Hey, this is probably going to be the second to last chapter. As of yet I'm still undecided as to whether or not to write a sequel, I'll probably just start another completely different story. Thank you for the reviews, hope you like the penultimate chapter =]
Don't own Supernatural.
The car rolled to a stop outside the abandoned house we were temporarily calling home. My mind kept replaying the events of the last few hours, some more prominent in my mind than others. I let myself collapse onto the sofa. Tired was an understatement, my muscles were beginning to stiffen up; I was thirsty and completely drained of any energy. All in all it made for a very grumpy Alice. I felt sorry for the Winchesters', whichever one decided they would disturb me from my own little world.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Dean ranted away. I don't think neither Sam nor I were paying attention, we were each too occupied with our own problems, I know for certain that I was. I looked across at Sam and grinned, he had plonked himself down in one of the threadbare armchairs that had been left by the previous owner. He smiled back behind Dean's back. For now it was our little secret, I wanted to shout and scream to let everyone know but regrettably professionalism had to take centre stage.
"Are you even listening?" Dean stopped his ranting and stood in the middle of the room.
"Yeah," Sam replied. I certainly hadn't been listening; I didn't want the doom and gloom to rain on my parade just yet.
"Really and what was the last thing I said?" Dean pressed, already knowing that Sam hadn't been paying attention.
"Errrrrm," I could see Sam battling with himself to come up with an answer but to no avail.
I sat up, deciding that Sam had suffered enough, "we don't have time to waste trying to decide if Sam was listening or not."
"You weren't either," accused Dean. Now he was the one wasting time that we didn't have.
I sharply replied, "That's beside the point, now shut up and listen." Dean looked taken aback and opened his mouth to answer back but I didn't give him any chance, "I want this finished tonight, no more Shapeshifter and no more being wanted," who knew I could be so bossy. I reached into my pocket for my cell phone and went over to the table, flinging bits of paper everywhere until I found what I was looking for. One of the wanted posters hidden beneath mountains of sheets covered in notes we'd made.
"Alice?" Sam quizzed as he joined me at the table. I ignored him and entered the phone number into my phone. Dean appeared on the other side of the table. At least I had the Winchesters' full attention now. I hit the call button and let the phone ring in my ear, "who are you calling?" Sam asked but I refused tot ell them. They'd stop me right there and then and as far as I was concerned I had a pretty good idea.
An officer who sounded half asleep answered the phone, "The Sheriff, please," I didn't even bother with a hello. I had to get straight to the point.
"Are you insane!" Dean shouted trying to reach across the table for the phone. I stepped back only to bump into Sam, I contemplated making a run for it but my legs were in no fit state to try to outrun a Winchester. Sam gently lifted the phone from air and ended the call. I folded my arms and moved away from him. I wasn't planning on handing myself in, more like tell the Sheriff where we were so that we stab the Shapeshifter on arrival. There were major flaws to the plan; hopefully they wouldn't be much of a problem.
I was starting to think that I could live with being wanted if it meant finally being rid of this damn Shapeshifter. Sam and Dean had managed to avoid the police all this time so it couldn't be that hard now could it? Maybe I could cross the boarder and start a new life in Mexico or Canada, I just had to decide whether I like hot or cold weather more. Canada is a big place, I could easily hide away up there and the cold isn't so bad. It would be beyond inconvenient though.
After taking a deep breath to calm my annoyance I explained what I intended to do. In hindsight I should have told them first not mislead them like that but I was tired and fed up of the childish arguments. Sam didn't say anything but Dean more than made up for it, "Not going to happen. What if we get arrested? Its curtains and I don't know about you but I don't fancy eating any jail food."
"Yeah, well, Dean else can we do?" at least Sam was on my side.
"We just have to be ready," I added although that was easier said than done. Sam finally handed me back my phone so that I could call again. I had expected to have second thoughts about making the call but I didn't. I took that as a good sign, a sign that everything would hopefully work out and not fail miserably.
Ready we certainly weren't. It would be a matter of minutes, fifteen at most I'm guessing before the police showed up. I'd told the Sheriff to come alone but knew that he or rather it wouldn't but it was worth a shot. At lightening speeds we packed up everything so that we could make a quick getaway or rather in my rusty red trucks case, a slow getaway.
The hand gun with the silver bullets was loaded and ready to go along with the silver knife I'd been given and another blunt knife that looked to me more like a letter opener but if it got the job done who was I to complain. I'd offered to take the blunter knife of the two but they both insisted I take the sharper one, they obviously had no faith in my ability to stab someone or something. Telling them otherwise had been a pointless task, neither of them believed me so I returned to making sure everything was set to go as the faint sound of sirens could be heard on the empty highway.
