Her phone had woken her up last night. From all people in the world, Kate had been the last one she had expected to send her a message. The weirdest thing about the message, she had asked if Sophie was still awake and then hadn't answered when she told her she was and asked if she was all right. What was that about? Was it because of what happened to Alice? Beth? Sophie still couldn't believe the things Mary had told her last night. Multiple universes. People living on other planets, the same people, who lived here. An unknown number of Sophie Moores lived somewhere out there? This had to be science fiction.
Sophie looked at her phone. Commander Kane's number and name was on the display. She hadn't called him back, it was time to do so. When her life was a roller coaster she needed something steady, like her job. And her commander had said, he was not questioning her integrity.
"Kane."
"It's me, agent Moore." Back when she had been with Kate he had called her Moore. Why hadn't he called her Sophie?
"I'm glad you called. I need you here."
"What is going on?"
"I'll tell you when you're here."
Was it this easy? Was he just giving her her job back? "I'm on my way." As her mother had pointed out she had to pay her rent, had to pay for everything in her life and needed a job. As Batwoman didn't want to work with her, didn't want to be with her, Sophie had no reason not to go back to the Crows. Plus, she owned Commander Kane. When he needed her, she had to go back and help him with whatever was going on. Without him, she had ruined her career when she was at Point Rock.
And maybe would still be with Kate. Happy.
Kate. What had happened last night? Why hadn't she answered? Sophie starred at the message. Should she write to Kate? Ask, what was going on? Offer to meet for a beer or something? Or show up at Kate's bar? Or was it best to stay away, the way Kate had suggested the last time? When she had been ready to tell her, she wanted to be with her and not with Tyler. Their relationship was not easy and it seemed like life was always getting in their way. Not to mention hurt feelings. And the lies Sophie had told the world in order to live a life they wanted her to live.
This was over now.
Talking about over, her mother hadn't talked to her since she had come out to her. As none of her family members had called or messaged her, she supposed her mother hadn't told them. Did she think Sophie was crazy and would come to her senses when left alone for a while? Well, she had thought that she was crazy but it was not because of what she had told her mother, it was because of what Mary had told her.
More than one universe with more than one planet and on each planet she kind of lived.
Crazy.
Sophie took a deep breath and walked up the stairs to Commander Kane's office. She had done this many times, more than she could count and never had it felt as difficult as today. As she had never felt as watched as she did today. Her colleagues knew she was suspended. Did they know why? What did they think of her now? Would they still respect her?
She knocked on the door and stepped inside the office. It looked the same. Commander Kane, on the other hand, looked tired. There were shadows under his eyes and he was pale. On top of that he looked ten years older. What the hell was going on? She had never seen him like this.
"Sir?"
"Thanks for coming, agent Moore. Have a seat."
That serious? She'd rather stand, the last time she sat here Mouse, pretending to be Commander Kane, shot a tranquilizer in her neck. And had tied her to Tyler, who had asked her questions she couldn't and didn't want to answer.
"We have a problem, agent Moore. Big problems. Inside problems."
Inside problems? What kind of inside problems?
"Do you Bertrand Eldon?"
The executor, of course she remembered him. He had almost killed Commander Kane and Batwoman. Luckily Batwoman was awesome and had saved their lives. Another reason why Sophie didn't understand why Commander Kane was so against Batwoman.
"Yes."
"He made some accusations and I'm…I've looked in an old case. The murder of Lucius Fox."
"I remember that."
"His killer claimed he was framed by Devenaux and the evidence was compromised by Crows."
What? That couldn't be true. The Crows handed evidence carefully and didn't compromise. "Why do you think so? I mean, a killer will say anything to save himself."
Commander Kane walked behind his desk, hands on his back. "He saved my life in prison. This is the favor he asked for."
"He wants you to get him out despite the fact he killed Lucius Fox?" Really? Sophie couldn't believe it. Her Commander wanted to get a murderer back on the streets?
"The thing is, I dug into the case and there are some things that don't add up. And there is a lot of money involved, money that shouldn't be involved at all."
Blood money? Blackmail money? "Are you saying somebody paid GCPD to get the wrong man arrested?"
"Either that or somebody compromised evidence to fool GCPD. One way or another, I am afraid the Crows are a part of this and you are the only one I can trust. And Tyler. I know, things haven't been easy between you and him…"
Not easy? That was an understatement. They hadn't talked and she had not the feeling Tyler wanted to talk to her unless she came and told him, she made up her mind and wanted to be with him. And if her mother had told him what she had told her, Tyler would not want to see her again. Not that Sophie could blame him. Apparently, she had a way to hurt people, who loved her.
"No."
"I want the two of you to work on this, find out the truth."
"Sir…I'm not sure it's a good idea."
"You are both professionals, you can put whatever happened aside. Everybody fights in relationships."
If only it was this easy. "We didn't fight, he left me because he realized I don't love him." Step one, now do step two. It was not as difficult as what she had done yesterday. "And I told my mother about Kate and me. Without mentioning Kate's name, but she knows I am…not interested in men." It was so hard to say she was a lesbian. Would she ever be able to say these words out loud without feeling guilty and dirty? "If my mother has called him I doubt he will be happy to work with me. Or see me at all."
"He is an agent, I expect him to be a professional just as I expect you to be a professional."
Hadn't she proved by helping Batwoman to escape that she wasn't as professional as he thought she was? "If he agrees I will do my best, Sir."
"I knew you would," he smiled, "and I'm proud you told your mother the truth. She might not realize it now but it's always better to hear the truth than a lie."
Was it? Her mother hadn't sounded like that.