Smartest Move
Title: Smartest Move
Series Title: The Face
Author:
hunters_retreat
Fandom: Supernatural/RPS/Dark Angel/10 Inch Hero Crossover
Pairing: Dean/Jensen/Alec/Priestly, Sam/Logan
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Spoilers through SPN Season 5 possible and anything from DA and TIH.
Summary: They all swung around at the female voice behind them but guns were drawn just as quick. The young woman stood tall and proud, her long blond hair loose while brown eyes looked over the camp. Just behind her a group of soldiers had their weapons drawn.
Author's Note: Futuristic AU. Beset with loss and grief, in a world they no longer known, Dean, Jensen, Alec, and Priestly find one another and challenge the world around them.
“Something ain’t right,” Chris said as the truck pulled to a stop at the top of the ridge.
Two trucks had gone in the day before and they’d had no word back. Their truck had some engine problems on the road so they were behind but Chris assured them that a messenger should have come back with an offer of help or to check on their progress. Jensen didn’t know Hope Haven. He hadn’t been there since its inception three year ago and he trusted Chris when he said something was wrong.
“What do you see?” Jensen asked as he exchanged glances with Dean. He could see the way his lover’s mind was already working out logistics. Attack plans and escape routes. When he looked at the others, he could see the same from Sam and Alec.
“There should be someone manning those gates at all times. We aren’t a large community, but we always made sure the gates had plenty of eyes. There’s no way they let their guard drop. Even if there was an incident and someone got hurt, they’d have filled out the ranks with the civilians of Hope until soldiers could stand the watch. I don’t like this.”
“Sam?”
Dean called his brother’s name and Sam let out a deep breath before he closed his eyes. “Nothing,” Sam said softly a moment later. “There are no psychics and no juice heads that I can feel.”
“So what the hell happened?” Jensen asked. No one argued with Chris’s assessment. Maybe they were paranoid, but they’d beat the odds with that type of paranoia.
“Raiders?” Priestly asked.
“They don’t normally attack a place like this,” Sam said to the other man.
“Not usually, no. But it happens. I’ve seen it happen.”
No one talked about Before much and Priestly said even less about his past than any of the others. Dean and Alec made brusque statements sometimes, like they were pulling a Band-Aid off in one swift motion. Jensen liked to remember the good times, even if he only mentioned the life he’d led between acting and the day Dean and Alec had found him in the cells. Priestly didn’t talk about it though. Whatever had happened to him, he never spoke of those times. Jensen didn’t like the way he was talking about Raiders now though.
“Have you ever had trouble with Raiders before?” Sam asked Chris.
“Sometimes people coming into the haven will talk about trouble but it’s never come to Hope directly. We’ve always had scouts and patrols out to make sure nothing comes too close.”
“So, how do we get inside to figure this out?”
“I’ll go in,” Logan surprised them all by speaking up.
He’d been quiet since they arrived outside of Hope Haven and Jensen had been wondering when he’d chime in. Logan wasn’t the quiet type really. Even if he wasn’t a soldier he was an activist and he never stayed on the outside of a situation. He’d proven his worth to them ten times over since they’d found him with Sam. Jensen seemed to be the only one that wasn’t surprised by his offer. It made sense.
“No, Logan. You aren’t a soldier.”
“And I don’t plan to be one,” Logan answered Sam. “We need eyes inside to see what’s happening. Chris can’t go in because someone might remember him and tip them off. The Face can’t go in. If something bad is happening in there, it’s smart enough that the two trucks full of soldiers weren’t able to escape. If I go in alone no one will think I’m a threat and I’m the only one that can still communicate with the outside if there is real trouble.”
“You’re right. Let’s set this up,” Jensen said.
Sam glared at him and even if he had come to some sort of stalemate with his lover’s brother, he still had a moment of concern that Sam was about to send him flying again. He didn’t flinch from Sam’s eyes though. Logan was their best bet at figuring out what was happening at Hope Haven and they all knew it.
“I can go in with him,” Michael offered. The man was a godsend in Jensen’s opinion. He took a large load off Dean’s shoulders and he’d become close to Chris in the time they’d been working together. “No one knows my face either. I can travel with Logan and make sure we’re both safe.”
“And if you’re not?” Sam demanded.
“Then I’ll keep him alive long enough for you to storm the castle.”
Sam glared at all of them involved but when he looked at Dean, it was clear he was waiting for his brother’s response.
“It’s the best chance we have, Sam.”
Sam nodded but walked away from the hill they were looked down. He headed back to the truck and Logan followed a few steps behind. Jensen looked over at Dean but the other man just shook his head. “Let Logan settle him,” Dean said softly. “He’s never going to be comfortable sending Logan into trouble.”
“Don’t know where he got that from,” Alec said with a grin.
“Shut up.”
**
Sam was tense as they watched Logan and Michael approach the gates of Hope Haven. The haven was built on an old private school tucked away nicely in a small valley. It was hidden from outside view and the school was situated close to a fresh water spring and open plains where they could farm.
It had been one of their most successful set ups and they’d never had any concern from them. Jensen hated to see trouble there now and he hoped that Chris was just being paranoid. He’d never known his friend to overreact to something like that though and Jensen settled into the wait, an eye on Sam at all times to see if Logan was in trouble.
“They’re in,” Sam said quietly. He was sitting in the back of the truck, all his energy focused on Logan. Of all the people they’d met since the Face came together, Logan was the one that surprised Jensen the most. He was the one he had gotten closest too and the only one he really thought of as a friend. It was too hard to make other people understand what he did and who he was. Most of the people they saved were too in awe of him to have a real relationship with him. Logan had his own problems with people. He was connected to a psychic after all and even if everyone had learned that Sam was one of the good guys, they steered clear of Logan.
The silence became heavy as they waited for Sam to give them more information but nothing was forthcoming. That was good in some ways, meaning that Logan wasn’t in immediate danger but none of them were happy waiting.
“What would they have done, if someone had come in?” Dean asked Chris. “If this is really raiders, what are we looking at?”
