Perched at his computer L haunched over reading the secured email with narrowed eyes before humming. Turning to the elder man standing next to him. "Since when has the Vatican requested us?" Scrolling through the email hastily a displeased groan came from his throat. "They have exorcists, what would they want us for?"
Quillish smirked in mild amusement before jesting. "Yes, it is suspicious that the highest authority in the supernatural would request the British equivalent to GhostBusters."
Shooting an annoyed stare towards his elderly keeper L scowled. "You know very well that isn't what we do."
Quillish bowed slightly with his hand over his chest. "My sincerest apologies, though, it is a humorous thought."
L scratched at the back of his neck before groaning while rolling his neck to stare at the ceiling of the RV. "How would they have found out so fast?" Quillish poured a cup of tea while humming inquisitively. "How would they have figured out we have a demon already? It's hardly been a week since the replacement heart surgery… which, if I may add, was gross to oversee, how Beyond managed to do it with a straight face, I'll never know; nor would I like to."
"It's a curious situation. If I may be so bold?" L lazily drifted his eyes to the keeper as Quillish continued. "I imagine that it would be a difficult procedure, how would Beyond have procured the knowledge to do such tasks?" The elder man seemed to narrow his eyes in suspicion.
The raven sighed deeply while standing and tucking his hands into his pockets. "It's not like the guy was fully human. Additionally, what would he really have to lose if the subject died? Really, nothing less than a 'job well done', a body that contained a demon heart fragment. We already know he contains the Shinigami eyes, it's possible they aided him, or the Necronomicon that he used as a manual." Crinkling his nose at the memory of the surgery. "Demons don't work like humans, they require less measures to keep alive. Quillish, you had a demon's chest cracked open on the surgery table and it was still trying to attack you."
A knock was heard on the cracked door before it slowly fell open to the sight of Sebastian holding a tray of sweets. "Salutations, Master L, I have been informed you have quite the palate for sweet goods and, according to Beyond, I was annoying him by breathing. So, I located the kitchen and busied myself with an old passion of mine. Would you care for any?"
A tiny smile spread across L's as he reached for one of the pastries before getting his hand lightly popped by the elderly keeper. Releasing an annoyed sigh, the raven padded his bare feet towards the known demon and took the whole tray. "Quillish. It isn't polite to decline a generous offer. Also," L eyed the well dressed demon. "If he had intention to kill me, I doubt I would have been alive to rouse this morning. It's natural to be suspicious of the demon race, however, he is Beyond's guest here."
"Frankly, young man, I don't trust your brother either."
L nodded slightly while looking at the pastry tray. "Also natural as he seems to be minorly inhuman himself, being a Chimera. However, what purpose would it serve to dispose of me? I am needed to navigate this plane of reality. It's fine to be suspicious of demons, however, it's the intentions you need to be mindful of. What higher purpose would it serve them to dispatch me? The royal investigators are distrustful of Beyond and won't work with him. I doubt our friend here has much standing within England since the disappearance of his former master and the death of Queen Victoria."
The door to the room was thrown open and Beyond stepped through, pushing past Sebastian and Quillish, handing L a small stack of reports. "Apparently there is quite the issue in Rome. You waited too long and I received a message from, of all people, a Cardinal. So, I did some research." Beyond's eyes flitted to the tray in L's hands before stealing a miniature pastry and popped it in his mouth without hesitation.
L frowned slightly at the tray before guarding it better with his arms. "What did you find?"
Beyond furrowed his eyebrows for a moment as he analyzed what he had just eaten. "That wasn't made by Quillish."
Quillish cleared his throat and straightened his jacket. "No, the sire Sebastian did."
Nodding momentarily before continuing. "Hmm, you should take lessons, Quillish." Beyond shot a daring smirk at the elder keeper and continued with his findings. "Seems there is an outbreak of illness, symptoms include vomiting, vocal distortions, fever, vertigo…"
"We aren't doctors, Beyond." L interrupted.
