Author's Note: I'm back from the dead! Jk...but it probably seems that way. Sorry for the very long time it took for me to update. I was having trouble seeing where I wanted this story to go then suddenly inspiration hit me like a train and I'm so excited for you guys to read what's coming! I did, however, manage to type up a super long chapter this time. So, enjoy and I promise next chapter will be up by this month! I already have half of it done as we speak. Like I said...I was on a typing roll this week. Love all you supporters! It's baffling to think that people actually enjoy my work and I thank you all for reading. Good luck on finals ya'll! 3
A surge of energy coursed through me, like a white hot flame, but the warmth was pleasant and in no way painful. My mind raced, yet my heart was steady as a strange sense of security washed over me, telling me to not be afraid. And that's when the room began to transform.
The furniture slowly disappeared until I was left in a white room. It was so blindingly bright that my eyes strained to see. As my vision began to focus, I realized I wasn't alone. There was a star, but it's brilliance resembled a supernova. Light emerges from it like a huge, welcoming flame. "Wh-Where am I?" I whispered to myself. My body felt detached, yet whole. Here, but not completely. I had to admit this was ranked in the top five of "the freakiest out-of-body experiences" to date.
"Hello, Holly." A voice suddenly spoke, rattling my whole body with its strength and authority.
I looked up into the light once more, my hand shielding my eyes from the blinding rays. My mind rattled in my brain. Could this really be …Him? "Are...are you-"
"Yes." The glowing orb confirmed and my eyes widened in shock. "I am who you think I am. I am the creator of heaven, Earth, the entire universe, and of you."
If I was aware of my body, I would be covered in goose bumps, but the heavenly and powerful entity in front of me was all that I could be aware of.
"Holly." The voice, God, boomed. "You have a great duty ahead of you. You are the one to end the next apocalypse."
"Yes, I get that, b-but I barely know- I mean, you're God." I rambled on. "I finally found you and I just-"
"I have created you from me. You are capable of such a task Fallen One." His voice assured. "It is your destiny."
"But why? Why create me when you could be the one to stop it? Wouldn't that make more sense?" I inquired, confused as to why the almighty God of the universe couldn't handle something like this on his own. If he had enough power to create us, the world, and the universe, then he could end all of this with the snap of his fingers.
"I am, but a mere ruler of my people, Holly. I may have been involved with them a long, long time ago, but things have changed. The world is not like it once was when I last touched the Earth." He elaborated. "People would be afraid. They would not understand as they are weak in faith and fear the unknown. Therefore, you must be the one to show them the true strength of my power. To make them all believe in me as I in you, but in the form as they see acceptable to their current beliefs."
I guessed it made sense. I couldn't even believe that I was speaking to the big man myself. Maybe a human-sized version of God's power was a good idea? Less cause for people freaking out over a giant supernova-sized star calling himself God while the world was coming to its never-ending doom. However, facing this "mano y mano" didn't sound so reassuring. "I hardly think it's fair to make it a one man job, well, including Dean, Sam, and Cas, but that's besides the point. Cuatros companeros vs the big baddie seems a bit extreme, don't you think?" I didn't know why I was arguing with God of all people, but I needed answers while I could get them.
"The person you seek is not as evil as you seem to think he is, Fallen One. He was once an innocent boy plagued with the capabilities that one of my fallen angels has set upon him. Lucifer." He explained, his tone turning sullen like a disappointed father.
"He's a boy?" I asked stunned. "How could one kid be the cause of Armageddon?"
"Why, yes. He is a youth, but he is not to be underestimated." He ordered sternly. "When Lucifer set this curse upon him, he was only a child. He had no recollection of his power, therefore they remained dormant. It wasn't until Lucifer was freed from hell did his curse awaken during the first apocalypse. Yet, once Lucifer was returned to his cage, the boy still had his power intact and it has only grown stronger with age." Even with the powerful undertones of God's voice, his grief for this boy was evident. "His life has been one of great difficulty and suffering. He is lost, Holly. So, lost that he is no longer the innocent boy he used to be. His mind is corrupted with anger and hate. His power has only progressed to incredible limits by his rage, causing many to suffer in result. His name is Jesse Turner."
