SPNSimpleMan

The television propped on the back of the bar plays the news and it sure has some great shots of the fire still burning at the District Attorney’s house. They throw up similar shots from the Mayor’s house and the head judge’s while their fires were still blazing just as bright. A pretty news lady interviews someone on the street and mentions a current gang member on trial that probably caused it. Such trash that the DA was just trying to clean up their streets.

“Yup. He just wants to clean up the streets,” I croon into my glass of scotch. Taye, my favorite bartender, chuckles and winks at me.

“Lookin’ good, Seren.” Reese slides onto the stool next to me, his hands coming together on the bar top.

Taye stops in front of him and raises his brow, “don’t be stupid. What can I get you?”

Reese only smiles but his eyes flick my way, something flashing in them that reminds me too much of all that’s been going on around us. That pit in my stomach lurches at my own part in it. “Tequila.”

“What is it?” I ask, knowing it’s a little early but the old man has been more and more paranoid these last few months.

“Gotta take you in, but we have time for a drink.”

“Glad he asked one of us instead of that spunk bubble he sent after me.”

Reese grins before knocking the shot back. “I heard about that. Needed seven stitches in one cheek, some nice blade work.” Then the grin fades and he frowns, “it’s not good. I don’t like what he’s…” his hand clenches around the glass, “I don’t want to follow the order.”

I touch his forearm, the tattoo he got with Darius feels warm under my fingers, “it’s okay. I want you to.”

He meets my eyes, “I won’t let him do it to you too. You know that right? We won’t stand for it.”

I smile, “thank you, but I can take care of myself.”

He smiles at that, “we all know that. But you’re not alone.”

I nod, knock back the rest of my drink, and stand. “Well, let’s get this over with.”

He stands with me, “Rasheen’s out front with Grim.”

I grit my teeth and shake my head, “of course.” I straighten my back, lift my head, and walk out of the bar with a salute to Taye, “see ya later, T.”

“Good luck, Seren.”

“What good is luck?” I glance back over my shoulder.

Taye smirks, “everyone needs a little bit of luck, kid. Even wicked little fighters like you.”

“I make my own luck,” I grin as Reese opens the door.

“Still counts. And you have a little of mine too.”

“Superstitious bastard,” Reese mumbles as he waves.

Once outside, Rasheen and Grim step up behind us. “Good to see you boys.” They don’t smile and Rasheen looks as uncomfortable as Reese was able to hide. Grim as usual doesn’t show a thing. One of the reasons he bothers everyone around him.

Reese guides me to a car and we all get in. Reese drives through the streets that haven’t been mine in two years. Streets that bring too many memories, too many scars. We pass an intersection and I almost flinch at the image of a car slamming to a stop in front of us cutting us off. But it’s not this car, and not these occupants. I try to shove it away but I know better now. It’s better to just let it go, let it fuel me on my way to where I’ll finally make it right.

JJ’s arm wrapped around me pulling me against his side.

“Stay here,” Darius barked as he climbed out of the car. My gaze was stuck on Big Daddy stepping out of the car that blocked us. Then ten different gang members flooded out from the shadows.

Darius froze on his way to Big Daddy who pulled a gun from his jacket. The passenger car door jerked open and hands pulled Marco from the car. JJ and I jumped out of the back seat.

Marco’s legs are kicked out from under him and I rushed for him but rough hands grabbed my arms and held me back. JJ’s  growl beside me sent prickling needles down my spine as they dragged Marco over to Darius and Big Daddy.

Big Daddy held his gun out to Darius, “you need to prove your loyalty.”

Big Daddy looked at us, the delight in his eyes was sharp against my skin. “Make sure they watch. They need to learn and prove where they stand.”

Darius grabbed the gun and pointed it at Big Daddy’s face.

“Wrong move,” Big Daddy barked and looked at the man on Marco’s right side. He punched him hard in the face, blood gushed from his nose.

Big Daddy watched Darius’s face for a moment and Darius pulled the trigger. A click and nothing happened. Big Daddy shook his head but he was grinning. He took the gun from Darius’s hand and called out, “boys!”

Two of the gang’s biggest bruisers walked out from behind Big Daddy, Titan and G. Darius was tight with them, they worked the streets together and Darius had helped them too many times for them to follow the order. They would fight for Darius just like he did for them.

For those few steps it took them to make it to Darius, I felt lighter. They would block him from Big Daddy, they would step in front of him and shield him from Big Daddy. We stood up for each other, we were the siblings and Big Daddy was making a bad call.

The first punch knocked Darius’s head back so sharply, another crack broke through the shrill shrieking in my head. The second hit splashed something warm on my face. I ripped at the hands holding me, tugging and jerking and twisting, but nothing worked. My face was hot and too wet and my throat was raw.

Marco slammed his head into the face of the man holding his right arm and twisted so fast, he landed a solid punch in the face of the other before tearing over to Darius. His mouth open yelling something but I couldn’t hear anything over the pounding in my head, the rush of blood in my ears, the shrill tone still bouncing around inside my skull.

Two more members rushed forward and beat Marco down right next to Darius. Fists and boots and elbows and blood. So much blood.

There was nothing I could do.

Nothing.

Something strange happened as I finally got a look at JJ beside me being held back by two other members. His face soaked in anguish and wrath and… desperation. I wasn’t the only one, screaming and fighting and failing.

Failing.

We failed.

Then there was nothing. Like a shroud had fallen over me. Silence rang out even as the movement continued all around me. I stared at Big Daddy smiling down at the carnage in front of him. He barked something and they finally stopped.

Darius and Marco are pulled to their feet but they couldn’t stand. Not on their own. Some part of me still thought, this was the price and they’d let us go.

JJ and I were dragged over to the sidewalk and shoved to our knees. We could only watch as Darius and Marco were dragged over the pavement to us. Their faces a mess that I almost couldn’t look, but I also couldn’t look away. I couldn’t leave them alone. Even though they hung side by side in the street in front of us, I needed them to know I was there. It was all I could do.

Something happened when everything crashed together in my mind. I had seen something very similar to the actions unfolding in front of me and I slipped my rigging, slipped the vessel that held me.

There’s a freedom in such a slip, when nothing can touch you and you float above it all.

“Bite the curb.” Big Daddy’s command like a gavel dropping.

I watch the girl who used to be called Serenity jerk her head up and shriek, “NO!”

Darius and Marco are staring at each other completely oblivious to everything around them. Marco whispered to the one person that never let him down, “I love you, D. They can’t take that.”

One of the guys press the gun against the back of Marco’s head and Big Daddy clips out, “bite the curb, D. Prove your loyalty.”

“Fuck you!” Darius spits, blood splatters against the curb and the sidewalk under Serenity and JJ’s knees. Two kids that can do nothing.

The bottom of the handgun slams into the back of Marco’s head and Darius stares hard at the guy. “How could you…”

“We were family and you chose him over us.”

Darius shakes his head but his eyes move back to Marco who is fighting to keep his eyes open but it’s not easy. Blood is pooling in his brain and the new fractures in the back of his skull only make it worse. Contusions and hemorrhages. Blood on the brain. Cracks in the skull. 

A hand shoves Darius’s face against the curb. “Bite it.”

Darius does as he’s told. Serenity thrashes against the hold on her arms and shoulders screaming at the men around her. Darius’s eyes are still on Marco when the gun pressed against the back of his head goes off. More hot liquid splatters Serenity and JJ’s faces. She shrieks in fury with blood stained, torn vocal cords. JJ stares in horror.

Darius jerks his head to the side just as a foot slams down on the back of it. His jaw gives under the pressure. Keening, wailing spill from his wrecked mouth as he continues to stare at Marco, eyes still half open.

Serenity is thrown to the sidewalk and JJ thrusts his head back connecting with the face behind him. He jerks free and punches the man that pushed Serenity to the ground. He only gets one solid punch before others grab him and shove him down beside her.

He stares into her eyes and screams her name as glazed empty eyes stare back at him.

Blue and red lights flood the sidewalk. The lights shine on the dark liquid soaking into Serenity’s clothes but she’s too far gone to feel anything. JJ talks to her, trying to reach her, trying to make sure she’s still with him.

“Clean it up,” Big daddy barks and walks away from it all.

 Reese pulls the car into Big Daddy’s driveway and I take a deep, cleansing breath as his large house looms above. Rasheen leans forward and whispers into my ear, “you took care of me, not them. I’ve got ya back.”

I nod with a glance over my shoulder to meet his eyes. If there was anything I did not count on, it was Big Daddy putting someone in the line of fire that could dig so deep. I had not hidden that weakness as well as I thought I did, but I have been quite busy the last two years.

We all get out and one of Big Daddy’s cock suckers opens the front door.

“Took you long enough,” he scowls and both Reese and Rasheen scowl back. The problem with not running the streets with the rest of the crew is lack of connection. Something I played with a lot the last few years. The inner circle that lounges in luxury.

I walk inside and move through the house to where his throne resides in the kitchen. Big Daddy surrounded by his version of opulence. Disgusting considering the kids and members on the streets live with little more than nothing. It’s disturbing that I had to do any work at all to turn them against him.

A glance at Rasheen, Reese, and Grim tells me they see it clearly now. I wonder when they first noticed. When the street runners got arrested more and nothing was done? When less benefits went to the member working the streets? The discord between the members that held a blind faith in Big Daddy? Or just the simple fact that everything went to shit after Darius was betrayed?

