A/N: Thank you for the followings, favors and reviews. I wasn't sure how the story would be received since I've not written one like it before. I hope you enjoy this chapter and keeps your interest in the story. So am I making the chapters too long or do you like it this way? I hope you like the new characters I have created in this 'verse and feel they fit right in there with Dean. I do like to know your thoughts and hope you will leave me a review. NC

Chapter 2

The streets of Lawrence hadn't changed much in all the time Dean had been gone. There were some new businesses and a couple of small strip malls open now in what used to be vacant lots. It was lunchtime and the traffic was heavier than normal. Dean drove around the small town and by the house that he used to live in. He noticed that the poorer sections of the town were more rundown and he spotted the dealers cruising the streets.

He wasn't sure if they were from the gang he was looking for or not but he would find out soon.

Heading back toward the side of town where the bars were, Dean drove slowly checking out what was open before finding a place that looked safe to park. He got out being sure his hand gun wasn't showing and the other weapons were positioned for easy access. He grabbed a ball cap off the seat and settled it on his head as he glanced around for security cameras not wanting to be caught on any of them.

He made his way down the street checking everything out so he could get a lay of the land when he came back later tonight. He had made it halfway down the block when a car pulling into a parking lot caught his eye. The '67 black Impala glistened in the sunlight from what looked like a recent wash, but not a full detail job had been done. He headed for the car wondering how many of them could be in the area. His father's pride and joy had been a car just like that. He had bought it off a used car lot when he got back from his stint with the Marines and right before he proposed marriage to Mary, Dean's mother. The creep that got out of the car glared at Dean as he approached the car.

A tingle went up Dean's back the closer he got to the car. He looked into the front interior and a beat up old shoe box sitting in the passenger side wheel well caught his eye. His whole body suddenly stiffened as he clenched his jaw tightly and turned a menacing stare toward the guy.

"What the f-k you looking at?" the creep spat at him daring him to say anything.

Dean didn't pay any attention to the guy as he reached and jerked open the back passenger door to look inside. There was trash and fast food wrappers littering the floorboard and backseat. He looked at the ashtray and saw the green toy army man still stuck in it from where Sam had crammed it all those years ago.

"Hey! Asshole what the hell, leave my car alone!" the man yelled confronting Dean and pushing him away from the car.

"Where'd you get this car?" Dean asked him in a dangerous, hard voice.

"I don't have to tell you shit, now beat it or I'll..." he started moving his jacket to show a hand gun stuffed in the waistband of his jeans.

The man didn't get a chance to finish his sentence because Dean had one hand fisting the front of his shirt and the other gripping his throat in a vise like grip as he bore him backward until he slammed into the brick wall of the building stunning him. He jerked the gun from the guy's jeans, ejected the clip and bullet in the chamber before tossing the gun toward a dumpster and the clip in the opposite direction. Before the guy could run, Dean had him pinned back to the wall getting right in his face when he asked again.

"Where. Did. You. Get. The. Car." Dean asked again, hardness and power exaggerating each word as he squeezed his hand tightly around the guy's throat for a moment before allowing him to breath.

"Are you crazy?" the man wheezed trying to get his breathe as he stared wide eyed at Dean while trying to bat his hand from his throat.

"Where!" he growled jerking his body forward and slamming it back against the wall hard, bouncing his head off it.

"I...I...Bought it...This guy...Few weeks ago," he stammered trying to hold himself up by clinging to Dean's arms now. His legs were rubbery and he was seeing double as he blinked rapidly.

"What's the name?"

"Don't know, Benson I think. Yeah, that's it George Benson, works at moving company across town."

"Hey this guy bothering you?" a new deep, male voice asked from nearby.

"Yeah he agh!..." he tried to say as Dean cut him off with the tightening of his fingers.

"Move on, this isn't your concern," Dean told the other guy turning slightly to see him and then another joined him. They were standing at the entrance to a bar about twenty feet away.

"He's a buddy, so I'm making it my damn business f-er," he threatened stepping toward Dean.

