The Chaos Tree
Chapter 07
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The sun was cresting the horizon as David and Brian raced along the freeway toward New Haven Kentucky. Brian kept shooting furtive glances over at his friend, who was leaning against the passenger front door, hunched over and moaning. Occasionally his form rippled and blurred, as though David was unable to hold himself together.
"I think we should get back to Chicago," Brian said for perhaps the tenth time. "You need to see a Doctor Baine."
David Lassiter held his stomach and groaned. He should never have opened the box. The text on top said not to open it, but he'd done it anyway. His body shifted from young to older and back again. "No," he said on a groan. "I need to get to Dean Winchester before it's too late. Baine is flying in to Louisville. He can meet us at Winchester's." Doctor Wilson Baine was a noted expert on shapeshifter physiology, and a lifelong friend of David's family.
Brian clenched his jaw, but nodded anyway. "Okay." After a moment, he asked, "Do you think the witch can do anything?"
Truthfully, David didn't know. Joshua Sawyer was a skilled witch, but he didn't know if he would be able to help. He didn't even know if Wilson could help. He might be done for, all because of his damned curiosity.
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Earlier, before dawn…
David sipped some coffee as he stared at his notes. He'd gone to bed before Brian last night, but had woken up around five and hadn't been able to fall back to sleep. Figuring they would be leaving soon for Kentucky anyway, he decided he might as well get dressed and see if there was more he could find out about the inscription atop the very intriguing box. The lid, though small, held a lot of information. There were four lines of script across the center. Between each line there were small sigils set in different places: between the first and second line, the sigil was set between the third and fourth word; between the second and third line it was set between the second and third word; between the third and fourth line, it was between the fourth and fifth word. There had to be a reason for such placements. Though he wasn't a language expert by any means, he'd been to enough conferences with Brian to recognize a few language distinctions. Like that in many Eastern writings, especially Hebrew, vowels were placed beneath the consonants in certain places denoting which vowel was being used and how it sounded.
Eyes going to the upper right hand corner of the box, he noted a carving that appeared to have Ancient Asian influence. Brian said it was possibly from oracle bones at Anyang, a Shang Dynasty capital. They were the oldest forms of Chinese language. He hadn't found the specific symbol, but there were enough similarities to others that he hypothesized the symbol meant, Out.
About a half inch in from the upper left corner, and a third of an inch down, there was another symbol Brian said was Phoenician. The language expert was pretty sure it was qōph, which meant Eye of Needle. Along the lower portion of the top, there were seven symbols all placed within a quarter inch of one another, but not in a symmetrical line; they were put in some sort of abacus-like sequence that Brian thought was important. Frowning, David picked up Brian's notes of what the symbols could be. He thought a couple might be hieroglyphs or possible cuneiform, but the other five were unknown.
The lines on the middle of the box were what Brian had speculated was an early form of Sumerian, the oldest written language in the world. While he hadn't been able to fill in all the words as of yet, the ones they had filled in were intriguing.
Hidden (two undeciphered symbols) time,
(Three+ undeciphered symbols) mankind dwelled
Wailing for knowledge gained (two undeciphered symbols)
Beware chaos (three undeciphered symbols) Halt unlock
The last line was the most haunting; beware, chaos, more words then halt unlock, or Brian said it meant do not open. David studied the small box again. The box was dangerous, he knew that. Did the silver-haired man open it in the club? Is that why the fights broke out? Crossing was known for violence and fights. It was one of the reasons he and Brian stopped there occasionally; to let off a little steam. So logically he couldn't connect up the box and the fights. But Brian suddenly punching him? Yes, there had to be a connection. One of his closest friends since childhood, Brian was as retiring as a Shapeshifter could be. Calm, contemplative and studious. Brian wouldn't punch him without provocation.
Picking up the box, David studied the smooth, ancient piece. It could take weeks to decode the sigils, words and symbols across the surface. What would happen if he did open the box? Yes, the last line of script was a warning. But the most expedient path to finding out what was in the box was to open it. But he wouldn't do it alone. Brian would watch and stand guard in case he was needed. Looking over at the bed near the bathroom wall, he could tell his friend was deeply asleep. He'd probably stayed up most of the night working on the translations.
Standing, David went into the bathroom and took a shower, shaved and got dressed for the day. When he walked out, he noted it was just after six in the morning. Stepping close to Brian's bed, it was with some regret that he woke his friend.
"Wha…" Brian murmured, turning slowly and blinking sleepily up at David. "Time to go?"
"Not just yet," David said. "But there's something I want to do, and I need you up. Plus, I'd like to get on the road. It's just over three hours to Winchester's home."
Shifting onto his back, Brian gave David a disgruntled look. "I still think we should just take the box home, work on the inscription. Why should we give it to Winchester?"
"Because this is what he does."
"He's the enemy," Brian stated.
David shrugged slightly. "Possibly. But he and the Brotherhood have left Chicago to us to patrol and keep in line. I think that says a lot about his tolerance."
"Maybe," Brian retorted grudgingly.
Smiling, David wacked the other man on the legs and said, "Get up. I'm going to open the box."
That announcement got Brian up and out of bed in a flash. "What?!" he exclaimed. "No, you are not going to open that box. The inscription says it's dangerous."
"Technically the inscription says beware, chaos," David observed.
"It says do not open," Brian countered, coming right up in David's face. "Ancient languages, ancient times were not like our modern era. They said what they meant. Simple words carried weighty warnings. This box saying do not open is important and not to be disregarded."
David sighed. "I know the warning is dire. But these symbols and sigils…" he waved his hand at the box, "it could take weeks to decipher."
"You said Winchester had resources that could help."
"Yes, he does. But we don't know that even with his resources this won't take weeks."
"And we don't know the reverse," Brian declared. "If we're going all the way there to turn over the box, give them the chance to figure this out before we take a possibly fatal step."
David chuckled. "Now who's being melodramatic?"
Brian growled.
Stowing his humor, David said earnestly, "I know it's risky. But I believe the silver-haired man opened the box in the club and we're fine."
Frowning, Brian asked, "How could you possibly know that?"
"Because you hit me," David said simply.
Brian flushed. "I…"
Waving his hand, David came over and gave Brian's arm a comforting squeeze. "I know you didn't mean to do it, you wouldn't have done it. That's how I know he opened the box. Because you wouldn't."
