There were rare days when the ruler of Hell was able to spend time off in his palace. Although he had all the time to himself, these days were different from the rest. Lucifer strode through the halls with his cane and stole a glance at the painstaking effort put into the portraits depicting his ego, his wife, and his daughter. Each was a piece of history in itself, a reminder of a time when Charlotte still lived under his roof and gladly woke up each morning to brighten his day. Yet, she was no longer in his company anymore.

He stopped and turned his body to the right to find himself looking at the door to his daughter's bedroom. Then he reluctantly reached out for the golden knob and turned the mechanism over to let himself in. It swung inward as the fallen archangel took his first step, filling him with a mixture of somber emotions and dread seeing the room once more. An empty bed lay before him as a small round window was placed high above the headboard, which gave a glimpse into the outside world, featuring the white dot in the sky that lorded over the existence of Hell and its denizens. To his left was a closet filled with a number of dresses and costumes, only a fraction of the true set was missing as the right side of the room contained a desk and mirror with the finest makeup that was rare to even the greatest of sinners and Hellborn. All of this preserved ever since she stormed off to her hotel.

Lucifer recalled the days when his child would bring him here and spend countless hours drawing pictures or reading her bedtime stories before she slept. As she grew, he admired her curiosity for her position as the princess of Hell. When she was old enough, it was also the first place where she had her first kiss without his knowledge. Though, he did not mind the experiments with love as her mother openly encouraged it. His heart sank when he remembered the last memory of his daughter arguing with him about the redemption of sinners. It gave him no comfort to discourage that dream of hers after witnessing so many exterminations and how he stood by and watched souls have their existence taken from them.

The grip on his cane tightened when he pondered about that fateful day. His daughter was smart and brave; yet, she still was not ready for some truths he kept in the dark.

Lilith's voice broke his concentration. "Dear?"

"Yes, my beloved," He turned around and found his wife standing in the doorway, expressing concern and worry, "Is there something the matter?"

"You are here again." She brought a comforting presence as his company. This was the only person in his existence that understood him and eased the moments when he was vulnerable.

"I was just making sure that Charlotte's room remained organized as it always was."

It was a lie he made up on the spot. Lucifer would never dare to touch his daughter's belongings. She left it that way but he would respect her bedroom as part of her convictions. Yet, it was not enough to convince his beloved from seeing through his smoke and mirrors. "You do not have to put up that brave face for me. It hurts to watch you torture yourself like this."

"Am I that obvious?" He pondered to himself before taking a deep breath and sighing in defeat. No point in fabricating the truth besides his woman, "I miss her."

"Didn't I tell you to go talk to her? It does not take a genius to see that you two need to have a conversation and hassle this out."

"Yes, you did. It's just that I fret that it will be about the hotel at some point and our disagreements will arise. Charlie is naive about how reality works and she does not understand the history and bloodshed done on your behalf. If I told her the truth of it all… I doubt that she would even forgive me?" He trailed off unable to continue their conversation.

Lilith approached him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "We have to try. For our family's sake. I think we need to finally tell her about the war and the reasons you are so adamant about."

"It is not so simple," He said, pulling her close resting and gently wrapping his arm around hers, "I don't think I am ready for that."

"That is what you said about being a father when I was carrying her."

The ruler of Hell smiled as his gaze looked past his beloved; yet, he sensed the atmosphere change. A dark figure stood at the doorway making its presence known and the individual was carrying a white bag of donuts. Lucifer's eyes widened at the sighting of his brother catching him by surprise. Then everything changed when the Archangel of Death spoke, "Is this a bad time?"

Soon the queen turned around as the husband and wife turned to confront an old memory. "Azreal?!"

"Quiet," He said with a bony finger raised before his hood as he walked into the bedroom and closed the door once inside, "I don't want to make any loud fuss and we need to keep this under the table as much as possible."

"The last time we saw each other, you were beside the High Marshal when the treaty was signed." She remarked about the past; especially, the moment that sealed the fate of the War in Heaven.

"You and I both know my duties to the power above."

