Chapter Five:

"Hey Crowley? You sure no one is following us?"

"Inconceivable. No one from Heaven could have gotten here so fast, and no one in Hell knows what we've done. But...why do you ask?"

"Well, I looked back and I swear I see a ship behind us," said Benny.

Crowley looked in the direction Benny was pointing. It was certainly difficult to see through the fog. Dean also looked that way. He too thought he saw a mast poking out on the horizon, gaining on them. A ship of any kind could mean salvation. Luckily, Dean had been working his ropes and had managed to break free, though the goons didn't know it yet.

"Moose, row faster. We need to get to the cliffs immediately."

The man called Moose grumbled a bit but sped up his pace with the oars. He used his strong arms to maneuver them through the water, but the ship became larger in their vision even as they attempted to pull away.

It was while they were distracted with the ship that Dean made his move, leaping into the sea to freedom. He was a strong swimmer and knew he could make it to the other ship. He only hoped that there was someone friendly waiting there.

Crowley shouted at his henchmen. "Go after him!"

Benny gave him a shrug. "I don't swim," he said.

Moose said quickly, "Me neither." Though Crowley didn't quite believe him.

And then a terrible shrieking began, and Dean felt something moving in the water just to his left. With horror, he realized —

"Those are the Shrieking Sirens, boys. And not pretty babes like you might think, but flesh-eating monsters of the deep."

Crowley was right, of course. Dean knew his lore well. He began to swim more frantically.

"If you return to the boat, I promise no harm will come to you," said Crowley. "I doubt you'll get such an offer from the Sirens."

Sure enough, a scaly Siren's face emerged from the water, and then another, and another. They were surrounding Dean, teeth bared and long shriveled fingers reaching for his arms and —

Jack's father paused in his reading. "The Sirens don't get him at this point, just so you know."

Jack was clutching his sheets, and only when his father stopped reading did he realize that he'd also been holding his breath. "What?" he asked.

"You were looking a little worried, Jack. It's alright, though. The Sirens don't get him.""

I wasn't worried," said Jack defensively. "Just a little...concerned. Dean has really bad luck."

His father laughed slightly. "I suppose he does. Should I keep going?"

Jack shrugged and tried to make it seem like it didn't matter to him. "If you want," he said.

His dad smiled. "Now where was I..." He skimmed the page with his finger.

"Ah, right..."

They were surrounding Dean, teeth bared and long shriveled fingers reaching for his arms and face. In that moment, he knew he had met his untimely end. All he could hope for was for it to be quick, and that somewhere beyond Heaven and Hell, he would at least be reunited with Castiel again.

A giant hand came down and grabbed Dean by the scruff of his collar. It pulled him bodily up and back into the boat of his captors. The giant's sleeves were wet from the sea. "Not a good way to go, man."

Crowley was furious. "Next time, we won't save you!" He turned his back to them.

Dean spoke to Moose so low that Crowley couldn't hear as the giant tied him back up. "Look, Moose –"

"It's Sam," the Giant interrupted. "Crowley just calls me that because – actually, I don't know why he calls me that."

"Sam," he whispered. "Listen, you don't seem the sort to hang around with monsters."

"Benny's not so bad," Sam said defensively. "And Crowley..."

Sam trailed off, clearly having no argument ready for the demon.

"Alright, but you've got a real chance here. Whatever he's offered you, I'll match it. Top it, even, if you help me escape."

"I'm sorry, Dean. I've made a deal and I can't break it now."

Dean bit back his frustration. Perhaps he'd have another chance later to convince Sam to help him.

They reached the base of a large cliff. The ship in the distance was edging closer. It was definitely following them.

"Inconceivable," said Crowley, watching it approach. "Well, no matter. Only Moose is strong enough to climb the cliff. That man will have to sail all the way around until he finds a harbor!"

With that, the kidnappers forced Dean to exit the boat and step onto the rocky shore. They began to latch onto Sam's back with a system of harnesses. They even forced Dean into one of the contraptions as well. It was awkward and uncomfortable, and even more so when the giant began to climb the cliff by holding onto a dangling rope. Dean could only assume it had been pre-set by these crooks before they had kidnapped him.

Sam's assent was surprisingly swift, and soon enough they had made good progress up the cliffs. Below them, they could see the ship that had tailed them. There was a lone figure on the deck. He was dressed all in black, complete with a black mask that obscured his face. Once he neared the shore, the man anchored his ship and, without hesitation, dove into the bay. He swam the short distance to the rocks and quickly grabbed ahold of the very rope that Sam was hoisting them up.

The stranger was even quicker at navigating the rope than Sam. Crowley growled at the giant when he realized this. "Inconceivable! You were supposed to be this magnificent colossus, this great strong warrior, and yet he gains on us!"

Sam grunted with exertion. "I'm carrying three people, he just has himself."

"Useless," muttered Crowley.

"Don't worry about him, Sam, you're doing wonderfully, brother," said Benny.

Soon enough, they had made it to the top of what should have been the insurmountable cliffs. They hurried out of their harnesses, and Crowley grabbed a blade from his pocket and began cutting through the rope. The Man in Black was more than three quarters of the way up.

The rope splintered and broke, falling several hundred feet to the ground below. Crowley let out a triumphant "Ha," but his excitement was short-lived.

"Uh, Crowley?" said Benny. Both he and Sam were peering over the edge of the cliff. "He didn't fall."

"What, how?"

It was true. The moment he felt the rope go slack, The Man in Black had made a desperate but skilled leap. His hands scrambled for a grip. Fingers dug into the cliff face and found a hold. His toes perched on the narrowest of ledges. He took a deep breath, clearly to steady himself.

And then, as the men on the cliff all watched, he began to climb.

"Inconceivable!" said Crowley.

"You keep using that word," said Benny. "I do not think it means what you think it means."

"We don't have time for this!" He turned to Sam. "We will go on ahead. We need to get him to Hell ASAP," he said, nodding at Dean who was discreetly trying to untie his own hands. "Finish that man off. If he falls, great, if not, the sword."

Sam nodded. "I'll take him left-handed."

"I just said we're in a hurry and you want to show off!"

"It's the only way it's fair, Crowley."

Crowley rolled his eyes. "Come on, Benny, bring him along."

"Aye aye, Captain," he said. Benny paused to retie Dean's hands, and the hunter groaned at having been discovered. He had been so close to loosing the knot again. "Brother, give it a rest. There's no way out of this one."

And then he placed a hand on Dean's shoulder and began pulling him along, although not as roughly as he could have.