She Was A Fast Machine ~ Dean Winchester

« Bugs » - Part 1/2

(S1EP8 - Bugs)

"So...we've got a gas company employee who fell in a sinkhole, and died from human mad cow disease in less than an hour. And after Dean's not so subtle manipulation tactic to make you jump inside that hole so he wouldn't have to go himself, you're telling me the only interesting thing you found down there is a dead beetle?"

Sam ignored the rest of her statement when he turned to her in shock. "What manipulation tactic?"

"Oh please Sammy, I thought you were smarter than that..."

Alina noticed Dean's amused smirk as he was driving, until Sam looked back at him angrily. And at that moment, their friend knew she had to bring them back to the case if she wanted to avoid another sibling argument. "So what about the beetle?"

Sam clearly wanted to yell at his brother, but he replied anyway with his usual professionalism. "There were no tunnels, no tracks. No evidence of any other kind of creature down there. You know, some beetles do eat meat. Now, it's usually dead meat, but..."

"How many did you find down there?" Dean asked, now as curious as Alina about this new lead.

"Ten."

"It'd take a whole lot more than that to eat out some dude's brain."

"Well, maybe there were more."

"I don't know, it sounds like a stretch to me."

"Says the big bad hunter with a trunk filled with weapons." Alina pointed out, making him shake his head to hide another smile.

"Well, we need more information on the area, the neighborhood. Whether something like this has ever happened before." Sam explained, not realizing that the car was slowing down in front of the sign of an open house, decorated with red balloons. Of course, Alina hadn't been the only one to notice that sign.

"I know a good place to start." Dean announced proudly, driving next to another sign saying 'Models Open. New Buyers' BBQ Today!' "I'm kinda hungry for a little barbecue, how about you?" Alina laughed at the knowing look Sam was giving him. "What, we can't talk to the locals?"

"And the free food's got nothing to do with it?" His brother asked, already done with him.

"Of course not. I'm a professional."

"Yeah Sammy. Respect the professionals."

And the moment the car was parked, Alina and Dean jumped out of it, excited to go to that barbecue. The young woman couldn't wait to finally eat a homemade meal. She'd spent too much time on the road with the brothers and Dean's bad eating habits.

"Growing up in a place like this would freak me out." Dean admitted, checking his surrounding with some kind of disgust in his voice.

"Why?"

"Well, manicured lawns, 'How was your day, honey?' I'd blow my brain out."

Alina agreed with him on one point, this kind of neighborhood sometimes seemed far too perfect to be actually pleasant. Yet, it could also have a charm for someone who'd known worse than gossip and conflicts between neighbors in their life. Of course, the boys had only known the motel-to-motel life after their mother's death, but Alina had lived most of her life in a large house with her parents, surrounded by neighbors who all shared the same occupation as them. The hunt. So yes, she'd somehow known the life that terrified Dean so much, but it wasn't ordinary anyway. It was the perfect mix of calm and crazy, she often missed that life.

The brothers and their friend stopped in front of the house, knocked on the door, and were quickly welcomed by the homeowner. "Welcome." The man said happily.