Chapter 14 – The Great Escape

Victor was pissed. His perfect little world was crashing down around him – literally. That troll had (surprisingly) taken months to track down then capture, and John Winchester had taken it down in one swoop. And now the hunter and his menacing sons were on the loose, making their escape. Well, not if he had anything to say about it.

He hobbled back to his office chamber as quickly as he could, all the while trying to reach Fitzpatrick or, hell, anyone on the comlink. But all he got was static. Shouting – along with various screeches, growls and other unworldly sounds – echoed through the corridors and Victor knew his prisoners were all getting out. And would no doubt be coming for him. If he could just reach the chamber …

At last he saw the giant door before him. In his haste, he neglected to notice that he didn't need to enter the code to open it. He rushed in and slammed it behind him, then went straight for the large chest behind his desk. He lifted the top open and frantically searched the contents, not finding what he wanted, needed desperately.

"Looking for this?"

Victor froze. Carefully, he took hold of a jeweled dagger that lay within the chest and, holding it to him, rose to face the witch.

"Looking to leave me so soon, my dear?" he asked, eyeing the small box Sera held in her hand.

"Not without saying goodbye," Sera answered with a coy grin. "I figure I owe you that much."

She suddenly threw out a hand and with great mental force pushed Victor up and against the wall, relishing in the whoosh that blew out of him. Remarkable he held onto the dagger, though it was no longer hidden.

"Well, actually, I owe you a lot more than that."

She approached him slowly, taking in the tormentor's helplessness.

"Sera, you got this?" Clive asked.

"Oh, don't worry about us,"she answered calmly, not taking her eyes off of Victor. "Victor and I are going to have a nice little chat." She grinned bigger and Victor, thoroughly desperate, actually looked to Clive for help.

"Don't be long. I got a feeling Winchester's got this place rigged to blow up like a roman candle." And with that, he left.

"What's this, a present for me?" Sera cooed, eyeing the dagger clutched in Victor's hand.

"Serenity, you have always been special to me. I have treated you better than any of the others. And I know it is not within you to hurt me. Release me now and we can go our separate ways, each be free. I know a secret way out of here, then you'll never see me again."

"It would be that easy for you, would it? To just walk away from this, all you've built, cherished. The power you've held over so many, the control. Do you plan to just slink away, find a nice quiet corner of the world, wait a while, then start all over again? Is that your plan, Vic?"

"No, no I wouldn't …"

With another wave of her hand, Sera muted him.

"Ah, Victor, "she tsked. "Should I leave you here, helpless, ripe for the slaughter that awaits you? The natives are loose and hungry for blood, you see." She paused. "Can you hear them? They're coming for you. Should I let them have you? Or should I end you myself?" She removed the dagger from his hand. "Take this pretty little blade and put it straight into your cold, dead heart? Tell me, what should I do?"

Victor actually took a moment to ponder the choice, but just as he was to plead for his life again, the door burst open and five angry beasts barged into the room, fangs bared, talons poised and eyes filled with rage, all pinned on him.

"Looks like the choice has been made for me," Sera said, stroking Victor's cheek with her hand, leaving him with a shiver.

With that she backed away, then turned to the beastly mob.

"He's all yours." And with that, she vanished in a poof of light.

The door slammed shut and the outside corridor blared with a cacophony of growls and one agonized scream.

SNSNSN

John watched as the troll head blew and rained down into the arena below, instantly worried about his boys below. But as he reached the precipice of the room, he saw Dean and Sam, both clear, smile up at him, then head for the exit. An awakening spectator moaned at his feet and with a swift punch, John laid him out again, than ran for the corridor. Time to blow this popsicle stand, he thought to himself and as he made his way to the stairwell to meet up with the boys, he prepped the detonators.

As he rounded the corner, his jaw met an iron fist and he went down hard, losing his grip on the device. Shaking the stars from his head, he looked up to find a smug Fitzpatrick looking down at him, cracking his knuckles and gleefully prepping for a smackdown.

"Well, well. I was hoping to come across your little brat, but I guess you'll have to do. For now."

