"The future, it's..." Stein trailed off.
"Fascinating." Sara said.
"Astonishing." Jax said. "Well, it was a 50-50 which one he was gonna choose."
"Actually, I was gonna say remarkable." Stein said.
"Isn't it?" Rip asked. "2147 was considered the world's zenith. All of these people have a good five years to look forward to."
"Before what?" Snart asked.
"Before a ruthless dictator named Per Degaton rises to power, releases the Armageddon Virus, and most of them end up dead." Rip answered.
"Well that's depressing." Sara stated. Three robots flew near us.
"Whoa." Jax said.
"Is that my suit?" Ray asked. "That's my suit."
The group watched as the robots knocked out a robber.
"That is how Per Degaton's father Tor maintains order in Kasnia." Rip said.
"Doesn't look like progress to me." Snart commented.
"Speaking of progress, we need to get a better lay of the land." Rip said.
"And I need to get a better look at how they made my suit autonomous." Ray said.
"Well, why don't you take Martin and Jax with you?" Rip suggested. "Ms. Lance, Mr. Snart, Mr. Smythe and I will work on locating Savage."
"Tor Degaton holds daily meetings with his board of directors." Rip said.
"And it's open to the public?" Sara asked.
"Of course not." Rip replied. "Just Kasnia's shareholders."
"Then how do we get in?" Sebastian asked. "We aren't shareholders."
"I'm more of a hard asset man, myself." Snart said. Rip turned and held up a small black contact lens case, and opened it. He put in the contact lens, then turned around to the security man, who held up a device that scanned Rip's eye.
"You're clear to attend." the man said. "They'll have to wait outside."
"Oh, no, this is my accountant, my personal assistant, and my bodyguard." Rip lied.
"Stockholders only." the man said. Rip turned to look at the three behind him, then walked inside.
"He's a teacher." Sara said, once Rip had explained what he heard. The four had returned to the timeship, where Kendra was.
"Tutor, it would seem, to young Per Degaton himself." Rip said.
"You say that like it's supposed to mean something." Snart said.
"After the death of his father, in five year's time, Per Degaton releases the Armageddon Virus, which decimates the world's population leaving it ripe for conquest." Rip said. "Per Degaton primes the world for dictatorship, and then when the time is ripe...Savage snatches that power away from him."
"By killing Per Degaton." Sara said.
"Indeed." Rip said.
"Okay, so we don't have what we need to take out Savage, but maybe now we can figure out a way to stop his rise to power." Kendra said.
"By depriving him of his springboard, Per Degaton." Rip said.
"Okay, how do we do that?" Sara asked.
"It's quite simple, really." Rip said.
"We kill the little bastard ourselves." Snart said.
"To be clear, we're talking about murdering a child." Stein said.
"Who hasn't done anything to anyone." Jax said.
"Yet." Sebastian interjected.
"Why don't we pick him off now, while the picking's easy?" Snart asked.
"There's got to be a better way." Kendra said.
"I don't like the idea of killing a kid, but it would save billions of people." Sebastian said.
"How do we even know that this Per Degaton kid's path to becoming a world-ruling dictator is inevitable?" Ray asked.
"Because in the future that I'm from, children learn about Per Degaton in the same way that children in your time learn about Adolf Hitler." Rip said.
"What about addressing the larger social problems that would allow such a despot's rise to power?" Stein asked.
"We already know what pushes this punk to the dark side: Savage." Snart said.
"Look, it's not the kid's fault he's got an immortal psychopath as his tutor." Jax said.
"If we don't kill this kid now, Savage will as soon as he's done using him to take over the world." Snart said.
"If he doesn't build him into the greatest tyrant the world has ever known, Savage can't become the last tyrant the world will ever know." Rip said.
"Murdering a child in cold blood just like Savage murdered your own son." Stein said. "What's the use in saving the world if we stoop to his level just to do so?"
"I'm with Professor Stein." Ray said.
"Whenever I helped Barry, it was always the people first." Sebastian said. "There has to be some other way."
"Okay, fine." Snart said. "If y'all don't have the guts to kill this kid..."
"Then removing him from the timeline might be the next best thing." Rip said.
"Great." Ray said sarcastically. "We've gone from infanticide to to child abduction. Progress."