ONE MONTH LATER
My eyes watch as the grassy farm lands of Iowa zoom past us with alarming speed, seeming almost like a green blur. If the road wasn't completely empty of other cars, I would probably scold Dean about his reckless driving, but since the only thing we've seen so far is field after field of corn, I decide to keep quiet. He was never the kind of guy to follow the rules of the road anyway. I had to admit that the scenery was kinda beautiful when I could actually make out the details. However, after driving for six hours straight and it being the only view for the past four hundred miles, it started to aggravate me to no end.
So far, the search for the heir to the second apocalypse wasn't going smoothly. After my trip upstairs, I immediately told the boys, Bobby, and Cas what happened as soon as I broke the connection. What I found odd was their reserved behavior when revealing the apocalypse mastermind as a boy named Jesse Turner.
Once we were all packed and ready to go, I kept prodding them about it, but no one seemed to want to fess up. So much for "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" pact. Guess it was only made to be one-sided.
Despite the boys' silent treatment, I had to give it to this Jesse kid for knowing how to play hide-and-seek. He knew how to cover his tracks. After a few weeks of searching for him, Sam and Dean easily began to recognize the patterns that they recorded on their map. At every small town we've visited, people were missing. But here's the kicker. According to missing reports, some faces didn't just turn out to be random civilians, there were also familiar faces. The very same faces that Dean and Sam had saved from old cases, to be exact. And because of this new information, Operation "End Judgment Day part dos" had to be put on pause, for now.
"Alright fellas, we're pullin' over. Baby's working up an appetite." Dean shouts over the sound of the blaring stereo. "We gotta stop to fill 'er up. And after this we ain't stopping until we hit the next town. So, I suggest you use the John while you can or else make your peace with Mother Nature." He adds, staring pointedly at me in the rear view mirror.
Sam and Cas agree in silence, nodding their heads as I huff. "I'd like to see you try squatting and peeing in the freaking middle of nowhere." I grumble as the car pulls to a stop at some tiny gas station. As soon as the gas cuts off, we all pile out of the Impala to stretch our legs, except Cas, who remains in his seat staring blankly into space.
I wander to the front of Dean's car and lean on the hood to soak up some vitamin D while everyone else goes along doing their own tasks. Cas zoning out into oblivion, while Sam takes a stroll towards the mini gas market in search of travel-sized snacks. I watch Dean grab a beer from the cooler in the trunk, cracking the bottle open with an expert hand before slamming it shut. He places the gas pump's nozzle into the tank of the Impala, or Baby, as he so sweetly calls her. His eyebrows furrow as he watches the numbers increase on the pump, his mouth set in a scowl as he brings the ember bottle to his lips.
"Hey, you alright?" I call out to him, knowing it was a stupid question to ask due to the current situation we were in, but seeing the anxiety brewing there was making me on edge.
His eyes shift to where I sit, giving me an aggravated glance as I shrug. "I know, I know. Stupid question" I roll my eyes, "but humor me." I scoot over on the glossy car hood and pat the empty space beside me, welcoming him to join.
He sighs, strolling away from the pump and sits next to me, the car dipping a little under his weight. I wait as he takes a sip of his beer before speaking.
"So many damn people are missin' and we barely have any leads. We can't even trace any signs of demons! No sulfur, no weird electrical outages, nada." He rubs a hand down his face in unease. "Two hunters, an angel, and the friggin' Holy Spirit of God can't track down a single clue. And to top it all off, a little twerp is behind all of this. So, how do you think I feel, Hol?" His voice comes out clipped and harsh.
"Dean…" I start, but hold my tongue, keeping anything else from coming out. Giving the typical "It's not your fault" speech usually works with other people, but not the Winchesters. The Winchesters basically lived up to their noses in guilt, no matter how hard you tried to convince them it wasn't their load to carry. And Dean of all people was the worst at reassuring. Especially when he believed he was the cause. He doesn't just live in his guilt, he practically drowns himself in it.
"Everyone we saved is gone Holly. Just damn gone." He cuts me off before I could muster up a sensible response. His calloused fingers rake through his scalp furiously. "In South Dakota. Minnesota. Now Iowa. It's like we were never there to save them. Like all our hard work was for nothin'. These people could be dead… or worse…" He wavers off, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, exhaling. "I don't even want to look anywhere else." He finishes grimly.
