Reckless and Brave

LXXVIII. (78) Revolution (Part II)

Dean tried to break through a wall with a pedestal. He'd smashed through to the foundations, but as soon as he paused, the wall repaired itself.

He threw the pedestal to the ground. "Son of a bitch."

Zachariah appeared behind Holly and she screamed in surprise. "Asshat."

The angel frowned at them. "Quit hurling feces like a howler monkey, would you? It's unbecoming. Control your brother, Holly."

Holly glared at him. "Only if you let us out of here."

"Like I told you two: too dangerous out there. Demons on the prowl."

"Okay, listen, Chuckles. We've been getting our asses kicked all year. And now you're worried about us? That's cute, but you're lying. We want to see our brother."

"That's...ill-advised."

Dean narrowed his eyes. "You know, I am so sick of your crap riddles and your smug, fat face. What the hell is going on, huh? Why can't we see Sam? And how are we gonna ice Lilith?"

Zachariah sighed. "You two aren't...gonna ice Lilith."

"What?" Dean and Holly asked.

"Lilith's gonna break the final seal. Fait accompli at this point. Train's left the station."

"But me, Sam, and Holly, we can stop..." He stopped. "You don't want to stop it, do you?"

Zachariah shook his head. "Nope. Never did. The end is nigh. The apocalypse is coming, kiddos, to a theater near you."

Holly raised an eyebrow. "What was all that crap about saving seals, then?"

"Our grunts on the ground--we couldn't just tell them the whole truth. We'd have a full-scale rebellion on our hands. I mean, think about it. Would we really let 65 seals get broken unless senior management wanted it that way?"

"Why?"

"Why not? The apocalypse? Poor name, bad marketing--puts people off. When all it is is Ali/Foreman. On a...slightly larger scale. And we like our chances. When our side wins--and we will--it's paradise on earth. Now, what's not to like about that?"

Dean frowned. "What happens to all the people during your little pissing contest?"

"Well...you can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs. In this case...truckloads of eggs, but you get the picture. Look...it happens. This isn't the first planetary enema we've delivered." He saw Dean eyeing a statue on a mantelpiece. "Uh, no, Dean. Probably shouldn't try to bash my skull in with that thing. Wouldn't end up too pleasant for you. Might want to control your sister."

Dean grabbed Holly's wrist and asked, "What about Sam? He won't go quietly. He'll stop Lilith."

Zachariah inhaled deeply. "Sam...has a part to play. A very important part. He may need a little nudging in the right direction, but I'll make sure he plays it."

Holly stepped out from behind Dean. "What exactly does that mean? What are you planning to do to him?"

"Sam, Sam, Sam. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia. Forget about him, would you? You two have larger concerns. Why do you think I'm confiding in the two of you? You two are still vital, Dean, Holly. We weren't lying about your destinies. Just...omitted a few pertinent details. But nothing's changed. You two are chosen. You will stop it, you will try to diffuse. Just...not Lilith or the apocalypse. That's all."

"Which means?" Dean demanded.

Zachariah gestured to a painting of Saint Michel on the wall. He chuckled. "Trust me--one day, we'll look back on this and laugh."