Blitzo leaned back in his chair as he sorted out the papers containing his income statements and balance sheets. Ever since his sinner employee took the gamble of sorting them out, I.M.P was in a better place than before, money-wise. Now not only could he afford to be spend-thrifty if he wanted to but the business wouldn't be near the red zone if he tried. It was a blessing in its own right; however, the imp knew better than to be complacent. Once he finished reading through the accounts, he placed the sheets of his accounts flat across his desk knowing his latest employee had earned his value.

What concerned him was his ex-girlfriend showing up. Millie and Moxxie were already asking him about the kind of sex he had with that bitch of a succubus. Loona wanted to get an autograph from her, which was not a pleasant thought considering his relationship with his daughter. Then there was Railtracer being the target of Verosika's desires. The history with the woman had come to haunt him and he was worried that she could take him away out of spite at any moment. His mind thought back to when their relationship was better than this but the imp felt that it was too good to last.

Then his phone rang as the ringtone was him screaming throughout his office before he quickly reached for the device and answered the call. "Immediate Murder Professionals, what can I do for you today?"

"I have a proposition for you," A garbled voice of a man answered. It was one of those incognito machines that could prevent people from being recognized, "There is someone by the name of Lawrence Roy. Bastard backstabbed me and I scrounged up enough to pay you to return the favor. Tell him it was me, Bary."

"Alright, is there anything else you would like to add? You'll have to pay extra though if you want it." If there was one perk about dealing with eccentric sinners, spite was a great way to throw their money his way."

"Yes. Shove as many raccoons up his ass."

The CEO of the assassin business widened his eyes in complete shock. He had heard of stranger things but this took the case. "You got it!"

Blitzo ended the call as he shuffled his papers back into his desk before jumping out of his chair and seeking the door. It swung open as his adoptive daughter was in her secretary chair while his other employees were playing darts with human pictures as targets. He stood in the doorway, earning their full attention.

"A client gave us another job. So get your gear people because it's a special order!"

Moxxie and Millie went over to the arsenal room without question as Loona remained unaffected by the news. The Hellhound busied herself looking at her phone and watching what social media had in store but he did not mind that as the imp always encouraged her interests even when Moxxie complained about it. Yet, there was one person who was not present in this room.

"Loona, where is Railtracer?"

She stopped scrolling through her screen and pointed a finger toward the exit. "Smoke break on the roof."

"Thank you Loony," He said in an adorable tone as he walked over to his desk and expressed his love. She seemed annoyed while her eyes rolled, "Don't worry, I'll see if I can bring something back for you."

"Unless it is a new metal album, I'm not interested."

Once he accepted his daughter's reply, the imp exited the offices where his business resided. As Blitzo stepped into the hallway, Hellborn and sinners were encountered, proceeding with their lives and ignoring his presence as usual. There was a time when he tried to advertise his business to them in person, but it merely alienated them from the front door. It was a shame, really but he accepted the reality that not everyone could be appeased. To his right was an open door leading into the stairwell and that path is what would lead him to the rooftops. He eagerly rushed past the bystanders and entered the series of stairs, hoping his employee would be waiting at the top.

When he reached the destination and stepped outside, his eyes took in his surroundings and saw only closed air vents and conditioners littered across the flat surface. Yet, the man he was looking for was not present. "Railtracer?"

"Up here," Answered a tired Russian behind him but above. The CEO turned around and looked up to see the sinner sitting on the edge, his gas mask resting atop his head the flaming skull smoked the butt of a cigarette, "Anything you need boss?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah, we need to have a conversation." Then the imp clambered up the walls with his claws and took a seat beside the sinner. "It's about Verosika."

"Don't want me dating her?"

"You read my mind," Blitzo answered as he slapped him on the back, "We both have a history as you saw earlier."

"If you don't mind me asking, sir, what happened between both of you?" Railtracer wondered before his gloved hands took the cigarette from his blue flaming lips.

He chuckled at the question. Just how exactly was he going to explain it to him? The imp looked up at the red sky and the stars above. "I took her credit card to get a chance at some horse lessons. Ended up maxing it out and she hasn't forgiven me since."

"I hate to openly say this but that does sound like an asshole move from you," What right did he have to judge him? This was Hell after all and people were expected to have some degree of assholery involved. Then the sinner continued his thoughts on his actions, "Honestly, I can see why she would hate you now?"

"Careful now, I'm your boss." Reminded Blitzo as his finger was pointed directly at the Russian on his left.

