The chapter follows the events of the episode Jus In Bello. Credit goes to the writers/creators of that episode.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Day 188-190
'The Pursuit of Unhappiness'
When Andie awoke before Dean and Sam the next day she showered and dressed back into her own clothes. She'd washed them in the motel Laundromat four times until the stains were as indiscernible as they were going to get. She stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom with her shirt pulled up just below her breast. Her bruise was still covering a good portion of her right side. The stitches were holding and didn't seem to be infected. Andie gingerly ran her fingers over the skin; it was tender and incredibly sore to touch. And seeing as she used the muscles around the wound on a daily basis; normally mundane acts like walking and breathing were proving to be quite painful. She sighed; even that hurt, and pulled her shirt back down. Her mind wandered back to that Friday night the week before when Bela shot her. She hadn't known Bela was armed, let alone armed with the colt, when she'd spotted her. It was only when Andie had noticed her watching her from her gleaming, expensive car that she'd approached her. An argument ensued; Andie probably shouldn't have said the things she'd said to Bela; it had pretty much provoked her. But how was she to know Bela was packing the colt?
The thing that scared Andie the most was this mystery as to why she was still alive. She was as clueless as Sam and Dean. She didn't know why she was apparently the only one to survive it. She'd had the thought that maybe she was a demon. But no; the colt for sure would have killed her. So then did it have something to do with her telekinesis; maybe something in her blood? Something that apparently made her heal way too fast?
Andie exited the bathroom as Dean was waking up. "Morning." She greeted him.
"Hey; should you be moving?" Dean asked immediately as he sat up. "This time yesterday you were bleeding all over my bed."
"Yeah; its, um, it's good." She lifted up her shirt and showed Dean the bruising. "Well; not good but..."
Dean stretched and yawned as he got out of his bed. "I was thinking; is there anything in that journal of your mother's about something like this?" he asked.
"I wouldn't know." Andie replied as she got herself a glass of water. "The journal is in my bag. My bag was on the back of my bike." She raised her glass to Dean. "Both now in the possession of the tramp who shot me."
Dean shook his head. "She doesn't know what it is; does she?"
Andie gave him a blank look. "Whatit is?" She repeated. "What is it?"
"Y'know; it's a detailed analysis of every demon you're mother and grandmother fought, right? That'd sell big bucks." Dean told her.
Worry settled in Andie's heart; she hadn't thought of that. It wasn't as though her family was 'well-known' by demons like the Winchesters; but a book like her mother's journal would be an asset for any hunter no matter whom the author. "All the more reason to find Bela quickly."
"Actually; I'd rather figure out why you're still in the land of the living." Dean told her.
"And I'd rather figure out how to get you outta you're little kill-me-in-a-year demon plan." Andie countered.
"Don't one-up me with this." Dean whined.
"Why not? I'm winning." Andie grinned smugly.
"My god; shut up!" Sam groaned as he sat up in his bed with a fantastic bed-head. "I do not need to be waking up to this again."
"Well; now that you are awake; let's get moving." Dean said to the both of them. "We can grab breakfast on the way."
Sam yawned hugely. "How are we supposed to find Bela with no way of tracking her?"
"Bobby said she was heading to Monument; so we follow." Dean told them as he packed up his bag.
"I agree." Andie nodded; awkwardly shrugging on her leather jacket. She had to edge it on slowly so as not to strain her injury.
"And do I get a say in this?" Sam asked as he got to his feet.
"Sammy; do you wanna find the colt?" Dean asked tiredly.
"Of course I do." Sam replied.
Dean clapped his hands together once. "And you've had your say; let's move."
xxx
They drove for almost twelve straight hours before they had to stop for gas. Sam went inside to pay and re-load on junk food while Dean filled up the car. Andie climbed over the back seat into the passenger's seat and immediately wished she hadn't. As she sat a searing pain shot through her abdomen causing her to curse loudly.
"Wanna keep it down, Morgan?" Dean said through the window. "Women and children present out here."
