The Chaos Tree
Chapter 22
.
JT parked in a guest spot of Ryker's small Louisville apartment complex. It had been a long drive from the coast of North Carolina, and he was exhausted, but wired. The feeling that something in his world was out of joint had not diminished with the miles. He'd attempted to contact his father a few more times to no avail; and his texts to Caleb and Sam had remained unanswered. Through mounting worry, he refused to contemplate the worst. There were several reasons why his attempts to reach the Triad were unsuccessful, from being in a wireless dead space to broken cells. The oddity of all cells going dark was another thought he refused to dwell upon.
Climbing from the car, he stretched long and hard. He'd been tempted to head home, but didn't want to worry his mom. She would see right through his stalwart facade; she always had. Despite his determined calm, she would read everything in his eyes. It was a trait he and his father shared. Starting up the front steps to Ryker's apartment building, he felt it again: the sense that he should be somewhere else. Looking around, he pulled out his cell and sent his father another text. The silence, though not unexpected this time, was deafening. Sighing, he sent texts to both Caleb and Sam asking where they were. A moment later Caleb surprised him by answering: Johnny, you all right?
Where are you; where have you been!?
A moment later came the reply; Nebraska; long story.
JT sent another text saying, We're coming.
Seconds ticked by before Caleb replied; Roger that.
Dad?
The pause was longer this time: Not here yet.
JT frowned. The answer was oblique; neither alarming nor comforting. No one would have read anything into it, but they were in the monster hunting business. On a hunt, Caleb would be with his father. Instead of questioning it over the phone, he merely texted; Send rendezvous address.
Will do. Call when you're close.
C u soon.
Slowly he slipped his cell back into his pocket. He knew it: something was wrong. Sighing, he finished climbing the steps and banged on Ryker's door.
"Bout time you came in," Ryker remarked, pulling open the door and leaving it open as he headed back to where his duffel lay.
JT shut the door and walked over. "You heard from James and Max?"
"Their flight landed…" he checked his watch, "a half hour ago. They should be on their way to Max's."
JT pulled out his phone and texted them to meet at Ryker's. "We're leaving as soon as they get here."
Ryker looked up. "Something?"
"I just know we need to get to Nebraska as soon as possible. Something's happening, and it's big."
Without questioning how JT knew they were needed in Nebraska, Ryker started from the room, saying, "I should bring herbs, minerals and spices for potions."
JT could hear him rummaging in his spare bedroom. They'd all taken it in turns to sleep in there and had quickly learned to bed down in the living room. The smell of so many herbs and spices was too overwhelming for rest in such a confined space. Moving into the kitchen, he poured himself a cup of coffee and dropped onto one of the stools that fronted Ryker's small breakfast bar. Closing his eyes, he took a couple sips, hoping the hot brew would revive him. But after driving all night, his weariness would be a tough job for even the strongest caffeine to conquer.
"I'll drive when we get on the road," Ryker said, watching JT.
Opening his eyes, JT was mildly surprised to see that, unnoticed by him, his friend and Advisor had re-entered the room hauling a large duffel. Sighing, he nodded. "Yeah, that'd be a good idea." He glanced down at his watch again. "It's an eleven-hour drive from here, so we should get there about midnight."
"You let Dean know?"
JT's heart clenched for the same unknown reason he'd driven eleven hours nearly straight through. "No, I couldn't get hold of dad. I told Uncle Caleb we were coming."
Ryker nodded. Heading for the door, he merely said, "Keys," then caught the keychain lobbed in his direction.
Frowning, JT closed his eyes again and tried once more to sense where his feeling of unease and urgency was coming from. He wasn't psychic, he knew that. But Pastor Jim had told Dean - and his father had told him - that being the Guardian was like a nesting doll; there were always new gifts to explore. While he wasn't the Guardian, his father had said his knowing things, or sensing things, was his own gift and he should listen to his gifts. Well, his gift was telling him to get to Nebraska.
Voices accompanied the opening of the front door, and Ryker walked in followed by James and Max. James immediately hurried over to JT and gave him a once over.
"You look like crap."
Smiling slightly, JT grumbled, "Thanks, little brother."
"Is dad all right?" James asked anxiously. The young man looked like the question had been on the tip of his tongue all night.
JT's immediate answer stalled in his throat. Instead of going for the patented Winchester, he's fine response, he admitted, "I'm not sure, but I hope so." He didn't want to say that he'd left three messages and had yet received a return call. Their dad had never kept them waiting before.
Max came over. "What about dad?"
"Alison said Uncle Joshua and Onida flew to Nebraska early this morning. I don't know where they're staying yet, but Uncle Caleb will let us know when that's all sorted out." Standing, JT said, "Let's get going. We're going to have to drive straight through, so its two hours driving, then we switch it up. If the coast is clear, the posted speed limit is only a suggestion." Looking down at his watch, he continued, "It's just after twelve. We should be able to get to Nebraska about midnight if we hurry."
James stayed where he was, not letting his brother move to the door. "What's up?"
"Yeah, what's going on?" Max echoed.
A sense of irritation curled up JT's spine. He wanted … no, needed to get going. But he recognized the others were worried as well and knew they deserved an answer. "We all know about the random chaos sweeping the country, and how that's affecting the supernatural world. And we know that a witch from the past is bent on creating enough chaos in the country to break down our system of government." He broke off a moment before adding, "As for right now, all I know is that we're needed in Nebraska by tomorrow or something bad is going to happen."
"Who've you got overseeing the East coast?" Max asked after a moment.
"I had a talk with Gideon early this morning; very early," JT remarked drolly. "He said his father asked him to watch over his territory, and Morgan was watching Elijah's. They added support to their own territories. Since we needed to restructure all of ours as well, I asked him to watch the East coast in my place, and for Morgan to coordinate the West coast. Lane will oversee both Elijah and Ethan's territories with Micah's help." Looking to Max, who usually oversaw the workings of hunters in the field, especially since Caleb had turned it over to him before they'd left to track the witch, he said, "Can you get in touch with everyone while we're driving, make sure all the territories have adequate coverage?"
Max nodded. "Did you call Alison?"
"Gideon sent an email with a preliminary restructure of the territories. After you two talk, I thought you could get in touch."
"Sounds good," Max said.
"Are Ethan and Elijah heading to Nebraska too?" James asked, trying for inquiring but only managing to showcase his mounting worry.
"I don't know," Max said with a slight shrug. "But I'd say it looks that way. Timing's coincidental, don't you think?"
No one spoke for a moment. There were so many unanswered questions, ones to which they wanted answers. But JT had had feelings about things before, and they'd all learned to trust his instincts. Finally, Ryker grabbed up his personal duffel, saying, "I'll meet you in the car," and headed for the door.
