Chapter Three, "3. StarkPad, Hunter Edition"
Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man,
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man,
I hear the voices when I'm dreaming,
I can hear them say
"Carry on My Wayward Son," Kansas
"Winchester."
"Hey, Dad. How are you? Those weapons working OK? Haven't heard from you in a few months."
"Been just fine, Dean. They are working out, well, like a damn dream to be honest. Bagged two ghouls and pack of werewolves easily. Guys at the bar are fucking envious, that's for sure. Wanna know where I get the good shit."
"What'd you tell them?"
"My son-in-law's a wiz with weapon design."
"You actually told them that?!"
"Yeah – you think I'm fucking ashamed of you, boy?"
"No, sir, I just – "
"Look, most of the guys don't give a shit. And the ones that do can go fuck themselves on the end of my shotgun. In fact, everyone was impressed and asked me if they could get their hands on some."
"We are looking into the production side – Tony and Pepper are just figuring out a way they can use Stark Industries resources without most people knowing. I'll let you know soon. Anyway, that's not the main reason why I called – I was wondering if I could borrow your journal, Dad."
"Whadja need that for?"
"Have you heard of StarkPads?"
"No – has he gone into the feminine hygiene market now?"
"What? No – ew, no! It's like on Stark Trek, where they use a computer PADD instead of pen and paper. Tony's created one and will be releasing it soon to stores. But, he has plans to make one specifically for hunters."
"Does he now."
"Yeah. I told him how we do hunts, with research and calling Ash and Bobby, etc. He – well, to be honest, he was a bit freaked about how haphazard our system is. And a bit freaked about all the supernatural creatures he still doesn't know about. He doesn't like not knowing about things. So he had the idea to have all the information in one place on the StarkPad. It's like your journal, only everyone can share it, because it'll be connected with the internet."
"Seems awfully complicated."
"It's not really. The StarkPads will come with an encyclopedia of sorts with an index, to make it easier to figure out what people are dealing with. Different hunters can add information as they go along, that way no one is caught off guard by something others know of."
"Look, Dean, that sounds nice, but there are a lot of stupid fucks that are just going to mess that system up."
"That's why there will be a system administrator to check any new data. There could be a couple, like Ash, Bobby, and Pastor Jim."
"Not me?"
"No offence, but I doubt you'd like to fact-check all day. You'd probably throw it at the wall and break it."
"Prolly right."
"We can test it with you and Bobby – and then Ash and Pastor Jim. If it works out OK, then we can start to sell them. But I need your journal first, to be a test run. You can mail it to us."
"Alright, but if my journal gets lost in the mail, there is no place that boyfriend of yours can hide that I won't find him."
[Dean whispers something to someone away from the phone.]
"Tony just said he's going have a courier come to your location to pick it up for you."
"Good boy."