My mouth frowns at the defeated tone to his voice. His words were heavy and weighed with distress. My lips fumble for something to say. Something to reassure him that we would figure everything out in time, but I wasn't that optimistic myself. I glance around the parking lot to see Sam paying at the cashier's desk through the window. His face looking so worn that he actually looks a few years older than the baby-faced guy I met a couple months ago. Even Dean is looking a little worse for wear with his eyes lacking the lively fervor they usually had. And Cas, despite being a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent, was everything, but himself. He was deflated, completely drained. Not even my presence sparked his usual irritation. It was a damn depressing sight, the lot of us. It isn't until Rebecca pops to the forefront of my mind that I let the various thoughts of despair stop.
All her love and sacrifice made me who I am today. I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for her. She worked so hard for me to keep on going, and I want to give it all up just because we were stuck in a rut caused by some kid? No. She didn't deserve that. And neither did Sam and Dean. The boys were better than this, and I'm sure they've been through worse, considering they won't tell me much in the first place. I wasn't going to let them give up. Not after all the times they didn't give up on me. I was not going to be that hopeless, lost girl anymore. Things had to change. And change now.
"You know what I think?" I ask, my voice filled with vigor. "I think that your attitude is shit." I retort as his confused gaze meets mine. "This is what Jesse wants. He wants us to break down before we even get our feet out the door. And we are falling right into his trap. I know that the disappearing victims were a huge hurdle thrown our way, but we can't let it discourage us. It should make us more determined to fight harder, not give up."
"And you don't think I know that?" He scoffs, crossing his arms firmly across his chest in defense. "I have eyes, Hol. I don't need you to point out stuff I already know."
"Well, I do know you, Dean. And you are not the kind of guy to buckle down just because things aren't going the way you want them to." I retort. "You and your brother are one of the best hunters out there and let's not forget a powerful celestial being, and me, are at your guys back. I get that we've been given a bad hand and trust me, feeling guilty because of those lives being on your hands, won't help a thing. Crying about it isn't going to get us anywhere. I know that from personal experience. So, let's just be done with all this crap. Because I know I am. I'm done with all the hopelessness, the fear, and the hiding. We are better than this. So, lets suck it up and keep barreling on."
"Well, damn." Dean whistles, his eyebrow arching in surprise. "Who the hell started up your engine?" He takes a swig of his beer to hide the hint of a grin growing on his lips.
"I-I'm sorry Dean. I thought about Rebecca and I just got so angry with myself. Seeing you want to give up just reminded me of why I still needed to stay strong. Because I don't want you guys to become like how I was. I didn't mean to offend-"
"No harm, no foul." He reassures, tilting his beer towards me, his mouth fully curved into that cheeky smile I was familiar with. "It's not like you're wrong about anything." He lifts a shoulder into a shrug. "Besides, that was one hell of a pep talk. Probably one of the most heart-tugging ones I've heard in a while." He adds as I briefly glare at him, thinking he was mocking me. "What? It's true. I can respect when someone can decently knock me down a peg or two when I need it. I think that deserves a drink." He holds his bottle out to me. My lips form into a smirk, rolling my eyes, and grasp the bottle from his hands. I take a swig and enjoy the burn of alcohol as it slides down my throat, seeing Sam strolling toward us with bags in tow.
"Hey guys. Got some grub for the road." He announces as he reaches us, placing the plastic bags on the hood to display its contents. "I got us some water, a couple bags of chips, and fruit that'll last us a couple hours on the road."
"Sammy, this is why I don't put you on food duty." Dean complains, staring at a pair of red apples like they were an insult to his existence. "A waste of money on things that only you eat."
"Dude, I don't think you understand the line between real food and junk food. I'm surprised that half the crap you eat doesn't kill you." Sam throws back.
"Whatever." Dean grunts, taking the beer from my hands to take a long pull on it.
"So…what're you guys talkin' about?" Sam asks as he places the food back into their respected bags.
"Nothin', except Holly here just ripped me a new one." Dean states some-what proudly.
"You did?" Sam's mouth slightly gapes. "Wish I'd been there to see it." His face breaks into the dimpled smile you haven't seen in the past month. He raises his hand towards me and I slap my palm to his own with a shit-eating grin.