“Well, at least you’ve used your own men this time.” Even his two right hand men look confused. Big Daddy keeps his face neutral. “Oh, so you didn’t tell them about that white collar rent a gang prick you sent after me? What was it he said..?”

“You’ll shut your mouth and…”

“Teach this pussy a lesson. I think that’s what he said but he was trying so hard to sound like a gangster from the wrong era, it was a little difficult not to laugh.”

Big Daddy’s nostrils flare, “you went too far this time,” he snarls, “Serenity. You messed with the wrong people.”

“You mean your people that have been putting away my people?” His two twat knuckles flinch and look at him from the corner of their eyes.

“My people? YOU’RE ALL MY PEOPLE, YOU LITTLE BITCH!” Spittle flys landing on his chest and the floor in front of me.

I see red for a second but squeeze against the wave and shove it away. I cross my arms over my chest, “really? Because lately it sure hasn’t been us profiting from your shit for… well, I’d say ever since you turned on Darius. Since then My people have been gettin’ arrested more, haven’t been getting’ paid, warm beds or warm clothing, and haven’t been gettin’ close to what Darius made sure we had. But now, I set a few fires on your boys in the big houses and look who’s being dragged in here? What about us, huh? You don’t give a damn about us!”

Rasheen and Reese grunt in support and even his two men step away from him. I smirk. I can’t even help it at this point.

His hands clench the arms of his chair and he leans forward, “you’ve done this, you did it all!”

I shrug, “I’ve been taking care of them, I understand them. I’m one of them. You, you’re the asshole that killed Darius and made his brother take the fall. You ruined everything. Darius looked out for us and you couldn’t stand it! He was becoming too much of a threat!”

He shoves from his chair, “Darius isn’t dead! That faggot is rotting away in an institution because he wasn’t man enough to live with his choices! I gave him a…”

My foot kicks out before I could even stop myself. The crunch echoes and blood gushes from his nose as my foot hits the ground and I punch his Adam’s apple as hard as I can. I growl, “he’s more man than you could ever hope to be. He’s the best man from these damn streets! You’re nothing but filth that doesn’t deserve to be under his toes. And you’ll rot in prison… if you even make that far.”

I’m glaring into his panicked eyes, his hands clutching his throat as he tries to breathe when something whips by that I catch only in the corner of my eye. Before I can turn, I’m yanked off my feet and my back slams into a solid wall of muscle.

“Pretty little thing playing such a big game.” Vick’s smooth voice brushes my ear.

Big Daddy coughs and laughs. The bastard laughs! It’s not until I look down that I realize it’s not just me he’s laughing at. There’s blood pooling around Vick’s feet. The two twat knuckles are staring at Vick in terror. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen true terror on these streets.

“Rasheen?” My voice is panicky and too high but my stomach just shot into my throat.

“Y-y-yah, girl?” Scared but alive.

I close my eyes and it’s wrong to feel relief when there is still a dead man at my feet who trusted me, who had my back when I needed it.

Big Daddy stands up and takes the two steps to me. Vick is holding me too high and has to lower me a few inches so Big Daddy doesn’t have to look up. I only smirk.

“You think you’re so smart. I’ve been around a lot longer than you, kid.”

A sharp tooth brushes my neck. “A vamp? Seriously?”

“Needed something a little different when I knew my empire was being threatened.”

I snort, “that’s rich.”

He sneers, “what do I do with a little bitch who doesn’t know how to kneel?” He looks over my head, “give her as a refreshment or,” he glances over his shoulder to the two still standing back, “let them have a few hours with you before letting my pet feed?”

The vamp muscles squeeze just a hair and I grin, someone didn’t like that. “That’s adorable. He’s your pet? Who knew Vick had a leash? Anyone? Grim?” Shit, I didn’t know if Grim was still breathing.

“Didn’t think a man that big would allow a leash. Sorta doesn’t make sense. He owe you something, Vick?” Grim’s deep voice rumbles.

I relish this relief, Grim may have been a hard ass but he was an amazing enforcer and a good man for these streets. I would need him.

Big Daddy’s lip curls and he nods. The vamp’s hand closes around my throat and squeezes. I jerk against his hold and I’m still aware of movement around me. I can only hope that the guys can do enough to give me an inch. My hand is so close to my pocket with my blades.

“Anybody order a pizza?” The voice is familiar but not in this setting. The vamp whips around. I may not be against his chest anymore but the bloodhound still holds my throat.

Holy fuck, it’s that ass clown old man. Dean Winchester swings something the light reflects off of but my vision is dimming.

I hit the ground and suck in air, greedy and desperate. I scramble to my feet, unsteady but lurch toward where Big Daddy was. When my sight clears a little, I see him trying to run around the kitchen table to the doorway and I jump over it, crashing into him.

We roll until he hits the cabinets and I wrap my hands around his throat. I’m still sucking in heaving breaths of glorious air while he feels the brunt of my pain. He claws at my hands and I dig my fingers in, squeezing as hard as I can. He reaches for my face and I bite his hand. He shrieks and I savor every gods damn second of it.

“Seren, let him go.” Sam is talking next to me in such a calm manner and grabs the hand that reaches for my face again.

“No. He deserves it.” My voice is scratchy and reminds of that night when that girl screamed for her brother. I press more of my body weight on his throat. “For everything he took.”

“He deserves nothing less than mercy then.”

I bare my teeth at him, “he deserves nothing of the kind!”

Dean steps around the table and looks down at me and shrugs, “you’re the boss.” He tilts his head looking down at the man’s swelling face and bulging eyes, “would killing him be a mercy to him or you though? Killing him so he wouldn’t have to keep go through all the shit that is about to fall on him?”

I feel the impact of his words and war with it. I picture JJ and Darius and finally let go. Big daddy’s eyes have closed and I slap him as hard as I can.

He sucks in a deep breath, his eyes snapping open. He coughs then, “still just a lazy little cunt.”

I punch him square in the nose. His eyes roll back in his head and I check his pulse. There.

“Nice,” Dean holds out his hand for me.

“Shut up.” I snap but take his hand. My throat burns and my muscles ache.

Dean looks at his brother and grins. Sam winces, “oh, for fuck’s sake, don’t say it.”

“I think she likes me, Sammy.”

“Don’t push it.” I lean against the counter and catch my breath. Rasheen is staring with wide eyes down at a now headless Vick. Grim is watching Big Daddy’s two henchmen, his glock in his right hand but still by his thigh.

Suddenly, I’m so damn tired. After all this time and hard work, it’s finally here. But I’m just waiting for the world to tilt again. The rug will be pulled from under my feet at any moment, but right now, I’m just too tired to care about any of it.

I’m numb. Again. But it’s done. Almost.

Dean waved at Sheri the second she stepped into the bar. Sam eyed the manila folder she held against her chest and shared a glance with his brother. Now, the fact that they hadn’t seen a single person that seemed like a cop started to make sense. The place didn’t fit the image of a cop bar, not that he had much experience in the real thing but there were a few.

She approached the table and sat, the waitress almost beating her. She bantered with the waitress with a familiarity before ordering a beer and waving the girl off.

“I’m glad you called, agents.” She smirked at Dean but there was a spark in her eyes when she smiled in greeting at Sam, “I’ve been looking over a few files.”

Sam’s brows jumped up, “did you find something?”

“I told you that I had transferred in two years ago because the chief had been looking for fresh eyes but what I hadn’t mentioned was why there was a position open at all.” She opened the manila folders and pulled out two files. “Two years ago, there was a case that had been flagged for police tampering but they couldn’t pin anything down. There was enough suspicion that the officer was transferred. They were still finishing up this case in court when I came, it was the first time I saw the girl.”

Sam pulled the top case file toward him and flipped it open, quickly scanning the details and flipping the page. He sucked in a breath and pulled back.

“The murder of Marco Rodriquez,” Sheri said low enough only the two of them heard her, “and the unsolved attempted murder of Darius Thomas.”

Sam glanced over at Dean who had an equally disturbing set of pictures in front of him. The two men were beaten badly.

“Darius survived a curb stomp, as much as anyone could. His jaw was wired shut and he couldn’t even testify during the trial, not that they could even get any psychologist to allow him to take the stand. He’s still in an institution. I went to see him once. The man wouldn’t speak or even appeared to know I was there.”

Sam found it difficult to swallow, scanning the details again then cleared his throat. “She was a witness… for Marco’s murder?”

“The file says they suspected it but she only denied the events the police laid out. She still says JJ didn’t do it.”

Dean read the file in front of him, “but she wouldn’t say who did?”

Sheri shook her head, “said she couldn’t but if the police actually did their job, they would know JJ couldn’t have done it. That the version of events was skewed.”

“Skewed?” Dean whispered.

“Like I said, the girl was an ace student. But I looked into the files again, after all this and the way my partner was pushing for her to flip on who he calls her boss.” She pointed to the time of death in front of Sam. “Ten thirty p.m.” And then she pointed to the report of Darius’s attempted murder, “approximately Eight thirty p.m. brought into the emergency room with severe lacerations and multiple broken bones.”

“So, the kid had two hours to find his brother’s would be murderer.” Dean frowned, something feeling off by the report. He tried looking past the injuries to the report’s theory of what happened without seeing red from putting himself in the same situation.

