Hell's well-known arms dealer arrived at her office after her daughters informed her about an upcoming meeting with Zestial. Whenever he made a call, she would always give him the time. Their relationship ran deep to afford to miss a meeting with brokers, customers, and clients.
She walked over to her office's beverage table and grabbed the largest jug. It was her duty as a weapons manufacturer and a mother to ensure her business was not only run well but safe enough from the troubles of Pentagram City and the rest of the Dark Realm. She popped the cork and immediately took a sip, relieving the accumulated tension throughout her latest week.
The latest news worried her as the servants of Heaven often kept to themselves during the Exterminations. Now, it was no longer the case as their sudden and uncharacteristic timing made them appear once again in full force. At first, she imagined they would ramp up their assaults throughout the city but her informants proved otherwise. The Hazbin Hotel was their primary objective and that alone worried her. While she may not have been privy to the affairs of Lucifer's palace, it was a threat to the status quo she and her daughters enjoyed until now. The Devil would respond in force and Heaven would escalate despite their Fallen Archangel. All that mattered now would be her preparations.
Whether it would be enough was another question entirely.
Doors opened to her left as she turned to greet an old familiar friend in his spider-like appearance. His yellow-green eyes brightened in excitement as he exuded a wholesome atmosphere for someone so terrifying to the average sinner. He smiled and made a slight bow from his head. "How is thy day, mine own lief?"
"Aside from the latest Exterminator attack, I have managed. I'm glad to see you've got out unscathed." Overlords were always powerful enough to protect themselves and their souls but one could never be too careful. Sometimes, luck would have it that they would be slain by a simple jab of a spear. Carmilla returned the jug to the table and poured her whiskey into a glass cup. "You've wanted to see me?"
"Forsooth. Th're art some charact'rs whom i've encount'r'd yond seeketh an audience. Knowing thy business, i feeleth an obligation to esc'rt those folk to thee. T might not but beest did deal most carefully upon the hour as one of these visiteth'rs holds some imp'rtance of social standing."
"Always the considerate. Once things have calmed down, we should take some time off." Hinting at their intimate relationship both shared.
"Say the date and I shall come." In a different time and place, she would have gladly slayed him without hesitation. For such was the nature of living in Hell. Whether it was by luck or destiny, the overlord adored the man who had grown to provide more than just companionship. He spoke again, bringing attention to the current matter. "Now, may I bring our guests to this meeting?
She nodded her head. "You may."
Several pairs of footsteps made their way into the room as a woman and what seemed to be a man had arrived on time. The former was a gray-skinned sinner with a moth-like appearance as her white hair remained a stark contrast to the red blouse and the black miniskirt. Meanwhile, the former was a masked stranger wearing a helmet with red glass eye sockets that encased his entire head with a pair of blue jeans and a black chest piece underneath his trench coat. It was quite an odd couple if it wasn't for the fact that the young woman had been none other than Princess Charlie's lover. It was enough of an eye-raiser to ponder her thoughts out loud.
"That explains why you mentioned someone important." Carmilla referred to her lover's previous statement. Then she took two steps forward, towering over her guests to emphasize the power within this building. Directing her attention toward the duo, the arms dealer asked her a question. "Zestial made arrangements for both of you. Start explaining before I run out of patience."
They both exchanged glances as the masked stranger reached for the back of his helmet. With a small click, a loud hiss whispered into the room before he removed his headgear and revealed the tired face of a blonde man. Black marks were seen underneath his eye as he reassured the room with a wide smile. What ounce of politeness faded as the tall woman maintained her composure that a regular human form was standing before her. "You already know the girl but allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tony and I work for the Department of Purgatory."
"I has't hath heard rum'rs lately but t wast hard to findeth someone telling the sooth." Zestial remarked as if he was fascinated by the announcement of the organization.
"Then we're getting sloppy." The human replied at the overlord of terror and despair until he faced her. "That being said, we can afford to be sloppy."
Carmilla crossed her arms and engaged in skepticism about this man. "So, what brings you here to my factories?"
"In case either of you were living under a rock, you'll know that the Hazbin Hotel has been attacked. My men and I were redeployed there to keep the Exterminator Corps off their backs. While we were lucky, the odds aren't in my favor. I'm here to level the playing field."
