09x20 - Closet Chronicles - Part Two: Battlefield
Episode number: 09x20 of Season 9 Fan Fiction (S9FF)
Title: Closet Chronicles
Subtitle: Battlefield
Author: dracox-serdriel
Word Count: 2,040
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: language, violence, angst
Sam Winchester set up complex case boards all the time, but Dakota 'Dodge' Gage's craft put his to shame. She and Kevin spent the better part of the night collecting information from e-mails or scribbled notes and laying it out.
The war room appeared to be, well, an actual room for generals in a war. World maps were pinned up on corkboards with tacks and string to indicate local cases, omens, unusual events, and even weather patterns.
"Holy crap," Sam remarked at the sight of it.
Kevin didn't respond; his eyes were fixated on the large world map.
"Kev?" Sam asked.
When silence persisted for several minutes, Dodge spoke up. "This doesn't include any information from any of my contacts or resources," she said. "It's from two guys, uh, Charlie and Garth? They sent over bits and pieces. Charlie must be good, because he sent over omens and weather patterns world wide - "
"Charlie is a she," Sam interrupted. "And, yeah, she's great."
"I'm almost afraid to start using my contacts," Dodge admitted. "Whatever's happening, Sam, it's a global phenomenon."
She pointed to the green tacks. "You remember that case out on the West coast?" she asked.
"Those porcupine warriors, uh, Eer-moonan, right," Sam replied. It was seven a.m. and way too early to discuss crap like this.
"This same pattern can be found all over the world," Dodge said. "We're not talking a dozen people dead. We're talking hundreds, maybe even thousands."
Sam swallowed hard. "No. That would mean there would be hundreds of new Eer-moonan, too, which - "
Kevin cut him off. "Makes sense. They're building an army."
He clutched the newest Tablet to his chest. Sam broached the question, "Have you read any of it yet?"
"I know it's the Children of Eve Tablet," Kevin replied. "And there's a note at the bottom, like on the Demon Tablet. But it's not a goodbye note. It's like an addendum, I guess."
"You make any sense out of it?"
"Just that the first-fallen demons, like Paimon and Abbadon, harbored a secret. When Eve unearthed the truth, sent Purgatory, where she could tell no one about it," Kevin said, almost deadpan.
"That sounds important," Sam stated the obvious. "Did Metatron write down what this secret was?"
"I haven't read it yet," Kevin replied. "I have to read the tablet first. Otherwise it won't make sense."
"Oh, of course, I'm sorry," Sam said. "You need anything?"
"No, thanks."
Dodge motioned to Sam to join her in the kitchen.
"What's up?"
She never bought into stereotypes, but sometimes Sam's insight into his fellow man was astoundingly stunted in terms of emotion.
"Sam, he's not doing well," she replied. "He read that part of the tablet at midnight, and he hasn't looked at the thing since. He helped me out to distract himself from it."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying whatever he read on that big rock scared the crap out of him on a whole new level," she replied.
"You have any ideas?" Sam asked. "On how to help him through all this?"
She shook her head. "Maybe he needs to get out of here for a little while. Being locked down in a secret bunker with an angel and an FBI Agent isn't helping."
"He's not protected out there."
"What good is protecting him here if he implodes?"
Sam vividly recalled the last time Kevin Tran imploded. They couldn't let that happen again.
Dean stretched out across the bed, bumping his head into Castiel's.
"Sorry," he said.
"We need to get up," the angel replied.
Dean glanced over at the clock. It was eight in the morning. What the hell?
"Garth's contacts have sent substantial information," Castiel stated baldly. "And we need to check into it immediately."
"Cas, we've had this conversation before," Dean said. He waited a few moments for the confused expression on the angel's face to form. "Pillow talk topics. This isn't one of them."
The angel nodded and sat up straight. "All the more reason we should be out of bed."
"Cas, really, this isn't the end of the world. We can take another hour - "
"How do you know?"
"What?"
"That this isn't the end of the world?"
Dean blinked slowly. "Because we've done the end of the world plenty of times already. This is just evil trying to figure itself out."
Cas stood completely upright. "You told me that you and Sam were held captive in a motel with several deities and demigods, including Odin and Ganesh."
"And Gabriel's old flame, Kali," Dean said, a smile forming on his lips.
"You saw Lucifer lay them to waste," Cas remarked.
Dean nodded. "So what?"
"That was evil figuring itself out," he replied. "That was Lucifer consolidating power. Had he not decimated them, they may have been able to marshal a force to help you and Gabriel kill him."
