Lilith was silent as she drove through town with the devil at her side. Lucifer glanced at her from time to time, but she never noticed. She was silently berating herself for ever allowing Velius his freedom from Hell in exchange for opening the portal for her. This was all her fault. She should have left Levi Sethos' punishment in the hands of her friend the Prince of Darkness and his finest torturer, Mazikeen.

Pulling up to Velius' apartment Lili leapt from the corvette before Lucifer could bring it to a complete stop then ran straight for the apartment door. On her way she passed Velius' motorcycle, still parked out front. The devil managed to catch up with her just as she opened the lock. If she had been slightly more patient she wouldn't have needed to fumble with the key. The devil would have had the door opened in less than a second. One of the perks of divinity it would seem. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the large spider web of cracks in a framed print above the couch that continued into the dry wall.

"You should see the other chap." It was the fallen angel's attempt at a joke, but not a very good one. Lilith didn't even hear it, instead she ran into the bedroom calling out for her son, but it was empty. While she was out of the room, Lucifer glanced down at the floor near the couch and noticed an empty syringe. He didn't touch it, but could clearly see that whatever substance it held was clear. He really didn't know Velius or whatever lifestyle he had chosen to lead. If he was anything like his old man then it was possible this syringe was a remnant of a night's self-indulgence and pleasure-seeking. Then again, it might well be an important piece of this mystery. Either way he decided not to tell Lilith. She was already worried enough.

"I'm sure he's fine. He's an angel." The devil pointed out as she came back into the main room, her brows furrowed and her face clouded in fear. "I mean, do you really think that a human can hurt an angel?" The devil pointed out, hoping to ease her mind, but Lilith wasn't convinced.

"He can be hurt." She corrected.

"What?"

"He's half human, of course he can be hurt. He just heals really fast because of the divine blood he inherited from you, that and being immortal among many other traits." She grabbed her phone and dialed his number only to hear a muffled music instead of an answer. Following the tune, Lucifer pushed aside the overstuffed chair revealing Velius' phone playing Dark Lady by Cher. For a moment Lili started to reach for it, but the devil quickly stopped her.

"Don't." He said stopping her before she could touch the phone.

"I'm just going to check the log to see who he's been talking to. It might give us a lead."

"True, but it's also a little thing called evidence." He was right of course, and she so hated it when he was. She knew that the correct procedure according to human protocol would be to contact the police and let them handle it. Unfortunately, Lilith's mind and judgement were clouded with emotion. Past transgressions by Amenadiel and his mother the Supreme Goddess made Lili certain they were responsible for her son's disappearance.

"It would be evidence if we didn't already know who's behind this."

"Oh do we now?"

"Yes, Charlotte Richards, otherwise known as your blood-sucking mother."

Lucifer wanted to tell her that she was wrong, but he really couldn't, not with certainty anyway. He was amply aware that his mother was capable of anything. When he questioned her, she admitted that she was the cause of more than a few floods and plagues. All of it was an attempt on her part to get rid of her husband's little hobby known as humanity. She was certainly no stranger to manipulation and the devil was quite aware of the cruelty she had inflicted on Lili while she was pregnant with Velius. Not one to dirty her own hands she had lied to Amenadiel and used him to torment the mother-to-be. His mum was dangerous and terrifying even in an incredibly hot human body. Still, since she first appeared at the fallen angel's door step she had given no indication that she even knew about Velius.

"You don't know that she's guilty."

"Yes I do." Lili argued. "That woman was determined to make sure our son was never born. Do you really think she's the type to suddenly say 'oh well' and let it go? No. She lies in wait and then she pounces."

"This from the woman who can change into a panther." The demoness was not amused by his smart tongue and clearly she was not going to let this go. "Fine, Tomorrow morning we'll go and talk to my mum. Will that satisfy you?"

"I know you and you would never have agreed to this unless you thought there was a possibility that I was right." Lilith smiled feeling completely vindicated.

"Yes or no?"

"Yes . . . of course." She almost giggled. "I'll bring my best knives."

"No knives, no torture, we're just going there to chat."

"Fine. You realize of course that you're handicapping me."