“If the soldiers couldn’t defeat them, they’d have tried to go to ground. It was a scenario we talked about before. Guerilla tactics until they could go in without fear of hurting our people.”
“So there might be some people on the outside, willing to help us get in?”
“Yeah, if they were able to get out.”
“You’re our best bet at finding them,” Dean said to Chris as he watched his brother. He let out a deep breath. “As soon as we find out the situation from Logan, I want you to find them. You know where they’d hide and what they’d do.”
“You’re assuming there’s trouble,” Jensen pointed out.
“I always assume there’s trouble,” Dean said with a smile. “The fact that Logan hasn’t sent an all clear means something is wrong, no matter what Chris says about the guards. Logan is suspicious and that means we need to have our bases covered. Do you disagree?’
Jensen shook his head. “No, Sir.”
Dean rolled his eyes and Alec smiled as he stepped up beside Chris. “I’ll head out with him and see what we can find. I met the people of Hope haven when I met Chris. They’d still remember me.”
“Just be safe about it.”
Jensen was one of the few people who knew how much it meant to Alec to have someone worry about him and he could see it in his eyes now, the way Dean’s words made his smile softer.
“Yes, Sir,” Alec said with a wink before he pulled Chris away to talk about the layout of the area and where they should concentrate their search.
“You still glad you came along?” Dean asked Priestly as he took a seat next to Sam. Priestly was sitting close by, listening to it all.
“Absolutely. You think I’d miss all this fun to hang out at the base?”
Priestly had fought his way into this and he wasn’t going to back down. Jensen didn’t know why Dean couldn’t seem to let go of his need to protect Priestly but it was flaring up again on this trip. Every bump and delay on the road he’d asked the same thing.
“We’re going to head into a gun fight. How is that fun?”
“Do you think I’d be having more fun at B Base, wondering if you were in danger? If you or Alec or Jensen were hurt?” Priestly questioned.
Dean didn’t answer but he stalked over to where Alec and Chris were planning. Jensen took the moment to go sit by Priestly, careful to keep his distance from Sam. “He’s just worried about you, Priestly.”
“I’m actually smart enough to know that. Thanks.”
Jensen started back at the words but then Priestly shook his head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t take this out on you. I know he’s worried but I knew what I was getting signed up for when I started rooming with the three of you and nothing since then has made me want to leave. I just … I thought after I was trained and he’d seen me fight that we’d be past this.”
Jensen smiled softly at that. “How many times have you seen him try to leave me behind?”
Priestly smiled back. “Every time you leave with him.”
Jensen nodded. “Yep, and he always will. He tried to leave Sam behind too, remember? It’s just who he is. His need to protect the people he cares about is never going to go away.”
“It’s not about how well trained you are.” They both looked up in surprise as Sam spoke up for the first time since Logan made it through the gates. “It’s about how important you are to him. My brother would rather die a thousand times than to see someone he loves hurt.”
“How did you hunt with him?” Priestly asked. “He doesn’t talk about it a lot but how did you get him to train you if he was always so worried about you?”
“We were trained as kids. The way my dad believed, if I wasn’t trained I was in danger. So Dean trained me. It wasn’t his choice and the only option was to let Dad do it and he and I …” Sam laughed slightly. “To say we butted heads is an understatement. Dean was constantly in the middle of it, trying to keep the peace. So he trained me and when I got out of the life and went to college, he let me go. It wasn’t until a few years later that I got back into it. Even then, I think he’d have left me behind if he didn’t know I was stubborn enough to do it on my own if he did.”
“So the two of you both inherited a stubborn streak.”
Sam laughed at Priestly’s words and Jensen felt a twinge of jealousy at the ease with which Priestly could talk to Sam. Jensen was able to talk to Sam now but it was a slow building relationship and Sam was still twitchy around him. Jensen wasn’t much better. He refused to back down and change his behavior towards Dean but he could see the way Sam tensed whenever they got too close.
Sam’s back went straight and he looked through Jensen and Priestly like they weren’t there anymore. “Sam?” Jensen asked.
“Logan. There is definitely trouble.”
“Dean!” Jensen called Dean back to them and the two men with him followed as well.
“Logan said there are raiders in the haven. Hope took in a group of that men come in together. After a week, the men attacked the guards at night and opened the gate. By the time the people woke the next morning, they’d been taken over. The guards at the gate were killed but there wasn’t so much as a bullet shot after that. Some of the soldiers escaped. The raiders went looking for someone though and couldn’t find her. When they searched the haven they found the exit and sealed it. No way in or out of the haven except that gate.”
“Who were they looking for?”
“Me.”
They all swung around at the female voice behind them but guns were drawn just as quick. The young woman stood tall and proud, her long blond hair loose while brown eyes looked over the camp. Just behind her a group of soldiers had their weapons drawn.
“Jo?”
“Dean? Sam?”
Dean ignored the guns trained on him as he moved closer to the woman. He didn’t touch her but the quirk of her head was a clear indication that she was surprised he’d stopped. Dean turned and looked back at Sam. “Is she clear?”
Sam let out a deep breath and closed his eyes.
“What the hell, Dean?”
“It’s great to see you, Jo, but I don’t take coincidences all that well these days.”
“She’s clean Dean,” Sam’s said with a growing smile on his face.
Dean closed the distance without hesitation then, wrapping Jo up in his arms . “Jesus, Jo, what are you doing here?”
She laughed as she embraced Dean. “Of all the people I thought would come to help us, I never would have thought to see you.”
“You’re part of the haven?”
“Yeah. I was saved from a cell two months back. They brought me here.” She looked over his shoulder to the others and she nodded towards Jensen and Priestly. “You wanna explain the shifters?”
“You wanna put the guns down?” Jensen asked.
Dean looked around them and stepped back from Jo. “They’re not shifters, Jo. We don’t really know how it happened.”
“You don’t know how it happened,” Alec answered. “We have a good working theory though.”
Dean shook his head at that because he still hadn’t bought into Alec and Logan’s genetics experiment theory. Jensen wasn’t sure he did either but it was the only thing they had.
