The ride to Missouri was incredibly torturous, especially since Sam was stuck sitting in the passenger's seat with Dean in the car and driving. Sam didn't want to take any chances to follow him in a different car since that would have given Dean a chance to slip by him easily. The man was a great escape artist, so Sam would not let Dean out of his sight for the rest of the journey. Although, sometimes he glanced at Dean, noticing that both of them had similar features. Except for the dirty blonde hair. Sam couldn't help but notice they had green eyes. The other thing that mostly stood out to him was the story that Dean explained. Or at least part of the story. He remembered his parents had told him they found him in a stroller, like someone left him there on purpose. But now, hearing what Dean said, maybe he wasn't left in the stroller on purpose, maybe it was to protect him from something bad. Sam was so lost in thought that he hadn't realized Dean was talking to him until they stopped at a gas station.

"Hello? Agent pain-in-the-ass, are you paying attention to anything I've said?" Dean asked, causing Sam to snap out of his thoughts.

"What?" Sam responded.

"You weren't listening, were you?"

"Um.. tell me what I was missing."

"I said, my boss explained to me that her rival might have started this whole thing," Dean explained. "Before you say anything, we have rivals as well. Her rival is Bela, a notorious thief who would do anything to get what she wants."

"I know who you're talking about," Sam said. He remembered all too well who she was. The blonde chick was an even better thief than Dean Winchester himself. In fact, Bela always escaped police custody with every chance she got. Which made sense, considering she always got her way. "Bela Talbot an art thief, she'd do anything to get what she wanted, and she always wanted to get her hands on the Pearl, so when you were in police custody, she must have somehow got her hands on the same artifact."

"Your forgetting one thing," Dean said. "Like my boss, she has someone helping her."

"Then we've got work to do," Sam said. "I'll be damned if I let her go through and destroy everything around her."

***

Bela Talbot stared out her window as her eyes remained glued to the small town of Kansas City, Missouri, in her apartment. She was just notified by her partner, Bruce, about the Pearl. It had been years since she got her hands dirty, especially stealing special artifacts, even ones that actually contain the power to control the minds of others. She was lost in thought when someone knocked on her door. Stepping away from the window, she turned toward the door.

"Enter!" she yelled just as the door opened. Bruce, the thief she sent to steal the Pearl, appeared at the entryway. "Well, Bruce, I wasn't expecting you until a week later. What can I do for you?" Bela made her way over to her desk and sat down.

"I came to give you the Pearl, madam," Bruce said, his bushy eyebrows rose as he looked at Bela. "But I also need to warn you that Dean Winchester and his FBI pet are on the way here to Missouri."

"Probably to meet up with that Meddlesome bitch, Ruby, no doubt."

"Well, it might be your chance to take both of them out. Knowing Dean, he might talk to his boss and find out what to do," Bruce continued. "And the next thing that could happen would be that they come after you."

"I am well aware of the situation, Bruce, but do you really think I'm going to let some kid stand in my way to world domination?" Bela asked. "If that's how you see me, then you are really incredibly stupid, but if you are sure, I think it's time that we give two people a little wake up call," she continued. "Send in some of our best fighters, but make sure that they stay alive. I want to kill them myself."

"I will do that as soon as possible." Bruce said, but didn't move. Bela looked up from her desk and in her thick British accent, she spoke to him once more.

"Are you waiting for an invitation? Get your ass moving before I kill you myself!" Bela yelled. Bruce quickly nodded and raced out of the room, slamming the door behind him. "I swear sometimes I question why I even asked him to join my team."

***

Dean pulled into a nearby gas station to fill his tank up. Sam remained in the car as Dean made his way inside. Dean's biker boots made a constant step, step-stepping sound on the linoleum floor as he grabbed a few things such as two drinks, one being water and the other being an energy drink, the young thief made his way over to the counter and placed the two drinks down. Behind the counter, a slim man stood scanning both drinks and tapping on the register.

"8.16 is the amount you owe, sir," the man said. Dean nodded and pulled out a ten-dollar bill and handed it to the man. "Thank you." Dean grabbed the two drinks and started making his way toward his car. "Trying to steal that pearl back, aren't you?" Dean paused and turned toward the cashier.

"I'm sorry?" Dean said, pretending he hadn't heard.

"You heard me, you're heading to Missouri to get that Pearl back aren't you?"

"Why should I tell you anything?" Dean demanded.

"And traveling with the FBI," the man answered. "That's very dangerous, my boy, especially when you have people around you that could take that pearl at any moment."

"Who are you?"

"I'll give you a guess," the clerk said. "I work for a certain... art thief who really doesn't like you and your boss."

"You work for Bela, don't you?"

"Oh, now we're getting somewhere." the clerk said and stepped around. "The name is Frank Menosa, and I'll be taking you and your little friend to Bela."

"What if I refuse?" Dean threatened but immediately regretted it as a smile appeared on Frank's face.