Battle Of Will
Chapter 2
Pounding in my Head
There was...something very, very wrong with the Angels. Anita had been feeling it all day. She knew through her bond that Uriel was angry, furious even. At what, she couldn't be sure. He hadn't sought her out in weeks. But, there was definitely something stirring. Anita looked around her Motel angrily, as if blaming it for her helpless feeling.
Anita heard an Angel's wings and turned to see Uriel looking agitated, but otherwise bored. "Anita. I have something for you to do," he told her, looking around disinterestedly at her accommodations.
"Yes?" she asked, almost eager for something to do. It's not like she was allowed to go out, or have fun...
"I need you to track down someone, a person named Anna Milton. She's an escaped mental patient. We need her," Uriel told her. As he spoke, Anita could feel the binding magic possess her, there were very few things in the universe which could stop her now, even if she wanted to.
"Okay. What are you going to do with her?" she asked, knowing that she shouldn't. Uriel looked back at her with something of disgust.
"That is not for you to know, Mud Monkey. You are to do my bidding, no questions asked," Uriel growled, a heavy, threatening thickness clung to the air, forcing her to look away.
"Yeah, sure..." she replied quietly. As quickly as he had come, he was gone. Leaving Anita with a heavy feeling in her stomach and chest that she was about to do the wrong thing.
It didn't take too long to find what hospital Anna Milton had escaped from, no thanks to Uriel who failed to mention the name. Within the hour, Anita was speeding along the roads on a stolen motorbike. She used to have one of her own, but given that Uriel keeps zapping her around everywhere, she's lost track of where it is by now. Her movements, her actions...were so robotic. She imagined this was what possession felt like to some extent. Still, she had to tell herself that it was better than hell...it had to be. Yet, in hell...she felt like she somehow had even more of a choice than she did now...Torture, or Don't. Anita had made the decision to stay on the rack the entire time she was there. Through some, unfathomable strength, she didn't fold. Then, she crawled out of her grave and Uriel doesn't even give her a choice. After all, when you're the possession of an Angel of Destruction...what would you expect? Now, she didn't have a choice who she hurt...or killed. Anita stared gravely ahead at the road sprawling out in front of her, wondering when her contract would be up. Until death?
The Angel's Pet arrived at the hospital just as two familiar faces were coming out of it. Dean was immediately on the defensive, but Sam had a grim kind of smile.
"Hello, Anita," Sam greeted.
"Hey, Sam...Dean," she nodded at them both. Anita felt a strange pull in the pit of her stomach, she had to find Anna.
"Anita? You actually got a name out of this one?" Dean asked his brother in mock shock. Sam gave Dean a look, then returned his gaze to the girl bouncing on her feet nervously.
"What are you doing here?" Dean asked grumpily.
"I'm looking for someone," she replied simply. Anita looked towards the building, feeling a repulse. She wasn't there. Ignoring the Brothers, she span slowly in a circle, trying to pick up on the general direction of Anna, but the trail was well hidden.
"That wouldn't happen to be Anna Milton would it?" Sam asked. Dean glared back at Sam accusingly. Anita's eyes latched onto Sam's.
"Exactly. Where is she?"
"That's who we're looking for," Sam told her with a sigh. Anita shifted nervously, unsure what to do.
"And...why, are you looking for this girl?"
"...I can't say," she lied. Not that she wanted to. But it seemed, in that moment, if she didn't, she would not get where she needed to go. Dean looked at her suspiciously.
"Last time we saw you, you were playing silent lapdog to the Angels, one of which I DON'T like very much," Dean grumbled. Anita let out a small puff of breath.
"Join the club."
"Why are you even working with them?" Dean asked with a frown. Anita looked to Sam, she kind of expected him to tell Dean.
"She's, ah-" Sam began nervously. "It's a long story. Look, we all want to find Anna, how about we work together?" Anita asked, almost desperately. Dean knew he shouldn't trust this girl, she was working with that bastard Uriel...but there was something fearful in her eyes. Something familiar. He was going to question Sam later.
"Look, I just...I don't know you," Dean said, going with his gut instinct. Anita looked physically wounded.
