"Immediate. Murder. Professionals." Samuel read aloud as he looked at a business card.
Originally, Samuel planned to traverse through the Mars complex and see how the repairs were going. But after his conversation with Olivia, his curiosity wouldn't allow him to do that. So, these two remained in his office and talked for nearly an hour. It was almost exclusively about Hell, but Olivia did share details of her former life, albeit they were few.
Yet, even with Olivia wishing to keep her past private, which Samuel understood, he could piece together a general narrative from what was given. As she had previously stated, she used to be a school teacher. She was married, but then she discovered her husband had been unfaithful. After that, things happened, leading to her death and arrival in Hell.
However, the most intriguing part of Olivia's story was near the end. She learned of a professional-assassin service that could kill people in the living world. So, she hired them. They tracked down the woman who ruined her marriage and did as one would expect.
To most, that would raise several questions. For Samuel, only one appeared in his mind, which he planned to voice soon enough.
"Yup. I M P. Clever, huh?" Olivia asked with a smirk and a bit of sarcasm. "After they returned from Earth, their boss gave me that. Told me to share it with my friends and spread the word about their business. Assuming that my top priority wouldn't be to find a home and a job but to be an unpaid source of free PR for them. Real considerate." She explained.
"Yes. Quite," Samuel responded as he laid the card on his desk. "Olivia, you said they could go to the Earth of your reality. Is this a common power among the natural-born Hellspawn?" He inquired.
"No. Only the most powerful Demons can open a rift between Hell and somewhere else. Be it in Hell itself or another plane entirely such as Earth." Olivia said.
"Then how is it these Imps can do so for their profession? I find that perplexing." Samuel asked.
"A book. I don't know what specific type." Olivia answered. "After the boss agreed to do the hit, the reception area was set on fire. Don't ask how. It happened as we were leaving his office. I believe eels were involved somehow. It's hard to recall. But before all of us ran out of the building to escape the rapidly growing fire, I saw their receptionist, a Hellhound, hurry back into his office, open a safe, and pull out a book. Then, when I was leaving, I saw the Hellhound open a portal with it. So there's no denying that the book is their means of traveling from Hell to Earth." She informed.
"Hmm..." Samuel unintentionally hummed. Almost immediately, he was lost in thought regarding this mysterious object.
"Samuel?" Olivia spoke to him after a few seconds, confused by the lack of a reply.
"Forgive me. I was thinking." Samuel apologized, now focused back on their conversation. "I may have to contact my associate. If possible, I would like to procure this book. It'll allow us to learn more about the powers of your Hell and how they measure to what we're familiar with." He stated.
"Ah. That makes sense. Doomguy shouldn't have any issues getting it. Although they call themselves professionals, I'm confident it's only to make themselves sound as much." Olivia replied.
"Heh, that's perfect then," Samuel said, entertained by that. "I'll reach out to my partner right now. If he doesn't respond, it'll mean he can't. If so, I'll try again in a few minutes. It'd be preferable to do this while he's already there rather than make a needless second trip." He told her.
"...Before you do that." Olivia began, preventing the comm link attempt. "May I ask you something?" She requested.
"Of course." Samuel approved. Although, admittedly, he was confused by the sudden inquiry.
"I've noticed that you only refer to Doomguy as your partner and associate. Along with the expected pronouns such as he, him, and his. Why don't you refer to him as Doomguy?" Olivia asked.
"Hm, I'm surprised you noticed," Samuel confessed, impressed by her attention to detail. "To be blunt, I don't care for the name. It's something my former staff conceived. While it is accurate and fitting for my partner, I still don't want to say it. There's no elaborate or deeper reason behind this decision. It'd be like if people called me robot man or something akin to that." He answered.
"Ah. I see." Olivia responded with a smile. Whether it was from joy or amusement, Samuel couldn't tell.
With that settled, Samuel returned to the task of contacting Doomguy, only to be stopped once more as his partner unexpectedly requested a comm link first. Normally, Samuel would accept it and communicate with him via the technology in his body. But with Olivia present, he decided it'd be best to have the call on his desktop monitor so she could be included.
However, when the transmission came through, it was revealed to be a live video feed from the perspective of Doomguy's visor. The first thing they noticed was a set of giant red neon words and numbers on the face of a building.
