|
Post by Eve Vardell on May 17, 2010 16:46:03 GMT -5
[OOC: Alright, we all seem in a bit of a rut, stuck in slow conversations, so I'm pushing the story forward a few hours. Finish up your last threads and get in here!! ] Eve was thrilled when they finally pulled up in the main street of the small town known as Haven Valley. Well, as thrilled as she could manage while half groggy, bleary, and generally sleep deprived and half bouncing out of her seat on a caffeine high. She barely waited for Kasen to stop the car before she was up and out of her seat, sucking in deep breaths of frigid air to snap her into wakefulness and peering up darkly at the high, full moon. It was only a few hours after dusk, but it had felt like a much longer ride. The pair had decided to try their luck in Haven Valley, the site of the most recent attack. Elsburrough - the first night's haunt - had probably been abandoned for a reason, and the wolves likely wouldn't have returned there again. Of course, there was every chance that they might have moved on from Haven Valley as well, but they couldn't just pick any random town in the area to scout out. If she'd learned anything about wild goose-hunts in the past few years, it was to start at the most recent siting and work your way forward. Bouncing lighting on her feet, feeling re-energized by the air or the movement or even just the sheer anticipation of actually doing something, she tilted her head toward Kasen and smiled. "So, where do you think we should start?"
|
|
|
Post by Kasen Rowe on May 19, 2010 22:47:25 GMT -5
Kasen pulled to a stop on the side of the main street of Haven Valley. He'd barely put it in park when his companion jumped out from the car. As soon as the car was turned off and Sarah threw open the door, a surprisingly cold burst of winter air entered the car and Kasen shivered uncontrollably.
The man stepped out of the car and pulled his grey hood up over his head and tugged his black jacket closer around him. Despite the chill, it was a strange feeling that went through him as he looked up at the night sky. He wasn't sure what it was exactly. Excitement that the long awaited time of retribution might soon be be upon him or dread that it might soon be over. The latter thought surprised him and he shook it from his mind.
His eyes searched the buildings, closer together here towards the center of town than when they'd first entered. It was dark now, but far from late. And yet few people wandered the street. Not that a small town like that would have a ton of people to be walking around at random hours...
On the other side of the car, Sarah spoke. "So, where do you think we should start?"
Good question.
"Well... normally I'd say we should head to where the people are and that usually means the bar, but considering what happened in the last bar we went to..."
Kasen faded off as he remembered their near death experience at the Roadhouse.
"There's the police station. We could inquire there..."
But Kasen didn't like police. Police were nosy. And despite the fact that if was nearly impossible that he had any reason to fear the police of Small Town South Dakota considering his crimes had been committed half a continent away...
"Unless you can think of some place else that might have heard things." An idea came to him then. "The local motel/hotel owners probably hear a thing or two from any outsiders passing through. With all these disappearances people are going to suspect an outside party was involved. A small town like this will more than likely suspect others before they suspect one of their own. And since this has happened in two towns now, they'd probably be right."
|
|
|
Post by Sam Winchester on May 27, 2010 19:20:05 GMT -5
Night had fallen some time ago, and Sam - having gotten more or less sick of aimlessly debating the possibilities of what might end up happening several hours before - had decided to take to the streets again in search of clues or other activity.
It was quiet in town; as usually happened in the aftermath of a tragedy, people had taken to hiding out in their houses. Irrational response, generally. Most often the period after a disaster was the safest time of all to be out and about; law of averages, lightning doesn't strike twice. But in situations like this, when every extra person on the streets was just another potential victim, Sam was glad for that touch of irrationality.
In fact, there had been no movement at all - magical or otherwise - since he'd taken to the streets... until now, that is. Sam rounded a corner and pulled up short at the sight of a couple standing next to a car and seeming generally unconcerned by the heavy silence that seemed to have enveloped the rest of the town. Suspicious? Not necessarily, but it sent his Hunter-senses tingling, anyway. Probably best to just shadow them for now, if he could.
He fell a slow step backward, toward the corner he'd just rounded. They weren't that far away, and he was pretty much in front of them, but it was possible they wouldn't catch sight of him before he moved out of sight again.
|
|
|
Post by Dean Winchester on May 29, 2010 9:57:24 GMT -5
Elsewhere. In front of the police station.
"Thanks for seeing me, D'Agosta," Dean replied as he shifted yet another accumulation of folders under his arms.
"Not a problem, Detective," the police officer replied. "I've got the night shift. But I'm really not sure what a record of weather patterns in South Dakota is gonna tell you."
"Probably nothing," Dean admitted. Sam's computer could easily relay the information on that account, but on the other hand, having another source for that kind of information might prove handy. Even if the Erlking didn't cause a real thunderstorm, supernatural beings did seem to cause disturbances in the weather and if the Hunt was on the march...
