The Living Death (Celestia Chronicles 5/ R.E.A.P. Arc Book 1)

Chapter 12: A Grim Trade

Jeffrey woke up to find a note had been slipped under the door and Harvey not in his bed.  He picked up the note- no doubt Harvey telling him that they'll meet at breakfast or something.

Jeffrey Sayger, The note read, If you seek to see your friend alive again then come alone to the pace marked on the map. If you try to alert anyone he will die.

Jeffrey looked at the slip of paper and found the spot marked was a wooded area not far from school grounds. He opened his door to find Tanya standing in the doorway ready to knock.

"Mornin Jeffrey" She said, her expression radiating happiness, "Harvey here?"

Jeffrey tried to hide the slip of paper behind his back but it was not unnoticed by Tanya who managed to snatch it from him. As she read the paper her expression became hardened.

"I'm coming with you" Tanya said.

"But the letter said" Jeffrey tried to protest.

"I don't care" Tanya said.

Tanya and Jeffrey made their way to the meetup location to find a man waiting for them while sharpening a knife.

"I thought the letter said to come alone" the man said.

"He wasn't alone when he found it" Tanya said. "If you would rather I leave...."

The man looked Tanya in the eyes, studying her carefully. "I didn't realize we were in the presence of royalty."

"You never were the observant one, Zepp" Tanya said with a sly smile.

The man was clearly taken back by this. " So you know who I am?"

"I made it a point to learn about the people Lucifer keeps around him" Tanya explained. "I figured he wouldn't be so pleased that I turned him down, unlike my parents. You, Zepp, are the speed demon- if something went sideways you'd be able to react faster than we could think. I also assume the Demon Archer, Vex, is nearby keeping a vantage point on us."

"You are quite perceptive" Zepp said, slightly amused.

"Now where's Harvey" Tanya demanded.

"Hell" Zepp replied, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

"Wait Hell is real" Jeffrey asked, astonished by such a declaration.

"Of course it is" Tanya said, "We don't really have time for a history lesson though..."

"We will hand over Harvey back over to you if Jeffrey  surrenders himself to us."

"What do you plan to do with him" Tanya asked.

"He's going to pay Travis Welk a visit" Zepp declared.

"That's it" Jeffrey asked. "Okay fine let's do this."

"Jeffrey!"

"I know Mr. Welk, he's like a father to me" Jeffrey explained. "There's no way he could ever harm me."

"You don't know what Welk is capable of" Tanya pleaded as he walked over to Zepp.

"Look who's talking" Zepp said with a sneer. "You really think you're in a position to criticize Welk's actions?"

A man jumped down from a tree next to Zepp. He knocked Jeffrey unconscious and threw him over his shoulder "We need to get going" he said trying to keep Zepp on task.

Zepp looked back at the man with rage burning in his eyes. "That bitch needs to be put in her place, Vex!"

"And you can do that next time"  Vex said, his tone trying to diffuse the situation. He turned to Tanya, "You better go get your friend's father. As per our agreement Harvey will be set free and teleport here momentarily."

"My friend's father" Tanya asked, genuinely confused.

"Yeah, the current reaper" Vex said as he teleported away leaving Tanya alone kicking herself for not figuring it out sooner.

Harvey reappeared where the men had disappeared and saw Tanya looking shocked.

"What's wrong" He asked her, oblivious to what she had just learned.