“That’s the thing…” She said as she pulled Sam’s file more in between them and flipped a page, “if you look at the original findings by the morgue attendant, they believed the body had been moved because it had two sets of bruising because of the way the body was laying after death. And the amount of blood where they found the kid’s body, not even close to the amount the kid lost. The original time of death estimated was about two and a half hours earlier and the morgue assistant I was able to talk with, ten thirty p.m. was the time they found the body.”

Dean’s frown deepened, “so you suspect a cover up?”

“Something happened that doesn’t line up with these files, hell, all the information in the files doesn’t line up and that girl knows what happened, she’s just too afraid to speak up. With this kind of tampering, I don’t blame her.”

Sam flipped through pages and then took Dean’s file and flipped through some more, “did they ever find where the attempted murder took place?”

“They had a few ideas, one was a corner…” She pulled out the pictures and flipped through until she stopped and put it in front of Sam. “This was the most likely spot but I don’t know if they ever did any blood work.” She shrugged, “like I said, overworked, underpaid. The story whoever sold made everything work. But if you ask me, I think that body was killed here and that’s his blood not Darius’s.”

Sam looked at the murder file, “where was the body found?”

“Right across the city line.”

Dean was scanning the attempted murder file, “this address, the attempted murder… that’s where the arson started.”

Sam leaned toward him and looked at it.

Sheri nodded, “it’s a good motive. I think it’s why my partner was trying to pin it on her. I hadn’t made the connection.”

“She set the fire,” Dean spoke slowly, “but I don’t think that’s all it was about.”

Brigg’s cell phone rang and she snapped it up, “Briggs.” She listened and her entire posture changed. She looked at them, eyes glittering, “I’ve gotta go. This never happens but I sent the DNA sample we got from the arson to a friend at the lab. She got a hit and it’s not our girl.”

“Call me.”

“Sure thing.” She stood and winked, “keep those safe for me.”

Dean and Sam watched her go then Sam looked at his brother, “you really think she set that fire?”

Dean pushed through the pictures and shoved the one of Darius in the hospital toward Sam. “If someone did that to you and I had no other way to fight back… I don’t think it would be all that hard to say after a bottle or two in, I’d burn the place to the ground.”

“And completely sober?”

“Probably just kill everyone involved or at least, beat the shit out of them. What have we done anytime our family has been harmed? Just a different kind of demon, really.” He lifted his beer, “bite the curb…” he took a swig and shook his head, “people are fucking crazy.”

Two tables over a few guys scramble up, one listening to a radio as they gathered their things and threw cash down. They passed their table and Sam caught enough words to guess they were firefighters. “…thing big if it is. Fire at the mayor and the DA’s place?”

“I told you I need to get my kid outta this city. It’s not my city anymore.”

Sam glanced at Dean who had already gathered all the pictures and was shoving the files back in the folder. Sam pulled out his wallet and left enough cash to cover their check.

They got up and headed for the door, Sam lowered his voice, “you really think this is her?”

Before Dean could answer someone had smacked into his shoulder. “Hey, watch it.”

“Stay away from her,” the big man spat out then made his way to the back of the bar but Sam had caught the tattoo on his neck. Her gang’s sign.

Dean glanced at Sam before hustling after the guy. They followed a long hall in the back of the bar to a door and then burst out into an alleyway. An empty alleyway.

“What the…” Dean looked behind a dumpster.

Sam watched the end of the alley for movement and then the other end. “That seem a little quick for a guy that size?”

Dean came over to his side, “yeah, just a little. I don’t like this.”

Sam snorted, “ya think?”

“Seriously, what are the chances the game she’s playing has some players she wasn’t accounting for?”

Sam’s jaw clenched, “too high to risk not sticking around, maybe look a little closer at the local myths and death reports.”

“Damnit, I don’t like this.” Dean scanned the alleyway rubbing his jaw.

Sam tamped down the fury building inside him since he saw those photos. “What part? The fact that your daughter had her family torn away from her and when she probably found something that could fill that hole, it was violently ripped away from her again. Or the possibility that what took it away from her the first time was involved the second time too?” 

Dean glared at the brick wall before spinning on his heel and storming down the alley, “we’re gonna stop it from taking her too. She’s fighting for those boys, Sammy. I’m not letting her do it on her own anymore. I don’t give a fuck what she thinks about us.”

Sam followed, knowing Dean was staying silent on the same thought that had been tearing at Sam, that they could have stopped it all if only they had known. But she was a Winchester, she was stubborn and tough and she would see this through to the end no matter what. But they were here now. There was no way she would go into this fight alone.

The backdoor was a joke, I made it through both locks in under a minute. Then entered the code into the alarm next to the door. “Loose lips sink ships,” I grinned while locking the back door again and made my way upstairs.

The bedroom was exactly where Rosalie said it would be and the secret room opened with the right pressure on the right board. Who would think the man actually kept wood plank walls for anything other than an ulterior motive?

The dark room had two switches and I hit the lower one drenching the room in a low red glow. He didn’t spare any expense in here. The bed against the wall was equipped with fuzzy black cuffs on red silk sheets. The chains that restrained the cuffs gleamed even in the low light. I walked over to the computer in the corner with the old school webcam attached to a large monitor.

The password for the computer was even worse than the joke of a lock and alarm. HotforTeacher. Which wasn’t one of the outfits Rosalie had talked about. Maybe he thought he was clever that way.

Darius’s blank eyes flashed before me, JJ’s pretend smile while his face held too many shadows. I shook my head and shoved the invading images and thoughts away. I could banish it all, I just needed to finish this.

I pulled out the flash drive, plugged it in, and with a few little commands downloaded the files. A little bit of play with some internal code that I would have been completely lost in had Marco not shown me a few things and introduced me to the genius that taught him and, wah la. Rosalie’s videos were gone and my selected videos were in play instead.

I scrolled through the other folders labeled by name or his version of a nickname wishing I could erase them but I would only be erasing his crimes. He had enough help with that through the years. All those names would get their payback when the videos were found. He would be punished. He wasn’t getting out of it this time. I was entering the proof into evidence that he was the last to see some of those girls alive.

It was the only thing I could tell myself as I opened the player and clicked play all. The queue should play long enough that they heard it, give enough probable cause to knock the door down if the fire didn’t open it. Then I stepped out of the room and secured the secret door.

I splashed the accelerant all along the wall and across the floor of the hallway to the window then splashed some down the stairs. I put the bottle of accelerant down on its side in front of the side table. The fishing wire went around the back leg and then I tugged the wire with one hand. I caught the table and the fat candle atop it with the other. Perfect landing.

I opened the window behind the side table and threw the spool of fishing wire out before shutting the window just enough again. The fishing line was snug. I lit the fat candle and waited, making sure it stayed lit. Then satisfied, I walked down the stairs careful to avoid stepping in the accelerant.

With a few quick codes into the alarm box to wipe the history for the last thirty minutes and then the alarm re-engaged, I left the house almost exactly how I found it. I trekked around to the backyard and found the fishing wire spool in the bush under the window. I looked up with a whispered prayer and yanked. The light bloomed once then the slow bloom as all the synthetic fibers of the hallway runner caught and fed the hungry flame.

The sirens wailed, his alarm system notifying the right authorities immediately. The line in my hand went slack, the part on the other side of the window melted away. I pulled the rest to me and backed into the bushes then climbed the tree.

The sirens grew closer and I watched the flame dancing in the window. From my vantage point, I could see the wood planks being eaten away revealing the metal beneath, the very obvious door way now exposed. My breath hitched, my heart beating against my chest. Questioning whether my accelerant was too much, if I had misjudged the speed the firefighters would move at. Did they know what kind of man he was? Would they let that slow their steps?

No, real innocents lived nearby. Even if they knew, they wouldn’t let others be hurt. They couldn’t. They needed to get there in time. These people expected quick response. They never doubted it.

Darius’s blank face, his dull eyes flashed in front of me again. Would he approve of my methods? His feral, agonized scream filled my head and I winced, gripping onto the tree trunk. I pressed my face into the rough bark trying to crush the blooming memory I didn’t want to see. Not now.

Darius’s head crushed against the curb, the two gleaming white teeth skittering across the sidewalk, the agonized scream in my ear as rough hands held me back.

I screamed against the tree, the memory too much and too easily overtaking what I needed to do. I needed to leave, needed to move, but I was frozen in that moment I never wanted to remember. My fingers dug into the bark biting into my skin. The pain brought me back, centering me here and now. So close to the justice I had worked so hard on. If someone heard me… pointed me out…

I glanced around but I was still behind the extra curtain the tree provided in the dark and the sirens wailing so close must have drowned me out. Besides, everyone’s eyes would be on the fire. I looked across the yard to the window filled with flame and smoke and then the window burst out, the flames sucking in the oxygen like a greedy lover.

Two firefighters burst through the gate carrying the heavy hose around before unleashing the battering ram of water. I needed to move but the water slowly killed the flames until the fire was gone. The secret door was revealed and waiting for them, begging to be discovered.

I waited in silent fear and hunger, clinging to the tree far too tight as they went inside taking their sweet time to check and clear each room. Then finally they made it to the bedroom. I heard the call pour through the broken window. They thought someone was in there. Sound was still coming from beyond the secret door warming me that my gamble had paid off. He had spared no expense to make sure that room was never found from the hallway and it had kept the heat and fire away from the evidence that would damn him. 

