"So you were both captured at the bar? Then what?" The grey and white demon cat with large red wings folded kinked one long plume brow curiously at Cherri Bomb. She was pacing back and forth in the small office as Husk was casually leaned back against his large desk with his arms folded, still holding his Hellphone in one hand. It was not some old-fashioned phone like Angel had described to her, it was a modern up-to-date touch screen one, the model up from hers with a red cover case on it. The style of his phone's had barely registered with her at the time as he had made two calls on it. Both of them were in two separate languages she didn't understand and he had not shared the contents of those calls. In fact once they had been made he had started interrogating her on their last movements before capture.
"You said we didn't have a lot of time! Why are you wasting it with this horseshit!!" The one-eyed female demon with long strawberry blonde hair cried out in frustration.
"Hey! Take it down a fucking notch. I got eyes and ears all over the city, the moment the suits come outta their web, I'll know.." Husk drawled gesturing Cherri back into her seat. "Now finish giving me the details. I'm guessing you don't know what happened to Angel.."
"No! I don't fucking know where they took him. After they knocked him out they took him away in a separate car. I spent ages in some crappy little room and they took me for a lame-ass drive that landed me in EggLord's turf!" The one-eyed demon accepted the glass of gold coloured booze he offered her and took a large swig, wincing a little as it burned her throat but swallowed regardless. "For whatever reason the slimy bastard actually offered to bring me to you, that's how I got here.."
"He did?" Husk blinked looking momentarily confused by this fact before shaking his head roughly. "Y'know what? Don't need specifics. I know how the Spider Mafia works, they've probably got him holed up in some dingy little interrogation room smacking shit outta him—"
"Then let's go bust him out!" Cherri exploded into a fit of fury getting up and necking the rest of her drink, slamming down the glass. The last thing she wanted was her best friend getting beat up further, she had nursed him through more than his fair share of emotional scars.
"No!! I'm in the middle of a war, that will only make things worse! We need to be smart about this.." His words made the female demon piff with an unimpressed look and this made the demon cat more annoyed as he continued. "You fucking think I like this? You shitting me? Do I look like I want my boyfriend to be treated like some big fucking piñata? Cause I don't!! I didn't fucking ask to clean up your fucking mess but here we fucking are so we're doing this my way!!"
"Ok Boomer.." Cherri exhaled sagging her shoulders looking fed up as she rolled her single bloodshot eye. "Sheesh! Whatever.." Husk had been about to retort when his Hellphone started ringing making him blink in surprise before answering with the thick deep accent he had used in the first call he had made. Cherri watched the demon cat converse with whoever was on the other end of the line, putting one hand on her hip and threw him a curious look.
"Well.." She prompted him when Husk hung up looking thoughtful, pulling off his large black top hat with the red band and putting his phone away.
"The suits are on the move. Let's go.." He added in a grim voice, finally pulling himself upright and moving away from the desk.
"Urh.. Finally!" Cherri exclaimed in some relief pulling open the door..
.......................
It was pitch black inside the old-fashioned Lincoln-Continental boot, the car itself was black of course because heaven forbid his father would own anything in another colour, shade, whatever. The boot itself was surprisingly roomy, more-so than any other boot that Angel Dust had had the displeasure of being bound and gagged in. Although, this time he hadn't been kidnapped by some crazed, obsessed lunatic who claimed to be his biggest fan and he sure wasn't hoping Valentino was going to rescue him this time. Fuck that, he would rather be shot by a whole cartridge of holy bullets than accept more "help" from that sleazy, disgusting Pimp Overlord and land himself in even more debt. The asshole would never let him live it down, he would just insist that he owned him, not just his time and money. Dead was better than being "saved" by that prick again, that's for sure.
A slight dip in the road made the light-weight effeminate spider bounce and give a muffled cry of pain into his gag as his head his cracked against the roof of the boot he was laid in. However this new pain in his head was a moment of respite from the constant dull ache in the back of his mouth. He wasn't sure if his tooth was broken or hanging loose but his tongue felt something flopping when he prodded it and it stung too.
