The Devil Is In The Details
Angel stood in the alley, unsure about what to do next. Doyle's visions were always a bit cryptic and this one had been no exception, unless being more cryptic could be counted as an exception. The only clear indicator of what was going to happen had been this alley.
At least Angel hoped it was this alley. Considering the overwhelming lack of anything more evil than the smell of two-day-old take-out, he was beginning to think he'd screwed up.
Again.
Tina…The thought threatened to rear its ugly head and Angel ruthlessly pushed it to the back of his mind.
Not going to happen again. He thought, turning to leave the empty alley.
"I gotta say, you got here quicker than I expected." A friendly voice said from the darkness. "Didn't mean to keep you waiting."
Angel spun and crouched at the same time.
"See, that's what I mean!" The voice continued casually. "Reflexes like those…" the voice chuckled. "You gotta love that, am I right?"
A man stepped out of the darkness. He was short and a bit chubby. He wore a faded hat and a neatly pressed blue suit that looked a couple of years out of style.
"I'm not going to lie, it's a little… well its kind of neat to finally meet you in person. You know, I get to talk to celebrities all the time, heck, without me, a lot of them wouldn't be where they are today, so it's not the whole "infamous" angle. It's just really rare that someone impresses me. But you, my boy, are impressive."
As he came nearer, Angel caught the scent of something beyond the old take-out.
"You aren't human." He said, adjusting his stance. "Not a demon either."
The thing that looked like a man nodded. "Not in the strictest sense, no. I mean, not in the way that you're use to. Or, in the way that you are." As he approached, he took off his hat and scratched his balding head. "I'm… different. But you know me, of me, anyway."
Angel felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
"Cut the crap." He said angrily as he realized what emotion this being stirred in him.
Fear.
The man looking thing nodded and an expression very much like sympathy washed over his pudgy face. "Yeh, you're feeling it and it's not something you're use to, is it? Big, strapping boy like yourself. Not to mention a vampire to boot. Not a lot in this world you're afraid of. You're use to being the scare-er, not the scare-ie." He chuckled. "I'm not here to hurt you, and if you'll just acknowledge what you already know, you'll forgive yourself for that feeling. Trust me, it happens all the time and there isn't a being in the universe that would fault you for it."
Angel raised his eyebrows. "Oh?" he said and cursed himself when he realized he'd taken a step backward, away from the little man. "And who do I think you are?"
The being tisked through his teeth. "You're a bright boy Angel." he smiled widely. "Boy, when Darla gave you that name, she must have thought it was a humdinger of a joke! Angelus, the vampire… and I guess it was, for a while. Wooo! The things you did! Man! You were truly an artist. Seriously. I… I would sometimes shake my head and think 'I gotta write that down!' I mean… well, I told you I was a fan. Now… Angel… it's more ironic. You know, considering you're a big super hero and all. There was a time when I used to be called 'angel' too. Of course that was more of a description, rather than a name"
Angel realized his mouth was hanging open and closed it so quickly he nearly bit his own tongue.
"So you're saying…that, uh…. You're the…."
"Yep. I am. In the flesh." He nodded and smiled. "And not that it matters, but it's 'The Devil' with emphasis on the 'The'. I know you meet a lot of lesser devils, all trying to cope my rep. But I'm the real deal. Hey, in fact, just call me Lou."
"But, you're…Lou?" Angel felt a wave of cold sweep over him and he just managed to keep from stepping backward again. The truth was, he felt like running.
"Sure, I'm not in scare mode right now. Horns and tail tend to, well, draw attention. I don't do that unless I have a reason. I mean, you don't walk around vamp face all the time right? Heck no! Why do that when you have that pretty mug? You can blend in; see the people without them running for cover. That's one of the gifts I gave your kind that most of the other demons don't get."
"But, this…?" Angel said gesturing at the guise the being wore with disbelief and immediately wished he had bitten his tongue.
But Lou waved his hat at Angel and grinned. "What? I'm not trying to impress anyone. You don't care what I look like and the time it takes me to doll up…" he rolled his eyes. "you don't even want to know. Although, the next time I have to tempt some pretty little thing over to the darkside, I'm thinking that I'll copy your look. Man, that coat really pulls the whole tall dark and handsome thing together, doesn't it?"
Angel felt slightly sick. "So, why am I here… exactly?"
Lou nodded. "Right. Kudos to you, by the way. You didn't run and I know you wanted to. And most would, human or demon. Which means you're brave or stupid. Personally I think they're one in the same but to each his own and impressive anyway." He grinned. "See there I go again, all fan boy." Shrugging, he put his hat on his head and rubbed his hands together. "Anyway, what do you want for it?"
Angel blinked. "Want… for what?"
Lou raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean for what? You know who I am… I know you know the history, the stories." He waited but Angel just stared at him. "Ok… maybe I over estimated you in the smart department…"
Realization hit Angel and the slightly sick feeling turned into all out nausea. "My soul…?"
"Bingo! Whew, you had me worried there for a minute, kid!" Lou reached into his coat and pulled out a piece of parchment. "I've been in this business a long time so I know I shouldn't tell you this, but a soul like yours is worth a lot. You are the only one of your kind, vampire with a soul. You are going to come out of this very…"
"I'm not going to sell you my soul." Angel said.
The man looked up, his smile was gone. "What was that?"
