Hunteri Heroici

...Rabbits?

White.

That was it. Just a vast sea of endless white nothingness, they were starting to get a bit sick of this.

it's never taken this long before they thought as they waited floating (?) in the emptiness, however a niggling little doubt rose up from wherever their 'brain' typically hid it yes, it has but whatever that traitor 's done to you keeps you from remembering until you're here. Until you're dead. And that was what they were, right? Whatever he had done to them - to everyone – it had killed every last soul trapped in that inky hell.

But maybe they weren't dead, well not here or the space beyond at least. They knew what happened when they died, everyone did. You'd return to tha-that place and hope to high hell that you'd see the other side, maybe even in the same shape as you went in if whatever was out there took a shine to you. But here? Here they were whole, here they didn't have to scramble to pull themselves back together or fish it out from all the screaming...

Here they looked like they used to before they came here. Back to the studio, to see why his good ol' pal ended so many years of radio silence - because there was one thing that bastard was above all else and it was stubborn.

They're vision began to blur and slowly, oh so slowly, the world came back from the edges in ward in a bright flash of colour.

~***~

The impala rolled up to the apartment building, the sky still grey from it's over night sulking, the air still too cold for the time of year. All in all, it was a miserable morning; more so to be up by that time. Fishing around for id's took some time as they hadn't needed three badges in a while, but they had convinced (bullied) Castiel that taking a break with a different, less complicated problem would make dealing with angel business easier with a clear head. He was not convinced.

"Is this really something I need to b-"

"Yes, Cas, you need a break just like every th-"

"But I don't, Dean angles don't need 'breaks'"

Sam was really starting to get sick of this, surely a two-hour drive should've been enough for them to get somewhere with this. But no, it looks like they got stuck on a roundabout somewhere and they still can't figure out how to get off keeping this to himself Sam continued up, although his thoughts still spilled steadily over to his face. Their 'serious' uniforms made no difference to the chill snapping at their heels, as a beige trench coat fluttered out like wings behind Castiel, not improving anyone's mood one bit. They were still at it when he reached up to knock the door...

~*~

From inside the rough knocking could be heard, bouncing off every object to reach the occupant like a cat with the zoomies at 3 in the morning. Pulling the blankets around her she moved to answer the door as it draped across the floor, snagging on any discarded toys that found their way out of their box. Looking through the peephole, she saw three men standing at her door. Not who she had been expecting.

"Hello, Linda Stein? There's something urgent we have to discuss." Came a muffled voice through the door- the taller of the three spoke she assumed as the other two seemed like they were arguing, not loud enough to make out words but enough to tell it was an argument. The tall one looked over to his companions telling them something. With a sigh the other two voices stopped.

"It's about your father."

A gruffer voice called seemingly to clarify what had been said. With a small gasp the door opened, just a crack.

"Why? Who are you people?"

the reply came from in between the unbrushed mess of greying bed hair. Not much else was visible through the narrow gap, but the strong smell of hay was easily found.

"We are agents Hetfield, Coleman and Swift and we have reason to believe that your father's original case was not properly investigated. There are just some details of the case we want to go over you with, seeing as how poorly it was handled previously. Is it alright if we come in?"

The taller (agent 'Hetfeild'apparently) explained as he showed her the badge, replacing it quickly into his suit jacket; the other two doing the same - although the man in the trench coat did it without the practiced speed of his partners.

With a small gesture she ushered them inside, subtly shifting any toys or food bowls that may have been under foot. As they passed through into the next room, she offered them a seat and some tea, careful to keep her rabbits to the small area they stayed when she had guests around. One of the rabbits – brown with a one ear black and the other white – hopped up, seating itself on agent Swift and began nibbling on the sleeve of his trench coat for attention.

"What was it you wanted to know? Oh- sorry about Patches, she does that for attention I can take her if she's bothering you?"

"No, she's fine really," the agent said, beginning to give the little bunny what it was asking for.

"Did your father show any strange behaviours before he disappeared?" Began agent Coleman sparing a half glance to the man on his right

"Well, I was very young at the time – he disappeared when I was eight – but from what I knew and was told of him... no I don't think so"

"Did your father mention having made a deal with someone before his disappearance, maybe one that was ending for example?" Swift asked barely glancing up from the rabbit.

"No. Definitely no, he wasn't involved with any of that – he didn't even drink I really don't think he made a deal with anyone in or out crime!" she exclaimed clearly taken by surprise both by the question and the harshness in her tone. "Do you have any other questions or...?" Carefully trying to keep the sob from penetrating her voice, keeping it soft and barely audible. ('trying' being the word, as the tears were not helping)

"Just one and we'll leave Mrs Stein, did your father mention hearing voices, smell rotten eggs or cold spots? Just for the record." One of the agents – not knowing which, looking anywhere but the seat opposite her.

"No, he told us that he was just going to see an old friend. A couple of days and he'd be back, there was never anything else he just. Didn't come home-"she trailed off, her voice hit with waves of sorrow – the mystery of her father finally being looked into after all these years was just too much.

Without a word the three left, the small rabbit watched from her lap (it wondered how it had gotten there in the first place, this was quickly forgotten however as for now they had something important to do) snuggling into her side in any attempt to relief the pain of something they couldn't begin to understand.

The door closed softly behind them.

"... huh, looks like we'll just have to checkout this place for ourselves then, right Sammy?"