Chapter 2

Green River, Colorado

Jo looked around the nearly empty street and checked her watch again. She was supposed to meet her contact here in about three minutes and she hadn't seen so much as a sign of his appearing anytime soon. She rolled her eyes wondering why she agreed to take this job. She frankly had no clue since it was relatively easy even though it was made to sound challenging. That was her mom for her. Ellen always made things sound challenging. It was her way of showing Jo that all jobs required equal attention no matter how mundane or typical it sounded.

This particular job was more of a retrieval job that Bobby asked her to do. It was for some rare Native American artifact. It was supposed to be some sort of thing related to a ceremony for the dead. Bobby had gotten a sudden interest in alternate means of preventing the desecration of the dead and had been collecting odds and ends. He was also collecting anything related to Halflings. Jo suspected it was because of Angela.

Jo smiled at the thought of the woman who was like the protective older sister. She probably had won Bobby's heart which was why he was looking for things related to her kind. He probably was looking for means of protecting her from the probable things out there that could kill her. Of course Angela would say that she didn't need to be protected and that was her job. She was so much like Dean on that level.

It had been a long time since she had seen Angela and Sam and Dean. She wondered what they were doing now. She had tried finding out through her mom since Angela seemed to keep her promise of at least keeping in touch with her. Of course Angela did admit that it was never wise to disobey the likes of a woman like Ellen Harvelle and Jo could agree especially when her mom got into one of her moods but she always remembered what Angela told her before she took off for hunting.

"I see that Old Grizzly sent a younger one."

Jo turned and instinctively reached for the knife that had belonged to her father. She whirled and brought it up ready to strike. She was startled when her hand was caught by the wrist. She looked at the man who bore an elderly and weathered face with graying hair tied in a traditional queue. He was strong for his age. She replied after yanking her wrist away, "I may be young but I know my stuff. Are you Red Eagle?"

Red Eagle looked at Jo. He studied her as he studied all who came across his path. This younger one was full of fire and spirit but it was wild and untamed. There was some experience but not enough to tame the spirit with wisdom. Yet she had a bit of wisdom in her movements from someone older and wiser. He replied, "You are young but considered trustworthy. Not just by Old Grizzly but by someone older."

"Bobby sent me. Are you who I am supposed to meet?" Jo wanted to know if this was her guy. If it wasn't her guy she was going to have to find a means of protecting herself and getting away. She was out in the middle of nowhere in a town that was dying because the cars have gotten better in the gas mileage.

Red Eagle looked at Jo and finally gave a slight smile. He had seen her tense up, ready to fight if necessary. He replied, "Old Grizzly sent you for the seal of the medicine man?"

"If you mean the Seal of Nameh, then yeah," Jo countered. She had her knife in hand and was ready to pounce if things went south.

Red Eagle continued to smile. Old Grizzly sure knew how to pick them. The last one was someone that could produce a laugh all day long. He was a strange one and Old Grizzly called him an idjit. He replied, "I have what you seek."

Jo was still suspicious as she pulled out the payment she was supposed to give for the seal. She kept her knife hand out just in case something happened. The payment was something that Bobby said was between him and Red Eagle. Jo had been curious and tempted to peek but something Bobby said about letting out chaos and suffering the wrath of an old man kept her from doing it. She figured that whatever it was Red Eagle would know how to handle and certainly Bobby would. So she left it alone and was now producing it untouched to the Indian.

Red Eagle took the proffered package without qualm and handed over the seal wrapped in furs to protect it. He watched in amusement as the girl opened it to make sure that it was what she was supposed to retrieve. He doubted that she knew exactly what she was looking for but he had to hand it to her for being thorough about things.

Jo inspected the item and finding it to her satisfaction (she had looked up the Seal of Nameh) she looked at Red Eagle and said, "I believe you find everything good?" It was politeness on her part and felt strange but at least it was something.

Red Eagle nodded, "Tell Old Grizzly that his eyes are watching still."

Jo raised a brow clearly not understanding the reference but she would humor the old man anyway. Besides Bobby would know more about what it meant. "Alright."

Red Eagle turned to leave when he was stopped. Something was different; like it was out of place. It wasn't a bad thing. No, not at all. He turned back towards Jo who looked rather surprised that he wasn't leaving just yet. He walked back up to her and looked her over. Finally he said, "The dead hear the thoughts of the living. They react to them."

