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THE LONG HOT SUMMER OF 95

Virginia, Summer of 95

Chapter Ten

Eyes cast downwards Dean left the bathroom after his little puking section to see that his brother and father were too deep in another one of their argument. He prayed to which ever god was listening up stairs that they hadn't heard him puking up the meagre contents of his stomach. He hadn't had much appetite just latterly and so far they hadn't noticed; he had covered it up well with excuses that he had already eaten while he was out.

"That's the end of it Sam" those were John's final words on the subject "Go, wait in the car while I" he was about to say, go get your brother, but seeing Dean exiting the bathroom, he didn't need to "you ready Dean?"

Dean couldn't miss the urgency in his father's voice "yeah just a minute" he headed for his unfinished breakfast; emptying the contents into the trash can before he swirled the bowl under the hot water tap and left if to drain.

Seeing that Sam heading for the impala John picked up his cell phone and keys then waited by the door for Dean to finish what he was doing. Looking at his watch he noticed that they were now officially running five minutes late. "Dean"

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming"

After an unusually quiet ride they finally arrived at the radio station to find Agent Lawson was already sitting there, drinking coffee and helping herself to doughnuts. Even after what had happened with Sam John didn't miss the cold steely look she gave him as he entered; it was obvious she still wasn't sure about his innocent in all of this

"Winchester, I see you've finally arrived" her voice was crisp as she straightened her suit and stood to her full height; even then she was several inches shorter then John. Hearing the shuffle of feet she looked around John's shoulder to see his two sons, suddenly her facial features softened as she spoke to Sam "Hi Sam, how are feeling today?"

"Fine, Agent Lawson" Sam muttered, he was still annoyed about being left behind

Feeling the tension ruling off of Sam Agent Lawson looked from Sam to John "Is something wrong?"

"Bad morning" and it was a long way from being over John thought

Seeing the two boys with John, Bob could see that the younger one took after John, it was obvious but he couldn't see much of John in the older one, he was much fairer, softer features like he imagined his mother would have had "Well, who do we have here"

With pride John introduced his boys "Bob these are my sons, Dean and Sam"

"Hi" the boys said in unison, if wasn't often they met someone from their father's marine days, in fact they didn't meet any of his old friends

"Hi, right back at you" Bob replied

"I appreciate this Bob" he owed Bob a big favour as he was in for a rough day what with Sam being in a mood

"No problem, I'm sure me and young Sammy will be fine" Bob placed his hand on Sam's shoulder "Won't we?"

Sam shrugged off his hand "It's Sam"

"Ok, Sam it is"

Agent Lawson had remained quiet, she had being busy keeping an eye on the wall clock, as it struck she looked at the small switchboard expecting it to light up but to her surprise John's cell phone came to life instead.

Michael Sheridan yet again dispensed with the pleasantries "You have an hour Johnny boy to find the clock tower before the clock strikes 10 and save the damsel in distress" Sheridan ended his call.

"An hour" it wasn't long, it didn't give him much time

"An hour for what, dad?" Dean was quick to ask

"To find a clock tower" John replied

"There two" Bob replied, he was a bit of a historian "Scottsville's the nearest but the other in Berkley, you're going to be pushed to make it in an hour"

"You got a map?" he would have to make it

"Yeah, somewhere" Bob started going through drawers trying to find a map

After her initial shock Agent Lawson finally broke her silence "so he's ringing you direct now?" her voice was lacing with accusation

"Yes, is that a problem?" John answered back as he looked at his watch, it was now 9.01. Every second counted he didn't have time to prove his innocent

"Just remember this is an FBI case and you're still on the suspect list" She informed him

"Here we are" Bob had found a map and was lying over open over the switchboard

Agent Lawson immediately turned her thoughts to saving the boy's life and they could save time if she called ahead "I could have the local sheriff office in Berkley..."