"Fuck," she mumbled, clutching her head.
"Okay, I'll look for her myself. Shit," Anita swore, looking around and heading off towards the hospital. Dean turned to Sam.
"Okay, what's her deal?" he asked his brother. Sam looked away nervously.
"She's, kind of, uh...she's like you Dean. The Angels dragged her out of hell. Except, they weren't as lenient with her. It was either she sign some kind of contract or she goes back to Hell."
"But, if they dragged her out, surely they need her for something?" Dean asked softer after he processed what Sammy had told him.
"The thing is, she said she was rotting. They literally asked her the minute she got out of the Earth, Dean. She was basically tricked into making a decision. She's stuck," Sam shrugged. Not sure what else to tell his brother.
"Does she seem familiar to you?" Dean asked after another moment. Sam shrugged again.
"Uh, I don't know. Maybe she's another hunter?" he suggested.
"Right," Dean spoke as they moved back towards the Impala, "You call Bobby while I drive."
Anita wasn't sure how to get the information she needed, now that Dean and Sam had already come and played an unknown card, she couldn't risk playing the same one. She stood in the foyer, slightly unsure how to continue.
"Can I help you?" asked the woman at reception with a falsely sweet smile. Anita, acting on instinct, smiled back and gave out a nervous laugh.
"Yes, actually, I, uh...I'm here to see my friend, you see...I haven't since...well, since before she was admitted. I figured it was time," she looked away in mock embarrassment. The lady nodded in understanding.
"It's okay, dear. Who are you looking for?"
"My friend, Anna Milton." The woman paused and frowned.
"I- I'm sorry dear. Didn't you hear? Anna- she escaped...The authorities are looking for her now." Anita forced her face to fall in dismay.
"Oh, my God!" she cried, " I hope the find her...she was...she was so unwell..." Anita felt the tears come like they were real, all the while feeling a strange kind of coldness behind her façade.
"Oh, dear. It's okay. Were you a church buddy of hers?" Anita perked internally at the information.
"Yes, yes I was," Anita pretended to gather herself together and gave the receptionist a watery smile. "Thank you. I-I'll come back in a few weeks..t-to see if she's back." With that, Anita promptly left the hospital and her simpering face melted away to seriousness as she went to find the Church, connections sparking inside her brain.
After checking out a few god-forsaken churches in this town, she finally came to a church with a whole bunch of smashed glass outside of it, blood drops on various shards. It was clear someone or something had crashed out of the attic window. Anita looked curiously up at the window in question, seeing nothing but darkness in the depths of the room. She turned, about to go investigate around the building some more, when she bumped into someone. The person laughed at her cruelly. Anita looked up to see a normal looking older man, but there was a dangerous air around him. "Excuse me," she said through gritted teeth. Her head reeling painfully.
"Oh, come now," he spoke as she made to move around him. "You don't recognize me, after all the time we spent together in the pit?" he asked with a cruel grin. Anita stumbled back in shock. Fear gripped her throat dangerously.
"A-alistair..." She said softly, trembling. The man, Alastair, was wearing grinned.
"I've heard about your little...arrangement with the Angels. How come your leash is so long? Why are you trailing after the Winchesters?" he asked. Anita looked away.
"Go away," she mumbled, unsure what to do. Alastair lolled his head to one side.
"Well, seeing as you're here after the Winchester's. I'm going to assume you're not in alliance with them. Funny, I would have thought you escapees might have stuck together. Even after all Dean did to you..." Alastair looked at her pointedly. Anita frowned and looked away. No, she had chosen to forgive Dean. Well, Uriel told her to forgive him. Anita assumed it was because if she wanted to gut him it would make it hard to work. The young woman glared at the Demon sourly.
"You know what? I'm going to let you go, you're such a delight to be around when you're not tied to an Angel. Now you're all timid, it's boring," Alistair crooned. Anita took the chance and ran, literally, away from him. Had she grown timid with the Angels? Or was that all to do with what happened to her in Hell. She was there for an awful long time.
