The young Antichrist woke up in a rather uncomfortable way. He didn't even have to bother to open his eyes to know what the cause for that discomfort might be. This was no longer an unfamiliar feeling for him; it was something he knew all too well from a not-too-distant past. He hummed:
"Cas, are you awake?"
He heard an unintelligible mutter. Assumed that this was therefore not really the case and said somewhat louder:
"Casiel, wake up!"
He heard barely intelligible:
"No...let me...it's been a long hard night..."
She lay half on top of him, not giving him too much room to move. He said:
"Cas, you have been doing this now since we were little. You're using me as your personal beanbag! I swear to you, if you don't get off me soon, I will throw you out the window without opening it. This is exactly why I didn't want to take afternoon naps with you in the same bed anymore, let alone share a bed with you all night. This bed is fucking big enough to host a sleepover, and yet you have to push me all the way to the edge and then lie half and half on top of me out of nowhere. For Heavens sake why?"
She knew he wouldn't stop complaining now anyway once he was wide awake. She sighed, straightened up a little, looked him straight in the eye, and said:
"Don't you know that by now? That's what big brothers are for. It's the only useful reason for your existence. Making sure that little sisters have an absolute perfect place to slumber..."
"Get the hell off me before accidents happen! I urgently need to go to the bathroom, and I need a cappuccino..."
Reluctantly, she slid off him, allowing him to get out off the bed. He muttered:
"This house has six extra bedrooms; three of them are in use, so there are three left, and yet you have to sleep in my bed...pfff..."
She surprised him by saying:
"Well, there are a few of them in use by Ella and Anna, among others. Besides, it was on Celine's orders that I was banished to your room."
He didn't really feel like going into more detail about that so-called order and thought it would be better just keeping his mouth shut. As he swung his legs over the edge, he groaned loudly in pain. Concerned, she asked:
"Everything okay, Alex?"
"No... I feel like I've been subjected to prolonged heavy-handedness by Celine, Mickey, and Sammy at the same time in the dojo."
He rubbed his heart area and asked:
"What the hell happened, Cas? The last thing I remember was having a rather heated discussion with Lucifer and Bee's mom. The next moment I woke up in my bed being used as a beanbag. And I stress here again; MY BED, Casiel!"
The look in her eyes immediately became serious. He heard in her voice that she was worried.
"According to Raphael and Fuzzie, you had a particularly severe panic attack that threatened to get out of control. They were having all the trouble getting your breathing and heart rate under control. It was very bad, Alexander. Trixie, Anna, and I were so scared when we saw you collapse. When Raphael showed up a little later and immediately ordered Fuzzie's help, it didn't get any better, little brother."
He looked at her wide-eyed:
"Fuzzie was here? Oh jeez, then Mom and Dad already know what has happened at length..."
"Oh well, it's much worse than that, Alex.... Mom was here too... along with Mickey and Sammy!"
The young Antichrist closed his eyes, and all he could say was:
"Oh POOP..."
He stood up straight, stumbled to the bathroom, and disappeared from view for a moment. Behind the closed door, Casiel heard very clearly:
"FUCK!"
Stepping back into the room, he dropped onto his large, comfortable sofa and asked softly:
"How bad was it?"
Casiel got off the bed and sat down next to him. She said:
"I didn't catch everything they discussed back there in the garden because Mom more or less demanded that I stay with you and keep an eye on you. But through the open windows, I got enough to know that it wasn't all friendly. You know, Mom... She was in one of those moods of which even Micky turns into a toddler. You know, when you can't distinguish between the Goddess and Mom."
"For the love of Grandma... please tell me she didn't flambé or wipe anyone out of existence?"
"Well... I could feel that sometimes it was close to the point where she could strangle either Lucifer or Trixie's mother. But Mickey and Sammy—that's another story..."
"What do you mean Cas?"