Railtracer shook his head as he breathed out the smoke that had been building in his lungs. "That may be but let's look at it on a personal level." He then smashed his cigarette into the concrete pavement before turning his head and focusing his attention on him. "You broke her trust. I would be the same in her position and you're lucky she's not openly going after you."

"What would you know about it? Have any experience in breaking relationships?"

A small pause was left between the duo as the Russian lowered his head. "In some ways… yes. Whatever is going on between both of you, it has to end."

"Why?" He demanded looking at the man beside him. The sinner seemed interested in his ex-girlfriend, "You seem to care about her."

"I'm thinking of reciprocating her feelings." Well shit, he liked the succubus.

"She's not worth it."

He spat on the ground below. "That is not for you to decide. I still want to work for I.M.P but if I want to pursue a relationship with Verosika, it would be nice if both of you tried to end that spat of yours." His voice seemed genuine about it and Blitzo feared that possibility. She could take him away from his business venture but another person willing to entertain his dreams.

It was a surprise to see this sinner have this stance. "You genuinely like her, don't you?"

"Yes," Came the answer, "Being in Hell… I can never go back to my old life. That connection has been severed from the moment I let out my last breath. Verosika seems like a new beginning for me."

"You know, it would have sounded like you never belonged here in the first place." That was a deep conversation the CEO had with him. There was a feeling of dealing with someone who was complicated and it thrilled him.

There was never a chance to reply when Moxxie's voice called out from the stairwell. "Blitz! We're waiting on you."

"Okay, we'll talk about you going out with my ex after we do this job. You understand?"

Railtracer nodded as he enclosed his flaming skull by sliding his gas mask over his face. "Crystal."

There was nothing left to say as everything had been said. Soon the Hellborn assassin slipped off the top of the stairwell roof and went to work.

Valentino, Vox, and Velvette sat in the movie theater watching a movie about a Greed shark backstabbing his peers to get revenge on his old business partners. Normally, this room would be reserved for the porn scenes but there was still enough downtime since extermination day to restart the business place. The comedy had given the trio one massive smile as they watched a Greedling chop an imp in the confines of a meat-packaging room. The lustful moth smiled while the cigarette smoke reached up into the skies.

His enjoyment did not end there as he blew the smoke from his lungs and commanded the red trails underneath the skirt of the girl sitting beside him. Unfortunately, she hit his right shoulder with a backhand. "Not here, Val! We'll do it after the movie is over. You got to let me build up."

"Sure thing, babe," He replied as looked at the theater screen with a snickering giggle. An imp had been laid across a table as a Greedling towered over him, knife in hand, "You would think he'd go for the saw."

"Nah man, this one's personal. I want the bastard to use the spoon he's got in the back."

Minutes passed as they watched the Hellborn shark step away from his victim to look over his next set of tools for torture. Then the movie was paused as the trio expressed growled their frustration at the interruption."

"Alright, who the fuck decided to end the fun?!" Velvette demanded as she stood from her seat and turned around to the movie projector. Valentino and Vox looked over their shoulder as the light flickered and began to shut down.

The theater lights turned on with the overlords glaring at the person standing behind the projector. Yet, there was a sense of surprise as their eyes adjusted to the new lighting with an imp walking past the projector, his hands resting into his pockets and a business jacket resting over his shoulders. He adjusted his fedora and smiled, allowing a golden tooth to shine. "Well, well, well… Good to see that you three are enjoying your evening."

"Crimson?" The overlord between Valentino and Vox expressed her surprise as she walked out from among the seats and stood in the aisle, "What do you want?"

"Simple. I'm here to report that my people tried to perform that task you three asked of me."

"Is that it? You got the target?" There was something strange about this meeting as an associate of theirs reached into his pocket and produced a large cigar.

His jovial appearance came to an end when he brandished a lighter and began to smoke. "Did any of you do your research?!" The mob boss demanded of the trio, "I sent a crew to kill a sinner and his broad, not fight a fucking weapon of the War in Heaven! Do you have any idea how much this set me back?"

Valentino rose and turned around. That was newsworthy but quite shocking. The artifacts of the past were rare and dangerous. Yet, they were also difficult to obtain if they were not scavenged by the ranks of Lucifer's own forces or the Ars Goetia. "How were we to know that is what you're up against? We paid you to handle it yourself."

"I did and look where I am right now," He replied filling the movie theater with smoke.

"So we're all in a pickle," The moth admitted as he leaned against the chair behind him and started brushing his chin, "What exactly do we need to get rid of an old war machine from that era?"

"There are some connections in my pocket. Some of the bluebloods don't take a liking to our kind but give them something worth their time, they'll help us with our little problem. My boys get avenged, your target gets killed, and the people sitting on top of us are fine and happy."

