Chapter 4

"Do you know how many hits there are on Beckett?" Dean was sitting in Mac's library, Sam's laptop opened in front of him. He and Bobby had been searching their first line of resources since he and Castiel had returned to the condo.

"Eleven million, six hundred thousand." Bobby looked over the top of Mac's desk computer with a smirk. "Give or take a few."

"Good guess." Dean rubbed his eyes. He had been up all night; the lack of sleep was pulling at him. They didn't know if Beckett was a first or last name, or an alias. "At this rate we might narrow it down by next week."

"We could put Riley on it."

"Mac did that. Carolyn and Alison are running The Brotherhood route, too." Dean was going through the motions to keep his mind off the fact he was completely useless to Caleb and Sam at the moment.

A first name wasn't enough for angel radar, but Castiel had agreed to go farther north to feel out the situation. Without a direct line on who they were looking for, it was all a wild goose chase. Dean touched his hunter's band, the one connection he had to his missing brother and best friend. The fact he somehow knew they were alive was the only thing keeping him from coming unhinged.

"Ethan have any luck with the traffic cameras?" Bobby asked.

"The Athens Police Department put him in touch with the company they contract out to." Bobby had suggested they check the area towns near his place, the possible routes Caleb would have traveled. It was as much of a needle in the haystack as dropping a line in the World Wide Web. "He doesn't expect it to go anywhere considering we don't know the make or model of the vehicles the bad guys might have used. The company gave him access to the footage from the night Caleb left your place, but so far he hasn't even found any trace of anything unusual."

"I know it was a long shot, but those cameras have gotten me for running enough red lights." Bobby sighed. "I was hoping they would finally pay off for me in a good way."

"It was a good idea, just like dusting Caleb's car for prints." That had turned up zilch, not counting Caleb's smashed cell phone, which took away yet another option of tracking them down.

Bobby rolled away from Mac's desk, moving towards Dean. "When's the last time you slept, Kid? Or ate something besides coffee that could stand on its own? You look like shit."

Dean straightened in his chair, frowning at the mechanic. "You're turning into a nursemaid in your old age."

"I'm just being practical. You're not going to be much use to us or Caleb and Sam if you keel over."

"At this point I'm not sure I'm much of an advantage either way."

"We're going to get them back, Kid. Junior and Sam will be just fine."

"Just like Jo and Ellen are fine."

Bobby couldn't mask the grimace of hurt, the swirl of emotion in his steady gaze. "If I learned anything in war, it's that you can't move forward if you're carrying the weight of the dead on your shoulders. They'll drag you down if you let them. You'll falter- then their death means nothing."

"What happened to leaving no man behind?" It was what haunted Dean in his dreams. He, Caleb and Sam had left Jo and Ellen to face the enemy alone. Many nights he awoke with the sound of the explosion ringing in his ears, the taste of Jo on his lips. He couldn't help to wonder how his father and Jim would have handled the situation differently. Dean questioned whether he would have made the same choice and walked away if it were his brother or Caleb injured by the hell hounds.

"You didn't leave them, Dean. They chose to say." Bobby scratched his beard. "I've seen soldiers throw themselves on a live grenade to save their buddies. Hell, I've been one of the saved. Only way to honor a sacrifice like that is to take up their sword and carry on. You keep fighting, harder than before."

"Easier said than done when enemies keep coming at you from all directions." It seemed they took two steps forward, three steps back.

"I hate to break this to you, Kid, but failure is the best teacher of vigilance."

Dean snorted, knowing his pity party was grinding to a halt. It was hard to face Bobby and feel sorry for yourself. "Wait til I tell Damien you're a waxing philosophic. What next? You going to take up the podium? I'm not sure I'm ready to see you in one of Jim's old collars."

"I don't think you have to worry about that anytime soon, smartass." Bobby turned his wheelchair towards the door. "Although, I might write an inspirational book when all this is over, get your buddy Chuck to hook me up. Right now, I'm more concerned about getting something to eat."

Dean grinned, knowing Bobby was more worried about him eating. Everyone needed to feel useful. "I guess some of Esme's leftover pot roast wouldn't kill me."

Bobby nodded. "There's some fancy mousse calling my name. All this time I thought Mackland was lusting over Esme's great legs, and I find out it was her cooking that did him in."

"Please tell me I didn't just hear you use my mother's name and the words lust and legs in the same sentence." Joshua entered the room carrying a large book that resembled an ancient dictionary and his journal. He gave Bobby a scathing look. "Have you no shame? She's a married woman you know, married to one of your best friends no less."