Max nodded and followed their Advisor.
James just stood there beside JT, his eyes wide, his expression concerned. "Is dad all right?" he asked again.
JT felt his throat close slightly. "I'm not sure, but I hope so."
That was enough for James, who nodded solemnly and walked back out the front entrance.
JT followed. After giving Ryker's apartment a once over, he locked and closed the front door, following his Triad to the car.
Dean and Joel drove into Hastings Nebraska just before eight in the evening. When he pulled up to a Holiday Inn Express, Dean smirked, knowing there had been no Hilton properties in the small city. At the front entrance stood Sam, Caleb, Joshua, Onida, Adam and Daniel, all grinning. They rushed the car before Dean even had time to shut off the engine. Even Ethan and Elijah were standing there, huge smiles on their faces.
Pushing gently at the door, Dean climbed out, a grin covering his entire face.
"Dean!" Sam shouted, pulling his brother into a hug so huge, the air whooshed from Dean's lungs.
"Can't … breathe…" Dean huffed, frantically patting Sam's back. Sam let him go only for Caleb to swoop in and grab him into another strong hug.
"It's so good to see you," Caleb muttered before he let Dean go.
All the while Daniel was giving Joel the exact same treatment, his long-time friend gripped tight in his arms.
Joshua stepped up and engulfed Dean as fervently as the others, though in a somewhat less breath-constraining manner. "We thought you were gone."
"I'm back," Dean said, grinning and giving Joshua a short squeeze before they parted.
"We want to hear everything."
Adam stepped in and gave Dean's hand a hearty shake, an unusually wide smile replacing his usual stoicism.
Caleb and Sam were shaking Joel's hand while Onida stepped in and gave Dean a short, hard hug, her eyes brimming. "He was wrecked, thinking you were gone." Somewhat playfully she whacked him on the shoulder. "Don't do that again," she admonished.
"I'll try not to get sucked into the Garden of Eden again," Dean commented wryly, shaking hands with Ethan Matthews, then his brother Elijah. "What are you guys doing here?"
"I asked the same thing," Caleb said, stepping back over and grinning. He couldn't seem to keep the smile off his face. Sam seemed to be similarly affected, as he was standing so close, his shoulder was brushing Dean's. "Seems our cells going down triggered a be-on-the-alert. Oh, and JT, James, Max and Ryker are on the way too."
"What?" Dean asked. It seemed like a lot of things had happened since he'd gone down the rabbit hole, so to speak.
"JT must have had one of his feelings," Sam said with a smile.
At first Dean was worried he hadn't heard from JT before he remembered his cell battery was drained. He should have stopped somewhere on the way and gotten a new battery, but he knew they were on a time crunch with the spell and felt he'd rather get to Kansas; or Nebraska, as it ended up. He would need to make it a priority to get a new battery tomorrow. "When are they expected?"
"Maybe one or so in the morning," Caleb replied. "They were driving from Louisville. I've already booked them rooms."
Dean nodded.
"Why don't we get some place where we can talk," Joshua suggested.
"I reserved the banquet room at Napoli's," Caleb stated.
"Then let's get going," Ethan stated. "I'm starving."
"You're always starving," Elijah quipped, smacking his brother on the back.
Once they'd all trooped inside the Italian restaurant, the manager led them across the spacious floor and through a set of curtains in the back. As they all got seated around the table, Caleb took in the plain wood paneling and generic wall art. Kitschy, but this was likely the only banquet room for miles.
"Your servers will be with you in a moment," the manager said with a smile before leaving the room.
Soon a middle-aged woman came through the curtains followed by two girls who placed baskets of bread sticks on the table along with glasses of water. The first woman handed out the menus. "I'll be back for your orders," she said, nodding.
Once she and her fellow servers had gone, Sam asked, "What did you tell the restaurant about there being so many of us in this small town. As strangers, we're bound to get a lot of attention."
"Said we were old classmates who were on our way to a class reunion, and decided a road trip was in order," Caleb said.
"She say anything about the age differences?" Sam asked, feeling slightly insulted. As the youngest among them, he was being compared as a classmate of others twelve and sixteen years older than himself.
"We just look very young, so the subject didn't come up," Ethan declared, giving Sam a grin and receiving an eye roll in return.
"You can tell everyone you skipped a few grades in school if it makes you feel better," Caleb suggested, his eyes sparkling. Despite the tense situation, they couldn't help the feeling of joy that Dean and Joel had been returned to them.
Dean was already looking through his menu, his stomach growling. Other than a piece of fruit in Eden and a convenience store sandwich around noon, he hadn't eaten anything in more than a day, and he planned on making up for it. Soon, everyone was perusing the menus and making their dinner choices. Once the orders were placed and beer was added to the water glasses on the table, everyone got down to business.
"Why don't you fill us in on what happened in New York and why we're suddenly in Nebraska," Elijah said.
Dean looked at Caleb, who took up the narrative. "We tracked Piruz through Mississippi, Alabama and into North Carolina. After exchanging blows in Raleigh, Josh realized the spell had a central component. So we split up, with me, Sam, Dean and Adam going to hassle Piruz in New York in hopes of slowing down his placement of the boxes, and Joshua, Daniel, Raylan and Onida heading for Lebanon Kansas, which is the direct center of the forty-eight states. That's where Piruz will complete his spell."
Dean looked around. "Where is Raylan?"
"California," Joshua said. "Jace called and said they could use the help. So instead of flying here with us, he caught a one-way to Los Angeles."
"What is this central component to the spell?" Elijah asked.
"Piruz is using an ancient Chaos Spell to control the power of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil," Joshua said. "The spell needs a central geographical point, which is Lebanon Kansas. The boxes placed around the country are his circle, made with the seeds of the Tree entrapped in cocobolo wood boxes and infused with his power."
"How did you figure that?" Ethan asked.
Joshua didn't look toward Dean. He merely said, "We were fortunate to get a quick look inside one of the boxes. As for figuring they were infused with Piruz's power, that took a lot of research."
Laughter rippled around the table and Joshua smiled. He was about to continue when the curtains parted and the servers entered with several plates of food and more baskets of bread. After the beverages were refilled and the servers had retreated, the conversation resumed.
"While Joshua and his team were making their way to Lebanon," Caleb continued, "we went and confronted Piruz at Freshkills Park in Staten Island."
"Freshkills," Ethan remarked. "Nice choice."
