Chapter Text
VeeTower
Vox's office
Cyan claws rapped on the desk in agitation.
His spy had been discovered. Not just discovered…but effectively neutralized. Oh Valentino will be happy to hear about this….
No, he won’t tell him. Vox wasn’t in the mood to see the moth demon become all smug and happy about him not being able to use his precious whore anymore.
It had only been a matter of time, Vox had known that. However, Alastor having been more mentally stable than he had anticipated hastened it, that he had little doubt. Fucking deer knew his abilities, his tricks! Ugh…sending him to the hotel instead of just finishing him off himself was biting him in the ass!
His cyan claws started to dig into the desk, before he stopped himself.
No…not a full bite, he reminded himself as he rose from his chair. Those fools at the hotel only knew the what of his plans, not the how.
Velvette had mentioned she had noticed…indications…members of the hotel were probing for information. However she had been ensuring no one in VoxTech said anything on socials without their approval, so those fools got nothing!
Unfortunately when it came to information searching on their end, Velvette had come up empty. No one had been able to find any information about Lucifer when it came to sinners. It was as she had warned him: the man had been practically a hermit until recently. Therefore, he could find no evidence on whether or not Lucifer could harm sinners. He still only had his own suspicions.
That wasn’t good enough!
With Angel now compromised, he only had one angle left to try to get this verification. One he should have checked first, if the was to be honest. It was time to remedy that….
…and hopefully get some assistance in a related matter.
Vox reached over his desk and pressed the intercom button for the head researcher.
“Joel,” he called out.
#Yes, sir?# the man thankfully replied promptly.
“Send the angel up to the ‘interview’ room,” he said. “I have questions to ask her.”
#Right away, sir.#
As he headed out of the office, he paused briefly to look at Alastor's staff. Yep, still glaring at him. He chuckled to himself as he walked out the door, relishing in the thought on how frustrated Alastor must feel to not be able to summon it.
So long as he had it, Alastor’s powers would remain limited, giving him the advantage in future confrontations should Alastor get bold enough to try.
Enough of that. Time to focus on the matter at hand!
He walked out of his office and made his way quickly to the ‘interview room’ which was a bare bones room with just a single folding chair in the center. This chair he walked past and leaned against the far wall as he waited.
He didn’t have to wait long. In fact, Vox heard the angel’s arrival before seeing her. Grunting, yelling, cursing, sounds of struggle.…
After all this time she still attempted to fight them whenever she could. Dangerous, foolish, but admirable.
A moment later the angel was forced through the door, a bulky guard right behind her.
“Demon scum…,” she was hissing as she tried to kick the man.
She looked…a little worse for wear due to some of the experiments done on her. There were obvious marks on her from where samples taken of her flesh and feathers. Her prosthetic arm had also been removed for study (and safety: the power she had in that limb was incredible according to the reports), but otherwise she appeared healthy.
Yet, for all the fear they had caused his kind, strip them down and they were not that much different from a newly arrived sinner. All they had going for them without their fancy toys was zealotry, guaranteed flight capability and some combat training.
“Have a seat,” Vox requested. When she just glared at him he used his cables to force her into it. “I insist…we have much to talk about “
“What makes you think I want to talk to you, scumbag?” she growled, eyes narrowed in a glare that might have made a lesser man cower, but he was no such man.
Vox chuckled, then gestured for the guard to leave. Once he was gone and the door closed behind him, Vox began.
“Because I think we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement,” he said, starting a slow pace around her with his hands clasped behind his back. The angel predictably started to laugh, so he waited patiently for her to finish before continuing.
“You angels love slaughtering us,” he stated flatly. “And I admit, it is a bit…crowded…down here. In fact, I wouldn't mind a bit if…trimming of the fat…”
The angel remained quiet, but the slightest quirk of a brow.
He suppressed the smirk that wanted to form on his face: he got her attention.
“I would be willing to allow for more exterminations, but sadly I am not the one in charge,” he proceeded. “I want to change that.”
“You really think a lowly sinner like you can knock Lucifer from his throne?” she sneered. “He’s seraphim, one of the first. His power is beyond your comprehension!"
That…was confirmation of what he needed to power the weapon. However, he needed more...like if it was even possible to capture the King without everyone getting incinerated.
“Anything is possible with the right help…and information,” Vox countered smugly. “But sadly, I have been unable to dig up anything I can use against him since he rejected my offer. If he won’t join me, then I’ll have to remove him.”
“He's immortal,” the angel laughed. ”In the truest sense. He can’t be killed by anything. At least not by anything I had access to.”
Extremely powerful and unkillable? A bolt of fear briefly shot through his spine, but he kept himself composed, the circuits in his mind firing as he continued.
“Really? Interesting. And yet…aside from that stupid hotel, he doesn't show himself around us sinners. All that power…can't die…and he hasn't even tried to stop me.” He stopped in front of her and spun to face her. “You’d think the one responsible for giving humanity free will…the Sin of Pride himself! Would either keep us in line or lead the charge against you.”
At this the angel looked conflicted. Her eyes shifting around as he watched the cogs turn in her head. “What do I get out of this?”
