Chapter 15

After waiting for them to sober up a bit. We had a lot to drink, so I didn't care. But guys, regular people.

- So, I got an idea, let's make a deal, I need to test a theory.

- You want our souls, demon spawn? - Bobby asked cheerfully. It's nice to have someone who trusts me and jokes about it.

- You're lucky it's not the bodies. Here's the deal: I get a copy of the knowledge and skills of something Sam or Dean knows, and I pay for it with a favor, an artifact, something else. That way I get a lot of useful knowledge, in a very short period of time. But I got to check it out.

- Wow, that's an interesting idea. So guys, shall we check it out? - Sam said, the drinking's taking its toll, but we haven't lost our sobriety. Dean gave me a thoughtful look.

- Don't look at me like that, let's try a regular contract, I won't kiss you, don't even think about it. - I hastened to decline the honor.

Millions of fans, and what to hide, fans, of my world, would not understand me now at all. Dirty perverts.

- Well, if you won't, we'll give it a try.

In the end, it all worked out for us. Dean shared his knowledge of document forgery and lock picking. For which I removed all traces of his very active life from his body. Long-standing fractures, scars, nerves, liver repairs, the works. The usual contract signed in blood was valid, so there were no extremes.

With the guys we had an understanding and trusted each other, but with the others we had to be very careful. The contract was drawn up together, and Sam was the most helpful, for he was the only one here who had attended Stanford College, though not for long, so he was clever. Bobby gave valuable advice from no small amount of life experience.

Our contract was a long way from the Crowley Scroll, but we did pretty well on our own.

Bobby turned down the contract on the grounds that he already had more than he could dream of. He said, jokingly, "Maybe a baby. - I didn't think about it, but I blurted out that he was doing fine without demon magic.

My answer didn't reach the four of us until a few minutes later; we were all busy with our contracts.

- What?" he asked, eyes gaping.

- What? What? - I didn't understand.

- You said he'd done it already? - Sam tactfully reminded me of my own words.

- "Surprise. - I threw up my hands.

- Why didn't you say so before? - Dean asked me, hugging Bobby happily.

- It's very personal, and I'm not happy that I let it slip out.

- You're right, it's great news, but I'll wait until Ellen tells me.

- All right, Sam, what do you want? What do you have to offer? - I guess there's a jew amongst the demons I ate.

- I think I'll pass, too. We've had enough of one guinea pig. - Winchester grinned, looking at his contented brother. Of course, he was like a newborn now.

- I'm going to get smarter, and we'll try to get you up to speed later.

First, I set my sights on a redheaded member of America's sex minorities.

From Charlie Bradbury, I need her knowledge of hacking and everything related to it. Why her?

The thing is, The Ash turned me down. "A dumbass like me can't understand the intricacies of such a complex art in such a barbaric way. He didn't have to study so much to trade knowledge now. And he has everything he needs, I have nothing to offer."

From the last one I was shocked, I have nothing to offer. Who would understand these geniuses?

The redhead already works in the company, so far the real one, Dick Roman.

She's an interesting girl, and I'll try not to let her get killed.

The Stein family can't do it for obvious reasons, they don't exist anymore.

Our conversation got a little weird.

- Charlie Bradbury? - she nodded cautiously and tensed visibly. - We need to talk. And just so you're not so worried, let's talk in a public place, I have a business proposition for you. Is that all right? - She looked around, thought for a second, and then said yes.

- We should choose a place where there are a lot of people walking around. - She clarified my words.

I walked up to her and took us to the Great Wall of China.

Why? I had never traveled in my past life, so now I can make up for it any time I want.

- Is that okay? There's a lot of people walking around here. - I said mockingly.

What am I supposed to do? Stand there and prove that the supernatural is real. And the contract I have in my hands is not a stupid joke. This option is much easier.

- How? - Oh, those eyes full of shock are just the thing.

- It's magic, Charlie. - And he laughed. But it's not magic, actually, I have my suspicions.

- I knew there was magic, I knew it," she shouted in a burst of emotion, ignoring the other tourists. Who began to look at her sideways.

