The battle was over and a wave of relief washed over the survivors after enduring their encounter with Gabriel, Adam, and the exterminators. Where the sinners took a moment to savor their brief victory with V1's impeccable timing, the sentiment wasn't shared among the Purgatory Investigators and their leader. For they were in a dire situation where a war between Heaven and Hell would break out into the final extermination of the damned and the creatures who lived under the Holy Realm's gaze.
Tony raided the Hazbin Hotel's kitchen and opened the refrigerator to determine what he could eat. Sure, Courier Six may have eaten spinach puffs earlier but he burned those calories during the fighting. As he thought about the reality of his situation, he found a carton of eggs on a second shelf behind a case of milk. Then the second-in-command to the Archangel of Death closed the fridge and ferried his newfound loot over to the stove to his right, reaching for an empty pan before grabbing an egg and cracking it. Yolk spilled against the blackness while he switched the dial and heard the lighter click and turn gas into flames.
His body needed to feed for he had been awake and fueled by large concentrations of coffee after working for Azrael for so long. Just anything would satisfy his hunger and give the saved a few more hours of downtime to think about the future after the events that had transpired. Every safehouse throughout Pentagram City had been called upon to make their stand against Adam's forces. They had paid a high price for such a desperate gamble with almost every single investigator and Gendarmes ruthlessly killed by the hands of traitors and zealots.
He rummaged through the drawers underneath the cabinet, only to brandish a black spatula as he chipped away at his cooked eggs, keeping his meal from sticking to the pan. Only three investigators remained with Artyom and Uhlman managing to survive the battle while Pavel was elsewhere. The casualty rate for the personnel losses was too noticeable for Tony to put under the rug as there were too many witnesses, presuming that Azrael was watching over the Hazbin Hotel. As of right now, he couldn't fathom the reality that his superior would let him keep his job after such a disastrous engagement.
Now was not the time to think about the long-term future of his situation. What mattered in the end was that Charlie 'Magne' Morningstar wasn't kidnapped and safe from the rogue members of the Holy Army. If he got the chance to debrief the Grim Reaper and the Council of Archangels, it would be a long and arduous task in its own right. Gabriel and Adam initiating the fighting to restart the primordial war between the two realms by breaking the ancient ceasefire treaty would be enough evidence to make them guilty. Well, it presumed they would take his word along with the princess and her sinners.
Any communications with the department's headquarters had yet to come online and that factor worried him. If they couldn't reach out to them by signal, the wastelander would have to try and find alternate methods to return to Heaven. It was perhaps the only way he could solidify his findings before the High Marshal and the Herald of the Apocalypse. How he was going to pull that off required ample convincing on his end. Yet, being second-in-command meant that he had access to several files involving VIP individuals in Hell from the lowest-ranking Hellborn to the societal elite of sinner overlords. It wasn't his place to grant them concessions but his mission was too damn important.
Every option had to be exhausted.
Footsteps approached from behind as he heard Vaggie's voice. "There you are! What the actual fuck, we didn't give you any permission to the refrigerator?!"
"I needed to fix something quick. Got to keep moving." He replied while his eyes couldn't help themselves from drooping into a slumber.
"Didn't you just eat earlier?" She asked as the unknowingly saved soul flanked him on his left, "That should have been enough for you."
He let out a chuckle for he wanted to hint at the stressfulness that his duties brought to mind, body, and soul itself. "I work directly under the Archangel of Death. Believe me, you have no idea how long I've almost worked myself to a coffin. Hell, I can't even remember the last time I've slept."
"If you're going to use our kitchen, ask us next time."
"No guarantees, miss," Tony remembered his role in the whole ordeal about her life in the depths of Hell. Part of him wanted to tell the truth but the other half whispered against it for her response would be almost akin to wrath. Maybe he would tell it to her later as their current predicament needed mending. "Charlie and the rest of you guys can't stay here, not after what happened."
"Do you think they're going to come back?" This time, she seemed curious.
"You tell me."
The moth girl shook her head in disbelief as she leaned her back against the counter to his left while crossing her arms. "Oh god, they're going to try again. I hope you have an answer to prevent this."
"I just spent ninety-nine percent of all investigators and Gendarmes stationed in Pentagram City. All those men and women were my answer. We are all shit out of luck." He may have had his eyes hidden away underneath his helmet's red glare; however, he caught a glimpse of despair in the young woman accompanying him.
