Eve and Mazakeen were the appetizers for the main meal that would follow
" Yes Decker, Lucifer is the big bad devil..."
Alexander was about to continue his story when Gabriel stood up at the bar and said:
" I have to get back Alex. The old one is losing his marbles apparently. You guys should start moving too before he does something drastic. At the moment it is a rumor that he wants to run Lux into the ground and kill all the innocent guests and staff present not to mention the immediate area. You know that lunatic isn't exactly precise when he strikes. Instead of just Lux, it might as well be a few square miles being razed to the ground! If he senses that Luci is no longer here then he will continue his search instead of striking wildly."
Alexander nodded:
" You know the story?"
Of course Gabriel knew the story. But he also knew that this was an army leader's reflex. Having another person repeat your plan, not only to know that your subordinate understood the plan but also to check for the umpteenth time that there were no mistakes in the plan. Gabriel said:
" I'll go back, report that Lucifer has gone completely berserk and dragged everyone including Amenadiel down to hell. Mikey will have to follow him to try to get Amenadiel back. But with Hell completely sealed off, not even the entire army of Heaven can get in. This will make him forget plan A and B and switch to plan C, imploding the universe itself because that is the only possible way left to wipe Lucifer off the map. This will give Mikey time to do his thing and give us all the time to execute our own plan."
Alexander nodded his approval, Gabriel unfurled his wings and disappeared after which Alexander said:
" Okay people it's time, we need to move to a safe place."
Again Chloe yelled out:
" I'm not going anywhere, I'm going home with Trixie!"
Before Alexander could say anything Chloe was snapped at by Crowley:
" You still don't understand huh Decker. You are a small pathetic human being. Any of the Demons or Angels present here could crush you under the boot as if you were an ant. I would feel as much if I crushed you now as if I stepped on an ant. So shut up. You are temporarily our unwelcome guest. When this shit is over you may return to that miserable existence of yours to spend the rest of your life waiting for your little cell in hell. Believe me, the Demons can hardly wait for your arrival because you are the one who twice made plans to kill their King. It will not be a pleasure ride for you."
Upon hearing these last words, Chloe struck out green as she finally began to realize what could await her.
" But, but I did what the Church wanted, we were doing God's work so he will protect me."
" Oh Decker dear. Not paying close attention to what the cardinal had to say? The Church remains out of the fight between Godfry and Lucifer so you can't say you did the work of the Church. But just in case you were deaf or too stupid. You have the favorite Angel of Godfry beside you. Let us ask him about your destiny and how much Godfry cares about you."
Said Alexander with a dangerous smile around his mouth:
" Amenadiel will you tell the miracle what Godfry thinks of her and what her reward would be if she had succeeded in killing Lucifer and what he thinks of her now that she has failed."
" Father is furious that his plan has failed, that his miracle has not worked properly. Therefore, he has forbidden her access to Heaven."
" Come, come Amenadiel that is only a piece of what I asked you. What would have been her reward had she succeeded?"
" None, she would go to Hell at the end of her life because she violated the commandment; thou shalt not kill, no exception possible."
Alexander looked Decker straight in the eye:
" You see Decker, you were a pawn on his game board and whatever you did you would end up in Hell."
The color on Chloe's face changed from green to gray and it looked like she was going to faint. Celine came to stand next to Alexander and said:
" It's time boss."
He nodded and snapped his fingers. One moment they were in Lucifer's Penthouse the next they were sitting in a spacious antique rattan lounge on a patio. Immediately behind them was a very spacious, southern-looking villa. There were four couches provided for two around a huge coffee table. On the first sat Crowley and Aziraphael, on another Ella and Lucifer. Daniel and Trixie, who seemed to have calmed down a bit, got the third, and the fourth was for Linda and the baby. For Alexander, a spacious seat was provided with the same but empty seat to his left and right. Amenadiel, Eve and Mazakeen had to make do with an ordinary wooden chair. The only ones standing were Celine and Chloe Alexander turned to his bodyguard:
" Celine dear, would you please take Decker to the guest-house? Oh, yes Decker the guest house is fully equipped but there is no way you could get out of there even if your life depended on it. So if it should accidentally catch fire and you have to get out... oops..."
Celine gave a hard tug on the arm of Chloe who, with a face twisted in pain, could do nothing but follow her. Ella sat up on the couch close to Lucifer with her eyes closed. She took in the smells, sounds and atmosphere before she spoke:
" We are a long way from LA I can sense."