"First we need to devise how to abduct him from underneath the noses of his father's private guard." Rip said.
"And don't forget the army of Atom robots." Ray added.
"We're going to need an accomplished thief." Rip said.
"Well, while you're kidnapping baby Hitler, Professor Stein and I will sabotage the robot army." Ray said.
"I call Team Robot Army." Jax said.
"Isn't that a waste of time?" Sara asked.
"Not for the Kasnian citizens who are tormented by my technology." Ray said.
"That technology does lead to Savage's rise to power." Rip said. "Good backup plan."
"I'll be Team Kidnapping." Sebastian said.
"Me too." Sara said.
"Go team." Rip said.
Sebastian stood on the street, trying to look inconspicuous.
"No litter. No street crime. No smog." Snart said. "How soon can we leave?"
"Keep your eyes peeled." Sara said. "According to Gideon, Per Degaton should be passing through any minute on his way to gymnastics class."
"Are you telling me future Hitler is enrolled in a gymnastics class?" Snart asked. "I got eyes on Little Lord Fauntleroy."
"I don't see him." Sara said.
"Because he's got an army surrounding him." Sebastian asked as the kid came into view.
"Northeast corner of the plaza." Snart said.
"Got him." Sara said.
"You sure you don't want to just shoot him?" Snart asked. "It'd be a lot easier."
"Stick to the plan." Rip said. "All of you. Now Ms. Lance." Sebastian watched one of the body guards fall to the ground. He stepped forwards, and dragged the unconscious guard into an alleyway. "I'm in position. It's up to you now Mr. Snart."
It was a few minutes before anything else came through the comms. "We've got the kid."
"What do genocidal maniacs dream about, I wonder?" Sara said. Per Degaton was in the med bay, unconscious.
"He's imagining himself baking cookies with his mother." Gideon answered.
"Wait, you can monitor our dreams?" Sara asked.
"Of course." Gideon said. "For example, last night you had a rollicking fantasy involving a young nurse-"
"Okay, Gideon, enough." Sara cut off Gideon as Sebastian grinned and raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't you dare say anything."
"Quelqu'un a le béguin." Sebastian said.
"I swear, I'm not afraid to kill you in your sleep." Sara threatened. "And I will do it slowly and painfully."
"Gideon, check the timeline to make sure that the kidnapping of the boy had the desired effect upon the future." Rip said.
"Oh, dear." Gideon said. "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed with the results."
"What do you mean it did nothing?" Stein asked.
"I mean that kidnapping Per Degaton had a nominal effect on the timeline." Rip answered.
"Maybe we just need to dump the little brat somewhere he can't get into any trouble, like the Stone Age." Snart suggested.
"No matter where and when you sequester him in the timeline, Savage will still rise to power." Gideon said.
"But Rip said this kid's like a baby Hitler." Jax said.
"Yes, I also said that time wants to happen." Rip said. "Such a world changing event like Savage's rise to power can't be stopped by merely kidnapping his young pawn."
"So we're back to plan A?" Snart asked.
"Snuffing the kid out in his sleep?" Sara said.
"What difference does that make if Savage still rises to power?" Sebastian asked.
"Let us not forget that this kid will one day be responsible for billions of deaths, including those of my family." Rip said.
"Say that you do stop Savage and save the lives of your family." Stein said. "Will you be able to look your own son in the eye knowing what you did so that he could live?"
"When the alternative is that I shall never see him again." Rip said.
"I got a better idea." Jax said. "Instead of us arguing whether we should kill him, or where and when to dump him off, why don't we just talk to him?"
"Savage has spent years corrupting his mind." Rip said.
"It's not too late for Per Degaton to change." Sara said.
"Says who?" Rip asked.
"Says someone with two tours with the League of Assassins and a case of bloodlust under her belt." Sara replied, then walked out.
"What was that?" Sara asked s they heard an engine roaring.
"That was our jump ship taking off." Jax answered as the group gathered around the central console.
"How could Per Degaton have escaped?" Stein asked.
"Gideon, who else is on the jumpship?" Ray asked.
"It's being piloted by Captain Hunter." Gideon responded.
"Who just turned off his transponder." Jax said as the location of the ship disappeared.
"Sounds like someone doesn't want us following him." Sara said.
