They got to Lucy's apartment late. Really late. It was nearing eleven. They'd only stopped to fill up the car and all three were exhausted and hungry.
The door was unlocked and the apartment deserted.
"Come with me," Dean instructed, flicking on the lights, "I'll show you what to look for."
Ji-a nodded and followed. The last time she was here the little two-bedroom was bustling with activity. Lucy, her roommate, her roommate's parents, her roommate's boyfriend, plus Ji-a and two guys from the gym. There was barely enough room for the boxes and the people unpacking them. But now it was quiet. Empty. Decidedly creepy.
"Look for signs of a struggle," Dean said, "Things knocked over. Scrapes on the floor or other surfaces. Blood…obviously."
"Here," Ji-a pointed at the floor and bent down. Two long black scuff marks ran from the living room rug out to the hallway carpeting, marring the white vinyl tiles.
"So someone dragged at least one person out of here," Sam said.
"And…" Ji-a prompted, "What do we do? My sister is missing. Some creepy guy kept her out until two in the morning and bit her and now…"
Ji-a's face drained of color.
"You don't think?" She looked back and forth between Sam and Dean.
"Vampires?" Dean suggested, "Maybe."
"Hey Ji-a," Sam suggested, "You don't happen to still pay for your sister's phone plan do you?"
"I do," Ji-a said, "Why?"
"Because I can't find a cellphone anywhere," Sam said, "Which means if we can track it…"
"We might be able to find her," Dean agreed, "Okay, good. Let's go find internet."
Ji-a sat with her head on Dean's shoulder while Sam fiddled with his laptop in the back of a questionable 24-hour internet cafe.
"Okay," Sam said, "I've got an address. Warehouse down by the river. Southside."
"Then let's go!" Ji-a exclaimed, jumping up. Dean caught her arm.
"It's dark," Dean said, pulling her back down.
"So what? That's my baby sister," she protested, "I can't just…"
"Sam would you give us a minute?" Dean asked.
"I'll wait in the car," Sam offered, taking his computer and getting to his feet.
Dean pulled Ji-a into his lap.
"Listen," he said, "I have probably the world's least healthy and most codependent relationship with that kid."
He gestured at Sam through the window.
"So I get it," Dean said, "I understand wanting to go in guns blazing right this instant. I know you're scared. I know you'd sell your own soul to get her back. Believe me, I do. But we have to do this right. We have to play this smart. And if we go in there right now we're all gonna die. And that won't help her."
Ji-a took a deep breath. Dean could see tears rimming her eyes.
"Okay," she said, "Okay. So what do we do in the meantime?"
She stood in the deserted parking lot - staring at the machete in her hands with some mixture of confusion and horror.
"I'm supposed to do what?" She asked.
"Practice on the hay bales," Dean instructed, "It's softer than a vampire but you'll get an idea of how to swing it at least."
"You ever fight escrima? Kendo?" Sam offered.
"Always open hand," Ji-a replied, "Weapons kinda…freak me out. Not gonna lie."
"You're gonna do great," Dean assured her.
She'd been at it for ninety minutes when Dean took the knife out of her hands.
"We've got five hours till sunrise. Time to rest," he said. She needed sleep. And he was hoping the hour and a half of training had worn her out enough to grant some.
"But…" Ji-a tried to protest.
"Orders," Dean reminded her, taking her hand and pulling her to the car. He stretched out as best he could on the front bench seat and tucked her into his arms. And, blessedly, she slept.