"It could very well be that what they have threatened is based on truth. It seems that those two would have brought the armies of both Heaven and Hell into a state of high alert at home without the knowledge or approval of Mom and Dad. Dad will have noticed that, of course, but you know Dad. If anyone dares to look at you or me the slightest bit wrong, he is in a position to go Old Testament..."
Alexander had to blink a few times. He felt his heart rate skyrocket again and the pain he immediately felt in his heart area betrayed that this was not the best idea. He took a few deep breaths in and out as he silently counted to twenty. He felt his heartbeat slow down and said:
"I came to this cursed universe to try to solve this giant clusterfuck, and these two are dead set on what would be the first invasion of another universe! Oh, this is getting better by the day..."
He stood up because now he really needed his cappuccino.
He walked into the kitchen and stood stock-still. There were slightly more people present than he had expected, and they all looked at him expectantly. Well, except for Fuzzie, who didn't look too amused. Jophiel, Rae Rae, Ella, Celine, Trixie, Linda, and Anna looked at him. Alex looked at Casiel, who had followed closely behind him, and said sarcastically:
"Oh, thank you for the warning sister that we have visitors and so giving me a chance to put on pants..."
Cas laughed and replied:
"Says the kid who is suddenly very self-conscious but whose favorite hobby is skinny dipping at any possible time of day or night regardless of who might be around."
Alexander shuffled up to his Italian coffee maker and said:
"That's something else entirely, Cas! That's at home in Heaven with people I've known all my life and are used to the fact that the birthday suit is my beloved suit. And NEVER in front of young ladies I've only known recently."
Trixie turned a little red, but the rest of the ladies present seemed to find it funny. With a mug of freshly brewed cappuccino, Alex seated himself at the kitchen table. Fuzzie came up beside him and said gruffly:
"Shirt up, now!"
He tried to joke but this fell on deaf ears with the healer:
"Whatever happened to gallantry. Surely I would have expected at least dinner before losing my T-shirt..."
The look in Angel's eyes told him he had better shut up now and do as he was asked. He took off his T-shirt, and Fuzzie put his hand on his heart. The hand lit up gold, and after a minute, the light show was over. Alex quickly put his shirt back on. He may have been used to a house full of older sisters, but sitting at the table in nothing more than his socks and his boxer briefs in front of Trixie and Anna, he found it a little uncomfortable. The healer took back his seat and said:
"Good, there is no permanent or long-term damage Alexander. I recommend, no I order you, to take it easy for a day or two. Avoid stress at this time."
The moment Alexander replied, Gabriel walked into the kitchen:
"Avoid stress? Surely you know who my natural father is and ergo who my grandfather is? Stress seems to hang on to two like a famished leech."
Gabriel got a cup of coffee from Jophiel and sat down with the gang:
"How are you feeling little brother?"
Before Alex could answer, Cas said cheerfully:
"If you see Alex as a little brother am I automatically your little sister too?"
Gabe looked at her mischievously and said:
"I don't know, Casiel. I already have a little sister, and she's kind of bubbly and a handful. Depends, are you bubbly too?"
This time it was young Antichrist who answered before Casiel could:
"Imagine a unicorn that just swallowed a train-load of happy pills, only nibbles on a well particular kind of grass, you know the kind I mean, and farts rainbows..."
Gabriel sighed, looked at Alex and asked:
"So that means we have three of those running around now?"
Alexander looked at Rae Rae, Ella, Trixie and Casiel and said dryly:
"Your math is of by one..."
And he pointed at Trixie.
"Wanna bet how long it will take those four to turn that one in number five?"
This time he pointed to Anna and he heard Gabriel groaning. Alex took a sip:
"What can I do for you Gabe or are you coming to spring me from this madhouse?"
"Those reinforcements you asked for, they will show up today. What Michael has overheard is that that captain, hmmm, Monroe, I thought, is going to introduce them to the rest at 6 pm Seems to be the time when there's a transition of two shifts, so she only has to make that speech once."
