"I Wanna Be Sedated" by the Ramones plays as they enter North English city limits. Glory is now awake and looking out the window. Her hair is in a long thick braid now, out of her face. They pull up to the library and get out.
Sam: Okay, we have to find out everything about this woman. Bobby's tip-off wasn't very helpful. All it said was a woman had died of somewhat questionable circumstances. Glory, we'll check the online newspapers. Dean, why don't you go get us our rooms.
Dean: Fine, I never feel helpful.
Glory: Don't worry Dean. When you come back you can look stuff up if you want.
Dean: sullenly Thanks.
He leaves. Glory and Sam get on the computers.
Glory: Did Bobby say anything else about this woman? Like when she died or a name or anything?
Sam: No, but it had to have been recently. It shouldn't be too hard to find.
They are busy for a minute. Then Glory breaks the silence.
Glory: I found something. Lynn Parker, wife of someone named Tim Parker, was found in an alley off of Main Street. Several vital organs had been removed. Oh wait. This is weird. Lynn was seven months pregnant at the time and her baby wasn't there when they found her. There was no sign of a fetus.
Sam: That is weird. There are quite a few different stories of creatures that steal babies but most of them wait until the woman is in labour. There are a few I can think of but I can do more research when we get to the motel.
Glory: One of the stories I know is about Lilith, who is sometimes called a Lilitu. She kills babies to get back at mankind pretty much. But she isn't known to strike before the baby is born or to harm the mother.
Sam: There are some Philippine myths as well as quite a few Middle Eastern ones about creatures that kill expectant mothers and their babies.
Glory: I think I've heard a few of those. The problem is the stories are all so different that so many things can be elaborated or false.
Sam: That's true. We'll figure it out.
Dean walks in. He sees Sam and Glory getting up and looks disappointed.
Dean: Finished already?
Sam: We found our woman, Lynn Parker. We're going to look for other deaths and possible culprits when we get back to the motel. Let's go, I want a shower. Being in the car for a day makes me feel dirty.
Dean: Suck it up.
Sam: You're just mad you couldn't help.
Glory: It's okay Dean. While Sam is doing the research we can do something more fun.
Dean: Like what?
Glory: I don't know. Maybe I'll answer a question you asked me awhile ago.
Dean: Which one? I've asked you lots of questions and you haven't answered very many of them.
Glory: You'll find out. But Sam needs to get a head start on his shower and research so let's get back to the motel.
They arrive at the motel and Sam goes into one room, room 14. Glory and Dean go into the room next door, room 13.
Dean: Okay Glory, I have a question. Why do you always end up having room 13 wherever we go?
Glory: laughs. It's my lucky number and because it's lucky I always have room 13. It's pretty much a big coincidence.
Dean: Sure it is.
Glory drops her bag in a corner and they sit on the beds facing each other.
Glory: Okay Dean. Once you asked me about my scars. I think I'm ready to tell you. You'll be the first one I've told, except Emma and her uncle.
Dean: Who's Emma?
Glory: Emma is a very good friend. I helped teach her how to hunt. You'll see how she plays into the scenario.
Dean: Okay, I'll be quiet now.
Glory: Okay, it was ten years ago. That isn't a very long time in my lifetime but Emma was only fourteen. We had just started her training. I was helping her uncle, who was an old friend, train her. I was heading home one night when someone attacked me. It was unexpected, especially since we weren't in a very big town. I blacked out and woke up tied backwards to a chair.
Flashback. Glory is tied backwards to a chair, her shirt ripped, exposing her shoulders. A large man is standing over her with a jagged knife. He is hard to make out as he is in shadow.
Glory: What are you? Why am I here?
Man: I'm certainly not what you are. You're a monster. I hunt monsters.
Glory: What are you talking about? I'm no monster.
Man: I know all about you Glory. You claim to be a hunter but you aren't. You aren't human.
Glory shivers. The room is decrepit and there are holes in the rotting wood of the walls. A cold breeze runs through the room.
Glory: What do you mean I'm not human? What do you think I am?!
Man: You know what you are Glory. Some people think you're an angel. I don't. I think you're something much darker. My theory is that you're a succubus. I don't like succubae. Creatures I don't like I kill. But you're special. You get to be tortured first.
He takes the knife and scrapes it against her skin lightly, revealing just a thin line of red from shoulder to shoulder. Glory tries not to scream and the sudden pain. The man gets closer to her. We can see he has light brown hair in a crew cut. He is even bigger in the light. His eyes are dark and flash with hatred as he watches Glory.
Man: Let's think, shall we? What's an appropriate punishment for a false angel? You seem to lack wings, angel! Should we mark where they would be?
He gets closer. His knife touches her skin right by her shoulder blade. It leaves a small bead of blood. He does the same to the other shoulder. He examines the slowly growing dot of blood.
