Chapter 3:
Thursday night came quickly, and Sam was finishing prepping the last of the salt rounds when Dean came in taking a seat at the round table. Sam had been quiet since it was announced he would be leading his first hunt and this was Dean's last chance to talk to his younger brother before he left.
"You got everything you are gonna need Sammy?" Dean asked.
"It's Sam and yes, taking extra just in case these guys don't plan to bring the correct supplies."
"Smart. Can never be too prepared when dealing with JV hunters." Dean said with a smirk.
Sam eyed Dean as he put another shotgun into a duffel bag. Dean kept his eyes level with his little brother, waiting for him to speak. Sam had his hunter mask on, completely void of emotion. The older Winchester hated that his little brother had started to use it on him too.
"Hey Dean... can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"When you lead your first hunt... did you feel like you were ready?"
Dean bit back the reply he was going to give. The lie he would tell everyone else, that of course he was ready, that he had been waiting for this all his life. Instead, he looked around the room and out the door to make sure they were alone before leaning closer to Sam.
"Hell no, I was terrified. That responsibility of making sure other hunters went home to their families? I could barely breathe. It's okay to be scared Sammy."
For just a moment Dean saw Sam's mask drop, watched as his little brother was front and center. The little brother who wanted nothing more than to be like Dean.
"Don't tell Dad... but I am terrified." Sam said.
"Only if you don't tell him that I was scared my first time too."
Sam laughed.
"Deal. I gotta get going. Gotta grab the keys to the van from Jim."
Dean stood and walked over to his brother. He pulled keys out of his pockets and held them out to Sam.
"Take Baby. She'll keep you safe."
Sam took the keys from his brother and gave him a watery smile.
"Thanks Dean."
Dean nodded and pulled Sam in for a quick one-armed hug.
"Kick it in the ass."
Dean left the Tomb before Sam could say anything more, effectively cutting of the chick flick moment. Instead,Dean watched from the upstairs window as Sam climbed into the Impala and drove away.
The hunt was only about 40 miles away from the farm. Just a no name house on a no name street. Sam pulled into a local diner where he was supposed to meet his contacts. They would eat, discuss the case, get some sleep and then go and finish off the Poltergeist the next day. If all went well Sam could be home Saturday morning at the latest.
He parked the Impala and walked inside, a cheap bell going off above the door as he opened it. He surveyed the small place and walked straight to the table farthest from the door. It was the instructions that were given to the other hunters of where to meet him. He opened the menu to look through it while he waited. A few minutes later the bell chimed again, and Sam looked up as a blonde man walked through the door. Sam frowned as the man sat down across from him at the scratched table.
"Sorry for the change of plans Samuel, but Isaac and Will have been called away to another hunt, but I have come to assist. Do you remember me? My name is Harland."
Sam looked down at the silver ring on the hunter's hand and then back at his familiar face.
"You're Josh's Dad, right? Why would you volunteer to come on this hunt?"
Harland shrugged.
"Morbid curiosity. Wanted to see the Boy Hunter in action."
Sam bristled. He did not like this man.
"And Jim knows about this?"
"He does not, doesn't appear to be any cell phone service in this one-horse town. I'm here to help Samuel, you are in charge. I swear on my son."
Sam checked his phone for bars and cursed under his breath when he saw Sawyer was correct. No signal. His gut was flipping he did not trust Harland, but the man did wear a ring and wasn't that better then two small time hunters anyway? But he certainly wasn't going to spend any extra time in this town than he had to.
"Fine. We are going tonight though, no point in sitting around here chatting if we don't have to."
Harland sent the younger hunter a mock salute.
"Whatever you say boss."
Sam rolled his eyes and exited the diner with Harland hot on his tail. He stopped as the older man followed him to the impala.
"Take your own car. I'm leaving as soon as we are done." Sam said.
Harland's eyes flared but he quickly calmed them before walking off to his own car.
The entire 10-minute drive he kept his cell phone open on the seat beside him, but there was still no signal. Everything in Sam told him to turn around and go back to the farm.. Except one thing... Shame. He couldn't go back the youngest hunter to get his ring and prove that he couldn't handle a simple hunt just because he didn't like the man who had showed up to help him.
Sam closed the phone as they approached the house and decided he was just going to have to get this over with.
"You have salt rounds? Sage?" Sam asked Harland.
"I've been hunting longer than you have been alive, of course I do."
Sam rolled his eyes and the two hunters made their way into the derelict house. They stopped in the most central room.
"Prep the sage, I'm going to go lay down the salt." Sam said walking away.
Harland watched him walk away and smiled darkly.
"Take your time kid... I'll be waiting."