Of Heroes and Villains

The Chapter With Some Bad News

When Don returned to the bar, Dean and Jordan were drunk off their asses.

"It's not even noon yet," he told them. "You guys give us a bad name."

"Finished already?" asked Sean as the two idiots started laughing. "That's good. We'll need the money to fund this trip."

Don walked up to the older man. "What trip?"

Sean sighed. "Remember what I said about Dean's past?" Don nodded. "I found out how we can learn the relationship between him and Dimitri. I had Unbound clear a visit to the prison where Dean was born for us. It's no longer a prison, and is now an esper research facility, but some of the old prison workers are still guards there. We can ask them about anything they may have seen."

"Is that really necessary? I can tell you right now they're twins."

"I agree, but Dean's not gonna let it go until he knows for sure. I think we might be able to get Dimitri on our side, too."

Don frowned. "Unless he freezes us to death first." His hand instinctively went to his leg, where the ice esper had wounded him. "A killer isn't gonna stop being a killer just because he has a brother."

"Agreed, but he might welcome having a family. He may be against us, but he's an esper, and has likely gone through the same trouble as all of us. Family means you're not alone in the world, so that might at least turn him against ZONE. Either way, it's worth a shot. Start getting ready now, and get those two idiots to their homes. We're leaving tomorrow morning."

Don wasn't happy about the side trip. He was glad for Dean, but it seemed like a waste of time. Zone and Father Omen were both playing their games, and they were wasting time to confirm something he already knew.

Still, he went over to the two drunkards. Dean was the one he went up to first, trusting Jordan to be used to finding her way around in a drunken daze. "Come on, playboy. We've gotta get you ready."

"But I haven't finished my cake yet, and I wanna-"

"There is no cake, Dean. Keep walking. That's it; Through the door." He turned around to make sure Jordan wasn't moving and saw her sleeping at the counter. "Idjits, both of you."

Seeing as Dean was in no shape to drive, Don wound up hitching a cab to his captain's house.

"Still can't believe these two can live together." The thought was absurdity at its finest. The two were absolutely nothing alike. Sean was practical, uptight and boring, whereas Dean was sociable, charming and flirty. It made Don wonder if opposites really did attract.

When he took Dean inside, after many minutes of picking his pockets for the keys, he laid the man on the couch, then went from room to room looking for a suitcase. Once he had one, he packed the warmest clothes he could find, figuring Dean would be needing those.

Once he was finished, his phone rang. It was Lan.

"Yes?"

"I'm taking care of Jordan. Just get that idiots things to the office so he doesn't forget in the morning."

"Hey, I'm the one who calls them idiots."

"Everyone calls them idiots, Dellinger. Everyone."

Don didn't reply for a moment, deciding on the words he was gonna use. "What happened to your cousin?"

"I didn't have him arrested, if that's what you're asking. He's back home, but won't be causing trouble anymore."

"Mind if I be open with you?"