Dean rolls his eyes at the exchange. "Alright, enough jabbing at me. Did you find anything useful in there or where you too preoccupied on your shopping spree?"
"Matter of fact, I did." Sam replies smugly, sliding a folded up piece of paper out from under his jacket. He opens it up and splays the missing report page on the hood for us to see. "So get this…" He begins. "Another missing report just came in, but it seems to be the same as all the others we've been dealing with. No sign of a break in, struggle, or even an eye-witness account for that matter. Just…gone." He points to the areas of the article that describe the police force's confusion about the whole case. "And yet, it was claimed as a solid kidnapping…and guess who the missing suspect is?" He looks at us expectantly before flipping the page over to show the face of a woman looking in her early 30's.
"Ain't that the reverend's daughter from Ankeny?" Dean asks, rubbing the stubble on his chin with a hand. "Um…Lori Sorensen, right?"
"Yeap, that's her. She wore the crucifix made out of Jacob Karn's hook."
"Oh, yeah…Hook Man's last target…." Dean smiles mischievously, waggling his eyebrows at his little brother. "She's also the one that tried to get a little taste of Sam Winchester before the case was closed, isn't that right little brother?"
"Say what now?" My interest is immediately on Sam, noticing the apple of his cheeks flushing with red.
"Shut up Dean! Nothing even happened!" He quickly defends, brushing off his brother's comments. "Anyways, we should be focusing on the fact that this was sent in over five hours ago. Supposedly, the kidnapping happened around three this morning. That means the time gap is still pretty fresh...maybe we can track her down."
"Maybe." Dean perks up. "And we might just have an advantage this time around." He glances at me with a glint in his eye.
"Oh, no. No, no, no, and no!" I shake my head furiously back and forth. "There is no way I'm using my damn holy juju! Not a chance!"
"And why the hell not!?" Dean scoffs in annoyance. "What happened to 'sucking it up and going out guns blazing' and all that?"
"Please, you know it has nothing to do with that. My powers are still unstable. You and Sam should know that first-hand." I defend. "Besides, I'm not an on and off switch. It's either turning into heaven's death star or blacking out from trying to focus this insane amount of energy inside me. 'My father'," I quote with my fingers for emphasis, "didn't exactly give me an instruction manual about myself." I sigh, grabbing the beer out of Dean's grasp and pressing the bottle to my lips, downing the last drop. "I mean, yeah, Cas gave me a few lessons on trying to control it, but that doesn't mean I'm ready for the battlefield." I claim, holding the cool glass between my hands, watching the condensation run down the side of it. "We'll just need to figure out an alternative until I know I can control it."
"What about your connection?" Sam asks.
"Yeah. Did Mr. Miyagi ever try to talk to you again?" Dean tacks on. My hands instantly tighten around the empty bottle in my grasp.
"Nope. Absolutely nothing." I exhale in frustration. "It's not like I haven't tried since the last time. Trust me, I tried. It's just that every time I do it feels like the line is on hold or something."
"Give it up for heaven being useless as usual." Dean grumbles, rising from the hood to check the gas pump. "I see where the angels get it from."
Sam grasps my knee and gives me a small smile in encouragement. "It's alright. We'll figure something out." He pats my leg comfortingly. "Anyways…we still got Cas." He adds, jerking his thumb towards the Impala.
As expected, Cas looks the same as the last time I saw him. Absent and dazed. "Yeah, like the bozo with wings is gonna help us." Dean taunts. "I mean look at him! Is he even on planet Earth right now? Hey!" Dean knocks on the glass to try and get his attention. "Earth to Cas! You in there!?"
"I am quite aware you are all talking about me, you know." Cas abruptly pops into view, causing Dean to flinch away from his sudden presence.
"What the hell man?!" Dean hollers at him, looking into the car and back to the angel that was now by his side. "Where were you?"
"I heard the angels talking and I was listening for information, unlike the unusable bozo you claim me to be." His blue eyes squint at him.
"You were on angel radio?" Sam speaks up, his tone turning inquisitive. "What did they say?"
