Chapter 12
Sam woke to a rattling snore right in his ear. Grimacing, he turned his head to save his hearing, wondering why he had to be one of the few people to learn jaguars could snore. Dean's feline limbs were still wrapped around him but totally lax. With infinite patience, Sam inched out of them, praying Dean wouldn't wake. He'd personally had had more than enough cat napping for the day, but wouldn't begrudge Dean the rest.
Once out of bed, he turned around and studied his sleeping brother. From his wide red tongue to the tip of his tail, the jaguar form seemed as he remembered it. He hoped it was as it was supposed to be.
Never in a thousand years had he thought he would be putting his brother in danger by trying to alleviate his own power problem. With all the memories just hidden out of sight, he'd been going on instinct, vague feelings, and hope. And he'd succeeded too well. Power hadn't been a problem. Yet he'd done too good a job and things went too far. It had been really close. He wasn't sure if Dean understood how close, but Sam did. He'd almost killed his brother -- not a hellhound, not a demon, not any of the things they usually hunted. And all just so he wouldn't feel as drained from the changing process. The horrid irony of it tasted like bile.
Sam glanced at the table of offerings and wasn't sure he could work up the guts to try to do it again. He would just have to deal with the power drain…as he should have in the first place. Hopefully his brother wouldn't give him too much of a hard time about it.
With it not being quite late enough yet and Dean deep in dreamland, Sam decided to use the time to their benefit. Grabbing his laptop, he settled into a one of the room's rickety chairs and got to work.
He surfed over to the New York City Department of Buildings to use their BIS system. This gave him generic information on Bela's building, the block and lot numbers, complaints, building permits (so he could tell if she had ever made additions to the structure before or since their first meeting at Black Rock), and more. Still, for the physical building layout, he would have to go the Building Office and look them up by hand. Glancing at his watch, he knew it was too late. The office had closed at 4:30. But at least he knew from the records here that she'd recently had some alarm work done and by what company. The different types of permits they'd had to get and others contractors listed to have done work around the same time told him a lot about what was done and helped narrow down what she might have chosen to install. Looked like she'd decided to upgrade her system after Dean's last unexpected visit. Not that it would do her any good.
A tight smile on his face, he glanced toward the bed only to find his brother wasn't there anymore. A whack on his leg from a thick tail made him look to the left and down, where he found Dean sitting, staring up at him with golden eyes.
"You're up. You all right?"
A big yawn and flexing of claws on the carpet were his answer.
Sam glanced at his watch. "We shouldn't go quite yet. Let me go get us some dinner and a couple of things we'll need then we can go. Found some info you'll want to know about too. Seems you made something of an impression on Bela last time you were in Queens."
A curious expression met his pronouncement, but he didn't elucidate. Sam hoped the promise of food and the prying enticement would keep his brother from getting into too much trouble while he was gone.
Less than forty minutes later, he was back and they ate and planned, Sam doing all of the talking and Dean putting his two cents in with claw and tail. He watched his brother pace back and forth afterwards as they waited just a little more before leaving for their objective. Then it was time.
Checking that the way was clear to the car and opening the side door, Sam went back for his brother. Slinking through in a rapid blur, Dean was out and in the car faster than Sam could close the door and join him.
With Dean hiding on the floorboard, Sam drove them down Queens Boulevard then took Kew Gardens to within a block of Bela's place. Parking the car behind a wall of pruned bushes, Sam sent a quick prayer for luck then opened the door of the Impala so he and his brother could get out.
Dean instanlty disappeared into the darkness. Sam put on a blue cap to help hide his face, straightened the coveralls with the name of one of the electrician companies that had last worked at the building, then grabbed a clipboard and tool belt from the back seat. Head lowered, he started down the sidewalk toward the building.