Vox adjusted his tie and increased the volume of his television head. "So who do you have in mind that will help us?"

"It will take a few business days," Crimson said as he chewed on his cigar. "But the dame's name is Stella."

The princess of Hell and her girlfriend were together in the hotel's library. They sat together on the couch, reading their books as a bag of donuts lay on the coffee table in front of them. From the moment they fell in love, Charlie and Vaggie were inseparable from each other's company with one bringing hope and the other tempering expectations in the relationship. Her highness busied herself reading a human novel called 'War & Peace', its themes fascinating her as the hours were spent in a world that was beyond her own. Yet, she could not help herself from being distracted by the sight of her beloved putting down a book to reach for the white bag in front of them.

Vaggie's hand pulled out a chocolate-covered sprinkled donut and eagerly took a bite. She chewed for several minutes, savoring the taste before swallowing the piece. "I'm not fond of expressing this but part of me is glad that I don't have to worry about my weight in Hell. Say, how did you get a sweet tooth?"

"Mom said I took it from my dad," Answered the royal of the dark realm, "Apparently, he had a thing for presenting sweet gifts to others and it kinda rubbed onto me. She also said it's how she fell in love with him when they first met."

"That's so sweet. Your dad seems to be quite the romantic despite what he says about your idea."

"You have no idea." The princess wanted to return to her reading but the thought of her parent's love broke her concentration. Her father was the sweetest figure in life but whenever Charlie brought up the subject of trying to get people into Heaven, it would only anger him. She considered asking him about the past and what they did to earn his wrath; yet, the princess never dared to ask.

A door on the opposite end of the room had opened was the hotel's servants and the royal's personal aides entered the room. Two goat-like Hellborn entered the room and walked over to her, both carrying a plate silver platter holding up a red telephone. One of them spoke up with earnest care, "Your highness, a call from the palace!"

The other chimed in. "It's your father. He wants to talk."

Both girls sat up on the couch as Charlie knew the importance he had on her life, putting their books aside. The goats placed the telephone on the table and bowed before she smiled at their service. "Razzle, Dazzle, thank you."

Her bodyguards bowed before her and made their way out of the room as Vaggie remarked on the timely moment. "What does your dad want?"

"I don't know and that worries me," The king of Hell looked down on her idea of redeeming sinners from the moment she brought it to his dining table. Her father's disappointment weighing down on her shoulders ever since she left to make this project a reality. It was likely that he saw the news and her embarrassment, "Let's see what he wants."

She grabbed the phone and lifted it towards her ear. A tinge of fear crept at the back of her mind that dad would gloat at her failure to attract sinners or convince them to change their ways. Yet, Charlotte Magne Morningstar would put on a brave face regardless of his thoughts on the matter.

"Princess Charlie at the Hazbin Hotel, what can I do for you?"

The voice on the other side was coughing as if it was clearing the throat. Then her dad spoke with worry. "Charlie? It's me."

"Hey dad, I suppose you heard about that mess on the news network." She admitted before turning her gaze towards Vaggie, "What did you want to call me about?"

"Your mother encouraged me to talk to you after we saw what happened. I've already expressed my displeasure with your dream but… are you okay?"

It was good to hear the man stop being the king of Hell and transform into her father. "Yeah dad, I'm alright for a bit," Maybe he would be keen on hearing her progress at the very least? "It was not a total loss. I did attract a few sinners at my hotel though, even got an overlord to come over and help out."

He chuckled on his end of the line. "Was he truly there to seek redemption?"

"Unfortunately, no," Vaggie smiled knowing she was honest and upfront about Alastor's machinations, "He was there for the company and to see the whole idea fail."

"I see. Well, I'm thinking about paying a visit to your hotel at a later date."

"Are you sure? I thought you hated this redemption hotel." Charlie was taken aback by her dad's announcement.

"I do," He said with utmost honesty, "Yet, part of me wants to see what you have done with the place. I still own that hotel, you know."

"Can you give me a week to prepare?"

"Of course, dear. Your mother sends you her love."

A tear came from her eye. "Love you too, dad."

They ended the call as Vaggie scooted over to her. "Hey, what did Lucifer want?"

"He's coming over."

"Oh," Her girlfriend acknowledge before looking up at the ceiling, "It's a good thing that Nifty is around to clean things up. Shouldn't be a problem there."

"We still have to worry about the people living here. Got to teach them proper etiquette when around my father." She didn't think much about it until now but the princess would have her work cut out when teaching them proper manners before they could return to their typical behavior.

