𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆

『4.2』

Riley sits in the backseat of the Impala, phone open in her lap. Sam leans against the door while they wait for Dean inside the copy jack. She glances at Sam to make sure he isn't looking then opens a text.

Riley:
Remember Jerry? The poltergeist? He called us and thinks something is going on with planes

Riley waits for a long moment, but there is no reply. She sighs heavily and tries again.

Riley:
Sam is getting better I think
Are you there?
Please respond

Riley chews her bottom lip as she stares at her phone. "Who are you texting?" Riley hides her phone and looks at Sam. "No one." She says quickly. He gives her a look and Riley smiles nervously. "It's just an old friend." Sam frowns at her then turns back to the Copy jack. Riley lets out a breath. That was too close.

"You've been in there forever." Sam comments. Riley looks up to see Dean. She watches him and Sam share a look then Dean glances at Riley. Sam shakes his head. Riley looks away. They are getting suspicious.

"You can't rush perfection." Dean says, showing Sam the fake IDs he made. This is Riley's least favorite part of the job. She always has to stay hidden in the car while they do the cool identity fraud fun. "Homeland Security?" Sam asks seriously. "That's pretty illegal, even for us." Ah yes, the Winchester family where breaking the law is encouraged.

"Yeah, well, it's something new, you know? People haven't seen it a thousand times." Sam and Dean get into the car. "All right, so, what do you got?" Riley leans onto the seat in front of her. "Well, there's definitely E.V.P. on the cockpit recorder. Riley's weird nojo confirms that-" Riley groans. "It's not mojo. Don't call it that." Sam and Dean chuckle.

"Yeah?" Sam nods. "Listen." Sam plays the audio.

"No survivors."

Riley narrows her eyes at the voice. Now that it has been cleaned up, it doesn't sound as familiar as she thought. That weird moaning noise it made at first though, that did hit her with familiarity.

"'No survivors'?" Dean asks. "What's that supposed to mean? There were seven survivors." Sam shakes his head. "Got me." Sam and Dean look back at Riley where she sits with her arms crossed over her chest. She looks at them. "What?" Sam raises an expectant eyebrow. "You getting any-" He wiggles his fingers in the air, receiving a glare from Riley.

"No. You better shut your pie hole before I-" Dean cuts Riley off. "So," Riley deflates. "What are you thinking? A haunted flight?" Sam narrows his eyes a bit. "There's a long history of spirits and death omens on planes and ships, like the Phantom Travelers." Dean nods and Riley pulls at the rips on her jeans. "Or remember Flight 401?" Dean nods.

"Right- The that crashed, the airline salvaged it's parts, put it on other planes, then the spirit of the pilot and copilot haunted those flights." Sam nods. "Maybe we got a similar deal." Riley purses her lips. "I dunno..." Sam and Dean turn to her and Riley sighs, gesturing to Sam's laptop. "The E.V.P. before Sam fixed it. I swear I've heard something similar before."

Dean creases his brows. "When?" Riley shakes her head. "I can't remember. It just-" She sighs. "Just trust me on this. I don't think it's a spirit."

Dean nods slowly then turns back around. "So, survivors- Which one do you want to talk to first?" Sam points at the list. "Third on the list- Max Jaffey." Riley glances at the list. "Why him?" Dean asks. "For one," Sam starts. "He's from around here. And two, if anyone saw anything weird, he did."

Riley and Dean look at Sam. "What makes you say that?" They say at the same time. "Well, I spoke to his mother, and she told me where to find him."

△

After talking to Max Jeferey and the wife of another plane crash victim, Sam and Dean decided it was time to check out the warehouse where the plane was. But first, they needed a change of clothes.

Riley waits by the Impala, then Sam and Dean walk out in their suit and ties. She looks at them and bursts out into laughter. Dean points at her. "Cut that off!" She only doubles over, clutching her stomach. Tears are actually falling out her eyes.

"I can- I can't!" And more laughter. Dean sneers at her as he gets in the car. Sam chuckles and taps Riley. "C'mon." He says with a laugh. Still laughing Riley climbs into the impala. She wipes at the tears. "Oh! You guys look ridiculous. I love it."

△

Riley was stuck in the car once again. At this point she just had to get used to it. With Dean and his overprotective ass, she may never get to do the fun law breaking work.

Riley catches a glimpse of movement and looks at it. Two men in suits walk into the office of the evidence warehouse. "That's not good." She mutters as she sinks into her seat and out of site. They must be Homeland Security. Real Homeland Security.

Riley pulls her phone out and dials Dean, but she hears ringing in the front seat. He left his phone. He always leaves his phone. "Shit." Riley whispers. She calls Sam.

"Hello?"

"Get out of there now! Real suits are coming!" Sam hangs up and Riley peaks out the window. No movement, and then an alarm. "C'mon Dad." Riley says anxiously. If they get arrested and go to jail, Riley will either be put in the foster system, or shipped off to live with Bobby. Don't get Riley wrong, she loves Bobby, but the man is always paranoid. He calls it caution.

Who the hell needs a junkyard full of booby traps? It's a junkyard! And his house is already a friggin' fortress, so why all the extra measures?

Riley sees Sam and Dean running towards the car. She leans forward into the front seat and pulls their doors open. They hop in and Dean speeds away. "Damn, that was close." Dean mutters. Sam glances at Riley out of breath. "Nice save." He tells her. Riley smiles proudly, then looks at Dean.

"You know, your lucky Sammy is so organised. I wouldn't have been able to warn you." Dean gives Riley a look. "Why?" Riley gives him a dull look and pulls his phone out of the seat. Dean glances at it, then snatches it away. Riley sits back and Dean sticks his phone in his pocket. "I hate phones."

Riley snorts. "Okay Boomer."

- author's notes -

Riley is a Gen Z MVP

I could definitely see her eating a tide pod just to prove that she can