Reaching an agreement with Rowena turned out to be far easier than anyone had expected. But that didn’t mean she was trusted.

No one in that room had forgotten her past — a long and impressive list of betrayals, manipulations, and an uncanny ability to profit from any situation, even the most hopeless one.

Sipping his coffee, Alex watched Rowena. He knew the real reason why the witch had so easily agreed to look for a way to open Lucifer’s Cage while also finding protection for Sam from the Prince of Darkness himself.

It had nothing to do with his promise that she wouldn’t be killed once the job was done. Rowena wanted more. She wanted Lucifer’s backing.

She would side with him without hesitation, fully aware of how little he cared about allies — once they stopped being useful. And a witch capable of opening and closing the Cage was far too valuable a tool to simply dispose of.

How could Lucifer allow someone like that to walk free — someone who could send him back to a hellish prison at any moment?

Alex closed his eyes for a second. The world around him dissolved.

Once again, he found himself in the Library of Life — at his own desk. Sitting across from him was his clone, calmly and methodically carrying out the duties of Death.

Alex summoned the Book of Life of Rowena MacLeod, wanting to be absolutely certain that her fate would not end at Lucifer’s hand. Flipping through the pages, he quickly found what he was looking for. Rowena would survive.

After Lucifer supposedly killed her, she would disappear, go into hiding, and continue to exist in the shadows. Closing the book, Alex thoughtfully ran his fingers along his chin.

He needed Lucifer to be free.

To reclaim Hell, put Crowley back on a leash, and then head for Heaven — with the intention of seizing Chuck’s throne and trying on the role of the new God.

Alex understood perfectly well that all of this was part of Chuck’s own plan. In Chuck’s view, Amara was still angry. She continued killing priests, and Chuck considered it nothing more than outbursts of rage — attempts to lure him out of hiding.

But he was missing the most important thing. Amara was killing exactly those priests through whom Chuck subtly influenced people, moving pieces in his endless game. Alex intended to use that game to his own advantage.

Fragments of Amara’s power were scattered across different places. Gather them, restore her strength — and do it in such a way that Chuck wouldn’t suspect a thing. As long as Amara played the role of the evil sister, consumed by vengeance and willing to do anything to meet her brother, Chuck would focus solely on her. Ignoring everything else.

Returning to reality, Alex felt someone shaking his shoulder. He opened his eyes and turned his head toward Dean.

“What?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“We’re heading back to the Bunker,” Dean said. “And we’re taking the witch with us. Better to keep an eye on her so she doesn’t pull anything.”

“Dean, how can you say such a thing?” Rowena protested theatrically, lightly rattling her shackles. “What could I possibly do in this condition? Do you think I’d get very far?”

“There’s less trust in you than in Crowley,” Dean replied coldly. “So you’re coming with us. And we’ll be watching you. You love your little tricks too much.”

“You wound me with your words, Dean,” Crowley drawled, lounging lazily on his throne. “And after all the fun you and I had when you were a demon.”

“I don’t care,” Dean muttered. “We’re leaving. Let’s go, Sam.”

Alex chuckled quietly as he looked at the brothers. Sam and Dean nodded — they were ready. Alex waved to Crowley in farewell. Crowley responded with the same lazy gesture, as if everything happening around him no longer concerned him.

With a snap of his fingers, Alex teleported them all to the Bunker. They appeared in the library.

Rowena blinked in surprise, looking around, clearly impressed. Then her gaze settled on Alex, who lazily stretched, got up from his chair, and headed toward the kitchen.

“All right, enough staring,” Sam said. “Let’s go, we’ll set up a place for you to work.”

“Samuel, surely you don’t intend to lock me up in that damp little room again?” Rowena scoffed, making no move to stand. “Don’t I deserve better treatment for helping you?”

“No,” Sam replied calmly. “Now get up. Don’t make me drag you by force.”

“No need,” Rowena shot back sarcastically as she stood up and picked up the Book of the Damned and the decoder. “I can walk on my own. What else should one expect from crude brutes.”

Sam only rolled his eyes and led Rowena to the hidden room — a place where she wouldn’t be able to pull off any of her usual little tricks. Meanwhile, Alex went to look for Alice and Enid and found them fairly quickly.

