Chapter 2: Rocky and the Lizard Man
36 hours later - Seattle, Washington
"This is gross," Dean said inadvertently touching the large rusting pipe running along the side of the damp, dank tunnel then wiping the resulting slimy, unidentifiable substance smeared on his hand onto the back of Sam's brown cargo jacket expecting the slimy residue to burn a hole through the material like the acid blood of the Xenomorph creatures in the Alien movies. "And the smell defies description." He concluded in disgust.
"You were the one who wanted to check out the lizard man Dean, so quit whining." Sam replied shortly.
They walked single file; the brick-and-mortar tunnel was half as wide as it was tall and dimly lit; the covered lights high on the tunnel wall spaced at 15-foot intervals not enough to push back the darkness and give them a clear path to follow. Their flashlights did a far superior job, the bobbing light reflecting off the tunnel's slimy walls and wet floor.
Sam took another step forward, boots splashing through the tiny river of dark greenish, oily looking water that moved sluggishly along the floor, his flashlight pointed along the seemingly endless tunnel.
"Thought you said these tunnels weren't a part of the main system anymore?"
"They're not." Sam answered.
"Well then riddle me this, why are they so wet and gross?" Dean asked.
"Seepage." Sam stated.
"Seepage?" Dean parroted.
"Yeah, and gravity. Even though they don't use these tunnels anymore, ground water, rainwater and all kinds of other crap from the street seeps down into here."
"Thanks professor," Dean answered sarcastically. "We've been down here for hours Sam. I don't think there's a lizard man down here, not living anyway because that smell would have killed him in less than 24 hours." Dean's irritated voice echoed as he splashed along behind the wall of his brother's broad shoulders.
"Smells don't kill Dean." Sam spat out exasperated. At this point in this ridiculous search, he didn't know what was more annoying, the vile, filthy, foulness of the Seattle sewerage system or Dean who had done nothing but complain and gripe since they had entered these tunnels.
"Yeah well… this one could." Dean muttered.
"Stop bitchin' and keep walkin'."
"Do you even know where we are and where we're going?" Dean inquired.
Sam's hesitation before he answered with, "Yeah." Was all Dean needed as proof that he was right. They were lost in the Seattle underground sewerage system.
"Admit it Sam, you have no clue."
"Alright I admit I have no clue." Sam answered honestly.
"Great that's just gr-" Dean broke off stopping dead in his tracks. "What was that?"
"What was what?" Sam asked, glancing over his shoulder at his annoying brother.
"I thought I heard something." Dean whispered.
"I didn't hear anything." Sam ducked his head taking 2 steps into one of the smaller side tunnels that intersected the main one at regular intervals, shining the light along the tunnel.
"Came from up ahead." Dean said pulling his colt from his waistband he flicked off the safety brought it up into a firing position, he braced the flashlight under the gun and pointed it down the main tunnel.
"It sound anything like a seven-foot-tall lizard man?" Sam inquired, still inspecting the side tunnel.
"Very funny, smart ass. It was a kind of clicking sound."
"Clicking? Like someone clicking their fingers?"
"No, not that kind of clicking, it was kind of like that African tribe from that movie about the Coke bottle," Dean's voice fading as he moved farther away.
"What are you talkin' about? What movie about a Coke bottle?" Sam said, loudly.
"You know… that movie… what was it called?" After a few moments of silence Dean answered his own question. "I know. The God's must Be Crazy."
Sam stepped back into the main tunnel and followed his brother. "Well, I don't know that one and I still didn't hear any-" He broke off as a clicking type sound came to him.
"Tell me you didn't hear that?" Dean questioned already meters away moving swiftly along the tunnel. Sam hurried to catch up.
About 50 meters further on the tunnel ended suddenly at a huge, cavernous circular chamber 2 other tunnels the same as the one they had exited branching off equal distances apart. A railed walkway ran around the outside of the chamber connecting the outer tunnels to the center chamber. Discolored water from the intersecting tunnels dripped steadily down the wall into the oily green/brown stagnant looking water that swirled sluggishly four feet from the top of the mote-like chamber floor. Steel grated walkways with a thigh high rusting metal railing led from each of the intersecting tunnel's meeting at a circular central concrete platform in the center. A rusted metal ladder bolted to the concrete, center platform led up into another vertical tunnel leading from the center of the curved chamber roof that looked from here like it went up to the street many meters above their heads.
"Some kind of intersecting central tunnel." Sam said, stating the obvious as he shone the light around the huge cavern.
"Gee you think genius?" Dean answered testily, turning to look at Sam for a moment before turning back and crossing the walkway to the center platform, his footsteps echoing around the wet chamber.
Sam ignored his snide remark, following him slowly onto the platform. "The drains that used to empty from this chamber must be blocked. Wonder how deep this is." He pondered; his light now aimed at the water.
"Why don't you jump in and find out?" Dean said with a lite shove at Sam as he came to stand beside him.
"Age before beauty," Sam replied. "Be my guest."
"Oh no, you were the one who wanted to find out how deep it is not me." Dean answered shining his light up the rusted ladder.
Sam turned away from his brother moving out onto another of the metal walkways of an intersecting tunnel, lifting his flashlight up to shine down into the darkness. It happened without warning in the blink of an eye and in complete silence a tall figure loomed up out of the dark tunnel entrance caught for a moment in the beam of the flashlight; he drew in a shallow breath to do something… shout out a warning to Dean or shout for help however neither happened; the figure lunged forward slamming him hard in the chest knocking all the air from his lungs, the light and gun from his hands. He felt the back of his thighs hit the top of the metal railing. The momentum sent him backwards over the railing and off the platform. A flash of pain slammed through his head a moment before ice cold water embraced him and then there was only blackness.
(CP)
It happened so fast Dean wasn't sure if he had imagined it, he hadn't because Sam was gone; one moment he had been standing behind him on the platform and then there was a sharp intake of breath, a clatter of metal on metal followed almost simultaneously by a loud splash; Dean had spun around quickly to face the sounds and where Sam should have been standing. Sam's Glock and flashlight lay on one of the walkways near the entrance to one of the intersecting tunnels; the flashlight was rocking from side to side in an arc on the curved walkway, the water beside it churning as if something large… 6'4 Sam large had been thrown, pushed or fallen in.
"SAM!" Dean shouted his brother's name. Sam was in that foul toilet water. Without hesitation Dean dropped his own Colt and flashlight and dove over the railing into the water. In his haste not stopping for one moment to consider if it was deep enough for a move like that.