Dean sized up the two guys and the one he was holding against the wall determining he could take them out without breaking a sweat. A third guy joined the other two and they started toward him when a shrill whistle from behind him broke the silence around them. A smug smile twitched on Dean's lips because he knew who the whistle came from.

"Hi ya One, trying to have some fun without us?" Shadow asked as he stepped up behind Dean joined by Nitro. The team never used names, even their code names when on a mission or in public. They called Dean One and he called them Two, Three and Four; Nitro, Trace and Shadow, respectfully. They were extremely careful to hide their identity whenever possible because they all liked staying under the radar and being anonymous.

"I told you he wouldn't wait," Nitro complained looking at the three tattooed, grungy, biker looking guys mumbling between themselves trying to decide what they were going to do.

"Two, Four, nice to see you," Dean commented before turning back to the guy in his grasp. "I know the owner of this car and he would not sell it for any amount of money. So you better think real hard on the answer to my next question. Understand?"

The guy managed to nod yes as terror of what Dean might do had him shaking uncontrollably. His feet were barely touching the ground as he worked on drawing air into his lungs.

"Do you know anything about what happened to the owner of this car?"

"No..." he whispered his voice raw and raspy. "I swear...Thought it was cool ride..."

"Keys and your cell."

The man fumbled in his pants pocket and pulled out the keys and his cell holding them out to him. Dean took the keys seeing a familiar charm on the ring knowing for sure this was his Dad's car. He pocketed the cell deciding to give it to Trace to extract any information he could off it.

"I'm not taking this car; you're giving it to me correct?"

"Yes..." he nodded vigorously deciding it was better to give up the car than anger this dangerous man any more than he was.

"Name of moving company this Benson works for."

"Mover's, Inc."

"Get out of here," he told the guy shoving him away toward the other three guys. Dean was going to question the gang boss to see if this Benson worked for him to figure out how he got the car in the first place. If he didn't, then Dean needed to pay a visit to this Benson fellow and see what he knows.

"Do something!" he complained to the men who were still milling around outside the bar.

"I really wouldn't advise that," Nitro cautioned them shaking her head and giving them a sly smile. She twirled a nasty looking knife between her fingers as she started to hum while still looking at the men.

"Awe come on, I promise not to break too many bones," Shadow whined taking a step toward the others who quickly backed away when they saw the crazy, enjoyment on his face.

"Let's get out of here," one guy told the others.

"Sorry Vince, you're on your own," another said before stepping back to the entrance of the bar to go inside.

Vince took one more look at Dean and his friends and turned scurrying away with one final look over his shoulder.

spn

Dean turned back to the car and ran a hand lovingly over the top of her before closing the back door. He went around to the trunk and opened it checking out what was inside. He found a bag with clothes in it that could be his Dad's and more trash.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked closing the trunk and turning to his ex-team mates. He gave Shadow a handshake and brief shoulder bump, but didn't offer the same to Nitro since she didn't like being touched by anyone. No one knew her story, but they respected her and didn't let it change how they treated her. She was a valuable member of the team and pulled her own weight and more.

"I talked to Trace and we decided you were going to need help and there wasn't any use waiting around for you to contact us," Nitro shrugged like there wasn't any other choice in the matter. "We were the closest to help out."

"Trace is on his way, should be here mid afternoon," Shadow added. "He's further away."

"I got a couple of rooms at a motel not far away. Figured we'd need a command post."

"Did you drive over here?" Dean asked them.

"Yes."

"Can one of you drive that Chevy over there to the motel and I'll drive this one?" he asked holding out the other keys.

"No problem. I got this," Shadow offered taking the offered keys.

"What's the name of the motel? I wanna take her to a car wash and clean her up."

"Comfort Suites over on Bowling Street," Nitro replied. "Rooms 15 and 16."

"Got it, you guys go on and I'll be there shortly."

spn

Dean pulled into a car wash only a couple of miles from the motel and stopped at the vacuum machine. He got out and fished around in his pockets for some change and laid the coins on a flat surface before opening the back door of the car. He wrinkled his nose in disgust as he began to clean the trash out tossing it into the trash can thinking his Dad would have a heart attack if he saw her like this.

