At noon, Alexander had ended the meeting. He was tired. Although he could move much more easily, he was still in great pain and his recovery was draining his energy. Sitting in his chair all morning without moving much had made his body ache again. Lady Salome asked:
"Alexander, Samantha, would you like to join us for lunch in the garden?"
Samantha nodded and he said:
"Of course, Ma'am."
Then the Goddess said:
"Samael, Michael, Celine, Fuzzie, why don't you join us?"
A table and chairs had already appeared in the garden with a wide variety of food and drink on the table. Alexander fell into his chair, sweat running down his forehead.
"Are you okay Alex?"
Aisha asked worriedly.
"Just very tired mom. My body still hurts incredibly from time to time and recovering just takes an enormous amount of energy."
This time it wasn't a slip of the tongue that he called her mom. He just needed a mother he could talk to normally. Who would treat him normally. Aisha felt her heart swell and her face light up. Salome had a warm smile on her face. She was happy that a bond was forming between them. Robert said:
"I was just thinking about the problem with the flaming sword, Alex, but I have to say that I don't see any solution as to how you should do it."
"I have a rough idea how to do it Robert, but I won't be sure until I see it in front of me."
He pointed at Aisha and continued to speak:
"As I said yesterday, so much information came through during the link with Mom that it is far from being processed or put in its place. It will definitely take a long time. What I do notice is that when I think about a problem and let my brain work instinctively, the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. When I think of a flaming sword, I see my wings and Samantha's wings and I know they are the key to making a new sword. I know that Michael or Celine could take me to Hell, but it wouldn't work that way. There is something about the trans-location on my own powers, and thus my own wings, that is essential to the process. Before we can make the actual sword, I want to check with your best weapon-smith. I think the answers to how and what kind of sword will be found there."
Sam said:
"Then I will go with you. You say you need my wings, then perhaps you need all the pieces together in the same place to find the answer."
Samael replied:
"You can't go without a bodyguard, Sam. Celine won't move an inch from your side in Hell and Michael will stay with Alexander at all times."
This sentence earned Samael a heartfelt smile from everyone at the table. After Alexander's verbal pandering, he had seemingly shaken off his role as protector and assumed his role as mentor. Alexander looked him in the eye and thanked him with a nod, and Samael did the same. Michael asked:
"Okay, you have laid out the broad outlines of a strategy to follow, and now we are going to refine it. However, we decided yesterday that this is the secondary goal for you and Samantha. The primary goal is to make sure that you can be together. How?"
"The answer is more or less the same Michael. I know it can be done, but I will not see the answer until something else arises. Our two universes can somehow work together so that Red and I can be together. I just have to trust that the solution will present itself. Otherwise, what's the point of this whole enterprise?"
Franklin and Aisha looked at each other for a moment, and Alex was sure they could communicate inaudibly. Franklin finally said:
"Alex, we are the Gods of the multiverse, I can tell you that there are no two universes anywhere that have created a coexistence like this."
He nodded thoughtfully for a moment, then leaned forward and said, looking him deadly serious in the eye:
"That's because I don't exist in any other universe and I haven't done it yet."
"Jeez, you got some balls, little brother."
Michael said laughing and before Alex could say anything, Celine interrupted him:
"Yeah, yeah, we already know, nothing is impossible."
He pointed at Celine and said:
"The lady has spoken."
After lunch, Alex asked Aisha if they could talk privately for a while. They had walked a bit away from the others until Alexander stopped and looked at her:
"I'm sorry Mom. That thing I threw at your head the first time we spoke must have hurt a lot and I didn't mean to. I was so shocked by everything and so angry that it just flew out. I hope you can forgive me and that we can learn to be a normal mother and son from now on."
"No need to be sorry Alex, you were right, we just made the wrong decision. I hope you can forgive me one day."
Tears had appeared in the Goddess' eyes. Alexander came close to her and for the first time the mother was able to embrace her son and with that, the dam broke for both of them. They stood there in each other's arms for a long time until Alexander said:
"It's okay, Mom, we can move on now. I forgive you and you forgive me."
