Chapter 4
Sinners with tech-based themes and powersets weren’t common. They had been popping up more over the last two decades, but not enough to make up a big chunk of Hell’s population.
Vox knew this, because he kept careful track of all the techy Sinners spawning into Hell, intent on snapping them all up and getting them under contract while they didn’t understand the implications of their actions.
The blue and black wolf-anthro laced with glitchy pixels was a weak one, which was probably how it had slipped under his radar. Until they walked right into the Vees’ center of power.
“Well, well, well.” He whistled, looking at the wall of security camera footage, “I could use a little worker bee. This one could work as a good spy.”
Velvette leaned over, barely glancing up from her phone as she squinted at the light of the monitors, “Forget about the wolf pup, who’s that with him?”
On the LCD monitor, the footage slowed to frame by frame, almost freezing in place to allow Vox to look at the other person beside the weakling. A woman, possibly a Sinner, really attached to her mortal form, judging by how her Sinner form looked exactly like a white human woman. Wearing a really ugly costume. Like one of those sap ‘heroes’ from up top.
Everything about her screamed for attention. That kind of behavior didn’t get them far in Hell. Unless they were packing some secret weapon. And Velvette didn’t make a habit of picking on the weak.
“What about her?” Vox asked, trying to peel back her layers using vision filters. No dice. This one looked… really normal. The X-Ray was fully accurate to a human, not like any of the other humanoid Sinners he’d collected data on.
Velvette hummed, scrolling on her phone again as she pulled up a few posts, “They’re saying she killed Zeezi. Wiped her off the face of the map, no sign of her respawning either. And. Alastor’s got his eyes on signing that one.”
“WhaAT?!” Sparks flew from the wires connecting him to the grid. Velvette pointed towards one of the posts she had manifested, showing a blurry image of the girl standing on the street, with a mess of red and black pixels taking up the center of it. No doubt about it, it was the Radio Demon himself.
“Yeah. The audio logs installed into the devices that took these photos are reporting that she blew him off to come here. Looking for something.” Velvette explained, clicking the posts away, “You better not be stupid enough to let this chance go.”
Vox grinned, grabbing her by the shoulders, “You are now my favorite member of our little throuple.”
“You fucking wish you could get this.” She stuck her tongue out.
Vox’s manic laugh followed him down the elevator shaft as he burst out into the main atrium.
The two possibly-not-so-weak Sinners were still there, and the crowds parted to let him beeline right towards them.
Static sparked over the wolf nervously as he ducked down, clearly recognizing him. As he should, this entire place was covered with his own visage.
The girl, however, didn’t seem too concerned, looking at him with the giant bug-eyes of her mask. She tilted her head lightly, “Say, Mister. You look like you know things.”
His smile was taking up most of his monitor, “Yeah, I suppose you can say that. A new up-and-coming Overlord, huh? Heard of your work with Zeezi. You got potential. What brings you here? Hope I’m not your next target.” He laughed charismatically.
She giggled, “Nah. You don’t look dangerous.” – Don’tKillHerDon’tKillHerDon’tKillHer – “But if you know so much, think you can help me find someone?”
“Ah, the Vengeance Tracker Database, one of our most popular informational resources!” He fell into his practiced salesman manner, “Just a small fee, and whoever has earned your wrath will be found in seconds!”
“I’m looking for my little brother, actually. It’s not really a grudge thing. Will it still work the same?” She asked, before reaching into her pocket, “Also, I have three hundred US dollars. Is that anything?”
Not much, no. The hellhounds and incubi might give him something for that, though. How’d she get her hands on human money, anyway? It was a rare thing.
“C’mon, is that all you got?” He wheedled, “This is worthless down here.”
She laughed, “Fair enough.” This usually resulted in the target asking his price, and he would start pushing the installment contract. However, she stuck her hand to the side – which suddenly made it cut in half – before retracting it and pulling out an… amulet?
“Special soul container.” She explained, “Traps something inside, and can then be transferred into another body. Tried and tested to work. Should be worth whatever knowledge this is giving.”
She threw the bauble at him, and Vox fumbled it in surprise. It was definitely a powerful artifact, but… what the hell? How had she gotten her hands on this? Was he going to be able to pull her into a contract again through a different angle, or had she caught onto the trap?
“Oi, you.” He snapped his fingers for one of the attendants, who scurried up frightfully, “Take this distinguished lady to the Vengeance Database.” Vox commanded, annoyance still buzzing around his skull as he retreated to think over his next approach.
Lucifer picked up the phone right when she was certain it was going to go to voicemail.
“Charlie!” he cheered, so loudly she had to hold the phone away from her ear, “What can I do for you?”
“Heh heh, hi, Dad,” she chuckled nervously, “You know how I’m doing that rehabilitation hotel for Sinners? I didn’t tell you about that, but you probably heard of it through the radio and TV ads we’ve been running about it...”
“Hmm, yes, that hopeless endeavor.” Her dad agreed, “What about it?”
“Well, I’ve gotten a very good deal out of some connections. They want to find someone in exchange of referring me more guests. And since you’re the King of Hell, you should know everyone who crosses the border over from Earth, right?”
“Honey, I don’t want to give you any false hope that this project might work – but because I care about you, sure. Care to give a description?”
Charlie looked up from the nondescript spot on the wall she had been staring at to ask Alastor the same question, only to have the Radio Demon shake his head.
“Uh… I’ve been told his name on Earth was Teddy Poole?” She asked. A strangled gasp came from the other end of the line, “What was that for?”
“Sorry, sorry, misheard.” He choked out, “Nope, not to worry, Deadpool is very much still alive. Let me see if your Teddy is somewhere on the books.” He chuckled lightly at the misnomer. Papers ruffled beside him as he hummed to himself, “Ah! Theodore Poole Junior. He’s in Hell, alright. This report is fucked, though. Not even a photo of what he looks like now.”
Charlie gulped, glancing at the windows, where a plume of smoke had gone up over the skyline, “You don’t think he got hit during the Extermination?”
Behind her, there was the radio-static sound of Alastor about to go on a tantrum.
“No idea.” He replied, to the sound of more paper rustling, “Wait- hold up. Why are you looking for Teddy Poole?”
“I told you, Alastor wants him. To find a different person. Then they can both stay at the hotel!” Charlie explained. The dial tone rang into her ear. She blinked, pulling the phone away to look at the ‘Call Ended’ note on the screen.
“Seriously, what is up with him?” She asked, putting it away to instead look at where Alastor was smiling and twisting a chalice into knots, “Did you hear all of that?”
“I got the gist.” He said carefully.
Lightning cracked and thunder rolled, and Lucifer appeared on top of the bar table, looking more than a little manic as he pointed at Alastor, “Are you fucking insane?!”
Alastor had regained his composure the second a newcomer had appeared, grinning cheerfully and wiggling his ears as he replied, “Lucifer Morningstar, Ruler of Hell. How charming to meet you. And yes, many say I am. Insane, that is. The fucking, not so much.”
“But I know you’re not suicidal enough to be picking a fight with Gwen Poole.” He sneered.
“Oh?” Alastor asked, “Something you want to tell us?”
Lucifer was quiet. Suspiciously so. Sweat dripped from the side of his head.
“…Dad?” Charlie asked.
“We don’t know anything about her. Not even where the hell she came from.” Lucifer admitted, hands digging into the table as he climbed off, “But she’s strong. Knows exactly what connections to exploit. No angels have tried to fight against her, but one of my Hell Riders is confident that if it comes down to it… she’d win. By a landslide.”
This truth hung between them.
Alastor, however, smiled brightly at Lucifer, “My, how exciting! I hope you’re included as an angel?”