CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

"They've got Dad." Dean says as he puts his phone back in his pocket.

"Meg?" Sam questions, and he nods. "What did she say?"

"I just told you, Sammy." He says and then walks over to the nightstand between the two beds and picks up the colt.

"What are you doing, Dean?"

"We got to go." He says as he starts packing stuff up.

"Why?" Sam questions.

"Because the demon knows we're in Salvation. It knows we've got the colt. It's probably coming for us next."

"We've still got three bullets left." He tells him.

"Listen, tough guy, we're not ready. We don't know how many of them are out there. We're no good to anybody dead." He argues. "We're leaving. Now."

The four of them quickly pack everything up into the Impala and leave the motel. "I'm telling you, Dean. We could've taken him." Sam says once they're on the road.

"What we need is a plan." The oldest argues as he drives. "They're keeping​ Dad alive. We've just got to figure out where. They're gonna want to trade him for the gun." He says, and Sam shakes his head. "What?"

"If all that were true, why didn't Meg mention a trade?" He questions. "Dad— He might be—"

"Don't." His brother cuts him off.

"I don't want to believe it any more than you do, but if he is, all the more reason to kill this damn thing. We still have the colt. We can still finish the job."

"Screw the job, Sam!"

"Dean, I'm just trying​ to do what he would want. He would want us to keep going."

"Would you quit talking about him like he's dead already?" Dean says. "Listen to me. Everything stops until we get him back. You understand me? Everything."

"So, how do we find him?" Sam asks.

"Maybe we go to Lincoln. Start at the warehouse where he was taken."

"You really think these demons are gonna leave a trail?" Nyx questions.

"You're right." Dean says. "We need help."

—

"You dumbasses did what?" Nyx question​s.

"What was I supposed to do, Nyx?" Ric asks. "Tie her to a chair and lock her in her room?"

"That would've been better than taking her into the Smoky Mountains looking for Stefan during a full moon!"

"It was days ago, and she's okay." He says. "We're all okay." He tells her.

"But there's a chance that you wouldn't have been. How could you risk it, Ric?"

"I called Damon and had him meet us there. We had wolfsbane grenades and other precautions." He says. "Look, that's not why I'm calling, I have to tell you something."

"What?"

"There was a hybrid out there, but something was wrong with him. He had blood coming from his eyes and he seemed...almost rabid." He tells her.

"Did he die?"

"Stefan killed him to save Damon, but I think he would've died eventually anyway, yeah." He says, and she sighs. "I'm sorry, Nycole."

"Don't worry about me. Just...take care of Elena." She tells him. "I gotta go, Ric."

She hangs up the phone and then walks back over to the four men. She gives Dean his phone back, and he looks at her.

"I'm fine." She tells him and then turns to their friend, Bobby. "Sorry about that, my family might be more complicated than theirs."

"I'll say." He says, and she smiles.

"What did Ric say?" Jeremy asks, and his sister looks at him.

"They found Stefan and then they lost him again." She says, purposely not telling them the whole thing.

"Bobby, this book. I've never seen anything like it before." Sam says, and he walks over to him. "Key of Solomon?"

"It's the real deal, alright." The older man says.

"And these protective circles, they really work?" Sam asks.

"Hell yeah. You get a demon in one, they're trapped. They're powerless. It's like a Satanic roach motel." Bobby says.

"The man knows his stuff." Dean says.

"I'll tell you something else too. This is some serious crap you kids stepped in."

"Oh, yeah? How's that?" Nyx asks.

"Normal year, I hear, say, three demonic possessions, maybe four, tops." He tells them. "This year, I heard of twenty-seven so far. You get what I'm saying? More and more demons are walking among us. A lot more."

"Do you know why?" Sam asks.

"No, but I know it's something big. The storm's coming, and you four, your daddy—" He looks at the two boys. "—you are smack in the middle of it​."

"That's great." Nyx mutters, and Dean looks at her before pulling her into his side.

Bobby's dog starts barking outside and he turns around quickly. "Rumsfeld." He mutters, looking outside.

"What is it?" Jeremy asks.

"Is everything okay?" Nycole asks.

"Something's wrong." Bobby says as he looks back at them.

The door flies open, and Meg walks in. "No more crap, okay?" She says as she looks at the hunters.

Nyx immediately​ grabs Jeremy and pulls him closer to her. Dean starts toward Meg, and she makes him fly across the room. He hits a wall full of books, and it knocks him out cold. Sam gets up and pushes Bobby​ behind him as Nyx backs up.

