Chapter Text
He didn’t know whether to be hopeful or full of dread. There. Right there stood the demon, the overlord, that he had been looking for about a year. And now he was standing there, teeth bared, yellow and sharp right at his front door. The Radio Demon pushed past him and took a skipping step inside the Villa.
“My, my, what a lovely place. I’m sure you won’t mind me helping myself to a better introduction.” That slick smile never went away.
Angel had completely lost his voice. Stuttering at him to stop and explain himself.
“Who the Hell--”
“Alastor,” his hand shot forward at Husk and grabbed his hand, shaking it vigorously, “pleasure to be meeting you.”
Husk growled, trying to pull his hand to himself. “Get off me, you can’t just come in here-- how did you even get past security?”
The crimson demon smiled widely, eyes full of mischief, “they don’t call me the Radio Demon for nothing, you silly kitten. No, I come and go as I please.” He turned, inspecting Angel still in the hallway.
Both Husk and Angel watched each other as the demon had confirmed himself. It wasn’t just their imagination, it was The Radio Demon.
“What do you want?” Husk snarled.
“I must say,” he drew out as he inspected his staff only to point it directly at Angel, filling him with fear of what the demon was about to say, “you have been exceptionally busy trying to find me. I must admit my name dances on many demonic lips to see what will happen, but after your little visit ,” he snarled delightedly, “to my old pal, your skills have been brought to my attention. Quite the efficiency, my dear.”
Angel could have sworn the antlers on the Radio Demon grew another three inches.
“That doesn’t answer my question, you flimsy demon. What. Do. You. want?” Husk tried again. Angel watched as his claws came out, brows knitted tight.
Alastor turned his eyes over his shoulder to snarl at the overlord. Then within a second he fixed himself again, and continued as if this was merely a friendly interaction, “my my my, your little boytoy has simply coloured me intrigued,” towering over Husk he tilted Husk’s head with his staff. Husk pushed it aside, but before he could grab the wily demon, Alastor continued, “you leave for a while and suddenly you’re the talk of the town. I must say I didn’t expect this. You,” he turned to Angel again, who’d had dared to walk closer to the others, “have created a spectacle all in my honour, especially when a lowlife man like the TV demon gets his pants in a twist, I simply must congratulate the one who’s responsible,” then he whisked over to grab Angel’s hand before he could retract it and shook it firmly, “and I prefer to do so in person.”
A glow appeared from Husk, but Alastor paid no mind to the growling. His eyes fixed like pins on how Angel was going to respond. Angel swallowed for a second. This was it. He’d looked for this prick for a year now, and now he was parading around his kitchen as if it wasn’t a life or death situation. He’d been searching for this fucker to talk about Lux, and get her soul back - he still hadn’t figured that out yet - but now he stood here shaking his hand, and was he, was he making a deal? Angel quickly tried to get his hand out of the creep’s grasp.
“You trying to strike some fucking deal without me knowing?” Angel spat, eyes sharp.
Alastor’s eyes sharpened then softened, “good heavens no,” he laughed and waved his hand. Swirling his staff until the end met the floor with a prominent thud he narrowed his eyes, “not yet anyways.”
This guy is 1 to 100 in seconds, Angel thought to himself. We can play that game. “So you want Vox’s balls on a platter? And you come to us, why?”
Alastor laughed heartily, “well, my dear, he has something you want, and you have something I want.”
“Which is?”
He snickered, “hm-hm, that’s where the deal comes into the picture.”
What possibly could that be? They knew what they wanted from him, but what could the Radio Demon want from them?
“I’ve heard a lotta stories about ya, mista. You don’t do anything without something in return. What do you want?” Angel asked cooly. “Can’t expect you’re doing this out of the goodness of ya heart.”
“We don’t have to sort out trivials now,” Alastor scoffed. “For the moment I want the attention of the flat faced excuse of a mediocre video podcaster, that’s all.” He said it so carelessly, and still a threat was hidden between the words. But they seemed to be focused on whatever would be waiting for Vox when Alastor got to him.
“Why not just step up on his doorstep? Pick a fight?”
