Chapter 3
Ellen was wiping down the bar while glancing every minute or two at the phone. She had been waiting for the call for nearly two hours. It was one of the conditions or promises that she extracted from the girl just so she could make sure she was doing okay. Also Jo was supposed to call today so she was doubly antsy. She turned to look at the hunters that were minding their own business and then back to the bar she was wiping down. She could see Ash doing whatever he was doing and chugging a beer.
Deciding not to wait any longer, Ellen went to the phone and picked it up just as it rang. "Hello?"
Hey Mom.
Ellen breathed a sigh of relief as she heard Jo's voice on the other end, "Joanna Beth what do you thin you're doing calling me this late?" She was smiling as she said it so it didn't sound as stern.
Very funny Mom. I just got finished with a case and just got in. How's the Roadhouse?
"Everything's fine," Ellen replied giving a slight look.
Not everything. I can tell. Is it Angie again? Mom you gotta be patient with her. What is that saying about an old dog?
"I don't think that applies Jo," Ellen replied, "But I understand. Anyway besides hunting are you doing all right?"
I'm doing fine Mom. Nothing much at the job but I did hear things about stuff happening. I was trying to get a hold of Angie since it would be something that she'd be interested in but all I got was her voicemail.
Ellen frowned. She knew Angela would sometimes let her voicemail pick up but she always returned the call. She replied, "Like you said about the old dog but I'll try her and see if she picks up."
Thanks Mom. I'll call later okay?
"You just take care of yourself Jo. Don't take any unnecessary chances."
I'll be careful. Don't worry about Angie too much. She's like a cat. Always lands on her feet or more like has nine lives.
Ellen laughed as her daughter hung up. Jo was right that Angela could take care of herself. Hell the girl had been doing it long before she met her. It was just natural for Ellen to worry about her as much as she did for Jo considering that her daughter and Angela got along so well. One of her fondest memories was when Jo challenged her to a shooting match but not with the game but with live ammo. They spent hours at it with Angela looking bored and Jo getting frustrated until they both exploded in laughter.
There were other times when Angela dropped by that were just as good. Ellen remembered them fondly and it endeared the girl to her more. After that business with them slayer hunters, Ellen made Angela at least make a half hearted promise to call and say things were going well. She was glad that she was back with the boys. Ellen got the feeling that she was supposed to be watching their backs for what was to come. As she told the boys, the storm was coming and their side holds all the cards. It was rather crude but in essence, Angela was a trump card or rather the wild card.
"Hey Ellen, was that Angie?"
Ellen looked to see Ash standing at the bar holding a stack of papers. "No it was Jo. You got something?"
"Yeah but I'll talk to her later. Maybe get a hold of Dean. This is big Ellen." Ash walked away to his den leaving Ellen puzzled but then again this was Ash.
Still though, if it was big, then Angela had to know and Ellen knew she would fill in Sam and Dean on this. She picked up the phone and dialed the number that Angela gave her. The fact that it was ringing was a good sign. However it was not a good sign that it went to her voicemail.
This is Angela. Leave a message.
As soon as the beep came on, Ellen launched into her mother mode, "Angie, I don't care if you are on some case that involves life and death. You need to answer the phone when it rings. Isn't that what you got that blue tooth thing for? Anyway, Ash has something for ya so ya better call him back…"
"Hey Ellen, you're out of pretzels!"
Ellen turned towards the voice before turning back and finishing her message, "Call me back. I have to run out for some stuff but you know what number to call. Ya did promise me that you would. I worry about you honey." Ellen hung up the phone and stared at it with a thoughtful expression on her face. No doubt Angela would listen to her voicemail eventually but there was something off about the whole thing. It was something to think about as Ellen grabbed her keys and went out the door. They just had to run out of pretzels. Well if Angela hadn't called by the time she got back then she would know that something was up and she would call again and this time let the girl have it.
"Are you sure this is the way we're supposed to go?"
Angela looked around the forest for any sign of danger. This was like the fourth time the kid asked her and she was becoming annoyed with it. Of course she was sure that this was the right way because the nagging at the back of her mind was most annoying in this direction… if that was anything to go by.
She had no idea how it came to be that she would follow that nagging feeling. She was just sitting, finishing the last shavings of her staff and thinking about where the boys were. She honed in on Sam since the demon said she was supposed to find him. Even though the demon didn't mention Dean, she would operate under the assumption that Dean would be with Sam. As far as she was concerned the demon was messing with all three of them even though he seemed to be giving her special attention.