"This can't be it," She reluctantly stated, "I can't let them take Charlie. She's too good of a person."
To have hoped ripped from the denizens of Hell was an all too common sight; yet, he would not comply with that social expectation. With that, he concocted a half-baked plan about leaving Hell and entering Heaven. "I know. What I say might shock you as we'll be forced to leave the hotel at some point."
Her back was erected upon hearing what may have been a plan in the first place. If only she knew he was just giving her a bit of rope to hang her hopes on. "You want us to leave? To go where?"
"Upstairs," The courier answered as he pointed upwards, hinting at the one place the sinners were denied salvation from, "I'm going to break a lot of rules but we need to get to Heaven."
"What?" She was flabbergasted by this decision.
"Look, everyone in this building is in a shit situation. Staying here in Hell is giving Gabriel and his followers ample opportunity to try the same stunt one more time. I'm not going to give that sly bastard the satisfaction. If we reach Heaven, I can advocate for all of you about what we just saw and the rest of the Council of Archangels will turn against him."
"I know you're trying to give us options but this is too insane. Heaven sent exterminators every year to wipe us out. This… this can't work."
He let go of his grip on the panhandle as he turned to the moth sinner. His body was beginning to be pushed towards its limit. "We have no choice because we have no chance down here. Either we try the impossible or your girlfriend gets taken."
"How can you be so damn sure that we'll be allowed? Do you expect us to just waltz right in without any trouble coming from that? Do you have any idea how they'll react when we show up in front of the gates?" Vaggie was overthinking the potential for what could go wrong; yet, he couldn't help himself from smiling underneath his helm. For he had his own secrets to help them push forward. Tony was about to continue but then his exhaustion finally took over his body.
"Oh, Christ."
He collapsed to the ground as his body landed against the marble tiles and his torso lay on its side. His company knelt by his side as she helped him up. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"My caffeine ran out," The second-in-command acknowledged as he began to close his eyes, almost embracing the reality that would sleep on the floor, "I was hoping those eggs would help me through but it looks like I need a couple of hours of shut-eye. Care to spare a room?"
She looked worried for him while her grip pulled on his armored chest piece, enough to get him to sit upright. "I'll get Charlie but you better tell her about your plan once you finish sleeping.
It should have been a normal day for Emily, somehow it wasn't. Her superior had called upon Emily to come to and join her visit to the Department of Purgatory. Sera had noticed an issue at Azrael's headquarters based on the streets and roads being closed off in the surrounding areas. They were eager to investigate for both were part of the Seraphim Guard and Heaven's security was paramount.
The youngling had heard rumors that the Council of Archangels was trying to handle a case about a weapons shipment the guard was meant to receive. Yet, they didn't notify Sera about any important developments worthy of their attention. Why her uncles did this to her mother, she did not know only that there was animosity between her and the Archangels. She hoped there was an explanation to clear the mystery when it was time to reveal the truth about the convoy attack.
They flew across the city towards the large office building towering over the next three neighborhoods. A part of the structure blew up, leaving behind black smoke and fire. Debris descended below as the young Seraphim grew concerned about the safety of others. "There might be people down there who need our help. Let's go!"
"Emily, show a bit of caution." Her mother stated as she followed after the eager angel.
Concrete and glass crashed on the sidewalk and street below but they were fortunate to find that no one was present at the landing debris. Then she saw movement to the left side of the building, where the main entrance was. Hundreds of Gendarmes were present, using their authoritative power to warn the saved away from approaching while dozens of their own ran inside while equipped with automatic weapons. Both swooped down as they landed on their feet and transformed into their more human-like appearances in front of the eyes of the Holy Kingdom.
The passing members of the Department of Purgatory nodded their heads or gave a quick salute before carrying out their duties. Emily looked around to feel a sense of despair as the conversations among their ranks were much more somber than she had anticipated. Then the Seraphim looked ahead and saw a dark figure in a black cloak loom over his army like a great evil tower. It was a terrifying sight to see the great Archangel of Death in person while her uncle held on to the shaft of his scythe. "We have to see what's going on with Azrael."
They walked towards him while his back was turned. It seemed as if he was distracted by two radio operators flanking his side, both trying to issue orders and commands onto the phones wired to their radio packs. Whatever it was, they were frantically trying to convey the image to the Grim Reaper's ears.
