[now playing... smells like teen spirit by nirvana]

[camera starts, showing the group in the car. A song is playing faintly in the background. It's chaos, with half the car laughing and MAVERICK annoyed.]

MAVERICK: [loudly] Randi, stop touching my hair!

RANDI: But it's so cute! Can I please style it? I brought some hair clips! [they reach down to rummage through their bag, then is stopped by MAVERICK]

MAVERICK: Uh, no thanks! [his cheeks are tinted pink, and he glances up at the back of CALLEN's head a little too often.]

CASS: Andy, stop messing with Maverick!

RANDI: Okay, I was going to stop anyway!

[FAYE can't keep a straight face and bursts out laughing, along with CASS. CALLEN keeps his eyes on the road, but is smiling, and LILLI attempts to damage control by confiscating RANDI's hair clips. The song playing over the sound system ends, switching over to another one.]

[CALLEN notices the song and turns it up, then begins singing along quietly. It's audible now: she's over bored and self assured, oh no, I know a dirty word, hello, hello—]

[The song cuts out as the car rattles then slows. CALLEN groans, hitting the top of the dashboard with his palm as he pulls over.]

CASS: [exasperated] Come on! Callen, you told me your car would be fine!

CALLEN: I thought it would be, but I guess I was wrong.

[He exits the car, and CASS follows, grabbing the camera. They are parked on the side of the road, a trailer park on one side, rocky, dry fields on the other. CALLEN has popped the hood and is looking inside for any sign of a problem. The others are seen exiting the car, MAVERICK going to inspect the engine beside CALLEN (although the expression on his face says he knows nothing about cars).]

RANDI: [after climbing out of the very back of the car and grabbing FAYE's crutches from the trunk] What's going on?

CALLEN: I don't know.

CASS: It just stopped.

[RANDI adjusts her pink crocheted top as FAYE observes the trailer park. The camera moves to scan the rows of parked trailers in various states of liveliness. A couple is seen sitting under a tarp attached to their trailer, watching CASS and their friends. A young person about the same age as CASS or CALLEN approaches the group, a curious expression on their face.]

CASS: Billy?

BILLY: Nice to see you here, sweetheart. Taking pictures of me, are you?

CASS: It's a cam-recorder.

BILLY: So a video, then. How dirty.

[The camera lowers, but doesn't stop recording. Voices are heard talking in the background.]

BILLY: So what seems to be the problem here?

CALLEN: I don't know. It was doing fine, then just made a rattling sound and died. Can you fix it?

BILLY: [flirtatiously] I can fix just about anything, honey. But this I'll have to ask my granddad about. [a breif pause] I'll be back, don't miss me too much.

CASS: Can I come with you?

BILLY: What, want to meet the family already? I knew you were forward, Dower, but not that forward.

CASS: No, it's just—[the camera shakes, pointing up to the sky for a split second before showing the ground once more.] God, do you have to be so infuriating?

BILLY: Just to see that adorable look on your face.

CASS: Ugh.

BILLY: Don't worry, though. [The camera raises enough to show BILLY's face. BILLY puts a hand on their chest, a mockingly serious expression ruling their features.] I would never abandon you. [they show a whip-crack of a smile and then they're off. The camera trails them walking away. After they're out of view, CASS sets the camera on the inside of the still-open hood. CALLEN is seen trying to help them balance it so it can have a decent shot of the entire group.]

RANDI: Well, that was interesting.

LILLI: I don't think I like them much.

CALLEN: Doesn't matter whether we like them. They're helping us.

CASS: Ever practical of you, little brother.

CALLEN: You're only fifteen minutes older than me.

CASS: [shrugging] Still older.

[CALLEN frowns while RANDI giggles. MAVERICK and FAYE stand next to each other, observing the trailer park. LILLI is nervously fidgeting, silent and cautious. None of them seem to know what to do with the time they've been given.]

CASS: Okay. I think we should get an important thing out of the way.