Then the car seemed to slow and finally stop. Angel, who now had the tire iron jammed into his back as it moved in the car jolt, squinted automatically when the reddish hued light finally streamed in from the boot opening. The next second he was grabbed by four of Henrion's fists and hauled out roughly, for a split second the effeminate pink-furred spider found himself eye to eye with the cold hard pink-eyed stare of his father. While his own odd sclera flashed with fear as the gag was ripped out he could see nothing but soulless emptiness in those slit-like pupils. Then he was spun around so fast that Angel had to blink several times before realising there was a gun in his back. If this had been anyone else he may have cracked a lewd joke about the hard object in the small of his back but this was the one man in existence who despised him more than anything else so he kept shtum. He didn't need to push the old spider further.
"Walk." Came his father's stern voice stated and Angel heard the small click that meant the safety had been taken off. They were in some kind of underground parking lot, heading for an old-fashioned elevator. The effeminate pink furred spider had no idea what was about to happen. When he got inside the elevator his father and brother got in either side of him. He could see their reflections as they stood silently waiting as the small arrow moved around the floor numbers slowly. While his father looked stoic and set, his brother Arackniss had his head lowered, his eyes were downturned, like he couldn't even bare to look at his younger brother. Angel suspected that this only was because he knew what was coming...
...The pale pink furred spider's three pairs of hands were still bound tightly behind his back as he found himself on the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings in the Wrath district where Spider Town was located. The breeze went right through Angel making him wish that he had a little more cover than just his flimsy striped blazer and hot pants. Despite being near the edge of the high story building he was facing his father and brother because obviously it was traditional to face the shooter and considered disrespectful to be shot in the back.
"Arackniss, ya'll be doin' the honours.." Henroin said coldly, turning to his eldest son and slapping his gun into his chest. This made the bluish-grey furred short spider give a gasp and struggle to catch the gun.
"What? Paps, ya can't be serious." Niss' pink eyes widened in horror at the prospect of taking out his brother. Behind him Angel's odd sclera pink eyes looked just as wide as his blood ran cold at the complete depravity of his father's mind. They both were looking at the old spider as if they couldn't really believe what they were hearing..
"Ya'll do it boy! For me, for this family, it's what ya've always done.." Henroin stated with a deep-set scowl.
"But I—"
"Ah for cryin' out loud! Just fuckin' waste me Cissy Nissy! I'd rather die by ya hand than his.." Angel finally intoned with a suddenly frustrated expression which only made Arackniss frown.
"Ya stay outta this, Bambola!!" The old spider declared and his words made the shorter, younger spider beside him looked shocked.
"Pfft.. Zat supposed t'be an insult? I was takin' ya side, for once ya fuckin' idiot.." Angel shot back with a deep frown, only stunning Arackniss with these words further. Looking at his little brother like he had completely lost his mind. "I getta last request before ya pump me full a lead, right? Gimmie a smoke, I'ma fuckin' need it.." The effeminate spider tutted leaning on one hip. He would have liked to rest his middle hands on them to complete the effect he was going for, unfortunately they were bound in front of him along with his top set and the set that he could not dissipate back into his side despite the longing to. He didn't like them being out all the time, it made him uncomfortable as they were his a safety net. Them being out and bound like this only highlighted the seriousness of his situation.
Henrion nudged his eldest son making Arackniss give a start and throw his father an unsure yet nervous look. Silently the old spider with pale bluish-grey fur and slicked back white head fluff, nodded his head as if silently granting this request. So his eldest son stepped forward, pulling out his cigarette packet then opening it. He pulled out a cigarette and his zippo lighter. Silently he placed the cigarette in his younger brother's lips before lighting it for him.