"His power is massive," Sam said, "but we were able to get in some good hits…"
"Until he opened his little wormhole," Caleb stated. No spoke for a time, as people concentrated on their hot food. "Anyway, after Dean was taken, Sam and I attacked in full force. Piruz knocked Sam away, and I got close enough to have a knife to his throat."
Dean's head jerked up as both Sam and Joshua's eyes widened.
"That's … astounding, considering his power," Joshua stated. "What happened?"
Caleb swallowed down his remorse and guilt before relaying, "I asked him where you were," he said, looking to Dean. "He said if he died, that knowledge died with him. I don't remember hesitating, but I probably did for just a second. He pulled power from somewhere and tossed me fifty feet through the air. When I got back to my feet, he was gone." He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I could have ended everything if I'd just killed him right there."
Before Dean could say anything, Joshua spoke first. "We are the sum of our parts, and care for one another is our greatest strength, as well as a weakness that can be exploited. When it is exploited, we get back up and with the strength of our loyalty, care and love for one another," Caleb rolled his eyes at Joshua bringing in the L word, "we kick their asses into the next universe."
There were a few chuckles and more affirmations as Caleb met his step-brother's eyes and nodded.
"I was just going to say you'll kill him later," Dean interjected, "but all that other stuff is good too."
Laughter erupted around the table, effectively shoving the discussion firmly out of chick-flick territory and onto safer ground.
"Anyway, Adam and I went to get Sam. We searched the area where you disappeared, but couldn't find any trace of you. Adam even searched magically, but there was no portal residue." Since Piruz was gone and probably on his way to place his boxes in New York, we decided the spell, being on a deadline, needed to be dealt with before we focused on getting you back," Caleb said, his eyes on Dean, asking for his understanding. "So after a stop at the emergency room, we headed for the airport."
"Emergency room?" Dean interrupted with a frown.
"Sam had a dislocated shoulder, cracked ribs and a broken arm," Caleb revealed.
Dean immediately looked in Sam's direction.
Onida jumped in and said, "I healed everything when Joshua and I got here this afternoon. He's fine."
"I'm fine," Sam said with a smile.
Only after surveying his brother thoroughly did Dean finally nod.
"And you?" Elijah asked, looking from Dean to Joel.
Dean merely looked down at his meal, and it was Joel who took up the narrative.
"When that light first took me … I thought I was dead." Eyes slightly unfocused as Joel relived his tumble through the portal. "Then, I was suddenly in sunlight, astounding beauty on every side. At first I looked around for my weapons, sure that the wizard was around somewhere and I would have to fight. But there was nothing; no spell bags, no gun, no knives. But across the field there were some trees, and I thought there had to be branches, something I could use to defend myself. I had injuries – cracked ribs, a burn on my shoulder, a sprained ankle – but still I made it across the meadow to the tree line."
Onida frowned at this point. "You didn't say anything about injuries…"
Joel smiled. "I'm fine. I was healed by the fruit."
The faces around the table showcased their varying degrees of surprise.
"I'll get to that," Joel said with a sly smile. "When I got to the tree line, there were no branches on the ground, no twigs, not even fallen leaves. But by that time I needed to stop, so I sat down beneath one of the trees and closed my eyes. I was sitting there for only a minute when something fell into my hands." He glanced around the table. Every single eye was on him; meals forgotten. "It was a piece of fruit. I quickly looked around, but no one was there; well, except a couple of wolves walking nearby. The fruit was a dark purple with a golden ring around the top. Deciding that regaining some strength was important, I took a small bite. Immediately the burn on my shoulder twinged. I looked down and the burn was gone."
Daniel leaned in. "It was healed?"
Joel nodded. "I ate more and my ribs stopped aching and I could breathe again, and after finishing the fruit, my ankle was healed."
"Amazing," Elijah murmured, riveted on the tale.
Joel nodded his agreement. "After that I did some searching, but there appeared to be no one in the place, and I walked quite a ways. Aside from the wolves I'd seen earlier, there were other animals; lions, cougars, horses, birds, a couple of creatures I didn't recognize. But none were ferocious. In fact, the first night there I tried to get some sleep, but I was so cold. Two lionesses came over and slept next to me, keeping me warm."
"That's astounding, but rather creepy too," Daniel said, grinning. "I think I would have jumped out of my skin."
"I nearly did!" Joel admitted.
"The Garden of Eden," Joshua murmured.
Joel nodded. "It didn't click until Dean got there and he made the connection, but I should have realized it right away. The beauty, the colors, the warmth and peacefulness were out of this world."
"But how did you get out?" Daniel asked.
Joel looked over at Dean.
Dean shifted slightly. He'd known this would happen, that people would want to know how they'd gotten out of Eden. He couldn't tell everyone about the silver, but he could talk about Pastor Jim. Clearing his throat slightly, he said, "We saw Pastor Jim and Castiel."
"The angel?" Onida asked.
Dean nodded.
Sam's throat closed slightly. It had been so long since they'd seen either the man or the angel.
"Pastor Jim?" Caleb choked softly.
Ethan and Elijah shared looks full of memories and yearning.
Dean nodded. "He asked why we keep finding ourselves in these odd situations." A few chuckles swept the table. "He said we couldn't stay there, but Castiel took me to where the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was planted. He said a limb had been magically severed. So we have confirmation, if we needed it, that the Tree is here."
"But how did you get back?" Onida asked. "Were you able to make a window, like the wizard?"
Dean didn't look over at Joel, he merely said, "Pastor Jim got us back."
Caleb stared at Dean a moment, knowing something Guardian-related must have happened. He, Sam and Joshua would get the full story later. Instead of pursuing it, he merely nodded and ate another mouthful of his meal.
Other curious looks were exchanged, but those most of those sitting at the table were seasoned hunters. They were used to some things being "Guardian" territory. Instead of dwelling on what Dean wasn't saying, Ethan asked, "Did you see any lions and lambs grazing together?"
"Dean said if he saw that, he would really freak out," Joel stated.
More laughter followed, providing the distraction needed for people to turn their attentions back to their cooling meals. Plates were cleaned, bread baskets emptied, and coffee was served all around.
"Piruz knows we're here," Sam stated, and he told everyone about the turbulent stretch of their flight. "Thank goodness Adam could dispel the turbulence, or we might have gone down. But he'll be on his way."
"I went through Lebanon this afternoon," Caleb said. "I know small rural towns are disappearing, but Lebanon is practically a ghost town. There's definitely a spell on the place."
"What kind of spell?" Joshua asked, frowning.
"I don't know, but as I was driving down US-281, I sensed…" Caleb broke off a moment, thinking of how best to explain what he'd experienced. "The feeling of being muffled, like someone pulled a knit cap over your head, and there was this annoying low-level buzzing. I put up my blocks and drove into Lebanon and stopped by a local market." He told them about meeting the shop owner and the mysterious woman watching from across the street. "After Abel told her I was just passing through, she walked away."