Now that Dean and Sam had Anna, there would be no way of finding them. Those boys were damned good at hiding their trails. Frustrated, the Angel's lap dog returned to her hotel, head pounding and sick to the stomach with her failure. This was one of the side effects of not carrying out a task. Although, usually tasks were completed no matter what. But sometimes, unexpected things, like the Winchesters, would throw the contract off. resulting in a physical punishment for her. But then of course-
The sound of wings made her jump. Uriel was standing there in her small motel room, his mere presence taking up the room, filling it to the point of claustrophobia. His anger was palpable.
"Anita. You failed," he growled. Anita shrank back against the wall, trying earnestly to meld her body into it, and disappear.
"I-I know. It was the Winchesters...they-they took Anna before I could get to her," Anita told him desperately. Uriel stalked over to her, his steps thundered murderously. His large hand was suddenly around her neck, hoisting her up the pale yellow wall as she gasped violently.
"Please! No..." She begged, pulling uselessly at his hands. Anita didn't even hear the other sound of wings, all she knew was that she was suddenly on the ground, choking as the air re-entered her lungs. With trepidation she looked up. Castiel was between them, his back to Anita's crumpled form and glaring at Uriel.
"That's enough," Castiel said deeply.
"She's mine to do with as I please," Uriel defended cruelly. Castiel simply glowered at him before turning around to face Anita. His blue eyes ran over her form, taking in the sight with a strange expression.
"Are you okay?" he asked, holding his hand out to her. Anita made to grab it, but Uriel's voice cut in.
"Do not touch him, Anita Masters." Anita's hand recoiled on it's own accord. She gave Castiel what she hoped was an apologetic gaze, before using the wall to help her up. Castiel turned back to Uriel.
"You have no right to treat this woman like that," Castiel reprimanded. Uriel lifted his chin defiantly.
"I have every right, as spoken by heaven!" Castiel hesitated, seemingly annoyed at the whole situation.
"We have more pressing concerns. I have located the Winchesters," Castiel announced to them, eyes flicking between them. "We leave now." And like that, they were all standing out side a barn, it seemed. Anita chilled in the sudden brisk air, having only been wearing her PJ sweats and a tank top. Sourly, Anita followed the two as they made their theatrical grand entrance, trying not to look cold and pissed. Sam and Dean shot up as the trio barged into the cabin. Anita frowned at the girl who was with them, assuming it must be Anna. She had brown hair and a bitchy sort of look about her, one that was filled with fear at the arrival of the Angels.
"Please tell me you're here to help. We've been having demon issues all day," Dean asked, wanting to be relieved. Uriel's gaze darkened as he looked to the girl.
"Well, I can see that," He spat, "You want to explain why you have that stain in the room?" Castiel gave him a short look before turning back to Dean.
"We're here for Anna."
"Here for her like... here for her?" Dean asked, implying counsel. Anita laughed to herself, earning herself a glare from her boss.
"Stop talking. Give her to us," Uriel demanded. Sam swallowed.
"Are you gonna help her?" he asked searchingly. A muscle in Castiel's jaw jumped and he looked down a moment, before his eyes steely met Sam's brown eyes.
"No, she has to die." The two trios squared off, a fight brewing between them.
"Out of the way," Uriel growled. Dean stepped up, hands up and voice serious.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay, I know she's wiretapping your angel chats or whatever, but it's no reason to gank her!" Dean reasoned. Uriel's face cracked into a sickening smile.
"Don't worry. I'll kill her gentle," Uriel purred in response.
"You're some heartless sons of bitches, you know that?" Dean yelled.
Castiel grimly replied, "As a matter of fact, we are. And?" Anita wanted to turn around and deck Castiel right then and there.
"And? Anna's an innocent girl!" Sam argued. The tension rose again. They were like cats hissing at each other before a territory attack. Castiel's head tilted slightly and he gave a suspicious look.
"She is far from innocent," he told them in a deep, husky voice drenched in warning.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam demanded.
"It means she's worse than this abomination you've been screwing. Now give us the girl." Uriel spat in disgust.
"Sorry. Get yourself another one. Try JDate," Dean joked with a certain threatening quality.
"Who's gonna stop us? You two? Or this demon whore?" Uriel baited. Suddenly, the girl was flying, crashing into a wall and Dean was on Uriel in a flash. Sam made to stop Castiel from moving, but with a simple touch, Sam crumbled to the floor.
