"Reno?" Dean asked. "'Biggest Little City in the World' Reno?"
"The one and only," Alicia answered.
"So, what's the case?" Sam asked.
"A series of deaths over the past year," Alicia explained. "One or two per month, all people in their forties and above, and all the deaths attributed to health-related stuff: heart attacks, strokes, things like that."
"You sure they didn't just keel over?" Dean asked. "People die all the time in casinos: all-you-can-eat buffets, smoking, drinking, gambling, sleep deprivation…it catches up to you after a while."
"I know," Alicia replied, "but something about these deaths seemed…odd, you know. It just feels weird."
"What, your witchy sense got all tingly?" Dean teased.
"Something like that," Alicia replied, amused.
"Victims share any connection?" Sam asked.
"All tourists," Alicia answered. "None from the same cities, but there also weren't many details given in the paper, so who knows."
"Not surprising," Dean replied. "A city that specializes in attracting tourists isn't going to be writing articles when they start going belly up."
"So, we're gonna take it?" Alicia asked, hopefully.
Dean looked over at Sam, who shrugged, then he nodded. "Yeah, sure, why not?" he replied. Alicia smiled and kissed his cheek once more before leaning back in the seat. "Could be fun, you know. Buffets," he smirked, "showgirls," he glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Alicia staring at him with an amused smile, arms folded, eyebrow raised. He cleared his throat uncomfortably, his smirk fading. "I mean, buffets, strictly buffets." He glanced at Sam, who was grinning. "Not a word out of you."
"Not saying anything," Sam replied, his voice cracking a little from holding in his laughter. He heard Dean muttering under his breath as he pressed the gas pedal, and the Impala sped off down the asphalt road.
The motel room was dark as the door opened, and Sam walked in, flipping on the lights. The room was bathed in the harsh yellow-white glow as the hunter walked in, followed by Alicia and Dean, all of them with duffle bags slung over their shoulders. Dean put the 'do not disturb' sign on the outside knob before shutting the door and locking it. The trio stopped and tiredly looked around.
The entire decor was a southwest theme, but not the attractive kind. There were two queen beds pushed against one wall, decorated with mustard yellow and red striped bedding, fake and faded wood paneling on the walls, dirty checkered linoleum flooring, some worn down nightstands and lamps, a small table and four chairs situated in a dingy-looking kitchenette. A door on the back side of the room was open, showing off the rusted sink of the room's bathroom, and the sliding door beside it most likely belonged to the closet.
"Okay, Sammy in one bed," Dean said, dropping his bag on the far bed, "Allie and me in the other."
"Fine," Alicia replied, stifling a yawn as she dropped her bag next to Dean's. "I'm gonna take a shower, but first," she turned around, hands raised, "mundus domum." Her eyes and hands glowed purple briefly, engulfing the room in a bright light before fading. "There."
"What was that?" Sam asked.
"House cleaning spell," Alicia replied as she started rummaging through her bag. "Just because I stay in cheap hotel rooms doesn't mean I have to tolerate the filth, so I just give the room a good once over: no dirty floors, disgusting bathrooms, infestations," she grimaced, "questionable stains on the mattress." The brothers looked around the room, and they could see everything looked clean and brand new.
"Huh," Sam said, impressed.
"Hey, you think you could change the decor so it doesn't suck?" Dean asked. "You know, maybe something a little more five-star?"
Alicia smiled. "I don't think there's enough magic in the world to pull that off," she smiled as she pulled out a toiletry bag, a large white bath towel, a purple hair wrap, and matching purple slippers. "I won't be long." She headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. A few moments later, they heard the sound of running water.
"She hunts, she cooks, she cleans, she's hot," Dean replied as he started rummaging through his bag.
"She could hex you by just looking at you," Sam added, amused as he walked over to his bed and dropped his back down, following his brother.
"Like I said, she's hot," Dean said.
Sam chuckled as he pulled out his night clothes. "Looks like you two talked—and you survived."
"Well, who needs a fancy dinner when you got beer and pie?" Dean asked as he sat on the bed and kicked off his boots before shrugging out of his jeans and socks. "You know, Allie was so freaked out by how she was acting, she was actually gonna cast a spell to suppress her emotions. She was doing it when I showed up."
