Chapter 22: Trouble Comes in Threes
The next day, Natalie called in the entire dance squad extra early. Bribes of coffee, tea, bagels, and cigarettes convinced them that Natalie's newest choreography set was worth the early mornings and extra hours. She was in the middle of teaching a few stragglers how to properly control their hair flips when the trouble twins descended upon her.
Maze was first to call Natalie over, and with a warm smile and playful shove she greeted Maze.
"Hey, told you I could convince them to start a week early on the new set." Natalie snickered before she added, "Someone owes me lunch." in a sing-song tone.
"Yeah, and we can talk about that pale-thing while we are it." Maze said with a mantle of cold in her tone.
Natalie leaned back and raised and eyebrow, "The what now?" she asked.
"The monster you killed a couple days ago?"
Natalie outright laughed, which caused the dance crew to pause their practice to watch the two for a moment.
"A monster? Maze, I haven't been offered a 'clean-up' job since I saved your roommate's ass. I'm not 'trustworthy' anymore." She said softly.
"Not the human trash you get paid to deal with. I mean the actual monster, the albino crab, remember?" Maze asked in frustration, straining to keep her tone down.
Natalie's only response was a raised eyebrow and look of confusion before she was called back to settle a dispute about the next set of steps. Maze watched her go back to the group the thought 'Did she actually forget?' haunting her.
Maze opted to return to the entry way, where Lucifer stood half in shadows. He had been brooding since the attack, to Maze's annoyance. She summarized the short conversation and waited for him to finish glaring at their lead-choreographer.
Lucifer knew he was brooding. However, he was just so infuriated that there was something going on and he had no idea what it was. He didn't believe that she didn't remember. That conversation she had with the creature told him that she knew what it was. Thus, he was left with the only logical answer. She was lying to him. The rolling in his stomach returned. With a snarl, he left to seek advice from the only human that has ever been truly honest with him.
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Linda hadn't know that Lucifer would walk in to her office that morning, but many of her mornings had been left clear. Longer note of his habits showed that when anything strange happened, he would show up at her office. Linda may not know what it was, but Maze of obviously agitated about something during their phone call this morning. It could be nothing, but Maze is only protective of a few people. Trixie was safe and happy, Linda herself was content enough...
Her thoughts were cut short as the Devil himself stormed into her office.
"Doctor, I fear I have been betrayed." He declared before depositing himself upon the couch.
With a note of the date made on the waiting notepad, Linda began with the simplest question: "By who, Lucifer?"
She didn't expect the sigh that heaved from him. He rubbed his face, for once seeming as ancient as he truly was.
"Miss Varquez." He whispered.
Linda's brow pinched together, "Who?"
A rough chuckle tumbled from Lucifer, "Who indeed, it would seem." He paused to take another deep breath, "Miss Varquez is the lead-choreographer for Lux."
Linda's mind was quick to make her own theories. Could they have lost their lead to another club? It would certainly explain Maze's poor temperament. Nothing angers her the way Lux losing money does – but her compulsively competitive behavior with Lucifer was a completely different matter.
"She knows something about a creature that attacked the city. Everyone else has forgotten it even happened, except her.
"And... and when I touch her, something within me warns me against her. I fear I have been manipulated. Blinded by beauty." His explanation ended with him spiting the last phrase like a poison.
"Lucifer, why not just ask her what she desires?"
Another cold chuckle came from the man, "It doesn't appear to work on Miss Varquez."
Another frown came to Linda, and a new theory, 'Could Lucifer be losing his powers?!'
"Have you tried just talking with her about what happened?"
"She denied it when pressed."
Linda tapped her pen for a moment, considering how to best proceed.
"Have you considered that she has a reason for that? Strange things happening is normal for you, but as someone that lives in normal human society, fighting monsters isn't normally believed in. She could be afraid of judgment from her other peers."
Lucifer sat up with a sudden beaming smile. "Of course! You're right as always, Doctor. I never really told her who I am. She believes me to just be a club-owner."
"Oh, no! Lucifer, wait!" Before Linda could grab on to him, Lucifer had sprinted away. Linda stared down the hallway in horror. This would only end badly. She told herself she had no choice, as she pressed her hands together and prayed for her ex-boyfriend to show up.
Amenadiel folded in his wings before he unstopped time, and gave Linda a sad smile. "Hello, Linda."
"I'm sorry, I wouldn't call unless it was an emergency." She whispered back.
He nodded softly, "I know, what's wrong?"
"Lucifer. He... he's going to convince another human that he really is the Devil."
In a blink of her eye, Amenadiel took up a look of panic and vanished. Choking back a sob, Linda closed the office, and sent out rescheduling emails for the day.
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Traffic on the freeway seemed to be at a stand still. After a couple moments, Lucifer realized that the other vehicles were indeed held still. With a sigh, he brought the convertible to a stop. A couple feet away from the hood, his dear brother appeared.
"And to what do I owe this undesired pleasure?" Lucifer asked from behind the wheel of the car.
Amenadiel held a solemn look, "You know you can't go around revealing divinity to the humans. I don't know who this latest one is, but I need you to let it go."
A scoff came from the convertible, "Fine. No wings, no devil face, no feats of power." His tone turned sarcastic as he finished, "Is it alright if I at least talk to her? I promise to be a good boy."
"I probably couldn't truly stop you if I tried, just be mindful Lucy. You tend to forget the rules when you obsess over one of the humans."
Before he had a chance to retort, a honk sounded from behind him. A string of curses came from the convertible as Lucifer quickly came up to speed again. He grumbled all the way back to Lux. He could tell it was going to be a difficult day when his phone rang before he could finish his return. The detective's voice seemed more like a buzzing in his ear than normal. However, he changed lanes to go to the station as requested.