Jack ran a hand through his hair as he moved through the ruins that had been old when this planet was young. Castiel didn’t ask for help lightly, but here Jack was, under an orange-blue sky with three moons and a constant wind. “Have you seen the…Oh.” Jack stopped and looked at Castiel crouching in front of what appeared to be a child. “Is that him?”
Castiel gave a small nod and made room for Jack to crouch next to him. The kid appeared human, but Jack knew there was no guarantee.. He put his hand out, but Castiel caught it.
“He’s caught in a psychic web. It needs to be another human that draws him out.”
Jack grimaced and nodded, settling himself on his knees in the dust. Delicate work. He reached out his hand again and touched the cool forehead.
He felt himself falling but a dark-winged angel caught and steadied him. He pressed deeper into the mind, climbing through carefully woven strands. Psionics was never his best skill, but at least he’d been trained and had Castiel’s grace to guide him.
It felt like a long struggle, but at last they reached the center and the boy. Jack knelt next to him and spoke quietly, gentle persuasion, until finally the boy got to his feet and followed him back out.
Jack opened his eyes and felt the ache in his knees. The boy was blinking as if coming out of a long sleep. Castiel gave Jack another nod and gathered the boy in his arms. In a moment they were gone.
Smiling softly, Jack hit a few buttons on his manipulator and the ruins were empty again.