The water almost took his breath away; it was bone chillingly cold, heavy and dark, debris stirred up from the bottom swirled around him bumping and scratching against the exposed skin of his face and arms; it was like swimming through honey, degusting, filthy, lumpy honey. Visibility was next to zero, the shape of the pale flesh of his hands barely visible as he stroked out and down, searching for a touch of anything that might be Sam. He kicked down deeper into the murky depths, eyes, stinging and burning open wide hoping for a miracle. After what felt like an eternity his searching fingers jammed painfully into the bottom; he skimmed them along the rough surface sharp edges cutting and slicing into his fingers and palms as he kicked powerfully parallel to the bottom, his lungs straining. Dean's fingertips jammed for a second time against a solid surface this time it was the curved, concave outer wall of the chamber just above where it intersected the rough bottom, using his arms he turned pushing off from the wall with his feet in what he hoped was a different direction.
With his lungs now burning and begging for air, hands numb from cold, his fingertips brushed against something different, fabric; it could only be the cargo jacket Sam was wearing. He grasped a big a handful of the material holding tight and using the other hand he groped along the fabric until he felt what could only be exposed skin. The toes of his boots scrapped along the bottom and Dean tightened his grip on the jacket and using the bottom as a springboard he pushed off as hard as he could stroking upwards through the water with his free hand and kicking as hard as he could, his brother's substantial weight making it difficult and slow going. His lungs were screaming at him, and he felt a moment of panic that he wasn't going to make it. It seemed as if his wet, heavy clothes were pulling back down towards the bottom, dragging and pulling at him. After what seemed like an eternity his head broke the surface, and he gasped, dragging in a lung full of air and another.
Treading water Dean pulled Sam's limp body up to the surface by his jacket, he wrapped one arm around Sam's chest pulling him back against him, so his head was clear of the water, he cupped Sam's chin in the other hand and tipped his head back into the space between his shoulder and throat, Sam's head was turned slightly towards him, Dean pressed two fingers against his throat, feeling the steady beat under his cold, numb fingers and the flutter of Sam's breath on his throat just under his chin, relieved in the realization that Sam was alive, now all he had to do was keep it that way. The water was moving, churning, slapping against them sending a section of Sam's longish wet hair flopping onto Dean's right cheek. Dean kicked hard steering them in the direction of the inner wall of the central platform.
The wall was slick and slimy with moss and other unidentifiable substances clinging to it making it impossible to gain any purchase with his hands. Dean felt a moment of panic when his fingers slipped off the wall for the third time. Keeping Sam's head clear of the water he kicked out towards the outside wall hoping he'd find a better grip on the rough bricks. Same result. Curses of frustration filled his head; not enough O2 in his lungs or enough strength to verbally vent. His eyes darted around landing on the metal walkway a good 5 feet above them. If he could just lift them higher in the water, he might be able to grasp the edge. It was a long shot especially with Sam's unconscious weight, but he had to try.
Dean turned his head meeting Sam's now foul-smelling wet hair. "Come on Sam… I need you to wake up… Sammy please wake up I… I can't get you out if you don't wake up… please." Dean begged, whispering through chattering teeth into his brother's ear, breathless and desperate he twisted his hand in Sam's jacket and shook it.
Sam remained still and quiet, the silence broken by the sound of the water slapping against the walls of the chamber. Then as if Dean had conjured it with his mind, he heard the clatter of footsteps on the walkway above them. "Hey, I need help, down here." Dean looked up blinking the water from his stinging eyes as a man crouched down on the walkway above him.
Curly dark hair framed a swarthy face. The man lay on his belly stretched out flat on the walkway his arm reaching down towards them. "Take my hand I'll pull you up." He said in a strained voice.
Dean continued to tread water as he stretched his arm up above his head towards the man's fingers. "Not close… enough." Dean gasped out his hand flopping down into the water sending a spurt of icy water into his face making him tighten his grip on Sam.
"I'll try to get lower." The stranger said, grasping the closest railing for support with his left hand lowering his upper body over the edge of the walkway reaching down again. "Try it now."
"Take my brother first. He's hurt; I'll try to lift him higher." Dean kicked hard trying to get them higher in the water lunging upward like the dolphin show at SeaWorld aiming for the would-be rescuer's hand.
The man's hand touched the shoulder of Sam's jacket before they both plunged back down under the water. Dean kicked them back to the surface drawing in a breath and checking to make sure Sam's nose and mouth were clear of the water.
"I almost got him. Try again." The stranger gritted out.
"Okay." Dean said through clenched teeth to keep them from chattering. His strength was failing rapidly, his extremities were numb from the cold. With a roar of angry frustration Dean kicked up stretching upward lifting Sam in his arms at the same time.
With more good luck than good management the stranger's reaching fingers grasped the collar of Sam's jacket, the pull of Sam's weight against his arm almost pulled his tenuous grip from the railing support threatening to send Sam and him both into the cold, foul water. Determined not to let that happen he tightened his grip on the metal pole, twisting his fingers in the material of Sam's collar he began to shimmy backwards somehow pulling Sam with him.
Dean watched wide-eyed and trembling as the stranger began to pull Sam up inch by painfully slow inch, when at last Sam's dripping boots cleared the water Dean pushed up on the soles while treading water. He could feel himself weakening further, his movements now slow and sluggish the numbness in his limbs had spread now encompassing most of his body.
Their savior pulled Sam up further, clear of the water grasping for purchase on Sam's wet clothes in order to help lever him onto the walkway; when at last he had most of Sam's upper body on the walkway his lower legs still dangling over the edge he shifted position to above Sam's head taking him under the arms and pulling him fully onto the walkway.
From his position underneath Dean could see Sam was lying across the metal grating the curly haired man leaning across his prone form. Water from his brother's clothes dripping through the grates to fall back into the mote in a steady stream.
"Is he alright?" Dean forced out through clenched teeth a voice that was weak, a voice he barely recognized as his own.
"Umm hard to say I think he may have hit his-" The man stopped abruptly then continued a moment later. "Wait, wait… I think he's coming around." He added.
Dean waited and waited for what felt like an eternity. He heaved a shuddering sigh of relief when a few seconds later he heard Sam cough and splutter. Thank God. Through the grate he saw Sam's body shift as the stranger rolled him onto his side.
(CP)
Sam forced his reluctant eyes to open; he was looking at a stranger; into an olive-skinned concerned face framed by dark curls, his brown eyes wide and searching. What the hell… who the hell!
Who the hell are you? He opened his mouth to ask and all that came out was water. It tasted like a toilet not that he knew what that tasted like, but he imagined it would taste something like that. It rushed up his throat spewing forth like a fountain of disgusting filth.
The curly haired man tipped him onto his side patting his back as he continued to choke and splutter on the seemingly endless amount of fluid that evacuated his lungs and mouth pain shooting through his skull with every wet heave. "Good, that's good better out than in." The man said.