Once that was done, he dropped a couple of quarters into the slot and pulled the hose down to begin vacuuming the interior out. He went over it three times; trying to be sure he got everything. Dean walked over to a vending machine and got wipes for the windshield and interior. Once he was satisfied she was as clean as he could get it, he went around to the trunk to clean it out. He sat the small duffle into the backseat and removed the other junk, throwing it away. Nothing looked important enough to keep so he got rid of it all. After he vacuumed the trunk, Dean got back in the Impala and headed for the motel to meet up with the others; they had some planning to do.

spn

Shadow and Nitro turned toward the door when a sharp double knock alerted them of a visitor. Both picked up weapons as Nitro made her way to the door and unlocked it before stepping back and calling out.

"Enter," she commanded pointing her gun at the door as Shadow covered her.

The door opened slowly as Dean held his hands up and waited for Nitro to lower her gun before stepping into the room.

"Stand down guys," he said closing the door behind him.

"Take a seat and have a cold one Gunny," Shadow invited waving his hand to the table that had beer bottles sitting on it. Two were opened and the other four were still in the cardboard carton.

"Thanks," he said sitting his pack down and moving to the table to sit in the empty chair. Dean pulled a beer from the carton twisting off the cap to take a sip. He didn't speak to the other two as his mind whirled with the past events. A worried expression was pasted on his face as he thought about his father and wondered what had happened to him. Finding his car like he did wasn't a good sign. His mood was quickly picked up by the other two who looked at each other before Nitro spoke.

"Gunny, you ok?" she asked gently. If he would talk to anyone it would be her. Trace and Shadow learned early on that Nitro seemed to have a soothing influence over Dean. There had never been any romantic interest between them over the years of working together, but they were still close. When he didn't answer her, she pushed on, "Whose car was that?"

"My Dad's," Dean finally replied staring hard at his beer bottle while he peeled the label from the bottle. "It was his pride and joy. He bought it just before marrying my Mom. My brother and me thought of it as a second home. We spend many an hour playing in her when we were small. She was part of the family; we called her Baby. There's no way he gave that car up without a fight..." he trailed off not wanting to say what he was thinking.

"You're thinking the worse aren't you?" Shadow questioned casting a sideways glance at Dean while waiting for him to respond.

"Bobby said the last he heard from my Dad was around two weeks ago. Pretty much fits what that douche bag said. Did you pack some persuasion serum Little Wolf?"

"Never leave home without it," she chuckled giving him a supportive smile. Nitro squeezed his hand

for a second before pulling away to sip her beer. She didn't like being touched, but there were times she would instigate the action.

"Good, when Trace gets here we'll see what he has and get a plan in place for tonight."

"I'll see where he's at," Nitro said pulling her cell out and quickly typing on it and hitting send. "Really need to get a cell Gunny."

"Nope. Never had one no reason to start now."

Nitro picked her cell back up when it chirped and looked at the text.

"Trace is ahead of schedule, says he'll be here in less than two hours. I sent him the address and room number."

"Here's what he found so far," Dean said laying the papers on the table for them to read. He got up and headed for the bathroom without looking back. He knew they would comb through the data and be able to tell him what he might have missed. It was good to have more than one set of eyes going over the details to eliminate any errors or dangers. Dean relieved himself and washed his hand, then splashed cold water on his face before looking at his reflection in the mirror. A haggard face that had seen more than its share of killings stared back at him. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly before taking a towel to dry his face and head back into the other room.

"Gonna see if I can catch a quick nap," he said before stepping into the other room through the adjoining door. He didn't wait for them to answer, not really needing one. There were two queen size beds in each room for them to use. He sat down on the side of the bed and unlaced his boots to kick them off and pulled his hand gun from the small of his back, letting it rest on the bed beside him before stretching his long frame out and staring absently up at the ceiling.

