86. Abandon All Hope...

                                    

                                          
EXT. HIGHWAY
Several highways crossed each other.
EXT. OVERPASS
Underneath the lowest of the highways, an old man got out of an expensive car, dug a hole in the dirt and gravel, buried a box, and stood.
"Mr. Pendleton, I presume," a man said, causing Pendleton to turn. "Name's Crowley."
"In my negotiations, I was, uh, dealing with a very young, attractive, uh, lady," Pendleton replied.
"Yes. I know. But you, piggy bank, you are a big fish, and I wanted to do you the honor of sealing this deal personally."
"She said the deal would be sealed with a kiss."
"That's right."
Pendleton stared and Crowley grinned.
"No, I mean, she said - I don't-" Pendleton stammered.
"Your choice," Crowley said. "You can cling to six decades of deep-seated homophobia, or give it up and get a complete bailout for your bank's ridiculous incompetence." He stood in Pendleton's personal space.
"There are just things that I-"
"Going once."
"I don't think so-"
"Going twice."
"All right! All right." Crowley pulled Pendleton in. "No-"
Crowley kissed Pendleton. Castiel was observing from a distance, him on the phone.
"Got him," Castiel said.
Crowley released Pendleton.
Castiel spoke into the phone. "The demon Crowley is making a deal; even as we speak, it's-going-down."
EXT. LAKESIDE
Dean was on the phone. Sam and Zach leaned against the car, backs to Dean.
"Going down?" Dean repeated. "Right. Okay, Huggy Bear, just don't lose him."
Sam and Zach turned to look at Dean.
"I won't lose him."
EXT. UNDERPASS
"Damn you," Pendleton said, turning to walk back to his car.
"Enjoy the obscene wealth," Crowley told him. "See you in ten years."
Crowley fiddled with a cell phone as he walked, then vanished. Castiel followed him and vanished as well.
EXT. MANSION
Castiel was still on the phone. "I followed him. It's not far, but - it's layered in Enochian warding magic. We can't get in."
"That's okay, you did great," Dean replied. "We'll take it from here."
EXT. LAKESIDE
The Impala drove off.
INT. MANSION - NIGHT
Crowley poured himself a drink with lemon and watched a black-and-white film involving Nazis.
EXT. MANSION
Two young women in evening dresses approached the gate and one pressed a button on the intercom.
"Hello?" a voice over the intercom asked.
"Hello," one young woman said. "Our car broke down. We-we need some help."
"I'll be down in a minute."