If his brother was here and willing to openly talk to him and the queen of the succubus, there was a purpose involved in his visit. Lucifer broke away from his beloved's side and took a step forward. "There is a reason you are here. How goes your investigation?"

"Reasonably well for the time being. One of my trusted subordinates has personally It has escalated, brother," Answered the archangel as he passed the white bag over to the king of the dark realm, "Someone is out to kill you and I fear it may escalate."

"There are many in Heaven who would see me dead. High Marshal Michael is a first guess given the history our history in the war but then Adam is another due to his vested interest in Lilith. I can't seem to think of anyone else off the top of my head. When did you receive this information?" It was difficult to simplify his list of enemies and he was unsure of what to make of his brother's warning as he walked back and forth from Charlotte's bed to the door, pondering the possibilities. His wife sit down on the bed as the Grim Reaper stood in the middle of the room.

"The information is fresh and the trail is hot but this conspiracy has convinced me to help you as much as possible. Charlie… may be targetted as well."

He stopped in his tracks and turned his head toward his brother. "Why? For what reason would they want to hurt her? She is innocent and far too good to be a target by those in Heaven."

"I wish there are those who share your views; unfortunately, she is your daughter and there is talk about her being an extension of your will," It sounded like he was hesitant to speak before him while lowering his head hidden away underneath his hood, "Should the need arise, I would gladly offer my department's services for her protection."

Lilith spoke her mind and chimed on the subject, "You are known to be unorthodox; however, this is an unthinkable decision even coming from you. It must be serious enough to protect Charlie."

"Indeed but this goes deeper than you three being targeted. Members of the Holy Army are organizing a second war, which will involve members of the Council of Archangels. Whoever these people are, they intend to seek out enough political support to carry out their acts against Hell and I am unable to trust my brothers to be reliable."

"You have told no one of this," The queen asked, "If they discovered this conversation, you would be ousted."

Death nodded his head in agreement. "Aye, you are correct. Treason is something they cannot abide but injustice is a sin I will not permit."

The ruler of Hell smiled at those very words. Azrael was always a surprising character at times underneath the facade of an exhausted servant of God.

"Some of the elite units of my department are alert in the case of an emergency; however, I ask your permission to provide my niece her protection."

Lucifer shifted his eyes over to his wife. "I do not think so but my beloved may say otherwise, any thoughts."

"You need to have that conversation with her," Lilith's gaze hardened with a look that struck the fallen angel with a tinge of fear. It was a rare moment for her to get the point across but that also meant that the queen of the succubus would incur harsh punishments of her own if he continued to hold it off, "Azrael, as a caring wife and mother, I would appreciate it."

"Understood." The Archangel of Death snapped his bony fingers until a scythe appeared beside him and he reached out with a quick grip. When he did this, it was a sign of his departure.

A thought came to his mind ever since the previous meeting with his brother. There was a disguised Redeemed hiding out at the Hazbin Hotel. "Before you go, will you employ the agent at Charlie's place?"

"Yes. It may bring a surprise to you but the Saved soul is an angel slayer. I hope that he does not need those qualities that earned him that moniker. Goodbye."

Azrael raised his weapon high before tapping the floor. White light encompassed the room belonging to the princess of Hell as the royals readjusted their eyes to find out that he was gone in an instant. Yet, what was said raised more questions than answers. Perhaps a visit would ease Lucifer's curiosity and appease his wife's concerns for the wellbeing of the family.

A phone rang and beeped incessantly in the bedroom. Out from underneath the blanket, a sinner reached out to his bedside and deactivated his alarm clock before letting out a tired groan. He needed to get up but his body had been exhausted by menial work in the confines of Pentagram City. Yet, the tainted soul desired to sleep another fifteen minutes.

His respite would never come when a soft hand reached out across his chest and reminded him of his obligations. A sultry accent from Mexico was all that was needed by his female companion to open his eyes. "Wake up, Hunter. They'll fire you for being late."

