The Bunker
Takes place during 'Pac-Man Fever'
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It'd been almost two months since that day with the Aslaeva. Madisen had fallen into a slight depression during that time, only to have a rude awakening by Grant and a stern looking Samandriel. Grant had told her to get up off her ass and stop blaming herself for a death she had nothing to do with. Samandriel, in not so many words, told her that if she didn't get out of her depression he would go find Castiel. That really pulled her from it.
The biggest thing that had happened since then were the Winchesters reporting a missing kid named Kevin Tran. Samandriel told her that Kevin was a prophet who had been translating the Word of God. Madisen had stared at him for a long period of time before shaking her head in bewilderment. Where did the Winchesters find these people?
Aside from that, Madisen had met two new hunters. Not new as in, I've never met you before. New as in, hey look fresh meat, because while Madisen didn't know every hunter out there, he looked scared if a pin dropped. The first was a man from Oklahoma who had witnessed a demon possess a body and try to kill him. He was saved by another hunter in the area who began teaching him things.
The other was a woman who didn't share her past. She said she had been introduced to the Supernatural by the Winchester brothers back when the Leviathans were trying to control America. Charlie, as she had said her name was, had been doing her own kind of hunting. Mainly just knowing everything she could about monsters and how to avoid them. Madisen considered this one hell of a way to stay safe.
Soon after she and Charlie had become friends, Charlie decided to visit Madisen in Fort Collins. There Madisen learned Charlie was a very cultured person and made references to a lot of things Madisen knew nothing about. Other than that they got along swimmingly. And Charlie was amazed that the rumored Code X was real and a woman.
Charlie came up with a way to keep track of hunters when they were away. She, with the help of Madisen's knowledge of all things monster, created a website that every hunter could use. There they would be able to find hunts - much like the alert on Madisen's laptop - and with a bit of tinkering from the women, hunters could find lore on a monster and how to kill them.
The two had decided to create a 'Kill Count' bar on the website where anyone could add their latest hunts. It became a huge thing which sent the girls into laughter. One of the good things about this website, besides the hunts and kills, was the communication. If needed Madisen could notify any hunter about something serious. This was how she got the word out to those who didn't know about Kevin.
While Madisen had been helping hunters across America, Grant had taken off with Samandriel. He claimed he needed to show the angel how to live undercover without drawing any attention to himself. In other words Grant was teaching him to be human. Madisen found this amazing.
Charlie would be on her way out that day, there was something she needed to do in Kansas. Madisen had nodded and shook her hand while cursing her for being up before the sun. Charlie went to leave but Madisen's laptop dinged.
"Wow, that's weird," Madisen said.
"What?"
"Uh, there's a place in Kansas called Salina where a guy was found dead. His insides were liquified. Hell this sounds interesting, I'm in."
"The Winchesters are in Kansas now, Lebanon to be exact. We could meet up with them."
"Yeah sure. Let me grab my stuff."
Madisen sent out a quick word that she and Charlie were on it before heading up to her room. She packed a bag for three nights and all other necessities. She headed down and hopped in her truck, ready for another six hour drive.
By the time she had arrived it was just past noon. Charlie had turned off toward Topeka which meant Madisen had some time to kill. She spent that time walking around and finding food. Madisen stopped at a local jewelry store and headed in.
There weren't many customers around, but there were some, and there was an old Native American woman standing at the register with a kind smile on her face. Madisen smiled at the woman politely and turned to face the necklaces. They were all very pretty. Some had tiny jewels, others had pendants, or stones, or feathers.
"Need help finding something my dear?" the old woman asked, no longer at the register but at Madisen's side.
"I'm not sure. But these necklaces, they're amazing. Did you make them?"
The old woman hummed, "I have made a few yes. But I don't think you're looking for one of mine."
"Oh?"
"I think you would want one from over here." The old woman grabbed her sleeve and gently led Madisen across the room to a display case. Inside were various necklaces and bracelets. "These were made by my grandfather. He said to only sell them when it felt right. And you know which one feels right my dear? This one."