"So you sensed a muffled buzzing, nothing more?" Joshua asked.
Caleb nodded. "I didn't want to tip anyone off, so I didn't push."
"We should go back tonight," Sam stated.
"My thoughts exactly."
The curtain parted just then and two servers came inside and began clearing the plates.
"Would you like some dessert?" asked their waitress.
"Not tonight, thank you," Joshua said with a smile.
At that moment several things happened at once. There was the loud sound of crashing dishes, shouts raised from the main dining room, then two male servers came stumbling through the curtain into the banquet area, fists flying.
Ethan and Daniel were closest to the fray, and they rose quickly and separated the two young men. A third man had followed the two combatants into the banquet room and stepped forward, obviously intending to engage the two hunters in a fight. Joel moved in and stood, shoulders straight, hands loose at his side: a powerful, warning presence.
Onida quickly pulled at her energy reserves and sent out soothing, calming energy into the room as the manager raced inside along with two kitchen workers, their eyes wide and shocked.
"I'm so sorry," the manager said, grabbing at the young man nearest the curtain and shoving him outside the room. "We never have incidents like this at Napoli's."
"It's all right," Joshua said, sliding into his professional public relations persona like it was a favored jacket. "Youthful high spirits."
"Get out," the manager hissed at the two young men still being restrained by Daniel and Ethan. "Go home. Be back here at eight in the morning and we'll address your conduct tonight."
One of the young men jerked out of Daniel's grasp, his expression mutinous. "I didn't do anything," he declared. "He started it."
"And I'm ending it," the manager retorted. "Home, both of you. Cool down and we'll speak in the morning."
The two young men disappeared through the curtains, apparently headed home.
Turning to those in the banquet room, the manager offered his heartfelt apologies, saying their coffee would be on the house.
"That is very kind of you," Joshua replied with a smile. "And I hope you won't be too hard on the young men. Tensions are high lately."
"Aren't they just," the manager said, sighing. "There've been more fights and rudeness over the past couple of weeks than in the entire time I've been manager here."
"It will run its course," Daniel said with a smile. "Just be patient."
Behind the manager a middle-aged woman entered through the curtain carrying a pot of hot coffee to top off their cups.
"Thank you," Sam said, holding out his cup.
When the room was cleared of restaurant personnel, the Brotherhood group was left alone again.
"Things are really heating up all over," Ethan stated. "We passed nine car accidents on our way here this afternoon."
Sam nodded. "We've seen disruptions everywhere."
"We end it in Lebanon," Joel stated, to the nods and agreement of others.
Dean cut down to the heart of the matter. "We know the Tree is here, likely in the middle of the park. Can anyone confirm?" He looked between Sam, Caleb, Joshua and Adam, to the latter's surprise.
"Not yet," Caleb said. "We don't know enough about the protections around the town yet. We need to find out what kind of spells they're using."
"The muffling and the buzzing are good clues as to at least one of the spells used," Joshua said. Nodding to Adam, he continued, "We can work with that. But considering Piruz's age and magical experience, there will be many more protections in place."
"And since he's come up against the Brotherhood before," Sam added, "he'll have doubled his spells."
"Psychic protections too," Caleb agreed.
"To get more information we need to get closer," Dean said. "Can we do that without being detected? How about those masking potions like we used in Washington?"
"We'll wear the general masking pouches first," Joshua said, "then expand and build on them once we know what other spells are in play." To Caleb, he asked, "When did you start feeling the muffling to your senses?"
Caleb frowned. "I'm not sure. I was focused on getting into Lebanon without being noticed, so it may have been happening gradually before I really noticed."
"We could do an awareness spell," Adam suggested, looking to Joshua. "If we move slowly, we should be able to detect the edges."
Joshua nodded, "It should also help identify which spell is being used to cover the town."
"We'll need to go slowly," Sam said. "If we don't, we could trip something."
"We're an hour outside of Lebanon," Daniel said. "We can't walk the entire way. We'll be out all night. When do we stop and walk?"
"We'll drive until Joshua feels the edges of the spell, then we'll walk," Dean said, then added, "Only me, Josh, Caleb and Onida are going this trip. This isn't the engagement; this is finding out about the spells being used and how to dismantle them."
It wasn't unexpected that several voices would be raised in protest, the most vocal being Sam.
"You're saying we all stay behind?" Ethan stated, frowning.
"I'm not staying behind," Sam stated fiercely.
"You just got healed from a dislocated shoulder, cracked ribs and a broken arm," Dean said. "You need time to recover. This is a fact-finding mission; that's all. We'll work out the plan when we get back." His eyes went to Joshua, hoping their Advisor had come up with a spell to get rid of the Tree. "We're going to need spells bags and potion bags made. If you're good with it, I thought maybe Ryker and Adam could supervise the making of those. Make them as strong as possible." Once the protection bags were made, Joshua would Triad proof them when they returned.
"That would be a good start," Joshua agreed. He had other business to attend to.
"With the turbulence you guys felt on the flight here," Dean said to Caleb, Sam and Adam, "it's obvious Piruz is on his way. We'll need enough spell bags to arm everyone."
Sam didn't say anything as he watched Dean, but he was going tonight. He needed to watch Caleb's back while the Knight scoped out Lebanon. His gaze went to Caleb, who was watching him. Caleb nodded, and Sam knew he had the backing of the Knight.
Ethan gritted his teeth but nodded. Exchanging glances with his brother, he knew Elijah wasn't happy about staying behind either. But logically, they couldn't all go traipsing through the countryside around Lebanon. This mission called for stealth. "All right, we'll start on the potion and spell bags," he said. "But you've got three hours. If you're not back by then, we're coming to get you."
Joel, Daniel, Elijah and Adam all nodded their agreement.
"Agreed," Dean said. He looked over at Caleb. "When is the safest place to start walking in?"
Caleb thought for a moment, then said, "Safest distance would be about a twenty minute drive from town. It'll be a walk, but strategically speaking, any warning alarms would be well outside the town limits."
"Joshua, do we have enough ingredients to make the spell bags?" Sam asked.
"I already have the protection spell bags made," Joshua said, "though we should get some additional herbs for the other spell bags. Adam can take an inventory."
"We'll help with that," Elijah said.
Dean rose, and Caleb went out through the curtain to pay for their meals. While the others were milling about and shrugging into their coats, Sam went over to Dean.
"I'm coming tonight."