Jo looked at Dean for a second then turned back to her people and gave a small gesture that had them all lowering their weapons. The others in their camp did the same as Sam joined Dean and gave Jo a quick embrace.
“How are you, Jo?” Sam asked quietly.
“I’ve had better days,” she said with a grim smile.
“Hope haven treating you alright?” he asked.
“Up until the raiders decided I was something to keep an eye on. As soon as they came in I recognized the look in their leader’s eyes. We were out the escape gate before they knew it was there. We sent a messenger to B Base but we didn’t expect help for some time. How did you get here so fast?”
“We didn’t,” Dean answered. “We didn’t get word. We were coming to check things out.”
“So, you’re the Face?”
“You knew?” Dean asked.
She shook her head though. “All I know about the Face are the rumors that get circulated. Mostly about the men that run humanity, but sometimes about how the four men with the same face are pretty as hell. Seeing you here, it doesn’t take Ash to make the connection.”
Dean nodded and Jensen could see Dean hesitate before he turned back towards the rest of them. He wasn’t sure what it was but he stood next to Priestly to see what Dean had to say.
“Jo was a hunter,” Dean said as he looked over at them. He didn’t made eye contact with Jensen as he pointed him out. “This is Jensen, Priestly, and Alec. The Face. This is Jo Harvelle.”
Priestly was first to greet her and Alec stood close to Dean and Sam but Jensen stayed back as he watched the others interact. Chris was introduced to Jo but some of the men knew him already and Jensen recognized two of the men as the ones that had come with Chris a year ago.
“We had a truck drive up two days ago but no one came back out. We have two men on the inside now and we’re just waiting on news,” Dean explained as Jo and her men joined their camp.
“There’s no way to get news out of Hope,” Jo told them.
Sam smiled. “There is if you’re psychic.”
The camp was still for a minute but then Jo shook her head. “You’re the psychic everyone was going ape shit over?” She let out a small laugh. “I should have known the Winchester brothers would be knee deep wherever the trouble was.”
“Logan and I are connected. I can hear his thoughts so I’ll know as soon as he has some idea of what’s going on.”
“Or if we need to try to get to him,” Jensen added. “Nothing yet?” Jensen didn’t want to sound worried but he didn’t like the radio silence.
“Nothing,” Sam said quietly.
“You were planning on taking on the wall with 5 of you, plus two in the camp?” Jo asked.
“If need be,” Alec said. “We didn’t set up Hope to have someone come in and take it over as a base of operations.”
Jo shook her head and looked back at Dean. “This could take some getting used to,” Jo said as she looked over at Jensen. He knew he should give her the benefit of the doubt since she knew Dean and Sam but he couldn’t help but wonder at the way Dean wouldn’t make eye contact when he’d introduced them.
“We hear that a lot,” Jensen said with a fake smile. He looked over at Alec and nodded towards the ridge. “I’m going to keep an eye out. We know Logan will report what’s happening inside, but who knows what could come from the outside.”
He walked away without waiting for anyone to say anything. He pretended not to be hurt by the fact that Dean didn’t try to stop him.
**
They were settling in for the night before Chris and Alec came back. Guards were on the watch and they sat around the small fire they’d permitted themselves. They were hidden from the haven where they were and Dean had decided it was worth the risk.
Jo’s people were a little touchy when the two bleed out of the shadow without making a sound, but they recognized Chris.
“So, any news?” Chris looked pointedly at Jo as he joined them at the fire.
“Chris, this is Jo Harvelle. Jo, this is Chris Kane.”
“You’re the one that left us for B-Base?”
Chris smiled. “Met up with an old friend and decided to see what he was up too.” Jensen handed over a mug a coffee and Chris took it was a smile. “Decided to stay where the fight was. What’s your deal?”
Jo looked over at Dean and dropped her eyes to the fire. “Since the psychics happened, I’ve just been trying to stay a step ahead of it. They were looking for someone a while back. Don’t know who, but every hunter I met said the same thing. If you think you’re gonna get caught, take a bite out of a bullet so they can’t get into your head. I found a few people and we survived together. What I’ve got is inside that haven. I don’t plan on letting some raiders come into my home and keep it.”
“We’ll find a way Jo,” Dean said as he put a hand on her knee.
Jo looked at Dean with the same faith and awe as most people Jensen knew. The difference was, most people knew him as the Face and they thought of Jensen and Alec and Priestly the same. This woman knew Dean from Before though and Jensen didn’t like what he saw. He looked away just in time to be caught in Sam’s gaze. Dean’s brother looked too knowingly at him, a small grimace that Jensen thought was supposed to be a smile, on his face.
Jensen let out a deep breath and stood to leave. “Gonna get some shut eye before something comes at us,” he said abruptly. “If you hear anything Sam, let me know.”
“Of course,” Sam answered. It was the most civil they’d been to one another and Jensen was pissed that it was over some girl.
He found his bedroll and fell asleep as far from the fires as he could. It was going to be a long night and he had no doubt that he would wake cold and alone.
**
Dawn found Jensen as he looked out over the valley to Hope Haven. He’d had the last watch but his solo vigilance was ended as the camp began to wake. Someone offered him a mug of coffee and Jensen was surprised to find Sam beside him.
“I don’t like it,” he said quietly. “Logan said they aren’t hurting anyone, they aren’t pressing for anything. They just took over. What are they doing?”
“And why did the let Logan in?” Jensen asked. “If they’re just sitting pretty for something, why let a stranger in? Why not just close the gates and tell them to go away?”
“Because they want us to come,” Sam said as Jensen turned to face him. “They knew the Face would find out eventually and they’re collecting people.”
“Who the hell are they? Can Logan get a look at them? Maybe it’s someone from the past?”
Sam did say anything for a few minutes then he nodded. “He’ll try to get to the guy. If not, Michael might be able to get to him. Logan said Michael can sketch him if we need him to.”
“That looks like some serious conversation before breakfast,” came a voice from behind them.
“Hey Jo,” Sam called out to the woman as she stepped up to his side. He pulled her close under one arm and she snuggled up against him, a small smile on her face. “Just trying to answer some questions.”
“Maybe I can help?” she asked.
