Chapter Thirteen

"Come on, little buddy, work with me," Aeron mumbled as he watched the tunneller chew through another iron nail. Before he retired for the night, he wanted to see the beetle's luminescent body glow. Sadly, the insect didn't want to cooperate. After a few more minutes of trying and ten more nails, he gave up and placed the creature's bottle on his bedside table. Once he was sure that the tunneller's prison was locked up nice and tight, he grabbed a wine glass from a nearby cabinet. "One more couldn't hurt," the Angel thought as he poured the alcohol. With his goblet full, he took a sip and walked out onto his room's balcony. The marble railings were exquisitely carved and had several jewels embedded within the stone. "If only Demons were allowed in Heaven. The subtlety in their architecture is amazing." Who knows? Maybe, one day, he'll ask them for some building advice. He had to fix his godawful apartment somehow.

While he sat there drinking his wine and letting the cool breeze waft through his hair, Aeron looked down to admire the awe-inspiring scenery. The forests looked like a sea of trees from the top of the tower. Their gigantic canopies were almost too green, and it made the entire realm appear as if a massive emerald blanket had enveloped it completely. "I wonder—if Malcolm got to spend a night in this place—would he also find it beautiful?" Aeron thought with a smile as he stretched out his arms. "Nah, he'd probably find something to complain about." If only the summit was being held here and not in Hell. "Well, I guess I should get some rest," he spoke after a long yawn. Once he finished off his wine, he turned around and headed back into his room. However, before he got close to the balcony's glass entrance, something piqued his interest. Aeron swore he saw Dr. Leeson, of all people, sneaking through the trees. "What are you doing up so late at night?" The thought was intriguing, at least. Lowering his glass, the curious Angel ran up to the railing and jumped off the tower's edge. His wings did the rest of the work, and he floated softly down to the surface.

As Aeron followed Dr. Leeson through the forest, it quickly became evident that he wasn't the only one tailing the Demon. Like the devil's strange body language and nervous tics, the little things tipped him off to this. There was somebody else creeping through the woods that night, and the thought made his heart race. "How exciting! A contest of spies!" he whispered to himself as he jumped up into the canopy. Once he got comfortable on a sizable branch, he closed his eyes and allowed the forest's orchestra to wash over him. He could hear the trees resonate with the chime of footsteps and animals at play. Demons, thanks to their massive bodies, had heartbeats that were much faster than the average creature. Dr. Leeson—even when compared to his kin—was a towering mountain of a devil. Thanks to that, it was child's play to pinpoint his location. "Now to find our hidden sleuth." Aeron's ears perked up as he focused all his energy on his hearing. However, no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't locate the doctor's other observer—which meant that he was dealing with a professional. "Interesting," he grinned. There weren't many in the realms that could hide from him.

Quiet as a mouse, Aeron flew up into the air and hovered a few hundred meters above the surface. "It's time to come out and play, scout," he mumbled as he focused on the Demon's form and surroundings. Eventually, after what seemed like ages, Dr. Leeson finally arrived at his destination. Said destination was a small cave in the middle of a clearing, and when Aeron noticed the transmitter in the devil's ear, he finally understood what was going on. "Got someone important to call, you little sneak?" Whatever the topic, he knew it must be important. Once the good doctor was all snug in his cave, Aeron quietly glided down from his perch.

A strong gale shot through the forest as Aeron tiptoed to the mouth of the den. Every step brought a satisfying crunch to his ear as he walked over the dead twigs and leaves. It didn't take him long to realize that he wasn't alone. His rival was nearby, listening in on the Demon's every word. Even though it wasn't necessary, Aeron held his breath and walked around to the other side of the cave's entrance. "Ah… found you." He couldn't make out the exact details. However, he knew it was a woman.

"Come on, you bastard, squeal," she said as she pressed her ear against the stone. Aeron recognized the voice. It belonged to Zia Lombardi. It went without saying that she was spying on Dr. Leeson, but why?