"You need to rest," Dean stated. "Onida can heal the body, but the mind still needs sleep to get over injuries."
"I get that. But Caleb will need backup to sense through the spells. If he could have done it on his own, he would have done it this afternoon."
Sighing, Dean realized Sam had a good point. While he wanted his brother to rest, they needed to know where the Tree was planted, and they needed to know what kind of enchantments and fortifications Piruz had put in place to protect the Tree. "Yeah, all right." Looking down at his watch, Dean realized that it, like his cell, had stopped.
"It's nine-thirty," Sam said with a smile. "We had to replace our cell and watch batteries too."
Sighing, Dean said, "You want to leave in an hour?"
Sam nodded. "Let's head back to the Holiday Inn. We can rest, get you and Joel settled then head out."
Dean nodded and started out of the banquet room.
"Question," Sam said. "Why bring Onida?"
"She's the energy specialist. Maybe she can tap into the Tree if Joshua, you or Caleb can't."
.
Dean sat grudgingly behind the wheel of Caleb's rented SUV, though it had been a tussle. He hadn't seen any reason not to take the Impala.
"You've got a muscle car…" Caleb began.
"Exactly," Dean interrupted. "Perfect to kick some wizard ass."
"And loud," Sam interjected, ignoring Dean's glare.
"While I'm sure your car," Caleb snorted, "could get in a few good licks, we're on reconnaissance tonight, remember? No loud engines."
Thus Dean was reluctantly driving the rented vehicle, with Caleb in the front seat beside him, Sam, Joshua and Onida in the back.
Caleb shifted to face those in the rear seat. "Keep your senses peeled. If any of us feels the slightest tickle, we stop immediately."
Sam nodded, and extended his senses. Joshua closed his eyes and focused on sensing magic. Onida merely opened herself up to the energies of the night and their fluctuations, hoping she would be able to detect anything that disrupted the flow.
They'd driven perhaps a half hour on the quiet night highway when Dean slowed and pulled the SUV to the very side of the road, two tires on the shoulder. As they crawled forward, he asked quietly, "Anyone feel anything yet?"
"Not yet," Caleb murmured.
"Nothing," Joshua stated, with Sam and Onida agreeing.
Keeping the car moving, the speedometer hovered around fifteen miles per hour as Dean kept the vehicle on the side of the road and out of the way of any cars that might come along.
When they'd gone another ten minutes, Joshua abruptly said, "Let's walk."
"You see something?" Dean asked, his eyes on the road ahead.
"Sense," Joshua said, his eyes closed.
Dean nodded and after a few more yards he pulled the SUV off the rural highway onto a narrow dirt road, maneuvering the car behind a thicket of trees. Shutting the engine down, he turned around. "We're about thirteen miles outside of town. If we move steadily, we can cover about four miles within the hour."
Everyone climbed out and started walking through the trees hedging the country highway. It wasn't easy moving through the dark of night across uneven ground covered in bushes and fallen branches. The one who had the easiest time was Onida. She seemed to move as one with the earth, using the energies of earth and air as her guide. They'd been walking a little over an hour when Joshua suddenly stopped.
"Joshua?" Sam murmured.
Caleb stopped, his gaze sweeping the darkness. "You sense anything?"
Tension hung in the air like summer humidity.
"I…" Joshua frowned. Lifting a finger, he moved it barely an inch in the air. "There's something ahead."
"We haven't tripped anything, have we?"
"No." Joshua stared ahead, his eyes moving from side to side. "No. But there's something just ahead. Not a barrier or a spell. More a … sensing."
Sam stared ahead, frowning. "What does that mean?"
Fumbling a bit to explain something he'd rarely encountered, Joshua finally said, "It's like someone hanging a cluster of chimes. The chimes are hung and attached to a group of branches. If someone brushes against a branch, a limb or some leaves, the chimes sound and the person who hung them is alerted to another's presence."
"But this is done magically…" Sam said, not understanding the difference between a sensing and magic.
Joshua nodded.
"But you don't sense the magic?" Dean asked, wondering what kind of other traps had been set for them.
"Not in a sense," Joshua replied, wishing he could stop using the word sense.
"It's like elemental magic," Onida supplied, watching Joshua. "When you're bending the elements to your will, it wouldn't necessarily be read as traditional magic."
Joshua smiled and nodded. "Yes."
Caleb took a step forward, his eyes searching the darkness. "Can I take a look around with Sam watching my back? Or would that trip the alarm?"
"Let me see if I can get some clarity on what's ahead," Joshua said. Pulling his duffel off his shoulder, he rummaged around inside and pulled out a couple of small pouches. Opening one, he sniffed inside, then put it back into the bag. From the second pouch he poured a small amount of powder into his palm, murmured a short incantation and blew. The powder drifted ahead of them for several feet.
Dean lost track of the fine dust almost immediately, and simply leaned back against a nearby tree. Caleb and Sam were both focused ahead, and he wondered if they could sense the potion psychically.
"Ah," Caleb breathed as he watched.
Joshua nodded. "Yes, good."
"What?" Dean asked, straightening.
"You didn't see that?" Sam asked, his gaze focused on the direction the potion had floated.
"I wasn't paying attention," Dean remarked.
Caleb glanced over and smirked. Sam merely rolled his eyes.
"It looked like fireflies for a moment," Onida murmured. "Just a flicker of fireflies out for a night stroll."
"Is it safe?" Caleb asked again.
Joshua was still watching the forest and didn't answer the question outright. "The potion I made was incredibly sensitive, and it still bumped up against their net."
"Have they been alerted?" Sam asked.
"I don't believe so," Joshua answered. "The forest is full of life. They've made their alarm so sensitive, insects will trigger a response. I believe it's safe to assume they've gotten used to dismissing the light touches of insects, birds and smaller wildlife." Finally, he pulled his gaze back from the trees and looked over at Caleb. "I believe if you go carefully, you'll be quite safe in checking for other spells."
Caleb met Dean's eyes, and Dean nodded.
"Okay, let's get this done," Caleb said. Nodding to Sam, he closed his eyes. Pulling up his blocks, he made them a solid wall with small turrets on either side and to the front. When he felt Sam at his back, he reached out into the darkness. Moving past the place where Joshua's potion had indicated a net of sorts, he still didn't pick up any magic. It wasn't until he'd gotten almost a mile past the net that he spotted a glimmering line. Instead of moving forward, he watched the line and took note of its color and dimension to relay back to Joshua. Coming up close, he gave the line a psychic brush. Colors flashed through his brain.
You okay? Sam's anxious query echoed in Caleb's mind.
Yeah. Just got a light show.
Yeah, I caught a bit of it too. You want to back off?
