Chapter 6
Amenadiel slowly nodded his head as he took a step away from her. "I can't stop you from killing yourself, Chloe. That's your choice, but a word of caution. Think about Rory and Trixie. Who is going to protect them if you're dead?"
"I'm not planning on dying, Amenadiel. Cain mentioned portals to Hell. I'll utilize them if I have to."
"I know you will, but what if you get trapped inside a Hell Loop?"
"How would that even happen? I don't feel guilty about anything."
"Now, who is lying?" Amenadiel raised his eyebrows and cocked his head. "Listen, if you help me track down my necklace, then I promise I'll find a way to safely get you to Hell."
"No, Amenadiel, I don't have that kind of time. Cain has Rory and Trixie right now. He's threatened to rip out their feathers, and the impression I got is he'll take them one at a time." Her eyes filled with tears, and her bottom lip trembled. "You can't ask me to wait knowing that."
"You're right. I can't," he said, sighing. "I'm sorry, Chloe. It's been a very long time since I've seen the love and devotion of a mother."
Chloe frowned staring up at him. Didn't he and his siblings have a mother? If he did, wouldn't she be in the Silver City with her family? If she wasn't, then how in the hell could she have abandoned them? She didn't have an answer for any of her questions, but it was information she'd tuck away for another time.
"I'm sorry, Amenadiel."
"You truly are a fascinating creation. You have nothing to be sorry for, but I think I know a way for you to get to Hell."
"How?"
"It would take a combined effort of my sister and myself. As long as my Father doesn't intervene, I should be able to hold time long enough for you to accomplish your goal."
"But how, Amenadiel? You said I'd get trapped in a Hell Loop if I attempted to use a portal to Hell."
"Yes, you would because there'd be no one with you to guide you," Amenadiel said, nodding his head. "Remi doesn't know Hell very well, so she wouldn't be much help."
"Wait, you know Remi's down in Hell right now? How?"
"Who do you think has to walk those ash covered halls when Lucifer decides to abandon his duty," Amenadiel growled.
"Okay, that explains the anger you feel toward Lucifer, and why you keep forcing him back down to Hell. You don't like being there any more than he does."
"It's not my responsibility! It's his!"
Chloe expected the anger and didn't even flinch when he shouted at her. She lifted her chin and crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't you think you owe your brother a little slack, Amenadiel? From what I've gathered from Remi, Lucifer has been doing his duty for over a millenia. Hasn't he served out his sentence by now? He's been banished from the only home he's ever known, and has been separated from his entire family."
"That was Father's judgment, Chloe. It's not my place to question it."
"I get that. You're being the dutiful son, but Lucifer is being punished for all eternity for what? Wanting to live his life the way he chooses to live it? Was he right for inciting a rebellion? No, he wasn't, but did your Father ever explain why free will wasn't given to everyone including you and your siblings?"
"No, he didn't, but he's God. He shouldn't have to."
"So, it's my way or the highway with Him. Hmm, that's cold and really backwards thinking. Something else I need to lock away for later, but right now I have two little girls to save. What's your plan?"
"You're right," Amenadiel agreed. "How long can a human survive without a heartbeat or oxygen?"
"I think we can go up to three minutes before brain damage begins. Why?"
"I have the ability to slow down time. We'd still need Azrael's help with guiding your soul to Hell. She'd also be your guide to the forges."
"Okay, but as a soul would I still be able to forge the blades? Cain won't agree to the exchange if the blades aren't created by me."
"Demons don't have souls, yet they're able to use the forges. It's not the soul that makes them work, but the intent and will of the forger. As long as no demon or angel interferes with your will the blades will be forged by you. There's nothing physical you need to do. But if you're worried about being walked through while you're down there I can assure you there's nothing to worry about. Once you're inside Hell itself, you'll have a corporal body again."
"That sounds great. Will Azrael agree to the plan and help me?"
"There's only one way to find out," Amenadiel said, lifting his hand toward her.
