A Little Less Conversation, Part II.
Goodland Cemetery.
Night Of.
Sam and Dean stashed the Chevelle near the entrance to the cemetery and then made their way into the final resting commune. Sam grabbed their new knife while Dean packed the Colt and their usual weaponry. When a crying girl ran into them, they quickly extracted as much information as possible. Her name was Jen, her boyfriend Brian was dead, and their friend Brad had killed him. Dean ran her to her car while Sam moved ahead. He spotted a group of people gathering around an obelisk. As the younger Winchester drew closer he saw more tell-tale signs that something was going down: a small fire, candles, and then a woman screaming. Sam picked up the pace when he heard that. He snuck up behind a nearby mausoleum to listen in.
The men Sam had seen earlier sprayed a symbol into the ground between headstones. In the center was a monument that had what looked like a bird bath on top. They placed candles at certain points and then one of the men grabbed a chalice and a knife. He approached the group and motioned for some of them to leave. Sam watched the demons heading off towards a truck. The rest off to the side. One man came up, holding a shotgun to a woman. Sam leaned in further and realized the woman was Joey. She had beaten them there.
Joey screamed as the man got closer. "Stop!" she cried.
As Brad drew closer to her his eyes flipped beetle black. Sam looked back to check for Dean but saw no signs of his brother. He wasn't eager to watch demons finally finish off Joey. The need to save her took over, even if it meant putting himself in harm's way.
"Hey!" Sam called from behind the group. "Is this the right party?"
Sam watched as they all turned around to face him.
"Guess my invite got lost in the mail," Sam said, flashing his pretty new knife.
"Sam Winchester," the demon said. "You're always invited."
"Let her go," Sam ordered, pointing at Joey. "She doesn't have a part in this."
"I'd like to," the demon lied. "But we do in fact need her. See, we need to use her blood to open the gate. And you're done with her now that you have that, aren't you?" He motioned towards the knife.
"You need someone's blood? Use mine," Sam growled.
The demon laughed. "Sure, Sam," he said. "It can't be just anyone's blood. And you're just an innocent little lamb, aren't you? I think not. Besides, we've got other things lined up for you."
"Let her go, Mastema," Sam said again, moving forward.
The man in the roughneck button-up, who'd been watching all the events unfolding from the side, came forward. "Not Mastema. Guess again," he said. "I can see the confusion - we've never met. Later on you can ask your brother if a demon named Ipos means anything to him." Ipos was right in front of Sam by that time, locking eyes with Sam menacingly.
Sam heard a roar behind him and spun around to see the Chevelle charging towards them. He quickly ran to get out of way. The demon holding Joey did the same as Dean charged into the crowd, sending demons everywhere. He smashed the Chevelle into the mausoleum the group had been gathered around. The commotion was enough to disperse the group. Dean pulled himself out of the window and on top of the Chevelle's hood, where he stood with a bullhorn.
He started reciting the exorcism chant he knew by heart. Most of the demons covered their ears, tried to hide or tried to run out of earshot. But as Dean quickly made his way through the verses the smoke began to pour out of the meatsuits, and eventually the demons lost hold of their meatsuits and spilled into the night. When they were done, Dean jumped down from the roof of the car. He came up next to his brother and nodded a greeting.
"Did I miss anything?" Dean asked with a grin.
Sam was glad to see his brother, but Ipos didn't look as amused.
"I think you parked in my spot," Ipos said from not far away, and held out an arm.
The Chevelle groaned and leaned, before finally flipping over and sliding out of the way. It rolled back onto its wheels a good hundred yards away, a little worse for wear. Dean and Sam exchanged looks. They saw the binding mark on his wrist. No exorcising this demon.
"Don't you have some yellow-eyed thing to chase after?" it asked.
"We are. Two places at once - we're just that good," Dean snarked.
"Sam I can understand being here. He has a demonic fate to try to break free from. This girl is someone he knows. But you Dean? Death just follows you. Who's going to die tonight? We're not ready for you to start the big party quite yet." The demon continued. Dean's face turned grim.
The demon held his hand out again, and this time Dean and Sam themselves went flying backwards. Sam lost the knife on the way back. They landed a few yards back. Ipos picked up the knife.
"It's cute," the demon said. "Collect them all!"
"Who are you?" Dean asked as he slowly picked himself back up. "Since you already know who we are."
"You don't recognize me, Dean?" The demon said, somewhat disappointed. "Maybe if I was still wearing that campus security guard?"