Alexander had returned to his small war room to think about his plan in peace and begin to refine it. His whiteboards were already quite filled with questions that needed to be answered. Samantha entered and when she kissed him, he was pleasantly startled out of his thoughts.
"Alex, I have an offer from Mom and Dad. Celine, as you know, has moved back into the rooms she had when she was my nanny. There is another room next to mine. It used to be Dad's private study. Mom wants to turn it into a bedroom for you, with a study and a bathroom if you want it. It would just be you and me, Mom and Dad, and of course Casiel in the suite. Trust me, you'll love my sister, she's a riot."
The prospect of being close to her was all he needed to accept.
"Red, you don't know how happy this makes me. But let your mother know; one room and one bathroom, but no separate work area."
He kissed her and they stood there in each other's arms for a moment until he said:
"Do you think we could go for a walk around town now that I can get out of here? I love Fuzzie and the quiet here, but I'm starting to feel a little cooped up. I want to keep using this little room if he lets me. The peace here and the garden are, well, heavenly."
She smiled broadly and said:
"I don't think Fuzzie will mind, he likes you very much and loves being in your company. Of course, we can go into town for a while, but Celine has to be there."
She raised her hand when he started to interrupt.
"You know you are not strong enough yet Alex. I want someone there who knows what they're doing if something goes wrong, okay?"
He saw the wisdom in her words and nodded. They were barely in the garden when the demon appeared.
"Well, are we going for a walk Alex?"
"Yes, and with you there it looks just like Sam and I have a chaperon just like in the good old days."
The demon smiled broadly and said playfully:
"Exactly, so all the more motivation to be on your best behavior and keep your little hands where they should be."
Also playfully, he said back:
"Oh, and where would that be? Because those words are open to multiple interpretations."
Samantha blushed and Celine laughed out loud.
"If I'm not careful, I'll start liking you, kid."
She looked at Sam:
"Okay, where to with this sorry excuse for a Prince?"
Her eyes lit up and she said:
"Just follow me, I know something, a surprise."
Before he knew what was happening, Sam had taken him by the arm, and the next moment they were standing in front of a beautiful building. His eyes grew wide and he mumbled:
"This looks like the Notre Dame in Paris, or so I think because I have only seen pictures of it."
Sam took his hand and said:
"Indeed. This is the Hall of Knowledge. You love books so much anyway, you like to read so much, this is the place for you Alex. Mom told me it used to look very different, more like a Greek temple and before that something else. It took its present form thanks to Michael. He was on Earth just after the official inauguration of Notre Dame and was struck by the light coming through the rose windows. Because he is found here so often, he made sure that the builders changed the appearance to make it look like it does today."
"Okay, so Michael is not only a fighter, he also has good taste. What is the Hall of Knowledge anyway?"
She thought for a moment and answered:
"Think of it as a giant library. The inside is much, much larger than the size of the building. It is a pocket dimension within the building. All the knowledge is collected here, from the angels and the humans. Everything that has ever been written on Earth is here."
They entered the building and he feasted his eyes. Except for the building itself, there was nothing to suggest a church. No paintings, no statues of saints, no altar, no crucifix. On the contrary, reading tables, stylish reading nooks, and row upon row of bookshelves. He looked around for a few minutes and then said softly:
"Oh wow..."
"I thought you'd like it."
She said gently and gave him a kiss on the cheek. A female Angel approached them and said friendly:
"Samantha, Celine, how nice of you to stop by."
And kissed them on the cheek.
"And is that who I think it is?"
Samantha said with a big smile:
"Laia, this is my boyfriend, Alexander."
Being introduced like that made him blush. Laia looked into his eyes:
"Hello Alexander, just because I'm a bookworm doesn't mean I can't hurt you terribly with a thick heavy book if you treat my little sister badly."
Instead of answering, he said:
"Red, I understand that you have thousands of brothers and sisters. Are they all going to threaten me with terrible pain or death one by one?"
