Some of you seem confused. my Beta still thinks it makes sense. maybe it'll all come right in the end ... which is in sight now.
Cookies for the reviewers. you make it so much more fun to be here xx
The snow started to give up its relentless efforts to bury the motel and the blizzard thinned, the wind dropping away. In the silence at the forest edge, the sudden clap of a gunshot was unmistakable.
Running to the large windows of the bar, the few lingering patrons looked out onto the small complex with baited breath. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary and beginning to wonder if the sound had not been what they had first dreaded, they started to relax.
Releasing his grip on the hidden shotgun nestled under the eaves of the wide wooden bar, the young bartender instead stepped towards the phone. His heart in his throat, he reached for the handset and then spun as the door to the bar was flung open.
"What was that?" Jeff urged breathlessly, "Where did that come from?" He scanned the frightened faces of his guests, watching them huddle towards the bar. "Luke?"
The bartender shook his head quickly, glad for the comforting presence of his grey-haired boss. "It sounded like it came from the motel."
"Great." Jeff sighed and glanced back at the long line of rooms across the car park from them. Clenching his fists tightly and seemingly at a loss, he then suddenly paused and closed his eyes.
Luke looked on in concern and edged along the bar towards Jeff. "Boss?"
"It's okay." With a gentle nod, Jeff looked back and smiled calmly. "Did you call 911?"
"I was about to - "
"No!"
"What?" Luke gasped, "Boss, it sounded like - "
"It was nothing." Jeff urged, his smile growing as he addressed his guests. "Have a last one on the house, folks. Sorry for the disruption."
Luke kept his gaze on his retreating boss, his heart racing. He was then aware of the guests gathering across the bar from him and he forced a smile to his lips.
Jeff closed the door to the bar and stepped out into the lamp-lit car park. The bright orange glow of the street lights twinkled on the fresh layer of snow and he glanced out across the soft white covering. Seeing the tracks leading from the road towards the nearest door, his smile returned and he altered course towards the room.
Pausing for a second to listen to the odd sounds from within the room, Jeff then raised his hand and rapped lightly on the door. Movement and voices beyond the wood suddenly ceased and he frowned in interest.
"Who is it?"
"Management." Jeff replied softly, "Is everything okay?"
There was a hushed expletive and the sound of hurried tidying. Then gentle footfalls on carpet and the door was opened a crack.
"We're fine. Thanks."
Jeff nodded slowly. "Good." He smiled thinly, "Sam. Isn't it?"
"Er … yeah."
Holding the young man's nervous gaze and trying to peer past him, Jeff gave a loud sigh. "Look, Sam. I don't want any trouble, okay?"
"Y-yes, sir. Absolutely. We're no trouble." Sam urged quickly, shooting a brief smile of assurance.
Sensing the boy's impatience and barely hidden anxiety, Jeff's smile grew and he reached out a hand to gently press on the door. "What's going on in here?"
"Nothing." Sam shrugged, holding onto the door tightly and reluctant to allow it to open any further.
"Okay, enough games." Jeff sighed, his smile dropping away. With a sudden shove, he opened the door with such force that Sam was flung backwards and stumbled to keep his balance.
Sam's back met the wall behind him hard and he was stunned for a moment. He turned back to Jeff and stared in horror as both recognition and anger crossed the elder man's flushed face.
"You ..." Lena breathed.
Sam span towards her voice and watched her stand slowly from her huddled position on the side of the bed.
"It was a simple task." Jeff began calmly. "Retrieve the child. That was all you had to do."
"I know! And that was exactly what I was doing, sir, I just - "
"Enough!" Throwing his hand into the air, Jeff flicked his wrist and a sudden gust of wind blew into the room. Snow and dirt were whipped up into the air around him and he stepped over the threshold.
Sam glanced down at the scattered remains of the salt barrier and gasped in fright. Tightening his grip on the gun in his hand, he raised his arm and pulled back the hammer with his thumb. His finger pressing on the trigger, he then cried out in shock as the colt was ripped from his hand.
