Supernatural... But Better (Vol. I)

Chapter Thirteen

"Here he comes," Becky announced, pointing at the screen, where the security footage was playing. It showed Zach walking into his house.

"22:04, that's just after ten," Dean observed. "You said time of death was about 10:30."

She nodded, crossing her arms. "Our lawyers hired some kind of video expert. He says the tape's authentic. It wasn't tampered with."

Suddenly, the Zach in the video looked up at the security tape. But instead of the grainy quality of the video showing dark spots where his eyes were, there was a bright silver flash.

"Hey, Beck, can we take those beers now?" Sam asked, totally nonchalantly, but I wondered if he hadn't seen the same thing I was and was trying to get rid of her.

"Oh, sure," she agreed readily, standing and beginning to walk to the kitchen.

"Wait," he called after her, turning towards me. "Do you drink?"

I shook my head, smiling a little. "No, not really."

He turned back to Becky, who was giving me an odd look. "Just two, then. Maybe some sandwiches, too?"

Immediately brightening with his attention, she rolled her eyes playfully. "What do you think this is, Hooters?"

Dean laughed quietly. "I wish."

I leaned over the back of the couch where Sam was sitting once she was out of earshot. "You saw it, didn't you? His eyes."

He nodded, rewinding the tape, then clicking play. "Check this out, Dean."

The silver flash was there again, puzzling all three of us.

Dean shrugged. "Well, maybe it's just a camera flare."

His brother shook his head, leaning forward to see better. "That's not like any camera flare I've ever seen. You know, a lot of cultures believe that a photograph can catch a glimpse of the soul."

"Right," Dean conceded.

Sam thought for a moment. "Remember that dog that was freaking out? Maybe he saw this thing. Maybe this is some kind of dark double of Zach's, something that looks like him but isn't him."

That prompted Dean to take a closer look. "Like a Doppelgänger."

I shook my head. "No. Not a doppelgänger. Those are peaceful apparitions, they just bring bad luck. Whatever we have here, it's something different, something actively seeking to harm."

They both looked at me. "Then what do you think it is?" Sam wondered.

I walked around the couch, taking a closer look at the thing. "Its eyes. They're silver, here, showing its true nature, but they couldn't have been that bright when he walked inside. Emily would've realized, someone would've realized it was different, unnatural."

"So? What does that have to do with anything?"

Tracing the screen, I examined him. "He must be able to hide his eyes. And if he can change the way his eyes look—"

"He can change the way the rest of him looks," Sam finished for me.

"So it's a shapeshifter," his brother asked, somewhat unbelievably.

Turning back around, I nodded. "Of some sort, yes. It'd have to be."

Sam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Which means it could be anyone."

That gave me pause, as it was something fairly important, and I hadn't considered it. "Yes. True."

"Oh, Jesus Christ," Dean groaned, pressing his hands against his face. "Well, this'll be great."