Civil War: 032 / Money, Traps and Promises

The man simply known as “Lord Apollyon” was seated behind his desk, looking over the reports of the progress of his mission. Hundreds of bodies now filled the cells in the lower levels of the building masquerading as a paper company.

In recent times, he lost one of the Demons in an incident with the false Harbinger and her paramour. Morgan Alexander was dead. However, it didn’t affect Apollyon. He still had his trump card. As long as he possessed it, there was no way he could lose the war he started. When his eyes fell on one of the many monitors lining the underside of the desk, a self-satisfied smirk touched the corners of his lips.

The monitor showed the still form of the man those in Hell regarded as Sathanas. Anthony Crawford was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and an unbuttoned black shirt showing the black tank top underneath it. He had a different look about him now.

When Valdemar Johansen first met Anthony all those months ago, after escaping from the Mexican prison, he was high strung and maybe a little volatile. However, as he watched the man on the monitor, it was clear to see that wasn’t the case anymore.

There was an icy callousness to him now. Anthony carried himself with the aura of a cold-blooded killer.

No remorse.

No fear.

No hesitation.

Somewhere inside the deepest recesses of his soul, Valdemar knew that sooner or later he would have to put down the rabid dog. There was no other choice. Sathanas was very quickly becoming the very thing Hell, even the evil and twisted version Valdemar ruled, existed to protect people from...

When the doors of the elevator opened, however, there was only a warm, welcoming smile Lord Apollyon’s face. Sathanas cleared the doors with a large briefcase in his right hand and tossed it onto the desk when he reached it.

Anthony Crawford: “They were very grateful for the information and assistance you provided.”

Lord Apollyon: “Of course they were. The Maidens are a thorn in their side as well. Did they understand the arrangement was temporary?”

Anthony Crawford: “Of course. This is the payment in full. They completely understand Hell will no longer offer further assistance where the Maidens are concerned. Our involvement ended at Aerynn Macguire.”

Lord Apollyon: “Excellent.”

Valdemar pulled the briefcase back around, and with an audible click, the latches opened. The top lifted to reveal the stacks of green paper.

Payment in full.

Anthony Crawford: “I cannot say I am thrilled about this, though.”

This notion made Valdemar raise an eyebrow.

Lord Apollyon: “Oh?”

He closed the case with an audible snap as the locks re-engaged. He lifted his gaze to the man standing on the other side of the desk.

Anthony Crawford: “Joshua, not so much, but Aerynn and Shonn? Taking payment on it feels like it was a hired hit. That is not now, nor has it ever been, who I am.”

Lord Apollyon: “You weren’t the one who pulled the trigger.”

While this answer was enough to end that particular topic, it did not exactly sit well with Anthony. Though in the end, Valdemar didn’t care how he felt about certain matters. He pushed himself out of the chair and walked around the desk, leaving the briefcase sitting there.

Lord Apollyon: “For now, we have some matters that we need to discuss. I have an idea that just may remove another player from the board.”

Valdemar maneuvered around the desk and leaned back on its edge. Meanwhile, Anthony stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

Anthony Crawford: “And how would you manage that?”

Anthony may be the strategist, but he was about to find out that Valdemar had learned from the best. He was cunning and vicious.

Lord Apollyon: “Ashley Kenyon will be gunning for Ruvik now.”

Anthony Crawford: “Now? She’s been gunning for him since we took him, Taylor, and the other from them. After what they did to that Adachi woman, I don’t blame her.”

Lord Apollyon: “He harmed Maiko and then he killed Aerynn. The second he put that bullet in her, Ruvik became public enemy number one.”

Anthony Crawford: “...So you’re going to use Ruvik for bait?”

There was something appealing about this. As horrible of a person as Anthony had become, there were still lines even he knew to never cross. What Ruvik did was among those lines. Valdemar, however, didn’t seem to notice the look of blind hate in his Right Hand’s eyes.

Lord Apollyon: “Naturally. You will wait in the shadows, follow along behind Ruvik and Taylor while they go about their business… and sooner or later, Ashley Kenyon will come looking for them.”

Anthony Crawford: “And when she does?”

A devious smirk crossed the Wicked Lord’s face.