No. We need to know what they're up to. Just be careful.
You too.
Caleb sensed all along the line, and didn't see any human movement. In the distance he would see more blips and lights, but nothing else along this line. He didn't know what he'd encounter should he explore further, but they needed to know what Piruz had planned, so he carefully moved across the line.
The world blew up.
Caleb!
I'm … fine. Caleb had thrown up his solid wall of blocks at the first bombardment. Preparing himself for the onslaught of power, he slowly let down a small section, leaving a filter in place.
The enormous display of power and enchantments spiraling out all around Lebanon told him one major factor right off the bat; they had absolutely no hope of getting into the town by stealth. There were simply too many traps and protections. He couldn't tell what the spells were, though from experience, a few looked familiar. But what caught his attention was the magnificent light in the middle of a field to the west of the town: the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. There were so many lines and spirals of magic fanning out from around the Tree, the ground itself was nearly obliterated. He tried to memorize as many colors and curves of magic as he could, wishing he could simply pull Joshua inside his head so the crafter could see everything himself.
Moving in a bit closer, there was another odd phenomenon that caught his attention. Just beneath the earth's surface, luminescent lines spiraled out from the Tree. Could those possibly be the roots, something he could sense psychically? Though he wanted to move in even closer, he decided he'd pushed his luck enough and turned his attention away from the spells and focused on the people.
He sensed dozens and dozens of minds. But they weren't like the chaotic and lively minds of people he sensed around him every day. Instead, these minds felt dulled, though not stagnant by any means. Several minds felt lulled, as though the people were asleep. Hostages, maybe? Each mind not asleep was focused with a terrifying intensity on one thing: protecting the Tree. Pushing in a little closer, he could sense magical potential, but not from every person; and some had a greater talent for magic than others. Could this be where the lost coven had been taken? Had Piruz conscripted them to protect the Tree?
Caleb…
Pulling back slightly, Caleb suddenly became aware of an intrusion. Someone was trying to reach them, either magically or psychically. Of course, they weren't anywhere in the league of him and Sam, but they couldn't hang around.
We need to leave. Someone's trying to sense our presence. They'll know exactly where we are…
If we don't, Caleb finished the thought. Quickly he pulled up his blocks completely and retreated, Sam a welcome cover for their withdrawal.
When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself kneeling on the ground, Onida beside him. Blinking, he focused on Onida and gave her a tired smile. "I'm okay."
"You're sure?" asked a deeper voice.
Caleb glanced up to see Joshua leaning in close, a worried expression on his face. "Yeah," he smiled reassuringly. "Yeah, I'm fine." Looking around, he saw Sam sitting on the ground a few feet away, his face pale, Dean at his side. "Are you all right?"
Sam looked up and smiled. "Yeah. Someone felt us looking around and came snooping, but they didn't find us."
"Let's get back to the car," Dean said, helping Sam up. "You can tell us about what you saw on the way back to the hotel."
Caleb got to his feet, groaning slightly. After a long stretch, he started forward, saying, "One we know right now; there's no way in hell we're getting into Lebanon or near the Tree without a fight." Meeting Dean's eyes, he revealed, "They're armed to the teeth."
"Good thing I'm ready for a fight," Dean remarked.
"Aren't we all," Caleb agreed with a grin.
Dean woke to a darkened room and the soft sounds of Sam's sleeping breaths. He knew his brother was exhausted; they all were. They had stayed up talking far into the night. But his dream had been so real, it was taking him a long time to brush the cobwebs of confusion away and focus on where he was. Not fading like most dreams, the peace he'd felt in sleep still radiated through him, accompanied by a vivid recall.
He'd walked and walked through Eden, occasionally sampling the fruits of the trees, taken by their delicious and varied flavors. Feeling a joyous freedom from pain, worry, anxiety and sorrow, he'd occasionally broken into a run, just racing through the meadows and trees enjoying the wind flowing through his hair and across his face. There was a sense of freedom here he couldn't really remember ever feeling before; a sense of being watched over and cared for. That in itself was exhilarating. Eventually he dropped beneath a shady tree to rest, the sun warm on his face, a soft breeze cooling his cheeks. Occasionally some animal would wander by, some nosing at him in interest, a few wanting a friendly pat. Pastor Jim didn't show up, and that was a surprise. When he had dreams of this clarity, they usually involved his old mentor. But this time he was alone; yet not truly alone. There was a presence here that made him feel … protected, and that was glorious.
Shifting onto his side, he checked the hotel clock on the rickety table between his and Sam's beds. It was six in the morning. He'd only been asleep four hours, but he felt rested. With a soft sigh he pushed the covers aside and climbed from the bed. Quietly he pulled on his clothes and shoved his feet into his boots. Making sure he had his room key, he left Sam a note and slipped from the room.
The hotel was silent as he walked down the empty hallway. Since it was nearly six, he figured there would be coffee set up in the breakfast nook. Entering the lobby, he received a greeting from a sleepy night clerk as he snagged the morning paper. The kitchen staff were inside the eating area, setting up the muffins, dried cereal and fruit.
A small woman with dark hair confined beneath a net turned around and smiled. "Up early, Sir?"
"Yes," Dean murmured. "That coffee ready?"
The woman nodded, saying, "Help yourself. Hot food should be out in ten."
Nodding, Dean poured himself a cup of coffee and moved to one of the small tables by the window. Sitting, he took a deep drink. There was nothing like a great cup of black coffee. Sighing, he stared out the window into the darkened parking lot and the narrow rural highway beyond.
The night before everyone had been waiting when they returned to the hotel. Together they'd gathered in the breakfast nook, talking quietly about what Caleb, Sam and Joshua had sensed around Lebanon. Caleb gave as many details from scanning Lebanon as he could remember while Joshua and Adam took notes, Joshua asking a question or two for clarification as they went.
"There were lines under the ground spiraling out from the Tree," Caleb relayed.
"Under the ground," Joshua clarified, "not in the topsoil?"
Caleb shook his head. "Nope, they were underground. I could see the light through the surface."
"Ley Lines," Onida and Adam said together.
"Earth energies," Onida said, then with a frown continued, "I didn't recognize anything."
"Maybe because they weren't natural ley lines," Caleb said. "They were spiraling out from the Tree."
"You think the Tree is creating its own energy vortex?" Onida asked.
Caleb shrugged. "I don't know enough about earth energies to answer that. I could see the lines. Whether that's because I'm psychic or because the lines were visible due to the amount of magic in the area, I don't know."
"What's an energy vortex?" Daniel asked, frowning.