"Unfortunately, nothing very useful for us." His eyes sweep over us briefly. "But, they did manage to notice that besides the abductions; things have been pretty quiet lately, which is strange for the nearing of the end times."
"What do you mean by quiet?" I rise from my seat on the car to face him.
"Quiet, as in not much killings of the supernatural kind occurring." He elaborates, his hand going to his neck to loosen the knot of his blue tie. "I'm surprised that Sam and Dean haven't realized it yet, actually."
"We're kinda worried about other things besides hunting right now, Cas." Dean scorns. "Why don't you ask some of your fluffy-winged friends to help us and maybe we can get this show on the road?"
"And maybe if you and Sam didn't get in my way in the first place, none of this would be happening right now." Castiel seethes, causing Dean's eyes to narrow. "Don't you dare accuse the garrison of being indolent when we always try in completing our duties, no matter what the cost." His fists ball at his sides. "We may not be the perfect soldiers, but we always fulfill our mission. So much I can say for you and your brother." He snaps.
"What?! We were just trying to do what was best for the kid and you know it!" Dean roars, his face tense with anger.
"Do your best for what kid?" I cut into their argument, apprehensively.
"Hmh, looks like the Winchesters have some explaining to do." Cas announces, eying Dean deliberately. "I'll give you some time alone, then."
"Now you wait here you son of a-" Dean begins to shout until the angel disappears into thin air. "The disappearing act again!? You're a coward Cas!" Dean hollers up into the sky, his mouth set into a grimace.
"Sam, Dean…? What is he talking about, really?" I ask, looking back and forth to Dean's simmering anger and Sam's humiliated expression.
"Dean. She needs to know." Sam speaks, his voice guilt-ridden. "I get it. We messed up, but it's only fair. We've made a pact to not keep secrets from each other and we haven't done our part. Now is probably for the best."
"Yeah, whatever." He retorts, quickly placing the nozzle back into the pump and shutting the car's gas tank with a slam. "I'm going for a ride. I don't need to relive my slip ups. I already friggin' know. " He swiftly opens up the driver's side door and clambers in before I reach over and stop him.
"Dean, wait." His eyes slowly rise from my hand on his arm to my gaze. His face faintly softens once he sees the my remorseful expression. "I…" I fumble for words to comfort him, but fail, once again. "…Be careful." I finish off lamely.
His eyes stay on me a few seconds longer before slowly exhaling. "I just need to let some steam off, alright? I'll be fine." He waits for me to nod and let go of his arm before turning to Sam. "Call me when story time is over. I'll try to get a head start on the case while I'm gone. " He hollers over the starting roar of the engine before peeling out onto the highway. Sam and I watch as the taillights of Baby disappear down the road before awkwardly turning towards one another.
"That went well." Sam sighs, raking his long fingers through his hair. "So…" he begins, "I found out from the cashier that there's a diner halfway down the road…wanna walk?" He offers. "We still have a lot of daylight to burn so; we can get a quick bite to eat while we're there?"
"Yeah, sure." I give him a small smile, trying to rid my thoughts of Dean doing something risky while he's not in his right mind set. "Walking sounds amazing after being in a car all morning."
Sam chuckles lightly in return. "Tell me about it."
We both begin walking side by side, the only sound being the gravel scraping against our boots. We pass by a few sparse trees giving us a few seconds of shade as we glide past them in the summer heat.
"I want to know more about Jesse." I state, enjoying the feeling of the wind gently blowing through the air. "His name seems to have some effect on all of you so; I know you guys have some sort of history with him." I add. "I just want to know his story, the whole story."
Sam gives me a quick glance before staring down the dirt road ahead of us, his jaw setting. "Jesse was a good kid." He starts out. "He may not seem like it now with him being the cause of the end of the world and all, but it's true. He had a good heart."
"Huh." I add indifferently. "God said the same thing. Guess he wasn't lying."
"Did he?" He seems baffled by that information. "Didn't know he was a sentimental guy."
"Neither did I, but he's not exactly an open book." I claim, kicking a stone that was near my boot in the process.
Sam's eyes watch as the rock tumbles a few feet ahead of us. "Look, I know we've been hiding some stuff from you, but-"
"No way! The Winchester's and secrets?" I cut him off, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now that's puzzling."
