Hi, guys. Hope you liked the previous two chapters. :) Really sorry for missing an update last week but I was on a well-deserved vacation. Hope you've managed to rest as well.
Time for the next chapter, we're comming closer to solving the Styne problem, i promise. Happy reading! :)
Shreveport, the third-largest city in the state of Louisiana, at least according to Wikipedia. Well,' I'm not impressed. Not really. Not when here the Stynes found home, place to hide and manage their dirty business. I look at the ruddy bricks of the police station as Dean pulls over.
"Okay, and what are we doing here?" Ben asks, "It's not like we can march in and ask about the Stynes. We've got nothing to..."
"We're the FBI," Dean says, "We can do..."
"Fake FBI."
"...whatever we want."
"Not exactly." I roll my eyes as I climb out of the car, "But we really can ask questions without explaining why."
"That's how we'll learn more about the family." Sam explains as we cross the street, "It'll give us more information. And in our line of work, it's vital. Without the right information, you can get yourself killed."
"Vital information, my ass," Ben growls as half an hour later we exit the police department, "The only vital information is for the Stynes. Now they know someone's asking questions."
"He's right," I shrug, "Did you notice how the officers talked about them?"
"Yeah" Sam sighs, "They're respected and..."
"They're murderers!" Ben spits out.
"That they are." I agree, "But we need a plan."
"A plan!?" Dean exclaims as we get into the car, "We've got squad!"
"That's not really true." I disagree, "We know they are no good. We also know that at least one of them, this Eldon Styne, is traveling all across the country, killing people, and luring them through the idea of quick money from clinical studies. From time to time, he uses the so original name Joe Turner. And he's careful of not leaving any evidence behind, no bodies, no nothing... Duncan said he knows well enough what he's doing. But why?"
"But why what?" Dean asks as he drives off.
"I can't put my finger around why he's killing..." I shake my head.
"He's crazy, do you need any other reason?" Dean huffs in irritation
I roll my eyes and pull out my diary. Bobby used to store all the information about his current hunts only in his brain. He just knew where to look for what he needed, so he found it useless to write down most of the things. I preferred more organization. When working, I like to put everything on the case down, so I can reread it and check it out, to be sure nothing is left out. I spent enough time around Duncan to know that even the creepiest son of a bitch has some sick reason for killing. It usually helped to explain every single one of his actions. Eldon Styne is well-organized, smart, sophisticated in his crimes. He covers his tracks well enough, so he doesn't seek attention. There are no bodies except for Lisa's, which is staged as a suicide. Probably because he doesn't want attention. But if not attention, what does Eldon Styne seeks? Does he enjoy causing pain? Everything about him is so sophisticated, well thought over. Maybe he is a control freak. Or he is taking the victims, leaving no trace behind so he can have enough time to live his fantasies with them. I shake my head. Somehow all of this don't fit with what we've got on the Styne family. It is most likely all those kills have something to do with the family's evil roots. Who knows? I sigh, we need more information... I lean my head on the cold car window, staring blankly. We pass a gas station.
"Stop!" I yell, "Stop the car!"
"Wha..." but Dean trusts me enough not to need more than my word, and the Impala screeches to a halt, I hop out and look back to the gas station we just passed, "Braeden?"
I turn to him, only to see Ben and Sam also got out.
"I saw Eldon Styne. At the gas station." I open the trunk and pull out my bag.
"Are you sure?" Sam asks hesitantly, fully aware of how I can react to questioning my judgment.
"I'm daughter of a paranoid bastard, Sam. I've got a photographic memory and I've memorized tons of information about anything you could think of." I snap at him, looking around, "So tell me, am I sure?"
"Fine, fine." he apologetically says.
"Don't you even think about it, Ben." I warn the boy as he silently tries to sneak out, "Sam'll keep an eye on you. Don't do anything stupid." I rummage through my bag. "Ah, here it is!"
"What are you doing?" Dean eyes the only dress I got and then his eyes land on the wedge sandals in my hand.
"I've got a plan and we gotta be quick. But I can't go in dressed in clothes, screaming authority." I quickly start undressing.
Sam and Ben immediately turn their backs to me.
"Braeden!" there's an edge in Dean's voice, "You're not playing bait."
"Like you can stop me," I mutter, slipping on the flowered-print summer dress and adjusting its straps and on purpose removing my bra.
"Watch me!" he growls.
"C'mon, Dean!" I exclaim and pull my hair in a messy ponytail, "For how long we've been hunting together? How many times I've been the bait?"