“More power to you,” Jensen said as he turned away. He could feel Sam watching him as he walked away from camp and towards the stream they’d found. He didn’t want to watch Sam’s approval of the woman any more than he wanted to watch Dean fumble over their relationship as he tried to get to her.
When he got to the stream, Jensen dropped to his knees by the bank and let his hands soak in the water for a few minutes. He closed his eyes and let the gentle sounds of the water sooth him. It wasn’t much, wasn’t enough for how raw he felt, but it was better than nothing. Before long he’d have to face the day, and the rest of his lovers. Alec was worried about Logan and that might keep him from looking too closely at Jensen, but Priestly would be harder to fool. Thankfully, Jensen could probably pass it off as nerves in the field. Priestly didn’t know his behavior when they weren’t at the base. The lie would stick if he needed it to. And if Dean wasn’t interested in his bed the night before, he certainly wouldn’t be worried about Jensen during the day. And that just left-
“Wanna tell me what this is all about?”
Fuck. Chris. The one person who would probably be able to recognize what he was feeling for what it really was. There was no hiding from Chris. They’d known each other for too long.
“Nothing. Just cooling my head a little.”
“Uh hu.”
“Logan should have seen something more down there,” Jensen said, trying to get to business before Chris could ask something specific. “Why did they let Logan and Michael in? Why the trucks if they were trying to take control quietly? If they were there for a few days before they took over, they had to have known that they were connected to us. That we’d come if we didn’t hear from them.”
“Alright. So what are you thinking?”
“They’re waiting for us.”
“And?”
“We should give them what they want.”
“No way in hell,” Chris answered. “Dean isn’t letting any of you in there without him at your back and no one is letting the Face get caught by raiders.”
“How many people will they kill to get a message to us, Chris?”
His friend shook his head. “They aren’t there yet. The message they sent wouldn’t have gotten to the base until yesterday. We’ve still got time to find another way in.”
“Yeah. If we don’t figure it out though, we’ll have to do something.”
Chris put a hand on his shoulder and forced Jensen to look him in the eye. “We will figure it out, without putting you or any of the people you love on the line.”
Jensen let out a deep breath and Chris left him alone to cool his thoughts. At least that went well. Chris thought he was worried over the others instead of jealous over the woman Dean knew.
The conversation left him feeling empty though. His excuse was all too real. They needed to send one of them in to see what reaction they got from the haven and there was no way Jensen would let one of the others go in his place.
He just had to find a way to implement his plan before the others acted on their own.
**
Jensen made it through the day without anyone else the wiser. Dean looked askance at him a few times when Jo sat next to him or when she took his attention away but Jensen waved it off with an easy smile. It’d been a long time since Jensen had acted, but he still had the ability to wear a character like a second skin and he used it well. Alec and Priestly had disappeared after dinner while Jensen sat close to Dean by the fire. He made small talk with the others and ignored the fact that Dean talked to Jo instead of him. It just helped to firm his resolve about what he needed to do.
Dean took the first watch and Jensen volunteered for the last. Jensen couldn’t sleep and he wandered the camp until after Dean should have gone to bed. Jo had the second watch though and Jensen could see Dean with her by the fire. Jensen watched them talk for a few minutes before he walked back to his bedroll. Wherever Dean ended up, his bedroll never came close to Jensen.
When Chris woke him up for his watch, he looked pointedly at the spot where Dean normally slept but didn’t say anything. Jensen ignored the inquiry.
“Sleep fast Chris. Dawn will come quick.”
“You get any sleep?” Chris asked as he stretched out.
“No, but once we sent Logan in I knew I wouldn’t.”
He turned away from Chris and made his way back to the fire. He poked at if for a few minutes to make sure it was strong, then walked the perimeter of the camp. When he got back to the fire, someone was sitting beside it.
“They all talk pretty highly of you,” Jo said with a smile.
She was beautiful and if his heart wasn’t so wrapped around the others, he might have fallen for that smile.
“That’s good to hear.”
“You don’t know anything about me, do you?”
“You know Dean from Before.”
“But you don’t know how.”
“We don’t usually talk about Before much,” Jensen answered.
She nodded in understanding. “I used to be a hunter. Followed in my Daddy’s footsteps. Dean and Sam were there went I took my first hunt. Saved my ass.”
“You were lucky then.”
“I was. Seems like you’re pretty lucky too. The way Dean talks, you managed to find all the right people at just the right time. Don’t know how you managed to tie Dean down to one place like that. Never knew anyone as hungry for the road as he was.”
Jensen let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, Dean never did like to settle into one place for too long.” He thought they’d managed to curb that need to move in Dean but apparently not. “And I was lucky to find him when I did. He and Alec saved my ass.”
“Dean said … you were having a little trouble with Sam. From one outsider to another, don’t take it personally. There isn’t anybody in the world that can get past the Winchester defenses. Only family gets in with those boys.”
“You seem to do alright with them,” Jensen commented kindly, though his mind was bitter with the words.
“We had a friend used to say ‘Family don’t end in blood.’. Sam and Dean took me on as family a long time ago.”
Jensen gave her a small smile. “I need to stretch my legs. You gonna be up?”
“Yeah. Can’t seem to fall back to sleep tonight.”
“You mind finishing the watch for me? Need to clean off the night before we start again.”
She smiled at him, something warm and real and he felt guilty for lying but he didn’t change his mind.
“I’ll keep the fire going, and keep everyone away from the stream until you get back.”
“Thanks Jo, I appreciate that.”
Jo didn’t know him well enough to understand that he’d never give his watch to someone else like that. He’d done his best to keep his regular face on all day so none of his lovers were the wiser about his intentions. Even Chris thought Jensen was willing to give them more time to find a way in.
There were times when Jensen was grateful for the way people trusted him. There were other times when he wished people looked closer. He wasn’t sure which way he felt as he grabbed his pack from where he’d stashed it earlier and made his way towards the haven.
It probably wasn’t the smartest move, but he could get answers for the others this way. No matter what happened, Logan would see it and tell Sam. No one would have to die to get the Face’s attention and none of his lovers would be in harm’s way.