The crew had been out save for I.M.P's secretary and gunsmith. As the Hellhound tapped her fingers on the phone, she looked across her desk to find the sinner sitting on the couch, trying to attach a scope to the weapon with careful precision. He had an entire workshop to himself; yet, the sinner was tinkering in their lounge space. "Why are you doing this here when you have the armory?"

He ceased his installation and looked over to the Hellhound at her seat. "They're occupied. Blitz decided it was a good idea to cover half of my workspace with a rocket launcher."

"Ah, makes sense," She added before focusing her eyes on the social media, "Say, do you have your own account on Sinstagram?"

"Eh, what?" The sheer confusion on his expression was enough to tell that he probably didn't know what it was.

"I'll take that as a no. It's an app on your phone."

Railtracer reached into his pocket and pulled out the device in his hand swiping through the information he had on hand. "Yeah, is it the one with the pentagram symbol on it?"

"Yep, that's it," Rather than watch the sinner trouble himself with a device he barely had a clue about, Loona jumped from her seat and across the desk to make her way over to the damned human. She towered over him and tapped the software application for him, "I want you to make your account start following I.M.P. Blitz will appreciate that."

He turned his head and looked up at her. "What does this have to do with the company? It doesn't seem related."

"It's free advertising. The more people follow the company's webpage, the more we can raise awareness to new customers. That's why I'm here behind my desk, I'm the only one savvy enough to get the attention of Pride." The hellhound explained, hoping she wouldn't need to write an essay to get her point across. She watched him tap on his screen several times before she saw the company's logo on his phone.

"Ladna, so that is how it works. Thanks, glad I could help the boss out even further."

It was rare for her to smile but Loona could sense his genuine thanks for her assistance. Rarely was it acknowledge in this office and often she would be agitated by the judgemental standards of Moxxie's opinions. "You're welcome," Intuition took over as her instincts felt that Blitzo and his crew were ready to return from their latest assassination attempt, "Welp, they're back."

She returned to her desk where the Grimoire of an Ars Goetia was located as her ears picked up Railtracer tinkering with his guns. Then she heard his relief being spoken out loud. "Finally, I got the scope on here."

The book on her desk was snatched as she opened the pages to the runes and inscriptions that would open the way between Hell and the human worlds. Even though she whispered the words to herself, they still contained power and it was one to be respected. Once she finished, a portal appeared within the office space as a bridge between two realities opened. The hellhound stole a glimpse from the sinner, whose gaze seemed fascinated as she walked over to the entrance to see her fellow employees and adoptive dad return.

Out from the mortal plane was Millie with a smile on her face. "We're back!"

Animal instincts sensed danger as her nose captured the scent of two complete strangers nearby. She looked through the portal to find Blitzo and Moxxie turning around the corner in an alleyway as a human in a black suit and tie chased after them. Loona could not recognize the weapon he had in his arms but the young woman was taken aback when another human rappeled from the rooftops and descended in between the portal and the rest of the crew. "Shit, we've been found!"

Humans were never meant to know about the denizens of Hell and those living within that Dark Realm should have known better than to seek out the humans on Earth… or multiple Earths. In this instance, there was nothing to be done but then Railtracer ran past her and fired his rifle from the portal entrance. Three shots rang out as the human standing between them was struck in the arm as she took refuge behind a trash can. "Comrade-boss, get in. I'll cover you."

For a brief moment, she caught sight of her dad's fear before he turned to her with resolve. "Loona, close it!"

This was a day she feared would happen but the daughter knew what was expected of her. Millie turned around and tried to help but the lips of the grimoire's wielder were faster. In a blink of an eye, the portal closed on Blitzo and Moxxie as the third member of the hit squad jumped forward and smacked into the wall the portal took place. The imp's hands slammed against the wall repeatedly as she unleashed her frustration while holding back the tears.

Then the sinner beside her lowered his weapon and turned around. "Why did you close the portal? They were right there."

"Because Blitz ordered me," Loona had her reasons and one of them involved her dad thinking about the possibility of getting caught. She didn't think much of it then but now the goth girl understood while standing in this room, "He expected something like this would happen."

"We need to rescue them." He replied as he walked over to imp crying her heart out.

What right did he have to make an initiative? More importantly, he should have known better than to make that statement. "We'll rescue him but you can't help. You're a sinner, do you know how much trouble you would bring if we went back?"

"You're talking about consequences? In a business where everything we do is illegal? To hell with that, I'm helping out no matter what," The sinner replied as he knelt and helped the poor girl up, "Millie, it's okay. We're going back for them. Why don't you get the duffle bag and start snatching as many weapons as you can from the armory?"