Sam grimaced. "That would've turned out well. So, did you find out why she was acting the way she was?"
"She said she doesn't know," Dean replied as he tossed all his stuff on a nearby chair and pulled back the bedsheets, "but she confirmed it wasn't her hormones, so thanks for almost getting me killed for that one."
"You think something's controlling her?" Sam asked, a little concerned.
"Don't know," Dean replied. "Could be residual werewolf instincts or something else, I don't know. Just keep an eye on her for anything unusual. Don't need her flying off the handle or losing control, especially with her abilities."
"Of course," Sam said as he finished changing into a t-shirt and sweatpants, "but, uh, how are we going to know if anything's unusual? We've only known her a month," he shrugged, "and she's pretty unusual already."
"Yeah, well, do it anyway," Dean replied as he flopped down on one side of the bed on top of the sheets, leaning against the wall.
"What about you?" Sam asked.
"What about me?" Dean retorted.
Sam shrugged. "I don't know," he replied. "It's just…you really care about her, don't you?" Dean didn't say anything, but he glanced at his brother briefly. "Look, you don't have to say anything, but I see how you look at her," he shrugged, "it's like how I used to look at Jesse."
"Okay, I'm gonna stop you right there," Dean replied. "I don't know what you're smoking, but it's not like that. Allie and I just have the hots for each other, nothing serious."
"Yeah, okay," Sam replied, unconvinced. He paused, then glanced at his brother as he put his bag on the floor near the foot of his bed. "You know, I've been thinking about what Bobby asked us to do." He got under the sheets. "Given everything, maybe we should tell her."
"Didn't you hear Bobby?" Dean asked, frustrated. "He said not to tell Allie. Period."
"And you're okay with lying to your girlfriend?" Sam asked.
"It's for her protection."
"Yeah, and we've already seen how she felt when Bobby and Dad pulled that on her. Hell, we were pissed when we found out they pulled that on us about why Azazel came after us."
"Yeah, but we don't have our magic anymore," Dean replied. "She still does, and those sons of bitches need it, so she's the one they're going to be targeting."
"And don't you think she should know that?" Sam asked.
"She already does," Dean replied, "and that's the only thing she needs to know." Sam opened his mouth, but Dean stopped him. "Look, just because Allie isn't talking to Bobby right now doesn't mean what he told us is available for her to hear. We're gonna do what Bobby told us and keep our mouths shut. You hear me?"
"Everything okay?" The brothers looked over and saw Alicia standing in the open bathroom door, a towel wrapped around her body, her hair wrapped in the purple wrap, and her feet in the purple slippers. Sam looked away, slightly embarrassed, but Dean simply grinned lasciviously as he stood up and walked over.
"Everything is just fine," he replied as he put his arms around her waist.
"I need to get my clothes, Dean," Alicia replied, smiling.
"Please don't hurry on my account," Dean said, pulling her close.
"Not yours," Alicia replied, glancing at Sam. "I don't think Sam is entirely comfortable right now."
"He's not," Sam said, keeping his eyes averted.
Dean opened his mouth, but Alicia just simply raised an eyebrow. The hunter sighed, releasing her, allowing the young woman to get her clothes from her bag. She gave him a small kiss on the cheek before heading back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. The hunter turned around, saw Sam's surprised expression, and Dean rolled his eyes as he flopped back on his bed, looking a little pouty as he crossed his arms.
"You know," Sam said, a little amused, "they do say 'patience is a virtue'."
"Bite me," Dean muttered. Sam looked away, smiling. The bathroom door opened, and Alicia came out, this time fully dressed in black shorts and matching tank top, her feet still in the slippers and her hair fully dried and falling over her shoulders in blonde waves.
"Sorry," Alicia apologized to Sam as she walked over and put her things in her bag before dropping it on the floor at the foot of her bed. "Not used to sharing a room." Sam nodded as she got into bed beside Dean.
"Your hair," Dean said.
"Yep," Alicia replied. "A hair dryer takes up space. So, are we ready to go to sleep?" The brothers nodded, and the young woman flicked her hand. The lights switched off, plunging the room into darkness.
"Can you do the 'clap on, clap off' thing?" Dean asked.
"No," Alicia replied.
"Too hard?" Dean asked.