As he approached Enid’s room, he heard music coming from the corridor. Carefully cracking the door open, Alex peeked inside and saw Enid filming GIR, MIMI, and Stitch, who were dancing in perfect sync to some upbeat tune.

Alice was sitting nearby, smiling and clapping her hands, clearly enjoying the show. Alex silently closed the door and pretended he hadn’t seen anything.

Deciding that it would be better to deal with some “important matters” — which, strictly speaking, he didn’t actually have — Alex returned to the library. After all, no one forbade him from looking busy.

Settling at the table, he turned on some music, poured himself a cup of coffee, and began going through the reports from the field teams. In truth, he was just looking for something to occupy himself while Rowena dug through the Book of the Damned in search of the right spell.

After a while, Dean walked into the library with a bottle of beer in his hand.

He dropped into the chair across from Alex, lazily propped his feet up on the table, and started scrolling through the news. His gaze caught once again on a headline about another murdered priest.

“Hey, Alex,” he called out. “You busy over there?”

“Depends on what you want,” Alex replied, pulling out his earbuds.

“Looks like Amara took out another priest. Maybe she’s still there. Want to check it out?” Dean said, showing Alex the screen of his phone.

“I don’t see the point,” Alex said calmly, adjusting his glasses. “That priest, let’s just say, was far from a paragon of virtue. And I don’t see any reason to waste time on it. Someone dies every second. And what Amara is doing is far from the worst thing that’s ever happened in this world. Angels, demons, and other creatures have killed far more people. Five or six priests mean nothing. The so-called God drowned the entire world on a whim. So it’s better if you get to work and help me with the reports.”

“Dude,” Dean snorted, taking a swig of beer. “Ever since you became Death, you’ve turned into an even bigger bore than you were before. I’m not dealing with this bureaucracy. I don’t get paid for paperwork — I get paid to kill monsters. If you want me to work, give me a creature I can shoot. Or at least tell me where there’s a fragment of the Darkness. Then we’ll talk.”

Alex looked at him with an empty stare. Dean returned the look — stubborn and unbothered.

Alex only sighed, lightly massaged the bridge of his nose, and went back to work. Some time later, Sam entered the library, wearing the expression of someone utterly exhausted by life. Guessing the reason wasn’t difficult.

“Let me guess,” Dean smirked. “Rowena?”

Sam silently rolled his eyes. It was more eloquent than any words. Alex quietly chuckled and buried himself back in the reports, reading about locations with recorded supernatural activity. The day was slowly coming to an end.

Lucina, Wednesday, and Samantha never made it back to the Bunker — they were still in the cursed house in Amityville, trying to lift the curse on their own.

Before going to sleep, Alex called the girls to check on their progress. It turned out they were stuck on the red cursed room in the basement — the very source of the madness that caused one of the residents to murder his family every single time.

After giving them a few pointers, Alex wished them luck and went to bed. This time, he fell asleep in the company of Alice and Enid. Enid had decided that sleeping next to Alex was far too pleasant to give up.

The next morning, Alex carefully woke both girls, who were clinging to him in their sleep. He helped them wash up and get themselves together, and then the three of them headed to the kitchen.

While Alex was making breakfast, Wednesday, Lucina, and Samantha suddenly appeared in the Bunker. They looked as if they had been at the epicenter of a fire. Everyone who was having breakfast turned their heads in unison and stared at the trio, covered in ash and soot.

Lucina looked irritated, but her expression softened when Alex waved his hand and magically cleaned her clothes. He did the same for Samantha and Wednesday. Samantha let out a relieved sigh. Wednesday, as usual, looked completely calm — as if nothing had happened at all.

“What happened to you?” Enid asked in surprise.

“Someone got tired of the cursed house,” Lucina replied dryly, taking a sip of coffee from Alex’s mug. “And decided to burn it down.”

“My dear Wednesday,” Alex sighed. “Why did you burn down the cursed house?”

“I got tired of the whispers in my head,” Wednesday replied calmly, sitting down at the table. “I see no reason to listen to instructions from some house about when and whom I should kill. I’ll decide that myself. And make me some coffee.”

Enid and Alice quietly giggled at Wednesday’s words, while Lucina and Samantha merely sighed heavily. Dean, on the other hand, burst out laughing, finding that this behavior was perfectly in character for Wednesday. Sam only grimly noted to himself that their family had become even more insane than before.