He closed his eyes and tried not to picture his Dad and little brother laying dead in a ditch somewhere or shallow grave never to be found. He fought to push that image out of his mind and forced himself to think more positive. There was still a chance even if it was a slim one. Dean had never been a religious man and wasn't sure if he even believed in a higher power, but right now he said a silent prayer to anyone that might be listening to please keep his family safe until he could find them. He threw his arm over his eyes to block out the light and let his body relax and rest.

spn

It was nearly two hours later that Dean sat up in his bed wide awake knowing the last member was near and would be showing up shortly. None of the team could ever figure out how he had a sixth sense and seemed to know their whereabouts before they showed up. Dean rubbed his face and shook his body, shaking off the weariness from it. He got up sock footed and wandered back into the other room to find Nitro and Shadow lounging on the beds watching the television.

"Trace is almost here," he informed them snagging a water from the table to sip on and wet his dry mouth.

"You know that still gives me the creeps how you do that," Shadow commented.

"You should be used to it by now," Nitro said rolling her eyes at Shadow before sitting up in her bed. "Gunny has always known things before they happened."

Before he could respond a rapping sounded at the door and a voice called out.

"Hey open up so this party can get started," the absent member of the team fussed.

Dean stepped to the door and unlocked it allowing Trace to stroll in and join them.

"Alright! The gangs all here!" he exclaimed grabbing Dean's outstretched hand to shake it and heading for the bed to punch fists with Shadow and to bow to Nitro in a gentlemanly fashion.

"Good to see you bro," Shadow greeted him. "There's a cold one in the fridge if you need to quench your thirst."

"Now you're talking," he nodded heading for the mini fridge.

"Did you find out any more about this gang and if there's an undercover agent with them?" Dean questioned getting down to business.

"As a matter of fact I did," he said producing some folded pages from his computer bag. "One Kyle Richardson, DEA, has been undercover with them for nearly a year. I've got a picture here so we don't accidentally shoot him."

"Yeah that wouldn't be advisable," Nitro agreed picking up the color print and studying it before passing it alone to Shadow. They both memorized the man's face before handing it on to Dean. He took it and looked at the man's face committing it to memory too before laying it on the table with the other pages.

"Alright let's work out the details of this job and then we'll go have dinner," Dean told them gathering all the papers together and hunting the layout of the building the gang used as their main base. "I figure hitting them at two am will catch them off guard."

"We'll even have time for a quick nap," Trace commented yawning widely and stretching his tired body.

The three team members pulled up chairs and gathered around the table to listen to Dean's plans and to give their advice or point out something that was missed. None felt superior over another team member and they treated each other as equals. Each knew their own strengths and weaknesses and used them for the betterment of the team. Maybe that's why they meshed together so well and could anticipate the others actions without verbal commands when out in the field. They weren't nicknamed Smoke as a joke.

spn

The Smoke team sat around a table toward the back of the diner where they could see the rest of the room. None of them ever let their guard down even thought they were not in the military anymore. The intense training that they had gotten could not be forgotten overnight, if ever.

"Does it feel like we kind of stand out in here?" Shadow mumbled letting his eyes survey the other customers in the room. Most were much older than any of them and there were couples with only a few sitting by themselves.

"They're here for the early bird specials," Dean shrugged as he sipped his tea. "The elderly take advantage of it."

"As they should; if you ask me, the elderly are overlooked or discarded in this country."

"I agree, we don't take care of our own," Trace added.

"If everyone's done we should head back and relax or grab some sleep until it's time to leave," Dean announced signaling for the waitress to get the check.

"What's the split?" Shadow asked reaching for money.

"I got this, it's the least I can do," Dean said refusing his money as he picked up the check. "None of you were obligated to come help me with this so I owe you." He pulled some money out and dropped it on the table with the check.

"I've got the tip then," he insisted.

"Yeah Gunny, let us pitch in," Nitro told him looking at the total and plucking a ten from the money Dean put down and giving it back to him. "Ok three dollars each should do it," she said to the others as she laid down some money waiting for Trace and Shadow to do the same.

"If you insist," he huffed knowing it was better to give in to Nitro than to argue with her. When he first met her, he thought she could be the poster girl for an Amazon warrior. She was taller than most women with raven black hair that hung well past her shoulders and rich, brown eyes speckled with gold that almost glowed when the light hit them just right. She was a looker to most men but never encouraged their advances. No one took advantage of her due to her training and the three Marines who had her back. She had told him about her Native American heritage and her summers spent with her grandparents who were full blooded Apache and Shoshoni. She learned of the old ways and customs and their languages since she was so intrigued by her lineage.

