Chapter 9

Nemesis closed the door to Dean's cell and walked into the living room. He looked at the couch and grinned.

"What brings you here," he asked his visitor.

"I just wanted to know how things are going with our prisoner in there," the man replied.

Nemesis sighed. "He's very strong. Stronger than I'd first thought, especially with all he's been through lately. I would have figured he would have snapped by now, but he's fooled me." He walked over to the bar and poured him a shot of brandy. He gestured toward his visitor but he resigned to take a drink. Nemesis sipped confidently.

"Don't worry, phase II is coming tomorrow."

"Can I see him," the visitor asked.

Nemesis shook his head. "No. I'm leaving him on the wheel all night. I've instructed one of my men to give him some more of the drug every two hours. He'll be very pliable in our hands tomorrow morning and we'll start the next part of the brainwashing." Nemesis took another drink of the warm liquid and eyed his visitor. "Now, how's it going with the younger one," he asked meaning Sam.

Langston got up from the couch and turned to face his mentor and boss. "He's my plaything. He's scared but he's also stronger than I thought. I made him go to the doctors shed so we could have a little talk. He did exactly what I said after I took the hammer away from him that is. Don't worry. He never saw my face." Langston grinned. "I told him you would call him at 6 pm. I'm going to call him at 5."

"Good," said Nemesis. "You've done well. Are you watching him?"

"Every move he makes sir. He can't even go to the bathroom without me knowing about it. None of them can. The doctor's house is bugged and there are camera's everywhere." Nemesis laughed. It was evil; shrill even, the laugh of a hyena. It sent a chill up the cop's spine.

"I'm very proud of you Langston. Make sure he remains under your watchful gaze. Keep pulling his strings."

"Oh don't worry," replied Langston. "That won't be a problem."

Back at Jack's house, Sam was sitting on the couch. Every now and then he would get up to pace, only to sit back down again and stare at his phone. It was 5 minutes until 5 pm. It seemed liked forever for the clock to strike six.

Jack and Bryan were in the kitchen with Brad. Tony was sitting in the living room with Sam. "You okay?" asked Tony. Sam nodded. There was a knock at the door. Sam jumped at the sound. Bryan, Jack and Brad all came into the living room as Tony answered the door. There was no one there, but Dean's car had been brought back and parked in Jack's driveway.

"What the hell?" said Bryan and quickly looked around to see if he could see anyone. Sam took off out the door.

"Sam, wait!" yelled Tony and him and Bryan ran out with him. Jack and Brad looked around the house. Sam reached the car and opened the door. He froze. There was blood everywhere.

"NO!" yelled Sam. He looked down and saw a box on the driver's seat, a small box with a ribbon around it. He slowly and with hands shaking, picked it up. He looked up at Tony and Bryan, and then opened it. He gasped. "Oh God!" yelled Sam shocked. Inside the box was a finger, a single finger. It had blood on it also and it had a silver band on it, just like the one Dean wears," thought Sam. He began to shake uncontrollably.

"Sam," said Tony softly. He rushed over to where he was. Sam had broken out in a cold sweat. "Easy," said Tony. "Easy Sam." Tony grasped Sam's shoulders and turned him to face him.

"He's messing with you head Sam. It's not real," said Tony. Sam staggered backwards. All he could do was stare at the finger. He wasn't listening.

If he was being watched, which he knew that he was, the kidnappers would take pleasure in watching him squirm. They had staged this. They had sent him a finger and Sam thought it was Dean's.

They did this to further box him in. He knew they were watching him. He could feel their eyes all around him. He had to do what they say or to punish him, they would hurt Dean. He sank to his knees once again. Tony was trying to reach him. He was calling to him but Sam couldn't hear him.

His phone rang again. He took it out and with dread, answered it.

"Hello Sam," said the voice on the other end of the line. It sounded like the same one he'd heard in the shed. It still sounded so familiar, thought Sam. He started to rise to his feet.

"No, no. Stay there. I'm watching you. I told you I like you on your knees."

"There's blood…all over…Dean's car," informed Sam.

"Oh yes, about the blood. I slapped him down when he tried to fight back. I put a tourniquet on his arm until I got a vein then I stuck a needle in it and drew a pint of blood."

Sam leaned his forehead against the car door and tried to concentrate.

"Sam," said Tony nervously. He looked at Bryan. "Get Jack. Hurry!" Bryan nodded and took off.

"We threw it all over his car. We dripped some on the floorboard and on the dash." The man said.

"Why?" asked Sam.

"Just to make sure we still have your attention," said the man. "If you decide to go to the cops, they won't believe the kidnapping story. We've taken pictures of the car. If you don't do what we say, they'll see the pictures and think you killed your brother."

"I didn't tell them anything," insisted Sam.

"We know. See that you don't. One of your guns is missing from the trunk. We wrapped it with one of your t-shirts and a pair of your jeans. The clothes are stained with Dean's blood. We've hidden that package Sam. You couldn't find it, but police dogs could."

"I understand," said Sam.

"I knew you would," the man said, "You're very smart. We'll call you again at 6 pm."

"That's an hour away! Look just tell me what you want. I'll give it to you. I promise," cried Sam. "Tell me where my brother is. Please!"

"Six pm Sam, now I want you to listen to something," said the voice. Sam braced thinking that they were going to make Dean scream again, but they didn't. They turned on a tape recorder and Sam heard the conversation that he had, had with Langston when he was questioning him.

"Langston's a part of this," asked Sam and looked at Bryan and Tony.

"Maybe he is. Just make sure that Tony and Bryan don't get any big ideas. They both look a little pissed to me. If they go to Langston and say anything Sam, Dean will die.

Sam wanted to kill him. Never before had he felt an urge to do serious damage to another human being, if indeed this was a human.

Human or not he wanted to destroy him. He was holding the phone so tight that his knuckles ached. He couldn't relax his grip.

"Remember Sam. You're an instrument to me, a puppet. I'm the puppet master and I'm pulling your strings. Understand?"

"Yes," said Sam swallowing hard.

"Good. My boss will call you back at 6 pm.

"Wait!" yelled Sam but the phone went dead,