"Ipos," Dean realized. "So, what's the plan? Kill a few vessels? Bring on the Apocalypse? Fry along with the rest of us when Lucifer goes postal?"
"The vessels are means to an end," Ipos said, still admiring the knife. "To the angels. Those righteous, conniving, self-indulgent pricks. You know some of them want to bring on the Apocalypse more than the demons do. It was easy to convince a group of them to help us. I couldn't care less about the Apocalypse. But the angels? They all need to die." Ipos paused and turned back to Dean. "You're a vessel, aren't you?"
"We're the vessels," Dean growled sarcastically.
"Right," Ipos nodded with a smirk. "That's what they always say. A long time ago, that's what they told me too. But there are things they don't tell you about hosting an angel. How it ravages your mind and your body. How they never let your bloodline go. How if an angel dies inside of you without finishing their task, you don't always get to go to Heaven."
"You were a vessel?" Sam didn't believe it.
"I only asked for two things. For my family to be safe, and to see them again when I was done. I got neither. And after my human life was done I ended up in Hell. I have been waiting a very long time for this chance." Ipos concluded.
"The angels may be dicks," Dean countered. "But you demons aren't winning any Miss Congeniality awards either."
Ipos balled his hand into a fist and twisted it, and Dean and Sam were both collapsed onto the ground in pain. "Truth is I'm under orders not to kill either of you right now," Ipos said. "But I am seriously considering it anyway."
With the brothers writhing on the ground Ipos turned and walked back to the other demon and Joey. He stopped suddenly when a bullet shot into his skull. He turned back to see Sam holding the Colt, smoking from the bullet it had just launched. Sam was looking at the demon somewhat sheepishly.
"That wasn't very nice Sam," Ipos said cooly as the anger rose in him. "That wasn't very nice at all. Way to waste a bullet."
"It wasn't a waste," said Dean, who had used the distraction to run up to Ipos. He grabbed the knife. Ipos showed off quick reflexes, shoving Dean backwards. Sam helped Dean recover.
The brothers heard the cry of dogs from somewhere off in the distance. Sam helped Dean up from the ground as Dean sputtered, "Hellhounds." Sam turned back to trade words with Ipos, but the demon was gone. All of the demons were in fact gone and Joey had disappeared with them.
"Dammit," Sam said, exasperated.
"We gotta get out of here," Dean urged. He was already on his way over to the Chevelle.
Sam looked around the cemetery one more time to determine where the demons had gone but he still saw nothing. Dean fired up the Chevelle's engines to convince Sam to get in. After an angry slap to the car's frame, Sam folded himself into the car.
Lush Coastal Rainforests of Central South Dakota.
Aftermath.
Dean parked the slightly smashed Chevelle in the lot. He and Sam sorely got out of the car and walked up to the door. Inside, Bobby and Castiel were leaning over a book. They didn't notice Sam or Dean return; they were engrossed in conversation.
"It would depend on if she still has the amulet," Castiel was saying. Dean cleared his throat and the angel and man looked up.
"Where have you been?" Castiel asked, concerned. "We've been trying to reach you for over a day."
"Goodland," Dean said. "It was wiped clean by Semiazas and Ipos. They used Croatoan."
"Croatoan?" Bobby asked. "That's some serious firepower."
"No kidding," Sam said.
"Did you find Ipos?" Castiel asked.
Dean nodded. "Ipos is gone. With Joey..." He trailed off.
Sam looked away. He pulled the Colt out of his jacket and tossed it on the desk. "This thing was useless, as usual," he said with more than a little frustration in his voice.
"Wasn't the only fun we had in town," Dean continued. "We met an angel. Nathaniel. One of yours?"
Castiel's face turned concerned. "Does he know I'm here?"
"Didn't seem to," Dean said. "Though he was asking about you. Who is he?"
"An angel that works for Zachariah," Castiel replied. "And at this time, higher-ranking than me. Bobby showed me the sigil you and Alex found in Nebraska. It's specific to Nathaniel. I think he is working with Ipos."
"Great," said Dean. "Just perfect."
"Is he one of the angels you thought was coming after us?" Sam asked.
"Possibly. Whenever an angel travels through time we are supposed to report ourselves as being out of sync," Castiel said. "I thought it better to try to lay low. Especially since it's unclear whose side some angels are on. If I'm caught..." he trailed off.
"You'll get a stern talking to?" Dean laughed. "Look at you all rebel without a cause!"
"We definitely have a cause, Dean," Castiel countered.
Dean started to say something but thought better of it.
