Angel attempted one last time, but still no signal. She should have called before ever leaving, and this was exactly why. A cut-off signal. She was a psychic, she should know if these things were to happen.

She sighed sharply, putting her phone in her pocket. She was stressed enough as it was, she didn't need this to add to that. "Who are you trying to call?" Sam asked, leaning against the counter next to her.

"Someone I should've called before I ever came to this godforsaken place." She replied vaguely, not too keen on giving away too much.

"So, what kind of questions did you have?"

She thought on this for a moment, seizing the opportunity. "Tell me about your partner. How long have you two been working together?"

"Uh, a year, give or take."

"Ah. A year. So, in that year, have you guys seen anything... out of the ordinary? Things the average joe might not see? Other than now?"

He grinned at that. "Well... depends on your definition of out of the ordinary. We've seen weird stuff, sure. But who hasn't?"

She nodded along, intrigued slightly by his answer. "Huh. So, anyway, what's he like? Your partner? He seems... interesting."

He seemed to understand immediately what she was talking about. "Let me guess, you're a bit on edge because of the fact that he shot Mr Tanner?"

She hesitated slightly. "Maybe. What makes you think that?"

"I just picked up on some tension on the way here. Don't worry, he's a good guy. The only reason he shot Mr Tanner is that he started attacking. You shouldn't worry."

There was momentary silence before Doctor Lee broke it. "Huh."

Sam looked to her. "What?"

"His lymphocyte percentage is pretty high. His body was fighting off a viral infection."

This intrigued both Sam and Angel. "Really?" Sam asked. "What kind of virus?"

"Can't say for sure."

"Do you think an infection could've made him act like that?" Angel inquired.

"None that I've ever heard of. I mean, some can cause dementia, but not that kind of violence. And besides, I've never heard of one that did this to the blood."

"Did what?" Sam and Angel spoke in unison.

"There's this... weird residue. If I don't know any better, I'd say it was sulfur." She looked back at them, and they both gave a look of shock.

"Sulfur," Sam repeated in poorly masked surprise.

Angel looked to him, the expression on his face practically screaming that he knew something he was unwilling to share with the class. What that may be, she couldn't know for sure, but something was most definitely up.

They explained everything to Beverly, who still seemed shaken up. It wasn't a surprise to Angel; if she had been in Beverly's situation, she'd still be sobbing.

"I don't understand. Are you saying my husband and Jake had a disease?" She asked once they finished speaking.

"That's what we're trying to find out." Doctor Lee replied gently. "Now, during the attack, do you remember... did you have any direct contact with their blood?"

"Oh my god. You think I've got this virus, don't you?"

"Beverly, I don't know what to think. But with your permission, we'll take a blood sample."

Beverly nodded, giving her consent. And just as she did this, Angel took a good, hard look at her. She saw her aura, but it was dark and twisted, corrupted by something. And she had a feeling she knew what was up.

"Wait." She called to Doctor Lee, but it was too late then. Beverly grabbed the doctor's wrist, yelling and attacking. Sam made a move on her but was thrown into a glass cabinet. Angel advanced, but was pushed back by Beverly with great force, her back slamming into the counter which caused pain to shoot up her spine, and she fell to the floor. Just as this happened, all the glass in the room suddenly combusted. Windows and beakers and cabinets all shattered simultaneously.

Beverly grabbed a scalpel, moving to attack Sam, but he had grabbed a fire extinguisher from the wall and knocked her unconscious with it.

Angel looked up at him, pain still aching in her back. "Nice work, Sam." She groaned.

He set down the fire extinguisher, helping Angel up. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. I've been better, but I'm fine."

"Wait, how'd you know my name?"

She realized she slipped up and blushed light pink. "What, you didn't say?" She chuckled nervously.

"I don't think so." He replied, not joining in on the laughter.

She paused briefly before deciding to change the subject. "Um, maybe we should lock up Beverly somewhere? Make sure she can't hurt anyone?"

Sam nodded in agreement, looking to the doctor. "Where can we keep her?"

"There's a back room here that should hold her." She replied.

"Perfect. We need to get her in there, right now."

~

Once Beverly was contained within the back room, things began to settle down, more or less. Angel had gotten an ice pack for her sore back and was sitting in a chair, waiting for the pain to subside.

"How's your back?" Sam asked to break the silence.

She glanced up at him. "Good, I guess. Still pretty sore. I'm just curious as hell about this infection."

"What if we all have it?" Pam asked. "What if we all go crazy?"

"You've got to stay calm." Doctor Lee spoke gently. "All we can do is wait. The Marshal's bringing help."