Brian sighed. Knowing David was determined to jump the gun, he also knew he would be there to watch over his friend like always. "Okay, fine. Let me get ready. I want our things packed and ready to go if something goes wrong."
"Like what?"
"I don't know, but I want to be ready." Holding up a hand to forestall any arguments, Brian stated, "You've waited this long, you can wait another twenty minutes for me to get showered and dressed." Heading toward the bathroom, he said over his shoulder, "You can pack our things while I'm inside."
"Yeah," David muttered as the bathroom door shut with a little more force than was absolutely necessary. "I'm the head of the biggest and strongest non-human faction in Chicago, and I'm the one cleaning up the room."
Twenty-five minutes later, with the bags packed and sitting by the hotel room door, David and Brian stood in the center of the room holding the box.
Brian looked nervous and extremely reluctant to move forward. "I still think we should wait," he said one last time.
"Maybe we should. But something in me says what's in here is too important to wait." David shook his head. "I don't know why, but it is."
"Okay. But just tip the lid. Don't open it completely, all right?"
"Yeah, okay."
David looked at the box and made sure he had the hinged part facing Brian with the end that would open facing him. Taking a deep breath, he cracked open the box … and the world spiraled away.
"David!"
.
Now…
"We're almost there," Brian said again, as he tried to keep his speed down through the streets of New Haven. Luckily it was the weekend, a time when many people took it easy in the morning and the day started later.
"Time is it," David murmured, grunting as his body shifted again.
"A little before nine."
David glanced slowly over at his friend. "You made time."
"I went ninety the entire way. We'll probably get a ticket in the mail. I think I left two highway patrol cops in the dust."
"I'll … take care … of it," David grunted. "Need to call Dean."
"Why?"
"His home … will be warded," David said, grimacing slightly as he shifted again. "Either he'll let us in, or he'll need … to come to us."
Brian pulled his cell from his pocket and called.
"Hello?" said a female voice.
"Dean Winchester, please," Brian said. A moment later a male voice came on.
"This is Winchester."
"My name is Brian Mayfare. Do you remember David Lassiter?"
"From Chicago," Dean said.
"Yes. We're on our way to you on urgent business," Brian said. "We're in possession of an artifact you should see and we're bringing it to you. Do we have permission to come to your home?"
There was silence for a moment as Dean considered the ramifications of allowing shapeshifters onto his property. Monsters weren't welcome here, but he'd dealt with David occasionally through the years. Lassiter had done an admiral job keeping the monster population of Chicago under control. Making a decision, he said, "Give me thirty minutes. I'll have someone meet you at the gate. They'll have potion pouches for you to wear, and he'll escort you to the house."
"Thank you," Brian said and hung up. Glancing over at David, he said, "We're on."
David nodded. He hoped his body held together a little bit longer.
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"You sure allowing shapeshifters here is a good idea?" Sam asked. "Everyone is coming over today."
"I don't like monsters at the farm," Caleb said. He and Sam had always felt protective of Dean's family and his home. Monsters just didn't come to the farm.
"David Lassiter worked a hunt with me and Sam years ago, and he's kept the monster population in Chicago under control for decades. We haven't had to do a job there except a simple haunting for years."
"I know who he is," Caleb stated impatiently.
"Well, it's not like we haven't worked with monsters before," Sam said.
Caleb rolled his eyes. "I don't like them coming here," he stressed.
"I don't believe they're a threat, and they were already on their way," Dean said with a sigh. "We'll find out what's what and send them home."
Ryker walked into the living room, holding up two pouches. "These pouches give temporary entry onto the farm. When they're ready to leave, I'll take them back to the road and retrieve the spell pouches."
Dean nodded. "Thanks."
"I'll head down the drive and wait for them," Ryker said, snagging his coat from the stand in the hallway. "Also, Juliet said breakfast will get cold if you don't get in there."
"Noted," Dean said, leading the way into the kitchen.
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Brian's speed surged as he got through New Haven and out onto the more rural roads. Within ten minutes he'd reached the outer gates to Dean Winchester's farm. A very tall young man stood beside a car. Brian slowed to a stop and rolled down his window.
The young man approached and said, "Put these on, please."
Brain took the pouches and slung one over his head, and the other over David's.
Ryker smiled. "Follow me."
Nodding, Brian put the car in gear and started down the dirt road to the Winchester farm house.
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Juliet passed the platter of scrambled eggs Caleb. "Should we set the table for two more?"
"I think they just want to drop something off, then they're leaving," Dean said, passing the basket of biscuits to Sam.
"Why couldn't they just leave whatever it is with Ryker?" Caleb asked, topping off his coffee mug. Suddenly, a sharp needle-like pain stabbed through his head, leaving a throbbing ache behind. Grimacing slightly, he reached up and massaged his forehead.
Dean shrugged, filling his plate. "Maybe he wanted a face-to-face. I haven't seen Lassiter in…" he paused, thinking back, "seven years? Something like that."
Sam took the scrambled eggs that had been passed his way and was ladling his plate when the faint throbbing in his head intensified. Handing the platter off, he got up and grabbed the bottle of aspirin.
"This looks amazing, as always," Onida said, grinning. Family, all sitting around the table over a meal was something she hadn't had for years, and she enjoyed it every time she came over.
"Thanks," Juliet said with a smile. She loved preparing Saturday breakfasts for family. Since Ben, JT and Jimmy were grown and had their own places, it wasn't often her weekend table was full and she could lay out a spread. She planned on a lingering breakfast replete with great conversation and laughter.
Caleb grimaced again as he passed the plate of biscuits on to Onida.
"When are Joshua, Carolyn and Nicholas getting here?" Juliet asked.
"Around eleven," Dean said. He got a text and looked down at his phone. Guests arrived. Coming in.
"You know we don't do phones at the table," Juliet chided, smiling.
"Just Ryker letting me know our guests have arrived," Dean said. Rising, he went into the living room and checked out the front window. The vehicles were a short distance from the house when a cry of pain split the chatter of conversation in the kitchen.
"ARRHHGGG!"
Dean dashed back into the kitchen as Caleb staggered from the table, holding his head in his hands, moaning. Doubling over in pain, he dropped to his knees, blood dripping from his nose onto the kitchen floor.
"Caleb!" Onida cried as she bolted from her chair. When she touched Caleb, she snatched her hands back as though she'd been scorched.
