Chapter 4

Making their way through the busy hall way of Atkins Prepatory towards the principal's office, Sam couldn't help but notice the way his brother had a nervous air about him.

" Bring back bad memories for you?"

"What?" Dean jerked his head toward Sam.

"You...the principal's office...Dad?"

"Shut up. Let's just get this over with, would you. This place gives me the creeps."

"Yeah that's what you said to Dad." Sam laughed.

"Yeah and come to find out, I was right about that teacher." Dean retorted in his own defense.

"Here." sam pointed at the door to the principal's office. "I'll let you go first, you know, since you have more experience and all..."

Dean rolled his eyes and knocked.

Mr. Winters was a balding man in his late fifties. A couple more years and he'd most likely retire.

"Can I help you?"

"Yessir. We are from Stanford University."

Sam shot Dean a questioning stare. For their sake he hoped Dean could sound believable. What the hell? Stanford?

"We", Dean continued "Are on the road visiting prestigeous schools and yours is on our list."

"Could I see some ID? I didn't know anything about this."

Dean held an ID out to the man, and Mr. Winters leaned in for a better look. Whatever was on that ID seemed to satisfy him and he shook Dean's hand heartily.

"Gentlemen, please come in."

Sam decided to take the lead, before Dean could do or say anything incriminating...

"So, Mr. Winters, we were wondering if maybe we could see the files of your best students. Anyone that you would think would be Stanford material. Stanford only accepts the best, A+, top notch, studious.."

"Yeah, I think he gets it." Dean mumbled. Then raised his voice. "Any students here come to mind?"

"Oh we only accept the academicaly advanced at Adkins Prepatory. So all of our students would be candidates. However, there is a student here that is the best of the best. Excels in all his subjects. Never makes less than an A+. Joseph Miseman. Poor kid though, always picked on. Kind of a loner. It'd be great if he could get into a college as fine as Stanford."

"Hey, sounds alot like that kid that killed himself. Jason Haines...were you here then?" Dean decided on a more direct approach.

Mr. Winters began laughing.

"Jason Haines? Young man, are you sure you are Stanford material?"

"Excuse me?" Dean asked surprised at the man's reaction.

"Jason Haines is just a story the kids have made up around here. There is no truth to that. Jason Haines never existed."

Sam and Dean glanced at each other, then back at Mr. Winters.

"So who do you think is killing your students?' Sam dared.

Mr. Winter's demaenor went sour.

"I don't know what any of this has to do with your college."

"Well," Dean was trying to think quick "We wouldn't want to accept the wrong kind of student, either. Grades aren't everything, you know. Character has alot to do with a person."

":Well, all I know is that the person responsible killed some of my finer students." Mr. Winters stood up. " I appreciate you stopping by, but I think maybe we don't have exactly what you are looking for. Thank you, but this meeting is over."

Mr. Winters escorted the brothers to the door and closed it once they were out in the hallway.

Sam looked at Dean "Well, that went South."

"Yeah, it did."

TBC