"That doesn't mean I can't appreciate her finer assets, Slick. Hell, a woman officially off the market is more desirable. You should ask your brother what he thinks about Carolyn sometime."

"Caleb talks about Carolyn?" Joshua's icy gaze turned on Dean. "I expect him to manage a modicum of respect in regards to my fiancé."

"What do you want me to do? Damien talks about anything with a heartbeat and breasts." Dean was slightly amused Joshua didn't protest Bobby's use of the sibling status. "Speaking of a great rack, did the lovely Leah whisper anything useful in your ear, or just the typical sweet nothings?"

Leah was the newly crowned queen bee of Joshua's coven. The Brotherhood wasn't the only group transitioning power. To hear Joshua tell it, Leah was a very powerful witch from a formidable family. Dean had met her at The Triad ceremony after party and hadn't missed the way Leah hung on their Advisor's every word. His gut told him the woman was used to getting what she wanted, knew how to work an angle, any angle, especially the curvy ones.

"Leah confirmed what Mackland had heard. In fact, she says the covens are all very quietly pointing fingers, despite the fact no specific witch has been named as the culprit behind this Beckett's rise to power. At the latest gathering of sovereign officials, it was quite the issue. A great squabble ensued, causing one of the covens more known for its leniency for dark magic to withdraw from the meeting. She promised to check with more of her sources, perhaps contact the gentleman overseer of the coven in question. She's going to get back with us."

"That sounds like a lot of work on her part." Dean picked up the paper weight of The Eiffel Tower from the desk, turning it over in his hands. "You know I'd never ask you to compromise your virtue, man."

"I assure you there will be no need for me to take one for the team where Leah is concerned." Joshua placed the tome in front of Dean. "She and I have a completely professional relationship based on a mutual respect for the craft. She's amazingly gifted in alchemy. I've learned a great deal from her." He tapped the page. "Like this spell, which is very effective in blocking psychic abilities such as Mackland's. If the vampire truly is working with a witch, this could be what they are using to prevent anyone with gifts from finding where they are."

"As long as there are no chemistry lessons going on." Dean stared at the inscription. He felt responsible for Joshua being in the coven. Knowing his Advisor had made the best of a bad situation, carving a niche for himself with his fellow witches, didn't alleviate the weight of the guilt. He didn't want to be the blame for any more upset, especially if Joshua ended up collateral damage.

"Unlike Caleb, I can control my libido."

Bobby snorted. "Famous last words, Sport."

"Are you interested in hearing what else Leah said or would you rather continue demeaning my character with your lack of faith in my integrity as a gentleman?"

"Please, by all means, carry on. I'll get us a snack for what I'm sure promises to be an awe inspiring lecture. Maybe Esme would like to help me?" Bobby rolled past Joshua, giving The Advisor a wink. "Don't worry; I'm in complete control of my libido as well."

Joshua folded his arms over his chest. "I honestly believe his incapacitation has left him more contrary."

"I think you just bring out the best in people." Dean reclined in his seat, propping his hands behind his head. "Let's hear the rest of it."

"Leah said a witch of the caliber we believe is working with Beckett will make it even harder to find him. Not only are there cloaking spells against psychics, there are also guards against more traditional forms of tracking, not to mention any crafting on my part would be thwarted. "

Dean brought his arms down, rubbing his silver ring. "Lenore says a lot of vampires are buying into Beckett's spiel. We have no idea of knowing the number we're going up against."

"The fact they are uniting against a common enemy could prove quite difficult. One of the reasons past hunters like Daniel Elkins had such success in keeping their population low and maintainable is because they either work alone or in small clusters. They also tend to fight amongst themselves."

"They've been their own worst enemy."

"So to speak."

"We have to find them, Josh." Dean left out the part where they had to find them alive, relatively unharmed, and mostly human. "There has to be a way around all of this."

"I've been thinking about that. I know that angels and demons can no longer find you, Sam and Caleb, and Mackland is impotent at the moment. "

Dean raised a brow. "I'm not sure Mackland would appreciate your turn of phrase."

Joshua sighed. "Regular spell work is out, but there is another resource that has proven to have different boundaries, one no witch would think to counter. We use The Triad."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Dean shoved away from the desk. If only it were that simple. "Oh yeah, there is that little problem with the whole 'we have no idea how the hell to use Triad magic' thing."

"I know someone who does."

