Chapter 18
"This is it," Charlie told them a few hours later as they arrived at the Topeka warehouse she'd directed them to.
Sam looked at the derelict factory equivocally, "How can you know for sure? They all look the same to me." It was true for an hour now they'd been driving around the industrial district trying to find a sign of angels or Chuck. Due to the economic downturn many of the factories lie abandoned like this one, but so far none of them had been right.
Charlie looked surprised and she turned her head in confusion as she spoke, "You can't hear it?"
"Hear what?" Dean asked wondering if she had gone nuts in Hell or was just making things up. Castiel however seemed to understand.
"You mean the resonance. I can't hear it loud enough to translate what they're saying but I can feel a trace of the vibrations."
"Resonance… isn't that what you get when an angel isn't in a vessel?" Sam asked. If they were dealing with an angel at full power upon which they couldn't even look…. There was no way any of them were getting out alive.
Charlie shook her head, "No, if there was an angel without a vessel in there I'd feel it. I think," she let out a deep gulp of worry, "I think it's just coming from the sheer number of angels inside. Dozen, at least. Highly trained and deadly. They will kill us and then bring whoever they need as vessels back leaving the rest dead as a doornail."
"Can you understand what they're saying?" Cas asked hoping that they'd at least have the advantage of knowing thy enemy.
Charlie shook her head and let out a weak laugh, "No. They must know I understand Enochian so…. They're speaking in French. The one class I ever failed."
"Great," Dean muttered thinking to himself for a second. He was about to issue the attack plan when Charlie took the lead.
"Chuck however, does speak French. Who would know," she said with a laugh. "He's not hearing the entire conversation but from what he's got the doors need angel blood to be opened so they're not covered considering the fact that the only angel they'd expect to attack this place would be Lucifer who's barely in his vessel. They're going to have to stop underestimating me aren't they? We can get inside no problem, but Ezekiel, who let me tell you is as powerful as Zachariah, is with Chuck and there is no way we're getting to Chuck without going through him."
"So we'll just have to fight then won't we?" Dean said with a surprised smile. "We've got an angel blade and 4 more angel bullets. Cas take your blade. Sam you've got the gun."
"I've got my powers but what have you got Dean?" Charlie asked not liking where this is going. "If an angel gets their hands on you they'll tear you apart! And if you say you've got a GED and a give them Hell attitude so help me God I'll tear you apart myself."
Dean let out a weak smile, "There goes my line then. Doesn't matter I won't need a weapon. Sam and Cas will keep the goons occupied while you and I go after Chuck. You don't need your hands to use your powers right?"
"No…" Charlie replied bewildered, "Why does it matter?"
With a flash of his hands Dean latched the cuff to Charlie's left wrist and his right. She flashed him a glare full of spite which just caused him to laugh. Charlie didn't get how he could be so nonchalant when they all might just die, but she guessed it must come with time. No way in Hell had Dean always been this fearless. Though, upon consideration, Charlie realized Dean didn't care not out of bravery, but because he almost hoped he'd die and not have to face his promise of saying yes to Michael. A promise which he was already starting to regret.
"This really isn't necessary you know. It's not like I'm going to run off and end the world."
The look on the boys face when she spoke caused Charlie to huff in reply as she maneuvered to follow Dean out of the Impala and to the warehouse. It might not seem it, but running while handcuffed to another person was d*mn hard, but Charlie managed because she had no other option. Either she ran with Dean, or she fell causing them all to die. Sure, Charlie knew as a fact she'd just be brought back to life, but really, not dying in the first place was as good a plan as any.
Taking Ruby's knife from where Dean stowed it in his side pocket, Charlie ran the cool blade along her hand barely wincing in pain. After a quick check to make sure no angel was right on the other side of the door, Charlie forced her palm against the door.
Burning light surrounded the hinges as the blood trickled through a compound that opened the lock. With a deep breath and Dean chained to her side Charlie stepped into the warehouse where she'd once been prisoner in hopes of freeing another from the same fate.
The corridors were long and gray but dusty enough for Charlie to know they'd picked an unused door. Sam and Cas took off in opposite directions while Dean and Charlie made their way carefully to the center of the warehouse where they'd once held Charlie. She refused to speak any more of her time here except to say it happened, but Dean got the impression the angels didn't just let her walk out of there once Lucifer and Michael were locked in the Cage. No, Charlie had fought her way out all those years ago and something had happened. Something she didn't want to speak about.