Series Title: The Face
Author:
hunters_retreat
Fandom: Supernatural/RPS/Dark Angel/10 Inch Hero Crossover
Pairing: Dean/Jensen/Alec/Priestly, Sam/Logan
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Spoilers through SPN Season 5 possible and anything from DA and TIH.
Summary: They all swung around at the female voice behind them but guns were drawn just as quick. The young woman stood tall and proud, her long blond hair loose while brown eyes looked over the camp. Just behind her a group of soldiers had their weapons drawn.
Author's Note: Futuristic AU. Beset with loss and grief, in a world they no longer known, Dean, Jensen, Alec, and Priestly find one another and challenge the world around them.
“Something ain’t right,” Chris said as the truck pulled to a stop at the top of the ridge.
Two trucks had gone in the day before and they’d had no word back. Their truck had some engine problems on the road so they were behind but Chris assured them that a messenger should have come back with an offer of help or to check on their progress. Jensen didn’t know Hope Haven. He hadn’t been there since its inception three year ago and he trusted Chris when he said something was wrong.
“What do you see?” Jensen asked as he exchanged glances with Dean. He could see the way his lover’s mind was already working out logistics. Attack plans and escape routes. When he looked at the others, he could see the same from Sam and Alec.
“There should be someone manning those gates at all times. We aren’t a large community, but we always made sure the gates had plenty of eyes. There’s no way they let their guard drop. Even if there was an incident and someone got hurt, they’d have filled out the ranks with the civilians of Hope until soldiers could stand the watch. I don’t like this.”
“Sam?”
Dean called his brother’s name and Sam let out a deep breath before he closed his eyes. “Nothing,” Sam said softly a moment later. “There are no psychics and no juice heads that I can feel.”
“So what the hell happened?” Jensen asked. No one argued with Chris’s assessment. Maybe they were paranoid, but they’d beat the odds with that type of paranoia.
“Raiders?” Priestly asked.
“They don’t normally attack a place like this,” Sam said to the other man.
“Not usually, no. But it happens. I’ve seen it happen.”
No one talked about Before much and Priestly said even less about his past than any of the others. Dean and Alec made brusque statements sometimes, like they were pulling a Band-Aid off in one swift motion. Jensen liked to remember the good times, even if he only mentioned the life he’d led between acting and the day Dean and Alec had found him in the cells. Priestly didn’t talk about it though. Whatever had happened to him, he never spoke of those times. Jensen didn’t like the way he was talking about Raiders now though.
“Have you ever had trouble with Raiders before?” Sam asked Chris.
“Sometimes people coming into the haven will talk about trouble but it’s never come to Hope directly. We’ve always had scouts and patrols out to make sure nothing comes too close.”
“So, how do we get inside to figure this out?”
“I’ll go in,” Logan surprised them all by speaking up.
He’d been quiet since they arrived outside of Hope Haven and Jensen had been wondering when he’d chime in. Logan wasn’t the quiet type really. Even if he wasn’t a soldier he was an activist and he never stayed on the outside of a situation. He’d proven his worth to them ten times over since they’d found him with Sam. Jensen seemed to be the only one that wasn’t surprised by his offer. It made sense.
“No, Logan. You aren’t a soldier.”
“And I don’t plan to be one,” Logan answered Sam. “We need eyes inside to see what’s happening. Chris can’t go in because someone might remember him and tip them off. The Face can’t go in. If something bad is happening in there, it’s smart enough that the two trucks full of soldiers weren’t able to escape. If I go in alone no one will think I’m a threat and I’m the only one that can still communicate with the outside if there is real trouble.”
“You’re right. Let’s set this up,” Jensen said.
Sam glared at him and even if he had come to some sort of stalemate with his lover’s brother, he still had a moment of concern that Sam was about to send him flying again. He didn’t flinch from Sam’s eyes though. Logan was their best bet at figuring out what was happening at Hope Haven and they all knew it.
“I can go in with him,” Michael offered. The man was a godsend in Jensen’s opinion. He took a large load off Dean’s shoulders and he’d become close to Chris in the time they’d been working together. “No one knows my face either. I can travel with Logan and make sure we’re both safe.”
“And if you’re not?” Sam demanded.
“Then I’ll keep him alive long enough for you to storm the castle.”
Sam glared at all of them involved but when he looked at Dean, it was clear he was waiting for his brother’s response.
“It’s the best chance we have, Sam.”
Sam nodded but walked away from the hill they were looked down. He headed back to the truck and Logan followed a few steps behind. Jensen looked over at Dean but the other man just shook his head. “Let Logan settle him,” Dean said softly. “He’s never going to be comfortable sending Logan into trouble.”
“Don’t know where he got that from,” Alec said with a grin.
“Shut up.”
**
Sam was tense as they watched Logan and Michael approach the gates of Hope Haven. The haven was built on an old private school tucked away nicely in a small valley. It was hidden from outside view and the school was situated close to a fresh water spring and open plains where they could farm.
It had been one of their most successful set ups and they’d never had any concern from them. Jensen hated to see trouble there now and he hoped that Chris was just being paranoid. He’d never known his friend to overreact to something like that though and Jensen settled into the wait, an eye on Sam at all times to see if Logan was in trouble.
“They’re in,” Sam said quietly. He was sitting in the back of the truck, all his energy focused on Logan. Of all the people they’d met since the Face came together, Logan was the one that surprised Jensen the most. He was the one he had gotten closest too and the only one he really thought of as a friend. It was too hard to make other people understand what he did and who he was. Most of the people they saved were too in awe of him to have a real relationship with him. Logan had his own problems with people. He was connected to a psychic after all and even if everyone had learned that Sam was one of the good guys, they steered clear of Logan.
The silence became heavy as they waited for Sam to give them more information but nothing was forthcoming. That was good in some ways, meaning that Logan wasn’t in immediate danger but none of them were happy waiting.
“What would they have done, if someone had come in?” Dean asked Chris. “If this is really raiders, what are we looking at?”