Andie muttered an insult back at him as she checked her wound again. The stitch was healing but the bruise was as ugly as ever. She was staring at it so intently she didn't notice Dean leaning on the open car window.
"So." He said, making her jump. "I had some thoughts as to why you didn't die."
"And what, pray-tell, are they?" Andie asked; lowering her shirt.
"You're telekinetic thing. Maybe; without your knowledge; it protected you when you got shot." He suggested. "Kinda moved the bullet…" Even as Dean said it he knew it was stupidly incorrect.
"Swing and a miss Dean." Andie snipped; patting the side of his face. "It didn't exactly protect me; have you not seen this?" She showed him her bruise again.
"God; you'll do anything to make me look at you with your clothes off." Dean shook his head.
Andie huffed as she pulled down her shirt. "This is as close as you're gonna get. Believe me."
"Ok…so you feel good, you look good...it's like you weren't even shot." He sighed.
Sam walked back over to the car with three cans of soda and some chips. He tossed a can to Dean. "Maybe Bela did something to the colt; damaged it or something."
Dean leant off the window and walked around to the driver's side. "Maybe. All we know for sure is that it began with her. So let's end it with her."
xxx
Two days and 100 miles later Dean, Sam and Andie were in Monument, Colorado hot on Bela's tail. There was still no word from Bobby but he often went MIA for days at a time so the boys weren't worried. They had tracked Bela down to her hotel room in Monument; Dean and Sam were armed with guns while Andie was weapon-less; her telekinesis her only form of defense but, in her opinion, the best one they had.
The three of them stormed into her hotel room ready to face her but were faced with nothing more than an empty apartment. Andie checked out the bedroom and the bathroom; both empty. She met up with Dean and Sam back in the living room. Dean was searching apparently empty drawers while Sam was looking through a safe with nothing inside it.
"Any sign of it?" Dean asked; referring to the colt.
"No." Sam shook his head. "You sure this is her place?"
Dean was ferreting through the drawers of a dresser. He pulled out two wigs. "I'd say so." He said bitterly.
"Well, she can't have gone far, right?" Andie suggested.
Sam shrugged. Then, for some reason, the phone started to ring. Sam, Andie and Dean all exchanged a weird look. Dean walked over towards the phone which was on the unmade bed and held out his arms at his brother. Sam shook his head, but Dean just reached for the phone anyway. He held it so it was almost touching his ear.
"Dean?" Bela's voice said to him. "Sweetie, are you there?"
"Where are you?" Dean sighed while shaking his head at Andie and Sam; who both looked incredibly annoyed. They knew it was Bela. "Where are you?"
"About two states away by now." Bela replied.
"Where?" Dean snapped.
"Where's our usual quippy banter?" She asked in a sickly sweet voice. "I miss it."
"I want it back, Bela." Dean told her. "Now."
"Your little pistol, you mean." Bela said. "Sorry. Can't at the moment."
"You understand how many people are gonna die if you do this?" Dean asked her irritably.
"What exactly is it that you think I plan to do with it?" Bela asked.
"Take the only weapon we have against and army of demons and sell it to the highest bidder?" Dean suggested.
Bela paused. "You know nothing about me." She said.
"I know I'm gonna stop you." Dean told her confidently.
"Tough words from a guy who can't even find me." Bela said back.
"Oh, I'll find you sweetheart." Dean replied. "Think I'm gonna let you get away with shooting Andie?"
"Oh yes. Andie." Bela sighed. "You have my sympathies. If it makes you feel any better I didn't mean to kill her. She just got in the way. I wondered how long it would take you to find out." She sighed. "And I am terribly sorry for your loss, Dean. I know you liked that one."
Dean looked at Andie with a furrowed brow. Bela thought Andie was dead. Fair enough assumption; she should be dead. But Dean wasn't going to blow his only chance to go one up on Bela. "Yeah; well it just means I'm gonna find you faster." He said. "And you know why? Because I've got nothing better to do then to track you down."
