Roswell Fanatics

Part 10

Michael sifted through the files he pulled off Kyle’s computer. He was 20 minutes in to going through the cookies. Michael was bored out of his mind sifting through websites like: facebook, myspace, live journal, espn, and the assortment of websites devoted to the American Revolution. He could tell that Kyle hadn’t cleared his computer since he bought it, and seeing as how Kyle had had the old thing for years there were a lot of files to sort through. It was times like these that Michael wished one of his abilities let him sort through data at a fast pace. But no such luck, so he searched through them individually.

Max sat across from Michael in the café booth. He was frantically making phone calls back and forth to Roswell. He had left Tess in charge while Michael and he went off to Tennessee but he wanted to be in contact with the others directly in case they found some sort of clue. But they were like a bunch of trained monkeys; they could go through the motions but they weren’t producing any results.

“This is ridiculous,” Max said slamming his cell phone shut and glaring at Michael, “can’t you go any faster. We don’t have time to waste surfing the Internet.” He was upset about the lack of results the others were producing so he redirected his anger onto Michael.

“Surfing the ‘net. That’s what you think I’m doing?” Michael huffed indignantly. “Why don’t you do it yourself, ole wise one.” Michael crossed his arms over his chest and the two glared at each other. Michael was sick of Max treating him like he was an incompetent child.

“I might as well, seeing as how you never do anything right.”

“Really, you think you’re so smart don’t you. Your head’s so far up your ass Maxwell I doubt you could….” The Max and Michael banter was put on hold when Max’s cell phone started vibrating on the table. Kyle contacted the girls.

--

“I’m telling you Dean this situation is too complicated, there is going to be trouble.” Sam said to his brother. He shot a nervous glance over his shoulder to where Liz and Isabel sat in the other corner of the room in a deep conversation.

Dean wasn’t paying attention to Sam, but rather staring at Liz. Sam noticed his brother’s gaze and proceeded to elbow his brother in the side. “Seriously Dean, we need to talk about what we are going to do with them. We can’t have you screwing this up because of your obsession with your little alien girlfriend.”

Dean winced a little at the elbow. Surprisingly everything was quite calm in the hotel room. It’s not everyday you get told your make out buddy knows aliens, and has powers because she was “touched by an alien”. Sam and Dean had accepted that Isabel was an alien, and Liz was, not really an alien, but more like an alien mascot, after all they had hunted a lot weirder things in their time.

They had both broken up into their respective groups, to fully process the situation and decide where to go next. Not only did they have to worry about this demon, but they also had a psychotic group of aliens after them, and there was always the chance that something else could go wrong.

“Me screw up?” Dean scoffed, his face filled with amusement at the idea that he would ever screw up on a hunt. “I believe it was you little brother who ends up getting caught by our mysterious demon. Maybe we need to train you a little better. Lesson number one don’t get caught.” Dean said smirking at the irritated look on Sam’s face.

“Dean, be serious. We have nothing to go on, this could be any demon.”

“Liz thinks it’s a ghost.”

“Well Liz only specializes in alien.”

“She’s the only one of us that has “seen” the thing Sammy, we’ll just have to go with it ‘till the thing shows up.”

“Yeah, apparently when I’m captured by the thing you need to run to my rescue. If you ask me I think Liz made that part up to boost your ego.”

“Nope, it fits the pattern. You, always in trouble and me, needing to come to your rescue. I think you should buy me a white horse for Christmas.”

“Because you’re some sort of hero from a Disney movie?”

“Hey, I am always running around rescuing people. Just like a few minutes ago. If I hadn’t come in when I did, Isabel would have so made sure you ended up a pile of ash.”

“I had the situation under control.” Sam said looking down sheepishly. In reality he had a gun trained on an alien. It wouldn’t have done much good had he fired the gun but at the time he didn’t know why she had set off the EMF meter. He sure did have a way of attracting the supernatural ones. First Meg, now Isabel.

“Sure you did buddy.” Dean said his gaze once again drifting back to where Liz was.

“Dean, we need to come up with a plan.” Sam said but realized his brother was once again tuning him out. Sam rolled his eyes and continued to do research on his laptop, knowing full well he wasn’t going to have Dean’s attention until Liz and Isabel rejoined them.

---

“So Liz do you really think it was a good idea to tell these guys the truth? I mean Sam was going to shoot me,” asked Isabel.

“I know how I feel and like you could have taken care of yourself. I mean he only had a gun,” smirked Liz as she wiggled her fingers at Isabel.

“Yeah but now that the “I Know an Alien Club” is bigger, it’s like every week we add members. For such a huge secret we sure don’t have a problem telling people about it.” Isabel paused knowing that it wasn’t going to do any good to debate if it was the right idea to tell Sam and Dean, because well it had already happened. It wasn’t like they could make them forget, or anything. “ What’s the next plan of attack? The Max problem isn’t going away anytime soon and I was really just hoping to get away from any and all drama. Liz…Liz did you hear what I said.” Then Isabel realized why Liz wasn’t paying any attention. She followed Liz’s line of sight and not surprisingly Liz was staring at Dean.

“Earth to Liz! I’m trying to figure out our next move and I need your help. Remember…crazy, psycho ex-alien boyfriend and cult trying to find us. You having visions of a ghost or something crazy…and now two more people know about the “Big Secret.”

Just then Liz came out of her reverie, “I’m sorry what did you say Isabel?”

Isabel rolled her eyes at the dreamy look on Liz’s face. It made her annoyed but at the same time she was happy for her friend.

“You are so gone girl. I thought you had it bad for my brother way back when, but Dean really has some kind of spell over you. So enough of ‘the what are we going to do next’…tell me how you walk in the park was…before Dean slipped and spilled the beans?”

“Iz, you know I don’t kiss and tell. Well, this time I had to. Do you think you could help me with these visions? They’re so unpredictable and we may need to rely on my power sooner rather than later.”

“I thought you said no powers.”

With that Liz reached over and hit Isabel squarely on the arm. “You’re so not funny! Now we have to help them figure out what’s going on in this town and then maybe they can help us with our problem.”

----

Just then Dean’s cell phone rang and the whole group jumped at the sudden sound. They all looked at each other and when Dean looked at the caller id. It wasn’t a Roswell area code so he answered it.

“Yeah. This better be good.”

“Ummm, I’m hoping you can help me out. A friend of mine must have used your phone a few days ago. She was looking for some help. Would you happen to know where she is?”

“How do I know you are who you say you are?”

“If you know where my friend is, then by Buddha, tell me!”

“Buddha…are you some kind of religious freak buddy?”

When Dean said that, both Isabel and Liz jumped to grab the phone out of his hands.

“Dean, give us the phone. It’s our friend Kyle,” yelled Isabel. With that she made another attempt and this time successfully got the phone.

“Kyle, Kyle is that you?” asked Isabel.

“Yes, it’s me. But I can’t *really* talk, you know how it is here in the dorms. *Everyone can hear your conversations.* I just wanted to see how you were doing and to tell you about the majesty of the land here in Tennessee.”

“Ooo…Kkkk Kyle. Everything is fine here. No weirder than normal and you know what’s normal for us.” Isabel figured that Kyle was trying to be cryptic, but she was having a hard time with this conversation, so she did the only thing she could and handed the phone over to Liz.

“Hi Kyle. What’s wrong?” Liz asked.

“Well you don’t have to worry about me being lonely here at school. I just had some friends drop in for a visit. But they had to leave in a hurry, something about going to a Mission Impossible Marathon,” chuckled Kyle. He figured that the kingly moron and his sidekick were listening but he couldn’t not call the girls and warn them. Heck maybe he could get a few more cheap shots in on Max and Michael. He never tired of that.

Liz immediately understanding where Kyle was coming from said, “I know what you mean about old friends. I just dropped one a line today. Things are going so well here in Seattle. We’re having the time of our lives. Well I won’t keep you, but do let me know if you want any more of your old friends to drop by. Take care.”

