Chapter Seven – The Witch Doctor
Fitzgerald shoved John into the infirmary, which John could see was a modest facility containing all the basics in medical supplies and equipment. In the far corner stood a slender, red-headed woman, who was busy unloading a crate and restocking a nearby cabinet.
Glancing over her shoulder, the woman addressed the new arrivals. "So what've you brought me today, Fitzy?" Turning around to face them, she took but a second to look John over. "New blood, huh? Have a seat, I'll be right with you." She then went back to her task.
"Behave yourself, Johnny," Fitzpatrick whispered to John in a taunting tone. "Try anything and she won't hesitate to rip your heart out and feed it to her pup." With a chuckle he left the room. John believed the threat seeing as how he was left unshackled in the woman's presence.
John went over to the nearby exam table and sat down, trying to downplay his injured shoulder so he himself would seem less defenseless. The woman came over and and began putting on a pair of latex gloves.
"So, what are you?" the woman asked as casually as if she was asking for the time.
"Excuse me?"
"Well, you're clearly human in origin, so we talking werewolf? Vampire? Shifter?"
"Hunter."
"Really? That's new. Victor branching out to collect hunters now?"
"Seems like." John, still feeling the woman out, was careful to keep his answers concise.
"Take off your shirt," she said, turning to a tray of assorted bandages and supplies.
John removed his overshirt but paused at removing the t-shirt underneath.
Turning back to him, the woman's expression remained stoic. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna bite. Other things here might, but not me, I assure you."
John couldn't help but smile just a little and proceeded to remove his shirt, grunting slightly at the discomfort his shoulder caused.
"So what's your name?" she asked as she began treating his wound.
"John Winchester."
For the first time, her reaction changed slightly as she paused and met his eyes, then continued on.
"And you are?"
"Serenity. Reynolds. You can call me Sera."
"Heard of me, have you Sera?"
"Actually, I have. You took out some acquaintances of mine a few years back."
"Oh?" John tensed ever so slightly, but Sera noticed.
"Don't worry. They weren't friends. They followed a different path than I do."
"Who were they?"
"A coven out of Worchester, Mass."
"Witches." John vaguely remembered taking out a group of vengeful witches who were killing anyone who had done them wrong some years ago.
Sera nodded.
"That would make you…"
"Yep."
John looked down to his shoulder, which was now receiving a few stitches courtesy of Sera, then back to her.
"Already heard 'em all, so don't bother."
"What?" John asked innocently.
"Any number of witch doctor jokes or references that may have sprung to mind just now," she said, a twinkle in her eye to let him know she wasn't angry yet still conveying that he shouldn't go there. "Besides, I'm not officially a doctor. I worked in a medical clinic while going to nursing school and picked up enough to be considered qualified enough to man this place," she said as she referenced the infirmary.
"Enjoy working for Vic, do ya?" John said, not hiding the contempt in his tone.
She again paused and looked him dead in the eye. "Just because I'm not locked away in a cell somewhere doesn't mean I'm not a prisoner." With that, she tugged the last stitch hard and John couldn't help but wince. "There are all kinds of shackles." She cut the stitching twine and began bandaging the rest of the wound.
"Binding spell," John surmised.
Sera confirmed with a look and a raise of the eyebrows.
"Sorry."
"I'm all done here. You can put your shirt back on. I'll take the stitches out in a couple of days, so try to keep them covered and dry." She went to return the unused supplies on the tray back to the shelves.
"How long have you been here?" John asked as he redressed.
"About a year. After work one night I came across a man who had been attacked in an alley. He was bleeding out and I knew there wasn't enough time to get help and since no one was around, I healed him enough to staunch the bleeding, then called for an ambulance. Before I knew it, I was grabbed from behind, thrown into a van and brought here."
"You were set up?"
"I don't know for sure. I'd always taken great care not to reveal my powers, only using them when absolutely necessary, which wasn't often and certainly not in public, so I don't think they had foreknowledge about me. But it turns out the guy in the alley was one of Victor's goons and his friends were nearby, caught the show and figured I'd be a nice addition to the collective. Nice, huh? Turns out no good deed really does goes unpunished."
"So if you have the power to heal, why would Victor bind you from using it?"
"He didn't." John again looked to his shoulder and back to her. "Look, just because I can heal doesn't mean I have to. I studied very hard to treat people medically the old-fashioned way and I'd rather it not go to waste. My choice."
John nodded in understanding.
"Besides, if I went ahead and instantly healed you, you'd be on your next hunt a lot sooner, so let's have a little less judgment and a little more gratitude, okay?"
"Okay."
A moment.
"So what can you tell me about Victor and this collection of his?"
"What, you didn't get the grand tour upon your arrival?"
"Oh, no, I did. I'd just rather hear it from an insider's viewpoint. Or are you not allowed to…" John looked around, trying to spot any cameras and wondering if the room was monitored.
Catching on to John's pausing, Sera responded. "Don't worry, this room isn't under surveillance. Victor doesn't consider me any kind of a threat so you can speak freely."
"You've never thought of at least trying to escape? Or helping someone else to so they could get help?"
"What for? Anything that ever has gotten out of here has either ended up dead or been used to lure something else in. There is no out, John, so don't waste your energy looking for one."
John's thoughts drifted to Sam and Dean.
