Hollowing Souls

Frontierland

January 10th, 2012

Lansing, Michigan

"So why are we here?" Alex followed Sam into Samuel's study. "I mean, I get why we're here, but couldn't it have waited, like, a few more days?" They were at the Campbell family compound; having run out of leads back home, Bobby agreed that perhaps it was time to see if the Campbells had anything of any use; after all, Samuel had admitted to knowing who Eve was.

"It's here, somewhere," Sam promised, all but ignoring Alex. "I know it." He shoved on the solid oak desk before looking back at Bobby Singer. "Help me move this."

Bobby stepped forward and together they slid the heavy desk to the corner of the room. Sam dropped to his knees and hooked his fingers through a small iron ring. With a tug part of the floor swung up, revealing a ladder that disappeared into blackness.

"Well I'll be damned." Bobby looked over at Dean, who was still staring into the hole, flashlight barely cutting into the dark that lay below.

Without hesitation Sam descended down the ladder. Bobby followed, and, with an exchange of looks, Dean and Alex followed.

Alex dropped to the ground, wings flaring out to help steady her as she turned around to see where they were as Sam flicked on the lights. "Whoa." They were in a concrete room; the walls were lined with books of every shape and size. "Bobby. Is this your heaven?" she teased, looking around.

"Welcome to the Campbell family library." Sam led the way further into the room.

"So, Samuel collected all this stuff, huh?" Bobby followed the Winchester, obviously quite interested.

"Like what you see?" Alex quickened her step to catch up to him.

Bobby grunted in agreement. "Might make some use of this in the future." He flipped open a book that was laying not the table. "Seems secure enough. Move some of my copies in here, move some of this stuff out." He walked to the other side of the room, still muttering to himself.

"Wow." Dean closed a book he had been looking through, his flashlight beam seeking out Bobby. "So, all right, what are we looking for?"

"Well, anything that'll put a run in Octomom's stockings. Pick a row." And with that, Bobby carried a stack of books over to the table.

...

Alex wasn't sure how much time had passed. She was seated at the table next to Sam, dutifully skimming through a large red book, looking for the words "Eve" or "Mother." Nothing. She rolled her neck, wincing at the stiffness; she wouldn't be surprised if she had been reading for three or so hours.

"Bingo." Bobby's voice stirred her out of her thoughts. "Any of you jokers ever heard about a Phoenix?"

"River, Joaquin, or the giant flaming bird?"

Sam smirked, but Bobby chose to ignore Dean statement. "It says here that the ashes of the Phoenix can burn the mother."

"The mother?" Sam repeated.

"Great." Dean nodded. "Where do we get one?"

The older hunter shrugged. "You got me. I thought it was a myth."

"All right, great." Sam reached for another book. "Well, let's see if we can find something out about a Phoenix."

...

"Guys. Guys guys guys guys guys." Dean's excited voice had Alex looking up from where she was laying across the far table. "Check this out." He eagerly carried a book over to the table where Bobby and Sam sat, and Alex rolled herself off of the table to join them. He placed a small, leather-bound journal on the table. " 'March 5, 1861. Sunrise, Wyoming. Gun killed a Phoenix today. Left a pule of smoldering ash.' "