Hate is a four-letter word
Disclaimer: Nope still nothing but my fevered imagination working overtime as per usual. So Eric Kripke has the honour of owning Supernatural and the characters we all love to hurt.
Disclaimer Number 2 Very important, this story is going to contain hate crime I just want to say that I do not advocate any kind of hate crime ever, in fact it goes against all of my principles but it will be a very important part of the story. I am hoping that the ending will resolve issues brought up throughout the plotline.
Warning: Graphic violence and sexual assault if you are squeamish about these things then please go read one of my tamer stories.
CHAPTER NINE
Dean stiffened when he heard footsteps pounding on the dry earth of the cave floor. Moving protectively in front of Sam he prayed to whatever deity existed that it was Caleb returning.
'Dean son that you?' Bobby called out squinting into the darkness.
'Bobby?'
'Dang it all Dean, where's your brother?'
'Here, Bobby this is too dangerous for you to be here.'
'Just shut up and listen to me, here's keys to the black truck parked on the perimeter of the property, just on the other side of these caves. Caleb is collecting a few things ya'll need, take this.' Bobby shoved the dart at Dean, 'it's what they tipped Sammy with.'
'Bobby you gotta get outta here too man.'
'Not yet, once this is done I'll meet up with ya'll.'
'No, no Bobby's dead.' Sam mumbled 'he's with Cal and Dean, they're all fine now. I just wanna sleep. But can't gotta go to the bad place. Where all bad kids go.'
'Ah Sammy not now.' Dean sighed turning around to face his brother, 'hey listen to me dude we're getting you outta here I promise.'
'D-Dean?' Sam squinted up at his brother but gave up when all he could see was shadows, 'when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, and down will come cradle, baby and all.' Giggling Sam started to hum the nursery rhyme over and over again, substituting baby for Sammy every so often.
'Bad boys don't go to heaven, only good little soldiers who fight the good fight.' Sam mumbled unaware of his captive audience. 'keep focused Sammy, keep your guard up, watch ya brother's back. Don't slack off again ya gotta watch out for ya brother, be more like him if you want to be like anyone be like your brother Dean.'
'What's going on Dean?' Bobby turned to look at the distraught young man.
'Sammy's having hallucinations and memory flashes mixed in with them.' Dean didn't know how much of the truth to tell Bobby but the look in the older man's eyes said a lot. 'Bobby how much do you know about the way dad rode Sammy?'
'He was tough on both you boys, but … well I guess he …'
'He what Bobby? God how could I have been so blind for so long?'
'Dean I honestly don't know what to tell ya bout this, once we get out we can sit and hash it out but now…'
'Sam's dying Bobby.' The words came unbidden spewing out of Dean's mouth before he had a chance to swallow them back down. 'We may not have time to hash it out with him.'
'Dang it all to hell Dean, this is … Caleb should be back by now.'
'Nice change of subject old man.' Dean glared at Bobby another gunshot silencing any further arguments, 'damn it Cal.'
'You stay here with Sammy, I'll go and check out what's going on.'
'Bobby … be careful man.'
'Yeah you too.' Bobby nodded his head, readjusted his cap and disappeared once again into the dark tunnels of their hideout.
'We's bagged ourselves a buck.' The cry went up, sounding too close for comfort for Dean 'hey lookie here we gots ourselves a biggun.'
'Where the fuck are you Cal?' Dean whispered his anxiety growing into a full blown panic attack. He had to get Sam out of there as quickly and as safely as possible, he couldn't wait for Caleb any longer.
'Sorry dude.' Dean looked down at Sam, who now stared at the darkness with a small smile on his lips, his eyes glassy and unfocused, heat radiated from him but his skin now cold to the touch also had a greenish tinge to it. As gently as he could Dean pulled Sam to his feet with one arm looped around Sam's waist and fingers anchored in his jeans waistband Dean guided Sam towards the opening, each step was laboriously slow and pain-filled. With each step, Sam mumbled incoherently alternating between giggling and crying, as he became even more lost in his own world.
'This way Sammy, come on dude stay with me,' Dean encouraged his brother as they finally made it out into the night air once again, 'Okay Sam I need you to be quiet for me, we have to be very, very quiet.'
