In Southern California, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean to the west and south is the city of Los Angeles, nicknamed 'The City of Angels', a sprawling megalopolis made up of multiple neighborhoods, with no real downtown, but trendy and very touristy.
It is the second-largest city in the United States after New York and the most populous. It is here that the bored lord of the underworld down here chose to take a vacation, here, on Earth.
He's good-looking, a man of considerable wealth and taste, but that is not what makes him stand out. Actually, that's his lifestyle with sheer vigorous mischief. A sardonic smile, and devilish, but at the very least charming with a timeless style.
It is at the wheel of his Chevrolet Corvette C1 of dark color and in music that he crossed the city at full speed, does not pretend to pay attention to red lights and signs which is worth to him to be pursued by a motorcycle cop, motioning for him to stop.
"Turn down the music, sir," he said, getting off his motorcycle, and approaching the car parked on the side. However, his words fell on deaf ears, "Hey," he repeated, with a sign of lowering the volume to the music too loud, "Cut the music."
"Oh," he retorted, finally realizing his presence, "Sorry," he chuckles, turning the music volume down a little too loud. "You know what they say, Officer ... If it's getting too loud, then you're getting too old."
"You know why I pulled you over ?"
"Uh, obviously, you felt the exercice of your limited powers," he replied, earning a nod from the officer not at all amused, "And also punish me for ignoring the speed limit. But that's okay," He held up his hand as he spoke with an amused chuckle, "I understand." He smirked, then wistfully as the cop rolled his eyes, annoyed by this man, "I-I like to punish people, too. Or at least I used to."
"License and registration." he said,
He sighs, "Yeah, coming right up." he replied, rummaging in his pocket. However, the policeman could not believe what he was seeing.
"Are you trying to bribe me, sir ?" he asks, dumbfounded.
"Yes of course." He smirked, continuing to count his bills, fishes a hundred out of his wallet, and proffers it, "There you go," The policeman gave him an outraged and dumbfounded look, "Is that's not enough ? Take more. It's only money."
"It's against the law, sir." he interrupts him,
"Ha," he laughed, amused, continuing to count the money, "Your people are funny with your laws, aren't you ?" The policeman glared at him and equivocal which did not escape him, "You break the law sometimes, don't you ?" he said rhetorically, looking him straight in the eye.
"Sometimes …" he replied, "I put my siren on and drive really fast, for not reason at all, just'cause I can."
"Right ?! And why wouldn't you ?" he said with a big smile, "It's fun ! Feels good to get away with something, doesn't it ?"
"Yeah," he laughed, nodding his head sharply, before frowning in confusion, not understanding why he had said all that. No sure why he just shared his secret desires with a complete stranger.
"Uh, it's okay, Officer." he said, "People like to tell me things, those dark, naughty little desires that are on their mind. It's a gift. Must be something about this face." He noticed the policeman's eyes on the bundles of hundred bills in his hands, "You're tempted to keep that, aren't you ?" He nodded sharply, "Well, what are you waiting for, permission ? Go on, take it." He prompted him, "Buy yourself something pretty. You deserve it."
The policeman took the outstretched bundles, and he smiled victoriously and proudly, "But if you don't mind, I really must be on my way."
"Oh, yeah, of course," he replied, "Hey, have a nice evening," He walked away with the money in hand, then puts in his pocket, and getting back on his motorcycle.
"You too, Officer." He replied, with a smile, "You too." He turned up the volume of his music and left at full speed.
It is on the other side of the city, that he arrived at his destination, he parked in front of a huge two-story building - a penthouse - where people were queuing to enter his club, a trendy nightclub and very busy, which he owned. He got out of his car, and tossed the keys to the advancing valet, "Hey, Boss." He greeted him as he got into the car to park it elsewhere as he entered his establishment.
A little hell on earth and / or Heaven on earth, as they say. A living and breathing homage to all that the Lord of the Underworld prefers, here on Earth, in the midst of humanity - wine, women and song.
Got inside, as he climbs onto the platform overlooking the main area with a stairwell going down, he proudly smiles at his establishment where people have a blast every night. Everything was his work. Everything was imagined and designed by him. Originally, what was a building used for fighting before being bought out has become a nightclub. He had called it the 'Lux'.
Here, people came to unwind and clear their heads. Everything was spacious and huge where the extensive use of walnut, brass, granite, and aged hardwoods gracefully balances the vintage aesthetic of the place.
There is a huge dance floor where they could dance loudly to music until the end of the night. A huge, but very authentic and elegant black 'Steinway' huge piano with black and white keys in the center of the room. Two large bars frame the Lux's collection of deep and comfortable booths and benches, ideally positioned around several stages that provide a showcase for provocative dancers surrounded by imposing velvet curtains.
