Hell's Hazbin Heroes

Radio Killed the Video Star

Nico's POV:

Charlie paces in the middle of the room as Keekee follows alongside her.

Charlie: "Ok. So, the next extermination is coming in 6 months instead of a year. No big deal. Just a little setback. Nothing we can't handle. Just angels cutting our timetable in half. But who needs a whole year to save souls? Am I right? And next time, when they cut the time in half, again and again, we'll just handle it, right?!

Vaggie gently grabs Charlie by her arms to get her to stop pacing and calm down.

Vaggie: "Yes, we will."

Angel: "Oh, please. You had less than half a chance when you started all this salvation bullshit. And now..."

Angel glances at his phone as it vibrates with a notification regarding yet another string of texts from Val.

Angel: "Ain't no silver lining this time, toots."

Charlie: "Sure there is. We have to work a little harder for it."

Angel: "Well, while you're looking, the rest of Hell is going nuts. People are already freaking out about the news.

Angel flips his phone to show us a video of people in the Doomsday District being set on fire as another text from Val involving the words 'donkey show' appears at the top of the screen.

Charlie: "Uh, what is a 'donkey show'?"

Angel: "Uh, nothing. My boss, Val, is just freaked out about the news, too. Like I said, everyone's losing their shit."

Vaggie: "Yeah, that's true. Sinners are desperate. Maybe desperate enough to try anything to escape the next extermination."

Charlie: *gasps* "This is the perfect time to recruit more sinners for the hotel!"

Angel: "Cute idea and all, but you're really gonna go out in all of this?"

Charlie: "Well, it's not like people are just going to show up on our doorstep."

Then, an explosion goes off behind Charlie and Vaggie, destroying the wall beside the front door. The girls rush to see what caused it, but before Angel can follow them, I hold him back to discuss something privately.

Me: "Think Val can arrange a few jobs for me?"

Angel turns to me in surprise, knowing how I feel about Val, but desperate times and all...

Me: *sighs* "Now that people are afraid of dying sooner than expected, no one's hiring me to blow any heads off, and the price of MJ has gone up way higher than usual, so the first part is really starting to piss me off. I'm not asking you to ask him on my behalf. Send me his contact info, I'll ask him myself, and later we can blow off some steam, literally, and talk trash about everyone's least favorite asshole for as long as you want. And to avoid getting caught, I'll have my shadows guard outside my room and shield us from prying eyes and ears outside the hotel walls."

Angel: "Thanks, sis. Shall we?"

I nod, and we rush to catch up with the girls as Sir Pentious' warship flies overhead; Sir Pentious is talking to Alastor as the latter sips coffee on the balcony while Angel forwards me Val's contact info, and I text Val about my business proposition.

Sir Pentious: "Face my wrath!"

Alastor: "Who are you?"

Sir Pentious: "Who am I? Who am I? I am the great Sir Pentious! Inventor, architect of destruction, villain extraordinaire!"