Castiel finished the photos. During the entire time Bobby was looking at him as though the priest was the most inconvenient pebble in his shoe. Though he may not be the most aware person on the planet, even Cas could admit he enjoyed the brothers' presence over Bobby's.
The whole process was over in an hour. Two photos fully suited, one photo in only the button-up, and two photos wearing a normal tee-shirt. All of them were done in front of a white sheet hung on the wall. Oddly dressed in formal pants, and a loose t-shirt Castiel nodded slightly to show he appreciated the assistance. Without a word he focused on Dean and flashed to him. Castiel re-appeared only inches away from the man. He'd interrupted an argument between the two Winchesters and Dean's spirited face met his. Dean was shouting, "Come on Sammy!" With his hands spread out when Cas interrupted.
As a reflexive reaction to danger both men flinched back from the priest. Hands going to their concealed firearms.
"Cas! Stop doing that!" Dean snapped. Castiel gave his curious stare, as though he was intrigued in what this strange man had to say this time. That look just made Dean more upset, he wasn't the weird one here! "You can't just sneak up on people like that! And you gotta respect their personal space, man." Dean gestured a circle around himself that he considered his personal space.
Castiel took a measured step to the side, giving Dean just enough 'personal space'. "You do realize that I cannot control the proximity I have to a person when I flash."
"Wait, you don't?" That got Sam's attention. Anna had only been telling him how to maintain balance. He hasn't learned anything about his blue eyes abilities yet.
"No. The better we know a person, then the closer we re-appear to them. That's why before I tried to flash to Anna's location, but only re-appeared in the hallway. I wasn't fully aware of the person she had become." Castiel told Sam directly.
Dean shifted on his feet and wanted to change subjects. The implications that this stranger already knew Who he was as a person didn't settle well in his stomache, "Alright, Chatty Cathy. You two can have your pillow talk later. We have to get ready."
"Why? What's happened?" Castiel asked, he ignored the strange statement. He wasn't a pillow case.
"Dean got a call from someone we trust. Apparently a whole bunch of your family have boarded a flight over to Emerald City. They're moving faster than anticipated. We have to move out tonight." Sam's reply was curt and overly authoritative. Probably due to the disagreement he'd had with Dean before.
"Do you have a destination in mind?" Castiel's mind was already running a thousand miles a minute. He was trying to evaluate who the new team would consist of. Their strengths and weaknesses compared to his own. Each moment panic steadily grew in his mind.
"Yes," Sam looked at his brother, "And we have to leave now."
"What about the kids, Sammy? The school? What, just leave them unprotected for these goons to sweep down to interrogate everyone?" Dean's eyes blazed as his emotions stirred the power within' him.
"We'll get Ellen, Jo and Garth to come by tonight. And that way Rufus has time to make the IDs. Drop them off at our hotel, then come here to help out." Sam responded in kind, and began to raise the temperature of the air around him. Almost the way a haze of heat rises off of asphalt, the air seemed to move off of Sam in small waves. Sam continued to ignore the fit his older brother was about to unleash, "Either way. Bobby's a grown man Dean. He can take care of his own. We need to get the hell outta here, unless you want to have another set back."
Cas closed his eyes and prayed, 'Anna, this is Castiel. You need to be in Dean's room, now.'
Before the priest could open his eyes he could already feel Anna's presence. She quickly assessed the situation and stepped close to Sam to draw his attention, "Sam. Sammy. Look at me. What are you doing?"
"He's trying to convince me to abandon the people who rely on us," Dean answered the question that he wasn't asked.
"We are not abandoning anyone! There's enough time for the others to show up. I'm trying to be smart here Dean." Sam shouted over Anna's head.
Dean's anger was becoming palpable as well. Though for Dean it was different. It was as though Castiel could feel the pressure inside the man build like volcano that would soon erupt. This was his first brush with Green Eye power. The power of Hell.
It sent a slight chill down his spine, despite the heat.
"No, Sam. You're letting Dean throw you off balance. You're burning the floor. Look." Anna pointed to the black scorch marks on the wooden floor. It radiated in a circle around Sam. Castiel looked beneath Dean and didn't see any markings. Apparently the elder Winchester has better control.
"Yeah Sam, calm down. We'll be staying the night anyways." Just like any older brother, Dean couldn't help from getting the last word in. His voice was a bit taunting.
"No. I agree with Sam," Castiel spoke up, "The more distance we can put between us and them, the better. I trust the quality of this protective spell, but I can not guarantee that we will not be tracked by more conventional means. Leaving is the most logical plan." The priest looked to Anna for confirmation. She realized he was awaiting orders from someone who used to be his superior.
"Look. Just-" She sighed, "Sam calm down. Dean we need to leave. Please go tell Bobby about the change in plan." She intentionally did not address Castiel. She couldn't encourage his close minded way of thinking.
To Dean it seemed as though all of his friends turned on him, and Sammy's having a goddamn melt down. He was not left with very many options and he was not happy about it."
"Fine! Get your shit together," Dean smoked himself out of the situation. Castiel felt the increasingly familiar warm breeze pass him moments later.
A few minutes later had Sam sitting in a chair, focused on his breathing. Anna stood patiently by. Castiel just had to ask, "Is it always like this?"
She looked up, not understanding the question out of context. Castiel gestured to the now quiet Winchester, "Is it always so chaotic. And-" He struggled to with the correct adjective to describe the relationship between the two brothers, "Messy?"
She never responded. Only laughing heartily, and turning to her protegee.
There was a flurry of movement over the next half hour, as all four adults packed their things and prepared for the next step: Running away.
