Chapter 19

Know that I only do this because I am sentimental. I like you, sweetheart.

Angela hummed to herself as she took stock of where she was at. She knew that she was still strung up like those large fish or even the pigs she once saw at a slaughterhouse. It was not a pretty picture in her mind but it was close enough to how she felt about things. Yeah you like me Crowley.

She knew the drugs were taking a toll on her body. She was feeling like she was on the crazy train. Maybe she was since she actually talked to Crowley. At least she thought she did. She was certain that she didn't make a deal. That would have just made the nightmare worse.

The only reason that I'm helping you is because I know a winning horse when I see one.

Yeah I'm a prize filly to you. Angela blinked blearily as the room came into focus. She took in the shadows. She was certain one looked like Lucifer or some old shadow from the past.

This is how it's gonna work love. I give the Winchesters a little push and then you do what you do best.

Angela snorted as she recalled her supposed conversation with Crowley. The bastard said that he wasn't out to make a deal. Actually she couldn't say that the conversation was a product of her imagination. The demon was real enough the way he touched her. She couldn't trust her vision but her other senses were alert… well except for maybe touch. She didn't really let pain get to her anymore unless she thought about it.

She wasn't sure what Crowley meant when he said that he would give a helping hand in giving the nudge to the boys. She accepted that it was going to produce difficulties when she did make it back. Cary was toeing the line but Crowley… and the fact that she had gone to him for help in trying to change the conditions of Dean's deal… It wasn't going to sit well. She wouldn't blame them. Then again that was how she rolled.

She always was the one to look for alternative means of getting a job done. Often it was barely toeing the line and she crossed it on occasion. She hadn't forgotten those times and those times produced equal love and hate. Hell she met the product of that. Carter was a casualty of her… brashness? Callousness? What word was there to describe the fact that she hadn't really cared about first Carter's father and then Carter himself but rather about chasing the demon that killed the person that was her best friend? She definitely was the worst person to be around whether it was friend or foe and maybe…

A noise caught her attention and she looked up slightly to look towards the door. It was a bit muffled and while her hearing was fairly superior to a normal human's, she still was not able to discern anything. She attributed it partially to the fact that she was pretty much beaten up and looked like hell. Well she had been there and had come out worse.

She took a breath and winced at the pain that hit her torso. She took slow breaths to ascertain her injuries. Aside from the bruises, the broken leg, the dislocated leg, the burns and the Taser burns… she could detect that a couple of her ribs were broken and/or bruised. Her lungs felt wet and it didn't help that they nearly tried to drown her. She couldn't take deep breaths and that was not going to go over well.

Well I always was a glutton for punishment.

Don't hurt yourself, Angie.

Angela let out a slow breath and it turned into a sigh as she lowered her head. She didn't have the strength to hold it up and her limbs felt stiff from being suspended like she was. She was able to withstand physical punishment but her mind was her own worst enemy. It was a secret she had learned and exploited when she became the topside version of Alistair. Now it was working against her. She really did live up to Morpheus' teasing. There were things she regretted deeply and while she acknowledged it was beyond her control…

She had been too late to save Mary. Yet she still came because she had to try. She raced into the burning house to look for her but her nose told her the story. She could smell the burning flesh as she stood in that house. She was lucky that no one noticed her go in and out but she did notice John and the boys huddled by the Impala. The look on their faces and the taunting by Azazel since he managed to stick around; it was like he knew she would be there. It was why she avoided close relationships… it hurt less when it came back to bite her in the ass. But she couldn't stay away from the Winchesters. She couldn't stay away from Sam and it…

Come on Angie. It's Halloween.

I hate Halloween.

You hate everything.

Not everything… I like philosophy.

"You know I trusted you. I thought you were my friend."

Angela slowly looked up and blinked. There went her mind again. She wasn't wrong when she assumed it was the drugs working their thing on her. She felt a pang in her heart and in her lower back as she remembered what seemed a lifetime ago. She looked at the hallucination and replied, "You were Jess."

Jessica, or rather the hallucination of her, looked at Angela. There was blood on her middle as she looked at her with an almost curious look. "And would a friend let this happen to me?" She looked at the position Angela was in and added with a slight 'oh well' shrug, "Well looks like you got a comeuppance."

"You don't know a thing about it. I've been dealing with it for centuries."