The imp wiped her tears as she struggled to walk towards the other room. "You better make that portal running as soon as we're finished packing."

"Don't worry about her. She'll open up that portal, right?" He looked over his shoulder and the glass eyes looked at her.

Loona was not one to fully express her emotions but seeing Millie saddened by her separation from her husband was enough to put weight on her heart. Then she looked at the damned soul stand as he reached for his phone and started tapping away. "What are you doing."

"I am making a few calls," He answered while the hellhound noticed his proficiency with swiping and tapping the screen had increased, "This could go wrong but if it does, I know a few people who owe me some favors."

She did not know why but the sinner standing in front of her brought more questions than answers as he made his call.

Few people in Heaven rarely admitted to liking the entertainment made in Hell. Though, almost everyone would not have expected the Archangel of Death to be listening to a song made by a succubus within the confines of his own office. Azrael leaned back in his armchair as he listened to the seductive voice of none other than Verosika Mayday. Despite her origins, he had to admit that she knew how to make music when it was time to go into the bone town. As the archangel appreciated the lyrics, he enjoyed himself by carefully eating a chocolate-covered donut with sprinkles while crumbs spilled onto his black robes and suit.

His gaze fell upon the computer screen where the human disguise of a pop star was walking on stage, singing to the crowd. Then she brandished a loose pair of red-laced panties out from her pink blouse and tossed it into the crowd in front of her, causing a commotion among the audience. Witnessing that act made him let out a minute of laughter at the woman's act of sexual freedom while taking another bite from his donut. He would not doubt that his secretaries would hear his joyful moments outside his office.

The archangel's door swung open as Tony entered the room with his black chest plate and brown trenchcoat over. "We got a problem!"

It was an unfortunate moment for Azrael to have the volume settings where it was as Verosika's voice shouted to the crowd, "Who wants to see my tits?!"

"Am I interrupting, boss?" The saved seemed disappointed at the current viewing before the Grim Reaper felt a sense of embarrassment. Then his bony fingers reached for the buttons on his keyboard and switched to a different website, "Really?"

Thank goodness that his subordinate didn't see his face under the hood because he was caught red-handed. Though, it was ironic given his appearance as a sentient skeleton wrapped in a business suit. "What was the problem?"

"The investigator taskforce that we've assigned to our priority objective on the missing shipment - one of their guys is assisting the infamous group of Hellborn to rescue Blitzo and one of his employees from the mortal realms. No one has disguises worth a damn aside from the CEO's daughter. More importantly, they're up against a group of demon hunters."

"How aware are they about the existence of Heaven and Hell?" He wondered, rising from his chair and wiping the crumbs to the floor. It was time to get serious and he intended to visit the command room. Then he grabbed his bag of donuts on the table and exited the office with Tony keeping up with his pace, "We cannot let this group interfere or stall that particular crew from proceeding with their mission objectives."

"Uhlman has been notified thanks to Artyom's giving him a call but he's already with the rest of I.M.P to rescue his pals." Tony added while they walked past the rows of secretaries continuing their work despite this conversation. Yet, hearing the latest report about the situation only made Azrael stop in his tracks and let out a deep breath. There was no time for a casual stroll with what he was dealing with.

The Archangel of Death stopped in his tracks and turned halfway to see Tony confused at this moment. He tossed him the white bag as his right hand reached out to the doorway to his office and snapped his fingertips. Bones crackled as a scythe flew out from the confines of the room, almost hitting a secretary out of her seat, approaching Azrael with immediate haste before the shaft landed in his palm. "We have no time for walking."

"Why am I holding your donuts?"

"This is why," His left hand reached towards the saved's shoulder as he raised his staff and tapped the floor. In a blink of an eye, the duo was immediately in the command room looking at multiple communication officers and technicians operating their computers as a large screen was presented to the Grim Reaper, "Donuts."

Tony passed the bag into his free hand as he shuffled away from the archangel's side. He looked over his shoulder to see the former courier of the Mojave Wasteland run for the trashcan and puke into the void inside. No blame could be had on him since the ability to teleport at will was a gift granted only to him before the existence of the department came to be. While the Isra network was stable enough for his investigators, Azrael rarely employed this technique on his subordinates as it always brought nausea. Once his second-in-command finished hurling his stomach, his mouth had a moment to talk. "And there goes my lunch."

"Ignoring our sudden arrival, someone track my disguised investigator and his Hellborn companions. Now."