"Ben Mosley." Dean ran a hand through his hair. "Only we've had no luck in finding him either. As far as we know old man Mosley is dead, taking all his knowledge and the journals of all the past Advisors with him."

"I wasn't referring to Mosley."

"Then who?"

"Malachi Harris."

"The demon Damien released?" Dean's mind reeled at the unexpected suggestion. Joshua was nothing if not practical and at times overly cautious.

"He was an Advisor before he became a demon."

"Are you crazy? The guy murdered his Guardian and Knight back in his human days. He's spent roughly the equivalent of twelve thousand years in the Pit. I can only imagine what kind of monster he is now."

"A monster who knows how to use Triad magic. His was one of the most powerful Triad's in Brotherhood history. We can't dismiss the similarities in Daniel Wilmington's time and ours."

"I agree neither of our Triads had the best of luck when it came to the dark side." Azazel reared his ugly yellow-eyed mug during Wilmington's time, and Dean had finished him off for good. "We all have the scars to prove it."

"I'm not suggesting we bring Harris on the team, or into our bed. Only that we take from him what we need." Joshua lifted his journal. "I used a scrying spell last year when you and Sam were missing. Without thinking much about it I placed The Triad symbol in the circle, as a representation of you and Sam. Something incredible happened."

"Yeah. Malachi Harris showed up."

"Exactly."

"Get to the point, Josh."

"We perform the same scrying ritual from last year, using the symbol, as if we believe the spell will lead us to Sam and Caleb."

"We play dumb about the whole using Triad magic without proper protection in place?"

Joshua nodded. "Malachi Harris will not be able to resist the draw of power, especially now that you are The Guardian."

"Why not just have Castiel track him down like he did Crowley?"

"Because Malachi has a special cloaking ability. He bragged about it to Caleb. Caleb used it when he and Sam were storming the facility where Rose was holding you. I don't think Castiel will be able to find him, at least not in the timely manner which we need."

"Where is all this coming from?" Dean moved from behind the desk, hitching his hip on the corner so he was facing his Advisor. "Don't get me wrong. I'm up for anything that will help Sammy and Damien, but you're usually the first to put your foot down when we suggest anything unorthodox. Wrangling a traitorous demon isn't exactly your style."

"The end of the world is at hand, our friends have been murdered, and you, Sam and Caleb are The Triad now. I take the vows I made that day at the farm very seriously. I'm not going to fail in this."

"We're all feeling pressure to rise to what's expected of us. Believe me, no one understands that more than I do, but…"

"No, you don't understand." Joshua interrupted him. He started a small tight pacing, alternating his glances between Dean and the floor. "I grew up in The Brotherhood, but never once did I truly feel apart of it. I was always an outsider."

Dean rubbed his ring. He was always an outcast in normal land, but he never once doubted that he belonged in The Brotherhood.

"Things began to shift for me after Wyoming, after Gideon's death. Then I almost I died and you went to Hell."

Dean rubbed his chin. "Definitely a buzz kill."

Joshua stopped in front of him. "After your ascension, I started to believe in Jim Murphy's vision. I began to embrace the role I might play in it. Not the part my father envisioned, but something more, maybe better than I deserved. Even Ruby's blight didn't douse the hope it stirred in me. But, I did not expect to feel what I did after the ceremony- that night at the farm."

Dean knew the feeling Joshua was talking about. It was an awakening. Jim might have called it a holy encounter, but Dean wasn't sure what that meant anymore. He only understood how it affected him, changed him. It was the first time he believed the shattered pieces Hell had left could ever be knitted together to make him whole again. Everything felt right in that moment, even with all the horrors raging around them. But now Sam and Caleb were missing, in danger, and he wasn't sure how being The Guardian would or could mean anything without them.

"I can't return to simply going through the motions," Joshua was saying. "I must be the better man Jim Murphy saw in me. The man I caught a glimpse of that night at the ceremony."

"You sure your older sibling chromosome just didn't kick into overdrive?" Dean folded his arms over his chest. It was beyond odd to be having a touchy feely conversation with Joshua. He felt off kilter and dizzy from the implications. Was this a new facet to their roles? Dean needed balance, falling back to old hat. "It can make you do some crazy shit. After all, some bastards did just walk in and kidnap our little brothers right out from under our noses."

"This isn't a joke." Joshua's frown deepened. "If we lose The Triad, I think everything will be lost, including any hope for a future we would want to take part in."

Dean's attempt at leveling the playing field failed miserably, all mirth stolen by the reminder of what was at stake. "I've seen the future when we lose, Josh. Trust me; you don't want any part of it."

