A/N: I don't own the show Supernatural or it characters, though I wouldn't mind taking a ride in the Impala with Sam and Dean.
A/N 2: Um, I know this took awhile, but I promise I never forgot about it, was job hunting but the hunt is over, I got a job in my field! Only part time, but I was singing along with AC/DC today in my car listening to "Back in Black" which was playing on the local classic rock station. This show has me so hooked I now listen regularly :) It was like fate, so I knew I had to post today, even though the chapter is short. But the muses are hopefully back for good, and I'll try to update more regularly.
Dean looked at his brother, more awake now.
"Was it one of those dreams?" he asked.
Sam glanced back, and then shrugged. "I don't know." He said honestly. "It was different."
"Different how?" Dean wanted to know. If Sam's dreams could help them solve the case he was all for it. It had freaked him out at first, then he realized it was like having an ace up the sleeve.
Sam sighed, but gave in. He described what he'd seen, that it was almost as if he was experiencing it first hand. Dean was silent at first, then noticed his brother shifting his ankle uncomfortably. He looked at the clock, noting it was five am. A bit early, but he and Sam usually started early anyway. Mentally shrugging, he decided neither of them was getting back to sleep.
"Dude, that was a weird one, even for you. Either you're letting your imagination get carried away…"
"Or it might have something to do with the missing hikers. Well," Sam said, also looking at the clock "might as well get breakfast and see what we can find out from that backpack. None of the hikers that returned said they lost one. I kinda forgot about it last night."
"Well, we both had other things on our minds." Dean said, thinking about his brother's sprained ankle and the mystery of the bones.
"How's the ankle?" he asked.
Sam tried moving it and winced. "Better. Think I'll take some painkiller and put more ice on before we head out."
Dean nodded and rose from his bed, stretching. He padded to the bathroom, then got dressed and snagged the ice bucket, leaving the room and returning a few minutes later with an ice instead of water filled container. Sam was dressed except for socks and shoes, and smiled his thanks as he filled the ice pack. Folding it around his ankle, he scooted back on the bed to make room for Dean and the red backpack.
The brothers looked at each other, then Dean started opening pouches. There were a few more granola bars, a flashlight, a pen and a pad-they examined it eagerly, but other than instructions to the park it was empty-some bandages, sun block with insect repellent, a coin purse with a lot of change in it-"to leave a trail of pennies if they get lost?" Dean asked, Sam shrugged-and a bottle of water. Sam looked in the main compartment, which had another bottle of water and a map of the park. Upending it, he shook out the backpack until it was empty. A set of keys fell out as well as a photo, slightly wrinkled. Dean snagged the photo, which was in black and white of a man with his arm around a woman. Both were smiling, and they were standing in front of a picnic table, with a stream and woods in the background. He turned it over, and read "Josh and Marie, 2005 vacation".
"Why do those names sound familiar?" Dean muttered.
"Because they are." Sam replied. "Josh Martin and Marie Dinsella are the last two missing hikers. The ones who are hopefully due back tomorrow, if this thing follows the pattern."
"Unless we find them first. Come on, I'm starved. I haven't even had any coffee yet."
"Okay, okay" Sam said, shoving the items back into the backpack. If the two hikers returned, he would drop off their pack for them. Before leaving the motel room, he put on an ankle brace and grabbed the walking stick.
A short while later found the brothers settled in a local diner, eating breakfast and flirting with the waitress. Dean was actually doing the flirting; Sam was flipping through the local paper to make sure no other hikers had gone missing since the last two. Sighing, he was about to give up and started folding the newspaper when a small headline caught his interest.
The pretty brown haired waitress walked off smiling, and Dean turned to his brother, noticing that Sam's plate was still half full.
"Hey, you gonna eat that?" he asked.
"Hmm?" Sam replied absently.
"Your food." Dean said. "You have to keep up your strength if you want to walk back to that hole."
"Okay." Sam said, and not taking his eyes from the small print he started eating again.
"So what is it?" Dean sighed impatiently. Sam had that preoccupied air about him that meant he was on to something.
"Oh." Sam blinked and looked up, finished with his food. He grinned at his brother.
"You found something." It was a statement.
"I think so." Sam nodded. "Take a look. Bottom of page 15 on the left."
Dean accepted the newspaper from Sam and read where indicated.
"A museum opening?" he raised his brows.
Sam sighed. "Keep reading."
Dean did so, mumbling under his breath what seemed to be salient points.
"New wing added on, yadda yadda, restoration, artifacts from the 1800's, new display of mummified bodies discovered three months ago...wait a minute!" he looked up into Sam's excited face.
Without waiting for his brother to even ask the question, Sam nodded. "The first of the hikers started disappearing three months ago-just when the mummies were found and moved. Found in an abandoned field right next to Cheesequake Park."
The brothers shared a look.
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Nate and Jake, I apologize for not updating sooner, but things are starting to come together, so hopefully the wait won't be so long till the next chapter, Solus Nemo, thanks for sticking with this, yes it was sad, but unfortunately necessary for the story-I do hate poachers with a passion, though, Ghostwriter, sorry to make you almost cry, at least this chapter is less tear-inspiring :) Have a good day!