BASED ON ERIC KRIPKE'S "SUPERNATURAL". ALL COPYRIGHTED CHARACTERS AND STORYLINES BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS.
Guest starring: Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Holly Valance (Kestine)
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S03E03: GENERAL
(1)
Cas enters the conference room, followed by Michael and Adriel. Every chair is occupied except the one at the front of the long table. He takes his place while the other two stand by his side. "Meeting is now in session" he tells everyone.
The general called the meeting to discuss the somewhat negative performances of the Earth garrisons. Recent reports stated a slight increase in human death toll over the past weeks. Displeasure is high because all the incidents leading to the loss of lives could have been avoided. The question is: why weren't they? Or at least that is what Cas asks of himself, feeling thick layers of anger within. To find the answer, he summoned the executive dominions, the ones in charge of the Celestial Detachment on Earth, in a meeting to give them the chance to explain themselves. Present are also, of course, the other members of the board who sit next to their leader.
"Adriel" Cas addresses him, without looking. "Current status of the number of deceases?"
The board member, while spreading with Michael files to everyone sitting at the table, reports: "The current number regarding loss of human lives adds up to 123, worldwide."
"123" Cas roars. "Will someone please explain how in heavens did that happen. Fires, earthquakes, fire fights, convenience store robberies, car accidents and 4 drowns. And no angel in sight."
"Castiel" the dominion named Marsek intervenes "with all due respect, the garrisons are working in double shifts to cover everything."
"Yeah right" Melie steps in. "Then what were your angels in Teheran doing at that party when the fire burst out?"
"How did you know that? Have you been looking through my reports?"
"Competition's rough! Deal with it."
"Oh don't worry" Iylar tells Marsek "you're not her only victim. I caught her assistant sneaking in my office sometime ago. Don't feel so bad."
Besides Castiel, who looks through some papers, the board members just watch the dominions' quarrel. They could stop it but they're too buried in their own thoughts. Even Michael can't find the clarity to impose order on the general's behalf, replaying Sam's words over and over again: "you have no right coming here and asking for forgiveness". Neither one of them is focused enough to fully participate in the meeting.
The dominions take advantage of no one ceasing their argument and continue carelessly.
"Come on Iylar. We all know who's the weakest link around here" the forth dominion, Sekkleth, interferes.
"Oh, that's rich, coming from the angel responsible for the hemisphere with the highest number of deaths."
"You know what?" Melie interrupts them. "You keep doing that. Pretend that everything's fine and swell while I continue to do my job ten times better than you."
"How about you pretend doing what I say" Cas snaps, frowning at them. After his word, the four angels immediately adopt silence. "Cause as far as I'm concerned, all of you screwed up."
The dominions drop their view to the floor, listening to the general's lecture.
"Wake up angels. I'm not running some freak show over here where anyone can do as they please. 123 victims are unacceptable. Start avoiding deaths or be replaced. Dismissed!"
The four get up, gather their files and quietly exit. Cas peeps on one of the papers again before addressing Noria, Raphael and Selaphiel. "I need you down there. Supervise the garrisons and make sure everyone's doing their job. Also it would be advisable if you could continue conducting your own investigations concerning unresolved cases. Might set an example among the soldiers. Meeting adjourned!"
As the three rise from their seats, so does Cas who turns to Adriel and Michael. "Adriel, I want the regular status report over the functions of the Host. Do you think you can bring it to my office when you're done?"
"I'll get right on it" he answers and heads out.
"Michael" he orders the archangel as they walk outside the conference room "I'll be in my office. Cancel my appointment with principalities Loron and Celya. I am not to be disturbed unless urgent circumstances."
"Got it."
And with that, Cas goes to the elevator. Michael looks at him as the lift's doors close, being aware of how affected he is after Ellen's betrayal. It changed him, almost drastically. He's spending a lot of time in his office, getting out only for meetings and acting like a complete robot. No emotions, no feelings, just that blank stare into nothingness. Yes, he may suffer, but the attitude he displayed toward the 4 dominions was harsh and cold, completely different to the one he had when he became general. If his wounds won't heal, Michael fears that his authority may become susceptible to the same sorrow he is experiencing. Which can mean only bad news for the angels.
Meanwhile, three angels enter storage hall 3. But first, a brief explanation. Several floors of the Heavenly Host Command Section are designated to function as storage facilities. Inside are a number of large halls which contain big white spheres representing the power cores, the main source of grace for all the angels. They are used to power up the Command Section. Besides the archangels, who have individual abilities, the rest of the celestials utilize these cores to upgrade or downgrade their powers. The spheres are tied together in a complex network, checked upon and controlled by the working powers from this department.
Returning to our story, Pyriam, Brestow and Ianisa enter storage hall 3, closing the door on their way in. They are off duty and Brestow promised the other two that they were going to have some fun.
"We're really not supposed to be here" Ianisa shows concern.
"Relax. I talked to Nek. He has our backs" Brestow reassures them.
"This better be good Brestow" Pyriam warns him. "I was going to spend time in the Fields."
"Trust me" Brwstow says, waving the other two to follow him. "This is going to be so much better."
The three walk down several stairs and reach a rectangular catwalk that surrounds the core. "You're going to love this" Brestow adds and raises his hands in front of the large sphere. He starts enchanting and 3 luminous tentacles come out of the core and go through the angels' bodies. They start to feel a strong sensation overwhelming their body and making them experience different states of euphoria.
