“She’s comatose,” the doctor said, “The only thing keeping her alive right now is the machines. It is very unlikely that she will ever wake up. I know this is a hard choice to make, but we need a decision soon.”

“I understand,” Shayla said.

She looked at Grace and the half dozen monitors surrounding her and choked. Shayla put her hand on the window. She had gone through Grace’s death many times, but this time felt different. Until now, it was always her own doing, now it was Shayla who had to pull the trigger, or plug in this case. She watched Grace for a moment longer before deciding she had to go to him. Not for another victim this time, but for answers.

By this point, Shayla was an expert at getting to Lucifer’s lair. She took the hospital elevator to the underground parking garage and walked to the lowest level. A door-shaped shadow appeared in the corner of the garage. She walked through it with fists clenched.

“Hello!” Lucifer beamed when she stepped into the candlelight.

“I’ve been very patient with you,” she said, “I feel like you owe me some answers.”

“Ask me anything,” he threw up his arms, “I’m an open book.”

Shayla glared and swallowed hard, “Why does she keep doing this?”

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Lucifer rolled his eyes, “We’ve been through this. I. Don’t. Know. I’ve done my fair share of guessing, but I’ve never been right.”

“You have to know something,” she paused, “Where does she go? You know, while she’s… dead.”

“Oh, that’s an easy one,” he said, “She goes to Hell, of course. If she didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to bring her back to life.”

Shayla looked at him, “But this isn’t Hell, is it?”

“Not exactly,” he said, “It’s my, well, let’s call it my office.”

“Am I going to go to Hell?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said, “Almost everyone does. You gotta be a saint to get up top.”

“How do you decide who I kill?” she asked.

“I choose the ones who I think would have a better time down here,” he said, “I’m kind of like a savior from earthly damnation.”

“Okay,” she said, “Wake up Grace and give me another vial.”

Shayla felt the weight of the poison in her pocket.

“But this time,” he said, “I’m not going to wake her until you’ve killed your victim.”

“That won’t be a problem,” she said.

“The address is attached to the vial,” Lucifer called as Shayla walked away.

Once she was out of the threshold, she took the little piece of paper off the vial and shredded it.

“That won’t be necessary,” she said to no one.