Chapter 6

Contingency was something that was more of philosophy and a rule of thumb. It helped a lot when Angela flew solo while traveling the world and hunting things. It was a necessary since often you dealt with a situation that could go sideways at any moment when in the hunting business. It also applied when you had to meet with your opponent in war and try to negotiate and it was damned handy when you didn't trust your ally at all but had to work with because it was the only option to stop a larger threat. It was why she was going through the house and making sure that she had options to work with.

It was also a means to cool down herself. She may be better at not letting her anger get the best of her but she was still angry enough to go in and decapitate the demon Brady with Absolution like what Sam wanted to do with the demon knife. She never thought that she would see him again and she didn't bother pursuit, preferring to run away and just keep going. Now it seemed that it was going to bite her in the ass this time around.

Pausing from her preparations, she looked at a dirty mirror hanging on the wall and at her reflection. She thought about things that had been and had happened and what led up to this point. Her reflection seemed to speak volumes to her even though all she was seeing was herself as it was and through a dirty glass. She thought about the first time she met Brady though he had a different meat suit then. She closed her eyes and she could almost hear his voice…

The silence was too quiet and it worried her. Angela turned from what she was doing and quietly went down the stairs. She turned the corner and that was when she heard the click and the scrape of a chair. It was followed by the pounding on the door and shouts that were characteristically Dean. She hissed as she picked up her pace to stop Sam from doing anything stupid.

Sam? Sam, come on. Hey!

"Well, here we go. Are we doing last words or no?"

Angela knew that she had to stop Sam from killing Brady. The only upside she could offer was that he could kill him after they had their information. Silently she ran on the balls of her feet. It was her secret to sneaking up on the boys when she was in the mood to play with them. That and coupled with the increased speed reflexes… it was no wonder Dean thought it was a sexy slinking through the shadows act. Given the way she revealed things it might as well be one. This wasn't an act though. It was a move to save an operation.

Sam knew what he was doing was wrong. But he trusted Brady once in school. He thought they were friends. Hell he introduced him to Jess. It just made him so angry but he wanted answers. No, he needed answers. Gripping the demon killing knife in his hand tightly, he growled as he approached Brady, "Sophomore year, huh"

"Brady here, he was a good kid," Brady admitted with a smirk. "Straight arrow. I mean, your best friend, really. Perfect point of access." He gave a mocking grin at Sam even though he was not in a position of good odds.

Sam eyed the demon with a narrowed look as he thought about a few things. "Thanksgiving?"

"Yes, sir. Remember when I came back from break all messed up? Dropped out of pre-med. The drugs, the bitches." Brady chuckled at Sam as he mockingly laid out the whole story. "That was the new Brady. That was me." He took in Sam's expression and grinned at the anger he was seeing. He was having too much fun with this. "Remember how much time you spent trying to get me back on the right track? You really were a good friend."

Sam shuffled on his feet, trying to control his anger. His hand gripped the knife tighter. He really wanted to stick it to Brady. He wanted to make him pay for everything. Yeah he was back to vengeance now.

"But old Yellow Eyes didn't send me back to be your friend. No, we could tell we were starting to lose you. You were becoming a mild-mannered worthless sack of piss and that was in part to another piece of the puzzle. Isn't that right?" Brady leaned forward in his seat to look past Sam as he shouted his question. "Come on out. I know you're here, been here."

Sam turned slightly when Angela entered the room wearing that same expression she wore when she came down the stairs earlier. He had hoped that she would still be occupied doing whatever she had been doing but he should have known better. She would have picked up on the way how everything felt. She was a hunter in every sense of the word to the point where it was animalistic and instinct, a honed fighter. He should have known that she knew him as well as he knew her.

Angela could have just remained in hiding and only come out if Sam decided to go with impulse and kill Brady. She had arrived to find that the two were chatting and it looked fairly decent and that was a polite way of describing it. She decided then and there not to interfere unless she needed to. She figured Sam needed some answers and Brady was the one to answer them. It wasn't her place anyway. Not after what she had done. But now she was being called out and it wouldn't do any good to stay in hiding since Sam would call her out.

Looking at Brady, she silently stared at him as he chuckled and grinned mockingly at her. He was the same as before and she felt her own anger rise. She didn't react and stared silently at the demon that once killed her and attempted to kill her.

"Well, well, well. You certainly look good for someone who is supposed to be dead and nearly dead," Brady said with an appreciative grin. "So how is your father? Oh I forgot. He's dead."