Sam nodded his head but kept mumbling under his breath, his giggles and sobs subsided to soft huffs of breath. Both boys nearing the end of their endurance as Dean stumbled once again and lost his footing. They collided with each other on their descent and then they started to tumble. The loose rocks and dirt giving way under them and set the Winchester brothers on a collision course with the bottom of the mountains.
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Bobby stepped out of the cave and stared at the freaking idiots in amazement, they had a large buck on the ground a gaping wound in its side. 'What the? Are you eedjits really this stupid or are you working your way up?'
'What the fuck? We got ourselves a big buck, gonna eat well tonight what's wrong with that?'
'Your daddy drop ya on ya head or what boy?' Bobby snapped cuffing Dick on the side of the head, 'nice way to give away your position.'
'Ah shit we's just havin' fun.' Dick grinned bloodlust shining in his eyes.
'Sir, we've got one of the runners,' Clay came running up to Bobby, a dazed Caleb followed two men half dragging him between them.
'Where's ya friends?' Bobby snapped giving Caleb a cursory once over for injuries as he pretended to question him.
'Aint got any.' Caleb shot back earning himself a blow to the stomach by Clay.
'Answer with respect.'
'Aint got any Sir.' Caleb smirked holding his breath he waited for the next blow but it never came confused he dared to lift his head enough to look at Bobby.
'Bring him.' Bobby ordered indicating for Clay and the others to follow him. Confused Caleb let them drag him behind Bobby, quietly hoping that they had not captured Sam and Dean. 'Put him over there.' Bobby pointed to a tree close to the carcass of the buck, 'tie him to the tree and gag him, I want to check out a few things in the caves before questioning him further, oh and Clay whatever they say do not let Dick or any of his cronies near him, is that understood?'
'Sir, yes Sir.' Clay beamed relishing in the responsibility Bobby thought him worthy of.
Grumbling under his breath Bobby headed back to where he left Dean and Sam. His mood darkening when he saw the blood spatters and obvious trail left by the boys in their pain-filled haste to get away.
Glancing around to make sure he was alone first Bobby smudged the tracks in the dirt but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get rid of the bloodstains.
'So whatcha doin' old man?' Dick asked stepping out of the shadows, 'you tryin' to help those fags?'
'Git back to your post Dick afore I kick ya ass all the way back there.' Bobby snarled, 'this is an old site, they've long gone, the blood's already dried.' He gave the young man a hard shove backwards, 'and if ya ever backchat or question me again I will bring yer back in a body bag to yer daddy, ya hear me!'
Dick opened his mouth to retort but when he saw the look on Bobby's face he turned and left muttering under his breath about getting his father onto Bobby.
Shaking his head Bobby watched for the idiot to leave before he finished covering the boys' tracks, hoping deep down that they have made it to safety.
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Sam groaned and winced with pain as he tried to shake his head to clear it, unable to focus on much more than the pain he was in, he slowly pushed himself up to look around. The last thing he could remember was … The cave.
'Dean?' His raspy voice barely carries but he heard the familiar sounds of his older brother coming to close by. Unable to stand, Sam hauled himself up enough to crawl on his hands and knees towards Dean's voice, or rather the sounds he was making.
'Dean?' Gently Sam put his hand on Dean's shoulder and rolled him carefully onto his back. 'Easy bro.'
'Sammy? You okay?'
'Yeah …at least I think so,' Sam scrubbed his face with the heels of his palms trying to remove the invisible cobwebs sticking to him. 'Man that was some fall … Dean hey Dean you still with me dude?'
'Huh? Yeah I guess.' Dean tried to keep his eyes open and fixed on Sam but they were just too heavy. His body ached from head to toe, but the pain screaming up his leg made him nauseous. 'Dude gonna be …' Dean just managed to turn his head when he started to vomit, holding his brother tenderly Sam supported Dean's head until he spat the last of the bile and phlegm. 'Oh that is just gross.' Dean murmured as he let Sam help him to lie back.
'Dude we are so screwed.' Sam sighed glancing around them.
'Ya think Sammy?' Dean shot back before he gave his brother a critical stare, 'what about you Sam?'
'What about me dude?'
'Geeze Sam, you were on death's door back up in the cave.'
'Dunno, the poison or whatever seems to be lifting, I don't feel so … ah fuck.'
