To The Victor Go The Spoils

By: Ridley C. James

Beta: Tidia

Disclaimer: Nothing Supernatural belongs to me.

Timeline: Pre Season Three; Follows directly after the story Temporary Remedy. I suggest reading that one as well as the Prologue to this Paper Tiger.

A/N: I know I say this every time; but I really mean it. There is a lot of information in this chapter. It is one biggie-a whopping 26 pages. I think that is some kind of record for me and Tidia. Let me tell you; she doesn’t want it to happen again. I’m guessing she roughly spent around ten hours total in the beta job on this thing. I know it seems the action is building slowly; but I promise you’re in for a roller coaster ride as soon as it gets started. Injuries and angst to go around for all the boys. Hang in there with me.
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Chapter 3/11

November 1, 1840
As of late my life seems as though I am living it on a Shakespearean stage, performing a role I have been given no privy to. My fellow thespians are no longer trusted friends, but characters of whom I know little about. Their masks hide their true emotions and intentions. I am left to fumble through each scene feeling more and more disoriented. Daniel says we must have faith- the true nature of our brothers will shine through. Daniel does not realize our fellow hunters are human first and foremost. Merlin understood this. It is their true nature shining through that frightens me most. Humans often want what is worst for them. If our brothers get what they want, all could be lost including Cole.

-Entry from Samuel Colt’s journal


Outside of Boston, Massachusetts

“So to recap your long drawn out explanation, these guys are the ‘bizarro’ us.” Dean looked at Joshua, who had garnered the coveted shotgun seat by using his recent leg injury as a ploy.

Joshua frowned at the ‘Seinfeld’ reference. “I beg your pardon?”

“You know.” Dean waved his hand. “Like when Elaine hooks up with the freaky Jerry, Kramer, and George clones?”

“Superman started it all,” Caleb pointed out from the backseat. “The Bizzaro Superman was identical to Clark Kent physically, but totally the opposite in all other regards. Didn't you ever read a comic book, Josh?”

“I suppose if I feel the need I can borrow one of yours,” Joshua retorted. “Or perhaps Riley will lend me a copy of his. From what I understand he is just the type to have quite the collection.”

“Back to Gideon, Ethan and Elijah,” Sam interrupted the impending insult swap. “Is that all the information you have?”

“Well, your brother’s assumption is true in the respect that they are completely your opposites if one looks at the factors of respectability and lineage.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Caleb demanded and Dean shot him a look in the rearview mirror. His friend's patience for Josh had waned. It wasn’t surprising considering the morning events.

“I was referring to the fact that they all come from a long line of noteworthy hunters, have established themselves as successful members of The Brotherhood and contributing members to society. As I said before Gideon’s grandfather was Julian Smith. Ethan and Elijah’s father and grandfather were well-liked and respected”

“Unlike us?” Dean snorted.

“You’re not really on anyone’s favorite list at the moment. Then there is the whole business where you and your brother are not only lacking in genealogy connections, but are basically thieves, con-artists, and all-around riffraff.”

Dean smirked. “You trying to hurt our feelings, Josh?”

“He’s working on walking the rest of the way to Boston,” Caleb growled. “That is if he can make it after I break his other leg.” Reaves shifted in his seat. “Jarrett Mathews wasn’t a fucking saint either. He was a kidnapper and traitor.”

“His sons don’t know that,” Sam said, quietly.

Dean watched Caleb fold his arms over his chest, and stare out the window. “I know.”

Mackland explained that Jim chose never to tarnish Jarrett’s memory for his sons. He believed they had lost enough. And Jarrett had redeemed himself in the end, or at least tried to. He stood up to Griffin to save their lives. They owed him something. Dean cleared his throat. “Stick to the facts, Josh.”

Joshua frowned and turned to face the oldest Winchester. “The Scholar instructed that I be honest about everything. I’m only following orders.”

Dean glared at the blond. “Then skip your personal commentary.” The horse head idea from the Godfather was looking better and better.

“Fine.” Joshua returned his gaze to the road. “What else would you like to know?”

“You’re sure that Ethan Mathews being a police officer won’t put Dean in any danger?” Sam asked. “We don’t exactly have a spotless record.”

Dean raised his eyes to the rearview mirror again. Sam’s head was down, looking at the files Mackland gave them to study. Leave it to his brother to worry about him being arrested with everything else that was going on.

“Ethan is a vice detective. He is well aware of the charges against you and your brother; but is first and foremost a hunter. I’m sure he is also quite aware of the circumstances surrounding those charges.”

“Or he could just turn me in, get a bunch of accolades, knock us out of The Triad running and take over for Damien as the next Knight,” Dean said.

“Contrary to what you might believe about these men, they are quite honorable.”

“So this Gideon guy is a Boy Scout?” Dean glanced again to Sawyer. “He’s a firefighter?” Dean found that ironic.

“Smokejumper,” Joshua replied. “His father and grandfather were both firemen.”

“Is he crazy? Who jumps out of a plane willingly?”

“I guess both his and Ethan’s jobs lend to the lifestyle.” Caleb observed. “Protect and serve.”

“More so than architecture and a mediocre art career. Yes,” Joshua agreed.

“Says the public relations snake,” Reaves replied.

“And Elijah is a professor at Baylor University in Waco,” Sam interrupted. “I’d say that goes along with being The Scholar.”

Dean had to give his brother credit. The kid was trying like hell to keep their focus on the gig. “What does he teach? Secret societies 101?”

“Close,” Joshua said. “I believe his areas of expertise are Ancient History and Mythology. If you’re looking for the ‘saint’ in the trio, he would be it. Missionary work, crusades for the down-trodden and poor. I believe he volunteers at a shelter for wayward teens on the side.”

“What’s his ability?” Caleb asked bluntly.

Joshua lifted a brow. “You should know better than most that hunters with psychic endowments work hard to keep that part of them shrouded in mystery.”

“I also know how nosy you are, and that you’ll leave no rock unturned if you think valuable information is afoot.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.”

Dean raised his eyes to the rearview again. Caleb met his gaze for only a moment before turning back to the window. Sam and Caleb were alike in some ways. When pushed they both became dark and stormy, lashing out at those around them. It was funny to Dean that one of the things they both criticized in John Winchester was one of the traits they both chose to emulate. He turned to Joshua. “Answer his damn question, Sawyer.”

“Fine. Despite your confidences, I truly don’t know exactly what it is that Elijah does. But I have heard he is able to tell if a person is being truthful.”

“A human lie detector?” Dean laughed. “Sam and Caleb so trump that.”

“They say he also has some kind of healing touch…or at least the ability to block pain receptors,” Joshua added.

“Griffin can do that,” Caleb said. He leaned forward. “I’ve seen him do it.”