Jo frowned as she pocketed the seal. Slowly she backed away from the old man and started walking back towards the place she had gotten to crash for her overnight stay. That had been a random and creepy thing that happened. She had dealt with supernatural stuff and she had been kidnapped by a fricking ghost once (thank God Sam and Dean were there) so she was used to weird but even that was strange and unusual.

A hot meal and a shower later, she was ready for bed but she felt like sleep might evade her. This whole trip had been one world of weird. The fact that Bobby was asking her to retrieve something that could have easily been brought to him was odd but she accepted it. She figured that Bobby wanted few people to be aware of his activities and Green River was a town that mimicked the mining boom towns only with the gas pumps but now that the cars were better… It was a dying town.

Sitting on her bed her eyes strayed to the package she was to deliver. This time curiosity got the better of her and she wanted to inspect it more closely. She unwrapped it from the furs that it had traveled in and examined the seal. It was a medicine wheel or seal or whatever they called it. Supposedly it was supposed to heal any injury that wasn't life threatening or something about healing the spirit of the person afflicted. It was a bunch of poetic license that Jo wasn't in the mood to try and decipher.

The seal had traditional images and it looked like it was Sioux in origin. What would something with Sioux markings be this far down from traditional lands? The vague thought that hunters may have used it and passed it on occurred to her and that usually was the case. The amulet that she wore under her shirts was a protective one developed by the Incas but the one who gave it to her acquired it from a dealer in New York. It happened and her friend said that the amulet was a rare find given the place it had been found in. Jo could understand that end.

As Jo studied the seal, her hand went subconsciously to the amulet and she grasped it and rubbed it between her fingers. It was a habit she had acquired recently and she noticed that she did it when she was nervous about a hunt or something that was going to happen. It was oddly comforting to her.

Suddenly there was a crash downstairs and Jo looked up. She turned her head towards the door. Being cautious, she put the seal back in the furs and in her jacket pocket. She walked towards the door to hear what was going on. She didn't have to be a genius to know that from the sounds she heard that it was not a good thing. She was still holding the amulet and felt the hunk of metal grow warm but not from the heat of her hand.

That was the unique trick of the amulet that her friend said she would see. Jo muttered under her breath, "Demons."

The amulet pulsed as Jo grabbed her jacket and put it on. She was grateful that she hadn't gotten ready for bed yet and was dressed in usual hunting apparel of jeans and a t-shirt. She grabbed her jacket and made her way to the window. It was a long drop but a good friend taught her how to fall and land on her feet.

Just as she was about to put a leg out the window, a strange sensation overcame her. It felt like she wasn't in control of her body movements when she reached for her knife and then whirled to throw it at the wall. It lodged itself into a wooden mask that she thought was the ugliest thing and a cheap attempt at livening up the place. She felt glad to hit it with her knife since it was so damned ugly but now she needed to retrieve it.

The knife was pretty well stuck in there and Jo was confused. She never threw anything that hard to get it stuck like that. It would if it were killing something but something like that monstrosity… that was different. She didn't have time to think about it as she took the thing off the wall and pulled her knife out. Since she was looking at the back of the mask, she saw something stuck to it and frowned.

From the looks of it, it was some of that really old paper, the kind that paper that existed in the 1800s and there was some sort of writing on it. Jo figured it was one of those old appraisal notes or something and was going to leave it. She was seized by that strange feeling again and found herself reaching for the paper. That was twice in a short span of time and it had her wondering if she was possessed and she didn't know it. But then the amulet would have reacted.

"Alright, fine I'll take the damn thing," Jo said to herself as she took the paper off the back. She stuffed into her jacket pocket and tossed the mask onto the bed and grabbed her weapons bag and hightailed it out of the window.

The jump was next to nothing as she landed on the ground as she had been taught. The battered truck she drove here was nearby. She had the keys and was in the truck when she saw the demon come out of the motel or whatever the place was. It was gunning for her and she had little time to get away.

The demon advanced towards Jo with the intent to kill since it was so much fun. Then he would be able to get the seal and be on his way. The boss would be so proud of him. He didn't expect to have his face splashed with holy water and he growled in pain.

"Take that you black eyed bitch!" Jo didn't wait to see the reaction and she gunned the engine. She was leaving Green River tonight and heading back to Bobby's. At least he had something there to keep the demons out and away from the seal.

The inevitable happened when her gas meter said that she needed gas. At least she was far enough away to get a tank of gas a roadside station in the middle of nowhere. As luck would have it, it was one of those twenty-four hour ones. She went in a paid for a tank. God she felt like a drink but she was on a job.

