DEVIL'S TRAP

ohn's cell phone is ringing. Meg picks it up. "You boys really screwed up this time." She says.

Dean looks at Sam. "Where is he?" He asks.

"You're never going to see your father again." Meg says.

Dean hangs up his phone. "They've got Dad." He says.

"Meg?" Sam asks and Dean just nods. "What'd she say?"

"I just told you, Sammy." Dean is clearly upset. "Okay. Okay."

Dean takes the Colt and tucks it into the back of his jeans. "What are you doing, Dean?" Sam asks.

Dean grabs his duffle bag. "We got to go." He replies.

"Why?" Sam asks.

Dean puts on his jacket. "Because the demon knows we're in Salvation, alright. It knows we got the Colt. It's got Dad – it's probably coming for us next." He says.

"Good. We've still got three bullets left. Let it come." Sam says.

"Listen, tough guy, we're not ready, okay? We don't know how many of them are out there. Now, we're no good to anybody dead. We're leaving... now!" Dean says.

The Impala is speeding down the road and takes a turn sideways. "I'm telling you, Dean, we could have taken him." Sam says.

"What we need is a plan. Now, they're probably keeping Dad alive, we just gotta figure out where. They're gonna wanna trade him for the gun." Sam just shakes his head and Dean glances over at him. "What?"

"Dean, if that were true, why didn't Meg mention a trade?" Sam is getting upset. "Dad, he might be..."

"Don't!" Dean yells.

"Look, I don't want to believe it any more than you. But if he is, all the more reason to kill this damn thing. We still have the Colt. We can still finish the job." Sam says.

"Screw the job, Sam!" Dean yells.

"Dean, I'm just trying to do what he would want. He would want us to keep going." Sam says.

Dean gets angry. "Quit talking about him like he's dead already. Listen to me, everything stops until we get him back, you understand me? Everything." He says.

Sam pauses to think. "So how do we find him?" Sam asks.

"Maybe we go to Lincoln. Start at the warehouse where he was taken." Dean says.

"Come on, Dean, you really think these demons are going to leave a trail?" Sam asks.

Dean pauses. "You're right. We need help." The Impala drives off through the night.

[ ☼ ]

he Impala drives onto Bobby's property, an old friend of John's. There are junk cars around and hubcaps nailed to the side of the house. A large dog is chained to a post and is laying on the hood of an old tow truck. Inside, there are books stacked everywhere.

It's very untidy and cluttered with papers on every wall. Bobby picks up two round silver flasks with crosses on them and hands one to Dean.

Sam is sitting at a cluttered desk reading a very large book. "Here you go." Bobby says.

"What is this – holy water?" Dean asks.

"That one is." Bobby holds out the other flask. "This is whiskey."

He takes a swig of whiskey and hands it to Dean, who also drinks. "Bobby, thanks. Thanks for everything. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure we should come." Dean says.

"Nonsense, your Daddy needs help." Bobby says.

"Well, yeah, but last time we saw you, I mean, you did threaten to blast him full of buckshot. Cocked the shotgun and everything." Dean admits.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? John just has that effect on people." Bobby says.

"Yeah, I guess he does."

"None of that matters now. All that matters is that you get him back." Bobby says.

Sam sits at a desk, looking at a book. "Bobby, this book... I've never seen anything like it." He says.

Bobby comes over to Sam and sits on the corner of the desk. "Key of Solomon? It's the real deal, alright." He says.

"And these, uh, these protective circles. They really work?" Sam asks.

"Hell, yeah. You get a demon in - they're trapped. Powerless. It's like a Satanic roach motel." Bobby says as Sam Chuckles.

Dean comes over to them. "Man knows his stuff." He says.

"I'll tell you something else, too. This is some serious crap you boys stepped in." Dean says.

"Oh, yeah? How's that?" Dean asks.

"Normal year, I hear of, say, three demonic possessions. Maybe four, tops." Bobby says.

"Yeah." Dean says.

"This year I hear of 27 so far. You get what I'm saying? More and more demons are walking among us – a lot more." Bobby says.

"Do you know why?" Sam asks.

"No, but I know it's something big. The storm's coming, and you boys, your Daddy – you are smack in the middle of it." Bobby says. The dog starts barking outside. "Rumsfeld."

As Bobby goes over to the window the dog stops barking with a whine. "What is it?" He looks out the window and sees the chain hanging broken and the dog nowhere in sight.

"Something's wrong." Bobby says. At that moment Meg kicks in the door and saunters in.

Dean slips the holy water flask out of his pocket. "No more crap, okay?" Meg says. Dean comes at her, unscrewing the flask, but Meg hits him and sends him flying into a stack of books. He appears to be knocked out. Sam steps in front of Bobby, placing himself between Bobby and Meg.

"I want the Colt, Sam – the real Colt – right now." Meg demands.

Sam and Bobby are slowly moving across the room and Meg follows them. "We don't have it on us. We buried it." Sam says.

