Chapter 17

"Oh! Chloe!"

The group that walked into the police station as one turned at the sound of Detective Decker's name. Hope blinked as a young woman, maybe in her early thirties with a silver cross necklace around her neck approached the group. The woman's dark eyes scanned the group before landing on the Messenger who was trying to remain hidden from immediate sight. Her eyes brightened up.

"Oooooh, hello!"

"Uh….hi?"

"I'm Ella." The woman held out her hand for a handshake, one that Hope hesitatingly took and shook.

"Hope."

"Ms. Lopez, this is my cousin, Hope Fell. Five times removed." Lucifer said with his silver tongue. And Hope could feel the Daemonic power coming from his words, but she shook it off, figuring a small lie was better than the truth. Ella's face screwed up in a thoughtful, yet strangely humorous facial expression that had Hope almost laughing.

"'Hope Fell'? Like….like hopeful?"

And there it was. Every single time.

"Yes, well my father has a sense of humor." Hope said. Ella held her hands up in mock surrender.

"Hey, not judging! I mean it's not as bad as this guy right here." Ella pointed to Lucifer, who had a tightened smile. There was the smallest hint of a twitching eye on his countenance. "I just can't get over the fact that someone would be cruel enough to name their child after the devil."

Hope bit the inside of her cheek as she struggled keep a straight face at Lucifer's twitching eye. Chloe rolled her eyes as she turned towards the young woman in front of them.

"Ella. You have information on the DNA?"

"What?" The woman blinked. "Oh! Yes. Absolutely. So. We got a match from the DNA found at the scene of the murdered priest," Hope tried not to show too much emotion at that, "and the DNA at the recent murder. It seems they are from a man that was institutionalized because he had an addiction to biting."

Hope glanced towards her two companions, noting the different expressions, both on the far side of opposite. Lucifer had a look of confusion on his face as though he was expecting different news, and Chloe looked disturbed. Hope tried to think of the last time a human was able to do something behind her back without her being aware.

It….never happened. So, something must be up.

"If….you'll excuse me." Hope whispered, feeling slightly nauseated. "I've got to get some fresh air."

She bowed before heading towards the stairwell, taking it up as far as it would go before she arrived on the rooftop. Hope took in the city that she had come to know, the city that was steeped in sin and yet….it was so beautiful, shimmering in the heat of the desert. Tears glistened in her eyes as she fought back a sob. The door behind her opened and closed.

"I hope you found out what was going on." Hope said without turning around. "I have grown quite weary of this town."

"I would hope so, since it is steeped in such sin."

Hope's eyes grew wide at the strong voice that boomed behind her. She swallowed as she turned around, coming face to face with the one being that made her quiver in reverence and (slight) fear.

Amenadiel. The First Born of the Angels. The Giver of Cain's Mark and Curse. The Most Beloved of the Angels. The First Throne. The most powerful of All. Even Gabriel, the oldest Archangel, wouldn't mess with Amenadiel.

Hope shakily lowered her eyes to the ground and bending her back slightly. "My Lord Amenadiel."

"Please." His shoes appeared in her line of vision and suddenly her chin was gently lifted upward. "No need for that here. Now. I have been informed that you are here on a mission to take out Lucifer."

"Uh-" Hope almost choked her tongue. "Yes. But I have changed my path and my purpose here. I don't know how I'll be able to go through it. Or…..or if I'll be able to go through with it."

"Yes, Lucifer brought me up to speed with your predicament."

Hope sighed. "I know you wish to know the location of the Principality Aziraphale and the demon Crowley, but I can't possibly give you-"

"I know-"

"-But I beg you, Sir Amenadiel, let them be! Let us be! I just want to be left alone. I don't want to come into any more power plays!"

She allowed a small burst of power to escaped her, electrifying the air and leaving her tired and with a bloodied nose. She fell to her knees, sobbing slightly.

"It's fine, young one." Amenadiel assured her, kneeling down next her and gently taking her into an embrace. "Let's finish this and I'll give you something to help you out."

Hope's eyes went to Amenadiel's, hesitatingly. She found compassion where mostly she found a hunger for power, and loathing for those beneath them. A figurative breath of fresh air.

"Thank you, Lord Amenadiel."

"Please. Just Amenadiel."

Hope smiled. For the first time in months, really smiled. She tried to fight the tears back, allowing one to fall but eventually fought them off, especially when Lucifer and Chloe appeared. Lucifer smirked at the two angels huddled together.

"Ah now isn't this a sight to behold!" Lucifer crooned. Hope sniffled, quickly wiping the tears away before she stood and faced the Devil. "What a lovely family reunion."

"Lucifer." Amenadiel greeted brusquely.

"What are you doing here, Brother? Here to gloat in victory?"

Hope took a step backwards, feeling the tension between the two brothers thicken like gruel. She watched the interaction closely.

"No. I've come here on my own will."

There was wolfish grin on Lucifer's face. "Interesting. Seems to me like that's spreading like wildfire."

His eyes went to Hope and she turned away. Thankfully, Amenadiel blocked her from his view.

"I'm here to help you, Luci." Amenadiel said. "From what I've gathered you're going to go up against a very deranged human."

"And?"

"And, I know something you don't."

Chloe's body language changed almost instantly. "Oh?"

"A demon, by the name of Atahsaia, has escaped his imprisonment and is in the mortal world. Word is that he possessed someone in order to gain more and more power for himself."

"Oooooh Atahsaia is topside? How interesting."

"Wait a moment." Chloe spoke up, looking really confused. "Who is….Athasai?"

"Athahsaia." Hope corrected gently. "He's a demon, commonly known for his cannibalism. He was worshipped by the Zuni people. He's not very high up on the totem pole in Hell, but he is not one to be trifled with. Especially if he's in possession of a human body."

"So, you know your demons then." Lucifer commented.

"Indeed." She muttered, feeling rather uncomfortable. "Mr. Aziraphale made me memorize the list that he had Mr. Crowley draw up, and forced me to learn their strengths and weaknesses. Just in case I encountered them."

"Smart move." Amenadiel nodded.

Hope nodded her thanks.

"So, we have a name to put to the demon." Chloe said, sounding a little frustrated. "But do we know how to defeat him?"

"We just might…" Lucifer started to say.

"A trap is already been set." Amenadiel seemed to agree, his eyes going to Hope. She started to fidget a little.

"What are you looking at me like that for?"

"You know exactly why." Lucifer said in a sly tone. Hope stiffened, indeed as she knew why the man was looking at her like he was.

And Hope didn't like it.