The Happy Hotel. So far, not much joy has come from this place. And no, Charlie does not count. Her neverending well of optimism, hope, and sparkles was not a product or result of the establishment she founded.
Likewise, Husk's laid-back days of enjoying a constant stream of flavored liquor didn't count either. Nor did Nifty's easy-going routine of cleaning the entirety of the building. Or Alastor's musings and teasings. And certainly not Vagatha whenever she and Charlie could have a moment of intimacy, no matter how small, together without interruption.
Angel Dust was the only person whose happiness could be considered a success for the hotel. He WAS meant to be their first resident, after all. So, if he managed to find himself feeling better than ever before, huzzah, that was proof enough that the Happy Hotel wasn't a waste of time and effort like Charlie's father firmly believed. Sadly, none of Charlie's suggested activities or Vagatha's forced rehab programs yielded this effect; Angel Dust was still the same sassy and sinful son of a bitch he'd always been.
Except...now he wasn't. For the first time ANY of them could recall, Angel Dust casually relaxed in the hotel lobby. Now, to be clear, Angel Dust was the laziest spider in Hell. So, seeing him doing nothing and wasting time was typical behavior for the alluring arachnid.
But this was not laziness; he wasn't actively avoiding work or effort purely for the sake of doing so and not for enjoyment. He was laid out on a couch, eyes closed, arms behind his head, and humming a song to himself. And, to make it more bizarre, Angel Dust had none of his usual items with him.
No porn magazines. No drugs or alcohol. No sex toys he'd idly play with for amusement and to potentially piss off Vagatha due to their indecency. He was just...laying there, enjoying the day, for no greater reason than to enjoy it.
This was some freaky-deeky-level shit. Hence, the others were currently huddled around the front desk, observing Angel Dust as if he were an animal in the wild.
"Okay. Before anyone says anything, we agree that something IS up with Angel, right?" Vagatha initiated a conversation after nearly ten minutes of all of them staring at him.
"Yeah...and I'm not sure how to feel about it..." Husk responded in a mutter. "To be clear, I'm not saying the guy's happiness isn't a good thing. But...when was the last time he WAS happy? Like, serious question. I can't remember." He asked.
"Uh...I...think...five months ago?..." Charlie hesitantly answered. "I might have the time wrong, but it was when he came barging into the hotel to show off his new clothes." She told him.
"Ah, right. He walked straight towards me and started striking poses. As if he thought some new fancy jacket would get me to fuck him." Husk recalled.
"Even then, that wasn't like this," Nifty interjected, looking back to the spider demon. "Angel ALWAYS likes to brag. Mostly about sex, sometimes about his clothes, and a few times, he's bragged about how many different types of drugs he's done. But he's not bragging about anything now. He's just humming." She said.
"Hm, I don't know..." Alastor replied, getting all eyes on him. "This will be our first Extermination together as a group. We've not seen how each of us handles the time we must spend safely indoors. Perhaps the cause for this mood is the knowledge he won't have to deal with his employer for a time. Even it won't be for very long." He suggested.
"I'm surprised you're not coming up with some crazy theory yourself, Al." Husk admitted. "I assumed you'd have a list of every possible explanation to share." He added.
"Normally, that would be the case. But after the panic his absence caused, I would find that to be in poor taste, especially if his story of what happened last night is true. I can't imagine how unsettling it is to have someone like Valentino put his hands on your body." Alastor explained, even having a light shiver go through him as that idea briefly entered his mind.
"Speaking of that, where do we stand on what he told us?" Vagatha inquired. "I'll start by saying that I can't fully believe it. My main reason is that he didn't tell us where he went last night to try and get customers. And I bet if we ask him, he'll dodge the question as much as possible." She said.
"I can still go either way. Since we don't have anything that says he's lying to our faces, and vice versa." Husk responded.
"Angel doesn't have the best streak when it comes to telling the truth, but he is whenever it involves something serious. So, I want to trust him about last night." Nifty stated.
"I agree with Nifty." Charlie chimed in, not having much more to add because Nifty had said everything she would've.
"That just leaves you, Al." Husk said as everyone focused back on the radio demon. "What's going on in that antlered head of yours?" He asked.
"To be honest, I feel speculating the validity of his story is rather pointless. If we want to test him further, to see if he is deceiving us, why not ask him some more questions?" Alastor answered with a suggestion.
"Because, as I said, he'll avoid giving us actual responses." Vagatha reminded.
"Not if you ask the RIGHT questions, my dear," Alastor argued while waggling his finger.
"If you're so sure, then go on. Ask him." Vagatha challenged.
Having no issues with that idea, Alastor immediately turned around and headed for the couch.
"Ahem." Alastor cleared his throat once he was close enough.
"Hm?" Angel Dust responded, only opening one eye to look at him. "Oh. It's...you." He discovered, surprised to find Alastor, of all people, standing next to him.
"Pardon the interruption, Angel. But the others and I couldn't help but notice that you're rather chipper today." Alastor said.
"...And?" Angel Dust questioned, not sure of what he was looking for.
