Chapter 37

A couple of miles down the road, Dean stopped. He sat in the car not moving, nor talking. He was silent. Sam waited in silence beside him. "What was he thinking?" he thought. "What was he going to do?"

Sam continued to be silent along with Bryan. Dean was acting like he was trying to contemplate what he was going to do next. Slowly the silence became like a pressure that Sam could feel on his skin, on his eardrums, on his unblinking eyes as if the impala were descending into a watery hole, an ever-increasing weight of ocean bearing down on it.

All three were sitting in the dark surveying the night. It looked as if Dean was waiting to see lights, making sure that no cars were following him. All was quiet on the road behind them. The woods around them were breathless.

A minute passed, then another. After a long stillness from all three, Dean shifted positions and looked at Bryan in the back seat. For a few minutes he didn't say a word. The two men just stared at each other. After awhile, however, Dean broke the silence.

"If you try anything, Bryan I'll kill you," he said. Bryan nodded, getting the message loud and clear. He knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that right now, Dean meant what he said.

"I won't try anything," he answered. Dean turned back around and leaned back, the upholstery made a sound like leather or vinyl does when stressed and the seat springs quietly complained. Dean looked at Sam and said, "Don't worry little brother. I won't let anybody hurt you ever again."

"They didn't hurt me Dean." Sam replied. "It wasn't them." He tried but Dean wouldn't listen. Nemesis had him convinced that Tony, Bryan and the others were their enemies and Sam didn't know how to reach him.

Dean got out of the car and leveled the gun at Bryan. "Get out," he said.

"Why?" asked Bryan nervously, eyeing the gun and making no move to comply with the order. Dean opened the door and pulled him out and around to the back. He opened the trunk.

"Inside," he said. Bryan shook his head.

"Dean."

"Get in the damn trunk!" Dean yelled and shoved Bryan inside. Sam was about to open the door but he couldn't go anywhere because he was cuffed. "Stay there Sam," Dean said anyway.

"Why?" asked Bryan, before Dean closed the lid. "I told you I wouldn't try anything. I won't try to get away. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you put Sam in one," replied Dean.

"I didn't," said Bryan but Dean slammed the trunk lid down. He got back in the drivers seat. Lying in the trunk, Bryan thought about how he was going to reach him. Things didn't seem to promising right now, he thought. He currently half lay on his left side, facing the night through the cracks in the trunk lid. A bead of sweat slipped along the side of his nose to the corner of his mouth. The night was mild, not hot, but in the trunk it was stifling. An urge to act pulled Bryan's nerves as taunt as bowstrings.

He had to get to Dean without hurting him or Sam or without being hurt himself. Dean was dead serious. He was protecting his brother which was good, but he was also being possessive, which was bad. Dean didn't like Sam siding with the others over him at all. He could easily hurt Sam in the name of trying to help him. He was paranoid and Sam was close to the edge himself for his brother to attack him again like he did a few months back. He had to at least stop that from happening again if nothing else.

Bryan took several deep breaths. The trunk was hot, like an oven. His hands were still cuffed behind him and they began to ache. His teeth were clenched. He heard himself inhale, exhale. He opened his mouth to try to breathe more quietly so he could listen out for what might be happening in the car.

Dean started the car and headed on down the road. Sam had no idea where they were going. Nothing looked familiar. He hoped that Tony, Jack and Brad got to them soon. Dean had insisted that he was trying to protect him but in reality, he was scaring him.

He tried again. "Dean. They didn't do anything to me."

"It's okay Sammy," replied Dean. "You just don't remember."

"There's nothing to remember Dean. They would not hurt us. They've saved our lives more that once. You're being manipulated. You're being controlled. Please!" Dean glared at his little brother but Sam continued.

"At least let Bryan out of the trunk. I bet he's about to burn up."

"I'll let him out when we get to where we're going," answered Dean trying his best to keep his temper in check. After all Sam just didn't remember. He had saw it happen, or did he?" he thought.

"Where are we going?" asked Sam.

"Never mind," replied Dean. "You'll know when we get there."

"Dean?"

"Shut up Sam." He closed his mouth and they rode in silence.

At the clinic, Jack tried to concentrate but wasn't able to open the door. All three turned toward the door, however, when they heard a truck approaching. They grinned when John Winchester came inside the clinic.

"John," said Jack. He rushed over.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Dean," said Jack simply as John got busy picking the lock.

"Yeah, where is he? I got a message from Sam that Dean's been kidnapped. I got here as fast as I could. "Where are my boys?"

"You're not going to like it," said Tony. John finally got the door opened and all three came out.

"Where are they?" asked John again.

"Dean was kidnapped. About 30 hours ago. So were Sam, Tony and Bryan. They let Sam go. Tony and Bryan got away and rescued Dean," said Jack.

"Well then where are they?" asked John for the third time beginning to loose his patience. All three looked at each other and Jack and Brad both looked at Tony who shook his head. "Figures I'd be the one to tell him," he said.

John grabbed Tony by the shirt. "Tell me what! Where the hell are my boys Tony? Do not make me beat the crap out of you." Tony took a deep breath. He knew John's temper first hand and it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Where are they!" yelled John beginning to get worried.

"Dean's been brainwashed," said Tony. "He thinks we're trying to hurt Sam, so he kidnapped him and Bryan, locked us in the cell and left in the impala." Tony braced. He knew what was coming. He wasn't wrong. He winced as John slammed him up against the bars of the cell. Brad went to lend a hand but Jack grabbed his arm to stop him.

"John," said Tony nervously.

"He did what?" said John threw clenched teeth not really sure if he could believe it or not. Tony sighed and decided to slow down some before John pounded him.

"Dean kidnapped Sam because he thinks we're trying to hurt him. He kidnapped Bryan for insurance so we wouldn't go after them."

"Oh we're going after them," said John and let Tony go and then started for the door.

"Wait a minute," said Jack. "Did you hear Tony? Dean's been brainwashed John. We have to be careful."

"Who brainwashed him?" asked John, his anger rising toward the surface.

"John," said Brad.

"WHO!" yelled John? He clenched and unclenched his fist at his side.

"Somebody named Nemesis," said Brad. John looked at him like he was crazy.

"Nemesis?" he asked.

"Yeah," answered Brad. "Have you heard of him?"

"The manipulator? Yeah I've heard of him. He's and immortal and very dangerous. More dangerous than Lothos and Alanya put together. I didn't think he was real."

"He's real. He's the one that kidnapped Dean and brainwashed him. Dean is not going to let us help. He thinks we're his enemies."

"Are you?" asked John. All three looked at John like he'd lost his mind.

"Come on John. You know better than that," said Tony.

"I do. I'm sorry," said John. Tony nodded.

"He's not possessed John," said Jack. "He's brainwashed. He can be deprogrammed but it's not going to be easy. He hates us right now. He thinks we've hurt his brother because that's what Nemesis made him believe. He is essentially holding both Sam and Bryan hostage. We've got to be careful. Sam is trying to reach him and Dean doesn't like the fact that Sam is going against him. He could be dangerous. I don't want anybody hurt. Sam is close to the edge again. We need to get to him before he hurts Sam or Bryan."

"Wait a minute," said John. "What do you mean Sam's close to the edge again? What happened to him?" This time both Tony and Brad looked at Jack to explain to John just what the manipulator has been doing to his youngest. Jack winced. Him getting angry at Tony is not going to be anything like when he gets angry at Jack. He took a deep breath and hoped John lets him live.