But Pam was clearly too frightened to listen to reason. "I can't. I... I've got to go."

"Pam-"

"No, you don't understand. My boyfriend's out there, I gotta make sure he's okay." She rushed out of the lab, Sam and Angel following her.

"Alright, wait, wait, please." He stopped her in the lobby. "Look, I know you're upset, alright? But it's safer if you stay here for now. Help is coming."

There was the sound of Sam and Dean's car pulling up from outside. "See? There they are." Angel stated.

"Sammy?" Dean called from outside. "Open up!"

Sam opened the door where Dean and the black man from Angel's vision stood, both armed. "Did you guys get to a phone?" Angel asked.

"Roadblock." He looked to the black man. "I'm gonna have a word. Doc's inside."

He walked into the room where the doctor was, Pam following. Angel decided to take her leave as well since the boys looked like they needed a private talk. Though, of course, she would listen in to see what's what. And this time, she would use more psychic means of eavesdropping.

There was something she'd been working on for a while, as a way of knowing what people are saying. So she went into the room, sat in the chair she had been seated in before, and concentrated. If she focused hard enough, she could hear their conversation. And soon enough, she "got a signal".

Doc thinks it's a virus. Sam said, his voice sort of wavy, as though it weren't quite there.

Okay, great. What do you think? Dean asked.

I think she's right.

Really? Dean asked with surprise.

Yeah. And I think the infected are trying to infect others through blood to blood contact. Oh, but it gets better. The, uh, the virus? It leaves traces of sulfur in the blood.

A demonic virus? Dean asked, confirming what Angel had been suspecting all along. Demons. She knew Sam was hiding something, just based on that look in his eyes. Now she knew; they were monster hunters.

Yeah, more like a demonic germ warfare. At least it explains why I've been having visions.

What?

Sam was a psychic? This made no sense, surely she would've caught that vibe from him. Or he would've guessed her little secret too. This was huge news, this changes things.

It's like a biblical plague. Dean noted sarcastically.

Yeah. You don't know how right you are, Dean. I've been pouring through Dad's journal, found something about the Roanoke colony.

And?

Dad always had a theory about Croatoan. He thought it was a demon's name. Sometimes known as Deva or sometimes Resheph. A demon of plague and pestilence.

Well, that's... that's terrific. Why here, why now?

I have no idea. But Dean, who knows how far this thing can spread? We gotta get out of here, we gotta warn people.

Angel agreed with Sam there. This was serious, and a very good reason for her vision. She thought back on it, remembering Duane's pleas. The most popular beg, she realized, was "it's not in me."

Of course. He was infected. Or at least, that was the presumption.

"They've got one!" The black man called to Sam and Dean, snapping Angel from her thoughts. "In here!"

"What do you mean?" Dean asked as he and Sam walked into the room.

"The wife," Sam replied. "She's infected."

"We gotta take care of this," The black man insisted. "We can't just leave her in there. My neighbours, they were strong. The longer we wait, the stronger she'll get."

Without a moment's hesitation, Dean drew his gun and headed for the back room. Angel followed, hoping to talk him out of it. She knew there was some way of curing this bizarre infection, and killing Beverly wouldn't solve anyone's problems.

"You're gonna kill Beverly Tanner?" She asked incredulously.

"Doctor, could there be any treatment?" Sam asked. "Some kind of cure for this?"

"Can you cure it?" Dean insisted.

"For god's sake, I don't even know what 'it' is!" She exclaimed.

"I told you, it's just a matter of time before she breaks through." The black man reminded.

"Just leave her in there!" Pam shouted. "You can't shoot her like an animal!"

"Exactly," Angel agreed. "Maybe there's a way to cure this thing, we just need to search for answers."

"I'm sorry," Dean apologized. "We just don't have that time. If we don't deal with this now, she's gonna bust out."

Angel sighed defeatedly. She should have known there'd be no talking Dean out of this. Based on what she saw in her vision, this guy was ruthless.

They approached the door of the utility room, Dean and the black man holding their guns at the ready. Sam carefully opened the door, and inside Beverly was huddled on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Mark, what're you doing?" She asked timidly, feigning fright. "Mark, it's - it's them! They locked me in here, they-they tried to kill me! They're infected, not me! Please, Mark! You've known me all your life! Please!"

"You sure she's one of them?" Dean asked.

Sam nodded, a look of distress on his face. Angel had wanted to tell them more about who she was, knowing now that Sam was a psychic as well. Though now it was clear what these guys thought of freaks like her; shoot first, ask questions later.

Mark didn't have it in him to shoot Beverly, so Dean stepped up and fired his gun twice.