Chloe frowned then she realized what he wanted her to do. "Oh, you want me to call her. Okay, I really don't know how to call on an Angel. I mean I know Lucifer heard me…and I'm rambling. Um, Azrael, please, I need to talk to you." Chloe glanced around then turned her attention to Amenadiel opening her mouth when she felt a gust of wind hit her from her left side.
"Hi, Chloe…Amenadiel, what can I do for you?"
Chloe turned toward Azrael and smiled. "Wow, that is going to take some getting used to. Hi, Azrael, it's nice to meet you."
"Yeah, I know Lu mentioned me when he saved you from that car crash, and you asked me not to take Trixie when she was born. But let's be honest. Who really wants to meet the Angel of Death before it's their time to die?"
"That's true…was it Trixie's time when I asked you not to take her?"
"What? Oh, no, Trixie wasn't on my list that day. Jessica Wheeler on the other hand was, and I'm sorry I ignored your…"
"Nope, that's quite alright, Azrael. I didn't know the full story at the time I made that request," Chloe said, cutting the younger angel off.
"Cool, so we're good then," Azrael said, festering toward herself then towards Chloe.
"Yeah, we're good," Chloe said, nodding her head.
"Okay, good, that makes me feel better. Listen, I've got to get going…"
"Azrael, wait, please," Chloe pleaded, grabbing for her arm but ended up closing her fist around her robe. "I need your help."
Azrael raised her eyebrows glancing from Chloe to Amenadiel then back again. "You need my help?"
"Yes, I need you to help me get to Hell."
"What? No, way…Meni, you know Dad will be furious with me if I did that. Why can't you fly her down?" Azrael pulled herself free of Chloe's grip and stepped toward her brother.
"Az, you know I can't fly a living soul down to Hell. The moment she steps through the gate her soul would be ripped from her body."
"What?" Chloe's head snapped around toward Amenidel. "Is that what you meant about me killing myself?"
"Yes," Amenadiel said, nodding his head. "The human body isn't strong enough to keep the soul inside it once it leaves the Earthly plane."
Chloe bit her lip as a cold chill traveled down her spine. "Would the same thing happen if I tried to break into the Silver City while I was still alive?"
"Yes, Chloe, it would."
"But the portal Cain mentioned would allow a living soul inside?"
"I honestly don't know. No living soul has ever tried to break into either Hell or Heaven before."
Chloe quickly wiped away her tears and nodded her head. "So, me dying is the only way I'm getting into Hell?"
"Yes, it is."
"Okay, so how do we do it?"
"Whoa, I never said I'd help with this crazy plan of yours," Azrael protested, turning to face Chloe.
"Cain kidnapped Trixie and Rory, Azrael. Please, will you help me get my daughters back?"
"Where was Remi? Isn't she their Celestial protector?" Azrael glanced at Amenadiel when he stepped up beside her.
Chloe laughed then it turned into a sob. "This is just great. You all know Remi was protecting my daughters, but none of you thought to tell her that fact when she was in the Silver City with you! No, you all continued to let her believe she was successfully keeping it a secret from you. None of your siblings are a threat to my daughters are they?"
"No, we aren't, Chloe. We have enough of our own problems to concern ourselves with your Nephilim offspring," Amenadiel replied.
"That's a bit harsh, Meni. Dad was excited Chloe, and when he heard whispers from several of the others about what could be learned…He nipped it in the butt real quick. Unless we want to face Dad's full wrath, none of us can lay a finger on Trixie or Rory if our intent is to study or harm them."
"What like lab rats…experiment on them?! Please tell me He made that rule before he took my other two children from Cain."
"He did," Azrael said, nodding her head.
"Good," Chloe said, sighing. "Will you help me?"
"Not without Dad's…"
A blinding flash of light caused Chloe to shield her eyes. When the light faded there was a body length mat laying on the roof, and sitting beside it was a small table with two vials. Chloe glanced at the two Archangels as she slowly approached the table. Bending over slightly, she picked up both vials. She straightened her body and read the label on each one.
"Huh, this reminds me so much of Alice in Wonderland. This one says drink me while this one says pour me. I guess the drink me vial will stop my heart, and the pour me vial will restart it again somehow?" She glanced up toward the bright blue sky. "Thank you," she whispered, then lowered her head. "I guess this means your Dad approves of our little plan."