RANDI: [arms crossed, a small smile on their face] Ominous of you.

CASS: We should come up with a safe word. In case anyone's in trouble.

MAVERICK: Like, watermelon?

CASS: Yeah. Or, I dunno, pumpkin pie. Something you wouldn't normally mention.

CALLEN: The Sonic Movie.

LILLI: Kanye West?

RANDI: [barely keeping a straight face.] Heterosexuality.

[FAYE bursts out in giggles, the others following her, each breaking down in laughter. CALLEN beams, and MAVERICK, chuckling gently, watches him.]

CASS: Sure, that works. I suppose if you're in trouble, just say that you're straight?

FAYE: [still giggling] I've never been attracted to women.

MAVERICK: Really? Because I only date women. Men are... not attractive.

RANDI: [barely able to hold herself together] I think gay people are a myth.

CASS: [smiling, trying to hold in their laugh, so that the shaky laughter seeps into every word they say instead] Yep, this will definitely work as a safe word. Or phrase. Or act?

CALLEN: Probably act.

RANDI: Just know, if you ever see me—

[BILLY appears behind the lot, an older man beside them.]

RANDI: Oh, hi, Billy.

BILLY: Didn't miss me too much, did you? [they smirk at RANDI, then gesture with a waving hand to the older man.] This is my Grandpa John. He can help you guys.

JOHN: [approaching the open hood of the car, passing by the camera, speaking from somewhere behind it] So what seems to be the problem?

CALLEN: I dunno, the car just stopped randomly and... [CALLEN's voice fades out as CASS grabs the camera from the lip of the car and carries it with them. BILLY follows them as they stand near RANDI. LILLI, MAVERICK, and FAYE stay near the front of the SUV to watch JOHN and CALLEN work on it.]

BILLY: Making a documentary, there, Cass?

CASS: Something like that.

RANDI: They're filming our trip.

BILLY: Trip? What sort of trip?

CASS: A road trip.

BILLY: How exceedingly specific.

CASS: You'll think I'm crazy if I tell you more.

BILLY: Oh, but you've got this following obviously joining you on the trip, so surely they don't think you're crazy. Just tell me, love. I promise I won't spill to anyone. [they mime zipping their lips shut, growing ever more uncomfortably close to CASS.]

CASS: We're hunting cryptids.

BILLY: [stepping back, throwing their hands up] See, that wasn't so hard! [they lower their voice to a near-whisper] I will tell you, I have a bit of experience with these...creepy-crawlies. If you didn't know.

CASS: I didn't.

BILLY: [a little louder] Well now you know. [they smirk] In case you want someone like me to join your little trip.

CASS: [eyebrows pressed together, suspicion in their voice] You want to join the road trip?

[BILLY opens their mouth to respond, but JOHN's voice interrupts them.]

JOHN: [from the car] Billy, I need to over here.

BILLY: Just consider it. I might surprise you. [they leave to help JOHN.]

RANDI: So...?

CASS: So?

MAVERICK: [coming to stand beside CASS and RANDI, FAYE and LILLI beside him.] What was all that about?

CASS: Billy wants to join our road trip.

FAYE: Do you want that?

CASS: I don't know. They mentioned encountering a cryptid before. That could be useful.

LILLI: But what if they're lying?

FAYE: Would they?

CASS: I don't think they are. I have this feeling. I think, maybe, they need to join us.

FAYE: Okay. Then we'll let them. Right?

RANDI: Yeah. [they nod] Yeah.

[CASS turns to focus the camera on BILLY, JOHN, and CALLEN, all hunched over the open hood of the car. The camera clicks off, and the screen goes black.]

author's note⋆

hello again! i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, the whole gang's together now! tbh billy is such a fun character to write thank you leni for them. 

uhhh ideas? suggestions? likes? wants? thoughts? predictions? idk, if there's anything on your mind rn just put it here.

ilyyyyyyy