"You should have considered yourself lucky that I didn't pursue the matter further when I killed that spineless worm you sent to claim that he killed me," Angela replied. "And the same when I didn't seek revenge for the second attempt." She stared down at the demon feeling a myriad of emotions and was well aware that Sam would have questions on how she knew Brady.

"Well now you were part of the cause of us losing Sam here," Brady countered as he looked at Sam. This was going to be sweet. "And we couldn't have that, Sam. You were our favorite." He looked at Angela and added, "And it's not like I wanted to kill you, just get you out of the way. You were one of his favorites too, you know."

"Only because I managed to thwart him time and again," Angela replied.

"Not this time. Got in too deep." Brady grinned and looked at Sam and noted his angry huffing. "Well Sam, to get you back, I hooked you up with a pure, sweet, innocent piece of tail." Brady managed a glance at Angela and noticed her eyes widen slightly as he continued, "And then I toasted her on the ceiling… while your bodyguard here let it happen."

Angela had been in situations where a cover could hold or be blown by one word or phrase. You could never predict which would happen but when a cover was blown or a secret revealed… the world could come crashing down like a ton of bricks. In this case, the guilt she had carried around the last five years was coming to collect and there was nothing she could or want to do or say to prevent it. She stared at Brady since it was easier to do than see the disbelief, shock and hatred Sam would have on his face. It was one luxury she would allow herself since she had faced far worse scrutiny than this.

Brady noted Angela's expression and then the surprised look on Sam's face. This was too good to pass up. "You mean, she never told you that she was there when I toasted Jess on the ceiling and did nothing to stop it?"

Sam heard what Brady said but didn't want to believe it. He couldn't because he knew Angela would have done everything she could to save Jessica. Yet the words were like little knives twisting and digging into him, threatening to shred what he held dear. He took a couple of breaths and adjusted his grip subtly on the knife.

Brady was having too much fun with this. "That's right. The nice piece of tail here was there. Azazel may have put the hit out on Jessica but man, I got to have all the fun. And the bonus was sticking it to Angie here personally for helping us out."

"She thought…." Angela managed to get out after taking a few breaths. She knew Sam deserved the whole truth and so far he had only Brady's word. She could give him this. "She thought you were friends, Brady. I thought so too."

"Yep," Brady replied with a grin. "Let us right in. She was baking cookies. I think it was a recipe you taught her." He then started laughing. "She was so surprised. So hurt when I started in on her. And the look she gave you Angie…" He turned to chuckle at her.

Angela remembered that look all too well. The look of terror and sadness. It was the last thing she saw on that day. And she was powerless to stop it. She could feel the dam breaking and didn't even budge when Sam lost it and rushed the demon to grab him by the neck and hold the blade on him. She saw the look of anger and hatred and took a couple of heaving breaths.

"Come on," Brady egged on, pleased with the results he was getting, "Do it if it'll make you feel better." He grunted when Sam delivered a shallow, burning cut with the knife and continued, "Do it, Sammy! Do it! Come on! And you can take it out on her. She won't stop you either."

That had Sam pause. He looked at Angela and noticed her standing there. It was different… like she was broken, unresisting. He saw her look. If he were to turn on her, she wouldn't resist. He had seen that look once before.

Why did you tell Dean to kill you?

I don't know…

There was more to it. There had to be. He was still angry but more at the fact that he had been had by this sonofabitch he had at his mercy right now. Everything else… there had to be more too it. He knew there were things that were not spoken of because they still caused her pain but if they asked, she would do her best to answer or tell them that she couldn't. Besides, she and Dean were right. If he killed Brady now, they would lose their chance of getting to Pestilence. As much as he disliked working with Crowley… He backed off and went back to where he had locked up Dean to release him, only sparing one look at her.

Angela didn't stop Sam and wasn't going to. She waited for the moment to come but trusted that Sam would come to his senses and at least hold off on killing the demon. If he did, she did have one option of getting the information and it would be a little gross but she would do it. She looked downward and listened to Sam walk away.

"Heh heh, always the one to take the blame huh?"

Angela looked up at Brady. As much as she wanted to sneer at the demon, she didn't have the heart to. It was hard because what she really wanted to do was burst into tears. She couldn't really recall a time when she truly cried and it just seemed like the logical and right thing to do. Yet she managed to maintain a steady tone as she replied, "You're right in that I didn't do anything to stop you. I wasn't fast enough."

"And you truly believed I was Brady," Brady grinned, "Can't get over that you couldn't even sniff me out. Now that is the icing on the cake." He chuckled knowing that the damage was done and she would do one of two things. It would be a kamikaze act to remove herself from the picture but going down swinging or let herself be beaten into submission and by the ones she relied on the most. "Now you can really tell the difference. Bet you wished you had it then."