Dean didn’t recollect the incident as much as he recalled the story of it being told to him over the years. His time spent in Griffin Porter’s cabin was summoned up with only the fuzziest of details. “Makes sense if Porter trained him.”

“Griffin has been responsible for most of their training along with Silas,” Joshua confirmed.

“It’s kind of like The Emperor and Darth Vader.” Dean glanced at Caleb. “You and Sammy are Obi-wan and Luke.” He flashed a grin, hoping to garner a familiar reaction. “You have the Force on your side, dude.”

“I've heard through the grapevine that the teacher has not been overly joyous with his pupil’s accomplishments. I’ve always got the impression that Griffin found Elijah somehow lacking in the ‘killer’ instinct he so appreciates,” Joshua explained.

“I’d take healing properties over death visions any day,” Caleb replied dourly. He leaned back against the seat. “And I’d be more concerned if Griffin found him a worthy apprentice.”

Dean sighed. So he would be dealing with a prickly Caleb. It reminded him of the time Dad stuck them working a job in Boca Raton, Florida. Good times. “So, do the three stooges know about us? Did you give them the 411, Josh?”

Sawyer’s brows drew together at the implication. “I haven’t worked with them in quite some time. But I’m sure others have filled them in on the merits of the future Triad.”

“So they’ll probably meet us with guns drawn?”

“Mac doesn’t want us to look at them as our enemy,” Sam chastised his brother. “He wants us to work together.”

Dean snorted at the younger hunter’s optimism. “At this point, I’m considering everyone our enemy.” He cut his gaze to Joshua. “Until they prove otherwise.”

Joshua rolled his eyes. “What happened to the concept of innocent until proven guilty?”

“It lost its effect somewhere between my brother being possessed, framed, and Caleb nearly getting his brains splattered on the pavement by a Louisville Slugger.” Dean narrowed his gaze. “And then there was that incident in Cosby, where you sent in the wolves disguised in sheep’s clothing. Should I go on?”

“No.” Joshua shook his head. “I think you’ve cleared it up nicely.”

“You’ve given us individual facts,” Sam started, holding up the folders on Ethan, Elijah, and Gideon. “But we could have read most of that from their background files. What are they like together? How’s their dynamic?”

“What do you mean?” Joshua frowned.

Dean realized the other man had no clue as to what his brother was referring. He almost felt sorry for Sawyer. Almost. “As a team-a unit-how do they function?” Dad always stressed that every team had an invisible member; and that member could be their biggest strength or weakness. It was the relationship they had with one another-the way they flowed together or didn’t.

“Do you mean are they Three Musketeer material?” Joshua laughed easily. “Is that ‘all for one and one for all’ spirit you three embrace a part of their code? Would they tattoo a prison schematic on their person and commit a violent crime to rescue their brother in arms?”

Dean ignored the taunting. “That’s exactly what he means, Josh.”

“Elijah and Ethan are twins.” Sawyer glanced at Dean and then continued on in a matter of fact manner. “They were raised by their father after their mother absconded with an insurance salesman. I suppose they have a typical sibling bond, perhaps closer for having shared a womb. They still share their childhood home. A horse ranch in Texas. Gideon lives nearby. He and Ethan seem to have the traditional Guardian and Knight relationship. They grew up together. They’re close. Probably meet for beers, watch the game, and participate in the ogling of attractive women every weekend. ” Joshua smirked, and Dean was sure he saw a flash of jealousy. “Don’t feel bad though, I’m quite certain they don’t have endearing nicknames for one another, Deuce.”

“That’s a relief.” Dean refused to rise to the bait. “Hate to think we’re not original.”

“No one could ever accuse you three of being mundane.”

“So they probably react like we do to situations,” Sam theorized.

“It depends on their mission and their priorities, Runt,” Caleb replied. “Two men can reach the same destination on very different paths.”

“Like the fox and the rabbit,” Dean spoke up. Motivation was a determining factor in most things. Dad was a big believer in knowing your opponent’s soul.

Caleb met Dean’s gaze in the mirror and nodded. “One’s chasing his dinner; the other is running for his life.”

Dean returned his eyes to the road before him. They wouldn’t know what the three hunters were really after or what made them tick until they were in the middle of things. It was the unknown variables in an equation that could come back to bite you in the ass. Dean could only rely on what he knew. And that was Caleb and Sam. He was also sure of something else. “We’re not ending up on anyone’s dinner plate.”
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The rest of the drive to Tufts University was painlessly quick. Still, Sam had long since grown tired of playing referee in the verbal boxing match between Caleb and Joshua. He felt a sudden surge of empathy for his brother, who had found himself in a much worse position between Sam and their father over the years. As it was, Sam was exhausted and on edge. He wanted to be anywhere but trapped in the car with Joshua’s biting sarcasm and Caleb’s not-so-empty threats.

Sam glanced around at the scenery as his brother carefully maneuvered the Impala into one of the spots along the tree-lined streets in front of Riley’s dorm. The campus was nothing like Stanford, and Sam was not enthused with the idea of returning to a university setting.

Caleb must have picked up on his apprehension because he cast him an empathetic look. “We won’t be here long, Runt.”

Sam forced a smile. “I’d go almost anywhere to get out of this car.”

“Even Clownville?” Caleb quirked a brow. “You nearly wet your pants.”

“Shut up.” Sam glowered, but the Vegas reference lifted his dark mood minutely, and he was grateful. “Next leg of the journey, Joshua’s riding back here.”

“With you,” Caleb quickly added, angling his long frame out of the car. “I call shotgun from here on out.”

“Fine with me,” Dean replied, already out of the Impala. He glanced to Caleb. “As long as you don’t touch the radio.”

“That’s an inane rule,” Joshua said, rubbing his hand that Dean had whacked. “Truly a vehicle is like one’s home-especially when said owner of the car has no home to speak of. Therefore, the passenger is a guest and should be offered hospitality instead of dictated torture.”

“I offered you refreshments,” Dean retorted. “What more do you want?”

“M&M’s and a questionably distilled bottle of water is not my idea of munificence.”

Sam grabbed his laptop and closed the door as Joshua did his best to look put upon. Like Caleb, he had little patience for the spoiled hunter’s antics. “He keeps the Perrier and crab puffs in a cooler in the back. All you had to do was ask.”

Joshua cut his eyes, disappointedly. “I used to like you best. Now I fear you’ve gone the way of the dark side.”

“In more ways than one,” Sam muttered under his breath, his moroseness finding him once more. He jutted his chin towards the large brick building. This is it. Riley’s room is 304.”

“Let’s get this over with then.” Caleb started around the front of the car. “The sooner we talk to the kid, the sooner we can go to The Boonedocks-get this whole damn mess over with.”

Joshua didn’t look enthused, but he followed after Reaves as did Dean. Sam reached out and caught his brother’s arm. “You guys go ahead. We’ll feed the meter and be right up.”