"I know," He replied before shifting his body in bed and turning to meet his girlfriend's face. Her skin was painted like ash with bone tattoos aligned anatomically with the skeleton within. The face was etched with a skull while the woman's right eye was surrounded by rings of pink flower petals. Yellow pupils stared into his gaze as she smiled and kissed the old soldier with black lips, "You really want me to work."

"We got to pay the rent somehow," Commented the sinner as Hunter's hand reached for her gray hair and slowly brushed it with his fingertips.

"There will never be a shortage of work. I can guarantee that."

His phone rang and the golden-skinned man flipped his body over to his bedside to find someone calling him. There was no name identified as he sat up from the left side of the bed and snatched the device. "I'll go cook something. You better take the call."

He relaxed his body with a deep breath as his girlfriend walked out of the room with nothing but a wrinkled orange dress on. Once she closed the door on her way out, the former Polis Ranger swept his thumb over to the green phone icon on the right side of the screen. It was a job, one that was suited to people like him. Several seconds passed before a deep distorted voice spoke to him, "Are you ready to earn your redemption?"

"As long as you are willing to fulfill the end of your deal," Hunter asked the mysterious caller. Ever since he came into contact with the stranger, his life had improved from living on the streets or getting into brawls with stalkers in Eastern European-style clubs. He owed his very existence to this anonymous benefactor but he desired more than to live the rest of eternity in Hell. One had to be a fool to believe life would remain the same blasted wasteland with the other fuck-ups of the afterlife, "What is the mission or who is the target?

"I will send you a series of PDF files to your phone about these targets and their common whereabouts in Pentagram. When you find the individuals, terminate with extreme prejudice. Heaven has no room for traitors and God will forgive thee of your sins. Then your deal will be complete." It was one of these missions where removing a servant of Heaven was required. He took pleasure in these assassinations but it was also the price he must pay to enter the pearly gates. A message popped up with the file available for download. His finger tapped on the highlighted document as pages of information and digital pictures fed into his memory system.

"Information package received."

"Good," The garbled voice acknowledged as if approving the choice to accept the mission, "This will be one of many but ensure there are no witnesses."

Soon the call ended as the sinner contemplated his decisions. Once his girlfriend fixed him his breakfast, he would set off and make his preparations.

Husk sat stood up from behind his counter and manned his recently-acquired job. He did not expect much to happen to the hotel and doubted that there would be newcomers to join Charlie's hotel of redemption. Yet, the sinner could relax and quietly take 'samples' of the bar's inventory for a taste while servicing the building's occupants with the cheapest booze to ever exist in Hell or the finest drinks meant for the upper classes. The only time he was ever content in this dreadful existence was when he was gambling away his hard-earned money and was lucky enough to swindle the cash from his unfortunate opponents or throwing up in a back alley. Though, his troubles have led him to hear thanks to Alastor's habits of making deals with someone like him. The man was not sure if this particular overlord was worse than the devil himself.

His peace was interrupted when Angel Dust approached his bar and took a seat on the stools across from him. The damn bastard was always hitting on him with every opportunity; however, the gangster of a drag queen made for a fine drinking buddy at times. There were times when he decided to get too sweet and be reminded of the reality that he wasn't interested in a relationship. "Drink?"

"You know the usual," The Italian answered as he brandished a small pouch from his chest of fluff before snorting white powder up his nose. Soon, he let out a chuckle and leaned forward, "Good thing the gals aren't here to give a shit. Anything interesting on your end?"

"It's boring as fuck at times." It was one of the moments he would be honest with him as he pulled out a glass, poured scooped ice inside, and reached for a bottle of whiskey from underneath his workspace.

"Nah, what you need to change things up is to have some gossip around here. Everyone always has their favorite bottles and wants to unwind, even release some tension by to someone. After all, how did you think I ended up the way I went?"

Husk glanced at Angel's appearance and also judged his personality. There was not much for him to make of outside of selling his body to the highest bidder. "It probably involved a lot of cocksucking after people cried on your shoulder."

"I was about to say otherwise but let's be honest, you're not wrong there. My mouth has certainly did a lot of lip service and I love it." He replied before the bartender poured the alcohol into the glass and passed it over to his customer. Then the bottle ended up on his lips and chugged away.

