Seven Devils

Chapter 11 / Catfishing

"Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. "

β€” Proverbs, 26:24

Marlene took her caramel latte from the coffee machine, trying not to burn her fingers. She didn't have a great record with plastic cups and hot beverages. Especially at hospitals with TVs on every corner and her face flooding the news.

With the much needed shot of caffeine, Marley walked back to Bobby's room. He'd been silent all morning, staring out of the window with a detached expression. Bobby was getting better, his wound was healing up nicely, but Marlene figured that no amount of good news could make up for what he'd lost.

She spotted Sam and Dean by the door, glancing over at Bobby, whispering. She squinted at them, "What are you two gossiping about?" her eyes fell on the manila envelop in Dean's hands, "What's this?"

He opened the envelope and took out a couple of scans, "Went to radiology. Got some glamour shots," Dean handed them to Sam, "Let's just say the doctors are baffled."

Marley moved closer to him to take a look. It was a chest X-ray, with eerily familiar sigils carved on the ribs.

"Holy crap," Sam muttered, examining the Enochian writing.

"How did that happen?" Marley asked.

"Angelic tattoo parlour," Dean deadpanned, "Cas can carve you one too. Supposed to hide you from angels. Even Lucifer."

Yeah, Marley wanted to tell him, there's no need for that. Hadn't been for 22 years, "Well, that's effective," she said, taking the last look on the X-rays. That was beyond weird. And painful, probably.

Sam's phone rang. He returned the scans to Dean and answered, "Hello? ...Castiel?"

"Speak of the angel," Marlene muttered.

"Ah, St. Martin's Hospital," Sam glanced at Dean in confusion, "Why? What are you β€” Cas? Hello?" But the angel had already hung up.

Not a moment later, a tall figure clad in a trench coat cut through a crowd of medical personnel like Moses crossing the Red Sea. "I wonder what provider he's using," Marley said as Castiel walked over to them.

"Cell phone, Cas? Really?" Dean turned to him, "Since when do angels need to reach out and touch someone?"

"You're hidden from angels now β€” all angels," Castiel told them, "I won't be able to simply β€”"

"Enough foreplay," Bobby's grumbled from the room. Dean, Sam, Marlene and Castiel looked over at him. "Get over here and lay your damn hands on." When no one made a move to go inside, Bobby looked over his shoulder, "Get healing. Now."

Castiel lowered his eyes, "I can't."

Bobby turned slowly in his chair to face him, "Say again?"

"I'm cut off from Heaven and much of Heaven's power," Cas walked into the room, "Certain things I can do. Certain things I can't."

Marlene didn't know that. She'd never thought how much Castiel must've sacrificed to help them. Hell, he had given his life to do the right thing.

"You're telling me you lost your mojo just in time to get me stuck in this trap the rest of my life?"

"I'm sorry," Cass said with genuine remorse.

"Shove it up your ass," Bobby spat and turned back to the window.

Marlene flinched on the angel's behalf. So much for trying to help. Dean looked at her and Sam, "At least he's talking now," he muttered.

"I heard that," Bobby barked.

Castiel walked back to them, "I don't have much time," he said quietly, "We need to talk."

"Okay," Dean frowned.

"Your plan to kill Lucifer."

"Pretty generous to call it a "plan"," Marley mumbled.

Dean cut her a glare, then turned to Cass again, "Yeah. You want to help?"

"No. It's foolish. It can't be done."

Marlene made a face as if to say "Thank you. Good thing someone agrees with me."

"Oh, thanks for the support," Dean told him sarcastically.

"But I believe I have the solution. There is someone besides Michael strong enough to take on Lucifer." Marley listened closely, intrigued, "Strong enough to stop the Apocalypse."

"Who's that?" asked Sam.