Two of them took off the hinges and removed the door, the screams poured out of that small room and spilled from the window. What would the neighbors think? That someone was just afraid? The mayor had a female in the house when the fire went up? But the firefighters entered the room slowly and I wondered what they thought as the sounds distorted. But my job here was done and hopefully the police officers that had arrived on the scene would be taking the computer with them. There was a lot of evidence on there and I really didn’t want to send the videos to the media.

At least, that do-gooder cop would be all over that. Hopefully, she’d get the call. Rosalie said she had helped her out and I needed to believe someone would make sure it didn’t get swept under the rug. But I had a plan for that too. Taking out the whole precinct wouldn’t be good for the neighborhood though.

I climbed out on a thick branch over the yard behind the mayor’s and dropped. I disappeared without a problem and quickly moved through two other targets. My last stop was easier even though his security was slightly better. I left his gift, the final drive in my bag, and was back in my apartment watching the news of the fires only forty minutes later. I smiled at the screen when Detective Briggs carried the computer out of the house with that asshole cop next to her carrying a sealed box.

They would be seeing everything they ever wanted soon and worlds would implode. I raised my water bottle in salute, “happy hunting, detective.”

I chugged the water watching the flashing lights behind the woman talking into the camera. The flashing lights and all the concerned people standing around watching like vultures.

We didn’t even have that when we needed it. Not that any of the people who would’ve been around would have intervened, not when Big Daddy was there. Fear was a very powerful thing.

 JJ swung me up in his arms and spun as he let out a loud whoop whoop! I was laughing and holding on tight. His eyes were sparkling when he let me slide down his body, his smile more than I could ever ask for. “We did it.”

“We certainly did.” We both looked down to the acceptance letters on the small table. San Francisco State and a full ride scholarship. We were finally getting out.

“We need to tell them. We need to plan how to get away.” JJ squeezed my hand, his excitement rippling through him and into me.

“Let’s go.” We turned to the door and JJ reached for the knob, but it ripped out of his hand and Darius was in the doorway. His eyes wild.

“D…”

“We can’t stay here,” he rasped out and pushed his way inside.

“What..?” I couldn’t breathe. I met JJ’s gaze and he knew something was off as well, it only made my chest clench tighter.

“Go get your things. The duffle bags are in the closet, whatever you can carry,” Darius didn’t stop moving, collecting the cash we had stashed in random hidey-holes throughout the small house. 

“D…”

“JUST GO!”

JJ flinched back and I pulled his arm, “come on.” I met Darius’s gaze and a shiver raced down my spine. Something bad had happened and he was just trying to keep it together. It was terrifying. I knew he was just a man but he had always been so sure and strong. A solider, a leader, more than us.

We packed quickly, whispering how we were planning to leave anyway, we were just upping the timeline. Trying to calm each other even though we didn’t understand what was happening, only that the one person who had always been strength personified was shaking. Trembling from something I was too afraid to focus on.

We rushed into the small kitchen and froze. Darius stood next to the small table with two bags at his feet and two sheets of thick paper in his hands. His eyes finally rose and flicked between the two of us, “you…”

I squeezed JJ’s hand, “we were just coming to tell you and Marco.”

Something flickered across his face but he shut it down and folded the papers, shoving them in the envelopes before handing them to us. “Good job.” He nodded, his brows furrowed and his jaw taut like he wanted to say something else but just nodded again. “Let’s go. Your future awaits.” He forced a smile but the worry, the fear drenched the room making the air around us heavy. I was underwater and trying to breach the surface but couldn’t even find which way was up.

JJ and I, hands clutched tightly, followed Darius to Marco’s tiny apartment. Darius burst through the door and we slammed into his back when he froze. I leaned around and saw Rafi, the leader of Marco’s crew standing in front of him. His gaze shot toward us and he shook his head.

“You need to leave. I can’t help you anymore, Marco, but I’m not going to stop you.” Rafi stated so quiet and still.

Darius picked up Marco’s two bags with one hand and pulled the back of Marco’s shirt. Marco turned around, his eyes red but fierce. “Let’s go.”

I met JJ’s gaze and knew whatever was happening, neither one of us had a clue. Darius pushed us out the door and JJ wouldn’t let go of my hand or I wouldn’t let go of his.

Darius said something about our acceptance letters and Marco’s face lit up for just a moment, “someone got us that place by the beach, huh?”

 I still remember the feel of that smile I gave him when I thought we had won and beat the odds. We had finally made all that hard work pay off and got out. I just forgot the part about actually getting out before celebrating.

It was the last smile before the world tilted and everything fell apart. The last genuine smile I had in me.

Sam sat in the passenger seat of the impala glancing at his brother every fifteen to twenty minutes for the last hour. They were parked a block down from the girl’s apartment and the car didn’t exactly fit in but Dean refused to move. He also refused to take the easiest route and just go talk to the girl.

San rubbed his eyes and sighed. Even with taking shifts sleeping, it was a whole night wasted.

“Damnit Sam, you didn’t see the girl fight.”

“What does that have anything to do with it? You could ask her if there’s any way we could help. You have a certain set of skills…”

Dean snapped to the side and pointed at him, “don’t.”

Sam stuffed down his laugh and looked back out the windshield. Finally, something. “She’s on the move.”

Dean faced forward and watched her slip into the back of a taxi. “Where the hell is she going?”

“Well, stalker, might as well follow since that seems to be what we’ve been doing since we got here.”

“Shut it.” Dean started the car and pulled out into the light traffic.

They followed the taxi through the streets onto the highway and then off into a more rural area. Sam was typing away on his laptop as Dean made sure to keep a good distance so she wouldn’t be able to make out the type of car if she looked back.

“What the hell?” Sam glanced up at the taxi, “if it takes the next right.” The taxi did and Sam blew out a breath, “she’s going to the prison down this road.”

Dean clenched the steering wheel but stayed silent. They followed the taxi but turned off into the parking lot. They waited twenty minutes before going inside. Dean flashed his FBI badge at the first desk he came to and glanced down at the list in front of the middle aged, dark skinned officer with a trim beard on the other side of the partition. Dean glanced at the name plate on the officer’s uniform then pointed to her name, “who is she here to see, Garvin?”

Officer Garvin was still scanning the badge and then wrote the name down. “Fiance, maybe just boyfriend.” Dean raised his brow as Sam stepped up to the desk and flashed his badge. “Gangbanger on a murder charge. Typical gang on gang violence.”

Sam frowned, “how long has he been in?”

“Two years on Twenty, if he keeps up the good behavior.” He wrote down Sam’s badge name.

“Good behavior? Is he a model… prisoner?” Sam put his badge away.

Officer Garvin shrugged, “from what I’ve seen. I mean I’ve only been here five years but JJ might’ve been a good kid if he didn’t come from where he did. Not always the case but,” he clicked his pen and put it down, “he keeps to himself and follows the rules.”

Dean looked down at the list again, “do you usually know the stories of all the inmates off the top of your head?”

Garvin frowned and looked down, “no, I don’t. What is it about this girl you’re trying to look for?”

Sam leaned on the counter, “arson case, the cops are looking at her for it. We think there might be more going on.”

The officer frowned and rubbed his beard, “the boy’s case… rival gang member almost beat his brother to death the same night this murder happened. The boy didn’t fight the charge and his brother barely survived. I hear he’s in a mental institution which is probably better than the streets, but if someone beat my brother that bad? I don’t know if I would’ve been able to hold back, you know? Now, I’ve seen a lot of different inmates in my twenty years as a guard and that boy? Doesn’t seem like he’s got it in him, but family makes all the difference. She seems like a good kid too, here at least once a week since he came here, but what do I know?” The way he frowned made Dean and Sam think not many people here seemed to share his views.

Another officer, this one younger, clean shaven, and tan skin walked into the small room behind the partition and looked between Sam and Dean. “What is this?”

“Just a few questions,” Sam said watching the way the officer sized them up.

“About what?”

“Any unusual activity lately?” Dean asked and Sam glanced at him.

“Just a few questions about some of the inmates.” Officer Garvin said, meeting the other officer’s gaze.

Sam spied the name badge, “Officer Martinez, have you noticed any unusual activity with the inmates?”

“There’s always unusual activity with these animals. You’re gonna have to be more specific.”

Sam caught the frown on Officer Garvin’s face before the man spoke up, “they are human beings, not animals, Martinez. You better watch your mouth. It’s not your job to judge.”

Martinez dropped his gaze sneering at the list then taped on a smile, “right, sir. I’ll make sure to remember that.” He reached the cabinets in the back of the room and pulled out two small note pads then left the room without another word.

“Like I said, JJ might not have ended up here had he been born into a different place. He’s a good kid.”

“Thanks for your time, Garvin,” Dean held out his hand and Garvin shook it.

Dean and Sam walked out to the impala, both quiet until they reached their respective doors. Sam stopped with his hand on the handle while Dean opened his door then paused and looked at his brother, “so, maybe there’s more going on. I still don’t see how we can help anything. There’s nothing supernatural about any of this.”

“There still might be a way we can help her before she’s behind bars for nothing more than getting stuck in something she shouldn’t have been involved with anyway. If there’s more officers like Martinez in her neighborhood, this girl, your daughter might not have another chance.”

“That’s if the girl didn’t start the fire. We don’t know anything about what is happening on those streets or what she has to do with it. She tore that man in the alley way up. She seems like she can protect herself.”

“She can’t fight police if they want to pin something on her.”