"Dean…"
Dean jerked around to see that Sam was holding his head like Caleb, his eyes wide. Blood was leaking from his nose.
Just then Ryker opened the front door and stepped inside. Hearing the commotion from the kitchen, he rushed in saying, "What the hell?"
A moment later Brian stepped into the doorway, supporting David.
Caleb groaned again and collapsed onto his side. Sam's head was down on the table, a narrow trail of blood running across the wood surface.
"Ryker," Dean barked, and pointed to Sam. "Onida, find out what's wrong with Caleb." Turning, he went to the front door.
"I…" Onida looked startled, then immediately nodded and leaned over the older man. "Caleb, can you hear me?"
That Caleb moaned in response was a good sign that he was at least somewhat coherent.
A towel appeared over her shoulder and Onida nodded to Juliet. Onida put the towel to Caleb's face. "Tell me what's wrong," she demanded.
"It's … wrong," Caleb muttered on a moan. "Stop … it …"
At the door, Dean eyed David, who was completely white, his face shifting slightly between his younger and older self.
"We need help," Brian said. He had David's arm over his shoulder as he supported the other man. "Can we come in?"
Dean nodded and stepped aside just as Caleb cried out again.
"What's going on?" Dean demanded, keeping hold of the door.
"Are you going to let us in or not?" Brian demanded. "He needs to sit."
Dean didn't feel threatened by Brian or David, so he stepped back and led them into the living room.
Brian lowered David onto the sofa and sat down beside him. "Hanging in there?" he asked.
"Yes," David moaned. "Tell him."
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Onida took a deep breath, orienting and centering herself before she reached out and touched Caleb again. Even still, she gasped as her entire core was shaken. His mind was shifting wildly on a molecular level, almost as though his cells were phasing. Something was causing the imbalance, and she couldn't help rectify it if she couldn't shield him. Opening her eyes, she looked around and saw Ryker leaning over Sam, who was slumped onto the kitchen table. "Protection circle," she snapped.
Ryker immediately ran out of the room and leapt up the stairs. He returned seconds later with his wand.
"Get them side by side," Onida ordered.
Ryker and Juliet grabbed Sam and dragged him near to where Caleb lay on the floor. Juliet quickly shoved the kitchen table and chairs to the side and out of the way as Ryker stretched Sam out beside Caleb. Beginning the protection chant, Ryker moved around all five of them, making sure there was enough room for legs and movement. Just before the circle was closed, he murmured another few words, pricked his finger and sealed the circle with his blood. A bright blue light raced in a circle around the five and hovered about three inches above the ground.
Juliet stared at the display, wide-eyed. She knew magic existed, knew the supernatural did as well. But rarely has she seen it enacted within her own home.
As soon as the circle closed, Caleb collapsed onto the floor, unmoving.
Onida immediately leaned in, closed her eyes and touched Caleb's head. Slowly she touched the brain cells focusing on the pulsing right para hippocampal gyrus and the amygdala. Soon, she had a headache, but Caleb's cells stopped bouncing all over the place. When she pulled back, she slumped slightly and rubbed her throbbing temple.
Slowly Caleb opened his eyes.
"Are you all right?" Ryker asked anxiously.
Swallowing gingerly, Caleb pushed himself up and nodded. "I … think so." His head felt twice its usual size and ached like the throbbing of a stubbed toe. Looking around, he noted Sam on the floor, unconscious, blood dripping onto a towel beneath his nose. "Sam!"
"I got it," Onida assured him. "Just give me a second."
"She needs some food," Caleb mumbled, wiping at his own bloody face with a towel.
"Can I get out without disturbing the circle?" Juliet asked.
Ryker nodded.
Stepping outside the glowing oval, Juliet picked up a biscuit and tucked two pieces of bacon inside before she returned to the circle and handed the food to Onida.
Onida gave Juliet a weak smile before quickly eating, grateful her energy levels were evening out. When she finished, she went over to Sam, closed her eyes once again and touched his temples.
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Dean stepped back into the living room from the kitchen and demanded, "What's going on?"
David pushed himself up into a sitting position and tried desperately to control his body. "Good … to see you again, Dean."
Dean sighed. Crossing the floor, he sat down in a chair opposite the sofa. "Cut the crap and tell me what's happening. Are you all right?"
"I've … been better," David stated, grimacing. "I did something stupid, and now have to … pay the price." Glancing toward the kitchen, he had a feeling he knew who had cried out. "Are Caleb and … Sam all right?"
Dean's eyes widened slightly. How had David known Sam and Caleb were in trouble? "They'll be fine in a minute. What about you?"
"Truthfully, I don't know," David stated.
"Doctor Wilson is on his way here," Brian stated. "I hope he's able to help."
Dean did too. David Lassiter had been very successful in keeping the monster families of Chicago in line, and that made his own job much easier. He didn't want the Shapeshifter to die. "He's a shapeshifter?"
"Yes," Brian said.
Dean nodded, feeling like he'd lost all control of this situation. Caleb and Sam down for the count, shapeshifters in Pastor Jim's living room, yeah, this was turning out to be a catastrophe of a morning. "Have him call when he gets close. We'll bring him in."
"Brian … will tell you about … the box … everything," David murmured as he slumped back and closed his eyes.
Brian leaned over his friend a moment, then sighed and turned to Dean. "We were in Mount Vernon Illinois last night, at a club called Crossing. It's known as a haunt for the young and reckless."
"Didn't you stand out?" Dean asked.
Brian smiled and shifted into a younger version of himself from some twenty years ago.
"Oh, yeah."
"We don't stop there often, but it's a great place to just relax, play some pool, maybe throw a punch or two. We were having a couple of beers when I just…" Brian shook his head in resigned disgust, "I suddenly punched David."
David opened his eyes and glared at his friend. "For the last time, not your fault."
"I know, I know," Brian sighed. "Anyway, at the same time fights broke out all over the place. David goes for the door and sees this guy coming around the far side of the building. He gets into a…"
"Let me guess," Dean interrupted, "a matte, black sports car."
David's eyes shot open and he pushed himself up. "How did you know?"
"I'll get into that later. Go on."
David stared at Dean a moment before nodding to Brian as he leaned back against the sofa.
"When he drove off, we went around the corner where he'd been, and David found this…" Brian pulled a small box from his pocket and held it out.
Dean took the box gingerly and examined it. "What is it?"