"And, speaking in tongues." Beyond narrowed his eyes in annoyance as he finished.
Both Quillish and L shot a stare at each other before glancing to Sebastian and nearly saying in unison. "Demons."
Sebastian flipped a page in a book while sitting straight and proper in an airline seat across from Quillish and L. "It is possible. Though, in most cases when a demon is relieved of service it's usually by the hand of their Devil through means of death. However, Beyond changed that by simply reviving a demon. Normally, when these instances occur, to Hell's knowledge, the breach of the veil is generally where the 'outbreak' happens. Not across the ocean."
L sat haunched in the seat next to Quillish happily wiggling his toes as he reached into a bag of puff pastries Sebastian had prepared for him, completely ignoring the conversation and involving himself solely in the activity of eating his sweets.
Beyond folded his arms and glared out the plane's window. "This isn't somehow Sebastian's fault, you old coot. Rome has been and always will be one of Hell's first targets. The question is, what are they doing behind the scenes while their exorcists are being distracted? Angels and demons alike aren't known for their honor on the battlefield, neither one of them would attack anyone head on unless it's a distraction for something bigger."
Sebastian smiled warmly Beyond before speaking curtly. "Don't be rude." Sebastian closed the book and tucked it at his side. "He does raise a valid theory, however… Why Rome? Why now? Standard invasion tactics do not include alerting the enemy to your presence until you've amassed enough resources to defend yourself or complete your first stage before spreading further in the surrounding communities, making your presence overwhelming if anyone were to attempt to stop you."
Quillish huffed in annoyance. "Is it normal for demons to betray knowledge of tactics?"
Sebastian tilted his head to the side and released a disarming smile. "For the right price, yes, usually. This knowledge does, however, come from my former life. With a fragment of my heart, I can remember my time in the French Inquisition. It's standard tactics, I'm sure you know that, being the expert in espionage that you are."
Quillish's left eyebrow raised momentarily in interest. "A former inquisitor as in THE Sebastien? How would becoming a demon befall you?"
The demon gave a sad smile. "Unfortunately, that memory is currently lost to me. I do know I was instrumental in the classification of demons and devils in multiple writings… Perhaps, I brushed too close."
L looked up from his snacks and gave an owl-like stare towards the demon. "Sebastien Michaelis was struck down in an exorcism against Beelzebub. Possessed victim was to succumb to the possession, however Vice Inquisitor Michaelis traded himself to free the… if my memory serves me, ten year old child. A righteous deal, one a Devil wouldn't be able to refuse. Some random child, or the man who knew too much. It's later speculated that in a power struggle to possess the inquisitor, Belial stole the prize from Beelzebub, leaving them at odds. If that was the case, that it's more than myth, I would assume Beyond has quite the target on his back." Large charcoal eyes drifted towards Beyond who seemed to be listening intently. "One he doesn't seem to mind having, which leads me to speculate, he isn't afraid of Devils, or has other means of dealing with them."
"Perhaps this is of some measure Sebastian's fault. Though, the fault does not rest on him, but rather, Beyond." Quillish rested his head on his seat as he spoke.
"It wouldn't be the first time the Catholics have used their people as a means to an end. I've seen it personally." Sebastian knit his eyebrows together in displeasure.
Beyond shifted his eyes back to the exterior of the plane. "So, if that's correct, Hell isn't the one on the offensive. The Vatican doesn't need us. They're luring us. We're bait. Which would also serve to say: one of them is possessed to know that Sebastian has changed allegiances."
Quillish lifted his head from the rest as his mouth turned down to form a small frown. "You don't think the Vatican would betray its people and sell us out to Devils? You can't possibly be insinuating that!"
Beyond snapped a cruel stare to the older man. "For peace, for the end measures, for a bid of control? Yes. To any of those answers. Think about it. Losing control over a certain region? Finding your pockets need some more extra change? Send in the demons; confirm anyone's beliefs, recruit non-believes, charge more for services. Humans are a disgusting species, it's why Hell has such an easy time corrupting people."