At the town clinic…

Beverly was in the back seat of the Impala as they pulled up in front of the clinic. Angel and Sam helped her out and led her to the door as Dean opened the trunk and looked around furtively. Angel and Sam lead Beverly inside the quiet, dim and empty clinic.

"Hello?" He called out, "We need a doctor here!"

The young woman from Sam's vision, Pam, rushed out, concerned, "Mrs. Tanner, what happened?"

Angel answered, "She's been attacked."

"Doctor Lee?"

The doctor rushed in, "Bring her in."

Pam led the three of them into a back room, and Dr. Lee followed. Dean entered, carrying the canvas-covered body of Mr. Tanner hoisted over his shoulders.

"Is that-"

"Mr. Tanner?"

Dr. Lee frowned, "Was he attacked too?"

"Uh… No, actually, he did the attacking and then he got himself shot."

"Shot?"

"Yeah."

"And who are you?"

"U.S. Marshal. I'd show you my badge, but uh…"

"Oh." When he motioned to the body Dr. Lee hurried, "Sorry. Bring him back here."

In the lab…

Beverly was seated on a stool with her shirt off as Dr. Lee sat across from her, treating the wound on her left shoulder.

"Wait, you said Jake helped him? Your son Jake?"

Beverly nodded as she sobbed, "They beat me. Tied me up."

Pam put a hand to her mouth, "I don't believe it…"

"Pam." Dr. Lee dismissed before turning back to the sobbing woman, "Beverly… Do you have any idea why they would act this way? Any history of chemical dependency?"

"No, of course not. I don't know why. One minute they were my husband and my son. And the next, they had the devil in them."

The Winchesters were all listening to her and they shared a look at her last words.

"We need to talk." Angel instructed before leading her brothers out of the lab, "Those guys were whacked out of their gourds."

"What do you guys think?" Sam looked between them, "Multiple demons, mass possession?"

"If it is a possession there could be more." Dean said grimly, "I mean, God knows how many, it could be like a friggin' Shriner convention."

Sam grumbled, "Great."

"Of course, that's one way to wipe out a town." Dean glared, "You take it from the inside."

"I don't know…" Sam frowned, "We didn't see any of the demon smoke with Mr. Tanner, or any of the other usual signs."

"Well, something turned him into a monster." Angel turned her glared on Sam, "And you know what? If you woulda taken out the other one there'd be one less to worry about."

"I'm sorry, alright?" His voice rose at her steady glare, "I hesitated, Dean, it was a kid!"

"No, it was an it." She corrected, "Look, right now isn't the best time to let your bleeding heart affect the job, Sam."

Dr. Lee stalked out of the lab, her heels clicking loudly on the floor.

Sam turned his attention to her, "How's the patient?"

"Terrible! What the hell happened out there?"

Dean shook his head, "We don't know."

"Yeah? Well, you just killed my next door neighbor."

"We didn't have a choice."

"Maybe so, but we need the county Sheriff. I need the coroner…"

"Phones are down."

"I know, I tried. Tell me you have a police radio in the car?"

"Yeah we do." Sam answered, "But it crapped out just like everything else."

"I don't understand what is happening."

Dean sighed, "How far is it to the next town?"

"It's about forty miles down to Sidewinder."

"Alright, I'm gonna go down there, see if I can find some help." He clapped Sam and Angel on the shoulder, "My partners'll stick around, keep you guys safe."

"Safe from what?"

"We'll get back to you on that."

Later on…

Sam was leaning against a counter, staring at the body of Mr. Tanner as Angel paced agitatedly. Dr. Lee was nearby, looking at something in a microscope.

"Huh."

Angel and Sam both turned at that, "What?"

"His lymphocyte percentage is pretty high. His body was fighting off a viral infection."

"Really?" Angel raised a brow, "What kind of virus?"

"Can't say for sure."

"Do you think an infection could have made him act like that?"

"None that I've ever heard of. I mean, some can cause dementia, but not that kind of violence. And besides, I've never heard of one that did this to the blood."

"Did what?"

"There's this… weird residue. If I didn't know better I'd say it was sulfur."

Angel and Sam looked at each other in shock, "Sulfur."

"I dont understand…" Angel and Sam stared intently at Beverly, still huddled on the stool in the lab, "Are you saying my husband and Jake had a disease?"

"That's what we're trying to find out. Now, during the attack, do you remember… did you have any direct contact with their blood?"

"Oh my God. You don't think I've got this virus, do you?"

"Beverly…" Dr. Lee frowned, "I don't know what to think, but with your permission, we'll take a blood sample."

Beverly nodded and laid her hand gently on Dr. Lee's. Suddenly she grabbed Dr. Lee's wrist and yelled in rage, lashing out with her other hand. Sam advanced on her and she tossed him against a glass cabinet, which shattered. She picked up a scalpel as Angel took a fire extinguisher from the wall. As she advanced on her, still yelling, Angel knocked her out.