Liz hung up the phone.

“Since when are we in Seattle?” Dean quipped, Liz ignored him and proceeded to fill everyone in on the phone conversation.

“That was our friend Kyle. We called him when our car broke down. That must have been how Max got your number Dean. He’s got a log of Kyle’s phone calls. And apparently both Max and Michael just paid him a visit looking for us. I don’t think it went well for any of them.”

“That idiotic brother of mine! One of these days I’m going to blast him back to Antar and make him wish he never hatched from that pod!” seethed Isabel.

Both Dean and Sam looked at each other and took a step back from Isabel.

“Pods?” they both asked.

“Never mind long story. In any event, Kyle’s afraid that they’re listening or watching him but he wanted to warn us. And he’ll find a way to get back in touch with us if something happens.”

----

Max hung up the phone. He listened to the whole conversation and really didn’t get much information. He could tell that Kyle was smart enough not to say anything incriminating and both Liz and Isabel never said where they were. He knew the Seattle reference was a flat out lie. The only thing he knew for sure was that cell phone number had something to do with where they were. Now he just had to figure out how to find them.

“Come on Michael we need to leave.” Max said gathering up his coat and assorted papers.

Michael just looked at him, not budging. “Where exactly are we going Maxwell? We don’t know where they are.”

“We are going to see a friend about some business.”

“We aren’t the mafia Max; we don’t even have friends to see about business with.”

“Shut up Michael and come on, we are going to the cell phone company to track down exactly where Liz and Isabel are.”

“Can we even do that?” Michael asked, the dumfounded look clearly playing out across his features.

Max shot him a glare and proceeded to leave the café, Michael trailing behind.

--

“Which family do I want to go after now?” Isabella said her voice laced with cold indifference. It didn’t matter which family she got a hold of, because eventually they would all die, just like she had.

She wanted revenge and she wasn’t going to stop until every last founding family of Merino was gone. They needed to suffer like she had, they needed to live with the consequences of their actions; she had warned them not to kill her but they did it anyway and now it was time for them to pay.

“Mistress?” The voice pleaded as if begging for permission to speak. Isabella turned to him so fast her long dark hair whipped in front of her face.

“Spit it out fool.” She said her voice seething as she took in the pathetic appearance of the man in front of her. She didn’t like working with him, after all he was a descendent of the people she was after, but he was useful in helping her gather information. Once she had taken care of the other families she’d be back for his.


“ WELL?” She yelled when he made no effort to talk.

Max and Michael headed to the car. Max as mulling over the cell phone conversation he just heard between Kyle and Liz and Isabel. He didn’t have much to go on, but he was hoping they could figure something out at the local cell phone store.

“Max, where are we going? Shouldn’t we go grab Valenti and make him talk?”

“No, Michael. He’s served his purpose. Now let’s go to the closet Cingular store and see if we can’t make them help us find Liz and my sister.”

As Michael was driving, Max’s thoughts began to wander. ‘When had this all gotten so screwed up? Things used to be so good…especially between Liz and me. We were in love…each other’s soul mates. Then Tess and Nacedo came to town. Then there was the fight with Nicholas. And not to mention the fact that Liz lied to me about sleeping with Kyle. Oh that thought really made him angry. Even after all these years. Yes, it had been for the good of everyone. But he hadn’t been the one calling the shots.’

Max continued to watch the lines on the road fly by, not really paying attention to anything around him. ‘Where had it all gone wrong? He just wanted to protect the humans from any kind of alien invasion. He had to be king. It was what he was born to do. Then Alex died. Committed suicide said the sheriff. And everyone just kinda lost it. Himself included. Maybe Nacedo didn’t have it wrong after all. Humans were weak. They should be controlled.’

Max was warring with himself. He couldn’t show weakness now. Liz and Isabel had to come home. He needed them to come home, but he wouldn’t dare admit that to anyone but himself. It was all their idea that he should act like the king and if they didn’t like it, then they shouldn’t have put every little question to him for approval.

----

Inside the cave just outside of Merino, Isabella finally found out who the two men in town were.

“So these hunters think they can stop me! ME! Let them try just like the others before them, they too will fail. Now get out of my sight and let me know when they’re close so I can end this little game once and for all. Then I can have my revenge on this pathetic little town!”

With that the mysterious townsman ran from the cave.

“110 years ago the fools of this town thought they could just kill me and all of their problems would vanish. NEVER! They were the ones who struck the deal when the town was dying. And I…I answered their calls and made this pathetic excuse of a town a place of splendor. The money was rolling in and all of the town founders were profiting. But when it came time for payment, they decided the price was too high. All I asked for in return was the first born of the founding fathers. And they killed me for it. But I will get the last laugh as the last of the founding fathers’ families will be mine. If only they had followed through with the bargain, then so many lives would have been spared. Now those fools and their families will rot in hell!”

-----

It was now late morning. Dean, Sam, Liz and Isabel finally called it a night after talking a bit more about the alien abyss. They all finally agreed it was late and that the hunt would continue the next morning.

“Isabel…wake up!” said Liz as she threw her pillow in the general vicinity of Isabel’s bed.

“Mmm…mom just 10 more minutes,” Isabel mumbled.

Liz dragged herself out of bed determined to get something done today. It was already late morning and they had to help the guys with their hunt.

“Isabel, I’m not your mother! Now get out of bed!”

“Alright already Liz. I’m up.”

“I’m going to get ready in the bathroom. We told the guys we’d meet them in an hour and go to the library all together in the hopes of finding something out about this ghost.” It still bothered Liz to be talking about ghosts. Aliens were no problem, but now ghosts. And that thought brought Alex to the forefront of her mind. She began to wonder if maybe they’d be able to see their beloved friend again, even though he was dead.

Isabel saw that Liz was in deep thought and decided that she was going to get her revenge for waking her out of such a sound sleep and pushed Liz out of the way, heading into the bathroom and locked Liz out.

“Ha! Beat you to it!” Isabel gloated through the locked door.

“You just wait Isabel Evans! You’ll get yours!” Liz teased back. And she knew just what she was going to do. Yep, Isabel and Sam would have to do some work together alone. Not only would that give her time alone with Dean, but also it could possible help her friend with her grief over Alex. Yep Liz smiled to herself. That’s just what I’m going to do.

-------

Just down the hall, Dean and Sam were also fighting over the bathroom so they could get ready to go meet the girls. When Sam beat Dean into the bathroom Dean told him, “Fine bro, that just means you have to go get the coffee and doughnuts. And make sure you get enough for Liz and Isabel too.”

Dean took this time to lie back down and try and catch a few more winks. He needed a clear head if he was going to beat this demon or ghost and keep everyone safe. He promised his dad and now he also felt responsible for Liz and Isabel.

----

“Dude your girlfriend came from a pod, how cool is that?” Dean asked as he and his brother made there way towards the park.

“Dean she is not my girlfriend.” Sammy said wanting to smack the smirk right off of his brother’s face, but it would do no good to debate his non relationship with Isabel with his brother. He barely knew Isabel, “I haven’t seen you this excited since the last werewolf we hunted.”

“That was amateur stuff Sammy; we are dealing with real aliens here.”

“Dean you probably shouldn’t keep saying the word alien, what if someone here’s you?”

“Sammy incase you haven’t noticed this town isn’t exactly packed full of people, I say the chances of us being overheard are slim. Plus, who’s going to believe that aliens exist?”

Sam nodded. They weren’t likely to be overheard because there was hardly anyone in the town let alone walking within hearing distance. “But you heard Liz; the FBI has been after them numerous times, not to mention those other skin shedding aliens.”

Sam rolled his eyes at the far away look on Dean’s face when Liz was mentioned; he had never seen his brother have it this bad before.

