Chapter 4: Thunderbird Hill
Hockomock Swamp. Sunday, October 22, 2006.
Neal studied the hill in front of him. According to the locator potion, Sam was about fifty yards inside. How were they supposed to penetrate the hill? According to the geologic survey, no caves were present in the formation.
Thunderbird Hill was several miles from where Sam had disappeared, and that raised the question of how he'd gotten there. Dean swore he hadn't seen any thunderbirds, and surely he would have noticed if a pterodactyl-like creature had carried Sam off.
They'd driven both the van and the Impala to the hill, parking alongside the road as close as possible to the location indicated on the map. There were some rocky outcrops along the sides, and they'd already used their flashlights to scour them for any cavity extending into the hill. Neal remembered that the forest in Jenny Jump State Park contained some shallow alcoves that were almost invisible unless you knew where to look. But after an hour's search, they'd come up blank.
Dean scowled. "No hill is going to swallow up Sam. If I have to blast my way inside, I'll do it."
"There has to be another way." The situation reminded Neal of a story Diana had written where Arkham Neal was struggling to open a portal to another world. That gateway was closed solid and appeared invisible. He turned to face Maia. "Could the entrance be warded?"
"So that we couldn't see it?" Maia worried her lower lip as she considered the idea. "I've broken wards that sealed a door closed, but don't know of any spell that would cause the door itself to disappear."
"But in theory, there could be one," Chloe said, growing excited.
"That would mean a witch is involved," Dean pointed out, "and in all the legends about the Bridgewater Triangle, witches aren't mentioned."
"That doesn't prove anything," Chloe countered. "A witch could have set up her home in the swamp and wants to conceal it."
"Like Baba Yaga?" Dean rubbed his chin. "I suppose. Maybe she thought the legends would keep folks from disturbing her. Fat chance of that happening. There's nothing like a spooky legend to bring out amateur ghostbusters and witch-hunters."
"What if she's not a witch?" Neal asked. "You remember that nocnitsa we encountered in the swamp in New Jersey? Perhaps her sister or cousin lives in Hockomock Swamp."
Dean's face grew troubled. "You could be right. That nocnitsa was an elemental spirit, more like a force of nature." He turned to Chloe. "You were able to connect with it. You may be able to do the same with whoever—or whatever—is here."
"I can try. But remember, I wasn't able to reason with the nocnitsa. If I summon a spirit, she may just attack us, and we still won't be able to rescue Sam."
"I don't like the idea either," Dean said, a frown forming. "But it's the only card we got. Somehow we've got to change the hand we've been dealt."
"Then we'll be your wildcards," Chloe declared. Maia was already rummaging in her bag for supplies.
"How can I help?" Neal asked.
"Come back with me to the Impala," Dean said. "We'll need extra shotguns with rock salt. They did the trick with the nocnitsa. No guarantees, but they may give us a fighting chance if the spirit doesn't want to play nice."
As they collected their gear, Neal tried to contact Sara once more. He was still unable to get a signal. Dean wasn't faring any better with contacting Bobby. Neal resorted to recording a message on his watch. Although he'd returned his custom watch to the Bureau when he resigned his position, Henry had quickly replaced it. All Win-Win investigators were issued GPS watches with recording capability.
Neal was grateful Dean didn't press him for details on the locator potion. He was prepared to deflect to keep him from finding out about Astrena, but Dean zeroed in on Crowley instead.
"You can imagine how I feel about calling on a demon for help," Dean said. "But Crowley's no ordinary crossroads demon. What's your take on him?"
"I'm not the best one to ask. The only other demons I've met are Abaddon and Scarbo, and, in comparison, Crowley's a saint."
"When you put it like that, I guess you're right."
"Ever since Astrena was banished, he's been surprisingly helpful," Neal added. "He pointed us in the right direction for the locator spell, and without Crowley, we wouldn't have known about Astrena's trickster cousin Dolos."
Dean nodded. "Bobby might still be looking for his flask if Crowley hadn't tipped us off to the enchanted netsuke."
"Sometimes the way Crowley thinks is eerily similar to Curtis Hagen, the forger he possessed." Neal described the conversation he'd held with Crowley in the library. "Could Hagen's personality be leaking into his?"
"I've never known it to happen," Dean said thoughtfully. "But Bobby likes to say if you live long enough, you're bound to see most anything. When he gets back, I'll ask him about it."
