Hands of Fate 11/? (Part 1)

[hellfirehalos]

 

For those of you, and you know who you are, pounding the refresh key, I give you chapter 11. Enjoy!

Chapter 11

You could have heard a pin drop in the motel room with how quiet the boys were, both staring at the woman as if she had suddenly grown a second head.

Urd didn't think her “condition” was that bad that it warranted the silent stares she was getting. She hadn't made an unreasonable request and she knew they had helped others before. True the others who asked hadn't exactly been gods but still. And it made more sense to her asking them for help than continue on her own only to eventually turn to Bobby when she hit a dead end.

Her brow knit as she looked from one to another, letting out a huff. “Someone blink or something.”

Sam shook himself back to reality, watching her carefully. “You want us to help you?”

“Is that really so hard to understand?” She gave a half shrug, frowning slightly. “I didn't think it was that hard. I said it in English too.”

Dean continued to glare, slowly getting to his feet. “Why do you need our help?”

Urd closed her eyes, pursing her lips. “Because we are trapped here.”

Dean's glare softened at the words. There was no sarcasm in the voice, no hidden animosity when she spoke. The only thing he heard was a hint of honest resignation hidden in the uttered phrase.

The blue eyes opened as she waited for some reply from either man, part of her unconsciously bracing for an incredulous and untrustworthy laugh. But nothing came. Even Dean, whom she figured would jump in with the whole trust argument, said nothing.

It was Sam who finally spoke up, much to her surprise. “Trapped how?”

Her sigh was heavy, the slight body turning away from them and stepping over to the dull oatmeal colored couch. “We can't cross over the township lines. Each of us had tried but we can't pass those boundaries.”

The two watched her drop down onto the couch more like some jaded teen or nap needing child than a goddess.

“We are trapped,” she stated flatly, slouching against the couch back. “Bound to this crap town like animals on a leash.”
 
Dean's trust of her was still low, watching her almost bonelessly sink into the pillows with a scowl. “You're a goddess and you're telling me you can't leave some backwater little town?”
 
“You catch on quick,” she mumbled.

Despite the sincerity of her earlier words, the bite of sarcasm returned as she slumped against the dull colored piece of furniture.

Her fingers tugged at a loose thread as both men watched her curiously.
 
“Just because we're goddesses doesn't mean we aren't without faults. We have weaknesses,” she admitted almost absently. “And some find that out.”

Sam cast a questioning glance toward his brother, unsure of what to say.

They had never been in a position like this before and he was pretty sure they wouldn't be again. All the hunts before had never ended with the thing they were after turning around and openly asking them for help, especially when the creature was a god in every sense of the word. True they had helped one or two of what they usually hunted but that had only been after they got a look at the situation. Of course none of those had turned out to be friends of their father-figure.

Dean's thoughts weren't any clearer than his brother's about this. His trust of her was almost non-existent even after Bobby vouched for her. After what they had seen at her hands, he was doubtful he'd ever trust her. But Bobby trusted her and, as much as she irked him so far, that fact couldn't be overlooked either.

Urd's gaze locked on the men in front of her, raising her hands up in a small shrug. “So are you going to help us or what?”
 

***

 

Verdandi sat watching the town square from her park bench, stifling a yawn as she stretched out.

The park wasn't the most exciting place to be but it was all there really was. Sitting around, looking for something to do was the only thing to do in the damn place. That fact annoyed her to no end.
 
She wasn't sure what her sisters did in their off time but hers was spent fighting boredom. Most days it was a loosing battle for her. You could only stare at the same scenery for so long and, by her calculations, had had done that enough.
 
She groaned as the same red delivery van with a bad gear shift drove past her for the twentieth time, her head falling back against the bench. “This place is fucking killing me.
 
She didn't bother looking up as the bench moved beside her, simply letting out a louder groan.

“You need a hobby,” Skuld muttered.

“I need a bar,” Verdandi mumbled. Her eyes opened on to the blue sky above, a heavy sigh rolling through her chest. “I need a bar, some beer and some billiards.”

Skuld glanced up from her book, frowning. “That's what you do?”

A roll of her spine and Verdandi was sitting upright. She twisted at the waist until she felt a familiar pop and settled back against the wooden boards. “It relaxes me.”
 
“So when we go our separate ways, you drink and hustle pool?” The way Skuld said it sounded like she was piecing together a murder mystery and not her sister's social life. “How is a smoky bar with cheap booze relaxing?”