"But the list of surrounding towns and some of their stats could be useful," Dean continued. "We've been trying to figure out what the missing people had in common, but what if they don't have much of anything in common? What if it's more the town they happen to live in than who they are?"
"Then if there is a next town, everyone in it is in danger," D'Agosta replied. "And I've a feeling there will be another."
"Yeah," Dean agreed. "The Hunt must go on."
D'Agosta, assuming he meant the hunt for the evil-doers rather than the search the Erlking and his Wild Hunt, nodded. Dean heaved a tired sigh and turned away from the officer.
"Good luck, captain," he replied and headed down the street to take a meandering route back to the motel.
|
|
|
Post by Kasen Rowe on May 31, 2010 22:50:38 GMT -5
Sam and Dean: (lol, that was funny)
...Inside joke, guys. sorry, Eve. ;p
|
|
|
Post by Eve Vardell on Jun 4, 2010 13:23:09 GMT -5
(Ahh!! You are evil, Kasen. ) Eve nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. It's not like the cops are just going to open up to a couple civilians who wander by with questions about the case. We should probably try finding out anything we can from the locals before resorting to them." She saw a flicker of movement in the shadows down the street, and paused to peer out in front of her. If someone had been there, she couldn't make them out now. In fact, she hadn't noticed a single person on the street anywhere in town so far. It was more than a little ominous. "In my experience, people tend to like getting their story out to anyone they think will publicize it, get it noticed, maybe make things better." A hint of a smirk touched her lips as she thought back to the old cover story she'd come up with during her first few months on the road. She'd gone from town to town where there had been rumor of werewolf activity, claiming to be a researcher for a documentary on werewolf activity in the Mid-West. She'd never had trouble getting people to talk to her, even if more than half of what they'd said had been nonsense. "If we tell them we're reporters, we'll probably have some luck getting people to talk to us."
|
|
|
Post by Kasen Rowe on Jun 9, 2010 23:15:45 GMT -5
Kasen noted his companion's searching gaze and looked about himself for whatever might have caught her attention. Nothing moved, however. Nothing at all. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. This town, this case of missing persons... it all made him feel closer to the cult than he'd felt in ages. It gave him mixed feelings of anticipation and dread. The man rubbed his chest, taking note of the shape of Wheton's Shield through his sweater. The weapon -for it was a weapon as much as it was an implement of defense- gave him strength.
Then Sarah spoke, bringing his attention back to her. He was glad she didn't want to push talking to the cops just yet. And pretending to be journalists. Yes, that wasn't a bad idea.
"Ok, journalists. That's true enough. We're going to need to play the part then. Notepads, tape recorders, that sort of thing..." Kasen reached back at the stolen car to look through his bag for a notepad. All he could find was his journal and though the worn, black covered book with pages hanging out and paper clipped didn't exactly give the journalist look he wanted, it was what he had.
He pulled it and a pen out and shrugged half to Sarah and half to himself. "Better than nothing."
He glanced back at the car again. That was another problem all by itself. He didn't think the car was terribly obvious on it's own, but the broken window was going to draw attention eventually. For now, though, he couldn't be bothered. The later it got, the more suspicious it would be for two strangers to be wandering about the tiny town asking questions.
|
|
|
Post by Sam Winchester on Jun 12, 2010 21:10:01 GMT -5
Sam waited in the shadows with baited breath for the pair to notice him and come charging down the street toward him. For some reason these two struck him as the "go looking for trouble" types. But after several moments he decided he hadn't been spotted, and breathed a sigh of relief. From his hiding spot around the corner, he flipped open his phone and dialed Dean's number. True, a couple of people driving into town usually wouldn't be newsworthy, but in a town this quiet any information felt like vital information.
He risked a quick glance around the corner and found the pair still standing by the car, talking, before leaning back against the wall and waiting for Dean to pick up.
|
|
|
Post by Dean Winchester on Jun 13, 2010 21:09:26 GMT -5
Assuming that the towns being hit by the Hunt had something in common -and assuming that Dean and D'Agosta had taken that little commonality into their list of guesstimates- then the number of possible targets actually decreased. Not to one or two towns unfortunately, but it was better than the impossible number they'd had originally. Now what?
Dean was still jotting down the towns they'd eliminated on the side of a folder when the sound of Metallica's "One" started playing from his pocket. Tucking the folders under his arm, he slid his cell out of his jeans. He noted the caller as he flipped open the phone.