Caleb turned to meet their gazes, but a slight nod from Dean had him continuing on. Dean watched the other hunters’ progress for a moment before turning to Sam. He gave his brother an exasperated look. “What?”

“You think Joshua’s being completely honest about all this? It wouldn’t be the first time he left important things out or skated around the truth.”

“I don’t think Joshua knows how to be completely honest. Mackland told him to be straight. I don’t trust him; but I think he’s too smart to go against The Scholar.”

“Unless he’s working with Ian.” Sam knew exactly what his brother was thinking. “He could be their inside man.”

Dean sighed. “Double agents can be valuable.”

“So says the Art of War.”

Dean smirked. “And James Bond.”

“This whole situation is getting more and more complicated, Dean. More is riding on us getting you out of this deal than just your life now. You realize that. Right?”

“Not that again.” Dean shook his head. “I thought we decided to drop the whole finding me a ‘get out of hell free’ card.”

“It’s not going to matter if we stop Porter and Ian if you’re not alive.” Not to Sam. Not to Caleb either. Without Dean their Triad would be over before it even started.

“Damn it, Sammy. You’re like a fucking dog with a bone. The Brotherhood will be just fine without me. Hell, it will probably do better with someone like this Gideon character in the lead.”

“Did you tell, Mac?”

“I didn’t have to. He already knew.”

Sam nodded. “Bobby?”

“Yes. Singer sang like the parrot he is.”

“He loves you, man. They both do.” Bobby and Mackland would do anything for Dean. Sam knew that was true. “They’re trying to help you.”

“Like you’re trying to help me?”

“Yes. If you’ll let me.” Sam gripped his arm. “Please.”

Dean stepped back, shrugged out of his brother’s hold. “The only thing I want you to do Sam is keep your head in the game- this game. The one where we stop Porter and Ian from ruining everything Jim Murphy stood for. Pastor Jim deserves that for all he did for us and Dad. You understand me?”

“I understand Jim would have done anything to save you. He was willing to give up everything, even his life, to get us back during the whole Porter kidnapping.” Sam didn’t remember the kidnapping, but he had heard the stories. Read the accounts of it in his father’s and Caleb’s journals. “What would he think about you so willingly throwing your future away? A future he planned for you.”

Dean's eyes glistened and Sam realized it was low of him to pull the Pastor Jim card. “He’d understand. He would have expected as much.”

Sam shook his head at his brother’s single-minded stubbornness. “Did Mackland at least tell you to tell Caleb the truth? We’re going to be in a dangerous situation. We don’t need secrets between us…any more tension than there already is. You know what Dad always said about the team dynamic.” Sam felt like a hypocrite preaching the need for honesty when he had a secret of his own.

Dean laughed. “Mackland told me not to tell him because of the dangerous situation we’re going to be in. Caleb doesn’t need to be thinking about anything but finding the weapons before Porter does. Dad always said the mission was the most important directive. And our team is fine. We’ve got each others' backs. That’s all that matters.”

“Caleb’s already distracted by other things, Dean. Like Noah Seaver’s amulet. Have you thought that maybe his vision or whatever it was has something to do with your deal?” Sam hadn’t missed the change in the other psychic. He couldn’t help but to think of the secret studio in their friend’s apartment-the paintings of the dark, stormy seas. It did not bode for a calm voyage.

Dean rolled his eyes. “Of course I thought of that. It’s one of the reasons I’m holding back on telling him I’ll be saying hello to his great-grand-dad real soon.”

Sam sighed. Maybe some of his reasoning was selfish. Despite what Dean said and did; Sam knew his brother was scared. If he wouldn’t talk to him, maybe he would confide in Caleb. “If he knows your life is in danger, it could help him refocus.”

“Damn it.” Dean growled menacingly, and stepped forward into his brother’s personal space. “You know that’s not true. You know he will try and do whatever it takes to stop it from happening. And that could get one or both of you killed. That’s not a fucking option.”

“Right.” Sam nodded. “No one can sacrifice themselves but you.”

“You got it.” Dean poked a finger towards his brother’s chest. “You’ve said it before. Caleb’s my best friend. That means I get to decide when and how to tell him, Sammy. Is that clear?”

Sam took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Crystal.”

Dean smirked and roughly patted his cheek. “Good. Now that you’ve got your little bitch fit out of your system, let’s go check out the adventures of the young Indiana Jones.”
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Dean hadn’t missed the mark. Riley Adams’s dorm room was covered in movie posters. Copies of the original marquees from the three Indiana Jones films as well as Lara Croft- Tomb Raider, decorated the walls. A classic weather-worn fedora and leather whip took up space on one small desk, along with a Stonehenge replica and Darth Vader coin bank. There were two beds, a television and a very intricate stereo system. It was small and the presence of four grown men averaging six foot plus was smothering. It was like Riley had invited the big boys into his kid-sized playhouse. “Nice digs,” Dean muttered, forcing himself into the cramped quarters.

“Oh, man. I can’t believe you came. Wow.”

Dean looked at the lanky kid in front of him. The boy was dressed in ripped jeans, a My Chemical Romance t-shirt and mismatched socks. His strawberry blond hair was mussed, sticking out in several directions, and he had an overall rumpled look as if he had just tumbled out of bed. It reminded Dean of a younger version of Sam. The kid’s brown eyes were just as full of curiosity and intelligence; although Dean didn’t recall Sam bouncing quite so much. “Yeah.” Dean wasn’t quite sure how to respond in the face of all the enthusiasm. “It’s a shock.”

“Riley, this is Dean and Sam Winchester.” Caleb roughly nudged past Joshua in the tight space to introduce the latecomers. “Guys, this is Riley.”

“Winchester! No sh-way! In my dorm room! Dean Winchester! You’re a legend! A legend!”

Dean glanced at Caleb, who was at least looking somewhat amused. He’d take cocky and smug over pissed any day. “You hear that, Damien? I’m a legend.”

“Eat it up, Deuce. It’s the closest you’re getting to a fan club.”

Riley turned his awestruck gaze to Sam. “Sorry to hear about your dad. Must suck. “ He raked a hand through his hair. “Man, I got to call Bradley." He looked to Caleb. “Your dad hooked us up. I mean when The Scholar calls-its like, yes, sir, no, sir. You know?”

“Yeah. We know all about it, kid,” Caleb replied. Riley darted past him to retrieve his cell phone.

“Is he always this excitable?” Sam whispered. “It’s like the Energizer Bunny on speed.”

Joshua snorted. “Riley has always reminded me of one of those hamsters on a wheel-a poster child for ADHD. I once suggested medication to Kathleen; but she didn’t warm to the idea.”

Caleb snorted. “And you wonder why she’s so taken with you.”

