Author's Note: I'm not completely sure where this idea came from, but it sounded like fun, especially after the re-watching the episode where the former mayor gets arrested and Barry asks Joe if he would ever consider public office spurred the inspiration a little. I'm still not sure if I want to make this a multi-chapter story or leave it as a oneshot, though.
Scott Evans sat at his desk reading over the latest contribution to the Op-ed section. It was the fifth time he'd read over it. That was two to three more times than he would normally read through an opinion piece. But it had been submitted by someone who'd never written an opinion before – though she certainly had opinions and so wasn't shy about letting them be known. He was almost at the end when there was a knock on the door. He looked up and saw the piece's author. He waved her in and she sat down.
"Is that my piece you're reading?" Linda asked as she leaned back into her chair. Scott nodded and held up a finger to signal that he needed another minute.
After he was done reading, he set down the hard copy of the piece and looked at Linda. "I don't remember asking for any op-ed from you," he told her directly, but not being condescending.
"Because you didn't," Linda replied. "But with Jameson on vacation, I figured you might have some room for something."
"But this? We're going to take some heat for it."
"How?" Linda asked him pointedly.
"There'll be an assumption that this paper is making an endorsement," Scott pointed out.
"This paper isn't doing anything," Linda retorted. "I'm the one doing that. And it isn't really an endorsement as much as it is me informing people that there still is a choice in the election for mayor."
"He isn't even in the race for nomination now that Bellows is in jail, let alone on the ballot. And does he know that you've thrown his name into the fray?"
Linda remained quiet – a rarity for her.
Scott chuckled. "I thought so. So have you planned on what to tell him when he finds out? Or what happens if enough people agree with this and demand that he run?"
"Not entirely, but I've got a few ideas on what to say when that time comes," Linda answered. "I knew when I wrote that, that this was a forgiveness versus permission type situation. Why are you grilling me anyway? And don't tell me it's to protect the neutrality of CCPN, because all you'd have to do is put up a disclaimer that this is my opinion and mine alone."
Scott sat still for a second, picking his words carefully. It wasn't that he was hesitant to publish her opinion piece – he just wanted to see how badly she believed her own words.
"You want to tell the people of this city that this man should be nominated, and elected, because unlike the current and now sole candidate – and like the former mayor – he isn't a politician," he finally spoke, his statement sounding more like a question. Linda nodded with a grin. "The last time people were given that kind of savior of a candidate…well, let's just say I haven't decided if he's just unqualified and unprepared for the enormity of his job, or just a fascist."
"This is not the same thing," Linda fired back. "You remember when Mayor Bellows put him on camera? He practically froze. That is not someone who strikes me as someone who could turn this city into a fascist dystopia."
"He's never served in public office."
"But he has served this city for almost thirty years with that badge," Linda countered.
"Bellows was a cop too."
"Whose record shows that he served mediocre-ally at best. No awards, no commendations, no –"
Scot held up his hand and stopped Linda. "Okay, okay, I get it. Bellows was a coward and a coaster. You're guys is a front lines kind of guy."
"Especially since the metas showed up. And speaking of metas, he's close with the Flash, which will help because that's an endorsement."
Scot took in a deep breath. Linda was on the edge of her chair as she was ticking off reasons why she had picked this person. And truth be told, she had him ready to vote for him.
"Fine, I'll run your piece in the next issue."
"Thank you," Linda smiled as she leaned back down into her chair, wondering when she had moved to its edge.
Joe was pulling into S.T.A.R. Labs' parking lot. When he stopped his car, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his phone. He'd heard it ring, several times, while he was driving and wanted to see who was calling him this morning. He knew it wasn't Captain Singh since he'd checked in earlier to make sure there were no crime scenes needing his attention. Looking at the screen, he saw that he had almost fifteen text messages and five voicemails. The texts were from Cecile, Barry, Iris, and even one from Cisco and Caitlin. All of them said more or less the same things:
Barry: Are you considering running?
Cecile: Call me back.
Cisco: U've got my vote.