"Yeah about that… Were you really trying to get the demon or not?"

Angela looked at Jess and raised her brow though it hurt her face as she felt a cut on her brow pull a little and the bruising was just… awful. "I came for you, Jess. I came to watch over you."

"And look where that got us." Jess gestured around the room to make a point before gesturing towards the bloody spot on her middle. "Did you even tell Sam you were there?"

"Probably should have. Would give all the excuse I need to leave." Angela shook her head much like a drunk person trying to blow someone off. It hid how much that one secret hurt because she had been honest with Sam. She just… "People around me have a tendency to get hurt… or worse."

"Tell me about it. Crash and burn."

Angela wanted to laugh at that and managed to get a chuckle out. "Certainly did. By the way, the phone call was a nice touch."

"And here I was thinking that you would blame that on the… whatever that thing was." Jess smirked at Angela and it turned into a chuckle. "Couldn't let you forget me now."

"Right. The breaking of the second seal."

"That was a fine moment."

Angela snorted at that. She hadn't really elaborated on that when she was helping Bobby and the boys when the second seal broke. She did tell them she saw Henrikson and while he was pissed, he did forgive her. Then there was Jess. It put her in a funk for a time and she ended up messing up her hands for that with her hard hours of training. "Yep and my solution to that was to run and hide. Hidey hole…"

"Isn't that what you do best?"

"Maybe." Angela clicked her tongue on her teeth. She could hear the muffled sounds of talking going on. They thought she lost it anyway since she was pumped on drugs. She then thought of another job and…

"No, pushing away people is what she does best."

Angela looked up and forced out a chuckle, "Oh this is good. It wouldn't be complete without you. Hi Madison."

Madison looked at Angela along with Jess. She gave a grim expression. "Don't treat this as a social call. You were the one who left me to die."

"Actually you refused my help. I don't know why since I didn't care enough about my own life to give you a chance. Funny thing is that it worked." Angela twisted her wrists and felt the burn but it eased the tension slightly in her arms. She was going to be cramped for a while. "I ended up nearly dying from it but then I bounced back and now I have a knack for canines of a certain breeds following me."

"Actually you had that before all that," Jess countered. "Remember that incident with the beagle Spring semester?"

"How could I forget," Angela uttered in sarcasm. She actually went on instinct with that. She ended up barking at the beagle and he sat down and submitted to her. "It was a fluke." And the only thing that I need to make this party complete is to have Sam here and really go to town.

Angie?

And the hits just keep on coming. Angela didn't respond at first but made a sound. It was picked up by the two hallucinations and Jess was the one that asked, "Is that Sam?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"You should answer. I'm sure that he would love to be in on this conversation," Madison mocked as Angela's face gave a telltale answer.

Yeah right. This is insane. Maybe Dean was right in that we are insane. I chase freaking monsters for a living.

Angie, are you okay?

Angela heard the worried tone in Sam's thoughts but wasn't going to buy it completely. She was still staring at two people she had a large amount of guilt and feeling responsible for their deaths. It was definitely being on the crazy train. And yet, something told her that it was real. It felt odd since she was the one that instigated the mind talking thing. She wasn't stupid since she remembered those times like when she was looking for Sam at Cold Oak. She made a face at Jess and Madison while she replied, I'm here Sam. I'm okay.

Really?

She almost made a sound at that. It was like how she got on their case about injuries and the like. Round and round it went. But in there was concern… Sam's concern. It was certainly different from the taunting she was getting from Jess and Madison who were hooting that she was talking to Sam and asking if he was pissed at her yet. She shook her head and replied, Aside from aches and bruises… I'm okay.

Angie…

It's okay Sam. I'm just sore and nothing that can't be fixed.

"Not telling him about the leg now?"

Angela made a face at the pair. She would have liked to kick at them but it wasn't in the cards this time. She snorted a little and paused upon hearing the noise outside. She tried to keep her focus. But I highly doubt that this is sane. I don't even know that it is real.

It is.

Prove it.

The taunting stopped and there was a pause. Angela took slow breaths, certain that she had imagined the whole thing. It would just be her luck in that case since she was high on whatever the hell Carter gave her. He said he wanted to make her suffer and boy was he on target. She was seeing people she felt responsible and guilty for and she was hearing the one voice or voiced thought that she liked hearing above all else. Oh this was rich. She was caught, hanged, and insane.

