47. Croatoan Crisis

Bobby had the best view of the warehouse from the parking spot he'd taken once we got there. Using binoculars, we watched as a yellow truck backed up to the loading dock. There were at least one or two others at other stations.

"Yup, they're loading up hotshots of Croatoan in the trucks," Bobby reported. I put the binoculars down, closing my eyes to make them not dry up. "Okay. First truck don't leave for an hour. We get in, we plant the c-four every twenty-five feet, then we pull the fire alarm."

"That truck is leaving," Cas pointed out. We all looked to see the one that had just pulled in was already on its way out.

"Balls!" Bobby hissed. "Okay, new plan."

Bobby explained the plan to us as we loaded up. Cas was going to take out the truck driver and stop the gate—because we knew once they knew something was up they'd try and shut us out. Once we'd slip through, we'd haul ass to the warehouse, find a way in, and then proceed with our normal plan.

This of course was if everything worked out in our favor.

As Cas ran off to do his part, Bobby, Sam, and I got into position, with me taking the rear. I still don't understand the big deal with Croatoan.

Once we heard the never-ending honk of the truck horn, the three of us bolted. The gate gave us enough of a berth to slip through, and we dug in and ran. Of course, all the demons at the warehouse knew of our presence. They were trying to lock us out, the doors were closing fast.

"No, no, no!" I snarled as the doors just shut us out. I kept my gun at my side.

"Side door!" Bobby ordered.

Bobby was the first to reach it and try the handle. It was locked. Sam tried it, though it made no difference, so I had no idea why he tried to begin with. On other side, I heard a hysteric cry for help.

"Get back!" I shouted. I aimed right at the handle, blasting it. My brows rose in surprise. Huh, Dean's help really did come in handy. I ripped the door open and between Sam and myself, we pushed frantic people in the right direction, away from all the chaos.

"Go," Bobby barked. "Come on. Go."

Once the last of the people were out, we slipped in, guns out and ready to shoot. The door shut behind us, and things fell silent. I swallowed, feeling my arms tremble. As we slowly trekked deeper into the warehouse, my ears picked up on something. Not groaning. More like...muffled cries of pain. Feeble attempts to call out for help.

"Oh my..." I couldn't even get "God" to come out of my mouth.

On the other end of the crated path, there was a hoard of people, and they looked to be chowing down on a body that I couldn't see. I nearly dropped my weapon from the shock. Bobby and Sam were taken aback by the scene too. At least this wasn't sending me into a comatose state.

You know where to hit. Common knowledge, no lessons. Know the critical hits. The herd of people—if I could even call them that at this point—realized they were being watched. Some rose from their crouches. Their irises were a blood color, a very bad sign that sent shivers down my spine.

I stood between Sam and Bobby. The creatures on the opposite end of us took us in before they charged. We raised our weapons in unison and fired. Each creature fell after at least two shots. Bullet to the chest. Bullet to the forehead. Bullets to the chest. So many loud bangs. The bodies dropped like flies. Real target practice. You would have thought we were at a shooting gallery.

I panted once the last bullet had been fired. The bodies lay in a collective heap. I swallowed down the bile in my throat.

"Help me!" a high voice cried. "Please! Help!"

"There's still people here," I whispered in horror.

"Sam, no!" Bobby ordered as Sam began to move towards the screams.

"Wait here," Sam instructed, handing Bobby the knife before slinking off.

"Dakota, get back here!" Before I could feel fingers restrain me, I tore off after Sam, covering him. I knew he could handle himself sure, but I wanted to help. For a while now, all I wanted to do was help. This wasn't a demon problem, but it was a problem nevertheless. A problem which I could help solve.

"Hey, Sam?"

He spun around, aiming the gun at me. I jumped back, surprised he would actually turn the gun on me. Well, I did scare him, so that's on me. He sighed loudly. "Can you not do that, Kota?"

"How did you not hear me following you?" I passed him, and we walked side by side, guns pointed at nothing for now. "Quick question: this Croatoan thing. What is it, exactly?"