"You know. This would be a whole lot easier if you'd release me," Charlie hissed after she stumbled for the 3rd time in her failing attempt to match Dean's strong strides with her body that was over a half foot shorter.
Dean glared at her but remained silent as they listened to the echoing sounds of fighting coming from Sam and Cas's distractions. Worry creased Dean's face as he thought about Sam with only 4 bullets and he picked up the speed causing Charlie to struggle even more. She wasn't weak, and she wasn't slow, but Charlotte Morganstern was very, very short.
By listening to the amount of resonance coming from a hallway Charlie guided her and Dean through an empty maze without facing any angels. However, when they finally reached the door that Charlie once again had to use her blood to open Dean knew they'd be facing Ezekiel who from Charlie's description and Cas's winching at the name Dean knew he wouldn't like.
"It sounds like it's only Ezekiel in there… if you'd release me I could keep him occupied while you grab Chuck. He'll be scared of hurting me because the whole Prophet thing has come out and even Ezekiel couldn't fight off an archangel if they came to protect me… which they won't because Michael is p*ssed at me and so are they for good reason…"
Dean looked at Charlie suspiciously trying to gauge whether or not she could be trusted. Sure, she'd started the Apocalypse, but they all had in one way or another stated an Apocalypse. Yet… Charlie wasn't human and Dean had a very hard time trusting anything that wasn't human. She had demon blood in her, how could he possibly trust Charlie when she was 1/3 demon? Still, he didn't have another option so Dean unlocked the cuff and Charlie opened the door.
Ezekiel was on the other side of the room pacing until the door opened. His vessel was that of a young man, probably no older than 20, with dark hair and dark, lifeless, eyes. Ezekiel smiled sickly and made his way past where Chuck was handcuffed to a bar towards the new arrivals.
"I should have known you'd be the one to come for him. Charlotte Morganstern, Heaven's newest celebrity. I probably should be honored to meet you, after all I hear you have God on speed dial, but considering the fact that you just jumpstarted the Apocalypse I'm guessing he's not answering. I see you've teamed up with your brothers. Typical Winchester move. It's nice to finally meet you, my brother Zachariah told me oh so much about you and your 'team free will'."
"And Zach learned his lesson with messing with us didn't he?" Dean countered not moving towards Chuck as he waited for someone to make the first assault. "How's he doing these days? Oh right. He's dead. Why don't you release Chuck over there and let us walk away or I swear to God I'll make sure you join him real soon."
Ezekiel seemed to find Dean's threats amusing because he laughed as he snapped his fingers causing Dean to fall to the ground in agony. Charlie quickly made her way to his side and healed his broken leg, but the point was across. They were at a stale mate.
"Dean, Charlie go. I'll be fine it's not like they're going to kill me. They brought me back once and it's a pain to do again," Chuck told them.
"Wouldn't bet on that Chuck," Charlie said moving cautiously against the wall towards him an Ezekiel. "They don't really understand the concept of protecting their prophets here trust me on that."
"Oh. Go ahead leave. I'll call my garrison off and you can walk out of here relatively unscathed." Ezekiel promised.
"Charlie. You said you weren't sure now was the time. Maybe we should come back," Dean suggested. He didn't understand why she seemed so worried. Why on earth would Chuck be in danger?
"Not an option Dean. Chuck knows more than Heaven does and they will do anything to know the outcome of this war. Why else would they keep us Prophets if not to use us?" Charlie told him and Dean understood why she was so scared of this place. They hadn't just held her here to keep her safe, they angels had tortured her for information just like they'd do with Chuck. Not all prophecies came from the angels, some came from the source, and Ezekiel would do anything to know what the source was saying.
Before the conversation could go on Charlie made her move by unlocking Chuck's handcuffs. Ezekiel however predicted it and slammed the quick moving Chuck against the wall where he'd come from. Dean rushed to Chuck's side as Charlie and Ezekiel strained both trying to injure the other with their minds. Upon realizing just how equal their powers were Charlie did something so stupid and reckless not even Ezekiel could predict it- she rushed him.
Maybe he was one of the most powerful angels left, but in that vessel Ezekiel was small and by catching him off guard Charlie was able to knock him to the ground in a blaze of fists. Dean and Chuck made their move as Charlie held down Ezekiel with her demonic telepathy. As soon as the boys where clear Charlie made her run for it escaping just in time to hear Ezekiel's promise.
"It's not like last time where we wanted Sam to say yes! We'll kill you before you can because in you Lucifer might just win!"