Jeff caught the flying gun deftly and peered at the bronze-brown barrel in interest. "Ah … the legendary Colt." He turned to Sam and gave a small chuckle. "You don't know how much of a pain in the ass this damned thing has been."
Fear and anger pulling at Sam's pale features, he shook his head slowly. "Wh-who are you?"
His smile lingering, Jeff looked away from Sam and his bright eyes scanned the room. "Oh dear …" Moving towards the end of the bed nearest the door, Jeff clicked his tongue in false sympathy. "Looks like your brother got in the way." He glanced back at Sam. "Again."
Sam gasped, "You stay away from - " An unseen force slammed into his chest and pinned him against the wall. Struggling for a moment, Sam then relaxed and glared furiously at the greying man. "I swear …" He husked, "Don't you touch him."
"What? And collect his soul a few months too soon?" Jeff laughed softly, "Please. Your combined suffering while time ticks relentlessly by is just too delightful to end prematurely."
Blinking away tears and unable to do anything but watch, Sam followed Jeff as he moved around the bed.
"What a mess." Jeff sighed, looking up from Dean's crumpled form on the floor and his gaze resting on Lena. "Never send a woman to do a man's job, eh?"
Lena visibly tensed in defiance and glared up at Jeff.
"So." Jeff reached up towards her shoulder and wiped his fingers on the damp edges of the small hole in her jumper. "This is why you failed?" He looked up into her face and frowned slightly. "Or did your emotions get the better of you once again, child?"
"No, sir. I - "
"Silence!"
Sam gasped as Lena flinched away from Jeff and looked down at the floor in sorrow. His heart racing and his mind unable to fathom the scene playing out before him, Sam then noticed Morgan and his skin ran cold. She was looking up at Jeff in open admiration, her hands clasped in eager anticipation.
"And how are you, little one?" Jeff cooed, bowing slightly as he addressed the small child standing behind Lena.
Morgan smiled up at Jeff in delight and nodded quickly.
"Did I not tell you we would come for you, child?"
Another excited nod and Morgan laughed happily. "Are we leaving now?"
"Indeed." Jeff held out his hand and grinned merrily as the small child instantly grabbed his fingers and hurried close to him.
Sam watched Jeff lead Morgan across the room and groaned in dismay. He glanced across at Lena and frowned as he saw her shoulders shaking and her head bowed wearily.
"Mommy?" Morgan had paused at the door and was pulling back against Jeff's grip.
"Mmm." Jeff nodded slowly and let out a heavy sigh. "Mommy just needs to find something a little more suitable to wear."
"It seemed the best choice at the time." Lena defended unhappily.
"Go." Jeff ordered with impatience.
Sam looked on with something of a morbid fascination as Lena's legs buckled and she threw back her head to scream at the ceiling. Her body convulsed as the black cloud-like form flowed from her mouth and tore out of the room before she then collapsed to the floor and lay still.
"And you …?"
Turning to see Jeff staring evenly at him, Sam swallowed back the angry retort that sprung to his lips.
"Follow us or try to track us in any way …" Jeff smiled and nodded towards the crumpled forms on the carpet. "And I'll rethink the notion of shipping your brother downstairs ahead of schedule."
Aware of Jeff staring in expectation of some sort of acknowledgment, Sam gave a firm nod. He then heard the annoyed grumble of his brother starting to come round and he held his breath, willing Dean to just lie still. But Jeff had noticed the movement and stepped back into the room.
"Yeah. Like I can trust the word of a Winchester." Jeff grinned. And lifted the Colt.
"No!" Sam yelled in protest but it was too late and the air cracked with the loud shot.
Smiling in contentment, Jeff lowered the smoking gun. "Just to give us a head start." He offered and strode from the room.
The door slammed shut seemingly of its own accord and the invisible force pinning Sam in place suddenly vanished. His knees buckled and for a moment he thought he would slump to the floor but adrenaline quickly kicked in.
Moving away from the wall in a hurry, Sam flopped down onto his knees beside his brother and grabbed Dean's shoulders to give him a rough shake.
"Come on! Wake up, dammit!" Sam choked. "Dean!"
- tbc -