Chapter 8

So ya let her get taken?

"Bobby, you know that isn't the case," Dean replied in a low voice. Sam had stepped out to get some air but still he had to be a bit circumspect with things. Sam seemed a little… he didn't know. As to Bobby, he knew the grizzled hunter was concerned and his way was taking it out on him like it was his fault… or Sam's. "Nobody gets the drop on her unless…"

Yeah I know. So Kess have any idea where?

"Nah. I told him to go pound the pavement." Dean paused a moment and then added, "Bobby, I think Kess stepped over a line somewhere. He's trying hard and he's not liking the situation."

Course not idjit. He's of the royal guard specifically assigned to protect the princess of the Nile… to protect Angie. She was taken on his watch, he found someone linked to it and he's essentially pissed. Wouldn't surprise me if he were the one that set fire to that place.

"I get it Bobby but… I think he's out for blood. The kind where it doesn't matter if it is in front of someone he'd rather not have see." Dean paused a moment. He could sense confusion on the other end and knew that he was going to have to give a little more if he was going to get Bobby on his side. "The kid's like what I felt like in hell. He got a taste of blood and I think he likes it."

I know. Dean… there is nothing you can do for Kess at the moment. He's an Avian and they are temperamental in the first place.

"Wait. How do you know that?"

Research… idjit. Look… if you keep Kess with you, talk him down as much as you can but the fact he is Angie's guardian… that's a whole different story.

"What do you mean?"

It has to do with the guardian-charge bond. Kess is…

"Kess is getting side effects?"

You know how you would do anything for Sam if he gets hurt and by something? That's pretty much what it is. For someone to take on a bond like that is like tying their soul to the other. Generally the guardian will feel when their charge is in distress and will be there within a matter of seconds and when it is severed in any way and not anticipated…

"So Kess is going nuts," Dean clarified. It made sense since while the guard was giving the low down on everything, he kept looking around as if searching for something. "Bobby… would this affect Cas too?"

Probably. I've been researching this stuff since Angie screamed about Kess getting hurt. It varies between the species and judging from the look of things, Avians are the worst and best. The reaction would be like the hell mutt tearing a demon to shreds; nothing left. The downside is that they are extremely emotional and that…

"I can fill in the blanks." Dean grew concerned. He knew that Kesset wouldn't intentionally harm anyone that didn't deserve it but if he was barely hanging on as it is… "We'll figure out something and maybe Cas can help." He turned to look to find that Sam hadn't come back yet. It had him concerned but he figured that Sam was being more focused than usual. "So Kess and Cas both say that Angie cut them off."

You know Angie. If she thinks she can spare someone any kind of pain by putting distance…

"Tell me about it," Dean muttered, remembering the blowout between her and Sam at Ruby Ridge. "But what about tracking her?"

Well from what ya told me it appears that they can't find her. If these are the same guys that were after you and Sam a few years ago then it looks like they know their stuff. I have a few options but I have to look into it.

"Anything , Bobby," Dean said. He didn't elaborate but it was tempting to cross lines to find her. After hearing about the personal hell that Kesset was going through, it had him thinking about what they were going to do when they found her and the bastard in charge.

I'm looking. In the meantime…

"I know keep looking." Dean gestured as if Bobby were in the room and trying to keep him calm. It made him feel better.

No. Look after Sam.

"Sam?"

Don't tell me you chose to ignore everything.

"Hell no." Dean knew what Bobby was hinting at and he was suspecting that was what was happening. It was almost like the death glares Sam used to send to the guys in the bar that tried to pick Angela up for a date. "Sam's fine. We've got it covered. Call me when you find something."

Dean didn't wait for Bobby to say anything. There really wasn't a need for words in the first place. It seemed that on this job, the people you worked closely with got to know you well enough that more often words were not needed. He and Sam were prime examples… sort of.

"I don't take pity well."

Dean jumped as he turned to come face to face with Kesset and nearly tripped over Lilah who happened to be lying on the ground with her head resting on her paws and staring at the door. "Sonofabitch, Kess. Didn't we talk about this?"

Kesset looked at Dean and instinctively reached out to keep the man on balance by gripping his upper arm. "We did."

"Then…" Dean gestured at the relative closeness they were sharing.

Kesset looked down and then at Dean. He didn't move for about three seconds and then shifted maybe half a step back. "My apologies."