His lips lift into a smile despite my rude interruption. "Yeah, yeah. We're about as good at keeping secrets as you." He gently teases back, his arm bumping my own. "Anyways," he starts again, "about Jesse…he wasn't just some kid we knew from back in the day. He was actually one of our cases from last year." I feel his eyes on me and nod lightly, staring at our moving feet, waiting for him to go on. "There was a series of murders in Nebraska that echoed fairy tales and urban legends. So, when Dean and I went to go check it out thinking it was some kind of vengeful spirit or pagan God, it turned out to be an eleven year old."
"Wait, if Jesse was such a good kid back then, why was he killing people?"
"He was." He defends, gesturing with the wave of his hand. "He just didn't know he was the one causing it at the time."
"Oh. I guess God must've left out the pre-killing spree out of Jesse's biography." I roll my eyes up to the sky. "Typical miscommunication as always." I grumble, not noticing Sam had stopped walking. I turn around to stare at him in confusion, seeing a bit of irritation displaying on his face. "Oh, sorry." I quickly apologize, realizing I was interrupting him with my side comments. "Shutting up now." I quickly zip my lips shut and throw the metaphorical lock away.
Sam shakes his head in amusement, eyeing a car that zooms past us before walking by my side again. "As I was saying, with Jesse's abilities, he could make everything he believed come true. For instance, a babysitter was accidentally killed by itching powder."
"Wh-" I begin to ask before Sam waves me off.
"No talking remember?" He patiently reminds me. "But, yeah." He continues as I shut my mouth again. "Itching powder. Supposedly, the kid she was watching put it on her brush as a practical joke and once the stuff got in her hair she scratched her brains out. Since Jesse believed itching powder could actually do something like that, it came true. It's a crappy way to die if you ask me, but the other people weren't so lucky themselves." He shrugs.
I raise my hand slowly, wanting to ask one last question before completely shutting up. Sam eyes me sternly and I hold up one finger. "Alright." He sighs. "But only one question."
"Okay, so he accidentally killed people with his powers because of what he believed. I get that, but God said Lucifer gave him those abilities, except he called it more of a curse. What I don't get is why Lucifer specifically chose him to do his bidding? He's only a boy. Why did he find Jesse so special?"
"That was more than one question." He quickly points out, but once he sees my impatience for his answer he continues on. "The thing is that Jesse wasn't one of the usual monsters that we hunt. He was a cambion. An offspring of a human mother and a demon father." He elaborates, seeing my eyes go wide. "Turns out that Lucifer claimed him to be the next anti-Christ and was going to use him as a weapon in the war against heaven. And that leads us to why Cas was, well, is, still pissed off at us..."
"Cas was ordered to kill him, wasn't he? But you couldn't let him do it." I whisper in awe, not caring if I broke my silent vow anymore. "You and Dean decided to let him live."
"Sounds crazy with all that is happening right now, I know." He chuckles somberly. "But I don't regret saving him." He confesses, his hazel eyes honest and sincere. "The only thing I regret is not having watched over him better. Maybe if Dean and I tried harder to find him when he ran, we could've convinced him to stay with us, to guide him away from the dark path he was destined to take."
"Sam, you can't think like that." I reply when he stops walking, not realizing that we already made it to our destination. "You and Dean did everything you could to give him his best chance. You let him live. You can't blame yourselves for wanting to protect him. No matter the reasons for why he is doing the things he is doing now. You save people, it's what you do." I smile at him, putting a comforting hand to his arm. "Without you, I would be lost, or dead, or worse, but you can't save everyone, Sam. You and your brother are only two people. You guys already do more than enough for the world."
"I know," he sighs, "but I still can't help feeling that way." He grows quiet for a moment before gesturing towards the way of the diner behind me. "So…you still hungry?"
"Not really, but you could use a nice cup of coffee." I comment, hoping to do anything to lift his mood, even if it's just a little. "I'll pay?" I offer. "And don't you dare say no because I'll insist in a not so friendly way."
"Yeah, no, that sounds great. Thanks." The small curve of his mouth barely forms a smile. "Let's just hope Dean doesn't do anything stupid while he's out." He adds suddenly, worry creasing his face.
"Yeah, lets." I agree, the same amount of concern lacing my tone.
(Dean P.O.V.)