"I gotta say that was mighty tasty Gunny," Trace sighed patting his stomach as they got up.

"Yeah, the place hasn't changed much over the years. I use to come here with my family," Dean replied leading the group toward the front door. "About the only thing changed is the wait staff has got younger."

"I can see that," Shadow mumbled checking out a cute blonde walking toward the kitchen.

"Put your eyes back in your head lover boy," Nitro teased him.

"Hey! There's no crime in looking."

"As long as that's all you do. I saw that little scrap of paper passed to you by our waitress," Trace said adding fuel to the fire.

"Didn't we all," Nitro laughed as she punched Shadow in the arm.

"Ow! Don't bruise the merchandise, he complained. "Gunny..."

"You're on your own, not getting in the middle of that. You know she always wins," Dean chuckled, glad to see the lightheartedness of his ex-team when they didn't know what lay ahead of them.

"He's right, now c'mon and let's get rid of our rentals since Dean has two cars now," she told the guys walking away from them.

spn

"Alright, you guys can take this room and Gunny and I will use the other," Nitro instructed them as they stepped into one of the rooms.

"Everyone get some rest. We'll pack up and head out at 12:30 so we can scout the area. Bring everything we won't be coming back here."

"Will do Gunny. Dibs on bathroom first," Shadow said as he scooted quickly into it before Trace could move.

"Hey!" Trace complained with being out maneuvered by Shadow. "I drove the longest, I should have first dibs."

"Play nicely boys," Dean grunted shaking his head at the two before going through the adjourning door to the other room. Sometimes he felt like their father even thought they were all within a few years age of each other.

Nitro was standing in the bathroom doorway with a toothbrush hanging from her mouth and a silly smirk on her face. It was good to have the team back together again. She giggled again and turned back to finish her routine so Dean could have his turn.

"You know they haven't changed since the last time we were together," she commented when she came out of the bathroom.

"Neither have you Little Wolf."

"Awe...You noticed," she cooed settling on a bed and pulling out the pillows so she could use them. She pulled the comforter over her body and relaxed, closing her eyes to slits so she could watch Dean. She knew he was hurting and worried and it weighted heavily on him that his family had disappeared. No matter how much he tried to hide his feelings, she seemed to be sensitive to them. Dean had always told her she had the shine and she never denied it, but didn't elaborate about it either. Nitro heard him come back into the room and tracked his progress to the other bed and watched him drop onto it. She didn't say anything as he rolled to his side away from her and stilled. When he didn't move again, she let her eyes close and let the calmness spread through her.

spn

At 12:10 Dean opened his eyes and was wide awake. He lay there for a moment before sitting up looking to the other bed seeing Nitro was sitting up looking his way. He got up and heard movement from the other room as the others woke up and started getting ready.

"You good?" Dean asked Nitro as they both got up and went to their bags for the clothes they would need for tonight. Neither was modest as they began to strip in front of each other and redress in all black. Once they were finished in the bathroom and had their bags packed, they joined Trace and Shadow in the other room. Both men were dressed identical to them and looked their way as they walked in.

"We're good to go," Shadow said checking his hand gun and stowing it in his bag.

"Here's the keys for the Chevy, she may not be pretty but she can move," Dean told him handing over the keys. "We'll find a place to hide the cars and go in on foot. Do we have the equipment we need?"

"And then some."

"Let's rock and roll bitches," Trace stated zipping his bag and tossing it over his shoulder.

"You heard him," Dean said picking his bags up and heading out the door. He went to the Impala and opened the trunk to stow the bags and waited for Nitro to put hers in before closing it. They had already stowed the equipment from the rentals in both cars so they could head out as soon as they were done here.