"How would you intend to do that?"
"My people can't afford to fight an exterminator in close combat but if you supply my men, we'll be able to scratch your back somehow." Tony answered without hesitation.
"This department… doesn't sound like anything Lucifer would name." She began as thoughts pondered about other possibilities. Rumors of humans fighting at the Hazbin Hotel had reached her ears, even one capable of fending off an archangel amid battle. Either they were a secret society of humans or were servants of Heaven who had revealed themselves to the guts of Hell. "Why would I help someone who desires the destruction of me and every soul under my protection?"
His eyes looked down at the floor as he let out a deep breath and placed his helmet underneath his arm. Then he looked at Zestial on his right flank and then back to her. "Ma'am, sir, pardon my language, but Hell is fucked if you don't help me."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Mrs. Carmilla Carmine, I am stating the obvious. If you think that Heaven hasn't paid attention to you and your daughters, then you'd be an idiot to make that presumption." Her arms dropped to the side as her legs were prepared to make their first killing blows.
"Uh, what he means to say is that he knows that you're a target." Vaggie intervened by stepping in between this servant of angels and Hell's greatest contributor to the death of sinners. Her arms were stretched out, keeping the two from drawing their arms. "Please, it's important that you give access to your weapons."
Angelic weapons were a premium and the overlord knew there was always a price involved. "What guarantees do you have that I'll even take your offer?"
"Simple, I scrub your names from the records." The unimpressed human replied as she noticed Zestial raise an eyebrow at the notion. Then he brushed past the moth sinner and reached into his pants pockets. "My department was organized to relay coordinates to the exterminators but we like to engage in malicious compliance. If I leave this building alive and with a deal in hand, I can bump you, your daughters, and Zestial off the hit list and onto a black-site archive where you're an asset to my people."
"I findeth yond hard to believeth. Quite the Faustian bargain thee proposeth." The spider gentleman remarked as he strode to Carmilla's side, maintaining the power the duo had over Tony.
He pulled out a single bullet with a glowing white mark etched to its side. "This is a hint of what I can offer to you. A Hellfire round manufactured and developed by Michael's finest weapon manufacturers."
"Interesting." The Ruler of the Industrial District always took advantage of the angelic technology her daughters could scavenge in the remains of Extermination Day. Yet, she was being presented with the least complex item this man brought forward. "You're willing to let me have this?"
"Why waste an entire magazine of a Blessed gun when you can kill a high-ranking Hellborn or an angel with one round? You'd make a lot of money off of this and that is on top of Azrael letting me use my responsibilities to my discretion."
"It's so hard to believe." She admitted, snatching the bullet from his hand and inspecting it closely. Such an offer was being so freely handed over but it also reinforced his earlier statement. No matter how much she tried to even the odds for herself and those around her, it was never enough to close the gap of power.
The human clapped his hands and slipped them into his trench coat's pockets. "I take that you're accepting my offer?"
"Lief, shouldn't we taketh the timeth to consid'r all of our options?" Zestial cautioned as he reached out and touched her. "As thee hath said, t's too valorous to beest true."
"Maybe down here but I work for Heaven and it's Archangel of Death. Sometimes, there are people like me who do show up and give the nicest presents with the fewest strings attached." He addressed and turned to see the esteemed gentlemen.
"All f'r what? A m're transaction?"
"Believe me, I know what I'm doing." Then Tony looked at Vaggie and nodded his head to the door. "We have plans to get going but when I do come back, make sure those weapons are on hand."
Carmilla allowed the Saved and Sinner to depart as the spider overlord stood by her side. "I have much to do."
"Those gents knoweth ev'rything about us, aren't thee conc'rned?" Zestial expressed as she slipped the blessed bullet into her pockets. Her daughters would have to focus on the busy work. They always enjoyed developing new projects and maybe this might be a challenge they so wanted. "We has't at each moment op'rat'd in the dark, letting the oth'r ov'rl'rds beest in the spotlight. What becomes of us anon?"
