Deals - Cisco's chat with Snart goes a little differently. Set during episode 16.

AN: Because I didn't like several moments in the last episode, chief of those being Barry's conversation with Len at the end. Barry had no leverage and was generally acting like he knew Len the way we do (ie. from the comics). Plus I really enjoyed the interactions between Len and Cisco and I'm disappointed no one appears to be shipping them so far.

"I like you, kid," Snart says and Cisco wonders how many people heard that before they died, "You're smart. Pulled yourself up from humble beginnings. You seem like a good brother."

"You too," Cisco replies, because if there's one thing that he knows about Snart at this point it's his willingness to play the game. Snart hadn't hurt him for attempting to pass off a dodgy gun as the real deal, therefore Snart would leave them alone if Cisco played along and answered his questions.

"Debatable," Snart says, "I'm sure you're a much better role model, but then given that you made weapons to stop the city's hero and you're still working for an organisation that killed so many people a year ago... Maybe you're just as debatable."

"Accidents happen in science," Cisco's voice shakes and he hopes it can be put down to having just been beaten, the wetness in his eyes certainly is, "At least we don't make a point of murdering people just because we can."

"You know, I looked into the Flash," Snart stresses the word Flash like it's something ridiculous, "What would he have done with Clyde Mardon if that cop hadn't put two bullets in his chest?"

"What do you care about Clyde Mardon?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Cisco sees Dante stir. He dearly hopes his brother stays down.

"The Mardon brothers and I ran together once," Snart says, "Call it professional interest."

"We've got a specially built prison," Cisco replies, then feels confident enough to follow with, "And you'll end up there."

"For killing people?" Snart shakes his head condescendingly, "The cops weren't going to leave me in solitary for it. It doesn't matter if I've killed or not."

"If it doesn't matter then why do you do it?" Cisco says quickly, heart beating fast as a desperate plan crosses his mind, "Are you not good enough to leave everyone alive?"

Snart huffs a laugh and crouches down so his face is on level with Cisco's. There's a moment when Cisco considers trying to fight again, but his face gives a throb of agony at the thought and he stays where he is.

"You've got guts, kid," Snart says, he's got an ice-sharp smile and it's terrifying, "You want to make a wager then?"

"On if you can pull a job without killing anyone?" Cisco guesses and gets a nod in reply, "If you kill someone you've got to let us go."

"And if I don't, you're going to tell me who the Flash really is."

Cisco swears his heart stops beating for a moment there. "That's not fair," he croaks.

"Two lives for one name? You're right, maybe I should ask for something else."

"That's not what I meant," Cisco can feel his fear balling in his chest, he's about ten seconds away from breaking down and he can't, "Killing us would be more work than letting us go. You don't have to watch us all the time if we're not here."

"You're definitely toeing the line of how much trouble you're worth," Snart agrees and Cisco experiences another jolt of fear because Snart doesn't agree with anyone, "I want to know who's under the crimson cowl and I don't particularly care how I find out. If you prefer I can just freeze your brother bit by bit until you tell me now. Your choice, Cisco."

"...If your sister or Mick Rory kill anyone that means you lose too," Cisco says. He's seen what that cold-gun does to Barry and Dante doesn't have superspeed healing to get over it.

"For better or worse, they're my responsibility," Snart says, standing up, "If you try to escape again –"

He's cut off by Dante tackling him. Cisco hadn't noticed his brother doing anything and Snart had been paying all his attention to Cisco, so it takes them both by surprise.

Snart goes down in an ungraceful heap, barely missing the table. Cisco's adrenal glands have been trying to make him fight or flight since Dante took the leg off the table to begin with. He leaps into the fray, horribly away that his hands are still tied and even with two of them, Snart's probably still got the advantage.

Cisco can't hear running footsteps, which hopefully means that the other two aren't going to help. Then he can't hear anything but buzzing as Snart's elbow collides viciously with Cisco's ear. It's enough to make Cisco pause until his vision rights itself.

By then Snart has Dante pinned and whimpering. The cold-gun is pressed into the back of Dante's neck and even though Snart hasn't pulled the trigger, the gun's ready to fire and the nozzle must be like a lamppost in winter.

"Please don't kill him," Cisco whispers, he can't find his voice to do anything more.

"And lose our wager before it begins? No. What your brother here hasn't realised is that when I wanted you to cooperate, Cisco, I threatened him. What did you imagine would happen when you didn't do what I wanted, Dante?"

Even though Cisco sees it coming, the pain still surprises him. He screams as the blast from the cold-gun hits him in the side of his chest. It hurts to breathe and the burn from the ice is unbearable.

"That's first-degree frostbite. You could recover with proper treatment, if not all your muscles, nerves, and blood vessels will freeze and you'll find it very hard to catch your breath," Snart's voice is deliberately clear and Cisco concentrates on every word to stop himself from focussing on the pain, "To put it another way, if I got my sister to kiss you again, you'd pass out."

"Leave him alone!" Dante shouts.

"I will, if you do what I want," Snart says calmly, "Pick up your brother and follow me."

Cisco nods quickly when Dante looks to him for help. Getting Cisco to his feet with their hands still bound and Cisco's ribs screaming whenever he tries to twist his body is barely doable. Snart watches them with a casual air that implies he could wait for them forever if need be.

Snart takes them to a smaller room and ties them to a rail that happens to be sticking out of the wall. Given that Cisco overheard them mention that the house used to belong to the Santini family, he has a nasty feeling that the rail isn't for disabled access.

"You'd better hope I'm the next person to walk into this room," Snart says as he strings up a trap around the door. Exactly like the one that had nearly gotten Caitlin killed, "And you'd better hope I'm not delayed," he adds, with a pointed look to Cisco's frostbite.

"We'll be praying for you," Cisco snarls.

Snart gives a short laugh. "Remember, no deaths, one name."

Then the door's closed behind him.

The room must be soundproofed, as Cisco can't hear any footsteps or other doors in the rest of the house. He really, really doesn't want to know why the room would need to be soundproofed.

"That was the bravest thing I've ever seen," Dante says.

"Wait until I tell you about the time I bluffed him with a vacuum cleaner," Cisco replies, "Let's find a way out of here."