HIIIIIIIIII! I (think) I told you this was going to be a quick update!

I mean, it's not 1,000 words, like usual, but this chapter was more of a flop then the last one, and I needed a good chapter restart. Also, I didn't have school because of Veteran's Day. Happy Veteran's Day to all you Americans!

And yes, for the chapter titles, I did use the song titles. I might re-use some and write reprise in parentheses or just write "part two" if I don't think the next title would fit the chapter. So, yes, this one's called Overture. You know, the music that kinda just appears before all the action and/singing starts.

Nothing else to say here.

-Alex

The Time Stream

It's/Every/Date

Sara and the Legends sauntered back into the control room of the Waverider, victorious after a rather weird mission. They hadn't encountered any magic so far, despite Constantine's multiple warnings.

Suddenly, a large time quake shook the ship, nearly knocking over its occupants.

"Gideon?" Sara asked. "What was that?"

"It appears to be a time quake, Captain." Gideon replied.

"Don't get smart with me." Sara warned.

"Where did it originate?" Nate asked.

"Manhattan, New York, on July 13, 1899."

"No way!" Nate gasped.

"Who screwed with what this time?" Sara asked, exasperated.

"New York in July, 1899?" Nate asked. "C'mon, it's like the most important strike ever."

"Nate, pretend I don't know what happened then."

"That was the Newsboy Strike of 1899! A bunch of boys—newsies— led a strike against the two biggest newspaper-owners in New York—Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst!"

"Why does time care so much about that?"

"It played a huge part in later strikes, the treatment of newsboys, and child labor!"

"So, like, they got better pay?"

"That was when people started paying attention to child labor. Like, actually noticing it."

"Why do people have to screw up time this much?" Sara cried.

"Well—"

"That was rhetorical, Nate." She stopped. "Gideon, can you please call the rest of the crew in here?"

"Of course, Captain Lance."

After a few minutes, Mick, Zari, Ray, and Wally walked in to the control room, where Nate and Sara were waiting.

"Sara?" Wally asked. "Does this have to do with why the ship was shaking a few minutes ago?"

"Yeah, and it's called a time quake." Sara replied.

"A 'time quake'? What, are we on some sort of temporal fault line?"

"A time quake is when some time traveler messes up something something big or important, like changing an important historical event."

"So...we screwed something up on our mission?"

"Hey, we didn't screw up. Not this time, at least." Sara said. "Someone else did. Gideon?"

"According to my historical records, in 1899 New York, a boy, Jack Kelly, was murdered on July 13, one day before he launched the 1899 New York Newsie Strike. The police investigated but never found his killer."

"So...that's bad?"

"Jack Kelly's strike went on to inspire multiple others, starting a movement for fair working conditions for child laborers across the United States. Without him, the strike is never launched, and...oh, dear."

"What?" Sara almost looked afraid to ask.

"Without that strike, multiple others don't occur, and child labor is never outlawed."

"That sucks," Mick grunted.

Sara shot a pointed glance at him. "Alright, Gideon, set a course for Manhattan, New York, July 12, 1899."

"But the kid isn't killed until the next day, and the strike happens on the next!" Zari protested.

"A) the kid is killed in the early morning, and B) this isn't just some fluke. Some time traveler has deliberately killed this kid, and something tells me they're gonna make sure he's dead, whether it's the thirteenth or the fourteenth or any day after that." Sara said. "Go strap in. We're going to go save New York's little guys."

##*##

Manhattan, New York

7/12/1899

Once the Legends landed the Waverider in some empty space, they gathered around to make a plan.

"So, how're we gonna make sure this little punk doesn't get dropped?" Mick asked.

"Why don't we just remove him from the timeline?" Zari asked.

"That could work," Ray said. "Sara?"

"Let's do it." Sara decided. "Hey Gideon, can you manufacture some clothes for this time period?" She called up to the AI.

"Of course, Captain."

##*##

The Legends walked out of the Waverider, clad in their new 1899 fashion.

"So, what now, Sara?" Nate asked.

"Split up. Gideon said that there were three possible spots this kid could be selling at. Zari and Nate'll take Houston and 152nd street, me and Ray'll get Maiden Lane and Utopia Parkway, and Mick, you get Wall Street and Broadway."

"What about me?" Wally complained.

"You do your thing. Run around, see if this kid—"

"His name's Jack Kelly," Nate interrupted.

Sara shot him a glance. "Fine. Check and see if Jack is somewhere else, like his house, or a restaurant or something. Just...make sure no one sees you...do your...lightning thing."

"Aye, aye, Captain." He saluted.

"And stay on comms. You find him, you call us. And don't let that kid out of your sight."

"How're we going to get there?" Zari asked.

"Take a Hansom Cab." Nate said. "Or a taxi."

"Nate, you're such history nerd." Zari replied as they walked into the streets of Manhattan.

"I like to think of myself as more of a history buff." He retorted.

"Nate…" Zari began, but then they walked out of earshot.

"Hey, Mick, do you want a ride?" Wally asked mischievously.

"Not—" Mick began, but Wally whisked him off anyway.

"Come on, Sara," Ray held out his arm, "let's take a stroll."

"Ray, you do realize that I'm not some damsel who needs help walking, right?"

He pulled his arm away. "Please don't kill me." He looked down at the dress she was wearing. "But that dress looks awfully heavy."

Sara laughed as they started to make their way into the streets of Manhattan.

"Oh, my God, Ray, you have no idea."

I've actually got 880 words this chapter. Sorry! I'll try(emphasis on try) to make the next one longer, but that takes longer, so...

Also, if I got the streets horribly wrong, forgive me. I'm Californian. I've never been to the East Coast (unless airports count). Also, the internet was being uncooperative, so the best I could do was get historically accurate streets.

And there were, apparently, taxis in 1899. Who knew? Besides Nate, I mean.

So...yeah.

Peace!

-Alex