"Channel six six six. My, how original." Samuel read aloud, accompanied by a snarky comment. "Olivia, do you know this building and maybe why my mute accomplice is showing it to us?" He inquired.
"Well, that building and the associated channel is the hub for Hell's news. Granted, a few other outlets exist. Focusing on specific things. Yet none are as big, well-recognized, and prominent across the Rings as this one." Olivia informed.
"Is that so?" Samuel responded. By this point, Olivia was beginning to know when the figurative cogs of his mind started to turn. "My partner has found us another tactical advantage in addition to his mission. Well done." He said, praising Doomguy with that last part.
"Really? How can you use the news to your advantage?" Olivia asked.
"There are many ways. But for now, it will only serve as an active stream of information on the happenings of your Hell. Should we ever need it for anything more, such as to broadcast something ourselves, then we can repurpose it." Samuel answered before looking back at the monitor. "I'll have the necessary tools you'll need to connect us to the station delivered in a few minutes. You'll also be receiving Olivia. I needn't tell you to ensure her safety and prevent her from being noticed." He told Doomguy, receiving a nod from him in reply.
"...Come again?" Olivia requested. It took her a few seconds to process what Samuel had said. "Are you...sending me to him?..." She asked.
"Yes. I am." Samuel answered while ending the comm link.
"But...why?" Olivia questioned, dumbfounded by this decision.
"Because I do not trust my partner with something so delicate," Samuel stated as he walked out from behind his desk. "There was an incident involving filters. I'll let your imagination paint the rest of the picture." He added while heading for the door.
"Um...okay," Olivia replied, quickly getting to her feet to follow him. "But even with that incident in mind, do you still think it's wise to send me to help? I don't know the first thing about anything so complicated and advanced as hacking or tapping into an entire news station!" She exclaimed.
"You needn't worry. Devices capable of accomplishing that for you are incredibly simple. You'll need to place several of them in the production control room. Once that's done, you'll return, and my associate can continue his survey." Samuel explained as they left his office.
"What about security cameras? A news station is bound to have those, along with countless other precautions." Olivia inquired.
"Different question, same answer. I will provide you with the means to evade all detection. The only way you'll be noticed is if you bump into someone or if something somehow goes wrong. Which will be monitored and prevented by your escort." Samuel responded.
"And as for my instructions? On where to go and what to do?" Olivia asked.
"I'll be in contact with you. You'll be given gear that will allow me to see what you do, similar to my partner, and that'll also provide a means of communication between us." Samuel answered. "Please, do not worry. I wouldn't be sending you if we weren't prepared for the possibility of your direct involvement. Everything will be fine." He assured.
Although still nervous about this, Olivia ceased her questions. Samuel's calm demeanor and immediate responses helped to soothe her hesitation. Eventually, the two would be at the Slipgate. Waiting for them were a few drones with the necessary items for Olivia's part of the mission.
There was a headset with a visor yet no visible microphone; perhaps it was built in? A satchel filled with multiple of the same invention, most likely what would be used to hack and potentially hijack the station; all of them were remarkably small. Lastly, an object that appeared to be an armored gauntlet.
"The headset needs no explanation. Neither do the devices you'll take with you to accomplish our goal. But the gauntlet does require instruction as it will be what keeps you concealed." Samuel started as he took the gauntlet from the drone that carried it. "While the gauntlet is on your person, the interface on the forearm will be active. I've simplified the controls to make it easier for you. An on and off button is accessible via a touchscreen." He explained while handing it to her.
"Oh wow, it's surprisingly lightweight," Olivia commented as she received it.
"Mobility is important when dealing with Doom. Those who are slow are the first to die. A grim but honest truth." Samuel said before turning his attention to the Slipgate. "I'll set the coordinates to my partner's current location. As I do, equip yourself with the rest of your gear." He instructed.
Doing as she was told, Olivia readied herself for this unexpected field mission. After a few minutes, both she and the Slipgate were ready. All that was left was for her to walk through the rift and join her escort.
"Wait!" Olivia exclaimed, stopping right in front of the portal. "What about the book we were talking about earlier? Do you want me to brief him on that?" She asked.
"No. I'll do that after this objective is finished. All you need to do now is keep calm and follow our guidance." Samuel answered.
With that last concern addressed, Olivia had no further reason to delay. And thus, she went through the portal.
Pentagram City, Near The Front Of The Channel 666 Building...