"I suppose so." Amenadiel walked over to the mat and glanced over his shoulder. "Are you ready, Az?"
"Yeah, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. This is a first for me though," Azrael admitted as she walked beside Chloe toward the mat. "Normally, I just collect the souls and then poof they end up in Hell or the Silver City. I've never actually taken a soul to Hell or Heaven before."
"You haven't?" Chloe frowned down at the younger angel.
"Remember Az, Chloe's soul is going to want to go to the Silver City no matter what her head wants. You're going to have to override her in order to get her to Hell," Amenadiel instructed.
"Got it," Azrael said
"Am I going to remember any of this whole forcing my soul into Hell bit?" Chloe sat down on the mat, and gently placed the pour me vial back on the table.
"Nope, when I release you we'll be through the gates of Hell."
"Okay, that's good at least. Ah, not that I don't completely trust all of this…Azrael, I'm going to teach you CPR."
"Why?"
"Because if this other vial gets broken before you get my soul back into my body, you're going to need to restart my heart the old fashioned way. That's why," Chloe said, sighing. She quickly taught the Angel of Death CPR while ignoring Amenadiel's aggravated expression.
"Okay, I think I got it, Chloe. Thirty compressions two breaths, then check for breathing. If you aren't breathing, then I repeat the set," Azrael said, flexing her fingers.
"Right," Chloe said, then uncapped the drink me vial. She dumped the entire vial into her mouth then swallowed it. She laid down surprised at how fast the liquid was working. Her eyes drifted shut and her world faded to black.
The first thing she felt was searing pain. It felt like she was being ripped out of her physical body. The sensation tore a scream out of her than only she could hear. Was this pain normal? Probably not since this death was manifested instead of it occurring when it was actually meant to happen. She suddenly felt something cool yet comforting wrap itself around her which snuffed out the excruciating pain instantly.
~~~
"Oh, my Dad, Chloe, I'm so sorry. It's over I promise. We're in Hell. You can open your eyes."
Chloe took a deep breath and did as Azrael said. She found herself laying on her back on a cold black stone. She slowly sat up with Azrael's help. Why was she apologizing? "It's not your fault, Azrael. I know Amenadiel said once I reached Hell I'd have a physical body again, but I didn't think he was being literal."
"Yeah, your soul recreates your physical form once you arrive in the afterlife of your choosing," Azrael said, helping her to her feet.
"Based on our own guilt," Chloe said, remembering what Remi had told her.
"That's right. We have to hurry, Chloe. Meni was able to slow down time, but it's not something he can hold indefinitely." Azrael slid her hand into her own squeezing it gently as she lead her through the dark corridors.
"Is this ash that's falling on us?"
"Yes," Azrael said, going to a quick stop before she could walk into the sharp end of a spear.
"Azrael, why is Chloe's soul doing down here?"
"Remi, we don't have time to explain. Follow us to the forges, and I'll explain everything," Chloe said, reaching forward with her free hand and gently lowering Remi's spear.
"We have to be careful, Chloe. Michae is here."
"Michael…why is he down here? He hates this place as much as Lu does."
"Yes, I know," Remi said as they walked.
"Oh, my God, is that Lucifer's throne?" Chloe glanced up at the throne stretching up high above the tall corridors surrounding them.
"Yes," Azrael and Remi replied simultaneously.
"It looks lonely," Chloe said, her heart slowly breaking into a million pieces inside her chest. She quintet her eyes and a frown creased her forehead. "Is that Michael sitting in it?"
Remi stepped in front of her blocking her view of both the throne and Michael. "Yes, and he must not see you, Chloe. Lead the way, Sister," she said, nodding toward Azrael.
They reached the forges undetected much to Chloe's immense relief. After receiving her crash course from Azrael, she went to work forging four daggers. The metal for the handles were a solid white and they were covered in stunning Celtic star symbols. The blades themselves were also solid white but they sparkled as if kissed by star dust. Once she was finished, she sheathed them and handed them to Azrael.
