Earth 9 Part III

Lucifer Snart/Cop Lance

xXx

Sara found herself at Saints and Sinners for the first time in several weeks without being summoned there. It was kind of strange and she was a little nervous, but she had a job to do and she intended to do it.

"You okay partner?" Joe asked as they ascended the elevator.

"Yeah, I just… yeah, I'm fine." she replied, cutting herself off. What was she going to say to him? That this club was owned by the king of hell and she was basically no better than an errand girl for him. That for the last few months she had been running files, knocking down doors and coming when called regardless of what she was doing? Yeah, maybe she would just stick to pretending she didn't know him.

If he was even here that is. Maybe she would get lucky and only Lisa would be here. She didn't seem to get a sick thrill out of teasing her. Sara was sure she would play along.

The elevator doors opened and they stepped out. Beside her, Joe scowled.

"What wrong?" Sara asked.

"This is where Iris was so desperate to have her Bachelorette party?" he questioned. "Why?"

"This place is all the rage, Joe. Most exclusive club in the city." Sara explained and maybe there was a little pride in her voice. Despite the circumstances of her being here, she didn't actually hate this place. Joe seemed to notice the note in her voice and Sara resolutely did not address it. "Come on." she eventually said, leading him down the stairs.

Lisa was behind the bar stocking as she usually was. "We're closed." she called over her shoulder as she always did.

"We can see that." Sara replied and Lisa spun around to face her, a smile on her face which she immediately schooled when she saw Joe.

"And yet here you are?" she continued.

Joe spoke up. "I'm detective West and from the looks of it you already know Detective Lance."

Sara sighed. So much for that.

Lisa grinned taking a liking to the older man immediately. "Sure do. She's a good friend of Lenny's."

"Lenny? Whose Lenny?"

Sara couldn't tell if he was getting protective of her or the case they were working. Probably a little of both.

"He owns this place." Sara answered. "We met in passing at the hospital while I was recovering. We talked for a little bit. He's an…" she rolled her eyes. "Okay guy."

Lisa snorted as Joe's expression shifted from suspicion to delight.

"Anyway," Sara pushed ahead. "We're here on official business." she explained pulling a photo out of the inside pocket of her suit jacket. "A man was found dead this morning on the lower east side. He had a few place cards from here in his pocket. Toxicology shows he was roofied."

Lisa leaned over the bar to get a better look. "Yeah, I know him. The asshole roofied himself."

"Why would he do that?" Joe asked. "Was he running some kind of scam on you?"

"Nope, I saw him slip something into the drink of one of the girls here at the bar. When he wasn't paying attention I switched their drinks. I had Mick bounce him shortly after."

Sara tried to hide her amusement, especially when she noticed Joe's scowl.

"And you didn't call the police on him?" he asked.

"I've called the police on him before. A few months ago. The first time I caught him. He's shown up twice since then and no one from any department showed up to ask questions or take statements so excuse me for handling it myself. I don't even want to think about how many girls he's done that to in this club before I caught him."

"Why didn't you kick him out sooner?" Sara asked, her tone lacking the same accusation Joe's had.

"Why, so he can show up at another club where the bartender most likely won't notice him?" Lisa shook her head. "At least here I could keep an eye on him."

"I don't suppose you know who he is?" Joe asked.

Lisa shook her head. "No, didn't he have an ID?"

"No he didn't."

"Well, he had to have had one when he got here. Len insists all walk ins off the street show ID at the door. The security camera at the host/bouncers' station snaps a discreet picture and the full name is taken down in a ledger. That way if someone gets hurt, or something happens we have a full record of who was here and when."

"Any chance we could see that?" Sara asked.

Lisa smirked. "Normally he'd insist on a warrant, but I'm willing to bet he'd make an exception for you."

Sara shot Lisa a warning look as she stepped away from the bar and toward the phone she always used to call Leonard. While she was preoccupied, Joe turned to his partner amused.

"So, you've been seeing someone have you?"

"No, I haven't actually. He's just a...friend?"

"Was that a question."

Sara was saved from answering when Leonard's voice sound.

"Detective, what a pleasant surprise." his deep drawl sounded far too amused for her taste.

"Leonard." she greeted as they turned to watch him descend the stairs. He was carrying a ledger under one arm. "This is my partner, Detective West." they shook hands. "Are those the attendee logs?" she asked gesturing to the ledger.

"They are, and I am willing to give them to you without fuss." he told her. Sara took a deep breath. "On one condition."

"There it is." he muttered.

"What's that?" Joe asked.

"I want to know why no one looked into the first report." he told them. "We take the security of our patrons very seriously and quite frankly I take exception to being ignored."

"I'm sure you do." Joe muttered under his breath. "Of course we'll look into it. It's now officially apart of this investigation. And as soon as we close the case, we'll let you know what we've found."

"Thank you" Leonard replied and handing over the ledger before turning a look on Sara that could only be described as smoldering.

