anti-hero, supernatural [ 2 ], DISCONTINUED

029. killer niece

It's nighttime and Sam is driving the car to their next case. Dean and the kids are asleep while Natalie messes with Briar's hair to help her stay asleep.

Dean wakes up, letting out a small groan making Sam glance at him.

"Morning." Sam says.

"Hey." Dean mutters. He takes a flask out, unscrewing the cap, and drinking from it.

"Is that Bobby's?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, mine sprung a leak." Dean says.

"You know, most people would just carry a-a photo or something for a memento." Sam says.

"Shut up, man. I'm-I'm-- I'm honoring the guy, all right? This is, uh, grief therapy, kind of like you and your wild goose chase." Dean says.

"Wild goose chase?"

"Yeah."

"Four guys murdered in two weeks, hands and feet cut off."

"Yeah, well, some guy with a foot fetish run amuck."

"Grown men thrown so hard they went through walls. Did you-- did you even read the article?" Sam tosses a newspaper at Dean.

"No, I was napping." Dean says.

"What else you got going on? Dick Roman's a dead end for now, you might as well--"

"Stay busy."

"Exactly."

"Yeah."

+++

Sam pulls up to the hospital, getting in a parking spot. The brothers get out of the car, both in their fed suits now.

"She's not coming?" Dean asks, pointing to his sister.

"I'm not leaving my two year olds in a car alone -- at night, nonetheless." Natalie says.

"Damn it. I gotta get myself a kid." Dean mutters.

+++

"You look like shit." Sam comments as Dean walks up to him and Natalie.

"Yeah, well, I feel worse than I look." Dean says. "I do recommend the Cobalt Room, by the way. Awesome night. Although I think I'm getting too old for this." The twins quietly laugh. "Did you, uh, figure out that symbol?"

"No. Um, we're gonna need an expert." Sam says.

"Expert? Our expert's dead." Dean says.

They show their FBI badges to an officer who lets them pass and they go into the apartment. They walk into the victim's apartment, seeing the blood splattered room.

"Well, nice decor. Very early slaughterhouse." Dean comments.

"Guys, this is Charlene Penn. She's the lead on the case." The forensics guy says.

"More of the same. Uh, no forced entry. Thrown across the room. Made to suffer. Both hands and feet cut off." Charlene says.

"Same symbol on the chest." Sam notes.

"Mm. Whoever the killer is, the guy's a monster." The forensics guy says.

"Excuse me." Charlene walks away.

"This guy's just like the last one. Early 30s, decent looking?"

"Yeah. Just like the first three, you know? Fairly successful, no known enemies." He says. "Here." The guy and Dean walk to the kitchen. Sam and Natalie see the officer standing at the door talking to a guy.