Dancers in sexy black bodysuits who danced like every night, while waitresses equally well-dressed, in uniform composed of a crossed body all in lace and a short-mid-thigh skirt with all-leather thigh-high boots serve to drink prepared and mixed with care by the bartender. He grabbed a drink on the way and walked down the stairs to greet people. He smiled politely at the young ladies and handsome young men who crossed his path, and went to the bar.
"Where have you been ?" asked a lovely young woman with shoulder-length brown curly hair, wearing a short black dress with a plunging neckline, her back to him wiping an all-crystal glass with a tea towel, just as carefully.
"Oh," he exclaimed still quite exhilarated, "Holed up in a château, copulating with a young woman named Faith. It's ironic, isn't it ?"
Trace shakes her head in disgust, rolling her eyes ironically as he gives a smirk.
"Have I ever told you how incredibly sexy you are when you can't control your emotions ?"
"And what emotions might those be ?"
"Why, jealousy, of course."
"Try disappointment. … Thank you, Peter. You can go." she said, as a man hid behind the bar, kneeling, got up, then grabbed his drink before leaving under the amused air of his boss as she turned to see him smile.
"You little devil." he chuckles
"What ?" she said, with a casual shrug, looking innocent, "I dropped something."
"Well, I'm sure you did."
"Now, Anakin," she conceded, starting to fill a glass with Gin, and looking up at him, "I am a big fan of sex."
"Obviously." he replied with a mischievous smile.
"But I didn't leave Hell to be a bartender." she said, "Shouldn't you be spending your valuable time doing something ... more … significant ?" He laughed at her words and took a sip from his glass. "You're the lord of Hell, for crying out loud."
"I am retired, Trace." He reminded her, "I've got nothing, but time. Thank you." He set his empty glass down, so she could refill it, but the alcohol was flowing abnormally slowly. Time seemed to slow down. He looked up at her, annoyed and annoyed, both understanding what was going on while everyone around them was frozen in time. A figure entered the Lux.
"I think you have a visitor."
He grabbed two full glasses and walked away, stepping over the small railing that separated the bar from the living room and going to sit on one of the sofas as the troublemaker approached, "Ah, Obi-Wan ! How's it hanging, big guy ? Huh ? Didn't you see the sign, 'No Angel allowed' ?" His brother just looked at him, coldly and harshly, without saying a word, "No ? I'll make an exception for you. … On the house," He handed him a drink, which he ignored, as he sipped his own.
"You've become very attached to your little hobby …" he observed, looking around, as Anakin adhered to his words, sipping his drink,
"What do you want, Obi-Wan ?"
"As if you didn't know … Your return to the Underworld has been requested." he replied, firmly, "Now you have to go back to it."
"Oh," he exclaimed. "Right, okay." he said, putting his glass down on the small glass table, then the second. "Let me, just, eh, check my calendar." He reached into his inner jacket pocket, pretending to pull one out, "Yes, here it is. Uh, the seventh of never," He looked up at him, "Through to the fifteenth of-ain't-gonna-happen. How does that work for you guys ?" He sighs, annoyed at the silence of his older brother,
"Look," he said, picking up one of the glasses, "Remind Dad, that I quit Hell because I was sick and tired of playing a part in his play." He took a sip from his glass, while his brother grew impatient. "You know, I believe in free will, not that tyranny of all his predestination hoo-ha."
"I'll warn you against disrespecting our father, Anakin."
"Yeah, well, our father's been disrespected me since the beginning of time, so pot-kettle, don't you think ?"
"You are a mockery of everything divine." he replied, annoyed.
"Thank you !" Anakin said, his hand resting on his heart. "Thanks, but lately, I've been doing a fair amount of thinking. Now, do you think I'm the Devil because I'm inherently evil, just because dear old Dad decided I was ?"
He knelt down sharply, looking him straight in the eye vehemently, "What exaclty do you think happens when the Devil leaves Hell ?" he said, as he scoffs, amusedly. "All of those demons ? All of those tormented souls, … Where do you think they go ?"
He leaned towards him, looking him straight in the eye, utterly indifferent to his worries, "Don't know," he replied, "Don't care," He smirked, "Not my problem, brother." He leaned down to retrieve his drink, while Obi-Wan sighs in annoyance that he refused to listen to him and the way of reason, "Tell Father. I'm. Not. Going. Back." He added, insisting well, on each word, then, he patted him his tight, "So consider the position officially open." He took a sip before putting it down, "And you, my feathered friend, can go to Hell."
At his words, the older brother spread his black angelic wings and in a fit of anger grabbed him by the throat preventing him from breathing slightly, under the amused and chucked eyes of his little brother. "Yeah, try it." He challenged him, "You think Father's upset now."