Sam nodded and said happily:
"Yes, that chance is very, very big."
Alex held out his hand:
"Pleased Laia, rest assured that you don't have to abuse a book to put me on the straight and narrow."
"I hope so, young man."
He took a quick look around and asked:
"Laia, how does this work? Samantha said that everything humans and Angels have ever written is stored here. That must be such a huge amount, how do you find your way around?"
"Trans-location, you think of what you want and you go straight to it."
"So if I were to think of the original Constitution of the United States, would I end up with that?"
"Yes, absolutely."
"And anyone can just borrow those?"
She laughed at his enthusiasm:
"Not really. The original can be studied here, or a perfect copy can be manifested and taken away. For it is literally the original. The one on Earth in Washington is a perfect copy down to the molecular level, so people don't know any better. Most of the work here is the original that we have replaced, just for protection. The library in Alexandria would have gone up in flames with the loss of priceless manuscripts if Michael had not put a stop to it and made sure that we borrowed the originals as, hmmm, for the protection of man himself."
"But this is only for angels?"
"Yes indeed?"
"Then how do humans do it?"
"How exactly they do it, I don't know, you would have to ask Chamuel. He is in charge of welcoming the newcomers and knows exactly how the human fields work."
Alexander thought and said:
"So the human fields are strictly separated from the city?"
"Yes, indeed. Mom and Dad decided that the humans should be disturbed as little as possible during their rest. So only Cam's and Fuzzie's departments have contact with the humans."
Alexander and Samantha had to smile. The knowledge of Raphael's new nickname had made the rounds among the Angels.
"And what about the works of the demons? Celine here is literate; I find it hard to believe she is the only one. So segregation there too?"
The three looked at him in amazement that he had found a flaw in such a short time that apparently no one in Heaven had thought of before. He said:
"Then I think I need to have a little chat with Cam later. Laia, could you get me a copy of the original Constitution and a copy of the Constitution as it is now with all the changes that have been made over the years? And a copy of the Declaration of Independence, please?"
"Absolutely, I'll be right back."
After Laila left to get what Alex had requested, Sam asked:
"A fan of the US Constitution?"
"Yes and no, as someone who grew up in the U.S., I should see the Constitution as some sort of sacred document. But I quickly realized that there are flaws in it. Of course, this is due to the time in which it was written. But to work in our time, there are too many errors. They have to come out first. For example, the phrase that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, should be taken out and replaced with all species are created equal. All references to God or a creator must be removed. As long as there is a reference to a God or a Creator, the effect remains the same. If it pleases God to give them these rights, then that God can also take them away without any consequences or justification, because it is He who gave them, after all".
She looked at him with big eyes:
"You are already working on a new constitution in your mind?"
"Yes, one that applies to everyone in Heaven, Hell, and Earth. No more separation. That's why it has to be changed. All men are created equal under God, I will kick out and change to all species are equal. And yes, there is a God, but I want that God to be bound by at least a few rules in the same document. This is to avoid ever having another god like that old fool Godfry. Once that is done, put in my version of the Ten Commandments. Simple, one commandment, eight letters, everything else goes out the window. All rules and laws enacted upon it must conform to those eight letters, and every Human, Demon, Angel, and even God must abide by those eight letters."
Celine looked at him in disbelief:
"You want to replace the Ten Commandments with eight letters?"
Laila, who had overheard this last part of the conversation, said:
"That's impossible!"
Celine and Sam burst out laughing. The girl said:
"Do you think Laia, just pay attention. Alex, what eight letters were you thinking of?"
"DO NO HARM!"
The three women went over the Ten Commandments in their heads, trying to poke a hole in Alexander's goal. Laila spoke:
"Okay, eight of the ten I can get somewhere under your eight letters, but the first and the third?"
