Chapter 5

There were no lights in the warehouse. That put Dean and Sam at a disadvantage, since they couldn't be sure how good Kronos' eyesight was. They weren't even sure if he would turn up; they gave the message to Hyperion the previous day.

"You got Zeus on speed-dial, Sammy?" Dean asks. "In case this goes south?"

Sam nods and lifts the phone in his hand. "Yeah, got it."

Dean flicks his lighter on and off several times. "Good. Let's see if we're right about this son of a bitch."

There are multiple circles of holy oil in the warehouse, all spread out. The instant Kronos steps into one, Dean will light it up.

"Hunters." Instantly, they spin around, guns up and pointing at Kronos' forehead. The Titan smiles and tilts his head to the side. "You don't think that is really going to work, do you?"

"Let's find out," Dean says, stepping back and circling around slightly as Kronos stalks forwards.

Sam circles the other way. "There are multiple ways to kill you. Or we could stab you, let you go back to Hell, and wait to see what happens."

Kronos snorts. "And how do you intend to kill me? You already know that stakes don't work."

"Yeah. Why is that… exactly?" Dean asks. "You're a pagan deity. You're supposed to die from something like that, buddy."

"Maybe I'm not supposed to."

"Maybe," Dean agrees. "But that just brings up the question of who and what you really are."

"We tried shifter," Sam adds. "Shifter and werewolf, but they didn't work. Apparently, you're not even a pagan deity. I guess you could be a vampire, but all the blood around from the battles… we'd have seen something."

"You're not a demon, since you chugged down that holy water easily enough," Dean muses. "Really, that's the list narrowed down a lot."

Kronos smirks. "It is," he agrees. "But you'll not get much further with your list. The two of you may be True Vessels of Lucifer and Michael, but that will not stop me from killing you." He starts towards Dean, Backbiter forming in his hand.

"No?" Dean asks with a massive grin. "I gotta ask how you think that's gonna happen." He flicks the lighter out of his pocket and lights the end, tossing the lighter into the holy oil. "Especially from within Holy Fire."

Kronos pulls up short of the flames, golden eyes widening. "Son of a bitch," he swears.

Dean doesn't drop his gun. "Step out of the Holy Fire, and we'll play."

Kronos meets his eyes across the flames, jaw tensing, before he grits his teeth.

"Or maybe you can't," Sam says. "Because you're an angel."

Backbiter shimmers and disappears, and Kronos spreads his hands out before him. "Well played, boys. Well played." The gold leeches out of his eyes, replaced by the bright cerulean blue. "What gave it away?"

"Several things, actually," Dean says. "You got the drop on Cas. Last one we'd seen do that was Gabriel. I figure you're a class higher than a seraph."

Kronos tilts his head back, smiling faintly. "You could say that."

Dean lowers the gun, Sam making his way to the bag they'd stashed in a corner of the warehouse. He takes out the iron handcuffs that Castiel had etched dozens of little enochian bindings onto as he phones Zeus.

"What happened?" Zeus greets.

"One angel trapped in a circle of Holy Fire is almost ready for transportation," Sam says with a smile, handing the cuffs to Dean.

"So Kronos is an angel?" Percy demands.

"Seems like it."

"Right," Dean says, turning to look at Kronos. "There are a few ways this can go, buddy. We can use this," he holds up Cas' angel blade, "and kill you. For good. We could just leave you there forever. Or, you come with us, and you live. You just gotta put these on." He dangles the cuffs from his hand. "So, what's it gonna be?"

Kronos' eyes narrow at them as he weighs his options. After several long minutes, he lets out a long-suffering sigh and holds his hand up over the flames. "Fine."

Sam relaxes slightly as he watches Dean cuff Kronos' hands before him. "Got him," he says down the phone. "We're coming your way now."

"Copy that," Thalia replies. Sam hangs up.

"Sammy, could you get the sprinklers on?"

