Pivot Point
Story Name: Pivot Point
Pen Name: ElenaRoan
Disclaimer: Don't own any of them, written purely for enjoyment.
Warnings:
Summary: What if Anna decided to derail the apocalypse by intervening to help rather than trying to make the brothers never having existed.
Timeline: Season 5
Note: I'm Australian and I can't bring myself to use USA spelling, sorry.
Chapter 101: Solid Thought
They'd gone to a cabin of Bobby's that happened to be nearby, and hadn't got all but destroyed in the demon sieges, after the rather spectacular death of the witch. Which turned out to be a mistake once they'd woken up the next morning. It was inside the quarantine cordon that had been hastily thrown up about the town, and they'd had to stay hunkered down there for several days. Only the fact that the property was known to be vacant usually kept them from getting a visit from a member of law enforcement to compel them into quarantine.
Though they were likely no more than half a day's drive from Bobby's, Castiel still hadn't given them the all-clear from being actively hunted. So they headed into the more rural areas of Colorado instead. Without a specific job, they just wandered.
Which is how they came to be in a random diner trying to decide if they would stop for the night after their meal or continue on for another couple of hours. Dean left the money with Sam while he went off to the bathroom to take care of nature's call as they finished up.
The two young waitresses were chatting as he approached the counter to pay.
"Heard you and Mikey are getting along well."
The other waitress blushed, "yeah… we're thinking of trying a date next week…"
"Be sure to get a blessing for it."
"Oh, I'm sure they don't want to bother with a teenage romance…"
The first shook her head, "better do it, don't want to tempt the wrath of the Bogal. You know what'll happen if it's not ordained."
Sam frowned at the utter terror that swept across the face of the second waitress, then quickly schooled his expression as they noticed his approach and turned to him.
"Can we help you?"
"Just want to pay." He handed over the bill and notes, "and my brother and I are looking to stop for the night, could you recommend anywhere?"
"Well… there's really only the one. Macie's on the main street, but she runs a clean place."
"Could I get directions?"
There was actually a small pamphlet for the motel, and the waitress happily handed it over.
Sam headed back towards their table but didn't even reach it before his brother emerged from the bathroom.
"Got a recommendation for a place to stay for the night." He told him before Dean could say anything.
His big brother quirked an eyebrow at him, "thought we'd decided to continue on."
Sam flicked his eyes to the two waitresses who'd returned to their conversation, "something came up."
Dean caught the glance and had no problem understanding his little brother wasn't about to detail it with those who had prompted it still there, even if they didn't appear to be in earshot. He nodded and led the way out to the car.
"Well?" He asked once the doors were closed.
"One of the waitresses is about to start dating, the other urged her to get a blessing on it because she quote doesn't want to tempt the wrath of the Bogal end quote."
Dean looked at him, "what the hell is a Bogal?"
"Think I know? Whatever it is, though, the idea of its wrath absolutely terrified her."
Dean whistled, "that doesn't happen without something to back it up. I can see why you decided we needed to stay."
The next surprise came when checking in to the motel.
"Church is at seven, sharp." The manager told them as she handed over the key, "and don't bother asking for wifi, that cursed vibration can't be found in this town."
The brother's shared a glance.
"Thanks, but we aren't religious." Dean replied, making an effort to be diplomatic.
"No allowance is made for that. If you're in town, you attend, or face the wrath."
They shared another glance, this one tinged with concern.
"Ah… thank you." Sam told her.
She nodded and turned away, allowing the two to escape the office.
"What the f…" Dean started.
Sam interrupted him with a raised finger, "don't. Until we know precisely what we're dealing with we'd better assume that anything even slightly 'un-virtuous' will get us targeted by whatever it is."
Dean grit his teeth for a moment, "okay, let's get in the room then."
Setting up the wards once they were inside didn't prompt any noticeable response and they very slightly relaxed.
"What do you think we're dealing with?" Dean asked.
"Something local, maybe even unique to this location." Sam replied with a shrug, "at a guess anyway. With that attitude towards wifi, I'd be surprised to find their library archives, if they even have one, online at all. Could also be a local name for a known monster."
The phone and internet connections they had on their mobiles were barely there, suggesting few, if any, upgrades following the first rollouts. They even had to send a message to Vin that they had crap reception after the sniper hadn't been able to connect when he called, though they had no idea whether it would actually get to him.
Sam sighed, "I guess we're going to have to rely on the local library for information if they even have one."
Dean waved the 'local attractions' pamphlet at him, "they have one. Doesn't seem to be open tomorrow, but they have one."
"Wonderful." Sam grumbled. Having to wait there another day without knowing what they were up against was definitely not high on his list of things to enjoy.
"Maybe we'll hear something at that church service we have to attend tomorrow." Dean suggested.
"Likely, since attendance appears to be tied into it. Whether it'll actually make sense is another thing, though. The comments we've received directly seem to indicate they expected us to just know the reason behind the statements." Sam glared at the old, but well maintained, table that graced the room.
"Should we… deal with it from outside the town?" Dean asked almost hesitantly. His little brother might just be annoyed at the circumstances, but it was just as likely he was picking up on danger.
Sam sighed and considered his impressions more consciously before shaking his head, "no more danger than usual. Just don't like not knowing, you know?"
"Yeah." Dean agreed, almost shaking his head at the fact that they had a 'normal' danger level, "though… what are we going to do tonight? Go to bed early? Who the…"
He gritted his teeth for a moment, "whoever thought that was a good time for a church service to start?"
"Someone who wanted to be cruel while making it seem like it's being diligent or something. Be thankful it's not 6am."
"Who… no… I don't want to know."
"At least those churches don't have attendance of those services as compulsory."
"Joy." Dean glanced around the motel room until his eyes lighted on the laptops. He glared at them as he realised they'd be utterly useless as information or entertainment sources. He wanted to swear aloud, and again when he recalled that there was no bar in the tiny town.
Sam gave him a sympathetic look as he pulled out a formerly dusty tome he'd obviously got from Bobby then settled down to read it.
"Great." Dean grumbled, before settling down at the table and going over their weapons. He kept an eye on the darkness outside the window as he did so.
A couple of hours later, Sam put aside the book and obviously started getting ready for bed, way too early as far as Dean was concerned. His little brother did tend to head to bed and get up much earlier than him, though, and he did little more than glance at him.
"Dean." Sam got his attention as he clambered into the bed furthest from the door, "if you want to be actually functional tomorrow, you need to go to bed now."
Dean scowled in annoyance as he did the mental maths himself and realised his little brother was right. He did not like early mornings unless he came at them from the other end.
"That is a stupid time for a service."
"Not going to argue about that, for a compulsory one anyway, but since we need to be there stop complaining." Sam retorted with an amused look.
"Yeah, yeah." Dean grumbled, conceding the argument and getting ready for bed himself, taking the bed closest to the door grumpily.
Sam was the first one awake the next morning, and when Dean groggily woke a bit later at his urging, it was to a strong coffee already waiting for him.
"Mornings should be illegal." He grumbled as he accepted the cup.
"Like you actually care about laws." Sam replied with a chuckle.
"I do… just don't like when they get in the way."
"And that's different, how?"
"Shaddup."
Sam chuckled at him as Dean returned his attention to the coffee.
They actually encountered the manager as they left the room on the way to the church service, which was fortunately within walking distance.
"Good. I was worried I'd have to wake you up." She stated with a nod, "heavens knows why other places tempt fate like that. Guess we have Father Jorgenson to thank for actually knowing how to placate it."
They both made a mental note of the name.
"Ah… thank you." Sam replied, "we travel around quite a bit."
"Oh, of course. That makes sense, it must be chaos out there without knowing."
They shared a confused glance as she turned away.
"The church is just this way." She gestured and headed in the direction indicated ahead of them.
"If you don't mind us asking… knowing what?" Sam asked as they followed her.
"How to keep the Bogal calm, of course." She gave them a sympathetic look, "you must have been fortunate to not have pulled the wrath down on you before now."
"How do you keep it calm?"
"Attending church is a big one." She glanced back at them without slowing, "minding those appointed over you. Only dating and marrying within a relationship that has received a blessing. No drinking. No internet or wifi. That's the main things."
"A blessing?" Dean asked, picking up on the term used by the waitress the previous night.
"You want to court someone, the two of you go to the church and stand before the altar and ask if it's okay. If the Bogal thinks it is ordained, then you can proceed, if it doesn't, then you can't without having the wrath descend."
"What if it doesn't work out?"
"If you fail to make what is ordained come to pass, you need to go to the altar again and ask to be released. If the Bogal agrees that you have tried everything to make it work, your bond will be removed, and you are free to go your own way after paying penance."
Neither brother were sure they wanted to know what that penance entailed, but they didn't get to ask any more questions as they were approaching the small crowd gathered outside the church.
"Macie." A man in luxurious looking flowing robes greeted the manager warmly, Sam didn't recognise the denomination, "good to see you this glorious morning."
"Father Jorgenson." She returned and bowed her head to allow him to put his hands on her hair in what appeared to be some form of benediction.
"And who are your friends?"
"This is Sam and Dean." She gestured to them, and they were mildly surprised she actually got the names right, "brothers who travel around the country, they checked in last night. They were unaware of the necessity of church attendance."
"Ah. Well… ignorance is it's own protection, for a time anyway. But the patience of the Bogal wears thin when people stubbornly remain obtuse." The smile that he bestowed on them was apparently benevolent, but the eyes held a predatory intelligence, "it is good for you to join us this day."
The doors to the church unlocked with a dramatic thump and swung open seemingly of their own volition.
"Come. It is time for the service."
The building's layout was much the same as any church, long pews on either side of an aisle leading to an alter and a focal point. But it wasn't a cross at the far end of the room, and Sam barely kept from swearing aloud as he realised what they were actually dealing with.
Macie pressed a small handmade book into their hands as they sat down, and it didn't take Sam more than a glance to place it as a collection of 'holy stories'. The service that followed consisted of several stories from that book interspersed with ritualistic chants alternatively calling for warding off of the Bogal's wrath and asking for its protection.
As the service was drawing to a close Father Jorgenson came to the front of the alter.
"We have a happy occasion to finish the service this morning." He announced as he waved for two people to come up to the dais, Sam recognised one as the waitress who'd spoken about beginning dating.
"Michael and Tina wish to request permission to start dating."
The two knelt down before the altar, and a blue flame abruptly sprang up atop that altar.
"As you know, all relationships that are ordained will receive a blessing and all those that aren't will be denied. Woe unto those who don't abide by the decision of the Bogal, for it shall pursue them however far they run and their screams will echo in the streets." He paused for a long moment, then turned back to the alter, "now… let us see what the Bogal has decreed."
There were a couple of silent minutes, then the flame went red.
"Ah. The relationship is not ordained." He announced with regret that rang false to the brothers in his voice, "my sympathies to both of you."
Both Michael and Tina all but scurried away from the alter with their heads down, not meeting anyone's eyes.
Father Jorganson closed the service with a few announcements that both Sam and Dean tuned out, and then they were all free to go. Macie was quick to assure them they could take a copy of the book with them when Sam asked.
Neither of them relaxed until they were back inside the motel room.
"Tell me that wasn't what I thought it was." Dean stated, taking up position near the window to keep an eye outside.
"Tulpa symbol."
"I was so hoping it wasn't."
"Well, it is." Sam replied grumpily, "now the question is, what the hell do we do about it?"
"Melting down that symbol would be a good start."
"If we can get to it." Sam pulled out the laptop and started it up, then pulled out the handmade book and began carefully copying the stories in, stopping after each one to take careful notes.
Dean sighed and returned his attention to the outside.