" Indeed Dorothy, Kansas went by by!"
Said Alexander with a laugh. Those present heard the sound of a pair of large wings and the next thing they knew an Angel had arrived wearing an outfit that resembled some kind of armor. On its chest-piece was a golden lion and a silver dragon. Lucifer's mouth fell open and just about hit the floor. He could not utter a word so great was his surprise and shock. The newcomer laughed softly and said:
" What's the matter Luci, aren't you happy to see your twin brother?"
Lucifer felt light-headed. He figured that with Gabriel and Rae-Rae he had seen everything but now his twin brother had also appeared. Ella who had seen how Lucifer had suddenly turned deathly pale took his hand. Michael gave his brother a moment to recover and addressed Alexander:
" Gabe is talking the old one down and in the direction you want him to go, that Lux is not worth wasting energy on. But his drive for destruction is bigger than we originally thought. Not only the universe will have to suffer but also Hell and the part of Heaven designated for souls. He wants to wipe out every trace of humanity and start over."
And with this bombshell, everyone was stunned. Lucifer who had first wanted to shout at his twin suddenly had other things on his mind. But Alexander's next words, spoken with the same passion as if he were talking about the weather report, made the mouths of all the uninitiated fall open to the point where their faces had to hurt.
" We took that into account Michael and it doesn't change anything in the plans."
For the first time that night Lucifer's temper broke through which proved that he was slowly getting back to his old self:
" What do you mean that doesn't change anything? Haven't you been listening he wants to destroy everything so there is no trace of humanity left!"
Instead of Alexander, it was Michael who replied:
" Ah still the very same Lucifer as always. Never think before you let your temper speak."
The red glow in Lucifer's eyes lit up and he wanted to give his brother a verbal pandering but Michael continued speaking in a calm tone:
" Tell me Little Brother, if the universe has imploded and therefore you too have been destroyed, since you have been banished from Heaven, how exactly do you intend to be upset about what has been destroyed?"
Lucifer's mouth opened and closed like that of a fish. He wanted to say something but quickly realized that he could not come up with any answer. At that moment, Celine appeared as if from nowhere. She and Michael embraced each other tightly and he gently pressed a kiss to her mouth with a warm look in his eyes. If the evening was not already confusing enough for Mazakeen, Amenadiel and Lucifer, perhaps this was the breaking point. The Archangel Michael, the commander of the Heavenly forces, kissing a Demon with a gentle smile? The evening didn't have to get much crazier. Alexander pointed to the chairs to his left and right and said:
" Please sit down so we can continue."
Michael took a seat to the right of Alexander and Celine to the left. To the humans this did not mean much but to the Angels and Demons present this was an obvious message regarding the balance of power. The general to the right and the counselor to the left of their leader.
" Michael? What are you doing here? I thought you hated me? Especially after all I yelled at you when you threw me into Hell."
" I didn't mind the yelling Luci. Nearly ripping out my wing though. That was not fucking pleasant and took decades to heal, I was a very regular visitor to Raffa. You may tell everyone who wants to hear it that you were thrown into Hell but that's not the full truth, is it. With one broken wing I couldn't hold you any longer and you fell into Hell and right in the worst possible place. Hate is a strong word brother. Yes I wanted to knock you on your skull with a bat once in a while. You know why? Because you have no patience, never plan anything, never think anything through, plunge headlong into everything without thinking of the consequences for yourself but also for others who follow you. Oh yes Lucifer, you are noble, no Angel can deny that. And neither can people who have two brain cells. You took all the blame for the rebellion on your shoulders and begged father and mother to put all the blame and therefore all the punishment on you. Do you know why they agreed to your plea so quickly?"
Lucifer began to suspect the worst and could do nothing but slowly shake his head.
" Because they dealt with you first and once you were out of the way they forgot their deal with you just as quickly. It wasn't just father punishing you and mother looking idly by, as you've always thought. No they did it in unison. The others who joined in your rebellion were the first to be killed one by one in his purge of the Silver City. But the worst fate was reserved for our favorite little sister Rae Rae. He made her the angel of death, the only one. At the beginning of humanity, an easy job. With the population growth on Earth? How many are there now? Eight billion approximately? Suppose 1% of those die every year, 1% of them are destined for Hell then that's still 800 thousand souls, and how many of those does she have to personally intervene to take them to Hell because they're stuck? Not to mention those who are stuck and need to go to Heaven. No, Rae Rae works continuously, 24/7 as people would say. She works herself to death, literally to death!"