Alex simply smiled, quickly kissed Wednesday on the cheek, and got up from his seat to make her some coffee. As he did so, the true reason why Wednesday had decided to burn down the cursed house in Amityville was already perfectly clear to him.

It was all because of her new novel. If before Wednesday had been writing a detective story — about a girl investigating a serial killer — then her new novel had retained its detective foundation but added a supernatural element.

That was precisely why Wednesday had gone looking for inspiration in a cursed house — a place tied to a notorious case that many people knew about.

Considering that the house itself influenced its residents, slowly driving them mad and turning them into killers, it wasn’t hard to guess that it had tried to affect Wednesday as well, planting dark thoughts in her mind.

And knowing Wednesday’s character — especially her hatred of any interference while working — the outcome was more than predictable. Alex could already clearly see the scene: Wednesday writing her novel, the house trying to muddle her mind, her getting fed up with it… and eventually just burning the whole house to hell.

After making the coffee, Alex placed the mug in front of Wednesday and found himself wondering whether they had completely lifted the curse. From Lucina’s and Samantha’s words, he understood that they had. But that hadn’t been enough for Wednesday, so she decided to secure the result by burning the house to the ground.

Alex just chuckled softly. In the end, Lucina had bought the house, so there was nothing particularly terrible about it burning down. Smiling faintly, Alex decided to take breakfast to Rowena.

Learning that an ancient witch was in the Bunker, Wednesday decided to go along with him. Holding a plate of breakfast for Rowena, Alex headed to the storage area where the secret containment room was located.

Pushing the cabinet aside, Alex and Wednesday saw Rowena calmly sitting at the table, making notes while deciphering the Book of the Cursed. Hearing the sound, Rowena looked up and first saw Alex, then Wednesday. Genuine surprise crossed her face.

“Goody Addams?” she said thoughtfully, looking at Wednesday. “Weren’t you dead, cursing that idiot… what was his name… John? Jim? Ah, whatever. I never remember the names of the next idiots obsessed with burning witches.”

“She’s not Goody, she’s Wednesday,” Alex corrected her calmly, setting the breakfast in front of Rowena. “And you mean Joseph Crackstone. His own descendant brought him back to life. We killed him again.”

“I see…” Rowena said. “Well, that happens.”

She looked at Wednesday again, now with obvious interest.

“So, you’re a descendant of Goody, girl. How intriguing. You don’t look anything like her… well, except for the dark style of clothing and that face. Otherwise — spitting image of Goody.”

“You knew Goody?” Wednesday asked, crossing her arms. “What was she like?”

“When I first met Goody, she was still an inexperienced girl,” Rowena began with a faint smile. “But she quickly became a powerful witch, mostly thanks to her gift.”

She paused for a moment.

“I remember how she dreamed of creating a place for people like her. I wonder if she ever succeeded.”

“She did,” Alex said, leaning lightly against the wall with his arms crossed. “That place is called Nevermore Academy.”

“I see…” Rowena squinted. “I’ll have to check it out. I’m curious what kind of place it is.”

“First, find a way to open the cage,” Alex said wearily, rolling his eyes, “then you can think about new adventures. Do what we agreed on — and you’ll be free to go wherever you want.”

“All of you men are so impatient,” Rowena huffed. “Always in such a hurry. Don’t you see I’m having breakfast? How am I supposed to work if I don’t eat? Or are you trying to starve me?”

She deliberately continued eating slowly, sipping her coffee. Alex just rolled his eyes, but seeing this, Rowena only smiled even wider.

Shaking his head, Alex took Wednesday’s hand, and they left the witch alone. He didn’t know how long it would take Rowena to find the necessary spells, so he decided to simply rest and spend time with the girls.

Alex and Wednesday headed to the library. Enid and Alice were already there, giving each other new manicures again, while Lucina and Samantha had gone back to sleep. Alex and Wednesday sat on the couch. Alex rested his head on her lap. Wednesday looked down at him, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Alex had already closed his eyes. Today, he had no urgent work, and he could afford to relax. Realizing that Alex had fallen asleep almost instantly, Wednesday merely gave him a quick glance and went back to reading her book.

Alex didn’t know how long he had slept until someone started shaking him insistently. He opened his eyes and realized he was still lying on the couch in the library, with Dean nudging him with his foot.

