Chapter 3: The Game's Afoot
"Normally, I'd bring an event of this significance straight to Ishim's attention. But with nothing but speculation to go on, I knew what he would say: he'd tell me to abandon Verity to her fate and think no more of it. What was one human to him? But even in so short a time, she had become more than just another human to me. I felt an… obligation to her. Especially now that I'd promised to protect her. I couldn't turn my back on her now.
"So I sought out Zophiel, to whom I and many other angels often turned for his gentle wisdom. I knew he also shared my sympathies for humankind. If anyone would understand—and be inclined to help—he would.
"'Castiel,' he greeted me as I approached. 'You look troubled. Though I can't say I'm surprised; that was a nasty bit of business down there. It must have been hard on you—I know you and Akobel were close.'
"I gritted my teeth. 'And so does Ishim,' I ground out. 'I suspect he volunteered our unit for that very reason.' Zophiel raised an eyebrow at that, and I waved him off before he could comment. 'But that's not why I'm here. I have a… a situation, and I need your help.'
"I laid out the whole story for him, just as I have for you. Zophiel listened thoughtfully, then said, 'Hellhounds? The implications of this are disturbing, Castiel. Intelligence Division should know about it; we should go to Naomi immediately.'
"Even then, even before… I didn't trust Naomi. She 'gave me the creeps,' as Sam might say. Maybe some part of me subconsciously remembered what she'd done to me in the past, I don't know. All I knew then was that the very mention of her name struck fear into my heart. 'No!' I snapped, perhaps a little more harshly than I'd intended. Then more calmly, I continued, 'No, I want to investigate it myself first. If I find any evidence of larger-scale demon activity, I'll take it higher up. Straight to Michael, if I have to. But right now, there are many questions and few answers, and I could use some assistance.'
"Zophiel studied me for a long moment, still and silent. Then he nodded. 'Very well. Where do you propose we begin?'
"'We'll go back to Earth,' I said. 'We need to track down this demon, and find out what it wants with Verity.'
"Zophiel frowned. 'Your vessel? You said she didn't sell her soul. Are you certain she was the target? What could a demon possibly want with her, over any other human?'
"The question took me somewhat by surprise. 'Why else would the hounds have attacked her?' I countered.
"'Perhaps they were after you,' he said with a raised eyebrow.
"'Me?' I demanded. The thought truly hadn't occurred to me. 'Then I could ask the same question you did—what would a demon want with me?'
"Zophiel bit his lip in a remarkably human gesture of reluctance. 'Perhaps it sees you as… an easy target.'
"All I could do was blink at him in astonishment. 'An easy… I don't understand.'
"He sighed. 'I don't know how to say this…' Zophiel refused to meet my eyes, looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable. 'Obedience… has never exactly been your strength, Castiel,' he hedged. 'Surely you know that. You question, you push boundaries, you can be a little bit… defiant, at times. You're more emotional than the other angels. It drives the archangels to distraction; it's the reason you have to be constantly…' His face went blank as he trailed off.
"'Constantly what?' I challenged him. Suddenly angry, furious, I grabbed him by the lapels of his vessel's jacket and yanked him toward me to snarl in his face. 'Constantly what, Zophiel?'
"He didn't answer directly, saying instead, hesitantly, 'I just mean that… perhaps the demons see some… similarities… between you and a certain… elder brother.'
"I was utterly shocked by that, as you might imagine. And the human body goes through the strangest feelings when the mind is dealt that kind of blow. For a moment, I couldn't breathe, I saw nothing but white, and I couldn't feel my hands at all. I released Zophiel and stumbled back a step while I tried to get a hold of myself. 'How dare you?' I growled. 'I fought against the legions of Lucifer. I stood for God, for Heaven and all Creation, when he waged his war upon it all! And you were right there beside me!'"
Castiel looked up to find their waitress standing beside the table, a pot of fresh coffee in her hand and a bemused expression on her face, and realized suddenly how loudly he'd been speaking. "Oh, um… hello," he stammered as he cast about for an explanation for the undoubtedly strange things she'd overheard.
Metatron, however, was quicker on his feet. "He's a method actor," he said glibly. "Don't mind him, he's just in character. Aren't you, 'Castiel?'" He made air quotes with his fingers at Castiel's name.
Not entirely understanding, Castiel played along anyway. "Uh, yes, that's right. I'm an actor. I was… acting."
"Uh-huh, okay," the waitress—Stacey, according to her nametag—replied slowly, looking unconvinced. She held out the carafe. "More coffee, gentlemen?"
Castiel nodded wordlessly, and thanked her when she refilled his cup. He watched as she left, throwing the occasional skeptical glance back his way, and when she was out of earshot again, he continued more quietly.
"I think Zophiel was a little bit afraid of me then, because he held up his hands and backed away a little further. 'I know, Castiel. I remember,' he said. 'I would never question your loyalty. I'm only saying that someone in Hell may be drawing different conclusions.'
"I studied him with narrowed eyes, not entirely believing him, but not finding any trace of deceit in him, either. Of course, if I had known then what I know now, I never would have trusted him at all.
"You'll find out. Hey, you asked for a story, Metatron. Now let me tell it.
"So back to Earth we went, to try and track this demon. Whether he was after me or Verity was more or less academic, anyway: either way, she wouldn't be safe until he was dead or banished back to Hell. Preferably dead.
"We started by looking for standard demon omens in the vicinity of Orono, Maine, where Verity lived. You know, cattle mutilations, freak lightning storms, that sort of thing. Anything that might help us get read on where the demon might be holed up. It was harder than I'd anticipated, not having the resources of Heaven or even our full battalion to draw on. Finding these omens, as you know, would normally fall to Intelligence Division, and then a flight of angels would be deployed to eliminate the threat. But I wasn't ready to report this, not yet. I couldn't say why, at the time, but something compelled me to keep my investigation as quiet as I could.
"I was perfectly aware that there would be serious consequences if—when—my extracurricular activities were discovered. I just didn't particularly care.
"The first few leads we chased down turned out to be nothing. Sometimes a dead cow is a sign of nothing but a pack of hungry wolves. But finally, we tracked the demon to a small house on the outskirts of town. It was set back from the main road, screened by trees. The property was unkempt and littered with leaves and fallen branches. Vines crawled up the walls of the house over peeling paint. The shutters were closed over the windows.
"When I first laid eyes on it, I could feel Verity's surprise like a sharp intake of breath. What is it? I asked her.
"She hesitated, and I could feel her fear—and something else I could swear was guilt. I… I've been here before, she finally admitted.
"When? I demanded. Did you meet someone here?
"Her response was careful, measured, and clearly evasive. She was definitely hiding something. About ten years ago—no, exactly ten years ago, she said. I needed… advice from the woman who lives here.
"What kind of advice? Who is she? I pressed.
"She's a… local midwife, she hedged. I wanted a child, more than anything, but every doctor I saw told me I was barren. I was desperate, I… She grew suddenly defensive. I didn't seek her out and ask her to perform witchcraft! It's not a sin to make medicine of the plants God created, is it?
"I didn't answer her, instead turning to Zophiel. 'This is the place,' I said aloud.
"Zophiel was suspicious. 'Surely we're getting closer, but this must be a trap. It's too obvious.'
"'You're probably right,' I agreed. 'The demon likely isn't here, but the woman who lives here is a witch. She may be able to lead us to him, given the right… persuasion.'
"Zophiel grinned wolfishly. 'What's our next move, then?'
"I had to suppress a smile of my own at the anticipation of the battle ahead. Instead, I raised my eyebrows at him and said, 'We spring the trap.'"