The old woman opened the case and took out a rather nice necklace with three charms. There was the letter 'S' sitting on it's own tiny charm, a feather, and a wolf howling to the moon. The old woman handed it to Madisen who was fascinated with it.
"Dogs are the descendants of wolves, you know."
Madisen looked up from the charm and to the old woman, who had a knowing smile on her face. She went to say something but the old woman continued.
"The gift of seeing things for what they truly are, has been passed down the line for generations," the old woman said, walking softly back to the counter. Madisen followed closely. "Your kind has always been the easiest to see, even if no one else saw. Tell me, young girl did I choose correctly?"
Madisen glanced down at the necklace and smiled. She nodded a yes and paid for the item. A smile was on the old woman's face as well. Madisen placed the necklace on herself, rather than keeping it in a small box. She left the shop with a smile on her face. Hours had passed and Charlie had arrived, having Madisen follow her to the Winchesters location.
She followed Charlie's yellow car up a dirt road and was greeted with the Winchesters leaning against their own car. Madisen climbed out of her truck and approached the men who were hugging Charlie. She gave a handshake to both of them.
"What're you doing in Kansas?" Sam asked.
"Uh... a comic convention. In Topeka," Charlie answered.
"In the middle of the week?"
"Girl's gotta get her collectibles."
"How about you Madisen?"
"I was with Charlie when the possible hunt came up. Thought I'd pop in and say hello."
"So," Charlie said, "are you gonna invite me into your dungeon, or do I gotta answer your 'questions three' first?"
"Allow us - let us introduce you to the Men of Letters."
Madisen snorted and followed the men. She turned to Charlie, "You can answer my questions three."
"I'm not afraid!"
"What is your name?"
"Queen Charlie Bradbury of the Moons."
"What is your quest?"
"To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before."
Madisen laughed, "What is your favorite color?"
"Red, like my tent in Moondoor."
"You may pass."
The four made their way into the bunker, both girls staring at everything and anything. They were sat down in a library, Madisen whistled lowly at the amount of books. Then they were caught up on how the boys found the bunker.
"Holy awesome," Charlie gaped. "Too bad they got wiped out, though that is what they get for the sexist name."
"Well, anyway, that's our skinny. How about you?"
"Um, made a deal with the Yesteryear weirdos, we're gonna team up to stomp the Shadow Orcs. You guys are still coming to the mid-year jubilee, right?"
"Wouldn't miss it," Dean grinned.
"So what about this case you brought us?" Sam asked.
"When I was in Fort Collins, Madisen and I saw this pop up over the wire. Tom Blake, a checkout clerk in Salina, who went missing on his way home from work. He was found dead yesterday, his insides liquefied. I have eliminated the following things that go bump in the night..."
"Wait a second. When did you become such an expert?"
"Well, after you guys left, I dug into all things monsters. I'm a wee bit obsessive. If wee bit means completely. I found Madisen and connected with her. She taught me what she could."
Sam and Dean glanced at Madisen who put her hands up in a surrendering motion.
"Don't look at me!" she said. "Charlie was already knee deep in this I just made sure her information was correct before she tried anything."
"I also found this series of books," Charlie glanced at the men, "by a Carver Edlund? Did those books really happen?" They looked away and that was all the answer Charlie needed. Madisen had no idea what they were talking about. "Wow. That is some meta madness. Thanks for saving the world and stuff. Sorry you have zero luck with the ladies."
Sam coughed, "Wha - We need to find every single copy of those books and burn them."
"They're online now, so good luck with that."
"Awesome," Dean sighed, standing up. "Well, you two crazy kids deal with that, Madisen and I will go see if there's anything to this, uh, case of yours."
"I'm coming with you," Sam stood up.
Sam nearly fell over but caught himself. Charlie and Madisen stood in case he did it again.
"Whoa, are you sure you're okay?" Charlie asked.
"Yes."
"No," Dean said firmly. "You're taking a knee as long as you're off your game."
"I'll go with you," Charlie offered.
"No disrespect, okay, but there's a big difference between reading about hunting and actually hunting."
Charlie stood up and looked Dean dead in the eye. "I'm coming with."
"And I'll stay here with Sam," Madisen said.
