Disclaimer: Not mine.
Chapter 7
They pulled into town and Sam looked around before spotting someone.
"There! He was there too." Sam pointed to the man cleaning a rifle. Dean parked and dug through the stash of id's.
"Morning." Dean called once they were close enough.
"Good morning. Can I help you?" He asked, putting the rifle down.
"Yeah." Dean said as he pulled out the badge. "Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, U.S. Marshals." Dean told him.
"What's this about?" Mark asked and then saw Caleb. "And who's he?"
Caleb frowned and moved to follow the brothers as they got out. His nose wrinkled when he scented the air. Something seemed off. He looked at Mark and mimicked Dean again. "William Crane."
"Trainee." Sam answered immediately, glancing at Caleb seeing the way he seemed to be sniffing the air. Caleb smiled a bit before following the scent.
"A trainee who needs to learn to stay. I better make sure he doesn't shoot someone." Dean muttered and Sam just shrugged at Mark.
"Seems like trainees get younger every year. Now sir, we're looking for someone, he's not in trouble but we need his help with our enquires." Sam explained.
"Who?" Mark asked.
"A young man, early twenties... he'd have a, a thin scar right below his hair line." Sam winced slightly at the flash.
"You sure he's not in trouble?" Mark pushed and Sam nodded.
"We're looking for someone else and think he could help us."
"Duane Tanner's got a scar like that. But I know him, good kid."
"I'm sure he is. You know where he lives?"
Caleb stopped when Dean grabbed him he looked up at the eldest Winchester curiously. "What?"
"Don't wander off when faking being a Marshal trainee, it looks odd. Okay? You need to stay with us. Plus without knowing what's going on here it's not safe." Dean told him, looking around but no one was looking. "Come on; let's see what Sammy learnt from the old soldier."
Caleb let him drag him. "It smells weird here." He tried to tug away, wondering if Dean would treat him like Sarah does.
"Weird how Caleb?" he asked as they reached the car where Sam was waiting.
"Got an address." Sam told them, frowning as he looked at them. "What is it?"
"Caleb said something smells weird."
"The air smells weird." Caleb replied. "I dunno why, it just does."
"Okay so that's probably connected. We're looking for Duane Tanner." Sam told them as they got in the car.
"He the guy we Terminate?" Caleb asked. "I need a gun if we're gonna terminate someone."
"No we're not...stop the car." Sam suddenly yelled and Dean slammed on the breaks. Sam got out and walked over to the telephone poll, studying it.
"Sam?" Dean called, following him.
"Hey." Sam pointed out the word carved into the wood.
Caleb followed looking at the word. "Croatoan..."
"Yeah." Sam glanced at Dean who was just looking at them blankly. "Roanoke? Lost Colony? Ring a bell? Dean, did you pay any attention in history class?" Sam groaned.
"Yeah! Shots heard 'round the world, How bills become laws..."
"That's not school, that's Schoolhouse Rock." Sam moaned in disbelief.
"Whatever."
"Roanoke was one of the first English colonies in America, late 1500s?"
Caleb looked at Sam. "What happened? Besides having a movie with that guy from Highlander in it?"
Sam looked at Caleb and smiled, there were two of them! Was he the only one that actually knew history?
"Oh yeah! I remember that! Only thing they left behind was a word carved in a tree. Croatoan." Dean added and Sam nodded.
"Yeah, there were theories. Indian raid, disease, but nobody knows what really happened. They were all just gone. Wiped out overnight." Sam explained.
"You think that's what's going on here, I mean..."
"Whatever I saw, it wasn't good. But what could do that?" Sam asked.
Caleb traced the word with a finger. "Croatoan... sounds familiar." He looked at Dean. "Let us go..."
"We should get more help, Ellen or Bobby?" Sam offered and Dean pulled out his cell phone.
"I don't have a signal." Dean told them and Sam checked his.
"Me either." Sam told him and Dean spotted a payphone, going over to pick it up.
"Line's dead. I'll tell you one thing. If I was gonna massacre a town, that'd be my first step. You got anyway to get a message out?" Dean asked Caleb.
Caleb frowned, looking a little panicked. "I cannot contact Cameron. My radio is down. We need to go... now!"
"Caleb calm down." Sam soothed, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "We can't leave, not till we figure it out. These people could die if we don't." Sam explained as he led Caleb back to the car.
"Yeah, let's find this Duane kid and figure out what's going on."
"They are already dead!" Caleb pulled away from him. "This place stinks of death!"
Dean moved to block Caleb. "Calm down!" he snapped. "We have to figure this out Caleb, before it spreads. We have to stop what's happening. You understand?" Dean let his voice become gentler at the end, realising the kid was panicking.
"Why? So they can be bombed later?" Caleb snarled, backing away more. "We need to leave!"