"They can't help either," Sera said, causing John to quickly look up. "They're just gonna get caught, too."
"Telepathic, too, huh?"
"Guilty."
"That power not considered a threat either?"
"Not yet. Managed to keep that one under wraps. I like to keep some control in here. Don't worry, I can control it. I know how much I'd hate having someone rattling around in my head. But sometimes particularly strong thoughts break through, especially ones linked to high emotions." John knew she was referring to his thinking about the boys. "But as far as a threat goes, it's not like I can think someone to death, right?" Sera said with a sarcastic tone.
"Guess not," John said offhandedly, then snapped to with an idea. "Just how powerful are you?"
She looked at him quizzically as John smiled.
SNSNSN
About a mile away, Dean and Sam, having equipped themselves as much as possible with a variety of assorted weapons and hidden the Impala underneath a blanket of shrubbery, were making their way to the edge of the forest adjoining the compound. They had gone over every possible approach and even though they were sure the woods were most likely under surveillance, deemed it their best hope. A call into Bobby confirmed that sure enough, the old man was getting together a band of hunters to come back them up. Bobby had asked the guys to wait, but Dean just couldn't stand by and do nothing, especially without knowing what was happening to their dad. He reasoned that if he and Sam could breach the perimeter and get on the inside, they could cause some havoc and draw the enemy's attention to them and away from the approaching cavalry. Bobby had protested fiercely but knew Winchester stubbornness when he was slammed with it, so with a grunt he wished the boys luck.
Dusk was quickly approaching and Dean and Sam, utilizing their years of stealth training, carefully made their way into the woods, listening and watching out for anything.
Knows.
Sam suddenly stopped in his tracks and dropped at the sound of the voice, causing Dean to do the same when he'd seen Sam go down. Dean looked to Sam then all around to see if he could tell what had caused his brother's action but saw and heard nothing. Looking back to Sam for an answer, Sam could only shrug with a silent "sorry, I don't know what that was."
Continuing on again, Sam again heard the voice, slightly louder, and once again dropped.
Careful.
Dean dropped again, but again saw and heard no reason for the response and was mildly ticked off. He made his way over to find out what the hell was going on with his brother.
"Dude, this isn't freaking red-light-green-light! What the hell is going on with you?"
"Sorry, I don't…I keep hearing…at least, I think I'm hearing…" he began to get up, both boys shielding themselves behind nearby trees.
"Hearing what?" Dean whispered loudly, clearly frustrated.
Stop.
Both Dean and Sam hit the deck this time, them looked to each other.
"You heard that?"
"Yeah, you?"
"Yeah."
"What the hell, Sam?"
"I think…I heard it in my head."
"That's impossible."
Dean…
"What?" Dean couldn't help but say out loud, but there was no one around that he could see, especially not a woman.
"Dean?"
"Shut up for a second." Dean sat with his back against the tree and quieted himself, waiting. Sam mirrored his brother against the other tree.
They waited. Nothing. Then…
Collector knows…coming…get help…safe…
Dean looked to Sam. "Collector knows."
Sam looked to Dean. "Get help."
Both said in unison, "Safe."
"Dad?" Sam asked Dean.
"It's a chick's voice, man," answered Dean, confused as hell.
"I know, but maybe it's a message from Dad," Sam said with an eye roll.
"Or maybe it's a trick. Either way, how the hell are they in our freakin' heads?"
"Knowing what we know, what we've encountered in our lives, you even have to ask?" Sam asked with a smirk.
Dean gave a look that read "touché."
"So what do we do?" Sam asked finally.
"We go on. Help is on the way. We don't know if we can trust the … voice…so nothing's changed. We go and get Dad as planned."
With that, Dean began his stealthy path deeper into the forest, Sam, with a sigh, right on his heels.
SNSNSN
"Ow."
Sera sat on the stool, her hand to her head, John standing by, waiting.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," she answered, pointing to a bottle on the counter. John went over and picked it up, opened it, and poured two tablets into his hand. Grabbing a bottle of water next, he brought them back to Sera. "Haven't made a long-distance call like that in a while. Should've stretched first," she said with a smile.
"Did you get through?"
"I think so. Enough of it, anyway. I've got a feeling their still coming for you, though."
"Doesn't surprise me. At least we've warned them."
"It won't be enough, John."
"You don't know my boys."
"You don't know Victor."
"Guess we'd better give them a hand, then."
"Look around, John! We've got the serious disadvantage here!"
"That's when I'm at my best, kiddo."
"You're crazy…" she said, barely able to contain a smile.
"It's been said."
"You'll never make it…"
"Not alone I won't."
Sera knew what he was asking. She then asked herself if this was what she had been waiting for. A real chance to get out. To put an end to this nightmare and get back to the life that was stolen from her. Was John Winchester the answer?
Sure, they could fail. They could get caught, both die today. Game over.
Sera gave another look to the man before her.
Screw it. Who wants to live forever anyway?
"Then I guess you're not alone."
John smiled and reached for the door, but Sera grabbed his arm.
"First things first…"
She reached her hand under his shirt to the wound in his shoulder and he felt a buzzing warmth instantly in the hurt area. Moments later, all pain was gone and he had fill mobility back.
"Damn, girl."
"Wait till the binding spell is gone. Then you'll really see something."
With that, she led the way out of the infirmary. With a nod and a twitch of the mouth, John followed.