"Thanks Nissy.." Angel responded with a shadow of a wink then raised his top set of bound hands so that he could remove the small cancer stick and exhale a ring of smoke. As the pale pink spider was allowed to finish his cigarette Arackniss fell back in line with his stoic father, throwing his younger brother an odd look of awe, respect and sorrow...
........................
Not too far away from the tallest skyscraper in the Wrath district both Cherri Bomb and Husk arrived on a nearby roof that was much shorter than the building that the demon cat's contacts had informed him the Spider Mafia were located on. While the one-eyed female anarchist still dressed in her red mini halter neck dress whipped out a telescope Husk had a set of binoculars in his hands, already adjusting the sight to make out what was going on. From their spot they could clearly see Angel stood on the edge of the roof, hands bound and finishing his smoke. The next moment the butt of his cigarette was flicked away and his tied hands lowered.
"Oh shit!" The demon cat immediately set down his binoculars the moment that, what looked like to him, an armed spider goon approached his boyfriend, quickly realising what was about to go down. "Keep surveillance I gotta go pull him out.." This was crazy but he had no other choice if he wanted to save his boyfriend's life.
"Wait, what?" Cherri blinked momentarily confused by his words, turning her head to the demon cat who had started running towards the edge of the building they were situated on with a frown. When he leapt off the end his huge wings unfurled making the one-eyed female demon look impressed as he began to swiftly fly upwards towards Angel. Keen to see what would happen she put the telescope back to her red eye and bit her bottom lip hoping he would reach her best friend in time...
...The moment Angel flicked his cigarette butt away his heart sunk a little knowing that there was no way out of this now. Even if he did jump off the side of the building without the use of his arms there was no way he would survive the fall. He shut his eyes and sighed heavily, his head drooping a little realising that this was it. This certainly wasn't how he thought he would go out down here and while he felt the sting of knowing he wasn't going to see his two boys again the effeminate spider thought that maybe it was better this way. At least he wouldn't have to face Valentino either.
"What are ya waitin' for!" Henrion's voice roared out at his eldest son brought Angel out of his thoughts and open his eyes. "Just shoot him and be done with it!" Arackniss' hand was trembling on the trigger, in fact the whole gun was shaking in his grip. Angel could see his older brother clearly didn't want to do this, it was obvious by the look in his tormented eyes that he was green. However, the next moment the pale pink spider's eyes widened in terror when his father pulled out a gun and turned it onto him.
"If you make me shoot him ya will follow Dante.." His voice was low and dangerous, the threat clear to anyone who heard it. This man truly was a monster and was quite willing to off both his sons if he had to. A rushing sound suddenly came from behind Angel that distracted him from the deadly game of cat and mouse playing out before him. It sounded almost like... wings? The effeminate spider didn't really have time to look or even confirm what it was that he had heard approaching as the next moment he found himself wretched up into the tight grip of someone and drawn further upwards at a hurtling pace leaving the angry cry of fury from his father behind. For a split second Angel fought against his would-be-rescuer thinking wildly that Valentino was the culprit, at least until the familiar scent of musky aftershave, strong booze and cigars filled his nose and he stopped fighting and opened his eyes...
.....................
Arackniss' pink eyes widened in amazement at the huge red wings with white and black playing card like details. He hadn't really been able to take in much more than that as the huge creature had swept by so fast, gripping his younger brother with it's immense claws leaving him gasping and his father infuriated.
"Cazzo!" Henrion's voice cursed from behind him but the distant sound of jubilation from somewhere not to far away had made Arackniss' pink eyes drop to see the distant small figure of Cherri Bomb. She was dancing excitedly looking up to the flapping dot that was Angel and his saviour. She was still wearing that pretty red halter-neck dress, her pale skin giving a pearl-like sheen in the sunset over Pentagram City. Her strawberry blonde hair was wildly swaying as she laughed brightly in delight, the distant sound of it making the greyish-blue spider demon give a warm smile. She suddenly started running and cartwheeled onto the next building gracefully, still looking bright and excited. He couldn't help but admire her form.. She really does have great gams—
"Dante! We're leaving.." His father's voice made him gulp and turn away from the beautiful creature that was now moving away from his sight and turned around just in time to see his father speak again. "The Casino Demon still requires payment." The old spider gave a snort, his pink eyes rolling upwards in some disdain.