"Then again, she did use to be one of the damned," Aeron thought as he quietly snuck over to the ambassador. Nevertheless, even though he was careful not to make any noise, she still managed to sense his presence. He was quick enough to grab her shoulder, but the woman was already on high alert. Immediately, she turned around and whipped out her pistol. Of course, Aeron made sure to disintegrate the gun's ammo before she fired it. When she pulled the trigger, all that came out of the weapon was a harmless puff of smoke. However, Zia refused to let that slow her down. In a split second, she found another tool—a rusty iron fence post. Once she had her new weapon secure, the woman turned back to him and stepped out into the moonlight. "Good God," Aeron thought as he stared at the ambassador's deformed face. "Well… I can't say I expected this." Who would've thought that the summit's mysterious beauty hid such an outlandish secret? Although, this wasn't exactly surprising. He'd met a few Ascended throughout his lifetime, and horrid scars were one of their few common traits. "You know, if we want to hear what that Demon is saying, we shouldn't be making all of this noise," he told her as he stepped out. She recognized him instantly.

"You're one of the ambassadors," she mumbled as Aeron cracked a few of his fingers. At the very least, she remembered him. "Aeron Weber."

"Bingo," he said as he tossed the girl one of his handkerchiefs. "You have some mud on your left cheek. Considering how damaged your exposed skin is, I recommend rubbing it off." Zia wasn't sure what surprised her more. The man's sudden appearance or the fact that he wasn't disgusted by her disfigured face.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she took the cloth and pressed it against her left temple. "What are you doing here?" Zia tried her best to keep her voice down. If she didn't, Dr. Leeson would hear them. "Look, I apologize, but this isn't the time for socializing. If you're here to help, then I recommend finding someplace to hide." Aeron smirked. At least she realized that they were on the same side. After that, the wind once again blew through the clearing, causing her ruby-like hair to dance in the wind. With her seemingly endless red mane out of the way, he could finally get a good look at her true face. It was bloated, burned, and covered in numerous scratches and cuts. However, beneath all of that, he found a fierce determination burning within. Then again, considering that she was one of the Ascended, that wasn't too surprising. To build up the courage and skill necessary to escape Hell's clutches required something special. In hindsight, those traits were no doubt what landed the woman her position in the first place.

Eventually, after taking a moment to survey the area, Aeron joined Zia in her spot near the front of the cave. He shivered a bit as he copied her and placed his ear upon the cold, wet ground. Immediately, he started to trade information with his new partner. "So, how did you discover our little rat?" he whispered as he heard Dr. Leeson scuttle around below.

"I couldn't sleep, and I caught him sneaking through the ballroom. Before he left, he asked one of his subordinates to ensure that all the diplomats were still unconscious," she told him. Aeron nodded—now he knew why she was tailing that creep. Although, Demons were prone to acting in strange ways. Most people would shrug mannerisms like that off as typical behavior for a devil. There weren't many attending the summit who'd be willing to follow someone deep into a forest for such a paltry reason. Especially not in the middle of the night. Zia sighed when she noticed his inquisitive gaze—this was why she didn't like working with amateurs. "Demons are inherently untrustworthy. If you give them the benefit of the doubt, they'll slip through your fingers like sand." Her words slithered out like hot venom.

"You know, some people in Heaven would call that unfair prejudice," he replied as he got up and dusted himself off. Those barbarians were still members of God's kingdom. Or, at least, that would be what the Minister would say. Zia, however, refused to humor that nonsense.

"The last time I trusted a devil was the day I got this," she spoke as she pointed to one of her many scars. It took a few seconds for him to decide which one she specifically singled out. After all, for her, one scar was simply a drop in the ocean. "Now be quiet," she whispered as she returned to eavesdropping, "I'm trying to listen."