That got Dean's attention. He sat up. "How do you know that?" he asked.
"Lucifer is intelligent and powerful," Cas replied. "He does not waste his time or energy; he could very easily have sent legions of demons to slaughter the deities there. Instead he presented a show of force: a dozen ancient deities mean nothing to an archangel. No one else dared rise against him after that."
"Except us," Dean said.
Cas smiled. "We had no choice."
"Damnit, now I'm awake."
Dean and Castiel came down into the war room as Sam dragged a bag to his shoulder.
"Where're you going?" Dean asked.
"Dallas."
"Texas?"
"No, in Canada. Yes, Texas," Sam replied.
"Okay, give me like ten minutes - " Dean began.
"No, Dodge and I are going."
"You and Dodge? Are going on a case? Together? Because last time that didn't work out so good," Dean pointed out.
"Last time we went to check a safe house. This time we're checking out a case," Sam replied.
"And I'm not going with you?" Dean asked.
"No," Dodge replied. "You're not." She had her own bag over her shoulder. She was also wearing her holster and gun. Dean had to admit, it was kind of hot.
"Why not?"
"Because my partner, Agent Acevedo, picked up a case involving occult-related deaths," she replied. "And you guys have been wanted by the FBI on and off for about, what, a decade now?"
"But you're taking Sam?" Castiel inquired.
"He refused to let me check it out on my own," she replied. "We'll call if we need help."
They hauled ass out of the bunker.
Dean turned to his angel. "Did that just happen? Or is this some kind of weird dream?"
"Actually," Kevin said, "it's about time."
"Are you all right?" Cas asked the Prophet.
"I just - need to be alone," he confessed. "To read this Tablet. I can't explain it."
"Very well," Cas said. "Dean, you said you could be ready in ten minutes?"
"Uh, Cas - "
"We need answers, and there is someone we should speak with."
"You wanna leave Kev here alone? Without anyone - "
"I'm right here," Kevin interrupted. "And I'll still be in the bunker, okay? I promise."
"Okay, but, I'm calling to check in with you, and you better pick up," Dean said.
Sam capped the gas tank and waited for the pump to print his receipt. Dodge climbed into the driver's seat of Sam's pickup before he could protest.
"You wanna drive?" he asked.
"I haven't driven a car in over a month," she replied.
"Because of your visions," Sam pointed out. "You can't really control them."
"I can pull over."
"You sure?"
"Don't you trust me?"
Sam smiled. "I do. And I wouldn't mind riding shotgun the rest of the way."
The next few minutes in the car were uncomfortable and quiet. He knew Dodge wasn't doing well cooped up at the bunker, but he thought she'd feel better when they were on the road. Clearly he was wrong; something else was bothering her.
"This case," he said, "you printed files, right? Can I take a peek?"
"Uh, yeah," she said, her voice lighter than before, "in my carry case, there."
Sam leafed through the pages. "Woah," he said as he saw the autopsy photos.
"You can say that again," Dodge replied.
"Your partner is working this case?"
"Yeah, right now the FBI is treating it like a serial case," she said. "They've held back details like the altars they've found, and the strange books they've recovered."
"She mention anything else?" Sam asked.
"Just that she found, and I quote, 'a bag of horror' at one of the scenes."
"A hex bag," Sam whispered. "Does your partner know anything about any of this?"
"Not really. And we need to keep it that way," Dodge replied. "I can't let anything happen to her, Sam. She's saved my life half a dozen times, and if she's reeled into this world because of me... I can't let her die."
"So we solve the case for her," Sam said.
Knolls, Utah. Dean dropped onto the motel bed like a rock; Cas insisted on getting away from the bunker. Dean insisted on driving instead of teleporting.
Bickering with Sam could be ended by turning up the music. Castiel did not buy into this tactic and continued to argue with the hunter for the entire drive.
"We need to ensure our activities aren't limited to Kansas," Cas said. "Lucifer has been nearby once before. I don't know why, but if he's still in the area, we need to draw him away. Make him think there is no permanent home."
Dean bit his lip. "Abaddon knew about it. The Men of Letters. The Bunker."
"She's dead."
"No, she's not. I mean, she should be locked in Hell, but then again, so should Lucifer and Paimon and God knows how many other demons - "
"No, she's dead," Castiel repeated. "Metatron smote her."
"Sorry? We're talking about the same Metatron, right? Archangel who defends himself primarily with a shotgun?"
