said, taking it out of his jacket pocket and flipping through the pages.

"You mean you stole it?"

"No. You willingly gave it to me. Well, a future version of yourself did."

"What? Why would I do that?" Lucy asked bewildered. How could a future version of herself want to share anything with this man? He wasn't exactly sane. Why would she share so many details with someone so bloodthirsty? She had essentially put a weapon in the opposing team's hands. He could guess her actions and thoughts even before her and that gave him an unfair advantage.

"Beats me. You walked up and told me this would prove helpful in my mission."

"I know myself and believe me I would never help someone like you," Lucy all but shouted.

Flynn closed the distance between them, stopping a couple of feet in front of her. "Ah, you're getting a little testy and I'm afraid your voice will carry and wake the other guests. How about you lie down for a bit? Rest."

A lightbulb suddenly went off in Lucy's head. A seed of an idea germinated and bloomed. She could scream. A loud scream would wake the other guests and surely they come to help her out.

Lucy opened her mouth when suddenly a pair of lips fell upon hers. Her scream turned into a squeak inside Flynn's mouth.

Lucy stood numbly and dumbly as Flynn depended the kiss. What was happening? Her brain couldn't quite compute. As if on autopilot as if she were some kind of zombie, her mouth started to respond. Her arms lifted to loop around his neck.

Then her brain rebooted and she realized what she was doing and who she was doing it with. She must be crazy. Quickly, she shoved Flynn away. Using the back of her hand, she furiously wiped her lips.

Breathing heavily, her chest rising up and down, her eyes bore into his. "How dare you? Don't…don't you ever do that…do that again," she stuttered.

"Don't try to scream again and I won't have to."

Lucy walked away from him towards the bed and sat down. "You…you stay over there and don't come near me again."

Flynn raised his eyebrows but headed over to the blue French Bergere chair in the corner of the room. He silently moved the chair and the footstool next to the door. Plopping down, he propped his feet up and crossed his arms.

Not sure what to do next, Lucy made her way to the bed and lay down. She might as well try to get some rest.


Ten minutes later Lucy was still wide awake. Giving up she got off the bed. By the desk was a bookshelf. Reading was as good of a way to pass the time as any. She felt Flynn's eyes boring into her, but she chose to ignore it.

There were a lot of classics on the shelf…War and Peace, The Odyssey, a volume of Shakespeare, the works of Aristotle, etc. Needing an escape, Lucy chose the volume of Shakespeare.

"Which did you choose?" Flynn asked as she perused the table of contents for her favorite play.

"Shakespeare."

Lucy could have sworn she saw the smallest flicker of a smile cross his face. "I love Hamlet," he said. "In high school, I was Hamlet in our school play. To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them? Is Hamlet in there? I wouldn't mind hearing you read it aloud."

Lucy shook her head in disbelief. "I find it hard to believe you had the starring role in a school play."

Flynn chuckled. "Come on, Lucy. I wasn't always like this. I used to be happy, have hobbies, enjoy the simple pleasures of life. I used to love. I used to have a family. Rittenhouse just made me this way."

Snapping the book shut, Lucy turned to look at him, shaking her head. "You and I both know that the way you are going about this is all wrong. You have caused so much harm. You are wreaking havoc on history. How can you think what you are doing is good or right? How are you any different than Rittenhouse? You're just like them!"

Flynn scrambled out of his chair angrily and in three strides was face to face with her. A little intimidated, she scooted backwards until her lower back touched the desk behind her.

"I am the same as Rittenhouse? I am the same? They killed my wife and child for heaven's sake! They were innocent! And you compare me to those monsters?" He whispered angrily, his face just inches from hers.

"You were willing to kill an innocent child a couple of days ago. You are a monster! Your family wouldn't even want you back if they knew the man you'd become. They'd hate you just as much as I do. It's better off that they're dead."

Flynn winced and painfully swallowed. "Ah, the truth is out. That's what you really think of me," he whispered hoarsely, taking a step back.

Lucy was appalled at herself. The hatred and cruelty she had just spewed shocked her. Sure, Flynn's methods were wacky, but his motives weren't all that bad.

"And just so you know, I wouldn't expect them to want me back. To want to live with me. I know I don't deserve them after what I've done. I didn't keep my promise. I didn't protect them…"

At his choked words, Lucy launched herself onto Flynn, pressing her lips against his. "I'm sorry. I was cruel," she murmured before pressing her lips against his once more.

This time, it was Flynn who stood motionless in shock. For a few moments, Lucy didn't think he would respond at all, but eventually his lips took hers.

His hands gently cupped the side of her face as their kiss deepened. Slipping his hands to her waist, Flynn lifted her and set her on top of the desk. When his tongue flicked across her lips, she willingly opened her mouth and allowed him entrance. Her arms wrapped around his large frame as far as they could reach, her hands clutching his back.

A few minutes later, Flynn reared his head back. His eyes swept over her face. He was panting and flushed as she was sure she was as well. He licked his lips and his eyes met hers. His eyes were seeking an answer to an unstated question. Biting her lip, Lucy debated. Did she really want to do this?