Soon the radioman to his left was loud enough for her to hear about the current situation as he yelled at his peer. "My gunships do not see the hostiles. Reaves, you got to tell your guys to mark their floors right now!"
"We have no clear sections! There are friendlies and hostiles mixed in all over the building!" Shouted the radio operator to Azrael's left as he turned to the head of the department, "Sir, we have no lines. I'm trying to unclear this clusterfuck but every time we try to secure a floor, the bastards are mixed in with our guys."
She saw her uncle's head move and looked up at the building for a brief moment. Then his bony fingers tightened around his weapon before picking it up to tap at the ground three times. Whatever was happening felt important, too much to be ignored. Then Death revealed his raspy voice and final intentions. "I'm going to cleanse the building myself. We must reclaim our headquarters if we are to return to our regular operations."
Both the radiomen stopped and stared at their leader while he took a large deep breath and released with a great exhale. Emily became enthralled with what the archangel was seeking to do until he lunged his scythe upwards, high enough to reach the multi-storied building's top. Her gaze noticed the blade etched into the top floor while the shaft hung out in the air. Then a black mist emanated from his cloak, causing everyone around to watch in fear and awe at an aspect of his role in Heavenly society. Soon his body burst into a murder of crows as they began to fly around the building in a circular motion. Each bird released a cloud of darkness which was created by a trail left behind. Such power encompassed the entire building upwards with each bird carefully drowning the main building for the Department of Purgatory.
When the roof had been reached, minutes passed as the young angel couldn't help herself from asking a question. "Mother, what is going on?"
"Azrael is using one of his many powers as the Archangel of Death. The last time I've seen him do this was when he took all the firstborns in Egypt." She gave a trembling answer while the daughter sensed a realization to respect this uncle in particular. Heaven's great punishments against those who stood against the Holy Father's authority. If he was performing such an act, who in their right mind would incite such a response?
The smoke began to disperse as the top of the building revealed the Grim Reaper looking down upon those who had witnessed his power. With his iconic weapon in hand, he leaped from the edge and gracefully descended to the congested street. The Gendarmes had noticed his jump as they dispersed and created enough space for their archangel's landing. Emily also guessed that it was to avoid being crumpled by their superior. When his feet touched the ground, the asphalt street was smashed after taking the full brunt of the impact.
"Quite the performance. I wonder what could compel you to engage in violence after all of this time."
It was here that the imposing figure erected himself while his hand maintained a grip on his scythe, using it like a walking cane. He approached the two while the youngest angel saw a glimpse of his gaze. "There is a situation that demands my attention, one involving my investigation."
"Council business, I presume?" Sera suggested as she continued the conversation in a cordial tone, "I've received news, unprecedented ones, where Heaven is undergoing a series of attacks. As the commander of the Seraphim Guard, I am behooved to deal with this issue personally."
"Not with this. I cannot let anyone interfere with this investigation as too much is on the line for those involved." He answered in a legalese manner before he stopped several meters away from the high-ranking angels.
"Too much on the line for the Council or is it too much for you to lose? I answer to the Holy Father, Azrael."
"Be careful with that tone of yours," The archangel replied with a cold but venomous tone. His tense and antagonistic view of her mother established a hostility she did not expect from him, "Your authority resides in the Garden and nowhere else. It does not dwell over my department. Remember that, Sera."
She had to break the ice before the two decided to get into a fight. Emily knew about the stories of her uncles during the War in Heaven and it was often related to ruthless bloodshed. The last situation she would want to find herself in is a family lashing out over a dispute. "Uncle? I'm sure the virtues and the rest of Heaven would like an explanation as to why your headquarters is in a war zone."
"I would want to divulge this information but as my subordinate would say, I need to play my hand close to my chest. Too many eyes are watching over me, friend and enemy alike." Came his reply while his gaze looked down upon her.
"Please, I can't just go back empty-handed." She had been visited upon by the saved and other Heavenborn - all looking out for answers from one of Heaven's admirable officials. The Seraphim needed to grant them any scraps of understanding to make sense of this chaos to calm the people.
He shook his head. "I'm sorry but I cannot. Lives are on the line."
A Gendarme ran out of the building with absolute haste. His weapon slung over his chest as he gave his hardest to run against the hard ground his peers defended. "Archangel!"