"Only from mortals," Cas replied. "He is an archangel. He can smite demons like Abaddon."
Dean grimaced. "He told Sam and I he couldn't. He wasn't a warrior. He just had nice handwriting."
Cas nodded sagely. "If she were attacking him, Metatron's only true defense would be to flee. But as you confined her powers, chopped her into bits, and buried those parts of her in concrete, he didn't need to defend himself. He just touched the concrete and annihilated her."
Questions irked Dean. Cas could have mentioned this to him ages ago, before Sam closed the Gates of Hell. Clearly he had been on board with the plan.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Dean asked.
"I only learned of it last week, and other more pressing matters were at hand," Cas replied.
"You spoke with Metatron last week?"
The angel became cagey. "No," he confessed. "I spoke with Nathaniel."
"Ah, good old Nate," Dean said. "How is he?"
Unlike the other angels Dean had met, Nathaniel seemed like a solid guy. He had, after all, aided the Winchesters when Naomi and her posse were torturing Castiel and hunting Metatron.
"Devastated," Cas said. "Lucifer is trying to gather the angels hiding from Heaven. Nathaniel is among them."
"He's after the Grace, isn't he?"
"I believe so."
"Then what the hell are we doing out here in B.F.E. Utah where Satan can find you Cas?"
"Kuravi," the angel replied. "We're going to summon her."
"Uh, why?"
"Because monsters and demons are martialing their forces, Purgatory and Hell, Dean. We need to know what she knows."
"Well, we do have that list," Dean said. "The list of names I received in nightmare-o-grams. Benny told me he didn't send those."
"I thought you looked into those already?"
"Sam and I got side tracked by those hellhounds-on-crack and their fun counterparts. We never really got a chance."
Castiel tilted his head. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"It didn't - I mean, we got distracted, Cas. I forgot about it till like a minute ago," Dean replied. This was true, but he still felt viciously guilty about it.
"After you've slept, we'll speak with Kuravi," the angel said. "Then we'll start on your list."
Dean nodded. "You coming to bed or what?"
<<< Previous Part:
Part One: Chronicles No One Ever Read
Next Part: >>>
Part Three: Journeyed Deep
Primary Post: 09x20 Closet Chronicles
Primary Post: Season 9 Fan Fiction (S9FF)
Title: Closet Chronicles
Subtitle: Battlefield
Author: dracox-serdriel
Word Count: 2,040
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: language, violence, angst
Sam Winchester set up complex case boards all the time, but Dakota 'Dodge' Gage's craft put his to shame. She and Kevin spent the better part of the night collecting information from e-mails or scribbled notes and laying it out.
The war room appeared to be, well, an actual room for generals in a war. World maps were pinned up on corkboards with tacks and string to indicate local cases, omens, unusual events, and even weather patterns.
"Holy crap," Sam remarked at the sight of it.
Kevin didn't respond; his eyes were fixated on the large world map.
"Kev?" Sam asked.
When silence persisted for several minutes, Dodge spoke up. "This doesn't include any information from any of my contacts or resources," she said. "It's from two guys, uh, Charlie and Garth? They sent over bits and pieces. Charlie must be good, because he sent over omens and weather patterns world wide - "
"Charlie is a she," Sam interrupted. "And, yeah, she's great."
"I'm almost afraid to start using my contacts," Dodge admitted. "Whatever's happening, Sam, it's a global phenomenon."
She pointed to the green tacks. "You remember that case out on the West coast?" she asked.
"Those porcupine warriors, uh, Eer-moonan, right," Sam replied. It was seven a.m. and way too early to discuss crap like this.
"This same pattern can be found all over the world," Dodge said. "We're not talking a dozen people dead. We're talking hundreds, maybe even thousands."
Sam swallowed hard. "No. That would mean there would be hundreds of new Eer-moonan, too, which - "
Kevin cut him off. "Makes sense. They're building an army."
He clutched the newest Tablet to his chest. Sam broached the question, "Have you read any of it yet?"
"I know it's the Children of Eve Tablet," Kevin replied. "And there's a note at the bottom, like on the Demon Tablet. But it's not a goodbye note. It's like an addendum, I guess."
"You make any sense out of it?"
"Just that the first-fallen demons, like Paimon and Abbadon, harbored a secret. When Eve unearthed the truth, sent Purgatory, where she could tell no one about it," Kevin said, almost deadpan.
"That sounds important," Sam stated the obvious. "Did Metatron write down what this secret was?"