"Then we will do what we have to." Joshua sighed. "Even have incredibly uncomfortable 'chick flick moments' to reach an understanding."

Dean snorted at the term. "I think this is the most serious conversation we've had since I was twelve and you tried to make me feel better after I was almost murdered by a psychopath by pointing out our fathers' many similarities."

Joshua reached up and pulled at the collar of his shirt. "I don't always have the most charm when dealing with those closest to me, or the knack for putting a spin on the things that really count."

"I don't know about that." Dean raised a brow. "You just did a fairly decent job of selling me on recruiting a murderous demon for Operation Save Our Little Brothers."

Joshua's mouth twitched. "So you agree with my plan?"

"Our plan." Dean stood up. "It's going to take both of us to convince Mackland and Bobby this is a good idea."

"I will leave the talking to you then. You are The Guardian after all."

"Right, and if things go down the shitter I can always claim I received terrible advice."

"I have no doubt you would." Joshua grabbed the spell book and his journal. "I might have slightly different feelings towards this post, but I have no naïve illusions about the men I'm working with."

"Now who's degrading one's integrity as a gentleman?"

"You are many things, but a gentleman is not one of them."

"True." Dean smirked. "Who do you think Damien shares his lewd thoughts about Carolyn with?"

"You sure this is going to work?" Dean had to admit that the showmanship of spell work was impressive. Joshua made the task look rudimentary, but Dean couldn't quite keep up with what ingredients The Advisor tossed into the flames he'd contained in a small metal cauldron, or the ancient Gaelic language he was speaking. Dean's ring vibrated and he clenched his fist, warding off the pang of anxiety the connection elicited. It was odd enough to be performing a ritual in Central Park, despite the late hour and desolated area, but it felt more wrong because his brother and Caleb were absent.

"To what are you speaking? The scrying or attracting Malachi Harris?"

"I guess the scrying is too much to hope for?"

"If these were normal circumstance and we weren't being thwarted by another crafter, then I believe it would work." Dean watched Joshua reach into his black leather bag. He pulled out a tanned animal hide spreading it on the ground before them. "Adam's map is quite ingenious."

Dean leaned closer studying the piece of leather. It didn't look like any map he had seen. "Do I want to know what kind of animal that came from?"

"I didn't ask." Joshua glanced up at him. "It was a gift."

"Did he make you a buffalo robe and coon skin cap to go with it? Because I would really like to see that."

Joshua ignored him. "I imagine it might be coyote. They are sacred to many tribes."

"Tricksters."

"Sometimes."

Dean fingered the pelt. "So it's enchanted like the map from Harry Potter?"

Joshua sighed. "It's been treated with a unique blend of natural agents."

"Right. Adam is like Mr. Science."

"He is an accomplished alchemist."

"So how does it work? There's no writing on it." Dean didn't really care to know the ins and outs of what Joshua could do, but it kept his mind off the reality of what they were preparing for."

"That's where the crafting comes in."

"So it's like invisible ink?"

"If you must draw common parallels, then yes. When we place the items we're using to represent Sam and Caleb within the Triad symbol, place the map over it and I say the incantation, then we shall see what we need to see."

"If we weren't being blocked?"

"Correct."

"But you think Malachi Harris will know how to bypass the other crafter."

"I believe Triad Magic is very ancient, very rare. I know of no crafter who could stand against it." Joshua pulled another item from his bag, which he handed to Dean. "I believe you should carve The Triad symbol."

"What happened to the magic wand you had when I was a kid?" Dean accepted the ceremonial blade, studying the three interlocking circles burned into the wooden handle. He flipped it over, the other side held another symbol Dean recognized. It was the brand Joshua bore from his coven.

"A wand isn't necessary." Joshua rubbed a hand over a patch of earth, clearing it of the wet dead leaves and twigs that had helped them conceal the devil's trap on the outer perimeter of their salt barrier, turning the whole area into one huge demon cage. "Besides, that's the knife you used in The Triad ceremony. Missouri wanted me to keep it. It belonged to the elusive Ben Mosley."

"She sure has been tightlipped about her old man."

"Fathers have a way of disappointing their children. Sometimes it's easier to dismiss them."

Dean knew Joshua was speaking from experience. It was hard to accept your parents were fallible humans. "She ever talk to you about her dad?"

"Not anything specific. She said he was a man who followed his heart, even when it led to the most difficult path."