“Helps me vent frustrations,” came the even reply. Verdandi let her gaze travel to her sister's book, raising an eyebrow. “A comic book?”
 
Skuld shook her head as she held out the thickly bound volume. “Graphic novel.”

A shake of the head and a roll of the eyes was her sister's reply, the subject thoroughly dropped. Verdandi may have been bored but not bored enough to get into a debate about her sister's choice in reading materials. Staring at the people going past was more exciting than any debate about reading habits she could ever be pulled into.

Verdandi blinked and ran a hand back through her hair, leaning back and hooking her arms against the bench. “Where's Urd?”
 
“She mentioned going to the bookstore after the gas station but that's the last I saw her.” Skuld marked her page with a finger, turning to her sister. “Why?”
 
The black-haired woman was silent as she looked across the park toward the clock on the town hall. Her fingers tapped against the wood, stopped, then started once more before stopping again. The sculpted face was unreadable and the piercing blue eyes cold, Verdandi finally pushing herself off the bench.
 
“Where are you going?” Skuld sounded almost scared to ask the question, moving to follow her sister. “Verdandi?”
 
“Gas station,” she replied over her shoulder. “Wanna check something out.”

A worried expression clouded Skuld's face as she jogged to catch her sister, clutching her book close. “Check what?”
 
Verdandi waved the question off, running across the park. “Just come on.”
 
“Bossy much?” Skuld mumbled.
 
They darted through the playground making a b-line for the gas station situated across from the town's tiny car dealership.
 
“You want to blow this one up to?” Skuld questioned as they stopped, looking around. “You could do a lot more damage than the last one.”

Verdandi huffed loudly and shot her sister an annoyed look. “It was a job, Skuld.”

“Bloodbath.” The word was little more than a murmur but the look Skuld got made her shrink back. “Shutting up now.”

“Good idea.” Verdandi shook her head disapprovingly and looked into the window. “I really don't want to have to punch you.”

Skuld's face fell and she threw her hands up. “You are so violent.”

Her sister's voice was an uninteresting and annoying buzz in Verdandi's ear as she looked in the store window. She was more interested in the employees inside than her younger sister's bitching. The bitching was normal and wouldn't get her anywhere anyway; it never did.

Her teeth raked her bottom lip while she scanned the people inside, tapping her foot impatiently on the concrete. She needed one particular human and so far she wasn't him. Silently she hoped he was just in the back somewhere or her idea would be worthless.
 
Skuld peeked through the window, sniffing slightly. “Who are you looking for?”
 
“Car boy,” Verdandi answered.
 
Skuld's face scrunched up in confusion, looking at the patrons. “Who?”
 
“Some local kid, loves car magazines. I've seen him working here before.” Verdandi's lips pulled into a smile as she spotted a mess of dirty blonde hair behind the counter. “There he is.”
 
Skuld's eyes moved to the kid behind the counter, blinking in confusion. “Him?”
 
“Him,” Verdandi nodded.
 
Skuld cocked her head to the side as she watched the young man behind the counter. The more she looked at him, the less she understood her sister. The kid looked to be barely 17, if that, and seemed to be a little more than the standard preoccupied. Why Verdandi wanted to talk to him was a mystery.
 
“Sorry for asking but why?” Skuld paused, stepping away from the window. “Why him?”

Verdandi turned and reached up, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. “You remember the day those hunters showed up, when Urd told us to watch out for that car they drove?”

Skuld answered with a nod.

“A '67 Chevy isn't exactly easy to overlook.” Verdandi tied her hair back, thumbing toward the store. “I wanna know if car boy saw it around.”

There was a pause as the younger watched her sister pull her hair taught, her fingers tapping against her book. “You think they've been around?”

Verdandi said nothing, instead turning toward the front door with Skuld close behind.
 
The door beeped as the pair entered, the air conditioning sending a pleasant chill along their skin. There was the smell of coffee and an odd mix of nachos, pizza and hot dogs in the air that was more unappealing than anything to both women. It was almost vomit inducing strong to Skuld while causing the first hints of a headache to appear in Verdandi. Even as they headed to the counter, both silently wondered how anyone could work in a place that could overpower them so easily.

Verdandi's hand shot out and grabbed a candy bar as they walked past a display, her lips curving into a seductive smile as she approached the register.
 
The kid, Eric according to his name-tag, was looking at a muscle car magazine when the two stopped in front of him, Verdandi tossing the pack of peanut butter cups down on the counter.
 
