Rogue (Supernatural) [Rogue Trilogy] {1}

32. Pray, Montana

32. Pray, Montana

On our drive to Colorado, Sam claims shotgun, leaving the angels' fearless leader in the back. On the way, Sam explains the recent events that've gone on, recent events being Dean's brutal slaying of Abaddon, who I never really got to interact with.

"Abaddon is dead," Cas repeats.

"And then some," I say under my breath.

"Oh, no."

I look at Cas in the mirror. "Okay. Um...Ominous."

"Does Dean seem different to either of you?"

I swallow and side-glance at Sam. We both know our answers.

"Yeah," Sam speaks. "Lately, he seems to be...amped up—you know, on edge."

"Effects of the Mark?" asks Cas.

I sigh. "What else?"

"He does seem angry. I mean, he's always a little angry, but now it seems like...more. I think a part of him actually believed that I ordered those angels to, you know...Sam, Josette, you don't, do you?"

"No," Sam and I say together.

"Cas, listen," Sam says. "You got a weird thing going on back there. Those other angels, the way they stare at you, i-it's like you're part rock star, part L. Ron."

"They've put their faith in me," says Cas.

"And maybe that's the problem," I consider carefully. "I mean, people have been doing messed up crap in the name of faith—in the name of God—since forever. You don't need to be an expert on religion to see it. You see a lot of whack jobs on the news using religion to justify their extreme actions."

"Well...I'm not trying to...play God. I'm just trying to get my people home."

I keep looking at Cas through the mirror, then at my younger brother. "So, uh, about that tyrannical period you went through," I address Cas cautiously. "Care to fill me in?"

"You won't want to hear it, Josette."

"Try me. It's a drive to Colorado. I need something to pass the time." I watch as someone illegally passes me. I roll my eyes. Asshole drivers.

"I...I tried to play God, and I did way more harm than good in the end. It backfired, just like everything I always try to do for the greater good." I can see the haunted, tormented look in his eyes. I can see the regret.

"Well, surely, your good outweighs your bad," I say thickly. "You don't seem like the Metatron type, to be an utter douchebag for no reason. We'll get through this, Cas. You've got us, and you've got your...followers, whatever you want to call them. You're not in this by yourself."

"I'm not worried about that, Josette. I'm worried about how much this is going to cost in the end."

Our brief stop at the Gas-n-Sip confirmed that Josiah had confirmed we were on the right path. The employee there gave us Josiah's next destination: Pray, Montana. We geared up for another road trip.

I'm thankful to be out of my truck once I park it outside of the warehouse. We're not the first ones here, though: another car is already here.

"That looks like the car the guy at the gas station was talking about, right?" asks Sam. "Maybe Josiah's still around."

We walk towards the locked door.