The hotel entrance was opened and the duo turned their heads to find Railtracer entering with a duffle bag in hand. He was quite the stranger who kept to himself but the gambler knew full well that everyone had their secrets. Fortunately, he had no intention to start asking questions about a guy who fixes weapons for a living. Then the pink-furred spider spun around in his seat and waved his hands.

"Hey, good to see you! Anything interesting in your line of work?"

He shook his head before taking a seat beside Angel and dropped his bag beside his legs. Then the ghostly Soviet soldier slipped his gasmask off and revealed a skull wrapped in blue flames. Husk raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that he had not shown his face until now. "I have a feeling you got a reason for being here instead of the workshop."

"You have no idea. Get me two of those tasty American drinks, I'm not in the mood for vodka," Without a word, the bartender walked over to the refrigerator behind him and produced two glass bottles before returning to the counter. Once he handed them over, Railtracer popped a bottlecap and sipped the soda, "Apparently, I earned the attention of a succubus and she has been visiting me at work."

The sex worker beside him had laughed and nudged his shoulder with his. "Fuck yeah! Now, I don't swing that way but that is a sign that she is interested in you. What she do? Have any kinky shit you're up to?"

Husk shouldn't have been surprised by his behavior; however, he noticed that the Russian weapons mechanic was concerned about something else. "I think our buddy here might be telling us something else entirely."

"You think so? This is the first time he's been open about what happens at I.M.P," Then Angel Dust leaned against the counter and focused his full attention, "Something wrong with you? Does your pecker not work?"

Railtracer took another swig before the flames on his skull revealed a slight smile on his face. "She kissed me and I did like it but there's some baggage about her. As it turns out, my boss is her ex-boyfriend and they certainly have a history with each other. None of you have no idea how many colorful insults I've heard that would make an erotic poem blush."

"Ah, I see. If you reciprocate her feelings, you're going to be on your boss's shitlist?"

"That is what I am worried about," The bartender wasn't drunk enough to lose his senses but he felt like the man was treating this issue with careful consideration, "Hard to concentrate with the yelling. Sooner or later I got to talk to Blitzo and Verosika about reconciling their past somehow."

He recognized the name of the imp in charge of the Immediate Murder Professionals; however, the other name seemed familiar. Yet, Husk was unable to recognize where he heard of her before. Then the homosexual spider expressed his reaction, "Hold the fuck up? You're talking about Verosika? The Verosika Mayday?"

"Yes, her. She showed up on our floor in an attempt to trash my armory but a gun jam accidentally fired and shot her." Just the way he described his interaction with the succubus was enough to make him chuckle. It sounded innocent, or rather, the sinner didn't seem to recognize the importance of the person he was speaking of, unlike the Italian beside him.

"So let me get this straight - you shot a famous popstar in Hell, work for her ex, and somehow still horny enough to start a relationship?"

Railtracer paused his drinking and looked up at the ceiling. Then he gave a confirming nod. "You pretty much summed it up."

"Well, I'll be damned," The bartender remarked as he placed his bottle on the counter and the trio leaned closer to each other's company, "Don't know how you'll deal with that.

"Let's give a toast to your friend here at having a chance of eating out some good pussy. We got to give you as much luck as possible and see where this possible relationship can end up." Angel Dust raised his whiskey on the rocks before the winged two-legged cat and the apparition in a military uniform brought their drinks together and tapped glasses.

"Cheers." Soon they took one long sip for a single sinner's chance at making love.

The department's spending on the latest sports car had not gone to waste. Originally, it was meant for Artyom to travel between his residence in Hell and his work at I.M.P but the changing situation prevented its use. Now? Pavel was using it as a joyride and a way to impress his succubus date. Valerie had connections to people who built high-quality vehicles in this dark realm and it showed with the incredible driving handling he had ever come across.

His date remarked on the vehicle's acceleration and ability to make a smooth stop. "What did you do for a living that gets you a car like this?"

