Doug tried to put up a fight but was clearly overpowered. They forced him down the hall to the elevator, which they commanded to the conference room. Once the doors opened, Doug was led to the table and the bag on his head was removed. The only one in the room other than Doug and the Angel Response Agents was Minos, who was standing at the other end of the table next to the empty throne. There was a folder of papers at Doug's seat. “Take a seat Doug, you two, leave us.” Minos said with a wave.
“Sir, protocol V523 dictates that we…” Deletros began to protest but was cut off by Minos,
“I need you two at the front gate in case VOG decides to come barging in again. I think I can handle Doug here just fine myself.” With that, the two tall demons went back to the elevator. Doug remained standing while Minos stared at him with a strange expression. “You’re about to be fired, Doug,” he said with no emotion. “You went too far this time, impersonating someone on the network is a full breach of contract. Please take a seat and review the forms needed to attest to your transgression.”
Doug sat nervously down and opened the folder. On top of the forms was a handwritten note that read “I’m taking your offer. Follow my lead and don’t speak.” Doug looked back at Minos who was staring at him intently, nodding. Doug started flipping through and signing the paperwork which included a J431 for Jane, as well as the paperwork needed for both to pass into the Bardo. As Doug filled out forms, Minos called for Cinder and gave her a slip of paper with the names of more forms he’d need. At first she started to question why he needed them, but he told her it was urgent, so Cinder spent a few minutes generating a few massive contracts on the table with incantations. After which he gave her more written instructions which she vanished to complete. Minos started filling the massive forms out in a flurry, filling the last one out fully except for a signature at the bottom. Leaving the binders on the table, he pocketed the last form and then marched to the end of the table towards Doug. “Let’s go” he said as he grabbed Doug's arm and marched him towards the elevator.
“What about Jane?” Doug asked as the elevator made its way down
“That's what I sent Cinder for, she’ll meet us at the Bardo gate.” The doors opened and they made their way through the lobby, still packed with soaking wet souls, through several back hallways and into another large amphitheater room. On the stage was a stone archway with a black void as a center, flanked by two daises. The theater was usually filled with souls lined up for departure, but the theater was empty except for Cinder, Jane, and the man on the stage. He was tall and handsome with long black hair, wearing a white tuxedo. He had the wings of an Archangel, except they were wrapped in chains. There was a red halo above his head. Jane was suspended three feet in the air, stretched out like a medieval rack held her there.
The chained angel's cold voice filled the room when he spoke. “I’m disappointed in you Minos. You had such promise. I won’t let you compromise this facility.” Doug was rightfully terrified, but sensed no fear from Minos who started to walk slowly towards the stage. Doug followed several steps behind.
“Perhaps you forget who’s really in charge here.” Minos said dryly, as he unhooked the whip from his belt.
“You wouldn’t dare use that.” The chained angel said with rage. “This escape is folly. You will return to this place again and I will keep you here until the suns of your solar systems die.”
“I’ll take those odds. Back to your hole, scum” Minos said quietly. With a swift movement he swung the whip over his head and caused it to wrap the chained angel. The whip flew out of Minos’s hand as it wrapped him in the entirety of its length. With a loud crack, the chained angel disappeared entirely. Jane was released from stasis and fell to the floor and slowly rose up. “Come on, you two. We don't have much time and I can only do that once. Cinder, take the paperwork from Doug and start queueing them up. I assume you want to see her go through first?” Minos asked Doug directly, who was helping Jane to her feet.
“Yeah let’s do that.” said a bewildered Doug. Doug handed Cinder the folder and the shadow went to work placing documents on the two daises. As they did so, Doug asked “What’s going to happen to this place? Are we about to break something?”
“Nothing they won’t be able to come back from with lots of meetings and paperwork. I do expect the executives will be mad that they’ll be reporting to Cinder soon.” He said with a smirk, holding up the last unsigned piece of paper.
“All set for the first soul boss!” Cinder said excitedly. Doug and Minos turned to Jane.
“Your sentence has been commuted soul, into the Bardo, quickly. Doug won’t be far behind.” Minos said curtly. Doug nodded in approval.
“Somehow I did it, go quick!” Doug said excitedly.
“Thank you Doug! Thank you Minos!” Jane said with equal enthusiasm. She ran over to the archway, waved, and walked into the void. The documents on the dias’s burst into flame. Cinder quickly started replacing them with more documents.
Minos looked to Doug and was very direct. “I’ve held up my end. I need the card before you go.” Doug had a moment of hesitation before slowly taking out the card he’d been given by the Archangel. He wondered if it was the right decision to give it to Minos and just use it for himself. He read the card again and pondered its message.
For the past few hours he’d thought maybe the love was about pursuing he and Jane’s soul bond, yet here he was with the card still in hand. He looked Minos in the eyes as he handed the card to him. “When you get to Earth, just try to love everyone, alright? Love and forgiveness can be given to anyone at any time, and it matters most to give it to those least deserving.”
Minos chuckled as he took the card. “I don’t know if we’ll ever see eye to eye on justice Doug, but I will give it my best to do that. See you on the other side.” He turned to Cinder who had just completed placing the documents for Doug. “Cinder! Come sign this last form, you’re being promoted.”
Doug approached the archway nervously. He stared into the void the way one does overlooking a ledge. “Well, it wasn't so bad last time.” He thought to himself, as he took his plunge into darkness.
The Hendersons, Eric and Melody, were a power couple doing well in life living in New York City running their own family law office. They had been trying for a few years to get pregnant with no luck, and decided to adopt a child. Not long after the adoption went through for the five-year-old boy, Melody found out she was pregnant. Their apartment would have been tight with only three people in it, so they decided to move their practice to a small town upstate for a simpler life.
It was a warm summer night when the moving truck pulled into a cul-de-sac followed by the Hendersons in their new minivan. As the family started to unload, two children from the neighborhood ran up and introduced themselves as Dan and Jessica, self-proclaimed best friends. They were the same age as the adopted child.
Jessica was very excited to have a new friend to play with. “There are no clouds and all the stars are coming out tonight! Do you know about conshlations? My mommy taught me all about them! We can see the Big Dipper and Leo tonight! Come follow me!”
The new boy looked confused and nervous, but at the encouragement of his parents, went along with his new friends.
The children ran to the backyard where there were no lights, and once again beheld the stars.