“My good man, I’m only offering my services because of your own ingenuity.”
“Ingenuity?”
Alastor snaked up close, “I can’t risk you end up decimating poor Vox without giving me the time of play first. If I leave him to your capable hands, there might not be anything left of him for me, my dear pal.”
So that’s how it fitted. Alastor is afraid he doesn’t get a chance to annihilate Vox first.
“If Vox is all you want, you can have him.”
“Angel!” Husk interrupted. But Angel ignored him.
“I don’t care about Vox. I only care about my babies. And to be frank, you’ve held us back for far longer than I’ve wanted. But--” Angel stared down the crimson demon, eyes glowing, “if I found you’ve tried to stall us, backstabbing us, you’re going down and I’ll do it myself.”
“Very well,” the demon shrugged sportsmanly.
Angel turned to his husband, “c’mon. Let’s get the peanuts back.” He marched and the others had to keep up with him. Outside the security team had gathered, waiting for further instructions. Murder was in his eyes, and he made damn well sure his staff was aware of the result of failure of not retrieving the babies. From the landline he’d attached to the Villa, he called his oldest friend. At the mention of destruction of capitalistic property Cherri was already packing her weapon of choice. Enough dynamite to turn the entire V tower into dust and rubble.
As they entered the car he loaded his own Thompsons with a snap of his fingers. There hadn’t been time to change, and thus Angel still wore the dress Husk had gifted him the night before. But it didn’t matter. He was gonna take down Vox and Val and look good while doing it.
“You think we can trust him?” Husk dared lowly. Angel watched him closely. He was talking about Alastor of course. There was every chance of Alastor listening in on their conversation. So Angel shook his head. There was too much at stake. This was a personal vendetta against Vox, and the fear of not beating him to a pulp himself seemed to be a nightmare to the Radio Demon.
The night didn’t stop the parties around Pentagram City. As they closed in on the V Tower, it seemed like the party only grew larger and larger. But that was not gonna stop Angel from demolishing the fucking tower. When they finally arrived at the big ass tower that inhabited the three most egocentric, pain in the ass, horrible demons in Pride he practically jumped out the car, Husk right behind him. In the corner of his eye he saw Cherri - and Sir Pentious? - patiently, yet excited, waiting by a motorbike similar to his own. He nodded and Cherri, followed by the inventor, quickly ran up to him as he called out at the team behind him. She grabbed Angel by the elbow and nodded at Alastor.
“What’s he doing here?”
“He’s here to help,” Angel quickly said before gathering the troops, “Listen up. These fuckers took my babies. That’s priority number one. Locate the babies and bring them to the car, take them back to the Villa. Priority number two,” he pulled out two Thompsons and eyes glowed hot, “fuck up the entire building and everyone inside.”
Countless guns cocked and loaded ready for the big entrance. It sounded like sweet music to his ears.
“ Amore,” he heard behind him. He turned back to Husk. One last glance of surety. There was no stopping Angel, not this time. And Husk wasn’t gonna try. So in a quick nod at each other they both knew there was no stopping this.
Angel marched in through the front doors, and aimed a Thompson right at the receptionist. She looked awfully awake with a gun pointed between her eyes. “Sorry Marta,” he began maliciously, “Vox has something that belongs to me. Would you mind letting us in?”
Marta didn’t dare to question the threatening aura that vibrated off Angel as he spoke to her. She reached for the phone, “sh-should I call Vox?”
“Nah, but you can make sure the elevators goes straight to his floor and let security understand we’re only here for three things. If they interfere, I will have my whole team blast this place to smithereens. Ya understand?”
The poor receptionist swallowed and nodded. But Angel knew well enough Vox would have his security go right into a war the second they stepped out of the elevators.
They gathered in the elevators and a few groups used the stairs to cover more ground.
Angel fumed as the elevator rose. Not even Husk dared speaking to him.