"And every single time," he rages at me, "Every single time something goes wrong!"
"But I'm here, ain't I?!" I point out the obvious, trying to reason him, "This is no different…"
"It is different!" Dean yells exasperated and I sigh, finally realizing what's his problem.
"No, Dean," I shake my head and say gently, "It's not. Just because we're…" I gesture between the two of us not sure how to define our relationship yet, "I won't stop hunting just because you're freaking out over my safety. You realize that, right?"
"But…" he protests.
"No "but"" I softly cut him off and approach him, sneaking my hands around his neck, "Everything's gonna be fine." I gently kiss him.
"Honey B…"
"I'm doing this," I tell him "Period."
With that I pull back and head to the gas station, my sandals making me with about 5 inches taller.
Yeah, girl's power on! Even though I'm dressed up just because of the case, I haven't felt that pretty in ages. The sandals, the nice summer dress, enveloping my body in all the right places. I smirk and toss back a strand of hair before going in.
I wink playfully at the teen on the register, making him blush, and go among the shelves. Pretending to be looking around, wondering what I want, I spot Eldon Styne and carefully head his way. I've got to say - he's a handsome man. Tall and thin, but well-built, piercing blue eyes, blonde hair, strong jawline... but there's something... something off with him. He's dangerous, and my instincts scream to be careful. No matter how well he looks in his tailored suit. He's a viper. I can tell. I put on a moony look on my face and grab a pack of Doritos and a lollipop. I open my purse and start digging through it. Or at least I pretend I'm looking for something while going to the register. Then intentionally, I hurtle into him. And pushing someone on purpose while pretending you didn't mean to... Well, it's harder than it looks.
"Oh, god!" I exclaim, giving my best-embarrassed look, "I'm so sorry..."
"It's okay," he leans and picks up the Doritos, "It happens even to the best." his smile is gorgeous, or it could be if I didn't know better.
"Thanks," I giggle and take the pack from him, brushing my fingers over his.
His eyes roam over my body in a sticky and unpleasant way. I suppress a shudder and coyly smile at him, raising my brow.
"Something you like?"
"Have you ever been told you've got amazing eyes?" he takes a step closer.
"Hm... no." I open the lollipop and put up a show, wrapping my tongue around it, and never breaking the eye contact, "At least not by someone as attractive as yourself." I wink and head to the register, giving him a flirtatious look, the lollipop still in my mouth.
I feel how he stalks after me, his hand snaking around my waist, taking me by surprise. He pulls me against his body, his face is inches away from mine, and takes a deep breath, his lips brushing my neck. This time I tremble.
"You smell good." he hums.
"Can't you wait until we get out of here?" I let out a pretend chuckle, and his grip on me tightens.
"So you can lead me to the trap you and your friends set for me?"
"Wai... What?" I try to act confused, "I don't know what you're..."
"Don't bother lying, sweetheart." I hear a familiar low click and a cold muzzle digging into my ribs through the thin material of my dress, "I saw you at the police station. Now we're calmly walking out of here. Better your friends don't do anything stupid. Your life depends on it, agent."
I clench my teeth and hold back the sassy comeback. I have to get him out of here because of the teen on the register. I don't want the kid to become collateral damage. Because if there's one thing I know for sure for the guy holding a gun against me, is he hates loose ends, and he makes sure to get rid of them. With the biggest fake smile I can plaster, I pay the teen and head out, Styne glued to my back.
The moment we leave, there's another familiar click, and a gruff, angry voice says:
"Let her go, or I'll blow your brains out."
"I don't think so," Styne chuckles and pushes me forward, leading me to some swanky black car next to the gas pump. "You feds, always playing it by the book..."
"Lucky for us, we're not feds." Sam pointedly says, coming next to Dean and forcing Styne to turn towards them, pulling me back to the car.
I look at the intense faces of the boys. They're really concerned about me. I roll my eyes and dig my nails into Styne's hand that is around my throat at the same time as I land my wedge onto his foot, which makes him loosen his grip on me. With a swift twist of my body, I wrench myself from him and connect my fist to his jaw the very same moment a pipe swings and hits his head. His eyes roll up in his skull, his body twists as he collapses on the ground.
"Thanks, Ben." I grin at the kid.
"Trust me, the pleasure's all mine."
What do you think about the development? You like it or you thought it'll go in some other direction? Drop me a review and tell me. Have a nice quick-going Friday and long and relaxing weekend.! :))