"If they always knew of us, then there is not much we can do except perform our end of his deal." She had killed a few exterminators over the years throughout Hell but the revelation that Heaven had a pair of eyes on her changed her perspective. If they didn't punish her for killing one of their own, and instead reached out to her for their benefit, Carmilla could live with that. It didn't sound like a bad deal and if Heaven's pop-culture reputation was anything to grasp, it was that they didn't have the desire to enslave one's soul for a sadistic eternal servitude.
"If 't be true only we kneweth this department's true intentions."
Verosika immediately dropped Kiki off at her house, where the rest of the gang was at. She explicitly ordered Vortex to protect them while she was out after encountering those humans. The whole world felt like it was turning on itself. What beliefs she had in the Dark Realm were being questioned as the succubus drove out to the Hazbin Hotel to seek the answers from her boyfriend. He may have suggested not to visit him but she'll be damned if her curiosity ate her from the inside out.
Driving her car to the Hazbin Hotel was a different experience than when she left after that fateful night of passion with Railtracer and Mayberry. The home for sinners to redeem their souls had been transformed into a veritable fortress as Lucifer's vaunted Crimson Guard patrolled the perimeter. The soldiers equipped with accursed knightly armor and automatic firearms made their rounds, scanning their surroundings until they finally recognized her vehicle bypassing the wreckage that choked the streets.
The succubus had been connecting the dots that her man fought here to keep the Exterminators off people's backs. Leaked footage from survivors taking refuge inside the building revealed the truth. Yet, she wouldn't let a video dictate that relationship, meeting the source face-to-face would hopefully ease her mind.
Soon a picket of the Crimson Guards approached her with their barrels aimed towards her. She began to tap the brakes and decelerate to a stop. One of the nameless men was eager to inform her of the situation. "By order of his majesty, the Hazbin Hotel is off limits. Turn around and leave."
They were an intimidating presence but she wanted to see Railtracer badly. "I came to see my boyfriend. He lives with the princess." Her words had no effect as they tightened their grip around their guns.
"Put that gear in reverse and get going. You have no clearance."
She was about to slam her foot to the accelerator but they were quicker as her engine's revvying argument was kept in check by the safeties being flicked off. It would have led to a violent end and her sinner boyfriend would have reason to grieve if she received another gunshot that was deadly enough to make this ride her last. She quietly swore to herself and began to drive in reverse. As she backed away, Verosika glanced back at the hotel while the guards relaxed and watched her depart from their sight.
It was a disappointing act from her behalf. Maybe she would never get the truth as the building grew distant in the mirror. Perhaps he would reach out to her when the time was right? Until their next meeting, the pop star settled on fleeing to Beelzebub's place and bringing her people there. Vortex could be with his girlfriend and the rest of her friends would have better protection than what they currently had.
Driving back along the same road revealed an oncoming convoy of vehicles with a black limousine with two purple humvees and a van. One humvee was ahead of the convoy while the other secured its rear, both equipped with pintle-mounted machine guns manned by short imps in armor. The turret cupulas turned and scanned the surrounding area as Verosika slowed and let the vehicles through.
What she hadn't expected from the convoy was the sight of a familiar van belonging to her ex-boyfriend - Blitzo. Her brow could not help but reveal her disappointment that this of all times was where they would next encounter each other. As it passed by her, it stopped as the window rolled down and the imp who had ruined her life was sitting behind the wheel. "Verosika, what are you doing here?"
"I came to check on Railtracer." She didn't have time to deal with his nonsense as a terrible person but it was odd that he was here of all places. Just what reason did he have to be in a convoy? "What are you doing here?"
"The Queen of Hell made me and my crew their daughter's chaperone. I'd like to say more but I can't tell you."
"Well, if you get through the checkpoint just say hi for him while you're at it." Verosika accepted her low chances of getting through. Popular as she was with the Hellborn, she didn't have the influence of a Goetia to pass through.
"I know we both broke up horribly but I know something is dragging you down." The imp shifted the stick shift and leaned out of his car window even further. It was as if he was taking the time to hear her feelings. A shame that Blitzo didn't use this to save their relationship when it mattered. "What's wrong?"
"Railtracer called me and said he was going to do something dangerous for the princess. I don't know why he needs to do it but I want to know the truth."
