The Past
A man, Reese Getty, wakes up in a hospital bed. The nurse welcomes him back to the land of the living, and Reese wonders what happened to him. The nurse says that he had a brush with death, and he asks if his wife is there. She tells him that he hasn't had any visitors, and Reese says that they've been having some trouble recently. However, he figures that he has a second chance on life and can turn things around.
Later, Reese gets flowers and goes to his wife's house, and hears her and a man giggling inside. Lucifer comes and says that he'll see her next time, and walks past a hiding Reese. Reese tosses the flowers away and goes after Lucifer. He follows Lucifer to Lux, and a waitress tells him that he's Lucifer Morningstar and he owns Lux. Lucifer comes over and says that he's seen Reese watching him, and refuses to sleep with him. Reese says that his wife is the only person that he's loved, and she's sleeping with another man. Lucifer tells her to punish the man, and says that Reese should tear the man's life apart piece by piece. Chloe comes in and Lucifer calls to her, and tells Reese that he works with the police as a consultant as of a couple of weeks ago. The detective tells Lucifer that she needs him at a crime scene, and he leaves with her.
The next day at his news office, Reese tells his editor that he's working on a story about a shady nightclub owner. Lucifer didn't even exist five years ago, tells everyone that he's the Devil, and he's a consultant for the LAPD. The editor wonders if there's a personal reason behind Reese's story, and Reese insists that there isn't.
Reese goes to the station and finds Lucifer, and says that he's a reporter and his editor said that he could do a story on him. Lucifer figures that it will be fun. Reese begins interviewing the station staff, who talk about how he helped them out but don't know anything about him. They all says that everyone likes Lucifer... except Dan. Dan complains that someone has been stealing his pudding since Lucifer showed up, and explains that he and Chloe are separated. Reese says that it's off the record and tells him that there's still time for Dan to fix his marriage. Chloe comes over and remembers Reese from lux. She figures that he's there to write an exploitive piece, and Reese tells her that he's been assigned to ride along with her. When Reese says that they can do it the easy way or the hard way, Chloe tells him that she's going with the hard way.
Lucifer and Chloe go to a crime scene, and Reese questions Lucifer about how he became a police consultant. Dan tells them that the victim is Poppy Parker, who owns a natural cosmetics line. Her body is stabbed in the neck with syringes and surrounded by breast and calf implants, and Lucifer confirms that they're low quality. Chloe tells Rees that Lucifer notices things that normal people don't, and Lucifer figures that it's a statement rather than punishment. There is a non-postmortem injection, and Reese figures that she's a fraud. He says that someone wanted to reveal that the people around her couldn't trust her. Chloe says that she's seen it before.
Back at the station, Chloe finds other victims. One was a vegan chef who was killed with raw meat in his mouth. It turned out that he owned a cattle ranch. A murdered environmentalist was drowned in jet fuel and secretly owned a private jet. All three victims had traces of the same poison, and Chloe figures that it's a serial killer. The first scene was found over a month ago, and the environmentalist a week ago. Lucifer steps out and hands a uni some money. Reese asks Chloe what Lucifer gets out of their partnership, and she tells the reporter that he'll have to ask Lucifer. Meanwhile, Lucifer leaves with a duffel bag.
That night, Reese follows Lucifer as he goes to a warehouse and knocks at the door. While Lucifer gives the duffel bag to the doorman, Reese calls his wife and leaves a message saying that he wants to try and turn things around. Maze grabs Reese and tells him to leave Lucifer alone. Reese says that he can't be scared off, and Maze knees him in the groin and disappears.
Back at the news office, Reese has a clerk look up an address. The clerk says that Reese's wife is in his office, and Reese goes in to meet with the woman: Linda. She asks why people in his office are calling her his wife, and points out that they've been separated for two years. Linda tells Reese that it's time and tells him to sign the divorce papers. Reese asks if it's because she's seeing someone, and Linda tells him that it isn't and he needs to move on. The reporter insists that he loves her, and Linda admits that she fell in love with him because of his stubbornness. She tells him that they're over, and Reese says that he's working on and asks for 24 hours. He promises to sign the papers if she gives him the time, and Linda agrees and walks out. Reese then confirms that the address is a known hot spot for fencing stolen goods, and tells the clerk that he needs proof . He remembers the duffel bag and figures that it has what he needs.