“What?” Alex mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

“Grab the fan,” Dean said with a smirk. “We’re heading to Hell. It’s going to be hot.”

Alex nodded absentmindedly and, getting up from the couch, followed Dean. In the garage, Rowena and Sam were already waiting. Still yawning, Alex climbed into the Impala. The car started moving toward the meeting point with Crowley.

On the way, Alex almost fell asleep again. He didn’t even think about using his powers to teleport — right now, all he could focus on was staying awake.

When they arrived, Alex lazily got out of the car and stretched, fully waking up. Crowley was already there, hands tucked into his coat.

“You didn’t rush, boys,” he said calmly. “I understand perfectly. Not everyone wants to deal with Lucifer.”

“Cut the chatter, Crowley,” Dean said dryly. “Let’s get to business.”

“Since you’re so eager…” Crowley smirked, raising a hand. “Welcome to Hell.”

Crowley snapped his fingers — and in the next moment, they were all in Hell. Looking around, Alex lit a cigarette and immediately understood: they were in the farthest part of it, where, in essence, there was nothing. Limbo. Crowley walked ahead, pointing the way, and the others followed.

Alex stayed at the very end of the group, observing carefully. They were walking down a long corridor lined with torches. Thunder and lightning rumbled overhead, and a strong wind howled between the stone walls. After a moment, Alex pushed off the floor and jumped up in one smooth motion.

From above, he looked around. In the distance stretched endless dark, grim landscapes. Bones lay scattered everywhere, the screams of suffering souls echoed through the air, and chains rattled dully.

Alex decided to move along the top, keeping an eye out for anything interesting. But no matter how much he looked, nothing truly worthy of his attention appeared.

Below, Dean, Sam, Crowley, and Rowena heard stones falling somewhere. They looked up and saw Alex calmly walking along above them, whistling a cheerful tune.

“Dean, Sam,” Crowley said, pointing at him, “I’ll ask again: where did you dig this guy up? Even here, he acts as if he owns the place.”

“And what kind of place is this?” Dean asked, walking behind Crowley. “Care to share the secret with the whole class?”

“I must admit, I was hoping for more picturesque landscapes,” Rowena remarked, holding the Book of the Cursed.

“We’re in the farthest part of Hell,” Crowley said calmly, not turning around. “Limbo. This is where I exile the rebellious souls as punishment.”

“So this is where I’ll meet Lucifer?” Sam asked, looking around.

“The scenery isn’t much,” Crowley added, “but the security here is perfect.”

Dean and Sam simply nodded, understanding that Crowley had thought of everything.

Out of habit, Dean reached for his back, checking if the Blade of Cain was still there. Finding the hilt, he pulled his hand away. Unpleasant thoughts were already swirling in his mind — and he knew perfectly well that he needed to be ready for anything.

Dean glanced at Alex, who had already gone ahead without waiting for the others, noting to himself that they had a serious backup just in case. By this time, Alex had already reached Lucifer’s cage.

He jumped down, climbed onto a small platform, and squinted slightly. Inside the cage, he could clearly see three beings — or rather, two sharing one body.

It was Michael from this universe and Adam Milligan — the half-brother of the Winchesters. The very same Adam who had once been killed by a ghoul and then resurrected by the angels to serve as Michael’s vessel after Dean refused.

In the end, Adam ended up locked in the same cage as Lucifer. And Lucifer took full advantage — both on his brother Michael and, of course, on Adam himself, who simply had catastrophic bad luck.

Sitting on the platform rail, Alex dangled his legs over the edge and thoughtfully stroked his chin.

Gradually, a rather cunning plan began to take shape in his mind. Lucifer needed to be set free. Michael — had to remain in the cage. And if Michael stayed locked up, the archangel’s power would be useless to him.

Smirking slightly, Alex heard footsteps behind him and quickly hid his smile, careful not to reveal his thoughts.

“You weren’t in a hurry,” he said, turning his head.

“Ah, right,” Dean snorted, rolling his eyes. “How could we forget we’re on a casual stroll through Hell? Next time, we’ll go faster.”

“Never thought I’d end up here again,” Sam said quietly, coming closer.

“Not just you, Moose,” Crowley sighed, shaking his head slightly. “I’m the King of Hell, but even I feel uneasy in a place like this.”

“Exactly the kind of place made for you,” Dean remarked, leaning on the rail beside Alex. “Empty and grim.”

