Conrad the Barbarian - prt 2
While Ford’s team were busy acting out the finale of their con, Sam and Dean Winchester were sitting in a non-descript van surveying the Mossman Research Facility and the adjacent Military base with Skinny and Two Bob.
“There’s only one entrance and exit to both Mossman and the base,” Two Bob explained. “Near as me and Skinny can see, Mossman is the more heavily guarded. Whatever Conrad’s hiding in there is more important than the safety of those soldiers.”
Skinny tapped on the divider and Two Bob and the Winchesters focussed on the black sedan arriving at the base entrance.
“That’s Conrad’s car. I thought you said he was at some University do, Skinny,” Two Bob said watching the monitors.
“He was supposed to be,” came Skinny’s answer from the front seat.
The sedan pulled up in front of Block C and a woman got out from the driver’s side.
“Damn! I was hoping Bobby would be wrong for once,” Dean sighed.
“That’s Conrad’s girlfriend, Meg. She a problem?” Two Bob asked.
“Yes. She’s a demon,” Sam began.
“Figured that,” Skinny interrupted.
“Yes, well, she’s also one of Lucifer’s most loyal followers. If she’s here, then there’s something definitely Apocalypse related going on down there,” Sam finished.
The divider slid open and both Skinny and Two Bob studied the Winchesters for a good two minutes silence. Dean and Sam held the hunters gaze, waiting for their next move. At last Skinny nodded to Two Bob, who coughed awkwardly before speaking.
“Guess that confirms the rumours ‘bout you two then, don’t it?” was his only comment. He turned back to his surveillance equipment and Skinny took up the conversation.
“Dean? You said earlier the experiments back at the University were about PTSD?”
“Yeah,” Dean said looking at Sam with amusement. Usually, the reality of the pending apocalypse and their part played in bringing it about was met with a more physical response. He shook off the feeling and continued, “Eliot Spencer, the conmen’s undercover guy; I heard him tell his boss that he thought they were trying to create, rather than cure, PTSD. By the way, thanks for the spyware. That stuff is sweet.”
“It is, isn’t it?” Two Bob said with a smile.
“Why would Conrad want to cause PTSD? And what the hell would a demon want with someone who suffered from it in the first place?” Skinny asked.
Something clicked in Sam’s mind. He flipped through the file Skinny had given them earlier that morning. It was his nephew’s service record. Skinny thought he was being held captive in Block C.
“You got something?” Dean asked.
“Maybe” Sam said, “Can you pull up state wide missing person reports?”
“Yep, all of them?” Two Bob asked.
“No. Try looking for male, aged 30-50, armed forces record, recently returned from service, no fixed address,” Sam said.
“Going to share with the class?” Dean prompted.
“Lucifer’s raising an army, right? Demons coming topside need meat-suits, you said it yourself Dean, a trained demonic army. What if this is Meg’s testing ground?” Sam answered.
“Jesus, demons are that organised?” Skinny swore again and scratched his head.
“Not most of them, but, like we said, Meg loves her Father. Plus, she’s Azazel’s daughter,” Dean said matter-of-factly.
“Got any more good news?” Skinny asked, an edge of sarcasm in his voice.
“Twenty-four, give or take a couple,” Two Bob interrupted. “Number of missing persons with that criteria. There’s about a hundred more that fit but those are the definite. The ones with family asking after them.”
“Go back through their case files and see if they had contact with either Conrad, or somebody from Mossman.” Sam said.
“What would causing PTSD have to do with Meg?” Dean asked.
“I think she’s trying to create a ready-to-wear meat-suit. All possessions are brutal on the possessed. We know that, right?” Sam tried to explain what he meant.
“You think she wants ready trained soldiers for demons?” Skinny asked
“But the type of soldier she’d want would be trained in counter-intelligence,” Two Bob supplied.
“So she’d want to break through their training and make them more susceptible to possession,” Sam explained.
“And driving a man crazy, till he doubts his own mind, is sure fire way to have them off the rack.” Dean replied.
“Basically, yes,” Sam said.
“Shit,” Skinny said.
“Bitch,” Two Bob said.
“You have no idea how much of a bitch she is,” Dean said. His cell rang. It was Bobby. He was at The Ashford Motel. The four hunters drove in silence back to the motel. Hell West and Crooked