Dean traced his finger over the symbol Joshua agreed to take to save Caleb's life. "Ben Mosley belonged to your coven?"

"Until he officially took the position of Advisor. The covens didn't always see The Brotherhood as an ally." Joshua glanced up. "I didn't know that until a recent conversation with my grandmother. She and Ben were friends. In fact, Ben introduced her to my grandfather."

"You're just sharing that now?"

"My grandmother's past didn't seem relevant. She hasn't heard from Ben Mosley since my grandfather passed. He didn't even attend Maxim's funeral."

Dean picked up on the change in Joshua's tone. He understood being protective of one's family. "Jim used to say all roads lead home."

"Digging up bones in ones backyard is never easy." Joshua gestured to the cleared spot. "I suspect it is why Missouri finds it painful to discuss her father, and why my grandmother never mentioned her past with the Mosleys."

Dean used the blade to trace The Triad circles, a chill dancing up his spine as he closed the last link. Air stirred around them, lifting the leaves, shaking the branches of the trees. The image flared to life, glowing bright silver. "That's new."

Joshua rocked back on his heels. "Things are different now. This is not merely a symbol anymore; it's a gateway to a power source."

"Like tapping an ethereal vein." Dean handed Joshua the blade before placing his brother's compass in one of the circles, Caleb's journal in another. "That's not at all daunting."

"It's why more protection is required. Like what Missouri created at the farm while we were on consecrated land. Adam theorizes that using the symbol without proper knowledge is akin to handling plutonium."

"Way to make a guy feel better."

"You would rather I sugarcoat it?"

"Why add finesse to your repertoire when I'm just growing to appreciate you." Dean twisted his ring. "What now?"

"We shall see." Joshua picked up the map, placing it over the Triad symbol. He whispered a verse, tossing a scattering of herbs onto the skin. The light of The Triad glowed through, but nothing appeared.

"You know they say one definition of insanity is performing the same task over and over expecting different results to manifest."

Dean and Joshua turned to find a man in a long wool coat with a red scarf and black leather gloves outside their salt ring. He was blond, in his twenties, and looked as if he could have just departed a Broadway show and stumbled across them by accident. "Who are you?"

"Joshua knows who I am."

"This is Malachi Harris."

Dean stood, Joshua joining him. "The traitor I've heard so much about."

Malachi inclined his head. "And you're Dean Winchester. The Guardian I have heard so much about. You were quite the talk down in the pit. It wasn't the first Triad member to venture down stairs. They've had an Advisor or two; your father was the first Knight, but a Guardian, even one in waiting-now that was something new. Although I must admit the fact you broke only after forty years on the rack was somewhat disappointing. I lost several bets on that one."

"Shut up."

Malachi looked to Joshua. "I see you've lost track of two members of your Triad yet again, Witch?"

"They've been taken, yes."

"And you're scrying for them?" Malachi shook his head. "Perhaps you're not as bright as I thought you were."

"He was smart enough to bring you here." Dean stepped closer to the edge of the salt circle, only inches from Malachi, whose wing-tipped shoes nearly rested against the barrier.

"Me and countless other things far worse." Malachi's blue eyes danced with amusement. "Salt won't hold Triad energy for long. The longer you hold the doorway open, the more things catch the signal. They will be drawn to its light like a moth to a flame, and I'm not just speaking of the supernatural entities you all are accustomed to. Your Advisor has put you at great risk, Guardian."

"I'll take my chances."

"If I had put the proper boundaries in place, such as a living shield, then you wouldn't have sensed us as quickly." Joshua gestured to Malachi.

Dean remembered the steps Missouri had taken during the ceremony. She had used artifacts from The Tomb as well as Ethan, Eli and Bobby's presence as a shield.

"So, I was the intended quarry, not The Knight and Scholar?" Malachi seemed pleased. He clasped his hands in front of him. "To what do I owe this summons?"

"I know there is a way to call a missing Triad member," Joshua said. "Something beyond scrying. My grandfather wrote of it in his journal."

"But you have no idea how to recreate it." Malachi studied Joshua, his lip curling slightly. "In my time men competed to be The Advisor. They were champions among their peers. The Guardian held games that drew men and women from all over. It was a coveted position that demanded the crafter chosen be as quick with a gun and intelligence as he was a wand. It was as Merlin intended. I'm afraid you would have not measured up, young witch."

