Calling in a Marker

by Criminally Charmed

Disclaimer - OK, seriously. If I owned Thunderbirds or Supernatural (especially SN cause that has some great products), would I work two jobs? No. I would not. So save the money it would cost you to sue my sorry ass in court and - after the judge makes you pay me for pain and suffering, cause I am indictive enough to ensure that happens - just make a donation to your local food bank, they need it more.

Sorry. Rambling. On with the story...

Chapter Thirty Seven

Keifer Dutton smiled at the unconscious body of Sam Winchester. "Sam, Sammy, Sam-Sam…You were never and could never be the same caliber hunter as your father and brother. Why couldn't you accept that? All you ever were or ever could be is an albatross around their necks. You are weak and helpless…Dean will be so much better without you."

Suddenly the demon whirled around from where he had been stalking towards the fallen hunter. Raising his hand, Demon Dutton gestured towards Alan. The youngest Tracy son had been slowly approaching the possessed man from behind, but now found himself being flung across the cavern.

Laughing coldly, Dutton focused his attention on Alan. "Aw, did poor wittle Allie Tracy fall down and go boom? Does you have an owie? I'm sure big brother Scotty will come and kiss the boo-boo better…Oh, that's right. He's trapped in that cave and without you to tell everyone where he is, he'll probably die there."

Alan rolled his eyes, wincing at how much that hurt his now pounding head. "Dude, you were an idiot when I lived in Bailey and you're still an ass. Thunderbird Five will be able to track the body heat signatures at that part of the cave. This area is a bit more iffy, but I have no doubt that people will be able to find them."

Dutton paused before shrugging. His black orbs glowed with an unholy fire as he approached Alan. "You're probably right. If my theories are right, your father was already working on International Rescue before he left Bailey. It's been running since you were…what? Eleven? Twelve? You'd have grown up surrounded by the Thunderbirds. But you will still be dead before any of them get here. How will they handle that? Not well, I'm guessing. You were what kept your family going when Mommy Dearest bought it. So now…How about we break those Tracy hearts? That will happen right after I break your neck."

Since he was a baby, Alan's eyes had always been the windows to his soul and revealed everything he was thinking or feeling. The blue eyes blazed with fury. "Listen, Dumbass, nobody - and I mean NOBODY - hurts my family. I'd tell you to ask the Hood, but that super-freak is dead. Twice!"

Struggling to his feet, Alan winced in pain. The padded suit had prevented any broken bones but he was willing to bet his trust fund that the bruising that would be revealed later would be truly spectacular. Sucking in his breath, Alan threw his body towards Dutton…

Kate Tracy locked down the Mole and began to prepare to follow her brothers-in-law and the Bumper Family out of the vehicle. She didn't feel the rush she once had during rescues and there certainly was no sense of relief at this time. Kate knew that Scott and Alan were still somewhere in the caves, maybe trapped or hurt, possibly…

No. She refused to even consider the possibility. But hadn't she done so already? If she had to be honest, the reason why Kate had become more involved in Tracy Enterprises while pulling away from rescues had been her fear of leaving her sons without both parents. The business world may have been cutthroat, but she was fairly sure of returning home after a board meeting.

Although, Kate wryly thought, if Paul McKenzie opens his mouth again at the next meeting, I may not come home due to the pending criminal charges I would be facing.

Kate's sardonic thoughts were interrupted by Virgil's raised voice. That in itself was enough to raise her concern. The first thought that popped into her mind was that something had gone south with Jason Bumper. It had shaken Kate more than she wanted to admit to be treating someone with her son's name. She wasn't sure about DJ but Kate saw the gleam in her firstborn's eyes any time the family discussed missions or the few times Scott or Jeff would bring the boys down to the hangers. There was no doubt in Kate's mind that if International Rescue still existed in twenty years, her son would be a second generation Thunderbird.

As Kate raced out of the Mole, her ire was raised at the sight of the bureaucrat from earlier blocking Virgil and Mike Bumper as they tried to move the gurney over towards the triage area that the town's doctor had set up earlier.

"And I am telling you," Russo exclaimed rudely, "we have paramedics on stand-by, they will take this patient now."