Dean looked between them and then to Sam who shrugged. Dean groaned in frustration, "Follow me."
Dean led Charlie away and left Madisen with Sam. She turned to him, rocking back and forth on her heels.
"I guess I'll give you the grand tour," Sam said, leading the way to another room.
The tour ended in the kitchen and Madisen was amazed. This bunker was huge! The books, all the different rooms... it was awesome. Sam sat down at the table and sighed, pushing his hand through his hair. Madisen sat across from him.
"What's eating you Sam?"
And thus began a very long and very complicated explanation for why Sam was the way he was. Three Trials to close the gates of Hell forever? First bathe in Hellhound blood - we then save an innocent soul from Hell. She didn't know the man personally, but she was glad Bobby was sent to heaven. The trials themselves were taking a toll on Sam's body that apparently Castiel couldn't heal. Madisen became tense at the name but if Sam had noticed he didn't say anything.
"So Castiel can't help, and you have no idea where he is."
"Yeah, and he's off with the Angel tablet as well."
"Let's not forget that, no." Madisen sighed and shook her head. "You boys get the worst sort of things pushed on to you."
"Tell me something I don't know."
"My favorite color is blue."
Sam laughed and Madisen smiled. Sam's slight depression is gone! For the moment at least. Madisen pushed the thought away. Later Madisen was sitting in the library reading, her feet up on the table. Sam passed by in a suit.
"Dean said to stay here," Madisen mumbled, not looking up from the book.
"I'm fine."
Madisen looked up from the book and stared at Sam. A minute passed and he shifted uncomfortably.
"You're going to go whether or not I try and keep you here, aren't you."
"Yes."
Madisen groaned and dropped the book on the table, "I hate you and I'm driving."
"You're not going!"
"One, my case first. Two, I dare you to stop me."
Madisen and Sam arrived in Salina two hours later. Madisen was adamant that she wouldn't be helping, she was only going because she was sure Sam would get into trouble, and she was also fairly certain Sam would end up in a crash. She didn't need that on her conscience. They stopped by the Coroner's Office and by the time Sam came out, complaining how the woman wanted a chain of custody form, the sky had darkened.
"Well," Madisen sighed, "what now?" A police car zoomed by and she saw the look on Sam's face. "Follow?"
"Yes."
They ended up near railroad tracks where the police had already put up their yellow tape. Madisen watched as Sam got out of the car and approached the area. She leaned back in her seat, turns on the music, and closed her eyes. She was jolted from her nap when Sam opened the passenger door and Charlie hopped in back. Madisen turned off the music.
"You're here too?" Charlie asked.
"Well it's my truck and Sam wasn't about to get near it without me. So where to?"
"We're breaking into the morgue."
"Of course we are. And Dean?"
"On his way there now." Madisen hummed and made her way back onto an actual road. "You're cranky when sleep deprived."
"I'm not sleep deprived this is just me when I'm doing nothing."
"Well you're usually more optimistic than this," Charlie thought for a moment. "No you're not."
Madisen snorted a laugh, "Love you too, Charlie!"
"Oh please. We all know you love men."
"True."
Madisen pulled into a parking lot across from the morgue, choosing a space that was slightly hidden. Sam and Charlie hopped out and Madisen waved at them. The roaring sound of the impala sounded and she turned to watch Dean drive around the building. What took him so long?
Another car followed only minutes after him. Madisen sent a quick text to Sam saying, 'You have company'. She sighed a bounced her leg up and down in worry. What was taking them so long? Were they caught?
She breathed a sigh of relief when Charlie came rushing out of the front door, but she frowned. Where was Sam? Charlie hopped into the passenger seat looking spooked.
"We were almost caught," she squeaked.
"Where's Sam?"
"With Dean."
"Where's Dean?"
Madisen's phone buzzed, her screen lighting up with a message from Sam. It told her to head for the bunker, that that's where he and Dean were going. She started up the truck and made her way back to Lebanon.
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I wasn't gonna do five thousand words for one chapter. Now it's two chapters, this one with 2543 words. Have a good day!
This was supposed to be up a few days ago.
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