Demons and Puppy-Dog Eyes
Title: Demons and Puppy-Dog Eyes
Author: msgrahamcracker
Characters: Don, Charlie, David, Colby, Liz, Nikki, Amita Ramanajun, Dr. Ridenhour
Rating: T - for language and sexual suggestiveness
Word count: 3,527
Spoilers: None for Numb3rs, but there are a lot for Supernatural, especially season four and early season five
Summary: Just a little Halloween treat for the Numb3rs and Supernatural fan in all of us
Disclaimer: Only the story belongs to me. The yummy stuff still belongs to CBS and CW
Demons and Puppy-Dog Eyes
~byMsGrahamCracker~
There was no stake. The vampire was obviously dead, but contrary to ancient legend and the myth perpetrated by Hollywood movies, there was no wooden stake embedded in his chest. The corpse was spread out on the cement in front of a glitzy night spot on LA's upper west side. His legs were straight, but his arms were flung out from his sides and the cape beneath him was meticulously spread open, as if he were frozen in some blood-seeking nocturnal flight.
A line of assorted ghouls, zombies and other creatures of the night stood behind the yellow crime scene tape several feet away from the lifeless victim and watched Dr. Ridenhour, from the coroner's office, insert the long thin thermometer into the body's liver. The sounds of distress and revulsion that came from the spectators was rather surprising, and fairly ironic, considering the excessive volume of fake blood a few of them were smeared with, the number of heads with axes, knives and arrows protruding from them, the few drooping eyeballs that hung down onto bloody, deformed cheeks, and the fake but frighteningly convincing severed body parts. More than one pair of ghoulishly made-up eyes turned away from the sight.
At the other end of the line, FBI agents Warner, Betancourt and Granger joined several LAPD officers in taking names and witness statements from the large number of party goers.
The medical examiner looked up from her readings as a man wearing a dark FBI jacket pulled the yellow tape up to allow another man access to the crime scene. The newcomer wore a dark hoodie along with a cap that redundantly identified him as FBI. His walk and posture identified him as someone in charge.
“Hey, David. What do you have?”
“This one's hard to believe, Don, even for Halloween night in Hollyweird.”
As they walked, Special Agent David Sinclair filled his supervisor in. “No signs of a struggle. The vic didn't have any ID on him - not even a wallet or cell phone.” He gestured towards the crowd. “They say he likes to stay in character and Dracula wouldn't have a cell phone, now, would he?”
Special Agent Don Eppes looked down at the body. The man was somewhere in his late 30's and his pale features were Hollywood handsome under the thin layer of white makeup. His eyes, closed for the last time, were covered with dark eye shadow, both on the lid and below the eye socket, giving his eyes the sunken, undead look he had no doubt been trying to achieve. His lips were parted, exposing a high end, obviously custom-made set of vampire fangs. They fit his real teeth so well Don found himself squinting to make sure they weren't actually a dental implant. It was evident that the victim's clothing was also high priced and custom made; tailored black pants, pristine white shirt with a heavily starched shirt front, and a full, luxurious cape with red silk lining that clasped at his neck with a brocaded frog.
“This is no ordinary Halloween costume.” Don observed.
Special Agent Colby Granger joined them, glancing at the notes in his hand. “Party started around ten, boss. Witnesses say he was here, then disappeared somewhere around midnight. No one is sure of the exact time. And no one saw him at the party again until he was found here in front of the club. LAPD logged the call at 1:58am.”
“Who found him?”
With a nod of his head, the junior agent indicated a man and a woman talking to Agent Liz Warner. The man was in full regalia as the devil, himself, complete with a pitchfork and tail, while his date was a stunningly beautiful blond wearing a white silk gown, halo and gossamer wings.
Good and evil, Don thought. Perfect.
“Hey, Don.”
Don turned to see his brother, Charlie, helping his colleague and fiancée, Amita Ramanajun, duck under the yellow tape. She was hampered by a lavish, form-fitting and, Don couldn't help but notice, very low cut period costume. She looked stunning.
Don remembered Robin telling him Amita had sought her advice on what she and Charlie could wear to the annual costume party at the college. Amita wanted something romantic for the two of them - probably alluding to their recent engagement. Left to his own devises, Charlie was less inventive. Don recalled the many years he had had to drag Albert Einstein around the neighborhood for trick or treat. Tonight his brother's garb suggested a vague romantic hero - maybe Heathcliff or Casanova.
“We were at the CalSci Halloween bash and we heard about the murder.” Charlie was saying as they approached the scene. Don was about to ask how they had heard when the unmistakable sound of his brother's police scanner crackled. Charlie reached under his jacket and pulled the offending item out and turned it off.