Dean’s jaw clenched, “get in the car. We have a lot of homework to do. I don’t know a damn thing about this kind of bullshit.”

Sam smiled and slid into the seat, “Dean Winchester hitting the books.”

“Ah, no. I’m gonna find a cop bar and see what I can find out. You can hit the books.”

Sam rolled his eyes then looked at his brother, “what?”

“I’m waiting until she leaves. I’m not gonna know a damn thing if we don’t follow her a little more. Once she goes back to her neighborhood, we’ll figure it out.”

~~

After following her new taxi to a mental institution that probably housed JJ’s older brother, Dean followed the taxi back to her neighborhood and parked in the same spot a block back from her apartment.

Sam was still on his laptop probably looking over the news articles about the death of yet another gang member and the guilty plea and sentencing. Dean didn’t want to hear any more. If someone had done that to Sam, Dean couldn’t blame the kid but he wondered why this girl was still here. There had to be other places she could go. From what he had seen there was nothing holding her here. She could’ve moved on somewhere else, gone to college or just got a job somewhere.

“Oh shit.”

“What?” Dean looked over at Sam and noticed the figure walking toward the impala. “Shit.”

She got to the car, leaned down and knocked on Sam’s window. He rolled it down and Dean asked, “can we help you, ma’am?” He almost winced. Sam’s jaw clenched as he stared at him.

“Yeah, you can tell me why you’ve been tailing me all day. Why don’t you get out of the car and introduce yourself, old man?”

Sam snorted and tried covering it with coughing. She smirked and backed away from the door. Dean and Sam got out. Sam scratched the back of his neck looking around. It was pretty clear from the amount of lingering kids they had noticed on other streets. Beside the kid at the corner, there was no one. “You sure you want to talk out here?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the building, “you really think I’m gonna be seen bringing some agents into my place? Or whatever you’re dressed up as.”

Dean pulled his FBI badge from his pocket and handed it over. She studied it then smirked as she looked up at him, “do you really think this is gonna fool me? Just who do you think I am?” She tossed it back and Dean caught it frowning down at his badge that never failed him.

“I think we’re people who can help you.”

She raised a brow, “help me with what?”

“This arson charge for one.”

“With that fake badge? Listen I don’t know what it is you’re…”

“He’s your father,” Sam blurted then forced a smile, “we just don’t think you should be here when you don’t need to be. We can help, just let us…”

“You’re adorable, you know that? I’m sorry you came all this way or whatever for nothing, but I don’t need any help.” She pushed off the wall and turned but Dean stepped into her way.

“Hey, we’re the only family you’ve got left, kid and we’re offering to help you out of this hell hole!”

She sneered, “you may be blood but that don’t mean shit. I’m working for my family and I will do anything to protect them and make things right. You will stay out of my way.”

“That gang is not your family,” Sam said as gently as he could.

“What do you mean make things right? You really think you can get that gangbanger…” Dean grimaced, “that’s not…” Dean shoved his hand through his hair and tried to fix it but the feral look she sent his way froze him.

“Fuck. Off.” Then the sweetest smile crossed her face. It was somehow more terrifying. “Or I’ll make sure you join all those gangbangers in the box, got it?”

Dean threw up his hands, palms out, clenching his jaw, and trying to force a smile, “I didn’t mean that. This is my brother Sam and he’s way better at this shit than me, okay? I didn’t know about you until a friend of ours, a sheriff, sent us the APB about the arson. We can help you if you just let us know what’s going on. We’ve gotten out of some really tight…”

“With your monster stuff? You really think that gives you a leg up in this jungle?” Her brows rose, “you think that gives you some kind of magical power to deal with this world? It doesn’t, so take your stupid white collar, monster hunting help and shove off.”

“Wait, you know… how do you know what we do?” Sam walked around so he could see her face.

“Do you really think I believe my parents were torn to shreds by normal animals that somehow got into our locked house? I snuck out that night, I know the house was locked up and yes, they shoved your rap sheet into my face when trying to get me to cop to a theft four years ago. Like your blood would somehow make me just like you. I never knew who you were, mom said it was a nice guy who traveled a lot but I also found her journal and know she met you while you were hunting vampires. Yes, I thought it might just be some weird novel idea or something but she was never that kind of writer.”

She looked down, “why am I even telling you all this?” She looked up, “you can leave whenever you want but do not interfere with me, you get that? I’ve been doing just fine without you. Stay away from me.”

Dean clenched his jaw but Sam nodded, “got it.” He pulled his wallet out, slid a card from it, and handed it to her. “Just in case. We may not know what you’re going through, but we have gotten ourselves out of a lot of sticky situations and some of them have been with the police. If you need anything, please call.”

She glanced down at the card, looked back up at him, then threw her head back and cackled.

Sam grabbed Dean’s arm and pulled him back to the car when she walked in the opposite direction shaking her head and wiping away tears. “Let her go.”

“That’s not what you were saying before.” Dean glanced back over his shoulder.

“You can’t help her if she doesn’t want it. Not this way. We’ll keep an eye on the area, if you still want to go to that bar…”

Dean walked around the impala and got in the driver’s seat, “let’s do that.” He watched the little badass enter her apartment and couldn’t ignore the pride at the way the kid carried herself. Maybe it was good he didn’t have any hand in raising her. He probably would’ve screwed that up somehow.

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and scrolled through his contacts until he found what he was looking for. He tapped the screen twice and brought the phone to his ear waiting for the answer.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Sheri, it’s Dean. How about that drink? You guys have a place around here?”

Dean looked over at Sam feeling his brother’s eyes on him and winked.

I clutched the bag of groceries tight to my chest. Oscar was very adamant that I didn’t let anything get lost. I was the oldest of the kids and I had responsibilities. I didn’t know why he made it such a big deal what streets I took or what he meant by ‘you’ll pay for anything missing’. Why would I take anything before getting home? Jamir really needed this medicine. I knew that more than anyone.

I was so tired of the tests from the different adults I’d been forced into living with.

A cat hissed and darted out from behind a trash can. I jumped back when it ran across my feet and tore into the alley. It jumped onto another can, tipping it over scattering glass beer bottles and soda cans across the alley. Just more sounds added to the cacophony of clashing music and random chatter spilling from open windows and doors.

It was always so loud here.

The sun was setting and I needed to hurry if I wanted to reach the house in time. I glanced down the alleyway and kept moving along the sidewalk. I was pretty sure there was an alleyway up ahead that would put me closer to Oscar’s if I took it, even though it went against his directions. What he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

I turned the volume up on my Discman, drowning out the sounds around me and picked up my pace. I paused at the mouth of the next alleyway, this would take off two blocks if I was right, but I could hear the venom in Oscar’s voice about staying on his streets. Probably just had some narcissist shit like Dan. Nobody owned streets.

I looked up, two guys were heading my way talking. Two big guys with bandanas around their neck.

Were they dark blue or red? Did it matter if they were black or hispanic? What had Oscar said about the colors and people? Damn it. I bit my lip and stepped into the alleyway trying to walk in like I belonged even though my hands were shaking.

I focused on the music, lipsyncing the words Alicia Keys sang trying to calm myself down. It was just a walk to the store and back. Nothing would happen. I’m just letting those stupid things Maria said mess with me. Maybe I’d just wait here until they pass and then I’ll jog the streets back. I glanced over my shoulder to the mouth of the alley, those guys should pass any second and then I could go.

I was jerked off my feet so fast I didn’t even have time to scream. Fingers dug into my arms, my back slammed into something hard, my head smashed into it and bounced off. Black spots swam in front of me.

A face; tan skin, small eyes, long pointed nose, gold teeth, and so much ink. He was saying something but all I could hear was my own blood screaming in my ears and just above that, Alicia singing about a girl on fire.

Oh, god. Maria’s cackling words rang in my head, ‘she’s a pretty little thing. I bet they would love to get their hands on her’.

“NO!” It was all I could think of. Rough hands rubbed down the sides of my stomach and my insides shriveled, ice filled my veins.

I couldn’t move.

Nothing worked.

My brain froze.

The presidential list student and I couldn’t even think straight. What did all those straight A’s get me?

I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t talk my way out of…

“PLEASE STOP!” Was that my voice? Shrill and cracking?

The stink of cologne, cheap liquor, stale cigarettes, and sweat. I gagged and fingers shoved into my mouth. Frozen as I was, the sickening taste on my tongue overloaded everything. I bit down as hard as I could.

A scream drowned even Alicia out. An explosion of pain in my cheek, heat flooded into my chest and then I was falling. I hit hard, breath knocked out of my lungs, and my headphones torn from my ears. I was on the ground, on my back, and everything hurt.

The man with gold teeth was glaring at me while holding up bleeding fingers. Two men looking like clones in my blurry vision with similar clothes and coloring behind him, one on either side of him staring down at me, one looked uncertain but the other, he looked at me like I was a meal he couldn’t wait to tear into.

Fear had frozen me before but now, everything was screaming to run. My heart slammed into my ribcage and I searched for a way out, but my gaze landed on the bag of groceries. Oscar couldn’t be anywhere near as bad as what would happen in this alleyway, right? But Jamir really needed that medicine.

Gold teeth took a step toward me and I screamed, “NO!” I scrambled against the ground, shoving backward away from the men stalking toward me. Gold teeth reached out and I was still screaming, my heart slamming, my muscles shrieking for movement. His face, his leer, the look in his eyes that threatened to lock up my entire body in ice again.

