Arc 5

Hide and Seek

There were very few turns and stops taken to 153 Serpent Drive. Dean drove the Impala onto the gravel driveway and put it in park. The three took a moment to take in the house that was outside the car, waiting for them to enter and search its contents. It was a modern two story house. Its outward appearance was light grey. It's second floor had two windows facing the front of the house and two more windows were on the first floor. There was no garage, but there was an old, dark blue hoondi civic just in front of the Impala. The front yard had luscious green grass but the backyard appeared to be mostly comprised of the forest that surrounded the place. It seemed like a secluded, peaceful place from the prying eyes of society.

"Let's get in there." Dean said, exiting the Impala.

Sam and Angela got out as well.

"I'll go around the back and check it out." Sam said.

Dean nodded and Sam disappeared around the corner of the house. "You got my back, Angela?"

"Of course."

"You sense anything with those Force powers of yours?"

Angela took a moment to close her eyes and focus on the energy she could vaguely feel nearby. Even though she wasn't as powerful as she was in her own galaxy, she could still help by giving as much of an advantage as she could. "I'm only sensing the three of us right now."

"Alright. Good." Dean reached for the doorknob and turned it, expecting it to be locked. However, he was surprised when it turned with ease. "That's not a good sign."

"That was unlocked?"

"Yeah." Dean opened the door fully and nodded towards doorway. "Come on."

"Right behind you."

The two stepped into the small foyer, Dean making sure to close the door behind them. Off to the left was the dining room that was directly connected to the kitchen. To the right was the living room and in front of them was a staircase leading up to the second floor.

"I'll take left." Angela said as she headed in that direction.

"I'll take the right and meet you in the kitchen." Dean replied and went off to the right of the house.

The dining room looked like your standard, middle-class American room. Dark, hardwood floors, complimenting table and four chairs surrounding it, white ceiling and walls adorned with a few photographs of wildlife and scenery. There was nothing to note in this room so she went into the kitchen.

The kitchen also felt like a middle-class room. Everything looked clean and new, from the black marble countertops to the stainless-steel appliances. There was a sliding door that led out to the backyard, which consisted of a tiny yard that shifted into woods after twenty or so yards. Angela looked out of it for a moment before Sam walked in front of it. She reached for the door and pulled, fully expecting it to not budge. However, it slid open.

"This door was unlocked too." Angela commented, stepping aside to let Sam walk in.

"Wait, the front door was unlocked?"

"Yeah."

Sam shook his head. "I don't like this."

"Me either." Angela answered as she averted her gaze upwards.

Dean walked in from the dining room. "Well, the living room is clear. That just leaves upstairs." He looked at Angela but quickly did a doubletake when he noticed her looking at the ceiling above them. "What's wrong?"

She finally pried her eyes from the ceiling and faced Dean. "I think there's…someone up there, but something's off."

Dean and Sam looked at each other and nodded. Both of them took out their handguns just in case they had to use them. Angela kept her weapons in her jacket. She wasn't sure if the presence she was feeling was a threat or not. She would rather not instigate whoever or whatever was above them on the second floor until they made the first move against them.

Angela nodded for the two of them to follow her. "Let's head up there. I'll go first, since I know where they're roughly at."

"We'll be right behind you." Sam said.

They gradually made their way through the kitchen, dining room and then the foyer. Angela casually walked up the stairs but was mindful in stepping lightly. She didn't want to make too much noise. The brothers did the same as all three of them made it up to the landing of the second floor. Angela went left, walking down the hall and stopped in front of the last door on the right. The door was slightly ajar but not enough to peek through. Angela stepped out of the doorway, placing her fingerless gloved left hand on the door. She mouthed to the brothers "ready?"

They both nodded, aiming their guns at the door in case. Angela slowly pushed the door open. There was no one within sight of the door. Dean went in first, scanning the left side of the room, followed by Sam who did the same to the right. Angela walked in as the two of them lowered their guns to their sides.

"Nobody's here." Dean said. "Are you sure you sensed someone?"

"I did." Angela walked past them and towards the bed. "We haven't looked everywhere yet. Sam, give me a hand in moving this bed."

Sam put his gun away. "Sure." He knew that Angela might have been able to move it herself with her Force abilities, but also knew if she used the Force too much she would get tired quickly, since her strength and connection to the Force was weaker here on Earth than it was in her galaxy. He placed his hands on the side of the bed. "Ready when you are."

"On three."

