In the back office of the adoption agency sat an angel with a lot on his mind. Zephyr was nervous, and uncomfortably sober.

He thought about the knife up the sleeve of his hooded sweatshirt. He hated how having the blade reassured him. It felt wrong, like falling back on bad habits.

Nobody besides Gabriel seemed to know about the coming apocalypse. His friends in heaven hadn't heard anything and the holy host wasn't mobilizing. That made him wonder how many people were involved. How high up the ladder did this go?

He mulled the facts over in his head. Gabriel wanted a war, and Zephyr had no doubt the archangel would be willing to start one if needed. But he was an order taker. So, where did the plan originate? And most importantly, was it a divine one?

Because it didn't feel like God was behind the wheel on this one. Zephyr wasn't one of the lucky few who could barge in and speak directly to God. Only the Metatron and a few others had that luxury. He put his hands together and prayed for guidance.

A knock at the door interrupted his train of thought. “Come in.” Zephyr called out, annoyance edging into his voice.

“Good afternoon.” Bael said as he settled down in the chair across from Zephyr. He was in his human form, the tall man with salt and pepper gray hair. The beard was new though. The angel had to admit, it was an improvement.

Zephyr looked at Bael. According to Gabriel this was the demon who would be responsible for the apocalypse. But there were multiple ways to cause one. It could even be a Franz Ferdinand type situation where his death set off a chain of events. Killing Bael wasn't a sure way to avoid it.

The Baron nodded slowly. “A little bird told me you were asking questions about the apocalypse. I'm guessing by how you're looking at me my source was correct.”

The angel’s eyes went wide. He had been so worried about Gabriel finding out that he hadn't considered the possibility Bael might take an interest too. “So it's true. You're going to end the world.”

“If I was, would you try and stop me?” Bael asked. His body language was relaxed. Still, there was a sense of coiled power. He wasn't threatening Zephyr. But he wasn't defenseless, either. “If you knew you could stop it right now, would you?”

“Yes.” Zephyr replied, preparing for the demon to lunge across the desk and kill him. He didn't think he could take Bael in a fair fight. But maybe he could get a solid stab in and take Bael with him.

“Good.” Bael sat back in his chair. “I'm happy to find out you aren't part of this bullshit. For the record, I have zero desire to start the apocalypse or fight the war that would follow. Like I told Six, you can't fight God.”

To his surprise, Zephyr believed him. “You really mean that, don't you?”

“As much as it pains me to say so, this is his universe. We just live in it.” Bael shrugged. “I’m pragmatic enough to see the benefits of engaging with reality as it is, instead of how I would like it to be.”

“You will have to teach me that trick sometime.” Zephyr thought about the knife up his sleeve. Bael had maneuvered him into a corner. The demon was forcing him to react in the moment, without preparation. He needed to stall for time so he could think. “So, what have you managed to gather about what’s going on?”

“Almost nothing. Nobody knows where the rumors started, hell isn't on a war footing. It feels like someone is pulling people's strings, but why or how is a mystery. It's frustrating.” Bael frowned. “It feels divine… but not.”

Yes, that was exactly what Zephyr had been thinking. It didn't feel right. It was almost like someone was mimicking God. So no, not a divine plan then. “I haven't been able to put it into words until now. But, yes. How did you find out?”

“I went for dinner and the staff at Harrows were under the impression I was there to kickstart the apocalypse. You can imagine my surprise.”

“Gabriel came to see me. He tossed me around then told me to wait for his call.” Zephyr didn't see much point in holding back this information from Bael. Lying at this stage would only cause problems. Besides, he probably already knew.

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Bael seemed to be sizing up the angel, weighing his past bad behavior against future utility. “Whoever is running the show knows us all very well. More than likely this plan originates from very high up. Heaven’s inner circle.”

“How so?” Zephyr frowned. How was Bael able to pull that kind of conclusion out of thin air?

“If Gabriel hears an order he likes, from a proper authority, he won't question it. On the other side of things, I have a reputation for pulling off coups with nobody the wiser. It isn't so far-fetched to believe I would be able to pull an apocalypse out of my hat, if given a reason.”

“So, someone in heaven is our puppet master.” Zephyr considered this for a full minute. “It has to be the Metatron. He's the only one above Gabriel who has the authority to speak for God without involving the other members of the inner circle. Plus, he fucking hates humanity.”

“Interesting theory. I'll check into it.” Bael gave Zephyr another hard look. It was like he was trying to reach a decision. His jaw clenched for a moment, then he relaxed. “Zephyr, something has been rattling around in my head for a while and it's time we cleared the air.”

“You did something unforgivable when you tried to hurt my family. This apocalypse situation means we have to work together. But when it is over, you and I will have a reckoning.”

Zephyr thought about the knife and all the bad things he had done with it. “I'm a real piece of shit, aren't I.”

“Yes.” Bael confirmed. “Granted, I'm a demon. So I'm used to working with bad people. I will tell you that the form and severity of our reckoning directly correlates to how helpful you are with the tasks I assign. Because I'm not a very forgiving person, but I do pay what is owed.”

“No.” Zephyr shook his head. “Sorry, but I'm done taking orders from people who threaten me. And yes, you're a Baron. Yes, you have killed angels. But so have I.” He let the words hang in the air.

Bael sighed. “Zephyr, I'm about to ask for your help with something important. But I don't know if you can be trusted. I want to trust you. I want to believe that you can change. But I don't.”

“For what it's worth, I don't trust you either. I think you're trying to spin this whole situation to your own advantage.”

“Congratulations, that means the drugs haven't completely fried your brain. Because I absolutely am. I'm a plotter, a schemer, and that is who I always will be.” Bael stood up from his chair. “If someone is stupid enough to involve me in their plots, then it's my obligation to take what I can from them.”

Zephyr couldn't move a muscle as Bael walked over to him. His whole body was paralyzed. How was he doing this?

The Baron let his human facade slip away. “Let me be perfectly clear. You are a minor angel one false step away from falling. I am a demon second only in power to Lucifer herself.”

“My empire was built on the bones of greater beings than you. If we stand in opposition, I will drag you down so deep that heaven's light will die of old age before it reaches halfway to you.”

“I will leave you alone in the cold darkness beneath the ninth circle, forever, with nothing but your regrets and nightmares for company. I will destroy everything that you are, or might become.”

He leaned in close until they were face to face. Power radiated from the Baron’s skin, like static electricity before a lightning strike.“I’m not going to appeal to your better nature, because I'm not sure you have one. From what I've seen of you, you're more like me. You want things, and act on them.”

“So, I am removing the necessity of trust. I am offering you the choice of total cooperation, or complete destruction. Do not get distracted by questions of my intentions. They are irrelevant to you now.”

Bael went back to his chair and sat down. “I want you to remember how powerless you feel. Keep that sensation fresh in your mind, and I have no doubt you will be able to follow my directions without deviation or trickery.”

Zephyr shivered as sensation returned to his limbs. “You are fucking terrifying.”

“Yes, I know.” Bael-Sharoth, Baron of hell and Lord of Torment, replied.