“What did you say to call them? Russiastocians?” Dean said when he noticed Sam staring at him like he had a third eye.

“Czechoslovakian. Do you think you can manage Dean? I know it has more syllables then you are use to.”

“Laugh it up college boy.”

It was exactly 11am sharp when Sam and Dean arrived at the park. Sam had coffee and doughnuts in hand and as the girls approached, they over heard the banter that was unmistakably the Winchester Brothers. Isabel and Liz just looked at each other and started laughing.

“Hey Batman!” Liz said sliding up to Dean. “Is that cup of coffee for me?”

“And Robin, what about those doughnuts?” asked Isabel grabbing the bag out of Sam’s hands.

“Ladies, ladies. There more than enough for everyone,” said Dean with a smirk directly solely at Liz.

With that comment Liz blushed and took a drink of her coffee. “So guys, what do we know? Or rather what have you found out so far about this ghost?”

Sam brought the girls up to speed with what they had so far, which was hardly anything.

Liz mulled it over and said, “Well you haven’t had Isabel and I help you before. Maybe we can find something you didn’t in the library.”

“Wait Liz, what about Bobbie?” Isabel said turning to her friend.

“You’re a genius Iz!” Liz and Isabel traded knowing looks. Sam and Dean just started at there silent communication not sure exactly what was going on.

“Care to explain who Bobbie is? Another one of your little alien friends?” Dean asked when Isabel and Liz kept up with there rambling that wasn’t making any sense.

“Czechoslovakian, Dean, if it’s too hard to remember just say Czech’s.” Isabel said shaking her head at him and speaking like she was talking to a child.

“Bobbie isn’t Czechoslovakian,” Liz said quickly stopping Dean from replying, she didn’t want to waste time with the back and forth banter between the two, “she’s the receptionist at the motel.”

“She mentioned a couple of interesting things when we first arrived, so she might be able to give us some clues on this ghost.” Isabel said finishing for Liz.

“Exactly! Now Iz, you and Sam should go talk with Bobbie while Dean and I go to the library.”

“Why me and Sam?” Isabel asked taking to the idea of being alone with Sam. The whole naked Sammy and gun toting Sammy played in her mind.

“Sam and I.” Liz said correcting Isabel out of habit. “I thought you were going with me.” Dean asked looking at Liz.

“Okay children.” Liz said demanding everyone’s attention before they once again got off subject. “Iz you have to go with Sam because Bobbie doesn’t like Dean. Plus I don’t trust you and Dean to go alone together to the library. No doubt the two of you would bicker more then actually work.” Liz said and once Isabel nodded she smiled.

It was fairly easy to get her little bathroom stealing revenge to fall into place. Now she only had to hope that Dean and she managed to not get sidetracked.

-----

Michael pulled into the cell phone store parking lot. It was already after midnight but he decided against saying anything to Max. He didn’t want to hear his king speech again.

“Ok, so we’re here Maxwell. Now what?” Michael asked as he waited for Max to say something. The whole ride Max had refused to tell him what was going on, he only caught fragments of conversations Max had with Tess and even that wasn’t telling him much.

Max got out of the car and walked around to the back of the building.

“Fine. I’ll just stay here in the car,” said Michael with disdain, as he watched Max walk away without uttering a goodbye.

Once he was sure that no one was around, Max placed his hand on the door and after the glow, the door popped open. He slipped inside looking for the nearest computer. He then used his alien powers to search through the database looking for the number that he found on Kyle’s phone bill. It was the same number he called and got that idiot and it was the same number that Kyle called back to hours ago to warn Liz and Isabel.

So let’s just see who owns this little cell phone number Max thought to himself. He took a double take when the name came up on the screen. It said Geezer Butler. Max knew that was a fake name…a name, a name he knew to be a member of Black Sabbath.

He clicked through a few more screens until he was able to see what towers some of the recent phone calls had been made to and from. That would definitely narrow down their search area. He shut everything off and headed back out to Michael.

“Ok. Let’s go.” Max said shutting climbing into the car and shutting the door behind him.

“Where to? You don’t tell me everything anymore. What happened to you Maxwell?” Michael said wondering when he became Max’s chauffer and lackey.

“Michael don’t sound like a whiney housewife.” Max said pulling out the atlas from the dash board. He wasn’t in the mood to listen to Michael complaining about their lack of communication.

“Head back towards Roswell. I’ll let you know when it’s time to take another turn.”

Michael snorted and thought to himself…so high and mighty. Yeah right! He didn’t say anything. He just kept driving, thinking of ways to murder Max.

Part 12

Sam and Isabel started walking back to the motel quietly. Isabel was silently cursing Liz for suggesting that they split up this way. Sure Bobbie didn’t like Dean, something that was made clear by the fact Isabel and Liz weren’t paying for their hotel room, and they couldn’t leave the boys alone to research, because that had already proven to be useless. Damn Liz and her logic.

“I’m sorry, Sam, did you say something?” Isabel asked trying to clear the thoughts from her mind. She had been in some awkward situations before but she usually had the upper hand. She didn’t let people know who she really was both in the alien sense and in the woman sense; she was deemed the Ice Princess by her peers since she was old enough to realize she could never get close to anyone. Even the ‘I know an alien club’ members didn’t know the person she had become. To let Dean and Sam into her life was unnerving.

“No Isabel I didn’t,” Sam replied as her looked at Isabel. It seemed like she was only willing to talk with him when Liz was around. She had been joking with him mere minutes before calling him Robin, a nickname he hoped to live down quickly, and now she barely even acknowledged him.

“But do you really think Bobbie knows something?” asked Sam trying to keep the conversation going not wanting it to lapse into an awkward silence.

Isabel turned her head and met Sam’s eyes; she instantly tore her gaze away and focused on the cracks in the sidewalk as she walked, “She was very chatty when Liz and I got here. In fact, Big George pretty much told her to shut up when we checked in.” Isabel paused debating whether or not to continue, her hesitation was obvious but she went ahead biting back the nagging of her brain. “By the way you can call me Izzy.”

To most people telling someone to call them by a nickname was not a big deal, but to Isabel it was huge. There was a time a few short years ago that only Max and Michael were the only ones allowed calling her Iz or Izzy.

Sam smiled, he could tell the meaning behind the nickname after all he heard the hesitation in her voice. He would have supplied his own nickname but you can’t shorten Sam and there was no way he was going to provoke someone else into calling him Sammy, he was still trying to break Dean of that.

The rest of the walk was made in silence, but a comfortable silence, not the awkward one they had experienced earlier. Sam grabbed the motel lobby door and pulled it open saying, “After you my lady.”

Isabel stopped dead in her tracks. “What did you just say?”

“Sorry, I was just trying to be polite. You look like the kind of woman who doesn’t mind doors being held for her.”

“Oh yeah. Thanks,” she said and walked into the lobby. Right at that very moment Sam reminded her of Alex.

One little sentence uttered by Sam brought memories of Alex to the surface, memories and emotions that she had been suppressing. The relationship that they shared was platonic in the end but Alex would always be the guy that Isabel measured other guys to.

Sam was a nice, sweet guy despite his rough exterior. And that rough exterior wouldn’t be so rough if Sam wasn’t on the road so much. Isabel shook her head as she went through the open door, now wasn’t exactly the time to be playing love connection.

As soon as Isabel went in, Sam followed and they started looking for Bobbie.

------

Liz watched them walk away and then turned and smiled at Dean.

“Well that was easy enough. Now let’s get to the library Batman and see if we can’t find your ghost.”

Dean smiled back at her and offered her his arm. With that they headed over to the Merino Public Library.

The silence that Dean and Liz experienced was not awkward in the slightest. But Dean had never been one to stay quiet for long and interrupted their quiet walk with questions.

“How is it possible that Bobbie doesn’t like me?” Dean asked. It had briefly crossed his mind earlier when Liz had mentioned it but he was too amused at how she had made sure she was going to be working with him to mention it.