Sam hunched down a little as he came close, knowing his height worked against him when trying to keep from getting recognized. Acting as if he had every right to be there, he cut across the back lawn to the junction box on the wall. Picking the lock open, he bypassed a couple of connections leading to a certain condo. Once he was finished, he went up the walk and hurried up the open stairwell two steps at a time. The stairs branched off to each of the condo entrances on the second floor and he stopped there, acting as if he were checking the address on the clipboard. Out of the corner of his eye, he looked for and spotted the lens of a partially hidden video camera. Making sure to keep his face averted from it, he went up the steps to the door.
He awkwardly picked the door lock while standing up, his operation outside making sure no signal would be sent to the security firm of the break in he was about to commit. He slipped inside and relocked the door, hit the reset on the alarm system, then sidled into the doorway on his right to get out of the long hallway and listened.
It was quiet. Way too quiet.
Sam set the clipboard aside and slipped out his PT99 and clicked the safety off.
There was a loud hiss as he slinked back into the hallway and plastered himself close to the right wall, and he saw what looked like a Siamese cat run screeching past the living room and up the stairs on the other side.
"Oh my god!"
A loud crash as of a glass being broken echoed from the direction of the kitchen.
Sam hurried the few short feet left of the hallway and turned into the living room then in the direction of the kitchen. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a stone antique Ouija board, masks, vases, and other antiquities, all of which shouted for his attention but he was forced to ignore. He kept his gaze front and center, the kitchen being the scene of this little planned drama. What he saw there gave even him pause and he was expecting it.
The window over the kitchen sink was broken, glass, a torn miniblind, and what might at one point been a potted plant filling the sink. Bela was splayed up against her refrigerator, eyes wide, her hands up, doing her distinct best not to move a muscle. A low growl trembled in the air as Dean's jaguar form stood before her, his body coiled and poised, promising death and carnage.
"Sam!"
He was surprised at the utter look of relief on Bela's face as she spotted him and the gun in his hand, but then again she was in a rather desperate situation. It could have been a rapist and she would still have been thrilled -- someone else to throw at the feline to chew on so she could buy a few moments in which to escape. Calling his name was but a way to bring the jaguar's attention to him.
She took a step sideways as if following through on those very thoughts, until Dean's warning growl grew louder and she splayed herself once more dead center against the fridge.
"Wha – what are you waiting for? Kill it!" Her British accent was even more pronounced than normal, with a slight quiver vibrating underneath.
This wasn't a nice trick, and Sam knew it, but he was finding it really hard to feel bad about it. Bela Talbot had had more than her share of fun at their expense before.
"I don't think he likes you. And to be honest, I can't blame him. I don't like you much either."
Bela's face lost all color. "That's with you?"
Dean made a halfhearted swipe at her leg causing Bela to jump and squeal in a high voice.
"He's a he, not a that. I don't think you'll be winning any points with him. Not with that attitude."
She stared down at Dean, as if trying to rationalize that the jaguar might actually be able to understand her. "Nice kitty?"
Dean opened his mouth wide and showed her his numerous teeth.
Sam felt a grin trying to tug at the edge of his mouth, but clamped down on his amusement, deciding it would be best to get down to business. "You stole a nawal recently. Where is it?"
Bela's expression went blank. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"I don't believe her. Do you?" Sam threw the question at Dean.
His brother took a menacing step forward.
Bela tried to drive herself further against the fridge to get away from him.
"Looks like neither of us believes you. Care to try again?"
She stared at him, then at the jaguar, and back again. Then she was gazing behind them as if looking for someone. "Where's your brother? Let you off his short leash did he?"
Dean's growl rose up a notch. Sam wondered how it was her mouth had yet to get her killed and then thought it might still do it today if she weren't careful. "That's none of your concern. Just tell us what we want to know."
"I don't have it."
Dean gave a low cough which still reverberated the windows. Bela grimaced. No doubt his brother hadn't expected a different answer from her either.
"Who does?"
She looked down at Dean again. "I can't tell you that."
Dean's tail swished back and forth smacking with force against the cabinet doors beneath the kitchen sink.
"I suggest you reconsider."
Her face lost all expression. "You don't know what you're asking."
The beat of Dean's smacking tail picked up a notch.