"They're getting closer," Castiel shook his head as he spoke. "We need to hurry. While you two were gone Bobby and I were working."
"Wanna share with the rest of the class?" Dean asked.
"Just...talking," Bobby demurred.
"Talking? Or plotting?" Dean asked coyly. Castiel started to say something but Bobby stopped him.
"We were just talking. Plotting. Stupid stuff," Bobby said.
"Stupid stuff?" Dean regurgitated.
"Yep," Bobby said. "Stuff just stupid enough to work."
He waved the boys over and they gathered around the book. Dean got a little more excited as he read each line of the ancient text. The ritual had two parts to it: first to call Alex back from Hell, then to summon the angel Raziel. Castiel warned them all that the angel was somewhat unpredictable and quite powerful. He was also concerned about whether Alex was done with her task or not. And with Ipos still alive, there were risks. Dean was predictably impatient and wanted to use the ritual to summon Ipos as well. They debated the best plan for a while. In the end, Castiel won out.
"You may not like what you see," Castiel warned them.
"Wasn't that hard on the eyes," Dean replied with a hint of a smile.
"A little to your left," Bobby was saying from his perch on top of a truck.
It was dusk and the light was quickly fading from the sky. The headlights were on to help Dean, Sam and Castiel see. The Chevelle sat parked perpendicular, its headlights also shining towards the trio on the ground.
Castiel pointed where he thought Bobby wanted him. Bobby nodded and the angel moved to that spot and began spraying an enochian symbol into the ground with white spray paint. He was almost done creating the sigil, one that instead of sending an angel away would lock it into place. Sam, about 10 feet behind Castiel, was spraying symbols of his own with another can. From memory he sprayed the symbols of a Devil's Trap into the grass and dirt, along the path Dean had outlined for him. Dean was on Cas's other side, finishing off the concentric circles. He was tempted to spray a big X in the middle but held himself back. He poured holy oil along the pattern of the innermost ring.
Bobby could see the whole thing - a circle inside a Devil's Trap inside a sigil, with holy oil thrown down for good effect. He held up the tracing he'd made from one of his books to ensure the pattern looked right. Once satisfied, he called the boys off from their spraying.
"I think we're done," Bobby said. He was satisfied with the work.
Dean ran over and jumped first into the truck bed and then joined Bobby on the steel roof of the cab. He admired their work too.
At ground level, Sam was skeptical.
"You sure this is the right kind of tree?" Sam asked Castiel, motioning to an ancient-looking oak just a few feet away from the circle.
Castiel nodded. "It's the grounding point the oldest angels use to travel through time. This is the closest one to Bobby's," Castiel said.
Bobby had similar misgivings up on the truck.
"We're trying to summon an angel from Hell. What happens if a demon tags along for the ride? Or worse?" Bobby asked Dean.
"We get rid of it," Dean said stubbornly. "And then we try again."
Sam walked up to the truck. "Guess we're ready." He said cautiously.
"Terrific," Bobby said. "I'm glad we're by my place so I get to clean up whatever mess you idjits stir up." He jumped down from the roof, into the bed and then down to the ground. He lowered the tailgate. A small sacrificing bowl and a book were there, as well as a bag of dust.
"Take your positions," Bobby cracked.
Dean jumped down from the truck and stood in front of the Chevelle. He took out the ivory knife so it was at the ready. Sam stayed in front of the truck and took out the Colt, fully loaded. Castiel walked across their masterpiece and took his place across the way from Sam, close to the shadows. He palmed an angel-killing blade just in case.
"Here goes nothing," Bobby said, sprinking some of the dust into the bowl. A bone, some herbs and a bit of oil were already in there. He struck a match and dropped it into the bowl. Then he picked up his book and started chanting.
The wind picked up. Sam wheeled around to check for anything behind them. Hard to say if the wind was nature or summoned. Bobby continued reading. They heard buzzing, and Dean noticed the Chevelle's headlights flickering. He turned to check his car as the radio turned on. All static at first and then quickly shifting through the stations. The headlights continued to flicker and Sam jumped away as one of the truck's broke. Then the other. Castiel started to run back towards them but a bolt of lightning struck down and the holy oil on the ground caught fire.
The Chevelle's headlight casings shattered. They heard cracking as the tree swayed heavily in the wind. Bobby finished the incantation and grabbed his shotgun, joining Sam in front of the truck. More lightning flashed down and started to ball up in the center of their symbol. The tree continued to heave and crack until finally it split in two. Energy rushed out of it.