"Trust me, they know something," she heard the Demon say. Dr. Leeson's voice had taken on an edge; he sounded like a snake waiting for prey, as a devil should. "I don't understand why you wanted him at the summit. He's too dangerous! I'm telling you we should cancel and reschedule now!" Aeron frowned. Who was on the other end of that conversation?

"Ah damn," the Cherub thought as he dug a finger through his left ear. "It seems like my age is finally catching up to me." He knew that that statement didn't make any sense; he was an Angel, and Angels didn't deteriorate with age as mortals did. However, he had no other explanation for his suddenly dulled senses. Hell, at this range, he could hear the whiskers growing out of Dr. Leeson's chin! Snooping on an unaware Demon should've been the simplest of tasks! But no matter how hard he tried, he kept coming up short.

However, for Zia, it was a completely different story. "He's talking to a woman." For a second, Aeron thought that he'd lost more than his hearing. "That's about it. I can't figure out what she's saying. Dr. Leeson must've blessed his transmitter."

"You can hear them?!" Even though he whispered, Aeron couldn't hide his shock. It took a lot to surprise him, yet this mortal managed to do it. Then again, she was an Ascended. Maybe stuff like this was business as usual for them. He wouldn't lie—her smug face made him angry, yet, at the same time, also quite curious.

"Ever since those bastards in Hell burnt my flesh off, my senses have improved dramatically. It's a pretty useful skill to have, especially in our line of work, don't you think?" she told him. Aeron didn't respond.

"Her senses and instincts may be top-notch, but she still has a lot to learn," the disgruntled Angel thought as he scratched his chin. He'd have to inform Jeremy about this later, but right now, he needed to hide. "Aren't you coming?" he asked her as he ducked behind a nearby bush. The girl had better senses than him, for sure, but she lacked skill in multitasking. She was so focused on overhearing Dr. Leeson's conversation that she didn't even notice the Demon start to move before it was too late. Moments later, the devil appeared from the mouth of the cave. The unique transmitter he was wearing was gone, no doubt stashed away in one of his many pockets.

"Oh shit!" Zia mumbled as she slithered into a nearby pile of underbrush. As far as hiding spots go, she couldn't have chosen a worse place. However, that was what fate gave her, so that was what she took. The Demon must've heard her because, moments later, he started searching through some of the bushes and trees.

"Is somebody there?" he asked as his pitch-black nose began to quiver. Zia knew what he was doing; the bastard was trying to smell her fear. However, no matter how hard he tried, Dr. Leeson wasn't going to find her. Her terror had been snuffed out for years thanks to her time in that pit of blood and bone. At present, she was more worried about the villain uncovering Aeron. In her eyes, that man was just a simple ambassador. He didn't know how to mask his presence or how to hide from a Demon. He was easy prey.

With every passing second, Dr. Leeson got closer to Aeron's position. "God, I know I don't pray to you often, but can you please help this fool?" Zia scoffed as she reached for her pistol—she knew that prayer would accomplish nothing. So, if that was the case, then why was she trying? The answer was simple. Right now, she had to rely on herself. In a flash, she replaced the clip and cocked her gun before pointing it right at the center of Dr. Leeson's forehead. If the devil found Aeron, she would send him to an early grave. And, judging by the pace of the Demon's search, she'd have to fire any moment now. The devil grasped one of the nearby branches and flung it aside, snapping it apart in his hands like a toothpick.

"Found you!" the devil roared as Zia placed her finger upon her pistol's trigger. However, much to the Demon's shock, when he pulled back the final branch, all that was waiting for him was some insects and a few tufts of grass. The man had vanished.