Later on, Dr. Lee was once again looking through the microscope as Pam huddled against the far wall.

"What if we all have it?" She sobbed, "What if we all go crazy?"

"You've got to stay calm." Dr. Lee instructed, "All we can do is wait. The Marshal's bringing help."

"I can't, I- I've got to go."

As she rushed towards the door Dr. Lee called for her, "Pam!"

"No, you don't understand. My boyfriend's out there, I gotta make sure he's okay."

She hurried out of the lab, and Sam followed her all the way to the lobby, "Alright, wait, wait. Please. I know you're upset, alright? But it's safer if you stay here for now. Help is coming." He heard the Impala pull up outside and relief filled his face, "There they are."

Dean's voice was heard outside, "Ang? Sammy? Open up!"

As Angel came into the room, Sam opened the door to let in Dean and the older man from earlier, Mark, inside. Both carrying their own weapons.

Angel looked between them, "You two get to a phone?"

"Road block." Dean answered before turning to Mark, "I'm gonna have a word. Doc's inside."

After he walked away Sam turned to their brother, "What's going on out there, Dean?"

"Man, I don't know, I feel like Chuck Heston in the Omega Man. I mean, Sarge is the only sane person I could find. What are we dealing with, do you two know?"

"Oh yeah." Angel scoffed grimly, "The Doc thinks it's a virus."

"Okay, great. What do you two think?"

Sam looked from Angel to him, "We think she's right."

"Really?"

"Sounds crazy but yeah." Angel crossed her arms, "We're pretty sure the infected are trying to infect others with blood-to-blood contact. Oh, but it gets better. The uh, the virus? Leaves traces of sulfur in the blood."

Dean gaped, "A demonic virus?"

"Yeah, more like demonic germ warfare." Sam shook his head, "At least it explains why I've been having visions."

"It's like a Biblical plague."

"You don't know how right you are, Dean." Sam agreed, "I've been poring through Dad's journal, found something about the Roanoke colony."

"And?"

"Dad always had a theory about Croatoan. He thought it was a demon's name. Sometimes known as Deva or sometimes Resheph. A demon of plague and pestilence."

"Well, that- that's terrific." His eyes read fire at the news, "Why here, why now?"

"I have no idea." Sam shook his head, "But guys, who knows how far this thing can spread. We gotta get out of here, we gotta warn people."

"Yeah and that's only if we can get past the swarm of infected that's probably waiting for us." Angel shook her head, pursing her lips, "Any ideas, boys?"

"They've got one!" Marks yell pierced through their musings, "In here!"

The three of them looked at each other quickly before running into the next room.

Dean looked to Mark as he hurried over, "What do you mean?"

"The wife." Sam answered, "She's infected."

"We've gotta take care of this." Mark instructed as Angel came to stand beside him and in front of the boys, "We can't just leave her in there. My neighbors, they were strong. The longer we wait, the stronger she'll get."

"I'm with him, man." Angel motioned behind her, centering her eyes on Sam who wouldn't let her handle Beverly earlier, "Keeping one of them in here puts us all at risk."

Dean barely hesitated before pulling out his gun and stalking into the lab.

Pam looked at him horrified, "You're gonna kill Beverly Tanner?"

Sam turned to the Doc pleadingly, "Doctor, could there be any treatment? Some kind of cure for this?"

At her hesitation Dean stepped forward, pressing her, "Can you cure it?"

"For God's sake!" Dr. Lee yelled exasperated and scared, "I don't even know what it is!"

"I told you…" Mark shouted as he pointed his rifle at the door, readying himself for any sort of attack, "It's just a matter of time before she breaks through."

"Just leave her in there!" Pam yelled, "You can't shoot her like an animal!"

"We have too." Angel looked over to her brothers, "Boys."

They went to the door of the utility room, where Beverly was being held. Angel, Dean and Mark all held their guns ready as Sam carefully opened the door. The three of them took up offensive positions. Inside, Beverly was huddled on the floor, knees drawn up, crying.

She jumped at their approach, "Mark, what are you doing? Mark, it's- it's them! They locked me in here, they- they tried to kill me! They're infected, not me!" She wailed, "Please, Mark! You've known me all your life! Please!"

Dean eyed her then turned to his brother, "You sure she's one of 'em?"

Sam nodded, his face twisted in distress. As Mark pulled back, near tears, not able to pull the trigger, Dean stepped forward.

Angel stopped him, "I'll do it." Her voice dropped as she gave him a look, "We don't need you putting holes in anybody while we're here."

He clenched his jaw but nodded nonetheless. Angel stepped forward, aimed her gun at the wailing woman and fired twice.