Man: That won't do will it Glory? You need to be reminded of your sin. Let's make those deeper shall we?
His voice is low and dangerous as he drags the knife around her right shoulder blade. Glory screams. He smiles.
Man: Very good! Now for the other one.
He repeats his movement. Glory's back is covered in blood and she is sobbing, unable to move. The man walks over to a small table. He picks up a cloth and wipes her blood off his knife. His smile flashes in the patchy light. Glory is still sobbing as he approaches her again, knife in hand.
Glory: Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?
Man: I'm a seeker of justice. I'm a hunter. I'm someone you should fear. My job is to hunt things like you, things less than human.
Glory: still sobbing. I didn't do anything wrong! I can't! I destroy evil too!
He isn't listening. Instead he is walking around her, looking at her. He is twirling his knife in one hand. His smile grows wider.
Man: So Glory, have you had enough? Are you ready to meet your end?
Glory sits in the chair, head drooping, blood still flowing from the gashes in her back. She has stopped making noise and is close to comatose.
A door bursts open and a girl and Bobby Singer come in. The girl is Emma Singer, Bobby's niece. They are holding loaded guns.
Bobby: Let her go! You don't want to mess with us.
Emma: whispers. Uncle Bobby, I think he's human.
Bobby stalls for a second, realizing that his gun of rock salt is almost useless. Then he shoots a round into the man. The man is knocked back.
Bobby: Emma, go get Glory.
Emma runs to Glory, cutting her bonds and helping her up. Bobby shoots another round at the man once the girls are clear. He then catches up with Emma and Glory, helping Emma carry Glory out.
End Flashback. Dean is sitting on the bed still. His eyes are wide and he looks shocked.
Dean: Glory, I didn't know. I'm so sorry. What happened to the son of a bitch? Did you go back and find him?
Glory: Bobby and Emma couldn't kill him because he was another human, another hunter. They left him somewhat incapacitated and Bobby went back after I was in the car and tied him up. He went back later but the man had gone. I haven't been able to find him since. Believe me, men like him should not be allowed to walk but I don't think I can kill him. He's human and as far as I could tell he wasn't possessed.
Dean: I'm going to track him down. He gives a bad name to hunters everywhere. Anyone can tell you're not a succubus. You aren't even close to the kind of girl who would try to seduce anyone.
Glory: Thanks, I guess. And I will do all that's in my power to help you and Sam track him down. Sam might have better luck than me. Maybe we can ask Ellen what she knows. I haven't known her very long and we aren't good friends yet.
Dean: You mentioned Emma's Uncle Bobby. Do you mean Bobby Singer?
Glory: Yes, as a matter of fact. I'd heard he helped you boys out of quite a few tight spots. I'm surprised you haven't met Emma yet. I haven't seen either in a while but I do talk to them occasionally. They never told me how they found me in that place. I never asked. One day I might but the time hasn't come yet.
Dean: I didn't know Bobby had a niece. He never mentioned her.
Glory: laughs. He probably wanted to keep her safe from you. You have quite a reputation you know Dean.
A knock comes on the door. Glory opens the door and Sam walks in.
Sam: I found some stuff. There've been quite a few infant deaths. The infant mortality rate here is surprisingly high for such a small town. From what I could find the babies seem to die within the first week. I found a few cases of the mother dying in childbirth along with the baby. There are only four cases of body mutilation I could find though. Four women, all seven months pregnant, had the same thing happen to them.
Glory: So we know now that it's definitely going after babies. I think the hospital would be a good place to start asking questions then.
Sam: I agree. We also need to talk to Lynn's husband. He might know something.
Dean: Did you find any possible culprits?
Sam: Yeah. There are a few. The Middle Eastern mythologies have something called an al or almasti. It kills babies and their mothers. Iron repels it but a constant watch has to be kept on expectant mothers. The stories say if it crosses running water the mother won't be saved.
Dean: So you think that's why it's here? The river?
Sam: It seems likely. There are a few that just eat babies. Mesopotamian Lamashtu and Sumerian Lilitu. The Philippine Manananggal also eats unborn babies but it doesn't harm the mother. My guess is that we're probably dealing with an al.
Glory: I've heard a bit about them. I know they don't like iron. That's one of the few things the stories have in common. Some stories say they look like old women some say old men. In some cases they're said to have snakes for hair and brass fingernails. Some of the stories say they possess a hat with bells that can make them invisible.
Dean: Shit. That won't help any.
Sam: That's pretty much what I've found out so far. I think it's time to go talk to people.
Dean: Glory, are you tired?
Glory: Nope. I feel pretty awake. Let's go.
They leave the room and walk to the Impala.
[Fade]