"The hell?!" Zia's mind was racing. How in God's name did he manage to escape?! She didn't see any branches move or hear any footsteps. It was like the man disappeared into thin air! Thankfully, that managed to dissuade Dr. Leeson from any further searching. The Demon, disappointed by the lack of prey, just sighed and pulled out another transmitter. However, this one was far more basic and simplistic than the usual model. If Zia had to guess, she'd say it allowed him to communicate with the tower's security. "Damn," she thought as the Demon walked out of the clearing. "That place is going to be on lockdown by the time we get back." Sadly, that was the least of her problems. She had to find Aeron, and quickly, or she really would have to start shooting! Purgatory's forests, while beautiful, were also known for their dangerous creatures. The longer they stayed, the higher the chance they'd end up as somebody's dinner.

The second Dr. Leeson was out of sight, Zia leaped from her spot and started to search for her missing comrade. As expected, he didn't leave behind any evidence. There weren't even any footprints for her to follow! It was as if the bastard had erased himself from existence. "Have you given up already?" Aeron's voice called from above, which made her jump. She sighed. At the very least, the man wasn't dead. But how in God's name did he get up to the canopy without alerting the Demon? Hell, at this distance, she should've at least heard him.

"You must be the fastest climber in Heaven to get up there so quickly!" Zia spoke in a peppy tone as she tried her best to locate the man. "What tree did you decide to nest in?" You'd think it would be easy to find somebody like Aeron hanging around. After all, he stuck out like a sore thumb. But, for her, the task was close to impossible. It was then that she noticed the feathers scattered across the forest floor. "Whatever bird that shed these must be ginormous," she thought as she picked one of them up. Even though it was now little more than abandoned waste, the feather was still warm and had a faint silvery glow.

"Oh, that's one of mine," Aeron responded as Zia heard him land a few meters away. It took her a few moments to properly process what he was saying. Did this crazy bastard say that she'd found one of his feathers?

"What the fuck is he talking about?" Zia thought as she turned around to face him. That was when she saw the wings.

Seven years ago...

Throughout my years, there has always been one thing that I've never managed to understand. I am, of course, talking about The Bureau of Judgmental Affairs. I don't think it's necessary. In Heaven, God is supposed to be the one true ruler. However, the big man upstairs is barely present in his backyard! So, if somebody wants something done, they're required to take it through the Bureau first and file an official request. I find this whole system ridiculous. There isn't a soul up here that doesn't scream God's almighty praises whenever they get the chance, but the bastard doesn't do anything! He's supposed to be omnipotent! Wouldn't you think he'd pay a bit more attention to the people squandering his kingdom?

Hell, I'm living proof of this. God never forgave me! Nay, I found my salvation via the judge who damned my sorry ass. Let me tell you, when I learned that my fate was the result of a small mistake by one of those gavel-wielding monsters—and not the Almighty—I threw a fit. Instead, they tell me that God is "too busy" to worry about judging his creations. However, even with that flimsy as hell explanation, I still don't understand! God has been around since the beginning. He must have judged a few souls once or twice throughout the years, at least! And, when you consider the fact that he's our all-powerful father, it makes you wonder why he would leave a job that important up to his people! It just doesn't make any sense! Maybe the Almighty should take a good long look in the mirror sometime because I think he's just as sinful as the rest of us. Heck, considering how many people I've seen killed in his name, he might be the worst of us all.

My childish whining aside, I will admit that the Bureau has proven itself useful as far as providing me with information goes. Managing the lower sectors is hard enough without being forced to deal with other ambassadors willingly blockading my reports and paperwork. Thankfully, after submitting a complaint, that harassment has stopped. That said, I'm pretty sure the only reason it got through was because of my makeup—which leads me into another gripe of mine: most of the judges are mortals like me! I can't believe that the Almighty lets one of the most sinful species be responsible for judging others' sins. I don't think I even have to explain why that whole scenario doesn't make sense. Although, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I've heard from some of the kinder ambassadors that there is an Angel who's a judge. However, they couldn't tell me his name or provide a picture. He's been out on an assignment for the past century. Now, that I can respect. At the very least, I can say that man's not as lazy as our creator. But one good judge isn't going to fix anything. Not in this den of snakes.