His face looked drained as if he was bitten by a vampire; however, she could tell that her former ex-boyfriend knew something. "He didn't tell you, did he?"
"What are you talking about?" Her head perked at the possibility that she could understand why her man was acting weird in that phone call.
"He's not a sinner. Railtracer's an agent of Heaven."
She froze and time seemed to stop. For a brief moment she pondered what that meant for their relationship until it finally made sense. Why would a sinner hang out at a place like the Hazbin Hotel? Even for all of Charlie's efforts, it was weird that he would want to live there unless he was ordered to. Then she remembered her last conversation with him, he was going to be escorting the princess somewhere safe after the attack.
What was the point of all the deception? Was this the skeletons he was referring to? A barely-kept secret he was trying to prevent her from seeing? Verosika wanted to drag him in the open and put Railtracer on trial. She wanted answers from him and part of her wanted to hate him for playing her like an idiot. Yet, the succubus couldn't evoke any hatred for him despite what she found out.
The popstar then remembered what he said before they ended that call. This man from the Holy Kingdom declaring his love for her. He didn't have to go through all of that effort and cut the call short; however, it happened. Was it a genuine sense of care behind that gasmask of his?
A door was cracked open from the limo to Verosika's left. Out from the passenger seat, a lithe blonde woman stepped out and turned to the conversing Hellborn in her black leg slit dress. "Is there a reason why you haven't ended this conversation, Blitzo?"
"Uh, I was talking to a friend." The assassin answered with reluctance as he turned his attention towards the Queen of Hell. "Her boyfriend is one of the Heaven agents at the hotel."
"That explains much." Her eyes shifted to the pop start. "I've seen you before. You're the singer that accompanies Asmodeous or Beelzebub from time to time."
The succubus didn't know how to respond to someone who know all about her partying. Despite her nervous reaction, the royal revealed a large smile.
"What's his name so I may send him your regards?"
"Railtracer." She answered, unsure how to proceed with the situation.
"I'll tell him you wanted to see him in person." Then Lilith looked over to Blitzo. "Cut the chatter, we have to get going." Not a word was spent when the queen returned to her limo and the imp rolled up his window. She watched as the convoy moved again and made its way to the checkpoint. When Verosika was alone at last, she looked to the front of her car and drove away.
All she had to do was go home and try to move on but the agent's willingness to come back for her still echoed in her heart. The lonely girl wished and hope that would come true.
Angel Dust found himself standing on one of the hotel's balcony with three other men. While the others were preparing to make their departure from Hell, they had all been tasked to keep an eye for an incoming airship. After all, the damn snake promised he would take them to their destination. It sounded like work that the spider gangster didn't want to do but at least he could share the boredom with the two undercover agents and the bartender.
Husk had joined them with bottles of various alcohol types as the group leaned against the railing and drank together. He and Pavel were trading shots to see who wouldn't lose their grip but Uhlman was different. The man had a pair of binoculars slung from around his neck as he took a few minutes to look at the distance for any signs of Sir Pentious.
He wanted to know more about the men who worked for Heaven. The porn star was used to the imagery of choirboys and pastors spouting scripture to convert others into faith. Angel was faithful but he never considered an angel slayer and a literal communist would find a place beyond the pearly gates. As he walked over to the Russian's side, he announced his company. "So, what's it like with you and your buddies living on the other side?"
The soldier gave him a glance before focusing his gaze on the city horizon. "Depends on how you look at life, really."
"Come on, there's got to be something to it." The spider replied, hoping to goad the man into talking.
"I suppose it deserves to be called strange like a fish out of water. Hell's a mess when it comes to reaching out to old contacts but Heaven has some institutions that let you try and find out if anybody you know died as well. It's a weird form of normalcy that I don't think any soul is going to get used to."
Angel couldn't accept that Uhlman would casually describe one of the luckiest places in the afterlife as odd. He pondered about what it was like meeting others they met in life. "Did you ever talk to the people you knew… y'know, when you were alive?"
"On occasion. The first thing you do is talk and get reacquainted with the fellows before wondering what else happened on whatever version of Earth we both came from. You'd try to piece together information and hope the people you knew then were getting better." He shook his head and hunched over the balcony edge. His head curled to his chest and let out a deep breath.
