High Noon – chpt 4.

by: sifi.

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Sam turned his back to the fence and the map secured to it taking in the sight of the two wobbly conference tables placed end to end along the path between the driveway and the near-trap (where many of the demons decided they'd be spending the night in some semblance of security), and the incomprehensible gathering of humans and demons seated together at them. How many of them are doing it as a display of trust? I know that's the only reason Imdugud is. How can he be evil? and isn't one entity's evil anothers' good?... Ammit, Divine Retribution personified, devours the souls of the condemned. Even he is subjecting himself to the boundaries of the trap. Dean and I are going to have to keep watch tonight, make sure none of the hunters try anything. He shook his head, What would dad think if he could see us now, would he order Dean to kill me? he couldn't help but wonder.

"Anybody ever woulda told me I'd be sitting in on an actual strategy session side by side with demons I'da exorcised THEM," Gary shook his head.

"Tell me about it," Mercy shook her head but smiled.

"Point 'em in my direction, I'll have 'em tearing each other apart in no time!" Aeshma grinned almost maniacally.

"The enemy of my enemy…" Marax smiled with a shrug.

"Dude…" Dean chuckled looking at Marax, "You know Sun Tsu?" his brows furrowed as he met eyes with the educator, "Y'know, no offense but you don't seem so evil… what makes you a demon?" he asked, "I mean, aside from being a teacher…"

Imdugud, hearing the comment threw his hosts' head back and laughed.

"What?" Dean asked just as the proverbial lightbulb went on inside his head. The image of Cernunnos bound backward over a boulder while Morrigan's owls pecked out his innards, the way he'd found them in the vengeance Goddess' grotto while seeking out Laura came to mind, bringing with it memory of the more well known story of the titan Prometheus and Hera. Prometheus who bestowed godly gifts on humans; fire and healing were the biggies he could remember, and for that Hera chained him leaving her vultures to peck out his liver for all eternity and never granting him the release of death.

With a smirk, he nodded, "Ahhh, I got it…" he looked over to Pinem'e who sat with Berith Jo and Ellen wearing a demure smile on her face. "You guys both… you shared sacred knowledge with man… got it," he smiled.

"So, Pinem'e," Sam asked, "I believe you have the wisdom to see through Berith's lies."

The one who was cast down for sharing wisdom and language with man nodded, "I'm pretty sure we can work around 'em," she nodded.

"That's all he does unless asked a direct question," Ellen shook her head looking at the man who sat silent. The demon within him didn't like to talk in large groups, and disliked direct questions even more.

The chatter quieted and the attention of the assembled turned to Sam who stood by the fence. Dean at the head of one of the tables, by position, equal though in this case subordinate.

Sam nodded, "There are five Devil's gates in North America. At a town near each of those gates is a group that's been gathering followers for the last couple years for sure, maybe even decades… Ninurta has sworn his followers to Nergal's disposal. Just about two years ago, those same followers cracked our universe, letting the igigi through to serve as advanced troops," Sam leaped right in.

"Each team, with the exception of Gader'el and Bobby," he nodded down the tables at the loosely assembled groups, "is going to be responsible for completely destroying all traces of the cult and its members, at each target location. When you're done with that, you need to determine if your 'gate' really IS a gate, and if so, is it a direct route to hell? Or just to the underworld. If it's a gateway to hell…do what you have to in order to seal it."

"There's more than a few ways to seal a gateway…" the Djinn interrupted.

"If you can get what you need from the cult members, so be it," Sam nodded.

"And if we can't?" Razakel grinned eyeing Sam penetratively.

His eyes boring into the hosts' whose demon was the purveyor of madness; Sam didn't blink, "I know the ways they can be sealed. Seal the gateway, but be aware… unnecessary collateral damage?" he smirked coldly, "Will be frowned upon."

For a moment both hunters and demons let the threat sink in, not a single being present doubting what could happen if something went even a little hinkey.

"Sam… you said some of the gates will lead to the underworld while others lead to hell? What's the difference?" Mercy asked and found that she wasn't the only one who was uncertain.

"Believe me little girl, you'll know when you get there," Aeshma smirked, "The underworld is a veritable garden spot in comparison."

"I want to know where is Kitsune, has my kin deserted or was she dismissed?" Yokai asked angrily from beside Imdugud.

"She's doing the job I gave her to do," Dean answered.

"She came to serve the Chosen who are you…" she began to challenge.

