The Whispers of the Devil

Lazarus Rising [5]

"How are you doing, kid?" Bobby asked as Dean and Isabelle sat next to him in the truck.

"Are you asking me or the manchild sitting next to me?" Isabelle joked.

Dean glowered at the girl. "Aside from the church bells ringing in my head...peachy," he took out his cell phone and dialed Sam's working number.

"Hey," Sam greeted on the phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Couldn't sleep. Went to get a burger,"

"In my car?"

"Force of habit, sorry. What are you doing up?"

"Well, uh, Bobby's back. We're going to grab a beer,"

Isabelle turned to face Dean, but the eldest Winchester held up a finger to silence her.

"All right. Well, uh, spill some for me, huh?" Sam asked.

"Done." Dean nodded. "Yeah, I'll catch you later," he hung up the cell phone.

"Why the hell didn't you tell him?" Bobby wondered.

"'cause he'd just try to stop us," Isabelle reasoned.

"From what?"

Isabelle looked at Dean intently. "You want to summon Castiel,"

Dean nodded. "It's time we face it head-on,"

"You can't be serious," Bobby said.

"As a heart attack. It's high noon, baby,"

"We don't know what it is," Bobby looked over at Isabelle "Do you?"

Isabelle listened intently to the voices but shook her head. "Not a clue,"

"And that's why we got to be ready for anything," Dean suggested as he pulled out Ruby's knife. "We got the big-time magic knife. You got an arsenal in the trunk. And a girl who talks to dead people,"

Isabelle scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. "I don't...I don't talk to dead people,"

***

"That's a hell of an art project you got going there," Dean noted as Bobby finished spray painting the warehouse they were in.

"Traps and talismans from every faith on the globe," Bobby explained.

"Whatever it is, it's keeping the voices quiet," Isabelle noted.

"How are you doing?" Bobby asked as he stood and walked over to where Dean was laying out the weapons.

"Stakes, iron, silver, salt, a knife...I mean, we're pretty much set to catch and kill anything I've ever heard of,"

"This is still a bad idea," Bobby noted.

"Yeah, Bobby, I heard you the first ten times. What do you say we ring the dinner bell?"

***

"You sure you did the ritual, right?" Dean sighed out of boredom.

Bobby glared at the boy.

"Sorry," Dean shrugged. He glanced over at Isabelle. "Touchy, touchy, huh?"

Isabelle ignored the man as she stood up and looked around expectantly, the voices all whispering to her with excitement.

"What is it?" Dean asked as he noticed the shift in Isabelle's mood.

The warehouse roof began to rumble and creak with activity.

"Get behind me," Dean told the girl.

Isabelle flinched as one of the lamps overhead burst with electric sparks.

The door burst open, and the shadow of a man walked through. With the lights continuously bursting with light, Isabelle could make out his features.

The mystery man wore a trench coat with a ruffled blue tie hanging from his neck.

Both Bobby and Dean raised their shotguns and began firing at the figure.

The man continued walking towards the trio, his icy blue eyes a continuous glare, unmoving from his target.

"Who are you?" Dean demanded.

Isabelle didn't fully realize who he was until the man stood in front of her. "It's you,"

"Hello again, Isabelle," Castiel said.

Dean looked between Isabelle and Castiel. "You two know each other?"

Isabelle's gaze didn't leave Castiel's. "You could say he was the angel on my shoulder growing up...until he abandoned me,"

"I received other orders," Castiel reasoned.

"The moment you left...that's when those black-eyed freaks started coming after me,"

"I'm still confused..." Dean said.

"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition," Castiel replied.

"Yeah. Thanks for that," Dean took the knife and stabbed Castiel.

Isabelle shook her head as Castiel took the knife out as though it were a toothpick.

Bobby aimed to hit Castiel, but Castiel grabbed the weapon without glancing back.

Castiel placed two fingers on Bobby's head, causing the man to faint. He turned towards Dean and Isabelle.

Dean placed an arm between Castiel and Isabelle.

"We need to talk," Castiel said.

"Who are you?" Dean asked.

"Castiel," Isabelle said.

"Yeah, I figured that much," Dean snapped. "I mean, what are you?"

"Dean, I wasn't kidding when I said he was like an angel on my shoulder,"

Dean scoffed. "Get the hell out of here. There's no such thing,"

"This is your problem, Dean," Castiel said. "You have no faith,"

Lightning flashed within the building, revealing the dark shadow of Castiel's wings.

"Some angel you are," Dean claimed "you burned out that poor woman's eyes,"

"I warned her not to spy on my true form," Castiel reasoned. "It can be overwhelming to humans, and so can my real voice...but you already knew that,"

Dean looked between Isabelle and Castiel. "You mean the gas station and the motel? That was you talking?"

Castiel nodded.

"Buddy, next time, lower the volume,"

"That was my mistake. Certain people...special people...can perceive my true visage. I thought, like Isabelle, you would be one of them. I was wrong,"

"And what visage are you in now, huh? What...holy tax accountant?"

"This?" Castiel looked down at himself. "This is...a vessel,"

"You're possessing some poor bastard?"

"He's a devout man. He prayed for this,"

"Look, pal; I'm not buying what you're selling. So who are you?"

Castiel looked over at Isabelle.

Isabelle shook her head.

"I told you...Isabelle told you," Castiel said.

"Right," Dean said. "And why would an angel rescue me from hell? And protect a girl who can hear voices?"

"Good things do happen, Dean," Castiel reasoned.

"Not in my experience,"

"What's the matter? You don't think you deserve to be saved,"

"Why'd you do it?"

"Because God commanded it," Castiel revealed, "Because we have work for you. Both of you,"

Isabelle and Dean shared a look.