"Hey, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just pondering upon my own past. That's all." The Russian immediately replied before straightening his back upright. Then he took another swig from his clear bottle of half-full vodka. "Everyone hopes that the people they left behind are doing better while you're gone. Then you hope that they remember you at all."
"You don't like to be forgotten? I get that. Shit, it's sometimes the whole reason I do the things I do in this city. We all don't want to be another body that just exists." This moment to relate with someone else was just so pure. Angel didn't have the right dictionary to put words together but it didn't matter. Even for all the holiness these strangers represented, they were still humans underneath it all.
"It's why I hate the Exterminators. They don't seem to care about how you sinners and us saved are part of the same coin. The only difference between you and me is that we are of different shades of color. Once we reach Heaven, Azrael will not hold himself back."
His head perked at the mention of the archangel. These investigators revered them and feared the one who tried to steal Charlie from the hotel. Ever since they had revealed themselves, even the sinful gangster was taken aback that they were afraid. "What's he like?"
"Caring. The Archangel of Death believes that an honest soul deserves to be guided to Heaven like a welcoming friend. He can be ruthless but Azrael will do everything in his power to minimize the horrifying stuff underneath those robes. It also helps that he comes around and checks up on us like a manager looking out for his employees." Uhlman described and that helped ease the porn star's fear of encountering the Grim Reaper.
In the few moments he considered his mortality, Angel Dust thought the Grim Reaper would be eager to claim his soul and drag him into the depths of Hell. Another damned being who was just as cruel as the overlords who ruled it.
"In a way, he also gave us the clearance to come and rescue you."
"Really?" He was taken by surprise that a high-ranking official noticed him at all. "I'm not much to look at. Why would I be worth saving?"
The investigator chuckled at his self-doubt. "If there is one thing I know about him, he has eyes everywhere. If you were someone whom he considered incapable of redemption, my boss would make it known. You haven't seen it when he personally orders a condemnation."
"It sounds like you guys have it for people you don't want to redeem."
"Worse. A condemnation is an order of execution. Life is full of moments where there are lines you don't cross and the afterlife is no different. A condemnation is when we receive a direct message from the Garden of Eden, straight from the man himself, who took one long look at someone's soul and declared to the world that they are irredeemable."
"Fuck me." He admitted, realizing that he was really lucky in the grand schemes of the universe. Then his thoughts considered the morbid curiosity of it happening on Uhlman's watch. "Ever seen it happen?"
The Russian stopped and turned his head to look at him. He made one slight nod, confirming the experience as a witness. "Once, Azrael came across a soul who obtained incredible wealth by scamming every poor person with faith alone. The fat fuck tried to make a run into the streets but we caught him and watched him beg. It's one thing to kill a soul, it's another to obliterate it completely."
It was an image that could make Angel happy. Even if he suffered the worst of existence, there was still a sense of justice out there in the world and the people running it were trying. He'd hope that it wasn't just a coincidence they were looking out for him. The Italian couldn't possibly consider that fate and destiny were involved; however, he couldn't accept that he was rescued just by sheer luck.
"Contact from the southwest!" Pavel reported as everyone turned their heads to see the communist holding a pair of binoculars before his eyes. His hands extended out and pointed at an airship growing in size as it approached the Hazbin Hotel. "Not a Heaven vessel. Markings match up with our file on Sir Pentious."
"Looks like we're all done drinking for the day." Husk remarked as he gathered the empty bottles littered around the balcony.
"We'll have to report to Tony about the developments."
Uhlman brushed past Angel Dust as he handed an empty vodka bottle to the cat-like sinner. Then he joined the other Russian, standing side-by-side. "If that's the case, we need to make our final preparations."
The airship flew close to the towering building where Hell's royalty resided. Edging near the balcony, the ship opened and extended a ramp from within as Sir Pentious slithered from the depths of his vessel. "I have returned!"
"Good, do we have space for about a dozen passengers?"
"I made slight adjustments." The serpent eagerly answered as he adjusted his black bowtie. "We've dropped off unnecessary cargo and ordnance for your accommodations. The extra weight has been left out, so we can get to our destination faster."
