Stand by for Hell

<p>Two archangels, both trainee and supervisor, made their way to the weapons-and-arms department. They arrived at the arched doorway surrounded by golden metallic lining with a passcode lock on it. After Rathanael punched in the security code, the doors opened to the side as they walked on in. Inside were vast amounts of holy weaponry lined side-by-side, some old but modified and others up to date with the latest technology. There in the middle of it all was one of the main archangels Raphael; the patron angel of science, doctors, travelers, and healing. Over centuries old, he and the other main archangels still had a youthful appearance to them; not looking any older than they really were. He had a full beard unlike Caels' and had a clipboard to keep track of inventory as he was the head of the department.<br/><br/>He looked up and saw them walking up to him. "Ah gentlemen, welcome! Welcome to the little patch of Heaven for all your holy needs. How can I help you boys?"<br/><br/>"We need equipment necessary for this archangel here. His mission is of the utmost importance as you can tell from this." Rathanael said, holding up the golden envelope.<br/><br/>Seeing this, Raphaels' eyes widened. "Oh my mercy! Code Gold?! Ho ho! Well now, this is a treat. What's the mission?"<br/><br/>Rathanael handed him the mission folder and Raphael looked it over. With a whistle, the scientist angel felt most impressed. "An undercover assignment huh? We-he-he-he-he-ell! This should be an interesting spy mission. Let's go get your friend here the right equipment then. This way, gentlemen." He led Rathanael and Cael to the special missions room. Behind the sliding metal doors were gadgets and weapons of holy design.<br/><br/>Tapping on a keyboard, a visual holo-screen came on. Searching through the software, Raphael pulled up the first of the tools Cael will need. "Okay, first and foremost, the thing you'll need the most is this." He pulled up what looked like an ordinary, modern day digital watch.<br/><br/>"Let me guess, it's a watch that'll have me keep in touch with you guys?" Cael assumed.<br/><br/>"Actually yes, it's exactly that. How did you guess?"<br/><br/>"Mostly a hunch, but more so because I've seen enough spy movies to know a watch like that when I see one."<br/><br/>"And it's important that you <strong>don't </strong>let anything happen to this," said Rathanael. "This is our newest top-of-the-line spy watch and your <strong>only</strong> means of communication with us. In order to do so, just push the one button on the opposite side; then once more to shut it off. Just be sure to keep extra care of this. Otherwise, we will assume the worse."<br/><br/>"You don't have to tell me twice," said Cael assuredly. "And don't worry, I always take good care of property. What else you got?<br/><br/>"Well," Raphael continued. "It also does this." He puts it on Cael and pushes a button. In an instant, Cael turned into an unusual kind of angel. Rathanael held up a mirror for him to see.<br/><br/>"Geezus! Am I a fallen?"<br/><br/>"Yes, as long as you wish it to be. It will provide you this disguise so you can blend right in if you just press the button twice. And the bottom button is just a button to fix the time clock. Push it the number of times in regards of changing the time, then with the top button to change the minute and the hour. When you're done, push the bottom button again to exit. Understood?"<br/><br/>"Seems easy to follow. What if supposedly I get into trouble with a demon lord or anyone in the higher ups? I need something other than my angelic glow to help me."<br/><br/>"Well, what would you recommend?"<br/><br/>"My old service pistol, a Glock 22 along with my .44 Magnum for one thing." The Glocks were always the gun of choice for any cop back on Earth and his was no exception. The .44, however, was his backup gun just in case.<br/><br/>"Hmm." Raphael looked over at Rathanael for what he thought on the matter. "I suppose it's fair enough we allow you that, as well as one of those just in case," said Rathanael, pointing over at the variety of holy swords in one corner of the armored emporium. He walked over to one which seemed to be the hilt and nothing else. When he grabbed it, however, it ignited a solid blade of holy flame.<br/><br/>Whistling in amazement, Cael went over to inspect it. "This is one of our newest prototypes of holy swords. It ignites only when it recognizes an actual archangel via hand print identification. And by pushing the ignition button. Otherwise, it won't activate. There are so few of them but we're still testing in order to make more. You can take this one being one of three working prototypes, but please be careful not to lose this either. We simply cannot afford to lose this whatsoever."<br/><br/>"You got my word, boss man." Cael took the now inactivated blade and clipped it onto his belt. "Do I also get my guns as well? Or at least one of them?"<br/><br/>Both senior archangels both looked at each other, pondering what the other was thinking. Rathanael looked back at Cael and nodded. "I suppose someone of your reputation can be allowed to carry <strong>one</strong> sidearm with you for the occasion. But that's it."<br/><br/>Cael nodded in compliance. He figured he could get the other from Hell anyways. "Sounds fair enough. So what else is next?"<br/><br/>"Next, we prepare you to go undercover. Raph, if you please." The archangel of science nodded and they all moved over to a chamber that looked like the one-person container seen in most movies. "Here is what we use for our undercover archangels whenever they venture into the most dangerous places or just on Earth itself. This puppy reduces your angelic aura to a substantial level in which no one will be able to sense you, not even a demon. And <strong>you</strong>, are going to be that said archangel."