"Sam? What've you got? Something juicy, I hope."
|
|
|
Post by Sam Winchester on Jun 14, 2010 19:21:18 GMT -5
Sam kept his voice low as he spoke. Not like he was just a few steps away from the pair or anything, but on a quiet street sounds tended to carry fast. "Hey Dean..." (Cont. in Fool Moon Phone Convo)
|
|
|
Post by Dean Winchester on Jun 14, 2010 22:44:11 GMT -5
....hung up the phone and hurried towards Haven Valley's main street. Hopefully this wasn't just another dead end.
|
|
|
Post by Eve Vardell on Jun 14, 2010 23:01:53 GMT -5
While Kasen went digging through his bag, she reached into the backseat and pulled out her own. She opened it with a quick, nervous glance toward Kasen (for some reason, opening her up her bag full of all her personal possessions always felt a little like baring her soul) and dug around for a moment before pulling out her heavier, dark green hoodie. It was beyond freezing right now, and her thin blue one wasn't giving her much comfort. She unzipped her pale sweater and switched them quickly, making sure to keep her left arm - and the tattoo symbol covering the inside of her wrist - covered as she did. Then she stuffed the blue sweater into her bag and pulled out a sheathed dagger which would hook onto the belt-loop of her jeans. The green sweater, in addition to being much thicker and warmer, also had the benefit of being oversized, hanging low enough to cover any smallish weapon on her waist.
She hooked the dagger in place and then turned her attention back to Kasen, smirking a little at his large, worn notebook. It was hardly the usual for a reporter to be using... but then, a 19 year old girl in an oversized hoodie wasn't going to be overly convincing, either. They'd have to rely on the small-town folk being too excited by the prospect of getting their quote in a paper to notice it.
But before they headed to the hotel... Eve's spidy-senses hadn't stopped tingling since she'd seen a shadow move by the corner up ahead about a minute ago. Maybe it was her werewolf senses kicking into overdrive... or just her healthy paranoia, but she felt like she should make sure the corner was clear before going off in the other direction.
Lowering her voice, she murmured,
"Just give me a minute, though. I want to check..." She inclined her head toward the corner, and then began to inch toward it as quietly as she could across the crunchy snow.
|
|
|
Post by Kasen Rowe on Jun 15, 2010 23:15:35 GMT -5
Kasen waited for Sarah to put on something a tad more appropriate for the weather in December in South Dakota. Though he himself had on the warmest jacket he owned over one of maybe two hoodies he owned, Kasen found himself wishing for a hat. A hat would leave his peripheral vision unimpaired (unlike a hood) and keep his ears from freezing off. Maybe having silver studs in one's ears wasn't the best idea. They definitely attracted the cold to his ears. Definitely. ...Or maybe it was just really cold.
"Just give me a minute, though. I want to check..." And she nodded towards the corner behind them. Kasen blinked at her. That was where she'd been looking before as well. He hadn't seen anything when he'd looked and as he frowned into the darkness now, he still didn't. ... But it was better to be safe in situations such as these.
Slipping the journal into the smallish inside pocket of his jacket, Kasen took an appraising look around them, then made to follow Sarah as quietly as possible. Silence was going to be impossible and if there was anything over there to be worried about, it probably already knew they were approaching. The thought was unsettling and Kasen clenched his hands into fists, wishing as he did that he had a weapon.
|
|
|
Post by Sam Winchester on Jun 17, 2010 17:33:20 GMT -5
Sam flipped his phone closed just in time to be alerted by a sudden crunching of snow that someone... no, a pair of someones, were approaching fast down the main street. Either he'd inadvertently stuck himself right in their path, or he'd been spotted.
There was no point in trying to run - no matter how quiet he tried to be the snow would give him away, and that would no doubt start a full on chase. Neither would he get far by trying to hide - ducking into a doorway would provide minimal cover, and would only serve to make him look more suspicious and untrustworthy.
So, with a small sigh, he took the initiative, pulling out his fake identification and and stepping around the corner before they reached it. Giving the pair a searching gaze, he flipped the badge open and held it out for them to see.
"You two, I'm Detective Tom Stinson from the Elsburrough police department. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions."
|
|
|
Post by Kasen Rowe on Jun 17, 2010 23:37:28 GMT -5
Of all the things Kasen had been expecting to find by the corner, a detective was most assuredly not one of them. The sight of a person popping out of nowhere in general had him tense and begin lifting his hands defensively, but the introduction and the badge had his heart leaping into his throat. Stolen car, disappearing people, newcomers, fugitive- yeah. They very well might be in trouble.
Kasen recovered himself almost instantly, however. If he couldn't remain calm in situations such as this, he would have been in jail long ago.
"You scared me, Detective," Kasen replied with a sigh, his hand going to his chest. He examined the outstretched ID, then the man before them a bit more thoroughly. The man, this Tom Stinson, seemed a little young to be a detective, he thought. Maybe Stinson was one of those prodigy types. Or maybe Elsburough just didn't have a lot of options.
