Lucifer quickly took the phone from Edward’s hand and brought it to his ear.
“Hello, this is Lucifer.
How can I help you?”
There was a brief silence before a deep male voice answered, “I want you to help me find someone.”
“Find someone?” Lucifer frowned.
He didn’t remember advertising missing-person services, and for a moment, his excitement faded.
“I’m probably not the right person for an ordinary disappearance.
You’d be better off contacting the police or a private investigator.”
He couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
Edward had announced the call like their first major commission had finally arrived, but it sounded as though someone had contacted the wrong business.
The caller calmly replied, “I don’t believe this is an ordinary disappearance.
If you bring her back alive, I’ll pay you one million dollars.”
Lucifer immediately sat straighter.
“One million?”
“One million U.S.
dollars.
If you accept, my assistant will take you directly to a private jet.”
Lucifer swallowed and became much more serious.
“Why me?”
The man answered without hesitation.
“I know what kind of person Father Marcus really was, and I don’t believe the version of the Lutz case that appeared on television.
If you survived what was inside that house and dealt with those spirits, then you clearly have abilities the broadcast deliberately ignored.”
Lucifer’s expression relaxed slightly.
That explanation made considerably more sense.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Richard Kaplan.
I’m a California state senator.”
The man’s voice grew heavier before he continued.
“The woman I want you to find is my niece, Juno Kaplan.
She’s my only niece.”
“Juno Kaplan…”
Lucifer repeated the name quietly.
It sounded familiar.
He had watched plenty of horror movies in his previous life, and he was certain he had heard the name before, but he couldn’t immediately connect it to a particular film.
Kaplan asked, “Do you accept the commission?”
Lucifer smiled.
“For a million dollars?
Yes.
Send your assistant.”
“Good.”
Kaplan paused before lowering his voice.
“There are things beneath those mountains that ordinary rescuers aren’t prepared to face.
That’s why I contacted you.
Whatever happens, bring Juno back alive.”
Lucifer’s eyes suddenly widened.
Mountains.
Juno Kaplan.
Caves.
The answer clicked into place.
The Descent.
He immediately remembered the group of women who had entered an unexplored cave system in the Appalachian Mountains, only to encounter the pale underground creatures known as Crawlers.
Lucifer’s expression became serious.
“I’ll take the job, but I have one condition.
Once the rescue operation begins, I’m in command.”
Kaplan agreed immediately.
“Fine.
The people there will cooperate with you.”
The call ended.
Not long afterward, the door of Lucifer’s Supernatural Consulting Agency opened, and an older man with neatly combed gray hair stepped inside.
“Mr.
Lucifer?”
Lucifer stood.
“My name is Bruce.
I’m Senator Richard Kaplan’s assistant.
Please come with me.”
Lucifer nodded before turning toward Edward.
“Watch the agency while I’m gone.
If any new commissions come in, record the names, numbers, and details.”
“No problem.”
Edward stepped forward and gave him a quick hug.
“Stay safe.”
Lucifer smiled and patted his shoulder before following Bruce outside.
A Mercedes van was waiting near the curb.
Once they were on the road, Bruce glanced several times at Lucifer’s empty hands before finally asking, “Is there anything you’d like us to prepare for the rescue?”
Lucifer thought for a moment.
“A reliable semiautomatic handgun with a large magazine, medical supplies, food, flashlights, batteries, and basic cave equipment.”
Bruce nodded.
“That can be arranged.
Anything else?”
Lucifer suddenly remembered the recipe he had learned the night before.
“Fresh pork liver.”
Bruce turned toward him.
“Pork liver?”
“Yeah.”
Bruce waited for an explanation.
Lucifer looked back at him.
“The private jet has an oven, right?”
“It does.”
“Perfect.
I want to cook something.”
Bruce remained silent for several seconds before slowly nodding.
By the time they reached the private terminal, a Gulfstream GIV was waiting on the runway.
The equipment Lucifer had requested had already been prepared, and shortly after they boarded, the aircraft took off for North Carolina.
Once they were in the air, Bruce opened a folder containing maps and information about Juno’s expedition.
“We’ll be flying to Asheville Regional Airport.
From there, a helicopter will take us toward the search area in the Appalachian Mountains.”
Lucifer nodded.
Bruce pointed toward one of the maps.
“Juno’s group was supposed to be exploring Boreham Caverns, but search teams haven’t found any sign of them along the expected route.”
Lucifer already knew why.
Juno hadn’t taken her friends into the mapped cave system they thought they were exploring.
She had secretly led them into an unexplored one.
Unfortunately, nobody else knew that.
Lucifer looked toward the galley.
“There’s definitely an oven?”
Bruce stared at him.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Lucifer immediately got up.
Bruce sighed.
“If you’re hungry, the aircraft has a chef.”
“No.
I have to make this myself.”
Lucifer took the prepared pork liver and other ingredients into the galley and began working.
His actual cooking technique still looked questionable, but the Cooking skill supplied him with the exact knowledge needed to prepare the special recipe.
Bruce watched from nearby with growing concern.
Lucifer kneaded the dough, prepared the filling, wrapped everything together, and finally placed the pie into the oven.
Bruce stared at him.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
“Absolutely.”
“You don’t look sure.”
“Trust the process.”
A while later, the oven chimed.
Lucifer immediately opened it.
Bruce had clearly expected disaster, but instead, a rich savory aroma spread through the cabin.
The crust had baked to a golden brown, while the pork-liver filling looked surprisingly appetizing.
Lucifer lifted the finished pie.
Information from the Holy Power System appeared before him.
[Savory Pork Liver Pie — 8/8]
[Effect: Rapidly restores stamina and assists with physical recovery after consumption.
Grants Stamina +1 for 30 minutes after thorough consumption.]
Lucifer’s eyes lit up.
The finished food was even more useful than he had expected.
Not only could it temporarily increase Stamina, but it could also help restore energy and recover from injuries.
In a cave filled with Crawlers, that could become extremely valuable.
Bruce continued staring at the pie.
“Mr.
Lucifer…
could I try a piece?”
Lucifer immediately pulled it away.
“No.”
Bruce blinked.
Lucifer smiled.
“If you want a piece of this, it’ll cost at least fifty thousand dollars.”
Bruce’s mouth twitched.
“The newspapers weren’t exaggerating.”
Lucifer’s smile disappeared.
“What newspapers?”
Bruce froze.
Lucifer held out his hand.
“Let me see.”
Realizing he had already said too much, Bruce reluctantly retrieved that morning’s Los Angeles Times and handed it over.
Lucifer opened the entertainment section.
A small photograph of him appeared beside an article mocking his involvement in the Lutz haunting.
The writer portrayed him as a greedy publicity seeker who had demanded payment from a terrified family and then used the incident to promote his business.
Lucifer’s expression slowly darkened.
“Heh.”
He crumpled the newspaper.
“So the television broadcast wasn’t enough.”
The Church’s version of events was already spreading into print.
Lucifer tossed the paper aside and looked toward Bruce.
“One more thing.”
Bruce waited.
“Get me a DV camera.”
“Certainly.”
Lucifer had learned his lesson from the Lutz case.
If supernatural evidence was going to be recorded from now on, he wanted his own copy.
A few hours later, the Gulfstream GIV descended over western North Carolina and landed safely at Asheville Regional Airport.
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