"I haven't read it yet," Kevin replied. "I have to read the tablet first. Otherwise it won't make sense."
"Oh, of course, I'm sorry," Sam said. "You need anything?"
"No, thanks."
Dodge motioned to Sam to join her in the kitchen.
"What's up?"
She never bought into stereotypes, but sometimes Sam's insight into his fellow man was astoundingly stunted in terms of emotion.
"Sam, he's not doing well," she replied. "He read that part of the tablet at midnight, and he hasn't looked at the thing since. He helped me out to distract himself from it."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying whatever he read on that big rock scared the crap out of him on a whole new level," she replied.
"You have any ideas?" Sam asked. "On how to help him through all this?"
She shook her head. "Maybe he needs to get out of here for a little while. Being locked down in a secret bunker with an angel and an FBI Agent isn't helping."
"He's not protected out there."
"What good is protecting him here if he implodes?"
Sam vividly recalled the last time Kevin Tran imploded. They couldn't let that happen again.
Dean stretched out across the bed, bumping his head into Castiel's.
"Sorry," he said.
"We need to get up," the angel replied.
Dean glanced over at the clock. It was eight in the morning. What the hell?
"Garth's contacts have sent substantial information," Castiel stated baldly. "And we need to check into it immediately."
"Cas, we've had this conversation before," Dean said. He waited a few moments for the confused expression on the angel's face to form. "Pillow talk topics. This isn't one of them."
The angel nodded and sat up straight. "All the more reason we should be out of bed."
"Cas, really, this isn't the end of the world. We can take another hour - "
"How do you know?"
"What?"
"That this isn't the end of the world?"
Dean blinked slowly. "Because we've done the end of the world plenty of times already. This is just evil trying to figure itself out."
Cas stood completely upright. "You told me that you and Sam were held captive in a motel with several deities and demigods, including Odin and Ganesh."
"And Gabriel's old flame, Kali," Dean said, a smile forming on his lips.
"You saw Lucifer lay them to waste," Cas remarked.
Dean nodded. "So what?"
"That was evil figuring itself out," he replied. "That was Lucifer consolidating power. Had he not decimated them, they may have been able to marshal a force to help you and Gabriel kill him."
That got Dean's attention. He sat up. "How do you know that?" he asked.
"Lucifer is intelligent and powerful," Cas replied. "He does not waste his time or energy; he could very easily have sent legions of demons to slaughter the deities there. Instead he presented a show of force: a dozen ancient deities mean nothing to an archangel. No one else dared rise against him after that."
"Except us," Dean said.
Cas smiled. "We had no choice."
"Damnit, now I'm awake."
Dean and Castiel came down into the war room as Sam dragged a bag to his shoulder.
"Where're you going?" Dean asked.
"Dallas."
"Texas?"
"No, in Canada. Yes, Texas," Sam replied.
"Okay, give me like ten minutes - " Dean began.
"No, Dodge and I are going."
"You and Dodge? Are going on a case? Together? Because last time that didn't work out so good," Dean pointed out.
"Last time we went to check a safe house. This time we're checking out a case," Sam replied.
"And I'm not going with you?" Dean asked.
"No," Dodge replied. "You're not." She had her own bag over her shoulder. She was also wearing her holster and gun. Dean had to admit, it was kind of hot.
"Why not?"
"Because my partner, Agent Acevedo, picked up a case involving occult-related deaths," she replied. "And you guys have been wanted by the FBI on and off for about, what, a decade now?"
"But you're taking Sam?" Castiel inquired.
"He refused to let me check it out on my own," she replied. "We'll call if we need help."
They hauled ass out of the bunker.
Dean turned to his angel. "Did that just happen? Or is this some kind of weird dream?"
"Actually," Kevin said, "it's about time."
"Are you all right?" Cas asked the Prophet.
"I just - need to be alone," he confessed. "To read this Tablet. I can't explain it."
"Very well," Cas said. "Dean, you said you could be ready in ten minutes?"
"Uh, Cas - "
"We need answers, and there is someone we should speak with."
"You wanna leave Kev here alone? Without anyone - "
"I'm right here," Kevin interrupted. "And I'll still be in the bunker, okay? I promise."
"Okay, but, I'm calling to check in with you, and you better pick up," Dean said.
Sam capped the gas tank and waited for the pump to print his receipt. Dodge climbed into the driver's seat of Sam's pickup before he could protest.
"You wanna drive?" he asked.