"Her debt to me came first shapeshifter. Keep your family politics on the back burner until the job's done," Dean warned, effectively ending the possible challenge with mention of a debt.

How did you get a Kitsune indebted to you Dean? Sam wondered but continued, "Earlier today four bronze cylinders were taken from a museum, we think something in them or on them might actually show us the fastest route to the underworld."

"What would you hope to gain by going there?" Djinn asked from between Jack and Razakel.

"An audience with Tiamat," Imdugud answered nonchalantly.

"The DRAGON?" Berith asked.

Sam nodded, "Tiamat has tremendous power, and no matter how pissed off she might get for being woken up, this is her world too, she might want to help protect it."

"So who's gonna get that job?" Yokai asked sarcastically.

Sam smiled, "If your passage leads to the underworld and not into hell call me, unless you feel like trying to take the situation into your own hands and getting yourself barbequed in the process, cause the dragon, is NOT going to be a happy camper."

"What makes you think YOU can handle her then?" Razakel asked then motioned to Dean, "She was here even before Enki."

"You're not particularly well studied in deific politics are you?" Pinem'e asked the demon who was best known for unleashing madness and despair in those whose lives he touched.

"The only thing I like about politics is the insanity of it…" he grinned.

Sam smiled easily but made no reply, 'You're going to ask a GOD to broker a deal?' "You catch on fast Sammy," Dean smirked.

"And that ladies and gentlemen is why WE get the big bucks," Dean smirked.

"So, you all have your gate locations as well as the locations of the cult in that area right?" Sam asked.

"Sam isn't there some other way to stop these guys? Bind 'em? Strip 'em of their power, something other than killing them? I mean they're human for god's sake," Jo asked.

The young man took a deep breath, behind his eyelids the memory of the sight, and the sounds his brother made as he was beaten repeatedly with a whip woven with steel bearings resounded.

"No Jo," he shook his head, they gave up their humanity when they agreed to take part in the destruction of our world, "they're not human."

As if on cue, in the rear of the yard the last remnants of the scaffold crumbled to the ground and for a short time the continued flames grew higher before settling in once again to finish their consumption.

Dean's maniac grin faltered and a shimmer in the firelight caught his eye.

"Each group will be accompanied by four sidhe warriors. They're the ones who are going to be getting y'all through the veil to your destinations and out of harms way if something goes wrong. They're here to help save our world so treat 'em with respect and I'd strongly suggest that no one take advantage of moving through the hidden realm… I've been assured that it won't go well," Sam met eyes with everyone present, both human and demon-host making sure the point was taken by all. When he was certain it was he nodded as his big brother left the table for the remnants of the pyre.

"Anything else?" He asked.

The unbelievable conglomeration seemed incredibly at peace, "Alright, anyone needs anything just holler," he instructed taking a few steps before he turned back, "And … no.. killing each other…" he then left the teams to figure out among themselves how best to approach their chosen gates and cult branches.

"Dean?" he asked softly noting the older man crouching beside a tearful Mustardseed who sat leaning against a sleeping Ajax.

"You don't have to…" the eldest Winchester shook his head.

Together they watched the small warrior explain that it was his duty to see her off.

"You mean since we're in the middle of planning…" Dean interpreted the warrior's pantomime and nodded, dropping a reassuring hand onto the small muscular shoulder, "There's no one she'd rather have at her side," he affirmed then sighed, "But she wouldn't want you to rack yourself out either," he started but the warrior sat up straight, balled his fist and made a muscle, "I know you're strong, but you've been going almost constantly for over a week, ever since we've been sure the marauder was here… all I'm saying is that when…" he shook his head, "then you need to get some rest. You still have a world to defend."

They watched the warrior jump to his feet, his face twisted in a cruel snarl as the three remaining igigi swarmed near the fire, their faces upturned with malicious happiness. In his hand a small bow shimmered into existence and in the blink of an eye, a dart flew through the sky piercing one of the sinister creatures.

Neither Sam nor Dean could have said why they expected the extra-dimensional being to have simply flown away like its peers, but the mirrored surprise on their faces as the thing dropped to the ground, its cohesion lost on impact, brought a jovial smile to the sidhe warrior who hopped and danced his victory, even going so far as to flip up his loin-cloth at the last two igigi, wagging his masculinity at them.

"I didn't need to see that," Dean looked up into his brothers' eyes.