As soon as she focused on finding Sam, that was when that nagging feeling started. It was that feeling one got when they knew they were forgetting something but they couldn't place it. She had that feeling before but this was slightly different and it was weird. At the same time she was running her thumb along the thin white scar on her palm.
She stood up and started looking around for a direction to follow. That nagging feeling acted like a homing beacon or something. It was weird. When she faced one direction, it became stronger and she stood frowning for the longest of time. It was still going strong and when she faced another direction, it was weak and when she turned back it went strong again. She frowned in confusion but it felt right. Maybe she was onto something.
Motioning to the kid she said, "This way." Slipping her knife back into her pocket, she picked up her new staff and started forward. She was going to play this game out of reluctance but she had no choice at the moment. She held the staff like a walking stick and started in the direction she had chosen feeling like something out of a medieval novel or one of those cheap ass kung fu movies that she occasionally watched as a guilty pleasure.
Now she felt regret bringing the kid along since all he did was whimper and whine and she felt it wasn't fair that he was dragged into this even if he was one of the ones that was supposedly like her in regards to that thing. That was what bothered her the most and she felt for sure that Azazel was doing this just to torment her. At least it wasn't the bitch Lenya. She replied. "I am sure this is the way."
"How do you know? Are you a scout or something?"
Angela had no idea how to explain it. Why should she? The kid was scared enough as it was. She replied, "Eh, something like that. I grew up learning survival methods."
Al relaxed somewhat as he followed the girl. She seemed to know what she was doing even though she was lost like he was. There was something about her that made her seem… safe didn't seem like the right word to use but it seemed to fit. She was a face to be trusted and he was sure that this Sam guy she was supposed to find trusted her. He was just a smart jock studying for a law degree. "That's good to know."
"I get by. It's part of my job."
"What do you do? Take people on safaris or up Mt. Everest?"
Angela frowned a bit and turned to look at the kid. Did she actually look like an African explorer? She wondered if she was going insane herself. "No. I fix cars." It was the same cover the boys used to describe the 'family business' and it would work for her since she knew a thing or two about cars. She turned back around and started following the tug while searching out for any signs of danger.
Al frowned as he followed. He had to run to catch up with the fast pace his companion set. "But I thought you said survival training was part of the job."
"It is. If you don't know how to find your way around in life, then how in the hell are you supposed to when working on a car?"
"Um I guess that makes sense though I would never peg you for a grease monkey."
Angela gave a slight chuckle. "Few would."
Suddenly there was a sound. The kid wouldn't have been able to hear it but she sure did. Something was out there and judging from the sounds, there were quite a few of them. What kind of sick game was Azazel playing by sticking her out here with a defenseless kid? She motioned to the kid and said in a low voice, "Stay behind me. Don't make a sound." She twirled her staff into a basic defensive position. With both hands she could push it out to block anything from jumping at her body. Slowly she began to move in a circle to look around, listening and giving a tentative sniff.
Al felt his heart quicken when he saw her get quiet. When she motioned for him to move, he didn't hesitate. He wasn't going to argue since it was clear that she knew something was out there even if he couldn't see it. He held up his tree branch like he would a bat and was ready to hit anything. He couldn't help but ask, "What is out there?"
It was then Angela heard it. The low growl and the stench of death that clung to them so readily was right there and she smelt it. Suddenly there appeared two people but one look and a sniff told her that they were demons and the thing standing next to them… Oh crap.
Al saw the people emerged and he breathed a sigh of relief. He grinned at the girl and said, "Great more people." He started forward but was held back by a firm grip. "What the hell?"
"Run."
"What?"
Angela knew that she couldn't hold back anything. She turned and shouted, "Run!"
Al couldn't describe the feelings he felt when she turned to reveal a pair of glowing orbs and her voice becoming more commanding. What the hell was she? At that moment though he wasn't going to find out for he found himself quickly obeying her order and turned to run. He ran in the direction they had come in not knowing where the hell to go. A glance back told him that the girl was behind him and she was glancing back before she veered off.
Angela knew she probably just began another game of twenty questions but she had to get the kid out of there. She took off after him and she could hear the barking as the hell bitch chased after them. It was followed by the two demons as they pursued them. She had to take the hell hound out first before the demons. The thing had their scent and would hound them until one of them was dead. Well she would give them a run for their money.