“Tone down the sarcasm, Dean,” Crowley replied irritably. “I, by the way, am bending over backwards to help you idiots. Next time, try adding even a drop of gratitude to your voice.”

“How noble of you, Crowley,” Dean muttered.

“Alright, boys, enough,” Rowena intervened, descending toward the cage. “Don’t forget why we’re here.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Rowena,” Sam said, watching her closely. “If you mess up the protection, the cage won’t hold him.”

“Don’t worry about me, Samuel,” she replied with a faintly haughty smile. “I know exactly what I’m doing. And you’re not the only one who wants to get out of here as quickly as possible. So relax and let me work.”

Sam just nodded and let out a heavy sigh, trying to suppress his rising nervousness.

Meanwhile, Rowena began inscribing magical symbols on the cage.

Alex didn’t take his eyes off what was happening inside. He immediately noticed the smile on Lucifer’s face — the fallen angel was watching everything with obvious enjoyment, as if he weren’t the prisoner but a spectator at a well-staged play.

Rowena worked slowly and meticulously, symbol by symbol, while the others waited. Dean leaned against the rail, holding a small fan that blew directly in his face.

Alex shifted his gaze to Sam. With each passing minute, Sam grew tenser as Rowena continued weaving her spells. Alex quietly patted him on the shoulder and smiled — short, confident, letting him know that, if necessary, he would intervene.

Sam could only nod, trying to steady himself.

Everything that had happened between him and Lucifer was etched permanently into his memory. The tortures in particular — cold, intricate, endless.

Seeing that Sam wasn’t calming down, Alex let out a quiet sigh and looked back at the cage. In the very corner, he noticed a tiny, almost imperceptible crack — a remnant of the time when Amara had broken free.

It was through that crack that Lucifer had managed to slip through, sending visions to Sam, passing them off as divine revelations. All for one purpose: to lure Sam here. To make him say “yes.”

When Rowena finally finished with the runes, she stepped back to the table and opened the Book of the Damned.

No sooner had she begun reading the spell than flames erupted around the cage — dense, alive, like a protective barrier.

Rowena didn’t falter for a moment.

Limbo began to shift. The wind intensified, thunder rolled through the void, and suddenly a blinding lightning tore through the space, momentarily depriving everyone of sight.

When the flash faded, Lucifer became clearly visible.

The flames cast shadows across his face, concealing almost everything — except his eyes. Red, burning, alive. And even in the half-dark, his playful, mocking smile was unmistakable.

Sam clenched his fists even tighter, completely succumbing to his nervousness.

Dean slipped his hand behind his back and gripped the Blade of Cain even tighter, just in case. No one noticed the darkness slowly creeping along his palm, hidden behind his back.

He was ready in case Lucifer tried any tricks.

Alex still sat lazily on the rail, but his fingers were clenched so tightly that the metal beneath them barely bent.

He knew perfectly well: at any moment, he could snap and simply kill Lucifer.

Only the desire not to ruin his own plans kept him from doing so.

“Well, well…” Lucifer drawled, leaning against the bars of the cage. “And who do we have here? Old company. Winchesters. And my old friend Crowley. Who would’ve thought you’d come to visit me?”

“I’d prefer the phrasing ‘a humble pupil continuing the teacher’s work,'” Crowley replied, unperturbed.

“Heh…” Lucifer smirked. “You’re awfully kind to yourself.”

He tilted his head to the side, and the smile on his face turned cold.

“So… what do you want?”

“We need information,” Sam said, swallowing hard.

“Even so, Sam…” Lucifer purred softly. “And what about greetings? Hugs? I thought we were friends. We had such a good time together. Right, neighbor?”

The tone of his voice was so gentle that a chill ran down everyone’s spine.

“You might know something that can help us,” Sam said, clenching his fists even tighter.

“I’ll be honest,” Lucifer continued, pacing along the cage and running his fingers along the bars, “I have no idea what exactly I could know that would be useful to you.”

He stopped and smirked.

“Although… perhaps you decided to let me out a bit early? Or just dropped by under the pretense of seeking answers?”

“If it weren’t for the crisis on Earth, we wouldn’t be here,” Sam replied coldly, narrowing his eyes.

“Crisis?” Lucifer perked up. “And what have you Winchesters done this time?”