I rolled over simply to look away and then shoved off the ground, sprung up with the need for escape only to have my head jerked back and a stinging pain ripple across my scalp. I cried out and shoved backward as hard as I could, colliding into him. He grunted and released my hair, but the pain was only faint in my head. I jumped up again.

RUN, RUN, RUN!

I slammed into another body and fear, like a bucket of ice dumped over me, crippled my legs and turned my arms to stone. Big arms wrapped around me, the voice in my head shrieking, then the body turned around. Angry words over me battled with the shrieking in my head but when I dared to look, I met the eyes of a boy. Chocolate brown and so kind in this moment, it must be another trap.

“JJ, get her behind you.”

Gentle hands on my arms guided me away from the body that had caught me. The body that blocked me from the gold teeth and moved me toward those warm brown begging eyes, but I didn’t know what he wanted. I didn’t know anything. I would die here and Jamir wouldn’t get his medicine… no one would look out for Maddie or Tasha.

“It’s gonna be okay. Just… come with me.” He held his hand out, dark skin barely visible in the alley, “I promise you won’t get hurt.”

I glanced over my shoulder, the body that had caught me still blocked me from the three men. I looked back to those warm, kind eyes and even though I couldn’t completely trust, I took his hand. He led me further away from what was happening behind me and pulled me behind him. He stood up straight, head held high like a soldier. It made those few inches he had over me so much taller.

“This is neutral territory…” The taller dark-skinned man in front of the boy soldier said in a growly voice.

“She was over there, ours.”

“I wasn’t…” The words were out of my mouth before I realized and ducked further behind the boy in front of me.

The taller man glanced back at me, “she’s over here, under our protection.”

Gold teeth strode up and got into his face, “she needs to pay.”

“You know damn well that girl don’t have any cash.”

He smirked, “it don’t need to be.”

The boy soldier tensed and even the one who looked uncertain on gold teeth’s side found his threat disgusting. I didn’t want to know exactly what it was.

The tall man in front of us practically growled, “like I said, she’s under our protection, Nico.”

“Big words for a big man, Darius.” The man who looked uncertain stalked forward around his leader’s side, his eyes holding much more than they did before as he stared at the man who continued to fight for me even though he didn’t know me. Darius.

I should be running while I had a chance before they ask for something I can’t give them for their protection. I used all the money Oscar gave me on the groceries.

“Anytime you want me to prove it again, Marco. Any time.”

Marco surged up into Darius’s face and I cringed, waiting for someone to hit first. But they just stared at each other. All I could see was Marco’s face, hard and tense just like his body, but his eyes were different… I couldn’t figure out why they didn’t match what was going on in front of me.

I should run, I should be running away not watching this play out, but my gaze landed on the bag of groceries again. Maybe when the fight breaks out, I could run for the groceries and make a break for it while they were distracted.

“Stand down, Marco.” Gold teeth’s voice made me wince, my body reacting like I was still against the wall. “If that’s how you want to play.”

Darius glanced back at us, “get her out of here, JJ.”

The boy soldier, JJ, turned and took my arm with a gentle hand leading me away while they continued talking.

“Wait, my groceries…” I jerked back staring at the bag laying on the ground, “if I don’t…”

JJ looked over at Darius who glanced back and shook his head. “Come on.” He pulled me along out of the alley, “were you really over there?” His voice was soft, soothing.

“I…” I looked into those eyes and for some stupid reason, I wasn’t scared of him. “I stepped into the alley because I saw two men coming…” I swallowed against the lump in my throat, he was with those two men. The two men I had run from who actually saved me. “I just thought… but he pulled me further into the alley…” His jaw clenched and I wanted to take all my words back, “is that… is this normal?”

He glanced at me, his whole face softening, “I know you’re new here. It’s… normal for here. My brother says,” he thrust his thumb over his shoulder, “Darius, he says this isn’t normal for everyone… that’s why he wants to get me out of here but… we’d have to save up.”

“Oh.” I hunched my shoulders wondering what Oscar meant by ‘you better not lose anything’. I lost it all. What would Oscar really do? The other kids seemed scared but…

“My name’s Jamal James, but friends just call me JJ.” He watched me with a soft grin that made him a lot cuter.

“Serenity. Friends call me…” I shrugged and laughed, “Serenity. They tried sera but…” My smile faded and I shrugged again, not wanting to think about how we didn’t get to experiment long before my life was ripped away.

“You’ll be okay. My brother said you’re under our protection now. I can even teach you some things. You’ll be safer and feel better when you know where and how to hit so you can get away.”

“Why would you help me?”

“Because if no one tries to change things, nothing will get better. That’s what my brother says. My uncle told him it wasn’t always like this, things just got out of hand, I guess. My brother thinks we can change it again. We just have to do little things because… the big things get people killed.”

The memory of JJ’s voice clung to my skin, I whispered into the night, “only if you announce it before it’s done.”

I nodded to the dark haired, dark skinned boy leaning against the pole as I strolled toward him. His eyes narrowed until he finally got a good look at my face.

“Lookin’ good, Seren. Big Daddy wants to see ya.”

“Wouldn’t expect any less,” I smirked and moved around to the back of the light pole, dropping down so I could access the broken panel at its base. I pulled my cache, a brown bag with two knives, my brass knuckles with a little more umph, and some cash. I geared up, a knife in each boot, the brass knuckles in my right pocket and the cash shoved into my wallet.

My treasure recovered, I let the panel slide back into place and stood up.

“Fair warnin’, bad night,” he whispered from the corner of his mouth.

I rolled my eyes, “when isn’t it?” I looked back at Rasheen, “you got enough for tonight?”

He looked away but nodded, “yeah. I’ll eat.”

“You sure?”

“Worry bout ya own ass.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” I winked and continued on, hoping he truly did have the money for a meal, money he could have spent on a better coat so he wouldn’t have to hide how cold he was. A memory of JJ bundled up against that very light pole not that much older in age than the twelve-year-old there now. I pulled my hood up and shoved my hands into my pockets ignoring the twinge at the part I played that led to this.

We didn’t have many options growing up here and the leaders of the gangs didn’t care about our age. If we could run, we could be of use. Most times we didn’t have a choice. Not orphans like us with guardians that didn’t give a shit what we did as long as we showed up for the social worker’s house call and played nice. Not that it happened much in this area. There weren’t many who didn’t have money in their pockets to keep things just so.

A woman bumped into me and dropped something from her brown bag. She gasped and a small boy peeked out from behind her legs. I leaned down to pick it up and she flinched. It was cough medicine, kids cough medicine.

I smiled at the boy, “it’s okay, kiddo.” I met the woman’s gaze as I pulled a twenty from my wallet then pressed the medicine and the cash into her hand, “keep that in your pocket. Just in case.” It wasn’t much but it was all I had right now.

She gave me a shaky smile while she shoved the bottle and bill into her jacket pocket then grabbed her kid’s hand and shuffled onward. Her shoulders hunched, her eyes darting around. She must have been paying attention to the kid when she bumped into me. She was a local and still alive, she was a lot better than that, but everybody had an off moment when their attention was elsewhere.

There were the bastards that got shuffled here and then there were the innocent victims born in an area they couldn’t get out of and stuck in the middle of a war they wanted nothing to do with but were always forced into in some way.

Only the lucky ones found a way out. Most of us didn’t fall into that category. The rest of us have to fight and claw either to find a way to live or to dig out. But even those that find a way out, don’t always get the chance to take it. Not the way they planned anyway.

“Hey, baby…” Hands gripped my hips from behind and shoved me into the alley, “bring that pussy over here.”

“Seriously?” I glanced over my shoulder. Big tan guy, bald head covered in tattoos I couldn’t quite make out in the low light. I’d never seen him before. I didn’t think he’d been on the streets much, not with talk like that. “Does that actually work for you? No, thanks.”

I pulled to the side and he grasped my left wrist, twisting it behind me as he laughed in my ear and continued pushing me toward the wall. “Take the punishment like a good bitch and I’ll tell him you took it like a man.”

His cigar laced breath bathed the side of my face, his arousal pressing into my lower back enough to cause the numbness to rise in my chest, teasing or promising to shut everything down. A flash of the girl who almost fell into that dark abyss all those years ago if not for Darius and JJ. If not for those who looked out for the new kid in this land of misfits and gave a damn that someone would be hurt for nothing other than the power assholes thrived on.

White hot anger, just one step down from rage, engulfed that teasing, tantalizing numbness. The steam from it flowed down my arms and legs breaking me from the claws of fear and old memories. With a flick of my blade, I could gut this asshole right here but then he’d never learn.

A swift lean to the left and I ripped my right hand out of my pocket, thrusting my elbow back as hard as I could. I reveled in the connection of bone with his soft tissue then grinned when he groaned. His grip was easier to break, I spun and shoved him backward.

He stumbled until his back hit the brick wall behind him. One just like he meant for my front, bricks he wanted to press my face into as he took what he wanted, boss’s order or not.

“What the fuck, bitch!”

I quirked a brow, “what? No one bothered to tell you?”

He sneered as he shoved off the wall stalking toward me, “a cunt needs to be taught a lesson. Boss’ orders.” He backhanded me hard across the face then swept a foot behind my leg and shoved my chest.

