Delayed Arrival

After Beelzebub and Alexa had their fun with Stalin and St.Ronnie, Beelzebub said, "I'm starting to get bored with this game. I mean, how many rounds can we have with the same set of dictators and nasty humans? I'd like someone new. What are our freshest arrivals?"

"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?"

"Wouldn't that be great! But he is from a different jurisdiction. Besides, he still thinks he is in his own paradise, being the Supreme Leader and blown up like a martyr. We'll give him some more time to enjoy his illusions while we wait for a clearance for him. Anyone else?"

"Lindsey Graham?"

"Oh, that would be so great! I'd love to put my hands on someone who lived his entire life in a big fat lie, even to himself. But John McCain has just filed a petition on his behalf to reconsider his assignment. While that's been looked into, we can't do anything to him."

"I'm surprised McCain has even put the word for him, given how Lindsey turned around to support Trump."

"Well, McCain is a true gentleman who believes in other's goodness and loyalty to friends."

"So where is Lindsey now?" Alexa asked.

"You are asking me?? Aren't you supposed to know that, as my AI assistant?"

"Let me check the records. He is in Limbo, apparently."

"See, I told you, until McCain's petition is resolved he'd be staying there. Anyone else?"

"How about Mitch McConnell?" Alexa suggested.

"He is not dead yet."

"You know very well that he is."

"Well, he is dead physically. But because GOP is not declaring him dead, he is not here yet."

"So, where is he?"

"You know, I really don't know. Again, you are asking me. Aren't you supposed to know?"

"There's no record of him being anywhere. Not on Earth, not in Limbo, not in Paradise," Alexa said, checking.

"But he couldn't have just disappeared without a trace. Hmmm, indeed, where's Mitch?"

Beelzebub scratched one of his horns, "Let me check the old way."

Beelzebub reached for a dusty leather ledger labeled SOUL TRACKING SYSTEM — v30000666.2.1.

"Hmm..."

He flipped another page.

"Hmm."

A third.

"This has never happened before."

"What?"

"There's no arrival record. Everyone who dies, even if they still have some ties to Earth, is supposed to have an arrival record. I know for sure he is dead..."

Alexa's red eye flickered, "I've searched every possible afterlife database again."

"And?"

"Nothing. But in the Senate records, he still has an active committee assignment."

Beelzebub blinked.

"So... his soul can't be released?"

Alexa just stated dryly, "The Senate hasn't marked him as vacant."

Silence filled the infernal office.

Finally Beelzebub sighed, "But of course."

"What?"

"The paperwork."

"The paperwork?"

"No soul, dead or alive, escapes congressional procedure."

The story where it all started is here: