Chapter 52

The night was interrupted for the two sleeping brothers as the door to their motel room opened and in stepped a foreign man in a tattered suit. Dean perked up, ready for a fight when he realized that it was the strange man from the forest. He lowered his guard, but only slightly. The man was clearly a British Man of Letters, but he did help save Sam. So he didn't appear to be an immediate enemy.

"Relax." The man said. "My name's Joel." He introduced himself to the tiger on the bed, feeling a little silly talking to an animal. "Your brother called me. I work with the Men of Letters."

Dean knew all that already, but it was helpful to know his name. The conversation stirred Sam awake. With a deep groan, the younger Winchester weakly sat up. Dean was pleased to see that the sleep and Joel-prescribed treatments had seemed to work. While Sam certainly didn't look good, he did look alive and like he'd recover. "Are you okay?" Sam mumbled through tired lips.

"I'm fine." Joel smiled. "Just glad you're alive. I came as quickly as I could."

"Sorry we had to leave you."

"Not a problem." Joel brushed it off. "I did bring your car."

"I had the keys." Sam said confused. The conversation was starting to make Dean feel sick. He knew what had been done to his baby.

"I had to hot-wire it." Joel explained sheepishly. "I hope you don't mind."

Sam jumped in before Dean could react. "It's fine. We'll fix it up."

"Anyway." Joel moved on to more pressing matters. "I just passed by the zoo and saw cops all over the place." He closed the door and settled into the room. "I talked to a cop and he said that all the animals had been set free."

"Free to where?"

"They hadn't a clue." Joel answered. "I think we all know who released them."

"The druid."

"Right." Joel winked. "So I think it's safe to say the animals will find us."

"That's not very comforting." Sam said as he attempted to get out of bed. He moaned as he moved in a similar fashion to an elderly woman waking up in the morning.

"Whoa, there, Yankee." Joel rushed over to the bed. "You gotta' take it easy."

"No, we've got work to do." Sam insisted. "Let's get to it."

Without warning, Dean shoved Sam back down onto the bed and roared. "What do you mean you're going to go to the zoo alone?" Sam asked shocked. Dean growled deeply as he looked at Joel and then back to Sammy. Sam sighed heavily. "Seriously, Dean?" He complained. "This again?"

Dean's eyes went insane with anger. He roared again right in Sam's face. "I know you told me not to call the British Men of Letters." Sam explained. "But we need the help!" Dean smacked Sammy's chest with his big paw, hard enough to make his point, but not so much to hurt him. "What do you mean 'why don't I ever listen to you'?" Sam argued. "You're my big brother. I've spent my entire life listening to you!" Dean growled back at that. "I know about Ruby!" Sam hollered, hating that Dean kept bringing up one of his most shameful moments. "I know I didn't listen to you. And you know what?" His voice escalated. "It got you killed!" Sam shouted. "Don't you think I learned my lesson from that!?"

Dean saw the tears forming in Sam's eyes, but he wasn't about to retreat. Sam had crossed a line. The British Men of Letters were so clearly no good, yet despite his warning, Sam kept running back to them. He roared again and looked back to Joel. Sam's anger could visibly be seen on his face. "This is not the same, Dean." Sam argued. "Ruby was a demon. The British Men of Letters are Hunters." Dean rolled his eyes. "They are Hunters. Maybe not in the same way as you and me, but they are. They're out to save people!"

Dean shoved down on Sam one more time. "I'm not staying here, Dean!" Sam fought back. "I'm a Hunter and I have a job to do." Dean stood tall and slid off the edge of the bed with what could only be described as a tiger mumble. "You're going alone?" Sam asked. "And you don't expect me to follow you?" Dean turned back with fierce eyes. They pierced right through Sammy. His voice grew softer. "I know I'm hurt." Sam said. "But I have work to do." Without a response, Dean was out the door on his way to the zoo.

The moment the tiger was gone, Sam shouted out as loud as he could in frustration. Why was Dean so freaking difficult to deal with?! Couldn't he see that Joel was there to help? Sam couldn't believe his stupid brother. Angrily, Sam tossed the sheets off his naked body and slammed his feet on the dirty carpet. He was going to go to that zoo too!

Before he could get any farther, Joel approached him and placed a large hand on his shoulder. "Take it easy there, Yankee." The man said. "I'm not sure what that whole argument was about and I don't really care. What I do know is that you are hurt and you do need rest."

"Dean thinks he can handle all this by himself?" Sam asked Joel as if he had the answer. "There's no way. We all saw how that went last time."

"I agree with that." Joel said. "A druid's no joke and has control over animals. The last thing we need trying to deal with him is another animal." Joel explained. "However, you need to go slow."

"You don't think that I'm ready for a Hunt?"

"I didn't say that." Joel smirked. "You're a Winchester. If half of what I've read about you in your files is true, then you're more than capable. I'm just saying you need to take it easy on the way. You're body just survived a poison that killed many others. Don't push too hard." Joel stared at Sammy's naked form. "Look at yourself. You're post-poisoned, clawed, bruised, scratched, beaten. You're not looking good."

"I'm fine."

"Just..." Joel said as he found Sam some clothes from his bag on the floor. "Take it easy."