“Hmm?” Liz asked letting Dean pull her out of her thoughts, even though there was a chance of some ghost appearing at any moment she felt a lot more relaxed then she had in years.

“How can Bobbie not like me. I mean come on look at me.” Dean said using his hands to gesture to himself while smirking.

Liz rolled her eyes; he was definitely one of a kind. “Maybe it had to do with you hitting on her when you first stopped at the motel. Bobbie made it clear to us she wasn’t a fan of the lame pickup lines you were using on her.”

Dean shrugged; even he had to admit that he had been using some pretty lame lines lately. Plus he was glad they had failed to impress Bobbie or he might have been preoccupied with her and not noticed Liz.

“I mean seriously Dean, from what Bobbie said the lines were so bad that she charged you double for the motel room.”

“Wait a minute, you’re telling me that I’ve been paying twice as much as I should have?”

Liz laughed and debated on whether or not to tell Dean that he was in fact paying for her hotel room. She kept quiet though and laughed a little at Dean’s confusion over the situation.
------

Meanwhile, Michael was still driving back towards Roswell wondering if *his majesty* was going to let him know where they were going. Michael was getting madder and the longer he drove without any word from Max the madder he got. The next thing he knew, Max was yelling at him that he missed the exit ramp.

“Michael, do I have to do everything? I told you to take that exit ramp and get off the highway. Now we have to wait until the next exit and figure out how to get back into Nebraska.”

“What the hell is in Nebraska, Max? And if you’re so damn smart, then why don’t you drive!” And with that Michael pulled off the road and just sat there. Maybe this time Maxwell will pull his head out of his almighty ass he thought!

“Michael! What the hell are you doing?! We need to keep moving!” Max yelled. He didn’t have time for Michael and his constant screw ups, the longer he threw his temper tantrum the more time Liz and Isabel had to take off again.

“No, Maxwell! Not until I get some answers! And I mean now!” Michael said ignoring the look that Max was sending him. He was sick and tired of playing Max’s second in command, he wasn’t a follower and Max sure as hell wasn’t a leader. The more time Michael spent evaluating the situation the more he realized just how screwed up the situation was.

--------

Dean and Liz walked into the library and Dean promptly showed Liz the information that he and his brother had found earlier about the missing families and how the disappearances happen every 20 years.

“Wow…so whole families just up and disappear and no one investigates?”

“No, Liz if you look a little further the police investigate the disappearances at first, but then it’s like someone purposefully buries the reports and the investigation grows cold.”

“Ok, so Dean how far back do these go?” Liz asked as she leaned past him reaching for another bound book of old newspapers.

“We found them going as far back as 1927, but we just can’t seem to find the connection.”

Liz kept looking through the old newspapers hoping that something would jump out at her, but with Dean sitting so close it was getting harder to concentrate. There was something electric between them and she could tell that Dean felt it too. It was almost like the attraction she had to Max but so much different. Just then she turned to look at Dean, only to find him staring at her with his gorgeous green eyes.

“What?” she asked, quickly looking away as she felt her cheeks begin to redden.

“Nothing, I just like looking at you. Is that a crime?”

With that Liz blushed again and slightly giggled. “I guess not, but staring at me isn’t finding this ghost.”

So she continued flipping through the dusty and very musty old newspapers. Just then something caught her eye. “Wait, Dean, take a look at this,” said Liz all excited. “Back in 1927, Merino was a thriving town. All of these businesses came to town and then there were some restaurants and look there were even three hotels. Now I know that times change and can change quickly, but at the very least we should still some of this in town today. But it’s all gone.”

“Yeah you’re right Liz. It’s like the town just died and not the normal ghost town dying either. If you look at these other editions of the 1927 paper, this Isabella Conroy lady is in just about each and every one. Look she’s heading up the ribbon cutting for the bank, and here she is again at the re-dedication of the town hall.”

“Dean, look here she is again! And again! Oh, and then there’s nothing. She disappears from the headlines and then the town starts dying off. The two must be related, but I just don’t see anything here in the papers.”

“Well, at least it’s a start Liz. I think we better hit the town hall again and hope that Sam and Isabel can fill in the missing holes.”

With that, the two headed to town hall to see if they could find anything about this mysterious Isabella and just what her connection to this small town was.

----

“Alright Michael if you’re going to be a baby about it, we’re heading to Colorado. When I checked the cell towers to see where those calls were bouncing from, it all focused on Colorado. From there, I’m just hoping that I can still sense Liz or Isabel. I know it’s a big state, but I’m still going to hope for the best.” Max said, after his and Michael’s stare down he realized he didn’t have time to waste trying to beat Michael at his own little game. It was far easier just to supply him with the meaningless information.

“Now see, what that so hard Max. If you let me in on what’s going on, then maybe I can help us find them sooner. Remember I can feel Isabel if she’s using her powers. So with the two of us, I’m sure that something will pan out.”

“Whatever Michael! Can we please just get back on road? We’re wasting time.”

“Fine,” Michael grumbled and pulled the car back out onto the highway. So much for making *his majesty* see the error of his ways thought Michael.

------

“So Bobbie, how are things going?” asked Isabel as she walked up to the reception desk. She had always made it a point to say hello to Bobbie when Liz and her were coming and going from the motel, something that was bound to pay off now.

“Kinda slow as you can see. Sorry you’re still stuck here Isabel. How much longer until Big George gets your car fixed?” She asked leaning closer to the desk, her gaze briefly flicked over to Sam before she returned her attention to Isabel.

“At least a week…maybe longer. But I noticed that he and a lot of town seemed to have taken a vacation? That just seems a little odd if you ask me.”

“Well, it doesn’t happen often. But from what I understand, it’s only the folks who have relatives that date back to the founding of the town. I guess they all get together, kinda like a family reunion, but they leave town. They don’t stay gone long…a month at most,” said Bobbie. She herself had found it odd at first.

“Well, Bobbie, how often is often?” asked Sam hoping that the young girl would keep talking. She was very open and probably had no clue she shouldn’t be talking about this.

Bobbie looked at Sam for a moment, debating whether she should continue. She had received multiple warnings from the other citizens of the town about revealing too much, but she figured what she was about to say wasn’t going to hurt anyone.

“I think the last time was back in 1987. I came to town with my parents’ shortly after that. We took over the motel and I’ve been here ever since. My parents ended up divorced. My mom went back to live with her family in Nebraska and I stayed here with Dad. His health hasn’t been the best so I’ve been taking care of the motel more and more.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” said Isabel. “Thanks for talking to us. We really have to go. I promised Liz I’d meet her at the library. Everywhere we go Liz always finds her way to the library.” Isabel said quickly making her excuse.

Isabel motioned to Sam and the two of them left the motel hoping to catch up with Dean and Liz.

-----

The group ran into each other on Main Street and decided that lunch was in order so they could compare notes on what they all found out.

After the customary hello and ordering, they got down to business.

“Ok, so these disappearances do happen every 20 years,” said Liz.

“And they seem to only be townspeople,” added Dean.

“Well that fits with the mass exodus that’s been going on around here,” confirmed Isabel.

“Yeah Bobbie was very forthcoming. She said that this happened before back in 1987 when she and her family moved here. She said that only those who are relatives of the founding fathers beat feet out of town and they stayed away for about a month,” noted Sam.

In true Liz Parker fashion, she pulled out her napkin and started writing down all of the facts they had gathered. She was looking at the pattern in front of them and the answer was just out of reach. She knew the town was thriving until 1927. But something must have happened and that’s when the disappearances began.

“Wait, Liz you didn’t factor in Isabella Conroy,” said Dean.

“Who’s Isabella?” asked Sam.

“Yeah, I’m not sure how she all fits into this,” said Liz.

“Well, she was all over the newspapers at one groundbreaking or another when the town was booming. But then in 1927 it’s like she just vanished,” pointed out Dean.

