"Alright...I think this should do it..." Charlie muttered while putting the finishing touches on the lobby.
Charlie tended to go overboard when it came to...well, anything. Be it birthday parties, anniversaries of any kind, holidays, when someone comes to visit, you get the point. However, with Vagatha and Azrael by her side, they could ensure she wouldn't as they prepared for Katie's arrival. Which, looking at the nearby grandfather clock in the lobby, was any minute now.
But wait, doesn't Charlie have a history with Katie? Husk seemed to mention they were as compatible as a mongoose and a snake. So, why go to any effort beyond their cover story for her? It's not like Katie would find the lack of hospitality unusual. She knew how much Hell's princess hated her.
The answer was simple. Even with her current ire towards Katie, Charlie didn't WANT to maintain this relationship. She didn't enjoy hating or disliking anyone. She would LEAP at the chance to bury every hatchet and repair every burned bridge if it meant they could, at the very LEAST, be acquaintances on good terms.
Sure, this wasn't realistic. Katie would most likely despise Charlie's existence for the rest of eternity. But gosh darn it, she'd do all she could to change that. And what better way was there to someone's heart than with a nice brunch?
...Yup. That's right. She went ahead with Angel Dust's idea, which was said as a joke. Because after giving it some thought, Charlie felt it would help to create a welcoming and comforting atmosphere.
Whether or not it would affect Katie, well, that would have to be seen.
"I hope this is worth it, hon," Vagatha said with a sigh, not wanting her hard work to make this meeting nice to be ruined by their impending guest.
"Oh, I'm sure it will be. Especially once this woman realizes whom she is sitting with. I suspect her attitude will be vastly improved after that." Azrael replied with a smirk.
"Auntie, remember, we're trying to be civil, not intimidating." Charlie reminded.
"Don't worry. I won't bite unless she tempts me." Azrael jested, managing to make her niece smile.
"I guess that'll have to do," Charlie responded.
Suddenly, amidst this pleasant banter, Azrael froze in place. With the sole exception being the many eyes that adorned her body as they began frantically looking around.
"Auntie?" Charlie questioned, both she and Vagatha noticing this strange behavior the moment it began.
However, the surprises wouldn't end there. Without saying a word, Azrael rushed to the front doors and flung them open. The locks set earlier by Husk had been undone so they could welcome Katie at the entrance.
"Auntie?!" Charlie repeated as she and Vagatha quickly followed her, each feeling a mixture of concern and shock.
Yet still, Azrael said nothing. Her eyes continued to look in all directions, unable to locate whatever they were searching for. But then, after a few seconds of this, they stopped. From Charlie and Vagatha's perspective, it was like whatever Azrael was trying to find had disappeared. That's why they weren't moving anymore.
"I...I'm sorry..." Azrael apologized, finally speaking again. Yet she kept staring at nothing. "I...felt something...I could've sworn I did...it was brief but undeniable...a presence completely foreign to me..." She explained.
"Foreign, how?" Vagatha asked as they joined her at her sides.
"It's...impossible to say...as I said, it was little more than a few seconds that I felt it... I wouldn't be able to offer a description..." Azrael answered.
Just then, on the horizon, the trio saw a vehicle approaching the hotel. It was a news van belonging to Channel 666.
"Oh. Here comes Katie." Charlie stated after recognizing it.
"Could that be what you felt, Azrael?" Vagatha inquired.
"I...suppose...the timing would work out..." Azrael replied as that was the only plausible explanation. "But...I'm not getting the same feeling as before...did I merely exaggerate because it surprised me?..." She wondered.
As the trio continued to watch the van in the distance get closer to the hotel, each pondering if that was indeed what Azrael detected, they failed to notice something. It was faint; you could barely hear it. The sound of footsteps carefully moving across the wooden floor of the hotel was behind them. Heading deeper into the building as if a specter had just wandered through the open doors.
Elsewhere, In Angel Dust's Room...
"Ah~ It's so soft..." Angel Dust sighed as he lay on his bed. "I need a power nap after all the shit that's happened today..." He muttered while simultaneously closing his eyes and burying his face into his pillow.
This was Angel Dust's favorite thing about the hotel. Sure, the food was great, too. And he did like having Husk around to tease and flirt with. But the comfiness of the mattress, the smoothness of the sheets, the softness of the blankets, and the fluffiness of the pillows all formed the perfect bed.
But, there was a fifth and secret component at play. The hotel's AC. For a Sinner like him, whose body was covered in fur, the constant cold air giving the hotel a soothing chilled temperature was so indescribably blissful. So, when applied to the bed and his room, it created a truly safe space for Angel Dust, where all of life's problems and bullshit could fade away as he fell to slumber...
