Author's Note: This takes in my two current theories regarding Season 3.
One – Rip is not going to make it out of the season alive.
Two – Mick is secretly pulling the strings behind the Legends missions.
Soft drizzle filled the air as the little boy staggered along the alleyway, the ragged clothes he wore not enough to protect him from the cold and wet. Harsh coughs wracked his thin body as he tried to find somewhere to shelter from the rain.
Unknown to him a man wrapped in a long brown coat stood watching every step, grimacing with each cough that hit the boy.
"Odd place for a meeting," the growl came from behind.
Rip Hunter glanced round from watching the boy to the man standing there looking annoyed at getting wet, "But it's somewhere no one will think of, Mr Rory."
Mick Rory followed Rip's gaze when he turned back to the alleyway he'd been watching.
"You here to save the kid?" Mick demanded."
Rip shook his head, "Unfortunately I can't."
Mick frowned slightly before he stared more intently at the boy, "You were always a scrawny runt then?"
Rip let out a sad laugh, "Apparently so."
"Why are you here?" Mick asked annoyed.
"Because I want to see where I actually come from," Rip replied sorrowfully, "I need to know if my memories are accurate."
Mick shrugged in understanding, "Then you're here to what? Watch the Time Pigs take you."
"I just," Rip shrugged, "Want to know."
Mick growled in annoyance but didn't make him move. They stood in silence watching the boy hide beneath a broken cart. A few minutes passed and finally two men appeared in the alley, both in the grey uniform of the Time Masters.
Rip felt Mick's hand on his shoulder, not sure who he was stopping moving to help the boy, and they watched Rip's younger self being dragged out from beneath the cart.
"Test him," the first one said.
Mick's finger's dug even tighter into Rip's shoulder watching as the Time Master placed a metal headband on the struggling boy's head.
"Well?" the first one demanded.
"IQ is showing as at least 185," the second replied before sedating the child.
The first nodded, "Perfect. No one will miss him. Let's get him back to base and see if he can be trained."
With that they left with the unconscious boy.
x
"185?" Mick said, letting go of Rip's shoulder.
"Actually turned out to 210," Rip replied and started walking away, "At least that part of my memory is accurate. It's good to know."
Mick followed him through the grey streets, "How drunk are you?"
"More than most could walk straight with," Rip replied, "You?"
"Less than people think," the other man shrugged.
They walked in silence for several minutes before Rip finally spoke again, "How are things going?"
"Sometimes takes a while to get them where they need to be," Mick replied, "But finally they get it."
Rip chuckled slightly.
"What about you?" Mick demanded, "You didn't enjoy the Bureau's prison."
Rip shrugged, "It's one of the better ones I've been in I'll admit but I'm not one for staying where they put me. You know that."
"What's your score now?" Mick asked.
"Sixteen," Rip said before asking, "You?"
"Eighteen," Mick shrugged.
Rip chuckled darkly, "I doubt I'll beat you."
"You know you don't have to go through with this," Mick frowned, "They might find another way."
Sighing Rip shrugged, "They might but if they don't then it's the only plan we have. It will need someone with a complicated temporal signature and I've done more time travel than anyone still alive."
"Except me," Mick reminded him.
Rip shrugged, "But the team need you. They don't need me. No one does."
"So you're sacrificing yourself?"
"I'm the last Time Master," Rip noted, "It's time we became extinct."
Mick stopped him walking eyes boring into Rip's, "Is the stuff working?"
"As well as it can now," Rip replied matter-of-factly, "The serum slows the symptoms. Being away from Gideon as long as I have puts a lot of strain on the neural connection. I could try to sever it but..."
"Without the Time Pigs it could cause brain damage," Mick finished for him, "And you know Gideon wouldn't go for it. You know she won't be happy about your plan. Even less than when she finds out you've reprogrammed her to ignore you."
"Gideon has had captains die on her before," Rip shrugged, "She'll survive. Besides she has a new captain now."
Mick shook his head, "Blondie leads the team but Gideon would still follow you."
"Which is why I'm staying away," Rip replied simply.
They reached the Time Sphere Rip was currently using to move from place to place
"Take care of them," Rip told the other man, "And I'll see you soon."
"Hey," Mick stopped him, "Be careful."
They clasped hands for a moment before Mick used the Time Courier to return to the Waverider and Rip started the Sphere heading for the future.