Dean smirked at Sawyer. “You’re just jealous because Riley doesn’t want an action figure or trading card of you. I’m probably a character in the kid’s own version of The Brotherhood RPG.”

“You know what an RPG is?” Sam asked, skeptically.

“I hooked up with a chick who was into it once.” Dean tried for indignant. Sometimes Sam acted as if Dean lived in a cave. “I thought she was a werewolf. Found out she just took her self playing one on-line very seriously.”

“I think Dad’s Geek Squad would frown on the idea of World Wide Web exposure of an RPG.” Caleb claimed one of the chairs and picked up a crystal pyramid-shaped paper weight. “We are a ‘secret’ society after all.”

Dean snorted. “There are plenty of secrets within The Brotherhood, without us ever going public.”

“Tightly affiliated subculture groups often have an aura of mystery surrounding their inner workings.” Riley rejoined them once more. He crossed his arms over his chest, preventing them from flailing about; but continued to sway back and forth from his heels to the balls of his feet as he studied the men around him. “Think Free Masons or Knights of the Round Table. Bradley’s on his way.”

Dean could feel the barely restrained energy as the boy focused on him. He shifted, uncomfortable with the intense scrutiny. Riley looked like he was about to ask for his autograph or worse, hug him. “Mac said you’re studying our little subculture?”

Riley nodded enthusiastically and darted once more towards his desk where he retrieved his laptop. “I’ve been studying it for years. Made it a project of sorts.” He shrugged one shoulder as he claimed a corner of his bed. “Some kids like baseball cards or video gaming; I like puzzles and mysteries.”

“And you just happened to be born into The Brotherhood, which is one heck of a mystery,” Sam said.

“Oh yeah.” Riley grinned. “I mean Dad didn’t exactly let me get involved in any of the cool elements of The Brotherhood stuff and you know he retired from active duty when he knocked up my mom; but I picked up a lot just hanging out at the bar. No one ever really noticed me. You wouldn’t believe what you hear when you’re the equivalent of a fly on the wall.”

Dean pointed to the bandage on the side of Riley’s head. “Your Dad probably didn’t want you wracking up too many of those.”

“This.” Riley touched his bandaged head and his face brightened further. “Is way cool.”

“A concussion is cool?” Caleb frowned. “Wait until you’ve had one too many, kid.”

“And you end up nearly a vegetable like Caleb,” Dean added with an evil grin tossed towards Reaves. Sometimes the man made it so easy. “We’re sure he’s going to pay for it in his old age.”

“I wouldn’t worry. Knights usually sustain mortal wounds in the throws of battle,” Riley reported as his fingers flew gracefully over the computer keys. “They typically have shortened life spans.”

Dean’s grin faded and he turned to look at the teen. “You’ve got statistical data to back that up?”

Riley glanced up. “Yes, I have charts.”

“Let’s skip the math lesson,” Caleb spoke up, shifting the topic of conversation away from him. “How about you tell us what you know about Samuel Colt’s Triad. That is why Dad sent us here.”

“I’m pulling the file up now,” Riley said. “We can get it out of the way and when Bradley gets here we can discuss our theory on the B-Bomb.”

“B-Bomb?” Sam asked.

“Yeah. That’s what we nicknamed the possible weapon to take out The Brotherhood.”

“How creative,” Joshua replied, haughtily. “Have you two done drawings? Put together a comic about it perhaps?”

Riley laughed. “Dude, we’re not eleven.”

“Of course not.” Joshua pulled a coin from his blazer jacket and dropped it in the top of Darth Vader’s head. A heavy asthmatic-like breathing resonated from the toy and then the Empire Strikes Back theme filled the tiny room. “You’re obviously mature beyond your years.”

“Now that is way cool.” Dean grinned. He slapped Caleb on the arm. “Damien, give me a quarter.”

“What do I look like?” Caleb growled. He dug in his jean pockets and pulled out a handful of change and some lint. He handed it all to Dean. “Knock yourself out but that’s coming out of your allowance.”

“I rest my case.” Joshua smirked as Dean happily dropped two more coins into Darth Vader.

Sam snatched the bank away, giving his brother a reprimanding look. “Remember the vibrating bed, Dean.” He set the toy on the other desk. “You have no self-control.”

“Buzz Kill.” Dean sighed. He turned back to Riley. “So, Indy, give us the spiel on the Wild, Wild West Triad.”

“A lot of it you probably already know. I mean the bit about the gun and how Colt made it for a hunter. That hunter was The Knight, Cole Tanner.”

“Have you found out exactly how he created it? I mean what made it supernatural?” Sam asked.

Dean wouldn’t mind knowing that bit of information. If they could restore the Colt; then that would give them a one-up on the demon mob running about. Unfortunately, Riley frowned.

“Sorry. That’s still unclear. But it could have something to do with Samuel Colt’s abilities. As a Scholar he was probably psychic in some nature.”

“And what were his abilities?” Caleb asked.

Dean cut his eyes to his friend. Caleb had traded the paper weight in for a stress ball in George Bush’s likeness.

“Unclear also,” Riley replied.

“Great.” Caleb tossed the ball to Dean and leaned forward so his elbows were resting on his knees. “What exactly is clear, kid?”

“Well, Samuel Colt was definitely a hunter.”

“How did that happen?” Sam asked. “Because when I researched, nothing even hinted at the remote possibility.”

Dean laughed, tossing the ball into the air and catching it. “If any of us bought the farm right now Sammy, I doubt ‘he was a great hunter’ would be listed in our obits.”

Sam ignored him. “Was he born into a hunting family?”

Riley looked up. “No. But at the age of eleven he was indentured to a farm in Glastonbury.”

“And shoveling manure and plowing fields is important, why?” Dean tossed the ball back to Caleb.

“Well.” Riley pushed at his long bangs that were obscuring his vision. “The history books list it as a detail mostly because it is accredited for sparking Colt's interest in inventing. But after reading his journal you realize that wasn’t the only interest he came away with.”

Dean leaned against the desk, folded his arms over his chest. Getting information from Riley was a little like pulling teeth, slow and painful. “What was so special about the farm?”

“Not what, but who. It was owned by Wade Wilmington.”

“Wilmington as in Daniel Wilmington-The Guardian?” Sam asked.

“Yeah.” Riley hit a button on the computer and a printer whirred to life on the other side of the room. “Wade was his father.”

“That explains how Samuel and Daniel met,” Sam surmised.

“Cole Tanner lived there too,” Riley informed them. “Wade Wilmington was his uncle. Wade’s sister, Cole’s mother, died of Yellow Fever.” Riley maneuvered his way around discarded books, CD’s, and tennis shoes to retrieve the papers from the printer. “Cole was five when it happened. There was no father in the picture so he went to live with his uncle. Wade had a small son of his own, Daniel, who was three at the time.”