Obi-Wan chuckles and released him, as he rubbed his throat, "You know," he warned, "He will not be merciful much longer." With his hand still on his throat, he smirked in amusement as his brother walked away and time resumed.
Outside, Anakin, lost in thought, amused himself by levitating a room as a car pulled up in front of him, and a window rolled down, "Hey, you." said a pretty young girl, with blond long and wavy hair, a little too much makeup with style a little gothic and black nails. She was also wearing a black dress with sequins and thin straps, as well a loose white shaggy jacket with transparent sequin with a pair of black high heels pumps, "Remember me ?"
He put the coin back in his pocket and smiled at her, "You're famous, aren't you ?" he asks, amused. She rolled her eyes, ironically, as tons of paparazzi and Lux patrons cheered and took a picture of her, "Summer, isn't it ? … Can I have your autograph ?"
"If I can have a drink." she retorted, laughing.
"Why'd you really come back ?" he asks, taking a sip from his glass.
"Feel safe here, I guess." Summer replied, looking around, with a touch of melancholy and somewhat nostalgia, "Reminds me of how it was before everything got so big and messy. And you …" She turned her head to him, licking her lips in a second of thought, "Sometimes I feel like you were the only one who was ever really honest with me. So, there's something I need to know."
"And what's that ?"
"Did I … sell my soul to the Devil ?"
He laughs at her words, amused. "Well, that would imply the Devil's actually interested in your soul."
"Come on, you who took me off the street, let me sing up there when I wanted. I told you I wanted to be a star, and that's when things started to happening to me. And you go call yourself, Anakin." 'The devil'. She looked up at the ceiling, a second wryly, finding it absurd. Despite everything, he had extended his hand to her when she had nothing, and she is very grateful to him.
"Call me whatever you want, but I'm really just a patron of the arts. ... Look," He put his glass down and moved closer to her, "All I did was introduce you to a few key people who owed me favors, that's all."
She leans over, serious and vulnerable now ... like a lost child. "Do you think I'm talented ?"
"Of course. You have one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. It's sweet, dirty, sexy, soulful ... I knew you were a star, I just helped the world catch up and realize it."
"I mean, with all the good came a hell of a lot of bad." she says, then took a sip from her glass, an Apple-Martini.
"Oh, right ?" He replied, "So the Devil made you do it, did he ? The alcohol and the drugs, the topless selfies ? The choices are on you, my dear."
"You're right. You are completely right. But the toxic relationships were my biggest screw-up." She sighed wearily, "God, I really do have the worst taste in men ..."
"You really do, darling. I mean, 'David Robertson' ?" He let out a small, mocking laugh, "I can't believe you almost married that sweaty little imp ..."
"He produced my album !" she retorted, "You introduced me to him !"
"I suggested you work with him, not sleep with him."
"Well, I was-I got confused !"
"And then you left him at the altar." he chuckles.
"Yeah, that was rude of me."
"No, actually, I quite enjoyed that bit." he laughs, amused, making her chuckle slightly, but sincerely.
"You know, he trapped me in the bathroom at the Grammy's, said he wanted to get back together. Then I hear he's marrying a supermodel … this weekend. And I'm jealous," she admits, looking away, ashamed, and embarrassed, "Oh, God, I'm a mess !"
"God, has nothing to do with your mess," He corrected, as she looked up at him, "Look …" he said as he put down his glass, "You didn't sold your soul, Summer, but you do owe me a favor."
"Ooh, I'm scared …" she said with a nervous little laugh.
"You should be. Because what I'm about to ask you is going to be quite difficult for you. … Pull yourself together, honey." he said, as she nodded eagerly to his words, "That's it, that's all I'm asking. 'Cause you're wasting your talent, your life, um ?"
She looked away, seeming to suppress her tears, "I let you down."
"Then fix it. Change it and pull yourself together before it's too late."
She nodded and leaned towards him, as he kissed her tenderly on the forehead.
"You are human, darling." he said, as he walked her back to her car, saying goodbye.
"I'm gonna do what you asked. I'm gonna get it together," Summer replied to his arm, "Anakin, I promise."
"Look," he said, turning to her, gently grabbing her hands. "It's not about me. What happens now, that's up to you, … Okay ?"
She took a deep breath and nodded, smiling, "Yeah,"
"Come here, you." he smiled, pulling her in his arms, hugging the young woman with one hand behind her back and the other gently stroking the back of her head with a touch of tenderness, his eyes falling closed as she wrapped her arms around him, her friend.
The squeaking noises of a car tire was heard in the background, and slowed down right in front of them, still entwined in each other's arms. A hand with a gun came out of the window glass and shoot several times, blowing up the windows of the nearby jewelry store. They both collapse to the ground, riddled with bullets, as the car fled before being violently hit by a city bus.