Don scowled at his brother. “What? You listen to that when you're out with Amita?” Disgusted, he reached forward, “Gimme that thing.”
Years of being the younger brother had conditioned Charlie to react quickly and he pulled the scanner back, out of Don's reach. “No, it's mine.” When Don's eyes narrowed dangerously, Charlie took a step backward. “I turned it off,” he said, compromisingly, then, with a little more conviction, he argued, “Besides, she doesn't mind.”
Don shook his head and turned away as Dr. Ridenhour closed her black case of instruments and stood up.
“Hey,” he greeted her with a nod of his head. “What can you tell me?”
The tall, attractive, African-American woman shook her head. “All I can say for sure is he didn't die here.”
Don nodded, having already noted the lack of blood on or around the body and the obvious fact that there was no visible trauma indicating a gunshot wound, stabbing or beating.
“Yeah,” he agreed. “he was definitely killed somewhere else, then brought back here and positioned in front of the club so he would be seen.”
“A message? Or a warning?” David asked.
Don just shrugged and turned again to the medical examiner. “Any ideas at all on cause of death?”
“Oh, I can tell you how he died.” she replied, cryptically. “I just can't tell you HOW he died.”
“What?”
“All that white skin isn't just makeup. He died from exsanguination.”
Don frowned. “He bled to death?”
She nodded. “Yep. And yeah, I know, there's no blood or bullet holes or stab wounds.” She bent over the body again and with gloved hands, turned the victim's head slightly to the left. “Nothing but this.”
Don squinted his eyes again and peered at the two small, perfectly round holes in the man's neck.
Colby's voice drifted over Don's shoulder. “That looks like...”
“Well, it's not.” Don interrupted sharply. He didn't need someone overhearing a careless remark and starting rumors.
Ridenhour stood up. “I can tell you more after I get him back to the morgue,” she said. “ 'Till then,” she shrugged and sent Colby a sly grin, “I'd say Granger's guess is as good as any.”
They stepped aside to allow the coroner's assistants to put the caped man in a black body bag.
As the coroner's van pulled away, Charlie's voice, filled with drama and uncertainty, broke the silence. “So, it's Halloween night in Los Angeles and we're looking for a vampire?”
“No,” his brother answered, grimly, “We're looking for a vampire killer.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
They say crime doesn't sleep, so it stands to reason, those who fight crime get very little of that particular commodity. While Don, David, Colby and Charlie stayed at the scene, Amita went with Liz and Nikki to the FBI office to start the prep work for what would have been called an all-nighter if it hadn't started at 2am. Amita volunteered to make a donut and sandwich run while the other two made a large pot of coffee and got the war room up and running for the standard “bouncing ideas and theories off one another” session.
When Amita returned she found the two female agents in the break room talking with Dr. Ridenhour.
“Oh, I agree with you, honey.” Ridenhour was saying to Nikki Bentancourt. “We've definitely got the wrong set of brothers working on this case.”
Perplexed, Amita asked, “What are you talking about?”
Nikki turned to her, grinning. “Think about it, Amita - a “vampire” mysteriously being drained of all his blood; no apparent injuries except two suspicious puncture wounds on the neck; two brothers, who are not Don and Charlie, hunting for the... ”
Realization hit Amita and she gasped, her expression wide-eyed and filled with pleasure. “Dean and Sam!” she said quickly.
“Yep,” Nikki said, smugly, “my boys.”
“Your boys?” Dr. Ridenhour exclaimed. “I want you to know, my bedroom has never been so clean.”
Three sets of confused eyes stared back at her. Liz finally broke the silence. “Say what?”
“I take “the boys” into the bedroom with me and put them in the DVD player beside my bed and I dust and sweep to my own private, Supernatural mini-marathon and, depending on which episode is on when I'm done, I might start cleaning all over again.”
Laughing, Liz fixed herself a cup of coffee. “Yeah, I just watched “Hell House” again last weekend,” she started, “and, ahhh, that scene when Sam comes out of the shower.” She waved her hand in front of her face, fanning herself. “That chest,” she sighed, “and I swear that towel couldn't get any lower without showing everyone the Winchester family jewels.”
Amita set the sack of donuts and sandwiches on the counter in front of her. “That's the episode where they were playing practical jokes on each other, wasn't it? And Dean had just put some hot pepper stuff in Sam's pants.”
“Oh, honey,” Nikki purred, “Sam's always got hot stuff in his pants.”
All four women squealed.