...
...
...
...Hold on, what was that? Something...just touched Angel Dust's shoulder. It prevented him from falling asleep. He's sure he felt it; it wasn't in his head.
"Guys...come on...I was about to go to sleep..." Angel Dust groaned with his face in his pillow. Assuming it had to be Charlie or Vagatha who came to get him for SOME reason.
In response, a hand was placed on his shoulder. And immediately, Angel Dust realized his visitor wasn't either of the women because this hand was BIG. STRONG. AND HE RECOGNIZED IT FROM EARLIER.
"WHAT'RE YOU DOING HERE?!" Angel Dust shouted as he sat up in his bed. Having to turn around while doing so since he was laying face down.
Shockingly, though, he saw no one. But there was NO fucking way that he imagined it.
"...Big Guy? You there?" Angel asked at a MUCH quieter volume than before.
In reply, a handprint formed on his bed. Caused by an invisible entity pressing its hand down on the blanket covering it.
"Whoa...holy shit!" Angel Dust exclaimed in amazement. "You...You can make yourself invisible?" He inquired.
Unfortunately, Doomguy could not answer that without revealing himself. So, he began dragging a finger across the blanket in a certain way, making it look like he was writing.
"...Oh! I got ya!" Angel Dust understood. Quickly opening the drawer of his bedside table.
With pills, sex toys, condoms, and much more, the bedside table's contents certainly fit the room's resident. But buried beneath it all, Angel Dust found a journal and a pen.
"All the rooms have these." Angel Dust informed as he pulled them out and closed the drawer. "Just in case anyone who stays here needs a diary to confide in. To express their feelings without worrying about ridicule or some shit like that." He explained.
Holding the journal and pen out because Angel Dust didn't know where his visitor was. Soon, they'd be taken and levitate in the air as the unseeable armored man began using them. After a few seconds, this is what was written and then shown to Angel Dust:
"Sorry for the unexpected visit. It wasn't the original plan. Additionally, the reason I'm like this is to avoid detection. However, a demon in the lobby noticed my arrival. They came outside looking for me. Thankfully, I was prepared for such a situation. I didn't expect anyone apart from Lucifer to have that capability. But it's fine now. I even managed to walk past it without any further complications."
"Ah. Okay..." Angel Dust trailed off as he read the journal, which was being held in front of him. "Out of curiosity, was the demon you're talking about a big, long, black serpent with violet eyes?" He asked.
Instead of wasting ink or space on the paper, Doomguy moved the journal up and down to emulate nodding.
"Alright, so brace yourself for this one, Big Guy. That's not a demon; it's the literal Angel of Death. One of Lucifer's siblings by the name of Azrael." Angel Dust revealed. "And she is WAY better than him between you and me." He added.
For a moment, the floating journal and pen did nothing. Doomguy was taken aback by this information. But, as Angel Dust would soon learn, it wasn't for the reasons he would've assumed.
"The Angel of Death? Are you certain? There's no chance it could be something else?" Doomguy wrote.
"Definitely. Charlie, the gal who runs this place and is the devil's daughter, introduced her to us." Angel Dust replied. "Why, is something up? Is there an Angel of Death in Doom?" He asked.
"No. She's just far less powerful than I assumed, is all." Doomguy wrote.
"...Okay, no. You've got to explain that." Angel Dust demanded, as what he had just read was such a loaded statement.
"As of now, my suit can render me undetectable to most demons from Doom when using this stealth mode courtesy of Samuel. Only those with great power, such as a demon known as the Archvile, would be unaffected by this technology. If the Angel of Death truly can't detect me anymore, she's beneath an Archvile's capabilities." Doomguy wrote.
"So...are the Archviles common, or?..." Angel Dust hesitantly inquired, scared of the answer.
"I had to navigate a maze once that was filled with them. Seriously. It sucked. They're not a rare species of demon, unfortunately." Doomguy wrote.
"...Alright. That's enough learning for now." Angel Dust decided. The more he learned of Doom, the more he feared it. But he also started to feel bad for Doomguy because, Jesus, that shit sounds awful. "Out of curiosity, though. Did you have this stealth mode turned on when you got here? Like, how did Azrael even detect you?" He asked.
"Yes, but certain features were disabled. My suit has a finite amount of power dedicated to each subsystem. However, I can increase the power of one while taking it away from another. To hide my soul from Azrael, I needed to do this." Doomguy wrote.
"If that's the case, what parts of your suit are powered down for right now?" Angel Dust inquired.
"Only one. My weapons. I can't summon them with stealth mode at full power, which is fine. I'm here to gather some intel for Samuel. I don't plan on fighting anyone." Doomguy wrote.