"That's where you're wrong." Bela said suspiciously. "You're about to be quite occupied. Did you really think I wouldn't take precautions?"
All of a sudden the door to the hotel room opened and half a dozen or so police officers in protective riot gear came charging into the room. "Get your hands in the air! Down on your knees!" They screamed.
"That bitch!" Dean growled as he dropped the phone and put his hands in the air.
"Get down on the ground; now!" An officer yelled at Dean, grabbing him by the back of his jacket and forcing him to the ground. Another officer did the same to Sam. Andie was grabbed from behind and pushed up against a wall.
"Hey; leave her alone!" Dean yelled at the officer. "She's got nothing to do with this!"
"What the hell is going on?!" She yelled at the officer behind her.
"Keep quiet, Andie." Dean tried to yell over his shoulder but it was proving difficult since he was face to face with the carpet.
"Sam and Dean Winchester." The police officer cuffing Dean started. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney and have an attorney present at any questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed for you at the courts expense."
A silence fell over the room as a heavy footed man entered. Sam and Dean both stared at him from the feet up and realized they were staring at Special Agent Victor Henriksen; the policeman who had been tailing Sam and Dean since a demon, in Dean's form, had robbed a bank. The brothers had escaped and Henriksen had made it his mission to find them and put them away.
"Hi boys." He said with a happy snarl. "It's been awhile."
xxx
Dean and Sam were immediately handcuffed and put into the back of one of the police cars. Andie was held behind by Henriksen and one other policeman. Henriksen held Andie by her forearm as he walked her to another police car.
"So, Andie, is it?" Henriksen asked her. "You have a last name?"
"Yeah; why?" She wretched her arm out of his grasp. He let her go; but he kept close.
"Ma'am; I take it you didn't realize you were with two fugitives?" he asked her.
"I had no idea!" Andie replied sarcastically. "Look; I wasn't doing anything illegal. You can't hold me."
"Wanna bet?" Henriksen smirked. "Miss; I could charge you with breaking and entering right now."
"Then why don't you?" Andie asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Because you're involved with the Winchester brothers." He said with a know-it-all grin. "Which means I can get you on so much more." He opened the car door. "Get in."
Andie sighed and climbed into the car.
xxx
Twenty minutes later, Andie was being led into the police station with handcuffs secured on her wrists. She was roughly grabbed under the arm by an officer and led to the back room. He was the same officer who had cuffed Sam and Dean together back at Bela's hotel room. When he opened the door to lead her towards her cell; she stumbled into his body.
"Ooh; my bad." She apologized to the officer.
"Just get in there." He shook his head. He hadn't noticed her slip her hand into his back pocket. He walked her towards the cell opposite Sam and Dean.
"Aw, look at my boys all in chains." She smiled as the officer opened the empty cell and pushed her in. "Easy now." She shook her head at him as he locked her cell and then left them alone. Andie sat on the threadbare mattress on the creaking bed-frame and sighed. "So." She looked at the brothers. "How was your day?"
"Just dandy, Andie." Dean said; leaning his head back against the concrete.
"Oh honey. The rhyming?" She shook her head. "No."
"How are you so calm?" Sam asked her. "We're in jail."
"Yeah; I'm aware." She raised her cuffed hands at Sam.
"Look, Andie. Keep quiet; alright?" Dean told her. "These guys are after us; they should let you go."
"Dean; I don't need you to get me outta this." Andie told him. "I have a plan."
"And does that plan involve us getting out?" Sam asked.
"Kinda." Andie said, cocking her head.
The door to the cell room creaked open a moment later and Special Agent Henriksen entered. He walked over to the brother's cell and stood before them with his arms crossed over his chest. "You know what I'm trying to decide?" he asked.
Dean scoffed. "I dunno; whether cialis will help you with your little problem?" He quipped.
"What I'm gonna have for dinner tonight." Henriksen told them. "Steak or lobster. What the hell surf and turf. I got a lot to celebrate after all." He smirked. "You two in chains..."
"You kinky son of a bitch; we don't swing that way!" Dean deadpanned.