'What? What is it?'
'Nothing, I'm okay Dean.'
'Talk to me Sam what is it?'
'Honest I'm fine Dean.'
'Yeah and I'm freaking Grizzly Adams, talk now Sam.'
'What can I say Dean? I'm totally fucked? Yeah well I guess I am.'
'Sam?'
'We gotta get outta here Dean we'll worry bout my injuries later.'
'Nope Mr Change-the-subject.' Dean pushed himself up to a seated position using his need to look after Sammy to forget his own injuries and biting pain. 'Talk to me Sammy, I need to know … can you walk on your own?'
'Can you?' Sam shot back staring down at Dean's left leg and the awkward angle of his shin. 'How's the leg?'
'Fine, it's still there.'
'Oh very funny Dean, you're hysterical.' Sam snapped, 'sorry it's …'
'Sam? Hey Sam don't you fade out on me here.' Dean gripped Sam's arm and squeezed tightly wanting to see any reaction at all register on his brother's face. 'Goddamn it Sam.' He watched his brother topple to one side, his eyes fluttering shut as he landed on his right side. Exposing his left side and back to Dean's line of sight.
'Ah shit Sam, when are you ever gonna catch a break?' Dean muttered staring at the reopened welts and the fresh bruising covering Sam's hip and side.
'Stay where you are and don't move.' A nervous looking young man with bleached blond hair and blue eyes stared down at Dean aiming his gun with a shaking hand.
'Where the hell do you think I'm going?' Dean snarled pointing to his obviously broken leg and then to his unconscious brother.
'I've found them.' Clay called out taking a step back and away from Dean's reach.
'Good work Clay.' Bobby clapped the boy on the back, 'so what have we got here?'
'Oh we're just lying around catching some of those moonlight rays, whatcha all up to?'
'Don't smart mouth me boy.' Bobby slapped Dean's face pulling it slightly at the last moment. Dean reacted perfectly snapping his head back to the side, a cocky grin firmly planted on his face. 'Keep smirking and I'll wipe yer face clean, Clay go and radio in that we have em, and get that eedjit Dick rounded up, I don't trust him with the other prisoner.'
'Yes Sir, what about these two Sir?'
'Git back here asap with the medical kit and Will, looks like we'll have to carry these two girls back to camp.'
'Yes Sir.' Clay grinned down at Dean and then ran back to the camp.
'Damn it Dean what happened?'
'Sammy?' Dean weakly pushed Bobby towards Sam.
'He's alive Dean.' Bobby felt for a pulse, his stomach plummeting though when he felt how cold Sam was.
'What aren't you telling me Bobby?'
'He's in bad shape, listen we haven't got much time, the idiots found Caleb and he's back at camp.'
'Sam can't take much more Bobby.'
'Neither can you, yer moron.' Bobby said affectionately patting Dean's arm, 'now give us a look at yer leg.'
A short time later Clay and Will came back with the medical kit, a serious look on Clay's face sent Bobby's internal alarm ticking. 'What did that fucking moron do now?'
Clay shook his head, he should have guessed that Bobby would have worked out the problem straight away, 'dipshit and his so-called buddies decided to use the prisoner for target practice.'
'Fer what?'
'Target practice with their throwing knives, only saving grace is that they can't hit a fucking barn aside a skinny man tied to a tree. They only nicked him; still dangerous enough coz they've already gotten into the whiskey.'
'Flaming moronic eedjits gonna kill us all,' Bobby fumed applying more pressure than necessary on Dean's leg making him yelp in pain. 'Ah shut the fuck up pansy or I'll use yer for targeting meself.'
'I swear you had better make sure I can't get up first.' Dean snarled through his gritted teeth.
'Check the other princess out.' Bobby ordered Clay and Will as he finished splinting Dean's leg. 'Sorry Dean.' He added in a barely audible whisper.
'Yeah, yeah I'll remember that.' Dean snapped back, 'ah fuck Bobby gonna be sick again.'
'Dean?' Bobby managed to roll Dean over onto his side as the younger man started retching, vomiting up nothing but bile and blood now. 'Jesus Dean, that's it, I don't care anymore I'm getting ya'll outta here.'