You told me something about what you remembered when you were small. It wasn't a memory like you assumed we wanted to know. You said you felt safe.

Angela blinked and looked up. Jess and Madison were still there. Yet what Sam said to her, that was the truth… though she could be just having an internal conversation with herself. Yet the way how it was said… Sam…

We're coming Angie.

She felt panic start to rise when she heard that declaration and she stiffened though it ached to do so. She heard Jess and Madison snicker at her but she chose to ignore it. Don't come. They're waiting… they're…

It's okay. We got a plan.

Don't…

I'm coming for you, Angie.

Angela whimpered slightly as the door to the cell opened. She heard voices and footsteps but that didn't matter. What she heard… They couldn't come. They would be walking into an ambush. Not Sam…

I'm coming for you.

Carter was getting a little impatient. Jonas was long overdue for bringing in the Winchesters but then again it took patience to hunt these guys down. They would probably be on alert but Jonas was a different breed of hunter altogether. He would have come up with something. That was why he allied himself with him and his weasel of an accomplice. One of them should have come back by now. He was certain of it.

The others were getting impatient too since it was getting bored with the bitch that he dared to once call a friend. He did promise them one of the abominations and not only that, the one who started the world on its path now. From the sounds he picked up earlier and the conversation that was occurring, he had to admit that he was impressed with her resilience. To hold out this long with the type of drugs in her system? It was damned impressive. He really wanted to know how she did it; he was curious despite the hatred he had for her.

"How much longer?"

Carter looked at his man. The others would probably be asking if they weren't on their patrol posts. He replied, "He'll be on his way. You know as well as I not to underestimate the Winchesters. You know the capabilities they possess."

Before his man could say anything there was a sound at the door. Carter looked at it and then at the two that had done much of the work with her. At that moment his phone rang. He answered it and listened to the voice to hear who it was. He replied to the caller, "Good. Let them in." To the two waiting he said, "Well looks like we have something."

He walked towards the door as it was opened to reveal a hunter he only met when he allied with Jonas and another that he was not familiar with. He was wary but he would be willing to listen. Jonas had only brought the other and there was always the probability that he worked with his own set. Carter knew that the renegades were pretty much like the equivalent of crime families or terrorist groups; they all had a general ideal they followed but pretty much operated as individuals or in small groups. They would only ally with each other if they thought it was worthwhile. This new one, he hadn't met but ushered him in all the same, "Come on."

Austin stayed behind the weasel that he had somehow managed to convince to do this. He was lucky that the persuasion Sam used worked since he really didn't want to poke around with the telepathy again. It also helped that Sam made a better case of the worst thing ever happening than Dean did and he was impressed by it but could see why Sam was concerned by where his actions were going. The reason why he could only guess that Sam was aware of it but choosing not to voice it; strange to him but he respected that.

The plan was to use the weasel to gain entrance and the Winchesters would follow with their dog or rather Angela's dog. Austin would maintain his old status as an ex-slayer talking to some like-minded friends, as if that were true, and find a way in. If he could find a way to enable some more angelic friends to come in since the wards were impressive. It had him wondering how that was possible. That is until he met Carter.

"Where is Jonas? And where is the package?"

Austin shifted on his feet and prayed that he didn't need to prompt the weasel into talking. He kept his eye on the two that were in the room with Carter and glanced around. He felt a measure of relief but didn't let his guard down when the weasel replied, "He's on his way. He wanted to have a little fun since… you know."

Austin wanted to cringe since he could only guess. Actually he knew what Jonas was about. The man was a sadist and… After he and Angela separated and he went into teaching, he went on a mission to secure a high profile person who had access to some old artifacts dating back to the time of the Old Religion. He found them and the sight wasn't pretty. He learned it was Jonas and was given permission to give chase. That wasn't a pleasant time.

Carter listened and figured out nearly the same conclusion as Austin came to and replied, "As long as he isn't too badly damaged. There are plenty of people who wish to have a little fun."

"Those that are impure must be made pure," Austin murmured, really disliking that he had to 'adopt' the more religiously aligned doctrine. It was his idea since he knew from experience most of the renegades brushed these kind off and in his opinion that was a stupid thing to do. They were the dangerous kind but… This better be worth it.