"What kind of reinforcement are we talking about?"
"Well, one is what they call a roving inspector at the FBI. His name is Lewit, a non-nonsense guy they gave the sensitive cases to in the hope he would bite like a pit-bull. That seems to be his only way of handling a case. He has supposedly retired after twenty years of service and chose LA for the sun and fun stuff and a job with the LAPD because he's not quite ready to retire completely. That will be Miss Decker's partner. He's a straightforward thinker who works by the book, a good match we suspect. The other was an assistant director at DHS, perfect for the lieutenant position, and she will immediately oversee that part of the investigation into Cain's network as well along with the LAPD people, a department called IA. Her name is Ariel, she is one of Michaels favorites and a captain in his army. Not only does he trusts her she can count on his complete trust and therefore work more or less completely autonomous."
Alex nodded:
"Internal affairs, I've heard of those, yes. Seems logical that they would be in charge of the investigation into a police lieutenant who turned out to be an underworld figure. Were there any problems with their quick transfer?"
"No, not directly. A little pressure through someone we have in DC and their resume was enough to get the bosses here in LA very excited an speed things up."
"But?"
"The Angel who will com over from DHS, Ariel, who would fill the lieutenant position has a little problem of which Michael almost had a stroke. Until he thought of your ultimate goal and then simply decided to drop the ball in your court and with a big smile I might add."
Alexander looked at him sternly for about two seconds and then asked sarcastically:
"Is this decision going to send my heart rate soaring? I think Fuzzie here could start getting physical with anyone who could take care of that."
"Ariel, she was in DC for about ten years. It's time for her to move because people are slowly starting to realize she's not aging a day. During that time, however, she has met someone—a man, a widower with two young sons. They have been living together as a family for some time now, something she has always hidden from us out of fear Michael would order her of or worse recall her. Those two really seem to love each other and form a happy family with the two kids."
"Okay, do boyfriend/husband/partner or whatever she may call him and the sons know that she is, in fact, an Angel?"
"No, not really. They know there is something going on that she can't tell them at the moment but she has giving them her word that when the times comes she will definitely tell them the whole truth."
"I take it those three are willing to move with her to LA if Ariel takes this position here? When they have been together for such a time and Ariel has been accepted by the kids as a mother?"
Gabriel merely nodded.
"Good, then we'll make sure those three are initiated into the club once they get here. Let Ariel know that she should have no fear. That I am proud of her and consider her damn brave to have dared to take this step. Tell her I will handle things with grandpa. The further steps are for after my meeting him. When you tell her that ask her if we here on the ground could assist with something to make the transition easier for the whole family. Job for her man, school for the kids that kind of stuff. What was the name of Miss Decker's future partner again?"
"His name is Lewit."
Alexander got his now-infamous mischievous smirk on his face and said:
"I definitely want to be present when Captain Monroe makes her speech later, if only to see the faces of Lucifer and Chloe."
He thought for a moment, looked at Celine, and said:
"We have all of Lucifer's contacts here in LA through Maze. How about we score an Escalade somewhere, have a few hours of fun, and then head down to the office to enjoy the show?"
Celine looked at him with her strict nanny/mommy look and commanded:
"Describe fun!"
He pointed to Ella and Rae Rae:
"I know what those two are up to even if Ella still has to get to work today, but if I want to take Fuzzie's medical advice, I need to avoid their chatter for a while. So we will send those two on their merry little way all on their on so they can catch up a bit. Fuzzie here would rather retire with a book rather than expose himself to LA, that's a given. That's why I thought of the girls. Anna has never been to Earth, let alone on a shopping trip. That alone will just about make Cas froth around the mouth thinking of the possibilities. The fact that Bee is also here makes me think she is not going to school today. Which begs the question why but the fact that she and Cas are chatterboxes it will come out on it own, it's just being patient and all the beans will be spilled. Let the girls have some fun by getting to know each other better and doing some shopping. I could use some stuff too, some books and DVDs, maybe some music. I also briefly thought we might stop for refreshments on Sunset Boulevard."
