Backlash {Fourth book in the "Born to Be a Hunter" Series}

The Wesson Ghouls Mission

Apparently, I could kill things. Monstrous things. No pun intended.

Ketch and the other Brits put me in a sound-proof, break-proof room with a monster of every kind for months. First, it was a vampire. Second, a werewolf. And it built up in difficulty level until it reached angel and demons.

When they thought that I had enough experience, they sent me on cases to kill monsters in small towns and small cities. It got bigger and bigger until I was wiping out whole families of monsters off the face of the earth. And after every case, I went back to HQ and got an upgrade in my living environment.

I started out with a cell and a prison jumper, but now, I had a nice, rusty-colored, leather jacket, a couple flannel shirts, comfortable jeans, and combat boots with an actual bedroom. I got whatever I wanted to eat, to drink and I got a few days off each month. What wasn't to love, right?

But it felt like I was missing something, like I was constantly going through the motions. The problem was that I didn't know how to fix it. I just had to keep with the motions, hoping it would change.

On some day in March, it did change. I was called to the bullpen for another case. I knew it was different by the way the other Brits acted around me. Normally, they moved out of my way when I went through the halls and always avoided eye contacted. Today, they stared at me as I passed.

Once I got to the bullpen, Ketch, Lady Bevell, and Dr. Hess stood looking at the surveillance screen. There were three individuals on the screen, all men, all with the same last name, Wesson. One guy wasn't a brother, but he had adopted their last name. It didn't say why.

They all sparked some sort of memory, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"Dr. Hess, Bevell, Ketch, you called?" I asked, standing at attention.

"Yes." Dr. Hess answered, all three turning to look at me. "We have another assignment for you. You see these three? They are ghouls that took over an old Men of Letters bunker."

I crossed my arms, "I'll be in and out in a matter of an hour."

"Ketch will be going with you." Bevell said, passing behind him to speak to me. "Dr. Hess and I will be heading back to London for a week."

I nodded at Ketch, "Which means some scotch when we finish this."

"Don't get too cocky, Mrs. Winchester. We've been tracking these monsters for over five years now." Bevell said.

I scoffed, "And we haven't killed them yet?"

"We waited to make sure we could actually catch them off guard." Ketch answered. "And they are as on edge as they are going to be."

I uncrossed my arms, "Then let's go."

I turned for the door, but Dr. Hess spoke up, "Winchester, may I have a word?" I nodded and she shooed Bevell and Ketch out of the room.

Ketch stood in the door and I said, "Grab my pistol. I'll meet you in the car." He nodded and left. "Yes, ma'am?" I asked, hands behind my back.

"The Elders in London are supremely impressed with your progress in training." She said, folding a case file and dropping it on a desk. "Not that you needed much of it, but they still are impressed. They are contemplating promoting you from a level three to a level five security clearance level. What do you think?"

"That sounds real good, ma'am." I said, looking at the faces one the screen. "But if you don't have anything else for me to do, I'd like to take my case."

She looked shocked at my placidity, but she spoke after a few seconds, "No, that is all."

I left and met Ketch and our assault team of five, dressing in our black assault gear. I tied my hair back in a ponytail and we drove to the old bunker.

There were an old Impala and an old Camaro out front. After seeing it, my head started to pound and pictures started to pass across my vision. The pain caused me to flinch back and clench my eyes shut.

"Jackline? Are you all right?" Ketch asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

The pounding stopped and I squinted up at him, "Yeah, I'm good."

We went in through the underground tunnel entrance. Ketch said to meet him in the war room. I pulled my pearl-handled pistol out and scanned the bottom floors. It was half-an-hour until I reached the side of the war room, just under the main entrance.

"Don't move, Ketch." A man said as my two men moved into the room with their guns aimed at the ghouls.

"I wouldn't do that." Ketch said while on his knees as the man called Sam held a gun to his head. Ketch's three men were unconscious on the floor, unarmed.

I walked in, aiming my pistol at the blond one called Matt, "Put your guns down." All four of the ghouls froze and Ketch could take the gun from Sam.

"Jack?" Matt asked while walking closer. Ketch backed up to me as my head started to hurt again.

"Back up." I said, holding my gun with one hand and my head with the other.

Sam's older brother, Dean, was next to speak, "Jackie, it's us. It's me, Dean."

More images flashed by me and I flinched. I fell into Ketch, the pain too great to stand.

They were memories. One was of Dean crying over me, blood all over. One was of Sam and me in that Camaro outside. And one was of me and Matt dancing.

I gripped Ketch's vest in pain, "Get me the hell out of here." And just before we left, a gunshot rang through the bunker as one of my men fell from a bullet in his head.

Right before we escaped, I saw a young girl with a revolver in her hand. She was blonde with green eyes. I knew her, I knew all of them, but my head hurt too much to remember.