"No" John snapped out, this had to be the one, the furthest away, the one most difficult to get to given the time limit "We can't risk it, he said it was between me and him, no outsiders" if there was a slim chance he could make it, he wasn't going to risk the boy's life "Check out Scottsville, we'll take this one"

XXXX

Hands gripped to the stir wheeling John checked his watch again 9.30am he put his foot down on the accelerator, the speed dial hit 80 as the road cleared ahead of them

At his side Dean quietly studied the map; he should have been thinking about saving Isaac Phillips's life but shamefully he wasn't, he thinking about meeting up with Michael Sheridan"

Coming up to the crossroads ahead John shouted out "Dean" he needed to know which way to turn next

Looking up Dean saw they had come to the end of the road "Take a right" he answered

Isaac Phillips looked down as another drop of sweat rolled off his face before dropping the long distance below him as he heard the clock tick another minute closer to 10' o'clock. From where he stood he couldn't see the clock face but he knew the handle was making its final moves towards the hour, this was it he told himself, all he had left was praying.

"That's it" Dean pointed and shouted out as the clock tower came into view as it loomed over the rest of the town building

Entering Berkley John's eyes moved up the brick tower to the face clock, they had five minutes to find the clock tower door and climb the steps. Turning his attention back to the busy town road John knew there wasn't time to find a parking space. John drove the impala right onto the pedestrian precinct, as the vehicle came to a stop he jumped out. Behind him he heard Dean following in his footsteps.

There wasn't time to check his watch; every second counted as they found the door at the rear of the brick structure, pulling out his gun John fired at the padlock. Inside they came face to face with the plaque which informed them that there were two hundred steps to the bell tower.

With one and fifty steps up behind him, the sound of John's heart pounded in his ears, stopping to catch his breath he glanced up at the remaining fifty spiralling steps to the bell tower. The heat was against him, the air thin; both of them were zapping his strength. He knew time was short but without air in his lungs he wasn't going to make it to the top. Once his lungs were refilled he pushed on as fast as he could, he was nearly there. Only the last twenty steps were ahead of him when he heard the large clock handle strike the hour, a second later the sound of the bell filled the narrow passage.

Twenty steps or a hundred it wouldn't have made any different, he had failed, reaching the final step John saw Isaac Phillips hanging limply from a rope, his body swaying back and forth with the swaying bell.

Dean had tried to keep up, but without what he needed his body had failed him, he legs felt wobbly like jelly, he could barely breath his lungs and chest ached that much, the fire in his belly had intensified but he had to push on, pale and covered in sweat he caught his father up "Dad" just that one word was an effort to say

"Why?" Dean tried to peer over his father's shoulder

"Because I don't want you to see" John noticed his son's pale features "Go get some air, looks like you could do with some" John stood and watched Dean descend the steps before he made his call to Agent Lawson.

Back out on the pedestrian precinct in front of the clock tower Dean took a long breath before searching the crowd and streets around him, it wasn't long before he found what he was looking for, hiding behind a wall his saw Michael Sheridan's head appearing out from behind it. Looking back he saw his chance, there were no signs of his father. Still keeping an eye on the clock tower he took a backwards step down the street towards Michael Sheridan, then two, then three until he was literally running with every ounce of strength he had left. Reaching the corner of the wall he took one final look back before he turned it.

Seeing Dean running his way up the street Michael Sheridan headed back to the van, as soon Dean turned the corner he banged on the side of the van "make it quick" he told him as he passed Dean on the way back to the corner. Once there he turned again to see Dean disappearing into the van.

A minute at disappearing into the van Dean jumped out, he felt a sense of relief; no more pain just a sense of newness like he had been reborn again

Seizing his chance Michael Sheridan left his look out post and was once again back at the van just as Dean came out "I want you to get me the gun he used" the gun that John Winchester used to kill his son

Dean shook his head in disbelieve "Steeling his clothes is one thing but I can't" it was impossible

Michael Sheridan pushed him hard against the cool metal of the van "You will...bring it tonight" he demanded

Dean let out a pained grunt as his bruised back collided with van "I won't be able to get away"

"Leave that to me...just bring me the gun" luring John Winchester away would be easy.

"What do I say when he asks where it is?" guns just don't go missing

"I don't give a shit what you tell him" Michael Sheridan snapped back "Now go?"

TBC