"Yes?" Azrael turned around to face this soldier of his, who had been masked in a black balaclava, "Take a deep breath and report."
"Whatever you did, we're pushing them back but we came across the Isra system." The exhausted runner explained.
"What happened?"
"They sabotaged the Isra. All connection to our safehouses is gone. Even our Hellside communications have been cut off. It looked like they were trying to hold us off as much as possible until you cleansed the building."
Emily took a moment to realize what had been said. Why were people attacking the Department of Purgatory trying to cut off a teleporter and communication systems? Sooner or later, they would be overpowered and the machines would be repaired in due time unless that delay was the entire point. Were the attackers trying to do something that would distract the Archangel of Death from noticing their true intentions? "I don't know who is attacking you, Uncle Azrael, but maybe they were trying to do something without you noticing."
He looked over his shoulder for a brief moment, stealing a glance from her as he returned his gaze to the tired messenger. "You might be on to something."
There had been a noticeable blackout throughout all of Pentagram City. Cherri believed that it was a ruse for one of the overlords to get the edge over another but that didn't happen. Airships and helicopters descended from that white dot in the sky and began their attack. Sure, the exterminators swooping down with blessed spears was a terror in itself. It was a different experience to see war machines open their side doors so gunners could hose innocents in the wake of their arrival with bullets. What truly caught her attention was the fact that they were all assaulting the Hazbin Hotel. She could have run and fled but a friend of hers was there. Angel Dust didn't need to suffer to die alone.
The bomber came across the front of the hotel and found herself mixed in the remains of a battlefield. Cars, that were either burned out or wrecked by gunfire, littered the road and sidewalks. Meanwhile, bodies littered the front lawn with the corpses of exterminators with their golden blood dried out. It was interesting as the sinner passed over some of the bodies wearing black uniforms, kevlar body armor, and ballistic helmets along with firearms with glowing emblems. She probably should have gotten her hands on the equipment but her friend's well-being was paramount than the selfish desire for power.
Cherri continued to approach the front door with the one question that was on her mind. What the hell happened here?
When she arrived at the front door, its hinges appeared to have been bent as if someone or something had tried to break through the entrance. That was a sign for her to prepare her mind that the homosexual porn star might not have lived through this. Yet, she couldn't help herself from reaching for the doorbell and tapping on the button.
A bell rang throughout the building before footsteps on the other side made their way toward the door. One hand reached behind her back, grabbing ahold of her explosives, preparing if the host was no longer the famed Princess Charlie or the company she kept to herself. Yet, her shoulders relaxed upon hearing the owner's voice. "Coming!"
"Your highness, you can't just casually unlock the door. Not after what happened," A man informed her from inside with a Russian accent. Cherri remembered that Lucifer's daughter had one in her company; yet, this guy sounded different from the one she knew about, "Let me go and check."
"No, really, it's fine. We're all safe-"
He cut her off. "I know you mean well but we can't be too sure."
An additional set of footsteps approached the door as the knob turned and the locking mechanisms shifted. When the door finally opened, the sinner was taken aback by a human standing before her with a pistol drawn and aimed at her while he kept his weapon close to his chest. His appearance was the same as the bodies of those who were impaled or torn up by the exterminators. "Uh? That's new."
"Get inside, now." The Russian ordered while gesturing for the cyclops girl to come. She skirted past him as he scanned past her with an attentive gaze before Cherri Bomb found the princess of Hell waiting for her in the hallway.
"So, care to tell me what's going on?"
The door behind her closed as the overlord slipped her bombs back into her belt while the half-succubus and half-archangel child led her deeper into the building. Soon the royal brought her to the main entrance hall, where blood stains and corpses were strewn about. A glance at her surroundings revealed broken furniture and walls filled with bullet holes. "I've been busy but it involved an archangel and an army of exterminators trying to attack my hotel and attempt to kidnap me."
"Fuck," Popular knowledge about Charlie discouraged the sinners and the average Hellborn from swearing in front of the heir. Yet, she had to emphasize how flabbergasted that this place underwent an assault far worse than the yearly exterminations. They stopped at the base of a flight of the main stairs before turning to confront each other about the recent event, "Now, I'm a hardcore gal but that is way beyond me."
"You have no idea. They were very close to capturing me. That guy you saw back there works for something called the Department of Purgatory. They're an organization that works for Heaven."
