The Boys are Missing

Chapter 4: The House on the Hill

It's dark once again as the ladies pull up to the address Castiel retrieved from Oscar's log book. Baby's headlights cast an eerie illumination across the sprawling front yard.

"Why does it always have to be a spooky looking house?" Jessica asks as she looks over the run-down, turn-of-the-century home with its over-grown, unkempt yard. "Why couldn't it be a nice home on a well-lit street with lots of people merrily singing at a piano inside or something? Why is it always something straight out of Ghostfacers?"

"I know what you mean," Bela says with a frown.

"It wouldn't be any fun if it wasn't," Ruby chirps. She was feeling good about the contribution she made at the occult shop and her mood had brightened considerably.

Jessica shoots her a little smile. "Feeling better? You're already looking a little better."

Ruby looks at her face in the rear-view mirror. Most of the bruising from the occult shop battle had already softened and was almost gone. She gives herself a grin. "Another side benefit of being a demon. Quick healing."

Bela glances over to her companions and joins in the grinning. "Cass is going to take a while to catch up as usual. What's our plan here?"

Ruby shrugs. "Just check the place out, I guess. Maybe we should walk around the building and peek in the windows first?"

Jessica nods in approval. "Yes, I like that idea. Come on, we don't need Castiel for a walk around."

"I think it would be a good idea to leave Baby's lights on," Bela says as she taps absentmindedly on the steering wheel. "Do we have any flashlights?"

Jessica shrugs. "Dunno. Pop the trunk and let's see what the boys keep back there."

The ladies exit and access the rear of the vehicle. Their eyes go wide as Sam and Dean's arsenal opens before their eyes.

"Good grief," Ruby whispers. "These guys are prepared for anything!" She tries to look closer, but finds herself repelled by the wards painted around the inside of the car.

Jessica begins digging through the various weapons and holy artifacts. "Bingo," she declares and holds up several flashlights.

Bela holds up a sawed-off shotgun. "Bingo indeed. I suddenly feel much better about this whole situation."

Jessica frowns. "I hope you know how to handle one of those. Guns have always kind of freaked me out." She picks up a machete and grins. "This, on the other hand... I think I can handle this."

Bela nods and begins stuffing her pockets with ammunition. She picks up Dean's pearl handle pistols and looks at them lovingly. "Dean never let me touch these," she says quietly. "Well, honey... I'm touching them now!" She shoves them into the waste of her skinny jeans with a little grunt.

"I'd better take a backup as well!" Jessica declares with a big smile and picks up a rather wicked looking knife.

Ruby does her best to stifle the horror that grips her as she recognizes the blade that put an end to her life several years earlier. Jessica looks over with a smile as she tucks it into her boot. "You need some weapons too, Ruby?"

The smallest of the three women clears her throat and shakes her head. "No, I'm good. I'm good... thanks."

"OK. We ready to do this?" Bela asks as she slams the trunk shut.

"Almost," Jessica says. "There's one more thing that needs to happen first."

"What's that?" Ruby asks. She's taken a little off guard when Jessica wraps her arms around her and clutches her to her large bosom.