Cas turned to him, "The one who resurrected me and put you on that airplane. The one who began everything." After a suspenseful pause, Castiel finally said, "God." Marlene couldn't say she was surprised. Not after what he had told her the other day, about the big guy making himself known him and saving his life. Still, hearing Cas actually say it out loud and with such a resolute expression, made it sound impossible, if not altogether unbelievable. "I'm gonna find God."

𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐

Marlene was standing outside of the hospital and enjoying the sun, something she did very rarely these days. It's funny how the simplest things became a luxury when you're an outlaw. She should someday write a book about it.

The doors slid open and Dean and Sam walked out, their expressions grim and resolute. It appeared that one of Bobby's good friends had got himself into one hell of a pickle and needed help. And since Bobby couldn't really march down to Colorado, he sent Sam and Dean to check out what'd happened.

"So," Dean said, "You coming with us?"

Marlene looked up at the sun, squinting, then back at the boys, "No. I think...I think I've got some stuff to do," she nodded to herself as if only now realising it.

"What "stuff?"

"Fake ID? Fake driver's license? Fake life?" Marley shrugged, "Bobby said some guy in Texas makes good counterfeits, so I'll probably head there."

"Alone?" Sam asked, concerned.

"Yes? I've been on my own for almost a month. It's been going fine so far."

"You've made it to the federal "wanted" list and witnessed the beginning of the Apocalypse," Dean deadpanned.

Marlene sighed, "Look, I need to go. I can't be your third Musketeer. Because first of all, I can't even hold a saber and secondly, I don't want to die," she looked at Sam and Dean, "I gotta do it, guys."

Dean gave her a highly sceptical look. Sam was visibly worried and turned to his brother to share his silent doubts about this decision. Marlene felt like she was asking her dads to let her go to the school dance.

"Alright," Dean finally said and tossed her his car keys, "Take the rental."

Marley barely caught them and was about to thank him, but it wasn't over yet. Dean reached behind his back and pulled out a gun. Her eyes went wide.

"Are you insane?" Marlene whisper-yelled, looking around in paranoia.

"Just take it," Dean extended the gun to her, "Your mambo jambo powder ain't gonna help you. You're gonna need this."

"He's right, Marlene," Sam said, "You need to have a weapon."

Begrudgingly, if only to hide it, Marley grabbed the gun and shoved it into her bag, "Thanks," her hands were still shaking from holding a weapon. It felt colder than she'd expected.

Dean padded her on the shoulder, "Don't get lost, kiddo," he said and started walking to his beloved Baby. It was just Marlene and Sam now.

She smiled up at him, squinting from the sun, "See you around, Sam." Marley didn't know why she did it. Why she felt the urge to lean closer to him for a hug. But when she realised how strange it was, when she remembered the red of his eyes from the dream...Marlene stopped mid-way and extended her hand for a handshake instead.

Sam shook it, baffled, "See you around, Marlene." His hand was big and warm engulfing Marley's. It reminded her of a baseball glove β€” enormous, yet comforting.

Shielding her eyes from the sun, Marley watched him walk to the car. Sam opened the door and looked back at her one last time before getting inside.

And then they drove away.

𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐

The Impala drove down an empty road, nothing but a stretch of burnt out ground to look at. Some MΓΆtley Crew song was playing on the radio, but no one was singing along to it. Both Sam and Dean knew that the sudden spike in demon activity had everything to do with their master walking the Earth in some poor bastard's meat suit.

"So, Bobby said some interesting stuff about Marlene," Dean said.

Sam turned to him, "What?"

"Her father's been dancing a handsy tango with the angels. Bobby thinks he gave them something they wanted and got himself and Marlene a place in holy Pleasentville."

Sam frowned, "Why wouldn't Marlene be going to Heaven?"

"Hell if I know," Dean said gruffly, "But it's all kinds of fishy."

Marlene'd said that her father was a professor, a theologist. He didn't sound like the evil mastermind they were making him out to be. But then again, Sam had never met the guy. And he should know that the darkest evil dwelled in the most unsuspecting souls, "What do you think he gave them?"