When they returned to the site, the women had already prepared the potion. Chloe had brought along what looked like a metal butter warmer stand with a tealight. The potion was already being heated in a small silver bowl on the stand. Neal breathed in the fragrance but he couldn't identify the floral notes.
They sat cross-legged on the ground around the bowl. Dean placed a shotgun in his lap and indicated for Neal to do the same.
"Here's how it's going to go down," Dean said. "Assuming you summon something, if they make any hostile move—and I mean even twitch the wrong way—Chloe, you and Maia are to hightail it out of harm's way."
"And leave you defenseless?" Chloe shook her head adamantly. "Maia and I stand a better chance against an elemental spirit than you do. You don't know if rock salt will work against them. If we were facing a werewolf or wendigo, we'd gladly stand back, but we're not. If we summon a spirit, we're not leaving."
Maia didn't say anything, but she looked just as determined as Chloe. Sam was her boyfriend, and no matter how scared she was, she was staying put.
"You have to stop thinking about us as a couple of innocents," Chloe continued in a quieter tone. "Not after all we've gone through." She chuckled. "The only innocent needing protection in this group is Neal."
"Hey, wait a minute!" Neal protested while giving her points for reducing Dean's tension.
"Chloe's right," Dean declared. "She and Maia can cast spells. I got the armaments covered. As for you . . ." He ended the thought with a shrug.
Neal rolled his eyes. "I charmed a goddess. Never underestimate the power of the con."
"Shouldn't we stop arguing and get started," Maia said. "No telling what's happening to Sam."
Chloe took a breath. "We should hold hands. If we succeed in summoning a spirit, they need to realize we're together. We'll first call on Airmid. She interceded on our behalf at Scotts Bluff. She may do so again."
Was that true? The jury was out on that thorny question, but if the belief boosted the women's confidence, that was good enough for Neal.
Chloe and Maia began to chant. Neal picked up a few words of the Old Irish. If anyone appeared, how would they be able to communicate? Sign language?
The air slowly thickened around them as the fragrance from the infusion grew stronger. The night was overcast, and the clouds seemed to encircle them, enveloping them in a dense mist. Neal was between Maia and Dean. Both their hands felt clammy and cold. The fog penetrated his lungs, making it difficult to breathe.
He heard a rustling to his right and turned his head to see a woman walking toward them. She was clad in an olive-green tunic extending almost to her bare feet. Vegetation dripped from her garment. Her skin had a greenish tinge as did her dark hair. Her eyes were a luminous green.
Who was she? All Neal knew was that she didn't appear human. From their positions on the ground, she towered above them. At a rough guess, she was seven feet tall. In comparison, they were a bunch of hobbits.
The mist thinned as she approached the circle. Dean clenched Neal's hand in an iron vice. Neal stretched his fingers to get Dean to ease up.
"Why did you call me?" The woman's voice was low-pitched. She spoke slowly and carefully. Neal detected a bit of an accent but he couldn't place it.
"We seek your guidance," Chloe said. "One of our friends is missing and we hope you can help us. My name is Chloe."
"I know who you are, Chloe, daughter of Airmid. You, as well as Maia, daughter of Airmid, are welcome in my domain. As for the others . . ." Her features sharpened as she gazed at Neal and Dean.
"We vouch for them," Chloe said hurriedly.
"They carry guns," the spirit said, glaring at them.
"Only to protect us," Chloe insisted. "May I ask who we're addressing?"
"I go by many names—Meskagkwa, Skwakowtemus, and others. Some refer to me as Swamp Woman."
Or the mate of Bigfoot? Neal studied her, trying to imprint her image into his memory so he could paint her. Spirit of the Swamp is what he'd name her. He longed to know how she knew about Airmid.
"We humbly beseech you to help us find my mate," Maia said. Her voice was strong but her hand shook as she reached into her cloth bag. "This is his photo. His name is Sam." She handed the woman the photo.
Meskagkwa's green eyes flickered with recognition as she glanced at the photo. "I know where he is. We assumed he was with those who want to destroy our swamp."
She used the pronoun we. Another clue for Bigfoot?
"He's not," Maia insisted. "He was only here to find others who are missing."
"If you vouch for him, he may go, but not the others." Her face hardened. "We will do everything in our power to preserve the swamp."