"I wish I knew a lot of the things I know now back then. It would have saved me from heartache but it would have been inevitable." Angela looked away and wrapped her arms around herself. "You're lucky Sam didn't kill you."

"No. I'm disappointed."

Angela turned to look back at Brady and replied, "I meant lucky so that I wouldn't have to do this." She marched forward and grabbed Brady by the head with her right and focused.

This was unexpected to Brady and was caught off guard by it. He couldn't resist because she forced her way in and it was painful. He grunted in pain as he felt her dig into his demon mind. What the hell was this? His eyes turned black as he looked up at her and noticed her glowing orbs as she looked pointedly at him. "What… are… you doing?"

"Taking a burden that should have been mine," Angela replied as she finished. She gasped once she got what she wanted and released the demon's head. She stood back and looked at him. "Looks like you have some use after all. Thank you Brady."

"Yeah, fuck you," Brady grunted as he reverted his eyes to normal. "You may have what you want but even you know that there is no way I'm giving up the location."

"You already did," Angela replied with a slight smirk.

Dean knew he should have been quicker on the draw when he heard the door creak shut. He really should have kept a better eye on Sam and stop him from doing this. If he killed Brady, then they were screwed with this. Now he was stuck in the bathroom and he was trying to get out. He even tried enlisting the help of the puppies. So far Zeppelin and Moira were trying their best and he wondered where the hell Xander was in all this.

He continued to pound the door. Given the state of the house, it was a fairly good bet that he could bust his way out. The problem was that he could hurt himself too especially if Sam wedged a chair under the door handle. He banged his fist on the door one more time.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah all right. Wait, I'm gonna open it," Sam's voice came from the other side.

The door opened to reveal his brother not even bothering to look apologetic for this one. Dean eyed his brother as he walked out, "What happened?"

"Nothing."

"My ass." He had to make sure that the demon was not a rotting corpse in the middle of a room. Given the way Sam had been acting, he was certain something happened.

"Dean, I'm fine."

"Yeah, and what about Brady?"

Dean rounded the corner to find Brady alive and well. He was still in the devil's trap and tied to the chair but otherwise the way they needed him to be if they were going to pull this off. The demon did look a little pained like he had gone a couple of rounds with someone that wasn't Sam. That had him suspicious.

"Like you said," Sam said in a slightly resigned tone, "We need him."

Dean studied the demon. There was something familiar about this scene but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "And where's Angie? You lock her up too?"

Sam made a slight sound at that. He hadn't seen Angela since he left the room. They needed to talk later when this was done and clear the air. He replied, "No. Besides, she's stronger than you and would have busted the door down or made a hole in the wall to get through."

Dean could accept that but he didn't like that she wasn't around for this. She was in on this plan to collect the rings and she was going along with Crowley's idea. There was no way that she would pick up and leave. Unless…

"God, the day, I've had," Crowley's voice entered.

Both Winchesters looked to see Crowley standing there looking like he fell down at a construction site. He was covered in dirt and it looked like there was a rip in the sleeve of his suit. It was enough to have a little sympathy for the devil but they didn't see it that way. It was almost odd not to hear Angela make a quip about the demon finally getting an honest day's work.

Crowley was expecting a comment like that but when it didn't come, he grew concerned. He didn't like that Sam wasn't around when he left and he most definitely didn't like it now that Angela wasn't around. As far as he was concerned, she was supposed to be there to keep errant Winchesters in line since they did listen to her even if they disagreed. Still he had to finish what he started and he would worry about it later.

Entering where Brady was tied up he spoke, "Good news. You're going to live forever."

Brady sneered at Crowley, "What did you do?" He was still feeling drained from whatever Angela did to him earlier so he sounded a little more gruff than usual and it ended up sounding a bit menacing.

Crowley circled his prisoner and replied, "Went over to a demon's nest, had a little massacre." He glanced at the demon and noted how he was looking. Something was definitely up and had him suspicious. He thought about it as he continued, "Must be losing my touch though. Let one of the little toads live. Oops." He gave a slight mocking smile. "Also might have given said toad the impression that you left your post last night because you and I are… wait for it… lovers in league against Satan."

Brady couldn't believe what was happening to him. That toad Crowley said that? He was seriously fucking with the wrong people. He glared up at the demon, not saying anything for the moment. Nothing sounded right or good enough.

"Hello darling," Crowley mocked, enjoying every last moment of this.

Dean and Sam just stood there as Crowley just basically stated that he led the demons to them. It wasn't those exact words but given what beans he spilled, it would just make their jobs harder to do if they were to get to Pestilence. It truly was what they got for working with the devil. He just prayed that something would go right for them for once.