Upon her arrival, the first thing to greet Olivia was an empty alley, not too different from the one she'd been hiding in during the earlier Extermination. As the Slipgate back on Mars powered down, causing the rift to close, she searched for Doomguy.
"...Olivia." Samuel's voice came through on the headset, much to her relief. "Are there any issues with the connection?" He asked.
"No. I can hear you loud and clear." Olivia answered, continuing to look around. "But I don't see Doomguy anywhere. I'm meant to be at his coordinates, right?" She inquired.
"Hold on. I have remote access to your visor. I'll enable it now that you're there." Samuel said.
Within a near instant, the visor came to life. Unlike other eyewear that Olivia was familiar with, such as sunglasses, there was no change or obstruction to her view. The best way to describe it was that the visor seamlessly enhanced her vision. There wasn't a UI or filter that suddenly appeared upon its activation.
Because of this, Olivia could see things she otherwise wouldn't be able to. Such as the invisible Doomguy, who was now detectable by her eyes.
"Oh! There you are." Olivia gasped while putting a hand to her chest due to her surprise. "Samuel, I can see him now." She informed him.
"I'm aware. Remember, I can see everything that you can." Samuel reminded. "I've established a three-way comm link between us for better communication. However, I will remain silent until you've taken Olivia where she needs to go. I'll send directions once I've analyzed the scans you've taken." He told them.
"I presume they're of the building?" Olivia asked as Doomguy led her out of the alley.
"Indeed. Area scanning is one of the many tools at my partner's disposal. His suit can map out his surroundings when he enters a new environment. Unfortunately, it can only detect geography and not specific details. I'll do this as the two of you enter the station." Samuel explained.
"Should I go ahead and activate my camouflage, then? Or whatever would be the proper term." Olivia inquired.
"Yes. Please, do." Samuel replied.
With that confirmation, Olivia looked down at her gauntlet and, on its screen, pressed the button to turn on her stealth mode. From her perspective, nothing had changed. It was as unnoticeable as the visor's enhancement of her vision had been.
"Are sounds muted? Or should I do my best to maintain a low volume?" Olivia asked as she and Doomguy approached the building's entrance. "Also, I'm sorry for all of these questions. This is the first time I've ever needed to be so sneaky." She apologized.
"That's understandable, don't worry," Samuel assured, hoping to help her relax more. "As for your question, yes. Please be mindful of every sound you make. If you walk at the same pace as your escort, your footsteps shouldn't be an issue. Additionally, so long as you do not remove this headset, there's no way my voice can be heard. Although it might sound rude, I'd advise you to say nothing from this point onward. We will have little to no reason to talk while you do your work." He said.
"Understood. Unless there is a need, this will be the last thing I say." Olivia responded.
After that, there was only silence. Unintentionally, it was perfectly timed with Doomguy and Olivia reaching the entrance to the building. Quietly, Doomguy opened one of the doors. There wasn't a need to pick or destroy the locks as someone else had already opened them.
Since there were no signs of forced entry, that told Olivia someone with access to the premises had entered. Meaning that the duo wasn't alone. But even with that in mind, she didn't feel scared or worried. She had full confidence and trust in Doomguy and Samuel.
Although, Olivia did wonder who it was. Could Doomguy have somehow followed someone who worked here? That would explain how he learned about the station's location and was already present when the portal was made. On top of that, the lack of other staff, including security guards, meant there had to be only one person or possibly a few people in the building apart from them.
But where were they? From the brief time she was outside moments ago, Olivia could tell that everyone was still hiding indoors. They were waiting for the Exterminators to return rather than risk leaving the safety of their homes on the likely chance their absence was a trap. This, in turn, meant that whoever was here couldn't be attempting to issue a broadcast.
Yet, if that were the truth, they'd need an impressive amount of skill and knowledge of how everything in the station worked. Olivia couldn't think of anyone with such a skill set that would be working here. Then again, it's not like she was an expert on the staff. Perhaps the Sinners and Demons who worked here were that proficient at their jobs and then some.
...Creeeeeeak...
That sound was an accident. Doomguy hadn't expected the door to the building's stairwell to be so noisy. There wasn't even a way to avoid that as he'd been as careful as possible when opening it. Thankfully, no one was around to hear it, meaning they could proceed without taking a few seconds to ensure they weren't exposed.