She made sure the kid had a head start before veering off and drawing the hell hound away. She could hear behind her and she risked a look. Man, were they ugly bitches. They looked worse than the demons in their true form. Judging that she was a good distance away, she deliberately slowed her pace to bring the thing in closer. She could hear the slobbering and the growling as it gained on her. The last time she did this, she was in a dress.
When the hell bitch was close enough, she whirled around and waited until it leaped at her. Swinging her staff, she cuffed it on the side of the head and sent it flying into a tree. A normal human would have seen her swing at nothing and thought she was crazy until they saw the tree suddenly cave from the force. Angela envied those humans but it did come in handy if she happened to have a gun around. Then she could kill with two well-placed shots to the head and the thing was down for the count.
The tree caved, cracked and then fell but the bitch wasn't even down yet. It was only stunned and Angela watched as it staggered to its feet. Its movements were like regular dogs but Angela felt no pity for the pets of the demons. Well at least the ones that were bred to kill. She held her staff up as it looked at her and began to growl and circle her. It wasn't going to be fooled a second time. It would be ready.
Al ran until he was out of breath. By then he felt totally lost and looked around helplessly. He heard crackling of the underbrush and panicked a little. He looked around and then paused as he stared up at the tree he had stopped next to. Maybe he could hide up there. Wasting no time, he started the long climb up the tree.
He made it to the first branch and sat on it and tried to make sense of what he had just seen. No this couldn't be happening! Al tried to still his breathing and catch his breath. He almost held it when he heard the snap and crackle of some branches and saw the two people he had seen. He watched as they came to a stop under his branch and he held his breath.
Suddenly there was a loud howl that sounded close even though it was far away. Al looked in the direction of the sound as he heard, "It looks like Cerebus is having fun."
Cerebus? Al frowned at the use of the name of the three headed dog that guarded the realm of Hades. Who are these people? I didn't see a third person.
"He has the scent. He will make the game interesting and fun."
"What if she kills him? That was the prize bitch in the litter."
"Bred for a single purpose: to play the game."
"Azazel won't like it if…"
"We are to play the game as we see fit. The only rules she has is to find the psychics particularly this Sam Winchester. How and why… we don't ask questions. Rhagos did that and now he's gone. Now the other one is still out there. We need to find him."
"I love a good cat and mouse chase."
Al watched as they walked away. He began to breathe a little easy once they were out of sight. It was short lived however when he turned to begin his climb down that he saw one of them standing on the branch. His eyes went wide in surprise and fear as the person smiled a menacing grin and the eyes turned to pitch black.
The guy standing on the branch was of medium build and looked fit and what a girl would call suave. He was the kind of guy that would look good on a magazine cover for some kind of expensive men's cologne or something. He was dressed casually with a leather jacket and boots and looked as if he just won the lottery. "There you are. We were looking for you."
Al lost his grip and slipped. He fell out of the tree bouncing along the trunk. It hurt going down and he hit the ground with a thud. He was lucky that nothing was serious… not even a broken bone. It still hurt though as he slowly pushed himself up. He became aware of a pair of feet that landed with a dull thud in front of him and he looked up. The guy said, "Such a clumsy little fool. It was rather a good plan to separate you two using Cerebus."
The other one showed up with her blonde hair drawn back in a tight ponytail. She was dressed similarly to the guy and she cut a nice figure as she stood beside her partner. She gave a similar smile as she watched Al clamber to his feet and backed away. "Oh don't be frightened. We don't want to hurt you."
"We only want to kill you and peel the flesh from your bones," the other replied giving a slight laugh.
"And what about the girl?" Al asked the question while pointing in the general direction his companion had gone. "Why don't you go play with her or something? I was just dropped off here. I don't know anything."
"So you say pretty boy," the girl said as her eyes went inky black. She stepped forward to take a good look at the kid. "We want our fun. Cerebus will have his with her while we have ours with you." Then she suddenly struck with a hard backhand and sent Al flying back until he hit a tree. "Now it is time to play."
It was like a game of getting the dog to focus on the stick as Angela attempted to throw the hell hound off balance so she could go in for the kill. This bitch was proving to be extremely difficult and wouldn't take the bait. She had to kill this thing and then go find the kid and find a way to avoid the demons while searching for Sam. This was proving to be a taxing game and for Azazel it had only just begun.