That final sentence alone was enough for Cherri to try and widen her single eye large enough into a globe. "You're kidding me. Heaven came down here to protect your ass… from another group of Heaven trying to take you?"
"When you put it like that, yeah it's hard to wrap your head around it," She openly admitted before letting out a deep breath, "I'm just glad that the Department of Purgatory isn't so bad as I would imagine them to be."
"Cherri, baby! I'm glad to see you're here!" Angel Dust shouted from the top of the stairs as the two looked up to see him descend by sitting on the wooden railing. In his hand, he was carrying his pet, Nuggets as he tightened his embrace of the piglet to his chest
The sinner was relieved that her friend was alive after all of this time. "I thought you got smoked for good."
"Ah, I'm too good-looking to be shot at anyway," The spider replied as he dismissed her comment with a wave of his hand, "Let's just say that if it wasn't for some friends in some holy places, I don't think all of Hell would like to have their favorite cock whisperer to go out like that."
"Don't say it like that." She walked up and hugged him while trying to maintain her punk appearance. Truth was, it would only be a matter of minutes for the cyclops bomber to burst into tears if it wasn't for her friend's crude humor.
"Say, Charlie, what's going to happen now that we've held them off?"
"Held off who?" Spoke a regal man from behind Cherri's back. She broke her embrace and turned around, only to find a pale blonde man in a white suit and a top hat. The sinner wasn't big on keeping up with names; however, everyone had to pay attention whenever the monarch of the Dark Realm made his presence known. It's just that she couldn't believe that the King of Hell would appear before her like that.
"Dad!" The princess cried out as she ran up to him as the two embraced each other with arms over their shoulders, "How did you get here all of sudden?"
"Fallen archangel, remember? Even now, I still have my powers. Now, aside from my sudden arrival, does anybody know what is happening?"
The cyclops sinner watched as the daughter summoned her courage to explain the events to him. "We were attacked by an Archangel by the name of Gabriel." His hands clenched into fists and the cane he had brought with him had a grip so tight, Cherri couldn't tell if the apple at the top was about to fly out, "If it wasn't for the Department of Purgatory, I think they would have succeeded in kidnapping me."
"I was worried for a mere moment but I'm glad that my faith wasn't misplaced," He replied as he continued the serious conversation, "There were many bodies outside, was there anyone from this department who survived?"
"There's this guy named Tony. He said that he works directly under your brother but two others made it through. One of them is watching the front door while Artyom is getting patched up by one of my guests."
He raised his head as if Lucifer 'Magne' Morningstar knew from the very beginning. "Azrael picked the right man to protect you."
"Say what?" Cherri asked, flabbergasted by the response.
"My brother picked a man to pretend he's a sinner in order to get close to my daughter and act as her protector. I met the man myself in the great cells of Prince Stolas' mansion as a way to see if he was worthy of the responsibility I was granting him. For someone so inexperienced with a service weapon, he has done much with so little."
Charlie's surprised reaction to this revelation incited a response. "You knew he wasn't a sinner all along."
"Yes," He nodded his head, "Azrael wanted me to keep that secret because it appears my siblings are in the middle of an investigation about rogue Holy Army personnel acting out of place. It seems to me that the rot has spread far enough for them to come at after you."
"Ugh, this makes my head hurt."
"The Grim Reaper always had a knack for this sort of thing. Your mother is going to visit the hotel but I'm bringing out my forces to guard this place. They won't have an opportunity to try a second time, not with me around."
The Father of humanity and his lieutenant sat on the passenger side of a helicopter. Sure, they could fly but he was lazy enough to sit down and take a moment to think. Their plan of attack against Hell itself had gone so wrong and yet they were so close to taking the princess. Now they were fleeing at least fifty miles east of Pentagram City. There was a hidden base in the Badlands; yet, the massive air fleet would be difficult to hide after so many eyes have caught wind of their appearance.
Their helicopter began to descend; among other squadrons, and landed into a multitude of landing pads built into the slopes of a canyon. The moment they had touched the ground, Adam eagerly jumped out as his second-in-command followed suit. "Sir, I know it's not my place to question but what will happen from now on? All of Hell knows what we tried to do and it's only a matter of time until the rest of Heaven finds out about our plan. Lucifer is going to respond after what we tried to do."
