Devil's Advocate

When Angelique was able to open her eyes again, she was in a brightly lit office. The walls were white and bright, and the lights were casting a warm and welcoming glow around the cozy room. The desk was a light finish with papers in three orderly, almost even stacks on it. A small silver laptop sat in the right corner of the desk, the screen black but the blue power light was clearly on. The room was a comfortable temperature; and was just cozy enough that if there was a couch Angelique would have been willing to take a nap there. Angelique took a seat in the cushy chair on the visitor’s side of the desk, settling in to the plush seat. No sooner did she get comfortable than the door opened.

“I hope you were not waiting long.” The smooth voice of Gabriel came from behind her. She turned to face him as he shut the door. “Were you comfortable?”

“Yes. Where are we?”

“I told you. My office.” He crossed the room, muttering about how fragile human souls were. Angelique bit her tongue as he took a seat, picking up a piece of paper from the center of the stack and flicking over it briefly. “So you want to hear about the wager then?”

“That was the whole point of us traveling here wasn’t it?” she stated, tone snarky. He glared at her, putting the paper back down.

“Please keep in mind. I can help you. Or I can make your life very difficult.”

“I no longer have a life. I’m dead you know.”

“Indeed.” He reached into his jacket, pulling out that file that he was holding in purgatory. Angelique raised her eyebrows curiously. He handed her the file. “But remember, I can make your afterlife difficult too.”

Angelique didn’t answer. She opened the file and skimmed through it. She read through it once quickly, and then once again more slowly. Then once again, just as slow.

“Ok. Let me make sure I understand this. You have taken Victoria to heaven?” she asked, confused. Gabriel waved his hand in an indecisive way.

“Well, sort of. She’s more like in heaven’s waiting room. In a private waiting room. Waiting your decision.”

“My decision. Which is what the whole bet stems on. You’re so sure I’ll agree?”

“I too have read your file, Angelique.” He said her name with a strong French inflection that made her flinch. “I know how big you are on self-sacrifice. And you have even admitted to yourself that you did not like seeing that young woman suffer. I am offering you a way to end that suffering.”

“And if I refuse?” she asked. He gave her his blank stare, brown eyes sharp.

“Victoria goes back to purgatory. And Scott gets a copy of his file from me. So you lose that advantage.”

“Some advantage.” Angelique muttered darkly. She paused, then asked, “So you’re basically asking me to give up for the sake of Victoria’s soul?”

“You saw how much she was suffering.” Gabriel answered. “Tell me you’re ok with that.”

“I’m not.” She sighed, glaring at the papers on Gabriel’s light desk. She took a deep breath. “Here’s the thing. I really don’t want to go to hell.”

“You should have lived your life a little better.” He answered smoothly, his voice holding no sign of emotion. Not even empathy. Angelique glared at him.

“I didn’t live my life too poorly.” She tried to defend herself. He smirked at her now, the gesture not reaching his dark eyes.

“I would like to remind you that I did read your file.”

“Yeah yeah. So did I. And I stand by my previous statement.” She crossed her arms. “So the only thing that’s for me to gain is I get to save Victoria?”

“Is that not enough?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. Angelique sighed and thought about it. It was enough. It was a good reason. But she couldn’t help but feel like there was a lot that Gabriel wasn’t telling her. She watched his eyes narrow as she thought about things. Her eyes widened as she remembered he could read minds. Quick as she could, she tried to think about as much random information as she could while still trying to figure out what she should do.

How many flowers can be red? What is her favorite sports car? What could Gabriel be hiding? How many numbers of pi can she think of? How do airplanes stay in the air? Where do birds migrate to and why? She needed to finish this. If she were to jump up and down repeatedly, since she didn’t need to breathe anymore, would the effort make her pass out?

Gabriel watched her, and to her great amusement, his brows furrowed as he attempted to follow her thoughts. She kept up thinking random thoughts and puzzling together her suspicions, grinning at him as he began to glare at her. He eventually slammed his hands on his desk, standing quickly to his feet. Angelique flinched, but maintained eye contact. Which seemed to make him angrier.

“Very clever.” He hissed at her. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re really thinking, hmm?”

“Perhaps you should stop harassing her.” A familiar voice stated from the door. Angelique had never been so relieved to hear Lucifer’s voice in her life. Or rather, her afterlife she supposed. Never the less, she turned around and smiled a relieved smile at Lucifer. He shot her a quick wink, the only acknowledgement he gave her. He crossed the room in smooth strides, sitting in the chair next to Angelique. Gabriel leveled his glare at Lucifer.

“I don’t remember inviting you.” He said, tone like ice. Lucifer nodded.

“You didn’t. But I figure if you were going to take a moment to present your case, I should do the same.”

“You could have waited.”

“And you could not be manipulative. And yet, here we are.”

“What. Do. You. Want?” Gabriel was losing his patience. Angelique sat and watched the two celestial beings bicker like children. Lucifer looked over at her with a wry grin.

“He was always like this.” He said. “From the moment we were created.”