"Truth? I'm not sure. David found it buried around the side of the building."
Juliet came to the doorway and Dean looked over. "How are they?"
"They're fine. Onida took care of it."
Dean looked over at the Shapeshifter, then suddenly stood. Looking to Brian, he said, "I'll be right back." Hurrying into the kitchen, he was gratified to see Sam and Caleb sitting up inside the protection circle. "You both all right?"
Sam nodded, a towel still held under his nose. "We're fine. Headache."
"Massive headache," Caleb corrected.
Dean smiled and looked at Onida. "Thanks. You think you might be able to help Lassiter?"
"He's a shapeshifter," Caleb declared.
"And she's only healed humans," Sam said, looking to Onida, "right?"
"But she fought Owl Witches. They're not human."
"And I'm right here," Onida declared, giving everyone a glare. Pushing herself up off the floor, she said to Dean, "Shapeshifters?" At Dean's nod, she said, "I'll try."
"Then I'm going too," Caleb declared.
"I wouldn't…" Ryker started to say, but he was too late. Caleb had taken only one step outside the circle before he cried out in pain and his noise started bleeding again. Rolling his eyes, the young Advisor helped Caleb sit back down the moment Dean pushed him back inside the circle. "What I was going to say," he stressed, "is that Onida said you felt the effects of whatever is going on before we got to the door. His being inside the house should make it worse. Stay inside the circle until she sees if she can help."
"All right, fine," Caleb groused. Looking over at Dean, he said, "Don't let her do anything if it's too dangerous."
"Again," Onida stated, a warning threaded through her voice, "Standing right here. I'll check the situation out, see if I can help." When she saw the concern on Caleb's face, she leaned down and said, "I'll know whether I can or not, so don't worry."
Brian looked up when Dean re-entered the living room. "You have someone who might be able to help?"
"Maybe," Dean said cautiously.
A moment later Onida walked in. Going toward David, she frowned when she saw his body morphing. "I don't know what your cells normally look like, so I don't know if I can help."
"Can you use me as a blueprint?" Brian asked.
"Maybe. I'm going to touch your head. Can you shift while I'm touching you so I can see how your cells function?"
"Yes," Brian said, "But this is happening all over his body."
"I understand. But for Caleb and Sam the disturbance centered in the brain, and when you shift, isn't that an act of your mind choosing to change?"
"It is," David murmured.
"Then that's where I'll start."
Onida touched Brian's head, frowning slightly. "Interesting," she murmured. "Wow, that's interesting." After a second, she said, "Okay, change."
Brain shifted from his forty-something self to his younger twenty-something self.
"Ooh, very interesting," Onida mumbled. Disengaging from Brain, she immediately touched David's temples. Gasping, she winced at the chaotic collision of cells.
Dean leaned forward, ready to intervene.
"If she's in any danger, I'll separate them," Brian declared.
"Thank you," Dean said.
A car sounded from outside, and Dean stood, looking out the window. Juliet walked into the hallway indicating that she'd hear the car as well. "It's Joshua, Carolyn, Max and Nicholas," he said.
"I'll take care of it," Juliet said, moving to the front door.
The front door opened and Juliet said, "Hello!" Looking around Joshua, she saw Max carting a cage with the puppies. Smiling at Nicholas, she said, "Why don't you and your mama come with me and we'll let the puppies out in the backyard after their ride."
Nicholas looked up at Joshua. "Back?" he murmured.
Joshua crouched down and said, "Let's take care of the puppies first, then we'll see your godfather, all right?"
Nicholas smiled and nodded. Juliet met Joshua's eyes for a moment as she stepped out the front door. The screen door shut behind her. Looking to Max, she said, "Follow me!" She held out a hand for Nicholas, and together she and Carolyn led the young boy around the side of the house, Max following, though he looked back over his shoulder at Joshua.
Joshua stepped inside the house, asking, "What's up?"
Dean gave him a quick synopsis of the last hour, which had Joshua rushing into the kitchen to check out Caleb and Sam.
"Are you two all right?" Joshua asked from outside the protection circle.
Caleb nodded as Sam said, "Pretty much, yeah."
"Headache," Caleb added.
"They're all right as long as they stay inside the circle," Ryker informed his mentor. "One foot outside and the nose bleeds and head trauma starts immediately."
Rolling his eyes, Caleb said, "It wasn't that bad."
"You were on the floor practically unconscious," Ryker stated firmly.
Joshua went immediately to the stove to make some of the tea he usually mixed when either Caleb or Sam had headaches resulting from psychic encounters. "Want to tell me what happened?"
"Truth is," Caleb said, "we don't know. Maybe David Lassiter has the answer."
Joshua turned around. "The shapeshifter from Chicago?"
Caleb nodded. "Said he was delivering something. Must be important, to come here from Chicago."
Joshua pulled down a couple of mugs, and poured in the lukewarm liquid. Taking it over to the circle, he said, "Sorry it's not very hot, but I thought you'd like some relief."
First Caleb, then Sam took the mugs and drank.
"I'm going to see what's happening," Joshua said, leaving the kitchen.
.
Back in the living room, Brian looked at Dean, his brows raised in question.
"Barbeque today," Dean answered the unasked question.
Brian's eyes closed a moment before he murmured, "I'm sorry."
Joshua walked over to where Dean was sitting, Onida working nearby. "They're drinking some of my tea," he said softly.
"Shhhh," Onida mumbled, as she frowned. Her face was pale as she attempted to stabilize cells that were meant to shift and change shape. Suddenly she smiled. There was a frequency, a spiral code to the Shapeshifter cells that she could tap into. She focused on resonating the cells to that frequency, and the molecules began to stabilize. It took almost all her energy, but she was able to stabilize David's cell structure to match Brian's before she slumped back, nearly falling out of the chair in which she was sitting.
Dean leaned over quickly and held her in place. "I got you," he murmured. Over his shoulder, he said, "Joshua; see if Caleb can step outside the circle now."
A moment later, Caleb rushed into the living room and lifted Onida into his arms.
Giving him a tired smile, Onida patted his cheek lightly and murmured, "Food, then sleep."
Nodding, Caleb walked out.
Sam stepped into the living room followed by Joshua and now Max, who'd come in through the back door. "Is everything all right?"
"Looks like it," Dean said, rising. Over his shoulder he saw Juliet standing in the doorway. Walking over, he murmured, "The kitchen?"
