A/N: And she's on a roll. Okay, chapter 12 is now here for you to enjoy and I apologize in advance for the excess in references and guns. Anna demanded, though, that I remind everyone this is no Mickey Mouse operation she's running. :-)
Disclaimer: I don't own the concept, I'm just the messenger for a character the producers forgot. Oh, and has anyone noticed how the writers are really pushing Dean and Jo? Is it just me or is she even a worse idea for him than Cassie? Maybe it's my own bias toward my Anna, but honestly, Jo? Blech.
Sam rolled over and groaned, his head pounding. It sounded like someone was beating on the inside of his skull trying to get out. His jaw ached like hell and Dean thrashing about had killed any chance for recuperative sleep, making his hangover worse. Seriously, where did she put all that alcohol? The pounding grew louder and it occurred to Sam that it wasn't from the inside but outside; someone was at the door. He rolled over just as Dean sat up and Sam jerked back, afraid of getting smacked again. The door swung open and Anna's small frame was dwarfed by a large masculine shadow.
"Wakey, wakey!"
Anna mumbled something rude and Sam grunted in wholehearted agreement. Slowly his brain registered the smell of fresh coffee and he opened his eyes just enough to notice the stranger was carrying a coffee traveler. Anna yanked the man into the room and slammed the door shut then stumbled over the sheets from her bed to the coffee mugs near the sink.
"Damn, Mac. Who kicked your ass?"
Anna glared at him and crossed the room again, making a beeline for the coffee.
"In my defense, she could fly."
Sam crawled out of bed, listening as the new arrival teased Anna about using a magic feather and as he crossed the room with his own mug he caught her giving the guy a different "magic feather." He poured himself a full cup and ignored the sugar he'd have to cross the room again to get.
"So," the blonde said with a mischievous grin. "Which one's Dean?"
"That one," Anna said nodding at Dean still sitting in the bad, half covered. "This is Sam," she continued hitching a thumb in Sam's direction.
Dean just stared. He was hung over and probably looked like an idiot, but he figured staying quiet was the best option right now. Anna would get around to names soon, he was sure, and his head hurt too much to jump up and demand an answer, even if he did want to punch the Banana Republic refugee.
"Don't worry about Dean," she said with a smile. She held out her mug and pretty boy refilled it. "He's not much better than I am before coffee."
"You're not much better after coffee."
Dean's hand balled into a fist at his side, but Anna laughed and moved around the bed she had slept in to sit by him. she handed him the mug and Dean inhaled the steam rising, closing his eyes in involuntary pleasure at the earthy scent. He took a sip and opened his eyes, his gaze slanting toward the stranger.
"Guys, this is John Genchy. He's gonna give us a hand tracking the she-bitch."
"Were you raised by sailors?"
Anna turned to Sam and tilted her head, thinking.
"No… But I did hang out with a lot of Seals, and they're sailors… So, kinda, yeah."
Dean just glared at the blonde Adonis sitting across the room, and when Genchy grinned and gave a cheeky salute, Dean slammed the coffee mug down on the nightstand.
"Oh, hell no."
Anna and Sam gaped at Dean while Genchy just seemed amused. Dean climbed o his feet and began hunting for his shirt.
"Dean," Anna hissed as she followed him. "He can help us."
Dean turned on her. "You two spend who knows how long-"
"Don't you even finish that thought," she said through a clenched jaw, stepping up to him. "I said I was wrong already. Don't make me regret it."
Sam watched them in dismay and looked over to gauge Genchy's reaction, who just winced and shook his head. Dean looked as though he had just been slapped and Anna was standing stiff and straight. An old fashioned phone ringing broke the silence and Anna moved away from Dean to answer her cell. Dean threw Genchy a dirty look and received an apologetic shrug in response. Dean moved back to the bed and his coffee while Anna spoke on the phone.
"Yeah?" Her voice was tight, as though she was fighting tears, and Dean felt like an ass. "That's great Phin. We'll be there as soon as we're all dressed. What? That would be nice, thank you." Anna closed her phone and grabbed her jeans and a clean bra from her duffel. "Sam, take Genchy next door for the clothes she left, then grab what y'all need. Bowen found something."
She slammed the bathroom door behind her and the three men looked at each other, a little lost. The Japanese techno came blaring through the door and Dean growled and fell back on the bed. He really was an ass.
Linnea screamed in frustration, and angry animal sound that echoed off the bare walls, mocking her in its hollow return. Dawn had come, but not her flesh. The pain of the change had coursed through her, welcome for once, but stopped far too soon. Now she was half-formed, half stone. Her wings had remained, along with the stone skin and clawed hands and feet. She found little consolation that her body was its usual height and shape and her hair had returned. What good were her human features if she was still stone? She didn't need a mirror to know that she was hideous, and the fact that she could see in this darkness told her that her eyes were still the demon's red of her creature form. This was all her fault.
Linnea screeched again, ripping apart a chair in her rage, her creature strength making the wood and fabric like paper. Anna would pay for this. Linnea spat at the name; her decision was made. The girl would die first.
