Tears in the Rain

[quirky_thoughts]

Chapter three

 

Three cups of coffee and, as Lisa was busy, no comfort later, I received an update.

It looked as if one of the security cameras had picked up something and Bryant had patched the info straight through to me.

 

Meg spotted on 23^rd Street.

 

Short and to the point, but better than nothing.

 

I caught Lisa's attention and gave her a quick wave and smile. “Nine,” I mouthed silently and pointed to my watch.

 

If I survived that is.

 

I pulled my gun from its holster and checked for ammo. I loved this weapon...similar to my favorite antique Colt forty-five but upgraded to meet the Department's regs. It had all the latest high-tech add-ons, making it powerful and accurate, but still using projectile bullets. I'd need more than this though to take down these replicants as they were smart and strong, and when they were on the run, unpredictable and dangerous. Surprise was going to be my biggest advantage.

 

Stepping back outside, I didn't have the luxury to dodge the rain so I took the most direct line, and lengthening my stride, quickly fell into a jog. This particular street was a meeting place for all the flotsam and jetsam of the city, with underpasses and alleyways making it ideal for anyone wanting plenty of cover. If she wanted to run, and they usually did, there were plenty of places to hide.

 

I turned the corner after three blocks and there she was, buying noodles at a street seller, surrounded by chattering, hungry customers. What I was about to do I'd never done before, talk first and kill later, but I'd bet a weeks supply of coffee that she wouldn't see it that way. But if she knew something about Sam I wanted to know and intended to find out.

 

I slowed, un-holstered my gun, and a young woman let out a shriek. All heads turned, including Meg's.

 

“Meg...we need to talk,” I shouted and, as a gesture of goodwill, flipped the gun barrel skywards while holding my other hand in a sign of surrender.

 

Her face remained calm but her eyes were screaming survival as she pulled out a weapon and fired.

 

Shit! Looks as if she wasn't the talking kind and I ducked in time to feel the heat from the laser zip perilously close to my face. Screaming shoppers scattered giving me the perfect line of sight and I returned fire. I caught her squarely in the chest causing blood to splatter across a couple of passers-by, which in turn caused more screaming and chaos. Meg hardly flinched but staggered back a few feet under the force. Man, she looked pissed and glared at me briefly before she turned and ran. She was inhumanly fast and pushed her way through the line of terrified people before leaping over a shopping cart, leaving me to dodge the piles of vegetables scattered over the side-walk. I ran and ran until my lungs hurt and my legs burned, never letting her out of my sight until she turned into an alley and I stopped to catch my breath.

 

I knew this part of the city like the back of my hand and she'd entered a dead end with no exit. I had her cornered.

 

I turned into the alley, gun poised and ready.

 

Where the hell was she? Shit! The alley was deserted, apart from the usual bags of rubbish and the obligatory dead rat laying there, its yellow teeth mocking me with a disturbing silent snarl. I shuddered. I hated rats; dead or alive. Virtually all the animals on the planet had become extinct, but not these vermin. They were survivors all right and I suppose I should admire them but no, I really couldn't.

 

The first rule of hunting any kind of suspect was always, don't get distracted. It could be deadly. And tracking a killer replicant was deadlier than most.

 

In a flash, I felt the full force of her weight drop onto my back. Shit! She must have leapt up to one of the first floor ledges and lain in wait. Her strong legs wrapped around my waist as her hands gripped my neck. Desperately trying to shake her off, I staggered towards the nearest wall and hurled myself against it. At the last minute she dropped to the ground and I smacked into the brickwork, winding myself as my gun went flying.

 

“Son-of-a-bitch!” I doubled over as pain shot up my spine but looked up as a foot was about to make contact with my face and moved quickly to dodge it, only to be caught by a fist to my face. Meg hurled herself on top of me and I landed on my back with her punching me over and over as I twisted and turned trying to avoid the mad onslaught. I finally managed to land a couple of hard punches to the wound in her chest, which made her pause her for a moment but that only fuelled her rage. Her hands were now again at my throat.

 

My right hand clawed at the ground desperately trying to reach my gun. I touched it briefly, so tantalisingly close...just needed to stretch a bit more.

