Song Remains the Same

Chapter 145: Devil to Pay

"Living off borrowed time, the clock tick faster."
– MF Doom

A Few Hours Later

Under broad daylight, three hunters moved through the Kansas cemetary furtively with grim expressions. Leading the way to the mausoleum she'd trapped Dean in just hours prior, Jamie came up short when they rounded a series of large headstones that had obscured the structure in question from sight. A veritable battlefield of smashed gravestones and their crumbled remains led up to the mouth of the entombment—and the metal doors that had been shut tight by hexwork when she fled the scene now hung wide open. "No, no—!" she breathed then darted forward, aghast, even as Sam and Bobby quickly realized what she had: Dean was long gone. "How did he get out?!" Jamie asked in alarm to no one specific, a hand on her head in confused dismay before she turned to her companions, staggered. "There's no way he could've have broken the hexes I put on this thing!"

Sam's mouth was in a thin line as he drifted forward carefully, studying the scene. His eyes found the hexwork she'd chalked across the structure—it had been put far out of reach from anyone who would have been trapped inside. Some of it had been smudged. "Yeah, he didn't break them. Someone must've let him out," he concluded darkly, cursing this situation anew.

"Question is, who?" Bobby muttered, casting suspicious glances around.

They'd caravanned over here immediately after Jamie had returned to the bunker, bruised and bleeding after her encounter with Dean. With the demon warded handcuffs, holy water, devil's trap bags, and high hopes for capture, this outcome was crushing.

James abruptly stood a little straighter, her battered features stiffening with fear as she had a sudden realization. "He might be going to the bunker," she said urgently.

Immediately, Sam understood and pulled his car keys out. Baby Rose was there. And Dean had threatened her specifically. "Take the Land Cruiser. Go. I'll call Alex and let her know what's up." He tossed the keys across the distance between them.

Jamie caught the keys smoothly. "What about you two?"

Bobby glanced at Sam, obviously wondering what the game plan was. Sam wasn't optimistic, but they had to at least try: "We'll see if he's still around here, and head back in the RV if not."

Jamie nodded stiffly and without anything else, she quickly headed back to the parking area.

"We can't get any daggum breaks around here can we," Bobby muttered, crouching at the mausoleum steps to hunt for any clues that might have been left behind.

Sam was already on the phone, casting cagey glances around at the damage Dean and Jamie's encounter had created last night. It looked like a war zone. Alex picked up after two rings. "Hey, Dean got out," Sam relayed heavily. "Keep an extra close watch on the door, and use the manual locks. Have Kevin monitor the cameras real close."

"Damn." There was a defeated sigh at the other end. "Yeah. Okay."

Sam cast another haggard glance around the bleak graveyard scenery. "Jamie's on her way back, should be there in a couple hours. Be careful."

"You too," Alex said, voice tinged by heaviness that Sam knew all to well. He ended the call and heaved an exhale, trying to get himself ready for another wild goose chase, wishing he felt more confident. But all he felt was an impending sense of doom. Like the walls were closing in. Like everything was getting way too big to handle or face—especially without Dean there to guide them. Sam wanted to cry. He still couldn't believe this was happening...