“You can’t even remember that far back, you self-centered creature.” Gabriel snapped back. Angelique couldn’t help but grin. They bickered like brothers.

“We are brothers.” They said at the same time. Angelique was surprised, but she still rolled her eyes. This explained so much.

“Close as brothers can be, aren’t we Gabriel?” Lucifer was taunting him. “Then again, twins often are.” Angelique felt her mouth fall open and her eyes widen. Twins. Boy, did church get the lore wrong. Gabriel legitimately looked like he was about to open his mouth and correct her but she held up her hand. She didn’t care about the lore. She was having a hard enough time wrapping her head around the energy in the room as it was. She took a breath, and attempted to clear her mind. She didn’t want them to be in her head any more than they already were.

“Ok. Ok so after that big reveal.” She paused and took a breath. “What playing field are you trying to level here?”

“Well, my dear brother here informed you we have a bet did he not?” Lucifer asked. Angelique nodded.

“I suppose he’s here to make sure I have to actually work to win it.” Gabriel stated, the eye roll almost physically present in his voice.

“It’s nice to see you still know me as much as you used to, brother.” Lucifer snarked at him before turning back to Angelique. “I would like to remind you that you and I have an agreement.”

“An agreement that you have the ability to decline, if I recall.” Gabriel replied smoothly.

“Butt out, God’s messenger.” Lucifer glared towards his brother, who held his hands up in surrender, look of amusement dancing across his face.

“I was just reminding her that she has a choice.”

“She knows she has a choice. She just needs to hear both sides before she takes one.”

“If you were so confident in your side, you would let her hear mine.”

“And if you were so sure that you had a side you would stop the theatrics.”

“Enough!” Angelique couldn’t handle the back and forth anymore. She held up both her hands, surprised with they both snapped their teeth they closed their mouth so fast. Two pairs of eyes landed on her, one fire blue and one icy brown, and she sighed.

“Thank you. Now, one of you break this down for me. What info am I missing? Gabriel, you want me to give up my soul to get Victoria out of purgatory. Right?” At his nod she continued. “And Lucifer, you want me to continue on and send Scott to you, like we agreed? Right?”

“Of course.” He answered smoothly.

“Ok. So then I know everything. I do not need any further information from you.” She said, standing up. “So why am I even here?”

“Because my brother is convinced that there was enough good in your soul to sway you his way.” Lucifer was mocking Gabriel again. Angelique raised her eyebrows.

“I feel like if there is such thing as family dinner in your house it’s awkward as hell.” Angelique mused. Lucifer laughed. Gabriel did not look amused.

“Indeed.” Gabriel said flatly. “But as my brother ineloquently stated. I know you have good in your soul, good enough to sway you my direction.” Angelique thought for a moment.

“What is it you have to gain?” she asked. Both celestials blinked at her.

“What?” Gabriel asked, seemingly surprised. Angelique felt a bit pleased with herself for catching Gabriel off guard. She repeated her question.

“What do you win if I give up?”

“Scott will be given the chance to go to purgatory, to save himself. So you could possibly be saving two souls.” He said. Angelique glared. She did not want Scott getting a ‘get out of hell free’ card. I guess the question was, did she value Victoria’s suffering more than her own. She wasn’t sure on that one. She thought about how she was taught forgiveness and self-sacrifice. And how her own suffering shouldn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Victoria was just a child. And of course if Scott payed penance, who was she to decide he belonged in hell? Maybe if…suddenly a white hot flash shot behind her eyes. Angelique blinked it away, holding her head as she began to think a bit more clearly. What the hell was that?

“Cheater, cheater.” Lucifer sang, the words dripping with malice. “I believe you called me manipulative, and yet you pull things like that.”

“I need her to think about this rationally, Lucifer.” Gabriel growled. Lucifer glared.

“Only because you won’t give her up.”

“Do not bring that up here.” The words were a hiss, a sharp clear warning. Lucifer payed no heed.

“Oh what, you don’t wish for her to know the truth? That the ‘good guys’ are just as evil as you claim me to be?”

“What is he talking about?” Angelique interrupted, looking at Gabriel expectantly. The angel refused to answer. Fine. Angelique turned to the devil. “What is he talking about?”

“In an effort to permanently punish me, the ‘good guys’ here are keeping a soul in purgatory. A soul that means more to me than anything.” Angelique was surprised at the raw emotion in Lucifer’s voice. He cleared his throat and looked at her. “If I win, they will give her back to me.”

“How do you know they’ll hold up their end?” she asked. If they were willing to make this bargain, Gabriel had to have been 120% sure she was going to do what he wanted. Or he had no intention of doing what he promised to begin with.

“Our word is our bond, Angelique.” Gabriel growled out. Angelique lifted her hands, not wanting to argue. Lucifer looked like he was physically biting his tongue. She sighed and rubbed her head.

“Ok. You guys have given me a lot to think about. I would like to go back home.”

“I could…”

“You have done enough brother.” Lucifer growled out. “We have a few things to discuss now.” And before Angelique could say another word, Lucifer snapped his fingers, and she was sent back to Kenneth before she could blink.