"You, Annas, but why, how?" Judas stammers and sinks down on a chair hiding his head in his hands. Then his shoulders strengthen, composure returns to his face and he looks straightly at Asrael. "What`s with Annas? What did you do to him?" A sarcastical smile glides over the unearthly face. "I`m touched that you`re so concerned about the highpriest. But it`s true, I am him and I`ve always been." "Always?" The last rest of colour disappears from Judas` face. "You mean?" "You could say he`s my human form." Judas turns his heads and looks at Simon, a big frown growing on his forehead. "Did you know?" But Simon looks equally puzzled. "I had no idea." There`s a moment of silence, then Judas jumps up and runs over to Simon. "Simon, do you really want to join up with him?" he points at Asrael. "He`s evil, you know that. You can`t trust him." He runs his fingers through his dark hair. "We had our differences, you and me, I know. But this here is about something far more important. It`s about Jesus and Olivia, do you really want to leave them to the devices of the angel of death? Whatever he plans, you can be sure it`s nothing good." Simon looks from Judas to Azrael and back again, confusion and doubt shimmering in his blue eyes. "But..." "And he`s a liar." Judas shoots Asrael a scornful glance. "Always playing stupid games, doing sordid magical tricks. He pretended to be someone else, he deceived us all, even you, Simon. And whatever he promises, I wouldn`t bet on it. What could he give you besides his lies?" "Power." Azrael comes slowly closer, and looks at Simon, without taking notice of Judas, whose dark eyes literally spit fire at him. "Simon, call me Annas or Asrael, it doesn`t change a thing. I said I would sent you down again, and I will do so. You know, that I have the power to do it. But I can offer you even more." He pauses effectively, well aware of the fact that two curious blue and two suspicious brown eyes are directed at him. He extends his hands towards Simon. "You`ll be my messiah." "You`ll let me have a life on earth and let me fight?" Asrael nodds confirming. "Yes, actually I`ll need someone who`s a good fighter to fulfill my plans." After a few seconds of silence a big grin flies over Simon`s face, and his blue eyes beam excited, as he nodds. "You can count on me." "I never doubted that." Asrael smiles back at Simon, then turns to Judas. "You didn`t think you had a chance, did you?" He looks almost pitifully at the darkhaired man before him. Judas steps backwards, his face darkening. "I had hoped there would be a rest of intelligence in this head. But I forgot that there`s no brain under these spikes." He snorts scornfully. "Ah ah ah." Asrael shakes his head tutting. "Don`t offend my messiah. Of course I do understand, a man with his back against the wall has to punch whatever moves before his eyes." Judas steps a few step backwards and takes in a sharp breath, to calm down, before he turns to Asrael again. "So you`re Annas. But what the..." "No offensive language, please." Asrael sais reprovingly. "We`re still in heaven after all." "Good, you made a fool of us for about 2000 years, but why? And why did you put off your mask just now?" "You know why, Judas." Asrael smiles in a way, that`s supposed to be innocent. "I like games. I`m the director and the most important person, the evil one. You should be relieved. I free you from your stereotypical role." "Oh yes, I can`t tell you how grateful I am." Judas smirks sarcastically. "But if you send your lap-dog away, I can show you my thankfulness." "How predictable you are!" Asrael sighs. "Well, actually I`m glad you are, for it made the whole thing so easy to control." A sordid grin flushes shortly over Judas` face. "For a control-freak like you are it must be unbearable to know that such a big mistake has been made under your eyes." "What do you mean?" Asrael stares questioningly at Judas, his eyebrows raised high into his forehead. "Well," Judas starts wandering through the room. "The thing with Mary. Someone sent her down, as you know." "Oh yes, that was indeed stupid of me, wasn`t it?" Asrael`s transparent brown eyes gleam with almost human slyness. Judas replies the glance, his dark eyes showing pure confusion, then understanding hits him and he gasps, while his eyes widen in surprise. "It wasn`t a mistake. You sent her down." "I`m glad you found out at last." Asrael lets out a little chuckle. "But why?" "I thought it would make the whole game more interesting." Asrael shrugs. "Actually I hoped that Mary, well Olivia would leave all this bad conscience, and "I owe Jesus my life"- rubbish behind and follow her heart. We all know whom her heart belongs to, and it`s not Daddy." He blinks meaningfully at Judas, who turns his face away giving a sound of disgust. "However my plan worked better than I could have expected. She followed her heart so quickly, not even I would have dreamed of the speed with which she threw herself at you. Probably people never change, one time a wh...." Judas jumps at Asrael with a shrill scream of rage, but Simon steps quickly forward and pushes him back, so Judas tumbles and falls hard down to the ground. "I would really like to have a talk with someone who behaves like a grown up. Can you manage this?" Asrael looks coldly at Judas, who puts himself up again and nodds quietly, his eyes still glaring with hatred at Asrael. "May I continue now? Thank you. Well, the story developed even