"But it was your betrayal that changed all that," Joshua said. "I'm not as ill-informed as you imagine. I've done my homework. I know after you murdered your Knight and Guardian, Samuel Colt swore no Advisor would ever again be chosen from outside The Brotherhood. They would be watched and cultivated as hunters just as the Triad members."

Malachi glanced to Dean. "It explains why the excellence of that position declined so swiftly after my untimely demise. The Brotherhood isn't always bursting to the seams with talented witches and warlocks."

"I think I'm speaking for all Guardians when I say screw being quick with the wand. I'd prefer my Advisor not be so swift with putting a bullet in my back."

"Guardians and your stringent code of loyalty." Malachi tugged at his leather gloves. "If you would have known Daniel Wilmington and Cole Tanner, you might not be so harsh to judge me."

"We didn't bring you here to discuss your Triad or your past debauchery," Joshua said. "I need your assistance with the spell."

"And why would I help you?"

"Because if you don't we'll be quick to dispatch your ass straight back to Hell. I'm pretty sure exorcisms haven't changed much since your day."

Malachi's smile slowly faded. He gazed at the ground around him. Some of the leaves had dislodged, revealing the white spray painted devil's trap.

"My, my. You are quite devious." He reappraised Dean. "I like that in a Guardian."

"That really shouldn't surprise you after all the tongue-wagging down in the pit."

Malachi seemed to consider his options, his smiled beamed clearly in the faint lantern light. "It has been a century since I've aided in such power. The only thing that could make this sweeter is if the complete Triad was present." He met Joshua's gaze. "You understand what I mean, Advisor. You have tasted it now, yes? Nothing quite like the pure energy that Merlin granted his holy trinity."

"If my Triad were present, you would not be granted presence here, no matter how inconsequential. Your time has come and gone."

Malachi clapped. "Well said. There's that inkling of promise I saw twinkling in your eyes on that first night we met. Possessiveness suits you."

"Don't get cocky, Harris." Dean pulled The Colt from the holster at the back of his jeans. "I can always skip the exorcism, spare myself the Latin. A bullet to the head and Hell won't be the consolation prize."

"I haven't seen that weapon in some time, not since the harlot and her demon spawn were dispatched." Malachi's smile wavered. Dean would have guessed the look on his face was one of grief if he hadn't believed demons incapable of true sentiment. "Samuel had an amazing talent and an eye for craftsmanship as well. He was by far my favorite of the three, no where near as dull-witted as the other two."

"Let's get on with this." Dean cocked the gun. "Tell Josh what to do. Now."

"It's not really got anything to do with him. It's what you must do." Malachi gestured to the salt. "Shall I?"

Dean kept the gun pointed at Malachi as he dragged his boot across the salt circle. "Don't think I'll hesitate in blowing you away."

Malachi paid the threat no mind, going straight to The Triad symbol. He knelt, removing the map. "Your tools, Witch."

Joshua clenched his jaw, picking up his leather pouch. He held it out to the demon. "If you must address me, call me Joshua."

"So we're on a first name basis now?" Malachi took the bag. "That's faster than I imagined."

"Less talking, more working." Dean hovered above them.

"It's not that you haven't gotten the right idea, Joshua- only that you've missed it completely. You are thinking too concretely." Malachi leaned over The Triad symbol, removing Caleb's journal and Sam's compass. "These items represent the men you know, not the positions they hold."

Joshua knelt across from him. "Explain."

"Merlin understood magic at its most basic. He created The Triad with that understanding. "

"Merlin was the first alchemist," Joshua said. "His work was a precursor to much of the magic traditional covens use today."

"Yes. So it would make sense he used the basics nature offered when creating the power source for his disciples to mankind. Something that would be around for the ages."

"The elements."

"The elements." Malachi pulled the cauldron closer to him, using a branch to catch some of the flame. He placed it on the symbol. "Fire for The Knight. Merlin had a fascination with it, you know. Many believed it was tied to his demon side, but fire is sorely misunderstood. It is energy in its purest form. Like the sun that gives life. Fire can create or destroy. Merlin was quite the pyromaniac. He enjoyed blowing things up. All Knights inherit a spark of that. Cole Tanner was fascinated by dynamite. He worked the railroad as a boy, just so he could learn to use it from the Chinamen."

Dean looked at Joshua, recognizing the annoyance in his eyes. He wanted to suggest that maybe all Advisors were haughty and talked a lot, but decided not to poke the tiger. "Damien is handy with the C-4."