There was a shiver as the elevator doors opened, letting them all out. Where to begin? He sent another group further up to the penthouse suite, Val’s apartment. The thought alone pissed him off even more. With Husk, Cherri, Pen, and the Radio Demon behind him, he walked straight to Vox’ office. His sanctuary and crow’s nest. Where he could spy on everybody he wanted to, whenever he wanted. He kicked the door open and aimed at nothing. If Vox would stand at the end of the barrel that would work.
At the corner of his eyes, Alastor vanished in a pool of shadows. What the fuck? He continued down the runway he’d previously beaten Vox up on. The screens in front of Vox’ were all on, showing all the video feeds in the building. He watched his own team run from angle to angle, checking rooms and finding nothing before continuing to the next room. However in the middle of all the feeds he spotted four feeds showing the penthouse. Val looked like shit. Good. While Golden was unloading a shoulder bag. Steaming hot anger steamed from Angel and he stomped out of the office, the others following suit.
Once again he kicked a door open and aimed at the sofa where Val had been sitting a moment ago.
“Ah, Angel. Took you and your band of misfits long enough.” Vox’ voice sounded from across the room. He walked over, not minding the endless sea of guns aimed straight at him. He had too much confidence, Angel thought pissed.
“Where are my babies, you motherfucker.”
“Let’s be civilised.”
“You threw that out the window when you took my babies.”
“Minor detail. Maybe you should’ve vetted your own staff better.” He glanced over to Golden standing looking sheepish.
“I’ll make sure to take that to heart after I rip yours out and slit your throat. Lotta cables in that neck to keep you alive, huh. Where. Are. My Babies?”
A small meowing came from the couch area. His heart skipped a beat at the well known sound of his babies calling out to him.
“You really think you were going to get away with this?”
And then Vox did the worst thing possible. He reached down and took one kitten up into his hands. Cosmo. “I wouldn’t be so quick on the trigger if I were you. Would be a shame if something happened to your . . .” he watched disgustedly at the kitten meow and squirmed in his hands, “ babies.”
“Put him down!” Angel gripped his guns tighter.
“No, because now that I have him in my hands you’re gonna listen to what I’m gonna say. And you’re gonna give me what I want.” He smirked confidently.
Angel weighed his words for a hot second before giving in. “What do you want?”
“I want Val’s soul.” A smile danced on the TV demon. Knowing full well he could get it if he just squeezed hard enough. “Oh don’t be so surprised. We’ve been trying to get that back for years now, what makes you think we’d stop?”
“You already got him back,” Husk broke in, “sitting right there, that should be enough.”
Vox clicked his tongue and his brow knitted, “yeah that’s not enough. He’s useless like this. Under your will he can’t even continue his work. He’s just a pitiful-- heh well, a pitiful husk.”
Valentino sat on the couch, and looked nothing short but awful and dried up like a grape. His wings still tattered from the many times Husk had torn them off and offered to Angel as a peace offering. Curled up on the couch he didn’t move a muscle, and didn’t seem like a big threat.
“The fucker has done enough damage to be put back into full power, forget it!”
Vox pretended a surprised look and shrugged, “fine, then it won’t matter that I do this,” he closed his hands hard around Cosmo and a pitiful scream came from the kitten.
“Don’t!” Angel called out. How the fuck did he diffuse the situation? And where was Alastor? Did he decide not to join the band anyway? It was up to Angel to fix this. “Stand down,” he told his team and guns were lowered, as well as his own. Vox loosened his grip and the screaming disappeared and was replaced with a sobbing. This had been their plan all along. No matter if Angel had stormed the tower alone or with an army, the Vees would have the upper hand. But letting Val have his soul back . . . the anxiety, the danger would increase. None of them would be safe, ever. Hell they hadn’t been safe anyway! But to have another predator, one who’d been so close to Angel's mind and body, destroying it bit by bit. To have him back. He was not doing anyone a favour. But he’d already lost one child. He wasn’t going to lose another. “Husk baby.” Husk looked to him, still ready for a fight, ready for Angel’s signal to fly and cut throats with his claws. Which was why he jittered when Angel told him to hand over the contract on Val’s soul.
“What? Angel!”
He didn’t grant him a single glance. “Do it. I will not lose another one.” It was the only thing he could do. To Hell with his own safety. His own sanity. His babies were not going to die tonight.