"I don't steal stuff like this," He answered as his eyes were focused on the road so they could get to their destination; however, the communist had to maintain the secrecy as much as possible, "It's too high profile not to get noticed by the authorities but I do know someone who peddles this stuff underground."

"So you have your connections as well." The driver did not know what she meant by that but he did not mind. This was his first proper date with the succubus and there was still enough space for everything to go wrong.

"What's this place we're going to?"

"Great question," The Hellborn was quick to acknowledge him as her hands adjusted her black bodycon mini dress and flattened the wrinkles, "Verosika doesn't like to be in Pride a lot but there's this cafe called the Macho Machine. Turns out her dad owns the place but he makes the best coffee I've ever tasted. Our crew sees it as the best hangout spot when we're shopping."

Pavel pondered about the pop star's father. He would likely have heard about that incident where he hijacked her car and he was bound to discover what kind of personality would view him. Unfortunately, there were many forms that the Hellborn enjoyed and it was difficult to mentally picture the disapproving individual in the back of his mind. "Sounds like a lovely man."

"Oh, you have no idea."

She seemed to be taking pleasure in his fear but that was a challenge he would have to address once he got there.

"Take this left turn. The cafe will be on this corner street with a single street lamp."

He decelerated his vehicle before slowly turning the car to a different street on his left. Kiki pointed out that the building was further ahead before he closed the distance and parked the orange Mustang in the designated parking spot. Then his stomach started to growl as his lovely companion chuckled.

"Good thing sinners can't leave Pride. Gluttony will quite literally eat you alive." She said as her hand reached for the door handle and opened it. Soon she clambered out of the vehicle with her black high heels tapping against the pavement. The disguised Saved soul took the moment to admire her beauty despite all of the department's training to discourage such a connection with a Hellborn. Soon, he stepped out of the car and activated its automatic lock before walking over to the sidewalk and presented his arm forward.

"May I be your escort?"

Kiki smiled and wrapped her arm around his. "You may."

The duo walked to the front of the old red-bricked building with its 1920s theme inside. Behind the glass door was a closed sign but his date did not hesitate to reach for the handle and encourage him inside. As they entered, a bell jingled above with no one present for them. They were flanked by booths lined up against the windows while tall tables were organized in a checkerboard pattern with each occupied by four stools. On the other side of the room was a counter where the barista would be; however, there was no one there to greet them.

"Don't let the sign deceive you," She stated while leading him across the way, "The cafe's a referral only."

Pavel's eyes noticed movement across the counter and among the carts full of bagels and donuts. Then he was taken aback by the sight of a blue mechanical humanoid robot with golden wings on its back and a crimson red arm, flying across the open spaces with swift precision. The very fact that it was able to not knock anything to the ground within its movements was enough to leave the disguised Saved drop his jaw. Then he remembered what the demon beside him said about Verosika's father, "Does this robot help him out at the shop?"

"No, it's her adoptive dad."

"Hell continues to baffle me sometimes," He remarked as they approached the counter and get a closer examination of the machine, "Hello."

The head was nothing more than a robotic eye with its yellow pupil staring him down as it tilted its gaze at them. "Welcome to the Macho Machine. What can I do for you?"

"I really don't know what to get since coffee is not my general drink. Kiki, do you have any recommendations?" His real reason for hesitating to order was the automated mechanical voice that addressed him.

Soon the succubus presented two fingers. "Nice to see you again, V1. How about two ice cappuccinos, two bagels, and two chocolate donuts with sprinkles?"

"Two, two, two - coming right up," said the machine as it started to walk to a machine behind it, brandishing two plastic cups before dispensing ice-cold coffee. It looked over its shoulder and spoke once more, "What do you want for your bagels?"

"Blueberry."

Then it nodded its head and returned to gathering their order.

"Don't know if you heard but Verosika got shot," She said before stealing a look from the man disguised as a mechanical sinner.

Hearing that piqued his interest ever since the last time he departed from her mansion. "Shit, do you guys know who did it?"

