In Lucifer We Trust - superlc529

Earlier…

"I just don't understand why Lord Lucifer won't return to Hell," Dromos lamented as he started to gather all of Kinley's papers as Kinley had ordered before he left in another attempt to get Lucifer back to Hell.

"Our King's on vacation," Squee shrugged, "After all he's done, perhaps he's just looking for a short break."

"Short?" Dromos looked up at that, "He's been gone forever. And you heard him before, Squee, he said he didn't want to return to Hell."

"Willingly," Squee finished.

"Hmm?" Dromos was finished with the papers and began to collect all the surveillance photos.

"Lord Lucifer said he didn't want to return to Hell willingly," Squee repeated, "Perhaps one of these humans are holding him here on Earth."

"What kind of human would even have the capability?" Dromos started to see Squee's point.

"Yeah, you're right," Squee dismissed his idea, "A human wouldn't be able to have a hold on our King. He's too powerful for that."

"Or maybe it's some kind of spell?" Dromos wasn't letting go of the idea, now that Squee had brought it up.

Dromos looked down at the photographs he was organizing and held one up that depicted one of Lucifer simply walking alongside the blonde woman, his gaze soft as it appeared she was speaking to him.

"Kinley seemed awfully interested in this particular human," Dromos' gaze landed on Chloe's picture. He turned the picture around so that Squee could see, "I think she has a hold on Lord Lucifer."

"I guess it's a good thing Kinley's gonna take her out of the equation then, eh?" Squee tried to look hopeful, "Then maybe he'll come home."

"If this human can have a hold on the Devil, who knows what else it's capable of," Dromos placed the photo down onto the pile of others, "Maybe Kinley needs our help."

"He told us to stay here and to get rid of all this stuff," Squee nodded at the piles of papers and photos.

"He-," Dromos started to respond before abruptly stopping and grasping his chest; his face scrunched up in pain.

"Dromos? What's wrong?" Squee stepped up closer to Dromos, reaching out a concerned hand, but not touching his fellow demon.

"Not sure," Dromos replied, "I think there's something wrong with Kinley… I think he's dying."

"How can you tell?" Squee didn't understand. He wasn't feeling anything.

"The summoning spell…" Dromos grunted in further pain, "I think it tethered me to him. I guess it did work."

Dromos grunted again.

"That human! She must've killed him! You were right, Dromos!" Squee grabbed both of Dromos' shoulders, turning him to face him, "You must save our King."

Dromos groaned and took a steadying breath, "You're right, Squee. It's up to me now. Kinley's gone. I can feel it… he's made his journey home down below. I'll acquire his vessel and finish the job."

Dromos looked determined.

"I will get our Lord home," Dromos stated.

"Good luck, Dromos," Squee understood with a single nod.

Dromos' current meat suit of a tall, thin black man collapsed in a heap at Squee's feet just as the door to the office they were in flew open. In its archway, the foot of one Mazikeen Smith lowered back down to the ground as a predatory smile formed on her face.

"Found you," Maze sing-song-ed.

"Mazikeen?" Squee couldn't believe his eyes.

Maze tilted her head and folded her arms, her gaze roamed over Squee's form.

"And you're Squee," Maze returned, "I'd recognize your stench anywhere."

"What are you doing here? And in your own body?" Squee asked, "Are you here to help get our King back to Hell?"

"Lucifer's not going back to Hell," Maze took a predatory step forward.

"Did that human put a spell on you too?" Squee cocked his head, genuine worry spread over his features.

"What human?" Maze took another step forward.

"This one," Squee picked up the photograph of Chloe and Lucifer and handed it over to Maze.

Maze took the photo from him. She wasn't surprised to see Decker in the photograph. She glanced down quickly and saw what could only be more surveillance photos of Lucifer and Chloe. How long had this priest been on his vendetta?

"What do you know of this human?" Maze cocked a scarred eyebrow. Better to get intel on what he knew before showing her hand. It really was lucky that Squee wasn't the brightest bulb of the Lilim. She'd get plenty out of him.

"A priest summoned Dromos to Earth to help him get our King back home to Hell. They needed an extra hand and so Dromos called me up. In the priest's findings, he found that this human has been by Lord Lucifer's side during his vacation stay. We tried to get our King back home once and failed," Squee explained.

"Why did you possess a human?" Maze asked, "You know Lucifer banned it."

"With Dromos already up here, I figured it'd be okay," Squee replied with a shrug, "He hasn't incinerated me yet."

Squee let out an uneasy chuckle.

Maze gave a sarcastic hum of agreement and motioned for Squee to continue.

"Lord Lucifer told us that he'd never willingly go back to Hell… it only stands to reason that he's being held here against his will by this human. Somehow, she must have put a spell on him to make him want to stay on Earth. Why else would he stay on Earth? It's not like home."

"Go on," Maze stepped even closer to Squee, slowly coming around the desk to his side, "What else?"

"The priest… his name is Father Kinley," Squee turned to face Maze, "He went off to eliminate the human so Lord Lucifer would be free to return to Hell… but somehow, the human got the upper hand and killed Kinley."

