"We're about to have a talk," Dean sighed as Sam came up to him out in Bobby's yard. "Look, Dean, um… for the record… I agree with you. About me. You think I'm too weak to take on Lucifer. Well, so do I. Believe me, I know exactly how screwed up I am. You, Bobby, Cas… I'm the least of any of you," Sam lamented sadly. "Oh, Sam…" Dean tried to protest. "No, it's true," Sam insisted. "But… I'm also all we got. If there was another way… But I don't think there is. There's just me. And we got to save Kinley. So I don't know what else to do. Except just try t-to do what's got to be done."
"And… Scene," Crowley interrupted the moment, appearing beside them. "There's something you need to see." He handed a newspaper to Sam, who took it curiously and started reading aloud. "Niveous Pharmaceuticals is rushing delivery of its new swine-flu vaccine to 'stem the tide of unprecedented outbreak'. Uh, shipments leave Wednesday." The brothers both looked at Crowley, confused. "Niveous Pharmaceuticals. Get it?" he asked them, but they just continued to stare at the demon dumbly. "You two are lucky you have your looks. Your demon lover, Brady? V.P. of distribution, Niveous. Ah, yes, that the sound of the abacus clacking? We all caught up?"
"So, Pestilence…" Dean began slowly. "...Was spreading swine-flu…" Sam continued. "Yeah, but not just for giggles. That was step one. Step two is the vaccine. And you think-" Crowley cut Dean off, "I know. I'll stake my reputation- That vaccine is chock-full of grade-a, farm-fresh croatoan virus." So that was what Pestilence meant by it being 'too late'. "Simultaneous, countrywide distribution," Sam shook his head. "It's quite a plan." Crowley smirked. "They don't get to be Horsemen for nothing. So you boys better stock up on… Well, everything. This time next Thursday we'll be living in zombieland."
Dean was freaking out internally because this was how they got to what he'd seen in 2014. Even though there were minute differences like the fact that he'd called Sam when he got back and his daughter was being held hostage by the devil, it was still happening, just like Lucifer said. "Whatever choices you make, whatever details you alter, we will always end up- here. I win. So, I win." He shook his head to clear it. He couldn't be thinking like that right now.
"Alright, so new plan. We split up. You go stop those trucks from distributing that vaccine, I'll go find Death," Dean told his brother. "Dibs on being on the Death squad," Crowley piped up. Dean made a face. He would much rather go with Cas, but sure, fine, whatever. "I guess that means Cas is with me," Sam said, giving Dean a sympathetic look. Great… So he was really that transparent about his feelings for Cas. Then again, Sam did interrupt them in the middle of having sex in the back of the Impala during the Famine case…
"One minute." Crowley vanished one more time to do God knew what. "You know, we can switch if you want, Dean. You can go with Cas, I'll go with Crowley," Sam volunteered. "Nah, it's fine," Dean dismissed him. "Alright, well… Good luck defeating the whole zombie apocalypse." Sam nodded, "Yeah. Good luck killing Death." Dean scoffed, "Yeah."
"Remember when we used to just… hunt wendigos? How simple things were?" Dean shook his head, "Not really." Both brothers were quiet for a moment, watching as Cas finished loading the truck beside Bobby and they both came closer. "Well, um…" Sam held out Ruby's knife. "You might need this." Crowley reappeared. "Keep it," he said, handing Dean a small scythe instead. "Dean's covered. Death's own. Kills, golly, demons and reapers, and, rumor has it, the very thing itself."
"Where did you get that?" Cas asked him. "Hello- king of the crossroads. So, shall we? Bobby, you just gonna sit there?" Bobby blinked. "No, I'm gonna riverdance," he bit out sarcastically. "I suppose if you want to impress the ladies," the demon rolled his eyes. "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby. Really wasted that crossroads deal. Fact- you get more if you phrase it properly. So, I took the liberty of adding a tiny little sub-a clause on your behalf. What can I say? I'm an altruist. Just gonna sit there?"
Everyone stared at Bobby expectantly, not wanting to believe it. And then Bobby stepped out of the chair, pushing himself up. "Son of a bitch," he swore in disbelief. "Yes, I know. Completely worth your soul. I'm a hell of a guy," Crowley smirked. "Thanks," Bobby mumbled uncomfortably. "This is getting Maudlin. Can we go?"
Inside Bobby's van was the group headed to stop the croatoan virus from getting out. Sam had just finished telling Cas his plan to stop Lucifer. "'Yes' to Lucifer. Then jump in the hole," Cas mused. "It's an interesting plan." Bobby snorted, "That's one word for it." Already feeling defeated, Sam glanced sidelong at Cas. "So? Go ahead and tell me it's the worst plan you ever heard." Cas tilted his head, frowning. "Of course. I'm happy to say that if that's what you want to hear. But it's not what I think." Sam gaped in surprise. "Really?"
"You and Dean have a habit of exceeding my expectations," the angel admitted. "He resisted Michael. Maybe you could resist Lucifer but there are things that you would need to know."
"Like?"