You're actually a wizard, but because of the war in the magical world, your letter got lost.

- Really? - and her eyes lit up.

- No." I dashed her hopes. - The point of my offer is this: I buy from you a copy of your knowledge and skills related to hacking, etc. In return, I give you what you need.

- Who are you, anyway? - The redhead asked angrily, but it was not clear why it was so late, it took her so long to realize it. - You're just trying to make me think you're a demon, or some other creature from a book.

- You're close, but I can do a lot of things. So, think long and hard before you say yes. You already know I'm not a crazy-headed fantasist. - I waved my hand, hinting at the view from the wall. - I didn't start pulling any further.

- That you're not a fantasist I certainly understood, but with a sick in the head I'm not so sure. - It's frustrating, but fair. What do you mean, you almost got it? - She's curious.

- Curiosity killed the cat. - I gave her a subtle hint not to ask unnecessary questions. - I can cure your mother. - I'd go in with my trump card and change the subject.

Hail me.

- Really? - There was so much hope in his voice that I felt ashamed of myself. The thought that it was not me, and life was unfair, did not bring me peace. I confirmed my words with a nod, for some reason it was hard to speak, and gave her the contract.

Then she carefully read the contract, looked at me suspiciously, scratched her nail and signed it.

We moved to the hospital, where I, in the best possible way, fulfilled my part of the contract. Not only did I get Gertrude Middleton, that was the woman's name, out of her coma, but I cured her of every possible ailment. Plus, I knocked a few years off her life.

Only after that did my conscience, or whatever it was, settle down.

After completing all the procedures, I received quite a lot of information.

Then I used telepathy to tweak the memories of Charlie, her mother, and the medical staff.

Let them think that the woman had come to her senses on her own after a long coma.

Why? Miracles do happen.

Little things like perfect health, which is impossible, no one will pay attention to. Charlie would forget about magic; she didn't need to know that; if she got in, she'd let herself in, not because of my shenanigans.

I appreciated the benefits of my new knowledge almost immediately. It wasn't all that smooth, though. It is true what the main leviathan, the member called, said, a spark cannot be copied. Even if I know what the redhead knows, but I do not have my own way in this direction. Only other people's experience.

Charlie's skills helped me find most of what I needed. Namely, people who would most likely agree to a deal for one reason or another.

Mostly I had to treat relatives of those very people. I didn't agree to deals that required something like killing, cursing, or falling in love. I wasn't a moralist, but I had to know my limits.

I learned a couple of martial arts, and I amused myself with my boyish dreams. Same with fencing.

But it's not all that smooth, you have to work on your body reflexes. If I sit in front of a computer and have time to think and "pout" a little, I don't have time to do it in combat. Knowing and knowing are different things.

An old enough vampire helped me with that. He lived in Milan and kept all the bad things in HIS city in a fierce gauntlet.

With the resources of the whole city, there was no need to hunt humans, there was more than enough donor blood.

I did not know exactly how long he had lived, but I could read centuries in his eyes. After listening to my proposal, he agreed without hesitation.

The most interesting thing was the price he demanded. I had to kill him in a fair fight. There was an obvious question on my shocked face.

- As you have already realized I am old, very old. - superstar, I thought, but I listened carefully. - I was born in a time when the length of your life depended directly on your swordsmanship. And I was strong. My father and uncle were great teachers. One day I met a previously unknown enemy. Stronger than me, faster than me, but not more skilled. That's where my human life ended. I didn't know that cutting off both arms and a leg wasn't enough. I was turned, and every minute of my life since, I want to die, but I can't.

- Suicide? - is a logical question.

- The ancestors would not understand such cowardice, only in battle with a worthy opponent. Only after that will I meet them and be able to look my teacher and father in the eyes.

Ancestors, my ass. He's got no choice but to go to a certain place.

- You'll go to purgatory when you die, just like any other monster. - I didn't try to hide it, this guy's really inspiring.

- So it really exists? - I always thought it was just a legend, you know. How is it?

- It's a world of eternal combat, except you don't feel hungry. What happens to people who die there, I don't know.