Small though the book was, it was still several hours before Sam finished copying and analysing.
"Well?" Dean asked.
"The good news, the church is accessible at all hours via a side door that will open if someone wants entry. That dramatic open we saw this morning is only for services."
"And the bad news?"
Sam sighed and joined him at the window, staring out into the gathering dark, "I don't think there's anything we can actually do about it."
"Why? It's a tulpa… sure it's annoying… but we've dealt with them before."
"Because that 'father' we met this morning definitely knows what he's doing, even if he didn't create it initially he, for sure, knows how to recreate it."
"Crap." Dean growled. He hated when actual humans were involved, it made things complicated, "we can't just leave it though, these poor people. They have no idea the rest of the country, let alone the world, isn't having to live with this."
"And he's made sure they have no way of finding out with his forbidding of internet and wifi." Sam sighed, "makes sure any who do try will get punished, since one of those stories details that the 'vibration' from internet access annoys it."
"Hence why they consider wifi to be a cursed vibration."
"So…"
A scream rent the air outside, and with no more than a quick glance at each other, they grabbed their weapons and bolted through the door in its direction. Rounding the corner into the darkened street, they saw the shadowy form that matched the description in the stories looming over a couple that were cringing back from it.
Sam didn't even stop to think as it reared back to strike at them, hitting it with a mental blast before it could connect. The couple gaped at it as the shadowy form dissipated before their eyes. The brothers didn't wait to see if it would reform, instead darting forward to grab the hands of the couple as if they had shared the thought and pulled them to their feet.
"Come on."
They led them back to the hotel room and ushered them inside. Once the door was closed, the woman they'd rescued sank into one of the chairs at the table and buried her head in her hands. The man slumped dejectedly onto one of the beds.
"Thank you for saving us, but it's useless. The Bogal will hunt us to the ends of the earth." The woman said despairingly.
"No, it won't. The Bogal doesn't even exist outside the bounds of this town." Dean told her reassuringly.
"Just because you're ignorant of it doesn't mean it isn't the reason for all the deaths." The man put in.
"Michael and Tina, right?" Sam asked gently, sliding into the other chair, "from this morning?"
They nodded.
"Should have known better… not ordained is not ordained… but why would we matter?" Tina all but wailed.
"Because it's not about the relationship, but about controlling you." Sam told her.
"No… the Bogal…"
"Oh for crying out loud, the Bogal isn't real." Dean snapped.
Michael gave him an incredulous look, "you saw it try to kill us."
"What he's trying to say, is that the Bogal is a construct." Sam interjected before his brother could snap at them again, "it's what's known as a tulpa, a thought construct that was created deliberately."
"But who would do such a thing?" Tina asked in a bewildered tone.
"The oh so benevolent Father Jorgenson would be our guess." Dean replied caustically.
Tina nearly panicked, and Michael looked up with concern on his face.
"No, no, no, no! Seditious thoughts and speech about the leaders will bring the Bogal down on all our heads!" Tina wailed.
"Okay… let's get them out of town before we continue this discussion." Sam interjected before anyone else could say anything. Dean nodded and started collecting their things.
"The Bogal will follow us to the ends of the earth." Michael stated.
"It doesn't even exist outside this town." Dean told him, again.
"Ignorance doesn't mean it doesn't act." Michael insisted stubbornly.
"It's kinda our jobs to know." Dean returned, "we hunt and kill things like this."
"You can kill the Bogal?" Tina asked incredulously.
"Tulpa are difficult because they're not actually real. They're created using a symbol and focused thoughts." Sam explained.
"A symbol?" Michael asked.
"The… uh… holy symbol in your church." Sam told him.
"Oh."
"Okay, let's go. Sooner we're away from here, the sooner we can figure out how to fix it." Dean stated, duffels in his hands.
Sam nodded, and between the two of them, they ushered the couple out to the impala, then headed out of town. At the next township, which they were very thankful to find had decent wifi and phone coverage, they booked into another motel and sat down to discuss their options.
