Marked (Supernatural) [Rogue Trilogy] {2}

18. The Next Step

18. The Next Step

Dean got into contact with Crowley, who was the sole person—demon, whatever—that knew the location of the First Blade. My brothers went to talk with the King of Hell, I decided to opt out. It's highly likely that His Royal Highness didn't realize that he had Josette Winchester in Hell for some time before she broke out somehow.

I got a call from Dean saying that Crowley's gonna fetch us the Blade from somewhere in Guam, apparently.

Since Crowley was doing his part, we're doing ours by waiting. While Sam and Dean were making the drive back to the bunker, I reached out to Cas to keep him informed as to what was going on. He didn't say much, except that he's making his way to the bunker and we'd talk more when he got here.

Dean's disappeared, and I'm perched on the end of one of the library tables. Sam's seated in the war room, and I'm swinging my legs out of boredom.

"The First Blade is back in play, and Crowley is the one getting it?"

I slide off the table, walking into the war room, as Cas comes down the steps.

"I don't mean to be an alarmist, but you—"

"Yeah well, you know us," says Dean. I turn to see my older brother coming in with a beer bottle. It's definitely one of those kinds of nights. "When we screw ourselves we like to go whole hog."

"This would be the Crowley who let the Blade turn Dean into a demon?" Cas is down the stairs now, and I step into the war room.

"I don't have a choice, 'kay? I don't do this, I'm down the rabbit hole. Hear evil, see evil, do evil. The trifecta."

"Cas, look," I say firmly. "Let us worry about this. You've got enough on your plate with Claire."

"Claire is gone," says Cas.

I frown. "Gone where?"

"I don't know, I—I should have stopped her. But I am certain that she is destined for more trouble and disappointment. She is so...so full of rage."

"Listen, man, if I could make it better I would," Dean says sincerely.

"It's actually why I'm here. I was hoping you might reach out to her."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Seriously, I'm probably the last person she would wanna hear from. Hell, I'd bet she'd have better luck with Jo than me."

"I thought there would be a connection," Cas says earnestly. "One extremely messed up human to another, you could explain why you murdered her only friend."

"Oh, well, yeah, when you put it like that."

"All I know"—Cas sits down—"is she won't talk to me. I thought if she understood the kind of man Randy was and the danger she was in, she might..."

"What the hell, why not?" says Dean. "Long shots seem to be the theme around here. I'm gonna go make a sandwich."

"I'll, uh—I'll text you her number."

"Okay."

Cas has his phone in hand. "I like texting. Emoticons." But Dean's already left the room. "He seems calm. Considering the effects of the Mark. Metatron in proximity."