"No idea, but it must've been one hell of an offering. Sending Cas for Marlene? Busting their asses off to get her back?" Dean glanced over at his brother, "I'm telling you Sammy, something ain't right here."

"So you think she's hiding something?" Sam asked.

"She did lie about the demon blood."

"But she told us."

"Yeah, eventually," Dean scoffed, "After the freaking Apocalypse."

Sam turned away, "It's not like she started it, Dean."

"We don't know that. We don't know anything about her."

"She warned you about Lilith. She saved my life back in that room. Hell, she stayed with Bobby all night. Why is it so hard for you to trust people, Dean?"

Dean gripped the wheel tighter, his knuckles going white, "Because someone's got to look out for us," he said.

Sam huffed out a mirthless laugh, shaking his head, "You still don't trust me."

"Well, can you blame me, Sam?"

Sam didn't say anything. They didn't speak a single word to each other the rest of the way.

𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐

Thunder quaked the skies. A bright flash of lightening pierced through the veil of dark clouds. They were crying violently, tears flooding the streets of Hartford, a little town in Connecticut. A wild storm was raging in the deserted streets of a peaceful suburban street. It turned trees into monsters of shadows and droplets of rain into shuddering knocks on the window in the middle of the night.

Imagination could make us see things that weren't there. But sometimes...sometimes, they were there, however desperately we wished it was only a stick of our mind.

Marlene found herself in the dark. It was a room, a living room in a strange, unfamiliar house. How had she got there? Panic suffused through her body, and Marley instantly reached for the gun in her belt, but it wasn't there.

A thump of thunder startled her. Marlene was never fond of stormy weather.

Wary and weaponless, she walked hesitantly, taking a look around. The house seemed to be empty, but for some toys on the floor and shelves stocked with books. It looked lived in, warm, welcoming. Marley made her way up the stairs to the second floor careful not to wake up whoever could be residing there.

But all doors seemed to be shut. Except for one. Warm light was spilling out of the little slit in the door at the very end of the corridor. Marlene made a cautious step towards it, careful not to make any sudden movements, and ever so slowly creaked it opened.

It was a nursery.

A soft lullaby was playing from a lamp that sent a carousel of animal shadows dancing on the walls. There was a cot in the corner, away from the window and the raging storm. And in that cot slept a little girl.

Marlene's knees buckled when she looked inside. She could recognise the face of the peacefully sleeping baby. Because that face belonged to her once.

"Shhh...you're gonna wake her up."

Marley whipped around at the voice. There was a strange man. He was wearing a dark shirt, sandy hair a neat mess. And his eyes...although she couldn't recognise them, she felt the familiar terror when she looked inside them.

"And she needs her beauty sleep," the man's voice was dangerously gentle. He walked closer. Marlene stumbled back to the window, "Are you afraid of me?"

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Oh, but we've met so many times. Did you enjoy them? Because I did," he smiled, "Every. Single. One of them."

Tessa, her father, Maddock...Sam. When Marlene looked at him, his eyes glowed crimson. She flinched back, shaking.

"Oh, come on, we were having such a great time," he all but whined, "Don't go all jumpy on me. We're about to see a show."

Just as he said it, footsteps came from the corridor. Marlene's eyes flashed to the door when a dark figure appeared in the threshold. It stepped inside, into the light, and she wouldn't have recognised it but for the yellow eyes.

The demon, Azazel, made his way to the cot like a prowling predator. He looked inside and his lips stretched into a wide smile, "Well hello there, little angel," he whispered maliciously, "Master will be very, very pleased."

"Oh, almost my favourite part," the strange man sighed wistfully, arms crossed over his chest.

Marlene watched in silent horror as the demon cut his palm open and held it above the child's mouth. The little girl cooed, woken up from her sleep, "There we go."