"Be careful."
Her voice rings in his mind as clear as a bell. Dean quickly shakes his head to rid of it. He roughly pulls off his tie with one hand while keeping the other on the steering wheel. His FBI get-up rumples from rushing to slip it off. He drives towards the way of the St. Barnabas Church in Ankeny where Sam and him had one of their first few cases together five years ago, preparing himself for a fight.
"That's right agent, absolutely no sign of break in. Even our best detectives looked around and couldn't find one tad of evidence." One of the officers replied, causing Dean to scratch his chin in thought.
"Mhm. Who called the report in?"
"Her father, sir, the reverend." He reported. "Said he was at some mission for the sick and she came to visit him for the weekend. When he got home that morning, she still had her luggage and purse left at the house. Her cell phone, keys, and wallet were all left behind."
"Is there any sort of cameras or security watch in that neighborhood that could've conjured up anything?" Dean questioned, taking note of the unusual behavior.
"Yes, sir, but no one seen the footage just yet. We haven't got authority to besides the Sheriff because the case is still fresh. " He explained. "They're in his office as we speak."
"Mind if I take a look at them?" Dean asked, his hand gesturing towards the way of the Sheriff's office.
"Um, I'm not sure that he'll like people goin' into his office while he's on duty, but for a government official, I guess I could pull some strings." He shrugs as Dean smirks at him impishly.
"I appreciate the respect you have for the badge Officer…um," Dean quickly glimpsed down to his name tag, "Peterson. I'll just be in for a while and be outta your hair."
"No problem, Agent Stark." He replied with the tip of his hat. "Oh, and by the way, the girl has a history for being a suspect to a few murders years ago. You might want to take a look at the old files we have up on it if you need any more data to look at. Personally, I think her kidnapping might have to do with her troubled past." He added quickly under his breath.
"I'm well aware of it already, but thanks." Dean dismissed him before turning on his heel, his eyes set on the door titled "Sheriff". He quickly scanned side to side before slipping into the room. He flicked the switch on the wall, filling the dark space with light. His eyes caught the flashy awards and certificates embroidered on the wall and scoffed before sitting down in the big desk chair. A few CD's marked as "Sorenson case" was placed next to the monitor. Dean swiftly moved the mouse, waking the computer, and sighed in annoyance upon seeing a password lock.
"Of course." He grumbled to himself, quickly thinking through the different combinations it could be. He gazed around the room, taking in information from the wall, tapping his fingers against the wood desk impatiently. His eyes spotted a tacky looking frame containing a picture of the Sheriff beaming, his hands holding a sign saying "The Ultimate Flapjack Destroyer" in front of some Pancake House. Dean shrugged, typing in "Ultimate Destroyer" into the box and pressed enter.
As the system logged him on, Dean's lips pulled up into a grin. "Alright, Sheriff. I'll give you that." He quipped. "Now, let's see what we have here." He rubbed his hands together before taking out the CD's and inserting them into the hard drive. He waited for the video to load before clicking the play button on the screen. Instantly, he saw a street view of Lori's neighborhood, her house located on the far left of the monitor. He skipped through some of the footage that didn't catch his interest until a figure appeared from the far right of the video.
Dean sat up in his seat watching as the person walked towards Lori's house in a weird garb. He zoomed in on the person, seeing that they were actually wearing a cloak of some kind…or was it a robe? He watched as the figure approached the house knocking and waiting until someone turned on the house lights and opened up the door. Dean instantly recognized Lori's face, although she was a few years older since the last time he saw her. Her body was adorning night clothes and her hair was little mussed, looking like she just woke up. Dean saw her eyes widened in shock as the stranger in the robe pulled her out the door and turned around.
Dean's eyes squinted in confusion upon seeing Lori's father, Reverend Sorenson, being the one dragging her back towards the way he came. "What the hell are you doin', Reverend?" Dean mumbled as they reached the side walk. A car passed by the street and the Reverend slightly turned away covering his eyes as the car's light beams passed over them. After the vehicle drove out of sight, the Reverend led his daughter out of the frame. Dean fasts forwarded the rest of the video, finding nothing else useful besides the snippet he just saw. He pondered for a moment, pushing back from the desk and swiveling in the chair.