Lord Apollyon: “I don’t have to tell you to get Ruvik and Taylor out of harm's way before you deal with Ashley, do I?”

The muscles in his jaw jumped, but Anthony said nothing.

Anthony Crawford: “And Kenyon?”

Lord Apollyon: “She has chosen her side.”

Valdemar turned and returned back to the other side of his desk, pulling the briefcase closer as he took his seat.

Lord Apollyon: “Give her the same ‘Welcome to Hell’ Maguire received.”

Anthony Crawford: “You know I dislike guns.”

Lord Apollyon: “Then the same welcome you delivered to McBride.”

Valdemar snapped impatiently. Of course, Anthony understood the message. The man wanted to be alone with the blood money. No doubt to put it wherever he had stored the Master File that showed where the Children had kept all their funds.

Anthony turned, his jaw once again clenching, and made his way to the elevator again. Once it rang and he had disappeared, however, Valdemar’s smile faded and his eyes stared at where Sathanas had once stood. There was neither greed nor glee in his eyes as he hit a button on the desk. He remained seated, tapping his fingers on the top of the desk, waiting for the answer to his call.

It took nearly five minutes before the elevator on the other side of the hallway rang and the doors slid open. Two figures stepped out, each wearing the black-and-white hooded outfit of the Demons. The two figures approached the desk and dropped into a kneel on the other side of it. Valdemar simply gave the pair a smile.

Lord Apollyon: “Thank you for coming so quickly.”

Taylor: “What can we do for you, Sire?”

Lord Apollyon: “Sathanas will be shadowing you for the foreseeable future.”

Ruvik: “To what end?”

Lord Apollyon: “Sooner or later, Ashley Kenyon will seek you out for vengeance. I have instructed him to wait for her arrival and deal with her.”

Taylor: “We understand.”

The pair moved to rise and leave, but Valdemar cleared his throat and they each looked up.

Ruvik: “Sire?”

Lord Apollyon: “Sathanas has grown a bit... big for his breeches. With Aerynn and Ashley out of the way, it will render Maiko comatose. This will leave the Twins and Zachary.”

Ruvik: “And you remember our deal?”

Lord Apollyon: “Of course. When all of this is over, you’ll be given free rein of Maiko Adachi’s re-education.”

There was a leering, predatory look in Ruvik’s eyes as white teeth were shown behind the mouth of the mask.

Ruvik: “Good.”

Taylor: “And what of Sathanas? You know he will protest, especially after what nearly happened to Melissa Reed.”

That woman… Oh, how he despised her so. Instantaneously, the smile was replaced by a deep, infuriated scowl.

Lord Apollyon: “THE CLOWN!”

Valdemar’s fist came down on the tabletop with a loud concussion. Both Ruvik and Taylor grew tense and froze their movements.

Lord Apollyon: “All of his stubbornness and defiance for an insipid little whore of a clown!”

The fury was rising from his very being. He needed to restrain this and find the calm. Valdemar sucked in a deep breath and leaned back in the chair, straightening his tie. Once the suit was resettled, he pushed the briefcase across the table.

Lord Apollyon: “For expenses. Find a place and rig it with no exits, no way for Kenyon to escape… and once Sathanas has dealt with her?”

Ruvik: “...Yes?!”

Lord Apollyon: “...Put him down.”

Ruvik: “About time.”

Taylor beside him, however, slapped a hand onto his chest to shut Ruvik up when he saw the look in Apollyon’s eyes. He gave his word it would be done and rose, grabbing the suitcase off the desk. Together, the two of them headed to the elevator and disappeared inside.

An hour later when the pair pulled out of the underground garage in the black vans loaded with Demons under their own command, they never saw the black sedan parked on the side of the road. Anthony sat behind the wheel with his phone in his hand, staring down at a picture of a smiling blonde woman. In his mind, he could hear her voice clear as day.


He pulled the gear shift into drive and slowly slid his hand down to the center console where his hand closed around the grip of a 9MM Beretta.

Something about this didn’t sit right with him.

It didn’t… feel… right.

Somehow, he knew Apollyon couldn’t be trusted any more than Lucifer could. He would do whatever it took to ensure he survived this.

He had promised.