"A blood-borne virus. You saw what it can do, it should be self-explanatory."

"So it turns people into cannibals?"

"It just makes them go on a murderous rampage, don't know about cannibalism."

I shook my head. "Just when I thought demons couldn't get any lower..."

"Surprises at every corner."

"Tell me about it." We rounded a corner. "Say...the voice got quiet. You don't think she's...do you?" I didn't know why I couldn't bring the phrase out of my mouth.

"Keep an ear out."

I spun around, thinking I heard a noise. I didn't linger long and continued to remain at Sam's side.

"You've been pretty quiet lately, Kota."

"I thought the point of this was to keep quiet?" I whispered.

"I mean, I know you disagree with the idea and all, but...you haven't actually voiced it."

"Why voice something that's easy to guess? Can we not discuss this now?"

We ran at the scream. Sam was the first to start shooting at the infected person as it attacked a female employee. I joined in on the fire, and the infected fell dead. I went to the shaking woman, and the three of us headed back towards Bobby, towards the exit.

It wasn't hard to find Bobby, you just had to listen for the gunshots. More are still around. Once Bobby was within eyesight, as were the infected, I barreled into the fray, using my bullets sparingly.

"Go! Go!" I roared. I felt a breath of relief once I heard the door shut behind me.

I cursed under my breath as my gun ran out of ammo. One infected noticed and lunged for me. I put my arms to my face at the gunshots. The body didn't twitch.

"Thanks," I told the guys.

"All clear," Sam reported.

"Sam!" I panicked as I saw movement behind him.

The infected barely got the chance to get a finger on Sam, it was shot, but not by Bobby. When the hell did Cas sneak in? I choked out a laugh.

"Actually, these things are useful," Cas said, examining the weapon.

"Can we commit our act of domestic terrorism already?" Bobby groaned. "Let's go."

* * *

In the end, we were successful on both sides. We destroyed the virus, and Dean got Death's ring. We had them all now. The four rings that could end this apocalypse. The four rings that could put Lucifer back in his cage. Too bad there wasn't a Lord of the Rings reference to compare our victory to.

We were rewarded our peaceful period. Bobby seemed to get back to his old self now that he had two legs to use again. Actually, the night after our victory, he was up all night just walking, using the stairs. He must've really missed walking a lot. I would too.

The good things were overshadowing the big picture, the grand finale that had yet to take place. It was drawing near, I could feel it in my bones. With it being so close, it got me to thinking a lot of things. How getting Lucifer back down to Hell would go. Where I would stand depending on the outcome of the plan. There were so many variables, so many things that could go wrong, but so many things that could go right at the same time.

There was one word to describe the end that was coming: unpredictable.

I was a body full of confusion and decisions, and anger. I kept it hidden from prying eyes, mainly Sam. We hadn't had the conversation we'd tried to have back at the warehouse, though I did want to have it. There was a lot we had to talk about. There was a lot I wanted said in case I didn't get the chance to.

I was back to the books in Bobby's study, just about ready to hit my head on the book in front of me. I was fine with research, but my eyes were straining. I rubbed them with the heels of my palms.

"Ugh, how do they do this?" I ruffled my hair.

"You get used to it after a while. It's almost automatic." I felt arms sling over my shoulders and lips press against the top of my head. "You look like you need to air out."

"I think a nap is more accurate."

"Come on, Kota, you need to stretch your legs." Sam practically dragged me out of the chair and out of the house.

I looked back. "Are you kidnapping me?"

"Sort of." He brought me to the Impala.

"You have a death wish, Sam."

"I asked permission," he retorted. "I know it's stupid to, but if I didn't, I would get hell for it later."

"Damn straight you would. Where are you taking me?" I added as I claimed shotgun while Sam got into the driver's side.

"I figured you and I deserve a little us time." He started the engine. "Hard to get that in the house now that Bobby's functioning properly again."