After what felt like forever the water slowed to a trickle and Sam was able to drag in a huge breath. He then cleared his throat and spat out the remnants of the vile fluid trying to clear the taste from his mouth. He looked around him searching for his brother. "Where's Dean?" He gasped out pushing up onto his elbow looking up at the stranger for an answer.
"Take it easy pal you hit your head and almost drowned." The man answered putting a restraining hand on Sam's shoulder attempting to stop him from rising.
Sam spat onto the ground again away from the man, "Where is my brother?" He asked slowly, to make sure the man could understand his question.
"He's here." He answered.
"Where?" Sam growled out, eyes flitting around.
"He's in the water." The stranger said glancing over his shoulder.
"You have to get him out." Sam said with urgency.
"Okay. Okay. Will you be alright?"
The thought of Dean being in that huge petri dish scared the Hell out of him. Sam nodded quickly, to quickly his head spiked with pain, "Yeah man. Just go, go get my brother."
His rescuer patted him on the shoulder, "Don't go anywhere." He said before moving to the edge of the walkway.
Turning his head Sam watched as he lowered his torso down over the side and wrapped one hand around a metal railing support pole.
He heard him say, "Give me your hand."
Anxiety goaded Sam into action. He crab crawled using his elbow and knees dragging himself the short distance to his rescuer's side, it took an eternity, or it seemed that way. The man shot a quick glance to the side at him but didn't speak. Sam looked down over the edge and saw Dean, his head was down, chin on chest, his wet dripping body lower legs still immersed in the water was hanging like a side of beef from the man's grip on his wrist, Dean's fingers wrapped around the other man's wrist were blue with cold, and Sam could tell his brother's tenuous grip was weakening. "Don't let go Dean, don't let go." Sam said, mimicking the other man's position Sam leaned over and grasped the man's forearm pulling backwards. Dean's body swung just as his head drew level with the platform and the side of his head slammed into the hard underside edge, the blow accompanied by a dull metal thud. Dean flinched, the hit causing his tenuous grip to weaken even further.
Seeing Dean was losing his battle to hang on, Sam grasped the collar of Dean's jacket and tugged hard at last tumbling Dean up and over the edge onto the grated metal.
Dean lay curled on his side, eyes closed, shivering, his breaths harsh and stuttering in and out between clenched teeth, his cheek pressed against the walkway.
Sam flopped down beside him, looking into Dean's face, he too was panting from exertion. Dean gave a slow blink opening hazy eyes, after a few seconds they cleared focusing on him and Sam knew instinctively what his brother's first words would be.
"Sammy… you… okay?" Dean's voice was not his usual strong, demanding tone and very un-Dean like, although it still echoed through the vast chamber.
(CP)
Hearing Sam splutter and cough and knowing he was conscious was like music to his ears. Dean trod water, his arms and legs churning he heaved a sigh of relief, it shuddered past his clenched teeth and trembling, numb lips. Thank God.
Looking up through the grate, he could see Sam, rivulets of water streamed from his clothes dripping and falling through the grate and back into the water. Sam's body shifted as the stranger tipped him onto his side.
The cold of the water and the physical effort of keeping Sam afloat and above the water had sapped his strength, he kept his legs pumping, treading water but his movements were weakening, slowing, and he was sinking lower his mouth barely above the stinking water.
Sam was still coughing up water. Dean caught snatches of the exchange between his brother and his brother's savior.
"Where is my brother?"
The next thing he heard was Sam, clear as a bell, "Just go, go get my brother."
The man replied with something Dean didn't hear, he looked up as a curly haired head appeared above him, leaning over and reaching down towards him. "Give me your hand." He ordered shaking his fingers for emphasis.
Dean's first attempt to lift his arm ended with the leaden limb stubbornly refusing to budge. Mentally he concentrated all the energy on his arm, willing it to lift and reach up. To his amazement the numb limb at last obeyed the command his brain was sending to it. He saw his own, blue-tinged fingers stretching up towards the savior's hand, reaching back towards him his fingers straining down. He dropped his head, closing his eyes. He was only aware the man had caught hold of his hand when he sensed his numb body, burning from cold moving, rising, swinging, thinking it strange how he could be numb and burning at the same time.
Then he heard his brother's desperate plea. "Don't let go Dean, don't let go."
Dean could never deny his little brother, so he clung on. Pain that threatened to shatter his head into a thousand pieces lanced through him when it collided with something hard. The sudden tugging on the collar of his jacket didn't help, jolting his whole body. Something hard dug into his belly, the hard edge moved down his body, thighs, knees, it scrapped painfully across his shins and then he was flat.
Dean could sense he was no longer in the toilet bowl, his water drenched clothes heavy, pinning him on his side he felt like a wrestler being pinned the canvas; one… two… three, you're out. He dragged a ragged breath past his clenched teeth and trembling lips. There was something that felt like a giant cheese grater pressing into his cheek and ear.
Forcing his eyes open, he blinked once to clear his vision the blurred fuzzy outline leaning down towards him morphed into Sam. "Sammy… you… okay?" he asked an audible tremble in his voice, echoing back to him in the huge wet chamber.
(CP)
Sam smiled halfheartedly, "Great Dean, just great… you?"
"Never been better. Nothing like a bracing dip in sewerage runoff to clear the mind," Dean said laying a hand flat against the metal pushing himself up to sit on his knees, legs folded underneath him. Dean glanced down at the palms of his hands then braced them on his thighs.
Sam saw his hands were scrapped, blood running from them mixing with water. He opened his mouth to ask how that had happened, but a wet cough was burst out instead.
"Hey Sam?" Dean said an inquiring note in his voice.
"Yeah," Sam choked out.
"When I said jump in to find out how deep it was, you knew I was only kidding, right?" Dean said, through chattering teeth.
Sam looked at his brother. Wet hair plastered to his head greenish, oily looking water dripped from the clumped strands and ran down his face. Dean's lips were blue and trembling, a small cut at the outer edge of his right eye trailed a thin trickle of blood down his face and neck. His body shook spasmodically from the cold of the water and the cool air of the tunnel.
Sam cleared his throat, "For your information I did not jump in Dean, I was pushed."
"It was the lizard man," The other man both brothers had momentarily forgotten about interjected.
They turned and looked at him. He was kneeling to one side of them his dark curls bounced as he swiveled his head looking between them brown eyes as round as saucers.
"What?" They said in unison.
The man continued to stare at them.
Dean glared back at him, his eyes like shards of cut, green glass. "Why'd you do it huh? Why'd you push Sam into that?" He said pointing down at the water swirling underneath them.
"But I didn-" The man began to protest when Sam interrupted him.
"Dean I don't think it was him."
"If it wasn't him then who?"
Sam lifted the corner of his mouth in a half smile, "Umm… the lizard man?"