"That's not gonna happen. You just need to calm down. What's the address Sam?" Dean asked and Sam gave it to him even as they corralled Caleb back into the car, Sam sitting in the back and wrapping his arms around Caleb.
Caleb just jerked his head around acting like a skittish colt. "We need to go... this is bad... we need to go!"
Sam moved, pinning Caleb to the seat, straddling him. "Hey, come on Caleb, look at me, focus. It's gonna be okay, I won't let anyone hurt you. We've been on worse hunts, it's gonna be okay." Sam assured him softly, gently rubbing the back of Caleb's neck, trying to calm him down.
Caleb looked at Sam with wide eyes, some tears falling. "I want to go... please."
Sam gently wiped the tears away moving so he was sitting on the seat, Caleb pretty much in his lap. "It's okay, you're safe. I'm sorry, we rushed you. Screw the vision okay? We'll go see Duane since we're almost there and then we'll drop you out of town, pick you up when we're done. Okay?" Sam offered softly.
Caleb shook his head. "Too dangerous, we need to go. Screw the humans; they are dead when the bombs fall anyway."
"Enough! We gotta job to do." Dean snapped despite the fact that he felt just as bad as Sam.
Caleb blinked and looked at Dean. "What...?"
"I get it kid, you're scared but you can't fall apart. So suck it up. We'll drop you out of town once we're done here." Dean barked as he parked, getting out and practically slamming his door.
Caleb blinked and scrambled out to follow Dean, easily pushing Sam off of him. "I cannot abandon the unit sir." Falling into military training.
Sam got out as well, saddened by Caleb's reaction but glad Dean had gotten through to him in a way. Dean opened the trunk and grabbed his gun; passing Sam his and then he hesitated, looking at Caleb.
Caleb stood next to the car, full attention. "Orders?"
"Loosen up Caleb; we're playing police not military." Dean told him and then held the gun out to him.
Caleb relaxed slightly and took the gun, checking it before locking the safety and placing it at the small of his back. "Yessir."
"Caleb hey, snap out of it." Sam whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder even as they headed for the porch stairs. Sam moved ahead of them and knocked on the door. Caleb sighed and hung back behind Dean, letting Dean lead.
"It'll be okay." Dean whispered as the door opened and a teenager appeared.
"Yeah?" The kid asked and Dean flashed his badge.
"We're looking for Duane Tanner, he lives here right?"
"Yeah, he's my brother." Jake answered.
"Can we talk to him?" Sam asked and Jake shook his head.
"Oh, he's not hear right now."
"Do you know where he is?"
"Yeah he went on a fishing trip up by Roslyn Lake."
"Your parents home?" Sam asked.
Caleb nodded to Dean but it just smelt really bad, he wrinkled his nose and frowned, looking around the area. Seeing Caleb's actions Sam tensed a little in preparation, something was obviously wrong.
"Yeah they're inside." Jake finally answered and then a man appeared.
"Hi, U.S. Marshals sir. We're looking for your son Duane." Dean said.
"Wh-why? He's not in trouble is he?" Mr. Tanner asked and Dean grinned.
"No sir, just routine questions."
"When's he due back?" Sam asked.
"I'm not sure." Mr. Tanner answered.
"Well maybe your wife knows." Sam offered and Mr. Tanner frowned.
"No, I don't know. She's not here right now."
"Your son said she was.
"Did I?" Jake asked innocently.
"She's getting groceries. So when Duane gets back is there a number where he can get a hold of you?"
"Oh we'll just check back later." Dean told him and they walked away as the door shut. "That was kinda creepy, right? A little too Stepford?" Dean asked and Sam nodded.
"Big time."
Caleb frowned, moving away from them, towards the back door. "They are lying."
"Yeah." Sam agreed and then paused to look in a window. "What the hell?"
Caleb stopped and moved to try and look in behind Sam. "What? What?"
Sam moved so they could see what he was, Beverly Tanner tied to a chair with her son and husband around her.
"It's okay Mom. It's not gonna hurt." Jake told her even as Mr. Tanner raised the knife to her and she screamed behind her gag. Sam took off for the backdoor.
Screw the door. Caleb jumped through the window, pulling his gun and aiming it at the two men. "Freeze!"
Mr. Tanner rushed at him just as the brothers came through the door and both fired on instinct at seeing him going for Caleb, hitting the man in the chest. Jake jumped out a nearby window, running for the woods even as Sam ran for the window, gun aimed but he couldn't bring himself to shoot.
Caleb bolted past Sam to catch up with Jake, gun out, ignoring the blood splattered on him "Caleb no!" They both shouted, never split up.
Caleb skidded to a halt and looked behind him at the brothers. "But he's getting away!"
"No splitting up, too dangerous. We don't know what this is and we need to get her to the doctor." Dean explained. Caleb looked at the woman and frowned, raising his gun to shoot her.
"Caleb no." Sam grabbed his arm. "What are you doing?"