"Now is my favourite part," the monster whispered, positively thrilled. A second later, a young man burst into the room, his face a picture of rage.

"Get away from her!" he screamed.

Azazel turned back, his yellow eyes flashing in the dim light. He let out a surly chuckle, "You're too late, Arthur."

"Oh, fathers," the monster sighed, "They will do anything to protect their children, won't they?"

"I said get away from her," the young Arthur greeted out.

Azazel raised a challenging brow, "Or what?"

"Or you're going back to Hell," Arthur brought a hand to his face and yelled an incantation in a language Marlene didn't recognise. But it seemed the demon was all to familiar with it, and before the spell could touch him, Azazel vanished in the cloud of blue smoke.

All Marley couldn't hear was her own cry. Arthur rushed to the cot and took his daughter in his arms, pulling her close to him as she screamed in agony. As a disease began to spread through her frail little body.

"Time to wake up, little angel."

She sucked in a breath and shot up from the seat. Marlene looked around, frantic: she was still in her car, in a parking lot. It was dark outside, rain drumming on the windows.

A wild storm was raging.

𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐

Three days later

Galveston, Texas

Galveston smelled of fish, dampness and...fish. The smell of seafood was truly overpowering, especially for Marley, who wasn't a fan of anything with gills and fins. The scorching Texan heat certainly wasn't helping the matter and served only to make it a gazillion times worse.

It was especially bad at the docks where Marley'd just arrived. Bobby'd given her the address and the name of the guy, saying that he lived on a boat. That's it, that was all he'd said. Marlene got out of the car in her jeans and a snug black top β€” the only thing that made the heat bearable, and headed for the pier.

It was pretty busy, with sailors preparing their small vessels for departure, fishermen untangling fishnets and some handymen helping around with repairs. The bustle of the docks was accompanied by a constant cry of seagulls. Marlene only hoped they wouldn't shit on her. With her luck, anything was possible.

"Hey, do you know how I can find Reggie Smoulders?" Marley asked one of the fishermen. The man turned to her, squinting, the fishnet still in hand.

"Well, I'll be," he drawled in disbelief, looking her over, "What's a girl like you doing lookin' for a schlepper like him?

"I...he's, um, he's an old friend."

"A friend, huh? Yeah, he's mighty friendly," the fisherman shook his head. Marley frowned, "You best beware, girlie."

"O-kay," she said slowly. Well, that was pretty weird, "So you know where he lives?"

"'F course I know where he lives, ain't no chance of missin' that hole. Just a couple of boats down, you'll know when ya see it."

Marlene mumbled an awkward "thanks" and continued down the docks, looking for...well, she didn't exactly know what she was looking for. She hoped that Reggie wasn't some kind of a nut. Because she really needed those documents.

But the fisherman definitely hadn't lied about Reggie's boat β€” it was a dump. There was nothing left of the white surface now covered in rust and sea weeds. Some very dead plants decorated the deck that, as Marlene suspected, was supposed to be the lounge area. Well, she wouldn't want lounge there.

The boat wobbled a little as she stepped in it, and Marley had to grab onto the railing to keep her balance. She instantly regretted the decision, feeling something sticky on her fingers. She brushed them against her jeans with a disgusted frown and walked further. God, she was getting sea sick.

"Hello?" Marlene called, standing at the stairs to the cabin. She craned her neck a little to see if anyone was down there. "Hello?"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" A voice grumbled from the bow of the boat.

Marley's jaw slacked a little when she saw him. Tall, golden curls, a blue unbuttoned shirt that left little for imagination and those eyes, they were almost glowing β€” oh, God he was smiling at her. And he had dimples, "Well, hello there." And a southern drawl. Excellent.

"H-hi," Marlene managed to say, gazing up at him. The sun created an angelic halo β€” oh no, no angels. Nah-uh. "You are..." gorgeous, an earthly Adonis, "...Reggie. Smoulders, right?"