"Oh, come on Sam you're not serious?" Dean exclaimed.
When Sam just stared at him Dean said, "You're telling me the lizard man is real?"
Sam nodded, "I saw him, for a fraction of a second before he pushed me."
"See I told you it was the lizard man," the curly-haired man said. "And it's my fault he's here."
"What the hell are you talking about?" They answered simultaneously.
"I bought him here."
"Bought him here? From where?" Dean asked with a puzzled frown.
"The future," He said seriously.
(CP)
The journey back through the tunnels was uncomfortable to say the least. The brother's wet clothes clung to their skin, an unsanitary smelling odor emanating from them. Dean was shivering incessantly his shoulder throbbed mercilessly. Emerging into the afternoon now dark and dreary the rain clouds that had been gathering to the west before they had descended below had closed in making it feel like much later. Both brothers heaved a sigh of relief when The Impala came into view.
As they had crouched on the metal walkway recovering from the events of last 15 minutes their rescuer had introduced himself as Rocky Vescio. He now stood beside the Impala regarding them with dark brown eyes nervously shifting his weight from foot to foot, hands pushed deep into the pockets of his brown corduroy pants, shoulders hunched against the cool breeze that was picking up intensity.
Rocky appeared to be mid-thirties, swarthy skin, slightly build and well under 6 foot with a thin face, wide, round eyes and a long hawkish nose.
Dean unlocked the trunk throwing their handguns and flashlights into the trunk then closing it with a solid thud. He leaned one hip against the closed lid looking at Rocky. "Well, you've got some splainin' to do Rocky Vescio." He said as if chastising a recalcitrant child.
"Fair enough but… you won't believe me."
"Try us?" Sam said, with a lopsided lift of his mouth.
Rocky glanced at him then at Dean he appeared to be tossing up what to tell them "My place is not far we can go there I'll explain everything, and you can get out of those wet clothes and take a shower… If you want to that is?"
The brothers exchanged a look. Dean shrugged one shoulder. "Okay, let's go."
As Rocky had said his house wasn't far. It started to rain on the short trip the skies unloading its wet, noisy payload.
Rocky's home was a small slightly dilapidated single story weather board house in bad need of a coat of paint and a new roof. The lawn on either side of the path leading up to the porch and the front door was knee high and in need of mowing. Rocky waited while they retrieved their duffle bags from the trunk, they hurried through the now steady rain climbing the steps onto the porch Rocky pulled the key from his pocket pushing it into the lock on the front door. "I know it doesn't look like much but its home."
"No need to apologize, believe me when I say this is five stars compared to some of the dumps we've stayed in." Dean commented, as Rocky unlocked the door pushing it wide, entering then flicking on the light.
The brothers followed him inside. The small house was dissected down the middle by a hallway. At the far end directly opposite the front door was another door that must have led to a rear garden or yard. Five doors were spaced along the hall's length; 3 to the right and 2 to the left through the first door on the right was open, a rumpled unmade bed inside. They followed Rocky the short distance down the hall, entering the first door on the left. The room was a combined lounge/living/office with a kitchen at the rear separated from the living area by a long island bench scattered with take-out containers. The rest of the room was filled with a hodge podge of miss matched furniture. The only thing that looked new and out of place in the jumble was the desktop computer and printer sitting on top of huge old dark wooden desk, the top scarred with scratches and gouges. At the windows curtains in a faded Aztec looking print pattern hung haphazardly from curtain rods.
"Bathroom's the middle door off the hall. There is clean towels in there, throw your wet clothes in the machine I'll wash them later." Rocky said.
"You go first Sammy." Dean suggested dropping the duffle bag he carried on the floor beside the lounge door.
"You sure?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, go on I want to talk to Rocky here."
As Sam moved toward the door his duffle in hand, Dean called to him. "Oh, and Sam?"
"Yeah?" Sam answered, turning in the doorway.
"Try not to use all the hot water on that girly hair of yours."
Sam lifted one side of his top lip in a sneer before moving out into the hall seconds later Dean smiled when he heard the decisive, thud of the bathroom door closing.
"Okay Rocky start talking." Dean said as he moved deeper into the room.
Rocky had retrieved a first aid kit as Dean had shucked his wet jacket and shirt his damp t-shirt clung to his muscled arms and chest uncomfortably.
Rocky gave Dean a brief run down on his background as he cleaned and dressed the cut under Dean's eyebrow and treated the scrapes on his hands.
Seeking a better life, Rocky's parents made the trip to the US from Conflenti in the province of Catanzaro in Italy when Rocky's mother was heavily pregnant. Rocky was born only 3 weeks after their arrival. They'd worked hard over many years to provide for their only child even scrapped together enough to put him through college. He now had a degree in science and technology however Rocky hadn't put his college education to good use currently working as an overqualified computer repairman. His spare time and all his money were spent working on his obsession - time travel.
Dean looked up from where he was perched on the arm of a tattered armchair when Sam had come in dressed in clean, dry clothes.
"What'd I miss?" He asked running his fingers through his damp hair.
"Rocky was just telling me about his lifelong obsession with time travel." Dean answered as he stood. "I'm going to take a shower I can't stomach the stink coming off me one more minute." He moved to the doorway picking up his wet discarded clothing and duffle before leaving the room.
"So, time travel huh?" Sam said as he sat down on the chair Dean had been using as a prop. He soon found out why his brother hadn't been sitting in it when he sunk down his backside almost touching the floor the sides folding in on him like a Venus Fly Trap. "Whoa."
"Sorry I meant to warn you about that," Rocky said apologetically grasping Sam's hand and pulling him to his feet.
Sam assumed Dean's position on the arm, running the pads of his fingers over the tender lump on his scalp under his hair at the back of his head.
Rocky saw the motion. "Need me to look at that?" He offered.
"Nah, its fine, skin's not broken."
When Dean returned some twenty minutes later, hair damp and dressed in clean jeans, black t-shirt and dark green shirt; smelling of his favorite cologne and not the eau de rank he'd left the room bathed in, Rocky was explaining to a very bored looking Sam the theories of mater and particle transference.
Sam was now sitting in the spot Dean had vacated on the arm of the chair. He looked up at his brother relief on his face. "You're back." Sam stated unnecessarily. Dean smiled at the unspoken, silent thank you God he added with his eyes. "Rocky is going to show us his… time portal thingy."
"Would that be the thingy that is responsible for the Lizard Man being here?" Dean questioned.
Rocky smiled, "that would be the one."
"Okay then, lead the way," Dean gestured with his hand.
Rocky led them to the basement door and down the stairs into the musty smelling room.