The porn star watched the two Russians exchange a glance from each other. "Some good news for once." Then the senior man turned to the spider. "Angel, inform the others."
There was a perk to being Heaven's glorified doorman and Saint Peter couldn't complain about it. He was positioned outside the pearly gates and stood behind a podium, awaiting another wave of saved souls that had their clearance approved by the Department of Purgatory. The blessed human enjoyed meeting new people who were always glad to see him in person. Each one carried a story to their name, a past they carried as the Holy Kingdom welcomed every person who stepped through. On occasion, Eve would appear and provide him decent company to guide the arrivals into their new lives on this plane of existence.
The podium displayed a book with a never-ending list of people for him to process through. When he scratched a name off with his quill, it would fade out of existence before the others would fill in the gap. If it wasn't for the magical power within the parchment, Peter would have ordered a computer system and a desk for any work to be done.
Silence accompanied him as he waited for any sort of action to arise.
What he hadn't anticipated was the doors behind him cracking open. Normally, it would only do that when the Department of Purgatory had cleared a batch of saved souls to enter. The only person who casually visited him was Eve, the first woman and mother of humanity. As the gates cracked open, a lithe figure in brown leather pants and a blue button shirt stepped out with a black tricorne hat.
The woman raised her head and revealed herself with a smile. "Hello, Peter. How have things been?"
"Same as usual. I'm just trying to do my job." He openly admitted while looking over the podium and looking through the names. While he pretended to be working, she walked past him and strode to the furthest that the gates allowed. Eve peered over the edge, looking below at the world that was Hell itself.
"Strange. One could take a jump and make it to Lucifer's kingdom and never come back."
"What are you looking at?" He was curious and wondered why his boss was paying a visit. "Not much worth looking at from up here."
Few pried into the lives of the first two humans but the saint knew that she was practically the wife of Archangel Michael. It was an open secret; however, it wasn't a terrible one. Adam had done little to improve his character after his return, all bitter around Eve's indiscretion with Lucifer and humanity's first murder. Her husband had become a disappointment as he willingly took charge of an all-woman unit that was the Exterminators. She would have been a lonely woman if the symbol of the Holy Father's wrath hadn't reached out to care for her.
It initially looked as if the High Marshal was just providing her comfort after suffering years with Adam. Then rumors came about that this friendship turned into love. Of course, they would never tell anyone in public, but she confided in the Saint that it was the best thing that happened to her. She was happy and Peter was glad that there was someone for her.
"Have I ever told you about my son?" The mother of humanity asked as she turned to look at him.
"Which one? Cain or Able?"
"Everyone knows about them." She replied before walking over to him and stood on the opposite side of the podium. "Not Adam's but Michael's."
That was news to the saved, as his eyes widened in shock. It was bound to happen, but her nonchalance at the revelation took him by complete surprise. That was worth celebrating when his shift was over. "When?! We should invite him to a great restaurant I know of."
"He was born more than twenty years ago. I cared for him but Michael and I didn't want any attention from his brothers and well… everyone else."
"Oh," Peter realized as Eve rested both her arms on the podium from her side, "What did you two do?"
"He still performed his duties but I decided to spend my time raising my son on one of the many Earths we created. One day, that version of humanity used nuclear bombs, but it was so destructive that it cut that world off from Heaven's gaze." Her words trailed off as her eyes looked down at the book between them.
The saint had heard about that story. From what he learned, humanity did something to sever the connection of souls from the mortal plane of existence to the afterlife. "I think I heard about that one. I think Raphael had to do something about it."
"He's still working on it but it's a lot better now than it was then. I managed to die again and give him the run-down on the situation… but I had to leave Artyom behind." Part of him wanted to say he was familiar with that name. Yet, he was so used to knowing many names countless times that it was impossible to discern if he knew the person or not. All that was known was a name and that was it. "Till this day, he doesn't know about me nor Michael."
"Did he end up in Hell?" Was that the reason she was looking over the edge? Eve may have been the first woman but her ability to make exceptions in Heaven had its limits. Did the son of her second marriage fail and now she was looking down into the Dark Realm?
"Thank the Holy Father that isn't the case. No, he works for Azrael's department. They've been busy lately and my son has been on deployment since he got here."
