STREET

A Magican demonstrates turning a heart-shaped balloon into a dove, to applause from the crowd. A sign on a nearby streetlight reads Iowa Celebrates Magic Week Welcome the International Association of Magicians Sioux City

BAR

A Magician practices a card-handling move. Another Magician, Jay demonstrates a one-handed cut to the Bartender.

"Charlier cut." Jay Says

"Wow. You're really good." Bartender Says

Another Magician,Vance and his Assistant are sitting nearby.

"Yeah, great. Hey, show us another." Vance Says

"Finish your drink, Vance." Assistant Says

"This is a simple riffle shuffle." Jay Says as he shuffles the deck and fumbles some of the cards. Vance laughs.

"Do a card trick for me." Bartender Says

"Ooh, here we go, The Incredible Jay." Vance Says

"All right, young lady, would you please tell me when to stop?" Jay Says

Jay riffles the edge of the cards, stopping when

"Stop." Bartender Says

Jay holds up part of the deck, showing the card he was stopped on. He hasn't seen the card himself it's the three of spades.

"This is your card. Commit it to memory, hm?" Jay Says

Jay puts the deck back together, the three of spades apparently somewhere in the middle.

"That's incredible, Jay." Vance Says

"Don't be a jerk." Assistant Says

"Right, now..." Jay Says

Jay spreads the cards out face-down, then uses the four of diamonds to flip them all face-up.

"Do you see your card?" Jay Asks

"Um...no, I don't." Bartender Says

Jay plays with the cards, making the Bartender laugh.

"No, the cards say no." Jay Says

"Check his pocket." Vance Says

"For God's sake, Vance" Assistant Says

"Oh, just check—check the damn pocket!" Vance Says

"So, if you then would remove—" Jay Says As Vance comes over and clears his throat. He pulls a card out of Jay's pocket and turns it over.

"This your card?" Vance Asks

"Why are you so mean? Can't you just leave the old guy alone?" Bartender Says As Jay is taken aback.

THEATER

"I Am the Douchebag" by Christopher Lennertz and Steve Frangadakis plays. A Magician, Jeb Dexter, is practicing a trick involving flying on wires, smoke, and flames in the palms of his hands, to a small audience.

"You can't see me
You can't feel me
But I will make it real"

Other Magicians , Charlie with a birthmark above his right eye, is one of the audience members. So is Jay and another magician, Vernon.

"Is he wearing eyeliner?" Charlie Asks

"Sanctify Electrify"

"Can't tell. I'm blinded by all the sterling silver." Vernon Says

"I am the spirit of the night"

"The light has to find me!, Get it? It, it has to find me!" Jeb Says

"Let's take it back." Helper Says

"What a douchebag." Charlie Says

"Would you guys give it a rest? You're giving me a headache." Jay Says

"Oh, come on, Jay. His misdirect is shaking his ass like an Eighth Avenue hooker." Vernon Says

"Used to be about skill." Charlie Says

"Yeah, used to be. Used to be. Listen to the two of you. It's pathetic. Bitter old men talking about the glory days. You know what? This douchebag isn't the joke. We are." Jay Says

"Hey, who you calling a joke?" Charlie Says

"Me, for one." Jay Says Then Jeb Gets back to his Act

"Mystify
Sanctify
Electrify"

"That used to be us." Jay Says

"I am the spirit of the night"

"You know, maybe he is a douchebag—" Jay Says

"Mystify
Sanctify
Electrify"

"But he's playing the main stage and we can't even afford an assistant. What the hell are we doing?" Jay Says

"We're doing all right." Charlie Says

"I am the vision of night"

"No, we're not. We're sad, we're old, and we're dying." Jay Says

"Jay." Charlie Says

"I'm gonna do the Table of Death tonight." Jay Says

"No. No, you're not, Jay. Don't be crazy." Vernon Says

"You almost killed yourself the last time you tried it, and that was thirty years ago!" Charlie Says

"Oh, who cares if it kills me? At least I'll go out with a headline." Jay Says

THEATER

Someone in the audience is yawning. Jay is onstage in a tuxedo.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what you are about to see is not a trick or an illusion—simply a display of daring and dexterity." Jay Says

Jay lies down on a table labeled Table of Death. Charlie cuffs him down.