"You've got to be kiddin me?" Dean exclaimed, stopping at the bottom of the stairs, staring in disbelief at the contraption in front of him. "This... this is your time machine? He said incredulously. "Where's the sleigh thing with the umbrella mounted on the back, the velvet chair and the crystal headed control handle thing? This looks like a set of headphones for a giant." He added.
"I know it looks a little… weird. I had to improvise with the construction, it's taken me years to build and now with the addition of one very vital ingredient it works."
"You need to get out more." Dean replied snidely.
In the center of the room resembling as Dean had said a set of headphones for a giant or a huge pair of open pincers, was a large wide horseshoe shaped steel arm, both the open ends of the horseshoe had a rectangular box protruding inwards towards each other. The horseshoe shaped arm was parallel to and about four feet above the floor. The curved center of the arm was attached to a hydraulic lifter the thick metal base of which was bolted to the floor. The lifter was used to lower or raise the arm horizontally. From near the base of the machine thick insulated conduits and electric cables ran across the floor to the back of a vertical 4 foot high computer terminal situated so the operator could operate the machine and have an unobstructed view; the computer terminal itself was a mass of switches, levers, buttons, light bulbs and a large keyboard; a black leather- rolling chair was pulled up to the front of the terminal.
"How does it work?" Sam indicated at the contraption, "what makes it transport objects through time?" He added.
"Heat, but it has to be the right kind of heat. At first, I tried electricity only. I kept tripping the circuit breakers and man my power bills were through the roof. So, I had to find another source to combine with electricity to generate a more powerful, concentrated and cheaper heat."
Dean thought Sam sounded genuinely interested when he asked. "I assume you found it?"
"Yeah, it took me awhile, but I finally figured it out."
"So, what was it?" Sam enquired.
"A radioactive isotope."
"Whoa this is radioactive?" Sam sounded shocked, instinctively taking a step back from the machine.
"Yeah, but don't worry it's perfectly safe, it works like an x-ray machine."
"And you're telling us a radioactive isotope can move objects from one time to another?" Sam said, trying to hide his amusement at the shear implausibility that the contraption in front of him could do any such thing.
"It's a little more complicated than that. But... in a nutshell, yeah."
Sam cocked his head to one side. "It does sort of look a bit like a portable x-ray unit."
"It is... or parts of it are, modified to my specifications." Rocky answered looking proudly at the machine.
"So, you ripped off an x-ray unit?" Dean accused.
"No." Rocky answered too quickly for Dean's liking.
"You did, didn't you?"
"Not exactly."
"What does not exactly mean?" Sam piped in.
Rocky was having trouble meeting the brother's eyes. "Let's just say it's not what you know it's who you know and leave it at that."
"Uhuh. I say again you ripped off an x-ray unit...?"
"I know it's not the Tardis. But… I couldn't find a London police box for sale on eBay and DeLorean's are hard to come by." Rocky said with a smile.
"Funny, that's funny. Where'd you get the radioactive isotope from?" Dean asked. When Rocky opened his mouth to answer Dean put up his hand palm out, silencing his reply. "Wait I think maybe I don't want to know."
Sam was slowly circling the machine. He stepped over the cables snaking across the floor asking, "Are you sure the lizard man came from the future? I mean how do you know for sure it works?"
"Oh, it works. Ever since I added the isotope, I've been transporting stuff. You can see for yourself. I'll give you a demonstration." Rocky said enthusiastically.
Rocky pulled the rolling chair towards himself and settled his butt on it, he turned to the control panel flicked several switches and pressed some buttons. A large digital display flashed a line of red 0's. An electrical hum filled the room. Rocky picked up a discarded maroon colored coffee mug from the computer terminal placing the mug on the floor in between the horseshoe arm he then moved back to the panel tapping on the keyboard the digital display lighting up.
"I've programmed the machine to generate a random date."
"Are you sure we won't glow in the dark after this?" Dean asked worriedly.
"Positive as I said before it like having an X-ray. But If I were you, I'd stand back unless of course you want to take a little trip? Rocky said.
The brothers stepped back next to where Rocky sat at the machine's computer panel. He pressed a button that had a down arrow on it and the arm moved down when it was positioned a few centimeters above the floor with the mug in its center Rocky lifted his finger stopping the downward motion. He then pressed a large red button on the panel and the room filled with a high-pitched whine the air charged with static making their bodies tingle and the hairs on their arms stand up.
The pressure in the air increased. The air between the boxes on the arm began to shimmer and move and the mug began to glow with an eerie light. A few heartbeats later the mug faded and was gone. Rocky flipped the switches and pressed more buttons, the whine stopped, and the air cleared of static. "Gone." Rocky said triumphantly.
"It is… it's gone." Dean said in wonder, he moved cautiously closer and peered at the empty space the mug had occupied.
"So, you're telling us the mug is in the future?" Sam asked skeptically.
"Well actually it's still occupying the same space but in another time." Rocky answered.
"Where and when is it, exactly?" Dean asked.
Rocky turned back to the console; he looked at the digital readout. "October 12,1957."
"So, it's in the past?"
"No, it's here but in 1957."
"Of course, it is." Dean said with a lift of his lips.
Sam stepped up beside his brother, reaching down he waved his hand in the empty space above the floor where the mug had sat. "It's got to be some sort of trick." He said as he circled the machine once more, being sure he stayed out from in between the arm.
"No trick I'll bring it back to now." Rocky pressed more buttons.
"Okay Doc Brown, let's Back to the Future this bitch," Dean said with a smirk, stepping back and away, pulling Sam with him to stand once more away from the machine.
"I'll key in today's date." Rocky changed the digital date read out to 02 13 2007 and pressed the large red button again. The static and the whine were back in the air once more.
The air between the arms was again shimmering and moving and then the mug re-appeared gradually, semi-transparent at first and then solid, whole.
Rocky shut down the machine then pressed the button with an up arrow on it lifting the horseshoe arm up away from the mug and the floor.
"Well, I'll be," Dean said moving back to the machine. He picked up the mug turning it around in his hand. "Beam me up Scotty."
Sam was having a hard time believing it, however the evidence was there. After all they'd seen plenty of unbelievable stuff in their lives. Why should time travel be any different?
Dean sounded like a kid at a magic show. "I've got to admit that's pretty impressive. Do it again."
Rocky repeated the experiment going into the mathematical details and how it worked on mater transference, something about the nuclear material in the isotope generating enough heat and power to disassemble particles and reassemble them in some other place and some other time. Sam had no clue what he was talking about, and he could tell by the look on Dean's face that, like himself, he didn't really care.
"So how did you manage to bring the lizard man here?" Sam asked, curious.
"I was experimenting with different settings and times. I wanted to see if I could bring something here. Well, I did alright. I couldn't believe my eyes, I thought at first, he was dead, he was so still. I didn't want to touch him, but I needed to know if he was alive, I found a pulse in his throat. He was unconscious I guess it must be a side effect of matter transference and reassembly."