"Shut your eyes!" Castiel yelled, but Bobby, Dean and Sam had already shielded their eyes from the light. Castiel watched as something materialized inside the perimeter of the holy oil.
All of the energy dissipated. The wind died down. Dean drew his arm down. He could see a silhouette inside the circle of holy oil, but with all the headlights out he couldn't see who it was clearly. He slid back against the Chevelle's body and grabbed a flashlight. Over at the truck Bobby and Sam did the same. Castiel made his way to the edge of the symbol. Dean ran over.
A girl was inside the flame, slowly picking herself up from the ground. It wasn't Alex. She was shorter with red hair. Dean and Sam's faces fell as the girl stood up slowly. They had summoned someone - or something - else. Castiel tilted his head.
"Alex?" He asked.
"It's not her, Cas," Dean replied.
The girl was rubbing her forehead. Back on her feet, she didn't seem to be all there. Eventually her eyes focused on the men around her.
"Castiel?" she asked, focusing on the angel first. He nodded. "What happened to me?"
"Who is that, Cas?" Sam asked.
"Sam?" The girl interjected. Sam looked at her in confusion.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Alex," the girl replied, shocked Sam didn't recognize her.
Bobby, Dean and Sam looked to Castiel. The angel was still fixated on the girl.
"Prove it," Dean said to her.
The girl thought for a minute. "You always throw scissors in Rochambeau," she said to Dean. "Sam takes two multivitamins every day - a Men's 365 and a Flinstone tablet."
Sam looked at Dean and shrugged. Her info was spot on.
"Can someone stop that screaming?" Alex asked.
"Ain't no one screaming," Bobby said cautiously.
"You're kidding, right? It's practically all I can hear," Alex replied.
"Alex," Castiel said. "You're possessing someone."
Everyone looked at Castiel in surprise.
"Oh my god," Alex said. "You're kidding. So I...wow. It really happened. No wonder I feel so weird. Why?"
"Possessing...so, she's a demon?" Dean asked. Castiel nodded. "Do the eye thing!" He urged Alex. She shot him a dirty look in return.
"We summoned you as I told you we might," Castiel continued. "Ipos is not dead. It wasn't safe to try to raise you. But we need to talk to Raziel."
"I don't understand...how will that work? Don't I kind of need my body for that?" Alex asked.
Castiel motioned to Sam, who had a mirror in-hand. Sam tossed it to Alex through the fire. She took one look and immediately put a hand to her face. "My cousin!" she gasped, recognizing her host.
"It's not perfect, but it's the same bloodline," Castiel said. "Raziel will know it's you in there. You can grant her entry to a temporary vessel. It should work."
"Let's just get this over with," Alex replied. "I can't even imagine the years of therapy my poor cousin is going to need after this."
"How many are there?" Castiel asked. "How many angels are down there? How many are lost?"
"There are 15 that I know of," Alex said. "And probably more. There are 3 angels that have not broken yet. They are have not crossed to demons yet."
"Did you find it?" Castiel asked, not defining 'it.'
Alex nodded. "More than enough."
Castiel nodded. "We're ready then," he said.
They backed away slightly, and Castiel nodded to the others. Bobby started chanting again. The trees around them started swaying. The big oak started rumbling and cracking. The holy oil fire around Alex swirled and she looked up. The area around her became brighter. The men couldn't hear anything but Alex seemed to be listening. She nodded. The flames flew upwards, engulfing her.
"Alex!" Dean called, running forward. Castiel caught him by the arm and shook his head, warning him to stay back. The flames died back down and then out. Once again they all faced a girl, uncertain of her identity.
"Raziel?" Castiel said uncertainly. The girl blinked a few times.
"Castiel?" she whispered. Then she smiled. "Only you would come up with this."
"I improvised," he said bashfully.
Raziel looked to the others. She nodded to Bobby. "Sam, Dean," she greeted the brothers.
Unsure of what to say, Sam and Dean just stared.
"She's one of the good ones, right?" Dean whispered to Castiel.
"I think so," Castiel whispered back. "I've never actually met her before."
Dean wasn't inspired by his friend's answer.
"This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I called you back here," Raziel said. "This vessel will not last long."
"It's a work in progress," Sam replied. "We just need some help."
Raziel nodded. "I want to help you. And your brother. In exchange you know what I need."
"Ipos took off. We don't know where he is. And he has one of our friends," Sam said, laying it out.
Raziel's eyes danced for a few moments. "Iowa. Ankeny."
"There's a gate there?" Dean asked.