"We're putting it to rights. Ryker is cleaning up the protection circle." She looked over at Brian who was hovering over David as the later slowly sat up, stretching his arms and shoulders. "They're invited to lunch."
Dean huffed out a laugh and nodded.
"Are you all right?" Brian asked anxiously.
"I think I'm fine," David answered, marveling. Suddenly he shifted into his twenty-something self, the self Dean had met for the first time years ago, before allowing his body to shift back into his older self. "I'm fine." Looking at Dean, he said, "Thank you."
"Thank Onida," Dean said. "Want to finish telling me what's going on and what's in the box?"
"Truth is, David didn't get a good look inside the box before his body went haywire," Brian said. "So that part's still a mystery. But I do have more information." He resumed the narrative about the box and decoding the symbols and sigils on top as Sam and Joshua came over. Dean handed them the box, and they leaned in close to examine the lid. Pulling out the sheaths of papers, Brian went over his findings, excitedly answering Sam and Joshua's questions.
After a few minutes, Dean looked over at David and saw the other man was almost asleep, his eyes half-massed. Smiling, he rose and motioned for David to follow him into the kitchen.
Juliet and Carolyn were outside in the back playing with an excited Nicholas who was showing off his puppies. Ryker and Max were preparing the barbeque, and Dean knew the young advisor was bringing Max up to speed on all that had happened in the last day.
Moving to the table, now back in its usual spot, Dean asked, "Want some eggs?"
"Thank you," David said wearily. "I haven't eaten since yesterday noon."
Dean put the bacon back in the pan to warm up, the biscuits were returned to the oven on low. Though there were eggs left from their aborted breakfast, he hated the rubbery texture cold eggs acquired after sitting for too long. Cracking five fresh eggs into a bowl, Dean added some spices and seasoning and whipped them vigorously before pouring the mixture into a large skillet on the stove. "There's coffee in the pot," he said.
David nodded. Clamoring slowly to his feet, he pulled a mug from the open cupboard and poured himself a cup. Taking a few bracing sips, he sat back down and sighed. After a moment, he murmured, "I shouldn't have opened the box."
Dean glanced over his shoulder at the Shapeshifter and said, "Tell me what happened without all the glyphs, sigils and symbols mumbo-jumbo."
David chuckled and told Dean about the man at the club, and how he'd felt his power the moment he walked inside.
"You could sense he was powerful?"
"You can't be in a position of keeping peace in a territory of non-humans without recognizing power when it walks in the door," David explained. "It resonated from his like a … a current."
"An aura?" Dean supplied. He'd been around Onida enough that he recognized the power of auras.
"No, much more powerful than that," David stated. "An aura is a manifestation of self. This was more like a manifestation of everyone's self."
David turned around, two plates balanced in his hands and froze. "Everyone?"
"That's as close an analogy as I can come up with."
Dean placed a plate in front of David, and sat down opposite.
Picking up a fork, David dug quickly into his full plate, relishing the warmth of food in his belly after such a long abstinence. He figured conversation could wait, seeing that Dean was also concentrating on his meal.
As Dean ate, though, his thoughts were focused on what could possibly have an aura-like power of everyone. Would angels? Had David ever sensed one?
Once the edge was taken off his hunger, David took another sip of coffee and said, "Anyway, right after Brian punched me, I looked back around at the table in the corner, and the man was gone. I rushed to the door and checked outside. That's when I saw him come around the far corner of the building, get into a car and drive away."
"Did you catch a license plate?" Caleb asked as he walked back into the kitchen and sat down.
"How's Onida?" David asked anxiously.
"She's fine," Caleb stated. "Tired. She's asleep upstairs."
Dean covered his smile. Caleb had lost the coin toss to Sam, so Sam had gotten the downstairs guest room with the steam shower. He made a mental note to ask Caleb to design one for upstairs.
"Good," David finished his eggs and ate the last piece of his biscuit before saying, "No, no license plate, unless the plate wasn't lit."
"Isn't it illegal to have a dark plate at the rear of the car?" Caleb asked, looking at Dean.
"Yeah. The rear license plate needs to be clearly visible to all law enforcement."
"He wants to be invisible," David said suddenly. Looking up at Caleb and Dean, he said, "The black paint? It's darker than any black I've ever seen. And making it matte makes the car much harder to see at night. And now that I think about it, he drove away without headlights."
"He didn't turn on his headlights till he got on the road?" Caleb asked.
David put down his fork. "He didn't turn them on at all. I watched the car disappear down the road, and he didn't turn them on at all."
The backdoor opened suddenly and Nicholas bounded in, running toward Dean and throwing himself into Dean's open arms.
Max stepped inside and smiled. "I couldn't keep him outside one minute longer. He's been excited about seeing you since yesterday."
David rose and put his empty plate in the kitchen sink. "I'm heading back into the living room," he said with a smile.
Nicholas looked up at Dean and said, "Back."
"Back," Dean murmured, brushing his hand over Nicholas' silky blonde hair. "Did you have a good week?"
Nicholas nodded. Turning, he pointed outside and said, "Puppies."
"Puppies?" Dean repeated. "You mean more than one?"
Nicholas nodded.
Grinning, Dean stood, lifting the child into his arms with a groan. "You're getting big," he commented, tickling the boy's tummy.
Nicholas giggled and pointed again to the door.
"Let's go see these new puppies," Dean said, moving around Max and out into the back yard.
Max closed the door behind Dean and Nicholas, then came over and sat down at the table. Eyeing Caleb, he asked, "What's going on? You look like crap."
"Oh, thanks," Caleb muttered, running his fingers through his gray hair. Standing, he went over to the stove and lifted the lid on a pan sitting on one of the burners. The smell of warming bacon wafted out. Glancing over his shoulder, he asked, "You have breakfast already?"
Max nodded.
Caleb turned back and poured a small amount of oil in the empty skillet, then broke a couple eggs in and started scrambling them together. He explained about David Lassiter and his friend, and the box. "We don't know what it is or what happened. Sam and Josh are out there now talking with Brian."
"Who's Brian?"
"Brian Mayfare, I think. I've never met him, but Elijah probably knows him. He teaches ancient languages at the University of Chicago."
"So this guy is one of the best resources for deciphering the symbols on the box, huh?"