Knowing the two had likely never experience alcohol at all, Dean made them all coffee instead of grabbing beers.
"He really was lying to us?" Michael asked after a long moment staring at the drink.
"Mikey!" Tina gasped, looking wildly around expecting the shadowy Bogal to materialise. Her self-evident fear didn't reduce when everything stayed quiet.
"No point complying anymore, Tina, we're already marked for death." Michael replied, more tenderly than either brother had expected him to be capable of in the circumstances.
"Only back there." Sam put in gently as she fumbled for a reply.
"So what do we do now?" Michael asked.
"My brother and I will figure out how to deal with symbol and creator." Sam replied, "as for you… we'll try to arrange to get you a new life somewhere."
"You going to kill him?" Michael asked.
"Wouldn't be our preference." Sam replied.
"But he's killed… so many…"
"It's unlikely we'll be able to prove it, using something… supernatural… keeps him out of legal trouble, unfortunately." Sam explained with a sigh.
"Actually… do we know that for sure?" Dean asked, "I mean… he can't have started that straight out of whole cloth. Something had to have happened that he then gave that explanation for and started it all up. Would have only manifested once sufficient numbers actually believed and were focusing on that symbol while he told the stories."
"That's a point." Sam returned thoughtfully, pulling his laptop around so he could type on it.
"Is that…?" Tina started hesitantly.
"A computer, and yes… I'm using the internet." Sam replied calmly.
"And you've never…?"
"Never been attacked for using it. And we've been using both pretty much every day for years."
"Oh…"
"Do you know when Father Jorgenson's… church… started up?"
The couple glanced at each other then shook their heads, "no… sorry… never knew anything else."
That was pretty much what Sam had figured, but it would have been nice. He tracked down the last mobile phone tower rollout records in the area then worked forward from that date. A few archived articles from the town were available from a neighbouring town's library detailing several horrific murders, then a note that the paper had stopped supplying copies. He saved the articles and started looking for more information. Even with local farming, there was stuff that still needed to be delivered. Some of what he found took on far more sinister overtones with what they knew was going on in the town.
"How about you go get some sleep, we can figure out how to get you situated tomorrow." Dean suggested as he noticed the two yawning, nearly dying then fleeing from the only place you've known could tire anyone out.
After a moment he got nods of agreement and saw them to their room so they could sleep.
"So what do we have?" He asked as he returned.
"Still think there's nothing WE can do." Sam told him with a sigh, "get rid of the symbol, Jorgenson will just recreate it. And it will reinforce the beliefs. Never mind the issues with even attempting to remove Jorgenson, I'm not willing to perform murder even if it wouldn't create a martyr."
Dean picked up on the emphasis, "but you think someone else might?"
"If even half of the hints at dubious things actually link to illegal activities, Team Seven would have him in cuffs in a heartbeat. Only one problem…"
"Proving it."
"Yeah."
"Can't hurt to get his opinion at least."
"True." Sam pulled out his phone and frowned at it for a long moment before hitting the contact. It really wasn't their style to hand off a case without being forced to, but there was nothing they could do that wouldn't make the situation worse. It was answered a moment later.
"Chris… um… it's Sam."
"Yeah, did actually notice that." The ATF agent and Hunter replied dryly.
"Um… yeah. Uh… how are you doing?" There was a way to just ask for help he was pretty sure, they just never got much practice with it.
"We're good." Chris replied, "I'm pretty sure you didn't call just to shoot the breeze, though."
"Yeah… um…" Sam sighed, "got… a weird case."
Dean shot him a look that eloquently asked when didn't they have a weird case.
"Need us to come help?" The immediate offer made Sam relax more than he thought it would.
"No… well… um…"
"You in trouble?" There was concern in the other Hunter's voice now, he could only imagine the possible scenarios running through Chris' head.
"Not exactly." Sam replied, wincing as he registered that wasn't exactly reassuring on the trouble front, "it's… there's a cult leader using a tulpa to… um… direct his people. Focus their worship and punish diversions from 'the path'."