"And I am telling you," Virgil uncharacteristically snarled, "that we are going to look over the vic, me – a qualified field rescuer and medic - and two – not one, but two – doctors are going to make sure he is stable enough for transport by your vehicles. If he isn't, I will load him and at least one doctor onto Two and we'll take him to the hospital. We have a full medical bay on Two and if it is needed, it would improve the chances of him walking out of the hospital some day soon."

Russo began to push at Virgil when he suddenly felt his collar tightening around his neck. As the man struggled to breath, he was twisted so that he was facing an irate Tracy Wife.

In a dangerously calm voice, Kate stated, "Listen you over-blown windbag with delusions of grandeur. You will not touch, threaten or interfere in any way, shape or form with my team while we are doing our jobs. Op Three knows what he is doing, Dr. Bumper knows his brother and Dr. Landman was military doctor in a combat zone. You, on the other hand, are a middle management, life-long paper-pusher, who thinks that a crisis situation is your chance to shine. Screw with my team or endanger this young man and I promise you…"

Kate leaned in close, making Russo gulp at the tight snarl visible under the Thunderbird's visor. "I promise, you will be lucky if the worst thing that happens is you end up with a dead-end job in…What's the worst place you can go?"

Russo's mind began to fill with dead-end jobs. The world loved the Thunderbirds and he was sure that this particular rescuer was vindictive enough to destroy his career. Stepping back, he grumbled as he went back to the seat that held his laptop. There were reports that needed filing. As Russo passed a smirking Jean and Millie, he glared at the women. "Some women never learn their place," he grumbled.

Jean stepped forward, ready to kick the idiot's ass, when her mother grabbed her arm. "Bertha Jean," Millie hissed. "Do not give that fool the satisfaction of causing a scene. Trust me, if it is needed, the Thunderbird Commander will handle him when this is over."

Millie returned to her natural task – fussing, making sure the rescuers and rescued alike had cool beverages and, in the case of the Bumpers, some food – while her daughter looked at her in confusion. Mama, Jean thought, what do you know that I don't?

Scott had begun to fiddle with the bandages covering his eyes, when he heard Dean quietly say, "Don't touch those. The longer your eyes remain covered, the better it will be." Pausing, Dean sighed before continuing. "At least, I think so."

Matching Dean in the depth of his sigh, Scott nodded. "Probably. Or at least, it would be best to keep them covered until Virgil can take a look see. I wish Emily were here. She rarely goes on rescues, but I'd feel better. Not that Virgil and Sarah aren't fantastic field medics. But for now, we just have Virg."

Anxious for a change of subject to distract him from his worry over Sam, Dean asked, "So…Red is really preggers, huh? She must be excited. Does she know what she's having yet?"

Scott shook his head. "No. But if family history runs true, it will be another boy. Elizabeth – that's John's and Emily's daughter – was the first Tracy daughter born into the family in two centuries. Alan jokes that it takes a blonde Tracy to make daughters and I guess we'll have to wait and see what he and Tin have."

"John and his wife not want more kids?" Dean asked.

A clenched jaw and tightened posture told Dean that this was not something the oldest Tracy really wanted to talk about, so he was surprised when Scott answered.

"Oh, they would have loved more. Emily…well, it was when you and Sam were helping Alan back in Boston that Keith was born. Em almost died. John was furious to find out recently that there was a genetic heart problem of some kind. Her grandmother died giving birth and Em could have. The sad part is that if Emily had been aware of the possibility of the problem, she could have received care while carrying Elizabeth and her life would have never been at risk. But her first pregnancy increased the condition so that the second almost killed her. Her mother knew but never told Em. It was only when her mother died that the information was given to her. Seems the bitch had Emily tested for the condition and found out when her daughter was just a little kid. It was in some records that had Emily's name on it, so a lawyer forwarded it to her."

Leaning back, Scott visibly relaxed and a bit of a smile crossed his lips. "Man, was John pissed when he found out. He never liked his mother-in-law, mainly for how she treated her daughter. And the whole family was disgusted at the way she tried to use her tenuous connection to our family after she found out just who Emily had married. Not that it ever worked, but still…" Scott let out a small chuckle. "But Johnny proved he can have a hell of a temper if provoked. It was a good thing Susan Haas – that was Em's mother's name – was already dead. Or I think John could have been a viable suspect in her murder."

Dean blinked at that revelation. "Wait – she was murdered? Do they – I mean, none of the Tracys, well..."