Elsburough... With recognition of the name a moment later as being the other town with missing people, Kasen realized why the detective was here. Might as well get it from the horse's mouth though.
"Elsburrough?" He said, inserting a curious note in the tone. "I thought we were in Haven Valley."
|
|
|
Post by Sam Winchester on Jun 18, 2010 16:44:44 GMT -5
Sam examined the man carefully, but didn't detect a lie in his expression as he spoke. If the name "Elsburrough" didn't ring a bell to him, then maybe the pair weren't here about the disappearances, after all. Or maybe it just meant they had a reason to cover something up.
He flipped his badge closed and tucked it back into his jacket pocket.
"Elsburrough's the next town over. I'm guessing you're not locals, or you'd know about the ongoing investigation involving my district and Haven Valley. So what brings you two to a small town like this in the middle of the night?"
|
|
|
Post by Kasen Rowe on Jun 23, 2010 20:42:18 GMT -5
Kasen glanced towards Sarah then looked back to the detective and after a moment's hesitation, slipped into his role as a journalist.
"It's that obvious, huh?" he asked. "No, we're not locals. We are here about the missing people though. We're journalists from -"
Too much detail was never good. It could get you into soooo much trouble. Like, for example, when you want to list where you're from and realize you don't know the area. Luckily, a name quickly slipped into place from the map they'd been looking at earlier.
"Wounded Knee."
It was a name that stuck in one's mind. Kasen continued quickly. He lifted his brows, as if suddenly realizing the kind of lead he had in front of him, and flipped open his journal to a blank page.
"People are starting to worry about these massive disappearances. And obviously they're right to be so since we've got a cross town investigation goin' on here. So you think what happened here and what happened in Elsburrough are definitely connected, then? You wouldn't mind giving us the low down, would you, Detective? "
Kasen clicked his pen and found it quite easy to seem curious.
|
|
|
Post by Sam Winchester on Jun 23, 2010 21:34:07 GMT -5
Sam glanced between the two, quirking a brow. Journalists? That might explain some things. The older guy was probably the official journalist while the girl was an intern or something like that. Sam couldn't say he'd dealt with many reporters in his time, but he'd pretended to be one often enough to know how a cop would answer.
"Sorry, you two; that's classified. Can't give away the details of an ongoing investigation." He glanced over the pair's shoulders, wondering what was taking Dean so long. This town was about the size of a toothpick; even if he'd been clear across it he should be showing up pretty soon. Not that he'd be happy when he realized that he'd come running to deal with a couple of nothing more than a few journalists.
But maybe this wouldn't be a complete loss.
"Actually, if you wouldn't mind helping out, you could answer a few questions for me." Maybe the journalist would get a thrill from helping out with a "real" investigation. "What theories have you come up with about the disappearances so far?"
|
|
|
Post by Kasen Rowe on Jun 23, 2010 22:00:35 GMT -5
Kasen blinked, unhappy to say the least that the tables had been turned. Unhappy and taken aback. A detective asking for theories from a journalist? They must be completely clueless.
And if they were clueless that probably meant that what was going on wasn't a conventional kidnapping. Was there such a thing? Unconventional for the police likely meant supernatural for them.
Kasen gave a little chuckle as he thought someone might when they learned something from nothing. ...Which was pretty much what he'd done. Learning that the cops knew nothing wasn't a hell of a lot, but it was something.
"Come on, Detective Stinson. It can't all be classified. And we can't very well make a theory if we don't have any information." Kasen glanced skyward thoughtfully or mischievously maybe, hoping to put the detective back in the spotlight. "Well, I mean, we can, but I'd much rather have theories with facts behind them. A lack of facts just leads to wild ideas. Some papers will just put anything out there, you know."
It wasn't a threat, really. It was just the truth. Papers would just put out any crazy idea that came to mind if it would bring them more readers. Police didn't like that, generally speaking. They liked to control the people and to do that they needed to control the flow of information -or misinformation.
|
|
|
Post by Sam Winchester on Jun 23, 2010 22:17:47 GMT -5
Sam offered a hint of a smile.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that your publication is more respectable than that. Wounded Knee is lucky to have such an honest and discriminating news team." He paused, deciding that snarky comments probably weren't the best way to win the support of these people.
He put his hands up, as if in surrender.
"Anyway, you've got me. We have some information, but not a lot. According to these townspeople, no one knows anything. But we both know that people are more likely to open up to journalists than cops. Something about the badge, it tends to intimidate. Makes people feel nervous, feel guilty about something, even if they're not. It's possible you've been able to learn something I haven't."
|
|