Earth 1, Star City
The mission of the Acheron team involved some finely tuned time travelling, which was why Rip was there to pilot. It involved investigation skills - hence Nate and Ralph. It included the three most likely to be identified if they had gone to Kaznia - Carter, Kendra and Evelyn. The mission's purpose was simple, clear their names of any suspicion of murder on the night of the riot. Identity those actually responsible - were they working for Savage or not?
The ethical questions were not so simple. If they timed it so they witnessed whether murder took place and by whom - shouldn't they prevent it?
Rip, from the Time Master perspective, gave a definite ''No''. Change the past and there was a ripple effect leading right up to the present - and the future.
''Think about our own dual memories'' he told Carter and Kendra.
He thought about his own change. In the other timeline, Miranda and he had loved each other until she was killed. In this one it was a long time since they'd even been friends, but she was alive. Which was good, which was bad?
Some of the others were not so sure they could just stand by and observe. People - possibly innocent people - were going to die. Kendra, in particular, couldn't get that out of her mind.
''One good thing'' Rip commented as they prepared to head to the first location. 'We know it wasn't us, so we're not likely to bump into ourselves.''
X
''Why do we feel this bad?'' Evelyn wanted to know.
She was leaning against the back of one of the seats to support herself, so Rip guessed that she was talking about their physical condition.
''We've been here for about one hour in real time, but we've taken part in about a dozen hours of investigation in that time. We need to sleep. I suggest we go to our rooms and ask Morris to give each of us a mild sedative.''
X
When they reached their room, Carter turned to face Kendra.
'''Don't do it, Kendra.''
She didn't pretend not to know what he was talking about. ''Those were two children - what kind of people would we be if we just stood by and watched?''
He stared at her for a long moment. A large part of him agreed with her and wanted to save those children. All it would take was a brief trip into the recent past - move those children perhaps a hundred yards from where they had been standing.
Simple.
And a ripple would spread forwards through time.
She was looking at him, silently pleading - with the man who'd spared the Avianoid warrior who meant to kill him.
He decided.
X
''So that's our pool''
Nate looked at the collection of eighteen images - they'd identified which deaths had been accidents or people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had a brief feeling that that total was somehow wrong, that there should have been another suspect, but then it passed. He shook himself.
Rip looked at Evelyn.
The next phase of the mission would be for her to accomplish.
''Do you think she'll do it?'' he asked her.
Evelyn slowly nodded. Whatever Ava might think of the Legends, she would want Savage's infiltrators caught.
X
When Evelyn suddenly breached through into Ava's apartment, the latter jumped. It was very early in the morning.
''This is what I said I'd bring you'' Evelyn held out a memory stick.
Ava hesitated. She had agreed to at least run a facial recognition check on the images - in effect do her regular job.
But she thought she'd heard something in the hall outside her apartment.
She was right. A second later, the doorbell rang.
Ava jerked her head towards the bedroom. Evelyn nodded and slipped inside.
From her vantage point behind the bedroom door, she listened. Ava had opened the door and gone half way into the hall by the sound of it. There was a conversation but voices were muffled.
Then Ava let whoever it was inside.
The visitor spoke. Evelyn froze. It was Sandra Watson.