The second Barry said those words, Rip's blood ran cold. "Professor Stein, a word."

Frowning, the elder half of Firestorm followed the Time Master into his private study. "Captain Hunter, why aren't we preparing to send Mr. Allen, home?"

"We can't send him home."

Stein blinked. "What do you mean we can't send him home?"

"Because…of this."

Rip pulled up a holographic image of a Central City newspaper, its mainline making Stein's head spin. "Flash vanishes during Crisis?"

Rip nodded. "The night prior to this publication, Mr. Allen was caught in his most violent confrontation with the Revesre-Flash. Afterwards, the two speedsters vanished without a trace, never to be seen or heard from again. Many believed that the Flash had died during this battle, but one researcher had another theory," Rip countered "that the reason the Flash disappeared is because he was lost in time. The question then became where and when did the Flash disappear to? I believe I have found the answer to that theory. What if the reason that no one has seen Barry Allen since 2024 is the same reason that Sara Lance and Ray Palmer are unaccounted for in Star City 2046? Because he is here, on the Waverider?"

"You want to recruit him."

Rip nodded. "When the Green Arrow and the Flash fought alongside Kendra and Carter in 2015, it led to longest absence of Vandal Savage in history. He could be the key to helpping us tip the scale Mr. Stein," Rip insisted.

"Then why aren't you telling him this yourself?"

"Cleary, Mr. Allen is not the most supportive fan of time travel," Rip reminded "But we were to approach him together,"

Stein nodded in understanding. "I have never known Mr. Allen to turn away when there are people in need."

"No. No way. Absolutely not!"

"Barry, will you please listen to reason?"

Barry laughed as he Stein and Rip followed him out of the Captain's study "You expect me to jump on this, this crazy train just because of some newspaper? Time travel must be messing with your head."

"You could help us save countless lives!"

"Or we could get them all killed!" Barry countered "Have you forgotten what happened to Eddie, Stein? To Ronnie?"

Stein's face turned solemn at the mention of his fallen partner. "I will never forgot what happened to Ronald."

Barry looked at him questionably. "Then why are you willing to do something that could cause a tragedy ten times worse? When the Reverse-Flash was erased from history, it caused a wormhole that destroyed half of Central City. You do the same thing to Savage, a man who's existed for four thousand years," he reminded "and it could cause singularity that could suck up the entire planet!"

"Mr. Hunter's technology allows us to predicts such anomalies so we can prevent them."

"I have a family back home!" Barry revealed "a wife and two kids. Two wonderful, beautiful kids. Three year-old twins. I know what it's like to grow up without a father and I will not put my kids through the same thing."

"I remember when my son was three," said Rip as his heart broke at the mention of his family "he used to have me check for monsters in the closest before he went to bed. Sometimes I'd come in with my gun and pretend I was going to shoot the beats on sight," Rip chuckled sadly "my wife hated that. But it made him feel safe."

"It's a father's job to make them feel safe."

Rip nodded. "But you've seen real monsters haven't you Mr. Allen? And they don't hide under children's beds or live in closets. They walk among us every day, waiting for a moment to strike. You have made it your life mission to rid Central City of its monsters, but I am here to tell you that there is no greater monster on this world than Vandal Savage," Rip promised intensely "Now am asking you, one parent to another, to help us rid the world of him before he destroys it."

Barry looked the Time Master in the eye, his voice sympathetic and absolute "I know you all are trying to do the right thing. But this plan, it's too dangerous," he insisted "I'm sorry. But the answer is no."