His brother was the Antichrist. Perfect.

Dean sat in the corner with his arms extended over his head and chained to the wall. From where he was sitting, he could see the group huddled in the corner, Bobby included, planning some kind of defense or offense over a small, beat up coffee table. This was one of the few times he wished he could read lips, or at least had Sam the Wonder Boy by his side to come up with some wacky alternative.

He bowed his head, struck by a wave of sadness as he remembered a random memory of the two of them in the Impala, driving around, arguing like they always did. There was no way he was going to accept Sam had gone dark side. He'd made a promise before Dean had gone to the Pit. It was up to Sam to honor their day by fighting true. But then he remembered how desperate Sam had been right before the skank had revealed herself, and he felt some of his resolve weaken.

Dean knew he had to see his brother. He had to find Sammy and confront him. If he had gone postal, this was the only way to get him back.

He shook the chains and glared at the group. "Hey, I'm burning up here! How about a fan or something?"

They continued to ignore him, poring over their little secret club plans. Dean couldn't just sit here and do nothing. He had to get out of there.

After pausing to take a deep breath, Dean shifted his body weight, turned his torso to the side, and moved his chained arms closer together. He winced from the pain and cursed silently, biting his lip to keep his mouth shut. He knew he could only stay this way for a few minutes before he had to slump back down, but it was more than enough to help him fiddle with his shackles. Then he started again.

Dean had been working for several minutes when he saw Bobby walking towards him. Dean quickly twisted around and plopped himself on the floor to mirror his original position. Bobby paused, glass in hand, and gave him an odd, suspicious look. Dean felt like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar, but to his surprise, there was no biting insult from Bobby. He just stood there, studying him, before he finally held out the glass of water.

"I'm a little tied up right now," Dean said.

"Just drink it, smartass."

Dean strained his neck and took a few large gulps of water as Bobby held the glass. The water was lukewarm and a little cloudy, but right now, it tasted better than beer. Dean eagerly finished the glass, finally feeling some of the burn from his parched mouth fade away.

He exhaled and sighed, lightly rocking his head back to hit the wall, and closed his eyes. The water didn't do anything to cool the rest of the burning in his body nor ease the fire that prickled under his skin. Dean would just have to take what he could get.

He could still feel Bobby's eyes on him, watching him, and despite himself, Dean let out a chuckle. "So, this is where you come back to play good cop?" he asked.

"I'm worried about you, Dean."

Dean sat up and stared at Bobby. "Right, because I've been an evil minion for the past five years."

"Three."

"Three?" Dean laughed. "Can't even get your stories straight now."

Bobby slammed the glass onto the floor causing Dean to jump. He leaned forward, his voice low but firm. "If you'd shut your trap for a minute, then maybe you'd learn somethin'."

Dean calmed himself long enough to nod. "Tell me this is just one big trip."

"Wish I could."

"What the hell happened?"

"He snapped. He just plain snapped." Bobby sighed. "He lost it while looking for you. I tried to stop him, but he's as pigheaded as you and your daddy, if not worse. He shut me out."

"So, that's it? You didn't even try?"

Bobby's face darkened. "I'm not the idiot that sold his soul in the first place."

Dean grimaced and looked down. "I really screwed up bad."

"That's an understatement."

Dean looked up at Bobby. "I don't remember any of it."

"He's been workin' some powerful mojo. Stuff not even cults or covens will touch. We don't have a clue what he did to your head for all that time."

Dean tried to wrap his mind around everything Bobby was telling him. Why couldn't he remember? He couldn't imagine Sam getting that out of control. Sammy was a good person. Or maybe Dean just had mastered being in denial for so long that he couldn't come to terms with it.

"How long?" Dean asked.

Bobby shrugged. "We figure you were in Hell or wherever for 'bout two years before he found a way to bring you back. Not sure how, but it was too late by then. He'd already gotten involved in some pretty heavy dark crap before he broke you out. Ever since then, he's kept you on a tight leash."

Dean forced a small smile. "He's always been a bit of a control freak."

"Try ruthless dictator." Bobby waited for the smile to vanish from Dean's face before he continued. "This is no joke, Dean. Sam went and got himself involved with some powerful demons. He wasn't gonna stop 'til he got ya back, and when he did it was too late. You're either with him or against him, doesn't matter who or what you are."

Dean frowned. "What're you saying?"

"I'm saying this goes beyond just random psychic visions. Sam's got himself an army. He's knocked out all the competition and wiped out most of us hunters. It don't stop there, either. Anything he sees as a threat to his 'order' gets taken out before they know it."

"He's killing people?"

Bobby gave him a pointed look. "You even listening?"

Dean shook his head. "He wouldn't be killing innocent people. Not Sammy."

"He messed you up good."

"Look, okay. I know Sam can get a little intense about things from time to time, but he'd only ever do something a little crazy if he was trying to help people."

