The two men together rush the counter and demand everything from your pockets and the register. Panicking you dump everything. What are you supposed to do anyway? The closest man takes the gun and the second starts to jump the counter saying something. All you caught was "Oh no baby, I want much more.." but just as his feet touch the other side of the counter you hear a familiar voice. "Gentlemen, I believe that a mistake has been made." While the voice is familiar, there is something different there. Its more calm, more collected, and certainly not well meaning. The men turn to Charles who is wearing a suit you have not seen. It is a very dark red, almost maroon or even black if not for the bright lights. The other aesthetics of his suit being bronze or copper in color. Almost as if a haze was on them. Almost dirty. Charles never looks dirty.

"Gentlemen, I will only ask once and I will not delay. You have ten seconds to remove yourself from this place before things get messy. But let me be honest, I like messy and I am counting at twice speed." He then starts counting. The first number seems slow. "One" Then the second number and you realize he is going to count to ten. "Two" You count with him. "Three" He is counting fast. "Four" Your heart is counting too. "Five, Six" Did he just count two numbers together? "Sever, Eight, Nine!" Charles voice is getting scratchy and deep, what one would call as demonic. "TEN!" The two men turn their guns and fire at Charles. He simply smiles and drops the two bullets. Before the casing and the bullets are on the ground Charles has moved up and disarmed both of them. Smacking their guns with his tail as he pushes them into the back room. As one of the guns hits the ground it goes off. Suddenly you feel a very warm, no.. HOT sensation in your stomach. The pain being brutal, and forcing you to pass out. As your light fades you hear the screams of the two men. Unsure if he is torturing them, eating them or just killing them.

You come to still in the coffee shop. Charles is over the top of you with his signature smile on his face. His suit is once again a brighter color. White with emerald accents. He greets you as you wake. "Ah there she is sweet girl. Thankfully the bit of magic I do have works on humans." He says as helps you to your feet. You check your clothes and body. No bullet wound. "How?" You ask him meekly, still feeling the searing pain but quickly subsiding. "Ah, never fear, the bullet did go through." He tells you as he shows you the bottom of a cup. "Its still got your blood on it, but you otherwise are in mint condition. Come, sit at the counter and drink some water. I feel I owe you an apology that I came to deliver and I am certainly glad I did." He helps you up as he tells you this and hands you a cold bottle of water.

You take a few sips and start to let the stars stop flying in your mind. As your stress starts to lift he speaks softly, but warmly. Much as he did the first day you met. "First, don't worry, no one will hear anything that happened here, I also have fixed all damage caused as well as cleaned up any loose ends. All but the bloodied bullet, which is yours to do as you wish." He points to the cup with the bullet. "But second, my attitude towards you has been sour for a few days and that is not kind of me. You have done nothing but be nice and I should have done the same even if my work was making me insufferable. So I thank you very much for still being you. You also asked what has soured my mood. Well, the short of it is that the Dark Lord is not happy. I do not know the nature of work for the lord of demons but he isnt in a good mood and he is taking that out on the rest of the underworld. But thats nothing we should concern ourselves with. I promise I will be proper and respectful from here on out. That is a promise." he then summons a piece of paper and a quill. "Now, I am allowed to make very few deals in my work. But I am able to make them. This page is a deal. You are not required to sign it certainly but this deal, with a demon, is ever binding both ways. I cannot go against it and nor can you. However this deal is written specifically." He pushes the paper towards you to read.

I (Charles Xorn), promise to be respectful and polite to Jessica Steely forever and all of eternity. I am also not allowed to harm her in any way. This contract only expiring when in the event of her death or when my own essence fades. Signed Charles.

Reading the few words carefully you are satisfied. "So what if I were to not sign this and we just shake hands?" you ask him mostly curious. "Well, I certainly can make this promise and I aim to keep it. However, I think this deal means more to both of us. It simply keeps me honest should my own mind forget itself. It also seals in the event that something happens and I am to be forced to harm you, which I certainly do not want to do." He sounds firm, and direct. Certainly no tricks here. He hands you the quill. "This is a blood quill so signing it will hurt a tad, but I promise, no lasting marks and the pain will be gone as soon as you sign it." He smiles as he tells you. "Ok, then I agree." You pick up the quill and sign it. The pain is quite light and manageable. Your signature then glows and sets in the paper. Charles takes it from you and it bursts into flames as it is put in his pocket. "Excellent. Now, I must be off. The Dark Lord let me make this errand and I certainly shouldn't keep him waiting. Plus, we have two new souls that I need to re-introduce myself to." His voice on the end makes you shiver slightly. But he gets up and starts to walk out.

"Wait!" You say, making Charles stop mid step. "What would a deal with the Dark Lord look like?" Charles tilts his head slightly and his expression changes a bit, something to more of concern. "Well, I must warn you that deal with him do come with a debt. Unlike this one we just made. But certainly they would be ever binding. What kind of deal would you like to make with him?" He leans slightly against the counter as if to inspect you as he speaks. "Well, I would like to offer a deal but my first requirement is that he must drink the latte I make him tomorrow first. If he doesn't want to try and take me up on my deal then he will get his usual latte order. So tomorrow I will do this. I will make two cups. One with his normal order, and one with what I think he will like. If he accepts my terms you take mine to him. If he doesn't then you take his to him and we act like it never happened." You stumble at first as you start the words. But as you speak you gain confidence. "No matter what, he gets his latte at exactly 3:33 AM. But if he takes my terms then we come to the table with understanding." Charles thinks for a moment. "I- I will ask. I will take whatever punishment he deals out if he doesn't like this. So if you see me tomorrow I will deliver his message. If you do not...then I guess I will still have delivered his message. Either way, tomorrow we will see." He steps towards the door as is his usual, unlocking it as he gets close. "You are quite the curious girl Jessica." He says over his shoulder. He then steps out into the morning air and walks away. "Now that I opened my big mouth. What do I make the Dark Lord of the underworld..."