Sam pulls on the fire alarm, the sprinkler system in the ceiling springing to life. Without any hesitation, Dean grabs Kronos' arm and shoves him forwards. "Any wrong move," Dean snaps, "and I'll use this." He presses Cas' angel blade to the small of Kronos' back, a steady presence to remind the angel.

"Your fear is duly noted," Kronos drawls. "And smelt."

"Shut up."

"Where are we going?"

"To rendezvous with the gods before going back to the Empire State building," Sam says as he falls into pace behind Kronos. "I hope you came alone as agreed."

"Of course. I don't break my promises, and neither do I lie."

Sam half expects an ambush as soon as they leave the warehouse, but there is no sign of any Titans as they cross the street. Kronos is suspiciously calm for an angel taken captive.

"Kronos," Zeus says tonelessly as he studies his father.

Kronos tilts his head to the side. "Zeus." Where Zeus had been cold, Kronos' tone was thoughtful, as if the name interested him. "You're looking older."

"You're looking younger," Zeus bites back, sharp as a dagger.

Kronos smiles slyly. "A vast improvement on the Vessel I took in the Golden Age," he practically purrs. "This meat suit has so much… potential."

Hermes leaps forwards and pins Kronos against the wall, glaring at him. "You son of a bitch," he hisses.

"Watch your tone," Kronos snarls. "That is God you're talking about so carelessly. He is most definitely not a bitch."

"Whoa, hey," Sam says, pushing Hermes back. "How about we get him to the Empire State before we start punching him. Deal?"

"We are not punching my son."

"It must suck to be you, Hermes," Kronos laughs. "Watching me prance around in your son's meat suit."

Dean shoves Kronos, but it's like hitting a brick wall. He shrugs and takes out Cas' blade again, pressing the point up to the underside of Kronos' jaw. "It's in your best interests to shut up and stay quiet. Understood?"

There's silence as they all stare expectantly at Kronos. The angel's eyes narrow. "You will listen to me, Dean Winchester. And you will listen closely. You believe I am powerless with these," he lifts his hands and rattles the cuffs with a sneer. "But that is far from the truth. I could snap your neck with these on just as easily as I could without them."

Dean slowly nods. "You might be able to. But we can kill you with this, and there's only one of you. As soon as you snap my neck, Sammy will take this blade and stab you in your fucking heart."

"Do you wish to test that theory?"

Dean snorts. "Yeah, sure. No. I'm good." He steps back. "You're one angel against how many pagan gods and a seraph."

Kronos' mouth twitches up slightly. "Is that supposed to scare me?"

"Dean, let's just go," Sam says quietly. "We can sort it out when we get back."

Zeus grabs Kronos. "We will meet you in the lobby."

Hermes turns to Sam and Dean. "Close your eyes," he advises.

Kronos' welcome to the Empire State building was exactly what they had all expected.

In case their plan worked, Sam and Dean had prepared a chair which they could use to restrain the angel.

Cas meets them at the entrance, and upon Kronos' gaze falling to him, he looks away to Dean. "I have prepared everything."

"Good," Dean says. "Let's restrain this son of a-"

"Dean."

"Aw, come on, Cas! The guy's an asshole!" Dean exclaims.

"That does not give you reason to call Father a bitch."

Kronos snorts. "Father left a long time ago, little brother."

Castiel stiffens. "You are no brother of mine. Heaven has made that clear."

Kronos' laughs and the gods march him into the lobby. The angel's eyes land on the elevator up to Olympus. "So close," he muses.

"Kronos," Percy growls out, Riptide – in pen form – clutched tightly in his hand.

Kronos ignores him in favour of studying the chosen chair. He notes the cuffs attached to the arms and ropes ready to bind him down. "You're not serious."

"Do we look like we're joking?" Dean demands.

Kronos glances back at him, frowning slightly. He sighs and rolls his shoulders, before simply dropping down into the chair. Only a few seconds later, the new cuffs are snapped onto his wrists and the ropes are also keeping him restrained. He leans back. "Well?" he prompts.

Dean punches him in the face. "I've really wanted to do that," he says, smiling grimly.