Anna stepped out of the bathroom and tossed her nightclothes on the bed, the shirt landing on Dean's face. He shot upright and his eyes went wide at the sight of Anna in just her jeans and bra. His gaze moved slowly down her body and she fought the urge to cover herself. Behind her the music still played.
Dean noted with interest, and a rakish smile, that when Anna blushed it spread across the delicate skin just below her collarbone. She sniffed in disdain at him and threw her hair back over one shoulder and moved past him to grab a rolled pair of socks and long-sleeved shirt, tossing them on the other bed. She then kneeled down to retrieve another case from under the bed. This one was black and considerably larger than the silver one from the night before. She snapped open the locks and lifted the lid as the door opened behind her. Sam and Genchy came in but Genchy stopped midstride, staring at Anna and Dean was about to stand up when the other man spoke.
"She did that?" He sounded livid and Anna froze.
"The windshield did most of it. Now I know what a bug feels like."
Genchy made a disgusted sound and grabbed Anna's unbandaged arm and spun her to face him.
"Do you try to get hurt or are you just that reckless?"
Anna inhaled sharply and tried to pull free of the wolf's grasp.
"She came at me! And if you'll recall I was going to leave when the bear attacked."
"After I had already gotten you safely away. You came back."
"I was paid to do a job, pal." Anna tried to jerk away again. "Get used to it. I don't run away."
Genchy snorted in disdain and released her, moving to sit in a chair.
"I'm ready when you are, Quartermain." He waved a dismissive hand at her. Anna raised a brow and turned back to her case. Across the room, Sam sat beside Dean, both of them stunned.
Anna focused on the case in front of her and let the music enter her mind, shutting out the men. U2's single off the Batman soundtrack began and she closed her eyes for a second, letting the melody clear her head. After a moment she opened her eyes and reached forward for her breast dagger and Kevlar vest bodice. She pulled on the ultra thin vest and zipped up the side then slid the small dagger into the built in sheath. She then pulled out another knife in a wrist sheath and strapped it to her left forearm, grateful the bandages were on the other arm. She turned and sat on the bed and pulled on her socks then reached into the case and pulled out two ankle sheaths, another knife and then a small gun.
The men watched with something like fascinated horror as she calmly armed herself, head bobbing in time to the music. She stood and pulled on her shirt, the knitting and long sleeves hiding any trace of the vest or knives. She sat again and pulled on her boots to cover the ankle weapons, pulling her jeans down to cover the legs of the boots. Next came her 9mm Berettas and their monster holsters that she strapped to her small frame so each one rested alongside her ribcage. She checked the magazine in each one and made sure the safety was on before sliding the guns into their holsters and snapping them in place. Finally she grabbed her trusty Tomcat, a subcompact Beretta, and attached it to the waist of her jeans.
"Your name isn't Charlene Baltimore is it?" Genchy sounded dazed and Anna grinned at him as she began assembling her new Intervention sniper rifle.
"Can't remember."
"Damn, Annie. Did we declare war?" Dean stood and reached out to take the rifle from her, gazing longingly at the gun as he turned it to and fro to examine all the angles. He stroked the barrel gently with his fingertips and pursed his lips in admiration.
"She fired the first shot," said Anna.
"Is this thing even legal?" Dean asked and Anna laughed, shoving a box of cartridges at him.
"Do you even care?" She ducked to the floor and grabbed the silver case then moved away and grabbed her jacket. "Come on, I'm ready."
Genchy grinned.
"You scare me."
Sam looked over at Dean as they pulled up in front of Bowen's house. Dean was in a foul mood after Anna had accepted a ride from Genchy, but Sam had to admit that if Genchy had tossed him the keys to the Lamborghini he'd have jumped in the car too. Sam sighed and looked out the window. He wasn't sure how to help Dean, or if he should even try, but Sam was pretty sure this whole situation was new to his brother… and he got the feeling that Anna was in new territory as well. The both of them were trying so hard to take things slow that they had missed moving forward.
"Do you think they all look like that?"
Sam turned to Dean, confused. "What? Who?"
"Them, wolves," Dean said, nodding toward the sports car. "Do you think they all look… like that?"
"Like what? Underwear models?"
The brothers chuckled and then fell silent as Anna and Genchy both climbed out of the car. She leaned against the door and Genchy moved around the car to her side, towering over her. He bent forward and put a hand on her shoulder, talking to her and she laughed then nodded at something else the guy said. Genchy threw they brothers a look and then moved away to the side of the house.
"Maybe," Sam said at last. "But you can hold your own."
"Sam," said Dean, his voice soft. Sam turned to see his brother staring at him with wide eyes. "I never knew you cared so much."
Sam clenched his jaw and turned away, stifling the urge to smack Dean as he cackled in glee at his joke. A wicked idea crossed Sam's mind and he grinned.
"Of course, if she likes tall guys you're screwed. But I have a shot."
Dean's jaw dropped and Sam turned back to him, grin in place.
"You suck," Dean said.
"Only on the weekends," Sam returned and opened the door to meet Anna. Dean just stared for a moment, unable to believe his ears then grinned and climbed out to follow Sam and Annie up the sidewalk.