I laughed and cut myself off in surprise. It'd been a while since something so genuine and so positive came out of me.

We didn't drive very far. We picked up some takeout along the way and rented a room for only a night. I wasn't sure what this was: our version of a date night? Why did I get the feeling that this had a bigger motive behind it?

We had the TV on while we ate. It was a chill atmosphere in the room which ended up with us turning off the TV and just cuddling on the bed. I wasn't tired, my mind wouldn't let me be.

"There's more to this," I stated.

"I would rather do this privately," he admitted with a sigh. "I just want to know something, Kota."

"What is there to know, Sam? You know how I feel about your idea. It seems like it's our only option."

"It is. Dean said he's in on it."

I picked my head up. "Say again?"

"He wants to go through with it."

I groaned. "Son of a bitch. He was the strongest person against it. Am I the only one left?"

"Looks like it."

I pursed my lips. "And there's no other way to end this? Are we sure? Have we checked every possibility?"

"Kota—"

"I just...I don't want it to be this, Sam. I...I don't want to see this end badly. There's a chance that it will. There's a chance that the human race won't exist if Lucifer wins. I'm not trying to be a Negative Nelly, but..." I sniffed. "I've had countless nightmares of you and Lucifer. I don't want them to come true."

"I'll fight him. I'll be strong enough."

I squeezed a tear out of my eye. "But what if you aren't, Sam? What if you end up like my sister? I can't lose you to possession. I lost one person already."

"You won't, I promise."

I sat up in the bed, out of his reach. I pulled my knees to my chest. "This calm before the storm has given me time to think."

"About?"

"My exit strategy." I sniffed. "My next steps after whatever outcome takes place."

"You know what I want for you, Kota."

"I know." I smiled faintly. "I want it, too, Sam. But if this ends badly...I might just take to the hunting life."

"Don't." He sounded almost worried. "That's the last thing I want for you."

I shrugged. "One more can't hurt, right? I can teach myself. I'll have teachers, maybe, if any still live after this mess."

"And if things go right?"

"Then I'll make myself scarce and start over. I'll do my research before I settle. I don't want to be anywhere near demons ever again."

His hand rubbed my back soothingly. "If you are, you'll know how to handle them."

I scoffed. "I don't want to go back to being an exorcist if things work out, Sam. I want out of the life entirely." I twisted my neck to look down on him. I then turned my entire body to him. He had such affection in his hazel eyes. I crawled over to him as he sat up. "It's something you should consider, and Dean too. Even Bobby."

"Kota, you do realize that I may not come back once this is over. If I get Lucifer back into Hell, we might just stay there."

I swallowed. "You'd find a way out. You're Sam Winchester."

"I'm not a god."

"Still, you're one of the smartest people I know. If anyone can get out of Hell, it'd be you." I smiled timidly. "Hell, if I live long enough, I can partner up with Dean and Bobby, maybe even Cas, and we can get you out."

I didn't talk much after Sam caught my mouth in his. It started out slow, but then I could feel the passion seep through. My hands kept in his hair as he worked down my neck. My stomach knotted in a good way.

You're okay, you're okay. It's Sam, not Lucifer. This is Sam. This is the man you care about. This is your friend from high school. You can trust him. No regrets, Dakota. That was your motto when you decided to take on this relationship. Live up to it. Don't let anything stop you.

With him doing most of the work—with a little help from me—we got him shirtless. My eyes marveled at the tattoo that proved to me that this was real, that this wasn't Lucifer. He shivered at my fingertips.

"Guess it's too late for me to get one, huh?" I joked weakly.

"You never needed one." He kissed me hard.

"Lucky me." I smiled against his mouth, feeling my arms curl around and up his back.

"You're sure about this?"

"I'm not letting anything get in the way." I bit on his lip a bit.

It was pretty safe to say that nothing was going to disturb us.

**You can feel it through the Force, can't you? That the end is coming?

Oh, yes, dear readers, it's coming.

P.S. The song is the Sakota anthem.**