"I haven't driven a car in over a month," she replied.
"Because of your visions," Sam pointed out. "You can't really control them."
"I can pull over."
"You sure?"
"Don't you trust me?"
Sam smiled. "I do. And I wouldn't mind riding shotgun the rest of the way."
The next few minutes in the car were uncomfortable and quiet. He knew Dodge wasn't doing well cooped up at the bunker, but he thought she'd feel better when they were on the road. Clearly he was wrong; something else was bothering her.
"This case," he said, "you printed files, right? Can I take a peek?"
"Uh, yeah," she said, her voice lighter than before, "in my carry case, there."
Sam leafed through the pages. "Woah," he said as he saw the autopsy photos.
"You can say that again," Dodge replied.
"Your partner is working this case?"
"Yeah, right now the FBI is treating it like a serial case," she said. "They've held back details like the altars they've found, and the strange books they've recovered."
"She mention anything else?" Sam asked.
"Just that she found, and I quote, 'a bag of horror' at one of the scenes."
"A hex bag," Sam whispered. "Does your partner know anything about any of this?"
"Not really. And we need to keep it that way," Dodge replied. "I can't let anything happen to her, Sam. She's saved my life half a dozen times, and if she's reeled into this world because of me... I can't let her die."
"So we solve the case for her," Sam said.
Knolls, Utah. Dean dropped onto the motel bed like a rock; Cas insisted on getting away from the bunker. Dean insisted on driving instead of teleporting.
Bickering with Sam could be ended by turning up the music. Castiel did not buy into this tactic and continued to argue with the hunter for the entire drive.
"We need to ensure our activities aren't limited to Kansas," Cas said. "Lucifer has been nearby once before. I don't know why, but if he's still in the area, we need to draw him away. Make him think there is no permanent home."
Dean bit his lip. "Abaddon knew about it. The Men of Letters. The Bunker."
"She's dead."
"No, she's not. I mean, she should be locked in Hell, but then again, so should Lucifer and Paimon and God knows how many other demons - "
"No, she's dead," Castiel repeated. "Metatron smote her."
"Sorry? We're talking about the same Metatron, right? Archangel who defends himself primarily with a shotgun?"
"Only from mortals," Cas replied. "He is an archangel. He can smite demons like Abaddon."
Dean grimaced. "He told Sam and I he couldn't. He wasn't a warrior. He just had nice handwriting."
Cas nodded sagely. "If she were attacking him, Metatron's only true defense would be to flee. But as you confined her powers, chopped her into bits, and buried those parts of her in concrete, he didn't need to defend himself. He just touched the concrete and annihilated her."
Questions irked Dean. Cas could have mentioned this to him ages ago, before Sam closed the Gates of Hell. Clearly he had been on board with the plan.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Dean asked.
"I only learned of it last week, and other more pressing matters were at hand," Cas replied.
"You spoke with Metatron last week?"
The angel became cagey. "No," he confessed. "I spoke with Nathaniel."
"Ah, good old Nate," Dean said. "How is he?"
Unlike the other angels Dean had met, Nathaniel seemed like a solid guy. He had, after all, aided the Winchesters when Naomi and her posse were torturing Castiel and hunting Metatron.
"Devastated," Cas said. "Lucifer is trying to gather the angels hiding from Heaven. Nathaniel is among them."
"He's after the Grace, isn't he?"
"I believe so."
"Then what the hell are we doing out here in B.F.E. Utah where Satan can find you Cas?"
"Kuravi," the angel replied. "We're going to summon her."
"Uh, why?"
"Because monsters and demons are martialing their forces, Purgatory and Hell, Dean. We need to know what she knows."
"Well, we do have that list," Dean said. "The list of names I received in nightmare-o-grams. Benny told me he didn't send those."
"I thought you looked into those already?"
"Sam and I got side tracked by those hellhounds-on-crack and their fun counterparts. We never really got a chance."
Castiel tilted his head. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"It didn't - I mean, we got distracted, Cas. I forgot about it till like a minute ago," Dean replied. This was true, but he still felt viciously guilty about it.
"After you've slept, we'll speak with Kuravi," the angel said. "Then we'll start on your list."
Dean nodded. "You coming to bed or what?"
<<< Previous Part:
Part One: Chronicles No One Ever Read
Next Part: >>>
Part Three: Journeyed Deep
Primary Post: 09x20 Closet Chronicles
Primary Post: Season 9 Fan Fiction (S9FF)