I made it a casefic, or actually several cases, to leave some plotbunnies till the end of the story. Therefor, this first chapter is just a bit of introduction. There will be more of what I promised in the summary.
Also, give some love to xkellox (at AO3) for the betareading, since she swooped out some of my creative spelling.
almost last but not least, also hug my friend and bunkerbuddy Robin, who also read this and in some way helps stimulating me writing.
Please enjoy and please help with my writing with reviews!
The miles of the road flew past the wheels of the '67 Chevy Impala while two hunters plus an angel prepared themselves for a new case.
In a small town 300 miles away was a very insistent woman who wanted the story in the papers. From what they had read so far, it was a kidnapping. According to the interview, a person in blue walked into the house and took a 48 year old man from his bed, then disappeared into thin air while standing in the living room. Of course, no one took it seriously, but the woman, Marlie Rose, who was the victim's wife, insisted on the weird story being spread.
Maybe the wife was hoping for some attention and some interested magic or 'aliens have come to earth' fans in the neighbourhood would come over to visit the place where the strange thing happened. Those tourists would use the only place in town they could sleep for the night: The hotel the victim and his Marlie owned.
But it wasn't the Winchesters job to stop at a maybe. They had to find out what it was, and if it was actually true. Since it was quiet in monster land, Dean, Sam and Castiel decided to have a look into the case anyways.
—
It was completely silent in the entrance hall, in the parking lot were only a few cars, so it couldn't be that busy in the hotel.
Dean dinged the little bell that was standing on the counter.
"Ava! We have guests!" A hoarse, female voice sounded.
"Yeah, so? I am busy with Jaen!" Kitchen utensils were thrown into a pan, or at least, that was what it sounded like.
"AVA! Go!"
Silence followed the noisy yells, but the girl showed her annoyance by stomping her feet while walking to the entrance hall. A brown haired girl walked around the corner. She quickly covered her irritated face by a friendly smile.
"Hey there, I am very sorry for my mom's behaviour-"
"AVA YOU BEHAVE!" The girl smirked while waiting out her mom's yell. Dean smiled as well, since he recognized this action all too well. Cas, on the other hand, seemed to be a bit shocked by the little rebel.
"What can I help you with?" Ava asked kindly, not even slightly impressed by the woman's yell.
"Two things actually. Do you know who Marlie Rose is?"
"That would be my mom," she pointed to the place where the stern yelling had come from.
"So Martin Kueller is your father?" Cas asked. The girl's shoulders slumped down and her smile faded.
"Yes." In the room where Ava had just come from sounded a loud bang that startled the hunters. A kid started crying.
"Excuse me for a moment," Ava stepped away from the counter and peeked her head around the corner to the kitchen. "Mom, can you help these gents please?"
"Go help Jaelin, Ava." The mom sighed. It took a few moments, but then a middle aged, obviously upset woman entered the room. "Yes?"
"We only have one question for now," Sam started before pulling out his FBI badge. "We want to see the room where the kidnapping of Martin Kueller happened in?"
"I am sorry sir, but it is really the kidnapping you are interested in or his death?"
"Oh, we didn't hear that news. I am very sorry for your loss ma'am." Sam said respectfully after the exchange of looks between the trio.
"Thank you. Just solve it please. That would mean a lot."
"Of course. If you could answer our questions, please." Before the woman could answer, he continued, "where did he die?"
"I don't know, he was found at the plateau in the woods."
"And where is that exactly?" She shrugged her shoulders at Dean's question.
"Somewhere up in these hills. I don't know them very well, and there are no roads leading up there, so nobody goes there." She seemed to think for a moment. "But my daughter knows the trail pretty good, and the way to the plateau, I think. She can show you."
"That will not be nece-" Sam started, but the woman waved his reply away. "AVA!"
"I want that girl to stay busy, so she won't start thinking about her dad." She added quietly.
"Yeah?" Ava peeked around the corner again, this time carrying a toddler on her hip. The child squealed happily the moment she saw the new people.
"Help these cops, you need to show them how you get to the plateau."
"But-"
"Ava, go now."
"Fine," Ava said with just one eye roll. Then turned to the cops, "I hope you got your hiking shoes with you 'cause it's a tough way up."
"I have my car," Dean smirked in his usual smart ass way.
"Did my mom mention 'no roads'?" She drew an imaginative circle above her head with her finger. "Not so focused today are we, agent?"
"Ava, behave."
"Yes mom."
—
The trail was about 7 miles long and lead through the beautiful, peaceful woods to some weird big rocks. It was obviously a well known hiking trail.
"So this is the 'plateau'?" Dean asked, stretching his legs after the long way up in a fast pace.
"This? No. Half a mile and than we're there."
The next part of the 'trail' was less known, so Ava lead the way trough the high ferns. Sam, in the meantime, tried some small talk with the girl.
"How come you know this spot so well?"
"I once got lost after a couple of friends thought it was fun to leave me here alone and found this accidentally. After that I found it a good place to think and write, and I happen to like walking." She set a firmer pace than before, and even Sam, who walked a couple of yards in from of his brother, could hear Dean's muttering from behind him.
After a little while the muttering and sighing got even louder and he obviously slowed down, earning a questioning look from Castiel. Sam also felt the tension in his legs from climbing this much.
"Can we stop for a moment?" he asked.
"Oh, sure."
Dean pointed out a road closer to the place they were now than where they started their walking journey. "Why couldn't we drive?"
"There is no parking spot."
"I could park in the roadside. It would save this awful walk."
"What? Not getting enough exercise? You might want to walk or run some more and spend less time driving that Impala or drinking beer." Ava taunted. Sam could feel a little laugh creeping up on his face.
"Just the wrong shoes, that's all."
"I'm sure."