Lucifer was left open-mouthed. Not knowing what to say to this or how to respond. Two tears slowly ran down his cheeks.
" That is one, but also only one of many reasons, why we do and must do what we are doing."
Alexander took back control of the conversation:
" This is my little piece of paradise when I need a rest, a moment to think or have encounters that should be hidden from Godfry. It has quite a large and completely safe lagoon, ideal for swimming in the nude."
He said with amused eyes and a wink in Ella's direction.
" We are in Belize. I bought this property, which is very very spacious, years ago. There was once a fairly large Inca community here and so it never got his attention because the original inhabitants never worshiped him. After I bought it about fifty years ago, I slowly made sure that it became more and more a blind spot for Heaven. Only four Angels know about it. The same applies to Hell, only three Demons are aware of its existence. Anthony, Azi and Celine also, of course. For the rest no one, well to this day now that you know too. Something that was never intended. I was here for a short vacation and to consult with the leaders of the revolution. Hence, I was unaware of what Dromos was up to. And his rebellion ensured that we are now in the shit and forced to take action. But that's water under the bridge. Everything is set in motion and we can't turn back now."
Out of the house came a man and a woman with two carts. On one was a wide collection of drinks and glasses, one of which was already filled with Alexander's favorite mix. On the other was a wide selection of appetizers. Once everything was displayed on the table, Alexander thanked the two in perfect Spanish and asked them to refill from time to time. He took a few sips and lit a cigarette looking mischievously at Ella:
" The name I have given to this estate will absolutely win your approval and tickle your wonderful sense of humor miss Lopez."
She could hardly wait for the revelation and sat wiggling next to Lucifer.
" Well miss Lopez, and everyone else for that matter, welcome to Casa Diablo."
As Ella laughed out loud, the swig of Whiskey Daniel had just taken shot out of his nose and Linda sat snickering. The name also carried away Lucifer's approval as he sat there with a wide smile. It had not escaped Ella's notice that Alexander addressed her by her first name when he had something serious to ask or say and switched to the name miss Lopez when his words would be a bit mischievous.
" This unfortunately brings us to the three remaining traitors. Let us start with the least of the three because she was also a plaything for Godfry and Amenadiel. Eve."
He looked at her sternly and asked:
" Eve are you going to volunteer to tell the truth?"
She nodded with a guilty look in her eyes.
" Fine, but know if I catch you in one lie or a half-truth I have a cell in Hell for you, between those of your two sons!"
He let his words sink in with Eve for a moment before he began his questions.
" You told Lucifer that there is a back door in Heaven. That was a lie wasn't it?"
In a small voice she replied:
" Yes, there is no loophole."
" Then who brought or sent you back to Earth?"
" Amenadiel at God's command."
" Why?"
" God knew the influence Chloe had on Lucifer would cause him to be unable to distinguish between what was real and what was her influence. That he himself would believe he was in love with Her. That sooner or later he would show his true face after which he would send Kinley into her path with the prophecy Amenadiel had dropped into the Archives shortly after blessing her mother."
Lucifer ran red and growled:
" Then is there no one who has not betrayed me?"
Alexander smiled softly at him and said:
" Yes, there is one sitting right next to you and then you have Daniel and miss Beatrice."
He winked at Trixie who had to giggle a welcome sound after all she had heard about her mother and how emotionally she had reacted to it.
" And of course there are also a few thousand of your brothers and sisters who have remained loyal to you including Michael here."
When Lucifer wanted to object to something, Alexander simply raised his hand:
" That is something for later Lucifer and you will understand why."
He turned to Eve again:
" What was all that good for?"
" To make Chloe think I was Lucifer's first true love. That if we were together again he would usher in the apocalypse."
" What did they promise you in exchange for your part in this masquerade?"
" The freedom of Cain and Abel."
" Godfry would never break his own rules so even if you had succeeded in your mission your sons would stay where they are now. Just another lie capitalizing on someone's weakness. You believed him because as a mother you would do anything to save your sons. You were a plaything. That your role in this umpteenth shit story almost cost Lucifer his life, I'm going to blame you for that for some time to come. However, that is a feeling that will pass with time provided there are no more games to be played! As for Cain, after the thousands of crimes in his long existence and the hundreds of deaths he has left in his wake there is no chance he will ever enter Heaven. For Abel, I am willing to have his file reviewed by Zadkiel as the highest in rank among the Angels of Justice. I cannot and will not promise more than that! Understood?"
