He. Was. In. Hell.
Cruz was reasonably sure he was a good person. He wasn't a career killer. He didn't do drugs. He didn't drink to excess and never drove drunk. He had a job protecting people for the love of Pete and he was damn good at it.
So what in the hell had he done to deserve this?
He stared, not really registering Lulu's increasingly hurried explanation as to why the newest member of Corrinthos/Morgan's payroll was the solution to their problem. The kid was twitchy. Cruz hated twitchy. And he looked barely old enough to drive, let alone be the great computer whiz he was rumored to be. Hell all of that could probably be over looked if not for the fact that this kid worked for freaking Morgan and Corrinthos! What was it about him being a cop did Lulu just not understand?
Not to mention Spinelli had called him Apollo. Who the hell was Apollo?
"So you see Spinelli is the perfect solution."
He hadn't heard a word she said. It didn't matter. He already knew what he was going to say.
"No."
Her mouth dropped opened. As she closed it he noticed for the briefest of seconds she allowed her tongue to escape to lick her lips. It probably closest to a nanosecond than a second, but the movement so mesmerized him; he completely missed the start of her argument.
"…and this way that won't happen!"
Her hands were flying as she pointed to Spinelli for emphasis. Spinelli held up his laptop with one hand, and offered a thumbs up and a mile wide smile. "The Jackal is the best Apollo. There is not a file I can't find. And I can't be caught."
Cruz fixed a glare in the younger man's direction. "Morgan caught you. That doesn't speak well for your credentials."
"Cruz!" Lulu hit her hands on the table. "Spinelli is the best and we need the best here."
"Thank you Blonde One." Spinelli did a small bow. "The Jackal is forever in your service."
Cruz rolled his eyes. What the hell had he ever done do deserve this karmic payback? What? He would swear to whatever deity there was if only to stop this!
Spinelli moved closer to him. "Here Apollo. Let me show you what I mean" He opened the laptop and began to run some sort of program. "See Apollo…"
He'd had it. "My name is Cruz. You can call me Cruz. You can call me Rodriquez" he growled and pointed his finger in Spinelli's direction. "Most likely you will call me Detective some day but you will stop calling me Apollo."
"Woah. You're all dramatic like Film Guy. And intense like Muscles." Spinelli looked in Lulu's direction. "Blonde One I think the Jackal is back to working alone."
"And that is the first sensible thing either one of you has said this entire time." Cruz turned his back and began to walk towards the door, determined to leave this lunacy behind him. An ice-cold beer with some of the guys from work would go along way to convince him this was all some prolonged hallucination.
"You two are the most impossible.." Lulu couldn't finish the sentence and let out an exasperated sigh instead. Cruz turned to watch her stand and flash those angry blue orbs at him. He was once again struck at just how damn gorgeous she was when she was angry.
Would you stop that She is a freshman in college. Freshman. Last year she was in high school. Last year you transferred into a new department as the senior officer. And that person you were assigned as a partner? Yeah that would be her brother. Her older brother. Not enough to stop these thoughts? Well I got more where that came from.
Lulu pointed her finger at Spinelli. "You stay here. And you…" she turned her focus directly to Cruz. "You will follow me." She moved quickly to the door. When she noticed both of them were still standing absolutely still. Lulu placed her hands on her hip and stomped her foot. "NOW!"
"Good luck. The Blonde One takes no prisoners when she is angry." Spinelli whispered to him.
He was a grown man. There was no reason he should be following the orders of an 18 year old girl having a temper tantrum because she was told no. At least that was what the logical part of his brain told him as he followed her out into the main floor and towards another empty study room nearby. He needed to remain calm and in control of the situation.
Apparently someone, somewhere had other plans.
"What is your problem?"
"My problem?"
"Yes your problem. You had some objection to the whole breaking into the skank bag's medical records. I got that. I came up with another plan that gets what I want and keeps that whole paranoia of yours about breaking the law out of it. So what is the problem with Spinelli?"
"You mean besides the fact that it's still breaking into medical files which is still against the law? Besides the fact that his main employer is the local mob boss? Besides the fact that he practically talks in a foreign language? Besides all that what is my problem?"
She stood there with her arms crossed over her chest with an expression that clearly said she was waiting for something more convincing than what he was saying. He took a breath. And another one. He had to approach this calmly.
"Lulu. I know you want to get her records. I know that. And it totally is proof she was faking it if she was. But there has to be another way."
"The other ways will take too long."
"Little Spencer these things take time. All good investigations do."
"We don't have time Cruz. We just don't." Lulu flopped backwards into a chair.
He pulled a chair in front of her. Something else was driving this. Something other than her desire to have her way. "Talk to me Camorrista. I can't help you out with this if you aren't on the level with me."
She bit her lip and looked away. "I know if I'm wrong about this and I rush it I'll hurt Lucky worse than he already is. I get that. But if I don't have answers then I don't know how to help him."
"Lulu you are helping him."
"No I'm not. I can't when she keeps showing up every two seconds to remind him about something he won't forget ever and that he will always blame himself for. If I can stop it because she's faking then I can beat her up or something. If she wasn't, then I have to figure out a way to stop her from talking to him about every chance she gets. I need to know how to help him and I need to know soon."
Damn. He couldn't argue her out of this one. He felt his resolve further weaken when he noticed her biting her lips and that her eyes were suspiciously wet. She wasn't going to cry was she? He never did do well with women when they cried.
Damn it. He was going to cave. He knew it.
"This is that important to you?"
Seeing her nod, he sighed. "Fine. We'll work with Spinelli." She spun around in her chair, her face beaming. He held up his hand "But I do not want to any and I do mean any of the details."
"You won't. I swear." She launched herself out of the chair and hugged him hard. "Thank you Cruz. Thank you."
He allowed himself to briefly enjoy the sensation of her pressing herself against him. Pervert. It's a hug. As she disengaged herself and moved towards the door, he felt the desire to press his luck and try for one more little victory.
"And Spinelli stops calling me Apollo."
Lulu turned and smiled at him. "Oh let him have his fun. Besides you feel flattered. Its not everyone that gets a nickname from his second favorite TV show of all time."
"Second favorite?"
"Well no offense, but there is no way you are a Mulder." Laughing she moved out the door and back towards Spinelli.
He sat back, admiring her walk. He shook himself as he realized exactly what he was doing. This had disaster written all over it. The nickname he had causally given her suddenly seemed all too appropriate.
"Camorrista."