The ascent that followed was slow. The stairs were metal, and one poorly applied step could cause another sound. On the lower floors, this would still be a non-issue. But as they eventually were halfway to their destination, any noises now would be risky.
As for how Doomguy knew where he needed to go, his suit's map of the building was updated as Samuel gathered more information. After a few more flights, the duo arrived at their destination. The door that stood before them led to the building's studio.
"Hm, unfortunate..." Samuel muttered as he slowly gained the full details of the room. "It would seem that the only other person in the building is currently inside. Additionally, they're moving about and seem to be in the process of starting a broadcast. You'll need to cause a distraction so Olivia can do what she needs to." He informed.
Responding with a nod, Doomguy carefully opened the door to allow them entry. They didn't need to worry about the door's opening being seen by the person as they were still in the control room. By the time the individual came out, the duo was already in the studio.
"Alright..." Katie Killjoy, whose appearance surprised Olivia, muttered to herself as she made her way to the studio's cameras. "Just need to make sure these are all set..." She continued to mumble as she began adjusting the angle and positioning of the closest one.
Although briefly stunned that the face of the studio itself was in the building with them, Olivia would quickly snap out of it as Doomguy regained her focus. He performed a series of simple and easily readable gestures for her to follow. The first instruction was to approach the control room slowly. But as she did, Olivia noticed Doomguy move to another spot in the studio, an odd action that would be given clarity in the following moment.
BOOM
Faster than her eyes could track, Doomguy slammed the side of his fist into the metal wall. Now, given his strength, he did need to hold back. Otherwise, there'd be a crater or fairly massive hole. Still, even with that restraint, the resulting sound was comparable to a cannon firing.
And, as one would assume, neither Olivia nor Katie was prepared for such a loud sound.
"FUCK!" Katie shouted before falling on her keister. That noise had flawlessly ruined her balance. "WHAT THE FUCK?!" She questioned in a panic, now frantically searching her surroundings.
As Katie scrambled to get back to her feet, Olivia hurried into the control room. During this, an audible sigh was heard by her from her headset.
"Subtlety. SUBTLETY." Samuel firmly stated, speaking to Doomguy. "You could've done ANYTHING. And YET, you chose to do THAT." He said, followed by another sigh.
Doomguy shrugged in reply to this, which Olivia saw via the control room's windows. Katie was busy investigating the wall he smacked, which he had moved away from. The distraction was successful. That's all that mattered.
Admittedly, Olivia was amused by that. But she refrained from smiling or making any other indication. She needed to focus on the task, nothing else. A mindset that Samuel shared.
"Alright, Olivia." Samuel began, now addressing her. "You need to place a device on every machine in the room. Preferably on their backsides or underneath. That will give them the greatest chance of never being found by any unforeseen means." He directed.
"But won't they still be visible?" Olivia inquired, feeling that this concern warranted her only breach of silence.
"No. Once placed, I will activate them. When I do, they'll become unseeable as they utilize the same technology as your gauntlet." Samuel informed.
With that one concern addressed, Olivia got to work. It would take her close to fifteen minutes to finish her objective. During that time, Doomguy remained at a safe distance from Katie. Keeping an eye on her not only for the sake of the mission but also because her paranoid searching amused him.
"Hoo...okay...get it together..." Katie said to herself while breathing in and out. "It was just this piece of shit studio...it makes noises like that all the time...even when there aren't idiots flooding the place..." She continued, swiftly regaining her composure.
Feeling content with that explanation for the sound, Katie resumed getting the cameras into the proper positions. When she was finished, so too was Olivia. All that was left was to wait for the broadcast to begin, which would happen very soon. Indicated by a timer Katie had set herself that was displayed on the control room's monitors.
...3...
...2...
...1...
"...Helloooooooooo, Hell!" Katie merrily greeted, giving it a few seconds in case it played the Channel 666 logo before it went to her. "I know my face was the LAST one you expected to see on TODAY of all days. But, unless you're already dead or living in the ground, you know as well as I do that this year's Extermination has been a LITTLE peculiar." She stated with the most forced smile the trio had EVER seen. "That's why, as a channel six six six exclusive, I will be sharing with all of you what I've been able to learn in a short time about the unusualness of this year's planned Heavenly massacre! And if you're wondering why my co-anchor, Tom, isn't here to do it with me, it's because he's a bitch. While I, a humble journalist for the masses, risked my safety to secure this story, he's holed up in his bunker in nothing but his underwear while eating long past due MREs." She informed them.