"It's just so...peculiar, is all. Normally by this point in the day, you'd be held up inside your room or getting ready to head out for an evening in the streets. Yet here you are, in the lobby, humming a tune to yourself. We've never seen you do this before." Alastor explained.
"...Huh...yeah, I guess I haven't." Angel Dust replied, seeming only to realize this himself once it was pointed out. "Well, to tell ya the truth, Al, I'm happy. As strange as it may sound to all of you, the Extermination's my favorite time of the year. As long as those halo-wearing bastards fly in the sky and hunt in the streets, I don't have to do anything. No sex with dudes that are more disgusting than a fast-food dumpster. No sores or blisters on my poor feet from walking on asphalt and concrete for most of the day. And, best of all, NO. FUCKING. VAL. This is the only time of the whole damn year I get anything that somewhat resembles a vacation. So, I do as little as possible to savor every second of it." He explained. "Wouldn't you do the same, Al?" He asked.
"Yes, Angel. I would." Alastor answered, not needing to think about it. "Sorry for prying. Despite my musings, I try to keep out of others' personal lives. Everyone's entitled to that much." He apologized.
"Nah, it's cool." Angel Dust assured with a wave of his hand. "I get it. Having me chill here and not causing some racket's pretty fucking weird. I would've been curious too." He said.
After a silent nod in reply, Alastor would take his leave and return to the others. The group waited until they heard Angel Dust resume his humming and relaxation before continuing their conversation.
"Did you catch all of that?" Alastor asked them, wanting to know if he needed to repeat anything.
"Yeah, we did," Vagatha answered, followed by a sigh. "I don't know; maybe I'm just being paranoid. Although, it IS pretty hard to trust Angel when he's so full of shit all the time." She said.
"Nah, you're not being paranoid. It's yer job to give a shit around here. Both figuratively and literally." Husk replied.
"Did...you say something nice? Without being bribed?" Vagatha questioned.
"Eh, what can I say? Extermination season makes me less of an ass." Husk told her, making her smile.
"Huh...well, thank you, Husk," Vagatha said before focusing on the topic. "So, what do we do now?" She asked.
"I say we follow Angel's example. We've got our food, and the hatches are battened down. Why continue to fret and worry when we can use this time for personal R and R? And when the killing's all done, we can go back to our usual sarcastic selves, complete with snide remarks and mean-spirited jokes!" Alastor suggested.
"Don't have to tell me twice," Husk responded, immediately plopping down in his chair behind the desk.
With nothing left to say regarding Angel Dust, the group disbanded. Now the only one with uncertainties and questions still lingering in their mind was Charlie. Who was still hoping her father would get back to her regarding the shooting in the slums.
Elsewhere, At The Magne Estate...
Normally, at this time of day, during this time of year, Lucifer would be at ease by a comforting fire in his private study. Both he and his wife, Lilith, had rooms for themselves. Spaces where they could have some alone time to think or do something alone. And right now, that's precisely what Lucifer needed.
However, there was no fire. Only a pitch-black room where his thoughts could flow free. Accompanied by a slight chill in the air to help soothe any nerves that were acting up. After returning from Heaven, Lucifer was greeted by Lilith as he expected.
She had questions regarding the meeting and what the cause for it had been. Even if she weren't his wife, Lilith was the queen of Hell; she deserved answers. But to avoid worrying her and possibly even Charlie should she be informed, all Lucifer shared was that some violence had occurred within Pentagram City. The likely culprits were Overlords feuding over territory, which was being investigated by his council.
Satisfied with that information, for such a thing had happened a few times in the past, Lilith kissed him on his cheek and thanked him for telling her. Afterward, she'd go off to focus on her usual business for this time of year, a concert that would be held for those still alive when the Extermination was over. Did Lucifer feel guilty for not being completely honest? Of course, he did. But he still felt this was the right choice.
It could be an Overlord or some random jackass wasting everyone's time. An outcome that Lucifer was hoping for. Because if it wasn't, and should Gabriel's investigation reveal no misbehavior on the Exterminators' part, then...where were they? What direction could they go in next to try and find answers to this enigma that appeared without warning?
The answer to that question was, unfortunately, nothing. Lucifer hadn't the faintest idea of what their next move would be should nothing come up over the next few days. Frustrated, as anyone in his position would be, he breathed a sigh to try and alleviate the growing stress on his soul. Maybe a distraction would help, something to briefly put aside his responsibilities as the lord of Hell.
Reaching into his pocket, Lucifer retrieved his cell phone. Until now, he'd kept it turned off so it wouldn't disrupt the meetings with his council and brothers, which turned out to be a wise decision. The first thing he saw when the device finished turning on was a pile of missed calls and voicemails from his daughter, Charlie.
For the next several minutes, Lucifer stared at the screen. Was he willing or even in the mood to hear his daughter's usual ramblings regarding the Extermination and saving the Sinful? Could he call her back and try to console her even if it wasn't sincere? The answer to both was no.
With another sigh released, Lucifer turned the phone back off. Whatever Charlie wanted to say to him regarding her absurdities and misguided charity could wait. Even if this mess hadn't happened and he wasn't busy dealing with it, he'd still feel this way due to one simple fact. The Extermination was nearly upon them.