'Bobby?' Clay stood just by Bobby's shoulder, 'did I hear you right just then?'
'Ah fuck, well kid yer better put a bullet in me coz I aint …'
'Thank God.' Clay grinned squatting down next to Dean and Bobby, 'name's Clayton Sacks FBI, that's my partner Bill Pax, we've been undercover here for the last six months trying to bust these guys wide open.'
'Yer Feds?' Bobby pushed his cap up and stared in shock at the young man, 'freaking Feds?'
'Yes Sir, but if you're not part of the group then what are you doing here?'
'We don't have a lot of time to explain things, I'm after the big guy, the one who runs the show. Dean and Sam are brothers, they're my nephews this pack of idiots thought that they were gay and well yer can see what they have done to em.' Bobby spat on the ground and gazed around checking to see if anyone was standing nearby listening. 'I got in to try and get these two, Caleb the other prisoner is one of my men.'
'I am so sorry Sir, how close are you in getting to the top guy? I mean we've been chipping away but haven't got enough yet to bust em wide open.'
'We have to get these boys to a hospital, but I have a feeling that we can't take em to the one here.'
'Nah the head doctor of the emergency department is the doctor here, he likes to experiment as well.'
'That quack is the head of emergency?' Bobby shook his head this just keeps getting better.
'Dean?' Sam started to move, his long legs kicking out in reaction to something only he could see, 'no Dean.'
'Oh God that's all we need.' Bobby sighed when he heard the tone of Sam's voice.
'Sir?' Will looked over at a loss at what to do for Sam.
'He'll be fine just keep an eye on him, Dean hey Dean you with me boy?' Bobby tapped Dean's face lightly.
'Bob, Bobby what's wrong?' Dean slurred his words and blinked up at Bobby he didn't even realise that he had lost consciousness.
'Sam think he's having a vision.' Bobby said ignoring the looks on Clay's and Will's faces.
'Help me.' Dean asked frustrated after trying just to sit up and failing miserably.
Bobby said nothing but hooked his arms under Dean's and dragged him closer to Sam. 'Sammy, hey dude talk to me.'
The demon laughed in delight it was going better than expected. The man slumped his shoulders and dropped his chin to his chest. Blood streamed down his torso from the welts crisscrossing his chest and back. He lifted his head and stared at his tormentor, 'never gonna happen.' He spat out a globule of blood and phlegm before collapsing face down at the demon's feet. The image started to distort and swirl morphing into another scene entirely. A young man hung limply from shackles attached to a low beam. The demon stood in front of him, a scowl stretched across the demonic features, this one did not possess a human, it had its own form and refused to hide in a human meat suit.
The way they angled the body it was too late to help him. Sam, a silent invisible witness flinched and cried out as the demon pulled out a large ceremonial sword, Sam stared at the handle mesmerised by the symbol carved on it.
The light shining on the blade brought Sam back to the grisly scene in front of him, as the demon brought it down and sliced the hapless young man in half.
Sam gasped and struggled against the hands holding him, blindly striking out weakly he fought to get away.
'Sam, hey Sammy calm down, it's alright bro, just calm down.'
'Dean?' Sam blinked and tried to focus on his brother's face.
'Hey there sunshine, whatcha see?'
Sam blinked and looked up at Bobby bending over him, 'hey Bobby.'
'Sam boy you okay?'
'Yeah I guess, oh God no.' Sam stared at the two young strangers staring back down at him, 'who?'
'They're okay Sam.' Bobby started but Sam jerked away violently shaking his head.
'No, no they're not, no one's not.'
'Sam, Sammy dude you have to calm down.' Dean put a restraining hand on his brother's chest, 'guys can we?'
'Yeah, Clay, Will with me.' Bobby indicated for the two FBI agents to follow him giving Sam some privacy to talk to Dean.
'What's got you so freaked Sam? What did ya see?'
'That guy Clay is it?'
'Yeah the geeky looking one, what about him?'
'I saw the demon torturing him,' Sam admitted slowly, 'the other young guy … the demon … he was hanging from the shackles already dead, but the demon it, it had a sword ceremonial one, it had a symbol carved on the handle. He used it to slice the guy in half.'
'Fuck.'
'Dean this demon, I know its face, why? Where would I have seen the true face of a demon?'