Caleb shrugged, bringing his plate replete with eggs, bacon and biscuits to the table. "Probably, after us. But the Brotherhood has more resources than almost anywhere else. That's probably why Lassiter wanted to bring the box here."
Max nodded. After a minute or two, he rose and went to fetch a biscuit before returning to the table. "We plan on working today, or going on with the barbeque?"
"Barbeque," Caleb said without hesitation. "Ben and his brood should be here anytime, and Jimmy soon after."
"I wish JT could be here."
"He might make it by this evening, catch the tail end of the festivities."
Max looked up. "You sent the Ames jet for him, didn't you?" Shaking his head, he said, "You're so out of control."
"Hey, everyone needs to be here for a briefing tonight. So if I need to send the jet for my own godson, that's my business."
Max laughed. Rising, he said, "I'm going to see what Dad and Sam are working on."
"Yeah, you do that," Caleb muttered. When he finished his breakfast, he jogged upstairs to check on Onida before coming back down and starting the kitchen clean up. His head was still aching, so he opened the side cabinet and grabbed the bottle of aspirin. He downed three tablets before getting back to work. After stacking the dishwasher, he set it running while drying the grease off the remainder of the bacon and putting it in the refrigerator. A look at the clock told him it was almost eleven, and he was sure Ben would be here within the hour.
When the kitchen was spotless and ready for the lunch run, Caleb walked down the hallway to the Tomb. Sitting, he stared at the white boards and the seven cities outlined there. If Lassiter and Mayfare were to be believed, then Mount Vernon Illinois was an eighth city where unexplained violence erupted. Getting up, he went to the small television in the corner and turned it on. Retaking his seat, he flipped around through the channels till he found a current news broadcast. As he listened, he opened one of the laptops and typed in Mount Vernon, KY. Other than a small piece about how there was another mess as usual at Crossing, there was nothing on escalating violence in the city. After trying a few more searches, Caleb slowly closed the laptop.
So Lassiter and Mayfare were having a beer and looking to let off a little steam at a club known for fights and brawls. Lassiter notices a powerful man come in. Soon after Mayfare throws a punch and fights break out all throughout the bar. When Lassiter looks around, the man is gone. He follows, and sees the man round the corner of the club and drive off. Lassiter finds the box, pulls it out of the hole, and when Mayfare goes back inside, most of the fighting has stopped and people are bellying up to the bar for more drinks. So did the box have anything to do with the cessation of fighting, or the man leaving? Too bad both happened at virtually the same time.
Standing, he went to the second white board and studied the pictures tacked up there. Before heading to bed the previous night, Caleb, Ryker, Sam and Dean found another twelve captures of the black Hennessy Viper: three still shots and nine glimpses on video. But they hadn't seen any pictures of the person who owned the car. "Damn," he murmured, "This guy really knows how to cover his tracks."
"What's all this?"
"Possible sightings of our mysterious bad guy," Caleb stated, not turning around. He'd felt Max coming long before he stepped into the Tomb.
Max moved over to the whiteboard and studied the printouts. After a few moments, he said, "The car?"
"Well done, grasshopper," Caleb said with a smile. The Venom wasn't easy to spot in the photos, especially if one didn't know exactly what they were looking for. "What I'm looking at now, is where does this guy like to park…"
Max frowned. "You mean methodology."
"Exactly right," Caleb murmured, his eyes studying a particular picture in the upper right corner of the board. "Everyone, even monsters have tells; places that make them feel comfortable. We just need to find his."
Max turned to the table and picked up a second legal pad and a pencil. "Okay, I'll take the photos on the left," he remarked.
.
Dean sat on the backyard grass with Juliet and Nicholas, playing with the puppies until Ben arrived, bringing Mac and Lisa Anne. That gave him the out to stand and step back as Mac and Lisa Anne squealed over the two small balls of fluff.
After greeting Ben and kissing Maya on the cheek, Dean demanded he and Juliet get their due of hugs and kisses from Mac and Lisa Anne before the children resumed their playtime with the pups.
"Thank goodness we can now sit in chairs," Juliet whispered, lowering herself into one of the comfy lawn chairs next to Carolyn while Maya was on Carolyn's other side. Ben and Ryker stood near the barbeque, chatting.
Dean chuckled. "I'm going to check on Sam, Josh and the other two."
"You mean our guests," Juliet stated archly.
Dean rolled his eyes and walked inside. It would be rude not to invite David and Brian to lunch, especially since David had injured himself bringing them the box that was so enthralling Joshua and Sam. Passing through the kitchen, he noted all the breakfast things had been cleaned up, probably courtesy of Caleb, since it would take a bulldozer to drag Sam away from any cryptic puzzle. He took a step into the living room and smiled.
Sam, Brian and Joshua were sitting around the coffee table, talking animatedly while David was asleep, his head dropped back against the sofa back. Chuckling, Dean walked over.
Sam looked up and smiled. "This box is certainly a puzzle. Brian says the lid is covered with a mix of Phoenician, hieroglyphs, cuneiform, ancient Chinese and even a language that predates Sumerian. Sumerian is the oldest written language in the world."
"The oldest?"
"Well, beside Enochian," Sam clarified.
"Enochian?" Brian asked, his brow furrowed.
"Angelic language," Sam said.
Brian's eyes widened and his mouth opened into a perfect "o."
Dean smiled. "You and David are welcome to stay for lunch." Pointing to David, he continued, "I'm going to put him in the guest bedroom, let him get some sleep."
Brian flushed in embarrassment as he jumped to his feet. "Gosh, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize…"
Dean waved the other man back down. "Don't worry, I got it." Shaking David, he said, "Come on, let's get you lying down."
David blinked heavily up at Dean a moment before nodding and leveraging himself up off the cushioned surface.
Together they walked to the ground floor guest room. When they stepped inside, Dean was thankful to see that Sam had made the bed, though his duffel was still in the corner. He dropped David off at the side of the bed, then went into the bathroom to pull out clean towels. When he got back, David was slumped on the edge of the bed, blinking tiredly. Picking up Sam's duffel, he said, "There are fresh towels in the bathroom if you want a shower later. Lunch will be on in a couple of hours."
David looked up, startled. "What? No," he pushed himself up. "If there's a hotel nearby, Brian and I will check in there. We'll come back over after your family get-together."
"No need," Dean said, gently pushing David back down. "You're welcome to stay. Just don't mention shapeshifting; Juliet doesn't like talk about the supernatural."