"It's coming through clearly," Samuel told Olivia and Doomguy. "Maintain your positions, though. If anything is wrong with the connection, it'll begin to show in the next minute or two." He instructed, receiving nods from both.
"After having a LOVELY brunch with the princess of our infernal home, Charlie Magne. I was privileged to learn the why and how behind this year's Extermination strangeness." Katie said, not missing a beat. "As it turns out, the Exterminators have all returned to Heaven! But before you make assumptions, it ISN'T a trick to fuck with all of us in some form of sadistic humor. Instead, it's a direct sign of defiance to the practice we've grown so accustomed to. Orchestrated by the Devil's daughter and ANOTHER surprising family member that you WILL NOT believe!" She exclaimed.
"Hm, there is a slight delay. Along with a few audio and visual hiccups." Samuel informed the duo. "There's nothing Olivia can do in the control room to remedy this. She'll need to strengthen our connection by placing a few more devices. Preferably, on the cameras themselves." He stated.
In reaction, Olivia's eyes shot wide open as getting so close to Katie seemed incredibly dangerous.
"Remember, this is where he comes in." Samuel reminded, referring to Doomguy. "But please, don't hit another wall." He requested.
No walls, huh? Well. That's fine. Doomguy wasn't without creativity; he could easily think of something else.
In truth, he already had something prepared. It was a tad childish, but it would give Olivia all she needed. Having thought ahead, Doomguy didn't need to move elsewhere in the studio for this distraction. He was already in the intended location behind Katie's chair.
"Now, brace yourselves. What I'm about to tell you will knock you off your feet!" Katie warned, exciting the big reveal. "The family member, who is aiding the princess in this disruption of the Extermination, isn't her mother. Instead, it's an Angel. Specifically, it's the Angel of-"
SNAP
That was the sound of her chair being broken at the piece that connected the seat to the wheels on the base. To Katie and everyone else watching at home, it looked like her chair gave way and nothing else. In reality, Doomguy had casually kicked it with one of his feet, effortlessly snapping it in two. Despite hitting the ground with a distinct THUD, Katie took it much better than he expected.
Without saying any words or showing signs of potential pain, she slowly rose from the floor with the same fake smile. Olivia could leave the control room and approach the cameras in that opening. She chose to deal with the ones closest to Katie and her desk while the reporter wasn't looking at them.
"As...you can see..." Katie slowly resumed speaking, doing her best not to lose her temper. "We're experiencing some difficulties in the studio. I apologize for the issues and will speak to my crew, who aren't here DESPITE the many voicemails I left before leaving home, to ensure that this won't happen again in future broadcasts." She told her audience, now fully upright. "Now then, as I was saying. The family member is the Angel of Death herself. Azrael, for those who don't know her name." Katie revealed.
"Really? Is that true?" Samuel asked, speaking to Doomguy. His answer came in the form of a nod. "Hm, fascinating..." He muttered, his mind already pondering the information.
However, his and Doomguy's attention would be redirected by Olivia, who was waving at her escort as a sign to show she was done. With that message received, Doomguy slowly moved away from Katie and her desk. Thankfully, with her gaze locked on the cameras in front of her, the duo was able to return to the stairwell without any chance of the door moving being seen.
And just like that, Samuel, Doomguy, and Olivia had successfully infiltrated and gained access to the largest news source within Hell. An accomplishment that Olivia couldn't keep from celebrating once they were safely outside and away from the building.
"Oh. My. Goodness." Olivia said while breathing out a sigh of relief. "I...I can't believe I just did that..." She muttered in disbelief, a smile present on her face as she did.
"You did very well. Considering that you're a civilian." Samuel praised her, joined by Doomguy, who gave her a thumbs up.
"Thank you, both." Olivia gratefully replied. "Out of curiosity, Samuel. Are you sure that's all you need? I'm sure there's more we can take advantage of in the building beyond that one studio." She asked.
"At this time, such effort isn't needed. Keep in mind that we're still in the information-gathering stage of this venture. We'll only need that studio to aid us with this goal." Samuel answered.
"Hm, true." Olivia agreed.
Returning to the alley where she arrived, Olivia and Doomguy would soon have a Slipgate portal appear a small distance away from them.