"And you needed to come and see me for that? Not that I don't appreciate the visit." Angel Dust questioned.
"The woman you mentioned before, Charlie, I'm here to learn more about her. As was just proven with Azrael, getting too close to Lucifer could expose me. So, the next best thing is to study his daughter." Doomguy wrote.
"Ah. Okay. Yeah, that makes sense." Angel Dust agreed. "And, from how it sounds, you want little ol' me to help you. I'm flattered." He said with a grin.
"If it wouldn't be an issue." Doomguy wrote, earning him a headshake.
"Not at all! I'm happy to lend a helping hand to you, Big Guy." Angel Dust assured. "So, what do you need me to do? Or rather, what can I do that you can't?" He asked.
"Before I answer that, do you have a camera? Any type will do." Doomguy wrote.
"Sure, I've got plenty. There's the one on my phone, a camcorder, a studio-level camera I got lying around somewhere, maybe under the bed, and I THINK a disposable." Angel Dust responded.
"Alright, then. One more question, does Charlie have an office?" Doomguy wrote.
"...Oh, ho. You sly dog." Angel Dust complimented him, figuring it out. "You want me to sneak into her office and take pictures of important shit, don't you?" He asked.
"If you're comfortable with that, yes." Doomguy wrote.
"Pfft, fuck yeah, I am. That is the LEAST shady thing I've EVER been requested to do. And for once, it's coming from someone I like. So, I won't charge ya." Angel Dust joked with a playful smile.
"Thank you. That's a big help." Doomguy wrote.
"No prob, Big Guy. But while I'm taking pictures, what will you do?" Angel Dust inquired.
"Simple. With you handling that, I'm free to examine Charlie and any other demons in the hotel directly. I'll be able to scan them while remaining concealed." Doomguy wrote.
"Ah, the wonders of technology." Angel Dust said. "Alright. I'm good to go. Anything else you need or want? Or are there any particulars you haven't mentioned?" He asked.
"No, that's it. Takes as many photos as possible, but not if it risks you getting caught or could lead to later suspicion. Be safe, leave no trace, and come back here when you're done." Doomguy wrote.
"On it. I promise I won't let you down." Angel Dust vowed.
Following that, the journal and the pen were placed on the bed. A few seconds later, the door to the room would open and close. It was done fast yet quietly. No wonder Doomguy managed to sneak in here without the spider demon noticing.
Elsewhere, In The Lobby...
Snow-white skin. Light blonde hair. A tall stature complimented by a slim figure. If someone assumed this description was of Hell's princess, Charlie Magne, they wouldn't be wrong.
But it also applied to a different woman. One that currently sat across from her, Vagatha, and Azrael. In many ways, this individual had more power, influence, and notoriety than the literal princess of Hell. Although, considering she was the face of Hell's news, that wasn't surprising.
Katie Killjoy. Her last name wasn't fake or a pun; it was real. And rightly deserved, too. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in Hell as cutthroat and ruthless as her.
It's how she managed to obtain a position of power in the realm of Sin despite having died fairly recently. Although no one knew what her mortal life had been, which was normal for any Sinner, it had to be something related to business. That, or she was also a news anchor in her former existence. If that were true, that would lead many to wonder if Katie was a demon even before her death, given her personality and how she interacted with others.
And yet, none of that was shown during the meeting between these four women. Even before Charlie revealed who Azrael was, Katie was shockingly polite. No homophobic comments or slurs were directed toward her and Vagatha. Nor any other usual insult or immensely sarcastic compliment.
Perhaps, and this was just a theory the trio was working with, Katie was trying to play nice. Similar to how she spoke to Husk earlier before promptly attempting to turn him into a kitty-cat shish kebab. But they couldn't confirm if this was the truth. Why? Because Katie had let them do all the talking, she hadn't even asked a single question.
And as for her reaction upon learning that she was meeting with the Angel of Death, still nothing. The trio wondered how Katie remained composed throughout their brunch. With the result of that pondering being a shared question between them. What thoughts and machinations were forming inside her head?
Clink
That was the sound of a teacup being set on its platter. Specifically, it was Katie's after she finished her beverage.
"Is it alright if I go through everything again?" Katie asked while setting the teacup and the platter on the table that separated them. "I want to be sure I haven't misinterpreted any details. We'll need my report to be completely accurate." She added.
"Of course. Go right ahead." Charlie answered.