"That's me," he wiped his hands with a cloth and threw it onto the deck, "And who might you be, darlin'?"

He walked past her down to the cabin. Marley wasn't sure if she should follow him, but then Reggie looked back at her with those enticing blue eyes in a silent invitation. She flew down those stairs in an instant, "Well, huh, that depends on you, really."

"Oh yeah?" Reggie flashed her a flirty smile, "And how's that?" he took out two cups from the cupboard of his modest kitchen area and a half-empty bottle of whiskey.

"None for me," Marley told him before he could pour her a drink. Reggie levelled her with a questioning look, "I'm driving, so β€” "

"Nonsense. When you're on a boat..." he poured her a glass, lips stretching into a cocky grin, "...you do as the captain says."

Captain, my captain, Marlene thought and took a generous sip. God, it burned.

"Takes some gettin' used to," Reggie said, having downed his in one sitting.

"Yeah," Marley croaked out, still flinching, "I suppose it does."

"So, mysterious maiden," he leaned on the counter, "What brings you to my ship?"

Marlene put the glass down. "I need to disappear. And Bobby Singer said you could help me with that." Reggie laughed and shook his head. Marley frowned, "What"?

"Bobby freakin' Singer, huh? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while."

"He said you owe him a favour."

"'F course he did," Reggie sighed, a small smile playing on his lips, "So you need a fake ID?"

Marley nodded, "The whole package."

"Should I even ask?" Noticing the distress on her face, he laughed, "Alright, alright, I ain't asking no questions. Let's go, gotta get your picture taken," he cleared some of the things out of the way and showed her further into the cabin, "Come on, go in. I ain't gon' stare too much."

Oh my God

Marlene walked to the little room in the back. It was pretty small, but well-equipped with a bar-stool, a white wall and an expensive-looking camera. Reggie seemed to be doing pretty well in the business.

"Sit down, sweetheart," he said, getting behind the tripod, "Move a little to the right...yes, perfect. Now raise your chin β€” good, very nice." His voice was so incredibly soothing and titillating, Marley felt her cheeks burn up a little.

When Reggie was finally happy with the shot, he snapped a couple of pictures, the flash blinding Marley for a split moment. When she regained her sight, Reggie's smile was the first thing she saw, "All done."

"T-thank you."

"Sure thing, darlin'. You go tell that old grump that he ain't got nothin' on me no more."

"Oh, I will," Marlene jumped off the stool, "Just as soon as I see that your money's where your mouth's at."

"Why, my mouth can travel a lotta places," Reggie smiled at the challenge, his eyes travelling down her body.

Marlene was positive she was as red as a twizzler. She cleared her throat, "When are they going to be ready?"

"Tomorrow night," Reggie told her, "We meet at the West port, near ADM warehouses. Midnight work for ya?" She nodded dutifully. "Then I'll see you there, darlin'."

𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐

Marlene didn't have nightmares that night. Probably, because she didn't sleep at all. The motel she'd rented a room at was a place of great renown in the city, as it turned out. And its residents were extremely...vocal about it. Every night. She couldn't help but wonder what'd happened in the very sheets she was lying in. What were the chances of them actually having been washed?

The constant pain in her head didn't make it easier. Marley hadn't had those in a while, but after the dream she had three days before, they returned with a new power. Sometimes, she could even make out some voices. And a name that started with an "R".

Marlene woke up feeling like a fish in a sardine box. A very exhausted fish in a sardine box. She trudged to the sink and splashed some cold water onto her face to chase away the weariness that had seemed to permanently etch its way onto it. The pain struck again when she was about to close the faucet. Marley grabbed onto the sink and clenched her jaws rightly, fighting the ringing in her ears. It felt like her entire brain was on fire, sending tremors through every nerve cell in her body. One...two...three...

And it was gone.