<br/><br/>"Will it hurt?" was the first question that came to mind when Cael asked him.<br/><br/>"The worse it'll do is make you feel a wee bit woozy. Other than that, it's about as harmless as taking a bath in a tub full of kittens. Now let's get that shock collar off you and we can get started." After taking off the watch, Rathanael grabbed a metal key from his robe pocket and unlocked the shock collar off of Cael. A few beeps later, the device unlocked itself and fell with a thud to the ground. It felt good that Cael didn't have to wear that damn device of censorship for this mission as he rubbed his neck.<br/><br/>Still feeling uncertain, Cael reluctantly stepped into the drain chamber and laid perfectly still. The hard plastic, half cylindrical cover came down upon activation; sealing Cael in shut. Raphael took a step from the control panel and knocked on the capsule. "Are you still with us, Cael?" <br/><br/>Cael gave him a nod of assurance and a thumbs up. Raphael then turned to Rathanael. "We're all set." He went back to the control panel and pressed the ignition sequence which made the machine hum to life. Anxious, Cael stayed calm and waited for whatever came next. Raphael held up his fingers for the countdown to launch. "3...2...1...and start!" He flipped the switch as the machine began to drain Caels' heavenly aura. The machine ran louder as a large scanning device went down and up at a steady pace. While Cael waited for something to happen, all he felt was just a mere tingle. <br/><br/>After fifteen minutes, the machine stopped and ceased working. The capsule door opened and Cael blinked before rubbing his eyes. All of a sudden he was feeling a little sleepy. "How do you feel, Cael?" Raphael asked after making sure everything was off.<br/><br/>"A little tired that's all, but I think I'm okay. Nothing too awf-whooah!" Cael nearly tripped over himself getting out. Raphael was certainly right about the after effects. Cael stayed on the flat of the capsule until he felt better. He could feel some minor tingling but also some of his heavenly glow drained from him. If this is what archangels had to go through for undercover missions, he'd hate to know what said missions were. <br/><br/>When he felt normal enough, Cael climbed out and was handed some his old clothes comprising of a leather jacket, a black wife-beater, his belt with two holsters (one of them for the sword), and jeans. He also saw his faithful Glock that had been with him till the day he died. He smiled as he inspected the two full magazines; one in the gun and one on the side. "Are we all set then?" he asked Rathanael.<br/><br/>"We are whenever you are. All that's left is for you to be sent to Hell, so to speak. This way please." All three of them made their way further down the hallway until they came across a heavenly portal that looked like something out of a sci-fi film coming out of the floor. <br/><br/>"Welcome to the H.P.A, the Heavenly Plane Transporter," Raphael explained. "This is the one tool we use to send archangels to the other planes of existence other than here. Earth and your soon-to-be destination, Hell. It's accessed by only those who work here. Whenever you're ready, we can send you down now."<br/><br/>Cael nodded as he made sure he had everything. Rathanael then handed him a briefcase. "Here is your mission briefcase. Along with the file with all the details of who's running the hotel, there's a credit card for mission use emergencies only. I can't emphasize that enough. There should also be about two grand of Hell's currency for you to get by without any questions. There's also a recorder for your mission logs as well. It's rechargeable so you won't have to worry about batteries. Other than that, you should be all set. You remember what you have to do?"<br/><br/>"Yeah-yeah, I do. Keep a low profile, get all the details on the place, report whatever is valuable information and don't get caught."<br/><br/>"And don't die. This is of the utmost importance, Cael. I hope you know that."<br/><br/>"This isn't my first goddamn rodeo, okay? I know <strong>exactly </strong>what to do. I know it's been a long time, but this cop still knows his beat." Cael felt like there wasn't any faith in him accomplishing his assignment. He walked over to the center of the portal until Rathanael spoke up. "Cael!"<br/><br/>"Ugh! What?!" A disgruntled Cael turned around, facing the control panel with the two senior archangels and some of the crew working the other modules.<br/><br/>"Be careful, okay? May the Lord be with you." Rathanael told him with a wry smile. He knew he was giving Cael a hard time, but he meant well for his protege and didn't want to lose another archangel like before. He hoped that he could change this one around and not just on faith.<br/><br/>Sighing, Cael replied back with "And also with you.", even if he didn't think the big guy upstairs had time for him. He and Rathanael did the sign of the cross as the portal came to life. It glowed blue underneath him and began to swirl. Cael suddenly had a thought. "Wait, do I just get zapped down into Hell?"<br/><br/>Raphael realized what he meant and immediately told him just as he was about push the transportation button. "Oh no, you'll be immediately dropping into Hell so you better hope you land on something soft. Or at least somewhere that you can land with your wings."<br/><br/>"Wait what?!"<br/><br/>"Good luck!" And with a press of a button, Cael immediately fell through the portal in an instant before he could curse in exclamation.<br/><br/>Cael now gone, Rathanael rubbed the back of his neck in concern. "Oh, I hope God is right about this," he said to himself.</p>