Defenders of the Night

23. 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 Lana.

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

Sam was breathing heavily and blinking.

---

Dean drove the Impala down a dark two-lane road. Sam was in the passenger's seat and Lana and Rose, who was asleep, were 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..."

"Plus it could have some connection with the demon. My visions always do."

"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 Lana's backside and she narrowed her eyes. "Keep staring and I'll cut them out or my husband will shoot you."

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 really, really big one," Rose said. "Mama, come."

Lana picked up her daughter. "How about we get you something to eat, huh?"

"Grilled cheese?"

Jo nodded. "We can do that. Come on."

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 was also knocking. "Hey, Dr. Badass?"

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

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

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

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

The brothers 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 Lana stood behind. Rose was at a nearby table, happily eating her sandwich.