John fought to get up but Fitzpatrick was on him with fierce blow after blow with the occasional kick that prevented him from entirely reaching his feet. Aware of the time restraint, John knew he needed to get in this fight and now or he might never make it out. And knowing that Dean and Sam wouldn't leave without him, the choice was clear. Seeing Fitzpatrick pull back for a particularly brutal punch, John played dirty by swiftly kicking him in the groin. The force of the kick and the subsequent pain brought Fitzpatrick's face right into striking range, and John let loose his own furious barrage of hits. It was definitely on.

SNSNSN

"I think it's this way."

"No, this way looks better."

"No, no I gotta good feeling it's this way!"

"What, are you psychic?"

"Ha ,ha, Sam, very funny, Sam. I'm telling you, it's this way!"

Dean ran into the left corridor, certain that it was the way to rendezvous with their father. Sam, knowing Dean's "my-mind-is-made-up" mode was full on, reluctantly followed.

As they rounded the corner, Dean slid clumsily to a halt, causing Sam to slam into him.

"Dean, what the …"

Sam suddenly saw what made his brother pull up so abruptly. Ahead of them was a mass of creatures – you couldn't even tell what was what in the melee – running straight toward them. Acting quickly, Sam, noticing a nearby, blissfully unlocked door, took a hold of Dean's collar and yanked him into the room.

He slammed the door shut behind them and waited for any number of the beasts to break in after them. After all, fresh hunter meat was clearly ripe for the taking.

But as they collectively waited, their bodies pressed against the door in the hopes of keeping anything out, the attack never came. In fact, the booming sound of the crowd outside quickly died away.

After a minute or two of silence, Dean and Sam shrugged at each other, then Dean carefully cracked the door open to find an empty corridor.

"Let's hear it for self-preservation," Dean said with a chuckle.

"They have the right idea," Sam said, clearly relieved. "We gotta get outta here."

"Oh, yeah, " Dean agreed. "Dad's gotta be working his way down to us. Since everyone –everything's – whatever is running that way (pointing left), we should go this way (pointing right)."

But no sooner had they started up the corridor than another being – human – approached. But was he friend, i.e. a captive, or foe, a Victor crony?

Sam and dean raised their shotguns, poised to fire.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Don't shoot!" the man placated, hands up. "Dean? Sam?"

"Yeah," the boys answered in unison.

"Clive. Good guy, teammate of your dad's."

Dean and Sam looked to each other, but kept the rifles raised.

"Prove it," Dean asked.

"Are you kidding me?" Clive asked, clearly dumbfounded. "Look, just take my friggin' word for it or let me pass. I got work to do before your dad blows us all to kingdom come!"

Clearly that was enough to convince Dean and Sam, for both lowered their guns.

"Where is he?" Dean asked.

"Left him up top. Seemed to have everything under control. I've been trying to open as many of the cells as possible, get everyone out before the big blast."

"Are you crazy? Do you have any idea what you're unleashing into the world?" Dean asked incredulously.

"A lot of innocents," Clive bit back, offended. "I know you hunters are pretty bigoted, and yeah, there are bad things out there, but not everything is evil. A lot of decent creatures have been locked up here, tortured, beaten to hell. Do they deserve to go down cause of a few bad apples? You're dad thought the same thing, but I managed to prove him wrong."

"You?" Sam asked, not sure what to think.

"Shapeshifter," Clive answered. "And saved you dad's ass, thank you very much. Along with a witch, a skinwalker, a vampire and a ghoul. Wanna change your mind now, too, sport?" he asked Dean.

Dean didn't know what to say. Everything in him told him to leave as many of the creatures locked up behind to burn, except his gut right in this moment. He looked to Sam and saw that his brother wasn't having nearly as much of a dilemma.

"How can we help?" Sam asked.

"Don't worry about it kid. My friends and I have got it covered, but thanks," Clive said. "Just get your asses out of here or I'll have your dad hunting me down for the rest of my life. And bastard would surely find me, too," he chuckled.

And with a slap to Dean's shoulder, Clive ran off.

"This is too weird," Dean said, still flabbergasted.

"Let's find Dad," Sam said.

Just then, all hell broke loose.