Caleb looked at Sam and then to the woman. "I..." Pulls away from Sam and tries to shoot again.
"Caleb don't." Dean stated sternly, moving to untie the unconscious woman.
Caleb stopped and lowered his gun with a sigh. "But..."
"But what Caleb?" Sam asked as Dean lifted Beverly and headed for the car. "Come on." Sam went to Mr. Tanner's body and lifted it.
Caleb sighed and helped Sam. "Nothing... forget it."
"You sure?" Sam asked as they headed for the car to dump the body in the trunk.
"Yeah. What do I know about hunting?" Caleb grumbled as he tossed the body in the trunk.
"Hey." Sam grabbed his arm gently. "Don't do that, don't shut us out. Whatever you're thinking you can tell us. New insight can always help." Sam urged quietly.
Caleb pulled away from Sam and made his way to his seat in the car, eyeing the woman warily. "I said forget it!"
Sam groaned in frustration but followed, they really did need to get her to medical aide after all. Dean took off for town as soon as Sam was in.
Caleb just hovered in the background with his hackles up, nervous and edgy, only listening to Dean. They pulled up in front of the clinic and Sam helped Beverly from the car. "It still smells wrong." Caleb grumbled as he grabbed the body and followed him. "We should leave." Dean just stared at him and then headed inside.
"Is that?" The doctor asked as they walked in with the body.
"Mr. Tanner." Dean confirmed.
"Was he attacked too?" The doctor asked in fear.
"Uh...no, actually, he did the attacking and then he got himself shot."
"Shot?" She asked.
"Yeah."
"And who are you?" She suddenly demanded.
"U.S. Marshals, I'd show you my badge but..."
"Oh sorry, bring him back here." She told them.
Caleb followed, shooting a glare at Dean. He didn't like being ignored. "Why are none of the phones working?" asking the doctor.
"Could be a problem further down the line. We lose phones here now and then but not usually for this long." She explained as she showed them where to put the body. "I better check on Beverly." She left and Dean sighed.
"Sorry." He told Caleb, briefly squeezing his arm before he followed her. Maybe the doc could find something. Caleb pulled away with a soft growl. "Caleb I'm sorry. I just keep screwing up with you and I don't mean to. Just not used to working with someone new. Come on; let's go see what Sammy's found, huh?" Dean offered.
"This is bad!" Caleb hissed to Dean. "We need to leave. Now!" He wrung his hands a bit. "I cannot get in contact with Cameron... something is wrong!"
"I know Caleb but we can't leave, this is what we do. If we don't stop this here, who knows what could happen. We can't just walk away when this stuff is happening. Offer to drop you off is still there if you really want it though." Dean told him as he headed towards where he could hear voices, forcing himself not to check if Caleb was following; the kid had to make his own choices.
"It is a mistake!" Caleb growled as he followed.
Dean was surprised to find himself relieved when Caleb followed him to where Sam and the doc where talking. Sam looked over and gave them a tired, worried smile before walking over. "Sam?"
"She's just got some cuts, shock...nothing too bad." Sam offered and Dean nodded.
"Those guys were whacked out of their gourds." Dean commented and Sam sighed.
"What do you think? Multiple demons, mass possessions?
"If it's a possession there could be more. I mean, God knows how many, it could be like a friggin' Shriner convention." Dean groaned.
"Great."
"Of course that's one way to wipe out a town; you take it over from the inside."
"I don't know man; we didn't see any of the demon smoke with Mr. Tanner, or any of the usual signs."
"Well whatever. Something turned him into a monster. And you know, we'd have one less to worry about if you'd shot when you had the chance." Dean told him and Sam slumped.
"I'm sorry alright? I hesitated Dean, it was a kid!"
"No it was an it. Not the best time for a bleedin' heart Sam!" Dean argued back
"Should have let me terminate it." Caleb leaned against the wall, hands behind his back to keep the shaking down. "So now what?"
Sam went to answer but stopped as the doctor rejoined them.
"How's the patient?" He asked instead and she glared at him.
"Terrible! What the hell happened out there?" She demanded and Sam shrugged, moving to lean beside Caleb, frowning as he saw the shaking. Caleb looked at Sam and edged away. Listening to Dean and Doctor Lee.
"We don't know." Dean admitted and she rounded on him.
"Yeah? Well you just killed my next door neighbour!" She yelled.
"We didn't have a choice!"
"Maybe so, but we need the county sheriff. I need the coroner... tell me you have a police radio in the car?"
"It's down too." Sam answered.
"How far is it to the next town?" Dean asked.
"About forty miles down to Sidewinder."
"Alright, Caleb you're with me, we'll go for help. Sam you keep them safe."
Caleb pushed himself off the wall and followed Dean silently. Glancing over to Sam as he left. Sam smiled at him, wanting Caleb to feel better, he was worried about him. Then he turned back to the doctor, following her back to Mr. Tanner's body.
TBC…