- Hmm, eternal battle and no hunger, my friend, don't you think-and when did I become a friend-that this is the perfect place for someone like me?

- You tell me.

And then began a very fulfilling time in my life.

Me and my new friend, as he himself said, fought intermittently only to drink blood and wash his own away.

Who did what, I think, is pretty clear.

I could not be killed with a simple blade, and to cut off the head of this monster without using my special abilities I could not dream of, yet.

And I did not use them, it was not only my pride, but also a condition of my contract. Moreover, I insisted on this condition.

The fight was solely on skill, which was growing in me every day, and naked physics.

He was an excellent teacher, slowly and without me noticing, he always showed a level slightly higher than what I was capable of.

The only clothes I wore were the remnants of my pants, which looked more like a rag, of an unknown color because of the blood that completely covered them in several dozens of layers.

It was like this every day.

The teacher did not spare me, forcing new reflexes into my body.

And then, after a little more than a month, he got his first wound.

He smiled and cut off my hands and went off to drink blood. I was in the middle of the night, and I was in the middle of the night, and I was in the middle of the night.

I'm not sure how long it was supposed to last, and then one day he said we were both ready to go.

Me to kill and him to die.

The whole nest came to see their leader go. And there were at least fifty of them.

A successor has already been chosen, so there will be no anarchy in the city, perhaps.

There was no long, pathetic fight with overpowering. A momentary skirmish and the ancient vampire's head falls separately from his body. I, on the other hand, collapsed into two uneven halves, simple and uncomplicated. And, most offensively, he let himself be killed, and I didn't even notice his blow. After putting myself back together, he just disappeared.

It's time to get smarter from now on.

I don't need tongues, I know them for some reason. It's probably because I'm a bit of a demon.

Medicine, economics, mechanics, etc. I might need it all in life, and even though I have zero experience with it, the knowledge will help me figure it out if I need it.

Come to think of it, I don't really need it. But I just so wanted, and having the opportunity to get it, I took advantage of it.

That's all.

Eventually I went back to good old-fashioned hunting. Of course I like to kill all sorts of monsters and enjoy it a lot, and how many people saved so there is something to be proud of. But it got boring and monotonous.

I'm not looking for angels anymore, or rather not attack, so when I remove the mask, watching in general.

The pagan gods are hidden so that even Ash can't find them.

I've scared the non-humans off.

I'm not even talking about the demons; they're all in Hell right now, waiting for Azazel to open the door.

After thinking about what's usually my brain. I decided to use my power over the Black Eyes. I was surprised that, with all the resources I had, the idea had only just popped into my head. Changed my appearance with illusions.

What if someone throws off control and tells everyone about the unusual guy with the "Royal Will. I don't want that.

Knowing the show is not a panacea. There's real life out there, with all that goes with it.

Next thing I know, I've hopped around the world, subdued a few dozen black-eyed people and sent them out to hunt down anyone who falls into the monster category.

If I see a child and it turns out to be something supernatural, then I can't kill it, or rather I can, but I don't want to. The demons wouldn't have any moral qualms about it. It's not much of an excuse, but it's something.

After a few weeks, the missing persons count multiplied. Yeah, well, I told them to burn the bodies. The hunters sounded the alarm right away, and after a few routine checks, it was clear demons were at work. None of them knew most of the missing people were creatures. I had to make things right.

- Hi Ellen, how are you? - I asked after visiting her bar, I hadn't been here in a while.

- Adam, it's good to see you, where have you been?

- Doing my dark non-Philim stuff. Then I decided to find out why so many people were missing. I found out. - A little lying for good measure never hurt anyone.

- Every hunter knows it's the work of demons, but why? - she said gravely. - Maybe it's a ritual, with victims.

- It's easier than that, missing people aren't really people, they're monsters in the truest sense of the word. - I told her a terrible secret. - I don't know why the demons would do that.

- I don't know why they're doing this, I don't know what they're up to. If the creatures are killing each other, that's good for us. - She drew the obvious conclusion.

- That's why I'm here. - Ellen would tell Bobby, and he would warn everyone.