Lucifer In Lace

Part 9 Coffee

Dean was grabbing coffee.  Watching the news on the flatscreen hanging low in the cafe and studiously trying not to throw up.  Chuck was gonna let him hang around the operation on account of Sam being in there, but he wasn't officially working the case.  So it was Venti Vanilla Latte for Chuck Shurley his operations commander and Tall Americano for Bobby Singer Chuck's boss.

The news coverage was showing a sheet hanging in the prison's front office with the words "Lucifer is Risen" painted on it.  The journalist was reporting that the prison's website had been hacked and was also displaying the same wording.  Dean counted out loose change and got himself a camomile tea.  He couldn't afford to be any more anxious than he already was.  He was usually good at compartmentalising, wouldn't have made it into the FBI's undercover ops if he wasn't.  Dean wasn't his usual self though, he was worried about Sam but Sam could take care of himself.  The strange niggling, empty feeling in the pit of his stomach was for someone who didn't deserve any second thought from Dean. 

Dean walked with the tray of drinks to his car, there was a church across the road and after putting the drinks inside, he walked through it's heavy doors.  The church hall was empty, illuminated only by candles.  Someone was sleeping in the back row and the priest was an elderly man who gave Dean nothing more than a nod.  Dean bowed his head and tried to pray for a minute but that feeling only grew until the realisation dawned on Dean that it wasn't concern or fear.  It was hunger. 

He could see Castiel's fixed stare in his head, could hear his soft voice sounding out a cascade of Latin, could feel the burn of his hand still.  Dean started when his cell phone buzzed.  He looked down and saw a message from Chuck which simply read "Development". 

It took Dean no more than a minute to get back to the field office the FBI had set up outside the prison complex.  Chuck took the coffee and drained it in one long gulp whilst pointing at a screen.  Dean looked down and saw a whole a bunch of blacked out monitors, with the exception of only a few that were lit up.

"That one just came back online," Chuck said.  "Lucifer's letting us see this room now."

"That's Nick," Dean looked at the still form shown on the bed. 

The screen went blurry for a second then the back of a man's head came into frame.  Dean would recognise that messy head of hair anywhere. 

"This feed is also available to the media."  Chuck pointed to a computer screen with splits of livefeeds that were currently on-air.

Dean could see Castiel pass a cell phone to Nick.  Nick was beaming, putting his hand on the top of Castiel's head. 

"Will you let the light of Lucifer into you and become him?"

"Yes."

That was single word was all Castiel said before Nick closed his eyes and the screen went dark again.  The audio cut out a split second later, but Dean's ear still caught a fraction of a whispered hiss of air.  He side glanced Chuck and the commander nodded.  They watched as the heat sensing infrared camera showed Nick's body cooling down. 

"We have a request for a private video link," an agent reported.  Chuck nodded and stood before the relevant monitor. 

Dean hung back, still reeling for hearing Castiel's voice say that one word.   But even Dean's attention was drawn to the computer screen when Warden Knight's face popped up.  She was still impeccably made-up, though her hair fell loose around her shoulders in damp ringlets.  Her complexion was flushed, like she had been running or was excited, probably both. 

"Hey guys," she said with a bright smile.  "You've just watched the coronation of the new King of Hell. Thanks for the publicity.  We are going to have a bit of a succession party in here now and then you know, the fire will probably wipe the prison out."

"Abby, I didn't know you worked for them." Chuck said.

"Abbadon," the Warden said. 

Dean cursed under his breath.  Abbadon snickered.  "Hey is Dean there?  He's gotta be right, most of his team is still here."

"Dean Smith is dead," Chuck said quietly. 

"Oh come on, like we don't know you guys are good at faking a death or two."

"Okay, I was an agent," Chuck deflected.  "And Dean was too but he's ..."

Abbadon disappeared off screen and Dean's breath caught in his throat when Castiel appeared.  He wasn't wearing anything to cover his face, was still dressed as a priest. 

"I wish to speak to Dean," he said. 

Dean leaned against the wall and bit his lips.

"If he is alive, I will speak to him," Castiel continued.