"Now, young lady, if you'll please check the bindings, you'll see they're very real. Very tight." Jay Says

"Thank you. You may take your seat." Jay Says

"Damn straight they're tight. You sure you can slip them?" Charlie Asks As Jay smirks.

Above the table are ten swords, each with a blade stained red. Charlie pulls a curtain, hiding Jay and the swords from view. The lights go out. Backstage, Vernon does the sign of the cross. Charlie picks up a miniature blowtorch and goes over to Vernon. They communicate silently. Jay tries to slip the cuffs; they're too tight. Charlie lights the blowtorch, then the end of a cord attached to a rope.

HOTEL PATRICIA

Vance and his Assistants are leaving Pat's Pub.

"Show's in an hour, Vance. Try to be on time." Assistant Says As Vance waves her off.

THEATER

The cord burns with much light and smoke and sparks. A light behind the curtain shows Jay's silhouette as he struggles to get out of the cuffs.

STREET

Vance walks along down the street

THEATER

The cord burns to the end and through the rope. The swords fall, piercing the table. Jay's silhouette is still on the table.

STREET

Vance stumbles, pressing his hands to his chest, and falls.

THEATER

The lights are back on. Charlie tugs one curtain aside, And there's Jay and he takes a bow. A standing ovation. Jay accepts the applause, looking confused.

STREET

Vance is lying on the ground. Blood soaks his white shirt from several places under the shirt.

STREET

Next Day, Jeb Dexter is doing card tricks for an audience.

"This, this isn't a trick, okay? I, I, I don't do tricks. This is a demonstration—about demons and angels" Jeb Says

Dean, Elena and Sam, wearing suits, approach Jeb.

"love and lust" Jeb Says

"What a douchebag." Dean Says

"Takes One to know one" Elena Says

"What?" Dean Says

"Kidding" Elena Says

There's are a Camera Person and a Microphone Person in the audience.

"all that stuff mixed up in my head." Jeb Says

"That's Jeb Dexter." Sam Says

"I don't even want to know how you know that." Dean Says

"He's Kind of Hot Actually" Elena Says

"Of course you'd date a guy like that" Dean Says

"Yup" Elena Says As Dean Looks At Her

"He's famous, kind of." Sam Says

"but whatever happens, no matter how" Jeb Says

"For what? Douchebaggery?" Dean Says

"messed up it gets, don't touch me, okay?, For your own safety." Jeb Says

Jeb exhales, shaking his head, then imitates something like a seizure. With one hand he grabs for the cards in his other hand and scatters them, flinging them in the direction of the window behind him.

"Go back to hell, demon!" Jeb Says

The card that sticks to the window is the ace of diamonds. Jeb drags his hand over the card to show that it's on the far side of the glass.

"Is this your card?" Jeb Says As The Audience Applause.

"You've got to be kidding me. A fake demon possession?" Dean Says

"They Love It" Elena Says

"I can't believe people actually fall for that crap." Dean Says

"It's not all crap." Sam Says

"What part of that was not a steaming pile of BS?" Dean Says

"Okay, that was crap, but that's not all magicians." Elena Says

"It takes skill." Sam Says

"Oh, right, right, I forgot. You were actually into this stuff, weren't you. I mean, you had, you had, like a deck of cards and a wand" Dean Says

"Dude, I was thirteen. It was a phase." Sam Says

"Just—it bugs me. You know, playing at demons and, and magic, when the real thing will kill you bloody." Dean Says

"Like a guy who drops dead of ten stab wounds without a single tear in his shirt?" Elena Says

"That's what I'm talking about." Dean Says

VANCE'S HOTEL ROOM

Vance's Assistants tosses a bunch of metal rings into a mostly-packed trunk. She turns to face Sam, Elena and Dean.