Hunched over the sink, Marlene was breathing heavily, even more tired than she was seconds before. She was feeling overpoweringly weak, barely able to raise her head. When she looked up at the mirror, there was a crack in it that hadn't been there before. And blood was streaming down her nose.

After that delightful morning, Marlene got some breakfast at the diner near the motel and headed for the city library. She had some time to kill before the meet-up with Reggie the Adonis, so she figured there was no better way to spend it than over a book. Or a dozen of them.

It turned out there was a lot of lore on emeralds. The precious gem was believed to possess magical qualities. Some said it could cure grave deceases, others claimed it could aid a seer in seeing the future. The most prominent of those tales, however, was that of a gem adorning Lucifer's crown. The one Arthur'd told her.

Many scholars wrote about it in the context of the Holy Grail β€” the mythical and most desired object of many archeologists who believed in its existence. And there were many. The Grail was typically pictured as a golden cup that, according to the Bible, held the blood of Jesus after the great betrayal. The cup was rumoured to have unlimited power which Marley thought was a bit of a stretch. Like all legends, really.

However, there was one part of that legend that started to make sense, now that Marlene knew something she hadn't before. There was a highly favoured theory that an emerald was embedded within the golden cup. Could it have been one of the pieces that had fallen out of Lucifer's crown? If so, that would explain the magical qualities of the Holy Grail. And also...well, it could very possibly confirm its existence.

Marlene felt like a knight from Arthurian legends, sat at the round table, planning an expedition for the Grail. She wondered what would Sir Galahad do if he was on the federal "wanted" list. He'd probably kill them all and say that God told him to. Huh. Wouldn't you know it.

Marley drew a rough sketch of the Grail in her notebook and a piece of emerald next to it β€” she wondered if it would still be there, after all this time. Or if the glorified cup existed at all. Marlene suddenly stilled, pen stopping inches away from the paper.

A prickling sensation in the back of her neck made her look up. Marley swept her eyes over the empty library, but saw no one particularly suspicious. There was a guy looking through some books in the Science Fiction isle. Some student typing away on her laptop. Nothing out of the ordinary.

If it were the police, they would've already arrested you, she reassured herself, but it wasn't really working. Because there were things significantly worse than law enforcement that could be after her.

Marley collected her things as calmly as possible and stood up. She returned the books to the nice old lady at the entrance and left the building, trying to keep her composure. But once Marley was out in the street, she all but broke into a sprint.

She was being followed, Marlene was sure of it. Every time she looked over her shoulder, there was a man not far behind. And every time he saw her looking at him, he dodged behind a street lamp or another passer-by to hide himself, which...wasn't working too well for him. Marley's hand moved to the gun in her bag.

This time, she turned around as fast she could to startle her stalker. And it worked. He didn't manage to hide in time and Marlene caught his face. It was the same guy from the Science Fiction isle. And he did not scream danger. "Hey!" She yelled. He lurched to a stop, frozen in place. "Yes, you!" Marley advanced on him. Why the hell was he just standing there? "Why are you following me?"

"Me? I'm not following you," the guy told her almost indignantly, like following her would be the most boring thing to do, "It's a nice day outside. I'm just basking in the Texan sun," he took a long breath and let it out, a blissful expression on his odd face.

"Oh really? What were you doing in the library then?"

He squinted at her, "What were you doing in the library?"

"Reading," she deadpanned.

"Where there you have it!"

"You were following me."

"You're crazy, lady," the guy dismissed her.

"I saw you hiding behind a street lamp."

That took some time for him to come up with an explanation, "That isn't illegal."

"Yeah, but it is suspicious."

The guy had to shrug. There was no denying it. He looked pretty harmless. Nothing in his face suggested he was a demon and he didn't really give off the dickish angel vibe. Marlene squinted her eyes, trying to size him up. Baggy clothes, swagger chains, a t-shirt with a very strange print...was this guy stalking her to sell her his CD?