"Worry not," He had to reassure her as the landing pad slid into the canyon slope. The moment they were out of sight from the light, the fake metal wall closed in from behind and sealed the entrance shut, temporarily hiding the zealous remains of the Holy Army's wrath. He turned to her and placed his hands on the shoulders of the exterminator with the hope that his superior would have a backup plan, "Knowing Gabriel, he definitely accounted for this reality. Otherwise, we wouldn't have tried without acknowledging that risk."
"I know we are interrupting Azrael operations but will he be able to locate us with ease after they take out our distraction forces?"
Adam turned away as they both pressed deeper into the cliffside hangers built into Hell. He didn't have much of an answer for her since he was so eager to make sure that their first plan would be their one and only. Nonetheless, he had options as the Archangel of Judges would allocate what resources remained for the cause. Whether the Department of Purgatory would figure them out was up to the Holy Father. "I don't know. Right now, we need to recover and cure our wounds. The sinners need to pay for their defiance; however, we also need to make our next strike the last one against the fallen one."
"It's going to be harder given the operational losses to our fleet. I heard stories about V1 but it's hard to believe it would side work against us." The name of the forbidden prototype reached his ears and it almost made the first man shudder. What reason did God have to create a war machine so great and terrible that it required blood as fuel? The very fact he was questioning his creator was akin to heresy yet the purpose of the question only drew curious thoughts about his intentions. It was the whole reason why they had to retreat for it had the gall to defend Lucifer's Hellspawn from Gabriel's reach. More importantly, was it operating on its own or merely adhering to directives?
They exited the hangar and went deeper into the Hellside facility built into the canyon. Hallways of concrete with high-level lighting maintained the atmosphere of an organized fortress deep in Lucifer's kingdom. This place had been built to maintain the offensive once the Holy Army came to unleash the cutting blow on the Dark Realm's monarch, its queen, and heir. Yet, without any sign of the other archangels on the council joining their ranks, the surviving saved and Heavenborn soldiers had to make this place their own. Empty bunks became occupied and the armory stores were finally opened for the first time to be used for the coming escalation of conflict between Heaven and Hell.
Adam and Lute entered an elevator as they descended deeper into the levels. Gabriel was likely to be in the command center, organizing his next attacks but the first man pondered about what he could do to help. Maybe there was a chance for him to deal with Lilith and Charlie "Magne" Morningstar once more to emphasize the fallen archangel's weakness which was his love for family.
When their ride slowed to a halt, the doors slid wide open as they entered the command center. Large consoles were operated by technical members of the Holy Army's signallers while a large screen covered the entirety of the wall across from him. Various assets were being organized to their destinations while a tall archangel towered over his subordinates with both of his swords sheathed at his side. Upon closer inspection, the first man noticed that the blood on his armor remained stained from those who tried to stop him.
Gabriel, the Archangel of Judges, turned around and faced the leader of the exterminators while his blue wings had yet to appear. "It appears my gamble has not paid off. We may have been close to capturing the princess but it was not enough."
"Don't worry sir. We'll get them and I'll make sure of it. All we need are your orders and we'll gladly carry them out." Lute dutifully commented as she seemed eager to perform her charge. That was one of the reasons why he was made his second-in-command.
"I applaud your willingness but we can't rush back to Pentagram city for faith alone cannot sustain our operations without a plan to go with it," He stated his respect before his helmet turned to Adam, focusing his full attention on him, "We will need to recover but there might be a second chance at finishing Lucifer's folly once and for all."
The father of humanity was curious to know what he had in mind. "Sir, have you made one?"
"Not yet but our immediate departure from the capital of Pride has left many of our comrades behind. No doubt, Azrael will dispatch the forces I deployed at his headquarters but perhaps our brethren could search for the safe houses under the Department of Purgatory. If we can return and infiltrate these locations, it gives us ample time to try once more. Plus, I may be able to ferry reinforcements should we redirect the Isra to my loyal contingents."
"In other words," The exterminator wondered if he could reconnect with the lost personnel in the city, "We just need to call our people."
He nodded his head with approval. "This base has a long-range communication center inside. Perhaps your musical talent might be able to distribute coded messages until I deem a worthy opportunity to finish this matter once and for all."
The idea had potential as Adam grew excited within his very soul. Ever since the invention of rock, he had grown fond of its music and took it to heart. Being recognized for his talent made him smile gleefully at his superior. What mattered was that he performed his role in this great plan of his.