“Ok so she’s some how connected to this,” stated Isabel, “how can we find out what happened to her?”

“Town hall,” said Dean and Sam at the exact same time.

“Ok, so it’s agreed after we eat we head to town hall and see what we can find out about this Isabella person,” said Liz.

“Does anyone find it amusing that we have Liz and Iz, now Isabel and Isabella? I mean come on of all the names in the world…” Dean said which caused the others to laugh easing some of the tension.

The laughter didn’t last long as they finished eating their lunch in silence. The anticipation of finally cracking this case could be felt by everyone at the table.

They rushed over to town hall and started pouring through records looking for any reference to anyone named Isabella or Conroy just to be safe.

“Sammy, I think I found something,” said Dean.

“What?”

“Look there was this lady named Isabella Conroy who came to town in 1915 from Salem, Massachusetts. Things seemed normal with births and deaths until she came to town. Then it’s just like no one died. It’s weird. For ten whole years the town only has births,” explained Dean.

“You guys are going to like this as well,” said Liz, “it seems that not only did no one die, but all of these businesses and things started coming to Merino. The town was the place to be and everyone was getting very rich.”

“So what happened in 1927 to change all that?” questioned Isabel.

Sam and Dean looked at each other and finally Sam replied, “a witch.”

“She must have cast some sort of spell or made some kind of pact with the town’s founders. You know…make us rich and we’ll give you whatever you want.”

“Ok, new to the game. You have to explain for those of us not in the demon hunting business,” said Liz pointing to Isabel and herself.

“Right,” chuckled Dean, “forgot we had newbie hunters in the crowd.”

With that comment Liz hit Dean on the back of the head.

“Ouch. Can I continue?”

“If you can do it in a civilized manner, then yes you may continue Dean,” laughed Liz.

“As I was saying, Sammie’s right Isabella must have been a witch. So whatever her price was for making the town thrive, the founders must have decided the price was too high. So they must have killed her and the disappearances every 20 years are her revenge. See only the relatives of the town founders go missing. Now we just have to figure out how to stop her. Again, if that’s ok with you Liz,” Dean said with a smirk. He ducked before she had a chance to hit him again.

“I suggest we head back to the motel and work out a plan. Who knows when and where she plans to strike,” stated Sam.

They all agreed and headed back to the motel.

------

The mysterious man ran as fast as he could to the cave just outside of town.

“Mistress…I’m…I’m sorry to…to disturb you. But those hunters you had me..me watching. Well, I’m…I’m sorry to say they…figured it out. And they had two girls with them.”

“YOU FOOL!” she roared, “WHY DIDN’T YOU TRY AND STOP THEM?!”

The man cowered in the corner. “Please I beg your mercy. There were four of them. I am but one…one man.”

“Are they staying at that flea bag motel? ANSWER ME!”

“Yes, all four…of them.”

“Fine, my hour is almost at hand. No hunters or little girls will stop me! If they interfere they’ll feel my wrath first hand. I wasn’t the most powerful witch in all of Salem to be brought down by four measly humans...even if two are hunters.”

“LEAVE I HAVE NO NEED FOR YOU ANYMORE! YOUR FAMILY WILL LIVE FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS! NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!”

Just wanted to thank everyone for the kind words and bumps. Meagan and I have just been dealing with RL but we’re here! So thanks:

Liz2Infinity
Lunatic
forever dreamer
Ellie
Appleprincess
RosAngBuf16
TNBabe
vampyrolover86
aussietrueblue

and to all you lurkers too!! Hope you all enjoy!!


Part 13

Isabella carefully walked to the edge of the cave. Slowly she raised her hand toward the cave’s mouth, and the air shimmered around it.

“Almost time. Then I will have my revenge and take those hunters’ souls as an added bonus.”

----

“Well wise one we are in Colorado, now what?” Michael asked openly mocking his companion. Whatever brief truce Michael had called with Max hours earlier was fading as he once again started being taken for granted; Max had forced him to do the driving while he called everyone that was still in Roswell for their hourly updates. The people that were still in Roswell had, from what Michael could guess, no productivity.

Max wasn’t exactly in the sharing mood so Michael took his clues from the sighs and tantrums that followed each conversation. You would think Max would not be so wound up, after all they knew which state Liz and Isabel were in. But then again, this is Max so until Liz and Isabel were safely tucked away in Roswell Max was going to not let anyone rest.

Max hearing the ‘wise one’ comment just gave Michael a pointed look and ignored him. He didn’t have time to waste on Michael and his lame attempts at breaking out from his authority. So what if every once in awhile someone ventured into a joke at his expense, essentially he owned them. He had done a pretty good job at managing to be responsible for ten people but that was before Alex killed himself. When Alex decided to take the easy way out by killing himself rather then continue living, he ruined the perfect little community Max had created.

The conspiracy theory nut in Liz broke out and she accused aliens of murdering Alex. Isabel had obviously been more affected then she initially let on seeing as how she willingly took off with an emotionally unstable Liz. Things were slowly falling apart, and if Max didn’t get Liz and Isabel back there was no telling how long it would be before the other group members decided they needed to venture off and ruin Max’s ‘community.’

They were like sheep, one takes off and the others soon follow. And Max didn’t want his sheep all over the country. It proved difficult to care for them all in Roswell, he couldn’t manage if they were scattered out everywhere. If something went wrong they’d just come back and blame him, saying it was his fault that they left and got into trouble. No one wants a leader until they are in trouble. Then it’s always ‘what do we do now Max’ and ‘how are you going to fix this Max.’

“Dude, are you even going to answer me?” Michael asked, breaking Max out of his brooding.

“What do you want me to say to you Michael? Just keep driving, when I pick up on something I’ll direct you where to go.”

Max turned his head to stare out the passenger window, signaling an end to the conversation. Michael griped the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white but he didn’t reply. Both concentrated on finding Liz and Isabel, if only so their ‘road trip’ could be over.

----

The group was currently researching in the guys’ room. They were looking for anything that might lead them to where Isabella’s body was buried. Sam had just explained to the girls that the easiest way to dispatch an evil spirit or ghost like this Isabella is to find her grave, salt the bones and then burn them. Sam noted that after all of this, the conversations about ghosts and demons, that the girls never blinked an eye. He guessed that living with real life aliens must make everything else pale in comparison.

------

It was now midnight and Isabella put her hand once more to the mouth of the cave that was hidden just outside of town. This time there was no resistance.

“I’m free! Now I can exact my revenge,” she cried. And with that Isabella walked toward town heading straight for the motel.

Bobbie was finishing up today’s receipts. That idiot Dean had paid for both rooms, and she smiled to herself about that. It didn’t really take Bobbie all that long and just as she was getting ready to call it a night, she thought she saw a strange looking woman walk past the motel office door. “Must just be my imagination,” she thought to herself and continued on with her duties.

Isabella could smell the hunters, who were now her prey. And yes there were two young girls, what a bonus she thought. As she passed the motel office, Isabella stopped. She sensed something else.

“Yes,” she thought, “a foolish relative of those town idiots is nearby.” With that she turned back towards the office to make sure. “Yes. I will start my reign of terror early,” she mused as she put her hand on the door knob. She slowly turned it and opening the door she saw a young girl going back towards a safe in the wall.

As Bobbie turned around to turn off the lights and head to bed, she jumped and screamed as a woman dressed in white suddenly appeared in the room.

“Umm…sorry you startled me. Did you need a room for the night?” Bobbie asked.

“No but I will have your soul!” Isabella screamed as she charged Bobbie.

“NO! Whatever you want just take it and leave me alone. I swear I won’t call the police. Please don’t hurt me,” she begged.

As Isabella got closer it seemed that Bobbie was frozen in place and all she could do was scream.

----

Liz was pacing the floor of the small motel room as the group was trying to come up with some way to stop Isabella, but nothing was adding up or making sense.