Kronos bites out an enochian curse, glaring at the Hunter as he spits out blood. "I'm curious," Kronos says finally, once he's shifted about a little in a futile attempt at getting comfortable. "Do you think these will hold me?"

"Yeah. Cas has told us they will," Dean says.

Kronos snorts. "And Castiel is always right?" He leans forwards. "You don't even know who I truly am," he breathes. "The fledgling has hidden it from you, so set on following orders from a deadbeat Father. A good little soldier, aren't you, Castiel?" he demands, a sneer forming on his face. "You don't even dare to say my name."

"Cas?" Dean asks hesitantly.

Castiel grimaces. "It is forbidden to speak of him, Dean. I cann-"

"He has valuable – oh so valuable – information about me inside that noggin of his, human. Information which could have delayed your deaths."

"You're bound to a chair," Dean says flatly. "You can't kill us."

"But I could have," Kronos laughs. "I could have the moment I sensed you three enter Manhattan. A simple snap of my fingers," he snaps his fingers to make a point, "and you could have been blood and organs scattered across the street. And he knows this, he's seen it happen before."

"Do not listen to him, Dean. If I thought it was truly life or death, I would have told you."

"But you didn't!" Dean exclaims. "Cas, you let us walk right into that warehouse with him knowing that he could snap his fingers and we'd die."

"I knew he wouldn't," Cas states. "He does not wish for you to die, that much is clear. You two are the True Vessels of Michael and Lucifer, so why would he kill you?"

Dean frowns. "What?"

"I cannot say, Dean. You must figure it out for yourself," Castiel says quietly.

"Figure what out?" Sam demands.

"The truth as to who he is."

Sam glances at Kronos, who had been watching with satisfaction as they had argued.

"A little help would be appreciated, Cas!" Dean exclaims.

"Dean, stop," Sam urges, putting a hand on his brother's arm. "Look at him."

Upon seeing them staring at him, Kronos smiles innocently. "What?"

"Son of a bitch!" Dean yells angrily, realising what Kronos had effortlessly done. He stalks over to their pack, grabs a reasonably-sized piece of fabric, and rolls it up to make a crude gag.

Dean steps back to study his work, the gag tied in place behind Kronos' head to stop it from moving. Kronos glares at him.

Percy snickers. "Looking good, gramps."

Kronos switches his glare to Percy.

"Right, Cas," Dean says. "Tell us everything you can. Any hints you can think off. Looks like we haven't figured out everything about the bastard yet."

Castiel nods. "He has given enough hints for you to work it out yourselves."

"Really?" Sam asks. "I'm not getting it."

"Do the two of you remember Gabriel?"

"The douche killed me one hundred Tuesdays in a row," Dean growls. "Of course I remember him."

"What were his thoughts on the Apocalypse?" Cas asks.

"That he wanted it over," Sam says. "He doesn't care who wins."

"What's this got to do with douche number two?" Dean demands. Kronos grunts, twisting around in an obvious attempt at getting the gag off. "I'm not against punching you in the face again, asshole."

"Cas, continue," Sam says.

"What did he say about the Apocalypse, Sam?"

"He said… he seemed happy that Lucifer was out, but not happy that he would destroy the world," Sam says slowly. "It was like he just wanted it over with."

Dean nods. "Like Gabriel."

Castiel smiles slightly. "So what does that mean?"

Dean abruptly turns to Kronos and unzips the jacket the angel is wearing, frowning slightly as he studies the inside. Then he takes out a knife and cuts into the lining. Sam's eyes widen when Dean withdraws the angel blade. "I'm guessing this is yours?" Kronos' eyes narrow in response. "That a yes?" Dean presses the edge to Kronos' throat until he nods slightly.

Dean turns to studying the blade, running a hand along the sigils etched into the side. Finally, he turns slowly to look at Kronos, the angel's blue eyes gleaming.

"You're no angel," Dean says flatly. "You're a fucking Archangel."

Sam's eyes widen. "Are you sure?"

"Cas?" Dean asks.

Castiel nods. "It is true. He is the Fifth Archangel."