An investigator for the Department of Purgatory had found himself sitting quietly on the third floor, overlooking the front entrance of the building. Yet, he had been occupied by Mrs. Mayberry helping him with his wounds. The Russian had been forced to take off his uniform shirt as the sinner wrapped dressings over his wounds. There was an uneasy silence between the two ever since they recognized his true identity when he took on an archangel.
The teacher finished dressing his left arm as she began dressing his other limb. Although the cuts weren't deep, he could still feel the pain from an angelic blade was far more unique than anything he had encountered in his life. Despite acquiring that sword, he was outmatched if he attempted to avenge his colonel without proper training. If it wasn't for V1, he wouldn't have lived.
He looked out the window to see the ancient war machine jump and slide from rooftop to rooftop. A brief moment of gunfire would erupt and all it would take for the assailants to be dispatched was a few coins and a single revolver shot. There were still rogue Holy Army soldiers out there even after the main force left and he still had to keep an eye on the princess' behalf as that was his charge by her father.
When Mayberry finished wrapping his right arm, she leaned back in her chair and readjusted her glasses. "There. You're all patched up."
Artyom couldn't help himself from smiling at her as he buttoned up his shirt and reached for a discarded Kevlar vest resting by his leg. After he started to wear his ballistic armor atop his bloodied uniform, the teacher expressed a concerned look at him before looking down at the floor. "Is there something wrong?"
"You didn't tell us that you worked for the Department of Purgatory."
"My orders didn't allow me to," He replied but the Russian knew she deserved more than just an explanation, "Did you know how hard it was to not tell everyone that I'm not a sinner? There are consequences if I told you why I had to play pretend."
"Was that thing we had with us and Verosika also pretending as well?" His words unintentionally inflicted damage on her.
He shook his head for the former Polis Ranger of the Spartan Order had his reasons to be here. Yet, telling her that he was on a quest for vengeance would not translate well into the love that was shared among the three. Artyom reached out and grabbed her hand, all while looking at her as honestly as his heart could give. "No. I may have acted on behalf of my orders but you and Verosika weren't part of that. The department has a long-standing policy that discourages relationships with anyone here, sinners and Hellborn alike. If it means anything to you, I genuinely love both of you."
"I want to believe you, I do, but this is not the first time I fell for a lie. How can you be so sure and honest with me if you had to act like this in the first place?"
"Difference is that I have the Archangel of Death and the King of Hell breathing down my neck." He hinted at his previous encounter with them. The former granting him an opportunity to seek out his father-in-law's killer and the latter entrusting the Russian with the safety of his daughter.
"That is somehow a legit reason?" The teacher seemed skeptical as Artyom readjusted his chair to showcase his attempt to maintain the relationship he had with the sinner and the succubus, "You can't just hide behind orders and use them as an excuse."
"I'm not."
He didn't know how to navigate through this. Well, his only experience of navigating a relationship this intimate was with his wife, and that limited exposure showed in this conversation. "Then that is not enough."
"When I told you I died for Anna's sake, it was no lie. She meant a lot to me since finding love is harder to find than gold in my case," The post-apocalypse survivor stated as he hoped that understanding would convince her to see his side. Memories of his marriage proposal in front of the surviving members of the Spartan Order went through his mind about his vows and obligations. While he did hold some love back for the wife he left behind, his death gave him a moment of perspective about the closing of chapters, "It wasn't until we had these conversations that I've gotten close to someone. Even when I earned my spot in Heaven, working at a cubicle from nine to five, there was no reason for me to try living when all I knew was back on Earth. Now? You and Verosika changed that for me. Sure, I had my orders but I also looked forward to seeing either of you smile. Please, believe me when my love is not some figment of imagination."
"I guess I'm so used to being treated like a damn fool that I don't know the truth from the lies anymore. Maybe you are trying to be good to me." She stood up and rearranged her steel chair beside his as they sat together. Her head rested on his shoulder while they looked out at the sunset.
"That makes two of us. I don't know what will become of us from now on but I'm going to make this work between all of us."
"Then we need to try and carefully handle Verosika when we get the chance. The poor girl doesn't know what she's in for when you tell her about this Department of Purgatory."
"We'll cross the bridge when the time comes. Right now, we need to worry about ourselves for the time being." His right hand clutched onto her left as he enjoyed their view of the 'sun' in the background despite the war zone taking place throughout Pentagram City.