The apartment secured, Lucifer led her back to his car and together they drove back to Lux. Speeding down the road they had no idea that within the space of 39 miles and a mere 29 minutes Velius was locked in a padded cell inside an abandoned hospital. Kaleb had tried to stay awake so he could observed the first moment his prize awoke, but eventually he dozed off. The building was dark except for the lantern sitting on the snoozing professor's desk. There was the occasional odd noise, a drip from an old pipe perhaps, or a breeze through drafty windows creating a faint whispering sound. That Kaleb could sleep at all in such a creepy place was amazing.

Kicked back in his chair and snoring loudly, the professor never noticed Velius finally waking up. His deep green eyes fluttered for a moment seeing nothing before he closed them again. The echoes of Silent Lucidity still played itself over and over in his mind, a remnant of his bazaar dream. He could feel that he was lying on a bed with fresh smelling sheets and pillow. Without opening his eyes he reached out his hand and promptly found a padded wall close to where he was lying. Sitting up, his head began to pound and his stomach was churning. The only thing he could think of was how nice it would be to have a cold drink of water or feel something cool against his face. Opening his eyes, he looked around but he couldn't see anything in the pitch black room. Everywhere was total darkness and the stagnant air carried a musty moldy scent. Gradually his eyes altered their structure so that he could see in the dark and know where he was. Unfortunately there was still nothing to see. The walls were all padded as well as the floor and ceiling. A small singular window was on one side and he could make out a small camera hooked to the ceiling. The blinking red light showing that it was recording. He started to wonder if he was trapped inside a Saw movie and imagined Jigsaw on the other side of the camera watching him.

The room was essentially bare except for the bed and a portable toilet. Something else caught his eye too. Lying on the floor a few feet away was a walkie-talkie. Apparently someone wanted to talk to him. Standing up, he thought for a moment he would wretch, but the feeling quickly dissipated and he managed to make his way to the two-way radio. Getting down on his knees he picked it up and looked it over. It was clearly on, the red light glowing quite bright in the darkness. He picked it up and pressing the button managed a feeble 'hello', but there was no answer. All he could hear was the sound of static.

"Is anyone there?" He continued, but once again there was only white noise. He sighed in frustration then sat down completely on the floor. At least his stomach had stopped rolling. Thank God and an angelic father that he was such a quick healer. Now if his head would just stop pounding he could think clearly. He could tell where the door was because of the small observation window. It would take little effort to break it, but he would never be able to squeeze through it. Unlike his mother he couldn't shapeshift. He could also manipulate locks, but of course one must have access to the lock in order to open it. That was something he did not have. He looked back over at the camera with its ominous red light gleaming in the dark. Someone is watching me, he thought to himself, but who and why? Once more he picked up the walkie-talkie and tried calling to whomever it was on the other side.

"Can anyone hear me?" He waited a moment, but there was still only the continued sound of static. He rested he arms on his knees and bowed his head.

"H-hello." Came voice from the radio. Velius nearly jumped at the sound.

"Yes, hello. Who is this?" the devil's son asked.

"Uh, that's not really important. I am glad to know you're awake. I wasn't sure how much carfentanil you could handle so I'm afraid I just emptied the whole vial . . . twice actually. You did surprisingly well, better than most elephants on that drug." Velius suddenly remembered the man that was at his door and being hit with something sharp in the back.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"I wasn't sure how to contain you, so I'm afraid I had to improvise."

"Contain me?" He laughed. Why would this man, this stranger, think that he needed to be contained? He gave all the appearance of being a man and he had never told anyone differently. He wondered if the man on the other end of this walkie-talkie was one of those humans who believed every conspiracy theory and wore a foil cap.

"I realize that these accommodations are less then appealing, but it was the best I could do on short notice and on a shoe string budget. Keeping you secure was a bit more important than your comfort. However, to show you that I'm not a bad guy, we do offer free housekeeping and three meals a day from any of the fine eating establishments within a twenty-five mile radius of this place. I, myself, am partial to In-N-Out Burger. Just let me know if there is something in particular you want. I'll do what I can.

"Great, five-star cuisine it is. Got a phone I can use? Tablet? How about a phone book? You should know though, that I have a taste for expensive wine."

