Chapter Four

We Need Your Help

It had been during the airplane-possession fiasco when Dean and Sam last heard anything from their father. He had completely cut off contact and there was no indication if he was hurt or not. The reunion with Amy of course had been unexplainably wonderful, but now the thought of their father had the Winchester brothers more alert of the subject.

They sat in the front row side by side as Amy rolled her desk chair toward them. She sat comfortably and tried a warm smile. Dean and Sam had looks of desperation and worry written across their faces as they waited for her to explain.

"Two weeks ago," Amy started, "I was at the library about three blocks away from here… I was in the Art and Art History section when I noticed this man staring at me. I tried to avoid eye contact so I kept my eyes on the book. But then I couldn't help it…I looked over and the man just went back to reading this book in his hands. I looked at him for a moment and suddenly…I just knew it was your dad. I walked over and when your dad looked up he apologized randomly for staring…he said he thought I looked familiar…and then I told him who I was and that I knew who he was…

"Your dad and I laughed and talked. He said he was staying in Evanston for a bit…apparently he was a civilian aid in some police work and he couldn't tell me anything more. We ended up going to a coffee shop around the corner and just started talking and catching up on the little things. Dean…Sam…"

Amy paused for a moment. She rubbed her hands together nervously and then looked upward into their curious faces. "Your father didn't look well. I don't think he had bathed for a bit. His jacket was wrinkled and I'm pretty sure it was torn in some places. I offered for him to stay with me at my apartment – I have an extra guest room – and he agreed. Your dad left a week ago…but the week he was here with me…he was mostly out during the day…he ate as much as he could" She let out a small laugh, "and we talked a lot during the night. We talked mostly about you guys…I told him, Sam, about all the things you were doing with your life…he was proud…

"It wasn't a long stay. Like I said…it was just a week," Amy finished.

Dean and Sam looked at each other for a moment. Dean was leaning over in his seat, resting his chin in his fist and his arm resting on his knee. Sam tapped his fingers along the arm of the chair and he looked at the floor.

"Did our dad say about where he was going to next?" Dean asked.

She sniffed and Amy replied, "No. He said that you guys would figure it out eventually. He said he had work to do. He told me that if you guys were on the right path…you'd end up finding me eventually…"

Sam nodded. "Did our dad say anything about the type of business he was here with?"

"He couldn't tell me about what he was helping the police with…he was a civilian aid…" Amy explained once more.

Dean and Sam exchanged that look again. Amy looked back and forth, utterly confused.

"Is everything okay…guys?" Amy asked sheepishly.

Dean and Sam looked up automatically and the two slowly smiled. Sam gently said, "Dean and I are sort of in the detective business ourselves nowadays. Our dad too. We just haven't spoken with him in a while."

"What was our dad doing at the library…when you saw him?" Dean asked.

Amy narrowed her eyes for a moment as she thought. Her eyes widened when she remembered and she answered, "Oh yes, he was looking through a book…what was it called…it had a mummy on the cover…oh! History of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia."

Egypt…Dean thought. He was here for the murders.

Sam stood up and Dean followed. Amy stood up as well as she closely studied her old friends' faces.

"Amy…" Sam started slowly. "Dean and I are ecstatic about seeing you again…but we did come on serious matters. We need your help."

"Oh," Amy said softly, looking back at forth from Dean to Sam. "With what?"

Dean reached into the inside pocket of his leather jacket. He pulled out the artifact and slowly handed it to Amy.

She accepted the item gracefully and looked at it for a moment. "Jesus Christ…wow…" she murmured. "This is exquisite. Definitely from Egyptian times…it's amazing – look at the hieroglyphics! This is absolutely wonderful…b-but…" She paused. "There are other markings…symbols…I don't recognize some of the writing."

"Can you translate?" Dean asked hopefully.

Amy kept her eyes on the old papyrus sheet. She held it loosely in her delicate hands. "Sorry, my ancient Egyptian is a little rough. I do recognize some symbols…here's the symbol for a sun, I believe…the cobra…a star…symbol for life…the Eye of Horus…"

"Horus?" Dean asked.

Amy nodded and explained, "Horus – according to the Egyptians – was represented by a falcon-headed god…this symbol is used to protect from evil…"

"To protect from evil…" Sam whispered to Dean.

She continued to look at the artifact with great amazement and confusion. "These other markings are extraordinary. I've never seen anything like it before. They're sort of like…pretty cat scratches…they're just straight or curved lines…some of these loops here…"

Amy finally peeled her eyes away from the Egyptian paper. "Where did you get this?"

"Detective work, Amy. We can't say," Dean explained.

She looked at him for a moment, focusing on his eyes. Dean turned away as he felt tension grew and Amy went back to the artifact.

"I can't translate this," she said gently, "these symbols…and the cat scratches…they all equal words and phrases…"

Dean sighed in distress.

Amy looked up and she turned to Sam. "My friend, Professor Saton, he teaches theology but he's a genius with history. He spent time in Egypt as well. He can help."

Dean looked hopefully at the young woman and smiled. Sam smiled too in joy and nodded his head. "When can we meet with him?"

"Right now."

O.O.O.O.O.