"Michael has found another vessel," Cas informed him. "What?" Sam asked. "It's your brother Adam. You must have considered it." He and Dean had been actively avoiding thinking that, actually. "We were trying not to." Cas sighed. "Sam… If you say yes to Lucifer and then fail… This fight will happen. And the collateral… It'll be immense. There's also the demon blood." Sam's heart dropped in his chest at the mention of that. "What? What are you talking about?" Cas explained, "It strengthens the vessel. Keeps it from exploding."
"But the guy he's in now-"
"He's drinking gallons," Cas stated grimly. Bobby scowled, "And how is that not the worst plan you ever heard?" Cas didn't respond. A couple hours later, they'd pulled up outside the Niveous Pharmaceuticals Warehouse. Bobby was staring through binoculars. "Yup, they're loading up hotshots of Croatoan in the trucks. Okay. First truck don't leave for an hour. We get in, we plant C-4 every 25 feet, then we pull the fire alarm."
"That truck is leaving," Cas pointed to a truck heading out the gates. "Balls," Bobby hit the steering wheel. "Okay, new plan."
While the other group was killing croats and committing an act of terrorism, Dean and Crowley had just arrived in Chicago. "Hey, let's stop for pizza," Crowley suggested. "Are you kidding?" Dean snapped, glaring at him sidelong. He really wished he could have come here with Cas instead of Crowley. It would have made him feel a lot less anxious. "Just heard it was good. That's all," Crowley shrugged. "Up ahead. Big ugly building. Ground zero. Horseman's stable, if you will. He's in there." Dean shot him another sharp look. "How do you know?"
"Have you met me? 'Cause I know. Also, the block is swarming with reapers. I'll be right back." He vanished from the car and almost immediately reappeared. "Boy, is my face red. Death's not in there." Dean glared at him, utterly fed up. "You want to cut the cute and get to the part where you tell me where he is?" Crowley shrugged, "Sorry. I don't know."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute. You don't know?!"
"Man, when you're away from that angel pal of yours your boxers get in a bunch," Crowley muttered to himself then addressed Dean at a normal volume. "Signs pointed. I- I'm as shocked as you are." Anger filled Dean's chest as he continued glaring at the demon. "Bobby sold his soul for this!" Crowley smirked, "Relax. All deals are soul back or store credit. We'll catch Death in the next doomed city."
"Millions, Crowley. Millions of people are about to die any minute," Dean growled. "True. So I strongly suggest we get out of here," Crowley nodded. "So, what? Call in a bomb threat? A thousand bomb threats? I mean, how the hell am I supposed to get three million people out of Chicago in the next ten minutes?" Crowley disappeared again. "Oh come on!" Dean hit the steering wheel in frustration. He then spotted Crowley across the street in front of the pizzeria, talking and pointing at it. "What? I can't hear you!"
"I said," Crowley reappeared by his side, "I found him. Death- he's in there." Dean frowned, "You coming or…" Crowley disappeared again, "... Not." Rolling his eyes, Dean took out the mini scythe and exited the Impala. He made his way to the back entrance of the pizzeria and headed inside. There were several dead patrons and workers scattered throughout. The only live person had his back to Dean. He wore a black suit and had slicked back, black hair. As Dean approached, the scythe suddenly became white-hot in his hand and he was forced to drop it. It reappeared at the live person's elbow on the table- Death.
"Thanks for returning that," Death said. "Join me, Dean. The pizza's delicious." Dean cautiously circled around to the other side of the table where Death sat. From the front, Dean could see how pale and gaunt Death's skin was. "Sit down," Death instructed and Dean did so slowly. "Took you long enough. I've been wanting to talk to you." Dean's heart felt like it was in his throat, threatening to escape. "I got to say- I have mixed feelings about that. S-so is this the part where… where you kill me?"
Death's beady black eyes glinted in something akin to amusement as he sawed off and ate bites of his pizza. "You have an inflated sense of your importance. To a thing like me, a thing like you, well… Think how you'd feel if a bacterium sat at your table and started to get snarky. This is one little planet in one tiny solar system in a galaxy that's barely out of its diapers. I'm old, Dean. Very old. So I invite you to consider how insignificant I find you." Death gestured to the slice of pizza in front of Dean. "Eat."
Cautiously, still waiting for Death to strike him down at any moment, Dean picked up his knife and fork and took a bite of the pizza. "Good, isn't it?" Death asked. Honestly, it tasted like cardboard in Dean's mouth. Under other circumstances, he was sure he'd enjoy it fine, but given the situation… Yeah, no. "Well, I gotta ask. How old are you?" Death went back to his own pizza. "As old as God. Maybe older. Neither of us can remember any more. Life, death, chicken, egg. Regardless- in the end, I'll reap him, too." Dean was floored. "God? You'll reap God?
"Oh, yes. God will die, too, Dean." He swallowed hard. "Well, this is way above my pay grade," he muttered. "Just a bit," Death agreed. "So, then why am I still breathing, sitting here with you? Uh… w-what do you want?" The Horseman looked Dean dead in the eyes. "The leash around my neck- off. Lucifer has me bound to him. Some unseemly little spell. He has me where he wants, when he wants. That's why I couldn't go to you. I had to wait for you to catch up. He made me his weapon. Hurricanes, floods, raising the dead. I'm more powerful than you can process, and I'm enslaved to a bratty child with a temper tantrum."