Just then they all heard it. It was a blood curdling scream breaking through the silence of the night. All four briefly looked at each other. Then as if he were on autopilot, Sam grabbed his rock salt filled shotgun and headed toward the direction of the scream.

“Sam! Sammie wait a minute. We can’t go charging off without knowing what we’re walking into,” Dean yelled. But it was too late. Sam was gone. And now he had to find a way to keep Liz and Isabel safe and then go after his pigheaded hero of a brother.

“Dammit,” he muttered under his breath as he was scrounging for his shotgun and holy water. Dean found the gun and was just telling the girls that they needed to stay in the room for their safety.

“Son of a bitch! Where’s my holy water?”

He turned around to see Liz holding it by the door standing next to a very determined Isabel.

“No Dean, we’re going with you. Remember we’re in this together now. And who knows maybe a little alien hocus pocus could help out.”

“Fine. If you’re coming then let’s go.” And all three headed out hoping they wouldn’t be too late to save Sam.

-----

Sam got to the motel office just as Isabella was face to face with Bobbie.

“Now I will begin my revenge with you little one. It’s nothing personal. I promise it won’t hurt too much,” the ghost cackled.

“Get away from her you crazy hag,” Dean screamed as he aimed the shotgun at the ghost and pulled the trigger. He just missed though and all it did was enrage Isabella more.

“FOOL! How dare you challenge me,” she hissed as she turned her attention to Sam.

Sam was desperately trying to figure out how to get Bobbie out of harm’s way and as he took his eyes off of the situation for what was only a split second, the vengeful spirit saw her opportunity and rushed the experienced hunter.

Bobbie didn’t know what the hell was going on, but she wasn’t going to hang around and find out. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to help Sam and she felt sorry about that, but raced out the front door of the office. And just when she thought safety was within her reach, she ran into something hard and almost fell over.

With that she screamed again afraid to look at what had their hands on her refusing to let her go.

“Bobbie, Bobbie. It’s me Dean. Calm down. We’ve got you,” Dean said trying to get the frightened girl to listen to his words. When she didn’t respond, he handed her off to Liz and Isabel. “Take care of her and stay out of the way. I don’t want to have to save you two as well.”

The girls did as he asked and Dean rushed through the door to find Isabella with her hands on Sam and there was some strange light surrounding the two. Dean figured that this must have been what Liz saw in her vision as he cocked the shotgun.

“You leave my brother alone you crazy ass spirit!” he yelled as the rock salt left the shotgun hitting its intended target. Isabella instantly became disembodied but she wasn’t about to let that stop her, she’d come too far. As Dean ran over to check on his brother, Isabella materialized behind them. She had them right where she wanted. Some hunters, she mused to herself. Like one blast of rock salt would be enough to stop me.

The girls had finally convinced Bobbie that she was safe and to go to their room and wait for them. Just then, Liz and Isabel peeked around the door to see Isabella heading toward both men who were completely unaware.

Instinctively Isabel raised her hand. She didn’t know if her powers would have any effect but the guys were in trouble and she’d be damned if she’d let something happen to Sam. She couldn’t save Alex but this she could do something about.

Dean was helping a very disoriented Sam to his feet and the next thing he knew, there was this bright light coming out of Isabel’s hand heading straight for the ghost. And then Dean couldn’t believe his eyes, the ghost completely dematerialized and there was this hum of electricity in the air.

“Damn woman! You’re better than rock salt,” Dean said with a huge grin on his face.

Liz ran inside to help Dean pick up Sam, and the group slowly headed back to their rooms.

“Isabel, how did you know to do that?” Liz asked.

“I don’t know,” she replied. “I guess it was instinct. I didn’t even know I could blast with that much force. I just saw that *thing* getting closer to the guys and I couldn’t, *no* I wouldn’t let anything happen to anyone else that I care about.”

They finally got back to the room and found poor Bobbie crying all balled up in the far corner of the room. Liz approached the sobbing girl and gently stroked her hair. A few more minutes passed and Liz was able to coax Bobbie to sit on the bed and tell them what had happened.

As she recounted her ordeal, they all could see the fear in her eyes. Then her harrowing tale came to an end. The four looked at each other and they all came to the same conclusion: Bobbie must be a descendant of a town founder.

“Bobbie, it’s ok. You’re ok now. But Bobbie we need to know about your family,” Liz asked as quietly and firmly as possible. They had no idea when the ghost would be back and they had to be ready.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she answered. “It’s just my dad and me since my mom split. And now he’s got Alzheimer’s, so he’s staying at the Merino Rest Home.”

“I think we need to talk to your dad, Bobbie,” Sam said rather than ask. Time was of the essence.

“Ok, we can go first thing in the morning. Do you guys mind if I stay here tonight? I don’t think I can be alone right now,” Bobbie said.

They all agreed that there was safety in numbers and they all opted to sleep in various places in the girls’ room.

-----

About a half an hour ago on the road in Colorado…

“Michael, did you feel that?” Max asked. He was certain that it was the sensation of Isabel using her powers, but he wanted Michael to confirm his suspicion.

“Yeah, I felt it. And boy it was strong. I don’t think I’ve ever felt her this powerful,” Michael confirmed.

“Well at least we’re going the right way. Can’t you get this hunk of junk to move any faster?”

“Well, you’re the all powerful King Max, why don’t you use your hocus pocus and rev it up. If I do it and blow up the car, I’ll never hear the end of it from you.”

“Fine have it your way,” Max said flatly as he placed his hand on the car’s dashboard searching for the wiring he needed to get to the engine while bending the light around them to make the car seem invisible. At least we won’t have to worry about the stupid cops he thought.

And only a few seconds later Michael had to get a better grip on the steering wheel as he read the speedometer. The display read 115.

--------

First thing the next morning, the group plus one headed toward the Merino Rest Home.

“I still don’t know how visiting my dad is going to help. I mean that thing…that ghost almost killed me. How could he know anything about that?” Bobbie asked.

“Bobbie just relax. You’ll see what’s going on after we talk with him,” Isabel said trying to calm the girl. Bobbie had already been through so much and if her father confirmed their suspicions, then this girl’s problems were far from over.

They walked into the nursing home and followed Bobbie to her dad’s room. He was sitting up in bed eating breakfast. From what Bobbie could tell that this was the father she remembered, not the one claimed by a horrible illness that made him forget her and how much she loved him.

“Daddy, it’s me. Bobbie,” she said as she moved toward the bed. The rest of the group just hung back by the door. They didn’t want to upset this man. They knew he held the key.

“Hey my little B,” the man said with a smile. “What are you doing here?”

“Daddy, something happened to me last night and my friends back there…well they saved me. But they have some questions. Do you think you could help them out?”

“Anything for you my little B.”

The four looked at each other trying to decide who should approach Bobbie’s father, and after a minute of unspoken staring, Sam stepped into the room and over to the old man in the bed.

“Sir, Bobbie told us that you guys moved to town about 19 years ago right?” Sam asked.

Dave nodded his head. “Yeah that sounds about right. Bobbie was just a little girl. But this wasn’t the first time we’d been to Merino.”

“What do you mean sir?”

“Enough with the sir young man. You can call me Dave. My wife and I were born here. We were high school sweethearts. So you see I’m a good ol’ Merino boy at heart.”

Now there were getting somewhere. Dean, Liz and Isabel were on pins and needles as each question Sam asked got them that much closer to the answers they desperately needed.

“Ok Dave, growing up here, did you ever notice anything strange that went on in town…say every 20 years or so?”

Dave squeezed his daughter’s hand. “Well, we weren’t supposed to talk about it, but every 20 years it was real important that those born here left town for a week or two. Although I just can’t remember why.”

“Well, Dave what did your parents tell you about everyone leaving?”

Just then Dave let go of his daughter’s hand and started staring off into space.

