The Impala tore through the night like a black bolt of lightning, speeding down the interstate.
The atmosphere inside the car was taut. Dean gripped the steering wheel tightly, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the combined spell talisman on the dashboard.
The activated talisman emitted a steady, pinprick-sized ghostly glow, pointing the way.
"The signal's stable. It's not far ahead, in Harrison City's old industrial district." Dean's voice broke the silence.
Sam stared intently at the tablet. The satellite map pulled up by Internet Addiction showed the area was packed with abandoned factories and warehouses—the perfect place to hide.
Castiel sat with his eyes closed, his brow slightly furrowed, as though sensing something.
"There are faint... holy fluctuations." Castiel suddenly spoke, his tone wary. "More than one. Low-ranking angels from Heaven have set up a barrier in that direction—a Silent Domain meant for confinement and concealment."
"They found Jesse?" Dean's heart tightened.
"The barrier is still forming and hasn't fully closed yet. Jesse should be at its center." Castiel opened his eyes, a flicker of anxiety crossing them. "They're setting a trap to surround him. We have to break in before the barrier is complete. Otherwise, once Jesse is fully covered by the Silent Domain, his power could be severely suppressed—or even forcibly purified!"
"Purified?" Sam's expression changed. "Like what they do to souls they consider 'guilty'?"
Castiel nodded gravely. "There isn't much time. It'll take about ten more minutes for a barrier of that level to fully solidify."
"Ten minutes? Hold on tight!"
Dean growled and floored the accelerator. The Impala's engine roared as its speed climbed once more.
When they reached the edge of the old industrial district and followed the talisman's guidance into a rust-covered abandoned complex marked "Combine Harvester Parts Factory,"
the talisman's ghostly glow suddenly