"So did your boss have any enemies that you know of?" Dean Asks

"Vance had plenty of enemies." Assistant Says
As She leans down and grabs the end of a series of tied-together handkerchiefs.

"How so?" Sam Says

"He would steal from other magicians. All the time." Assistant Says

"What would he steal?" Sam Says

"Stage effects, closeup techniques, anything he could get his hands on." Assistant Says

"Is that enough to get him killed?" Elena Says

"These guys take this stuff pretty seriously." Assistant Says

She moves a cloth off a white rabbit.

"There you are." Assistant Says Then She bends down to pick up and pet the rabbit.

"Did you find anything weird in Vance's stuff? Well, weirder?" Dean Asks

"Matter of fact, I did." Assistant Says

She puts the bunny in a bag and pulls out a Rider-Waite tarot card: the Ten of Swords. The image on the card is of ten swords sticking out of a man's back.

"I'm guessing this didn't belong to Vance." Sam Says

"He hated card tricks. Never wanted them around. Let alone in his precious cape." Assistant Says

She hands over the card. Sam looks at both sides of it, It looks like a perfectly ordinary tarot card.

JAY'S HOTEL ROOM

Jay is practicing card tricks when Someone knocks on the door. He grins and goes over to open the door, then waves him in: it's Charlie.

"You gonna tell me how you did it?" Charlie Says

"Did what?" Jay Says

"You know what." Charlie Says

"The great ones never give away the how." Jay Says

"Yesterday you were sad, old, and dying. Today you're one of the great ones? Come on. This is me you're talking to." Charlie Says

"You didn't think I could do it." Jay Says

"No, Jay, I didn't. You're my friend, my best friend. I just didn't want to see you get hurt." Charlie Says
As Jay goes back to playing with the cards.

"Charlie, you want to see something? Look at this." Jay Says

Jay cuts the deck several times and extracts three cards from it, all three aces.

"Not bad." Charlie Says

'Not bad'? I've been working to pull an ace out of the middle of the deck for years, just one, and now I can pull three." Jay Says

"Still missing the ace of hearts." Charlie Says

"I want to do the Executioner tonight." Jay Says

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Charlie Says

"It's just a rope slip." Jay Says

"Houdini wouldn't try the Executioner." Charlie Says

"Exactly. Think about it, Charlie. If I can pull this off..." Jay Says

"I think you're pushing your luck." Charlie Says

"It wasn't luck. It wasn't. Here, stand over there." Jay Says

"Let's not end up like this, Charlie, a couple old farts doing birthdays and bar mitzvahs." Jay Says

"Beats dying." Charlie Says

"Does it?" Jay Says

"I would do anything for you. You know that. But I will not watch you die. I'll miss that show." Charlie Says

"No, you'll be there. You're always there for me. Check your pocket." Jay Says

Charlie checks his coat pocket, then his shirt pocket the ace of hearts is there and he laughs.

"That's good, Jay. That's pretty damn good." Charlie Says

"I can do it, Charlie. I want to do it." Jay Says As Charlie nods and Jay laughs.

THEATER

There's a sign up that reads The Incredible Jay over the Table of Death. Jeb Dexter is on the phone nearby.

"It's a lame gig. I'm in a fleabag hotel doing this man-of-the-people crap, and freaking Angel's in Vegas doing Cirque du Soleil! That should have been mine." Jeb Says

Jeb sits down at a table. Charlie and Vernon are at an adjacent table. Dean approaches them.

"All right, boys, get it in gear, I don't got all day." Jeb Says

Jeb's Camera person and Microphone Person starts moving. Dean crouches behind Vernon.

"You Vernon Haskell?" Dean Asks

"Who's asking?" Vernon Says

"Federal agent. Ulrich, Looking into the death of Patrick Vance." Dean Says

Jeb talks into the camera. He's sitting across from Jay.