He looked into her eyes and asked:
"Why does man have to love a god? Suppose someone lives in miserable conditions and his life is hell? Can we expect that person to love God if that God allows him to live in misery? Are we not harming that person by asking him, against his free will, to love the God who does not lift a finger to help him? Conversely, is God harmed if some people do not love him? And why must man honor the day of God? If I want or need to work on Sunday or the Sabbath, why shouldn't I be allowed to? Going back to my example, there are millions of people in Africa and Asia who have to slave to live on one dollar a day. If those people miss out on that dollar on Sunday, that means they will go hungry the next day. Again, who do we hurt in this situation? God, because there's a bunch of poor people who can't keep His day because they're going to go hungry? So why doesn't God make sure those people have food on Sunday so they don't have to work? Or are we harming these poor people by forbidding them to work on Sunday, thus ensuring that they will go hungry the next day? By the way, can anyone tell me why God is so insecure or vain that he needs constant worship and then double it on Sunday? I think I'll stick to my eight letters, ladies..."
They watched in amazement as he turned and walked over to a bookcase to study its contents. After a few minutes, he returned to the two women and Samantha. He asked:
"Laila, I have another question. Can you recreate and greatly improve the technology of Earth here in Heaven?"
"I think so, but you would have to ask Haniel, human technology tracking is his department."
"Thank you, Laila."
He turned to Samantha and Celine:
"Ladies, do you think we could make a stop at Haniel's?"
With a laugh, Sam said:
"If you can get him out from behind his papers, I think he is accessible."
"Can we take a look?"
Not long after, they were standing in front of a building that looked like a modern version of a Greek temple. They entered and it took them a few minutes to find the Angel in question. Sam introduced Alex:
"Hey Haniel, I have someone with me who would like to talk to you for a moment."
The Angel looked at Alexander a little strangely, as if he didn't quite understand what the boy was doing in his study. Alex held out his hand:
"Hello Haniel, I'm Alexander."
Now it clicked with the angel:
"Oh, you are Sam's friend."
He said with a smile and asked:
"What can I do for you?"
Alex smiled and addressed Sam first before answering Haniel's question:
"Well, not all of your siblings want to threaten me with death, that's progress.
Haniel said slyly:
"I don't have to threaten you young man, I'll do it quietly without you noticing."
"Haniel, that sounds even more terrifying than what Laila threatened with."
He said laughing.
"What I wanted to ask was if you can recreate the modern electronics they make on Earth and improve them tremendously?"
"What electronics do you mean?"
"For my stay here it would be very helpful to have a laptop and a heavy printer, preferably one that can also scan at very high resolution, at least a few megs. But there is no electricity anywhere here, although there is plenty of sunlight, so it would have to run on renewable energy, the sun."
Haniel thought for a moment:
"Yes, a trip to Earth, a few minutes to touch such a device and it could be made here in no time. Paper is certainly no problem, bring a sample, and then it can simply be manifested here. Anything else?"
Alex said with a laugh:
"Well, now that you ask, I could have a list for Santa if it's not too much trouble."
The Angel got a playful look because he already knew where this was going, and something like this happened to be his greatest hobby. He said:
"Give your list to Santa and we'll see what we can do with it at the North Pole."
Little did Haniel know that this one sentence would cause his building to be renamed Santa's Workshop in no time. Alex replied with his typical smirk:
"The laptop, preferably an Acer, but with a few modifications' times four. It should have at least a thousand times the storage capacity, be virtually indestructible, and work for at least two thousand years in perfect condition using only sunlight, preferably with batteries that last weeks or months and five spares. The batteries should also last two thousand years. Then some little things like a couple of MP3 players, the same specifications and as much music as possible. From classical to hard rock and everything in between. A big ass flat screen for my study where the laptop can connect wireless. A small flat screen to use as a second monitor for the laptop. I also have a room in the suite at the Palace. A medium-sized flat screen, a Play-station with a bunch of games, and a music system, preferably with discreet but good speakers from Bose. "
Haniel laughed:
"That will be a fun trip to Earth, young man, and then some tinkering, but I think I can get that done in a week, two weeks tops."
"Haniel, thank you very much, that will help tremendously."
"No problem, I like to tinker with new things and improve them as much as possible. This will be a pleasure."