Malachi reached a hand into Joshua's pouch, coming away with several crystals which he placed alongside Sam's compass. "Simpletons might believe that carving the Triad symbol in the earth would be symbolic enough, but it's best to use objects that channel the true spirit of the element. Quartz, sandstone, amber. Any crystal, actually. Fossils work well also. This pelt is good." Malachi laid his hand on Adam's map. "The Scholar has sovereignty over the creatures of earth as well. He can learn to use them if trained properly."

"Explains why all the strays find Sammy." Dean remembered Jim's comparison to The Guardian being like a nesting doll, layer after layer of new surprises. He was beginning to understand just how narrow his vision had been over the years.

"Dogs and horses were always fond of my Samuel." Malachi glanced up at Dean. "He had a pet pig and rooster that Daniel forbade in the main house of the ranch. They were constantly arguing over trivial matters. Guardian and Knight have always seemed to be a little more alike. Scholars are better understood by Advisors. Perhaps, because we're usually on a considerably higher intelligence level."

"Can we get on with this?" Joshua tapped his knife on the symbol. "We didn't bring you here for reminiscing."

Malachi laughed. "Were you this impatient when learning the craft? I feel for Missouri Mosley."

"The Guardian represents water." Joshua didn't rise to the bait. "It's the most abundant element."

"Oxygen is the most abundant element on Earth," Dean pointed out. "Hydrogen is the most abundant in the universe."

"Who's Mister Science now?" Joshua glowered at him. "Technically water is comprised of both those elements. H2O, yes? Besides, you know what I mean."

"It's good to see things do not change much in Triads." Malachi smiled. "For sanity sake we will say air and water are one. It is no coincidence that three fourths the earth is covered by water in some form or another or that it composes most of the human body. It is why The Guardian is able to tap into the magic whilst solo where Scholar and Knight could not do so." Malachi returned his attention to the symbol. He gestured to the flask on Dean's hip. Dean unclipped it and handed it to Harris, who let a stream of it run through the bottom circle. They all watched at it trailed over the dirt, zigzagging as if it were alive before absorbing into the ground. "Part of water's strength is that it has no form of its own. It can hide within the earth, flows around any obstacle in its path, or merely douse obstructions."

"It's eternally stubborn." Joshua flashed Dean a look.

"I resemble that remark." Dean crouched next to them, but kept the weapon at the ready. "What do I need to do?"

Malachi placed the flask to his side. "What do you wish to gain from calling upon the Triad power?"

"You know what we want, Harris." Dean was tired of the theatrics. For all his great knowledge of nature and science, the most useful thing Dean knew of Merlin creating was Excalibur. "I want to know where my brother and Caleb are."

"Then will the magic to yield to your commands-wish it so."

"I don't understand."

"The Guardian's ability is not mine to explain. Some things are not to be understood, only accepted. Magic has no boundaries." Malachi inclined his head to the weapon in Dean's hand. "You did not need to understand how Samuel Colt's gun worked to use it to kill Azazel."

"He's right, Dean. You did this at The Sinks," Joshua said. "And at the ceremony."

"No one quite understands how The Guardian brings all of this together, only that he can. His magic is as constant as all water ways leading to the sea. Water connects things, binds them." Malachi placed his hands together in prayer position to demonstrate the seal he was describing. Dean noticed the band on Harris's right ring finger. It was made of their silver, but missing the energy that ran through the bands hunters wore. The ring was for lack of a better word, dormant. Dead. It sent warning bells screaming, the little voice inside Dean's head said to hurry the hell up so they could kick Malachi to the curb. "That ability is yours alone."

Dean lifted his hand over the interlocking circles. The light grew brighter, bathing the entire protection circle in false moonlight. He concentrated on the holy water Malachi had poured, felt its resounding tug as it rose from the earth to sit atop the symbol again, like beaded rain on the Impala's freshly waxed hood. The drops began to quiver. They divided and multiplied, merging into a stream that stretched out past the interlocking circle. The silver water snaked toward the map Adam had made, shimmering over the surface.

Joshua and Malachi disappeared from Dean's view. He became the liquid silver as it zigzagged across the soft leather like an out of control Etch-a-Sketch. On the map, lines flowed together, bringing to life an image of the United States. Michigan's two peninsulas darkened at the top, the rest of the country seeping into the pelt. The state expanded, cities appearing as dots, one silver pinprick brighter than the rest.

Dean wasn't sure how it was possible but he knew the name of the city the map was showing him. It echoed in his ear as a siren's song. He dropped his hand, the silver faded away so the map was left damp but once again blank. "Traverse City."