"I'm Jeb Dexter. This is Devil Twist. We're chilling at the International Magicians' Convention, which is a dope chance to tip my hat to the wicked cats who came before me. Smoking hot effect last night, Jim." He Says

"Jay." He Says

"Huh?" Jeb Says

"My name is Jay." He Says

"Yeah, whatever. We can loop it later." Jeb Says

"What a douchebag." Vernon Says

"Couldn't agree more. Is uh, He pulls out the Ten of Swords. This familiar to you?" Dean Says

"Should it be?" Vernon Says

"Well, I heard that you used tarot cards in your act." Dean Says

"My act?, That was a long time ago. I haven't touched a deck in years, you know..." Vernon Says
As he holds up a shaking hand.

"Do you know someone that might use them now?" Dean Says

"Well, there was a guy down on Bleeker Street." Vernon Says

"Oh, yeah. He, he peddles that kind of specialty stuff." Charlie Says

"Did he have a problem with Vance?" Dean Asks

"Matter of fact, Vance crossed him about a year ago. Probably cost him fifty grand in royalties." Vernon Says

"You know the exact address?" Dean Asks

"Four twenty-six Bleeker." Vernon Says

"Ask for Chief." Charlie Says

"Chief. Thank you." Dean Says As He Walks To Elena

"So What Did They Tell you?" Elena Asks

"Well they told me a place and a guy that knew Vance you wanna come" Dean Says

"Sure Why not" Elena Says

BLEEKER ST

Dean and Elena walks along the street till they comes to a neon sign saying 426. Dean knocks on the bars on the door. The chain-link door swings open, revealing a Young Man who eyes Dean and Elena.

"Hey" Elena Says

"Were, uh here to see Chief." Dean Says

The Young Man raises his eyebrows and opens the barred door.

BUILDING

Dean & Elena follows the Young Man downstairs.

"Stay here. Don't touch anything." The Man Says

The Man leaves. Dean and Elena looks around. There's graffiti on the walls and the bass line of music is audible. A door opens and They turns to face it, a Large Man, Chief, climbs the stairs, backlit, and the music is more clearly heard. Chief is wearing all leather and carrying a flogger, which he slaps into his other hand a couple times.

"Oh God" Elena Says

"You are really gonna get it tonight" Chief Says

"There's been a misunderstanding. I, uh, think I've been had." Dean Says

"Oh, you ain't been had till you been had by the Chief." He Says

"Dean Come On" Elena Whispers

"Oh, and before we get started, what's your safeword?" Chief Asks

MOTEL ROOM

Sam is sitting at a table working on his laptop. A knock at the door. He looks up, waits, then gets up and goes to peer through the peephole. He sighs and opens the door. It's Ruby, arms folded.

"What are you doing here, Ruby?" Sam Asks

"I should be asking you the same thing." Ruby Says
Then She comes in.

"I'm working a job." Sam Says

"The whole world's about to be engulfed in hellfire, and you're in Magictown, USA." Ruby Says

"You got something against magic?" Sam Asks

"That would almost be funny if thirty-four seals hadn't been broken already. Thirty-four, Sam. That's over halfway. The angels are losing this war. Every day is one day closer, and if someone doesn't do something soon" Ruby Asks

"And that someone is me?" Sam Says

"Who else would it be?" Ruby Says

"I don't know where these seals are. I don't know squat. So why don't you tell me where you'd like me to start?" Sam Says

"Well, you can quit dicking around here, for one. Bigger fish, Sam. And if the seals are being broken, you might want to go after the one doing the breaking." Ruby Says

"Lilith?" Sam Says

"Cut the head off the snake. You're the only one who can stop her, Sam. So step up and kill the little bitch." Ruby Says

"Oh, I'm game, believe me. It's not the psychic thing I got a problem with." Sam Says

"Yeah, I know what you got a problem with, but tough. It's the only way." Ruby Says

"No." Sam Says

"You know, this would all be so much easier if you'd just admit to yourself that you like it. That feeling that it gives you." Ruby Says

"You don't know what you're talking about." Sam Says

"Oh I don't, huh? Fine, It's simple. Lucifer rises, the apocalypse starts. You think that you have demons on your hands now? People are gonna die, Sam. Oceans of people. So you just let me know when you're ready." Ruby Says Then She leaves.