"So, flesh and blood are different to inanimate objects?" Dean questioned.
"Yeah. I was going to send him straight back but before I could re-program the portal he woke up. He busted out that window and took off." Rocky pointed to the boarded-up window. "He was fast, real fast and in a flash, he was gone."
"So, you didn't try to go after him?" Sam said.
"Did I just not say he was fast?" Rocky said with annoyance. "It was only after I started to hear the news reports that I knew I had to do something, to find him and send him back."
"When you bought him here what date did you have programmed into the machine?" Sam asked.
"June 23. The machine generated the year."
"And what year was that?" Dean pressed for more information.
"2021." Rocky whispered.
"2021? Great that's great. Fourteen years... the lizard man is from fourteen years in the future."
"Rocky what date was it when you bought him here?" Sam asked.
"February 2nd."
"Today's the thirteenth. So… Scaly, he's been here for 11 days... living in the sewers?" Dean said almost disbelievingly.
"Yeah."
"How long before you tried to find him?" Sam asked but already knew the answer.
Rocky looked down at the floor, mumbling. "Today."
Dean put a hand to his ear, "Didn't quite get that."
After a few seconds Rocky lifted his eyes meeting Dean's intense stare. "Today alright? I didn't start looking until today."
"Let me get this straight you let this go on for 11 days before you decided to do something about it?" Dean asked his tone deep and menacing.
"Yeah, I guess."
"And when you found him how were you planning on capturing him exactly?"
"I… I don't know. I guess I never really thought it through." Rocky said with a shake of his head.
"You mean you didn't think of asking him nicely to come back to your place for a cup of coffee and a chat?" Dean asked snarkily.
Sam shot Dean a warning look. "Dean that's not helping."
Rocky spoke up in his own defense. "I didn't know what else to do. I was hoping it would just all blow over."
"Blow over?" Dean said in disbelief. "You thought nobody would notice the lizard man from fourteen years into the future living in the sewer."
Sam interrupted Dean's tirade gesturing towards the machine, "Can you program that thing to the exact same date in 2021 and send him back?"
"Time portal," Rocky corrected. "Yes."
"Sam, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Dean asked, his green eyes leaving Rocky to look at his brother.
"Yeah, I think so. We catch the lizard man Rocky can send him back, err I mean forward."
"Great so we have to clean up his mess?" Dean answered.
"We can't leave that thing down there, Dean."
Dean sighed and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. He'd been trying to ignore the heat that had been building in his shoulder. The torn flesh of the abused bullet wound felt swollen, the skin pulling tight with each movement of his arm no matter how small. When he'd showered the wound had looked inflamed, the edges raised and weeping so far only a clear fluid. He'd scrubbed at the wound as hard as he could cope with a soapy washcloth in the hope of stopping the infection that was taking hold in the abused flesh from spreading further.
"If you've got any better ideas, I'm all ears Dean." Sam said lifting his arms away from his sides for emphasis.
Dean straightened from where he was leaning against the wall, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans. Sam didn't miss the slight wince the movement caused him. Pinning his eyes on Rocky Dean walked slowly and purposefully towards him.
At Dean's approach Rocky began backing away straight into the far wall. Dean towered over the much shorter man staring menacingly into his face.
"Listen up Rocky. Sam and I, we'll get your friend back here. Then you're going to send him back to the future and when he's gone, you're never going to use your portal… thingy ever again. Or better still we're going to destroy it. Is that clear?"
Rocky nodded his curls bouncing with the movement. "He's not my fr-" Stopping abruptly when he saw the look on Dean's face grow darker. "Absolutely, perfectly, crystal clear."
"Good. Okay Sam let's go catch the creature from the black lagoon."
(CP)
"Are you curious?" Sam asked as Dean drove them the short distance back to the place where they had entered the sewer earlier in the day.
"About?" Dean replied.
"About the lizard man." Sam responded, glancing across the dark interior of the car at his brother.
"Yeah. I am." Dean said his face lit momentarily by the headlights of a passing car. "I'm curious to know if this lizard man is Joe Average 14 years from now."
"14 years as things go it's not really a long time.
"Could things have changed so much? What if there is no… our kind of people in the future? The world might be covered in lizard people, a Planet of the Lizards."
Sam huffed out a laugh and shrugged, "Could well be or it could be just a possible future."
"Like the Terminator."
"Maybe that's how it is? If one thing changes and then the future changes or doesn't change; we only have to wait 14 years to find out."
"Like we'll still be alive in 14 years." Dean said with wry humor.
"Good point." Sam answered. "So how do you want to do this?"
"Taser." Dean replied.
"Taser? With all that water down there, you think that's wise?"
"No not really. But if Scaly is as big as he's said to be, rock salt is not going to do a thing and we can't shoot him, we need him alive so Rocky can send him back.
"Yeah, I guess," Sam agreed. "So where do you want to start?" he added. Dean's face was caught once again the light of a passing car. Sam watched him for a moment, he looked flushed and sweaty. "Hey man, you okay?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Dean answered curtly.
"No reason."
"We'll start at that central chamber where he pushed you in. There was a manhole at the top of that ladder. It looked to me like it opened onto the street. If we can find that it'll save us having to go through those disgusting tunnels again."
"How we gonna find it?"
"I made a mental note of the direction; if we start from where we went in, I can find it." Dean replied surreptitiously wiping away the sweat gathered on his upper lip with the back of his hand. The heat from his shoulder had spread and now his body was racked with hot and cold chills, he shivered inside his denim jacket.
"Then what?"
"Will you quit it with the questions," Dean said angrily. His voice loud in the confines of the car.
"Okay grumpy just asking." Sam answered.
"We'll taser him, tie him up and drag him back to Rocky's place." Dean explained as they pulled up to the spot where they'd earlier entered the sewer.
"You think these will be powerful enough?" Sam asked as Dean handed him a taser.
"Should be enough to knock him out until we can get him back to Rocky's." Dean said closing the trunk lid settling the coil of rope he held on his shoulder.
"How did he survive down there for 11 days?" Sam pondered testing his flashlight.
"You mean because lizards are cold blooded and need warmth from the sun for energy?" Dean answered glancing around trying to get his bearings.
"Yeah."
"This way." Dean turned and started walking away from the Impala. "He's some kind of a mutant hybrid lizard slash man so maybe he doesn't need the sun like your regular garden variety type lizard."
Deans' directional instincts proved to be sound they found the manhole cover leading to the water filled chamber on the first try. After they pried the cover loose Dean leaned down into the hole shining the flashlight into the depths catching the glint of light off water and the echo of it dripping and falling into the mote.