Dean was clearly disgruntled with the decision. Bobby was just disgruntled in general. Anna was a touch anxious and quiet. Sam was energized and eager. Castiel though, was unemotional. Watching all the people around him interact and make decisions. The priest felt a weird sense of detachment. He had no instructions, so what does he do? He watched all the life happening around him. Silent and unnoticed. He observed as each of his new allies interacted with one another. Their egos clashing and merging. Everyone seemed to navigate around each other almost like dance that Castiel had yet to learn.
Eventually the four were ready to move out. Anna had thoughtfully packed a small bag for Castiel consisting of left over toiletries, along with some of Dean and Bobby's old clothes. Sam and Dean had prepacked bags for emergencies and Anna was ready shortly after the brothers. Bobby insisted that the group leave as soon as possible. He'd contacted Garth and Ellen. Jo would make it over by morning. By this time it was nearing midnight. Apparently Rufus was the only one that was exceptionally pissed off at the last minutes requests. Not much of a surprise considering his cantankerous nature.
Everyone agreed on radio silence, and only contacting the school if something went horribly wrong or vice versa. The best motel was located at least an hour away at the far end of the city. The group moved out into the dark city using Dean's Impala. The tension in the car was almost palpable. Even Cas realized that talking was not an option and remained silent.
As they reached the seedy hotel Anna rushed off to procure the rooms. She came back and handed Dean one of the keys.
"Let's settle our game plan first," She suggested as Dean opened the door to the first room. Anna had been smart to obtain a room on the first floor at the far corner of the building. Which also was the nearest to the parking lot exit. Dean's room was situated directly next to it. A quick egress was feasible from there.
Dean dumped his bag on the first bed and sat next to it. He instructed his brother in a voice gruff from exhaustion, "Sammy, you'll stay with Anna tonight." The younger Winchester went to protest but was stopped by his older brother, "Don't fight me on this. You have only been awake for half a day. Just, stay with her until you're back to full speed."
Sam wanted to protest, honestly he did. Something in Dean's eyes made him comply. There was deep concern and just enough stubbornness. It was late and everyone wanted some rest. Especially Dean and Cas, having spent the previous night mostly awake. Another fight was not worth it.
Everyone situated themselves in the room in a loose circle. This time Castiel sat down gratefully and started the conversation, "So what do we know?"
Anna started rambling off information, eyes half lidded with a lack of focus, "We've heard this cult originated about 7 years ago by some small time Green Eye man. He wanted some kinda alternative worship for Lucifer. Almost like the church, but exclusive. Now we know an up comer named Alistair is running the show. It was under him that Sam and Dean were attacked."
That was new information to Cas. He looked up to Sam, who was closest, for an explanation. Sam cleared his throat awkwardly before saying, "Yah, our father was taken. We were looking into the cult. Trying to get him back, when I started to change." Shamefully he then said, "We had to stop."
Anna cut in, giving Sam a break, "We already know Alastair's our target. He's been on a converting spree. It's almost a join or die situation. The boys at the school had families that were faced with that decision. Everyone child there is an orphan."
Dean decided he wanted to add to the story, "Half of them were attacked at their old school. A lot of those boys grew up together." Obviously a part of the man's mind was still concerned that the event may occur again. That the Blue Eyes will destroy something so precious and he won't be able to help. The air in the room was solemn.
"Anna, I assume you've taught them to hide their thoughts from intrusion?" Castiel spoke up. He probably should have mentioned it before, but he'd trusted Anna to have made proper preparations.
She nodded slowly. "They won't stand a chance against anyone as good as Zackariah, but if it's someone simple like Uriel or Naomi, they will be fine." She finished her sentence with a yawn.
Dean opened his bag, drawing out a bottle of whiskey. He then found a glass and started his first drink as added to the conversation again, "So we're gonna stop this bastard. He's been killing innocent people."
"Isn't this a job for your authorities?" As he spoke Castiel thought of the phone call he had to make, that kept getting delayed.
"It's just as corrupt here now, as it was during the war." That response made Castiel frown. The war between Blue and Green was the most bloody conflict in history. It was over 80 years ago, and there's still echoes of the resentment in the world. That's why people never learned about the other cultures when growing up. It wasn't legally segregated, just socially. And if Dean was correct about the corruption, then a large scale conflict may be on the horizon.
Concern churned in the priest's gut. He felt the need to ask, "Do you think his ultimate goal is another war?"
Dean smiled in a dark way, "That. Or general power and world domination-y things."
"How does this cult spread? Someone take a vow? Brainwashing? Physically held prisoner?" Cas prompted.
His questions were followed by an awkward silence. Sam was the one to speak, but he didn't look up from the table top. "If someone wants to join they take a vow, then receive a brand on their chest. They then stay for six months of 'Training'. Probably brainwashed, like you suggested. If someone is unwilling though," Sam stopped and took a deep breath. It seemed like he wanted to stall for a moment, "They are held captive and the cult tries to combine torture with brainwashing. Once they're done, the person is branded. One of two things occur. You stay and succumb, or they kill you."
"Why brand them before offering the option?" Castiel asked curiously. Disregarding the gruesome aspects of the information and looking at it logically.
"It's- it's part of breaking them mentally. Also, when branded bodies are found, the cops know to ignore it." Sam finished. He looked more tired than he was before he started talking. Castiel needed to remember to ask more on the topic later. By this point Dean had finished his first shot of whiskey, and was pouring himself more. The glass tinking was the only sound for a few moments.
Castiel was aware that his staring at the now silent Sam was considered impolite, so he stood and began to wander the small room. His hands reached out to fiddle with random objects. He changed the subject and kept the conversation going, "So what is the best source of information on the cult?"
Dean responded with another smile; his voice a bit deeper from the alcohol's burn, "The bastard's name is Devron."
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I would add the next bit, but I'm more tired than these guys are right now. As always, please review.