“Daddy?” Bobbie asked.

Dave turned and looked at her and she saw that unwelcome familiar stare.

“Who are you and what are you doing in my room? All of you…get out!” he screamed.

“Guys, we better go. I don’t think my dad’s going to be back to his old self anymore today. It’s the Alzheimer’s. He has a few lucid moments a day if we’re lucky.”

Sadly Bobbie got up and walked over to the gang. “I’m sorry. I wish he could have been more helpful. But when he’s like this, he doesn’t even remember me or where he is.”

“That’s ok, hon,” said Liz as she put her arm around Bobbie. “He was a big help.”

As they were walking out of nursing home, an idea hit Dean.

“Hey Bobbie, I know we’ve imposed enough, but something your dad said keeps bugging me. If he and your mom were both born here, then we know why that thing was after you. But that also means there should be stuff from your family somewhere. Like photo albums or family trees?”

“I guess,” said Bobbie. “Let’s head over to my house and hit the attic. Maybe what you’re looking for might be there.”

---------

“I can’t believe I let those hunters get the better of me!” Isabella screamed shaking her fist in the air. “There was something different though,” she said out loud.

“I proved that rock salt won’t stop me, but that girl. What she did, I just don’t understand. I would have sensed if she was a sister witch. But she had control of the elements and banished me back to my prison. No matter, I’ll be ready for them tonight as I continue on my path of revenge. It will be dark soon enough and this time no one will be safe.”

---------

Bobbie told Sam the address of her house before the rest of the group headed there. Sam was going to pick up some food for everyone and meet them there. So here they all sat waiting for Sam to show up. They were all tired and hungry and silence seem to win out even after Sam showed up and they all ate.

Finally, it was inevitable. The gang trudged up to the attic in search of anything that could help Dean and Sam defeat this latest entity.

They all started digging through boxes layered with dust and cobwebs. Bobbie finally found an old family photo album at the bottom of some boxes piled near an antique trunk and cedar chest. As she and Liz looked through the album, Sam found some old newspaper clippings like the ones they had seen previously in the library. But when all hope was lost, Dean struck pay dirt.

“Guys, check this out. It looks like an old writing desk, but when I popped open the lid I found this. It looks like some kind of contract.”

“Dean, hand that over. Let me look at it,” said Sam. “Yep, it’s a classic Faustian deal with this Isabella Conroy. I don’t think the town elders realized she was a witch until it was too late and then they decided they wanted out.”

“Sammie, here. It looks like an old journal by a relative of Bobbie’s. It has your normal ye old days crap…but here the old man talks about a group of townsmen going after the witch. He says they figured if they killed her…”

“It would break the deal,” Sam finished his brother’s sentence.

“Idiots!” said Dean.

“Why?” asked Isabel and Liz at the same time.

“Because when they killed her it turned the deal into a curse. She comes back every 20 years taking with her the souls of the founding families until there are none left. It’s her ultimate revenge,” explained Sam.

“Dean, does it say where they killed her or where her bones are buried?”

“Way ahead of you bro. It seems there are some caves just outside of town where they killed her. They must have buried her out there as well to cover up the evidence.”

“But Dean there’s probably a lot of land out there to cover. How are we going to find her bones?” asked Isabel.

“Well my alien princess, do you think you might be able to help us out with that?” said Dean with a smirk.

“Ow! What the hell was that for Liz?”

“No Czech talk! It’s a good thing Bobbie is in the bathroom and didn’t hear you!” said Liz through clenched teeth. “We let you in on the secret partly because we had to, but we did want to, so show some respect!”

Damn she’s hot when she angry, Dean thought. “Ok I’m sorry. But the question is still the same. Do you think you can help us Isabel?”

“I don’t know. But we have to figure out what to do with Bobbie. Isabella is going to come back for her and I’m guessing she’s just a little bit pissed after I banished her or whatever happened when I blasted her last night.”

“She just needs to stay in one place. We can put wards and symbols around her as well as rock salt. As long as she stays inside them, the ghost can’t touch her. Then we can all go hunting,” replied Sam. “We’ve got some time before it gets dark. We should get started on the protection stuff and get our gear ready to go.”

---------

Max and Michael were just nearing the Merino city limits.

“I think this is the place,” Max stated. “I can’t feel her anymore.”

“What about Liz?” Michael asked. “I thought you could always feel her?”

“After Alex, she started slipping away from me. I think she figured out how to block me, Michael. But she took off before I could figure out how she’s doing it.”

“Well what do we do now?”

“That…that right there Michael is why I’ve taken charge! Why do I always have to know what we’re going to do? So what if I’m supposed to be King of Antar. What if for once I don’t know what we should do?”

“Gees…touchy much? I just wanted to know if you wanted to go into town or wait here for a little while and see if Izzy uses her powers again.”

“Let’s wait here for now,” said Max a little embarrassed after his outburst. “Let’s get some sleep and see what happens next.”

Michael pushed the car seat back and got comfortable. He was starting to wonder if the pressure was getting to Max. Max is always in control and that outburst was so out of character. Maybe something is wrong he thought. I’ll have to keep an eye on him. I am his second after all. And with that Michael let sleep overtake him.

------

With the last symbol in place and rock salt poured across every doorway, window and around the entire house, Dean and Sam were satisfied that Bobbie would be safe until they stopped Isabella Conroy.

“Ok Bobbie, you understand that you can’t leave here unless one of us is with you right?” asked Isabel.

“Yes I understand. Although it’s been a really strange couple of days, I’ll do as you say,” replied Bobbie.

“Sammie, get everything that’s left together. We’re heading back to our hotel room to pick up some extras for the girls. Then we’re going on a hunt, old style,” smirked Dean.

Liz could see the twinkle in Dean’s eye and it made her smile as well. I wonder what’s going to happen after this is all done she thought to herself. Would the guys just leave? Would they ask Isabel and her to go with them? Would Isabel even want to go? And what about Max and the rest of the “I Know an Alien Club?” So many questions and no answers.

Before they knew it, they were back at the motel loading up for what proved to be an interesting evening.

“Time to lock and load. Sorry I couldn’t resist,” said Dean sheepishly.

Sam laughed at his brother and he really couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Dean so happy. Guess Liz is a good influence he thought. With that thought, Sam showed Liz how to use a shotgun since she had no alien protection.

Then they all piled into the Impala and headed for the outside of town. Dean was in his glory and it showed as “Carry On My Wayward Son” by Kansas blared through the speakers.

TBC?

We want to thank everyone for their wonderful feedback, bumps and most importantly thanks for sticking with us through this. I can honestly say we’re nearing the end of our journey on this story. But it’s been a lot of fun for us all!! And thanks to all you lurkers as well!

Liz2Infinity
aussietrueblue
Lamptrimmer Ethan
Lunatic
Queen Fee
Lizandzackfan
dusk
joshz_girl
vampyrolover86
Ellie
forever dreamer
Christina2984
RosAngBuf16


Part 14

The group reached the edge of town and Dean quickly cut the engine to the Impala. It was dark and eerie but everyone was focused at the task on hand. Find Isabella’s grave and put an end to this madness that had plagued the small town of Merino for far too long.

“Ok, so how do we do this?” asked Liz getting out of the car and helping Isabel. Both Liz and Isabel followed the guys’ lead, acting unafraid as though they did this all the time. Something they had learned over the years is that fear would not save you and you had to be prepared for anything. Or it might have been all the phone calls with Kyle in which he babbled on about Buddha.

“Well, we sneak up on this bitch, take her out and then salt and burn the bones. And here’s the important part – don’t get killed,” Dean replied in an almost whisper.

“I know that,” she said rolling her eyes and taking a smack at him, but he ducked just in time.

It lightened the situation barely and the group began exploring the long ago abandoned caves hoping for some sort of clue to where this ghost’s bones could be buried.