"Good luck with the rest of your mission, Doomguy." Olivia bid farewell with another smile and a wave before she returned to Mars.
Watching as the portal disappeared a few seconds after she was gone. Afterward, Doomguy would notice her departure from the comm link. Something that could not be said for Samuel as his connection remained.
"I have another task for you." These were the first words from the doctor. Followed by a new destination appearing on Doomguy's HUD. "Olivia, before you contacted us about the station, shared with me information that presents another advantageous opportunity. I found the location when you two were in the studio. Luckily for us, it's not too far from the capital. At your speed, you should reach it in under an hour. Unless you'd prefer me to send you there via a portal?" He stated, ending with a suggestion.
In reply, Doomguy nodded. There was no sense in wasting time by walking or running. Plus, if he did run, even with everyone currently inside, there was the possibility someone could hear his footsteps.
"Alright. Give me a moment." Samuel requested, followed by him disconnecting from the connection.
Elsewhere, Imp City, Inside A Seemingly Ordinary Building...
Giant glass windows. That was the third worst place you could be at or near during the Extermination. They provided no obstruction to an Exterminator's vision. When they inevitably broke through them, you'd have shards flying directly at you alongside a homicidal Angel. The only worst place apart from outside, which was number one, that you could be was somewhere high up; that'd be fucking stupid.
So, imagine the brilliance required to think the safest spot during the Extermination was a combination of both. That way, when the Exterminators break in, they'd also be able to throw you out the shattered windows down to the pavement waiting below. Only an idiot, a genuine natural-bred moron, would think to hold out during the annual cleanse in such a location. Unfortunately for one Imp, his employer matched that description to the letter.
Even worse, the same boss was the type to gloat even if it wasn't deserved, which is precisely what he was doing due to the absence of their Divine murderers.
"Sir, could you please STOP?..." Moxxie, a white-haired Imp, requested as his "superior" continued to act like a jackass.
"What's that, Mox? Couldn't hear you over all the people screaming right now. Oh wait, they AREN'T!" Blitzo, the aforementioned jackass, exclaimed with a shit-eating grin.
"You can NOT attribute the sudden recall of the Exterminators to YOUR suicidal decision to have us all stay here, at the office, rather than our homes. Those have NO connection at all!" Moxxie told him, frustrated at his boss's display of victory.
"Aw, come on, hon. It was a sweet idea for us to be together during the Extermination. Helps keep us from worrying about something happening before we see each other again." Millie, a black-haired Imp who was also Moxxie's wife, chimed in to support Blitzo while sitting next to her husband.
"Us being together isn't the issue, Millie. It's HERE, at the OFFICE, that's the issue." Moxxie clarified.
"Pfft, please. As if any of our homes would've been better." The last member of their group, an angsty Hellhound named Loona, commented from a nearby seat. "Given all the shit that's happened to our office this year, and yet it's still standing, I'd honestly rather be here." She admitted.
"Ah! Glad you brought that up, Loony." Blitzo responded, finally stopping his taunts toward Moxxie. "You see, Mox. I didn't just want us to be here so we could watch all of the homeless people outside get slaughtered from a great view. It's also because I've had our quaint little office reinforced out of the ASS. Courtesy of those two old assholes who did most of the damage this year alone." He explained.
"...Wait, are you referring to the inventors? The ones who CRUSHED me twice?" Moxxie asked.
"Glad you remember," Blitzo said while patting him on the shoulder. "Instead of paying us in cash, I had them undo all the shit they did while giving us some much-needed upgrades. This baby's more fortified than the Devil's castle." He proudly informed while gesturing to the room around them, which was the meeting room.
"Even the windows?" Millie asked since they seemed no different than the old ones.
"Yup. This glass could stop a ballistic missile." Blitzo continued to brag as he knocked on the glass with a fist.
"Okay, no, that's bullshit." Moxxie rejected that statement since it was outlandish. "You're just making things up, as usual, to seem impressive and cool." He said.
"Ooh. Projecting a little there, aren't ya, Mox?" Blitzo countered, earning a chuckle from Loona.
"Aaaaaaand there it is. A shallow attempt to distract from my point with a predictable insult you've used well over a dozen times." Moxxie responded with a confidently smug smile. "How about you back up these claims that our office is a stronghold rather than lie out of your ass?" He suggested.
"Fine. I've got no problem with that." Blitzo accepted as he brandished a flintlock pistol from his suit jacket.
