The Lost Redemption

Chapter 5: The golden pin

- Must find something! - murmured Niffty to herself while sneaking into Mira's room. Of course, she knew which room was hers, it was Niffty who had to clean it first. "What an argue it was between Charlie, Vaggie and Angel about bringing up Mira's stuff." - Niffty remembers.

"- Angel! - said Charlie in front of Angels door. She must be strict with Angel. She is the boss of this hotel, so Angel must obey her. Not to mention that she is the Princess of Hell.

- What? – Angel shouted with annoyance in his voice. He was lying on his bed, chatting on his phone.

- Please I need your help! – Charlie begged. She looked behind her where Vaggie was. She was not amused of Charlie's attitude.

- I can't, I'm bathing Fat Nuggets! – said Angel, but at that very moment his door blew open.

- No, you are not! – Charlie rushed in - You are on the phone!

- Hey! Have you heard of privacy?! – Angel jumps up to his feet and faces her.

- Come on Angel! Niffty cleaned Mira's room. – Charlie took a step back, but tried to stay strict - Could you bring up Mira's bags into her room... please? - she could feel Vaggie's judgemental eyes on her back.

- I'm not a fucking bellboy! – Angel raged - That fricking Fox can go fuck herself!

- Angel you are not a guest here anymore – Vaggie stepped in - you act like a spoiled kid!

- Who are you calling a spoiled kid bitch?! – Angel moved so close to Vaggie, that their heads touched. Their eyes met.

- Guys, guys please calm down! – Charlie stood in the middle to prevent a fight."

"Women..." -thinks Niffty after the memory – "This is why we need more men."

"Here it is." Niffty stands in front of a huge black door. Its room number 24. She takes a deep breath. "Let's go!"

The door creaks open. There's a huge bed on the left side of the room. The bedding is fresh. Niffty even put a candy on the pillow. At first sight everything is in order, nothing suspicious. Niffty spots the luggages next to the bed. She starts to crawl along the wall to Mira's bags. A big white suitcase, and a small black handbag. Nothing more. At least Niffty does not have to stay here for long. She moves slowly, like she is about to steal a valuable art treasure from a museum, when she sees a tiny dirt in the middle of the floor.

"Huh a piece of dirt!" – she freezes and stares at the filth. "No! Focus Niffty!" – she scolds herself – "You are on a very important mission!" – she pulls herself out.

"But the floor is dirty!" – she glances at the spot – "No, must not clean!" – she looks straight back to the bags.

"But it only takes a second to clean that up." – her skin starts to itch. Purity mania is a must. You can try to fight it, but somehow it wins.

"Ah okay" – she rushes to the tiny dirt and picks it up with a tissue. Then she goes to the dustbin and throws it out.

"Huh it feels so good." – she smiles, and she can already feel calmer – "Now back to the mission!" – she reaches the big suitcase – "Let's see this one." – just an ordinary white bag. No scratches on it, no marks. She opens it carefully and starts the search for hints. She doesn't know what to look for, so she just starts form the top to the bottom. – "Shirt, shirt, socks more socks... Oh a thong." – for a strange reason she takes that. Continuing the search, she finds a jewellery box on the bottom of the suitcase – "Maybe there is something in this one." – she opens it, and immediately notices a golden pin inside. It shines bright, like a diamond. She stares at it for seconds. Such a beautiful piece of art. It must be expensive and important to Mira.

- I'll take a look upstairs! – Mira's voice coming from the corridor.

"Oh no, she is coming." – Niffty starts to panic – "Where should I hide?" – There is no time to waste as the footsteps are getting closer. She takes the pin and closes the luggage. "Quick, under the bed." – She crawls under it. Thank Lucifer she cleaned it too. Just in time, the door opens. Mira comes in and stops in the door.

"Hmm" – she takes one step closer to the bed. Niffty holds her breath, she does not even blink, she's just following the movement of the pair of shoes. "What if she finds me?" – she thinks – "I can't fail the boss!"

"Hm, she is not here. Maybe she is cleaning the bathroom." – and with that, she goes to the next door of her room, which leads to her bathroom.

"Here's my chance!" – Niffty silently crawls out and rushes to the open door. She runs downstairs, where she finds Alastor standing alone.

- BOSS! – she runs towards him in panic.

- Hush now. – Alastor scolds her gently for being loud - What did you find my dear?

- Bad news. I've found nothing – she shakes her head sadly - just clothes, makeup, perfume and jewellery, and this thong. – she holds the piece of clothes in her hand.

- Hmmm. No. – says Alastor with no interest in his voice - Not what I am looking for.

- Oh, I also found this pin! – she hands over the small golden pin, that she took with her in the last second before she had to hide under the bed.

- Hmmm. – Alastor takes the pin and examines it. A round pin, with a red apple in the middle. As big as a coin. "Hmmm, is she connected to Lucifer?" – Alastor wonders.

Obviously, the apple is the symbol of Lucifer referring to that particular apple of the Tree of Knowledge, which Eve had eaten. This pin is special because Lucifer's soldiers wore these back in the great war. It was his idea to use these pins as the symbol of their rebellion against God. Lucifer himself told to Alastor, that this gold is celestial, the finest material ever made.

"There are two options." – Alastor thinks – "One is that Mira killed a fallen angel and stole the pin from it. The other one is that Mira is a celestial. More specifically a fallen angel, a soldier of Lucifer." – he takes a good look at the pin one more time, before taking it into his pocket. It would be easy to find out the truth about Mira now, but that would involve Lucifer. That it the last thing that Alastor wants, because that would cause a lot of trouble and attention. He can do this alone. Besides the whole thing would lose the excitement if he asks for help.

- I'm so sorry boss...I've failed you. – says Niffty as a teardrop appears in her eye.

- No no no no no. – Alastor shakes his head – You found an especially important clue my dear. You did an amazing job. – he leans forward to Niffty.

- Really? – she sniffs.

- Yes indeedy! This pin is the key to the mystery I am about to solve!

Niffy's eyes bright up as she looks up to Alastor with amusement.

- Why didn't you say that you've found her?! – Angel comes into the hall with a glass of champagne in his hand.

- She has just showed up! – Alastor answers with a smile that is more unusual than the others. Angel watches him for a second suspiciously.

- Whatever, at least we can stop fricking searching for her. Guys! – Angel shouts – She is here!

Everyone comes back to the hall to gather up. Mira looks at Angel.

- Huh, I see you were searching like crazy. – she says ironically, pointing at the glass.

- Quit if Foxy, you are no one to judge me. – Angel stays quite calm, even though his eyes are about to kill.

- Niffty! You are here! – Charlie says in excitement. – Soooo shall we begin?