David relaxed back on the bed with a smile. "She doesn't, huh?"
Dean dropped into one of the high-backed chairs decorating the room. "No. She knows it exists, knows what I do, but she doesn't participate."
David found that fact fascinating. Everyone in his household embraced the supernatural. Then again, he and his family were the supernatural. Kind of hard to run from yourself. He wanted to ask what Juliet did, but there was a line between monster and hunter that he didn't want to cross.
Dean watched David's face, and said, "Veterinarian; Juliet is a veterinarian."
Nodding his head, David gave Dean a nod, a thank you for extending him the courtesy. Suddenly he yawned.
Standing, Dean said, "Get some sleep. I'll have Brian come get you when lunch is served. Later we'll talk about the hunt."
David couldn't help but smile. "This will be my second hunt. I think I'm excited about that."
Dean chuckled and walked out, shutting the door behind him. Though he'd known David Lassiter for years, was comfortable with him keeping the supernatural of Chicago in line, he was still uneasy about him being in his home. When the man left, he thought he'd reinforce his protections against shapeshifters, just to be on the safe side.
When he stepped back into the hallway, his cell rang, the surface showing the name Jimmy. Smiling, he answered. "You close by?"
"I'm at the end of the road. There's a guy who says he's a doctor here to see David Lassiter." In a sotto whisper he continued, "Isn't he the shifter from Chicago?"
"Yeah. Hang tight. Ryker's going to bring a spell pouch down and you can escort him to the house."
There was a moment where Dean could hear gravel crunching beneath James' shoes. Then James said, "You're letting shapeshifters in the house?"
Dean rolled his eyes. "Just wait for Ryker."
Fifteen minutes later the front door opened and James walked in, followed by Ryker and an older man with a medical bag clutched in his hand.
"Hey Dad," James said, leaning in for his customary hug. "This is Doctor Baine."
"Wilson?" Brian came jogging out of the living room.
"Where is he?" Wilson Baine asked anxiously.
"He's fine," Brian assured the other man. Looking toward Dean, he pointed questioningly down the hallway.
Dean nodded. "Second door on the left."
James frowned as he watched the two men disappear down the hallway. "Since when do shapeshifters get to come in the house?"
Shaking his head with a huff of laughter, Dean said, "We'll get into all this later." Sticking his head into the living room, he called, "Sam, Josh, let's get this barbeque on the road!"
Ethan stood and stretched.
Grace Hoàng yawned. "I think that's our guy."
"Maybe," Ethan conceded cautiously. "There's the white haired one too."
"He's too old." Frowning, Grace continued, "Of course, he could be on the board of one of those chemical companies. One of the theories floating around is a biological warfare test."
"True," Ethan said, yawning.
Grace chuckled.
Smiling, Ethan dropped into his chair and said, "Why don't you go home, get some sleep. I'll check in with Renault, have him touch base with Lieutenant Gutierrez, catch him and the night shift up on where we're at, paperwork-wise." Another yawn split his face.
"Then you're going home to get some sleep too," Grace stated, rising.
"After I turn our results over to the FBI," Ethan said, pushing himself up to his feet again. "I'd like this mess in the hands of the people who are paid to deal with it." Stretching again, he continued quietly, "I want Houston back, warts and all. I want regular crime on the streets, the occasional bar brawl that ends with a round of drinks…"
"The robber who gets caught in three blocks and the house call that ends with the husband and wife both in tears and hugging," Grace finished with a wry smile.
Ethan eyed his long-time colleague and laughed. "Okay, so Houston is never that white bread. But I'm okay with thinking it is."
Grace leaned in and staged whispered, "So am I." Turning, she pulled on her jacket and walked out of the office.
Ethan watched her pass through the squad room for a moment then dropped back into his chair. He needed to gather the records he and Grace had compiled and forward them to the FBI. Though some pieces of information would need to be presented carefully so the FBI didn't focus on them unduly, it was a line he'd walked on occasion for a very long time. He wouldn't make any mistakes.
It took him another hour before he had the report to the FBI just the way he wanted. Pulling up his usual contact, he wrote a quick email, attached the copy of his report and sent it off. Yawning again, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Unlike Grace, he found the white-haired man far more interesting than the other two they'd identified at multiple scenes. Something about the man had caught his attention.
Suddenly his phone rang, startling him. Huffing out a sigh if exasperation, he picked it up. "'Lo?"
"Why are you still there?"
Ethan smile. "Hey Eli. Are you and Jane still over at the house?"
"Where you should have been an hour ago."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way."
"You find anything?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Me too. Can you get off on Sunday? I think we need to take a trip."
Ethan frowned. "You want to go to Pastor Jim's?" It had been years since Pastor Jim had owned the farm, but somehow he and Elijah always called Dean's farm Pastor Jim's.
"I think we need to get with the others, put all our cards on the table." Elijah sighed. "I feel like we're all in different corners pecking at this thing. While that was good two days ago, I think we need a face-to-face."
Ethan didn't respond immediately. The upheaval in the city had just stopped two days ago, and leaving now would feel like abandoning the helm. It had been a turbulent two weeks for his precinct. He didn't feel good about leaving.
"For a day?" Elijah asked, knowing what his brother was thinking.
"Maybe," Ethan sighed. "We just went through some of the toughest weeks in Houston history. I don't feel good about leaving right now."
"The violence is over, right?"
"It seems so," Ethan agreed. "But my team is unsettled. Besides, can you even get reservations this fast without them costing an arm and a leg?"
"I figured I'd ask Caleb to send the jetliner," Elijah said.
Ethan laughed. "You just want to ride on the Hawker 1000."
"Hey, Caleb bought that jetliner over nine months ago, and we still haven't been taken anywhere yet."
"You know, he thinks the only ones who know about the jet are Joshua and Onida," Ethan commented with a chuckle.
"He still thinks that? Everyone knows!" Elijah stated humorously.
"Time to shatter his illusions." Ethan scrubbed a hand over his chin, then said, "Fine. Have Caleb send the jet. I'll go for a day, then I need to be back."
"I'll call him tonight," Elijah said. "Come on home, enjoy a glass of wine with us, then get some rest."