"I want the colt, Sam. The real colt." Meg says. "Right now. Or he dies." She reaches outside the door and pulls someone in.

"Tyler?" Nyx's eyebrows furrow as Sam reaches out and grabs her and her brother, pulling them with him and Bobby.

"We don't have it on us." Sam says. "We buried it."

"Nyx, what's going on?" Tyler questions.

"Didn't I say no more crap?" Meg asks as she walks toward them. "I swear, after everything I heard​ about you Winchesters — I got to tell you, I'm a little underwhelmed. First Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you four chuckleheads. Lackluster men and their pathetic little pet. I mean, did you really think I wouldn't find you or follow through on my threat to go after her friends and family?" She asks as she follows them into the other room.

Dean walks up behind her then and grabs Tyler, pulling him away from her. "Actually, we were counting on the first part." He says, and Meg turns to face him. Dean looks at the ceiling, and she follows his gaze. "Gotcha." She's standing in a devil's trap.

Nyx walks over to Tyler and takes him outside so Sam and Dean can tie Meg up.

"Nyx, what the hell is going on? Who is that girl?" Tyler asks, and she looks at him and sighs.

"She's a demon." She tells him, and his eyes widen as he looks at her.

"What?"

"Werewolves and vampires aren't the only supernatural creatures out there." She says. "She's one of the nastier ones."

"H-How do you know all this?" He asks.

"It's uh... It's kinda my job. Me, Dean, and Sam — we hunt monsters." She explains. "That's why she took you. We've been hunting the demon that she's working for, and he sent her to force us to give her what he wants. I'm sorry you got dragged into this. I never wanted that."

"Get inside." Bobby says, and they step over the salt line that he laid down.

"What's that for?" Tyler asks, obviously having a hard time with all the new information.

"Protection​."

"Where's our father, Meg?" Dean asks as the three of them walk into the room.

"You didn't ask very nicely​." She says with a smile.

"Where's our father, bitch?" He asks.

"Jeez. You kiss your mother with that mouth?" She asks. "Oh, I forgot. You don't."

"You think this a freaking game?!" Dean yells as he moves closer to her. "Where is he?! What did you do with him?!"

"He died screaming. I killed him myself." She says, and he backhands her across the face.

"Payback's a bitch. Bitch." Nyx says, and Meg looks at her.

"I may have only grabbed the ex, but don't you worry. My friends can always go back for Elena or Ric." She says, and Nyx walks over to her.

"Your friends touch them—"

"And you'll what?" She asks with a smile. "You barely even know what to do with me."

"Underestimate me, sweetheart. I dare you." She says, and Meg laughs.

"Dean." Bobby gets his attention, and they walk away from him.

"You okay?" Sam asks Dean.

"She's lying. He's not dead." Dean says.

Nyx grabs her under her jaw and makes her look back at her, away from Tyler and Jeremy. "They're off limits too." She says, and Dean walks up behind her.

"When did Nycole get so damn scary?" Tyler whispers to Jeremy.

"You don't even know the half of it." The youngest Gilbert tells him.

"Nyx, come here." Dean says, and they walk away from her.

"What?"

"Bobby says there's an innocent girl in there. She's a human being possessed by a demon." He tells her.

"I'll keep my temper in check then." She says, and then he goes to get John's journal.

"Are you gonna read me a story?" Meg asks as they walk back over to her.

"Nyx, what the hell is going on?" Tyler asks.

"We're sending her back to hell." She tells him.

"Hit it, Sam." Dean says.

"Regna terrae, contáte deo, psállite dómino..." He starts.

"An exorcism? You are serious?" Meg asks.

"We're going for it. Head spinning, projectile vomiting, the whole nine yards." Dean tells her.

Sam's still reading, and she starts to groan in pain. Sam stops and she looks at him.

"I'm gonna kill you." She says. "I'm gonna rip the bones from your body."

"No, you're gonna burn in hell unless you tell us where our dad is." Dean says, and she just looks at him. "Well, at least you'll get a nice tan."

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica." Sam continues the exorcism, and they can see that it's affecting​ her.

She groans, and Sam stops.

"He begged for his life with tears in his eyes. He begged to see his sons one last time." She says, and the brothers look at each other as Nyx walks over to the three of them. "That's when I slit his throat."

"And you called me pathetic." Nyx chuckles as Meg looks at her. "John would never beg a demon for anything. You're lying."