"You don't have to worry about that," Dean said. "The developer gave up on the project. The swamp will be added to the nature preserve."
Her eyes bored into Dean. "Why should I trust you?"
"He's not lying," Maia said. "I too have seen the proof that the land won't be developed. Enter my mind if you like. You'll see that I'm telling the truth."
Dean fished inside his jacket. He pulled out a folded sheet of paper. Meskagkwa watched intently as he smoothed out the creases. "This flyer announces a festival in town to celebrate the newly expanded reserve."
Could she read? Somehow she knew English and she'd found out about the proposed development.
Maia took the paper from Dean and held it up to the creature. "You know we're Airmid's daughters. Call on Airmid. Read my thoughts."
When Maia stood up, they all did. Hopefully Meskagkwa wouldn't consider it an affront. He and Dean had left the guns on the ground not that she seemed to be bothered by them. Neal had the uneasy impression she could squash them like bugs if she felt like it.
Meskagkwa leaned toward Maia, blew a greenish gas into her face then placed her hands over Maia's ears. Dean had his lips clenched into a thin line. Neal knew he wanted to rip Maia away. Neal felt the same way. But they didn't have a choice.
Maia stared blankly at Meskagkwa. Her face was now an expressionless mask.
After a long moment, Meskagkwa released her. "Airmid confirms what you speak is the truth." She stepped back and turned to look at Dean. "Your brother and the others are unharmed. They will be returned to you. Follow me." She set off in long strides along the path bordering the hill.
After a short distance, Meskagkwa stopped and faced a rocky outcrop. Murmuring something in an unknown tongue, she passed her hand over the rock's surface. Instantaneously an opening appeared. They followed her inside.
The passage glowed with a faint yellowish light. The ground was sandy and marked with many footprints as well as long gouges of something—or someone—being dragged. In the jumble of impressions, two prints were relatively pristine. They appeared to be made by human feet but were much larger than any Neal had seen. Evidence of Bigfoot?
The passage opened onto a large cave. A pool of water was in the center. Various plants and ferns grew around it. Beside the pool were six bodies—Sam, three men, and two women. All were lying motionless on their backs, their eyes closed. Maia and Dean rushed to Sam at the same time.
Dean released his breath in a slow exhale. "He's got a pulse."
Neal and Chloe checked the others and they also appeared to be breathing normally.
Meskagkwa gazed at them impassively, her arms folded across her chest. "When I awaken them, they will be fine. But they cannot know about me or this place."
"We agree," Dean said promptly. "Sam will never reveal your secrets, but the others shouldn't know the truth. We have a van. We can take them to a part of the swamp far away from this hill before you revive them." He eyed the victims, and Neal could read his mind. Between the two of them, they could carry them out one at a time. Sam's help would be invaluable but he might not be in any shape to assist.
She shook her head. "No one awakens in the cave. After they've been moved away, I will revive them."
Dean grimaced as he scratched his neck while Neal flexed his muscles for the long haul ahead of them. Suddenly he heard a shuffling sound from a dark recess in the cave.
A figure emerged.
Neal gawked at the hairy man standing in front of them. He was several inches taller than the woman, his body covered in coarse black hair. He wore a rough tunic but was barefoot. His amber intelligent eyes took in the group. He'd probably been watching them the entire time.
After a moment, he approached Meskagkwa. Although they didn't say a word, they were somehow communicating with each other. Sparks flashed between their eyes as if they exchanging an electric current.
Dean nudged Chloe, motioning her to speak up. Neal guessed he thought she had a better rapport with Meskagkwa.
"My lady," Chloe said, clearing her throat. "May I ask who this is? I'd like to be able to address him properly."
"He is the spirit of Hockomock," she said. "Many other names exist for him. You may call him Sasquatch."
As in Bigfoot. Peter, you're soooo missing out.
Sasquatch scooped Sam up as if he were a featherweight and hoisted him over a shoulder. Meskagkwa did the same with another man.
Dean exchanged a rueful look with Neal. "Guess we can manage a woman between us." Never had Neal felt like such a wimp.
Sasquatch and Meskagkwa led the way back through the passage. Once they were in the open, Chloe and Maia guided them to the van. In less time than Neal had believed possible, all the victims were safely stowed inside.
Meskagkwa refused to ride with them, but Dean indicated on the map a pullover on the far side of the swamp where she could meet them. By the time they reached the spot, she was already waiting for them. Sasquatch was nowhere to be seen.