It was god knows what time in the morning, I'd done god knows how much running and all I wanted to do was sleep not stand out in the cold night watching flashing lights reflect off the house and illuminate the empty land surrounding us. This was a really stupid mistake. I'd never been one for praying, personally I thought it was nonsense, god wasn't going to save us but this time I allowed for an exception if only for peace of mind.
Dean stood slightly ahead of us, almost like he was psyching himself up for finally getting a result. I hung back with Sam where, for the time being, I felt safe. With Dean's attention occupied elsewhere I took hold of Sam's hand trying to find the safety I felt when we were running for our lives earlier. He squeezed my hand which eased the fear a little bit; nevertheless I still had a nervous smile upon my face. As the car got closer and closer the adrenalin kicked in once again and mixed with the fear it turned into excitement. I had no explanation for it but it was certainly better than the fear alone. The only thing I had to keep reminding myself was to have my wits about me.
There was only one police car, I'd expected more. Maybe it was just the first on the scene with others following suit. I let go off Sam's hand and tightened the grip on the knife as determination sunk in. This would be finished by breakfast, wanted or not wanted.
In the dark I could distinguish the dark outline of two people in the cop car. If it was the Sheriff, great, if it wasn't well I'm sure we'd cross that bridge. With the lights still on the two officers hastily existed the car. Oh crap! This was it. I was actually getting sick of saying that to myself, it seems every time I say it we hit a major snag. We must be running out of major snags by now though.
The Sheriff and his deputy stepped out of the car, although it should really read the Shapeshifter and his deputy stepped out of the car. It seemed to be grinning maliciously, convinced that it was going to come out of this on top well, I had news for it. It wasn't. I but lip as anger suddenly coursed through me, I wanted to run up and stab it to wipe the triumphant look off its face.
"There are more officers on the way," the Shapeshifter stated calmly. Sam shifted slightly, I glanced across at him quickly he looked as annoyed as I was.
"We'll be gone before they get here," Dean replied tightening his grip on the gun at his side. The Shapeshifter looked down at the gun and grinned.
"You think so, do you?" the Shapeshifter took a step closer. Dean raised his gun in response, aiming it straight at the Shapeshifter.
"Oh I wouldn't do that if I was you," the Shapeshifter slowly reached for the Sheriff's gun holster, pulling out a handgun. I expected it to aim the gun straight at Dean, hell I wouldn't put it passed him to pop a cap in any one of our asses right there and then but there again I had a feeling that this was all a game to it. Killing us quickly wouldn't be the result it was after.
Mustering up all the courage I had, knowing that it could quite easily shoot me, I challenged it, "why shouldn't we?" I tightened my already tight grip on the knife, not that it would do any good against a gun. I didn't really stand a chance.
"The little girl has guts, shall I show you?" the Shapeshifter replied before unexpectedly grabbing the Deputy and pressing his gun to her head. We watched the fear flood her eyes across the short distance. I was scared for her. Dean wasn't going to waste any time and lunged for the Shapeshifter, "ah ah ah, I wouldn't be doing that if I were you." Sam grabbed a hold of Dean, stopping him from doing anything drastic. As if to emphasise the point the Shapeshifter pressed the gun harder to the Deputies head, poor lady I bet she has a family. "Or better yet, I could shoot you," it shifted the gun to point at me whilst still keeping his grip on the Deputy who was squirming around trying to get free from its grip.
I couldn't help but stare at the gun aimed at me from a few meters away, there's was a slim chance it would miss but I wasn't thinking about that. I was really going to have to bite the bullet this time. Sam and Dean shifted so they were stood in front of me, Dean not moving the gun from the Shapeshifter. I wasn't paying attention, that gun had completely removed any form of resistance I'd had. Instead I was left nothing but a trembling bag of nerves and was only slightly aware of the Shapeshifter talking, "it seems we are at a stand off."
Sam looked back at me, worried. I tired to show him I had a stiff upper lip and pretended that everything was hunky dory; I doubt he bought it though. As time passed, the sirens grew louder once again, announcing the arrival of more police. We really needed to put our best foot forward and get out of there. I was now having second thoughts about waiting before putting an end to the Shapeshifter so that another officer could see events unfold and brush our being wanted under the carpet. We had that in the form of the Deputy; she just had a gun to her head.
"Fred, what's gotten into you, let me go and we can work it out," the Deputy pleaded. She didn't have a clue what was going on. I watched the Deputy try to pull herself from the Shapeshifter causing it to laugh. If she didn't stop she was going to get herself killed.