“I was glad to see them get back together again a few weeks ago.” Amita said, as she removed the donuts from the bag. “I mean, I know they have issues and everything, and Dean is way too protective of Sam...”
“You should know all about that, girlfriend.” Liz said, dryly.
Amita laughed again with the others while she put the donuts and sandwiches on a plate. “They need each other,” she continued. “I mean, with all they've been through in their lives...”
“Yeah, when I think about what John did to Dean when he was nothing but a little boy - dragging him and Sam all over the country, fighting demons and the like, leaving them alone to fend for themselves, I just want to smack him up along side the head and drag his sorry ass back to hell.” Ridenhour took a healthy bite of a large glazed donut as she spoke.
“I agree,” Amita laughed, “but in a way, all of that is what made Dean the way he is today. He's confident, unafraid and sure of himself.”
Liz took a sip of her coffee. “Oh, he's more than that.” She said, “He's cocky and deliciously arrogant, with that in-your-face, bad-boy attitude that just oozes with a highly sensual and lethal combination of charm and danger and pure, unmitigated, wild-under-the-sheets sex.” As she spoke, her voice had grown huskier and she noticed the other women were staring at her with wide eyes.
“Wow.” Amita whispered and reached for a donut. Liz and Nikkie each grabbed one, as well.
Nikki bit into her donut and tore it apart with her teeth. “I feel kind of like I did when that fanfiction writer was fondling Sam's chest in this season's premier.”
Liz laughed. “With a body like that, he should be use to it.”
“It's his puppy-dog eyes that get me.” Amita said, then blushed as Liz and Nikki laughed.
“No surprise there.” Nikki smirked.
Ridenhour licked the glaze off her fingers and picked up her cup of coffee. “I know what you mean,” she said, looking at Amita. “When Sam turns those puppy eyes on Dean, I just want to put my arms around him and offer him some serious one on one comfort, you know?”
“I know,” Nikki said, her expression smoldering, “but it's Dean's I'm gonna rock your world look that makes me want to offer him a whole lot more than just a little comfort.”
“They're both so damn cute,” Liz nearly purred, “I could just eat them up - Sam figuratively, Dean literally.”
“OOOO, your so bad.” Nikki squealed.
Liz continued while the other woman laughed, “He's got the most kissable lips I've ever seen on...”
The door to the break room opened and Don stood in the doorway, the other three men behind him.
Ridenhour and Amita suddenly found something to do, but Liz and Nikki returned his look, unflinching in spite of his frown.
“Sorry boss.” Nikki said. “It's just that seeing all those creepy costumes, it made us think of Supernatural.”
Don pierced his newest agent with a silent, steady gaze, prompting her to feel the need to explain further.
“Supernatural.” she repeated, as though that one word would explain it all.
When Don remained closemouthed, Liz jumped in. “Come on, it's a television show. You know, vampires, ghosts, demons...”
“You've never seen it?” Nikki asked, incredulously, when Don didn't respond.
“Considering I'm usually here until late,” Don finally spoke up, “I don't get a chance to watch much network television. All I get is the occasional end of a hockey game. I wouldn't think you would have that much time to watch television, either, Betancourt.”
“Join the 21st, Eppes.” Nikkie grinned. “DVD's, DVR, Ipod episodes, cellphone-downloads...”
“Okay, okay, I get the idea. You can watch it anytime, anywhere. Let's just focus on the case, huh, ladies? A man was killed tonight.”
Chastised, Liz and Nikki grabbed their coffee and followed him to the war room. Ridenhour said something under her breath about having a vampire to slice and dice and left in a hurry.
Amita turned to Charlie. “I think I'm just going to grab a cab and head for home. I don't think I can help much with this one.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his car keys. “Here, just take my car. I'll hitch a ride with Don when were done.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded and leaned in for a kiss. “Yeah. Go on home. Get some rest. I'll see you in a few hours.”
When Charlie joined the others in the war room, Colby was standing by the large board in the front of the room where Liz had taped the crime scene photos. Don and David were sitting at one of the long tables and Nikkie and Liz another one. “We got an ID on the vic.” Colby said as he picked up a marker and began writing on the board next to the picture of the costumed, bloodless body. “His name is Luther Manning and he's originally from Colorado. I talked to a friend of his who says Luther was an actor who played this vampire part year round; in movies, ads, videos. He basically lived the part.”
Don turned to Liz and Nikki. “You two run that down. See what you can find out about him; where he lived, if he had a job other than showing his fangs, check his bank accounts and phone records.”
The two female agents nodded and headed for the bull pen and their computers. Don turned back to David and Colby. “Any of the other party guests have any beef with this guy? Anything stand out in the statements?”
