Play With Fire

22. Simon Said

Sam gasped, leaning over the sink in a dingy bathroom with the water running. He'd just seen a man ask for a gun, then shoot himself.

"No..." Sam said, running a hand under the water. He washed his face and scrubbed the hand through his hair. As he shut the water off and looked into the mirror, the door burst open to reveal Dean and Penelope.

"Sam, come on, zip it up," Dean said. "Let's hit the... road. What?"

"Sammy?" Penelope called. "What is it?"

Sam was breathing heavily and blinking.

---

Dean drove the Impala down a dark two-lane road. Sam was in the passenger's seat and Penelope was in back.

The radio announcer said, "Rockin' Nebraska. Your source for the classics, all night long."

"I don't know, man, why don't we just chill out, think about this."

Sam shut off the radio. "What's there to think about?"

"I just don't know if going to the Roadhouse is the smartest idea."

"Dean, it's another premonition. I know it. This is gonna happen, and Ash can tell us where."

"Yeah, man, but..." He glanced back at a sleeping Penelope.

"Plus it could have some connection with the demon. My visions always do. Penny's Human Torch like abilities do too."

"That's my point. There's gonna be hunters there, I don't know if, if, if going in and announcing that you're some supernatural freak with a, a demonic connection is the best thing, okay?"

"So I'm a freak now?"

Dean slapped Sam on the thigh. "You've always been a freak."

---

They reached the Roadhouse and entered the Roadhouse, passing two men at a table cleaning weapons. One glanced at Penelope's backside and she narrowed her eyes. "Don't make me burn them out."

Dean almost ran into Jo, who stopped, smiling.

"Just can't stay away, huh?" Jo asked.

"Yeah, looks like," Dean replied. "How you doin', Jo?"

"Where's Ash?" Sam questioned hurriedly.

"In his back room," Jo answered.

Sam brushed past her. "Great."

"And I'm fine..."

"Sorry, he's, we're... kind of on a bit of a timetable," Dean said.

"A big one," Penelope added as she walked away.

Sam approached a rough wooden door with a sign hanging on it that read: DR. BADASS IS: IN.

Sam knocked on the door. "Ash? Hey, Ash?"

Dean and Penelope were also knocking. "Hey, Dr. Badass?"

The door was unlatched and opened a crack to reveal a naked Ash. Dean averted his eyes and Penelope covered her eyes.

Ash poked his head out. "Sam? Dean? Penny? Sam, Dean and Penny."

"Hey, Ash," Sam greeted. "Um. We need your help."

"Well, hell then. Guess I need my pants." He shut the door.

The trio returned to the main area of the Roadhouse and Ash soon joined.

Ash was sitting at a table with his laptop open, looking at the hand-drawn sketch of the bus logo from Sam's vision. Sat sat across from him while Dean and Penelope stood behind.