It was a surreal experience to be out of the realm of Hell and among the living. Yet, the issue of it all was traversing through the alleyways of a city, one that had not been touched by the horrors of the nuclear apocalypse. From the run-down backstreets to the vibrant lights in the skyscrapers, Artyom's gas mask was what kept his amazement from spilling out to the others. Even a mere glimpse at a shop's displays filled him with wonder and curiosity until the former stalker and Polis Ranger were reminded of his true purpose when the two Hellborn - a disguised hellhound in a human form and an imp - stopped by the corner of a brick building.

Loona peered around the right side of the alley for a brief minute as she kept the duffle bag slung over her shoulders from shaking around. Millie rested a large and long battle axe on her shoulder, making sure she did not tap the blade against the wall. As he caught up with his companions, the hellhound raised her hand toward those behind her. "I think we're here."

Artyom walked past Millie as he joined I.M.P's secretary and looked down the road to see an apartment-sized building several buildings ahead. The front was almost fenced off as guards armed with spears were protecting the entrance; however, he looked up to see lookouts on the rooftops manning the searchlights to the street below. If he was back in the ranks of the Spartan Order, they would have mocked the defensive capabilities of that building. "They made it so easy to let us find them."

"We can't go through the front but there is bound to be a side entrance," The teenager beside him remarked, "Let's see if we can find a fire emergency exit."

"You guys go do that, I have a better idea." His gaze looked up at the roof of the building labeled 'D.H.O.R.K.S.' as he figured the guards wouldn't expect an attack from the rooftops and seeing that they were armed with melee weaponry, the disguised investigator knew he had an advantage at range.

"You're splitting up? What if you get caught?"

She had a good point and it was one earned in experience. There was always a misfortune at being locked in a cell or tortured by his captors but Blitzo needed a way out and he was here to provide. "Gruppa krovi. Now is there a way to get up to the roof?"

"Yeah," Millie said as the sinner and hellhound turned around to find the imp tapping a fire escape ladder from above with her weapon as the rusty hinges released and extended the ladder downwards, "If he's on the roof, he can cover us while we make our way inside."

"Spasiba." He answered as the Russian walked over to the ladder and climbed halfway up. His head turned to steal a glance at the others.

"Off to rescue my husband and your boss. Let's go Loona, they're probably interrogating them as we speak."

There were no words left to say as the saved disguised as a sinner reached the top of the ladder. To his right was an open window where a boy no less than the age of ten was looking at him in a family room, his television playing cartoons behind him while his lips and fingertips were covered in orange powder. This was the first time someone on this mortal plane saw him and he didn't know what to do from now on. Yet, he decided to give the child a wave of his hand, only for the kid to return the same gesture. Then he proceeded up the fire escape. Artyom was not sure if the boy was going to remember him; hopefully, he wouldn't cause a traumatic moment in his life.

His pace up the steps had allowed him to reach the rooftops in the span of five minutes before his footsteps landed on proper concrete. Thanks to the urban environment around him, the other sections of the neighborhood were accessible… so long as he made the jump. Despite his experience with zip lines, he was not a man who enjoyed great heights but sometimes situations demanded complete disregard for his fears.

The saved made a running start with the hope that he would have the stamina to make it across the five alleys with little trouble. It was stupid but so were his other plans in life. As the black abyss approached, a silent prayer was made to grant him a chance to survive the stunt. Artyom lept forward once the edge was near as his feet dangled in the air. He felt complete freedom at that moment but also vulnerability as his body felt gravity play its role on him. Yet, the ground of the second rooftop alleviated his worries while he continued the momentum.

Relief and confidence took over as the ex-soldier continued to make his way toward the D.H.O.R.K.S. building. His eyes looked to his right to see him running in parallel to the duo in the alleyway below. Loona looked over her shoulder and saw him before proceeding to pick Millie off the ground and rush forward.

He made another jump across his second alley but the landing made his rifle jingle. Then his eyes looked over to the guards ahead of him, who seemed alerted and suspicious about the latest noise. One walked over to the searchlight and manually directed the beam in his direction. There was no cover save for the depression of the rooftop and the short walls. His body hit the ground and committed to making himself flat as possible while his head turned and looked up. A yellow glimmer flew over him as he patiently waited for the guards to stop investigating for a moment. Hopefully, it would give his companions ample opportunity to get past their view.

The guard scanned the rooftops for several minutes as he patiently waited. When the light moved on and continued on its normal trajectory, Artyom raised his head over the short wall and saw the sentries return to their duties. He pushed himself off the ground and quickly proceeded to get over the alley ahead of him with haste. His hand reached for the carry handle of his M4 while the free hand reached for the collection of knives on his kevlar vest.

