Outside Alastair's Torture Chamber

Castiel had gone on record as being against this plan. In retrospect, he feels that was probably a miscalculation on his part.

Zachariah had merely blinked at him for a moment or two before remarking quietly, “I do sometimes wonder, Castiel, where exactly it is your loyalties lie.”

And just like that, Uriel was put in the lead for this particular mission.

His brother had attempted to be sympathetic. In Uriel’s own unique way.

“You grow too attached to them, Castiel. The humans. Do not forget their place. Or yours.”

And Uriel and Zachariah didn’t even know about Meg. Or Milliways. Or Anna. Or…

Dean.

Castiel stands back a bit, letting Dean look in on Alastair through the dirty square of window in the door. While Uriel might be calling the orders on this mission, he’s more than willing to let Castiel handle this part. Attempting to make Dean understand. To make him see why what they were asking of him was necessary and important. Angels were being slaughtered, and Heaven couldn’t take those losses. Not with what was at stake.

Castiel waits for another heartbeat, and then steps up behind Dean.

“This devil’s trap is old Enochian. He’s bound completely.”

You’ll be safe.

On A Lonely Street

These orders are wrong, and you know it.

The demons aren’t doing the hits. Something else is killing your soldiers.

Something is wrong up there. I mean, can you feel it?

Castiel can feel it, and it shakes him from the inside out.

They are in the middle of a war. Of the war. And now they may be facing enemies from the inside as well as the forces of Hell.

If they can’t trust their orders from Heaven, Castiel thinks, what can they possibly trust in? What recourse do they have?

At the moment, at least for himself, Castiel can think of only one. Someone who knows the chain but is no longer a part of it.

Whether or not calling on her will prove to be a wise thing to do will remain to be seen. But it’s all he knows to do.

Castiel stands on a deserted street under the light of a single lamp post. Not that she’ll need light to find him. He’d wager she’s not wandered far away since they first took Dean to that warehouse. Castiel takes a deep breath that he does not need and calls into the darkness.

“Anna? Anna! Anna, please.”