Maze simply glared at Squee in a silent ask that he continue.

"D-Dromos," Squee stuttered and motioned to their feet, "Dromos went to go finish the job."

"I see," Maze subtly lifted her gaze from the discarded human at her feet back to Squee's nervous face. Squee had always been frightened of his sister… and for good reason.

"How?" Maze produced one of her Hell-forged blades from seemingly out of nowhere before she began flipping it around her fingers skillfully and menacingly.

"He's connected to the priest from a summoning spell… so he jumped bodies to possess Kinley's now empty meat suit," Squee's eyes nervously followed Maze's blade still flipping around her fingers.

"Hmm," Maze feigned thoughtfulness, gripping her blade mid-flip.

"Not on my watch."

With a quick flick of her wrist, she punched her fist forward into Squee's belly with a loud squelch. Maze twisted her fist in Squee's stomach before jerking it back. Squee collapsed to her feet in a heap.

With a barely spared glance at the two dead bodies and a fearful whisper of "Decker" on her lips, Maze raced out of the warehouse, determined to save her friend.

Her family.

"More involved?" Linda raised an eyebrow, "What does Lucifer mean by that?"

"With a demon summoning spell involved, nothing good," Amenadiel replied, "But I wanted you to know what was going on… especially after everything you just told me."

Linda gave Amenadiel a shy smile.

"Speaking of… are you okay?" Linda looked up at Amenadiel anxiously.

"More than okay," Amenadiel's smile lit up his face.

"You guys are gonna be awesome parents," Trixie reminded them she was present.

"Thank you, Trixie," Amenadiel nodded to the young girl, "That means a lot coming from you."

"I better get going," Amenadiel started walking backwards toward the staircase leading to Linda's front door, "Lucifer's bound to become impat-"

Amenadiel got cut off by a loud and persistent knock at the front door.

"Impatient," he finished lamely before lightly jogging to answer the door.

"Didn't you get my prayer?" Lucifer said in lieu of a greeting as he brushed past his older brother, entering Linda's house.

"I was just about to head over to you, Luci," Amenadiel replied with a roll of his eyes before he joined Lucifer and the girls in Linda's living room.

"Still not the fastest flier, I see," Lucifer nodded in faux understanding before taking out Dan's phone to show his brother the picture of the spell.

"What do you make of this summoning spell?"

Amenadiel took the phone from Lucifer and took in the photograph.

"Shouldn't you be the expert?" Amenadiel asked as he brought Dan's phone closer to his face instead of zooming in on the picture, "It is a demon summoning spell, after all and you're the King of Hell."

"I tried not to get too involved in the self-imposed demon hierarchy the demons placed themselves in," Lucifer replied, "After I decreed no more possession, I pretty much left them to the torture."

"If they're not supposed to be possessing people, then why did they possess those guys?" Trixie asked.

"Demons aren't the best at following the rules," Lucifer answered, "At least not without a threat hanging over their heads. Given that Dromos only came to Earth from a suggestion from Malcolm Graham and this summoning spell and Squee isn't playing with a full deck… I have a feeling we won't have to worry about a Demon uprising with other demons following suit."

"That's a relief," Linda agreed.

"Anyway, what do you make of the spell, Brother?" Lucifer nodded toward the photograph.

"I'd have to study it a little more, but at first glance, based on a few of its phrasings, I think the only factor that might be "more involved" with this spell," Amenadiel used finger quotes, "would be that the summoned demon would be connected to its spell's caster."

"So, you're saying that Dromos is connected to Kinley?" Lucifer took Dan's phone back from Amenadiel.

Amenadiel nodded.

"Well, that's fantastic news!" Lucifer lit up, "Kinley's dead. So, does that mean Dromos was sent back down to Hell? And we only have Squee to deal with?"

"I'm not sure that's what it means, Luci," Amenadiel shook his head.

"Then what does it mean?" Lucifer started to get a little more impatient.

"I don't think you'll get that answer until you find Dromos," Amenadiel replied.

"Well, you were a big help," Lucifer retorted sarcastically.

At Amenadiel's returned deadpan expression, Lucifer continued, "At least Maze is on the hunt for Dromos and Squee… She'll find them in no time and soon we'll be able to put all of this nonsense behind-"

"Lucifer!"

"Lucifer?" Amenadiel grasped Lucifer's shoulder with concern when he abruptly stopped talking and the color drained out of his face.

"That's impossible," Lucifer said to himself. He couldn't be hearing what he thought he was hearing, could he?

"What's impossible?" Linda also grew worried.

"Lucifer! I need you!"

"Chloe?" Lucifer breathed, his voice breaking.

"Mom? What about her? Is she okay?" Trixie joined in the concern.

"Lucifer! Please! He's trying to kill me!" Chloe's prayer came through loud and clear.

Without explanation, Lucifer quickly unfurled his wings and took off – leaving knocked over books from Linda's shelves, a shattered lamp, and a concerned family in his wake.