I hit the ground hard but only smirked up at him, slipping my right hand into my jacket pocket as he dropped down to me, one hand immediately working at my jeans button, the other pressing down on my left shoulder. I knew where this was going but he had no idea.

“That’s right… stay still and this will be easier on you.” My smirk caused his hand to slip, maybe he expected more of a fight but he didn’t expect me to smile. Not like I was actually enjoying myself.

“No.” My voice didn’t trip, not a single stutter or waver.

His brow furrowed but some confidence went back into his hands. He gripped each side of my jeans and jerked them open, “boss doesn’t care what you want.” That brought his own smile back, the reminder that he could force his own wants upon someone weaker.

Different player but same infection.  

I closed my right hand into a fist, the brass knuckles secure and cold against my fingers. A single tight squeeze flicked the blades out. My smirk grew into a full-blown smile as he yanked my zipper down, “no one warned you this pussy has teeth.”

I whipped my hand out and took a single vicious slash across his face, the finely sharpened blades on each knuckle slicing through his cheek. Anger and pain turned his shout into a growl that bounced through the alley. I slammed my forehead into his nose then shoved with everything I had and rolled out from under him.

A few seconds and my jeans were once again secure minus the button the ass had popped off. He had gotten to his feet and stood glaring at me with his own blood trailing down his jawline and chin. Even in the alley’s shitty light, the blood shined on his hand. “You talk too much.” He was stalking toward me again.

They never did learn after the first lesson.

With a few steps back, I squared my shoulders and lifted my fists, “so weird how women have opinions that actually have meaning. Christ, this is weird, how long have you been on the streets anyway?”

“Nobody listens to anything you say, cunt.” He had a spark back in his eyes as he smiled at me. He thought that was all I had and soon he’d have me pinned again, completely at his mercy now that he knew my one trick.

Where the hell did they get this guy?

He jumped at me, fist coming fast but I batted his hand away and backhanded him with the brass knuckles. Not my first bruiser. Big, dumb, and not very fast. As long as I outwitted him, I could win. He stumbled and I reached down for my knife with my left hand. He shoved me while I was bent over and I tumbled backward.

Come on, big guy, you’ve got me right where you want me.

He jumped on me again and I slashed up against the side of his head with the knife. He shrieked, his hand clamping the side of his head as he fell to the side. I scrambled for the meaty piece that fell to the ground, I needed him to fall deeper into his shock or he’d just get angry and I’d have to get away fast. I grabbed it and tossed it in his face, “since you don’t have to listen, you don’t need that. It’ll give others the heads up.”

With one hand against the bleeding remains of what should have been his ear, he stared down at his stomach where his ear actually lay. The blood splatter on his face either forgotten or he was too numb to realize it even hit him in the face before landing.

I turned and walked away. There was someone standing at the end of the alley but he wasn’t moving. I kept both weapons out just in case he didn’t catch enough to know I’m the biggest threat in this alley.

“That’s right! Walk away, bitch!” Big and dumb found his voice again.

I paused and pivoted just enough so he could see my face. With a tilt of my head, I watched him for a single moment. “You’re not completely wrong. I did prove I’m the stronger of the two of us. By animal dominance standards, I would be the alpha here.” A few steps toward him and he cringed, losing some of the bravado he scrounged back up. I leaned in, “there’s something on your face…” I tapped my left boot against the back of my right boot heel and a tiny, extremely sharp blade shot out of the front right sole just beneath the toe, and with a single swift kick, blood poured out of his other cheek.

He howled in pain, his cheek flapping down to his jaw garbling his words.

I grimaced, “I think I made it worse. Tell your boss. Maybe he’ll be more forgiving.” Something flashed in his eyes. So, he does know his boss better than a newcomer. Interesting. “I don’t know where he picked you up, but no one talks like that. Seriously. I felt like I was in a noir film or something. It was fun, but you’re an idiot if you think you’ll last… but then they didn’t tell you my nickname or how I got it so… maybe they don’t expect you to. It’s Seren, by the way. Seren gas when they’re being crude.”

I walked away with his pitiful cries echoing around me.

You just have to leave your calling card, don’t you?

I growled at JJ’s voice in my head and focused in front of me. The man in the mouth of the alley was easier to make out as I drew closer. He was older than most of the street crew guys in this area. His age wasn’t usually on the streets unless a big buy was going down. According to the clothes, definitely not from around here. Something familiar about him though. I just couldn’t pinpoint it.

He watched me but didn’t say a word. Smart.

He didn’t stop me as I moved around him, “don’t stare, old man. It’s not polite.” Now to really throw him off with a wink and a smile, “oh and pro tip, around here that’ll get you gutted.”

I walked out onto the sidewalk and continued toward my place. Asshole was lucky I didn’t have any real plans for tonight or I really would’ve been mad. Although, these were my second favorite pair of jeans...

Next- With a smirk and a toss

The officer pulled back, his confusion hidden quickly behind a mask of indifference, “Detective Briggs can help you. Gutierrez already went home for the night.” He stepped back, turned, and walked through a door behind him.

Dean didn’t bother to wait, going around the desk and heading for the door once it swung shut. Sam grabbed his arm, “we want them to cooperate, what is up with you?”

“What? You’re the one who said this kid needed our help.”

Sam’s brow shot up, “and pissing these people off is going to help?”

Dean sighed, “I’m tired and I want to get this over with. This kid is not going to want anything to do with us and I don’t know what the hell you want me to do.”

Sam looked up at the ceiling, his jaw clenching for a moment before he looked back to his brother. “Take it down a notch and let’s see if we can actually get some real information from these people. At least, see if this girl is just being pigeoned holed or if it’s something else? Is that too hard for you?”

Dean scoffed, stepping toward the door again but froze when it opened and a female detective walked out in a wrinkled pantsuit that flattered not only her dark skin but also her figure. She glanced between the two of them lacking the attitude the desk officer held and Dean grinned. She gave them a tired smile and held out her hand, “Collins and Gabriel?” Dean shook her hand and Sam followed, “sorry fellas, but she was just released. I wasn’t aware there was a high-level target on the girl’s record.”

Sam coughed, “well, not quite a high level, but we get notified when things like that pop. We were in the area so our supervisor wanted us to check it out.”

“I thought all her guardians were deceased, well, besides the foster home she fled?”

“Those Winchesters have surprised us before. Could be relatives to this girl, can never be too sure,” Dean smiled and relaxed, slipping his hands into his pockets.

Sam kept his annoyance under his false smile, “anyway, what are your thoughts on this girl? She’s got quite the record.”

She looked at Dean first then Sam before sighing and crossing her arms over her chest, “honestly, I think the APB was thrown out a little quick on this. My personal belief is that girl might have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that’s what happens when things get too close to a certain part of town and there’s any kind of tie to one of the gangs. I’m sure you know how it is in cities like this. Overworked and underpaid but the city still wants quick results when it comes too close to a certain side of town.”

Dean nodded with raised brows, “oh, we know.” She chuckled and Sam rolled his eyes.

Sam tried to give Dean a cool it look but his brother didn’t take his eyes off the detective, “Detective Briggs, do you mind if I ask how long you’ve worked here?”

She tore her gaze away from Dean and gave Sam a small nod, “I transferred two years ago. The chief has been trying to pull in new officers for the past five years. Ever since the budget cuts started. He thought getting some fresh eyes in here might help with these kinds of things. You get officers that jump the gun and just want to get some of the cases closed and out of the way.”

“And that’s what you think happened here?”

She glanced over her shoulder and thought for a moment before meeting his gaze again, “some of these street kids just need an advocate, you know? The young ones are told to take the fall for something so the real aggressors aren’t taken out of the game and youngin’s don’t get as much time but that kinda thing stays with them. The gangs don’t care and these kids fall through the cracks. Was that girl in the area of that fire? Yes. The ash was all over her. Was she the one who started it? I don’t know but I can guarantee you this wasn’t her idea. She sat there for hours and I didn’t see a guilty kid, I saw a girl who’s been blamed for things so many times she’s just waiting to be charged and done with it. My partner didn’t feel the same and tried to get her to pin it on her boss. I’m not a fan of sending a kid in to do a cop’s job.”

“She’s twenty years old,” Dean said, his disbelief clear.

“Did you know exactly who you were at twenty years old? This girl has been in foster care since she was twelve and on the streets since she was sixteen. She’s been pushed around by who knows how many people who were supposed to take care of her.”

“You seem pretty intent on protecting this girl,” Sam wondered aloud.

She searched Sam’s face for something and then nodded, satisfied at whatever it was she found, “I believe in innocent until proven guilty. I grew up in a city like this not too far from here where that wasn’t the case with most. I also take the time to look deeper before I slap a charge on a kid. She got her first arrest less than a year after being shuffled into this side of the city before then she was an ace student living with her mother and stepfather without a single issue on her record. But that’s just me.”

She walked around Dean and leaned back against the desk, “my partner, on the other hand, thinks she’s an ace student that turned into a criminal mastermind. He’s been around longer and has arrested her before. The gangs do like to get them young and train them to be exactly what they want them to be.” She shrugged, “either one of us could be right.”

Sam caught Dean’s frown at the same time his phone vibrated in his pocket. He gave the detective a nod, “thank you for your time, Detective Briggs.”

She smiled and turned to Dean who held out his hand to shake hers again. Sam walked away and had already gotten back to the car, pulled out his laptop, and turned it on by the time Dean made it outside.

Dean looked over at the screen, “what is it?”