"There has to be somethin' here. Come on, Dean." He mumbled encouragingly to himself before an idea suddenly came to mind. He pulled himself back towards the monitor rewinding the tape back to when Lori's father was dragging her down the steps, pausing right before the car entered the frame. He slowly clicked the play button until the car's beam seems to land on them. He zoomed into the shot to get a closer look and his eyes widened in disbelief upon seeing the man's eyes flicker white as the car's lights strikes them before his hand came up to shield his eyes. "Well, I'll be damned." Dean quickly closed the program and rushed out the door.
As soon as Dean was out of his monkey suit, he slips on his leather jacket, swerving the car a bit as he did so. He fought with himself internally, wondering if he should call Sam and Holly or take the case solo. His hand slams on the wheel in anger, knowing that if he didn't tag down this bastard now, it might be too late for Lori. It was only one shape-shifter. He could easily take it down on his own with the silver blade he had back in the trunk.
He sighs in frustration, reaching for his jeans on the passenger seat, not having the ability to change pants while he was driving. He slips his hand in the front pocket and brings out his phone, dialing the first number on his contacts. The phone rings for a bit before Sam's voice greets him. "Hey, Sam." He quickly cuts him off. "Look man, I don't have time to explain, but a shape shifter kidnapped Lori."
"Wait, what?! How do you know?" Sam's voice buzzes from the other end of the receiver, sounds of people talking and glass clinking in the background.
"Saw it with my own eyes at the police station. They had security cameras stationed around her neighborhood and caught the whole thing." He confirms. "It's no wonder the cops couldn't find signs of break in. The thing changed into the Reverend so, Lori didn't think she was gettin' kidnapped. But, anyways, I'm on my way to the church to scope it out for myself. It seems like my best bet right now. They couldn't have gotten far with it still bein' light out."
"Dean, no! You aren't going in there alone! Don't be an idiot." Sam chastises him before speaking to another person on the other end of the phone, asking for a check. "Just come get us first so, we can back you up."
"We don't have time, Sammy. The girl could be taking her last breath for all we know. Just meet me up at St. Barnabas Church in Ankeny ASAP. I'll update you if I find anything, alright?" He speaks quickly.
"Dean don't-!" Sam shouts before Dean ends the call, throwing his phone back to the passenger seat.
"Sorry little brother. I gotta take my best shot when I have it." He mumbles to himself, pressing down on the gas pedal towards the way of the church.
(Back at the diner)
"Dean don't-" Sam begins to yell before cutting off short, causing a few people in the diner to eye him warily from their own booths. "Dammit!" He growls, pulling his phone away from his ear in irritation. "The dick hung up on me." He replies, looking to me with his eyebrows furrowed.
"What should we do?" I ask, feeling panicked. "We don't even have a car."
"Oh, I'm not worried about that. I'm just worried he'll get into trouble long before we can get to him." He grumbles, rising from his seat and throwing down a quick tip for the waitress on the table. "Let's go." He orders, quickly strolling to the door as I rush after him.
"Um, not to change the main focus of the mission, but when in the hell did you learn how to hot-wire a car?" I question, clutching at my seat as Sam hits well past the speed limit. "Not that I'm not surprised. Just more, like, curious." I add timidly, trying to distract myself from looking at the rising speedometer.
"Sometimes we have to make a quick getaway during a case, and when the Impala isn't easy to get to then we kinda borrow whatever is nearby." He speaks quickly under his breath before reaching into his back pocket for his phone and throwing it to me. "Hey, can you call Dean again?"
I unwillingly release my grip onto the seat to catch the phone, opening it up to search for Dean's number and pressing send. My heart races as the phone rings, silently praying for Dean to pick up. I jump at the sound of his voice coming through the speaker, but quickly deflate once I realize it was only his voice mail greeting. "He didn't pick up. It went straight to his voice mail." I say, feeling fear seep into my bones as I end the call.
"This is bad. Dean usually answers his phone. The only time he doesn't is when he's caught up in trouble." His grip tightens on the steering wheel until the bone of his knuckle shows through the skin.
"All the more reason to get there faster then." I add, glancing at him.
"Alright." Sam's face sets in determination, slamming his foot on the accelerator. "Hold on."