"Didn't I say "no more crap"? I swear – after everything I heard about you Winchesters, I got to tell you, I'm a little underwhelmed. First Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you two Chuckleheads. Lackluster, men. I mean, did you really think I wouldn't find you?" Meg asks.

Dean steps into frame behind her. "Actually, we were counting on it." He says. Meg turns to look at him. Dean stares at her and then looks up at the ceiling. Meg also looks up and sees a large protective symbol etched there. "Gotcha." Dean says.

eg is tied to a chair in the middle of the floor. Dean and Sam are watching her. "You know, if you wanted to tie me up, all you had to do was ask." She says.

Bobby comes in with a very large canister of salt. "I salted the door and windows. If there are any demons out there – they ain't getting in." He says.

Dean nods and stands up, moving around Bobby and Sam to stand in front of Meg. "Where's our father, Meg?" Dean asks.

"You didn't ask very nice." Meg says.

"Where's our father, bitch?" Dean asks.

"Jeez. You kiss your mother with that mouth? Oh wait, I forgot, you don't."

Dean lunges at her, putting his hands on the chair arms. "You think this is a frigging game? Where is he?! What did you do to him?" Dean yells.

"He died screaming. I killed him myself." Meg says. Dean just looks at her with hate, then hits her across the face. "That's kind of a turn on – you hitting a girl."

"You're no girl." Dean says.

Bobby stands up and moves into the next room. "Dean." He says.

Dean follows and Sam moves up to him. "You okay?" Sam asks.

"She's lying. He's not dead." Dean says.

"Dean, you got to be careful with her. Don't hurt her." Bobby says.

"Why?" Dean asks.

"Because she really is a girl, that's why." Bobby says.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asks.

"She's possessed. That's a human possessed by a demon. Can't you tell?" Bobby asks.

Dean points to Meg. "Are you trying to tell me there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there?" Bobby just nods. Dean looks at Meg, who is staring back at him. "That's actually good news."

Scene shifts to show Sam looking through a book for an exorcism ritual. Sam looks at Dean - who looks back at his brother – and they move over to Meg.

"Are you gonna read me a story?" Meg asks.

"Something like that. Hit it, Sam." Dean orders.

"Regna terrae, cantate deo, psallite domino..." Sam continues in Latin.

Meg turns to Dean. "An exorcism? Are you serious?" She asks.

"Oh we're going for it, baby – head spinning, projectile vomiting, the whole nine yards." Dean says.

"...tribuite virtutem deo." Sam continues. Meg flinches in pain. Sam looks at Dean.

Meg looks over her shoulder at Sam. "I'm gonna to kill you." She looks at Dean. "I'm gonna rip the bones from your body."

"No, you're gonna burn in hell. Unless you tell us where our Dad is." Dean says and Meg just smiles at him. "Well, at least you'll get a nice tan." He glances up at Sam.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incuriso infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, onmis congregatio et secta diabolica..."

Meg has been shaking and obviously in pain while Sam reads the exorcism ritual. She finally gasps in pain and Sam stops. "He begged for his life with tears in his eyes. He begged to see his sons one last time. That's when I slit his throat." Meg says.

Sam starts reading again and Dean leans down to her. "Ergo..." He says.

"For your sake, I hope you're lying. Cause if it's true, I swear to God, I will march into hell myself and I will slaughter each and every one of you evil sons of bitches, so help me God!" Dean yells.

"Perditionis venenum propinare. Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciae." Winds starts to blow through the room. "Hostis humanae salutis. Humiliare sub potenti manu dei. Contremisce et effuge. Invocato a nobis sancto et terribile nomine. Quem inferi tremunt..."

Meg starts to show signs of being in pain again. "Where is he?" Dean asks.

"You just won't take "dead" for an answer, will you?" Meg asks.

"Where is he?!" Dean yells.

"Dead!"

Dean begins yelling. "No, he's not! He's not dead! He can't be!" Dean is obviously getting very upset and angry. Sam is looking at him with concern. "What are you looking at? Keep reading."

"Ab insidis diaboli, libera nos, domine. Ut ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias, libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos." Sam reds as the chair starts to slide around the circle. "Ut inimicos sanctae ecclesiae humiliare digneris, to rogamus audi..."

"He will be!" Meg yells.

"Wait! What?!" Dean yells.

"He's not dead. But he will be after what we do to him." She says.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Dean asks.

"You don't."

"Sam!" Dean yells.

"A building! Okay? A building in Jefferson City."

"Missouri? Where, where? An address!" Dean yells.

"I don't know." Meg says.

"And the demon – the one we're looking for - where is it?" Sam questions.

"I don't know! I swear! That's everything. That's all I know."

Dean pauses. "Finish it." He says.

"What? I told you the truth!" Meg yells.

"I don't care." Dean says.

"You son of a bitch, you promised."

"I lied! Sam?" Sam doesn't say anything and Dean looks at him. "Sam! Read."

Dean walks by him. "Maybe we can still use her. Find out where the demon is." Sam says softly.

"She doesn't know." Dean says.

"She lied."

"Sam, there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there. We've got to help her." Dean says.

Bobby comes up to them. "You're gonna kill her."