"Can we get out of here now, please?"
"It's probably a good idea," Azrael said, reaching for Chloe's hand again.
"Wait, you never told me why you needed to forge the daggers, Chloe," Remi said, grabbing her sister's wrist.
"Cain has Rory and Trixie. He waited until you were gone to kidnap them," Chloe answered. "He'll exchange them for two of the blades I forged, but they had to be made here in Hell."
"That vile monster has the girls? Azrael, you said Amenadiel is slowing time…then he also knows of them. I am so foolish…"
"Don't beat yourself up, Remi. You didn't know that all your siblings knew of the girls' existence. All we can do now is get back to the Earthly plane before Amenadiel runs out of juice, and I die for good."
"Then perhaps I should not tell you that Jess is here. I have seen her door."
"What?" Chloe pulled herself away from Azrael frowning at Remi.
"Oh, no, Chloe, you can't risk going through any of the doors. You could get trapped in there with her," Azrael said, shaking her head.
"But she knows about the deal Dan made with Cain," Chloe protested.
"We can't risk it," Azrael said, shaking her head. "Chloe, I can't risk you."
"I will lead you to the door, then I will return to the Earthly plane and inform Amenadiel. Azrael, keep her from getting trapped. Please, Sister," Remi pleaded.
Azrael sighed, throwing her hands up into the air. "Okay, but we have to be quick."
"I will, Azrael. I promise," Chloe said, following Remi through the winding corridors.
"This is it," Remi said, opening a door. "Jess is inside reliving her guilt," she spat in disgust.
"Thank you, Remi," Chloe said, gently touching Remi's arm then took Azrael's offered hand.
"You are welcome, Sister," Remi said, smiling and bowing her head slightly.
Chloe raised her eyebrows but never got the chance to respond with Azrael pulling her through the door. A thick fog surrounded them, and Chloe tightened her grip on Azrael's hand. It only took a few steps for the fog to lift revealing a child's birthday party. At first glance everything appeared normal and happy, but a moment later mothers and fathers turned on Jess. The parents were angry with her for taking away their children. Jess sat on the blanket crying and shaking her head in denial.
"No, it wasn't me. I didn't take away your children. The court did that, not me."
"They did that because of you," one father shouted.
"My daughter wanted to be with me, but because of you the judge took her away from me," a mother shouted.
Jess dropped her gaze to the blanket picking at the fibers. "I'm a persuasive attorney. You should have hired me."
"None of us could afford your outrageous rates," another father shouted.
"What about me, Jess? What kind of excuse are you going to come up with to explain what you did to me?"
Chloe's jaw dropped watching an exact replica of herself push through the angry mob. She stopped just in front of Jess glaring down at her. Jess's head snapped up, and she jumped to her feet a millisecond later. She planted herself in front of an empty high chair. Her hands reached behind her back as if to shield a child from harm.
"No, you can't have her! She's mine!"
"She's not yours," the Chloe doppelganger growled. "You stole her from me!"
"It looks like you're the source of her guilt."
"What do you mean?"
"Every trapped soul down here has a source of guilt. It's something or in this case someone they have wronged while they were alive. That guilt eats at them like a disease, and there's only one way to escape this place. They have to face that guilt head on."
"You're saying there's a chance Jess could go to Heaven if she…what…owns up to trying to steal Trixie from me?"
"Yeah, but I've never seen a damned soul take that step before."
"I have to talk to her," Chloe said, watching the scene reset.
"Okay, when the demon playing you starts to walk up you'll take her place."
"Will she just let me take over like that?"
"She will as long as I'm by your side," Azrael replied.
Chloe nodded her head focusing her attention on the loop playing out again before them. When the Chloe demon took a step forward she immediately began moving while keeping Azrael next to her. She glanced at the demon and was surprised to see her bow her head slightly then transform into another 'angry parent.' Wait, why did she bow her head? Maybe it was because she had Azrael beside her? That was a good explanation and Azrael said the demon would stop because of her presence, but Chloe's gut told her there was more to it than simply Azrael being beside her.