"You're laughing and making jokes, but I know your secret." Kaleb answered. It was exciting talking to a real angel, but he was afraid too. They had only just begun and he really didn't know if he could confine a celestial being. This creature might unleash an earthquake that topples the walls. He really was stepping into new territory.

"And that is?" Velius asked, still chucking.

"You're an angel." At the word 'angel', Hell's only son laughed more. He had been called many things, but angel was not one of them. Half-breed, Nephilim, bastard, mongrel, mutt and even cur were titles that resounded in his ears for as long as he could remember. They were some of the favorite taunts of his half siblings. He could certainly never be accused of being an angel, not a whole one anyway.

"I-I'm hardly an angel." He managed to say between cackles."

"I've seen your wings." This revelation from Kaleb stopped his captive's laughter. "I saw you open them at the beach and shake the water off." Even just thinking about the beauty of those wings left the doctor in awe and his voice trembled. "White and ethereal . . . so beautiful. I . . . I even managed to film it."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because it's only fair." The voice on the other end of the walkie-talkie answered. To Velius this seemed to be the strangest answer he had heard yet.

"Fair?"

"For ages men have died for their faith. Now with you, we can prove that they were right."

Velius laid back on the floor of the cell and looked up at the ceiling. This had to be some sort of madman he was dealing with. That he might be living out a version of the movie Saw was definitely still a possibility. More than any other time in his life, he wished he had more of his father's celestial genes. At least then he would be unaffected by whatever this person was planning. He glanced at the blinking red light of the video camera on the wall. The voice was still watching him. He really had no idea if his parents were aware he was missing or still waiting for him to arrive at Lux. He didn't even know if it was the same day. His mother would certainly come looking for him if he were gone too long. Lilith always would. The last time she came to his rescue he was still quite small, maybe around four or five. He was learning to use his wings and struggling at it. During one attempt he had managed to stay aloft for several minutes before falling and breaking his arm. She was immediately at his side.

Lilith wore the title of 'mom', but she could never be accused of possessing a nurturing personality. Far from it actually, but every now and then the mothering instinct would appear. It was there now that her offspring was missing. To the demoness it seemed perfectly obvious who was to blame. She had never laid eyes on the Supreme Goddess' current human form, but she was certain that she was behind this. Normally spending the night at Lux with Lucifer meant pushing the laws of physics and God, but instead she spent it imagining the tortures she would inflict on Charlotte and worrying about her child.

The Goddess, herself had no idea what was waiting for her when she arrived at the law offices of Richard's and Wheeler the next morning. In fact, when Charlotte Richards stepped into her office she fully expected another mundane human day filled with legal cases and insipid mortal bickering. She was surprised to see Lucifer sitting in her chair with his feet kicked up on her desk. Next to him seated on the corner of the desk was Lilith, Not that the Supreme Goddess recognized her. In fact, as far as she knew the very first human woman had long since gone the way of the dodo bird and this was just another one of her son's playmates.

"Hello . . . son." Uncertain what was going on, her gaze moved back and forth between the dark-haired beauty and her angelic offspring. "Have I done something wrong?"

"Well now, that depends, mother. What can you tell me about Velius?"

"To answer that I first need to know what a Velius is?" She answered as she set her briefcase down on the desk.

"Velius is a 'who', more specifically, he is my son and your grandson."

"Impossible. I don't have a grandson." Charlotte answered very quick and smug.

"Ah, but you do, mother. In fact, you tried to keep him from being born." His dark eyes looking into hers like daggers. "Or was that not you?" As he expected there wasn't even a hint of remorse, rather she looked more like the cat that ate the canary.

"Okay, I wasn't pleased about your little indiscretion with that . . . human . . . and I may have attempted to rectify the situation."

"So it's all true then?" Lucifer couldn't believe his ears and yet found himself not really surprised at this woman's audacity.

"I was not going to have my family . . . my bloodline tainted by insipid humans. It really doesn't matter anyway, because your offspring died at birth. I'm sure it was for the best. He was a corruption of divinity and was never meant to exist." At this this declaration, Lilith started to leap across the desk at Charlotte. Her claws extending and ready to rip her eyes out. Instantly Lucifer caught her and held her back.