Celine got a smirk and said:
"You mean The Rainbow and Lemmy?"
"Yep, then maybe we can talk in between, when we get a break from their chatter."
Fuzzie's heavy voice could be heard:
"Talking... I very much hope it's a relaxing topic..."
"No worries, Fuzzie, just talking and exchanging some ideas. Something I can talk about here and then afterward take some of it to implement reforms in Hell and how to do it."
Casiel was already wobbling in her chair when she heard that Anna had never gone shopping.
"Oh yes, if LA here looks a bit like the one at our universe, this will be a blast! We absolutely need to start with TYLA!"
A little sad Trixie said:
"I love LYLA, but Mom and Dad didn't leave any money behind so..."
Alexander chuckled, snapped his fingers and a stack of hundred dollar bills appeared along with a pair of black AMEX credit cards. He tossed them on the table between Trixie and Casiel and said:
"I think you young ladies will already know how those work. If you would be so kind as to teach Anna to do it also. Remember Anna is coming to live here, for you this is fun for her we need a full wardrobe. Do you girls think you can manage that for Anna?"
He looked Cas in the eye and said played sternly:
"Her choice Cas, not yours. She is not a doll you can dress up any way you want. It has to suit her and she has to be comfortable in it!"
Hours later, Celine parked the Cadillac Escalade she had arranged through a Lucifer contact, and therefore was in mint condition, near the infamous Rainbow on Sunset. Celine had had to do her utmost not to go completely crazy with the three girls. Led by a completely unhinged Casiel, the girls started indeed with LYLA where they spend close to two hours and then moved from one shop to another. The speed at which Cas moved drove Celine just about insane, equal the complete lack of coordination in the shopping-trip which of course let to some chaos. The twittering among the trio was enough to drive anyone completely crazy. The young Antichrist, in contrast, had learned in the past to shut himself off from that. Consequently, the girls left him alone for the most part. They knew he needed to take it slow and after what happened last night they absolutely knew that he was far from finished in his head with processing everything.
So they left him alone with his own thoughts and his own passions: books, stationery, and DVDs. He must have looked at a hundred pens and just as quickly written them all off as not good enough. For him nothing would beat the pen he got from Casiel at their last birthday. She manifested for him an expensive Montblanc John F. Kennedy Burgundy Special Edition. And he absolutely loved that pen. In the most part because it was a gift from the person he loved more then anyone else. Alex therefore took advantage of their shopping-oriented fury to disappear into a bookstore for a while from time to time. There he could indulge in his passion for history in complete peace. But for him, that wasn't just a buying trip. The books and DVDs had a second purpose. He knew there was almost no difference in the course of history in both universes. However, his analytical brain wouldn't leave him alone to figure out where the differences lay and what consequences they had. So far, he had only discovered minor details that made no difference to the whole. His general interest soon seemed to turn into a kind of treasure hunt to discover those small differences so he could study them later at home or in Hell during his free time. He was determined to find out why there was so little difference between the two universes. If every possible decision by every individual could trigger a different time-line, why were the two so close together? His logical, analytical brain had found a new puzzle to bite into, and it excited him to no end.
Anna at first had all the trouble in the world getting used to a big city like LA and its ubiquitous people. It wasn't long, however, before she was bitten by the same infectiousness as Cas and Trixie and equally enjoyed the phenomenon of shopping. The girls' excitement peaked when Cas pulled them into the famed Disney store on Grande Avenue, and a world of color and glitter opened up to Anna. Before they knew it, both Celine and Alexander had each had a couple of large bags pressed into their hands, and the girls themselves were also carrying a plethora of Disney items in a couple of bags. On the girls' heads were a pair of large pink Minnie Mouse ears, including a bow tie. Then they also each donned a rather brightly colored T-shirt of various Disney movies. Two way too happy princesses for Casiel and Trixie and a slightly more subdued Beast for Anna, Alex thought for a moment that his eyes would start to bleed.
