Redemption Can Be Hell. (Seeking M Character)

[Blinkin]

Joe Costa was good at his job; you might even say one of the best in the world. He had a reputation that even his most ferocious competitors respected. Unfortunately, it also tended to make for some positively lethal competition. Joe, you see, was a hired killer. He worked for anyone who could pay his fee. The mob(s), governments, wives of rich husbands, spoiled little rich girls… anyone that could pay his admittedly high price... but you got what you paid for.

It was, of course, the last category that put him into his current mess. One snotty little rich brat dead to a drug over-dose and Daddy dearest took matters into his own hands. Joe was heading home from the airport several months later when he punched the button to his car’s lock… and the minivan beside him exploded. With a flash of white light, the hit-man was on his way to- a subway car?

When Joe opened his eyes, the clickity-clack of wheels on tracks came to him first, the nearly full subway car was next… and the knock-out blond sitting beside him didn’t take more than a couple of nano-seconds more to notice. “Hello Joe, whatcha know?” she asked with a positively angelic smile on her full lips. “Heavens, I’ve been waiting for ever to say that!” She said with a soft giggle.

Joe looked at the woman, met corn-flower blue eyes and couldn’t stop his eyes from traveling down over generous breasts under a white t-shirt, or the long, lovely legs coming out of a pair of running shorts. Right down to the bright white keds on her feet. “How do you know my name?”he demanded in a suspicious tone.

“Oh, I know everything about you Joe.” She said and leaned in close, “The Big Guy gave the briefing himself.” She made a general wave in the air with a slender hand, “It’s my job to know Joe.” She winked playfully at him, “Joe Andrew Costa, born December 7th, 1985 Mother Julia, father Larry. Two siblings, Margo and Frank… no kids and you like action-movies, red-heads with blue eyes, long legs and not much in the brains department… oh, and you have a weakness for puppies”

Joe scowled, “Big deal, not exactly classified information." he shot back with a dismissal wave.

“You’re also responsible for 22 deaths, prefer a silenced .25 semi-auto Smith and Wesson, and drink Glen Livitt with a slice of lime… what’s up with that? And have been a really bad boy since the age of 13…. You’re first time was with a girl named Wendy, who was 15 years old and you had a puppy named Vince when you were 7…. The file is quite complete.”

“Who in hell are you!” Joe asked, real concern entering his voice now, “And where in hell am I?”

“Heaven Joe, Not hell. Well, actually, it's Purgatory Joe, not Hell… yet… and I’m an angel. You see Joe, I escort lost souls to Hell and saved ones to Heaven… you’re kinda in between for the moment.” She paused as the car stopped with a squeal of brakes and a door opened. A woman who looked remarkably like the blonde beside of him walked a boy in gang colors to the door and out into darkness. “That’s Emilio, he got a non-stop ticket to the big hot-spring in the depths.”

"Call me Angel, by the way." the angel looked at Joe then, “Ok Joe, time to get down to business. You would normally have gotten the same ticket, but things got… miss-filed and there's some heads rolling upstairs, if you know what I mean. The Big Guy doesn't like foul-ups, you know.… with you. You see, you weren’t supposed to die for another 3 weeks… Someone made a deal with Lucy and knocked you off early." She lifted a hand to cover the side of her mouth and in a conspirital whisper, "He hates it when you call him Lucy."  With a grin of... well, not mischief, angels don't get into mischief, "There’s every likelihood that in those 3 weeks, you would have done something to save yourself from your fate, but you can’t do it now… So, we have a problem. The Man Up Stairs sees something in you to redeem but you’re bound for Hell… in 3 weeks.”

Joe looked at her, “I don’t believe in this shit, There’s no God, no Satan and no Hell.”

Angel sighed, “Belief is not required Joe, only acts count. And, you might have done something to save your soul… but we’ll never know. So, you’re getting an offer that hasn’t been given since… oh… probably Charlemagne’s time. You can go on to Hell or…” she smiled again, that angelic smile, “we can send you back and see if you can redeem yourself…. Wait!” She said and held up a hand, “There’s terms and conditions to going back.”

She held up a finger, “Your body is gone, so you’ll go back as someone else. You’ll go back as whoever’s body is available at the instant of your decision.” She held up a second finger, “You’ll have one year to redeem yourself. If you don’t, you go straight to the big bar-b-cue in the basement.”

Joe felt a headache coming on, “And?” he asked without much enthusiasm.

Angel held up a third finger, “You must find love.” She quickly held up a fourth and fifth finger, “You must bring light into a lonely life.” She held up a sixth finger, “And you must provide, protect and nurture a life.” She looked at the six fingered hand, “Cool trick, huh?” she asked and laughed softly. “So, what’s it going to be joe?”

Joe didn’t really think twice… well, not three times at least. “Give me the shot… doesn’t sound so hard.”

“Ok Joe, back you go.” And she slapped him so hard that he saw stars, “You bastard.”

When Joe’s vision cleared, he was looking up at a water-stained tiled ceiling, the sounds of beeping coming from his left and the sound of a male voice from the right. “There’s good news and bad news Mr. Harris.” Joe faded in and out for a second, -he’s going to be ok, the injury was not life threatening, but don’t be surprised if-“His head ached badly and he felt strange… he supposed that it was a new body, but breathing seemed a little more effort…Not hard, just different; as if he had a weight on his chest.

“-he doesn’t recognize you immediately. Some memory loss is normal… it was a bad explosion and while the other cars acted like a shield for the flying metal, the blast caused some swelling of the brain. It was touch and go for a couple of minutes, but-“The sound of movement and Joe turned his head to see a doctor standing beside the hospital bed, a young man standing there looking down at him. “-Oh, you’re awake Jo, good. We’re glad to have you back with us.”

The man leaned down and kissed him lightly on the forehead, “Jo!” he gasped and nearly sobbed, “It’s ok Baby, and you’re ok.” His hand was squeezed lightly, but the doctor stepped in, “Now, Mr. Harris, your wife needs rest and we need to run some test. But, I don’t see any reason why she can’t go home in the morning.”

Alrighty then, So, that's the story concept in a nutshell... admittedly a big nutshell, but they grow them big around here. The idea is that Joe (MC) wakes up in the body of JoAnn "Jo" Harris, a woman on the same flight and who's car was only a few yards further down. Joann is killed, but her body left relatively intact; maybe a few cuts and bruises, but the impact snuffed her out like a candle. Now, Joe/Jo faces a problem... JoAnn isn't only a young woman, but a married young woman with a husband to try and fool until he can finish his mission to save his soul... and learn to act like a woman on top of that.

So, anyone interested? The concept isn't set into stone and I'm happy to make some alteratins to fit the interest of my partner. If you're interested, drop me a PM!