"The Extermination was set to proceed as it does every year. Neither Heaven nor Lucifer had any reason to suspect that anything was different. But when the angels descended, they detected a new presence in Hell. It wasn't a Sinner or a demon. They recognized it as the Angel of Death. And it came from this hotel because, by that point, Azrael was here waiting. Upon making this discovery, they retreated to Heaven. The second bell, different from the clock tower, was meant for any Exterminators who were too far from the hotel to detect Azrael. And that is why this year's Extermination has been so abnormal." Katie recited. "Is that correct?" She inquired.
"Mhm. You're spot on." Charlie confirmed with a smile.
"Hm, alright..." Katie said, clearly thinking about something. "Tell me, why didn't you inform your father about your aunt? Surely the lord of Hell deserves to know why things have become all screwy." She asked.
"I can answer that," Azrael responded while raising her hand. "Although it may surprise you, Miss Killjoy. I am greatly displeased with the Extermination. In truth, I always have been. However, I held my tongue and refrained from getting involved with Lucifer and Gabriel's affairs. An unspoken agreement amongst God's children is that we do not interfere with the governance of each other's domains. Lucifer runs Hell as he wishes, as does Gabriel with Heaven, and when it comes to the Extermination, they share responsibility as it involves both realms.
Yet, with that said, I AM death incarnate. When souls are met with an Exterminator's weapon, they are sent to my acolytes and me. From there, we begin the process of reincarnation. We send the souls back to Earth. However, their memories stay with us. This way, they can be born anew. A fresh slate for a new chance at a better life. But that does not mean the memories of their prior existence are gone forever. The memories are still a part of the soul itself, and nothing of a soul can be destroyed. And when they die again, should they be allowed into Heaven, we offer them these memories. Whether the past stays with us or they carry it with them is their choice. But should the soul, unfortunately, repeat its Sins or commit new ones, they are sent to Hell once more. The process will be repeated, time and time again, until eventually, the outcome changes. Unfortunately, this has never worked. Hell is still overpopulated because people, while not innately evil, will never learn from their mistakes if they don't remember them.
And that, Miss Killjoy, is why I am here. I've remained silent for long enough. I am taking a firm stand alongside my niece to encourage and help Sinners to redeem themselves. However, should my dear brother Lucifer pull his head out from his rear end and realize his daughter's approach is better. Then I suspect the Extermination will resume with different parameters. So, it will be up to the people of Hell to choose what they prefer. A comforting place of safety that will not judge you for your past transgressions. Or a new form of the Extermination they're already so familiar with that is only SLIGHTLY better." She explained.
Once more, Katie was quiet. And still, she showed no reaction. It was genuinely impressive how she could refrain from expressing emotion despite what she was hearing.
"...Something still doesn't add up," Katie said, keeping her eyes on the Angel of Death. "Why do this in total secrecy? You needn't explain it in regards to Lucifer. From how it sounds, you two have a complicated sibling relationship. But you don't appear to hold the same or ANY animosity towards Gabriel. If anything, he's an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire." She inquired.
"Yes, it is unfortunate poor Gabriel has to deal with a mess in Heaven with the Extermination's disruption. But Charlie and I agreed that the only way to get through to her father was to do something grand. We're far past civil conversations over tea, no different from this brunch. If real change is to happen, it needs to happen now. And giving him time to prepare by announcing our plans would've lessened the impact. At least, that's how we felt." Azrael replied.
"A blitzkrieg tactic. Makes sense." Katie agreed. "Alright. We should be done here. I have only one more thing to ask you about." She informed them before proceeding with the question. "You shared with me some fairly shocking details regarding what happens after an Exterminator slays someone. Before now, I, along with the rest of Hell, assumed death at the hands of the Divine was the end. There wouldn't be a Super Hell waiting for us. We, to put it simply, would disappear. But you've revealed that resurrection is real. And that this entire time it's been a part of the Extermination that only those responsible for the tradition, such as Lucifer, knew about. Are you sure it wasn't a mistake to tell me this? Don't you think the public will be in an uproar?" She asked.
"That is possible. But we cannot withhold information to gain everyone's trust. And considering that the Extermination has been so ineffective, as we've talked about, perhaps total transparency will go a long way to helping them see us as allies. I fully expect my brother will come to see me with fire and brimstone shooting out of his mouth and ears. But such a confrontation between us is long overdue. It had to happen eventually." Azrael answered.
"Well. This has certainly been an incredible brunch." Katie said with a smile before standing from her seat. "I have a LOT to tell Hell. If I'm going to beat everyone else to it, I need to be going." She continued as she then held out her hand. "Thank you for having me, Charlie. Getting such an inside look into this story has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I hope for ALL future PR moments and events, you'll consider reaching out to me before anyone else." She concluded.