Dean cranked the Impala and stopped for a moment listening to her rumble as a wave of memory swept over him. He cleared his throat squashing down those memories and put the car in gear to head out. Glancing in the mirror, he made sure the other car was following them and headed across town to the address that was supposed to be the main headquarters for the Propios del Diablo, The Devil's Own.

spn

Dean pulled back behind an empty building two blocks from their destination. The Chevy stopped beside the Impala and everyone got out. They went to the trunks of the cars and began to gear up. Each put on bullet proof vest, checked their guns, pocketed extra ammo, strapped on knives and two stored throwing stars in side pockets. Dean slipped on a small backpack with special items he would need if Sam was not in the building. Everyone positioned communication devices in their ears and then slipped lightweight, black hoods with cutouts for the eyes over their heads so their identity wouldn't be known. They had specially made gloves that fit like a second skin so they wouldn't leave any fingerprints at the scene to give away their identity.

"Sound off, radio check," Dean whispered looking to the three ex-soldiers.

"Two, check," Nitro answered.

"Three, check," Trace followed.

"Four, check," Shadow ended.

"Okay watch for the cop. Night vision goggles on, stay in the shadows; only kill if no other choice. Don't need to leave a string of dead bodies behind," Dean ordered falling right back into the roll of leader. "Let's move out."

spn

The four members of Smoke moved silently down an alley, blending into the shadows and the night. No one was on the streets this early in the morning, so they met no resistance along the way. Dean held up a hand for them to halt just outside the six foot wire fence around the property. He scanned the grounds and waited patiently looking for any sentries that might be outside.

"Thermal," he mumbled and Nitro pulled out a small handheld device and pointed it toward the building.

"Concentration on lower level, two different rooms, two singles near the door and two on the second level," she reported.

"Outside, over to the right," Dean nodded at the glow of a cigarette shining in the darkness.

"Got another one at that corner," Trace added.

"Shadow, Trace," Dean nodded signaling for them to split up and take out the guards.

Dean and Nitro stayed in the shadows watching and waiting for the other team members to do their thing. Dean could just make out Shadow blending into the darkness as he crept up on the unsuspecting guard. He let his tall frame rise up behind the guard and quickly wrapped an arm around his neck squeezing hard until the guy hung limp in his arms. He pulled the guy back into the dark shadows of the building using zip ties and gag to keep the guard down. He took the guy's weapons, tossing them back into a dumpster before moving back to the corner of the building to see how Trace was doing.

Trace hid behind some wooden boxes as he zeroed in on his target just ahead of him. The guard was smoking and not really paying attention to his surroundings. He quietly laid his automatic weapon on a box as he moved closer. He picked up a small rock and chucked it gently out from him to get the guard's attention so he could take him out. The guard stiffened and pulled his gun up stepping from the wall of the building to investigate. In one quick motion Trace hit him hard, taking him down. Trace pulled the body behind a crate and tied and gagged him after relieving him of his weapons. He went back to the front of the building and signaled his success before heading for the gate to let the others in. He quickly overrode the keypad for the gate and watched as it silently slid open allowing Dean and Nitro to enter. Trace smashed the pad so the gate couldn't be shut on them and joined up with the others.

The four team members moved silently to the front wall of the building and waited for Trace to override the alarm system so they could go in. Dean signaled to them on how to handle the guards inside before opening the door and slipping inside, followed by the others. Nitro stayed by Dean's side to have his back just like any other mission they had been on. Shadow and Trace were in sync and went after the second guard knowing they had to take him out before he alerted anyone.

"It's him," Nitro mumbled as she got a look at the face of the guard Dean had in a strangle hold.

"Sorry dude, we know you're undercover but we can't risk you exposing us," Dean whispers into the guy's ear before putting enough pressure to knock him out. They gag and tied his hands and carried him into a small closet nearby out of the way so he wouldn't get hurt. "We got the upstairs."

"I'll dose the first room," Trace said pulling a canister from his pack and heading for the room. He was going to use knock out gas to take out the gang members sleeping in a room down the hall. Using the gas would eliminate the guards waking up and possibly having a shootout with them.

"I'll check the other one out," Shadow nodded heading deeper into the house while Dean and Nitro headed upstairs figuring the big boss was up there where the large bedrooms were. They each had their assignments to carry out and did so with confidence and expertise.