Carter looked at Austin as he realized that he might be dealing with the more religiously inclined. Jonas did say that he knew people and he worked with them. He never thought to question what kind he did and he sort of regretted it but not quite. There had to be a good reason for this. He peered closer at Austin and replied, "True. And it is from experience that those who strive for purity are impure themselves."

"We are all impure," Austin droned on. "Those that live as whom you speak of are impure and we that hunt are impure."

"We are nothing like them you religious freak," one of Carter's men countered as he raised his voice.

Austin shifted his gaze but kept it in the role he had assumed. "Yet that which we have within our veins is impure. A gift and a curse." He made a sign to really emphasize his role. It had been a while since he did undercover work like this but he still had his own personality to work with. "We do the work to cleanse us."

Carter was a little amused at what he was seeing. The calmness that from the religious one was rather impressive. Some he had seen were more forceful and some were quiet. They were all treated the same and he saw that in the manner his two main guys waved him off as being ridiculous. He would indulge though, "You must be doubly impure if you say such things."

"Those that were among the originals suffer more. We hate ourselves but believe in our work. We work to make ourselves worthy." Austin shifted to look directly at Carter. "It's why this one is interested in what you have in mind."

Carter nodded. An original. That meant… "I admit that I never would have pegged you to be a vamp."

"The originals were selected for specific reasons that were left up to the one that created us. She was a prophet and… prophets can fall." Austin inwardly wanted to throw up at that since it sounded like the most ridiculous thing he had heard of but he needed to buy the Winchesters time to get through. "A shame but necessary," he added.

"I'm inclined to agree on some level. I do find it interesting that there are those that should be hunted that feel the same." Carter eyed Austin appreciatively. "Jonas must have known what he was getting when you signed on."

"He came to me. This one," Austin gestured at the weasel, "made the introductions."

"Still one wouldn't see…"

"One wouldn't see a religious freak working with one of the more efficient of us."

Austin kept his thoughts to himself and figured that would be about right. Then again he knew a side of Jonas that few did. Once he told Angela about it in one of their brief meetings and she merely said that there was always going to be someone like that around. He didn't question it at the time but he remembered how she looked when she said it. It was like she was remembering a previous encounter. It wouldn't have surprised him in the least. Looking at Carter and the others and seeing that they were expecting some sort of comeback, he was prepared to say something when the weasel beside him said, "Jonas has peculiar tastes. This one just happened to impress him. Mostly with his skill set."

Austin hid his surprise and merely looked ahead. When they told the weasel what he was supposed to do, he was reluctant but he did it. He was only to get him in the door and Austin would do the rest. This was a little unusual.

Carter didn't seem to care and looked at Austin with an interested eye. "I see. So tell me, friend, what can you do that has Jonas so impressed?"

"This one can get in when no others can," Austin answered. It was like what Angela told him when they did use covers: the closer the lie is to the truth, the more the person you're telling it to will believe it. Austin didn't doubt her but he was fairly certain that there was more to Carter and he did escape certain death from her. There had to be a reason for that. "Most don't pay attention to this one. This one appears harmless. It is their mistake. And the impure becomes pure."

Carter nodded figuring that was partially why Jonas would pick this one to stand with him. "I like you. Seems that you know a thing or two." He then looked at the weasel, "So how much time before Jonas brings in the prize?"

"He said at least ten. He had to get a little rough since big brother decided to come and play. Wasn't a good match. Jonas kicked his ass like it was nothing."

That brought laughter and a few chuckles. It certainly was a pretty good response and it was always good to hear how those that needed to be taken care of were taken care of. It was a step forward in their work… and Austin wanted to snort at the whole thing. He didn't though since he had a role to play. He merely lowered his head to indicate approval and he crossed his fingers behind his back mentally.

The laughter was halted when a noise caught their attention. Austin didn't make a move but he looked around with them. He could hear the dog barking and a crash. There were shouts as well as crashing sounds. Austin looked at who else was in the room just as one of the renegades came flying through the door in a shower of splintered wood. It was followed by a really pissed off Avian and behind him were the Winchesters. Nice timing.

A/N: Looks like Angie has a moment with shadows from the past and looks like a plan is in action with Austin going in first. Keep watching for more To Hell and Back...