"It's believed to be a special spot on the earth where energy is either entering into the earth, or projecting out of it," answered Adam. "Native Americans recognized energy vortexes as sacred sites. One of the most well known being in Sedona Arizona."
"Cathedral Rock in Arizona," Joel interjected excitedly. "Bell Rock, the other two. Each is supposed to radiate its own particular energy."
Adam nodded.
"Can we channel that energy to defeat Piruz?" Dean asked.
"I don't know," Joshua said. "There are so many complexities to deal with." Looking to Onida, he said, "You're the expert in earth energies."
Onida gave a slight, one-armed shrug. "It's possible." She didn't like being put on the spot, and while she knew about ley lines and had used their power before, the Tree was an unknown power. She didn't want to commit to something she wasn't sure she could deliver.
Caleb read her expression and moved the discussion past the ley lines. "To sum it up, there were lights and shadows everywhere. There's no way we're getting to the Tree without a fight."
Daniel, who had been watching Joshua take notes and sketch a few diagrams, asked, "You can identify spells by their color or brightness?"
"Spells have as much variety of use as weapons on a hunt," Joshua said. "Some spells are for attacks, protection, revelation; others for repelling or healing. There is a variety, and like bullets for guns, one can sometimes identify the spell by its characteristics."
"A double barreled shotgun uses a different cartridge than a single barrel," Daniel offered. "Remington, Winchester, Creedmoor and so on all use different types of cartridges."
"With a variety of ranges and power," Joel added.
Joshua nodded. "And a hunter would know the velocity and range of each."
"So you can do the same thing with spells," Sam stated.
"To a certain degree, yes," Joshua said. "While bullets and cartridges are made to specific standards, spells can be adaptive to the creativity of their castor. But still, only so much variation can be used in a protection spell for it to remain a protection spell."
"And we're sure the missing coven is involved," Elijah asked. "Maybe these protections were all put in place by the witch."
"I felt magic there," Caleb said.
"Does anyone know where this missing coven was from?" Sam asked.
"Oberlin Kansas," Adam relayed. After a look at his watch, he rose, saying, "It's late, but I'll see if Odette has anymore information." Moving toward the entrance of the hotel, he pulled his phone from his pocket and disappeared out the front doors.
"The minds didn't feel vibrant, as most do," Caleb said. "Like I said earlier, they felt dulled and stifled, like someone is controlling them. And some felt asleep."
"Hostages, maybe," Ethan stated.
Caleb nodded.
"Safe speculation is that the townspeople and the missing coven are being used to protect the Tree," Dean stated.
"How are we going to get past them without hurting people?" Elijah asked. "If they're under a spell, they're not acting of their own volition."
"Even people under a spell can be dangerous," Ethan stated.
"They're going to be coming at us with extreme prejudice," Caleb stated. "We need to minimize the damage to others, but we need to protect ourselves first. We have a job to do."
"And saving those people is part of it," Elijah countered.
Caleb nodded. "Yes, but our main objective must be to stop the spell and get rid of the Tree. If we don't, the entire country will implode."
When Elijah and Sam looked like they planned on arguing, Dean halted what would end up being a debate of semantics by saying, "Let's not get caught up in arguing the finer points. This hunt is the same as every other hunt; we take out the threat while protecting and minimizing the damage to noncombatants. This isn't a new concept; we've done this our entire lives and we're damn good at it. We take out the aggressors in as safe a way as we can while keeping our mind on the goal: stopping the spell."
"We can make the spell bags and potions with as much care to disabling as possible," Joshua added. "But the coven has abilities as well. They'll be using potions with the express purpose of stopping us, not disabling. We need to come up with something they don't have."
"What about the earth?" Onida said.
Caleb nodded slowly. "Could you sense anything from the area? A mineral vortex like in Washington?"
"No," Onida admitted. "The land is pretty barren as far as minerals and crystals, I'm afraid. But there were elements I could use; bentonite and volcanic ash."
"What's bentonite?" Joel asked.
"Not very impressive," Onida said with a smile. "It's used as a foundry sand bond in iron and steel foundries; it's used to lubricate and cool drilling tools. It has medical and cosmetic applications. But it is absorbent and a purifier. Maybe it can be used to purify or absorb spells."
"Isn't there a fault line that runs through here?" Daniel asked.
Stifling a yawn, Sam pulled out his cell and logged on to the Internet. After a moment he said, "Yeah, the Humboldt Fault Line is just west of Lebanon."
Nodding, Onida said, "I felt some instability, but didn't have time to find the fault. That could come in handy." She hesitated to make the connection, but plunged ahead anyway, "I'll do a little research, see whether I can tie the ley lines into the fault line. That might be a big enough disruption to distract the coven members."
At that moment there was commotion from out on the lobby, and Adam walked back in followed by JT, James, Max and Ryker. The former two rushed immediately over to Dean.
"Dad!" JT exclaimed. "What happened? I couldn't get hold of you. Are you all right?"
"We were worried," James added, a note of accusation in his voice. "Why didn't you call back?"
The pair looked tired and pale, and Dean pulled his sons in close. "I'm sorry," he said, giving them each a squeeze and a few rubs on the back before letting them go. "My cell battery died and I wasn't able to get a new one yet."
JT looked stern. "You know the rules. You're never out of contact. You should have gotten a new battery as soon as possible."
"They didn't have a store where I was," Dean remarked, thinking back to the Garden of Eden and the meadows and trees. No chance of a store there, nor since he and Joel had gotten back, either. They'd been too focused on getting to Lebanon.
Varied conversations buzzed around them as JT stared. Humor was evident in his father's voice, and his irritation rose. He'd spent the last twenty-four hours thinking something had happened to his dad, and he wasn't in the mood to be amused. Rule number one; never be out of communication. Dean had been drilled that into their heads growing up. It wasn't like their dad to neglect his own rules, and he sensed there was more this story. Eyes narrowed, he murmured, "I want the whole story."
"I'll explain everything," Dean promised, feeling an upwelling of guilt as he noted the pinched look around his son's eyes, the worry etched on his young face. They were both tired, and JT had misunderstood his wry humor at the thought of finding a battery in Eden. He should have stopped along the way here to get a battery instead of rushing to meet up with Caleb and Sam. "There was a good reason I couldn't get a battery, but I'll make sure that's rectified in the morning."
JT merely nodded while James said, "Yeah, okay."
In the meantime Max was standing beside his father, talking quietly just as Ryker stood near Adam. Giving his son a pat on the back, Adam turned and walked over to Dean.
"The missing coven is small, but strong; about eighteen members. They're strength lies in protection magics. Each coven member has a special ability they use to enhance their spells."
Dean frowned, "Like what?"