The last made him wonder if the kid had a little too much coffee this morning and was thinking faster than he should be. As he was walking into the building, he once again cursed the fact that the doors were unlocked. I'm surprised no one's just walked in and tried to blow up the place – this week, he thought. He opened the first voicemail as he entered the elevator.
"Baby, its Cecile. I know you only read the news and sports sections, but you need to read the Opinion section in today's paper. Call me when you do," came his fiancé's message.
He moved on to the next message.
"Dad, we need to talk as soon as you get to S.T.A.R. Labs."
But it was the third voicemail that caught his attention.
"Detective West, its Oliver Queen. The editorial about you in today's Central City paper was brought to my attention. If you are going to do this, please call me, I have insights that might help. If you don't want to do this, then, speaking from my own experience, may I suggest running for the hills as fast as you can? Either way, good luck."
Okay, now this is getting weird, Joe thought as the elevator stopped and he got out to make his way to the cortex. The only ones there were Iris, Caitlin, and Cisco.
"Morning," he told them.
"Morning, Daddy," Iris said.
"Joe," Caitlin said at the same time.
Both girls had small, shit-eating grins one their faces and looked like they were holding something back.
"Your Honor," Cisco said gleefully from his chair before Joe could ask them.
Iris rolled her eyes while Caitlin groaned.
"Good one, Cisco," Caitlin chastised him with a slap to the shoulder.
"Yeah, real subtle," Iris added with a slap to his other shoulder.
"Okay, what is going on?" Joe asked annoyed. "This morning everyone is texting me weird messages. I'm getting offers of advice, or to run like hell, from Oliver Queen. Earlier, Captain Singh was upset over losing me to a campaign? You three are acting like perps who got caught joy riding. Has everyone lost their mind today?" he ranted.
"Wait a minute," Iris said moving toward her father. "Are you telling me you don't know?"
"Know what?" Joe asked frustrated, trying not to yell.
"Cisco, pull it up," Caitlin instructed him. Cisco began typing at the console until finally he looked up at Joe.
"This was in today's opinion section," Cisco told Joe, moving to make room for him.
Joe moved over to the console, leaning over it rather than sitting down. Cisco had pulled up the online version of CCPN, more specifically the Op-Ed section of the site. The main article showed a picture of himself as he brought former Mayor Bellows into the precinct for his perp walk in front of the cameras. Above the picture was the headline:
Why Detective Joe West Needs To Be Our Next Mayor
"What the hell is this?" Joe asked, not believing what he was reading – even as he was reading it.
"Someone who thinks you should be running this city," Cisco said.
"Who would be thinking that?" he asked as he looked for the byline. "Linda?" he read out loud.
"She makes a good argument," Caitlin said in agreement. "You're honest, fair –"
"Loyal, care about the city," Cisco finished for her.
"She talks about your police record too," Iris points out to him. "All the commendations and the awards. Heading up the Anti-Meta-human Task Force."
"She did such a good job making a case for you, well…like I texted you – you got my vote," Cisco quipped.
"I am not running for mayor," Joe stated emphatically.
"You're not even going to consider it? Come on, man," Cisco prodded.
Joe shot a look at Cisco, quailing the younger member of Team Flash. "I am not a politician," he declared.
"Another reason Linda said was why you should run," Caitlin said quickly. Joe gave a look just slightly less harsh than the one he gave Cisco. "She said that unlike most politicians you know what it's like to serve, since you're a cop and all, but that being a cop makes you more likely to think about the people more than the actual politics."
"Bellows was a cop," Joe argued.
"Not a very good one though," Iris said on reflex. Joe cast an accusing glance toward his daughter. "I remember you venting about him to me and Barry growing up."
Joe looked like he was thinking his next words through very carefully.
"Thank Linda for the compliment," he instructed at Iris. "But I am going to say this one time and one time only: I am not running for mayor," he said as he grabbed his coffee from the console and walked out.
Iris, Caitlin, and Cisco were left standing in the room, an awkward silence filling the space left by Joe's departure.
"If we keep working on him, you think we could convince him to run?" Cisco asked after a moment. Iris and Caitlin stared at him and then at each other and then shrugged in the affirmative.