For a brief moment, Charlie was rendered immobile. Katie, Katie Killjoy, was thanking her. And she wanted to shake her hand. This was the SAME woman who, a year ago, firmly stated that she did not touch gays.
Was...this real? Was it a dream? Was Charlie's perplexing power of goodwill and kindness finally getting through to someone? And it was the one person, apart from a certain Eldritch, who could be considered her rival or enemy?
"You're...welcome, Katie," Charlie responded in joyous disbelief, happily shaking her hand. "And you have my word that you'll be our go-to person for ALL future press-related matters we have." She assured, wanting to develop this promising change in their relationship further.
"Wonderful. I'll be sure to get you my cellphone number so you can reach me directly." Katie told her as the handshake ended.
"Why not give it to us now? Don't you have it memorized or have your phone on you?" Vagatha questioned.
"Sadly, no to both. Remember, angels were meant to be killing us today. I was relaxing at home, waiting for it to be over, only to realize, like everyone else, that something was amiss. I did make a few phone calls, admittedly. That's how I even found out that you could be a source. But in the craziness of it all and my want to be the first to report on this, I forgot it back at my place. However, as I said, I will get the number to you as quickly as possible." Katie explained.
"Please, take your time! NO rush." Charlie insisted, making the journalist smile again.
After that, Charlie escorted Katie to the doors. No more words were exchanged, but only because they didn't need to be. Watching Katie leave from the entrance, Charlie waved goodbye before closing the doors shortly after. Allowing Katie to talk to herself as she walked to her news van.
"I need to boil this hand immediately..." Katie muttered as quietly as she could so she wouldn't be heard. "Ugh...that took everything I had...the story was worth it, no doubts about that...but I was NOT expecting the literal grim reaper to be here...one slip up, and I could've easily found myself losing my memories, maybe something worse..." She said, thinking back to what Azrael had mentioned about reincarnation.
A few more steps later, Katie reached the van. She approached the passenger side since she hadn't been driving the vehicle. The operator of the news mobile was just some random station employee that Katie managed to scare the shit out of enough to convince him to come out during the Extermination. Because she knew, even when using her best intimidation tactics, that her co-anchor Tom Trench wouldn't leave the bunker he was currently hiding inside like the pussy he is.
However, when Katie opened the door, she made an unexpected discovery. The employee was gone. The driver's side was void of any life. The fuck? Where did that little shit get to?
"Oooooooh...he's fucking dead..." Katie cursed under her breath, not in the mood for this. "If that little piss stain has the balls to show up at the station tomorrow or later today, depending on how well this report goes, I'll make him wish that he met the Angel of Death instead." She grumbled before slamming the passenger door shut.
Walking around to the other side of the van, Katie got into the driver's seat. Some scaredy-cat asshole wasn't going to stop her from the biggest moment of her career in Hell. But when she started the engine and left the hotel, she found another perplexing surprise. The van, for whatever reason, was moving slower.
"Oh my fucking god..." Katie groaned while throwing her head back. "This stupid hunk of crap. You'd think the station wouldn't cheap out on something essential to its ENTIRE livelihood. But no. They can afford to give me the salary I deserve, as they should, but NOT to ensure these things work WITHOUT issues. SO professional..." She complained.
Meanwhile, Back At The Hotel...
"Man, who would've thought espionage was so easy?" Angel Dust asked himself as he headed back to his room.
Everything went off without a hitch. Thankfully, Charlie was the trusting sort. Her office wasn't locked, nor were any of the drawers or cabinets. She was practically begging to get snooped on.
Although, it's not like Charlie had any scandalous secrets or something similar. To be blunt, everything Angel Dust found and took pictures of was normal and boring. But for Doomguy and Samuel, any info was welcome. And hopefully, if the Big Guy felt generous, he might even give the spider demon a little praise.
"Psst, Big Guy." Angel Dust whispered after he reached his room and went inside. Even though no one else was around, he still wanted to be careful. "You back yet? If you are, feel free to touch me. I won't mind." He said while closing the door. Even now, he would try his best to flirt with the muscular mute.
As Angel Dust walked over to his bed, he noticed the journal and pen hadn't moved since Doomguy had set them down. Still, he gave him a few seconds to do something else to reveal his presence. Only to be met with disappointment when it became clear that Doomguy wasn't there.
"Damn. And here I was, hoping for a nice intimate moment between us." Angel Dust sighed, followed by a shrug. "Ah, well. It makes sense. He said he was going to study everybody else. That's probably gonna take him a WHILE to do." He reasoned before laying down on his bed. "I think, FINALLY, I'll take a nap to pass the time. I know he'll wake me up when he's done." He said as he closed his eyes and relaxed.