"And you think… I can unbind you?"
"There's your ridiculous bravado again. Of course you can't. But you can help me take the bullets out of Lucifer's gun. I understand you want this," Death held up his hand, showing off the ring sitting there. "Yeah," Dean nodded. "I'm inclined to give it to you." What? "To give it to me?" Death nodded, "That's what I said."
"But what about…"
"Chicago? I suppose it can stay. I like the pizza. There are conditions." Dean swallowed, "Okay. Like?" Death hummed, "You have to do whatever it takes to put Lucifer in his cage." Dean nodded. "Of course." The Horseman was looking at him dead in the eyes again. "Whatever it takes," he repeated. "That's the plan," Dean nodded again. "No. No plan. Not yet. Your brother. He's the only one who can stop Lucifer. The only one."
"What, you think-" Dean was cut off. "I know. So, I need a promise. You're going to let your brother jump right into that fiery pit. Well, do I have your word?" Dean hesitated. "First, I need to know… Mack… Is she…?" He couldn't say 'dead'. He couldn't. Death could, though, apparently. "Dead? No… Not yet, anyway. So?" Dean swallowed hard, wanting to know more, but scared to push his luck. "Okay, yeah. Yes." He reached his hand out for the ring, but Death pulled it back for a moment. "That had better be 'yes', Dean. You know you can't cheat death." He placed the ring in Dean's waiting palm and went back to sawing off bites of his pizza. "Now, would you like the instruction manual?"
In a cold, dark warehouse thousands of miles away, a young girl straightened up and wiped blood from her chin. On the floor lay a dead demon, its neck slashed where she'd been drinking. She looked over at a dirty, cracked mirror hanging on the far wall, a sinister smile spreading across her face. It looked so much worse with her blood-stained teeth. Suddenly, the reflection changed so it no longer looked like she had blood on her face and instead had a terrified expression, though outside the mirror she was still smiling at the reflection sinisterly. "How you doin', bug-a bee?" the outer one asked.
"Let me go," the reflection begged. "Please." The physical one laughed coldly. "Oh, but we're not done yet. And don't forget, you're the one who said yes, Mckinley. You let me in." Mack shook her head in the reflection. "You tricked me!" Lucifer acted fake-offended, "I would never. Honestly, bug-a bee, who do you take me for?" Mack sounded desperate, "Lucifer, please. I just wanna go home."
"You'll go home when I'm finished," Lucifer snapped. "And this, little bug, is only the beginning."
Dead? No… Not yet anyway… Not yet anyway… Not yet… Not yet… Not yet… "Well, how'd it go at the Rockettes audition?" Dean quipped as Bobby approached him outside. "Well, high kicks- fair. Boobs need work," Bobby replied. "I walked up and down stairs all night for no damn reason. I'm sore. Feels so good, I'm scared it's a dream. But then I remember the world's dying bloody, so, drink?" Bobby held out a beer, which Dean took. "Check it out." Dean had the four Horsemen's rings on the table in front of him and as he pushed Death's forward, the other three attached to it like magnets. "Hmm. Oh. So Death told you how to operate those? The whole deal?"
Not yet… Not yet… Not yet… "Yeah. It's nuts. Of course, I got bigger problems now." Bobby raised an eyebrow, "Like?" Dean looked up at him through his lashes. "What do you think Death does to people who lie to his face?"
"Nothing good."
Dean averted his gaze. "Yeah." Bobby frowned, "What'd you say?" Dean gave a huff, "That I was cool with Sam driving the bus on the whole Lucifer plan." That shocked the older hunter. "So Death thinks Sam ought to say yes, huh?" Dean shrugged. "I don't know. Yeah."
"Hmm."
"But, I mean, of course he'd say that. He works for Lucifer." Not yet… Not yet… Not yet… "Against his will, I thought he said," Bobby pointed out. "Well, I'd say, take his sob story with a fat grain of salt. I mean, he is Death." Not yet… Not yet… Not yet… "Exactly," Bobby nodded. "He's Death. Think of the kind of bird's-eye view." Dean blinked, "Seriously?"
"I'm just saying-" Bobby tried to defend himself. "Well don't," Dean snapped. "I mean, what happened to you being against this?" Not yet… Not yet… Not yet… "Look, I'm not saying Sam ain't an ass-full of character defects. But…"
"But what?"
"Back at Niveus? I watched that kid pull one civilian out after another. Must have saved ten people. Never stopped. Never slowed down. We're hard on him, Dean. We've always been. But in the meantime… He's been running into burning buildings since he was, what, twelve?" Dean nodded, "Pretty much." Not yet… Not yet… Not yet… "Look, Sam's got a… Darkness in him. I'm not saying he don't. But he's got a hell of a lot of good in him, too."
"I know…" Not yet… Not yet… Not yet… Bobby smiled at him sympathetically, "Then you know Sam will beat the devil… Or die trying. That's the best we could ask for. So I got to ask, Dean. What exactly are you afraid of? Losing? Or losing your brother?"