"Sammy, why don't explain for the Deputies sake what's going on," Dean asked without turning his attention from the Shapeshifter. I knew what was going on, Dean was buying for time. We needed to do something but we couldn't, we were in full sight of the Shapeshifter. It would see us coming. Of course Dean could just shoot it right now but that was too higher of a risk for the Deputy, there would easily be enough time for it to pull the trigger before it went down.
"That isn't your Sheriff," Sam explained, "It's a Shapeshifter. It's been killing of all those people and taking their places. It's had every single one of you fooled."
"Oh bravo! Yes, I guess the game is up. Oh but what fun it was to watch all those suffering faces right before I snuffed out their lives," the Shapeshifter confessed with a vile grin upon the Sheriff's face.
"You sick bastard!" Dean retorted.
"No more so than you who hunt living beings like me as if it was a sport," it was as if the Shapeshifter was trying to take the moral high ground. I felt outraged, I wasn't doing this for sport and neither were Sam or Dean. We were doing this to stop evil things from causing pain and suffering to others. There was no enjoyment in it for me.
"You think we do this for fun!" I was beyond outraged and managed to open my big mouth once again.
"Yes just like I become other people, the strip club owners are the best, so many beautiful women," the Shapeshifter had clearly been doing this for some time. "I must congratulate you. This is the first time I have ever come close to being caught but then again this is the first time I've ever stayed in one place for more than a few deaths. Once I realised you were hunting me I stayed on, for the challenge. It does become boring after a while."
By now the Deputy had stopped struggling and was horrified, we all were. "What are you going to do about the other officers when they arrive?" I asked as the sound of sirens became louder still from the highway.
"Oh I won't be around, I'll kill my friend here and maybe one of you. I just have to choose which one. The little girl who needs to put her money where her mouth is, Mr Take-no-prisoners with the gun or the tall one? Decisions, decisions. Or better yet, I could become the Deputy, I've only ever been a women once before. It wasn't a pleasant experience."
I moved forward to stand next to Dean ready to destroy the Shapeshifter at the first chance I got; I'd show it putting my money where my mouth is. By now no proof was needed to show that this Shapeshifter was as mad as a hatter. If the Deputy could just get away from the Shapeshifter we'd stand a better chance. Three against one, easy. We had to keep the Shapeshifter talking. "Only once before? Is there something wrong with us females?" I asked, challenging it to argue.
"No you are stunning creatures you just bitch and moan constantly," that smart ass.
I had to have nerves of steel to continue, "So you'd rather be some balding middle aged man, of all the possibilities." That hit a nerve; the smile disappeared from its face. It was only words but I felt it was a small triumph. Now would be the ideal time for the Deputy to make a run for it, whilst a majority of its attention was on me. 'Run Deputy Run!' If only she could read minds. I had to hope that either Sam or Dean had cottoned onto what I was thinking and made some gesture for the Deputy to run whilst the Shapeshifter wasn't paying too much attention.
"A man with experience, I like to be someone with some standing, some power something the likes of you wouldn't understand. It needs to be someone with experience," it replied with hints of defensiveness.
I raised an eyebrow. The nerves had been flattened for the time being allowing this new over-confident version of me to surface. Up until now I never knew this side of me existed. I can't say I was mad keen on it but it seemed to be working. The problem was keeping it up.
I had to keep covertly glancing to the side to get one of the Winchesters' to follow. There was only so long I could keep it talking for before it got to angry and blew the Deputies head off right there and then.
Thankfully Sam caught on to what I was trying to achieve and gestured with his hand slightly. The Deputy made no inclination that she was going to make a break for it. She probably didn't trust us, I don't blame her she more than likely thought we were crazy. First her Sheriff goes crazy and tries to kill and here we are telling her the Sheriff is actually a Shapeshifter. The gun and two knives probably weren't promoting our case either. At least she had a better chance of living if she trusted us. Sam repeated the gesture with his hand at his side. I gazed beyond the Shapeshifter at the four or maybe five cars speeding up to the house, I looked back at the Shapeshifter, square in the eyes we really were running out of time, "Is that what you're calling it. Personally and I'm sure these two will agree with me, I think you're a coward. A coward who's too afraid to make a life for himself so you resort to stealing other people's lives." It was fair to say the Shapeshifter was now officially pissed; thankfully it gave the Deputy chance to make a run for it, towards us. The major problem had seen coming was the gun now aimed at me with psychotic Shapeshifter wielding it.