"Are you an angel?" she asked. It was a long shot, but the best way to eliminate the worst possible option. If it turned out to be true, Marley wouldn't be able to escape anyway. If not, at least she'd know what she was dealing with.

The guy perked up, "Is that a pickup line?"

She stared at him blankly, "No."

"Then no, I'm not."

"A hunter, then?"

At that, he stilled, looking stumped. Bingo. "Wh β€” how...how did you know?"

"I really didn't," Marley said, "But now I do. So why were you following me?"

They guy scratched his head awkwardly, "How about we talk about it over some oysters? I've been dying to eat those ever since I got here," he said, "I'm Garth by the way."

𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐

Marlene leaned back into her chair, hands cupping the glass of water. She said slowly, "So...you're saying he is a?..."

"A shapeshifter," Garth supplied with a full mouth. He slurped on another oyster, "There's a whole ring of them here in Galveston. Murdering deck workers, stealing cargo, real mafia stuff goin' on."

A shapeshifter, Marley repeated in her head. Yes, that sounded about right. A thing that could take on the skin of another human and turn into anyone they wanted. Garth had explained to her that the only thing that could kill them was silver. He had tested her to make sure she wasn't one of them.

"So that thing killed the real Reggie and...became him?"

Garth wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Yeah, pretty much. It's really smart though, when you think about it. People come to you to get lost and you literally do what they ask."

"What does he do with them?" Marlene asked, horrified. It could've easily been her.

"That's what I was trying to figure out."

"That's why you were spying on me? So that I could lead you to a creepy warehouse filled with virgins?"

"Exactly," Garth replied bluntly, sipping on his soda, "You're the first one I could actually catch. Virgins, though? A bit old-fashioned. Come on, Marlene, we live in a modern society."

It turned out Garth was indeed a hunter β€” he'd showed her all his badges and fake IDs (even though Marlene hadn't asked), and shared his melodramatic origins story. He'd also heard about Sam and Dean and absolutely geeked out when she'd told him she actually knew the guys. Apparently, they were some kind of legends in the hunter community.

"What's the plan then?" Marley asked.

Garth leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, "Do you trust me?"

"No."

"Welp, you're gonna have to."

Marley squinted at him, "And why's that?"

"Because you need those IDs," Garth told her cockily, "And I need to get closer to Reggie Smoulders."

Marlene looked at Garth's scrawny built, then remembered Reggie's corded, tan muscles, "And do what? He's twice your size."

"Oh, Marley," Garth sighed patronisingly, "It's all about technique."

"Technique?" she raised a sceptical brow.

He nodded confidently, "That and experience, of course."

Marlene sighed, circling the rim of her glass. Damn it, she really needed those documents.

𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐𖀐

They decided to take Garth's car. No, correction: Garth had insisted they take his car, because he'd need his own wheels in case of a grand getaway. Marley was too nervous and jittery to protest. All she cared about was getting the documents and the hell out if this town. If she saw another shrimp cocktail, she'd vomit.

Marley sniffed the air in the car and wrinkled her nose, "Why does it smell like fish in here?"

"Oh," Garth reached for something in the backseat, keeping his eyes on the road β€” a pack of shrimp chips. Her stomach churned, "Want some?"

"No," Marlene turned away to the window.

Galveston was buzzing with night life as they drove through the city, the beach pier bathed in sparkling lights of a weekend fair. But as they got close to the warehouses at the docks, the road grew increasingly darker and more deserted. The feeling of dread had crept into Marlene's chest.

"Here we are," Garth announced and turned the engine off. It was completely dark but for a couple of street lamps. The perfect place for murdering someone. Empty, dingy warehouses, cargo containers, the ocean to dispose of the body β€” solid cereal killer attraction.

"So how do we do it?" she turned to Garth, "Do I just go there and?..."

"Just try to act normal. We need to catch him by surprise."

"Okay," Marlene said faintly. She took a deep breath and let it out, "Okay. Yes, I'm ready. Let's do this."