The demon never even glanced at Azrael. The demon's eyes stayed locked on her through the bow and transformation. Chloe pushed those questions to the back of her mind. She could think about them after she talked to Jess then got the hell out of Hell.
"What about me, Jess," Chloe said, repeating the Chloe demon's words. "What kind of excuse are you going to come up with to explain what you did to me?"
Jess jumped to her feet and planted herself once again in front of the empty high chair. "No, you can't have her! She's mine!"
Chloe sighed and shook her head. "Actually, she's not, Jess."
Jess's body trembled, and she shook her head. "What? That's not what you're supposed to say."
"I know, but if I was going to talk to you I had to break your loop."
Jess's eyes locked onto hers, her dark brown eyes unfocused for a second as a sob escaped her lips. "Chloe…what are you doing here? You shouldn't be here. You don't deserve to be in Hell…I do."
"Wait, you know this is Hell?"
"Yes, I do now. At first I didn't, but when I started reliving the same day over and over again, I realized I must be dead. But why are you here, Chloe? Please tell me you aren't dead."
"Well, technically I am, but I won't be for long. This was the only way for me to safely come to Hell."
"Why would you even want to come to Hell?"
"Rory and Trixie have been kidnapped by Cain. The man who contacted Dan with the two million dollar deal."
"Oh, my God, it's all my fault."
Chloe glanced at Azrael who shrugged her shoulders. She looked back at the broken woman before her, worry etched in her brow. "What are you talking about, Jess? What's your fault?"
"He…Cain didn't contact Dan. He contacted me."
"What?"
Jess slowly nodded her head and wiped away her tears. "Dan and I were facing bankruptcy. The Bar Association opened an investigation into my law practice which scared away new clients. Dan was trying to keep his nose clean, so he could make detective. That affected our income, but we continued to spend money left and right. Dan anticipated once he became a detective the money would really start to roll in."
"Then Cain came to your rescue with an offer you couldn't refuse."
"Exactly," Jess said. "We needed the money, so I convinced my husband to do his part. The plan was perfect, and it worked like a charm."
Now it made sense why Dan didn't remember the details of the deal. He never made the deal in the first place. The bastard lied to her again, but under the circumstances Chloe could let that one go. He was still protecting his wife even after she was gone. Maybe he did have a beating heart in his chest instead of a cold lump of coal.
"What were the details of the deal?"
"There really wasn't any details to it. I give him some of your eggs no questions asked, and I would get two million dollars. When I counted the money after Dan brought it home I realized Cain had doubled it. I guess he was happy I chose to give him fertilized embryos instead of just your eggs."
"Yeah, he did," Chloe agreed. She glanced around noticing the loop was resetting again. "Jess, you know you can get out of here if you face your guilt…right?"
Jess quickly shook her head, new tears filling her eyes. "I deserve to be here, Chloe. If it hadn't been for me, Cain wouldn't have Trixie right now. I don't deserve to be up there," she said, pointing up.
"Jess, if it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have Trixie either. Had you lived I know you would've kept her away from me, but your choice to keep her is the reason she's alive. So, thank you for that. Think about what I said."
Jess nodded then sat down on the blanket. Chloe took a step backwards feeling Azrael pull her gently. They turned around and re-entered the fog before reaching the door. Azrael turned the handle, and they stepped back out into the ash falling corridor. Azrael kept her in the shadows avoiding any chance of them being seen from Lucifer's throne. They reached the point they'd first entered Hell at the same time Remi arrived.
"Did you get your answers, Chloe?"
"I did, but there wasn't much Jess could tell me."
"I am sorry, but I am glad you are here. Amenadiel says you must hurry. He cannot keep his hold on time for much longer. Especially, as long as he is being pestered."
"What do you mean? Who's bothering…oh, no. You don't mean…"
"Yes, the Fallen One was doing his best to break Amenadiel's concentration when I left them to return here."
"But can't he see me lying on the ground? Doesn't he realize Amenadiel is slowing down time to help me?"
"I do not know. He made no indication that he saw you when he arrived."
"Well, that's just great. Azrael…"
"Yep, it's time to get you out of Hell, Chloe."