“And this Wade was a hunter-a member of The Brotherhood?”

“Right.” Riley answered Caleb. He handed the stack of papers to him. “As was his father and his father before him. This is all the stuff I dug up on Wade, Daniel and Cole. It’s not much, just basic birth and death records as well as deeds of property. Mackland believes that Wade’s journal is probably with the other missing ones from that time period-maybe with the weapons. But it all fits together once you read Samuel Colt’s journal.”

“So, both The Guardian and The Knight were from true blood lines?” Joshua asked, peering over Caleb’s shoulder to get a look at the information.

Riley shrugged. “I suppose.”

“Like that’s important?” Caleb gave him an irritated look.

“It can be.” Joshua defended. “Just look at your situation.”

Caleb stood up, getting in Joshua’s face. “What the hell does that mean?”

“Damien.” Dean stepped between the two older hunters. “Ease up. He’s just jacking his jaw.”

“I merely meant that a Triad is rarely questioned if the proposed members are ingrained in hunting for several generations.”

“But Samuel Colt wasn’t from a traditional hunting family,” Sam pointed out.

“No.” Riley shook his head. “He was brought into the business by Wade, who became his mentor. Samuel was the same age as Cole when he came to live at the farm. So when he trained the other boys, he included Samuel.”

“That was a risk; bringing in an outsider.” Dean waited until Caleb reclaimed his seat before he moved away from the older hunter.

“Especially directly into a position of power,” Sam added.

Joshua laughed. “It was a risk that Jim Murphy chose to take several times over.”

Dean cut his eyes to Sawyer. The older hunter’s brain and mouth seemed unable to communicate today. He should have let Caleb pummel him. “Sometimes new blood is called for.”

“Samuel lived at the farm for five years,” Riley interrupted. “Wade was like a father to him, Cole and Daniel like brothers. I doubt if it ever crossed his mind to rat them out to anyone.”

“You’re right, kid.” Caleb spoke up. He looked at Joshua. “Sometimes loyalty and breeding have nothing to do with each other.”

“If Samuel had abilities, then Wade may have also been able to help with those-give him an explanation and training that most ‘normal’ people would not have had a clue about.”

Dean glanced to his brother. Sam was still trying to stay on target. In this situation he was thankful for his little brother’s tenacity. Unfortunately, Riley seemed unable to confirm Sam’s speculation.

“That’s definitely a theory.”

“It would help if we knew what his abilities were,” Caleb insisted.

Dean wondered if Caleb’s sudden need to be aware of other psychic’s abilities was due to their impending meeting with Griffin. “It doesn’t matter. He’s not around to use them.” Dean was going to make sure Griffin didn’t have a chance to use his abilities either.

“Whatever they were, I doubt if they were prophetic. Like yours.” Riley looked up. He glanced from Caleb to Sam. “I mean both of you get like death visions. Right?”

Dean barely contained his laugh as the college student leaned conspiratorially closer to Caleb. He was sure the kid was going to start salivating. “You can read what I’m thinking right now too? Can’t you?”

Caleb leaned back in his chair and smirked. “Yes.” He tilted his head slightly. “And no, I’m not seeing you getting any action from the cute brunette down the hall.”

Sam tapped the back of the lap top, reclaiming the younger man’s attention. “What makes you sure that Samuel didn’t have precognitive abilities, Riley?”

“He didn’t save Cole or Daniel.”

Dean recognized the look of dread that flashed through his brother’s eyes, watched his lanky frame tense ever so slightly. “How’d they die?” His brother often berated himself for not being able to save those closest to him. Dean knew it was one of the reasons Sam was having such a hard time with the deal he had made.

“The historical records have them listed as victims of the Arapaho. History claims they were tortured and killed by a raiding party.”

“But we all know how ‘history’ screws things up,” Caleb said.

Riley nodded. “In his journal, Samuel wrote they were tortured and murdered by a small group of hunters led by one of the most trusted members of The Brotherhood. His name was Malachi Harris; he was the Triad’s mystic.”

“Why would their own turn against them?” Sam asked.

“Malachi accused Cole Tanner of being responsible for the fire in Noah Seaver’s church.”

“But we know it was Noah Seaver who started the fire.”

Riley looked suddenly uncomfortable and Dean didn’t blame him. The kid obviously was smart and knew enough of their history to be wary of the topic. “We know the yellow-eyed demon caused the deaths of the congregation.” At least Dean could reframe the conversation as Jim used to.

Riley licked his lips, pushed his long bangs. “Malachi said Cole traded the amulet to the preacher.”

“Traded it for what?” Caleb asked.

“His wife.”

“Come again?” Dean was sure he hadn’t heard the kid right. “Did you say his wife?”

“Cole was in love with Seaver’s wife.”

“So when the radical preacher came up with the amulet, Malachi put two and two together,” Sam said, guessing at where Riley was going.

“And came up with five,” Dean concluded. “Assumptions are the root of all evil.”

Sam nodded. “If there was a faction itching for power, they probably jumped on the first chance they got to incriminate a member of The Triad.

Riley looked at them. “Samuel believed Malachi betrayed Cole’s confidence to gain a foot up. He wrote that Cole Tanner had nothing to do with giving the weapon to Seaver. He and Daniel Wilmington defended their friend’s innocence vehemently.”

“Of course being his best friends I’d say they would be inclined to turn a blind eye to the man’s shortcomings.”

Dean glared at Joshua. Sawyer raised his hand. “I’m merely playing devil’s advocate.”

“Well neither of them could explain how Noah Seaver came to have the amulet. It had belonged to The Brotherhood for centuries. And unfortunately neither could Cole. It was kept at Daniel’s ranch where Cole Tanner also lived. Only The Triad had access to it.”

“And Malachi?” Dean interjected. As their confidant the man would have probably been a welcomed guest at the farm. Like Bobby or Missouri at Jim’s. “He could have taken the amulet.”

“Or the wife,” Joshua speculated. “A desperate woman can be driven to extreme means to escape a bad marriage.”

Dean looked at Sawyer. From what he knew of Harland Sawyer, he was certain the other hunter was speaking from experience. “You could have a point. If Cole and Noah’s wife were getting it on, then she could have pocketed it by cuddling up to Cole. Maybe Tanner was protecting her.”

Caleb shook his head. “Sounds about right.” He ran a hand over his mouth. “Satanists, murderers, and now adulterous whores. My family tree is just bursting with rotten fruit.”

“Samuel alluded to the same thing.” Riley’s face blushed slightly. “Not that you’re family was evil or anything…I mean…”

“What did Colt believe, Indy?” Dean asked, before the kid hyperventilated.

“He believed Seaver’s wife probably attempted to buy her husband off, to get out of the marriage. But as you know things did not go well after Noah took possession of the amulet.”

“The yellow-eyed demon took possession of him.”