"Hey there gorgeous."

Jo rolled her eyes. She had seen the bikers pull up and prayed that the pumps would work fast. The last thing she needed was some asshole trying to pick her up. She did the best thing she could do and that was to ignore them and pray that they would get the hint that she wasn't interested.

"I'm talking to you."

Jo twisted her face in a grim expression while trying not to succumb to the temptation to reach out and hit the guy. That was taken from her when her upper arm was grabbed and she was whirled around. Again the strange sensation overcame her and she gave a punch and then a backhand a couple of times to the guy. She was still holding onto him when she gave a back kick to his partner and sent him crashing into the side of the mart/cashier office. The guy she was holding onto moaned in pain and complained that she was breaking his arm.

The guys backed down quickly and they left with Jo standing there and looking on. She was just as shocked as they were. As far as she knew, she had a mean right hook. Hell she almost broke Dean's nose with it once. This was getting too weird. She put the pump back into place and jumped in the truck and took off. She had to figure this out and if she was possessed, get it out.

Sometimes all that was needed was a stiff drink to ease the mind into thinking like it should. Jo knew that she shouldn't stop but head straight to Bobby's but she was too rattled to drive any further. After everything that had happened, she needed to think it out or at least talk to someone who might know.

Looking around the bar from her corner, she fished out her cell phone and tapped the speed button. She muttered, "Please pick up."

This is Angela, leave a message.

Jo hung up immediately. Probably the girl was asleep but she could jump up and out of bed if someone so much as sneezed and she was startled. Ash made that mistake when she was visiting and had fallen asleep in one of the chairs, tipped back. It had been funny but it was a serious eye opener as to how deadly her friend could be.

Jo looked at the contact list. She toyed with the idea of calling Sam or maybe Dean. She was actually leaning more towards Dean. She actually missed talking to him and she was curious to see how he was doing. The first time they met he was in a bad place emotionally because of his dad and then that thing with Sam and then when she snuck in on the hunt for Holmes; not exactly the best of situations to foster a friendship though Dean did have respect for her as a hunter. It was logical too since she learned that Angela traveled with him and Sam and that she got from her mom.

In the end, she decided against it. She would respect his silence on the matter. It wasn't like they were that close anyway.. Right? Instead she flipped it to her mom's number at the new Roadhouse. It had been up and running for a while now and Jo had been surprised at what the power of money and good connections got you. She dialed the number and hoped that her mom wouldn't overreact at her calling this late in the night.

Ellen here.

"Hi Mom," Jo greeted her mom with her usual tone.

Joanna Beth, are you all right? Did you have trouble?

"I'm fine Mom. Really I am," Jo replied. She knew that her mom was going to go overboard but in the end, she valued it all the same.

Then what's going on? You don't usually call this late. I have to assume the worst considering what that fool Bobby Singer sent you on.

"He asked as a favor and I agreed Mom. You were the one that said all jobs no matter how mundane need to have full attention. Besides I think Angie will agree that it's a good job to learn patience and diplomacy on."

So she put you up to this?

"No she didn't and you know it," Jo replied with a grin on her face. Her mom wasn't that mad. True she could jump off the handle and that generally extended to anything happening to Jo or Angela, anything happening to the Winchesters or Bobby and just general stupidity. "How is she anyway? Did she talk to you?"

Last time was maybe a week ago. Some case up in Montana. She did say that it was the first time she had a moment for a private conversation without the silly watch dog and bulldog hovering over her.

"I take it something happened and Sam and Dean are becoming like you when I have a cold," Jo ventured with a slight grin.

Those two need to learn that it only makes her a cornered animal.

"Oh she'll teach them that one," Jo replied. She knew that she should get to the main reason why she called her mom. She sighed a little and said, "Mom, there was a reason why I called you."

I knew it. Joanna Beth you know better and that I can tell when something is up just by the time of day you call.

"I know Mom. I just don't want you to worry too much."

You're my daughter Jo. Nothing is going to change that.

"Thanks Mom."

So what is on your mind Honey?

"Well I got to Green River and picked up the package for Bobby. I ran into some trouble there… The demon type."

Did you see them?

"Actually, you remember that amulet?"

I remember.

"Well it tells me when demons are near. It alerted me and I decided to make a break for it only when I tried to get out the window, I stopped." Jo paused a bit trying to best figure out how to say this without totally freaking her mom out. "I don't know what happened but I threw my knife at a mask on the wall and went to get it. I found a map on the back of the mask and took it. I then booked out of the place and headed back."