Dean stood off to the side but kept his gun ready.

"One…two…three."

Sam and Angela pushed the bed from the center of the wall and into the left back corner of the room.

"Okay. Step back, Sam. Whoever I'm sensing is right below us."

Of course, Sam was confused but caught on as he looked down at the hardwood floor. He saw that there was a very fine cut in the shape of a large square in the white carpet. "A hidden trap door."

Angela quickly looked and saw that Dean still had his gun out. She wasn't about to open the trapdoor until they appeared to be of no threat. "Dean, put the gun away."

He threw her a confused and questionable look. "What? Why? For all we know, the one behind this whole thing could be down there."

Angela disagreed. "No. They aren't the culprit. I'm closer to them now and I don't feel malice or evil intentions. All I feel right now is someone who is confused and scared. So please, put the gun away."

Dean sighed, doing what Angela asked. "Alright. Just be careful."

A small chuckle escaped from Angela as she placed her fingers around the edges of the door. "You sound like Skywalker whenever I attempt something that is the least bit dangerous."

Angela slowly raised the door in the floor, still sensing the being in case there was a sudden change in their emotions. The door was only cracked an inch open before she felt the fear in the living being intensify. It too made Angela feel uneasy. She personally hadn't felt that type of fear in years. After she fully opened the door, the three of them looked down within it to finally see them.

It was child. A small girl, who looked like she was close to eight years old, had her arms wrapped around her legs. She slowly looked up at them with widened green eyes. Her black, shoulder-length hair looked like it hadn't been brushed in a day or two and her dark pink shirt and jeans were a bit dusty, probably from the little room she had been hiding in.

"A kid?" Dean uttered the rhetorical question in a state of surprise and regret. He immediately felt worried for her. He always did have a soft spot for young kids.

The child looked over at Dean. That's when Angela felt another surge of fear rise within the her. She softly spoke to the child, making sure to choose her words and gestures carefully. "It's okay. We aren't here to hurt you."

The child then noticed Sam out of the corner of her eye and stared at him as well. She became petrified as she realized there were two men now. Angela caught on to that, since she didn't feel the child's fear rise when they saw her first.

"Hey, don't look at those two. Look at me."

The child heard the lady and did so, feeling a bit safer when they did.

Angela faintly smiled at her. "You don't have to worry about those two. They're with me. I trust them to keep me safe and you can too." The moment she said that, she could sense that the kid was slowly calming down and their fear was waning. "Would you like to come out of that dirty, dark hole in the floor?"

The child slowly nodded and offered their hand for Angela to take. She did so, gently helping the kid up and out of the hidden compartment in the floor. Angela sat down on the floor and motioned for the two brothers to do the same. The child mimicked them and sat down close to Angela, keeping her focus on the two men.

Angela tapped the child on the shoulder to pull her attention to her. She pointed to herself and said, "My name is Angela." She then pointed at older brother. "His name is Dean." Then, she pointed out the younger one. "And his name is Sam. Say hi, guys."

Dean gave her smile. "Hey kid."

Sam also smiled and gave her a wave. "Hi."

The kid was finally able to smile back and waved at the two of them. She felt a bit safer.

"What's your name?" Angela asked in the most caring and friendly tone.

"L…Lyra."

"Lyra. That's a pretty name."

Lyra looked over at Dean and Sam again, then back at Angela. She lowered her head as the beginnings of sad eyes and a frown slowly appeared on her face.

"What's wrong, Lyra?" Angela asked.

Lyra shuffled on her feet, still keeping her head down. "Where…where's my mom and dad?"

The three adults looked at one another. Angela wasn't sure what to say or do. She didn't want to go about this the wrong way or else Lyra could be hurt in a way that wasn't mendable. Dean was quiet as well and so was Sam. They too didn't want to break it to the kid. All of them had no reason to doubt that the mortician would lie about the two deaths, even though they all felt he was hiding some information from them.

"Do you know where they are? I haven't seen or heard them for a long time." Lyra asked again and hoped that these three adults had some answer for her.

"Listen, Lyra." Angela took the little girl's hand in hers. For a moment, she felt something within the kid. It was hidden, obscured by her demeanor. Something was off about this whole thing, but it was going to wait. Lyra had to know the truth, even if it was going to leave an emotional scar. "We have something to give you first. Once we do, we'll explain everything that we know. Is that okay?"

Lyra thought on it before nodding in agreement.

"Alright. Follow us."