He laughed quietly, almost tenderly.

“Come on, Sam. Surprise me. What did you manage to break this time?”

Watching Lucifer’s expression, Sam felt his nervousness gradually give way to irritation, and then to anger. He knew that mocking look far too well. He had seen it too many times while sharing the same cage with Lucifer.

And during the torture, Lucifer had looked at him in exactly the same way.

Sam couldn’t forget that look. The memories made him clench his teeth, holding back a surge of rage.

Dean, standing a little off to the side, still kept his hand behind his back, gripping the Blade of Cain. He didn’t take his eyes off the cage, staying on guard.

Rowena, on the other hand, looked almost… inspired at the sight of Lucifer. That same dangerous curiosity appeared in her gaze, betraying her completely—as if the man of her dreams were standing right in front of her.

That didn’t escape Crowley’s attention.

“Mother,” he remarked dryly, “do have the decency to wipe the drool. This isn’t a theater, and it’s not a date.”

Meanwhile, Alex lit another cigarette, lazily tapping his finger against his knee. His thoughts slowly drifted toward that line where patience ran out and everything could be decided with a single move. End it. Go home.

After a brief moment of thought, he quietly created a clone and sent it straight into the cage.

The task was simple: steal Michael’s grace. And, at the same time, take Adam’s soul and send the guy to Heaven.

Lucifer didn’t notice a thing. All his attention was fixed on Sam. Whatever was happening inside the cage simply didn’t interest him.

A moment later, Alex’s clone appeared behind the original and discreetly slipped a small vial of archangel grace into his pocket. Then it vanished, carrying out the second part of the task.

Alex reflexively slipped his hand into his pocket and felt the cold glass. He already knew exactly how he would use that power.

His gaze slid from Sam to Lucifer.

A faint smile appeared on Alex’s lips. He was missing only one more ingredient to strengthen Sam in the future.

“Do you know anything about the Darkness?” Sam asked, struggling with all his might to keep himself under control.

“Ugh,” Lucifer grimaced. “And why did you suddenly bring her up? I remember what she was like… but that was a very long time ago.”

“She’s free,” Sam said, not looking away. “Right now she’s either somewhere on Earth… or everywhere.”

“And how did that happen?” Lucifer smirked, leaning his shoulder against the bars of the cage. “Don’t tell me you idiots let her out.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Sam replied calmly. “What matters is that she threatens all living things. Including you.”

Lucifer froze, then slowly paced around the cage, clasping his hands behind his back.

“Then that raises the main question,” he drawled lazily. “Where’s dear old Daddy? Where did the Almighty go?”

“All signs point to his complete absence,” Sam said heavily.

“Well, imagine that,” Lucifer snorted without a trace of surprise. “Big Daddy ran away again. Classic him. Drop everything and disappear. He always did that.”

He stopped and looked straight at Sam.

“So how exactly can I help you?”

“And yet he did contact an interested party,” Sam added nervously.

“Who?” Lucifer narrowed his eyes.

“Me,” Sam nodded.

“Oh, really?” Lucifer put on an exaggerated look of surprise. “You?”

“Enough with the comedy. Tell the truth,” Alex cut in sharply, tired of the farce.

Lucifer slowly lifted his gaze.

“Oh, oh, oh…” he drawled cheerfully. “And who do we have here, being so talkative? Come a little closer so I can get a good look at you. So I know who to gut first.”

Alex didn’t hesitate and jumped off the railing before Dean could stop him.

Crowley frowned but didn’t intervene.

Rowena, on the other hand, watched the scene with even greater interest.

Sam cast a worried glance at Alex. He stepped closer and laid a hand on Sam’s shoulder—calmly, confidently.

“I’ve got this from here.”

Sam frowned but nodded and stepped back, retreating from the fiery barrier surrounding the cage.

As Alex approached, a wide grin spread across Lucifer’s face. He slowly appraised him from head to toe.

Alex met that gaze with a lazy expression, bringing a cigarette to his lips.

“And who might you be?” Lucifer asked with amusement. “If you’re with the Winchesters, they’ve surely told you about me.”

He squinted.

“I don’t see any fear. Or are you so brave because I’m in a cage? Well then, come on in. Become my new neighbor. We could be best friends.”