There was only one alley to cross before he reached the guards face-to-face. It was so easy to think about picking them off from his position but without a silencer on-hand, he would only alarm the local guards, jeopardizing the chances of his coworkers at rescuing their companions. With his throwing knives ready, it would give him more time to operate stealthily. The Russian's fingers reached for a blade as he anticipated his final leap across the buildings.

A guard by the front searchlight continued to scan the streets below until he raised his head and finally noticed his approach. By the time the saved made it to his destination, an instinctive reactive throw was all he needed to end the redhead's life in a blink of an eye. As his body slumped to the ground and the Purgatory investigator looked to the other three guards who have yet to notice as they were facing away from their dead comrade and the entrance into the building. The left arm swiftly threw knife after knife with careful precision, causing man and woman alike to succumb to their mortal wounds. Part of him felt regret at taking human life as a dead man but his mission was a priority.

Artyom approached each of the bodies and retrieved his blades for reuse. Old habits of the post-apocalypse called to him and, once more, he would perform the bloodshed. After the last knife was returned to his inventory, he walked towards the flight of stairs at the center of the roof. Hands reached for the trigger and the grip while descending into the top floor with silent steps.

Low-lit corridors waited for him at the base of the stairs. He raised his weapon and found himself in a massive weapons room but he observed his surroundings to etch every single detail into his mind. The racks and piles contained various melee arms belonging to various periods of human history. He had no interest in weapons such as these and even found them useless when compared to the qualities that a knife could bring into action. Yet, he thought about the individuals earlier, who merely armed themselves with this strange collection. If most of them were equipped with this gear, he would have to deal with Blitzo's captors in melee.

It was quite the predicament for his case. "Well, I might need something… longer."

A slight glimmer of white light appeared from the corner of his eye as he shifted his body to the left and saw a sword glowing amongst a pile of blades stuffed in a barrel. Curiosity got the better of him as the saved soul strode past the organized rows of weapon racks and approached it. There was this sense of finding an object that felt special, differing itself from the others until he was close enough to see lines of pure white etched from the handle into the snake-like craftsmanship.

What was a blessed weapon doing in a place like this?

His question would never be answered as the dark-lit areas of the armory were plastered in rotating red lights. Alarms blared throughout the building signifying an intruder on the premises as the loudspeaker roared through the building. "We have demons in the building. I say again, we have demons in the building."

What did not help was the sound of footsteps approaching the room from the outside. Artyom turned around to see the entrance slide open as three men in black suits and ties arrived. Their eyes were covered by their sunglasses. One man pulled out a sword, another brandished a spear, and the leader of the group pulled out nunchucks from his jacket. "Shit, we got one in the armory!"

His rifle lined up and shot the head of the trio with a single shot. The moment his foe fell to the ground, the other two stormed forward with haste. He shifted the sights onto the guard with the spear and fired two rounds into the man's legs. The spearman screamed in agony and brought his polearm up. He leaned against the shaft as it was the only obstacle keeping him from collapsing. The final man closed the distance and committed his first attack with a right swipe of the blade. Yet, the dead Polis Ranger sidestepped the slash before kicking the assailant back for additional time.

He thought about the shiny two-handed weapon earlier and was quick to release the grip on his assault rifle and grab the weapon out of the barrel. When he returned to confront the swordsman, with a blade in hand, Artyom did not hesitate to make an overhead strike as he recovered. The weight was brought upon the stumbling foe before its length crushed into his chest as he started to cough up blood. His kill would suffer as the pretending sinner stepped on the man so his hands would have enough leverage to pull it out.

The wounded stranger with the spear was on the ground writhing in agony, his hands covering the holes placed on the kneecaps. It was cruel to inflict that kind of pain but an appearance had to be made. Then the victor of the fight approached him while the defeated raised his head with absolute terror on his expression. "Please, don't kill me."

Directions were needed and time was short. A quick interrogation was all he had left as the Russian held the bladed part covered in leather between the hand guard and the ricasso. Then he knelt on the ground. "Where do you keep your captives?"

"S-Second floor by the elevators!" He was afraid of him and the man had every right, "You shouldn't miss it."

"Good but this better not be lying or your soul is mine." It was a great irony there given that he worked for the Department of Purgatory but looked like a sinner. Then again, the man would not know the difference between a sinner and a demon.

The investigator rose from the floor and strode out of the room. It would take some time before he reached the second level and he was sure there would be guards to stop him. He hoped the carbine would work for him until he got there. Then his eyes looked down to see the two-handed sword no longer in his right hand. Artyom wanted to ponder about its mysterious disappearance but he would worry about that until Blitzo and Moxxie were rescued. A quick look at his surroundings revealed a directory to his right that went to the elevators; however, the left path of the hallway gave a different option - the generator room.