better, when Jesus freaked out and told you the truth about what happened between Mary, you and him. Oh, I was sure at that point, you would never be able to forgive him, you would betray him without batting an eyelid. But to be sure I told Simon to kidnap Olivia. Well, I´ve been right, after all what Jesus had done to you, you still have been tormented with your bad conscience." He rolls his eyes. "Jesus, the man stole your girl. You had every right to beat him up or doing even worse. But you went around lamenting and crying for all the time you had lost, for the loss of your best friend. Geez, you´re really a whiney bag, Judas." "Didn`t you say we wanted to talk like too grownups?" Judas asks with unnatural cold voice. "Right. So I hold all the trumps." "But why? What do you get of all of this? Do you hate Jesus? Is it this? But even if he died, he would survive. He wouldn`t just disappear. We`re in heaven, noone`s killed in heaven. We`re just souls after all." "Just souls, spirits, right." Asrael steps closer towards Judas, raises his hand, and with a sweet smile he beats Judas right into his face, that he tumbles and struggles for balance. Tears of pain shoot to his dark eyes, as he looks unbelievingly at Asrael. "What the hell?" He raises his own hand and touches the spot where Asrael has hit him. When he looks at his finger he can see a few drops of blood pouring to the ground. "So, Judas, tell me does it hurt?" Asrael asks curiously, then slaps his forehead. "Of course it does, What a stupid question" he giggles, then turns serious. "You´ve been beaten by the angel of death. Most humans would have fainted. But tell me, is it spiritual pain, or maybe even physical?" Judas stares shocked at Asrael. "I`m bleeding." "I think that should suffice as an answer. So you see you can be beaten and seriously hurt. What do you think would happen if I nailed you on a cross or let Simon plunge this knife in your entrails?" he asks in chatting tone. Judas gets pale as chalk, and sinks down on a chair. "Oh my God, you want to kill Jesus. But why?" "Oh there would be many reasons, but actually I want to change the face of history." "You want to erase history?" A slight smirk curls Judas` lips. "You`re mad." "Who cares?" "But how could you do that?" "Oh it`s easier than you think. You know only the existence of his soul makes people remember Jesus. Once he`s really dead, once his soul has disappeared, it will be as if he never existed. Surely you remember what was special about him, don`t you?" "His death freed all human kind from sin and guilt." "Good boy." Asrael pats Judas head, who turns unwillingly away. "Yes, only through Jesus` death humankind was redeemed. But when Jesus disappears from history, the redemption will be" Asrael waves dismissively. "void." A grin spreads on his face. "And then I will send MY messiah, Simon. And the world will be mine. Noone will come to heaven anymore, all will come to hell; I will be the lord of the world. And after a while people will even forget that God ever existed." His brown eyes gleam fevereshly. "Oh no." Judas gets up and stumbles backwards. "I won´t let this happen, I won`t, won`t." "You?" Asrael smirks sarcastically. "You really think you can do anything? You already played your part. You`re out of the game now." "But..." "No but. It`s over, Judas." "Did Luzi know? Was it her plan?" "Luzi?" Asrael snorts scornfully. "She would never have done anything that would hurt her darling. But don`t worry, she`ll get over you. You weren`t her first object of obsession, and you won`t be her last." "Then I`ll go to God, I`ll tell him." "Okay, do that, but he already knows." "He knows?" Judas stares unbelievingly at Asrael. "Well, not every single detail. Actually I asked him to repeat the story. He was so sure, you wouldn`t go and betray his son a second time. You msut have been a big disappointment. However, I had the permission to start the game, and since God promised to not mingle in till it`s finished, there`s really nothing that can stop me anymore." "No, I can`t believe this. This is so..." "Evil? Mad?" Asrael laughs loudly. "Well, I`m the villain. What do you expect from me? And now" he turns serious. "Please leave us alone. You´re not needed anymore. I have to make some preperations, there will be a crucifixion or another kind of execution, I haven`t decided what kind yet. I hope you`ll come to watch, but as I know you, your bad conscience won´t give you rest. You´re so honest." He giggles. "Did you hear what I just said? I called Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus Christ, a honest man. God what a blasphemer I am!" He wipes tears of laughter from his eyes, as Judas just glares at him and clenches his fists in helpless rage. "Simon, would you please show the gentleman the door? I think he has forgotten where to find the exit. Simon?" he asks when Simon doesn`t move, but looks shocked at him. "Was it a shock for you, Simon?" Asrael sighs. "Well, there are sacrifices that have to be made. You can`t have everything without paying a price. Besides I`m sure I would easily find someone who wants to take your place. So do you want to stay true to your messiah or do you want to become a messiah yourself and get power and many opportunities to fight." Simon hesitates for what seems to be an eternity, then he steps forwards and without looking at Judas, he grabs his shoulders and pushes him outside, shutting the door behind him.