Sam shook his head, his blue-greens grabbing tight to Dean's jades, "Now you know how I felt after walking in on you that time," he smirked.

"Dude!" Dean barked incredulous, "I'm freakin' MAJESTIC!"

"Mm, ah… nuh… uh…" Sam opened his mouth then shut it again with a shake of his head, "I'm not touchin' any of that…"

"Let's hope not," Dean ribbed his little brother and shouldered him good naturedly, "Did you know they could kill them?" he asked turning serious as he felt a tug on his jeans. Slowly he glanced down making sure the warrior's loincloth was back down then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Uh uh," Sam shook his head, "But it definitely brings a smile to my day," he crouched down, "Excellent shot, would you be willing… after you get some rest that is, to work with Gader'el and Bobby? Show them if it's possible what we can do to kill them?"

Mustardseed nodded emphatically and again stood straight and true, flexing his muscles to assure the young man of his fitness for duty, but Sam knew better.

"I know you're still strong and let's keep it that way," he instructed firmly, "Rest first, deal?" he stuck out his hand.

The disgruntled sidhe huffed and scowled but shook Sam's hand with both of his before stomping back around and miming his killing of the creature before the fire, perhaps telling his victory to Laura. When he was done he returned to Ajax's side and leaned back against his rib cage, watching the fire slowly die as Sam and Dean meandered around the yard in companionable silence.

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They say that after a certain point, you can't feel anything anymore… thank God they were right, Laura thought, she could still feel her eyes roll around in the sockets of her skull, and though she could sense the gritty friction of the ball moving over the rapidly crisping mucosa, she couldn't help but notice, her sight, what was left of it drawn to the doors on her right, the backside of the seventh gate to the underworld. Only a few eternities ago the back of those gates had been engulfed in flame, ensuring that no one could pass, but an eternity ago the back sides of those gates had been dark.

Whether delirium was to blame, or death as it stood before her, offering her the release she'd sought one lifetime after another for nearly two thousand years; fate conspired to test her every limit.

As she watched, faint lines of coppery light began to appear, an odd mix of pink with just a hint of orange and yellow mixed in, and as the light grew firm and the lines grew cohesive her heart began to stutter in her chest, Oh my God… please no. I can't… but I can't let them… Please… what difference will it make? Really? Please… and from deep within, the last of her water covered her eyes and was licked and dried by the all consuming flames that ate her body. There's no way back now is there? She wondered feeling the heat scorch her lungs.

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"How'd you get a Kitsune indebted to you Dean?" Sam asked.

He watched his big brother's head drop forward, his chin to his chest, the smile on his lips just a little sad, "I told her she didn't owe me anything, she got a bad deal Sam… I helped her find a loophole."

He'd been caught between wanting to push the issue with his big brother, and wanting to leave it alone. There were a lot of things he'd learned about Dean in the last three and a half years, and a lot of those things had flown directly in the face of everything Dean had ever WANTED him to believe.

"So why is she here then?" Sam asked, "It's her honor isn't it?"

Dean nodded, "She deserves to feel… she deserves the chance to let it go."

"So what'd you tell her to do?" Sam asked though he was almost certain he already knew. He'd seen the fox sit in the middle of the aisle between the cars, and he'd heard her yip seconds before Dean had come. His big brother had set her the task of guarding him. 'It's what they do, cousins to the Yokai, a Kitsune is a faithful guardian, lover, friend, or wife…what other duty would Dean have given one who believed she owed him a debt than to look after my welfare.' Yes. He knew. But knowing, left him feeling more than just a little afraid, wondering what this might mean for Dean, wondering what Dean might be thinking could happen. 'Which one of us is he afraid might not come back?' he wondered even in his sleep.

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Sam's head tossed to the side and his brows furrowed while he frowned.

It's alright Sammy, don't you worry. Dean thought while he examined the four plates of bronze double checking Mercy's interpretation just as she'd asked him to.

In the morning the teams would disperse, each to their location moving as quietly as possible to remove as much support as possible from the invading deity. I wonder if I'll be able to find her once we get to the underworld... if I can find her, could be the only way I can save her is to free her from Ereshkegal's grip. His gaze wandered toward the smoldering pile of ashes in the back, I can't… I won't believe she's done. If there's ANY way for her to come back she will, she promised.

Though it was a faint hope he held onto, it managed to hold together the pieces of his heart even as it continued cracking bit by bit.

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tbc.

Please R&R.

Thanks. sifi.