Chapter Text
Houston, Texas.
‘I don’t get it.’ Sam shook his head for what felt like the fiftieth time. They had been pouring over the details of the cases for two hours now and it still felt as though they couldn’t make the head or tail of it. ‘Why there? Why London of all places?’
‘There are other important questions- who is behind these and what they intend to do next,’ Cas replied calmly.
‘No pattern whatsoever be it the victims or modus operandi or the days on which the incidents happened,’ Dean said, throwing the papers he had been fruitlessly examining down onto the coffee table. ‘Any innocent could be the next target and we are here, blindly shooting in the dark.’ He started pacing up and down the room agitatedly.
‘Dean,’ Cas said, turning to him, ‘after all these years you should know it’s not possible to save everyone.’
‘Dammit Cas! I hate being helpless!’
Sam looked up from his laptop at that. He sighed inwardly. Dean was once again getting worked up over unanswerable questions.
‘But you are helping, Dean. We all are trying our best.’
‘Best is not enough sometimes.’
‘But best is what we have right now,’ Sam pointed out. ‘Dean, you are looking into the victims, I’m researching the London issue and Cas here is trying to establish telepathy with his group so that we may learn something.’
Dean was about to open his mouth but Cas beat him to it.
‘It’s very possible that we may not prevent the next incident from happening but all this preparation will help us protect the other unfortunate souls who are no doubt on the list.’
Sam took in his brother’s tired and miserable expression. ‘Hey, why don’t we exchange? Two heads are better than one. You may be able to spot something I’ve missed.’
Dean narrowed his eyes at Sam. ‘Are you babying me?’
Before Sam could reply, a knock at the door interrupted them. The Winchesters stiffened in reflex but Cas went forward and collected the delivery.
‘Here’s your hamburger and fries, Dean,’ he said, unceremoniously shoving the pack at him.
Sam chuckled and pulled his pizza to himself. ‘He’s the one who’s babying you.’
Dean scowled.
‘Besides,’ Sam continued in between his mouthfuls, ‘I’d really like an opportunity to tell you how easily you overlook the simplest of things.’
‘You’ve always been doing it irrespective of the availability of an opportunity. I’m surprised you even thought you needed one,’ Cas said around a slice of pepperoni and cheese.
Dean crossed his hands over his chest. ‘Does this mean you indirectly agree with Sam on this matter of me ignoring the details?’
‘I said you overlook things, not that you ignore anything,’ Sam retorted.
‘Which, being a problem of vision, can probably be corrected with a pair of spectacles. I think I saw a store on my way here,’ Cas added.
Sam had to keep his laugh contained at Dean’s expression of discombobulated anger. ‘Or maybe it doesn’t have as much to do with vision.’
‘You think so?’ Dean cocked an eyebrow, glaring with all his might.
‘Yeah, it’s probably just your hunger.’
Dean spluttered and spit out his burger just as Cas started snickering loudly. Sam glanced up at his brother and threw him a winning smile.
‘Hmm, that’s strange,’ Sam mused a few hours later. Dean’s gaze snapped to his brother who was hunched over his notes.
‘There’s absolutely nothing here that’s remotely normal,’ Dean replied, stretching his hands and cracking his knuckles.
‘No, I found one thing common between our victims here and the victims in London, but it doesn’t make sense,’ Sam clarified.
‘I’m not really surprised,’ Cas said, coming over. ‘If it did, our work would become too easy.’
Sam rolled his eyes. ‘Okay, this is what we know till now: seven different kinds of creatures have been preying on people left, right, centre for about two months and these are more powerful than the ones we previously faced, almost impossible to kill.’
Dean nodded. ‘The attacks started on different days and the victims of those attacks were chosen at random. Unlike how that particular creature usually attacks.’
‘Yes, the ghost that exploded on you, it killed exactly seven others. The London creatures too.’
Dean cocked an eyebrow. ‘Are you telling me there are 98 people dead in total?’
‘That is a large number,’ Cas agreed, voice laced with worry. He walked over to the couch and sat down next to Sam, picking up a pile of pinned news clippings.
‘Well,’ Sam shuffled uncomfortably, ‘that’s what it looks like.’
‘Bobby says hunters are everywhere. Why didn’t they get a wind of this?’ Dean asked. Cas tilted his head in thought, still examining the bundle in his hands.
Sam leaned forward and looked up at his brother. ‘Because they’ve all been sporadic. No two occurred in the same place or on the same day or in a manner that would rouse suspicion.’
‘No, but they all occurred at the same time,’ Cas said, frowning. He looked at Dean and Sam. ‘These reports of the victims, they are in the evening editions of the newspapers.’
Sam took the clippings from Cas and nodded, eyes skimming over once more. ‘Yes, and look at the pictures of the bodies. They were all found in abandoned places.’
Dean started rattling off his questions. ‘Meaning they were lured?’
‘Possible,’ Sam shrugged. ‘No external injuries whatsoever, at least depending on these photographs here. Cops suspect poisoning in most of these instances, they are still treating them as individual cases, though. It’s probably why there are no reports of mass hysteria. According to the Daily Mail, they’ve sent the requisite samples for toxicological evaluation after the autopsy. Results are awaited.’
‘Even after two months?’ Dean asked, incredulous, eyebrows disappearing into his hairline.
‘Yes, it doesn’t make sense,’ Sam said, pulling his laptop over. ‘They were mentioned only once in the news too. I’ve checked the newspapers of the days after the incidents took place, there’s no mention of anything related. It’s as if those dead have never even existed here.’
Dean frowned. ‘Any missing complaints?’
Sam shook his head. ‘Besides, they were lying unclaimed in the morgue, so the police themselves gave the bodies a small, short funeral.’
‘So,’ Cas said, ‘what you mean to say is that nobody among the victims’ family, friends or acquaintances lodged a complaint?’
Sam shrugged. ‘Yes, it’s as if they’ve all forgotten about that one person. We won’t be able to find out more unless we go there.’
‘To London, then?’ Cas asked.
‘To London,’ Sam agreed, crossing his arms over his chest.
‘Great, what are you waiting for then? Zap us, Cas.’ Dean extended a hand in Cas’ direction.
‘I’m not doing that,’ Cas refused and leaned back next to Sam, who was looking on expectantly.
Dean said nothing, standing tall and immobile in front of two pairs of scrutinising eyes.
Sam huffed at last. ‘You’ve been to hell and back, Dean. Literally.’
Dean snorted. ‘Not on a fucking aeroplane, Sammy, nope. Besides,’ he lifted a hand, preventing Sam from retorting further, ‘Isn’t it easier this way? Cas touches us between our brows and bam! You open your eyes to a different place.’
Cas looked on amused even as Sam facepalmed.