“If the soldiers couldn’t defeat them, they’d have tried to go to ground. It was a scenario we talked about before. Guerilla tactics until they could go in without fear of hurting our people.”
“So there might be some people on the outside, willing to help us get in?”
“Yeah, if they were able to get out.”
“You’re our best bet at finding them,” Dean said to Chris as he watched his brother. He let out a deep breath. “As soon as we find out the situation from Logan, I want you to find them. You know where they’d hide and what they’d do.”
“You’re assuming there’s trouble,” Jensen pointed out.
“I always assume there’s trouble,” Dean said with a smile. “The fact that Logan hasn’t sent an all clear means something is wrong, no matter what Chris says about the guards. Logan is suspicious and that means we need to have our bases covered. Do you disagree?’
Jensen shook his head. “No, Sir.”
Dean rolled his eyes and Alec smiled as he stepped up beside Chris. “I’ll head out with him and see what we can find. I met the people of Hope haven when I met Chris. They’d still remember me.”
“Just be safe about it.”
Jensen was one of the few people who knew how much it meant to Alec to have someone worry about him and he could see it in his eyes now, the way Dean’s words made his smile softer.
“Yes, Sir,” Alec said with a wink before he pulled Chris away to talk about the layout of the area and where they should concentrate their search.
“You still glad you came along?” Dean asked Priestly as he took a seat next to Sam. Priestly was sitting close by, listening to it all.
“Absolutely. You think I’d miss all this fun to hang out at the base?”
Priestly had fought his way into this and he wasn’t going to back down. Jensen didn’t know why Dean couldn’t seem to let go of his need to protect Priestly but it was flaring up again on this trip. Every bump and delay on the road he’d asked the same thing.
“We’re going to head into a gun fight. How is that fun?”
“Do you think I’d be having more fun at B Base, wondering if you were in danger? If you or Alec or Jensen were hurt?” Priestly questioned.
Dean didn’t answer but he stalked over to where Alec and Chris were planning. Jensen took the moment to go sit by Priestly, careful to keep his distance from Sam. “He’s just worried about you, Priestly.”
“I’m actually smart enough to know that. Thanks.”
Jensen started back at the words but then Priestly shook his head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t take this out on you. I know he’s worried but I knew what I was getting signed up for when I started rooming with the three of you and nothing since then has made me want to leave. I just … I thought after I was trained and he’d seen me fight that we’d be past this.”
Jensen smiled softly at that. “How many times have you seen him try to leave me behind?”
Priestly smiled back. “Every time you leave with him.”
Jensen nodded. “Yep, and he always will. He tried to leave Sam behind too, remember? It’s just who he is. His need to protect the people he cares about is never going to go away.”
“It’s not about how well trained you are.” They both looked up in surprise as Sam spoke up for the first time since Logan made it through the gates. “It’s about how important you are to him. My brother would rather die a thousand times than to see someone he loves hurt.”
“How did you hunt with him?” Priestly asked. “He doesn’t talk about it a lot but how did you get him to train you if he was always so worried about you?”
“We were trained as kids. The way my dad believed, if I wasn’t trained I was in danger. So Dean trained me. It wasn’t his choice and the only option was to let Dad do it and he and I …” Sam laughed slightly. “To say we butted heads is an understatement. Dean was constantly in the middle of it, trying to keep the peace. So he trained me and when I got out of the life and went to college, he let me go. It wasn’t until a few years later that I got back into it. Even then, I think he’d have left me behind if he didn’t know I was stubborn enough to do it on my own if he did.”
“So the two of you both inherited a stubborn streak.”
Sam laughed at Priestly’s words and Jensen felt a twinge of jealousy at the ease with which Priestly could talk to Sam. Jensen was able to talk to Sam now but it was a slow building relationship and Sam was still twitchy around him. Jensen wasn’t much better. He refused to back down and change his behavior towards Dean but he could see the way Sam tensed whenever they got too close.
Sam’s back went straight and he looked through Jensen and Priestly like they weren’t there anymore. “Sam?” Jensen asked.
“Logan. There is definitely trouble.”
“Dean!” Jensen called Dean back to them and the two men with him followed as well.
“Logan said there are raiders in the haven. Hope took in a group of that men come in together. After a week, the men attacked the guards at night and opened the gate. By the time the people woke the next morning, they’d been taken over. The guards at the gate were killed but there wasn’t so much as a bullet shot after that. Some of the soldiers escaped. The raiders went looking for someone though and couldn’t find her. When they searched the haven they found the exit and sealed it. No way in or out of the haven except that gate.”
“Who were they looking for?”
“Me.”
They all swung around at the female voice behind them but guns were drawn just as quick. The young woman stood tall and proud, her long blond hair loose while brown eyes looked over the camp. Just behind her a group of soldiers had their weapons drawn.
“Jo?”
“Dean? Sam?”
Dean ignored the guns trained on him as he moved closer to the woman. He didn’t touch her but the quirk of her head was a clear indication that she was surprised he’d stopped. Dean turned and looked back at Sam. “Is she clear?”
Sam let out a deep breath and closed his eyes.
“What the hell, Dean?”
“It’s great to see you, Jo, but I don’t take coincidences all that well these days.”
“She’s clean Dean,” Sam’s said with a growing smile on his face.
Dean closed the distance without hesitation then, wrapping Jo up in his arms . “Jesus, Jo, what are you doing here?”
She laughed as she embraced Dean. “Of all the people I thought would come to help us, I never would have thought to see you.”
“You’re part of the haven?”
“Yeah. I was saved from a cell two months back. They brought me here.” She looked over his shoulder to the others and she nodded towards Jensen and Priestly. “You wanna explain the shifters?”
“You wanna put the guns down?” Jensen asked.
Dean looked around them and stepped back from Jo. “They’re not shifters, Jo. We don’t really know how it happened.”
“You don’t know how it happened,” Alec answered. “We have a good working theory though.”
Dean shook his head at that because he still hadn’t bought into Alec and Logan’s genetics experiment theory. Jensen wasn’t sure he did either but it was the only thing they had.
Jo looked at Dean for a second then turned back to her people and gave a small gesture that had them all lowering their weapons. The others in their camp did the same as Sam joined Dean and gave Jo a quick embrace.