She nodded in reply. "Ipos is going to raise Semiazas tomorrow night. You boys need to stop it from happening. "
"Yeah, I'm sure he'll be real happy to see us again," Dean muttered.
Raziel demurred. "Maybe happier than you think. Especially Sam over there."
"All that demon blood crap? We are not going back to that," Dean said.
"No need," Raziel replied playfully. "They might just think Sam is the chosen leader for their army though. Popular rumor circling around Hell about this time period from what I hear."
Sam cocked an eyebrow. "Mastema..." he trailed off. "You planted a rumor in Hell that I was going to lead a demon army?"
Raziel shrugged and smiled. "Not to Azazel," she said. "But since it was already an idea, I just...spread the word a bit. And did you know that Dean is the only human that can start the Apocalypse? It's true. Semiazas has a plan to start it so that he can take Lucifer out himself. Not without the Winchesters though."
Dean nodded, bemused. Sam chortled and shook his head.
"Guess we know why Mastema was so interested in me now," Sam said to Dean. "That's one mystery solved."
"So how do we stop him?" Dean asked Raziel.
"You have the knife. That will stop Ipos. I'm still working on the way to stop Semiazas. Don't let Ipos finish the ritual tonight."
"What about Joey?" Sam asked.
"I hear you guys are pretty good at saving people," Raziel said, looking around. "You might just have to start with yourselves. Castiel, they found you."
Castiel's eyes widened and he spun around, looking for other angels in the area.
"Help us," Castiel said to Raziel, but she shook her head.
"This vessel couldn't take it," she said. "I'm sorry." Raziel left the temporary vessel. Alex's cousin collapsed. Dean ran to her.
"Alex," Dean said, shaking her. Her eyes flipped open, beetle black.
"I can't stay either," she said. "I have this sudden urge to beat the crap out of you. I don't know how much longer I can hold this in."
"Yeah I get that a lot," Dean teased.
"Guess that's what Hell does to you," Alex said.
"We're gonna get you out of there," Dean said.
"I hope so. You have no idea what I had to do to get here. Don't leave me stuck down there."
"Dean," Sam said, motioning across the field. Several angels were approaching, led by Nathaniel. Sam and Bobby ran to the truck and traded their flashlights in for shotguns. Sam grabbed an extra one for Dean.
Alex smiled weakly at Dean, who leaned in towards her. He started the exorcism, quickly flying through the verses. Alex's cousin started coughing and the smoke poured out. It trickled into the grass as Dean tried not to watch. And like that, Alex was gone again.
Dean helped the girl up to her feet and led her over to Bobby's truck. He told her to hide in the footwell, which she did. Dean slammed the door shut and took the extra gun from Sam. Not that a gun was going to do much good. Dean surveyed the scene. Bobby winced in disbelief.
"Looks like he's got a goon squad with him this time. You think they're angels or demons?" Dean asked Sam.
"Still got that blade?" Sam asked Dean.
Dean still had it. "I'll cover you," he said to Sam, who nodded and ducked around the truck.
Castiel stepped up to face Nathaniel first.
"Castiel," Nathaniel said as he arrived within earshot. "Looks like you're here after all." Nathaniel shot a dirty look at Dean, who looked back sheepishly.
"Well, he wasn't at...the building...where we were at," Dean tried to defend himself. Then he keeled over, struck by a sudden pain in the gut. It felt like being sucker punched.
"You never called Dean," Nathaniel said. "I'm hurt."
"You're not really my type," Dean gasped, clutching his stomach. He doubled over on the ground. Nathaniel turned his attention back to Castiel with Dean quieted.
"Any reason you didn't tell us you're here?" Nathaniel asked Castiel. "You're not hiding, are you?"
"I didn't have a chance to report in yet," Castiel replied. "Things have been a bit busy."
"From what I hear you've been running around with those two making all sorts of messes," Nathaniel said. "Why are they here?"
"To stop Ipos," Castiel said.
Nathaniel eyed Castiel. Dean and Bobby watched as Castiel continued to try to talk his way out of the situation. When Bobby was sure they weren't watching him, he ducked around the back of the truck to where Sam was. He noticed Sam's palm was bloody and he'd splattered the beginnings of a symbol on the truck. Sam caught Bobby's eyes.
"It's a sigil," Sam explained.
"I know what it is," Bobby said indignantly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a scrap piece of paper with a drawing on it. A drawing of a sigil. "See this? Draw it like that."
He handed the paper to Sam, who looked suitably impressed. He quickly finished the sigil on the truck. Bobby peered over the bed at the situation on the other side.