“Trouble in Paradise, Husk?” Vox sounded from across the room. Smirking from ear to ear. Husk growled. Snapping his fingers a contract appeared next to him, floating in the air with Valentino’s name written on the dotted line. Vox nodded at the paperwork and beckoned them closer.
“But we do this my way. I get my babies, you get the contract.”
“Yada yada, whatever, gimmie,” he held out his hand to accept the contract flying next to Husk.
Angel grabbed the contract out of the air in a tight grip. Three security demons followed him to collect the babies and everyone held their breath as it came down to Cosmo. He was so close to them. In a moment they were his again and Val would strut around in the city looking for fresh meat to exploit, just like he had with Angel. He would haunt him. Try to kill him whenever he gets bored. A future he had to prepare for. They knew where the Villa was, they knew everything. There was no hiding from these fuckers.
His heart sank.
This was it.
Angel watched as Chip and Cookie were safe in the arms of security, and turned his attention to Cosmo in Vox’ tightening grip, mewling.
“Vox, ol’pal.” Alastor’s voice crackled through the speakers of the penthouse suite.
“The fuck is this?” Vox looked up.
“Have you already forgotten about me? That doesn’t look like you.” The voice chuckled.
Vox looked to Angel, “What is this?”
“Don’t you think this was his idea. I have a bone to pick with you. Meet me in your little sanctuary, spit-spot, I don’t have all night.”
If Angel wasn’t mistaken, it looked like Vox was sweating over the conundrum. To stay and get Val’s contract, or meet Alastor. How many years has it been now? Four? Five? Why was he showing up now? Was this Alastor’s secret weapon? His reputation? Or was there more to it? And with a flash, Vox disappeared into the nearest security camera, with Cosmo still in his hand.
“Cosmo!” Angel shrieked as his eyes followed the vanishing demon. “Husk! Where--?”
“Get the others and get downstairs! Now!” Husk ordered the two demons still carrying Chip and Cookie. “We’ll get Cosmo, amore,” he pulled closer to Angel and guided him out of the penthouse, leaving Valentino to his own miserable husk.
Not long after they received a call over the radio. The two kittens were secure. That gave Angel and Husk, and the rest, time to return to Vox’ office.
A crackling of electricity was dancing through the many wires of the endless room. They could hear the mocking laugh of Alastor haunt through the air and Vox shouting after the other.
“You indeed prove yourself to be unable to catch up with the superior medium! ” Alastor echoed.
“You fucker! Come back here!”
“Where the fuck are they?” Cherri asked what they were all thinking.
Then a glint caught their attention. A lightning, a flicker, whatever was heading straight to them and aimed for the radio on Angel’s dress.
“Are you just going to gawk? Move on!” Alastor called out to them from wherever he was calling from.
“What about--” What about my boy? Where’s Cosmo?
“Are we not gonna blow this shit up?” Cherri called.
“Not until I got all my babies!”
“Move you idiots!” Alastor’s voice hurried and they did. Out the office, and down the building as quickly as they could. The Radio Demon summoned the rest of their troops to the outside and was met with the whole team unscathed. They got back in the car. Cherri and Pen followed suit on their own bike and sidecar and followed the cars back to the Villa.
Not until they were back could Angel call for Alastor and with a split second the crimson demon was in front of him with his still so eerie sharp smile.
He shut the car door hard, “my boy? Where’s my boy?” He grabbed the demon's lapels and pulled the demon closer. He didn’t care that he hadn't blown up the V Tower, because what if Cosmo was still there?
“Will you let go of me, my dear fellow.” He grinned calmly. Husk backed Angel immediately
“Where’s our kid?”
“Calm down, he’s right here.”
They both felt their hearts pop into their throats, waiting to see little Cosmo safe and sound as Alastor pulled him out of his pocket.
“Cosmo!” Angel called and reached out, but Alastor stepped away.
“Not so fast.”
Angel stopped. His heart dropped to his stomach. What did he mean?
“I think it’s time we discuss your deal.”