Losing Hope | {BOOK 4}

71| Saving People, Hunting Things

We had stopped at an outdoor café after learning that the private jet that the woman who had taken Sam, Dean and the kids flew in had diplomatic registry. While we were sitting and talking, Cass spotted the van from the traffic cam outside Dr. Gregory Marion's veterinary clinic. Inside the clinic, we questioned him about the woman who took my family.

"So, you dug the bullet out of his leg, no questions asked?" I growled.

Apparently, the woman had shot Sam, which explained the blood back at the Bunker.

"She offered me 100 grand," Dr. Marion shrugged.

"And you took it?" my mom asked.

"Student loans were a bitch, okay?"

"What about the others? Were any of them hurt?"

"I mean, the other guy had a nasty bruise and looked pissed, but the shaggy haired one was the only one hurt that badly."

Angrily, Cass started making his way toward the vet, but I grabbed his arm.

"Cass! Cass! Cass! Don't hurt him. Not yet."

"Alright, look, she didn't give me her name," Dr. Marion swallowed. "When we were done, the driver bailed, I got paid, and some other chick shows up and they all drive away."

"And that's everything you know?" my mom pressed.

"Yeah. Totally."

"Hurt him."

Complying with my mother's request, Cass stepped forward once more and grabbed Dr. Marion by the collar.

"Oh, oh, aah! I have her number! Okay? Okay, look, look, look. Look, I don't know where they are, but she called me a couple hours ago- a few hours ago asking about the sedative I gave the guy. So... I've got her number."

I nodded at Cass, who let him go.

"Make the call," I ordered.

Shaking, Dr. Marion took his phone out of his pocket and dialed the number.

"Yeah, I'm just calling, you know, to, uh, check on the patient," he stammered when the lady picked up. "Yeah, yeah, sure. Definitely."

He hesitated slightly and I grabbed the phone out of his hand angrily.

"Listen, bitch. I don't care who you are, I don't care what you want. You have my family."

"Eleanor Dawson," the woman spoke in an English accent. "I heard you were dead."

"Well, you heard wrong," I growled, not even bothering to correct her on my last name. "Now, I'm gonna give you one chance- just one- to hand Sam, Dean and my children back."

"Sorry. Not possible."

"Oh, you think you can run from me? Try it. Because when I find you- and I will find you- if they are not in one piece, I will take you apart. Do you understand me?"

There was a beep as the woman hung up on me. In a fit of adrenaline and rage, I held Dr. Marion's phone with both hands, snapping it in half. Leaving the clinic, we headed to the Impala and all climbed in, with me behind the wheel and my mom in the passenger seat while Cass took the back.

"Now what?" my mom asked me.

"Well, we got her number. Let's head back to the Bunker, and we'll put a trace on it."

Right when I finished talking, another vehicle came along and hit the side of the Impala, making the tires screech on the road. The passenger seat window shattered as I slammed on the brakes, trying to control the car. My mom slumped over on the seat and I reached over to check on her.

"Mom?"

"She's unconscious, but there's no serious damage," Cass informed me after a brief assessment.

"Alright, help her."

I got out, checking the damage on Baby. When we saved Dean, he was going to be pissed. Cass got out as well, heading around to the passenger side to check on my mother.

"Eleanor Dawson, I presume," a voice sounded behind me.

Turning around, I saw a woman in a dark coat, her brown hair in a sleek back bun on top of her head. I clenched my jaw as she started over toward me.

"You should be more careful with your location services on your phone," she taunted me.

"Are you one of them?" I asked.

"I'm one of them."

"Yeah."

Moving forward, I grabbed her by the collar, getting in her face.

"You tell me where my family is, and I might take it easy on you."

"Oh, please don't," she replied mockingly.

In the ensuing fight between the two of us, Cass joining in as well, the woman managed to get the upper hand using a pair of brass knuckles with warding carved into them so they could actually damage Cass. Standing up, I reached for my gun.

"Looking for this?" the woman asked me, holding up my gun. "So, round two? Anyone?"

It didn't take long before I found myself being thrown against the woman's vehicle and she was kicking Cass's angel blade out of his hand. However, as she moved toward us with my gun in her hand, suddenly the tip of the angel blade she'd gotten away from Cass was sticking out of her chest. She reflexively pulled the trigger of the gun twice and I scrambled out of the way just in time.

"Thanks, Mom," I said as the woman's body fell to the ground, revealing my mom standing there holding the bloody blade.

With Castiel's help, he and I managed to hide the woman's car by the side of the road. My mom was leaning against the Impala, staring down at her hands and I headed over to her.

"Found her cellphone in the car. Last phone call was made from Aldrich, Missouri. We're guessing Sam, Dean and the kids are probably around there."

"Good. That's great," my mom replied mechanically.

"You okay?"

"No," she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just... your father and I... we agreed to open the shop to get away from hunting. We... I got out. I never wanted this for you."

"Mom, I-I get it," I swallowed, nodding my head. "I do. Maddie and Zep... Dean and I have tried to keep them as far away from the hunting side of things as we can. But this... saving people, hunting things, this is our life. I think we make the world a better place. I know that we do."

The three of us climbed into the Impala, and I backed it up and drove off. My mom was sitting in the back with Cass in the front this time, and I glanced back at her in the rearview mirror as we drove.