"...I'm only watching over them like I'm supposed to," Castiel was saying.
"They're not needed for this," Nathaniel said. "We can take care of this ourselves."
The group behind Nathaniel pulled out their blades. Dean drew in a breath and prepared to engage. Then he noticed Castiel's hand, waving him back. Was the nerd angel nuts? Dean reluctantly backed up as Castiel turned to urge him behind the truck.
"He's nuts," Dean said to Bobby and Sam when he got there.
"He's got a plan," Bobby said.
They watched as one of the angels lunged at Castiel. He deftly turned out of the way, and then pressed his hand against the angel's forehead like Dean and Sam had seen him do with demons. The angel's face lit up from within, and the grace inside was quickly sent packing back up to Heaven. The vessel left behind collapsed. The other angels hesitated upon seeing this. Another one finally lunged forward to take on Castiel. He spun away from the lunge, back towards the truck. A third angel stepped up to help trap Cas. Nathaniel was the only other angel left. He trailed the fight, staying a safe distance behind the action.
Castiel ducked away from the sword stabs, disarming one angel and pointing its own weapon back at it. "Sorry," he said apologetically while aiming the weapon at one of his brothers.
"Castiel, what has gotten into you?" Nathaniel asked from not too far away.
Castiel shrugged. "Turns out I don't follow direction very well." He turned back to Sam and nodded. "Now," he said.
Sam slapped his palm into the sigil, and a light burst forward. The humans shut their eyes to protect themselves. When the light faded, the vessels were collapsed on the ground. And Castiel was still there. Bobby, Sam and Dean ran out from behind the truck. Sam slapped Castiel on the back.
"Cas!" Dean said. "That was awesome! Who knew you had it in you?"
Castiel was humble as ever about the new display of power. "I told you I got a nice promotion." He smiled at Dean, who returned the expression.
"I must have missed something," Sam said, shaking his head in amazement. "How are you still here?"
"Another time," Castiel said. "They won't be gone for long, and you two need to get to Ankeny."
"Leave another mess for me to clean up," Bobby muttered.
"Just tell them the truth," Dean deadpanned. "They'll never wanna come back to this place. Trust me."
Bobby glowered at Dean, and then resigned himself with a shrug. He went to check on the collapsed vessel. Castiel pointed to the Chevelle. No time to lose.
"Ipos will expect you," Castiel said. "But you have the advantage."
"We have my demonic brother here," Dean said, smiling and putting his hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam rolled his eyes. He already knew where this was going.
On the road again.
Dean had the accelerator pressed almost all the way to the floor. The Chevelle roared down the highway. The windshield wipers were at full speed. Though it was daylight, the sky was dark grey, nearly black. Omens. He and Sam had grabbed a few hours of sleep to recharge and then taken off for Ankeny.
Sam was trying not to get car sick in the passenger seat as he furiously clicked away on Alex's laptop. "There's a coal mine just outside of Ankeny. Apparently it's one of the deepest mines ever dug, but they had to abandon in it the early part of last century because the mine workers held a protest. Said the mine was haunted," Sam said, shooting a look at Dean. Dean frowned in acknowledgment.
"And get this," Sam continued. "They had four fires that destroyed the town in the 1950s. Plus the town urges residents to drink bottled because the local source is contaminated. This is it, Dean. This is the gate."
"Maybe they're just concerned about their health," Dean joked. "Bad luck?"
Sam rolled his eyes. "I'm sure that's it." He clicked the laptop shut and pulled out a map.
Sam directed Dean southeast of town to the abandoned mines. It was afternoon but looked like dead of night outside. Sam rolled down the passenger side window and held out a flashlight, looking off into areas the Chevelle's headlights didn't illuminate.
"That's it," Sam said after a while, shining the light on a sign. It said the mine was 500 feet away. Dean parked the Chevelle. He and Sam exchanged looks.
"You ready to do this?" Dean asked his brother, trying to pump him up.
Sam frowned and nodded. "Sure," he said. "Yeah."
Dean was less than inspired by that reply. "You can do this, Sam," he said solidly to his brother.
"I know. I just...it's funny," Sam stuttered. "It's always gonna be like this, isn't it? Us? Hunting? It's never gonna end."
Dean leaned back into his seat a bit. "Probably not."
"I can't even remember what life was like before it any more," Sam said. "It's weird."
His brother's face twisted. "I kinda missed it," Dean said. "Hunting. It's what we do, Sammy."
Sam nodded. "Yeah. It is."