Intrigued, but suspicious by reflex, Cas continued reading. "That would line up with what he told me about Heaven," he noted. "There's a certain...homeostasis, almost, to the way the planes operate. If one undergoes a major shift the other will inevitably follow suit. And I'm familiar with the concept Lorne proposes. The true purpose of Hell has been debated for a very long time..."

He read through the document, occasionally stopping to clarify a point with Sam concerning what he and Crowley had discussed. It took some time, and the convoluted language wasn't always easy to follow. But when he'd got through it all, he closed the folder and said, "I'm not a legal expert, Sam, but I actually don't see anything in this that strikes me as too objectionable. Which makes me wonder just what game Crowley is playing."

He paused, then added, "Of course, even if he's completely on the level, everything hinges on his ability to seize and hold control of Hell in the face of what is likely to be some fairly ruthless competition. If he was overthrown, I doubt any other demon could be counted on to honor a contract of this nature."