"Don't worry about it," Dean replied a little gruff. He wasn't too put out by Kesset's sudden appearance. "I know ya gotta exercise those wings."

"They are better and I landed where I intended to land. You just happened to be there."

Dean really couldn't argue with that. It would be pointless anyway since Kesset had that innocent and maddening sense of logic that pretty much was correct. It was like arguing with Angela and she pulled her semantics routine on him. So he merely settled with a slight wave like it was no big deal and sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over to give a rub to the dog. "Find anything?"

"I pounded the pavement as you asked."

Dean raised his brow at that. He really hoped that didn't mean what he thought. "Seriously?"

"I traced last known locations. Pounding the pavement." Kesset gave a slight pointed look at Dean.

Dean was relieved that the guard didn't take him literally though he was wondering if Kesset was having a joke at his expense. It was hard to tell since it sounded like he was playing with him but it seemed so out of place. He remembered though that Bobby said that Kesset's kind were volatile in their emotions. Still, he could give some encouragement, "Good Kess. Find anything?"

"No." Kesset turned to look around the room. His back was towards the elder Winchester as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Dean watched as Kesset's wings shook a little. They were still the really dark brownish color and he really didn't like seeing the guard look like this. "It's not your fault Kess."

Kesset turned to look behind him at Dean. "I'm not blaming myself or anyone," he replied, aware that it sounded almost callous.

"Then what if not that?" Dean had stood up to be more of an equal footing with the guard. He was well aware that Kesset could royally kick his ass and possibly kill him if he wanted to. It was more for his peace of mind and to lessen the feeling of vulnerability.

"I don't blame myself. I hate myself," Kesset clarified. He turned to look back in the direction he had been staring at.

Dean wasn't sure if Kesset was getting confused with his expressions. "Don't you mean the same thing?"

"No."

Dean stood there looking at Kesset's back. He wasn't sure of what to say since this was most reaction he had ever seen beyond the awkwardness that was refreshing at times. Also he considered that maybe the kid had feelings that he wasn't sure of what to classify them as and went with what was familiar.

"I hate myself, Dean," Kesset repeated softly. He cleared his throat slightly and then continued, "I spilled blood." He turned to look at Dean who was staring at him with confusion. "I spilled… first blood."

It dawned on Dean what he meant. "Your first kill?"

Kesset nodded while his eyes flickered over everything. He sighed, "Beaten and killed."

Dean blinked at that. "Human?"

"If that fiend is human then yes." Kesset looked around and shuffled on his feet. "It's not the fact that I killed the fiend. It's the fact that I killed him and liked it."

"Well… you're pissed because they took Angie and crippled your means of finding her. Kinda hits hard, especially for your kind." Dean cleared his throat as he finished, not sure how Kesset was going to take that. Bobby's warning came to his head and he felt like he might have gotten himself into trouble.

Kesset looked at Dean with a raised brow. "What do you mean?"

"Don't your kind… you know… get emotional or something?"

Kesset's eyed widened in understanding. He gave a slight nod and the smallest of smiles. "Been talking to the elder about me?" At Dean's nonresponse and near sheepish expression, Kesset let out a slight chuckle, "Should've known."

"Did you just laugh?"

"I believe it was a chuckle but to not argue semantics then yes… I laughed."

Dean couldn't help but gape slightly at that. He never heard that sound come out of either Castiel or Kesset. He didn't think neither of them had that ability. "Okay then. Crazy train left the station then," he murmured. Looking back at Kesset, he said louder, "So you're okay?"

"I'm not okay but I'm not going to… I believe the expression is go off the deep end," Kesset reassured Dean. His expression became somber as he continued, "I'm well aware of how my kind react. It goes to our nature and the nature of the bonds we make when we choose our mates." He shrugged his shoulders at that. "Probably part of the reason why my father is said to have gone insane and turned traitor."

Dean wasn't sure what to make of that but it was a pretty good explanation. "So… if something bad were to happen to Angie…"

"I'll be pissed and will seek retribution. It is natural."

"That's it?"

"I feel for my charge but…" Kesset paused, not sure how to explain it. He was going to speak when he turned to look in the direction of the door at the same time Lilah lifted her head and made a sound. "It's not me you have to worry about, Dean… but the princess' suitor. You should be more concerned about Sam."