Reese goes to Lux and sneaks into to Lucifer's penthouse He finds the duffel bag and hears a woman whimpering. Reese goes over and finds a woman Veronica in her lingerie tied to the bag. As he starts to untie her, Lucifer comes in with a bottle of champagne and asks what story Reese is really after. Reese vows to expose Lucifer for the fraud he is and save the woman. When he ungags the woman, she says that she's into it until Reese showed up. Lucifer explains that Maze is too overprotective, and she bought the duffel bag because of the tensile strength. Reese opens the bag and finds edible sex toys. Lucifer admits that they're not FDA approved, and says that he knows Reese is upset because he figured he had a scoop. He suggests that Reese come with him because Chloe has a lead on the case, and Veronica is glad to wait once Reese regags her.
The next day, Chloe tells Lucifer and Chloe that the implants are illegal to sell because they were pulled from the market. They traced one of the serial numbers to a plastic surgeon. When they get to his office, Lucifer realizes that the scarred surgeon Barry resents all of his patients. Even Dan congratulates Lucifer on his insight. Afterward, Reese tells Chloe that he was wrong about Lucifer, and Lucifer is just a charming guy. He says that he's going to drop the story, and that he's getting out of the way so that she can do his job. Chloe explains that Barry isn't the killer: he just sold expired implants and tainted botox. He'll spend a lot of time in jail but he isn't the killer, and won't give them any information on the buyer.
Once he realizes Chloe is gone, Lucifer questions Barry as Reese watches from behind the one-way mirror. Lucifer says that he wants to speed things up and slams Barry against the mirror, and Barry tells him that the killer's username is TruthDog21. Reese stares in horror as Lucifer reveals his demon face. After a moment, Lucifer reverts to normal, unaware that he's being observed.
Reese goes to Linda and tells her to stop seeing Lucifer. She accuses Reese of stalking Lucifer, and Reese explains that he was working on a story about him. Reese says that Lucifer is the actual Devil, and Linda tells him that it's none of Reese's business who she sleeps with. She says that she's enjoying herself with someone who doesn't make her feel trapped and doesn't demand anything from him. Reese figures that Lucifer has Linda under a spell, and tells her husband to sign the papers. He does so and admits that he has a lot to figure out.
Back at his office, Reese closes his blinds and goes to work assembling everything he knows about Lucifer and his associates.
One Year Later
Reese is drinking heavily and still trying to find proof that Lucifer is the Devil. Lucifer and Chloe come in and knock on the door, asking Reese for his help. He comes out and Chloe says that they're there about the serial killer case. All of the victims were celebrities mentioned in the newspaper, and they figure the killer commented about them. Chloe asks if the newspaper saves any articles redacted for violent threats, and Reese tells them to talk to his assistant. Once Chloe goes, Lucifer realizes that Reese hasn't destroyed the man who slept with his ex-wife. When the reporter worries that he might be undestroyable, Lucifer tells him to think outside of his box and then says that he has to get to therapy.
Later, Reese barges into Linda's office as Lucifer talks to him. He draws a gun and shoots Lucifer, who stares at the hole in his jacket in shock and then complains that if Chloe was there, he'd be dead.. Reese says that Lucifer is invulnerable because he's the Devil, and Linda tells his ex to put the gun down. She finally explains that she knows Lucifer is the Devil, and apologizes for not knowing what Reese was going through. Reese is shocked that Linda is still seeing Lucifer when she knows the truth, and she tells him that Lucifer isn't who he thinks. Linda insists that Lucifer is a good man and her friend, and Reese realizes that Linda doesn't care who Lucifer really is.