“And the rest is history.” Caleb sighed. “Did Samuel say what he thought happened to the woman and the baby?”

“Only that he was certain she and her son had gotten away safely.”

Dean shared a look with Caleb. “Meaning Cole or maybe the entire Triad made sure of it.”

Riley shrugged. “Whether they did or not, Malachi and his men accused them of doing just that. When the speculations about the child being demonic came to light, Cole was accused of harboring them.”

“They had enough circumstantial evidence to create a lot of doubt.”

“From what I can gather from the text, Samuel and Daniel Wilmington, The Guardian tried for damage control. But in the end, Daniel was forced to move the location of the weapons. He, Samuel and Cole devised a plan to keep the location hidden, trusting no one.”

“And they took it to their graves with them,” Dean said, glumly. He had no connections to the former Triad except for the silver ring he wore; but Dean had no problem imagining himself, Caleb and Sam in the same type of situation. A similar fate had befallen Jim and Dad. It was another reason to relish the release the deal would offer him. He couldn’t imagine being left behind like Samuel Colt or Mackland.

“Yeah,” Riley continued, “Colt lived for about a decade after they died. Enough time to reunite The Brotherhood, round up the demons who Noah Seaver had unleashed and create the railroad devil’s trap in Wyoming.”

“Whatever happened to Malachi Harris?” Joshua asked.

Riley sighed. “Sorry. That’s one of those unclear parts.”

“Colt killed him,” Sam spoke up.

Dean looked at him in surprise. His brother’s tone left no room for doubt. “And you know that how, Sammy?”

The younger Winchester shrugged. “Because that’s what I would have done.”

Riley gazed at Sam. “Cool.”
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A knock on the door interrupted the silence. Sam was glad for the reprieve. He hadn’t meant to vocalize his thoughts. Everyone looking at him was unnerving.

“That must be Bradley.” Riley stood up and moved towards the door.

Joshua and Sam had to relocate to the other side of the room to make way for the college student to wade past them. “Dormitory life was not something I was willing to endure,” Sawyer muttered.

“Not everyone has that choice,” Sam replied, remembering how thankful he was just to be at Stanford. He would have lived in a cardboard box in the commons if it meant he could go to classes. His dorm room had seemed like a palace compared to the places he had lived with his dad and Dean.

“Ask who it is,” Caleb and Dean ordered at the same time; but Riley had already pulled the door open without a second thought.

Sam both envied his innocence and felt sorry for the reaming he was about to get. “He’s in for it.”

“Deservedly so.” Joshua surprised Sam by agreeing with him.

“Damn it, kid!” Caleb swore as Riley planted himself out in the open, right in front of the door.

“Can Mac get him a fucking training video or something?” Dean growled as he moved forward to grab the student’s arm and physically move him out of the way. “How not to make yourself a walking target.”

“What’d I do?” Riley asked as he was roughly maneuvered out of the way. Caleb crossed the room in three long strides to the newcomer lingering in the doorway.

“Riley?”

Sam gave the stranger credit. He crossed the threshold without hesitation, moving toe to toe with Reaves. The guy was shorter than Caleb by several inches and lacked the muscle mass Caleb worked hard at keeping. He kept his intense blue gaze focused on Reaves as the man glared at him. “Who are you? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah.” Riley waved. “Check it out, Bradley. The Triad’s here.” He turned to look up at Dean. “That’s Bradley.”

Bradley didn’t look quite as impressed as Riley. He warily eyed Reaves and then Dean, who still had a hold of Riley’s arm. Sam imagined Bradley wasn’t quite convinced it was a friendly situation.

“And that’s a good thing, right?”

“Are you kidding?” Riley finally evaded Dean and greeted his friend. “Dean and Sam Winchester, Dude! Caleb Reaves! I’ve told you all about them.”

Joshua cleared his throat. Riley sighed. “And that’s Joshua Sawyer. He’s like a warlock.”

Bradley frowned. “A what?”

“No, I most certainly am not.”

Sam moved forward, nudging Caleb back out of the kid’s personal space. “I’m Sam.”

“Hey.” Bradley accepted Sam’s hand in a firm grasp. “Bradley.”

Riley bounced on his toes, reached for Dean’s arm. “This is what I’ve been telling you about. Check out the rings.”

Dean slapped the kid’s hand away. “No touching, Indy.”

“I’m Caleb Reaves.” Caleb stepped around Sam. “I know your mom.”

“Right, Mac’s son.” Bradley’s posture relaxed. He shook Caleb’s hand. “Mom told me some crazy stories about you. Some of them make more sense now.”

Sam watched Caleb grin. “All true.” He gestured to Riley. “Mac said he introduced you two.”

“Yeah. Mom introduced me to Dr. Ames last spring. I spent a semester in Australia, and got stuck with the aborigines for a bit-saw some shit that just blew my mind. Mom said your dad had done some research into the paranormal, so I talked to him.”

Dean laughed. “And you didn’t run away?”

Bradley shrugged. “I’m an anthropology major. Of course I believe in secret societies. And it helped to know I wasn’t going insane.”

“Yeah, Mac takes his job as a shrink seriously.” Dean looked at Riley. “He also takes being the remaining member of The Triad seriously. I doubt he would like having to tell your dad you were dead.”

“What?” Riley choked.

“Dean’s right, kid.” Caleb pointed a finger at him. “You’ve got to be careful now. No more opening the door without checking who it is first. This is a whole different ballgame. You have to know who you can trust.”

“He’s already had one hospital visit this week,” Bradley joined in and Sam knew exactly how Riley felt. “I’ve tried to explain the potential dangers.”

“I get the point.” Riley shrugged. “But I’m an adult, you know. Eighteen.”

Sam couldn’t hold back his laugh. “I’ve got you beat by six years, dude and I’m not considered an adult.” He glanced to Caleb and then his brother. “It’ll be easier if you just accept it now.”

“Whatever.” Riley moved back to his computer. “I thought you guys were here to find out information, not impart your vast wisdom.”

“Ooh,” Joshua perked up. “I’m liking him better. The shine wears off quickly doesn’t it?”

“Shut up, Josh,” Dean said. He motioned Bradley in and closed the door. “Indy’s right. We need to get back to business.”

Bradley slid his backpack from his shoulders and unzipped it. “I brought the proposal Riley and I outlined when Dr. Ames asked us to research the possibility of this theoretical weapon of destruction.”

“Proposal?”

“Well, more like a very sketchy outline.”

“Yeah, it’s kind of like what archeologists do when they uncover a shard of a pottery or a couple of bones on a dig.” Riley’s voice was full of wonder again; his moment of petulance obviously forgotten. “They take what concrete evidence they find and then do a lot of projection and take some creative liberty to make educated guesses about the end result.”

“So you and your buddy Brad pulled a bunch of shit out of thin air?” Dean asked.