"I'm not going to sell you my soul." Angel said again. "You can't have it."
"Is that a fact?" Lou's eyes were cold and dark now. "Let me spell it out to you. You're a vampire. Not just any vampire, you are Angelus. Angelus, who was The Scourge of Europe. Angelus, who turned villages into cemeteries and convents into morgues. Angelus, who was my own personal favorite subject to watch for years! Do you think you are going anywhere other than Hell? And I don't mean that vacation you took a couple of years ago courtesy of The Slayer. I mean REAL Hell. Where I live, boy!"
Angel kept his face as impassive as he was able but he knew what he was hearing was the truth. It hurt and scared him to his core to hear it but it wasn't like he hadn't already realized it long ago.
"I'm not selling you my soul." He said through tightly clenched teeth. "There's nothing you could offer me. If you want me, take me now."
Lou stared at him a moment, then rolled his eyes. "Look now, don't be that way! I know I got a little cranky there, but, and I'm not afraid to admit it, you are special. Maybe I wasn't clear enough, see, I'm not talking about taking your soul right now. No, no, that's not how it works. I get it after you pass on. In your case that's really far down the line. Practically forever! Unless you fall on something pointy and wooden or cut your head off shaving. There's no taking it and leaving Angelus to ravage the place, I know you wouldn't want that!"
"So… what are you saying? You'll give me whatever I want, and you get my soul but after I'm dust?" Angel's eyes narrowed. "What's the catch?"
"The catch? There's no catch… you get whatever you want… say, to live out your existence with that cute little Slayer, and I get your soul…. And one other… little… thing."
"What other little thing?"
The man looked away for a moment. "I really hate 'full disclosure' clauses!" he mumbled. "Oh, well you know how you've got this new 'help the helpless' gig started? Yeh, well, that's sorta cutting into my action a little. So the deal is, you get whatever you want- and I'm stressing here- ANYTHING you want, and I get your soul… but you also have to stop with the whole Champion deal."
Angel stared at the little man.
"I see…."
"Angel, look I wasn't kidding. You are going to Hell."
"I don't doubt that I'm going to Hell." Angel said softly.
Lou smiled a little. "Good. So it's not like you are really losing anything. I mean I'm doing the soul thing only because it's tradition and I'm a traditional kind of guy."
The man stepped forward and extended the parchment out to Angel who took it and gazed at it expressionlessly for a moment.
"Certainly seems all in order. A win-win for me really."
Lou nodded. "You betcha." He patted his coat and then reached inside the front for a pen. "You just prick your finger with the nib to sign. I know, I know, it's so cliché but then I told you I'm a traditionalist."
"Hmmm." Angel said. "But then why break with tradition and trade for something you already claim to have?"
The man froze. "Excuse me?"
"You said I was going to Hell, so why bother with 'buying' my soul? Why not just give me what I want for me dropping the heroics."
"I told you, it's just the tradition. You make a deal with me for your soul." The little man's eyes were glowing slightly. "Now, you just sign on the dotted line, my boy. I have things to do, busy-busy after all. You go home, think about what, or who, you want, and it's a done deal."
"Hmmm…" Angel said again, biting his lip. "I don't know… I can't decide what I want really. Oh! Maybe a pony!"
He gave Lou a cold stare.
The man stared back just as coldly. "I'm not playing games here Angelus. This is your one chance."
"It's just 'Angel' actually. And you know what I think?" Angel turned the parchment around and tore it in half. A sound very much like a shriek filled the air. Angel ignored it and torn the parchment again. "I think that just because I'm going to Hell, doesn't mean my soul belongs to you. I think I'll be punished, I think I deserve it. But I'm not turning myself over to you. You got enough out of Angelus."
"Is that so?" The man said softly as he watched the pieces of the parchment flutter through Angel's fingers. They flashed and disappeared before hitting the ground.
"Yeh. And I think I'll continue with that help the helpless, thing."
Lou shook his head. "You think that's how it works? You can be the best of the best, it won't make up for when you were the worst of the worst. Besides, you can't help them all. I mean look at what happened to poor Tina."
Angel blinked but continued to tear the parchment. "I'm not trying to make up for what I've done." He said, letting the last of the contract fall. "I'm going to try to make a difference. I made a mistake but the fact that you're here trying to stop me says I'm doing an ok job of that so far."
"Last chance." Lou said softly.
"Pass." Angel felt cold prickles race along his arms as his apprehension intensified.
I may not make it out of here. He thought as he turned and started to walk out of the alley.
"I will see you in Hell." Lou told him matter of factly. "But not tonight."
Angel sighed in relief. "Ok then." He said over his shoulder as he turned the corner.
The Devil snorted through his nose and cast his gaze upward.
"There you have it." He said. "You and your tests."
The alley remained silent as The Devil turned and walked toward the end of the alley. "You have to admit, it almost looked like he was going to do it."
The silence remained.
"Yeh, ok." The Devil continued, talking to someone only he could hear. "But if you weren't worried then why test him at all?"
He waited, listening.
"Yeh, yeh, well he wasn't willing to risk eternal damnation, even though he's pretty sure it's a done deal, so I guess you've got your Champion. It's a shame. He was something when he was bad.
"Oh well," he said with a shrug. "You win some, you lose some. Maybe Wolfram and Hart will do better."