The Chay Ong Casefiles, Volume One: Always Chasing Rainbows.

Chapter 2: Mistakes Have Been Made...

"...Fucking Valentino?!". Chay was nearly apopleptic. This was nowhere near standard proceedure (or anywhere close to the running joke they amusingly called 'standard proceedure'). Lu had been right: this wasn't some regular minor lord. This wasn't even a major lord. This was one of the fucking Overlords . This was one of the demons that stood on the top rungs of Hell's social ladder. One of the demons that not only ran Hell, but also had substantial control over one of Hell's most lucrative businesses.

But of all the Overlords that Lucius could have gotten mixed up with, why did it have to be...

"... FUCKING VALENTINO ?!", Chay shouted for a second time (and slightly louder).

"Yes, Chay. We know his name.", Lucius said as they descended the long staircase into the underground bunker. "We are aware of it. You don't have to keep screaming it into my ear."

Chay was shaking her head. "But....but VALENTINO?! The king shit of Pimp Mountain?! The guy who controls all of Hell's sex industry? You made a deal with THAT asshole?!"

"Yes, Chay", Lucius sighed. "I did. Connections are important to the cause."

Chay grabbed Lucius by the shoulders, shaking her head. "But....but WHY ?!"

Chay just couldn't believe it. Why would Lucius connect himself with someone like Val? Val wasn't just the the sex industry's head, he was also a flesh trader. A prolific flesh trader. And Imps were among his most lucrative merchandise. Imps were indigenous to Hell, and Valentino's customers relished in the idea of exploiting and hurting someone with the 'innocence' (in a manner of speaking) of someone who was not a Sinner.

Lucius put his hands up defensively. "It's not like that Chay, honest!". He pressed his fingers to his forehead, trying to fight off a migraine. "Look, do you remember a few months ago during the Hecate struggle?"

".....Yes, I do happen to remember it.", Chay acknowledged. Hecate was the name of an independent brothel in Imp city's lower West side. The guy who ran it (a Sinner by the name of Flynn) had been accused of kidnapping drug-addicted Imps off of the street in order to work for him, and he kept them there through a combination of threats and a fresh supply of hard drugs. Lucius and the ILF obviously couldn't tolerate such a blatant example of Imp exploitation, so one of their female members attempted to go in undercover as an Imp hooker, trying to sneak a pipebomb into the place. The pipebomb had been loaded with shrapnel made from the spears that the Exterminators used during the annual Cleansing.

"Yeah, and do you remember how that ended?", Lucius asked.

What had happened was that the Imp girl not only managed to blow herself up, but she also managed to take out Flynn himself and several of his patrons. She ALSO managed to take out some of the Imp prostitutes, which ultimately defeated the entire purpose of the action.

"OK, yes I do remember. But what does that have to do with Valentino?"

Lucius shook his head. "One of the girls the bomb killed wasn't just another Imp. She was also an informant working for Valentino." Lucius rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Having Val's goons inform me was....not plesant."

Some gears clicked in Chay's head. Valentino must have figured out what had happened. Which meant that he had leverage that he could exploit.

"......Son of a bitch, he really does have you by the balls."

Lucius nodded. "Like a vice grip." He turned around and began descending the staircase again.

"But if that's the case...", Chay wonderd as she followed after him, "then why hasn't he come after you until now?"