“Actually it’s Bradley; and most of what we’ve outlined is based on highly reputable conjecture.”

“They pulled a bunch of shit out of thin air,” Caleb concluded.

“You two have something better?” Sam asked. He looked from Caleb to Dean. “You do realize most of The Brotherhood’s history is based on folklore and myth?”

“So’s most of what we deal with on a daily basis, Sammy,” Dean pointed out. “Mermaids, zombies, and vampires aren’t actually counted in the US census.”

“Exactly my point.” Sam folded his arms over his chest in victory. He looked at Bradley. “Go on.”

“Well we started with the idea that Merlin began The Brotherhood. Some of the oldest hunters' journals still around support that theory and speak of the stories passed down from the past generations who didn’t keep written records.”

“We know about Merlin.” Caleb nodded. “He founded The Brotherhood as a sort of extension of The Knights of the Round Table, only on a supernatural level.”

“Yes.” Bradley flipped through a small leather notebook, found the page he was searching for and looked up. “From what I could uncover Merlin was determined to create an army of ‘men who would hunt down the devils that walked among the blinded masses.'

”Meaning he would spare civilization their blessed ignorance by forming a group that would battle their unknown enemy for them,” Joshua stated.

“A thankless job, but a righteous one,” Bradley agreed. “He’d learned from The Knights of the Round Table that a trusted foundation had to govern the group. So he sought out the most extraordinary of men to lead his ‘Brotherhood’.”

“He couldn’t find just one man with all the qualities he was looking for,” Riley jumped in. “So he chose three and bestowed special gifts to them.”

“The three had to be connected.” Bradley turned the book he was holding around, showing it to the hunters. On the pages three interlocking circles were drawn. “Unbreakable with no beginning or ending.”

“Merlin believed besides being loyal to one another they needed the most valuable things the universe offered-knowledge, strength, and heart,” Riley continued on. “ And they needed magic, so he offered them each a gift of himself.”

Bradley picked up again. Sam had to give them credit. The two worked well in tandem. It was like a practiced script. “To the Scholar he gave a crystal ball, ‘Merlin’s Eye’, which would allow him to see the future clearly and use his wisdom wisely, which is probably how psychic abilities began in that line. To the Knight he bestowed a magical blade, the Dragon’s Talon.”

Caleb raised a brow. “Like Excalibur?”

“No.” Bradley shook his head. “I don’t think so. Not a sword. From the descriptions I found it sounds more like a knife or an athame. Legend has it that it could cut down any enemy whether human or not-even demons. It was forged in a dragon’s flame.”

“Wouldn’t mind getting my hands on that,” Caleb said.

“You might have your chance.” Bradley informed him. “All of these ‘gifts’ could be with the store of weapons.”

“Which makes them even more dangerous,” Sam concluded. “What about the Guardian? What did Merlin give him?”

“The ability to create the silver. You see, the texts say that Merlin gave the Guardian a piece of his soul and that The Guardian would continue to give that by giving the rings. Through The Guardian, others would know Merlin and his magic.”

“That has a highly religious tone to it,” Joshua spoke up. “Almost like the Christian theme of knowing God through Christ.”

“Merlin did have a god complex." Bradley smiled.

"Must be common among magicians, right Josh?" Caleb smirked. In response Sawyer crossed his arms.

Bradley nodded to Dean’s hand. “See Merlin believed The Guardian had to have a true heart and a pure spirit. The Guardian was judged in each generation, and so only one that truly met those requirements can call forth the silver.”

"Judged? By who?” Caleb frowned.

Sam noticed Dean was silent, and wondered if he knew the answer.

"Our best educated guess because it was mentioned once, and we aren't completely sure. . . " Riley rambled on a bit.

"The Lady of the Lake," Bradley concluded for his friend.

“You’re kidding me.” Caleb snorted. "Somehow a woman had to be involved. You going to shed any light on this?"

Dean twisted his ring. "No, not really. I kinda like to keep you guessing."

Bradley eyed Caleb’s hand. “Do they do anything? I mean, can I look at one up close?”

Dean and Caleb shared reluctant looks, neither seemingly willing to hand over their rings. Sam still did not wear his ring, keeping Bobby's charm close to ward off possession instead.

Joshua must have also noticed the hesitancy. “For the love of …” Sawyer grumbled, pulling his own ring off and handing it to the anthropology student. “The Wonder Twins may lose their super human strength if they remove their bands.”

“As long as it took you to get yours, I’m surprised you’re so willing to part with it,” Caleb replied.

Bradley took the silver ring and turned it over in his hand. “They’re given as a rite of passage?” He looked at Joshua and then to Caleb. “At the age of twenty-one?”

“Eighteen for some of us,” Dean said. He shot a look to Joshua. “Mid-twenties for others.”

“One wrong deed can delay any accolade in our ranks,” Sawyer explained with unexpected candor. “I made a poor choice.” He glanced at Dean. “One I paid for and learned from.”

“It varies with everyone,” Riley spoke up. “But the statistics hold with most hunters being twenty-one. They usually get their ring after they’ve performed an act of bravery or used their particular talents in a very spectacular way.”

“Like in the Masia tribe the adolescents have to kill a lion before they are accepted as men.” Bradley surmised. He held the ring up to the light, continuing to study it. “Many cultures have similar rituals.”

Dean snorted. “In our group, I basically have to almost die before someone’s getting any silver.”

“I told you that was a coincidence, Deuce.”

“Yeah, well a scar’s a scar.” Dean looked at Bradley. “And for the record, we kill lots of things worse than a lion.”

Bradley met his gaze. “So I’ve heard.”

“Sam was sixteen,” Riley said out of the blue, breaking the tension with his exuberant proclamation. “I haven’t found another case like his. It’s unprecedented.”

The younger Winchester ducked his head in embarrassment, hoping the subject could be changed. “It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“Are you kidding?” Riley bounced in his seat. “It’s huge.”

Bradley cleared his throat. “And these rings are given by The Guardian as a symbol of allegiance and solidarity. It provides protection as well as a place of honor. Has anyone ever tried to determine where he gets them or how he creates them? There is no mention of it in any of the previous Guardian journals.”

Joshua, Caleb and Sam looked to Dean.

This time Dean ducked his head in embarrassment. “Look, don’t you think The Guardian would probably keep that little trick a secret?”

Joshua waved his hand. “Secrets are what The Brotherhood is based on. After all, hunters are human with all the human fallacies of lust, greed and jealously. I daresay Samuel Colt’s Triad would not have found themselves in the fix they did if not for that fact. We also would not be a part of this cat and mouse chase for this elusive B-Bomb you two gentleman have yet to fully explain to us.”

Sam was surprised Joshua had not allowed the uncomfortable moment to continue. Instead he had given Dean a way out, and furthered the conversation.

