PIECES OF EIGHT
-Fit the Third –
Tucson, AZ
Jim Prusznowski was an investment banker from Tucson, who also dabbled as a Paramedic in his free time, not only to satisfy his sense for adventure but also to make some much needed money on the side.
It was Wednesday, after business hours, and Jim sat in his office in front of his laptop, with a bottle of bourbon next to it, anxiously monitoring his shares on the stock market.
Since he bought them a few days ago they seemed unstoppable and still rising.
Jim's glance caught sight of the shiny black bauble sitting innocently amongst the paperwork on his antique walnut desk.
He reached for the half full glass of bourbon leaning back in his leather chair, pondering over the black ball. It was an old Magic 8 Ball and Jim had sort of stolen it from the dead Frank Zeller, who had died in the 8 car pile up on the I-8 where he had helped out as a paramedic that night.
He had spent the last moments of Frank's life with him before the light in his eyes went out. The last thing Frank did was to pull Jim close and whisper in his ear "8 Ball" – at first Jim didn't know what he had meant but then he saw amongst the debris, the shiny bauble. Jim immediately felt enthralled and a strange feeling came over him and he knew that he had to have it.
Jim's financial career had been everything but good. He was in great debt as the latest investment had gone horribly wrong. Then, a few days ago, after he got the Magic 8 Ball, and maybe out of shear curiosity or frustration and probably quite drunk, he had asked it if he should buy shares of this new startup software company that had just entered the stock market. And much to his relief the ball said "As I see it, Yes". So in a blind leap of faith Jim had put all the money he could scrape together into this investment and couldn't believe his luck as the share seemed to be making him actual money.
He toasted the old bakelite ball good night, emptied his glass and went upstairs to bed.
San Diego, CA
Back in San Diego the Winchester's boardshorts wearing holiday found an abrupt end as Sammy had finally discovered more evidence that something wasn't quite right in the state of Denmark or in this case, in the state of California.
During the past few days, while Dean had collected girls, Sam had collected several news clippings and reports of 3 more unsolved cases of sudden death in the California area, tracing the first one back to Los Angeles.
Amelia McKensey, a mother from Santa Monica, had fatally slipped and cracked her skull in a bakery in downtown LA the day she was picking up a birthday cake for her son's 8th birthday.
Ronald Beaver, who was tragically hit by a bus of the downtown line No.8, was last seen crossing 8th avenue without looking. The 3rd case Sam had found was that of a movie lawyer from Anaheim, who was found shot dead, 8 fatal times. It wasn't a robbery and no gang related shooting took place at the time.
"I have 3 cases that could be connected, but I cannot figure out how" Sam sighed staring at the wall of their motel room which was decorated with all sorts of news clippings and info material. Amongst it was a roadmap that indicated where all the victims had died, marking a clear line down from LA to San Diego, then east towards Yuma and the I-8 further into Arizona.
"You think whatever it is it could be traveling further East?" Dean said looking up from their Dad's journal. Sam, standing in front of the map with a marker pen, took a step back.
"It sure looks like it – What is it? A demon? Coz spirits don't usually travel!"
"Not unless the spirit is bound to an object that does" Dean was throwing in a helpful comment for a change.
"Possible" Sam acknowledged but sighing deeply "But we have no idea what it is!"
"Yeah, it could be absolutely anything" It was Dean's turn to sigh and rub his eyes.
"This case doesn't make any sense. I mean, let's assume it's an object, how does it get passed on to completely unrelated strangers?"
"I don't know" Sam said, collapsing on his bed.
"This makes no sense" Dean said again, utterly frustrated, which usually resulted in the TV being switched so he could take his mind of things.
Cartoons or Porn usually did the trick for Dean, but the first channel that came on was the News channel. Just as he wanted to change it to lighter entertainment, Sam shot up yelling to wait and leave the news on. With a disappointed sigh Dean left it.
"Turn it up, will you!" Sam demanded his eyes fixed on the TV.
A news reporter was at the alleged scene where an unexplained gas explosion had ripped apart a house in the greater Tucson area. Behind the reporter firemen were still putting out the last smoldering flames amongst what was left of the house.
"He was a local investment banker who in his spare time was a dedicated paramedic. Friends and colleagues say that lately his business hadn't been going well, but unconfirmed sources have told newsweek that the latest investment of the deceased would have been making him a small fortune. He does not leave any fam…"
"Okay geekboy, I think you know what I am thinking this time" Dean said with a suggestive grin.
They both looked at the map pinned to the wall, their eyes on Tucson, which happened to be located undeniably further east form here.
Yuma, AZ
On the way to Tucson via the I-8, they stopped over in Yuma again for Tacos but also to ask Becky for a little favor. The security tapes she managed to acquire for the Winchesters confirmed what Sam and Dean had suspected since they left San Diego. It turned out that Frank Zeller indeed had a brief encounter with Amanda Bellman in the lobby of the Casino, but it did not explain how or what she could have passed on to him that may have caused his death 8 days later.
Back on the I-8 east Sam suddenly had a thought.
"You know whatever this thing is; it seems to be happening every 8 days"
"How you figure Sammy?"
"So far, every death has happened 8 days after the other. And this explosion in Tucson, if the timeline is correct, it also happened 8 days after Frank Zeller died."
"Hey, didn't they say on the news that that guy in Tucson also worked as a paramedic? I bet you a cheeseburger that he was attending the accident!" Dean's mind frolicking over the new findings.
"And Zeller has passed something on that has killed him within 8 days!" Sam added equally excited. Dean was thinking.
"Soooo, we have to find out what and where it is within the next 8 days so it can't kill again?"
"6 days actually. The explosion happened 2 days ago. Man, it's like finding a needle in a haystack!"
"Only that we don't know if it's a needle."
"It could be absolutely anything!"
"Just freaking great!" Dean uttered.