Reese walks out and goes back to his office, and the editor comes in to complain that his assistant left the redacted comments on her desk. She asks if Reese has a story about Lucifer for her, and Reese tells her that he can't let Lucifer wins. The editor points out that Reese has barely filed any stories, and warns him that if he doesn't let it go then it will end his career. Once she leaves, Reese rips all of his notes down. He finds a photo of Chloe and remembers what Lucifer said about his being dead if she had been there. Reese then goes to the house of one of the commenters, Alvin Kapitski, who is registered as TruthDog21. Alvin immediately confesses that he's the killer and surrenders, and Reese tells him that he just wants to talk to him as a reporter. He claims that his job is exposing the truth and figured Alvin is doing the same, and says that Lucifer is a fraud that he couldn't expose. Playing on Alvin's paranoia, Reese says that the frauds always win and Lucifer will get away with it unless someone does something.
That night, Lucifer is partying at Lux. Reese is there and asks Chloe to meet with him. Alvin comes in and Reese gives Chloe all of the redacted comments. As Chloe starts to go, Reese interviews her about Lucifer. Chloe says that she thinks somebody wronged Lucifer and he hides behind the partying and the women. With the LAPD, he has an opportunity to right the wrongs and fight back. Reese chuckles and tells Chloe that she gives Lucifer more credit than he deserves. Meanwhile, Alvin comes up to Lucifer, who offers him a drink and two women that he's partying with. Alvin gives Lucifer his drink, and the two women switch drinks as well. Chloe points out that the redacted comments look incomplete, just as one of the women collapses dead.
The police secure the crime scene and Ella confirms that the woman was poisoned the same way that the other three victims were. Lucifer is furious that the killer went after someone under his roof. Chloe wonders how the killer could be there the same time that they were, and figures that he was there for Reese. She apologizes for putting Reese in danger, and he says that there's one person to blame for it.
Reese picks up a knife from the bar and goes to the penthouse, and tells Lucifer that it's all his fault. He says that Lucifer ruined his life and now there's a dead girl because of Lucifer. Lucifer complains that he never makes any of them do anything, and Reese says that he tricks them into sin and damnation. Angry, Lucifer says that he takes no part in who goes to Hell, and it's humans who send themselves and relive their sins over and over... and the doors aren't locked. He admits that he's responsible for not a lot of things, but not what Reese does. Reese insists that he has to be, and Lucifer asks him what he truly desires. The reporter finally says that he wants Linda to love him and drops his knife, and explains that Linda is his wife and always will be. Lucifer is shocked to realize that he was the piece of garbage Reese was angry with. Reese wonders how Lucifer convinced Linda that he's good, and Lucifer says that he just showed her his true self. He figures that maybe Linda accepted him because of that.
At Linda's office, Reese arrives and tells Linda that he was a bad husband and their marriage fell apart because of him. He tells Linda that she deserves better, and she says that she wasn't perfect. She figures that neither of them could be what the other needed, and that's why it's good they're going their separate ways. Reese is shocked, thinking that his opening up would be closer. He wonders why she can't forgive him when she forgave Lucifer, and Linda tells him that he never learns. Reese admits that he teamed up with a serial killer and a girl got killed, and insists that it's an accident. When Linda tries to call the police, Reese grabs her and shoves her to the floor. He apologizes and then says that she's right, and tells her that they can find him in his office and he'll give them what he has on Alvin and turn himself in. Reese admits that Linda was right and wants to make it right, and Linda says goodbye to him as she calls Chloe.
Reese goes to his office and takes a drink, then gags and realizes that it was poisoned. Alvin is in the shadows, and tells Reese that Lucifer is an honest man. He says that Reese is the fraud, using other people to do his dirty work. Reese bursts into laughter and says that he caught him, as police cars arrive outside. Alvin tries to run and Chloe tackles him, and Lucifer finds Reese dying on the floor. Reese says that he set things right and hopes they'll turn things around with Linda.
In Hell
Reese wakes up in a hospital bed. The nurse welcomes him back to the land of the living , and Reese wonders what happened to him. The nurse says that he had a brush with death, and he asks if his wife is there. She tells him that he hasn't had any visitors, and Reese says that they've been having some trouble recently. However, he figures that he has a second chance on life and can turn things around. Outside the room, the souls in Hell scream.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 14, 2017