Garth slapped her on the back, smiling. Marley hissed. "That's the spirit!"

"That's the spirit," she muttered under her breath as she got out of the car. The air was much cooler than in the morning, smelling faintly of the sea. It would've been really pleasant in literally any other situation.

Marley walked to the towering cargo containers, her neck sore from turning her head around too much. But it was disturbingly murky and quiet and she felt like all of her senses had shut down at the same time. A cold shiver ran down her spine, her hair standing on end. Marlene stopped. Someone was standing behind her.

She turned around slowly, bracing herself for the monster with golden curls, then stilled. There was no one there. What the hell? Marlene ventured further, deeper into the cargo maze. She should've probably grabbed a roll of yarn to find a way back. She was half expecting a horned, mythical creature to jump out of the shadows and swallow her whole. Then she wouldn't have to worry about the Apocalypse.

"Reggie?" Marley yelled out, growing wary, "Reggie, are you here?"

Her steps reverberated through the silence like thumps of a giant. Where the hell was he? Marlene couldn't believe she was purposefully looking for the man who wanted to kill, abduct her and sell her into slavery. Not necessarily in that order. "Reggie? I'm here! Where are you?"

Marlene turned a corner and walked into a make shift clearing, "Reg β€” " His body was sprawled across the ground under a funny angle, golden curls muddy and stained with dried blood, "Oh, God," Marley breathed.

Legs trembling, she came closer to Reggie. His blue eyes stared blankly into the night sky, peaceful. And there was a wide gash on his throat. He had been killed recently β€” blood was still leaking from the wound, pooling around his unmoving body.

"A-ha! I got you, you β€” " Garth lurched to a halt when he saw the body, "Holy shit. Did you do this?"

"No! No, I...I f-found him like that, it's β€” fuck," she cursed and turned to Garth, expression absolutely helpless, "This is bad, isn't it?" He didn't say anything, too busy staring at the body. "Garth?"

"Y-yeah?"

Marlene frowned at his suddenly paled face, "Are you okay? Garth!"

"S-sorry, it's just...I've never seen a dead body before."

"Wh β€” what?! " she spluttered in confusion, "You're a hunter!"

"It's my first real hunt!"

Marley wanted to scream and laugh and cry. But most of all, she wanted to strangle Garth, "What about "technique" and "experience"?"

"Well β€” "

The sound of sirens came from the distance. Marley's head whipped to the right and she saw police lights reflected on the wall of a huge cargo container. "Are you kidding me?"

"We gotta go!"

Marlene looked back at the body, then at the approaching police lights. Reggie could still have her documents on him. It was worth checking. She rushed to his motionless body and crouched before it. Fighting the urge to cry, Marley began padding for some kind of an envelop.

"What are you doing?" Garth hissed, eye bulging out from panic, "Marlene!"

"A second!"

There was nothing. How could there be nothing? His shirt, the pockets of his jeans β€” they were empty. Marlene rose to her feet, shaking. It couldn't have been all for...for β€” wait a minute. "Garth, help me roll hmm over."

He looked at her like she was mad, "Are you out of her mind?"

"Please," she implored. The sirens were getting louder. Garth held her eyes with a stubborn expression, but then cursed and crouched down next her. Together, they rolled Reggie's body so that he was lying on his stomach. Hesitantly, Marlene reached for the hem of his Hawaiian shirt and lifted it. A manila envelop was sticking out, tucked into his jeans.

"Hurry!" Garth whispered, glancing over at the approaching police. Marley snatched the envelop and bolted.

They managed to flee the crime scene, only barely escaping a brush with the police. Garth started the car, Marley jumped into the passenger seat, heart thumping like crazy. "That was very stupid, Marlene!" he told her and drove away with headlights off not to attracted unwanted attention.

Marlene tore the envelop open. There was a single piece of white paper. A note:

Almost, but not quite. Got to try harder, little angelette.