"Wow, you were right" Ianisa admits. "This is better."
"So this is what it feels like to be high" Pyriam shows signs of delight too.
"I told you this would be good."
However the tentacles violently exit their bodies, throwing them into the wall. Shortly after, the sphere turns from white to orange and starts releasing burning sparks of light everywhere. A fire begins to devour the hall as the entire building trembles and receives short circuits.
In the same time, Cas, being in the elevator, feels the quake and grabs on to one of the bars. The lights flicker on and off.
Noticing the short circuits, Selaphiel realizes that something is wrong with the power cores. He gets on the lift and proceeds there to investigate. Meanwhile, Pyriam tries to wake Ianisa and Brestow so they can make their way through the rain of fire to the exit alive. The smoke makes it even difficult for them to escape.
Suddenly, the door bursts open and Selaphiel along with the on-duty angels walk in. The archangel sees the three in trouble and decides to go through the flames to help them get out of the hall. Barely reaching them, he grabs Ianisa's arm while urging the male angels to go first. But the fire covers every exit path they have. A large fire ball is launched from the core and heads directly to them. Selaphiel realizes there is only a single way out: teleportation. He tells them to hold on to each other. Right before the fire balls hits them, they disappear, reappearing just outside the hall's door.
"Are you all right" the archangel asks them.
"We're fine" Pyriam says through coughs.
"Good" Selaphiel adds. Meanwhile, the celestials working in this department struggle to extinguish the fire.
OPENING CREDITS
The 220th floor serves as a hospital. The angels here are a special branch of the powers, ready to cure or heal any damage or injury an angel has suffered. Cas walks out the elevator and heads to an examination room where Selaphiel is checked by a doctor. Adriel is already there.
"Are you all right?" the general asks him.
"I'm fine" the archangel tells him. "Can already feel my grace back at 100%."
"What happened" Cas turns to Adriel.
"Power core 3 malfunctioned somehow. The techs have no idea what caused it but they are working on a special firewall to prevent the anomaly from affecting the other cores."
Selaphiel steps in, completing Adriel's idea: "The bad news is that the firewall isn't going to last long. If the techs won't fix the core until then, the anomaly will infect the other cores and we can say bye bye to our power source."
"Adriel, worst case scenario" Cas demands.
"Well you and the archangels would be fine. However, the rest of the angels would suffer heavy loss of power, communications will be down, celestial portals would be disengaged, rendering travel between the sections of heaven inoperable, the Command Section will be left powerless and many more."
"So in other words we're looking at chaos?" the general inquires.
"There's more" Selaphiel addresses Cas. "Until the core is repaired, all its links to the angels who charge their graces from it have been cut to prevent further setbacks."
"How many angels are without their full powers?" Cas asks.
"Approximately … 415" Adriel answers, stammering. Both Selaphiel and Cas are taken aback by the number.
Chillicote, Ohio. Around 8 am, the sun is shining like it's the last day on Earth. The pleasant, cold wind isn't bothered by the light rays and continues on its journey to reach the Great Lakes. The town is pretty busy in this time of the morning. People hurrying to work, school busses eager to take its passengers to a new day of education while a small ice cream truck patrols the neighborhoods.
Dean, Sam and Ellen are having breakfast in one of the local diners. Sam is enjoying a cheese omelet, Dean gobbles up a massive burger and Ellen is eating a plate of scrambled eggs with bacon. The hunger she is feeling is like anything she'd ever experienced. It made her stomach growl in frightening manners. She knew about it but she never thought it would be this intense. Before reaching the diner, because of being so starved, her hands were shaking and dizziness appeared out of nowhere.
Dean takes a large bite and places the burger on his plate to chew and swallow. He looks at the woman with narrowed eyes. "So Ellen," he breaks the silence "tell me, how does it feel like to be a backstabbing bitch?"
Both her and Sam raise their startled view from their food to the older Winchester. Ellen looks down and tries to ignore him.
Dean goes on: "Must be pretty good cause you seem to be eating those eggs with all the joy in the world."
"Dean" Sam interferes to hold his brother down. Effortless.
"Come on Sam" Dean snaps. "You think I like to share breakfast, out of my money … with someone so heartless, willing to kill their own family just for the pleasure of it."
A strong pain grows inside the woman's stomach, apparently caused by her grief.
"Can we just eat in peace?" Sam pleads his brother.
"Yeah, sure. I'll eat in peace. Oh but wait, suddenly I wake up dead" shouts "with her killing me like she killed Cas."
Ellen remembers how Castiel died and feels the stomach pain reaching a pinnacle. She gets up and runs towards the toilet.
"Damn it Dean" Sam curses, getting up and following her. The older Winchester grabs his burger but puts it back down, having lost his appetite.
Ellen goes inside a toilet cubicle, pulls the top and throws up. Outside the woman's room, Sam knocks: "Ellen, are you all right? Ellen?"
She doesn't mind him and falls on her knees, starting to cry. Sam keeps knocking and calling out for her. After several minutes, she walks out and says that she is fine. Despite hiding her eyes from him, Sam can clearly see the red around them, a sign of weep.
Next chapter, Monday!