"Sir, our windows were ALWAYS bulletproof." Moxxie reminded with an eye roll.
"I...wasn't going to shoot the window." Blitzo lied, which the others easily saw through.
"Oh yeah? Then what were you going to do with that gun?" Moxxie challenged.
"I...was going to demonstrate our new alarm system!" Blitzo exclaimed with a snap of his fingers. To the others' surprise, he seemed genuine about it.
"Do we actually have an alarm system?" Loona was the first to inquire, receiving a nod from her adoptive father.
"That we do, Loony. Although, Mox did bring up a good point. I can't break or even damage the windows..." Blitzo replied, muttering near the end as he started to think.
"Oh. Is it only triggered when something's broken? Like if there was an intruder?" Millie asked.
"Right on the money, Mills," Blitzo confirmed. "However, I don't think shooting out the lights would activate it. I'm trying to think of something inside the office that I could easily..." He stopped there, a bolt of lightning striking his thoughts and delivering a brilliant idea to him. "Ah, ha! That's it! I know just the thing!" He proclaimed before heading for the exit. "Follow me, gang!" He beckoned.
Confused but curious, Moxxie, Millie, and Loona trailed behind Blitzo as he took them to his nearby personal office.
"Sir, what are we doing?" Moxxie asked as they all stopped outside the door. He was concerned that bodily harm and possibly ignition were in his immediate future due to his boss's incompetency.
"We're going to break open my safe, Mox," Blitzo answered while turning to face them. "You see, while I was able to get our overall security improved and the meeting room repaired. I couldn't convince them to do EVERY inch of the place nor get better stuff to replace our old shit. Such as my safe." He explained.
"So...your safe, which is a piece of crap, is somehow connected to our supposed alarm system?" Moxxie questioned; the lack of logic in that was immense.
"It's done with sensors or something," Blitzo replied with a dismissive wave. "Look, the point is that we can break off the door of my safe, the alarm will trigger, thus proving me right and you wrong, and then as you three put it back, I'll shut off the alarm, and we can go back to enjoying this abnormally peaceful Extermination. K?" He told them.
"Don't you keep the book in your safe, Blitzo?" Millie inquired. "Isn't it risky to stash it there if it's so easy to destroy and get into?" She added.
"Pfft, please, Mills. Who in the fuck would take one look at us and think that there's ANYTHING valuable in that safe? It looks like junk on purpose to fool any potential burglars." Blitzo responded, now turning back to face the door.
"Right. It has nothing to do with you being cheap." Loona said, not believing that for a second.
Ignoring his daughter's snarky remark, Blitzo proceeded to open the door. Millie, Moxxie, and Loona stayed at the entrance as he walked behind his desk and moved a massive picture he had of them together. Revealing his surprisingly small wall safe.
"Alright, here we go," Blitzo said as he looked back at the trio. "Come on! I'm gonna need your help to pry this baby open!" He called.
"Hey, you're the one who says it looks like junk. I would assume that means you could handle this on your own." Moxxie told him.
"...Touche," Blitzo replied. Admittedly, even with the safe not being the best in quality, it would still offer some resistance. But he wasn't about to give Moxxie ANY satisfaction.
Taking a moment to rub his hands together and prepare himself for this. After that was over, Blitzo grabbed onto the safe's handle and began to pull. The result, at first, was what they expected. Their lanky leader didn't budge, nor did the safe he was pulling on.
But then, they heard it. A noise that started low but rapidly began to build. The sound of metal, poor quality to be precise, straining filled the air before eventually...
BANG
With a violent break, the safe's door came undone. However, due to how hard he was pulling, Blitzo went backward, over his desk, and onto the floor in front of it with the door still in his hands. On top of that, the moment the safe door came free; a loud ringing started coming from all around them.
"HA! I FUCKING TOLD YOU, MOX!" Blitzo cheered over the deafening audio as he got back to his feet. "WHO'S LYING OUT OF WHOSE ASS NOW, HUH?!" He asked, even though that didn't make much sense.
Yet when he looked at Moxxie, Millie, and Loona, they appeared shocked. While that was odd, Blitzo also noticed that they weren't looking at him. Instead, their eyes seemed to go past him, back to the wall his safe was in. When he turned around to see what they were staring at, he saw his now open safe, which was missing the ONLY thing of value that he'd been keeping inside it.