 

She squeezed harder but for all my twisting and turning I couldn't break her vice like grip. I didn't have a hope of loosening it before I lost consciousness. I was getting dizzy and I couldn't breathe. It was only a matter of time before she choked the life out of me.

 

But choking me wasn't enough. Meg pulled me up an inch before smacking my head back down in the dirt and I was now seeing stars, but that slight movement gave me the extra reach I needed to hook my fingers around the gun's grip, manoeuvre it into my palm and hold it tightly. I aimed at Meg's head. I fired over and over and over, and didn't stop until I felt her fingers slacking on my throat, enabling me to gasp some much needed air. Then I pushed her limp body off me.

 

I lay still for a moment appreciating the finer things of life, like breathing and the rain washing away the blood splatters and brain matter. I felt a bit queasy and gagged. I didn't think I'd ever get used to that in my face. I totally understood what Sam meant.

 

It was time to move out of the puddle of water which had formed under me and was chilling me to the bone, but as I lifted my head I saw a shadow out of the corner of my eye and jerked my head to look. Too late. There was a heavy boot bearing down on my face and my head hit the ground again with a smack - and everything went black.

 

 

------

 

I'd no idea how long I'd been out or even what time of day it was but I did remember my name so that was better than some mornings I'd experienced recently.

 

I opened my eyes a crack.

 

It was quiet and dark so maybe I was dead; even my luck couldn't last forever. I shivered a little, but then a wave of pain hit me full force and my eyes shot open. Yeah, I was most definitely alive.

 

My eyes quickly adjusted. There were tiny pin pricks of light filtering through the old tattered curtains, just enough for me to make out my surroundings and aware I was laying on a bare mattress in my boxers. I forced myself to sit but my head felt as if it'd been hit by a space shuttle and the room started spinning. Someone had the decency to patch me up though, as there was a bandage expertly wrapped around my head and an ice pack taped against my battered chest. I groaned as I pulled off the ice pack and pressed it to my throbbing cheek and lips.

 

I heard footsteps and on the other side of the room a door opened, a hand flipped a nearby switch, and a soft light instantly filled the room. I squinted and watched the tall familiar shape of my brother walk towards me.

 

“Sam?” I was almost afraid to ask.

 

“Hey Dean,” he replied, beaming a warm smile before sitting down beside me. He frowned as he inspected my bandaged head and battered torso.

 

I didn't know whether to hit him or hug him but didn't have to do either because Sam instantly was crushing me in one of his usual it's-great-to-see-you hugs. I could feel his heart pounding against my ribs and my arms instinctively mirrored his.

 

He pulled away as soon as I winced and gave me one of his earnest faces. “Sorry...you okay? Your ribs....I think they're just bruised but they could be cracked... I should really get you to a hospital....and your head... man, it was bloody when....”

 

I held up my hand to get him to stop talking, my head hurt and I couldn't take the babbling even though I was relieved to hear it. At least I knew he was Sam and not a replicant. They never babbled.

 

“You know you've got a lot of explaining to do,” I said in a pissy tone. It was so good to see my prodigal brother but I wasn't about to let him off the hook.

 

“Yeah, I know,” he replied and looked briefly away from my intense stare but was drawn back immediately to check my wounds, “but you sure you're okay? ”

 

“Well, my head feels two sizes to big, my chest is on fire and the split on my lip stings like a bitch... but I'll live.”

 

“You looked terrible when you were brought here. But I patched you up the best I could. I don't have any more pain killers but I'm sure...”

 

“Look Sam...you need to tell me everything,” I interrupted, and was surprised how awake I suddenly felt. “You know there's a price on your head don't you?” I snipped but before he could attempt an answer I heard more footsteps in the corridor, growing louder until they stopped at the door.

 

I visibly tensed and quirked a questioning eyebrow at Sam.

 

“It's okay...” he said, he seemed relaxed and confident so I relaxed - but didn't feel so confident.

 

The door opened and in walked a beautiful female carrying my clothes in a neat pile. Some of my questions were now being answered without a word being spoken. Can't say I blame you Sam, never seen an android like her before. Jessica was blond and smoking hot, and much more beautiful than her photo.

