Prologue
The young man fidgeted in his chair, mindlessly tapping a pencil on a densely written pad, notes spilling into the margins. His carefully trimmed dark brown hair added to his composed appearance, contradicting the nervous energy in his eyes.
As the elevator dinged, he looked up, a spark of courage entering his eyes. He fixated on this moment for months, thoroughly planning each detail. Desperate for another chance to lead a field unit, he took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He couldn’t afford to appear anxious or fearful—not when command of a unit was at stake.
Just ten steps from the director’s office, the secretary slipped inside and shut the door. “Damn,” he cursed under his breath, turning away to avoid seeming like he was intending to visit the office.
Instead, he stepped out onto the balcony, the cool morning air a sharp contrast over a hundred stories up. Below, tiny vehicles moved like ants—unaware of the towering building hidden on an empty lot in Detroit. He marveled at the mystery of it all, knowing thousands of such buildings existed worldwide, unnoticed by anyone living.
He looked up at the skyscraper disappearing into the clouds, a structure controlled by God and His Angels, where every soul was processed before moving on. Closing his eyes, he took several deep breaths, bracing himself for the conversation ahead.
Today, he would make his case. As the assistant stepped out, he seized the moment, striding back inside too quickly. The door slammed shut, drawing surprised looks. He offered a quick, apologetic nod and pushed forward.
Though he respected intelligence work, he desired the thrill of tracking demons across the region. He longed to face hell’s agents once more.
With renewed courage, he entered the director’s office. “Sir, do you have a moment?”