"Heart magic, earth magic, strength magic, soul magic," Adam explained. "There are several different disciplines. They've recruited people who excel in protection gifts, and they've used those skills to support themselves through selling protection amulets, pouches, dream catchers, other items of the like."
Caleb walked over to listen.
Adam nodded to the Knight and continued. "Occasionally they take on commissions; someone who needs an item protected. Before they accept, the client undergoes a stringent background check. The coven does not deal with criminals."
"Does Joshua know all this?" Caleb asked.
"I'll tell him before we head to bed," Adam stated, glancing over his shoulder to where Joshua and Max were talking.
Dean nodded. "So we've got eighteen coven members. How many of the citizens are likely to be under Piruz's spell," he asked, looking at Caleb. "Could you sense how many minds were under his control?"
"No, not exactly, but I'd guess maybe thirty minds under a spell of some sort."
Adam nodded. "That sounds about right. Even for a strong wizard, harnessing minds is not an easy task. People are unpredictable and on the whole, difficult to control. Controlling thirty minds would take a powerful amount of magic."
Caleb suddenly yawned, and Dean smiled.
"Let's finish this in the morning. It's almost two and we've got a lot to do tomorrow."
Caleb nodded. Stepping away slightly, he called, "We're packing it in tonight. Everyone's got their key cards. Tomorrow is going to get complicated, so get some rest while you can."
Sam walked over followed by Joshua, who started a quiet conversation with Adam. Dean was speaking again to JT and James.
"Piruz will be here by tomorrow," Sam murmured, his eyes on Caleb.
Caleb nodded. "When he gets here, we won't be his first concern. He'll check on the Tree, make sure his protections are in place."
"Then he'll come for us."
"Maybe, but I think he'll take the high ground and let us to come to him. He knows we will."
"But he found us in the air. He'll check on us when he gets here."
"Agreed," Caleb said, stifling another yawn. "But Joshua put protections around the hotel this afternoon. Piruz is strong, but I'm counting on Josh being the better witch."
"Crafter," Sam corrected humorously.
"Crafter," Caleb corrected. His eyes went to Dean. "And Dean's back. We can take him."
Sam felt his throat close slightly as emotion rose inside. They'd been going full out since Dean was returned to them, and he hadn't had time to deal with all his emotions. He wanted some time to simply watch his brother, so thankful he wasn't lost to them.
Caleb looked at Sam and felt a wave of familiar camaraderie sweep through him. Once before they had stood shoulder to shoulder facing the worst thing they could ever have imagined: the death of Dean. Battered and frayed, the god of sorrow had collected its due without mercy or leniency. But Dean's return to them had healed the wounds, leaving scars that had faded with the years. Yesterday those scars had been torn open anew, and they would heal together.
Sam met Caleb's eyes and smiled, nodding. This time, there was no Ruby playing her mind games. Dean was back and they were together.
.
Dean took another swallow of his coffee and shifted, watching the dawn crest the horizon through the hotel windows. How would the day end? If there were as many traps and spells as Caleb said, they would need Triad magic to make it through. He was thankful for Ethan, Elijah, JT and his Triad, for everyone who was here. With so many traps and spells twining the entire location around Lebanon, and with a master witch with thousands of years of experience as their foe, they would need as many hands on deck as possible. Was Piruz back already? If he were, he would be at the Tree, that Dean knew. But he would also need rest after having driven for so many hours. They had time to work out their plan.
"Dad?"
Dean looked around and smiled as JT came over, a cup of coffee in his hands, and sat across the table. "What are you doing up? You just got in bed."
JT shrugged. "Couldn't sleep," he said, followed by a yawn.
"You should go up and try harder," Dean said humorously. "You look tired."
"I slept quite a bit on the road. I'm fine."
Dean had never considered how irritating I'm fine had sounded to Sam through the years until he had children of us own and they said the same thing. Genetics were a bitch. "Want to tell me about it?"
"I'll trade stories," JT stated, his lips quirking slightly.
"Deal."
JT told of waking up with the feeling that something was wrong, how he'd tried to get back to sleep, but the feeling remained. "I just knew I had to get home. Max was already planning a trip to see Nicholas, so I texted him and James to meet me in Louisville."
"And had did going home end up with you coming here?" Dean asked.
JT shrugged. "Another feeling when I got to Louisville. I texted you again, but you didn't answer. So I texted Uncle Caleb and Uncle Sam asking where they were. Uncle Caleb said they were here, so we came." Watching his father take another gulp of coffee, he said, "Now you."
"We were fighting Piruz at Freshkills Park."
"In Staten Island?"
Dean nodded, and told JT everything, from the fight, to his being swallowed by Piruz's portal and waking up in Eden. He told his son about seeing Pastor Jim and Castiel again, and how Jim told him to use the waters of the rivers surrounding Eden to open a bridge to Sam and Caleb. "And the bridge took us right to them, except they were in the air and we landed on the runway," he added ruefully.
JT chuckled at the image of his dad and Joel standing in the middle of the runway while Caleb and Sam were on the jetliner flying into the distance. "Awkward."
"You have no idea," Dean smiled. "You should have heard one of the airport baggage carriers when he had to drive out and get us."
"When were you taken through the portal?"
Dean eyed his son. "About midnight."
The exact moment JT had woken.
"Did you sense I was dead?" Dean asked solemnly.
"No," JT replied, thinking back. "I just woke up instantly and felt something was wrong. When I tried to text you and you didn't answer, I knew it. You always text back no matter what time it is."
Dean felt awe and enormous pride well inside for his son. JT was a marvel of intuition, instinct and good sense topped off with his mother's dry sense of humor and Sam's Boy Scout ways. He couldn't get over how lucky he was to have three such amazing kids.
JT yawned again and Dean said, "Go on up to bed, get at least four more hours."
"What about you?" JT asked.
"For some reason I'm totally rested," Dean said with a shrug. "But I'll go up after some breakfast."
That answer seemed to satisfy JT and he nodded, rising. "I'm glad you're not stuck in Eden, Dad."
"Me too."
Dean watched JT walk from the breakfast nook, then rose and ladled some scrambled eggs, sausage and toast onto a plate. Resuming his seat, he thought back to his dream and wondered if somehow dreaming of Eden had given him a renewed sense of strength. Taking a bite, he hummed softly at the warm eggs and spicy sausage. Maybe dream fruit and watchful peace from Eden could extend beyond the dreamscape, because he felt wonderful. Deciding not to question whether such a thing was possible, he merely ate his breakfast as he planned for battle.
.
TBC
Author's Note:
Shazza19: Your speculations were not wrong!