Running Up That Hill Δ SPN [2]

018. KIDNAPPED

Sam found a lead and dragged the girls with him to the town, having to drag Ophelia practically kicking and screaming. The three walk into the police station, Libby glumly following as she hugs her Eeyore stuffed animal. Ophelia follows, a glare set on her face, her arms crossed over her chest, anybody able to tell she rather be anywhere but here.

"Appreciate you coming down, agent. But I'm afraid you may have just cost Uncle Sam a tank of gas." The officer says.

"Oh, why's that?" Sam asks.

"You came up here to investigate Drew Neely's murder, right?" The officer asks.

"Right." Sam nods.

"Problem is, no one's certain it was a murder at all." The officer says.

"Okay, then what are we dealing with here? A suicide?" Sam asks.

"Self defense, more likely. Uh, the surveillance footage was corrupted. Our techies finally managed to clean up the file. Hold on a sec now..." The officer pulls up the footage and plays it. "That John Doe right there is the one you want to keep your eye on."

Ophelia looks, freezing when she spots her father on the footage. He looks normal, just reading a magazine -- she assumes it's porn.

"Son of a bitch." Sam whispers.

"Watch." The officer says. "Okay, now, porn guy's just minding his own business. And there's Drew Neely. See the knife?"

"Yeah."

"That's intent right there. Now watch this."

Drew jumps Dean who quickly takes the first blade out, stabbing Drew.

"Looks like a cutlass or something. I don't know what the hell this is. Problem is, we don't know if this guy's a hero or a psychopath." The officer says. He pauses the video as Dean's face is shown closeup on the footage.

Ophelia feels tears prick her eyes at seeing her father's face.

"That's the image that's getting uploaded to the wires." The officer informs.

"I, um... I gotta go outside for a bit." Ophelia quietly says, knowing if she talks louder, her voice will crack and the dam will break. She quickly makes her way out, letting the tears fall once she steps into the fresh air.

"Detective, do you mind if I, uh, take another look at this?" Sam asks.

"Knock yourself out. I'll be back in a few." The officer says, walking off. Sam sits down and rewinds the tape, going frame by frame. He stops at a shot of Dean's face, his usual green eyes being black.

+++

It's nighttime and Sam is driving, Ophelia asleep in the passenger seat, and Libby lying down in the backseat, staring numbly at the back of the front seat.

The car dies, Sam pulling off to the side. He grumbles, getting out and he struggles to open the hood with one arm. Libby can see headlights pull up behind them and looks up to see a guy walk up.

"Hey. Need some help?" The guy asks.

"Uh... yeah. I-I think so. It just died on me." Sam says.

"Out here?" The guy asks.

"Yeah." Sam nods.

"Your ride really has it out for you, huh?"

"I guess so."

"Give you a hand with that?" The man motions to the hood.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'd appreciate it. Yeah. Thanks." Sam says and the guy pops the hood.