"That was quite the rush." Malachi threw his head back and laughed. "I missed it more than I remembered."

"Are you alright?" Dean felt Joshua's hand brush against his arm, blinked his concerned face into view. "You're pale. Perhaps you should sit down."

"No." Dean pulled away, rubbing his hunter's band. It was almost painfully alive with energy. Dean sensed the echo of his brother and Caleb.

"Performing a spell without your counterparts is draining." Malachi pointed to Dean. "It's like throwing a boomerang while quite not prepared for the force with which it might return."

"You could have shared that beforehand," Joshua snapped.

"Some things are better learned first hand."

Their predicament cleared Dean's head, steadying his legs. "We need to get back to Mac's and get a rescue party underway."

"I look forward to meeting the former Scholar. It will be good to be reunited with brethren." Malachi tossed dirt on the smoldering branch, pocketing Joshua's crystals.

"That wasn't an invitation," Dean tightened his grip on The Colt. "You're not exactly the kind of hook-up we bring home to meet the family."

"Now I know how one of your one night stands feels." Malachi stood. "So dirty."

"What are you going to do?" Joshua asked.

Dean lifted the gun, priming the trigger. "I'm going to finish what Samuel Colt started a hundred years ago."

"Samuel didn't kill me." Malachi chuckled, looking from Dean to Joshua. "Is that what you think?"

"He would have if given the chance." It was Sam's theory The Scholar had hunted down and killed the man responsible for his Knight's and Guardian's death. Dean would have done the same thing if he had been cast in that position. He wasn't swayed by Malachi's denial.

"Perhaps, but you need my help more than he did," Malachi switched tactics. "His brothers were already past his help. You have no idea what you're walking into. I could be of great use, if nothing else than for the cloaking I could offer you."

"We don't work with demons."

"Please." Malachi snorted. "Does saying that make you feel better? Don't fool yourself, Dean Winchester. James Murphy did not work with demons. You on the other hand will work with those who help you achieve your agenda. You weren't Alistair's star pupil for nothing. And don't think your escapade with the Antichrist child and Crowley has not made its rounds. I won't even mention your brother's transgressions. Then there is the fallen angel you're currently flaunting about town. Lines are not only blurred now, they are non-existent."

Dean's finger twitched on the trigger. "You're not helping your case."

"He has a point, Dean."

Dean cut his eyes to Josh. "What?"

"We don't know how things are going to play out in this situation or the bigger one at hand."

"This magic is only the tip of the iceberg to what The Triad power can do, Guardian." Malachi played the ace up his sleeve. "You've been searching for something to defeat Lucifer before he slips into Sam like an Armani suit. I can help you find what you seek."

Dean lowered the gun, stepping to the outer edge of the devil's trap. He reached down and scooped up a patch of earth, effectively breaking the seal. "Get the hell out of here, Harris."

Malachi glanced at Joshua. "But Traverse City?"

"We can handle things on our own."

"Suit yourself." He reached up and wrapped his red scarf tighter about his neck. "I would take great care however because I hear a very talented witch is involved with this Beckett Moreau you're searching for. Traverse City is lit up with wards. The charming little town looks like a magical version of Vegas. The public hanging is scheduled to take place tomorrow."

"Hanging?" The word caught in Dean's throat.

"Barbaric, I know. I could imagine worse things as can you."

Joshua stepped forward. "You knew where they were all along?"

Malachi shrugged. "You didn't ask me where Beckett was, only how to do the spell to call for a lost Triad member, which by the way was the most fun I've had in years. Thank you for summoning me, Joshua. I will repay you."

"Son of a…" Dean raised the gun, firing. Malachi disappeared without a trace, a small piece of paper fluttering to the ground in his wake.

Joshua knelt to pick it up. He turned it over and held it out to Dean. "Malachi Harris's professional modeling business card. He's written his cell phone number on the back."

Dean read the 'call me' and growled at the cutesy smiley face icon. "I should have killed the bastard when I had the chance."

"No. You made the right choice." Joshua slid the card into his pocket. He knelt and started to gather his things. "Now we need to remove all traces of the ceremony and get out of here. The gunshot will not go unnoticed."

Dean returned The Colt to his holster, knowing Joshua was right about their need to clear the area. He wasn't sure if he made the decision a Guardian should have. Maybe he would have to live with making the only one a brother could have. They had a location, name and timeframe now. He ran his thumb over his silver band, hoping Sam and Caleb could somehow sense him. 'Just hold on. We're coming.'