'I don't know Sam, this whole set up stinks.' Dean tried to shift his leg, he hated the fact that he couldn't even help his brother handle the physical effects of the vision because he couldn't move.
'Dean you okay?'
'Yeah just peachy,' Dean grimaced and then straightened his shoulders and looked at his brother, 'what about you Sammy, truthfully.'
'Weird, I guess don't feel any pain as such just … I'm sorry Dean.'
'What for Sammy?' Dean asked hesitantly not really wanting to hear the answer.
'Everything, if it wasn't for me …'
'Sam don't … none of this is your fault.'
'Yeah, yeah it is. I promise I'll try to do better.'
'Damn it Sam don't … don't do this again.'
'What?'
'Sam I need you to focus, to stay with me … can you do that dude?'
'Who are those guys Dean? Why are they so thick with Bobby?'
'Good questions Sammy why don't we find out?' Dean turned to stare at the other men, 'hey Bobby who's Heckle and Jeckle?'
'Dean way to blow our cover.'
'Ah Sammy that went out the window with your vision dude.' Dean smiled and patted him affectionately on the shoulder.
'Dean and Sam Singer this is Clayton Sacks and Bill Pax they're FBI agents undercover, Clay and Bill my nephews Dean and Sam.'
'Hey.' Dean stared at them and then looked back at his 'uncle'. 'So FBI huh?'
'Ah yeah we've been undercover for the past six months.' Clay said, 'listen Bobby the natives are gonna get restless and with your friend Caleb at their mercy.'
'D-Dean.' Sam gasped as he started to convulse, his back arched off the ground and limbs became rigid.
'Sammy?' Dean cried out staring at his brother, 'Bobby what the?'
As the convulsion subsided Sam shuddered and a bloodied foam slipped from between his lips. 'What the fuck is the stuff on the darts?' Bobby turned to stare at the two Federal agents.
'Something that the big guy issued, no one knows who made it or what is in it. It is supposed to be lethal.'
'My brother is not dying.' Dean snarled taking a dislike to these two agents. Though the fact that they are feds was enough to move them instantly to the dislike intensely list.
'I have seen … apparently there are four stages of poisoning.'
'Which are?'
'First is numbness, and confusion, it affects the mind, kinda like hallucinations but the truth comes out instead, they started developing an effective way to interrogate prisoners with drugs, that was the predecessor to the dart. Then the next stage is convulsions, heaviness in the limbs, the third stage is paralysis complete paralysis from head to foot. The last stage is total organ breakdown and heart failure, then…'
'Sam is not going to die that is not an option. Is there an antidote or something?'
Clay and Will exchanged looks making Dean even angrier, 'quit lookin' at each other and tell me.'
'Not sure, the doctor was working on something to protect the ranks in case the darts got into the wrong hands.'
'Good enough for me, the only thing is I got a busted leg, Sam is … Cal can't and you Bobby … fuck this is totally screwed.'
'I can go find it, I worked for a while with the doctor.' Will said looking over at Sam, 'I can find it but we will have to make it look like we're bringing you guys in.'
'No, no,' Sam cried out weakly reaching for Dean's arm, he could barely lift his hand now, 'he can't no Dean … the vision.'
'It's okay Sammy, calm down we'll work it out, I promise.'
'So what we got here?' Dick's loud and abrasive voice silenced anymore discussion, 'looks like the newbies gone and bagged emselves two for the price of one.'
'And what did you get you flamin' moron?' Bobby snarled, 'a helpless animal.'
'Yeah well at least it tasted good.' Dick hiccupped, blinking furiously he staggered towards the small group, 'I goes to take a piss an' find ya'll up here.'
'Not so hard to do when they're both half dead anyway.' Will said brushing past the drunk young man to get the medical kit.
'Dick you carry the kit, Will, Clay you take the tall one between yer and I'll take the other.'
'What? Why do I get the med kit for? Why can't I take one of them?' Dick whined and staggered towards Bobby and Dean. 'I wanna take the butch one.'
'Git and get the kit, ya'll end up fallin' on yer drunken ass and let the prisoner go.' Bobby shoved the younger man away from them.
Tripping Dick giggled and picked up the kit, 'drunken ass, how can my ass get drunk?'
TBC