"Too stupid," Alicia answered. The three hunters settled in, Sam turning his back to the wall, while Alicia snuggled under Dean's arm. Sam sighed and closed his eyes, drifting off.
"What are you doing?" Alicia hissed after several moments, causing Sam to open his eyes. "Stop moving."
"I'm trying to figure out where to put my hands without losing them," Dean retorted.
"They were fine where they were."
There was a pause. "You serious?"
"Yes."
"They were on your boobs." Sam's eyes opened.
"Yeah, so?"
Sam sighed, frustrated, as he turned over, putting one of his pillows over his head, but he could still hear them.
"Okay," Dean said slowly, "so what else am I allowed to touch that's not gonna get me into trouble?"
"Well, I'd say—"
"Okay, that's it," Sam interrupted. "Could you two just shut up and have this discussion when I'm not around?" There was silence.
"Sorry," Alicia said quietly after a while.
"Go to sleep," Sam added, curtly. He heard Dean mumble, but he and Alicia refrained from talking any more. Satisfied, Sam sighed and closed his eyes, and all three hunters drifted off to sleep.
The next day, the sun shone bright in the sky as the Impala rolled up beside the curb outside the Reno Police Department, and the three hunters got out. Dean and Sam were wearing their usual FBI suits, while Alicia was dressed in a black pantsuit and matching flats, with her hair pulled into a chignon. The trio headed up the walk and made their way into the entrance and over to the front desk.
"Can I help you?" the desk clerk, a uniformed officer in his mid thirties, asked.
"Yeah, FBI," Dean replied as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a wallet, opening it to show his fake badge. "Agent Gibbons." He nodded at Sam and Alicia as they did the same. "Agents Beard and Agent Nicks. We're here investigating the string of tourists dropping dead over the past year."
The clerk furrowed his eyebrows. "They were all ruled natural deaths," he said. "Hardly anything for the FBI to look into."
"The FBI also has jurisdictional authority to protect the citizens of the United States," Alicia spoke up as the three of them put their badges away. "When they start dropping like flies in one city, the FBI figures it's worth looking into." She leaned over the top of the desk, looking at the clerk sternly. "Now, I suggest you point us to your superior before we slap you and this entire department with an obstruction of justice charge pursuant to Title Twenty-Three, Section Four Oh Seven of the U.S. Code."
The clerk stared at her, his eyes growing wide, and Dean glanced at his brother, mouthing 'she's hot'. Sam just rolled his eyes. The clerk swallowed nervously before picking up his phone and pressing a number. "Uh, sir, there's some agents here about the tourists." He listened for a few moments, then nodded. "Yes, sir." He hung up, then faced the hunters. "Sheriff Egler says you can come back and see him." He nodded past them, indicating a glass door with the words 'Sheriff Brandon Egler' on it. The trio started making their way over. "He also said if you wanted to go see the body, you can meet the coroner downstairs."
The trio stopped, facing the clerk again. "What do you mean 'body'?" Sam asked.
"Just this morning," the clerk replied. "Hotel on the main strip, housecleaning came in to take care of the room, and found the room's occupant dead on the floor. Coroner should be looking at the body right now."
"Okay, Agent Beard, you go look at the body," Dean instructed, "and Agent Nicks and I can talk to the sheriff."
"Would you mind if I looked at the body with Agent Beard?" Alicia asked.
A flicker of disappointment flashed across Dean's eyes. "Sure," he replied calmly. He abruptly headed off toward the office. Alicia looked a little worried as she glanced at Sam.
"Thank you for your time," Sam said to the clerk before he and Alicia headed off.
"Did I say something wrong?" Alicia asked as they headed down the stairway, following the signs to the coroner's.
"I think Dean was hoping you'd go with him," Sam explained gently as they made their way down the corridor.
"Oh," Alicia replied, slightly guilty. "It's just that I can usually get a lot more information off a body." She glanced at Sam. "You think he's mad at me?"
"Dean's just pouting, don't worry," Sam reassured her. "He'll get over it." He glanced at her. "You know he likes you, right?"
"I know," Alicia replied.
"No, I mean, he really likes you," Sam reiterated.
