Everything stops for a solid second.
The only thing I can see is my mother on the screen. Dull tear stains mark her cheeks and her lips are raw from where she's bit them anxiously.
Slowly she fades into another scene. A scene where blood splatters the pavement beneath her corpse. Glassy eyes stare blankly at the soaring skyscrapers. Limbs are twisted grotesquely and all I can see is blood. All I can smell is blood. No wait-I can smell something else, her vanilla perfume. Its sickly sweet smell has mixed with the blood to create something foul.
Something revolting.
Then suddenly I'm back, blinking in the present at the screen where the Pilgrim is sneering at the camera.
Slowly, as though in a dream, one where you try to run but are forced to speed walk, I make my way through the group to face her.
Jax steps up beside me and gives me a reassuring nod.
I try to smile back, but fail before facing The Pilgrim.
"What's your deal?" I ask slowly.
A sharp intake of breath from the group surrounding me, is my first warning that I may be doing something totally out of line. My second is Rip's obvious cough as if to say "hi yes excuse me I'm the captain and when you're about to make deals with potentially evil villains it would be best if you consult me first".
"Kari-"
"Hush." I silence Jax with a hand.
The Pilgrim's smile widens with sheer arrogance.
It makes me want to throw up.
"Turn yourselves over, and I return my captives to the Time Stream," she states coldly.
My eyes are fastened on my mother's trembling form.
"Miss Jones, this is a topic we must discuss with the crew you cannot-"
"No," I say interrupting Rip, for probably the millionth time. But I'm not talking to him. I stare directly as the camera on the table making sure the Pilgrim knows who I'm talking to.
"No," I repeat firmly, "You give us back our people, then we talk."
The Pilgrim stares at me for a second before bursting out into high pitched laughter.
"What!" She shrieks before growing cold, "No. You turn yourselves over then I will return your family and friends."
I cross my arms across my chest.
"Not happening, sister."
The Pilgrim's nose wrinkles at the title.
"Look," I say as calmly as possible, "How can we trust you to return our families or friends to the timeline?"
"We can't," Stein says.
I nod his direction.
"Ding, ding, ding, the man's right give him a sticker," I say evenly. I glare at the Pilgrim. "Tell us who you took so we can come up with some type of exchange."
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rip's eyes widen.
Within seconds, he's at my elbow hissing in my ear.
"Miss Jones, you can't do this!" He snarls, "A trade off? Who are you to suggest such a thing?"
"A member of your team, Captain," I reply coolly, "And one who's sick of you screwing this up."
Rip looks taken aback for a second and perhaps even hurt before anger fills him.
"It's hypocritical of you to claim that I am the only reason for why our mission is going to poorly when you yourself have failed us many a time," Rip says quietly.
It's my turn to be hurt but before I can reply, the Pilgrim is talking once again.
"Perhaps I do tell you who I have," she says slowly, "Then what?"
I glance at Ray who gives me the teeniest of nods. I take a deep breath and my eyes narrow.
"Then those of us who are connected with the people you took trade ourselves for them. The people who don't, take the hostages and put them back in the timeline and you get the traded Legends," I reply.
Judging by the sound of Rip's hand hitting his face, I'm guess I just made a great decision.
"No," the Pilgrim says harshly. "If I let half your team go then they will come for the rest of you."
"And then you'll be able to catch all of us. Look at that, I just did seventy percent of your job for you which means I should really be the villain here," I reply sarcastically.
"Well you're a rubbish hero," Rip comments darkly.
I shoot him a dark look before looking back at the Pilgrim. She's seriously considering this deal, I can see it in her face.
"I have Veronica Palmer, Colleen Jones, James Jackson-"
I hear Jax's breath hitch but refuse to look at him as the Pilgrim continues to spout off names.
"-and Lisa Snart."
This time my heart stops and I look over at Snart.
His face could be cut from stone, it's so impassive. He gives nothing away but his eyes. His eyes, are filled with murder.
Slowly I turn back around.
What the crap did I sign us up for?