------

Max and Michael arrived in Merino and they seemed none too impressed with what they saw. Max was clearly sneering from where he sat in the passenger seat.

“Gees, you’d think if you were going to run away that you’d pick some place bigger and better than Roswell,” chuckled Michael. He really missed Roswell and Maria, but if this was the place then hopefully this would all end fast. But just how it was going to end still was a mystery to him.

Michael really hoped that Max was sure he wanted to go up against a very pissed off Isabel and Liz. He knew that going up against Maria was bad enough…no way would he chance both Isabel and Liz.

“Come on Michael. Let’s look around and see what we can find. We can start asking folks if they’ve seen the girls,” said Max, he wanted to get both of the girls as soon as possible. No need to just wait for them to come across their path.

There really wasn’t much to Merino so after looking in a few places, they headed to the only motel in town. No one in the town volunteered much information about Liz and Isabel. Someone at the hardware store had mentioned that they left town a few days prior, but Max saw through this lie and easily knew the townspeople were covering for the girls. But Max was wrong on that, the townspeople just didn’t want more strangers around when the witch attacked.

Deciding that the locals weren’t going to be any help they continued on to the motel, if the girls were here, that’s where they’d be staying.

-------

After searching through what seemed to be the thousandth cave, Sam stumbled across one that seemed to have footprints going in and out of it. He knew they hadn’t gotten that far, so this had to be the place.

“Hey guys! Over here. I think I found something,” said Sam.

“What is it Sammy?”

“Look footprints. And do you smell it?”

“Yeah, sulfur.”

Dean and Sam quickly had there conversation, not paying attention to the girls beside them, who could offer little about the location anyways.

“If we are dealing with a ghost, or a witch ghost should there even be footprints?” Isabel whispered to Liz as they tried to get a better look at the footprints.

“I don’t know. This isn’t exactly in my field of the paranormal,” Liz whispered back. They shrugged it off and continued to look for the witch.

The girls followed closely and quietly behind the Winchester brothers just as determined to rid the world of this evil.

“I’m over here you fools!” screamed Isabella. “There’s no need to sneak around. Let’s end this!” Isabella popped out of nowhere; looking as though she knew the group would come looking for her.

“Liz, Isabel…we need some more time to find where they buried her bones. We need a distraction,” whispered Sam.

The girls nodded and flanked out on either side of the guys. Liz with her shotgun cocked and Isabel with her hand raised ready for anything. Liz figured if they could make the ghost want to be in several places at once, it would work to their advantage.

The next thing anyone knew, Liz was actually taunting the apparition before them. “You want a piece me…come and get me you stupid ghost.”

“Real good Liz, taunt the evil spirit that wants to kill you,” Dean smirked.

“Well, you said you needed more time,” she quickly answered him back.

Then Isabel took her opportunity and threw a power blast toward the ghost. She didn’t hit it, and she wasn’t trying. All she wanted to do was make some rock fly and hopefully not cause a cave in.

This last distraction gave Dean and Sam the opening they needed heading behind Isabella and hopefully to her bones. They both started digging quickly trying to keep an eye on the girls so that they wouldn’t get hurt. You had to admire what Liz and Isabel were doing, putting their lives on the line for people they had only met a few days ago. But this was definitely a part of their character.

-----

Max and Michael were talking to a waitress at the corner diner and she certainly wasn’t being of much help. She answered every question with a question. This was getting them nowhere fast. When they had went to the Motel no one was at the registration desk, and after knocking on all the rooms’ doors it didn’t look as though anyone was in the motel at all. Just as Max was ready to take the interrogation up a notch, he felt it. Both Max and Michael looked at each other hoping to confirm the other’s suspicious.

“Isabel!” They said in unison and quickly scrambled out of the motel office and to their car.

“Go Michael! If we don’t hurry up we’ll lose the connection until she uses her powers again!”

“I’m going as fast as this rusted out bucket of bolts will go!” Michael yelled back as they started to increase in speed.

-----

“Dean! Dean! I found them. Keep digging! Are the girls alright?” Sam asked out of breath from the forced manual labor.

“They’re holding their own, but I don’t know how much longer they’re going to last,” he answered. “Dig faster!”

Isabella was still curious about this girl that wielded power and that curiosity was just enough that she forgot about the hunters behind her digging up her bones.

“What are you child?” she cried. “How could you try to hurt a sister witch? We should work together you and I and eradicate these foolish humans!” Isabelle said back, if she could turn this girl they would be able to take out the whole population of Merino in one night, and then move on to grander things.

“I’m no witch you sick twisted spirit!” Isabel screamed back, “You don’t want to know what I am! And don’t you dare call me your sister!” Isabel fired another blast but this time was more off the mark and some rock rained down on the brothers.

“Hey alien girl! Watch where you’re pointing that thing, will ya!” hollered Dean.

Isabel kept her attention locked on Isabella but shot of a reply at Dean.

“Don’t call me alien girl…supernatural freak!” Isabel retorted. “I’m trying to save your ass!”

“Not the time guys.” Liz said still holding the shot gun and keeping a watchful eye on Isabella.

Isabella then felt the salt begin to hit her bones and she knew she had to take out these hunters now or she would be no more. She quickly turned her attention to the pair getting ready to attack. She got closer and closer…

Liz yelled to Isabel to do something, but Isabel didn’t have a clean shot. Liz tried the shotgun but it had no effect. That evil thing was getting closer and closer and there wasn’t anything she could do. Just then green crackling sparks shot out of her hands and were running up and down her arms.

“Um Isabel, a little help here please!” Liz begged. Isabel ran towards her but it was going to be too late. “Liz, just focus all of your energy in your hands. Feel it all gather in around you.” God where was Kyle with his Path to Enlightenment when you need him. “Then just force it out toward your target. You can do it! I know you can.”

Liz looked up and saw that Isabella had just smacked Sam so hard that he was crumpled on the cave floor. But Dean was still trying to finish this and would probably lose his life in the process. She took a deep breath, raised both of her green sparking hands and focused all those years of hurt, pain and agony from the alien abyss. Then she just willed it to leave her body, hoping it would be enough. The last time she tried to use any alien powers she needed Isabel’s help to reach Max in New York.

The green power blast took out Isabella and part of the cave wall. “What the!” Dean said looking at Liz. But he knew he had to act fast. Who knew how long the specter would be gone. There would be time to talk later. So he lit the match, dropped it on the bones and grabbed his still unconscious brother. Isabel met him half way, putting herself under Sam’s other arm dragging him out of the cave. Liz followed behind making sure that Isabella was truly gone.

----
(Just moments before…)

Max and Michael found themselves on the outskirts of town when they felt yet another power surge. “We’re close. Look there’s light in that cave,” Max said as he pointed just above them. They climbed up to the cave and couldn’t believe what they saw!

It looked like a ghost and there were Isabel and Liz. Liz was toting a shotgun and there were two guys...one unconscious and the other appeared to pouring salt in a hole. What a scene! Just as they were entering the cave, Max saw Liz erupt in coursing green sparks. Then like a force of nature she unleashed the energy at what appeared to be a ghost. It dissipated and then he saw the guy who was pouring salt, light a match and drop it in the same hole. He looked at Michael who was at a loss for words.

The next they both knew, Isabel was helping the man drag the unconscious one toward the mouth of the cave with Liz following up behind waving that shotgun.

The four walked past a still speechless Max and Michael. They were tired, dirty and a little singed around the edges. After what they’d been through tonight, the girls didn’t care that the controlling king and his sidekick second had found them.

“Iz, help Dean get Sam back into the car,” Liz said. Isabel nodded. Liz briefly stopped looked at Max and said, “Later. We’ll talk to you later.” She climbed into the front seat of the Impala and looked back at Isabel trying to take care of Sam who still wasn’t awake.

The next thing they knew, Max and Michael were watching the Impala heading back toward town.