"Ergo..." Sam starts again.

"For your sake, I hope you're lying." Dean says as he leans down. "'Cause if it's true, I swear to God, I will march into hell myself, and I will slaughter each and every one of you little sons of bitches, so help me God."

Sam continues reading and the pages in one of the books in the room start flipping. Meg makes another pain-filled noise.

"Where is he?"

"You just won't take dead for an answer, will you?" Meg asks.

"Where is he?!"

"Dead!"

"No, he's not! He's not dead! He can't be!" Dean yells, and Nyx puts her hand on his shoulder. He looks at her and then turns to his brother. "What are you looking at? Keep reading."

He starts again, and Meg screams as her chair starts sliding around. "He will be!" She yells suddenly.

"Sam, stop!" Nyx yells.

"What?" Dean asks as he looks at Meg.

"He's not dead, but he will be after what we do to him." Meg says​.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?"

"You don't."

"Sam." Nyx looks at him, and he goes to start again.

"A building!" Meg says. "Okay? A building in Jefferson City."

"Missouri? Where? I want an address."

"I don't know." She says.

"And the demon? Where is it?" Sam asks.

"I don't know. I swear." She says. "That's everything. That's all I know."

"Finish it." Dean says.

"What? I told you the truth."

"I don't care."

"You son of a bitch. You promised."

"I lied!" He says he bends down to her level. "Sam. Sam!" He stands up straight and looks at his brother. "Read."

"We can still use her, find out where the demon is." Sam says.

"She doesn't know." Dean argues.

"Sam." Nyx gets his attention, and he looks at her. "There is an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there. We've got to help her."

"You're gonna kill her." Bobby says as he walks over to them, and they look at him.

"What?" Dean asks.

"You said she fell from a building." He says, and Nyx sighs, realizing what he means. "That girl's body is broken. The only thing keeping her alive is that demon inside. You exorcise it, the girl is gonna die."

"So help me— We are not gonna leave her like that." He argues.

"She is a human being."

"And we're gonna put her out of her misery." He looks at his brother. "Sam, finish it."

Sam looks at Meg and then over at Nyx. She nods. "Finish it." Nyx tells him.

He takes a deep breath and then turns back to Meg. "Dominicos sanctae ecclesiae. Terogamus audi nos. Terribilis deus de sanctuario deus israhel ipse tribuite virtutem et fortitudinem plebi suae. Benedictus deus. Gloria patri." He finishes, and Meg screams as her head shoots back.

Black smoke comes out of her mouth and shoots toward the ceiling. It all disappears, and the girl stops screaming. Her head falls, and the hunters just look at her for a second, not sure what to do next.

She starts to sit up and there's blood coming out of her mouth. She groans in pain, and Nyx puts her hand over her mouth as tears fill her eyes.

"She's still alive." Dean says. "Call 9-1-1. Get some water and blankets."

The boys quickly start untying Meg, and Nyx kneels down in front of her. She hears Bobby call and ask Tyler and Jeremy for help.

"Thank you." The girl says as she looks down at Nyx.

"Just take it easy, alright?" She tells her.

"Thank you." She repeats.

"Come on, let's get her down." Dean says, and Nyx backs up as they lift her from the chair. She lets out quiet screams.

"Sorry. Sorry." Sam says, and Nyx kneels down next to where they lay her.

"A year." She manages to say.

"What?" He asks.

"It's been a year." She tells him.

"Just take it easy."

"I've been awake...for some of it." She gasps. "I couldn't move my own body. The things I did... It's a nightmare."

"Was it telling us the truth about our dad?" Dean asks.

"Dean." Sam looks at him.

"We need to know."

"Yes." Meg says, and they immediately look back at her. "But it wants...you to know that...they want you to come for him."

"If Dad's still alive, none of that matters." Dean says.

Bobby and the two boys walk back into the room, and he gives Dean a glass of water. Dean takes it, and they start putting a blanket over Meg as Dean and Sam help her drink.

"Where is the demon we're looking​ for?" Sam asks her.

"Not there." She says, gasping again. Nyx grabs her hand and just holds it. "Other ones — awful ones." Her grip on Nyx's hand tightens the slightest bit.

"Where are they keeping our dad?" Dean asks.

"By the riv-river. Sunrise." She says, and then her grip on Nyx's hand loosens.

"Sunrise? What does that mean? What does that mean?" He questions.

"Dean, she's gone." Nyx tells him, and he looks over at her.