Joe rolled his eyes. "I'll meet you outside, partner."

When Joe was gone Sara sighed. "Why didn't you just come to me about this guy?" she asked.

"You were still on leave the first time he came in." Leonard explained.

"And the two times after that?"

"You're not the only cop on my payroll, Detective. I had them look into it." he told her.

Sara huffed. "Payroll implies any of us actually get anything out of this. And clearly they didn't find anything."

"They got something out of it. The others made deals with me themselves. 'Help me catch this serial killer', 'kill this mob boss', and my favorite, 'don't let my ex wife take half my pension'. I save the really nasty jobs for him." Leonard stepped a little closer and like always, Sara held her ground. He didn't scare her, a fact that seemed to amuse him to no end. "You're the only one who didn't make this choice of their own free will."

"And yet we're all in the same boat."

"No," he spoke softly, reaching up to run his thumb along the line of her jaw. "I'm not impartial Sara I do have a favorite."

"Like a pet?" she sneered, jerking back to dislodge his hand. "I'm not a fucking cat."

Leonard stepped closer still. "Oh no, definitely not a cat. I've always seen you as more of a bird. A canary. Born to be free but always caged."

Her mind must have been playing tricks on her, because she would have sworn then and there that his eyes softened, that he looked... regretful on her behalf. She shook it off quickly and stepped around him. "I'll let you know what I find on the report." she called over her shoulder as she ascended the stairs.

There was a note of amusement in his voice as he continued and Sara realized he was following her. "So what's this I hear about your friend's bachelorette party? She wanted to have it here, I'm flattered." Sara sighed but didn't stop. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Yeah, but the wait list is too long. She had another place lined up but it fell through at the last minute and she's been trying to reschedule ever since." she explained, finally stopping as they reached the elevator. She pushed the call button.

"You could have just asked you know." he told her as he stopped beside her. She looked up at him incredulously. "There's mutual benefit in you being my favorite..."

"Pet?"

"...Human." he smirked. "I'd be more than happy to do certain things for you. All you have to do is ask… nicely."

"No thank you." she told him as the door opened and she stepped on. "You already have my soul Leonard. You can't have my dignity."

xXx

"You look like your going to be sick Joe, are you alright?" Sara asked him sometime later. They'd been back at the precinct running the names in the attendance ledger and every so often she'd catch her partner staring at her looking equal parts remorseful and nauseated.

"Yeah, I think I'm just a little hungry." he replied, standing. "I'm going to run to the breakroom for more coffee, want anything?"

"No thanks."

Joe was gone for a few minutes and when he got back, Sara stood. "I'm going to head down to sex crimes, see about this report." she told him, replacing her suit jacket and clipping her gun to her belt.

"Alright, keep me updated."

Sara simply nodded and left.

The sex crimes unit was disgustingly small, most of the detectives fitting into a small corner of the second floor. She spent ten minutes just waiting for one of the detectives to get off the phone and another fifteen listening to them complain about the number of people expecting them to work miracles. She thought she held off the eye roll rather well.

"Look, I'm just looking for a complaint that was called in a few months ago from Saints and Sinners." Sara eventually got out. That seemed to get the detectives attention.

"You're the third person to come down here asking about that." he told her and it was only her highly trained, detective eye that told her he was nervous. "And I'll tell you the same thing I told them, there's nothing here. No one logged a tip, or filed a report. Why is everyone so interested in this alleged attempted date rape?"

"Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but the man who was named in the tip was found murdered this morning." Sara explained and then on a hunch. "The bartender at Saints and Sinners admitted to my partner and I that she called in the tip and had been keeping an on him since no one followed up. She caught him slipping something into a woman's drink and she switched the glasses so he effectively roofied himself."

"Sounds like that's your biggest suspect right there."

"She has an airtight alibi, as do all the employees at the club. Our biggest concern now is whether or not there were other victims and if there is some kind of cover up going on."

"Cover up?" he asked shifting in his seat uncomfortably.

"Well sure, the club owner is pissed off that no one took the report seriously. The safety of his patrons are his top concern, so he's been very cooperative. He allowed up access to his phone records. There was a phone called placed on the club landline he night they said there was to this precinct. It lasted long enough for a call to be transferred and and a conversation to take place. We're working on getting the records for the switch board."

"I see." He replied. "Well, I guess if that's the case I can go digging again."

"I'd appreciate it."

xXx

Sara found Joe at their facing desks, eating lunch. There was a deli wrapped sandwich on her desk and to go cup of soda.

"Oh thanks for lunch, what do I owe you?" she asked.

"Don't worry about it." he replied. "You can buy next time."

Sara laughed. "With my luck next time we'll be on a stakeout in some well to do neighborhood."

Joe grinned at her, a vast contrast to his earlier demeanor. "That's what I'm counting on." he took a bite of his sandwich, chewed and swallowed. "So how did the meeting downstairs go."

