Yuri parked the Rustbucket in the parking lot opposite the Rogues Bar.
The bar’s name was one Yuri had given it himself, as there wasn’t a single sign on the building displaying an actual name.
“I knew something was off.
What kind of bar stays open in broad daylight?”
Staring at the bar across the street, Yuri knew he had come to the right place.
Eagerly, Yuri took out a toy telescope he had bought from the supermarket for three dollars and fifty cents and peered through the bar’s window.
The Rogues Bar was very small.
Seating was only available on the side near the window, while the bar counter occupied the other side.
This meant that simply staring through the window was enough to tell how many people were inside.
Currently, there was a man slumped over one of the tables.
He had white hair and wore a blue sleeveless jacket—likely the same drunkard Yuri had seen the last time he came here.
Aside from him, there were no other patrons in sight.
This area was somewhat isolated, with few pedestrians on the street, let alone anyone actually entering the bar.
After keeping watch for a long time, Yuri still hadn’t seen the person he was waiting for.
*What now?
Should I just walk in and ask the bartender if he knows where the Network is?*
Just as Yuri was losing his patience and about to force his way in, a turn of events occurred.
A highly suspicious individual walked into the bar.
How suspicious?
Instead of taking the sidewalk, he insisted on tying a rope and climbing down from the roof of the building next door.
Climbing down was one thing, but in broad daylight, he was wearing a black bodysuit, green boots, a green cloak, and a green hood.
A long green flute was also tucked into his waist.
Aside from the black base layer, he was green from head to toe.
No matter how you looked at it, the outfit was bizarre, but in the Twin Cities, very few people didn’t know what those clothes meant.
“That guy looks like…
the Pied Piper?”
Yuri’s interest was instantly piqued.
The Pied Piper was a major celebrity.
He used to run with the Rogues but had gone straight for some unknown reason.
Now, he worked as an anonymous vigilante on the streets and had teamed up with the Flash on multiple occasions.
When he first turned over a new leaf, the exclusive report had been written by Linda Park—who was also Kid Flash’s fiancée.
A former villain turned hero, sneaking into a suspected criminal hangout.
What could this mean?
There was no way to guess, so Yuri decided to go and see for himself.
He activated the Omnitrix.
“Transformation—Ghostfreak!”
***
Inside the bar.
The Pied Piper didn’t seem to be here for a drink.
“Why did you call me here, Leonard?
You should know we can’t be seen together right now.”
The white-haired man, Leonard, pushed himself up from the table, rubbing his tired eyes as the heavy reek of alcohol wafted from him.
“Piper?
You’re here.
Why don’t you sit down and have a couple of drinks?
My treat.”
“No thanks,” Pied Piper said, sitting down in the seat opposite Leonard with a blank expression.
“What do you want from me?”
“Why so hostile?
I’m a law-abiding citizen now, too.”
Leonard crossed his arms, his lips curling into a smirk.
“It’s been a while, old friend.
Are you really going to keep wearing that sour face?”
Hearing this, Pied Piper fell silent.
After a moment, Pied Piper sighed, his expression softening considerably as he asked, “How is Lisa?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Leonard’s smile vanished.
His face darkened.
“Her brain tumor is getting larger.
The doctors say there’s almost no hope for a cure…”
“Do you know what I was thinking back then?”
Leonard looked up, locking eyes with Pied Piper.
His face twisted into a snarl.
“I wanted nothing more than to freeze the head of that incompetent doctor who couldn’t cure my sister, and smash it into a million icy shards!
No, I wanted to freeze the entire hospital!”
“I spent all my savings and even sold the company Lisa and I built together just so she could get the best treatment.
And all I got in return was ‘she might never be cured’!”
“But in the end, I couldn’t do a damn thing, because I need them to keep Lisa alive.”
“Why is God taking away my only family?
Why is He doing this to me?” Leonard muttered to himself.
Pied Piper waited quietly for Leonard to finish venting before speaking.
The softness in his expression was gone.
“This is exactly why everyone likes Lisa and not you, Leonard.
You always selectively forget your own mistakes.”
Pied Piper pointed a cold finger at him.
“If it weren’t for your self-righteousness, Lisa wouldn’t be in this state, and Mark, Sam, and Mick wouldn’t have been ruined by you either!”
“Don’t play the victim with me.
I feel deeply for what happened to Lisa, but I won’t pity you.
And I will never forgive you for what you did to the Rogues back then.”
“You won’t forgive me for what I did to the Rogues?
“You betrayed us!
When you were lost in the thrill of crime, it was the Rogues who took you in!
I was the one who helped you find yourself!
We still accepted you even after we found out you were gay!”
“But how did you repay us?
You actually dated a cop, and then you quit the Rogues to become some bullshit vigilante and fight against us!
You betrayed us!”
Pied Piper’s temper flared as well.
“I did not betray the Rogues!”
“I never gave David any information on the Rogues, and he never forced me to.
The only reason I stopped your crimes was because I didn’t want you guys to be wanted criminals forever!”
“Oh, right.
You wanted us to become lapdogs for those politicians, shouting about Black Lives Matter while practicing white supremacy.
And you call that redemption.” Leonard sneered.
“Old James and Mick fell for your bullshit and actually joined the FBI, but I never will.”
“They aren’t anyone’s lapdogs.
They’re doing what they want.”
Pied Piper’s expression gradually grew calm.
He didn’t know why he was letting Leonard get under his skin, or why he had even come here in the first place.
“Leonard…
no, Lenny.
I’m grateful for everything you did to help me in the past, but you need to understand what’s right.”
With that, Pied Piper stood up from his seat and walked straight toward the door.
“The Network has been making some big moves lately.”
At that moment, Leonard’s voice came from behind him.
“Blacksmith sent a kid to steal old James’s gear.
He’s calling himself the new Trickster now, and he caused a massive scene at the FBI field office last night.
I’m guessing the FBI didn’t tell you about that.”
Pied Piper paused in his tracks, frowning as he asked, “What are you trying to say?”
“Blacksmith is targeting the Flash’s allies.
I don’t know how many have been hit already, but it’ll be your turn sooner or later,” Leonard said quietly.
“You’re an old member of the Rogues.
I don’t want to see you taken down by some nobody and tarnish our reputation…”
With that, Leonard slumped back onto the table and fell fast asleep, snoring softly.
“Thanks.”
Pied Piper had a complicated look in his eyes.
He muttered a quiet thanks before pushing open the door and walking out.
No one noticed an invisible form floating out right behind him…