"Why?" Stein asked.
"Because Rip doesn't want us stopping him." she answered.
"Stopping him from doing what?" Jax asked.
"Killing Per Degaton." Sebastian answered.
"Okay, just think about this." Ray said. "Where could Rip be taking Per Degaton?"
"Jumpship's got a range of about 8,000 miles, so anywhere." Jax said.
"It doesn't matter where he's taking him." Sara said. "All that matters is what he's going to do to him when he gets there."
"Rip is not a murderer." Ray said.
"Obviously he doesn't care if he becomes one as long as his own son lives." Sebastian said.
"Rather simple if cold blooded calculus for a father to take." Stein said.
A loud bang shook the time ship. Sebastian stood up.
"Gideon?" Stein asked.
"Tor Degaton's forces have surrounded the ship." she responded. "I'm afraid our shields will not be able to sustain continued bombardment."
"You're afraid?" Sara asked.
"Here's an idea, why don't you fire back?" Snart asked.
"I would except-"
"The flying robots already targeted our weapons systems." Jax said.
"We don't need weapons." Ray said.
"He's right, we have super powers." Stein said.
Sebastian glanced around for a moment, then nodded. "Let's go." he said confidently, and turned in the direction of the loading bay.
"I think you might want to get your suit first." Sara reminded him. Sebastian stooped and sighed.
"Right." he said, and turned to go the other direction. Once he had put on his suit, he joined the others outside in the battle.
He put up his arm to blast them, but when nothing happened, he tried again. Nothing again. He tried his other hand which also failed.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me." he hissed, and instead punched a robot when it came at him. He immediately regretted the decision, however, when a sharp pain shot through his arm. All he could do in the moment was spew out a string of profanities as he looked at his already deeply bruised hand. He was sure it was broken, but he didn't have all day to mill over that fact, as the robot was unfazed by his attack.
Sebastian put out his good hand, feeling success when he managed to blast the robot. It was only a small blast and created minor damage to it, but it was better than nothing. He took a deep breath, and tried again, successfully creating a blast large enough to destroy the machine.
Ignoring the pain in his right hand, Sebastian continued to fight off the many men and robots aiming to kill them.
After a minute, the flying robots fell from the sky.
"Looks like Raymond was able to sabotage his robot army." Snart said.
"Which means mopping up the rest of these guys shouldn't be a problem." Jax said.
"Oh, it will be a problem." Vandal Savage said, and it was then that Sebastian realized that he had managed to capture Sara.
"What do you want?" Snart asked.
"I want to exchange this woman's life for your captain, Rip Hunter." Savage answered.
"I have a better idea." Rip said, joining the group. He had a gun pointed to Per Degaton's back. "Her life in exchange for his." Tor Degaton stepped forward at the sight of his son. "Your son will be returned to you as soon as you guarantee our safe passage."
"Don't do it, father." Per Degaton said. "If you let them go now, they will only come back for us in the future."
"It's your choice." Rip said, clicking the safety off.
"Your son is right. We should kill them all." Vandal said. Tor took the knife from Vandal's hand, and said,
"Put down your weapons!"
"No, Father!" Per Degaton protested.
"Let my son go, and I will let you leave in peace." Tor Degaton said. "You have my word."
Rip gave Per Degaton a small shove forward. The boy glanced back at him, then walked towards his father. Vandal let Sara go, and she walked towards her team, but not before giving Vandal a quick glare.
The team walked back to the ship, Sebastian holding onto his injured hand. Once on board, he changed out of his suit before heading to the med bay.
Gideon confirmed his suspicions: his hand was indeed broken. But within ten minute, Gideon had easily fixed it.
"Since I failed to bring you in, the Time Masters want to bring me in, and this time, they're not going to take any chances." Mick said. "They're called the Hunters, mercenaries, and unlike me, there isn't a human part left in them."
"So they want to lock us all up in the Vanishing Point?" Ray asked.
"The Hunters do one thing: kill." Mick replied. "Whenever, wherever. They'll stop at nothing till every single one of us is erased from the face of history."
"Do you have any suggestions as to how we might outsmart them, Mr. Rory?" Rip asked.
"Run." Mick answered, before he walked out.
Quelqu'un a le béguin - Someone's got a crush