"Yahtzee!" Dean exclaimed triumphantly his voice echoing in the watery chamber before he pulled back out throwing the coil of rope down the hole before turning and descending the ladder.
Sam followed him down onto the central platform.
Dean was already crossing the metal walkway towards one of the tunnels.
"What are you doing Dean?" Sam asked, his voice echoing around the vast chamber. He turned the light onto Dean's back.
"What do you think I'm doing I'm looking for Scaly." Dean's voice echoed back to him as he entered one of the tunnels off the main chamber.
"Be careful cuz from what I saw he is big." Sam advised. Following Dean's lead, he moved into one of the tunnels shining the flashlight into the dark.
Dean had heard Sam's warning, his brother's voice sounding eerie as it echoed through the dank tunnels.
"I hate these filthy, stinking tunnels," Dean mumbled to himself, shining the flashlight ahead as he moved cautiously further into the tunnel. "Come on you scaly freak, show yourself."
And just like that it appeared right in front of him, its reptilian head caught in the circle of light. Dean jerked the taser up but before he could press the trigger the creature's webbed fingers snaked out knocking the taser from his hand he heard it hit the wall and then the ground as the same scaly, webbed hand closed around his throat cutting off his stifled cry and lifting him off his feet. Instinctively he reached up to claw at the scaly hand trying to dislodge its tightening grip, dropping the flashlight into the small river of water moving sluggishly along the bottom of the tunnel.
Unable to draw the smallest amount of oxygen into his starving lungs he continued to claw at the hand strangling the life out of him. He thought he heard Sam call out his name as the creature held him high; the clicking sound he'd heard earlier came from the creature as it moved him backwards down the tunnel back the way he had come. His head hit the top of the tunnel twice that he was aware of, his eyesight dimming. Dean knew when the creature had reached the main chamber by the change in the air and the feeling of space around him.
Through the pounding in his head, he heard Sam's splashing footsteps from somewhere behind him. "A… little… help… here," He gasped out between clenched teeth.
"Crap!" Sam called out.
Dean heard the clatter of Sam's feet on the metal walkway then his exclamation of. "Damn it!" followed a moment later by. "Hang on Dean."
The lizard man's face was blurring and wobbling alarmingly in front of him. "Hurry… up… S-" Was all he managed to choke out.
From the corner of his rapidly dimming vision Dean saw Sam appear on the walkway to his left as the pressure building in his head burst across his brain sending him over the edge of consciousness into blessed darkness.
(CP)
The clatter of what had to be the sound of Dean's taser hitting the floor of the tunnel followed by a cut-off cry and then a second clatter as the flashlight meet the same fate as the taser echoed to him.
Sam stilled, listening. "Dean…? You alright?"
When no immediate answer followed Sam turned running back to the main chamber flashlight showing him an unexpected scene.
Sam got his first real look at the lizard man of Seattle or his head at least, the rest of his body obscured by Dean, his brother had his back to him, struggling, his legs kicking out in an obvious attempt to free himself from the web-fingered hand wrapped tightly around his throat; the entrance to the tunnel Dean had entered into a minute earlier was at the lizard man's back.
In that split second, he admitted to himself the reports of the creature were surprisingly accurate. He was around 7 feet tall his body shaped like a man his skin pale, scaly and sickly greenish/grey in color, his head was an odd shape with a band of raised bone or cartilage running from the middle of his forehead down each side to the back of his head a flat nose below his horizontally elongated irises, the pupils like slits, his round lips deep gray blue in color. The creature's free hand the one not currently strangling his brother was held at its side the webbed fingers spread wide and… yes, he was wearing camouflage patterned button up coverall type clothing and running shoes.
The creature emitted a clicking sound, its head cocked curiously to the side as it stared into Dean's face.
Dean was gasping and clawing at the creatures' scaly hand trying to loosen his hold his booted feet dangled 6 inches off the ground. "A… little… help… here." Dean forced out through what sounded like clenched teeth.
"Crap!" Sam said running noisily across the walkway to the central platform and then onto the walkway where Dean continued to struggle in the lizard man's grip.
Stopping several feet away, within the tasers range Sam lifted his arm taking aim his finger poised over the trigger. Realizing in that moment that there was no way he could deploy the laser without the risk of hitting Dean.
"Damn it!" Sam shot frantic eyes around looking for an alternative. "Hang on Dean." He shouted as he ran back to the central platform.
"Hurry… up… S-" The last word cut off as Sam turned running down the closest walkway and running until almost directly opposite Dean and the creature.
Sam aimed the taser at the lizard man's exposed side in that instant Dean went slack in the lizard man's grip, his brother's hands falling away to hang loosely at his sides, his booted feet dangling and swaying, and the mutant's fingers still held tight around his brothers throat.
Sam deployed the taser, the wires shot from the gun across the space between them. The pronged probes pierced Scaly in the side just below the ribs. Sam pressed the trigger releasing the current into the creature; it hissed, jerking spastically throwing its head back the hand around Dean's throat contracted and seemed to tighten further. Sam pressed the trigger again, the creature jerked and staggered, the hand around his brother's throat opened and Dean dropped boneless to the metal walkway. Sam kept constant pressure on the trigger, until the lizard man fell jerking to his knees, then toppled forward his torso landing across Dean's legs.
Sam was at his brother's side in a matter of moments. Adrenaline pumping through his system giving him strength he reached down intending to roll the lizard man off his brother noting in the back of his mind that Scaly had some kind of mark or tattoo on the back of his neck. He paused in the motion of reaching and instead he pushed the creature's collar down so he could see the mark more clearly. It was a tattooed bar code in black ink. Letting the lizard man's collar go he then pushed at the creature rolling him off Dean's legs, taking Dean's jaw between his fingers Sam turned Dean's face towards him. Lowering his cheek to Dean's mouth he heaved a sigh of relief when he felt the warm puff of breath against his skin.
Grasping hold of Dean's shirt front he shook him gently. "Dean, hey Dean."
Dean's long lashes quivered then lifted. He blinked rapidly a couple of times then his green eyes cleared focusing on Sam.
"There you are," Sam said in breathless relief.
"Hey… Sam?" Dean's voice came out of his abused throat as a husky whisper.
"Yeah Dean," Sam answered.
"I found him." Dean deadpanned.
Sam couldn't hold back a chuckle, "Yeah, you did."
Dean lifted his hand and rubbed at his throat. "D'you get it?... Where is it?" He asked, in a croak.
"Yeah, I got it." Sam answered.
With Sam's help Dean struggled to a sitting position, "This scaly dude sure is strong," Dean gasped. "Just imagine how strong he would be if he hadn't been living in the sewers and out of the sun for 11 days." Dean added looking down at the still form of the lizard man sprawled at his feet.
