Chapter 21

Dean lit the fuse on the third batch of fireworks then backtracked through the woods. He was aware of Sammy following close behind him on multiple levels. If he concentrated, his knew his chest would warm and let him know where he was as well.

He'd had a lot of time to think while in that cage. And forming this plan and studying all the angles had kept him busy and mostly sane while waiting for Sammy to somehow find him. Though he knew his brother didn't get it, the fireworks had several jobs in the coming rescue. They would play havoc with the motion sensors on the walls, they'd distract any guards out and about on the grounds and hopefully keep them from getting darts shot into them, and later, it would bring the cops, which could be used for backup and a rescue if things for some reason went real bad. Saved by the cops, that'd be a new one for the Winchester books.

He brought them to the vicinity of the same section of wall he'd used to get over the last time and settled down to wait. Sammy hunkered down beside him as Dean opened the duffel and pulled out two grappling hooks and rope.

He glanced down at his watch with the red light and figured they had another couple of minutes. He checked the duffel's inventory one last time. They were as ready as they could be.

A high piercing whistle cut through the night almost instantly followed by another. There was an echoing explosion by what he thought was the vicinity of the estate's front gate and flashes of red, white, and blue bled up into the sky and were visible even this far down the over four acre property. A glowing yellow tail rose high into the sky and burst into a giant blossom. An almost physical thud rang in the air and a car alarm brayed in response somewhere. Lights went on and off all over the place throughout the estate.

It was time. "Let's go!"

Dean ran for the wall and swinging the first grappling hook in a circle a few times, let it fly. It clamped onto the top of the wall and after a hard yank, clung there. He shimmied up the rope onto the wall and dropped off the second grapple on other side and went on down. Sam was but a second behind him.

Crouching down, Dean led them across the tree dotted yard, using any cover they could, keeping his eyes peeled for guards. More fireworks were tearing loose at the front and sides of the property and into the sky, a lot of shouting and cursing echoing about as well. A thin echo of glass breaking reached them as one of the low rockets apparently ricocheted off the gate and flew straight at the main house.

Dean couldn't help grinning like a madman.

A minute later they were standing in front of the metal hut, the same one where he had seen the boy. "This is it. Cover me."

Sam pulled out his PT99 and went into a half crouch, using the hut for cover as he kept lookout. "Dean, something's not right about this place."

He opened the duffel. "The hut, the grounds, what?" He pulled out a mini sized Halligan crowbar. It would serve to take care of his lock problem and do it fast to boot.

Sammy shook his head, Dean able to see flashes of the troubled look plastered on his face as more fireworks lit up the night. His brother's gaze never stopped scanning the area. "I dunno. All of it? I can't put my finger on it. But something is off here."

Dean remembered how he'd smelled something not quite right when he'd been here before in jaguar form. Could that be what his brother's senses were homing in on? Hopefully it wouldn't be something they'd have to worry about. Anyway, first things first.

As a burst of bright gold and red lit up the evening sky, Dean threw a peek inside the hut. Wide dark eyes reflected the light back at him. "Hey, kid. I'm back. Have you out in a minute." He jammed the Halligan into the lock and put his weight behind it.

"Dean, hurry."

"Dude, I'm working on it!" He grimaced as he pushed even harder, his muscles bunching together. Damn it, what kind of lock was this? His arms started to shake from the strain, sweat already pooling at his armpits and the side of his face from the stress. He shifted slightly and pushed even more. No way were they leaving empty handed.

Suddenly Sammy was at his side adding his own weight to the problem. With a tortured screech, the lock abruptly gave up the ghost. Dean fell to his knees at the unexpected victory. "Damn, that was a nasty one!"

He threw the crowbar back into the duffel and then opened the small hut's door. "Come on, kid, let's take you back where you belong." He reached inside to pull him out.

His hand encountered skin yet what felt at the same time like cloth. It was creepy yet made sense all at once. He was feeling multiple realities of the nawal at the same time.

Small hands clamped around his arm and he brought the boy forward. When he reached the edge of the doorway something odd happened. The boy's hands fell away and though he could feel the bundle that was the nawal moving with his hands, the boy did not. A thin wail of pain ripped out from within the hut. Dean immediately thrust his hands and the bundle back inside. "What the hell!"

"Dean, I think we have a problem."

He snapped around, his gun in his hand expecting trouble but the area was still clear. He glanced up at his brother and noticed that he wasn't looking out anymore, but was instead studying the bars of the hut with the red light.

"Someone went to a lot of trouble, Dean. This holding case isn't just for decoration." Sam's fingers traced patterns stamped into the metal Dean couldn't see clearly from where he knelt. "It's got Mayan inscriptions on it and a couple of other types of symbols I don't recognize. I think whoever commissioned this, wanted to make sure the nawal wouldn't be able to leave once it got put in there."

"Shit!" The fireworks distraction wouldn't hold out for much longer. He still hadn't heard sirens from the cops, so there was no telling when they'd get here. The plan had been for them to sneak in here grab the nawal and get out. Now things were getting complicated. Not good.

"Okay, Sammy, you're the shaman on this team. Something you can do about it? I'm assuming me just scarring up the crap would do squat."

"I…I don't know. I'm not sure."

There was an odd tremor in Sam's voice Dean had never heard before. Was this place affecting his brother in some way? Definitely not good.

He pulled Sam down using the hut for cover. "Dude, Ix Chel gave you memories, right? And we know you can channel power. And surely the fireworks are a kind of creation, so we got honey. There's got to be something in that noggin of yours we can use. And it's got to be now."