“B-Bomb is more of a failsafe created by Merlin than a weapon meant to be used by an enemy of The Brotherhood." Bradley flipped through another book. "Merlin is considered the first alchemist."

"Alchemist?" Dean glanced at his brother. Sam was about to explain, but Joshua interrupted.

"Alchemy is an ancient art devoted mainly to discovering a substance that would transform the more common metals into gold or silver, and to finding a means of indefinitely prolonging human life. Think Philosopher’s Stone, by far the most famous of alchemy treasures. Alchemy is the beginnings of chemistry and medicine. Merlin was more than the David Copperfield of his time. He was a genius."

Sam shook his head, feeling as though Joshua was referring to himself more than Merlin. Caleb must of picked up on the same thing.

"God complex," Caleb muttered, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

”He’s right. We believe the substance that Dr. Ames is worried will become a weapon is actually a special compound that when mixed with Merlin's blood becomes an elixir that destroys the source of silver and all rings ever brought forth from the source." Bradley turned another page. It was a drawing, a supposed depiction of Merlin standing in front of a medieval chemistry set.

"Wait, why did Merlin even create something that could destroy The Brotherhood, the one he created?" Caleb asked, rubbing a hand down his mouth.

"In case The Brotherhood got corrupted and infiltrated," Riley explained. "And then The Guardian would destroy the current Brotherhood, resetting it in a way."

"How would The Guardian do that?" Sam could usually see how the pieces of a puzzle worked together, but this went beyond logic. "And why Merlin's blood?"

"Yeah." Dean spoke up. "That's sounding a little too Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton to me."

"Again, the job of Guardian doesn’t really have a lot of description." Bradley cleared his throat, and then moved his hand to scratch the back of his neck. "And Merlin's blood would have been a compound of unimagineable stength. But one thing we're sure of is that The Guardian would know how to use the elixir."

Sam shifted his gaze towards his brother, as did the other occupants of the room.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Stop looking at me. I don't have some sort of handbook with the answers. Right now either of your jobs sounds better."

Sam fidgeted. He wasn't sure he was the best choice for The Scholar, but at least he had the basics on what the position entailed, as did Caleb and his station of Knight. "Don't you think that this liquid is dried up by now? We're not going to be getting any more of Merlin’s blood because that’s not exactly abundant.” Sam commented.

“Something similar to Merlin’s blood could be used with the compound to form the elixir. . .” Riley offered, and gave a nod to Bradley. Sam saw the gesture, recognizing it as a sign of a past conversation.

“Hate to burst your bubble; but I doubt if we’ll open a tomb and find some ancient magician hanging out waiting to be relieved of duty," Dean said making reference to Indiana Jones.

“Merlin was half demon and half human.” Bradley looked at Caleb. “Isn’t that similar to your…”

Sam saw his brother's stance change. “Hell no!” Dean spat. “What the hell are you saying?”

“Deuce!” Caleb caught his friend’s arm. “Let him finish.”

Sam stood up, sharing, in secret, Caleb's same blood mix. He had been tainted by the demon too.

Bradley put out his hands in a calming gesture. “I’m not trying to be insulting. Just look at it as a ‘blood type’, like O-positive. If Merlin used O-positive, then someone wanting to recreate the elixir would also need O-positive.”

“So, you think my blood is the weapon?” Caleb asked.

“No, your blood, or a person with blood similar to that of Merlin’s, would be the detonator.”

Sam looked down at his hands, and the raised veins. It was unsettling to know there was so much evil within him and that he could bring about the destruction of something as powerful as The Brotherhood. Sam clenched his fists, and watched Caleb emote his concerns.

“Great.” Caleb ran a hand over his mouth, then looked at Dean. “This day just keeps getting better, man.”

“All of this is conjecture, Damien. Just like we said, shit pulled out of thin air.”

Sam looked down. It wasn't just speculation for him. He had seen, through the demon, the blood trickling to his lips. He wished he had the courage to share his lineage with Dean and Caleb. He sought refuge in his silence.

“Like Elkins pulled the Noah Seaver story out of thin air?” Caleb swallowed thickly. “I think we’ll skip the twenty-year denial phase on this theory and take it as the gospel seeing as how we’re working with a tight schedule. Imminent doom and all.”

Dean exhaled, heavily and faced Bradley. “So how do we stop this from happening?”

“I’d make sure to be the first to find the compound."

“But we don’t know what exactly that is.” Sam regained his voice, ignoring his bitter thoughts.

“You know it will have Merlin’s seal.” Bradley lifted the book again, revealing the three circles. “And it will probably be a liquid, although I can’t guarantee that, like you said it may have dried into a powder by now.”

A silence descended over the room, punctuated by Riley cracking his knuckles. "Sorry," he said, but then did it again. "So, can we come?"

Dean snorted, and Sam laughed in relief.

"That would be a no," Caleb replied.

"They can take my place," Joshua volunteered.

Dean shook his head at the hopeful look that lit up Riley’s eager face. "Maybe next time, Indy."

"But, you've done well, both of you," Caleb added. "If you ever, ever, need anything you can call us. Day or night, we'll answer."

Dean grinned and put another coin in the Darth Vader coin bank. “May the Force be with you.”

Caleb rolled his eyes and gave the younger man a shove towards the door. “We’ll see ourselves to the door.”

Sam watched Joshua follow his brother and Caleb out; but hesitated before leaving. He glanced at Bradley. “If you all put this together, do you think the other side did too?”

Bradley shrugged. “It’s a good bet.”

Sam forced a grim smile. “Right.”

“Can I ask you something?”

Sam nodded. “Sure.”

Bradley gestured to Sam’s right hand. “Why no ring?”

Sam clenched his fist and then flexed his fingers. He looked from Riley and then to Bradley, recognizing both the perplexity in Riley’s naïve gaze and sincere curiosity in Bradley’s. “That silver…it’s a lot heavier than you think.”

Riley frowned; but Bradley nodded in understanding. “That your way of saying be careful what you wish for?”

Sam didn’t answer the question. “You two take care.”

“Hey, Sam.” Riley jumped up and grabbed the Darth Vader coin bank, thrusting it at the hunter. “Here. Give this to Dean.”

Sam’s mouth twitched. His brother did have a fan club. Sam could understand that. He wanted to be just like Dean when he grew up too. “You realize Joshua will never forgive you for this.”

Riley grinned. “My mom will be glad to hear that.” The teen sobered slightly. “Which reminds me, when you guys get to The Boonedocks, don’t mention meeting me…or my helping Mac. Okay?”

Sam nodded. He could understand Riley’s desire to do his own thing-even though Riley wanted the very thing Sam had tried so hard to escape. “Secrets are The Brotherhood way.”

Riley rocked forward on his toes. “I know and that’s so cool.”

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