 

And following her was trouble. Castiel.

 

He was shorter than I'd envisioned but he walked with an air of authority and confidence and from what I'd seen of his kind, size really didn't matter. His steely eyes immediately focussed on mine as he strode over to me and looked me up and down. He gave a dismissive sniff.

 

“Hey...I'm not having a good day okay? Some moron kicked me in the head,” I said defensively.

 

Castiel bristled with indignation. “I'm the moron who kicked you in the head.”

 

Awkward. “Well aren't you the hero...hitting a man when he's down.”

 

Castiel stepped in closer, his face inches from mine. “You would kill me and my kind without a second thought...so, what does that make you?”

 

That was a good question, and one I couldn't answer. He was smart and right, but all my instincts cried out to retire him.

 

I stared into his unblinking eyes, trying to make sense of him. “So why didn't you kill me?”

 

“Because Sam asked me not to.”

 

Sam forced the barest of smiles at Castiel, then nudged Jessica and she stepped forward.

 

“You were soaking wet when you were brought back here. We dried your clothes...and don't worry, it's hanging up over there.”

 

Sam jerked his head toward the corner of the room and following his line of sight I saw my leather jacket happily hanging on a hook in one piece.

 

I gave her a little smile of approval. “Thanks,” I said and took my clothes. It was the most grateful I've ever been to get dressed, if I was going to get into a fight, I didn't want to be half naked. Cas backed off a couple of feet as I pulled on my clothes and sat down again to lace up my boots.

 

I decided ignoring him would be the wisest move for the time being and turned my attention to Jessica. She was much more agreeable.

 

“So, Jessica...Jess,” I gave her one of my biggest smiles, “...how did you come to meet Sam?”

 

I didn't need to glance at Sam to see the miffed look he had on his face. Serves him right, I wasn't going to wait for him to spill the information.

 

“He saved my life...that's why,” Jess said, giving Sam a look that was sickeningly like adoration.

 

Sam looked more than a bit awkward, running his hand through his hair and staring at his feet as if I'd discovered him watching porn. That caused more than a bit of interest from Jess...she studied him intently, and moved in close to him, entwining her arm in his.

 

“There were these three guys looking for fun...and decided they would find it with me. I guess because I'm not human, I don't matter.”

 

“I'm surprised you didn't kick their asses from here to Mars. You being..” I caught Sam's disapproving frown, “...er..strong and...well trained.”

 

“Three on one isn't great odds especially when they had weapons and I didn't.” She gave Sam a little smile. “Sam came to my rescue and well...two against three is much better odds. Together, we kicked their asses.”

 

Well that I approved of and totally understood, and hopefully the look on my face told her so. I then looked pointedly at Sam with the expectation of hearing more from him. Much more. Like, what the hell was he doing joining a band of rebel replicants...even if one of them was blond and hot?

 

Sam glanced over at Castiel. “Cas, I need to have some time with my brother, if you don't mind.”

 

“I've seen all I need to,” he said giving me a look that shouted Blade Runner, “and I have things to arrange.”

 

Jess had already cottoned on and, after giving Sam's arm a little squeeze, was following Castiel out of the door.

 

------

Chapter four

Comments

[starg8fans.livejournal.com]

LOL, I can so picture replicant Cas. I don't assume he's wearing his trenchcoat, though. :p So Sam and Jess are an item here as well - interesting. And that 'Awkward' commend was 100% Dean.

Glad to see the boys have hooked up with each other again, and curious to see where this is going from here.

[quirky-thoughts.livejournal.com]

I toyed with idea of giving Cas his trench coat! :D
but in the end thought everyone could picture him in it if they wanted! :p

I'm glad my vision of Dean is pleasing a Dean!girl. :P

[dancingdragon3.livejournal.com]

That action sequence was great! Very well written. I thought Meg was going to choke him to unconsciousness for sure, was happily surprised when he turned the table and shot her, and was completely surprised when Dean got the boot to the face.

I get that these are characters from later seasons, so not much to add, except that I am still enjoying.