It wasn't long before the Escalade's large trunk was filled to the brim, and Alexander had to briefly use his powers to move the purchased loot to the beach-house so there would be some room again. He had no idea about all the things the girls had bought with the black credit cards. All he cared about was that they were having a good time. Where they could get to know each other better. Anna was given an actual makeover by Trixie and Casiel and in no time looked like any other eleven-year-old girl. Their excitement at seeing certain items and their twittering was contagious. He did, however, draw the line adamantly when they wanted to include him in their makeover fuss. They wanted to see him in something other than his eternal jeans and T-shirts from his favorite rock bands, and they where met with an unyielding njet from the young Antichrist. Alex had absolute no desire to end up looking like a member of a boyband. Casiel always a fan of the color purple, had found nothing better to do than to put herself in a complete outfit from LSU at the last shop they would visit that day. Trixie, with a little conviction, had dressed in a NASA outfit, from baseball caps to sneakers with the NASA logo. Anna had been a little more bashful, opting for a simple, bright summer dress with a multitude of flowers. Ever since he had given the Palace in Hell a garden, she had been all about flowers. He did, however, become aware of Celine's stares. He knew damn well she was keeping an eye on him to check on his well-being.
Arriving at the Rainbow, the gang stepped out. The three girls looked at the building with little understanding of what Alexander had come here to do and what the place was. Without a word of explanation, he walked in front of them into the bar. He stepped straight to a secluded corner of the bar and took a seat as if he had been coming there for years. Celine pointed the three girls to a nearby table and sat down next to Alex at the bar. Quite a few people looked strange when the three girls suddenly exchanged their baseball caps for Minnie Mouse ears and seemed to have no intention of taking them back off. In no time, a pleasant bar lady appeared and asked what they wanted to drink. Alex replied:
"For this lady here, a big tequila, and I mean big; for those girls over there behind me, a virgin mojito; for me, a big glass of tomato juice; and do a JD & Coke for Lemmy."
The lady smiled at him when he spoke those last words, nodded and said:
"Coming right up sweety."
A few minutes later, the drinks were brought. He heard Anna, Casiel, and Trixie excited about the mock-tail offered to them. For them it was a bit like having a real cocktail in a place that had seen more rock stars come and go then the nightly sky over LA saw real stars. He took his glass, held it toward Celine, and said in a loud voice:
"To Lemmy; 49% motherfucker, 51% son of a bitch, 100% rock & roll!"
She clicked her own glass against his and simultaneously heard several voices in the bar in a loud tone:
"Lemmy!"
At a few minutes to six, they drove into the underground parking garage of the police station. The cars of Lucifer and Ella were not to be overlooked. Two elegant sports cars in top condition are not an everyday sight among a pile of police cars and cruisers that could pass for regular cars if you were not looking at them too closely. Celine parked the huge Escalade next to the Aston. She noticed the young Antichrist had a small, secretive smile. She leaned toward him to say something so the girls wouldn't catch on:
"Something tells me you particularly like this picture?"
With his smirk, he looked at her and said:
"The wonders are not yet beyond the realm of possibility. Who knows... That idiot of mine could give someone who could use it some extra light, and conversely, he could use someone who doesn't force him into a straitjacket..."
As the gang entered the police station, the kids with a rather wide smile and the girls with the Disney ears, they were looked at strangely by Sergeant Melinda Mullins manning the desk. The latter recognized Trixie immediately and said:
"Isn't it a little late for a school outing, Trixie?"
The girl said excitedly:
"Nope, we're here for Dad, Mom, Lucifer, and Ella."
