City of Angels (and Demons)

Chapter Seventeen

Dean was fully prepared to tell Matt and Ryan everything. With Amy there, it would be easier since she could back him up. He knew it was better for them not to know, since they were moving out after all, but they deserved to know if Mark didn't make it through this.

But, he didn't get the chance to say anything when the door opened and Castiel and Crowley walked in. About twenty minutes earlier than anticipated. Everyone just stared at each other in silence for a few moments then Crowley spoke up, "Lost him, did you?"

Dean ignored Crowley and looked at Castiel. "We needed you here yesterday, Cas," he said, knowing his anger was just coming from his frustrations, but he didn't care.

Castiel looked at Crowley then back at Dean. "We were following a hunch -"

"A hunch?" Dean asked, aware of Sam giving him a look, reminding him of where they were. Who they were in front of. "Was that hunch the reason you couldn't stick around here? Why you dropped this case on us?"

"I wouldn't trust this case with anyone else," Castiel said. He looked uncomfortable that they were talking about this here and now.

"That's not the point, Cas."

"Dean!" Sam intervened, grabbing Dean's arm and moving to the other room. Castiel and Crowley followed. "We didn't ask Cas here for this. The only thing that matters right now is Mark and the people Dark may hurt along the way."

Dean said nothing, giving no satisfaction to the fact that Sam was right. But he didn't have to. Sam already knew.

"We were called off the hunt for Lucifer because you two can't handle one demon?" Crowley asked.

"We can handle him," Dean said. "It's the saving the vessel part that's hindering us right now."

"Since when do you care about the vessels?" Crowley asked. "Do you often forget how many demon possessed people you've killed over the years? Just stab him and be done with it."

"There's been too many deaths as it is," Sam said. "We need to come out of this with at least one alive."

"And that doesn't count your angel friend who nearly got himself and his vessel killed because he was an idiot," Dean said, looking at Castiel.

"He was following orders," Castiel said. All the angels of heaven hated him, but there were still some that would blindly follow his lead.

"Well, then he learned to pull stupid stunts from the best," Dean said.

Sam steered the conversation back to the reason they had called Castiel and Crowley, "When we had Dark here, we came to the conclusion that we couldn't exorcise him. Dark went through a hell of a time to get Mark. He'll just come back for more. And it'd more than likely be worse next time."

"You're both idiots," Crowley said. "Did you ever stop and think about why he needed that hospital?" He and Castiel had been on this case first, so he knew the basics. Or he just knew more than he let on.

"It'd be easier for him to get to Mark," Sam said.

"And that's why you're idiots," Crowley said. "He needed the hospital and Dr. Bates to take care of his body."

Sam and Dean both stopped and looked at Crowley. "His body?" Dean asked. "Why didn't you tell us this before we even got here?"

"You didn't ask," Crowley said. "And I like to keep a few things to myself. If you knew who Dark was..."

"And you do?"

"Perhaps."

"Then tell us," Sam said, forcefully.

"He didn't have a name," Crowley said. "Not until Fischbach. The little bastard was obsessed. Fashioned a vessel after Fischbach." He paused to let that sink in.

"Fashioned a vessel?" Dean asked.

Crowley nodded. "He made his own vessel," he said. "He'd be on Lucifer's most wanted list, if the Devil only knew." Dean caught on that Crowley was stretching the truth to fit what he wanted them to think, but it was still better than what they had now. It was clear Crowley knew more, but it would be pointless to try and get it from him.

"So," Dean said, looking at Sam. "Dark has a body."

Sam nodded. "All we gotta do is trap him there."

"Easy."

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Dark was sitting at Dr. Cook's desk when the doctor himself walked in. And from the look on Cook's face, the doctor knew what happened to his fellow doctors, Bates and Clyde. And, more importantly, who had done it. As soon as Cook processed that, he turned to leave. Dark lifted a finger and closed the door.

Slowly, Cook turned to face Dark. Cook was holding a video camera. The one Bates had been filming with while she waited for Dark's return. With how obsessed Bates had been, Dark didn't want to know what was on that camera and the thought of someone else watching it made Dark want to kill Bates all over again and in more painful way.

But he wasn't here for that.

"You're...HIM, aren't you?" Cook asked, though Dark knew he didn't need an answer. "I had nothing to do with what Laurie had planned."

"But you know," Dark said then stood up. "She had something of mine. She didn't tell me where she was keeping it. I need it before someone else gets to it." If Sam and Dean spoke with Crowley, there was a possibility that the King of Hell would reveal that Dark's body was somewhere in this hospital.

"The, uh...body?" Cook asked, his words coming out shaky. It was good that he was scared. He would cooperate faster. He looked down at the camera. "Laurie's, I guess, memoirs mentioned it." He looked up, jumping back startled when Dark was suddenly there in front of him. "It's in her operating room. On ice."

Dark took the camera from Cook. "Thank you, that's all I needed," he said. He snapped his fingers, killing Cook then he left the office.