"Could you awaken Sam first?" Maia asked. "He'll be able to help us with the others."
"We'll explain we found them passed out along the road as we were looking for Sam," Chloe added.
"Invent whatever tale you like," Meskagkwa said calmly. "That is not my concern." She blew onto Sam and a few seconds later, his eyes opened. At that point, his only danger was the likelihood of being smothered by Maia and Dean. Meskagkwa was anxious to leave so Sam's questions would have to wait to be answered.
"Go in peace, Daughters of Airmid," she said. "I have marked your friends as well. They will be safe too. As for the others, as long as they respect the land, they will not be harmed."
Dean looked up. "Before you go, could you tell us if Pukwudgies are real?"
A smile ghosted her face. "Be glad you haven't met them." She blew gently on the other victims then dissolved into the mist.
#
The others revived almost as quickly as Sam. Dean was happy to let Neal explain what had happened to them. He spun quite a tale about how they'd searched for them in the swamp. Dean called the police on the way to the hospital. It was an odd feeling—but nice—for the police to be grateful. Their usual attitude was to want to toss them in jail. The police didn't realize Sam had been missing, and Dean saw no point in telling them. They were already aware that he and Sam were searching for the victims so readily bought their story.
Neal told the cops he'd driven up with Maia and Chloe to help in the search effort. When they'd stumbled upon the victims, there was nothing to indicate what had happened to them. The police met them at the hospital, and after taking their statements, allowed them to leave.
By the time they got back to the motel, dawn was still a few hours away. No one was sleepy, least of all Sam, who was itching for a detailed report. They stopped at a 24-hour fast-food place to load up on burgers and beer for the celebration feast in the motel room.
"I'm glad I got to see Meskagkwa," Sam said, "but man, I wish I could have met Sasquatch."
"I'll make drawings of both of them for you," Neal offered.
"Thanks. Are you going to tell anyone about them?"
"I'll tell Sara. No one else would believe me."
Sam turned to the women. "If it hadn't been for the locator spell, you probably never would have found us. Which grimoire was it in?"
What should have been a simple question, clearly wasn't. Why were Chloe and Maia exchanging nervous looks? Neal appeared mildly interested but revealed nothing. That in itself was suspicious. They'd driven to Taunton together. Neal must have asked them about it.
"Dean, would you like another beer?" Chloe asked.
"Sure, just as soon as I hear the answer."
She took a breath. When she squared her shoulders, Dean knew he wouldn't like it. "We didn't find it in our grimoires so we called on Crowley."
"Why are you so uneasy?" Sam asked. His eyes widened. "Did he demand something of you?"
"No!" Maia said quickly, then blushed. "Well, yes, but that's not a problem."
When she began stumbling over the words, Chloe jumped in. "You should be happy because we devised a con—we named it Bewitched—and it worked!"
"You conned Crowley?" Dean said. "That's awesome. No reason to be embarrassed."
"Not Crowley." Chloe winced. "Astrena, but you're going to like it," she hastily added. "You and Sam are emissaries of her father now."
"Are you out of your friggin—"
Neal jumped in just as Dean was warming up. "Blame me, not them. It was my idea."
Chloe shook her head. "It was our joint decision. Besides, you said—and I quote—'Do whatever it takes.' " Chloe glared at him. "So we did, and we got Sam back."
As she related the sequence of events, Dean shut his trap. Sam was still basking in the glow of being rescued. Shouldn't that be good enough?
Astrena still had no way to return to Earth. Wasn't it more likely that Dolos would return to plague them once more? And what if Thanatos resurfaced? If they wound up being caught up in an Olympian family feud, they'd need all the allies they could muster. Chloe asserted that if Astrena ever did come back to Earth, she could be banished once more. And her argument that they might need her help with the orchids and the enchanted items in the Mystery Mansion was a powerful one.
Emissary of Erebus . . . Once Dean got over the initial shock, he liked the sound of it. Sure, it was smoke and mirrors, but it had potential. Could they get Crowley to believe it?
As to what the hell Airmid had to do with any of this, he wasn't going to spoil the celebration by mentioning it. Maybe Bobby would know.
Notes: Maia didn't divulge what Crowley demanded but you'll find out in the next chapter. Dean will have to wait a little longer.