With tears on her face, Eve nodded.
" When all this is over Eve, you will go back to Heaven. Your existence there of doing as you please will be over for a long time. It will be your job to help reform and help heal the souls damaged by Godfry's behavior. That will be your only chance in order to make a fresh start in Heaven. Don't squander that chance!"
Eve nodded and otherwise kept quiet. Alexander's eyes fell on Mazakeen:
" Tell me Mazakeen, what gives you the right to betray your King?"
She knew she was in so much trouble she couldn't get herself out of this.
" I had no right to betray Lucifer."
" For starters, you lost the right to call him by his name. So let's try again, shall we?"
" I had no right whatsoever to betray His Majesty the King, Mylord."
" Then why did you do it not once, not twice but three times? He dismissed you from his service so you could build your own life, to give you freedom. And in gratitude you stabbed him in the back at every opportunity?"
" He had to go back to Hell Mylord, the Earth and the humans made him weak, vulnerable."
" So your betrayal was simply to save your King from weakness, from himself?"
" Yes Mylord, the longer the King was on Earth the weaker he became, especially with the presence of Decker."
Alexander shook his head disappointedly:
" Indeed yes Decker! Was he weak before she showed up? Did other people make him weak? No, not at all. You are his bodyguard you should have taken measures, even if he forbid you to kill her, you should have called London and you know that damn well! All matters related to the security of your King go through ME and not the King. I DECIDE AND NOT LUCIFER! Your bloody behavior allowed Decker to remain in his area and prevented London from intervening because Godfry knew his toy had taken her place on the board. Mazakeen, you know your king hates Hell, that he wanted to leave it behind, that he no longer wanted to be king. He gave you freedom and in return you wanted to take away from him that which he considers the greatest good? His freedom and free will?"
He leaned forward a little and held out a finger to her:
" If you had wanted to go back to Hell so badly you could have asked Amenadiel. Who would have been only too happy to throw you off and take an ally of Lucifer off the board. No Mazakeen, your motives are not as noble as wanting to save your King. Your motives, as always, are based on selfishness. You wanted to go back to Hell because you hate life on Earth among humans. However, you did not want to return to Hell alone because without your King and more so without his protection you are nothing in Hell. So he had to and would return to Hell so that you could regain your privileged position there. His wishes and feelings are worth shit to you as long as you get what you want!"
She lowered her head knowing full well that Alexander saw through her and she waited for the axe to fall. He reclined back in his seat and wanted to light a cigarette before speaking further but his pack proved empty. A shortcoming Crowley solved with a snap of his fingers. Alexander looked at him for a moment and Crowley shrugged:
" Well, it's not like you can die from it hey boss."
In turn, Alexander shrugged because he had nothing to argue with that logic. He shifted his attention back to Mazakeen:
" I told you that you are mine and that even your King can no longer save you. However, I also know that he still cares about you and that I would hurt him if I did that to you which I would prefer to do. What I have done to many of your brothers and sisters over the past thousands of years. Hence, I have come up with a different punishment for you. You Mazakeen will remain on Earth among the humans and their weakness that you so detest. You love being violent and making people suffer so much? Well from now on you are strictly forbidden to use violence against humans unless it is to protect innocents. Oh, please try to find loopholes in what I say because in doing so I would immediately forget Lucifer's concern and simply tear you apart with my hands and teeth and put your head on a spike in front of the palace in Dis. Your primary task will be to protect Linda and Charlie. Your secondary task will be to continue working as a a bounty hunter for the police and for me for I will have an assignment for you from time to time. However, I will not make it easy. Everything Lucifer gave you, your apartment, your sports car, your fat motorcycle all paid for by him you have lost and you will never get another penny from him or from Lux. Your access to his bank accounts is gone."
Out of nowhere, an envelope appeared in his hand and he threw it on the table in front of her:
" I could have let you walk around Earth without a penny but consider it a parting gift from your King. In it is ten thousand dollars, your starting capital. For the rest you get nothing! Take your money, take Eve and disappear to the guest-house before I change my mind!"
Mazakeen knew full well that she had gotten off pretty damn cheap but that there would be no new opportunity. Once Alexander set his sights on something then he did not change his mind. She quickly stood up, pulled Eve upright and both women made their way out with lightning speed.
And then it was finally time for the greatest traitor of all. The Angel that both Alexander and Celine would be delighted to run into the ground.