"That's funny." Henriksen said in a low voice.
"Yeah; well I wouldn't break out the melted butter just yet." Dean told him. "You couldn't catch us at the bank. Couldn't keep us in that jail…" he shrugged and smiled smugly at Andie.
"Really?" Andie leant forward on her bed. "You had them twice and couldn't hang onto them? That's gotta be embarrassing…"
Henriksen glared at her a little. "You're right. I screwed up." He admitted. "I underestimated you; I didn't count you to be that smart. But now; I'm ready."
"What; ready to lose us again?" Dean quipped with a glint in his eye.
"Ready like I got a court order to keep you in a super maximum prison in Nevada until trial." Henriksen corrected him. "Ready like isolation in a soundproof, windowless cell so small that between you and me…is probably unconstitutional. How's that for ready?"
Andie watched as the Agent's words sank into Sam and Dean. Sam shot worried glances at his brother while Dean rubbed his hand over his chin and looked to the floor.
"Take a good look at Sam." Henriksen continued. "You two will never see each other again." Both Dean and Sam snapped their heads up at the agent. "Aww; where's that smug smile Dean?" Henriksen grinned evilly. "I wanna see it."
Dean shook his head and smiled weakly. "You got the wrong guys."
"Oh yeah; I forgot." Henriksen said sarcastically. "You...fight monsters." He shook his head. "Sorry Dean; truth is your Daddy brainwashed you with all that devil talk and no doubt touched you in the bad place. That's all; that's reality."
Dean leant forwards and leant on his knees. "Why don't you shut your mouth?" He glared at the agent.
"Well, guess what?" Henriksen continued. "Life sucks; get a helmet. Because everybody's got a sob story…but not everybody becomes a killer." The sound of a chopper approaching interrupted the conversation. The bright lights shone through the window of the cell room. "And now I have two less to worry about." Henriksen checked his watch and smirked. "Hm. It's surf and turf time." He laughed.
"Hey; what about me?" Andie got to her feet as the agent started to leave. "I don't know these guys."
"Sweetheart; I know that's not true." Henriksen paused out the front of her cell.
"I don't know them." Andie continued. "I was hitch-hiking and they picked me up. Next thing I know you're guys are arresting us. I don't know anything about any murders or demons."
"Is that so?" Henriksen cocked and eyebrow at her.
"I'm just the pretty face." She smiled at him. "Besides; I didn't have a weapon and I didn't kick up a fuss when you brought me to this place. You can't hold me here and you know it."
Henriksen shook his head and smiled. "You're right. Even though I don't believe for a second you don't know these boys; I can't hold you. Background check didn't even bring up anything dirty." He sighed. "Wait here; I'll send the officer in." He laughed at his own bad joke about her being basically immobile and left the room.
Dean got to his feet and tried to hurry to the side of his cage; but his attachment to Sam caused him to stumble and fall back. "Andie." He managed to say when he'd recovered. "What are you doing?"
"This is your plan?" Sam added. "You get off Scott-free and we rot in Nevada?"
"As if I'd leave you boys behind." Andie removed what she'd picked from the guards pocket when she'd been brought into the room; the handcuff key. She held it up to Sam and Dean. "Figured if I left you this you'd be able to get out on your own." She grinned.
"You are the best." Dean grinned. "Toss it here."
Before Andie could through him the key; the guard came in. Andie stuffed the key in her mouth under her tongue as the officer opened her cage; glaring at her as he did so.
"Say goodbye to your friends, sweetheart." He said to her. "They'll be away for a long time."
"Well; if that's the case." Andie moved towards Dean who was leaning awkwardly against the bars. "I'll miss you." She grinned before leaning in and kissing Dean full on the mouth; very, very passionately.
The officer rolled his eyes and then grabbed her by the elbow. "That's enough." He pulled her away.
As the officer dragged Andie out of the room, she winked at Dean.
"What was that?" Sam got to his feet behind Dean.
Dean removed the key from his mouth. "Our way outta here." He grinned.