"Yeah, turns out he works at I.M.P and fixes weapons for the assassination crew," His stomach dropped upon hearing that sentence. What did the popstar have in store for his old companion, "I think I know who you're talking about."

"You know him?"

"We're old acquaintances before we bit the bullet. Once we were close friends, then I tried to kill him and he tried to kill me. We're on better terms now." A bit of truth went a long way toward selling his sinful past but even mentioning it still hurt him.

Kiki raised an eyebrow before continuing. "Well, my galpal is trying to hook up with him."

"Wait, what?"

To say that he was taken by surprise was an understatement as he looked at Kiki. Then the machine returned to the counter with their food and drink, earning their attention. "Who's paying?"

Pavel did not hesitate to reach into the right pocket of his brown jacket and passed over the hard stacks of cash to the robotic owner of the cafe. For some strange reason, the machine seemed to express its suspicion upon him before receiving the payment and placing the money inside the cash register.

Once the transaction was complete, Kiki brought the supposed sinner to the red leather booth tables where they could see their ride outside. She reached for her packet and pulled out a blueberry bagel with cream cheese elegantly stuffed inside. "It's odd. I normally don't see V1 ever give people that look."

"You think so?" He wondered, curious as to what her thoughts were about the machine and the history it had with Verosika, "How did that robot become your friend's dad?"

"We were friends before she even got any fame in Lust. I was fortunate to have parents but Ver was another kid down on their luck. Fuck, I don't think anyone would have thought that robot would adopt her given its history."

The communist wondered if it was related to its creepy appearance. "Does it involve a bit of blood and violence?"

"You must be a recent sinner around these parts if you haven't heard about the machine. There's a legend that it was a prototype created during the War in Heaven to kill sinners and demons alike without any mercy. Us kids thought the same when it hunted these very streets."

"Talk about terrifying," He admitted unsure what to make with that information, only that the machine's reaction to his presence was unsettling, "Did it somehow gain a conscious before adopting her?"

She nodded her head. "Verosika told me that it rescued her from some sharks down in Greed. Since then, it took over this place after killing the asshole who owned it."

"Then I was considerably lucky that she didn't send a death machine after me for stealing her car," A small chuckle was let out, hoping to ease the tension in his mind about the potential clusterfuck his actions could have got him in.

"Come on, try this out.."

After her encouragement, the Russian reached for the plastic cup and took a sip from his drink. A minute passed as the energy in his body felt invigorated by a simple taste. Perhaps it was the ingredients that could only be found in Hell or maybe it was how V1 created it. All that Pavel knew was that his body could reach for the stars. His eyes trailed to the right and stared outside. Part of him wanted to make the date more enjoyable; however, he did not know how Kiki would react to his further advances.

A red dot shimmered against the glass before painting the laser on his person. It was here that his instincts took over as he reached over the wooden table and pulled her towards the white tile floor. "What the fuck?!"

Gunfire rang out as their booth was torn apart by gunfire a moment later. Glass shattered as he regained his senses and the adrenaline was pumped into his body. Someone was after him and they would pay for interrupting this rare moment of peace in Hell. Then his hand reached for the holster hidden underneath the jacket and pulled out a Grach pistol.

The bell rang as Pavel turned his head to the cafe entrance and saw a shark in a tuxedo slip through the door with a submachine gun in his hands and a cigar in his mouth. Then his eyes eagerly acknowledged the disguised sinner's presence; however, the Purgatory investigator's hand was quick to draw his gun and fire two rounds into the assailant's cranium. As the body slumped against the doorway, he helped his date off the ground and pointed towards the counter.

They ran past the tables and jumped to the other side of the counter for its relative safety. "I am sorry this date turned into a firefight."

"How many people did you piss off?" She wondered before looking at her dress, "Fucking damn it, going to have this checked out."

Pavel looked around to see where the robotic barista disappeared given how little time had passed since the transaction. Was it part of the ambush? Nonetheless, they were in trouble and their ride was in the view of their killers. He took a moment to peek over the marble counter as he heard the entrance bell ring several times. Three sharks, two imps, and a boar in suits and ties had entered the cafe with automatic weaponry. One of them spoke in a Chicago accent and addressed the two. "The boss heard about you trashing his television store. Mr. Vox sends his regards."