The bitch suddenly gave a loud howl that was meant to freeze the bones of anyone who heard it. Angela gave a slight jump since it was grating on her nerves. That was a disadvantage of good hearing. You could pick up almost anything and the tolerance level for high pitched sounds ranged from okay to nonexistent. She didn't break eye contact with the mutt and was ready when it lunged at her baring its teeth.
She let it collide with her and let its momentum push her to the ground while her staff held it at bay. She followed through by pushing up on the staff and sending the mutt flying through the air. It didn't collide with anything having learned its lesson and skidded along the ground, the dirt trails becoming evident. The mutt was back on its feet quicker than before and started attacking again. Angela waited and took a swing with her staff and cuffed the mutt a good one.
When the bitch got back up, she knew that this was no ordinary hell hound. That blow she delivered was a killing blow. She knew because she had killed one before in a similar manner. This was something different and she knew that this was no time to start acting like a girl. Then again any hunter worth their salt knew that you didn't mess with hell hounds. They could rip you to shreds and you would still be wondering where they heck they were by the time you bled out. Looking at this bitch though, it looked like the going was going to get ugly and worse. She could just hear Dean cussing at her for going kamikaze on them. Well… ya do what ya have to.
The hound growled and prepared to charge. Angela held her staff ready while debating the choice that she was toying with. She was taking a serious risk and she couldn't afford to be taken out of the game. Not with the need to find Sam before Azazel decided he was bored of playing around. She took a deep breath just as the mutt started to charge. It was like being stuck in slow motion as the mutt charged at her. At the last minute she dropped her staff and took the bitch head on.
It was like two giants colliding. Angela let the mutt push her back and she hit the ground hard. That was nothing though compared to the sharp and intense pain that followed. She couldn't help but scream out loud.
Azazel sat pondering his next move. There were literally dozens of moves that he could do at this point and all would lead to the eventual outcome. Still it was always fun to contemplate which choice to make since the way to get to victory would change. That was why he loved drawn out plans that had everything click into place. Right now he had his king in one place and his queen in another.
"Patience is considered a virtue Uncle."
"It's what makes us the best at what we do Lenya," Azazel replied as he contemplated his move. Finally he put his hand on a pawn and moved it forward. "Your move, love."
Lenya studied the board and the move Azazel just made. It was somewhat of an irony or a contradiction that she and Uncle were a patient lot when it came to setting things in motion. The thrill of knowing what was going to happen because it was seen when contemplating a move was what kept her going as well as the results of the move. The challenge lay in the pieces that were on the board. She made her move. "So the pawns have moved forward."
"And so has the queen," Azazel replied studying the board. "Eventually she will make it to the halfway mark."
A howl sounded forth and Lenya looked in the direction it came from. "Looks like the side castle is trying to take the queen."
Azazel made his move, not bothering to look up. He replied, "Queen takes side castle and then the pawns." He looked up at Lenya and grinned, "The queen is the most powerful piece on the board. You know that." He gave a slow grin as he watched Lenya grow uncomfortable since he reminded her about her last altercation with the queen. It was important to pay attention to both sides of the board and predict which way your opponent was going to move.
Lenya gave a slight shuffle in her seat as she debated on her next move. She raised a hand and self consciously fingered the small scar that was on her right cheek. The queen was a powerful piece in the game. It could move in any direction and that was what made it a dangerous piece. The best way to capture the queen was to trap it so she couldn't move. That had been done but not good enough. The queen had found a way out then.
Lenya made her decision and looked up at Azazel. She replied, "True but if you can effectively trap the queen, you can make her go where you want her to go."
Azazel smiled in agreement. He had taught Lenya well and he knew that the queen was her favorite piece. The last time the queen had been pinned down effectively it left a mark on her and Lenya used every opportunity to exploit it. "Indeed. That is why I have the king in place too. It's all part of a larger game Lenya." He looked at the layout of the board. He could set a trap and she would never suspect. He moved a piece. "The king may be weak now but he has potential."
Lenya frowned. "I have no doubt of that."
Azazel couldn't help but laugh at her. "Don't worry about it my pet. Both pieces will not come out of this game unscathed."
Then as if he had surely predicted it, there came another howl. Following that was a scream that would have chilled anyone to the bone. Lenya looked in that direction as if she could see at that distance. "It looks like the side castle took the queen."
"No just pissed her off. Remember the queen has to get to the king… eventually."
A/N: Great Ellen's worried, Ash has something and Angie has a hell hound on her tail. What kind of game is this? Find out next time on All Hell Breaks Loose...