“Hi.” Verdandi gave him a smile as she looked up, catching him swallowing nervously. “Just the candy.”
 
He rang her up as she cast a casual glance toward his magazine. “That will be seventy-nine cents.”
 
She slid a dollar across the counter, nodding toward the open pages. “You a car buff?”

“Yeah.” He handed her change back with a nod. “I love classic cars.”

Skuld watched the ruse in silence, tapping her fingers against her book. She couldn't believe how easily her sister played the boy. She wasn't surprised by it but the ease was a little disturbing for someone who usually avoided contact with humans.

Verdandi smiled sweetly, leaning against the counter. “Then maybe you can help us. My sister and I are supposed to meet a couple friends but we haven't seen them around. Maybe you've seen them.”

The boy's expression darkened. “I'm not really good with faces.”

“I just need to know if you've seen their car. It's very distinctive.” She straightened, resting a hand on her hip. “You wouldn't be able to miss it.”

“I can try,” Eric replied.

Verdandi kept the innocent smile on her face, batting her eyes at the boy. “Its a cherry-looking, four-door black '67 Chevy Impala. Two guys would be driving it.”

The kid's face lit into a smile as he nodded. “Yeah. I've seen that car. Sweet ride.”

“Do you remember the last time you saw it?” she questioned.

“A couple hours ago, heading out of town. It was a little while after the explosion. But there were three people inside,” Eric replied.
 
Verdandi glanced toward Skuld, seeing her sister swallow nervously. “Are you sure you saw three people in the car?”
 
The young man nodded. “Saw three heads in the back window. The one in the backseat looked like a girl.”

Verdandi gave a slow nod, grabbing the candy off the counter. “Thanks.”

He nodded and returned to his magazine as the pair walked out quickly.
 
Skuld looked panicked as she followed her sister outside. All color had fled her face at the young man's words but she had done well not talking until they got outside. That wasn't to say outside she wouldn't freak out once they were clear of the doors. But she put on a good show of being calm in front of the kid.
 
The sound of the door closing behind them was joined almost instantly by Skuld whimpering as she lost what little self control she had.

Verdandi grabbed her sister by the arm, dragging her to the far side of the building for her breakdown.
 
“They got her,” Skuld whimpered, doubling over. She tried to calm her breathing down, which was steadily turning into a hyperventilation fit, sliding down the buildings cinder-block wall. “I can't breathe. Oh god, I can't breathe.”

Verdandi sighed heavily, unwrapping the peanut butter cups as she watched her sister's breakdown.

“Have to breathe,” she panted. She let her head fall back against the wall, sounding like she was in labor as she took small quick breaths. “Breathing is good.”

Before her sister could start her panicking anew, Verdandi silenced her with a whole peanut butter cup in her mouth.

Skuld flailed, coughing at the surprise intruder. Her eyes moved to her sister in a glare as she tried to chew the mouthful of candy. Unfortunately, chewing just made it worse.

“Okay. Looks like our problems just keep being added to. But we can handle this,” Verdandi said calmly. She rolled her hand absently and paced a small bit, her tone staying perfectly calm. “Remember Salem? We just have to think up a plan.”

Skuld rolled her eyes as she maneuvered the mass of candy off the roof of her mouth, letting out a muffled “what” as best she could.

Verdandi gave her a confused look, finally shaking her head. “That's right. We were trying to get you out of the jail. My bad.”
 
Her sister growled and tried to swallow some of the peanut butter mass.
 
“Hunters are probably gonna be a little more difficult than Puritans though,” Verdandi muttered.

The peanut butter ball was finally swallowed down with a cough, Skuld grimacing. “I hate peanut butter!”

“I know.” Verdandi thought for a moment, watching the long, almost dusk shadows stretch across the parking lot. “We have to keep this from Kim.
 
“What part?” Skuld pulled herself up, smacking her lips in disgust. “The hunters or the missing sister?”

“Both.” Verdandi hated that answer but it was the only one at the moment. “For as long as we can.”

Skuld sighed heavily, tasting the peanut butter on her breath. “That won't be hard if she doesn't come up with another addition to her hit-list.

The groan that escaped Verdandi was one of annoyance as she closed her eyes tight, her hand coming up to rub at the tension beginning to push at her brain.

“You know that won't happen,” Skuld muttered.
 
“Fuck.” The word was a growl as Verdandi clenched a fist and shook her head. “We are so screwed.”


Part 2