“Thanks to Charlie, I’m looking at your daughter’s arrests. We’re going to check out some of these spots and see if we can find her.”

Dean was looking around with wide eyes, “you wanna keep that down. Sheri seems to have a damn good handle on the whole protecting the innocent thing.”

Sam paused and turned to his brother, “Sheri?”

“What?” He smirked, “she also said she’d keep us up to date on the case.”

Sam rolled his eyes and turned back to his laptop, “we’re splitting these up and we’re going to talk to her before we leave. A few of these places they arrested her for loitering. Probably hoping to catch her on possession or distribution but she’s smart even if she was running with the wrong crowd.”

Dean snorted, “like we’re the right crowd?”

“Better than this.” He waved at the screen filled with her arrest records.

Dean shook his head, “whatever you say, Sammy. Let’s get this over with, I’m starving.”

~~

Dean walked down dirty streets glancing into alleyways as he passed trying to imagine a girl from a good home being thrown out here. What if he and Sammy lost everything in the fire and got thrown into a place like this? He always felt more at ease hunting than trying to do the normal thing. Wouldn’t be that far of a stretch to imagine doing the same things with a gang. Except for drugs and killing people.

He shook his head. What did he know? Maybe he’d see other people as monsters if he grew up around crazy adults that taught him to see it that way.

Who the hell was he to judge anybody?

A dark-skinned boy glared at him from a relaxed stance against a light pole up ahead. The kid couldn’t be older than sixteen. Dean nodded as he passed him.

The kid sneered, “keep moving, old man.”

He shook his head and continued forward. That kid was too young to be out here but Sheri’s words played again in his head. He imagined the girl from the APB picture leaning there, doing the same thing. That girl wouldn’t want anything to do with him. What the hell was he supposed to say?

Hey, I’m the dude from that arrest record. The one they tacked on to make you appear worse. Sorry. Life sucks, right?

He shook the image away and cursed himself for allowing Sam to guilt trip him. Familiar sounds of a scuffle came from the next alley up and he slowed down until he stopped in the mouth of it.

A big guy on top of a girl on the ground, obviously trying to pull at her pants. Dean stepped into the alley, the shout on the tip of his tongue when he froze. She lashed out and moved away so fast, the man’s cry easy to assume she used more than just her fist. Words were exchanged but he couldn’t hear them, he moved further into the alley then the man was jumping on her again but his shriek this time is louder. The man fumbled back and she said something he couldn’t hear over the adrenaline rushing through him.

She turned toward him and started walking.

“That’s right! Walk away, bitch,” the man on the ground shouted.

“What a dumbass,” Dean murmured but still didn’t make a move. She was facing him but he wasn’t sure she could see him. Not with all these burned out lights and nothing but some murky light coming from the other end of the alley.

She turned and moved back to the guy on the ground speaking low enough again that he couldn’t make out the words. She stomped her foot and swung her leg at him but it didn’t look like her foot connected. The guy howled but something was wrong about it.

A shiver ran down Dean’s spine.

She turned and walked away from the guy, nothing stopping her this time.

As she closed in on Dean, some of the light coming from a window smudged with dirt and grease from his side of the alley bathed her face and he stiffened. She looked him up and down, a scowl quickly covered by nonchalance. “Don’t stare, old man. It’s not polite.” Then with a smirk, she winked, “oh and pro tip, around here that’ll get you gutted.”

She sauntered away and Dean pulled out his phone, stabbed the speed dial number he needed, and brought it to his ear as he turned around and stepped out of the alley and onto the sidewalk.

“You find anything?” Sam asked.

“Yeah, and I don’t think that picture idea is a good one anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“Flashing her picture… you were right. Maybe not because of…”

“What the hell is going on?”

“I don’t think she needs our help, Sammy. This… woman can take care of herself.”

“That doesn’t mean she has to. I’m not leaving here until we talk to her.”

Dean glanced down the street and caught a glimpse of her under a barely surviving street light. “I might be able to follow her. Head down towards fifteenth. She’s passing a flickering light post on twelfth now. I’ll text any changes in direction.”

Part Three- With a flick of my blade.

“For you,” I drop the photo into the flickering flames in front of me. The explosion of heat from the nearby building barely touches me. “I’ll see them burn.” My insides match the heat but, in this moment, I am numb.

The smiling faces turn grotesque, sneering then melting completely away.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

For a single brief second, soil falling on a coffin dominates my vision and I shake the image away. Not today.

I turn my gaze to the building and wish it could melt just the same, but things built with that kind of workmanship take time. I know a thing or two about time and how much patience it takes to make things right.

“My boys, I love you.” I had thought about carving their names into a wall of the building but I wouldn’t disgrace them that way. Their names deserve a better place and I vowed to give it to them.

I pull my hood up and turn away from the inferno. The roar of the sirens so far away but in eight minutes, they would be in my path. Not enough time to save the building, not with what I’ve done, but they will try because fires spread and the mayor wouldn’t want our trash to spill into his precious streets on the east side.

His deal was quite clear about that.

For Darius and Marco. For JJ and Serenity. After years of work, I was finally ready to rip it all down, brick by fucking disease riddled brick. I will watch it crumble and it will be my hand that caused it. I’ll make sure he knows it.

I may not be the beginning but I will be its end.

~~

Sam Winchester sat in the library of the Men of Letters bunker going through his emails and checking all the alerts that came in overnight. He brought his coffee mug to his lips as he cleared another false alert and questioned his search parameters. He tipped the mug all the way back but still nothing. He looked into it with a sigh and glanced over his shoulder toward the kitchen trying to remember if there had been any coffee left. Dean didn’t always refill the pot but he might have skipped that step this time too.

He rubbed his face, deleted the junk email that somehow got through his damn filters and growled. Today was not going to go his way.

The next email filled the screen, an APB with the picture of a scowling teenaged girl suspected of Arson. “What the hell..?”

Sam leaned forward, placing the mug on the table and skimmed the bulletin. He looked at the subject of the email, thought you might want to see this. It was from a Sheriff they had worked with on a case years ago. But why send him this? It didn’t look like it had anything to do with their kind of work.

Sam frowned and clicked on the connected file. Her arrest record was impressive for a twenty-year-old. He scanned the charges, everything from loitering to resisting arrest to a handful of different drug and assault charges.

He looked at the picture again, not really the face of an addict. There was something familiar about her but he couldn’t pinpoint it. He skimmed the information again and his gaze froze on the guardians listed.

Mother and stepfather deceased- apparent animal attack.

A list of old foster home placements and a final note by the last one. She fled at sixteen.

DNA link: Dean Winchester. Deceased. There was an attachment with his arrest record.

“Holy shit.”

“What?” Dean strolled into the room with a coffee mug in hand, his robe tied around his waist, his slippers scuffing across the floor.

Sam turned wide eyes on his brother, opened his mouth, and closed it. He swallowed then looked back at the screen, scrolled up to the top, and turned the screen toward him.

Dean walked over and leaned down scanning the email. “Damn, girl.” He scrolled down, clicked on the link and whistled. “Kid’s been busy. So, what’s with the arson charge? Changeling? Wendigo?”

Sam shook his head and clicked back to the girl’s information, scrolled until the guardian portion was in the middle of the screen. Then he took the coffee mug from his brother and waved at the screen.

Dean frowned at his mug Sam placed on the table before turning his focus back to the screen. He scanned the info, leaned closer, and then jumped back. “What the fuck is that?”

Sam’s brows rose as he stared at his brother, “what does it look like?”

“Like bullshit, that’s what!” He looked back at the screen, “who the hell does DNA tests for a fucking APB.”

“Well, considering her rap sheet, I’d say it was done before and put on her record for a reason. Maybe the cops really wanted a reason to put her behind bars.”

“Looks like they never succeeded. Most of the big offenses didn’t stick.” He smirked at that.

“Spoken like a proud parent.”

“Shut up! This is obviously some kind of set up.”

Sam quirked a brow, “for who? You think you’re being set up?”

“No, this kid obviously is. Cops are probably pissed because the kid is smart and got out of everything they tried to put her away for.”

Sam crossed his arms over his chest, “yeah. Her parents were killed and she was shoved into the foster system, that she apparently didn’t agree with, and now after years of building a rap sheet, the cops are trying to pin a pretty big arson on her.”

“What the hell are you looking at me for?”

“I don’t know. Guess I’m trying to decide whether to say I told you so or not.”

Dean stabbed a finger at his brother, “I am always careful.”

Sam raised his brow, “hmm… what was that Amazon kid then?”

Dean frowned, “extenuating circumstances.” His hand fell to his side and his gaze veered back to the computer.

Sam shook his head, “condoms don’t always work, Dean.”

“What are you saying? That I should drive there and help this kid who probably doesn’t even know who I am? You really think that kid is gonna give a shit that I was her sperm donor?”

Sam scrolled up to the picture, a mug shot probably a couple years old and understood what it was he couldn’t pinpoint before. “I think she deserves someone to give a shit about her. Whether you like it or not, she’s a Winchester.”

Dean clenched his jaw and looked back at the screen. She had a few of his features and looked a little too much like Mary for him to completely turn away and ignore the DNA as false. 

“Fuck!” He snatched his coffee from the table before Sam could drink it and spun away, stalking back the way he came.

“Where are you…”

“Taking a shower and then prepping for a drive. If you’re coming, take a damn shower, you smell like a wendigo.”