The sergeant looked at them again, shrugged, and gave them all a visitor's sticker. She had seen stranger things in the building when the name Lucifer came up. The gang made their way toward the bullpen and saw that both Daniel's and Chloe's desks were deserted, that they were gathered in the small conference room next to Ella's lab along with Lucifer and Ella. Celine dropped into Daniel's desk chair, and the four kids sat down in a neat row on the edge of the desk. At just before six, the four exited the room and descended to the bullpen. They didn't even have time to say anything as they saw the five of them at and on Daniel's desk before Captain Monroe herself also descended to the bullpen with a man and a woman of about forty in her wake.
All the officers present rushed in a circle around the trio so as not to miss any of the speech. The captain was about to open her mouth to begin her speech when her eye fell on Alexander and the three girls with their Disney ears. Tilting her head slightly, she stepped toward the small gang sitting on Daniel's desk. She knew Trixie and asked her:
"Trixie, what are you doing here, and who are your friends?"
Before she could answer, Alexander jumped of the desk, took a theatrical bow, and said with his eternal smirk:
"But, Monsignor Richelieu, surely you recognize the three famous Mouseketeers..."
The captain could not quite hide her smile and replied:
"Then you must be the famous D'Artagnan..."
To which Alexander said:
"Well... Actually, no. I'm Alexander, not the famous Dumas, of course, but the Alexander with an even more famous or infamous name. Depends who you ask. The name is Morningstar. Alexander Marcus Morningstar, to be exact."
Her eyes got big, and she looked at the boy; she saw only immense fun in his bright green eyes. She asked a little suspiciously:
"Morningstar, as in our Lucifer Morningstar?"
"Quite correct and at your service, ma'am."
She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, pinched the bridge of her nose as if she felt a massive headache coming on, and muttered:
"Dear Lord, spare me; there are two of them..."
She looked at Lucifer and asked, more or less annoyed:
"Please tell me this is your nephew or something visiting from a place very very far away and soon to be on his way home, because LA won't survive if there's suddenly a senior and junior Morningstar running around."
Lucifer began nervously playing with his cufflink and said:
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Olivia, but this is indeed my son and he is staying in LA."
She muttered:
"I don't know what happened, but I'm glad to be rid of your gang in a moment."
She raised her voice so that every detective and cop present could hear her:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have two newcomers to introduce to you."
First she pointed to a woman of about forty who appeared to be of Latin descent standing next to her and said:
"As of today, this is your new lieutenant, Ariel Delmare. Ms. Delmare has had an impressive career within law enforcement. Her last position was assistant director within DHS in Washington, specializing in international crime syndicates. Part of her duties here will be to closely monitor the fallout from the Sinnerman case and provide leadership to you lot."
She pointed to the man with the short blond military cut standing on her other side and said:
"And this is Francis Lewit; he has been giving the rank of detective first class based on his previous achievements. Detective Lewit has twenty years of service with the FBI, mainly at DC headquarters as a roving inspector."
The two briefly raised a hand and nodded their heads in greeting but said no word. The captain continued:
"We all know the damage, not just in the media, that that hell-cursed Sinnerman case caused the LAPD. That's why it was decided from above to bring in two outsiders to give us reinforcements. Two people with impeccable careers and free from any contact with the LAPD, Pierce, or any of Pierce's former duty stations. Therefore, they are above suspicion. Lieutenant Delmare is fully versed in the Sinnerman case and ready to take charge of this house immediately. Hence, I am going to let her speak further because as of now, she is now in charge here."