A phone rang on his person while Mrs. Mayberry erected herself on the chair. "Who is calling you right now?"
"I don't know," He said with reluctance before he reached into the pocket of his Kevlar vest and pulled out his phone. The caller identification revealed that it came from the owner of I.M.P. "It's Blitzo."
"The imp? What does he want right now?"
He shrugged his shoulders while his thumb reached for the green button on the screen and tapped it. There was a brief moment of silence while the Russian waited for a response; however, not a sound echoed from the speaker. Someone would have to speak and Artyom took his chance to be the first one to talk. "Blitz?"
"Well, well, well, if it isn't my trustworthy gun fixer. I'm grateful that Moxxie and Millie are alive and I have to thank you for helping them get back to my workplace." The Hellborn stated but the tone seemed sarcastic. It seemed that he wanted to be genuine; yet, the reaction felt ominous.
"That's good to hear. I hope that they're alright."
"They're fine. It's just that they told me that you're not even a sinner," The masquerade had fallen and the sound of a bitter man became clear, "I kinda want a big fucking explanation as to who you are and why you were going undercover."
"Sir, it's a long story and I can't explain everything since it's too important." He initially hoped that the imp would understand his position.
"Look, Rusky, this conversation needs to happen right fucking now! Mox said that you work for Heaven, now I don't know who do you think you are but I don't like it when people play pretend with me. Why didn't you come to me about this?"
Artyom was baffled by this question and for good reason. Before recent events, his organization would never tolerate witnesses unless ordered otherwise. What also didn't help was the unfortunate reality that Azrael was well aware of the assassination business. "As if I could! You don't have a clue about the kind of consequences you would face if I told you the truth. My department would silence you with a bullet and they already have your names on their shitlist."
"Wait, you mean to say that they knew everything about my secret human-killing operation?" From the way the boss sounded, he seemed just as surprised. Nonetheless, he would hint at how recognized they were among the investigators and gendarmes.
"You have a television ad that is constantly replayed on a channel that nobody watches, except for us. It's not a secret when my people put it on break during the lunchrooms or when we're tired of the usual holier-than-though shows. The only reason we haven't acted against you is because whatever kills you make don't fall under our jurisdiction. Not yet, anyhow."
"Shit and call me some fertilizer, I didn't think Heaven would notice us." His surprise was a relief to the Russian's ears. Blitz's attitude was very crude and blunt but he was easy to get through at times, "So, uh, want to talk to the whole gang about that whole exterminator thing going earlier?"
It was tempting to bring the truth over the call but intuition took over when he remembered that there were still leftovers from the attack. "No. Not on this call. I'm afraid the wrong people might be listening in. Come to the hotel if you want to know more."
"Can't. Got to meet up with my so-called benefactor to extend the lease of his damn book."
"Stolas?"
"Yep, the birdie who arrested you. Before I end this call, I have to be official and say that you're fired."
"Not surprised given what I have to work with." The post-apocalypse survivor answered with utmost confidence as his form of insult.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Look, shit-ass, I'll have yo-"
Artyom tapped on the red phone symbol to end the call before placing the device downward on his lap. Well, whatever prior relationships he had with I.M.P. have been compromised for better and for worse. Moxxie was supposed to keep his end of the secrecy with Tony but clearly, he broke it. With the cat out of the bag, it was only a matter of time before the rest of Hell caught wind of the Department of Purgatory hiding out in their dark kingdom.
Mrs. Mayberry let out a chuckle as he turned his head to see the teacher cross her legs. "The last time I met with the imp, his employee almost killed me by complete accident. I don't know how you're able to keep a straight face around that idiot."
"I don't know. Perhaps God can answer that question."
captain Orion Zete: Thanks for the review. I appreciate the encouragement.
MadhatterZake: Absolutely, I'm practically so far into this fic's middle that I don't think I'll be able to end this version here and start again with latest additions from Hazbin Hotel.
skyway920: Much of the Abrahamic "lore" I'm using is more or less stuff you would see as background information from Ultrakill about Heaven. Though, I've made my own spin on this with Lucifer going against the Holy Father, who becomes horrified of the bloodshed during the events that is the War in Heaven that it paralyzes him from interacting with the Council of Archangels and the Heavenborn.
SilverExcel115: I'll appreciate a review when I see one.