Author's note: To whoever mentioned it, there's gonna be plenty of little moments in this chapter where Ashley makes Sera uncomfortable, while also getting on Alastor's nerves.

Bit of a shorter one as buildup for the BIG one of chapter 29, which is gonna be a hell of a long one.

Chapter 28:

Spring the trap

It wasn't long after the overlord meeting that Sera and the rest of the angelic court had been notified of Lute's treachery as with Velvette's valuable knowledge of her former associate and the approval of the high seraphim, a plan was quickly put together to catch the rogue exorcist red handed.

It had taken a small team consisting of Vaggie, Carmilla Carmine, Alastor and Ashley a considerable amount of time to track down and unearth the place and time of Vox and Lute's bi-weekly meetings, but by now, they were spread across several hiding places surrounding the secret meeting location of the voxtech factory.

A small old-timey looking radio like device that every member of the rag-tag infiltration squad had on them buzzed to life as the telltale voice of the radio demon softly hummed through it "Everyone has their eyes on the target, my dears?"

"Jaws here, got a clear view of the target, over" Ashley responded.

"Feathers hearing you loud and clear, Al" Vaggie responded.

"Carmine present. no sign of Vox yet, but they could arrive at any moment"

Another voice would ring over the radio signal, the stern yet gentle voice of the high seraphim herself "I entrust this delicate mission in your….."capable" hands…"

Ashley would chuckle over the line "Hey there tall dark and sexy, took ya long enough, missed me?" to which Sera responded "uhg….like a tooth ache…."

Alastor was quick to interject "Ashley, my dear, one more attempt to defile my radio broadcast with your flirting and I'm cutting you off!"

"Alright Al, jeeze…." Ashley responded when suddenly, Vaggie piped up "Vox has appeared on the premise and is swiftly approaching target location, it's go-time everyone, look alive!"

Cloaked in Alastor's shadows, the team quickly made their way inside, managing to avoid the video drones that were patrolling the premise as they made their way into the factory.

"Remember the plan, everyone, Vox isn't our main priority, we can deal with him another time. Capturing Lute is of upmost importance right now" Vaggie spoke over the radio.

"Understood" Carmilla answered

"Capture Lute, Cut off Vox's supply, got it" Ashley spoke before adding "Did anyone ever tell ya how fucking hot you are when you get all authoritarian like that by the way, Vags?"

"Ashley…" Alastor angrily warned her over the signal as Vaggie added "Ashley, what the fuck?! I have a girlfriend!"

"What?!" Ashley said " I'm just saying it's hot, nothing more"

By now, Vox approached a open area in the back of the factory as a portal opened and a cloaked and hooded Lute stepped through, holding some sort of sky-blue crystal encased in a golden frame.

She would quickly use said stone to teleport in a large pallet, covered by a canvas "As agreed upon, your next supply. This should keep you going for a good while" the exorcist spoke.

Vaggie would use the radio again as she spoke "That stone is her way in and out, we need to get our hands on it" to which Carmilla responded "Me and Alastor will distract Vox, You and the anarchy demon focus on the angel"

As vox pulled the cover off the smuggled supply, Vaggie spoke up "Alright, sounds like a plan, you 2 use Alastor's shadows to get the drop on him…..on my signal…..NOW!"

In a flurry of movement, before the TV overlord knew what was happening, he was quickly overwhelmed, Alastor holding a tight grip on his limbs with his shadowy tendrils while Carmine had one of her razor sharp, angelic ballerina shoes aimed at his throat as he yelled "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"YOU DEMON FILTH, YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWED!" Lute spat out as suddenly, The stone was kicked from her hand by Ashley who swiftly swung her axe around, now holding the angel at knifepoint as she flashed a toothy smile, mocking the angel "Ohhhhh you're in trouble!" as Vaggie had quickly released her wings and flew up, catching the stone in mid air.

"Vox, you incompetent abomination, DO SOMETHING!" Lute yelled. "Do what exactly?!" Vox yelled back "I don't know if you noticed, but both of us have angelic steel aimed AT OUR FUCKING THROATS, YOU DUMB BITCH!"

Carmilla would glare at the TV overlord "This does not concern you, we're here for her" which caused him to raise his eyebrows as Alastor would add "How about this, "old fiend", leave without putting up a fight and you will live. Fight back and you WILL perish, your choice"

The TV overlord grumbled under his breath as he reluctantly sighed "Fine…"

At this, the 2 other overlords let go of the TV headed demon, who took one last look at the angel, as if saying he'd be back, before turning into blue lightning and disappearing into one of the nearby powerlines.

Lute would slowly raise her hands in defeat, now being outnumbered 4 to 1, 3 of which wielded angelic steel "So….what is it you demon filth and the traitor are going to do to me, TORTURE me?"

"Not quite" An almost angelic voice called out as a portal opened and through stepped the high seraphim, Sera herself, causing Lute's face to drop in horror.

"Lute….you are hereby under arrest for high treason against heaven and its inhabitants…..come quietly….." as with a snap of her fingers, a glowing, golden chain would appear around the exorcist's neck.

Sera would turn to the group "Your assistance in apprehending Lute shall not be forgotten" to which Ashley would be the first to speak up as she pushed the others aside and give the high seraphim the fingerguns.

"How about you let me take you on a date and we'll call it even?" to which both Vaggie and Carmilla would pinch the bridges of their noses in annoyance and Alastor looked about ready to strangle the shark-grinned sinner.

Sera gave her a deadpan expression as she spoke up "…..i would rather have a kidney stone….." before leaning closer, her face inches away from Ashley's "….the answer is NO" before disappearing again through the portal, Lute in tow.

As soon as the portal closed, Ashley would receive a smack on the pack of the head with the butt end of Vaggie's spear, knocking her hat off "Ashley, WHAT THE FUCK?!" to which the anarchy demon just shrugged "What? Was worth a shot, right?" to which all 3 individuals around her piped up in unison "NO!"