At the Holy Sisters of Malta Monastery, a thief moves through the corridors taking care to avoid the sisters. He breaks into the room holding the monastery's treasures and goes to a reliquary holding a skull. The thief takes the skull and puts it in a bag, and turns to confront a nun. The man knocks her unconscious, apologizes, and leaves.
At the bunker, Dean asks Sam if found the fourth component they need for the spell: the blood of a "most holy man". Neither brother knows what that is, and Sam suggests that it might be the blood of a saint. He's discovered that there's a huge online market for relics, and Sam found one legitimate dealer, Margaret Astor. Dean figures that they have nothing to lose.
In San Francisco, the brothers find Margaret at a bar. Margaret confirms that it isn't a personal recommendation. She flirts with Sam, taking his hand, and he takes his hand and flirts back. Sam explains what they're looking for, and Margaret wonders what they need the blood of a saint for. All he says is that it's important for him, and Margaret warns that it's very rare and expensive. She knows one person who might have it, and warns that she collects on what's owed to her. Margaret gives them the name of Richard Longstreet in Seattle, and advises caution dealing with him.
In Seattle, the brothers meet with Greenstreet. They claim that they're from Rhode Island, and Greenstreet quickly realizes that they're fakes. Dean gives their real names and Sam says that they're looking for the blood of saint for a worthy cause. Greenstreet figures that they don’t have enough money and bids them goodbye. As they go, Greenstreet suggests that they perform a bit of chicanery for him. The Winchesters agree and come back, and Greenstreet tells them that an item he covets was removed from the monastery, and the thief was working for Seattle mob boss Santino Scarpatti. Greenstreet says that if they get the item--the skull of St. Peter--he'll trade it for the blood of St. Ignatius. He tells them that the thief is going to turn the skull over the last night but he doesn't know where the meet will take place.
As the Winchesters leave, Sam is disgusted that they've become thieves. Dean tells him that it's not a perfect world and he'll do what it takes. The brothers go to a diner and dean flirt with a woman until Sam calls him over. He's tracked the people flying from Malta to Seattle and came up with one name, Antonio Miele. Antonio has a checkered past and checked into a local hotel.
As the Winchesters go to the hotel, Sam bumps into a man--Lucca Camilleri--who quickly walks off. The brothers enter Antonio's room and discover that someone has tossed the place. Antonio is on the floor, dead, and man comes up behind them and trains a gun on them. He orders them to head toward the window and sit down, and tosses them a pair of handcuffs and tells them to cuff themselves to the radiator. The man, Cromarty, searches the place and tells them to shut up when they ask who he is. Cromarty finally says that he's going to call it in and leaves. The Winchesters figure that Cromarty was a fake, and Sam uses a set of handcuff keys to free them.
The Winchesters go downstairs, and Lucca watches them go. Outside, the brothers try to work out what happened. Three mobsters confront them and say that Scarpatti wants to see them. When Dean refuses, the mobsters order them into the Impala and insist on driving. As they go, Lucca watches them.
The mobsters take the Winchesters to Scarpatti's home and he explains that he confirmed that they officially "died" six years ago. Scarpatti assures them that they'd already be dead if he wanted them dead, and asks about their deal with Greenstreet. He says that he feels it his duties to give relics a good home. Dean points out that he had it stolen, and Scarpatti just chuckles. Sam explains that Greenstreet has something they need and the skull was the price they had to pay. Scarpatti warns that it's a devil's bargain, and explains that he paid half the price of the skull upfront and the rest on delivery. He assures the Winchesters that he didn't kill Antonio, but figures that the skull belongs to him since he paid half. The mob boss says that the Winchesters are in the middle of things, so he will give them a handsome finder's fee if they find the skull. Then they can buy what they need from Greenstreet. If they refuse his offer then they won't get a chance to make another mistake. Dean agrees and Scarpatti warns them that failure isn't an option.
The brothers return to the hotel to look for the skull. The police have taped off Antonio's room, and Dean sets off the fire alarms to draw the police away. Everyone leaves the building and Sam slips into the thief's room and searches the place. He finds a piece of paper with a number on it, just as Lucca knocks him over the head from behind.