"I would like to meet him. It'd be interesting to see what kind of man he is." He was still in favor of celebrating with the duo and he'd pull all kinds of strings to make it happen. Peter always enjoyed making families come together and his boss deserved it. "Would you and Michael enjoy my company?"
She smiled and laughed. "Oh, Pete, you're always welcome. It could become a complete mess since I know you to be clumsy but you always had your heart in the right place."
"Aw, I appreciate the gratitude."
A beep emanated from his robes as the doorman reached into his pockets to retrieve his phone. He had received a text message from the Department of Purgatory that another wave of saved had been processed. The saint grabbed the magical pen and prepared his writing hand to cross out names for his newest arrivals.
"We got company."
Artyom had made his preparations in the form of his backpack already stuffed with ammo and aid kits when the airship would take everyone to Heaven. Yet, he was not alone as Mayberry had her purse placed above and atop his bedside. She too had packed herself some essentials but the Russian swore he saw her slip several boxes of shotgun shells.
They both rested in his bed his arms wrapped around her as she held his free right hand. Her fingers rubbed against the polymer gloves and pressed against his palm. All they could do was wait and anticipate their departure. Not that he minded that as he could decompress aboard a sinner's ship but also be himself without worry of expectations.
"What's your home like in Heaven?" Helen asked as she turned her head and glanced at him. The former Polis Ranger became mindful of her horns as he shifted his head around from getting his eyes poked out.
"Why so interested?" He answered but was confused by the motive that led to her question. "You're just going to be visiting."
She then looked away from him and stared across the room. "Entertain a girl, would you? I know it's going to be temporary but imagine if I decided to move in with you. What would you do to impress me?"
"I would welcome you into my apartment and let you take a look around the place. You could check out my living room while I figure out what to cook for dinner."
"That would have been lovely." The sinner reached over her shoulder and caressed his cheek with her hand. "Then I would take a look at your fridge and cook for you instead."
It was a humorous mental image that Artyom decided to laugh. Helen seemingly joined him in the comedic hypothetical for a relationship that could never exist in the Holy Kingdom. Nonetheless, he enjoyed the moment they both shared.
"Would you ever play any music to set the tone?"
The thought reminded the Russian about the first pure moment he shared with his partner, long before he decided to marry her. It was embarrassing then, putting on music to ease his terrified heart but also hilarious when he tried to switch out of a song of passion. "Yes. It would take me five tries before the right one gets heard. I'd change the lights and fetch some wine bottle I got from the nearby marketplace."
"Then Verosika would break in and get jealous that I'm stealing her man away."
"She would be less angry but then all three of us would find a way to figure something out." He added, hinting at their previous meet-up where an undercover agent of Heaven and his two girlfriends from Hell caused a commotion.
They were immediately interrupted when someone knocked on the apartment door three times. Artyom arose from his bed and immediately walked over to the door. Then he heard Angel Dust on the other side. "Hey, we got a meeting with everyone in the atrium."
"We'll be there!" Came his reply before looking back to see Helen readjust her disheveled hair. "It sounds like everyone is ready."
"Then we better be there in five." Mayberry remarked.
The couple made their way to the nearby elevator after walking past patrols and sentries from the Crimson Guard. It was an uneasy moment of tolerance those soldiers had for Artyom as they were not as trustful when compared to their monarch. Nonetheless, they kept to themselves and secured the floor in case there would be another raid on the Hazbin Hotel. Time passed as they descended to the first floor while happy music played in the background but it was not enough to calm the upcoming task the investigator would face.
When the doors slid open, they were immediately brought into the hotel's main atrium, the very same one where the Russian tried to fight Gabriel. This time, it was different as he heard the familiar voice of Blitzo yelling while he was accompanied by his imps and Hellhound. When the assassin finally took notice of their arrival, his eyes widened with shock, possibly because the Russian wasn't in his disguise anymore. "Railtracer?"
"What's with all the commotion?" He asked of his former boss, who seemed flabbergasted by his existence.
"Well, stuff me and call me a turkey! I didn't think we'd meet again." Then his eyes shifted over to the woman beside him. For a brief moment, he seemed surprised before a wide smile revealed his smug reaction, "So, you two are fucking."