It would prove inconvenient for him if he sabotaged it but also make it incredibly difficult for the organization occupying this building. A split-second decision was made and the servant of Heaven turned to his left.

Two imps were tied up in their chairs as the humans isolated them in an interrogation room. Blitzo expected that someone would start asking him questions; however, they were left alone for an unknown amount of time. He didn't know what to expect, only that he could not wait to kill his captors. Everything changed when they heard alarms scream beyond the only door in front of him. Men and women were screaming outside but his ears perked up at hearing the clash of blades.

Someone has come to rescue them.

The assassin looked over his shoulder to find the well-dressed imp looking in the opposite direction. "Hey, it seems like we're getting rescued. Who'd you think it is?"

"It could be Millie," Moxxie answered as he looked back to see his face, "but I am a bit worried she might get herself caught as well."

"You worry too much about her. Knowing that woman, it takes an elephant's foot to keep her down and I would still put my money on her." Blitzo assured his nervous assistant. His employee was attached to his wife but the boss felt that he was too clingy at times. It made him smile at that moment, knowing that part of him didn't have the right to criticize since he always shoved people away from his heart. He was not vocal about his vulnerabilities but the imp sure knew that putting those feelings on the lid helped him out.

The hitman behind him had his fingers exploring the ropes around their wrists. "Give me a second, sir. I know how to untie this knot."

"Personal experience?"

His co-worker let out a chuckle as the ropes were losing their tension but had yet to be untied. "Afraid not to say."

"So you do play those kinds of games in the bedroom?" He said in an amused tone, "No wonder why you're so good with ropes."

"Does Stolas do this with you?"

"We are not getting into that conversation." It was an instinctive reply in that he did not know how to properly answer that question. Even he did not know what to make of that relationship.

The door in front of him was knocked once and Blitzo turned his head to see who was coming. It certainly was not their captors since they did not need to breach through their own door; however, he anticipated that their rescuers were about to break them out. Suddenly, the lights shut down all manner of sight disappeared.

"Fuck, I'm blind. Moxxie, are you finished?"

All that the imp could feel was his friend tugging against the ropes. Then he felt his wrists free once again as relief showered over him. "Here we go, I don't know how we're going to get out."

A red light was emanating from a small slit underneath the entrance as the cries of men and women grew louder. Monstrous howling rippled through the halls before the door crumbled like tissue and the head of a bird-like creature slipped its neck inside. An owl's face was staring back at him while Blitzo looked over his shoulder and saw Moxxie hiding behind his shadow. "Blitzo, I see that you're safe."

"Stolas?" It took him a moment to recognize the mannerisms of an Ars Goetia but it was quite clear that his… close friend… had come to personally rescue him, "How did you-"

"I have my ways, my plaything. My people are clearing up this building as we speak."

The imp blinked once before he watched the monstrous form of an oversized eagle transform into a regal nobleman of Hell. His attire was clean he straightened his back and stood tall.

"Let's head back to your workplace."

Past the high-ranking creature were Hellborn soldiers clad in red suits of armor. Squads ran past their room with glowing blessed weaponry as gunfire and the shouts of orders echoed throughout the building. Stolas turned around and reached forward before his hands split a hole in reality that led into the office of I.M.P. "Hey, thanks for rescuing us."

"I could never let them lay a finger on you," He replied as Blitzo and Moxxie followed him through the portal and returned to the massive table where the plans were made for assassinations. Upon arrival, he could see Millie run towards them until she landed in her husband's arms and the two hugged each other with joy. The CEO smiled at that cherished moment as Loona approached and picked him up to do the same. It came to an end when his lover continued, "Unfortunately, the honest quest to rescue you from the demon-obsessed has created unintended consequences."

"What are you talking about? You know I run an illegal business in the afterlife. What exactly did I do wrong?" It was a question he wanted to know dearly as his head turned to see Stolas close the portal on his way in. The owl's happiness shifted into a saddened expression on his face.

"Your employee - the sinner. My people have put him under arrest." Hearing that news made him pause as the imp grew concerned about the man's fate. Aside from being a useful sinner, he had treated him as one of his own in the company and all it did was demand questions. He jumped out of his adoptive daughter's arms and approached him. "A cardinal sin has been broken. No sinner is allowed to leave the level of pride and there is a harsher punishment for those who have found their way to the mortal realms."

Author's Note: It took me a while to get this chapter along but I've managed. Here's hoping for me to get onto the exciting bits.

Unknow Man: Thanks man, I appreciate the review.