"I know, Sam," Alicia said, smiling. "And the feeling's mutual, if you're wondering." The two hunters headed into the morgue and saw a middle-aged woman, standing over a body, dressed for and finishing up an autopsy on a middle-aged man. She looked up when she saw the hunters.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"Agents Beard and Nicks," Sam answered as he and Alicia briefly showed their badges. "We're here investigating the string of tourists who've died within the past year. What can you tell us?"
"Doctor Rebecca Gillman," the woman said. "With all due respect, Agents, I'm not really sure there's much here to tell. No sign of foul play, nothing unusual. All the vics were tourists, middle-aged, died of heart attacks, which isn't surprising given the environment in this city," she nodded at the victim, who was clearly overweight, "or the health condition of the victims."
"You don't approve?" Alicia asked.
"No, but it keeps me busy," Gillman said.
"Who's the latest?" Sam asked.
"Jason Talbert," Gillman replied. "Forty-two, married, two kids, from Houston, Texas, and his death—like the others—points to a heart attack. Like I said, nothing out of the ordinary."
"Well, even if that's the case," Sam said, "you mind if we take a look at the previous reports?"
Gillman tilted her head, amused. "You think you'll find something I missed, Agent?" She took off her face shield and put it on the table before removing her gloves and apron, throwing them away. "Come on." She walked back to her office. Sam followed, giving Alicia a look, and the young woman nodded as he headed into her office.
Alicia quickly walked over to the body, grabbing a pair of gloves and putting them on. She walked over to the body and began examining the open cavity, gingerly moving around organs, trying to find something out of the ordinary. "Ostende." Her eyes glowed purple and darted around, but she couldn't find anything unusual, except some of the organs were not in the body. Sighing, the glow faded as Alicia looked around, spotting the trays that contained the victim's heart. The young woman reached for the heart, but as soon as she picked it, it felt as if her hand was on fire. She shouted in pain as she dropped the heart, and it clattered loudly. A few moments later, both Sam and Gillman rushed out of the office, seeing Alicia standing next to the body, clutching her hand.
"What happened?" Gillman asked.
"I, uh, I was looking at the body," Alicia said as she removed her gloves and tossed them into the trash can, "trying to see if there was anything out of the ordinary. You know, a second pair of eyes and all."
"Agent Nicks," Gillman said, a little annoyed, "I know you have jurisdiction here, but next time you want to examine one of my bodies, at least have the professional courtesy to ask me first."
"Yes, ma'am," Alicia replied. She gave Sam a look, and he nodded.
"Thank you for your time," Sam said. "We'll let you finish up." The two hunters quickly headed out of the room, walking quickly down the corridor. Sam saw the troubled look on Alicia's face. "What happened?"
"I don't know," Alicia replied. "The body was fine, nothing out of the ordinary, but as soon as I touched the guy's heart, it was like I was holding hot metal."
"It burned you?" Sam asked.
"Felt like it," Alicia answered.
"Do you know what that means?" Sam asked as they headed up the stairs.
"Just that we are dealing with something supernatural," Alicia replied, "and it's not benevolent. Any luck with the reports?"
"No, nothing I could see," Sam said. They reached the main lobby where Dean was waiting for them.
"There you are," Dean said. The three of them headed out of the building, walking back to the Impala. "So, any luck with the body?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary," Sam replied, "unless you count Alicia getting burned when she picked up the guy's heart."
Dean glanced at Alicia, confused. "Come again?"
"I touched the guy's heart, and it felt like I was holding fire," Alicia explained. "I'm sure I'd have had the same reaction with the other vics."
"So, what does that mean?" Dean asked as they reached the Impala. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," Alicia replied, "and all it means is that we're definitely dealing with something." She shrugged. "If I have a little time, I could probably trace where it's coming from."
"I think I might have a lead there," Dean said. "When I was talking with the sheriff, he mentioned something interesting. Turns out all the victims, including the current one, visited the same casino hours before they died: the Atlantis. Authorities checked it out, found nothing out of the ordinary, surprise, surprise, but they kept that little tidbit out of the papers to avoid any bad business." He looked between the two of them. "So, you two in the mood to play some Craps?"
(End of Chapter 6)
Author's Note: Just a little FYI: there is an actual code for Title 23, Section 407 of the United States Code. It's for "Innovative Project Grants for Highways". I wanted something ridiculous, but real, that would come across as humorous.