Chris was silent for a moment, "might need to explain what a tulpa is."
"Tibetan thought construct." Sam replied, relaxing as the more familiar explanatory role settled, "uses a particular symbol to focus thoughts, and with enough focus it takes form. The leader is using the symbol as the 'holy symbol' and directing his followers thought with 'holy stories' to give it form."
"That sounds like something not easy to remove." Chris commented after a moment absorbing the information.
"It isn't." Sam confirmed with a sigh, "about all we could do would be to destroy the symbol. And at least it's in a specific location rather than being worn as jewellery. But without removing the leader…"
"He'll just recreate it." Chris finished easily, "and since he's human, the usual Hunter method will get you in trouble, and reinforce the focus of his followers."
Sam had to admit that dealing with witches strayed too close to doing that also, since they often looked like ordinary people, but regular law enforcement couldn't deal with them.
"Any evidence of… legal misconduct on his part?" Chris asked after a thoughtful silence.
"Nothing that could be used in a court of law…" Sam replied, nearly sighing again. He mightn't have got to finish his studies, or even really start on proper law school, but he could remember there were some stringent rules about evidence.
"Direct from you, maybe." Chris replied, "but we can call it an anonymous tip and find it officially."
"Some… odd deliveries." Sam replied, it had been easy to turn those up. But he had no way of knowing if they were legal or not, and the cult leader had been very particular not to have anything against weapons in his stories. More telling was how there'd been nothing about complying with laws either, though, "got no way of checking licenses or anything… but there are weapons there."
"That's a start. How do we defend against the tulpa?"
"That's harder. There are no vulnerabilities to really exploit, they're dependant on the stories being told. He's pretty strict about those stories, though, so they at least won't change abruptly on you. But part of it is opposing the leader brings retribution so as soon as you are known to be investigating you'll be subject to it. The wooden wards might defend you, it is a thought construct after all, but we didn't get to test that. I'll email you the tulpa stories so you'll know what to avoid." Sam told him, "destroying the symbol might depower it, but…"
"But that'll have its own problems. Leave it with me, I'll do what I can."
"Thanks." Sam turned to the computer and a few moments later had the stories and notes along with the articles and other information he'd turned up headed to the agent and Hunter's secure email.
"No problem, Sam. You can call whenever, we'll help anyway we can. Even if that's just lending an ear, don't feel you can't okay? Whether it's you need rescue, or need a break or backup, we'll help."
Sam actually chuckled, "yeah… just… not exactly practised at it. We're usually the ones doing the cavalry charge."
"Well, you are good at it. But you two don't need to do it all on your own."
"Thanks." He chuckled again, "well… I'd better go. I need to give Vin a call, he tried to call while we were in that town, but coverage there was so crap we couldn't be heard. Did send him a message letting him know that, so he shouldn't be worried, but I should call."
"Ah… yeah… he didn't get that message."
Sam wanted to bang his head on the table as the knowledge that their cousin had likely been worrying this entire time sank in, "damn technophobic towns. I damn well should get satellite phones for the two of us, we end up in areas without coverage way too often as it is without some nuts deciding phone and wifi are 'evil'."
"Always pros and cons. He's here, anyway, let me hand you over to him."
There was some noise as the phone was handed over, then their cousin's voice sounded, "Sam?"
"Vin, hope you haven't been worrying too much. We did try to send a message."
"Comes with the territory." The Texan's voice noticeably relaxed, "wasn't sure if it was EVP or something else."
"No EVP. Not even a supernatural critter even, unless you count the cult leader talking the town into being technophobic with the help of a tulpa."
"I'd ask what the hell that is, except I heard Chris asking so I won't bother since I'm sure I'll be told later in exacting detail."
"Damn annoying is what they are." Sam grumbled.
Vin chuckled, "I'll bet."
They chatted for a bit longer before Vin rang off and the brothers then headed to bed.
15