Lucca leaves the hotel with a suitcase, and Cromarty follows him. Meanwhile, Dean finds the unconscious Sam and confirms that he's alive.
Cromarty draws a gun and moves in on Lucca.
Sam and Dean leave the hotel and hear the sound of someone getting hit over the head. They go to the alley and find Lucca on the ground, and take him to the hotel lobby. Lucca says that he's a priest and they figure he's looking for the skull. He explains that it stolen from a nunnery in his parish eight days ago and they asked him to get it back. Lucca tells them that he was going to buy the skull back, and Antonio vanished after the skull went missing. They all knew what he did, and Lucca followed him there. Antonio was dead when he arrived, and panicked when Sam found something. Lucca asks them what they would do in the same situation, and Sam admits that they'd try to get it back. Dean points out that the world is a screwed-up place, and Lucca says that he's trying to change it. He asks if they try and improve things or go along with the imperfect, and all they can do is make the world better. Lucca tells them that he just wants to go home, and Sam says that they'll get the skull back for him.
Dean talks to Sam privately and Sam suggests that they double-cross Greenstreet. He's confirmed that Lucca is authentic, and asks Dean what he'd do if someone took the Impala. Dean tells him that there'd be murder after a lot of torture, and Sam realizes that Dean hasn't been listening to him.
The Winchesters drive off with Lucca, and Sam confirms that there were no security cameras. Lucca remembers the number on the paper, and Sam confirms that it's a tracking number for package sent from Malta five days ago.
Cromarty goes to a delivery office and shows the clerk the number. The Winchesters are parked outside and see Cromarty as he drives off with the package. The brothers follow him to the warehouse district, and another car pulls up. It's Margaret and her bodyguard, and she goes in to meet with Cromarty. Cromarty says that everything is on schedule, and they meet with Scarpatti. He points out that he made a deal with Antonio, and Margaret insists that she cornered the market. She says that if Scarpatti won't pay, Greenstreet will. Greenstreet and his bodyguard come in, and Margaret begins the bidding. Cromarty takes the skull out of the package and puts it on the table.
As they wait in the Impala, Dean tells Lucca that God doesn't give a damn about any of them. Lucca explains that he believes all good things are God's things. A mobster brings Sam in, and he tells the others that he's there to place a bid. He opens Lucca's suitcase and shows them the money, while Dean and Lucca listen via Sam's phone. Once they realize that he's in, they go into the building as well.
Sam tells Greenstreet and Scarpatti that he's working for himself, and Margaret doesn't care as long as his money is good. She hands out paper and pen for people to enter their bids.
Lucca distracts a guard so that Dean can knock him out. Dean takes his gun and they continue on.
Margaret tells each of them to write down their best price.
Dean knocks out all of the guards and tells Lucca to say outside while he goes in.
Margaret collects the bids and wishes Sam good luck. Cromarty reads off the prices and Greenstreet bids nothing. Greenstreet says that he's going to buy the skull from Cromarty, offering him $1 million if she kills Margaret and hands it over. Cromarty shoots her dead and Sam takes cover as Cromarty and the bodyguards open fire. Once he's behind cover, Sam fires back.
Lucca hears the gunshots and prays. Dean arrives and joins in the shooting, and Cromarty shoots Scarpatti. A bodyguard hits Cromarty in the arm, and he prepares to shoot Sam. Lucca comes in and grabs him, and Cromarty shoots him in the struggle. When Cromarty prepares to shoot Sam, Sam shoots him and goes to Lucca. The shot grazed his stomach, and Lucca says that it's a miracle.
Greenstreet tells the three men that he didn't know what happened. He admits that the blood doesn't exist, Dean punches him unconscious. The Winchesters call in the police, who arrest the survivors.
The next day, the Winchesters meet with Lucca as he prepares to go back to Malta with the skull. Sam has discovered that the Pope titled Lucca an Apostolic Pronotary Supernumery for his good works. Lucca says that the Pope called him a "most holy man", and Lucas asks for a bid of his blood.
Back at the bunker, Dean contemplates the vial of Lucca's blood. Sam finally wonders if all they're doing is playing defense. He points out that there are always more people to save, and wonders if they ever stop all the bad. Dean admits that it would be nice, and says that he has faith that the blood will work.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 9, 2018