"Wait—That was him?!" Arackniss exclaimed in shock, his mouth falling open at the reveal.
"It was." Henrion replied in a cool voice. "Come, my son. We have a dead man to dispose of and a debt that needs repaying, the night she is young.." He gestured his son to follow and opened the door that lead back down to the elevator inside. Arackniss followed intrigued, wanting to know more. He would love to hate his father but despite knowing that this demon threatened to off him, he couldn't. He needed him..
....................
"Husk.." His voice was hushed with quiet awe, his pink iris eyes watering as he welled up with so many mixed emotions upon seeing the rouged white and grey furred face of his boyfriend with those long red plume-like eyebrows. "Ya saved me.."
"Don't read too much into this.." Came the dry response as those golden-yellow eyes on black sclera rolled as the two were so high up that they were close to the pentagram in the sky which was even more vast up close than it looked from the ground, stretching as far as the city limits.
"It's kinda hard not ta.." Angel purred warmly before his sight suddenly spotted the long red line in the sky to the left of them marking the join to the centre area. Once those immense red wings with black and white suit-like motifs spread out and started to glide with the wind current did the pale pink spider's binding ps break easily under his boyfriend's sharp claws. A sigh of pleasure escaped Angel's lips at being free from his restraints and as his upper set of arms swiftly wrapped around the demon cat's neck holding him close, his lowest set disappeared into him once more.
"You ever seen the city this high up before?" Husk asked curiously, the question was only meant to deflect his boyfriend from continuing to imply that he was some kind of hero when in his eyes he was far from it.
"No. Neva.." The effeminate spider replied before looking out to the huge expanse of city down below them stretching almost as far as he could see, beyond that was the red wastelands beyond. His eyes widening in complete fascination and wonderment as he gazed around at the world below. "Oh. Wow.. Who knew Hell could look so beautiful? Urh, and whatta time for my phone t'have died.." A pout and a huffy frown furrowed his brow, his middle arms sagging a little with his frustration. His phone had died back in his brother's Buick. The demon cat that was still gliding through the air while holding him close around the waist with one arm exhaled.
"I thought about what you said over the last few days.." Husk drawled making his effeminate boyfriend's features twist in curiosity to him. "-and well.." An up-to-date Hellphone in a red cover appeared in his one free hand and at the suddenly appearance of it Angel gasped out in shock. He immediately took hold of the phone with both his free hands, holding it in some reverence like it was a priceless treasure.
"Does this mean—?" His voice rose into a higher pitch of badly repressed excitement knowing full well what it meant but wanting his man to confirm it.
"I caved. Yeh.." The next thing that happened was that Angel's top hands that were already behind his boyfriend's head pulled him into a passionate kiss. This unfortunately put Husk momentarily off his flight and they dropped a very short distance in altitude before those large wings flapped furiously as the demon cat wrenched his other half away from his face so he could see.
"God dammit! Not while we're fucking flying!" Husk shot at him in some irritation when they finally resumed their flight path and Angel grinned back sheepishly, still clutching his boyfriend's phone. "Just take your pictures and we can send them to you later.."
"Heh, yeh, my bad.." He chuckled a little abashed then selected the camera app and began to line up his photos. "Damn, your camera's better than mine. Maybe I should think about an upgrade." He uttered as he began taking photos of the cityscape scenery far below them. "Hey! There's the hotel!" He added brightly as he pointed out the lights of the Hazbin Hotel still way off in the distance. "Ya think they've all killed each other yet in our absence?"
"Pfft, don't count on it." Husk responded taking his phone back once Angel was finished. "We aren't going there anyway, I still got business to finish off and I want you to stay with me until it's over.."