Alex slowly exhaled cigarette smoke and, without hesitation, stepped through the barrier of flames. The smile on Lucifer’s face immediately widened—predatory, smug.

Alex grabbed the bars of the cage and pulled himself up to Lucifer’s level. Then, ignoring the protective magic, he thrust his hand inside and grabbed the archangel by the collar.

Even Lucifer was momentarily taken aback by such audacity—something that couldn’t be said about the others.

Dean’s eyes narrowed. His hand tightened on the hilt of the Blade of Cain, and darkness slowly crept up his forearm toward his neck, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

Sam stepped forward to pull Alex back, but the barrier around the cage flared brighter, keeping him at bay. He sharply turned to Rowena, who merely shook her head slowly, signaling that she had nothing to do with this.

“And what now?” Lucifer asked cheerfully. “Think anything will change just because you’re holding me?”

“You’ll find out,” Alex said calmly, gripping the collar even tighter, giving Lucifer no chance to break free.

Lucifer was still smiling.

But in the next moment, the smile vanished, replaced by genuine surprise as he felt himself being pulled with a force he could not resist. He didn’t even have time to comprehend what was happening. Lucifer’s face slammed into the bars of the cage with a dull, wet thud.

Alex began methodically ramming his face into the metal bars—again and again, deliberately, with enough force for each impact to land fully. When Lucifer tried to break free using his power, Alex simply hit him harder, not allowing it to happen.

The thuds echoed through the area, bouncing off the walls. By the tenth strike, Lucifer’s face was already drenched in blood. Everyone around froze in shock. Crowley stood with his mouth wide open, unable to look away. Rowena covered her mouth with her hand, unable to believe her eyes. Even Sam watched as if he didn’t recognize Alex.

And Alex himself didn’t care.

Lucifer had just gotten on his nerves, plain and simple. And now Alex was taking out the built-up stress with cold, deliberate pleasure. A few more strikes—and Lucifer’s head was completely smashed, his face a bloody mess. Alex’s goal was simple: damage the cage with Lucifer’s face enough so that Lucifer could slip out unnoticed.

When the metal finally gave way, Alex released the collar. Lucifer collapsed to the floor of the cage, breathing heavily, blood pouring from his wounds.

“You look like a cut of fuckable meat,” Alex spat at him.

Lucifer didn’t respond. He wasn’t in any state to. All this time, he had been desperately trying to break free from Alex’s grip—until he noticed the Ring of Death on Alex’s finger. And then everything clicked.

Satisfied that no response would come, Alex jumped down and calmly stepped over the barrier of flames, meeting the stunned gazes of the others. He lit a new cigarette and exhaled the smoke.

“What are you staring at?” he said indifferently. “Isn’t it obvious he was sending visions to Sam? That’s it. Let’s go home.”

He walked past Sam.

“Wait,” Sam grabbed him by the shoulder. “What do you mean Lucifer was sending me visions?”

“Exactly what it sounds like,” Alex replied, brushing off Sam’s hand. “When the Darkness broke free, the cage got slightly damaged. And you were linked to Lucifer. He could influence you. And you—god this, god that… In the end, you were just being played.”

“You knew about this?” Dean asked, releasing the Blade of Cain and stepping closer.

“I found out when we got here,” Alex nodded. “There’s a crack in the cage. That’s all it takes. Alright, let’s head back. We need to find another ally.”

He placed his hands on Sam’s and Dean’s shoulders. Before Crowley and Rowena could say anything, Alex vanished along with the brothers.

Rowena also tried to quietly slip away while Crowley was staring thoughtfully at the cage. But the moment she took a step, a special witch-catching collar snapped around her neck. Crowley smirked and teleported with her.

When everyone was gone and silence fell over the place, Lucifer slowly opened his eyes. He could feel it clearly: the cage was damaged enough. He laughed—loudly, genuinely—relishing the thought of imminent freedom. Even without manipulating Sam.

Meanwhile, Alex, Dean, and Sam were already driving back to the Bunker. Alex only said that he would explain everything later. It was going to be a long conversation.

To be continued…

(Ugh, I thought I was going to die while writing this chapter. My hangover was haunting me as I continued writing; I even almost fell asleep a couple of times, just by closing my eyes. Well, I’ve shown Hell and Lucifer, let’s move on. In this state, I definitely won’t remember what I wanted. So let’s leave it at that. Good luck.)

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