spncentral | When Hunters And Warehouse Agents Mix

Rather than finding this case himself, Dean had actually been sent a link to an article by another hunter as due to an injury, the hunter wasn't up to handling it himself. Dean rather agreed that men who were last seen at the location of whatever party last happened showing up dead, sometimes miles away, was worth looking into.

Cue Dean arriving in town a few days later. He's checked into a motel within half an hour, and in his suit to do the FBI thing to ask questions and gather what information he can soon after. Starting at the police station.

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Claudia tried not to sound surprised as she sees the unknown number, still putting a few finishing touches on her ensemble after a hurried meal of her own. She hadn't wanted much, considering she expected to have to do some chasing if her hunch was right.

"Decided to stay on the case?"

"I know what kind of men are being targeted," Dean says, not bothering to answer her question. Of course he's not giving up on the case. This is his sort of job.

"I'm figuring the parties are just the best way for the targets to be found. Lots going on, so nobody's gonna pay too much attention when a couple of people slip out. Choosing a bar or something? Somebody's gonna notice. At least enough for a description more useful than 'a woman with dark hair'."

"There's one tonight, but it's about an hour outside town," she said, shrugging. "Think you can dress appropriately? Not that the Brooks Brothers suit look isn't good one you, but the idea is to blend."

And she was the right age and with the right amount of makeup and clothing, nobody would recognize her. "But then, pretending to be something you're not is hardly new, is it?"

She didn't bother agreeing with his assessment. It just confirmed everything she'd dug up so far. And two pairs of eyes were better than one, even if Dean might be something the artifact or the person using it was looking for. "My first thought was revenge, but there isn't a single person they really had in common. Just a desire to sleep around."

Dean rolls his eyes. Not that she can see if, given he's on the phone with her. "Only if 'dressed appropriately' involves jeans and t-shirts. I don't really do parties."

Sure, when he was younger, but he was getting too old for that crap.

"Jeezus, you should at least make an effort unless you want to look like a creeper," Claudia said, simply. "Which isn't necessarily a bad idea, if you want to make yourself a target."

There were jingling sounds as she finished putting on a few more pieces of jewelry, but she wasn't sure what she could do without being there. "How about leather? Band t-shirts, anything like that?"

"I've got an AC/DC shirt. That's gonna have to be enough," Dean says, still holding the phone with one hand as he rummages through his bag to find the needed shirt.

"I'm a bit old to still have some of the stuff I wore back in my twenties laying around." Not to mention, he lives out on the road. He doesn't have the space to hang onto things he's not actually using.

"I've known guys older than you that can't leave their twenties behind," Claudia said, chuckling a little. "Pretty sure Artie hasn't changed his look since the 60s. I have some spare accessories that might work to finish the look.

"Where do you want to meet up?"

"Said guys older than me probably has more storage than just the trunk of their car," Dean says with a snort as he finally finds the shirt he needed, tossing it on the bed and working on getting his tie off. While he'd shucked off his jacket and shoes earlier, he has everything else to change.

"The parking lot of the Aldi's I saw work for you?"

"Sure, I'll meet you there."

It didn't take long, and she showed up in a backless shirt and leather pants that looked painted on, with a fair amount of bracelets and chains showing. It wasn't like the outfit she'd worn to get into frat parties, not quite advertising the girls as much.

And the Tesla Roadster she'd splurged on when her Prius died in a work-related accident might raise a few eyebrows, but most people didn't recognize it for what it was. A part of her almost wanted to dare Dean into facing off against her on a drag strip.

When Dean arrives, he's wearing the t-shirt and his jeans, hair mussed up to not be as neat as it had to be during the day.

He pulls into a parking space smoothly, cutting the engine before getting out of his car and giving hers a dubious look. "Which car are we taking?"

"Respect the Tesla, or you'll be on the wrong end of my other one," Claudia said, letting him see the derringer-sized weapon in her purse. "It's got more torque than you've got if you're still running original parts. And it's a lot of fun to be able to change the samples on the speakers since the engine doesn't make much noise. I've got a jet engine for guys who want to do the whole measuring thing at intersections."

Dan gives her a scandalized look at the prospect of changing things around. "Of course she's got original parts."

He's not touching any of the rest of it, nope. His car is good enough for him.

"You never know what people will do when they try to improve on a classic," Claudia said, shrugging. "I take it that means you don't approve of my ride? She's one of a kind."

Mostly because she'd substituted a few parts with artifacts that meant she didn't have to worry about getting stuck miles from a charging station. And some extra programming.

"I never said anything about your car," Dean points out. "None of this answers which car we're taking."

"You want to drive, I assume?" Claudia said, not that she cared either way. She'd love to be behind the wheel of either car, it would be awesome, but she had read the file on him. If the guy wasn't a grade A control freak, she'd be shocked.

"If we're taking my car? Hell yes." Sorry chick, but he's not going to let some random person he just met drive his baby. "I'd prefer my car anyway, since I've got gear in it that might be needed."

"I've got everything I need to neutralize the artifact on me," Claudia said, shrugging. "I really hope you're not planning on taking a gun into a crowded rave."

At least her sidearm of choice didn't risk killing anyone.

"An artifact being?" Dean asks with raised eyebrows, not bothering to answer her comment. Rock salt never killed anyone. No one human, anyway. Besides, he's got other weapons.

"Whatever the person who's doing this is using to drain these people," Claudia said. "Like the Philospher's Stone or Cinderella's glass knife or whatever. Objects that grant certain properties, usually not for the good. Don't get me started on the wishing kettle."

She looked at him, frowning slightly. "What did you think this was?"

"You think this is an object?" Dean asks before shaking his head. "Since you've found out who I am, I'm sure you've seen the file on what I supposedly did in St. Louis. That was a shapeshifter. No objects, just an ability to look like anyone it wanted. Framed a couple of guys for going after their girlfriend or wife before it went after a friend of my brother's as me."

"That's my job. Find whatever's ruining things, snag it, bag it, and tag it. Make sure the things people tell stories about stay stories," Claudia said. "The average person might call them cursed, but it's never that simple."

She didn't particularly like his dismissal. "You might not even notice someone's using one until it's too late. You think this is some kind of natural gift?"

"There's nothing natural about this," Dean says with a snort as he gets back in his car and leans over to unlock the passenger-side door for her. He's making the executive decision that there were taking his car.

"Some people might say the same thing about a guy who gets vibes or can tell if you're lying just by looking you in the eye," Claudia said, as she took the opportunity to slide into the Impala. "Doesn't make those people any less human."

She wondered just what he thought it was, and why he was so disdainful of everything about her.

"Fine, they're human. Good for them. What we're looking for isn't." Her insistence that the problem has to be some sort of doo-dad might have something to do with Dean's reaction to her.

"Then what kind of monster is it?" Claudia said, arching an eyebrow. She almost wished she'd brought a few artifacts with her, but Artie would have a coronary about that.