"Now that's a scary thought, but hey like you said he's some kind of hybrid so maybe the general rules of reptiles don't apply." Sam glanced at the creature and then back to Dean. "Wanna know something else weird about him?"
"Something else weird? Other than the weird that he even exists?" Dean queried.
"Yeah, other than that."
"What could be weirder?" Dean asked.
"He's got a bar code tattooed on the back of his neck."
"A bar code?"
"A bar code." Sam repeated.
"You mean like on things you buy at the supermarket have a barcode on the packaging, an electronic price tag?"
"That's what I mean."
"Huh… you're right that is weirder." Dean drew Sam's attention to him. "Hey Sam?"
"Yeah."
"How much do you think Scaly retails for?" Dean asked with a cheeky grin.
"Ha ha, you should be on stage," Sam replied, but he couldn't hide his answering grin.
"Oh, and by the way, how are we gonna get this big, strong, ugly, tattooed S.O.B back to Rocky's place?"
Sam pursed his lips in thought. "That brother is a very good question."
(CP)
It turned out… to spite Dean's near strangulation at the hands of Scaly capturing him had been the easy part of the plan; getting his large, heavy and thankfully still unconscious body back to Rocky's house was the hard part.
Sam looped one end of the length of rope under Scaly's arms, knotting it around Scaly's chest. Dean had the other end of the rope clamped between his teeth as he climbed the ladder back to the street. Under the cover of darkness it would be impossible for anyone passing by to see what they were doing, and the manhole was in a dark alley. Sam joined his brother on the street, and they hauled Scaly's considerable weight up the circular shaft and onto the pavement. An hour later, huffing, sweating and exhausted with the still unconscious lizard man hanging limply between them they dragged him into the house, down the stairs and into the basement.
Rocky preceded them down the stairs clearing a path across the large room to the machine.
As the brothers laid the creature out on the floor Rocky moved to the computer panel and flipped some of the switches. The electric hum filled the room as the brothers stepped away from the machine to stand next to the smaller man.
Rocky lowered the arm positioning it in line with the lizard man before keying 06 23 2021 into the digital date readout.
"Move it along Rocky before he wakes up." Dean said eyeing the creature for signs of movement.
Rocky pressed the red button to activate the machine the room filled with what in one afternoon and evening had become a familiar high-pitched whine the air again charged with static. Dean felt the hairs on his arms stand up. The air between the arm and around Scaly began to shimmer and move and a glow surrounded him. A split second later the plan to return Scaly to his own time went pear-shaped as the lizard man jerked upright to a sitting position his head turned from side to side as he looked around the room in confusion before settling on the basements other 3 occupants. He climbed slowly to his feet taking a few hesitant steps forward, he stood swaying next to the machine no longer within its range, his long blue tongue darting in and out as if testing the air.
"Crap." Dean exclaimed.
"Dean he's not in between the arm things," Sam whispered.
"I can see that, Sam." Dean replied, irritably.
"What are we gonna do?" Sam asked, quietly.
"Hang on while I consult my manual on how to subdue a mutant lizard man." Dean hissed back.
"Whatever you're going to do, do it fast." Rocky interrupted.
The brother's eyes were drawn to him. "Why?" Sam asked.
"If I keep the machine active for more than a few minutes at a time it'll overheat, it might blow up." Rocky explained tensely, eyes like saucers darting from the brothers to the creature.
To spite the tension of the moment Rocky almost laughed at the brother's expressions of disbelief as they took in his words. Dean's eyebrows rose almost into his hairline, his mouth dropped open and Sam had a grimace of frustrated anger.
"Terrific." They said in unison.
Dean stared back at the lizard man. "So, all we have to do is get him back in between the headphones, right?" he said to Sam.
"How are we going to do that Dean?" Sam questioned.
"Umm, we'll rush him force him back within the transporter beam thing." Dean replied.
"You make it sound so easy." Sam said, snidely.
"It's a gift," Dean replied, sneeringly. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be." Sam answered.
"On the count of three."
"On the count of three, right." Sam repeated.
Rocky interrupted. "Guy's when you're ready," he said, anxiously.
"Shut up Rocky." The brothers said once again in unison.
Dean's eyes went from Rocky to the lizard man. "Okay here we go. One, t-"
Sam held up a hand. "Wait on three or one, two, three, go and then go on go?"
Dean frowned at his brother trying to work out Sam's inquiry. "Just go when I say go."
"Got it."
"Okay… Go!"
Scaly hissed and spat angrily, long tongue flicking the air; together they rushed the creature, a moment before they reached him, he thrust out his hands grabbed them both by their shirt front lifted them into the air and flung them backwards as if they weighed no more than a feather. They came to a jolting halt crashing through the wooden stair railing to lay winded and stunned across the bottom steps in a tangle of long limbs and broken, splintered railings.
"Sam, Sammy?" Dean said in breathless concern, reaching out and latching onto Sam's forearm.
"I'm okay… w, w, winded," Sam replied to the implied inquiry in a gasping, hitching voice, trying to draw in a full breath and at the same time disentangle himself from the ruins of the railings. "We can't let him get out of this room."
The lizard man hadn't moved after he flung them away, he stood in the middle of the room head cocked to the side watching them with seeming interest, making the same clicking sound they'd heard in the tunnel.
Assured that Sam was okay Dean pushed the splintered wood off himself and gained his feet and then with a growl ran at the creature tucking his head into one shoulder he wrapped his arms around Scaly's waist, crash-tackling him, forcing him backwards and down to the floor his body pressed hard against the creature's. The impact with Scaly sent a spear of agony through his wounded shoulder. The second impact he felt through the creature as it contacted the floor made him cry out and clench his teeth in agony.
Dean could hear the whine of the machine and was physically aware of the static charge all around him. It crackled across his skin sending small shockwaves through his body and buzzing through his head. The sharp smell of cordite seared his nose and throat as he drew in a harsh breath.
Scaly struggled under him attempting to buck him off; pain radiated out from the bullet wound shooting up his neck and down his arm, a bitten off cry escaped his lips as he readjusted his grip on the creature. The whine filled the air; it built to an eardrum piercing level; he wanted so badly to release his hold on the creature, to cover his ears as Scaly squirmed and bucked under him, but instead he tightened his grip squeezing his eyes shut and through the cacophony of sound assaulting his hearing, filling his head he heard Sam call his name and then felt what had to be Sam when he grasped a handful of his jacket and pull up and back. Then there was a sense of falling, pain assaulted him, his body felt like it was being crushed, agony, white hot and burning bombarded him from every direction, crushing him until he was sure he would implode. He screamed out in desperate agony as the pain overwhelmed him, the falling sensation continued, he followed it into oblivion.
Continued in Chapter 3: Mistaken Identities
Thanks for reading
Silvertayl 57