A/N: Nope, don't own them. If I did, I'd make sure there was a second season-though it seems there will be, so I'm happy :)
A/N 2: Though archaeology interests me, I probably got this part wrong, what happens when a find is made. I always loved science, but alas did better with writing and language. Sorry for any mistakes. And thanks for the reviews!
Chapter 8
Sam consulted the map he'd printed out at the library and told Dean to turn left. They were almost there. The Impala pulled up in front of a chain link fence with a "No Trespassing" sign right next to a padlocked gate. Beyond the fence the field was dug up in parts but looked untouched in others. Bright orange tape attached to poles encircled one large open pit in the distance.
"They might as well have shouted 'Something big discovered here!'" Dean said to his brother, nodding at the pit as he opened the trunk.
"I'd be surprised if the place hasn't already been vandalized." Sam agreed, taking out the camera and a shotgun filled with rock salt bullets. Looking at his brother, he also took out a length of rope and a flashlight. He already had his walking stick branch from the car.
Dean grabbed a gun for himself and his homemade EMF meter as well as his new thermal scanner, which measured changes in temperature remotely. He picked up a small shovel then closed the trunk and the brothers walked to the fence, looking it over.
"They don't even have barbed wire on the top." Dean shook his head. "Amateurs. It's like they expect people to break in."
"Maybe they do. More publicity for the museum exhibit." Sam replied.
Shrugging, and making sure the fence wasn't electrified (it wasn't), he climbed over the obstruction and gingerly dropped to the other side. A less elegant thump alerted him to his brother's arrival. Together, they moved carefully toward the open pit, Dean using the EMF meter and Sam looking at the camera's screen. They reached the poles around the pit and looked at each other.
"I got nothing." Dean announced, switching to the thermal scanner. He shook his head at the lack of strange readings.
"Same here." Sam replied, seeing only what he should see on the screen-dirt, grass, poles and the yawning trench in front of him. He stretched his arm with the camera carefully over the tape and kept an eye on what it showed-just a lot more dirt and empty space, not a ghost to be seen.
"Think the ghosts are in the museum? There's nothing here." He said.
Dean shook his head. He also scanned the pit in front of him with both the instruments he carried, only to get no positive readings.
"Hmm. Guess one of us will have to actually go in there and check it out." He turned to his brother.
Sam swiveled his head and looked at his sibling incredulously. "Don't look at me. Hurt leg, remember?"
Dean sighed theatrically. "Fine. Make me do all the work. You are such a pansy."
Sam just shook his head. "Trying to make me feel guilty isn't going to work this time, bro."
Dean shrugged. "It was worth a shot. Hand over the light."
He shined the flashlight's beam over the pit then suddenly grinned, pointing out his find to his brother. Sam nodded, and moved with Dean over to the handy ladder that had been left by the far side. Securing the instruments and leaving the shovel up top for the moment, Dean carefully descended, pausing on the last step to check his surroundings with the EMF and thermal scanner. Reassured by the readings, he set foot on the ground of the trench. Nothing happened. He moved the light around him, noticing it was much more spacious than the hole Sam had fallen into. He saw three little flags incongruously stuck into one of the dirt walls, and then realized that was where the bodies must have been. Using the flashlight he peered intently, but only dirt was there. Moving the EMF meter right on top of the flags he got a weak reading, but it definitely wasn't screaming out. The scanner noted a slightly colder temperature, but it was as if this was merely a residue of what had been there, not an active presence.
"Hey Sammy, toss me the shovel."
"It's Sam, and here. Watch it." Sam replied, carefully lowering the shovel then gently dropping it at Dean's feet.
Figuring that the area right by where the bodies had been discovered would have been cleared of anything next to them, Dean swept the scanner around the dirt walls, and a few feet from the flags the temperature plummeted. Switching to the EMF, there was a positive reading-not as much as he would expect with a spirit, but definitely something. The flashlight showed only dirt, but Dean knew something had to be there. Securing the instruments again, he drew out the gun and held it with one hand as he gently dug into the dirt with the shovel with the other.
"Find anything?" Sam's voice drifted down to him.
"Maybe. Just a sec…" Dean replied, distracted.
"Aha. There you are." He muttered, noticing a faded and rotted cloth had been uncovered. There was still no screaming from the meter, so he didn't think it was another body-it was way too small.
Gently digging under the item into the dirt wall, he scooped it out with the shovel. It had once been a brightly colored cloth bag, but was definitely the worse for wear. Apparently the resin hadn't covered it completely, though he could see a thin film of some sort of substance that must have stopped the bag from completely decaying.
"What is it?" Sam called from the edge of the pit, and Dean noticed the worry and interest in his brother's voice.
"Give me a minute, I'll bring it up. Just want to cover our tracks first." Dean carefully patted some of the dirt back into place, trying to make it look like nothing had been disturbed.
Taking a final look around, he put away the gun and flashlight, held the shovel with the end holding his find horizontal, and carefully climbed the ladder. At the top, the brothers looked at each other. Sam moved the camera over the cloth bag, but didn't see anything unusual. Shrugging, he took out a knife and as cautiously as he could parted the material, knowing he was probably ruining a priceless artifact but solving the mystery came first. Inside was a well used and partially rotted diary.
"Now we're getting somewhere." Dean said with satisfaction.
Sam looked up, and hurriedly replied, "And we'd better be going now. I think the museum people are back."
He pointed with his head towards a side of the field opposite where the Impala sat parked. A large van with "Neptune Museum" lettered on its side was trundling along the road by the fence. In minutes it would be by the gate. Glancing at each other, the brothers broke into a run, Sam hobbling along as fast as his ankle would allow. They reached the car, tossed the supplies in the back and settled in their seats, Sam holding the bag with the diary on his lap, on top of a plastic bag they had received filled with snacks from their last stop. Dean hit the gas, and the Chevy surged away.
Nate and Jake, thanks for reviewing :), Ghostwriter, thanks, and here's my phrase-have a good day :), Beautiful Ally, glad you like, and you're welcome :), and freaks are more common than you think :P, kokomocalifornia, thank you, and here you go :), Kaewi, I do plan on more action but this is what popped out first, hope you like and thanks for reviewing :)(p.s. I love Sam angst too), I-Like-Llamas, definitely going to finish this, wouldn't want to leave you hanging or suspended, and the bear has a reason for being mean, just bear (snicker) with me, and thanks for reviewing :)