Vox barely suppressed the sinister grin he wanted to show and instead put on a small, simple one. “It will depend on what you have,” he said simply. “To start…I can ensure your accommodations are more comfortable and the poking and prodding will stop.”
“For what I have, I will need more,” she demanded.
“How about an opportunity to take care of a little…problem you have down here?” Vox produced a screen with the image of Vaggie upon it.
Her expression immediately soured. “Traitorous bitch,” she spat, before her gaze focused on him. “Almost…but I know you wouldn’t let me just let me loose to kill her....”
Ah so she did learn from last time. No matter. He still had more cards to play.
“I have a rough plan in mind for capturing the princess,” he began, the screen disappearing. “Her little bodyguard would surely be tagging along. The intent is to lure the King out for…negotiations.”
He was expecting her to say he had a death wish for even attempting such a thing, but instead she remained silent, her eyes narrowed. Either she was hoping he would get himself smited by Lucifer for pulling such a stunt….
…or this was a hint that he may be right about Lucifer’s limitations…
“Buuut…I know quite well I may very well end up with my head on a pike,” Vox admitted with a helpless shrug and a slight shake of his head. “I can regenerate…but, heh, I’d rather not go through that pain and annoyance.”
He thought he heard her mutter ‘wimp’ but ignored it.
“However…I wonder if our dear ‘King’ is even capable of harming us,” Vos said, turning his back to her.. “He had plenty of opportunities to stop me, but in a recent ‘meeting’ he had one of his Sin’s…evict me instead of dealing with me himself.”
He looked over his shoulder at her. “Yes, there are a number of likely explanations…but it is still quite suspicious no?”
The angel shifted in her seat, her eyes slightly wide. Her mouth opened slightly but she then pressed her lips together firmly.
Almost.
“Those negotiations I mentioned? A trap, obviously. A trap for a useless King,” Vox admitted. “I am building a means to contain him, shut him away and let someone who actually gives a fuck about our people, by someone I mean me of course, the opportunity to take over as Hell’s ruler.”
“It took the creation of Hell itself to contain him,” the angel stated flatly. “What makes you think you can contain him further?”
At this he turned and produced a new screen, this one showing the image of Lucifer protecting Charlie from Adam, letting a more sinister smile form on his face. “He’s quite protective of his little girl, no?” he said smugly. “Threaten her….”
Vox left it at that and waited. He didn’t have to wait long.
“You are a cruel, sadistic bastard, but that will work,” she stated. “He can’t harm sinners…at all, so if you succeed in capturing that abomination, he won’t be able to do anything about himself.”
Vox had to contain his excitement. At last! Confirmation!
“However,” the angel warned. “Just because he can’t, doesn’t mean the others in his court can’t.”
Vox raised a brow. “Other’s?” he echoed, the image of Lucifer disappearing wioth a thought.
She rolled her eyes. “The othersix Sins, fool,” she spat. “Each one of them capable of turning your ass into paste with just a thought if they wished.”
His mind went back to the encounter with that light purple llama thing…Belphegor was it? Recalled how easily she just…incapacitated him. How easy was it for Lucifer to contact them if he needed help?
“On second thought…,” the angel chuckled. “He is the Sin of Pride…and Prideful idiots tend not to call for help….”
That was a good point. Alastor was proof of that! Stupid deer always doing things on his own, not wanting help.
Still, best to take precautions to encase he did swallow his Pride. He may have to set up…something special….
“This information will be very useful, thank you,” he said, standing straight with his hands behind his back. “As promised I’ll make arrangements to get you a proper room. When the time comes to capture the Princess, I’ll give you your equipment back so you can keep that bodyguard of her’s…distracted. Acceptable so far?”
She nodded.
“After we secure her and then the King, we can set up a meeting with your higher ups,” Vox said. “I’m sure they would be willing to talk with someone more…cooperative…than what we currently have.”
“I do not have the pull you think I do,” the angel warned. “But I can at least deliver a message.”
“Fair enough. One last thing.” This was a long shot, but it was worth a try. “Some of your equipment is quite fascinating. That arm? Superb design. That little circle trinket, however? We can’t figure out how it works..”
“Of course not, it’s bio-metrically locked,” the angel scoffed. “Only the person it’s assigned to can use it.”
“Ah, clever and smart!” Vox praised. “Then I’ll ensure it is returned to you when the time comes like everything else.”
“Good.”
“Wait here, I’ll get that room set up for you,” Vox told her as he walked by and left the room, ensuring it was locked behind him so she didn’t try anything funny. Close by the guard was looking at him expectantly.
“Have one of the spare lower employee rooms prepared for our guest,” Vox told him. “Ensure proper security protocols for prisoners are setup for the door.”
The guard raised a brow in question, but wisely kept his mouth shut and nodded in compliance before walking away. He watched him leave for a moment before heading back to his office, only once did he sit in his seat did he laugh with glee.
Lucifer, a shark with no teeth. A gullible princess. Alastor weak. A weapon that will soon have it’s power source. And a trinket that was surely a direct means to Heaven in his hands.
Did that dumb bitch really think he’ll let her live long enough to use it herself?
Aside from some adjustments needing to be made, everything was falling into place….