Crowley ignored the peanut gallery that for once wasn't commenting on anything and continued his negotiations, "So now death is off the table. Now you get to be on the boss's eternal torment list with little old me."

"No, no, no," Brady countered while shaking his head. This could not be happening to him. Not when he had shown nothing but loyalty.

"Something else we have in common," Crowley continued while savoring Brady's reaction. It was worth having the hell of a day he had been having. "Apart from our torrid passion, of course. Craven self-preservation. So, now, why don't you tell me where Pestilence is at?" He looked at the demon expectantly while admiring the work he had created.

Brady stared up at Crowley. There was no way he did all that. No way. And there was no way he was going to betray his boss. He was loyal. They would know that. He would know that. He shook his head and opened his mouth to speak when a long and low howl sounded.

If someone wanted to do a movie that involved the clichéd scary sets out in the middle of the woods, the best sound to use that would send shivers down the spine was the howl of a hellhound. It was a sound that all people in that room knew well. Dean felt the chill run up his spine and a flash memory of being torn to shreds by a hellhound entered his mind. He felt his brother tense up and they looked at the puppies as they sat back on their haunches and howled in response.

Crowley kept his expression but his eyes reverted to a window. He heard the little mutts howl in response. He definitely knew that they hellhounds. He could even see the look of horror on Brady's face when the first howl sounded forth. This was definitely not going to be good especially when a second howl sounded and the runts responded.

"Oh, God, Crowley," Brady muttered, the fear evident in his voice.

"Was that a hellhound?" Dean had to ask even though deep down he knew that was what it was.

"Judging by the way the runts are responding… I'd say yeah," Crowley replied as he turned to look at Dean.

"Why was that a hellhound?"

Crowley immediately started searching his person. There was only one way those buggers could find him. He checked his suit and found it in his breast pocket. That was just bloody perfect.

"What's that?"

"Remember my little tracking device? Demons planted one on me." Crowley held up the coin for the Winchesters to see.

Sam looked at Crowley and demanded, "You're saying a hellhound followed you here?"

"Well technically he followed this," Crowley replied holding it up. He then gestured at the puppies that seemed to have grown larger than the last time he saw them. "And those two little buggers just let them know we are here."

"Get me out of here, I'll tell you anything you want," Brady demanded. There was no other choice now. He was dead either way.

"Then we should go," Dean asserted.

"Sorry, no one knows more about the hound than I and my sweetheart. So where is she?"

That was a good question. Dean didn't like the fact that Angela wasn't there and she had more experience with hellhounds. Heck she tamed one that was now an oversized bodyguard for Bobby and sired two half breed pups with a Wilder dog. He didn't have an answer and neither did Sam.

"You're long past the point of go," Crowley said and flicked the coin to Dean. Looks like he was going to have to step up again. She was probably going to kick his ass for what he was about to do but still it would be worth it. Of all the things I do for you love. You definitely will have to owe me at some point.

Dean caught the coin only to find that Crowley was gone. He growled as Sam laid the I told you so on him, "Damn it." Now they had no choice but to run and to do that, they had to fight their way out of this. "Good for you," he mocked Sam. "Luckily we have salt in the kitchen."

"I'll watch Brady."

"Watch me? Get me the hell out of here!"

That was what they had to do when the first hellhound crashed into the house. Dean was almost caught but managed to grab the shotgun and fire salt rounds off. He killed one but he knew there would be another and another. He was right when one jumped at him but was promptly tackled by Moira. It surprised him since she was the runt of the litter but she was bigger when in attack mode.

She'll be a harridan, Dean. The most vicious of her kind.

Moira was snarling and tearing hellhound flesh. Her muzzle was dripping blood when she flung the dead hound aside. She rounded on the other one and was prepared to fight. She growled at her sibling who was standing guard over Brady as Sam was untying him and the pup maintained his guard. She snarled at the hellhound and readied to pounce.

"Hey!"

The distraction from Crowley was what they needed to get Brady undone and it was done when he revealed that he brought his own hellhound and that sucker was huge. Crowley admitted with pride, "Mine's bigger though not as big as the daddy dog." He patted his hellhound's shoulder.

Dean wasn't sure of what to make of this but if they got out of there, he was definitely going to ask Angela questions and one of them was where the hell had been. He moved the moment Crowley shouted, "Sic em boy!"

A/N: And Brady spills the beans about Angie. There has to be more to it though right? Now the hunt with the hellhounds are on. Stay tuned for next time on Dancing with the Devil...