Colby shook his head. “Nothing, really. Not too many people knew Luther Manning that well. Apparently, he spent more time as the Count than he did as himself.”
“If you can get me all of the witness statements and a complete guest list,” Charlie said, from his position near the door. “I can create a Bayesian filter that will help determine who among them would most likely be a vampire killer.”
Don scowled slightly at Charlie's choice of words, then, unexpectedly, he relaxed and his expression became almost playful. He glanced at the closed door, then at his teammates. Apparently confident in his assessment of the two men, Don turned to his brother and grinned. “Dean would be all over this one, wouldn't he, buddy?” he said.
Charlie grinned and crossed the room quickly, joining his brother at the table.“Yes,” he agreed, excitedly, “and Sam would have already researched any patterns or known vampire killers and I think they would both be intrigued with the anomaly of a vampire being killed in this manner.”
“You do watch the show!” David accused with a laugh.
“Hell, yes.” Don admitted. “Charlie has it set on DVR and we watch it whenever we can. Dad even likes it. Chuck and I bought him seasons one through three for his birthday last year.” He turned to his younger brother. “What was that he said when we watched that one... uh, “The Magnificent Seven”, remember, season three, right after they opened the gates of hell and all the demons escaped?”
“No one kicks demon butt like those Winchester boys.” Charlie quoted, doing a rather good imitation of their father.
David Sinclair laughed. “I love the way Dean goes after those demons. He's like...one of those hell-hounds on steroids when he's on the hunt.”
“I know I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley.” Colby said as he joined the other men at the table. “But, there's no one else I'd rather have at my back if Zombieland ever became a reality.”
“Sam's got some great moves, too,” Don said. “His whining can get to me after a while, but when he was drinking that demon blood, he was one scary dude.”
“The show has the greatest action, too.” Colby was grinning like a little boy. “Someone is always getting blown away, or a stake through the heart, eyes gouged out, pelted with rock salt, beheaded, dead bodies being dug up and burned. All cool stuff. And who wouldn't want that arsenal of weapons in their trunk?”
“Yeah, I'd like to get my hands on some of those bad-ass weapons.” Don agreed.
“I'd like to get my hands on Ruby.” David said.
“Which one?” Colby asked, quickly.
“Doesn't matter.”
“I'll take the first one, then, that Cassidy chick.” Colby declared.
“Oh, I'm with Colb on that one.” Don said, earnestly. “The blond was a lot sexier.”
Charlie surprised them all when he shoulder bumped his older brother, grinned and said, “But, you'd do either one, right?”
Don threw his head back, laughed out loud and bumped his brother back. “Oh, yeah, bro. They're both definitely doable.”
Colby leaned forward. “I know it brought about the Apocalypse and everything and now they're fighting Lucifer in the flesh this season, but it was just soooo right when Dean finally sliced Ruby and Sam offed that Lilith bitch.”
David nodded. “Yeah, and I don't know where they're going this season with that storyline, but I sure as hell hope they don't bring back that fanfiction chick that was in the first episode. That was just too weird, man.” David muttered.
Don and Charlie both shuddered. “I'm glad that doesn't really happen.” Charlie said. “Someone writing stories about you without you knowing about it is just...creepy.”
“So, Lucifer has risen and the boys are back together, ready to kick some ass.” Colby began.
“Yeah, but now Lucifer is in a position to really cause some trouble...”
“And Dean and Sam have no idea where the Colt is...”
“And Bobby's all screwed up and he can't help them...”
“And the guys lost some serious cred with some of the other hunters when Sam broke the last seal...”
“And that only leaves Castiel as backup, and he's...”
The door opened and Liz stuck her head in. “Hey, Don, we've found something. You'd better take a look.”
He nodded once in silent acknowledgment and she let the door close.
The four men moved quickly to the entrance, but, with his hand on the knob and Liz waiting on the other side, Don paused and turned to his brother and team members.
“I don't think I need to remind any of you that this conversation...”
“Never happened.”
“What conversation?”
“Didn't hear a thing, bro.”
Don nodded again and turned the knob. “Alright, then, let's get to work.”
The end
This idea came about when I heard my husband and son discussing the show and it dawned on me that, while we all liked Supernatural, I enjoyed watching it for completely different reasons than they did. Different strokes for different folks, huh?
Die-hard Winchester fans might recognize the reference to episode 20 of the first season, “Dead Man's Blood”. They fight a den of vampires that has taken up residence in the town of Manning, Colorado. The leader of the vampires is named Luther.
BE SAFE AND HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Demons and Puppy-Dog Eyes.