“How are you, Jo?” Sam asked quietly.
“I’ve had better days,” she said with a grim smile.
“Hope haven treating you alright?” he asked.
“Up until the raiders decided I was something to keep an eye on. As soon as they came in I recognized the look in their leader’s eyes. We were out the escape gate before they knew it was there. We sent a messenger to B Base but we didn’t expect help for some time. How did you get here so fast?”
“We didn’t,” Dean answered. “We didn’t get word. We were coming to check things out.”
“So, you’re the Face?”
“You knew?” Dean asked.
She shook her head though. “All I know about the Face are the rumors that get circulated. Mostly about the men that run humanity, but sometimes about how the four men with the same face are pretty as hell. Seeing you here, it doesn’t take Ash to make the connection.”
Dean nodded and Jensen could see Dean hesitate before he turned back towards the rest of them. He wasn’t sure what it was but he stood next to Priestly to see what Dean had to say.
“Jo was a hunter,” Dean said as he looked over at them. He didn’t made eye contact with Jensen as he pointed him out. “This is Jensen, Priestly, and Alec. The Face. This is Jo Harvelle.”
Priestly was first to greet her and Alec stood close to Dean and Sam but Jensen stayed back as he watched the others interact. Chris was introduced to Jo but some of the men knew him already and Jensen recognized two of the men as the ones that had come with Chris a year ago.
“We had a truck drive up two days ago but no one came back out. We have two men on the inside now and we’re just waiting on news,” Dean explained as Jo and her men joined their camp.
“There’s no way to get news out of Hope,” Jo told them.
Sam smiled. “There is if you’re psychic.”
The camp was still for a minute but then Jo shook her head. “You’re the psychic everyone was going ape shit over?” She let out a small laugh. “I should have known the Winchester brothers would be knee deep wherever the trouble was.”
“Logan and I are connected. I can hear his thoughts so I’ll know as soon as he has some idea of what’s going on.”
“Or if we need to try to get to him,” Jensen added. “Nothing yet?” Jensen didn’t want to sound worried but he didn’t like the radio silence.
“Nothing,” Sam said quietly.
“You were planning on taking on the wall with 5 of you, plus two in the camp?” Jo asked.
“If need be,” Alec said. “We didn’t set up Hope to have someone come in and take it over as a base of operations.”
Jo shook her head and looked back at Dean. “This could take some getting used to,” Jo said as she looked over at Jensen. He knew he should give her the benefit of the doubt since she knew Dean and Sam but he couldn’t help but wonder at the way Dean wouldn’t make eye contact when he’d introduced them.
“We hear that a lot,” Jensen said with a fake smile. He looked over at Alec and nodded towards the ridge. “I’m going to keep an eye out. We know Logan will report what’s happening inside, but who knows what could come from the outside.”
He walked away without waiting for anyone to say anything. He pretended not to be hurt by the fact that Dean didn’t try to stop him.
**
They were settling in for the night before Chris and Alec came back. Guards were on the watch and they sat around the small fire they’d permitted themselves. They were hidden from the haven where they were and Dean had decided it was worth the risk.
Jo’s people were a little touchy when the two bleed out of the shadow without making a sound, but they recognized Chris.
“So, any news?” Chris looked pointedly at Jo as he joined them at the fire.
“Chris, this is Jo Harvelle. Jo, this is Chris Kane.”
“You’re the one that left us for B-Base?”
Chris smiled. “Met up with an old friend and decided to see what he was up too.” Jensen handed over a mug a coffee and Chris took it was a smile. “Decided to stay where the fight was. What’s your deal?”
Jo looked over at Dean and dropped her eyes to the fire. “Since the psychics happened, I’ve just been trying to stay a step ahead of it. They were looking for someone a while back. Don’t know who, but every hunter I met said the same thing. If you think you’re gonna get caught, take a bite out of a bullet so they can’t get into your head. I found a few people and we survived together. What I’ve got is inside that haven. I don’t plan on letting some raiders come into my home and keep it.”
“We’ll find a way Jo,” Dean said as he put a hand on her knee.
Jo looked at Dean with the same faith and awe as most people Jensen knew. The difference was, most people knew him as the Face and they thought of Jensen and Alec and Priestly the same. This woman knew Dean from Before though and Jensen didn’t like what he saw. He looked away just in time to be caught in Sam’s gaze. Dean’s brother looked too knowingly at him, a small grimace that Jensen thought was supposed to be a smile, on his face.
Jensen let out a deep breath and stood to leave. “Gonna get some shut eye before something comes at us,” he said abruptly. “If you hear anything Sam, let me know.”
“Of course,” Sam answered. It was the most civil they’d been to one another and Jensen was pissed that it was over some girl.
He found his bedroll and fell asleep as far from the fires as he could. It was going to be a long night and he had no doubt that he would wake cold and alone.
**
Dawn found Jensen as he looked out over the valley to Hope Haven. He’d had the last watch but his solo vigilance was ended as the camp began to wake. Someone offered him a mug of coffee and Jensen was surprised to find Sam beside him.
“I don’t like it,” he said quietly. “Logan said they aren’t hurting anyone, they aren’t pressing for anything. They just took over. What are they doing?”
“And why did the let Logan in?” Jensen asked. “If they’re just sitting pretty for something, why let a stranger in? Why not just close the gates and tell them to go away?”
“Because they want us to come,” Sam said as Jensen turned to face him. “They knew the Face would find out eventually and they’re collecting people.”
“Who the hell are they? Can Logan get a look at them? Maybe it’s someone from the past?”
Sam did say anything for a few minutes then he nodded. “He’ll try to get to the guy. If not, Michael might be able to get to him. Logan said Michael can sketch him if we need him to.”
“That looks like some serious conversation before breakfast,” came a voice from behind them.
“Hey Jo,” Sam called out to the woman as she stepped up to his side. He pulled her close under one arm and she snuggled up against him, a small smile on her face. “Just trying to answer some questions.”
“Maybe I can help?” she asked.