Helen was quick to reply, revealing her past interaction with the imp. "I still got to thank you for killing my ex-husband and that family. Money well spent."
"So, do you know that he's also fucking my ex-girlfriend?"
"We're sharing him." She openly admitted as Artyom stole a look from her. He didn't think she would be so upfront with how open they were.
The rest of I.M.P seemed to be taken aback by the sinner's nonchalant reply. It was hard to tell whether the Hellborn was impressed or not with his relationship.
"What are you guys doing here?"
"We're helping out!" Millie eagerly answered with an optimistic smile on her face. It seemed that the mood around the Hellborn assassins improved from her aura. "The Queen of Hell recruited us to protect her daughter after we rescued Stolas from his wife and in-laws."
The Russian couldn't help himself from being glad his friends were safe now. It was plenty of people but the truth was that the investigator had no problems with his company. "It's good to see you guys again."
They seemed to be taken aback by his reply. Maybe they didn't expect him to be genuine with his feelings; however, he would give them time to process their feelings on the matter. They deserved that right at the very least.
Further calls from the main atrium had caught their attention and everyone approached. Tony shouted for everyone to show up as the next phase of planning seemed to shift to its next phase. When everyone finally arrived in the room, the secretary to the Archangel of Death stood in the center of a circle of investigators, Hellborn, and sinners. The Courier demanded everyone's attention before briefing them on the situation. "Alright, people, here's the run-down of what we'll need to do. We'll all hitch a ride in Sir Pentious's airship and make our way to Heaven. It's a risky gamble but staying here will get us killed."
"How will you know Heaven won't let us in?" The Radio Demon asked as he tapped his microphone. "We are, after all, using a sinner's vessel."
"Great question. Artyom, Pavel, Uhlman, and I have access to secure radio channels with codes from our department. Once they know it's any of us, we can clear up any problems."
Lucifer took his first steps and everyone turned to his attention. "Is there anyone there you can trust once Charlie and her companions leave my kingdom? Someone that isn't out to catch her?"
"Saint Peter works at the pearly gates. He's unlikely to get involved with Gabriel's people since he's practically glued to his work. We'll reach out to Azrael and get him to provide an armed escort." Tony explained as Artyom noticed everyone's focus on his superior.
"I do have a question." Stolas reluctantly spoke as the Courier shifted his eyes to the Ars Goetia. "My concern is what happens if someone notices and tries to intercept us."
He let out a deep breath as the second-in-command to the Archangel of Death slipped his hands into his pockets. "I'm crossing my fingers that doesn't happen but there's no guarantee Gabriel and Adam won't see a red blimp. If there's anything we can rely on, it's that they want Charlie to be taken alive. So they will board us and we'll have to fight them off. Though, if they try and we contact some trustworthy sources on the other side… we won't be alone in that fight."
"Ya sound confident that we'll get actual help. Do you have any idea who'll help us?" Angel Dust remarked.
"There are people watching that airspace. If Gabriel's people get found out, there is no doubt that a bunch of boarding craft attacking a ship containing the Princess of Hell will reach people like Michael."
The ruler of Hell perked his head at the mention of that archangel. Artyom knew about the stories between him and the symbol of the Holy Father's Wrath. It must have been painful to be reminded of that past, even if Tony wasn't trying to incur his anger amid the briefing.
"We've made all the preparations that I can think of. All we need, right now, is one good night's sleep before we set off."
"Can we still slip some time to get a good breakfast?" Helen Mayberry asked as the whole group glanced at her, amused by the suggestion. The Russian boyfriend took notice of the innocent request but couldn't help himself but feel happy she was that considerate to cook on their behalf. "What? A good breakfast might help."
Charlie finally joined the current conversation. "I don't mind that. It might be a good opportunity to get everyone to get their affairs in order."
"I suppose drinking is out of the question. Ladna, we can get drunk on a later date." Said Pavel as he began to break off and head elsewhere inside the hotel.
Those who were assembled in the atrium had begun to leave one by one. Each one accepted the destiny that was tomorrow. The small respite they enjoyed in the aftermath of Gabriel's attack had come to an end. They would all leave the Dark Realm and make their way to Heaven or die trying.