So you threw your knife at the wall.

"Mom, I don't throw it that well enough to get it stuck in wood that I have to jiggle it loose," Jo replied. She closed her eyes and slowly opened them as she got to the next part, "And when I threw it, it wasn't me. It felt like someone else was doing it and I was just there watching."

Whoa. Are you talking about possession? How can you be sure?

"Well I didn't space out. I don't have large chunks of memory missing. In fact I was pretty much awake through the whole thing," Jo admitted. She could hear her mom musing over the phone at the possibilities.

Did it feel like you were watching everything through a lens or something like that? Did you do the usual tests?

"Mom, if it were a… demon, the amulet would have reacted to me. It doesn't like demons," Jo explained in a near whisper. It was annoying but in the hunting business one couldn't be too careful. You had to do the tests. Hell she knew that Bobby put her mom through the ringer to make sure that she wasn't possessed when the first Roadhouse was destroyed.

Maybe it's ghost possession. It's rare but it does happen.

"But wouldn't someone black out in terms of memory too?" It was a valid question.

That might be it. I don't know Jo but I'm worried. Where are ya?

"Some roadside bar. I needed to thin about this and I wanted to make sure I wasn't followed. I might have to ditch the truck."

You better not. That crazy vamp that saved my bacon got her to run. It's a good vehicle.

Jo rolled her eyes slightly. She thought she would never live to see the day when her mom would actually get along with something that didn't have human in it. Angela didn't count since she was half human and her mom liked her right off the bat. "Alright I'll bring back Rusty in one piece."

Be nice to the ole boy. Jo be careful. I really don't know what is happening but you get yourself to Bobby's as quick as you can. He can help and if you have to, call the boys. At least they have more contact with that crazy girl.

Jo didn't miss the tone of affection her mom afforded Angela. It was the same tone she used for her. "I got it Mom. I'm gonna head out soon. I'll call when I get there."

I'll be waiting. You be careful now Joanna Beth.

"I will. Thanks Mom," Jo replied with a smile as she heard her mom hang up. Knowing Ellen Harvelle, the woman was going to be going through the day with an ear to the phone of the Roadhouse. She welcomed the fact though that her mom was trying not to come off too mother hen like with her. Jo suspected that Angela had something to say about that. In their last conversation she said that when the mother lets the offspring out of the nest, it was trial and error on both sides. Jo could drink to that so she signaled for the waiter.

Jo could hold her liquor with the best of them though no one could do it like Angela. She was like her mom in that business could be settled over a drink. It probably wasn't a good idea to be going at the shots of whiskey but she had a long hunt. Well it wasn't a hunt but it still had to go with the job of being a hunter even if it wasn't glamorous. She ordered a shot and now was staring at it as she thought about what happened. Then giving a shrug of her shoulders, she picked up the shot glass and raised it up but it never made it to her lips.

As if her arm were possessed, it refused to move. Jo frowned and tried to move it grateful that she had chosen a corner in the back of the bar so that no one was watching her but she could see everything. Her arm refused to budge until she made the motion of putting it down. She tried with the other arm but it didn't even leave the table.

Jo was getting pissed as well as freaked. It was most definitely a possession but it was nothing like she had seen before. Suddenly she felt herself get up and storm rather awkwardly towards the bathroom. She was most definitely possessed and she was in full awareness. What the hell is going on?

Don't be afraid Jo.

Jo looked around as her body moved awkwardly into the bathroom. She locked the door and finally her limbs started moving on her own accord. She stared at the door and looked around the bathroom. It was empty and definitely needed a good clean out with Lysol or something. That was a moot point though as Jo looked around wondering what happened and why she was hearing voices.

Look in the mirror Jo.

Jo tried not to jump at the voice that sounded eerily familiar. Well it was familiar and Jo thought it was crazy. Still she obeyed the voice and walked to stand in front of the mirror. She went slow but once she was in front of the mirror, she tried hard not to scream. What came out was, "Holy shit! Angie?"

Instead of her reflection, Jo saw the image of Angela. It was freaky considering that Angela had her hair down and she had braid holding it back from her face. Even more creepy was that it talked back, "It is me Jo. Um… there is no easy way to say this but... I'm dead."

A/N: In comes Jo on the scene and learns the bad news. How will she take it? Find out next time on Phoenix Rises...

A/N2: For all those that were wondering, the cover art for the Chronicles series is none other than a drawing of the famous tattoo that has Dean so frustrated because he never gets a good look.