“More power to you,” Jensen said as he turned away. He could feel Sam watching him as he walked away from camp and towards the stream they’d found. He didn’t want to watch Sam’s approval of the woman any more than he wanted to watch Dean fumble over their relationship as he tried to get to her.
When he got to the stream, Jensen dropped to his knees by the bank and let his hands soak in the water for a few minutes. He closed his eyes and let the gentle sounds of the water sooth him. It wasn’t much, wasn’t enough for how raw he felt, but it was better than nothing. Before long he’d have to face the day, and the rest of his lovers. Alec was worried about Logan and that might keep him from looking too closely at Jensen, but Priestly would be harder to fool. Thankfully, Jensen could probably pass it off as nerves in the field. Priestly didn’t know his behavior when they weren’t at the base. The lie would stick if he needed it to. And if Dean wasn’t interested in his bed the night before, he certainly wouldn’t be worried about Jensen during the day. And that just left-
“Wanna tell me what this is all about?”
Fuck. Chris. The one person who would probably be able to recognize what he was feeling for what it really was. There was no hiding from Chris. They’d known each other for too long.
“Nothing. Just cooling my head a little.”
“Uh hu.”
“Logan should have seen something more down there,” Jensen said, trying to get to business before Chris could ask something specific. “Why did they let Logan and Michael in? Why the trucks if they were trying to take control quietly? If they were there for a few days before they took over, they had to have known that they were connected to us. That we’d come if we didn’t hear from them.”
“Alright. So what are you thinking?”
“They’re waiting for us.”
“And?”
“We should give them what they want.”
“No way in hell,” Chris answered. “Dean isn’t letting any of you in there without him at your back and no one is letting the Face get caught by raiders.”
“How many people will they kill to get a message to us, Chris?”
His friend shook his head. “They aren’t there yet. The message they sent wouldn’t have gotten to the base until yesterday. We’ve still got time to find another way in.”
“Yeah. If we don’t figure it out though, we’ll have to do something.”
Chris put a hand on his shoulder and forced Jensen to look him in the eye. “We will figure it out, without putting you or any of the people you love on the line.”
Jensen let out a deep breath and Chris left him alone to cool his thoughts. At least that went well. Chris thought he was worried over the others instead of jealous over the woman Dean knew.
The conversation left him feeling empty though. His excuse was all too real. They needed to send one of them in to see what reaction they got from the haven and there was no way Jensen would let one of the others go in his place.
He just had to find a way to implement his plan before the others acted on their own.
**
Jensen made it through the day without anyone else the wiser. Dean looked askance at him a few times when Jo sat next to him or when she took his attention away but Jensen waved it off with an easy smile. It’d been a long time since Jensen had acted, but he still had the ability to wear a character like a second skin and he used it well. Alec and Priestly had disappeared after dinner while Jensen sat close to Dean by the fire. He made small talk with the others and ignored the fact that Dean talked to Jo instead of him. It just helped to firm his resolve about what he needed to do.
Dean took the first watch and Jensen volunteered for the last. Jensen couldn’t sleep and he wandered the camp until after Dean should have gone to bed. Jo had the second watch though and Jensen could see Dean with her by the fire. Jensen watched them talk for a few minutes before he walked back to his bedroll. Wherever Dean ended up, his bedroll never came close to Jensen.
When Chris woke him up for his watch, he looked pointedly at the spot where Dean normally slept but didn’t say anything. Jensen ignored the inquiry.
“Sleep fast Chris. Dawn will come quick.”
“You get any sleep?” Chris asked as he stretched out.
“No, but once we sent Logan in I knew I wouldn’t.”
He turned away from Chris and made his way back to the fire. He poked at if for a few minutes to make sure it was strong, then walked the perimeter of the camp. When he got back to the fire, someone was sitting beside it.
“They all talk pretty highly of you,” Jo said with a smile.
She was beautiful and if his heart wasn’t so wrapped around the others, he might have fallen for that smile.
“That’s good to hear.”
“You don’t know anything about me, do you?”
“You know Dean from Before.”
“But you don’t know how.”
“We don’t usually talk about Before much,” Jensen answered.
She nodded in understanding. “I used to be a hunter. Followed in my Daddy’s footsteps. Dean and Sam were there went I took my first hunt. Saved my ass.”
“You were lucky then.”
“I was. Seems like you’re pretty lucky too. The way Dean talks, you managed to find all the right people at just the right time. Don’t know how you managed to tie Dean down to one place like that. Never knew anyone as hungry for the road as he was.”
Jensen let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, Dean never did like to settle into one place for too long.” He thought they’d managed to curb that need to move in Dean but apparently not. “And I was lucky to find him when I did. He and Alec saved my ass.”
“Dean said … you were having a little trouble with Sam. From one outsider to another, don’t take it personally. There isn’t anybody in the world that can get past the Winchester defenses. Only family gets in with those boys.”
“You seem to do alright with them,” Jensen commented kindly, though his mind was bitter with the words.
“We had a friend used to say ‘Family don’t end in blood.’. Sam and Dean took me on as family a long time ago.”
Jensen gave her a small smile. “I need to stretch my legs. You gonna be up?”
“Yeah. Can’t seem to fall back to sleep tonight.”
“You mind finishing the watch for me? Need to clean off the night before we start again.”
She smiled at him, something warm and real and he felt guilty for lying but he didn’t change his mind.
“I’ll keep the fire going, and keep everyone away from the stream until you get back.”
“Thanks Jo, I appreciate that.”
Jo didn’t know him well enough to understand that he’d never give his watch to someone else like that. He’d done his best to keep his regular face on all day so none of his lovers were the wiser about his intentions. Even Chris thought Jensen was willing to give them more time to find a way in.
There were times when Jensen was grateful for the way people trusted him. There were other times when he wished people looked closer. He wasn’t sure which way he felt as he grabbed his pack from where he’d stashed it earlier and made his way towards the haven.
It probably wasn’t the smartest move, but he could get answers for the others this way. No matter what happened, Logan would see it and tell Sam. No one would have to die to get the Face’s attention and none of his lovers would be in harm’s way.