"My friend is really not the most patient person in the world." Sam gave her a warm smile. "And he hasn't had his dinner yet. If you want to stay in one piece, I suggest you start talking now."
Again Bela looked from him to the jaguar and back again.
"Amos Stanfield." Her face twisted with distaste. "The buyer's name is Amos Stanfield."
Sam was quite surprised to see she might actually have standards. He supposed as a thief you'd have to have some loyalty to your clients otherwise you'd end up with none. "Where can we find him?"
"You don't want to mess with him. He's a very dangerous man."
Sam's brow rose. "You let us worry about that. Now just answer the question."
She glared at him, a stubborn look settling on her face. That was until Dean rose up suddenly on his hind legs, put paws on either side of Bela's face and snapped his jaws shut an inch away from her face.
Sam jumped, startled by his brother's actions, a shot of fear induced adrenaline flashing through him.
Bela's legs shook then would no longer hold her as she slumped down to the floor in a half faint, her face beyond pale.
Dean pushed back and away and gave her some space.
"Dude!" Sam smacked his brother on the side as he came close, not only for pushing things too far, but for the scare it gave him.
A short cough that could be nothing other than amusement echoed in the place.
Despite himself, Sam was feeling a little sorry for the thief. "Please, just tell us what we want to know and get this over with. We'll leave you in peace if you do. If you don't…" He left the rest unsaid, letting her fill in the blanks with her imagination. Personally, he had no idea what they would do if she didn't cooperate.
"He, he…" Her voice shook so hard, she was forced to stop and try again. She sent a hate filled glare in Dean's direction even as her cheeks flashed red with embarrassment. Guess even amoral thieves had pride. "He's here. In New York. Has an estate in the suburbs."
"Where?"
He saw her visibly try to pull herself together. He had to admit he'd never seen her this out of whack before. But then again, while she might be used to being confronted by those with lots of animosity toward her, none of them had ever been a full grown jaguar. No one would be prepared for that face off.
"Chappaqua. About an hour north of the city. He has a cottage there." She rattled off an address. "I can't tell you any more."
Sam nodded, filing the information away. Now to get out of here in one piece. "Fine." He sent a telling glance in Dean's direction. He brought his gun up and pointed it at her. "Bela, I'm going to back out of the kitchen and you're going to follow. My friend is going to be standing very close to you, watching your every move."
Her brow rose as she stared at him with visible mistrust. "What are you going to do to me? I told you what you wanted."
Sam didn't respond and just backed up as he said he would. A reverberating growl from Dean got her moving.
She kept close to the left, skirting toward the kitchen marbletop counter and a small wine refrigerator built beneath it and on top sat several screens showing video camera feeds. Her hand swept over the small fridge's door and Dean suddenly snapped at her hand making her jump and jerk it away.
Sam frowned, wondering what that had been about, but didn't say anything. Just from what little he knew about Bela, he wouldn't have been surprised to find out she had a gun stashed in there. Better safe than sorry.
Moving down the hallway toward the door, Sam stopped next to the alarm and door jamb, and signaled for her to go on into the side room.
Dean slipped past her first, taking a position inside. He kept her from getting too close to the small antique cluttered desk.
"In the closet if you please."
Bela stood her ground. "You must be joking. I'm not going in there."
Dean pawed the closet door knob until it popped open then cut in front of her with a loud cough leaving her little choice.
"I won't forget this."
Sam gave her a light shove to get her in the rest of the way. "Never imagined you would."
Dean pushed the door closed. Sam grabbed the small chair behind the desk and propped it slightly askew against the doorknob to trap her inside. He then quickly picked up his previously discarded clipboard and led the way out, doubting the closet would hold Bela for more than a minute or two. He was sure she was pissed and he didn't want to be around once she got out.
Watching to make sure his brother's dark blur headed in the direction of the hidden car, he hurried back to the junction box and undid his bypass work. The less of a trail they left the better.
He didn't dare breathe any easier until the building was blocked out of sight in the rearview mirror.
