15 years ago.
Sam sat in the back of the Impala and stared out of the tinted window at the house. His father was visiting an old friend. The two of them had been searching for some information about a man who had disappeared several months earlier under unusual circumstances, and John was hoping the other hunter would know something.
The storm clouds rolled forth in deep, heaving breaths. Sam could hear the crack of the thunder and thought of his mythology books.
"I'm sorry, John," Bobby said, shaking his head. "I haven't heard anything about any tricksters in over a decade now."
"Thanks anyway, Bobby," John said in his gruff voice as he returned to the car, engaging the ignition and turning the radio to the Stones.
"That was our best lead," he said later as they backed out of the parking lot.
"We'll find something," Sam said.
"Listen," John said, glancing over to Sam and moving a hand over a few days' stubble. "I need you to tell Dean a few things about this for me when you get home."
"Alright," Sam said, looking back at his father.
"I don't know if I've told you about tricksters or not." John said. "They've got Norse origins, Sam."
"Like Loki," Sam said as he watched his father.
"Not like." John said, focusing his attention on the road. He cranked up the volume on "Paint It, Black" by the Rolling Stones and sped up to 75 on the interstate.
"You're going after Loki?!" Sam asked incredulously.
"Not Loki. The tricksters are just one part of it," John said.
Sam didn't understand. "So how do you know this is related to Norse?"
"From how this man disappeared." John replied, staring back at Sam. That look meant for him to stop asking questions. Sam was well-acquainted with it.
----
Professor Kohn sat at the Cafe and enjoyed a cup of Don Juan coffee as he glanced down at the assortment of papers he was due to examine. He was tired, having gotten only two hours sleep, and so he closed the folder.
"I should grade these while I'm attentive," he reasoned to himself.
"Hello," a voice as gruff and as dark as storm clouds cut through his thoughts.
Kohn looked up at his company and saw that he was a tall man with dark hair. The man tapped the sheets. "No time for that," he said with a wolfish grin. "There's someone who would like to see you."
"Who?" the man asked, studying the other's face, trying to discern his intentions.
"His name is Robert," the man smiled again, doing his best to reassure the professor it was nothing sinister. "Come on, he's just on the other side. It'll only take a few seconds."
The professor was hurried into the opposite end of the room, where he was introduced to Robert. The man had a serious look to him, was immaculately dressed, and had a Cary Grant look.
"Hello, Professor," Robert said with a crisp tone. I've been told you've been doing a significant amount of research pertaining to mythology and its influence on today's modern world," he said, absently cutting into a ribeye steak with his fork.
Professor Kohn frowned. "Yes, how did you know that? That information is known only to family and friends."
Robert was unperturbed by the confused reaction. He smiled and waved the wolfish-grin man away. He looked at the professor. "I would like to offer you something," he said. "Payment. Compensation."
"For what?" the Professor asked.
"To cease your work on the paper."
"What?" the Professor was confused. "Why would I do that?"
"The offer," he replied, wiping off his mouth with a napkin. "will come with no questions."
Kohn stared at the man for several beats before standing up. "I'm sorry," Kohn said resignedly. "I've been working on this for years. I'm writing a book. I won't do that, not for any price."
Cary Grant, or the man who looked the part, shook his head. "I'm sorry we couldn't work something out then. Have a good day, Mr. Kohn."
As the two parted ways, Kohn checked his Rolex. What an odd situation. Oh shit, he thought. It's time to pick up Jen from school. He hurried out to get in his Prius, all the while thinking how peculiar that man's behavior had been.
It was his last thought before he died.
-
Dean sat in a booth at Denny's and read the directions to Fort Worth, Texas. He scowled at Sam's handwriting and took a sip of his coffee.
"Sammy, I have to ask you," Dean said. "You went to school. You paid attention. So how is it that your writing looks like a dog pissed with a crooked weiner?"
Sam raised an eyebrow, his face contorting. "The same reason you spent your whole life honing street smarts and you can't even iron a shirt."
"Whatever." Dean said. "So what's the deal with this Norse thing?"
"Well," Sam leaned back, studying the computer screen. Wireless Internet. "Dad told me about it a few years back. It looks like the trickster, except it's not. You know. Alternate relatities, entire timelines not matching up. And I remember dad mentioning something about the possibility of the Norse gods existing."
Dean blinked. "What? Like Loki, Odin, that whole deal?"
"Yeah, that 'whole deal.'"
Dean shrugged and finished his coffee, stood up. "Okay, let's cook some gods."
Sam waited a moment.
"What?" Dean looked at him.
"We need Cas," Sam said.
"We need an angel? What for?" Dean asked.
"Because we're mortal, Dean," Sam said. "And Cas, Cas knows immortal. He knew how to kill the Whore."