"Don't you idiots know whose building you're in? This is V1's cafe!"

"Bitch, it's fucking fairy tale," The gangster replied, "There's no scary death machine created by the ang-"

He was cut off by a loud blast that rippled from the back side of the kitchen into the table area. The Saved soul watched as the sinner in charge had his upper torso ripped apart by a pure blue energy blast before he heard the air get cut by the wings of a blue robot flying past them. Shock was all they could express before they focused their fire on the machine. Bullets rippled throughout the room as the ex-communist officer witnessed cold-calculated carnage beyond anything he had ever seen.

V1 somehow lunged toward the nearest demon with its red arm pulled back until it was in striking distance. An explosive punch reached an imp as the force of shotgun shells blasted through the victim's torso within seconds, blood painting the clean floor. The others were quick to hip-fire their Tommy guns and spray the machine through a volume of fire. Unfortunately, it side-stepped and dodged their wrath, tossing aside its railgun and pulling out a revolver from its hip.

One of the gangsters was frustrated with the situation. "Kill it, kill it!"

The machine was not finished as it tossed three gold coins in the air for no discernable reason. What was the point of its tactic? Soon the pistol arm aimed at one flipping piece and fired. A single bullet ricocheted off the first throw as Pavel saw the bullet trail seek out the other two coins in mid-air. The saved was filled with awe and anticipation when the last throw bounced the round before accelerating through the remaining assailants. Their bodies exploded with blood and body parts raining from above, scattering across the cafe.

Kiki rose from behind the counter as the disguised soul followed suit. Then she remarked on the scene. "I told them… I fucking told them and they did not listen."

"Well, it's over," He commented before looking over at their food and drink by the booth riddled with bullet holes, "I am sorry to have ruined the date."

"You sound like you were the reason for this," She turned her head and stared at him.

"Let's just say I didn't think there would be any consequences back then."

"Neither of us expected this to happen," Then the succubus walked over and kissed him on his metallic cheek, "Still, you tried."

A warm feeling seeped through his veins as he appreciated her care. Their attention fell upon the machine in the room with red spots on its metallic frame as it shifted its focus toward the only customers in the building. Yet, Pavel could see the dents in the armor as the blood slowly disintegrated and impacts from the gunfire healed before his very eyes. Uhlman was going to need to hear about this when he returned to the safe house. "What an inconvenience. It will take some time before I clean this mess up. I hope both of you are alright."

"We're fine. Shame that you got to fix up our mess."

"Worry not, I'll work things out," It answered, approaching the counter and tossing another coin from its crimson arm, "If you want, both of you can treat yourself to whatever is in the back before you go. That's the least I can do. Just don't tell Verosika. She already has enough on her plate right now."

She chuckled before turning around and heading into the back kitchen. "These lips are sealed."

Relieved of the fighting, the saved-in-disguise holstered his pistol and let out an uneasy smile towards the relic of the War in Heaven. Such artifacts of the past were rare and powerful, a symbolic way to convey greatness and horror. So for such a mere soul to be in the presence of one was an honor in itself. He thought about the cafe drinks but then V1 spoke at a lower volume, addressing him. "It is rare to be in the audience of the department."

"Uh," A cold chill ran through his spine, "What are you talking about?"

"That bracelet is not enough to hide what you are...investigator."

He was speechless at the machine's intelligence of seeing through the masquerade. "I… uh…"

"I no longer have his grace but worry not, your secret is safe with me." The department was going to have a field day knowing that there was one in Hell that knew their secret. What was there to say than to acknowledge the Department of Purgatory's presence in this dark realm?

Business at the Council of Archangels was continuing to be a weary affair. The High Marshal had grown tired of the incessant demands to mobilize troops and begin shaping operations against the denizens of Hell. Azrael continued to provide substantial efforts into finding the perpetrators of the attack but it was not enough to sate the desire for bloodshed. He wished it was so simple but despite it all, Lucifer was still his brother even if he fell from Heaven.