Sam had been researching since they didn't turn up much in terms of tracking. He considered using the dogs but if Cerebus got his hellhound mojo working, the mutt could disappear and they'd lose sight of him. He had Lilah sniff around and she couldn't get much around the cabins. They would have to find a place to pick up the trail again so…

Mostly he was thinking of other means while worrying about her. He knew that she still had enemies out there and they probably were dead even or outnumbering the people she would consider friends or acquaintances. These renegades could seek help from anyone of them, not caring that it was essentially going against their credo or whatever the hell it was called. So he started thinking outside the box and it was down a lane that he was reluctant to consider.

He knew that Dean questioned his sanity when he suggested calling in Nick when Angela had been shrunk to the size of a four year old. Hell he did too but his concern at the time was her. He didn't have time to nurse his dislike of the warlock even though it was tempting. His first priority was her then and the rule still applied now. Luckily he figured out why he disliked the warlock and while it wasn't going to lead them to being buddies in any known universe, he knew he could count on the warlock to help out as was proven by the double-double cross they set up with Lenya to get her back.

An idea came to him and he was reluctant to bring it up to Dean since it would hit too close to home in light of the recent events with regards to the Apocalypse. He didn't like it either and he still held a grudge that the one he had in mind betrayed her like he did. It felt like he was crossing a line somewhere but it wasn't like he was going to go down the path he went with Ruby. That he would rather let himself bleed to death or rip out his throat before doing that again.

Thinking about it hurt his head while trying to research tracking methods. There was even a spell that would increase human scent to that of a canine's. A useful thing but Sam figured that they had enough of the canine sniffing ability and he really couldn't figure out a use for that. There was one way to get to the bottom of this and he had to do it without his brother. Aware that it was going to look like he was sneaking off again, he told Dean that he was getting a breather. He was certain Dean wasn't paying too much attention since he was talking to Bobby and he signaled Lilah to stay.

Finding a place to do a summoning is not as easy as it looks especially if you are trying to hide it from the public in general and from your big brother who still thought that you were prime time for going dark side. Sam did manage to find a place though but it hardly made him feel better about the whole thing. He pulled from his jacket pocket a black marker and started drawing what he needed still questioning the sanity of his idea.

Once he was finished, he looked it over, making sure that everything was as he remembered and sighed. Be fore he could change his mind he started reciting the Latin incantation. His voice took on an annoyed tone as he finished the incantation and waited. He was not in the mood for it and started shifting on his feet with his arms crossed over his chest and glaring at nothing in particular.

"You really need to work on the timing of your…"

"Not in the mood… Cary."

Cary looked at Sam with a raised brow. He had answered the summons assuming that it was the one that held him as a stoolie. There was no other person who had that sense of timing. He was surprised to find it was one of the Winchesters that did the summoning but he wasn't going to let it show. "Sam. Now that is something that I didn't expect. Tell me, still got that stick up your ass?"

"Not in the mood," Sam replied through gritted teeth.

Cary made a slight face. "Still a stick up your ass. Some things just don't change." He looked around and found that he was within a devil's trap within the summoning sigils. He shook his head and put his hands on his hips. "I thought we were past this."

"Considering that you betrayed her, I'm not inclined to be as trusting."

"Hey, chill," Cary said holding his hands up in a placating manner. "She doesn't trust me either. Never did the day she made the trade: my life for secrets."

"And you paid her back by stabbing her in the back," Sam pointed out while gesturing with a warning finger.

"Excuse me for valuing my life over someone with a bad case of the hero complex." Cary glared at Sam while looking like he was the one being wronged. He wasn't going anywhere until Sam broke the trap so he might as well make the most of it.

Sam felt his throat convulse. He was seized with the urge to grab the demon and slice him with the demon-killing knife. He knew that the demon would be in pain and it would be excruciating. He had considered bringing Absolution but Dean would have noticed. "Don't talk about her like that."

"Like what? You know it's true Sam," Cary countered. He studied the man and noted that while he was the same, there were some things that were different about him. "Always willing to take what others are given so they don't have to."

Sam couldn't deny or ignore that. He knew she did things so others didn't. He saw it as her love of life and maybe with the hint of self-hatred of herself for having a lengthy lifespan. It was disheartening at times since she thought so little of herself but he saw it as a good quality even though it could be a fault. "It's what makes her a good person."