Now Scott laughed outright. "No. None of us killed her. We preferred the more subtle approach. The Tracys simply let it be known she was persona non grata to us. That carries a lot of weight in society. She was a member of high society but she never achieved the grande dame status she craved. We made sure of that."

"Hit 'em where it hurts, is that your logic?" Dean's sardonic query gave Scott pause before he nodded.

"Yes, I guess so. In the end, the one who blinks is the loser, right? Well, before some jerk that she pissed off killed her, the Tracys had her blinking so fast, it looked like she was having some kind of fit."

Dean shook his head. "Man, I am never playing poker with a Tracy."

"Good call," Scott responded. "And you may want to avoid playing pool with most of us as well."

With a small laugh, Dean relaxed a bit more. The Tracys really were a fascinating family. Maybe – maybe having friends in the right places could be a good thing.

Dutton let out a cruel laugh, smirking when Alan stumbled past him, landing next to Sam's unconscious body.

"Aw, little Allie. Trying to play at being a hero and failing miserably. What was that for? You never even came close to me. See?" He held his hands out. "Missed me completely."

Alan shook himself, before grinning at Dutton. "Like I told another bad guy once – I wasn't aiming at you."

When Dutton growled and went to move towards Alan, he found himself unable to approach the pair on the ground. Looking down, the demon deputy realized Alan's lunge toward him had forced him into the devil's trap on the ground.

Snarling, Dutton spat at the rescuer. "So? Sam Winchester is still unconscious. I'll break free before he is aware enough to be able to do an exorcism. And the Tracys may all have Ivy League degrees, but I doubt you can do an exorcism in Latin."

Tilting his head, Alan gave a Gordon-worthy smile. "In Latin? Nope. But I am very good at improvising."

Sam had begun to regain consciousness, carefully following the conversation. His pounding head made it hard but he was trying desperately to begin an exorcism when Alan began to speak. Sam wasn't sure what language it was, he suspected some kind of Oriental tongue, but the younger man was speaking clearly and concisely.

The possessed law man was shaking and cursing, unable to free himself or escape from the words that were tearing him from his vessel. With a howl, the demon was driven from Dutton body. The deputy fell in a heap on the stone floor, dead before he hit the ground.

Struggling to raise himself, Sam felt Alan put his arms around his upper body, sighing when he was guided to rest against the pack Alan had carried in with him. "OK…what was that?" Sam asked as Alan began to examine his wounds.

"That? What that? Oh," Alan exclaimed. "The exorcism?"

Grimacing as Alan began to manipulate his dislocated shoulder, Sam said in dismay, "That wasn't Latin. How could it be an – OUCH! - exorcism?"

Alan frowned as Sam cried out when he reset the shoulder. Sighing, he pulled out a pen light and began to check over his friend's head injury. "Sam, that is terribly shortsighted of you. Many of the world's religions have common points. Among them are a creator or God figure, often a form of angels and usually some kind of demon. Many of the demons can possess people. So many of these religions has a version of an exorcism. That was the Buddhist version in Malaysian."

When Sam looked at Alan in confusion, the younger man smiled as he cleaned off the head wound. "My father-in-law. He and Tin-Tin taught me how to speak the language years ago. And Kyrano, who learned how to do that from his uncle – a Buddhist priest – decided that it would be a good idea for me to know how to do one. He said he had a bad feeling that if I remained friends with you, I might need it."

Sam chuckled lightly even as Alan began to apply dressing to Sam's wound. "Kid, you always keep an ace up your sleeve, don't you? Remind me to never play cards with you."

Alan just smiled. He wondered if he could meet up with the Winchesters in order to play some pool. He was even better at that.

A/N - How was that for a twist? Bet you never saw that coming...

Oh, and I majored in Communications so I really never took any comparitive religions courses. But it made sense to me.

Does Miss Millie know? Probably. Not much seems to get past her. Will Jean figure it out? Maybe. OK, the major threats are dealt with. Minor ones, like Russo and rockslides may still exist.

I was sick part of this week, so not much was worked on and I have a KILLER schedule for next week. But I will do my best.

No new news on Jaimie, but you know what? I think that is a good thing. It means the kid's life is getting back to normal.

Well, as normal as it will get for her for a long time to come.

Laters! - CC