"Will do," Ethan said, and hung up. He really did want to just get up and go home. But he needed to compile the information he and Grace had found into a cohesive report for the Brotherhood. His report to the FBI had been accurate, but carefully edited. Through his years on the force, he'd become an expert at creating reports while leaving out any hint of the supernatural. The report he'd forwarded tonight had been no different. Now, he needed to organized the information for the Brotherhood. It took a little less than half an hour, but he had their notes organized. Quickly he saved the information to a flash drive. Groaning softly, he pushed himself up out of his chair and snagged his jacket from the battered coat rack that had been in this office for the last thirty-five years. As he stepped from his office, he merely closed the door. He rarely locked his office, trusting his squad to make sure no unauthorized persons went inside.
Walking over to Lance Renault's desk, he said, "Take off, Detective. You've been here longer than I have. And take tomorrow. You need the downtime."
"But…"
"We're going to be doing paperwork for months to come," Ethan stated drolly. "But the violence is over, and we got time. Take tomorrow." Looking up, he said, "In fact, Johnson, Moore, Ramirez, Stackhouse, Flores and Hernandez, you all take tomorrow off. The rest of you take Monday." There was a smattering of tired yays from across the squad. Looking back to Lance, he said, "I'll have the Lieutenant divide up the night shift. We all need some downtime." Looking around the squad room, he said, "You've all put in a lot of overtime over the last two weeks. I know it's been hard, we're all tired. Over the next month I'll work very hard to try and give each of you a couple days off together so you can rest, get some sun." There was more laughter as the mood in the room lightened and weariness was shaken off. "But right now I wanted to say you've all done an outstanding job, and I'm proud you, each and every one. Thank you for your hard work and sacrifice." There was a smattering of applause and cheers as Ethan headed for the door.
In the hallway he met up with Lieutenant Daniel Gutierrez. After filling him in on the time off and giving some of this shift shorter hours to get some rest, he walked out of the precinct, ready to turn his mind on finding the bastard that had started this whole thing.
The man who'd identified himself as Piruz walked into the plush lobby of Blessings on State, a Bed and Breakfast in Jacksonville, Illinois. Rather than the impersonal atmosphere of the places called hotels in this era, he liked the idea of spending the night in a home, even one that was now used for commercial purposes.
"Good evening, Sir," said the woman behind a very small counter in the foyer. "How many nights?"
"Two," Piruz said.
"Excellent." The woman bent over her machine and said, "Under what name are you registering?"
He liked the question. "Samuel Richards." As he'd begun to deal more with the people of this time, he'd discovered that they were suspicious of those who didn't have two names. Since he couldn't give his own full name, he would make use of others. Opening the wallet he'd taken from a man he'd met downtown, he handed her a small card, then watched with interest as she slid the plastic between two dark metal bars while the machine beside her clicked. It was a form of computer, he knew that.
He was familiar with the concept of computers. Over fourteen hundred years ago he'd been able to work briefly on a mechanism that catalogued theories on astronomy and mathematics that was used by Greek astronomers. It also tracked the four year cycles of the Olympic Games. He'd been thrilled and intrigued with the magnificence. Now he wanted to examine these modern, much smaller versions.
Taking his key, he went up to his room and opened the door to a comfortable suite with a large bed and elegant furniture. Placing his leather case on the bed, he slipped his hand into the front pocket and pulled out a thick wax stick. At the window, he wrote Ж. He repeated the placement around the room in the East, West and North corners. Once he'd finished the protections, he relaxed. Smiling, he walked the room touching fabrics and running his hand over highly polished furniture. This was a glorious era, his favorite thus far.
When a ring sounded, he turned to a devise with a blinking red light next to the bed. Curious, he stepped over and touched the piece that lay in a cradle of sorts. It jiggled. Picking up the slender devise with rounded ends, he heard a tinny voice. This was a communication devise, and he lifted it to his ear. He'd seen people talking into squares before, but they were much smaller than this large contraption. "Yes?"
"I apologize for the disturbance, Mr. Richards, but I neglected to ask if you would like some supper. Our kitchen will be closing soon, so if you would like something to eat, I need to put in the order."
"Yes, thank you," Piruz stated slowly.
"What would you like?"
Piruz had no idea what to order, so he said, "I reply on you."
"Oh, then I will order you a steak cooked medium well with potatoes and a side salad. All right?"
"My thanks," Piruz said, and he lowered the ear piece and placed it back in its holder. He wasn't sure exactly what potatoes were, but he knew meat was called steak, and he was a fan.
Going back to the bed, he opened the leather case and pulled out a large ancient parchment. He then removed a couple of clean shirts, undergarments and a newly pressed pair of slacks. Smiling, he lifted out the slacks, laid them out on the bed and ran his hand over the smooth cloth. The weaving and making of clothes in this generation really was incredible. He turned back to the case; beneath the garments lay several small, delicately carved wooden boxes surrounding a larger wooden box. Gently he pulled out the center box and examined it carefully. The spell surrounding the box was intact, strong, and binding. Placing it back into the case, he turned to the parchment.
When fully opened, a sprawling four foot by three foot parchment lay open on the bedspread. Waving a hand, palm down, over the parchment, another continent appeared in place of the Americas: Asia. He was familiar with Asia, having traveled there many times in eras past. With each wave of his hand, continent after continent flowed across the parchment until he was once again looking at The Americas. There were two of them; North America and South America, though he'd recently realized there were actually three, with North America split up between the United States and the country called Canada. He had decided to treat the United States and Canada as two different continents, mainly due to Merlin's Child being in the central portion on The Americas.
Merlin. When he'd met the great Merlin years ago, he knew he was in the presence of a unique person. Even in the days of Babel, even in the days of the greatest of magi, there were none as gifted in the Great Arts as Merlin. Well, save for himself. But then, he'd been a Master throughout ages. Merlin's plan to protect this world through his trio of fighters had been brilliant. He wished he'd thought of it. But then, Merlin was gone, wasn't he? And I, thought Piruz, remain. However, Merlin's memory was the impetus for his choosing to start his New World in the United States. And what a new world it would become.
Waving his hand once more over the parchment, a large black symbol appeared across the map; a circle with arrows reaching out in all directions from the center: Chaos. Yes, what a new world it would be.
TBC
Author's Note:
Thanks to those who left a comment to say they were still reading. I was afraid I was boring everyone! I should also say that "The Chaos Tree" has been completely written and has 32 chapters. So have no fear; you will definitely get the end of this tale!