Lucifer stood looking at the two with wide eyes and half-open mouths. He recognized his brother and sister all too well. This was, to say the least, a surprise he had not seen coming. When he saw the sneaky smile around the young Antichrist's mouth, he immediately knew from how this surprise had been sprung. Lieutenant Delmare began to speak:
"I am a person of few words, so I am not going to use many here either. Do your job 100%, and I will always have your six. I don't micromanage! You are adults, and you didn't get that uniform, that badge, and that grade at Walmart. You can all expect an email in the hours and days to come. Why? Because I want to get to know all of you personally, from the rookies to the veterans, everybody who works for me! Everybody in this building I want to see and get to know, cop or civilian. I want to see you individually first and then again with your assigned partner. Do your job as you should; don't cut corners; remember you work for the public. In this case the people of Los Angeles and you toke an oath to serve and protect the public, that's what I expect from you. You are accountable to the law. And last time I read it, the damn thing was clear, everybody is equal for the law! I do not give a flying fuck who violates the law and what rank or position they hold. Is it the mayor, a council-member or the chief of police, if they park in front of a fire-hydrant you write them a ticket. That simple! Make sure your body-cams are on at all times because if on of those elected assholes threatens you or your job I want it on video and burn the fucker down! DO NOT make the mistake of turning your body-cams of even if it is for a coffee break. Trust me the only conclusion I will make if that happens is that you are in the wrong, were planning on doing something wrong or did something wrong. In short I recommend you to read the constitution again carefully. I don't want to see damn videos on You Tube of one my officers violating the constitutional rights of citizens because they are too stupid to understand the constitution or too lazy to have read it. It is not as if the constitution of our beautiful country has the magnitude of the Bible and the complexity of Immanuel Kant or is as depression as one of Dostoevsky's works! Believe me, the first one who shows up on You-tube, because he doesn't know that the First Amendment gives citizens the right to call you fucking idiots and you would feel hurt in your honor and think you should bring out the handcuffs, you can start looking for another job! If you can do that what I just asked, then you can count on my full support at all times. Like the captain said I'm very well connected in DC and that goes a damn long way. But remember one thing very well because my whole carrier is based on it. There is only one thing I hate even more than a criminal, and that is a bad cop. For the Sinnerman case I will be working closely with AI and believe me, I will have no problem killing your career if you are a bad cop, even though you are only a day away from retirement and thus your full rights to a pension. I will burn you down and kick you to the curb with absolutely nothing! Okay, to work people, the bad guys don't take coffee breaks either!"
There began to be movement in the group of cops who had heard the speech and were clearly impressed with the new boss. This was one tough cookie! It was obvious that she was a real cop, the way she had emphasized that she would protect them. However, it was also obvious that she would not tolerate any liberties with the rules. Suddenly it sounded:
"Mister Morningstar, Detectives Espinoza, Liwit and Decker, Miss Lopez, the Mouseketeers, and Morningstar junior, the conference room please, now!"
To anyone who had heard the last, it sounded like the group was going to get its ass kicked for having children in the building without reasons. The reality was slightly different. Once they were all in the room, Ariel lowered the blinds so that no one could see inside. Once that was done, both she and Lewit made a small bow to Alexander, and Ariel said:
"My lord, pleased to make your acquaintance. It is really an honor. But this is the first and only time that you will be addressed and be treated this way within this building. As of now, I am Lieutenant Delmare and must remain so if this cover is to be kept in place. I would appreciate it, therefore, if you could leave in a moment, perhaps looking a little crestfallen as if I had scolded you."
Alexander smiled broadly and said:
"No problem, lieutenant. From our side, there will be no problem. We will treat you with due respect. However, I must remind you that I am a Morningstar, so..."
It was Lewit who said:
"As if we wouldn't be aware of that. We've been briefed and know that you seem to dislike protocol. Act the wise guy a little too much, and you'll see just how much I don't give a damn about protocol!"
The young Antichrist's smile widened, if possible:
"I like you guys... As for that other thing... I can't make promises hihihi"
That was the moment Lucifer interjected:
"Ariel, Lewit what on earth does this mean? What are you doing here? How?"
Ariel looked at him, crossed her arms, and said:
"Michael, that should be enough. Luci, I know you're my much older brother, and I'm just an Angel. But here in this building I am the boss. When I say jump, I only want to hear one thing come out of your mouth and that is the question how high? Understood?"
