The Winchester Three (S2): Crossroad Blues

Ch 6 Section 3

Dean rushed back up the hallway, running directly into Sam who put his arms out trying to steady him from falling, "Whoa."

"He's got the girls!"

"What?" Sam barked worriedly, "How'd that happen?"

"I couldn't get to them in time." Dean turned angrily and stomped towards the room, "Dammit!"

"Hey, hey, look..." Sam pushed his worry to the side as he tried to console his brother, "We'll find them, alright?"

"Where?"

"Inside the walls."

"We've been inside the walls all night! None of the other girls were there, they won't be either."

"Look... we've just gotta take a beat and think about this." They walked into the apartment and Sam headed straight for the blueprints and photos, "Maybe we got Holmes' M.O. wrong."

"Yeah, well, we'd better friggin' think fast." Dean's phone rang and he immediately answered, "Yeah?"

Ellen's voice sounded, angry this time, "You three lied to me. She's there."

Dean looked back at Sam, "Ellen."

"No- Ash told me everything. Man's a genius, but he folds like a cheap suit." She scoffed, "You're sisters not answering her phone so I can't wring her a new one at the moment so you put my damn daughter on the phone. Right. Now!"

Dean cleared his throat, "She's gonna have to call you back, she's taking care of, uh, feminine business."

"Yeah, right. Where is she?" At his pause, panic set in her voice, "Where is she?!"

"Look, we'll get them back-"

"Get them back?" She repeated, "Back from what?"

"The spirit we're hunting," He swallowed hard, "It took them."

A sob broke from her mouth. "Oh my god."

"She'll be okay," Dean vowed, "They both will. I promise."

"You promise." Ellen scoffed, "That is not the first time I've heard that from a Winchester."

"What?"

"If anything happens to my daughter..."

"It won't. I won't let it. And- and she's with my sister. You know Angels gonna do everything she can to protect her." Dean quieted, guilt and worry lacing his voice, "Ellen, I'm sorry, I really am."

"I'm taking the first flight out. I'll be there in a few hours."

Before he could say another word she hung up.

Dean tensed as his frustration and worry erupted, "Damnit!"

"Don't beat yourself up, Dean." Sam's eyes softened, "There's nothing you could have done."

Dean's eyes pleaded with him, "Tell me you've got something."

"Uh, maybe. Look." He motioned for his brother, "You look at the layout of the Holmes murder castle, there's all the torture chambers inside the walls, right?"

"Right..."

"But there's one we haven't considered yet. The one in this basement."

Dean shook his head, "This building doesn't have a basement."

"You're right, it doesn't, but I just noticed this. Beneath the foundation, it looks like part of an old sewer system that hasn't been used for-"

"Let's go."

Dean was instantly on alert as he grabbed his jacket and bolted out the door, Sam closely following behind.

In the sewer...

Jo jerked awake in a small, dark place, lying on her back. Thankfully she still had her flashlight and she shined it around to reveal a wood wall a few inches above her face that had long scratches gouged in it covered in dry blood. At the sight, she sobbed with a hand over her face for a second before quickly collecting herself. To her right was another wood panel with a slit; looking through she can see a larger, round chamber with similar compartments to the one she's in around it. Upon hearing something, Jo's eyes swam around the compartment.

"A- Angel?" She called out shakily, "Angel, is that you?"

As Angel came too in her own compartment, a groan escaped her lips. Her hand went up to touch the welt forming on her head but she pushed the pain out of her head at the memory of what happened.

"Jo?" She moved to look through the wood panel in her own compartment, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. I'm fine." Jo said hurriedly, her voice shaking, "Are you okay?"

"A1." Angel grimaced, "Other than feeling like I've been mowed over by a pickup."

Another female voice sounded from another compartment completely terrified, "Who's there?"

"Teresa?" Angel asked, "Is that you?"

She sniffled, "Yes."

Jo took a breath, "This won't make you feel better, but uh we're here to rescue you."

"Oh god." Teresa whimpered, "He's out there, he's gonna kill us!"

"No, he won't." Jo interrupted, "We're getting out. We've got people looking for us, they'll find us."

Quiet footsteps were heard nearby signaling that the spirit was approaching.

Teresa whimpered in fear and panic, "Oh god, he's here!"

"Shh!" Angel commanded, "Just be quiet!"

The room stilled as the spirit swept in. Angel watched as the horribly disfigured H. H. Holmes' spirit walked over to Jo's prison. She struggled as he burst his hand through it and latched onto her head. Jo screamed in pain as it ripped off a chunk of her hair.