"Good person?" Cary laughed at that. "There's no such thing. Look at you."

"You don't have to remind me."

"Good but I'll rub it in anyway. How does it feel that you started the Apocalypse?" At the look he was getting, Cary continued to rub it in, "Oh yeah. The birdies on that one really were flying. Of course I thought no way since stick up his ass was more goody two shoes than the shorty of a brother. But I guess I was wrong there."

"Are you done?" Sam had crossed his arms over his chest and took to glaring. It wasn't going to get the demon to stop any time soon but it would give the general idea that he wasn't in the mood. He never was but this would get the point.

"Still a stick up your ass," Cary retorted with a pout. He twitched his lip as he watched Sam's reaction. "But then again…"

"Cary."

"Fine, fine." Cary threw his arms up in the air to indicate that he was relenting to some degree. He put his hands on his hips since he wasn't going anywhere and he couldn't smoke out. He really needed to talk to his handler about the devil's traps. Looking at Sam he asked, "So what the hell do you want now?"

"I need you to listen."

"I am listening. Stop pussy footing like you do with her."

"Shut up."

Cary stopped what he was doing and got a good look at Sam. He really couldn't avoid it since Sam crossed over into the trap and grabbed him and slammed him in the wall. It actually surprised him with the amount of force the man was using. True he had seen Sam perform when he was in the tournament but this was something different. He saw that Sam wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he didn't prove himself useful. It pulled him to the distant memory of another encounter that was similar.

Sam was tired of games. He wanted answers and for the demon to stop playing with him. He was ready to kill the demon for just being a pain in the ass. With narrowed eyes he said, "Shut up and listen."

"Let go of me and I might be more receptive."

Sam didn't relent in the glare but he let go of the demon. Cary dusted himself off more to gain back some confidence. The demon knew he was dealing someone who could be deadly if pushed too far. When he was finished, he looked at Sam and said, "What can I do for you?"

"Have you heard any rumors regarding renegades?"

"Those assholes? Chatter goes up and down."

"Anything recently?"

Cary paused as he noted Sam's demeanor. This wasn't for shits and giggles or anything like that. Something serious was going on and he was surprised that the one who was the hunter's most wanted had the desire to find out about the ones that would rather see him dead. He wanted to know. "Why?"

"Cary…"

"Tell me why you want to know about the assholes that more than likely want to see your head on a pike or better yet blasted into a thousand atoms." Cary wasn't going to back down on this one. It was risky but something told him that there was more to this. "Why do you want to know about any recent renegade activity?"

Sam didn't want to reveal that Angela was missing. It would give the wrong impression especially if a worm like Cary decided it was worth something. He was in a bind here but his desire to find Angela was pushing him forward. "There are problems… with your handler. Threats."

Cary didn't like the lack amount of information he was getting but he had to hand it to Sam for being circumspect. If Sam wasn't human, he'd make a good untouchable demon, dealing with secrets and information. It would never be though but he could appreciate it. Cary was no fool either and put it together rather fast, "Meaning that someone of a mutual acquaintance is missing and the largest clue lies with the assholes who sound like a broken record with their rhetoric."

"They are after her," was all Sam would say as he held out the hex bag that he had snuck from the room. He showed it to the demon. "I need to know where they have been hiding."

Cary inspected the hex bag. He recognized the work and noticed a few other things but he wasn't going to tell Sam. It would be fun to see what would happen. "Well, they are everywhere in pockets but there had been little to no activity in terms of hunting things. Nice time to strike."

"Can you find out?"

"I can look into it," Cary acquiesced as he handed the hex bag back, "But it is not very rich."

"Don't…"

"I wouldn't threaten Sam," Cary pointed out. He pulled up his sleeve to reveal old scars. "You may be scary but the one but the one who gave me these has full cooperation… even if I opt to save my ass over anything else."

Sam looked at the scars on the demon. No doubt they were caused by Angela and by her arsenal… maybe Absolution. There were few things that scarred. "Fine."

Cary watched as Sam back down a little but not much. "I can look into it but there is one thing that always works." He paused to make sure Sam was listening and couldn't believe that he was. "If you want to catch a hunter, you need to use a hunter."

A/N: Dean has an interesting conversation with Bobby and Kess while Sam risks his own ire talking to Cary about a means of finding Angie. What will they do? Keep watching for more To Hell and Back...