The archangel adjusted his black suit and red tie as he found himself standing in front of a train station within a large plaza of an empty town. It looked that way thanks to the efforts of the saved humans seeking to find comfort in their salvation. He was not one for appearances but if it kept them happy then it would keep them satisfied with their existence in the afterlife. After all, the head of the Holy Army appreciated its fruits whether it was the ability to develop weapons and vehicles or transport armies in a blink of an eye.

Few in the afterlife knew that this building was once the travel point between Heaven and Hell. The kenopsia of being present was enough to hurt him as he remembered the old days before his brother made his decision. This ghost town had not recovered since the days of the war, its inhabitants fleeing to better cities than be in the shadow of this relic. Some had called for its removal to avoid the blight on this kingdom of light; however, Michael was the one who had insisted on its maintenance should the day of reckoning come. The other reason was his unwillingness to kill the good moments in his life.

A tear fell from his eye as he recalled his younger days with Azrael. Lucifer would venture into Hell on behalf of the Lord while they would wait out in the plaza and snack. When their older brother returned, the trio would seek out a movie theater or visit the ice cream shop. Then they would return to their father and receive a disapproving discussion about staying out at night. Even then, he would remain positive about his son's return.

It was not until Lucifer and their father disagreed on the fate of Hell's existence. Michael remembered the arguments that were being laid out in favor or against the complete destruction of the dark realm. He should have seen it then when his brother would make secret visits to the one he fell in love with. Oh, how much bloodshed could have been avoided if they realized it then?

He strode forth towards the steps and made his way into the building. Even though there were cities whose skyscrapers could reach the endless skies, none would match the rail station towering over him. Upon reaching the main entrance, his hand wrapped in a white glove reached out for the doorknob but then he stopped. Hesitation took over him as reluctance discouraged the thought of personally meeting his brother down below.

A pair of armored sabatons landed gently behind his back. "Having second thoughts, again?"

"You know me, Gabriel," Michael let out a deep breath as he turned around to greet his brother with a slightly warm smile. The archangel standing before him was encased in white and gold armor, his wings consisting of blue flames, and the front of his white helm a golden cross. "I thought you would be busy greeting the newcomers at the front of the pearly gates."

"The latest meeting with the council was enough to convince me. Almost everyone is so eager to end Lucifer once and for all but you and I know the implications of that decision." He replied with a concerned tone underneath his armor.

"A war akin to an apocalypse. We are so fortunate that Azrael is working overtime with that department of his."

It was a hesitation that he hated to acknowledge but Heaven would find its existence at a crisis point if the situation ever escalated to that moment. The Archangel of Death had proved himself useful but hopefully, his investigations would produce easing results.

His mind lingered on the members of the council and recalled the Archangel of Destruction - Abbadon. Much earlier, he had personally insisted on the complete scale of extermination of Hell in their father's name. His brother had not been satisfied by the yearly deployment of exterminators; however, the current attitude seemed to border on bloodthirsty. "I am worried for Abbadon's sake. He is all too eager to wage war and slay Lucifer."

"Should we discourage his thinking the next time we meet?" Gabriel asked of him as his hands rested on the hilt of his sheathed swords, "If needs be, I could convince him."

"No. He would see you as a ruse by me. It would be better if he came to his own conclusions than for our… encouragement." That particular archangel was a hard-headed one and even temperamental. So to even try would merely agitate him even further on the council.

"So what do you plan to do?"

Azrael needed time for his investigations and so he would give it to him. "Stall the idea of war as much as possible. Our father would appreciate such an effort, even for our fallen kin."

Author's Note: Huh? It looks like my new self format of posting chapters is beginning to make them a bit longer. Hopefully, I have the stamina to keep it up.

So one of the characters in this chapter was inspired by a picture I saw on Reddit by mariazyt and I did promise to throw down a bit of links down the artist's way. If you're interested check out the work done on Instagram, Twitter, DeviantArt, or ArtStation. It's my way of returning the favor.