"Sorry, Aḻakāṉa, deserved or not, you can't kill my mum."

"Personally," Charlotte continued completely ignoring the near attack on her person. "I think its weak human body was simply too inferior to handle celestial DNA and it destroyed itself taking its ghastly human mother with it."

This made Lilith struggle harder to free herself from Lucifer's grasp. How she hated that woman. Her anger was so hot that the devil kept expecting her to foam at the mouth like a rabid beast. He really wasn't sure how long he could hold on to her if his mother continued speaking the way she was. The demoness in his arms possessed strength that was a close match to his own. He imagined this was token of his father's sense of humor. Remold the human woman into a demon that could very likely hold her own against any angel. Quite frankly, he could rein in Mazikeen easier then he could Lili.

"Oh do go on mother, Lilith here hasn't dug her talons far enough into my arm yet."

"Lilith . . . why do I know that name?" Charlotte asked, seemingly oblivious to the physical pain Lucifer was in.

"Hello, 'first human female' Adam's first wife, The Garden of Eden . . ." Lili spat as the devil forced his lady friend into the office chair and flashed a silent red-eyed warning at her if she moved.

"Oh, I thought she was dead and her body was returned to the dust she came from by my dear husband?"

"I am sitting right here in the room so clearly I am not dust!" Lili hissed. "As for Velius, he was born perfectly healthy and has lived a very long life until yesterday evening. Now tell me what you did with him!"

"Lucifer, I have no idea what this . . . human is talking about."

"She's not a human, Mother. She's Lilith. Father changed her into a demon. You know, Queen of the Damned and Mother of the race of Lilim." The devil explained. "In fact, she's Maze's mother."

"I'm sorry." Charlotte said in clearly feigned sympathy. The truth of the matter was that the Supreme Goddess and her celestial brood (except Lucifer of course and more recently Amenadiel) saw demons as barely a step above vermin. "I honestly didn't think you would be sent much lower than a human, apparently I was mistaken. " For a moment Lilith attempted another lunge, but the fallen angel quickly pushed her back into the chair again.

"Perhaps I am beneath you, but remember this. Your husband created every tiny detail of me and I look nothing like you. Perhaps I'm what he really desired." Her words had the desired effect as Charlotte's smug expression was wiped away. Now the devil had to hold back his Mum. This was getting tiresome. If there was a place worse than Hell, Lucifer was sure he was in it. Of all the tortures he had consigned souls to, he could think of none worse than being stuck in a room with his mother and his mistress while they bickered. He suddenly was beginning to understand why some human males slaughter their families. They probably just wanted to hear a few minutes of actual silence.

"I hardly think my ex would even glance in your direction. Remember you are a demon and barred from Heaven." Charlotte hissed.

"Oh, have you been permitted back into the Silver City? As I recall, 'Lotte', your ex sent you to hell for eternity." The demoness smirked.

"ENOUGH!" Lucifer bellowed, silencing both women. "Bottom line, do you know where my son is, mother?!"

"Of course not." She answered, looking almost offended at the accusation. "As I said, I was under the impression he had died at birth. That was what Amenadiel told me, anyway."

"Amenadiel, mister holier than thou himself, told you that Velius died?" She couldn't stop a ripple of laughter from slipping out. "Tell me, 'old scratch', haven't you ever found it funny that you're called the 'Father of Lies' while your brother is the one telling more falsehoods than a professional conman." The fact was he had noticed, but now was not the time to delve into it. There were more pressing matters to attend to.

"Swear to me mother. I want your word that you had nothing to do with Velius' disappearance."

"Fine, you have my word." Charlotte begrudgingly answered.

"If I find out that you are lying to me, I'll simply lock you in a room with Lilith here."

"Is that supposed to scare me?" The Mother of Creation sniffed. There was nothing about this woman that was remotely intimidating. Smiling wickedly, Lili walked over to Charlotte, her face only inches away.

"I had a pair of twins once, a boy and a girl. They thought they could usurp my position and take over control of the Lilim and eventually Hell itself. They are both locked away in cells, separated from each other and little more than gaping, drooling, babbling lunatics. They were my own flesh and blood, so you can imagine the things I will do to you."