For the next two hours, they visited a few more interesting places in the city, including a large park where Michael would teach him to fly. Samantha opened the door to the God's suite and led Alexander inside. The Goddess was sitting at a small desk in the living room and stood up as they entered, seeing the rolled-up documents in his hand. The first thought that went through her mind was:
"Oh boy, what is this kid up to now?"
But she said:
"Welcome Alex, I love that you accepted our invitation."
"It's nice to be invited, Ma'am."
"Why don't you just call me Salome now that we're private?"
"I think I'll stick with Ma'am, Ma'am."
The Goddess guessed why he wanted it that way and would leave it at that. Sooner or later he would confess of his own accord.
"Samantha, why don't you show Alex his room? It's cleared out, so you can dress it any way you want, Alex."
"Thank you, Ma'am."
Samantha practically pulled him along and pointed to a door:
"This is my room right next to yours."
He asked with a playful laugh:
"Is your bed against this wall here?"
"No, why?"
"Too bad, we could have communicated in code at night, and if I had put my bed against the same wall, it would have looked a little like we were sleeping in the same bed."
He replied with a wink. She blushed but also had a twinkle in her eye. She opened the door for him and he stepped into a rather large room. He took in the room, thought for a moment, and then closed his eyes. Against the right wall, a large desk and a comfortable office chair appeared in the middle. The rest of the wall was covered with whiteboards. A simple but comfortable bed appeared on the left side, along with a bedside table. The rest was very spartan. He never had luxuries or comforts and had no need for them. He placed his copies of the Constitution above his desk and was settled. His day had been exhausting enough and the pain was still quite noticeable. He plopped down on his bed, followed immediately by Samantha. They chatted for a while when there was a knock at the door and the Goddess entered a moment later. She took in the spartan surroundings and said:
"No desire to further decorate your room, Alexander?"
"This is as dressed up as it's going to get, Ma'am. I don't know anything else; I don't know if I can get used to another environment without feeling uncomfortable. At least when I sleep I have my eyes closed, so I don't need anything. When I'm awake, I don't want to be distracted by anything but these boards.
"You're still so young Alex, there is such a thing as relaxation."
She said a little sternly.
"I know Ma'am. To have that, all I have to do is open that door there and there is a whole Heaven waiting for me to be explored. Something I will definitely do. And with Red by my side as my private guide, I know it will be a blast."
She looked at them for a moment, amused:
"I'm glad to hear that, boy. Dinner in fifteen minutes."
When she had left the room, he asked:
"Hey Red, how about a trip to Hell tomorrow? I want that flaming sword out of the way or I'll go crazy thinking about it."
"Okay, I'll ask Dad how he likes it. After all, Hell has different rules and laws than Heaven. It's best to let Dad decide."
"Have you ever been there?"
"Yes, but only in the city. It's not my favorite place, but in the circles, it seems to be even worse and I don't want to see that."
He asked a few more questions and they went into the dining room. There the Goddess, Celine, Michael, and Casiel were waiting. Casiel was Samantha's two-year older sister and you could tell by the vibe she was giving off that she was a firecracker. She jumped up from her seat and walked over to Alex and took him in a firm hug:
"Hello Alex, I'm Casiel."
He couldn't help but smile and say:
"I know. Your reputation precedes you. I'm sure this is going to be a blast!"
Michael lowered his head and murmured:
"That was just the thing. A trouble-making Demon in the house, an out-of-control angel who seems to have eaten a bunch of happy pills, and now an Antichrist who's going to start a fire. I would say God deliver me if it were not for the fact that God is going to be just as bad!"
Once at the table, Alexander said:
"We are going to hell tomorrow. Samantha will get the details from Lord Robert."
"Why tomorrow, Alex?"
The Goddess asked:
"I haven't recovered enough to learn to fly yet, Ma'am. If I hit the ground hard Fuzzie would probably have a fit. But why waste time? I just found out today that there is some sort of Angel public transport. And so we can start solving the first problem, the flaming sword."