A sickening thud was heard and Anita turned to see Uriel punching Dean.
"I've been waiting for this," he said with pleasure. Before he could get in another hit, a bright light shone throughout the room. Anita felt a white hot pain shoot through her, causing her to fall and smash her knees on the ground. A scream wrenched itself out of her throat, before blackness fell over her. Leaving her defenseless and useless on the floor.
Anita woke slowly, her head was reeling like it did when she failed an order. Catching her bearings, she looked around the room, unfamiliar with it. It was dark and musky. The place was cluttered in books, beer cans and weapons. A figure came and stood next to her, arms crossed over his chest. Anita had to blink a few times before the features sharpened. With a start, Anita realized she was tied to a chair.
"Oh, for Fu-"
"Finally woken up, sleeping beauty?" Dean asked her, leaning on his knees to bring his face closer to hers, as if studying it.
"Crap..." she moaned, her brain blistering inside her skull. "What happened?" Dean scoffed and stepped back.
"Don't act like you don't know," he said snidely. Anita furrowed her brows at him.
"I really, really don't. Mind telling me, Dean?" she hissed back. Dean ignored her.
"So, you're really not an Angel, but you certainly had some side effect to the warding charm..." he drawled. "Not an Angel, just tied to one really asshat one."
"Uriel?" Anita nodded in response. A smirk came on Dean's face. "Huh, that sucks for you. So, is that why you fainted back there."
"Thanks for that," she replied dryly.
"I take it you were looking for Anna for Uriel. What, were your orders to kill her?" he asked accusingly. Anita recoiled in her chair.
"Of course not! I was just told to find her. I didn't even know why or what they wanted with her...he commands and I obey."
"But, if he asked you to kill her, you would have to?" Anita looked away. Remembering certain situations where Uriel had ordered just that.
"Yeah..." she told him softly.
"So, I really should just kill you right now...you could be used against us." Anita glared at him.
"Oh, sure. Protect one innocent, kill another. It's not like I wanted this."
"You could have chosen hell," Dean suggested.
"Would you?" she challenged. Dean huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. It was a stand off between them. Anita could tell Dean did not recognize her, but she couldn't find it in her to remind him. She knew if she was in his shoes she would lament it. Suddenly Sam came into the room, looking between the two of them, sensing the tension.
"Anita, you're awake!"
"Nope, this is clearly a dream. Why the hell did you bring me here? Where am I?" She demanded, struggling in her trap.
"Ah, well..." Sam shrugged.
"Doesn't matter," Dean stated roughly.
"Can you untie me? I have no orders to kill any of you."
"How do we know for sure?"
"Well, I haven't tried yet, that's a pretty good indicator," Anita mumbled, rolling her eyes. Sam turned to Dean, a coded look in his face that Anita could not see.
"I think we should let her go? I mean, what else are we really gonna do with her, Dean?"
"Fine," Dean mumbled after several moments of contemplative silence. Sam wandered around to behind her and released the bindings. As Anita stood she absently rubbed at her wrists. With a sigh of relief, she nodded to the brothers.
"Okay, well...do I just go?" she asked, not sure what she could and couldn't do in this particular situation. It was not often the 'good guys' knew what to do with her. It tended to be a case by case thing.
"No, no...you can't leave. Not 'til we figure this thing out," Dean grumbled.
"So I just...wait here?" Anita looked around herself hesitantly. Not that she minded the locale, it was not like she had a better place to go. Yet, she was already wondering how she would occupy her time.
"Yeah," Dean told her gruffly as he strode out of the room, shaking his head. Anita lowered her eyes. Ever since she crawled out of her grave, life had been so much harder to navigate. Back in her Hunter days, things had been easy: hunt, save the world, hunt, motels, on-the-fly negotiations...now she could barely say a sentence without wondering if she would be punished for it. In all the time she had been contracted to Uriel, she had the slow ebbing of a head ache. Like she was consistently failing him. All she wanted was for the headache to end, for her contract to just end. But she did not think it ever would.
A/N: TA-DA! Please review 3