"Well, I'm pretty sure the detective I talked to covered the report up." she explained.

"That's a bold claim. What makes you think that?"

"He got really nervous when I told him the kid in the report was murdered. On a hunch I told him what Lisa told us, about switching the drinks and how we found the guy dead this morning."

"So he thinks the bartender did it then?"

"At first, but then I told him she had an alibi and that the owner was being helpful, giving us full access to phone records."

"And he thinks we have proof that a call was placed to the switch board."

Sara nodded. "I then told him we were waiting for access to the switchboard records. He got even more nervous and promised to keep digging for the report if we really had all that evidence."

"I sense a stakeout in our future."

Sara smirked. "And not even in a ritzy neighborhood."

xXx

"Well you look about ready to punch someone." Lisa said by way of greeting. It was still early and club wasn't that full, lending a more sedate atmosphere to the main room. She set a drink in front of Sara and leaned on the counter in front of her. "Bad day?"

"Yes and no." she replied. "We got the information we were looking for but it doesn't bring us any closer to finding out who killed our victim. If you can even call him that." she muttered the last part under her breath and took her drink, which was much bigger than a shot, down in one go. Lisa looked impressed.

Leonard chose that moment to come over, taking a seat beside her. "Detective Lance, any news?"

Sara sighed, thanking Lisa as she refilled her glass. "Our would be rapist's father is a high profile defense attorney. He paid off one of the detectives to lose the report."

Leonard smirked. "I knew there was a reason you were my favorite. None of the others found any of this out."

She looked to him unamused. "Tweet. Tweet." she replied sluggin back the full glass in one go. Now Leonard looked impressed. He shot Lisa a look and she held off on refilling the glass, leaving them alone to take care of another customer.

"Is there something I can do to help?" Leonard asked, his tone sincere. Sara looked at him, really looked at him.

"You know, I didn't even believe in God until you showed up." she told him.

He smirked. "You have no idea how happy that makes me to hear."

She rolled her eyes. She looked away, pushing her glass around the bar before finally looking back up at him. "What did you mean? Yesterday, when you implied that I was caged?"

"Oh, did I imply that? My apologies, I meant to say it outright." he told her. "I meant exactly what I said, Sara. You're a beautiful soul and for some reason that I can not see yet, this life had designed to keep you down, locked away in a little box where you can't flourish." he explained. "There are so many things weighing on your soul right now."

"And what, you want to be my therapist?" she asked.

He smirked. "That might be a little inappropriate, but I'm a good listener."

Sara sighed, shaking her head. She turned to face him fully and leaned in a little closer. Anyone watching them from a distance would think they were having an intimate conversation or at least that's what Leonard believed her intention was. "No matter what you say or how you phrase it, you technically own me." she told him watching the smirk slide off his face. "So maybe, just maybe, the weight on my soul, this so called cage, is because of you." she slid the empty glass toward him. "Thanks for the drink." and with that she got up and walked away.

Leonard stared bitterly down at the empty glass, pushing it away as Lisa approached.

"You have to tell her the truth, Lenny." she told him simply, taking the glass.

"She might shoot me." he replied.

Lisa shrugged. "Your immortal, you can take it. Besides, don't pretend that doesn't turn you on."

xXx

"Hey baby girl what are you…. Doing here? Walking right by your father." Joe said, watching as Iris sped passed him, making a beeline for Sara. Sara looked up just as Iris stopped beside her desk, jumping up and down and squealing.

"You are the greatest friend ever. I don't know how you did it, but I can not thank you enough." Iris said, much to Sara's confusion. Joe had wandered back curious.

"I have no idea what your talking about, Iris." Sara replied, looking to Joe for help. He shrugged, just as lost.

"Don't you play dumb with me Sara Lance. This is no time to be modest." Iris replied, digging into her purse and pulling out a high end piece of cardstock. "Everyone got your invitations today."

Sara took the cardstock, catching the faint scent she had grown accustomed to in the last few months.

Sara Lance would like to cordially invite you to attend a celebration of Iris West's engagement and future marriage to Barry Allen.

We hope you will join us on November 7 at 7:00pm at Saints and Sinners. Present your invitation to the hostess upon arrival.

"I'm going to kill him." she muttered, but Iris was far too excited to hear her as she took the invitation back and handed it to her father.

"This is best day ever. I was seriously considering not having a party at all when I got your invitation, hand delivered to work today. Hand delivered! How long have you been working on this?"

"Um…" Sara looked to Joe for help but that sick look was back on his face as he stared at the invitation. "Not long. I, uh, met the owner in the hospital and when he found out about your party being cancelled a few weeks ago he offered the club."

Iris' grin was radiant. "This is amazing. Thank you so much!"

Iris practically tackled her, wrapping her arms around Sara's neck in a fierce hug. She looked to Joe for a third time but all he did was set the invitation on the desk and turn to walk away.