The Devil started to turn red, and it looked like he was going to start bellowing until he got a poke in the ribs from Ella's elbow. She looked at him seriously and said:
"Lu, think! Your boss is an Angel! Remember how many times we had to go to great lengths to explain things before we knew who you really were? Not only will the new boss understand but may also be able to help us put certain things on file in a responsible, watertight way."
Ariel got a playful smile around her lips and said:
"I think you'll have to listen to Miss Lopez a little more often, Luci. It is clear to me after hearing her speak only once that she is much smarter than you."
Ella turned a little red at the Angel's words, and the Devil looked from one to the other, as if they were plotting against him. He looked at Ariel, held out a finger to her, and asked:
"Why is it that all my brothers and sisters take Miss Lopez's side and seem to find it pleasurable in the bargain?"
Lewit shrugged and said nonchalantly:
"Maybe because it is not so hard to find someone smarter than you and maybe because if you listened more to people like Miss Lopez and Detective Espinoza and thought about what they have to say, you would cause less chaos. On the other hand, we all know that thinking is not your forte, so..."
The Devil bristled semi-offended, taking a seat on a chair at the conference table while Alexander and Trixie were giggling. Those two really couldn't get enough of the fact that the big bad Devil was behaving like a reprimanded schoolboy more often than not. The only thing better was if they were the cause of that behavior themselves.
The new lieutenant said:
"As long as things are done in a legal manner I have no problem with the way you are proceeding here Luci. However, I do expect you to keep yourself to the law as much as possible. Only when it really comes down to life or death of innocents am I willing to take a run with the truth. In all other cases, you work with your partner Detective Espinoza and the two of you keep yourselves to the book. How you do it doesn't interest me as long as at the end of the day the paperwork is in order. Clear?"
The Devil thought for a moment and noticed that his sister had left him just enough wiggle room to be himself and do things his way as long as Daniel could make it look on paper like everything had gone perfectly. He saw that Ariel had a smile around her mouth, so she knew very well what she had done and the opening she had left him. He nodded and bowed his head slightly in her direction as he said:
"As Madam Lieutenant wishes."
Ariel looked at Chloe, her gaze not immediately hostile but not immediately friendly either. She said:
"Detective Decker, starting tomorrow you are going to team up with Detective Lewit. If you don't like that then I expect your request for a transfer on my desk tomorrow morning. You two are going to work closely together because you two work the same way. So I don't expect any problems. What happened privately between you and Lucifer is none of my business nor do I want to hear anything about it from either of you two, ever! Am I clear?"
Chloe was already glad she wasn't going to get another thunderous lecture from a Celestial and felt somewhere that she had a chance here to remain part of the team, to be able to have a new chance within what was her circle of friends and could try to repair the bond of friendship with Lucifer. She had come to the conclusion the previous night after she had gone home that whatever may have once been between her and the Devil could probably never be restored. Still, she didn't want to lose the friendship the man offered, even if it meant remaining just a friend and not becoming the girlfriend or more. She therefore said:
"Very clear ma'am."
Ariel looked sternly at Lucifer:
"Luci?"
"Perfectly understood lieutenant."
She grabbed the handle of the door and wanted to leave the room but Alexander, of course, couldn't resist opening his mouth:
"Delmare... Ariel Delmare? The little mermaid? Really?"
She let go of the doorknob and came to stand directly in front of the young Antichrist. She looked deep into his eyes and said:
"Call it a lack of inspiration to choose a name. But I can assure you Mister Morningstar junior that I have absolutely no lack of experience and inspiration to teach young boys like you a lesson. Do yourself a favor, take your Mouseketeers home and don't even try to think about how you might target me. Remember this boy, Everything you can think of I've already thought of five ways of revenge for all of them..."
With those words she disappeared from the conference room leaving the young Antichrist with a bewildered open mouth while the girls laughed heartily at his reaction...