"She's biblical," Dean said.
"So's the Norse, from a manner of looking at them. Look, I just want to ask. I told him to meet us at Bobby's."
"Okay." Dean paid the bill and the two got into the Impala. 'Bad Moon Rising' was playing by CCR.
---
Sam and Dean arrived at Bobby's who came out to meet them in his wheelchair. Dean nodded at Bobby. "Hey Bobby." Pause. "Cas here?"
"Yeah," Bobby said, stroking his beard. "We've got a lead, boys, but it's a doozy."
As they walked into the house, Cas greeted them noncommitally. "Come, we don't have much time."
"What's the deal?" Dean sat down.
"It's Thor."
Sam blinked. "The Thor? Mjolnir? Thunder god? The whole works?"
"Yes," Castiel said unblinkingly, picking lint out of his tan trenchcoat. "Which means I can't intervene. Religious pacts. If I did, there would be a war between gods. Most mortals wouldn't survive it."
"Wait a second," Dean leaned forward, giving Cas a look with eyebrows raised. "You're telling me we've got to off a thunder god? Without divine intervention, how exactly do we do that?"
"You can't." Cas corrected.
"Oh, great Cas. Just great." Dean stared. "Case closed. How about we go get a burger at Applebees?"
"I mean," Cas replied. "You can send a god back to their native land, but you can't off them. Not the Norse ones."
"Okay," Dean kept his poker face, glancing at Sam. "How do we do that?"
"You have to find his hammer. You ready to hear the details?"
Dean and Sam looked at each other.
---
Sam knocked on the door of the house and took a look at the house - it spanned about four stories and was decorated in expensive French architecture. He checked his watch before pursing his lips in confusion. He wondered what was taking Dean so long, and he glanced back at the Impala. Dean was finishing up his cheeseburger and wiping his hands clean of the grease.
Sam glanced at Dean's suit, pointing at it. "You got some grease on it."
"Mind your own suit," Dean glowered at Sam before knocking again on the door.
A beautiful woman answered the door, clad in a crimson red nightgown. "I'm so sorry," she said with a faint smile. "I was in the shower."
Dean opened his mouth, flabberghasted and finding himself increasingly drawn to the woman's chest. "Uh.."
Sam intervened, "What Agent Page is trying to say is that we're conducting a case regarding your husband's whereabouts, Mrs. Kohn, and if it wouldn't impede you, we'd like to ask some questions."
The woman nodded and opened the door further before heading into the kitchen. Sam and Dean both caught a glimpse of the woman's curvaceous leg as she raised up to grab some beers out of the fridge. "Would either of you boys like a beer?"
"I'll take one," Dean said and smiled at her as she handed it to him. "Agent Plant and I were wondering if you know anything more about his death."
"It's in the report," she answered, resting in the sofa in the living room on the adjacent side. She crossed her legs, keeping them closed just enough, and grinned at the boys.
"Well, this is another report we're conducting," Sam said. "Can you tell us anything at all about your relationship with the Professor?"
"Kohn and I were never very close. He was married to his work, religiously so. He married me because it was a coverup for his homosexuality. And I married him because it was a good political move." She waved her hand at the expansive and impressive home, winking at Dean and Sam. "If you know what I mean."
Dean blinked. He had never heard anything so honest. "Fair enough," he said with a shrug, cracking open the beer and sipping it. "So do you know what your husband was working on?"
"Something Norse," she said.
Dean and Sam looked at each other. "Go on," Sam said.
"Well, it's hazy to me because like I said, we weren't very close, but every now and then, I would see something. I believe his work centered around the possibility of real-life artifacts from the past still existing. Specifically, Mjolnir."
"Thor's hammer?"
"Yes," she smirked. "Thor's hammer. He believed it existed. He was interviewing several historians and other academics who might know something. One is a professor at the university, his name is ..ah, let me see. Professor Brooks, I think."
"Sounds a little far-fetched," Dean said. Sam and Dean looked at each other again and hid guilty looks. "Well," Dean said. "If that's all you know, Mrs. Kohn, we won't take up any of your time."
"It's no bother, boys," the woman licked her lips. Her skin was a shade of mocha. "Have a nice day," she smiled again. It seemed insincere to Dean, but all the same, they bid their farewells.
"Boy," Dean said as they made their way back into the Impala. "That is one femme fatale bitch right there."
"Tell me about it," Sam said as they got into the car. Dean turned on the ignition. "She seemed honest though."
"Yeah. And more of this Norse stuff," Dean glanced at Sam. "Mjolnir. Real Norse gods. This is a little new."
"Oh yeah," Sam said. Dean keyed the ignition and put on 'Sunshine of Your Love' by Cream. They started on their way to the campus grounds to find Brooks.