So sorry I didn't update last week. This short chapter is to make up for that. More to come...
Where Do We Go From Here? Chapter 11
The Super Cub flew beautifully through the air against a bright blue sky dotted with only a few random clouds. Just ahead was a tree line marking the turnaround point for this trip. On cue, the little plane banked and turned in a wide arc to make the return trip. As it leveled out a cross wind bounced it up and down a bit before her pilot found a better altitude and the way smoothed out. That is until the P-51 Mustang crossed her path. The Super Cub narrowly missed clipping the red-painted tail of the fighter with her wing. The Mustang's pilot earned a glare from the pilot of the Cub.
"Watch it, Tran!" Nan yelled. "You trash my girlfriend's plane and I'll kick your ass."
"Sorry," said the Korean-American prophet of God, grinning.
They were standing in the field across the road from the bunker operating the radio controls. Sam wasn't sure why they hadn't ever done this before. It was a hell of a lot of fun. He had just surrendered the control of the Super Cub back over to Charlie a few minutes before. Now he sat on a piece of abandoned farm equipment and enjoyed the show. Next to him, Crowley sat squinting into the bright sky and occasionally offering support to either pilot.
"That was nice handling there, Red," the demon smiled. "Thought you were a goner when you hit that turbulence."
"You and me both," Charlie laughed. "Now if Kev will stay out of my way."
"I said I was sorry," Kevin grinned. "No harm, no foul."
Kevin brought the Mustang in low over a patch of buckthorn growing in the center of the field startling the small covey of sharp-tailed grouse into flight. The young prophet managed to keep the small plane from hitting any of the birds but quickly lost control and ended up ditching in the tall grass. With a sigh, he handed his controller to Crowley and waded into the waist-high prairie grasses to retrieve the craft.
Upon inspection, the Mustang was none the worse for wear after its unplanned landing. Kevin shouted for Crowley to "let her rip". And, between the two of them they got the WWII replica in the air once again.
From where they watched perched on the wall bordering the field, Dean and Castiel cheered for the little plane. Castiel brought his fingers to his lips and whistled a high clear note just like Nan had shown him. Dean grinned at him but was distracted by his phone ringing.
"Hello," Dean answered.
"Dean?" asked a woman's voice. "It's Jody Mills."
"Well, it's been a long time, sheriff," Dean said, swinging his legs over the wall to hop down on road side. "How is Sioux Falls these days?"
"That's what I am calling you about," she sounded tense. "There is a situation here. I'm not sure if it's really your thing or what."
"How about you give me the details?" he prodded pacing up and down the asphalt. "Let me decide if it's my kind of thing."
"Well, there is a group up here that's sparked the interest of state law enforcement. I tried to get to you before they were called in… I had to get your number through Garth, you know the kid that…"
"Yeah, I know Garth," Dean chuckled.
"Yeah, well," she continued. "He filled me in on a little more about what happened with the angels falling a couple months ago and that it wasn't just a meteor shower. I think that these people are some of your fallen angels. The problem is they have amassed a small arsenal and are organizing. It won't be long before the FBI and Homeland Security are called in. Garth thought you should know."
"Ah," Dean spared a glance for Castiel who had turned to watch him instead of the airshow. "If you can do anything to hold off the feds, do it. We'll be there as soon as we can."
He thanked her and ended the call before turning to Castiel. The dark-haired former angel had also jumped down from the wall and was waiting for him with a look of concern on his face. Dean went to him and cupped a hand to his face before dipping his head to kiss the soft full lips tenderly. Dean kissed him again right at the hairline and then enveloped Cas in a tight embrace. Their fragile little bubble of happiness was about to be popped.
"Sammy?" he yelled, stepping back from his beloved angel. "Round up the troops, we have a situation."
oOo
They all gathered in the library. After Dean related the facts he had gathered from his talk with Sherriff Mills, they had all turned to Sam. The younger Winchester no longer shied away from the assumed leadership the others had placed on him. Over the past few weeks he had grown accustomed to calling the shots wither at home in the bunker or out on a hunt. Charlie and Nan had fallen into their little hunter family easily. Hunts had gone more easily with the additional resources. The girls, Kevin and even Crowley had gone out. There was a shifter down in Arkansas, a vampire coven in Ohio and a Wendigo in Kentucky, not to mention the couple of quick salt and burns they did in between. It had been a little unsettling that there were no demons. No possessions. They all wondered what Abaddon was up to. Maybe she had just been waiting for this.
"Ok, first we need to be careful here," Sam finally spoke. "Not only are we dealing with state and local authorities, the feds and Homeland Security will be all over this. Our regular covers aren't going to help us here. We may have to rely on Jody to help us out there even if she has to deputize a couple of us."
He looked around at the others before settling his gaze on Crowley. The half-demon shifted self-consciously. They all knew this was coming. They had known that they were just stalling, trying to enjoy what time they had left before the world went to hell. Now that time was up and it was time to act.
"Ok, Crowley," Sam said softly. "I think it's time."
Crowley didn't waste any time. He had the scroll with the prayer on it laid out in front of him. If this worked, they might not even need to go to South Dakota. But, none of them were betting on it being that easy. Nothing ever was. The demon spoke with assurance in an unfamiliar language the others assumed must be the secret demon tongue. The prayer was short and at the end Crowley shut his eyes tightly as if he couldn't bear to see his vacation from the seedy underbelly of the demon world come to an end. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes and looked around.
"Maybe Enochian?" suggested Nan. Crowley complied repeating the prayer in Enochian. He also tried Latin, Greek and Sumerian.
"Maybe it loses something in the translation," Dean said. "Say it in English. I don't understand Sumerian."
Crowley glared at Dean but since he was the only one who understood the demon language he had to concede the hunter had a point. "Creator of all things in heaven and on the earth and in hell hear my prayer. Now I beseech you for the promise of assistance in our time of need. The pact of Jorunus is held. Your grace humbly we wait."
They looked around at each other. Castiel reached out to pull Nan into his arms and they stood quietly apart from the other humans in their shared familial sorrow. Crowley pushed away from the table and went to pour himself a drink. He knocked back the first without even a pause before pouring a second.
"This is why I didn't want to tell him about it before we tried it," Crowley glared at Sam and Dean. "Now he gets to feel abandoned all over again. Now we get to go up to South Dakota and deal with whatever havoc those feathery bastards have created. And, there will be demons. This will be an all-out war with humans caught in the crossfire. Not to mention that Jody Mills is the last person who's going to welcome me with open arms. I'm going to pack."
With that the demon turned on his heel and left the room taking his glass of bourbon with him. Kevin looked at Charlie and then they turned to the various pieces of electronic equipment without a word and began breaking them down for transport.
"Cas?" Dean said softly. Castiel nodded and moved off through the door taking Nan with him to go pack for the trip. Turning back to Sam, Dean sat down and dropped his face in his hands. "What now? Shouldn't we call in some help?"
"I already got a text from Garth," Sam said. "He's getting some people together."
"Charlie, you think that Gremlin of your will make it to South Dakota?" Dean asked.
"She's younger than the Impala," Charlie said. "She's never let me down, yet. So, lay off. Hey…"
Charlie suddenly looked dumbfounded as she looked up from her tablet. "I just got an email from Carver Edlund."
"What?" both Sam and Dean asked unison.
"He wants you to call him," she said turning her tablet around for them to see.
"I don't get it," Kevin paused in packing. "How is he alive if I am the new prophet?"
"I don't know," Sam said pulling his phone out. "But, we're going to find out."