"He thinks he is helping people. What part ain't you gettin'?" Bobby stepped a bit closer, towering over Dean. "He killed Ellen. Her girl. A buddy of mine down from Wayside. Countless more. Those he doesn't control get killed. It's all black and white."

Dean stared. None of this made any sense.

"Believe it," Bobby said, as if reading his mind. "This ain't a joke."

"And you're saying I just sat around and did nothing? That I'd let him do all that?"

"What have I just been sayin'? He's mastered mind control, you dumbass." Bobby sighed. "You've been under his spell for 'bout three years now. He could have had you believin' you were a goat, and you would've happily gone with it."

"That's crazy talk."

"And you can't remember a damn thing now." Bobby nodded as Dean's face fell. "Do I have to spell it out for ya?"

Dean fell silent. He didn't want to believe what Bobby was telling him. He just couldn't accept things had gotten that bad. If only he could remember or had some kind of proof, something he could see or touch to help him make sense of it. For all he knew, Bobby and his crew had been the ones to go dark side and were messing with his head.

Or maybe that was Sammy's Jedi powers talking.

"That stuff your pal forced on me…"

"That's Dan," Bobby said. "He's pretty much the big cheese 'round here."

"Well, Dan needs to work on his bedside manner." He motioned with his chin to the table where Dan had him tied down earlier. "What was that stuff?"

"It keeps us free from the mind control. It'll help break any demonic influence on you." Bobby frowned, his gaze moving up to Dean's shackled hands. Dean balled his fists and smiled. Without hesitating, Bobby reached over and snatched the lock pick out of his hand. "You think I don't know you, boy?"

Dean scowled and shook the chains for emphasis. "Like I could go anywhere without your buddies pouncing me."

"Problem?" Dan approached the two of them, his gaze falling immediately to the lock pick in Bobby's hands. "Predictable."

"Smart," Dean said, correcting him. "Unlike your little play group here. You think this'll stop Sam? The guy has the mind of a steel trap."

Dan arched his eyebrows. "What are you saying?"

"How long is it going to take you to get it through your thick skull I'm not the bad guy here?" He nudged his chin. "Bobby can vouch for me."

Dan looked at Bobby who only sighed. "He's just an idiot." Bobby reached over and grabbed Dean's left wrist and gave it a shake. The shackle easily came undone. Dean tried to hide behind a sheepish grin, but Bobby kept his grip tight as he showed Dan. "Resourceful, but still an idiot."

Dan chuckled. "Am I to understand you're asking to join us?"

Dean shrugged. "Who better than a man from the inside? If anyone can take down Puppetmaster, it's me."

"He's got a point, Dan," Bobby said. "And you gave him the sap."

"If it works on him," Dan commented. "God knows what Winchester did to him over the past three years." He shook his head. "No, I can't chance it. We don't have much time left. Sam Winchester took out the Underground in Sector Four. We're it. I'm not leaving our chances in the hands of his closest confidante."

"So what? You're just going to sit on your asses and hope he doesn't kick them too hard?" Dean snorted. "Screw all this waiting. We go directly to the HQ and attack 'em where it counts."

"You want us to follow your lead into Sam Winchester's heavily guarded fortress?" Dan laughed. "Bobby is right. You are an idiot."

Dean muttered under his breath. He was sick and tired of the freakin' dumb jokes. "Then let me go alone. Nah, hear me out," he added quickly. "If you're right, what's the worst that can happen? I'll just become another mindless zombie without any intel because you guys don't like sharing. Or we go down together and give them one hell of a fight."

He waited, his intense gaze never leaving Dan. He needed for this bozo to believe in him, to give him a chance. Dean had to get to Sam. If he could get to Sam, he knew he could make this nightmare stop. He wasn't going to let this sadistic cycle keep repeating itself.

"Make sure those chains are tight," Dan said to Bobby. "Winchester likely has his forces mobilized to search for him as we speak. He's our ticket. I don't want him going anywhere."

"Come on!" Dean swore, yanking his chained hand and struggling against Bobby with the other. "You're throwing away your one chance!"

Dan didn't answer. He turned his back to Dean and walked back to his group of lackeys at the other side of the room. Just like that, Dean was forgotten, like a fading memory.

"Bobby," Dean said, turning all his attention on him. "You can't let him do this. You got to listen to me."

"Sorry, but I got my orders."

"Man, what happened to you! You used to have backbone, now you're just a spineless pansy. Ow!" He hissed as Bobby snapped the shackles into place over his one free hand.

"You watch your mouth and just stay put." He squeezed his hand and gave him a stern look. "Don't do anything stupid."

Dean blinked at him. Without another sound, he slumped down into the corner and watched Bobby wander over to Dan and the group. As he sat there, he started to anticipate his next move and tried to bite back a sly smile as he glanced up at the lock pick Bobby had slipped into his hand.