Maximus - The Key to Heaven

Chapter 4 - Making plans

Unlocking the 3-inch thick, steel fireproof door with a heavy sigh, Ceruleus Maximus trudged into the garage of his Brooklyn apartment, still clad in last night's attire. It had been ages since he'd even thought of himself by that name, let alone dwelled on what Michael had put him through. The nightmare that had haunted him was still fresh, but those days were long past. These days, he went by Christoph.

Erik's Rock Music reverberated through the garage, punctuated by the occasional clang of tools against metal. Christoph's footsteps echoed softly as he crossed the cluttered space, his worn-out boots scuffing against the concrete floor. The scent of motor oil and grease hung thick in the air, mingling with the faint trace of regret that lingered around him.

"Erik," Christoph called out wearily, his voice rough from exhaustion. The clattering stopped abruptly, followed by the sound of Erik sliding out from beneath the blue Honda Civic.

"Christoph, you look like shit," Erik remarked bluntly, pushing a streak of oil-stained hair away from his forehead. Christoph managed a tired chuckle, the corners of his mouth twitching into a half-hearted smile.

"I feel like it, too," Christoph admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. He tossed his black duffle bag onto the workbench with a thud, the weight of it seeming to mirror his disappointment. "I came up empty-handed, Erik. No Angel Key."

Erik's brow furrowed in concern as he stood up, wiping his hands on a rag. "Damn. What happened?"

Christoph recounted the night's events in a subdued tone, his words painting a picture of stealth and near-misses. "I thought I had it all under control," he mused bitterly, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "But then there was this girl..."

"Ah, there's always a girl," Erik sighed. "Did she give you any trouble? Give me the rundown."

"No, of course not. She had no idea I was even there. I followed the plan to a T," Christoph explained, scratching the back of his head. "Took out the power, disabled the alarms, slipped in through a bay window on the second floor. Didn't even need to use an unlocking spell."

"So where does the girl fit into all this?"

"Getting there," Christoph said, unzipping his black leather jacket and slinging it over his shoulder. "I was combing the place, trying to sense the energy from the Angel Key, when I stumbled upon her cat," he chuckled. "Thing took one look at me and bolted across the room, knocked over a vase. Shattered before I could catch it."

"Man, you're slowing down in your old age. What happened to the Magnificent Christoph Maximus who robbed the Vatican?" Erik teased, rolling his eyes.

"Slow, maybe, but never sloppy. The vase is in my bag," Christoph smirked, pointing at the duffle bag on the floor. "Had to clean it up because I heard her coming. She showed up with a golf club, muttering about karate and slicing my head off with some sword," he chuckled.

"But I thought you said she had a golf club?"

"She did. Guess she was trying to intimidate me."

"That girl's got guts. But she didn't actually find you, did she?"

"No way," Christoph laughed. "But she came close... I scoured the entire house until I found a secret room—like some James Bond stuff," he said, folding his arms. "Cornelius White, the bastard, kept his whiskey collection behind a sliding bookcase, VIP lounge style. Thought maybe he had a safe with the key in there, but no dice. That's when she showed up."

"What did you do?"

"What do you think?" Christoph raised an eyebrow sarcastically. "Stuck to the shadows, tried a quick glamour," he smirked. "She was waving around this candle when she spotted me... those grey eyes, man. I swear she could see the gold in mine. Almost lost it," he scratched the back of his head, pacing again. "It was weird. When we locked eyes, it felt like all the air was sucked out of my chest. I think we synced."

"What are you talking about? Humans don't sync with us," Erik said disbelievingly. "Must've been something else. Was she a looker? Must've been something to rattle you like this."

"She was... I mean, the most beautiful human I've seen," Christoph said flatly. "Blonde hair like silk, lips that promised secrets, and skin so soft, it made me ache," he chuckled. "No, Erii, just a regular girl, but with a white aura. I know she's human, no question, but a white aura."

"Douche, pass me that Allen key."

"Yeah, sure," Christoph replied, handing over the tool.

"Think she was wearing it?"

"I'm an idiot," Christoph admitted.

"Tell me something new," Erik chuckled.

"Never crossed my mind. It would explain the aura."

"We can go back tonight."

"No can do," Christoph replied quickly. "I stayed to watch until morning. Just got back. Followed her butler loading her luggage, tailed them into the city on my bike, been on her tail all day."

"Good thinking. Where'd they go?"

"NYU," Christoph said. "She's starting there this semester, staying at Goddard Hall." He chuckled to himself. "I'm going to sound like a stalker, but I even followed her and her roommate to dinner. Never seen two girls that size eat so much. Like sushi was going extinct."

Erik laughed. "Did you get her name? Maybe we pay her a visit," he said, rubbing his hands together mischievously.

"Cecelia. And no, I'm not torturing some girl into handing over her key. We don't stoop to their level."

"Chill, man. I was joking. But we need a plan. We need her to willingly give it up before Azazel gets his hands on it."

"Right. A plan!" Christoph said confidently, trying to lighten the mood.

"You've got one, I assume?" Erik asked.

"Yeah," Christoph nodded. "A Philosophy Degree," he exclaimed triumphantly.

"Jackass," Erik shook his head. "What the hell are you going to do with a philosophy degree?"

"Absolutely nothing! But I need to enroll at NYU," Christoph grinned. "You should come too."

"Who's going to watch the club?"

"Exactly. I'll need your help. We need to be smart about this. Scope her out, gain her trust. I'll talk to our old friends on the board there, see about late registration."

"You scratch their back, they'll scratch ours."

"I distinctly recall making a hefty donation last time we were there."

"Yeah, we're owed one... even if it was a decade ago," Erik grinned, playfully punching Christoph's shoulder.

"Tomorrow then," Christoph finished, his tone determined. "But first, I need some rest. My head's pounding like a jackhammer."

Erik clapped him on the shoulder sympathetically. "Go crash," he advised, gesturing towards the stairs leading up to their apartment. "There's still some pizza left in the fridge if you're hungry."

Christoph managed a grateful nod, his fatigue weighing heavily on him. "Thanks, Erik," he murmured, making his way towards the stairs with weary steps. "Wake me up only if the house is on fire."

Erik chuckled softly as Christoph disappeared from view, the door closing behind him with a soft click. Alone in the garage, Erik's thoughts turned to the challenges ahead. The Angel Key was within reach, but so was danger, lurking in the shadows cast by its elusive power.

With a sigh, Erik turned back to his work, the hum of the garage filling the silence once more. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new risks, and perhaps, if fate allowed, a step closer to unraveling the mystery of the Angel Key.