The Man Who Sold The World

See here for more information on the Supernatural RP, or contact Maeglin, ArielButtercup or MissAusten with any questions.

Disclaimer: We tend to be a little more informal around here (as well as infernal): lax with customary RP rules, rough with our language, and generally sacrelicious. We ask only that you play nice, stick to SPN canon, don’t be (too) mean, and do everything in your power to make the game fun for everyone.

Happy hunting!

“Rawson! Wait!” Rome screamed.

But Rawson was running. Rome took off at a sprint after him. Rome didn’t like running: he wasn’t good at it, and did so only when he had to, not because he was good at it or wanted to become good at it—he had never cared about that sort of thing.

Now that Rawson was running away from him, though, Rome cared. Rome cared a lot.

He looked down. There was a trail of blood to follow. What? Raws was bleeding? What the hell? Why is running from me if he’s bleeding? What did I—

Rome rounded a corner, but the person definitely wasn’t Rawson anymore:

He looked like some sort of hipster punker goth. He was wearing more makeup than the Joker, more black leather than Catwoman, and his multicolored hair stuck out in every direction. Rome couldn’t pin down any particularly recognizable features, but he instantly pegged the guy:

Rock star. Like, Keith Richards, but younger and probably less radioactive. Way younger. Some screamo-alternative hard rocker probably. Gross.

But Rome had to feel bad for anyone who looked that terrified.

There was a low growl behind him, but, turning around, Rome saw nothing. When he looked back, the setting had changed from Noir alleyway to swanky hotel. Rocker boy was pounding up a flight of stairs, running, gasping, screaming, pleading.

“Hey!” Rome said, finally. “What is it? What’s after you?” But the Rocker ignored him.

Probably because some invisible force was ripping him to shreds.

Rome woke with a headache.

Story of my life.

Elenna was listening to some lame southern rock crap that sounded way too much like Rawson's old man music.

He reached forward and "Ugh, turn that off,” he said, before flicking the dial off himself.

Elenna raised her eyebrows at him. "Good morning, Grumpy," she said, her eyes probing and getting way to close to knowing what was bugging him.

Rome rubbed his eyes and sat up. He’d had it with the trying-to-sleep thing. Rome tugged at his black tie, loosening it. He tried not to be aroused at how slutty Elenna looked in the black dress she had borrowed from Georgie. He produced his phone and activated the GPS, less because he suspected it was possible to get lost out here but more as an excuse to play with his newest toy. "Okay, where are we?" he asked out loud.

"Highway 70," Elenna informed him. "We just crossed into Kansas."

“There’s no place like home,” he grumbled.

I wish I could help him somehow. I should have a look in some books if I find a spell which helps Rome to sleep vision free. But I guess it is better when he doesn’t know about that.

Lenna smiled at him. He looked so different in his suit and tie. It made her nearly laugh.

“We should have got changed before we drive back.”

Lenna looked down at the dress she was wearing.

“I think I’ll ask G if I can keep the dress. I like it. What do you think?”

He didn’t look to happy about this idea.

“It is more fabric then I was wearing a couple of nights ago.”

Lenna tried to sound cheerful and normal, she felt better then she thought she would, if just Georgie would stop acting as if she could break down any minute. She felt weirdly free and maybe relieved? She knew one thing for sure, she missed somehow their last hunt and she really is looking forward to a new job. She wanted to work, but a bit less in a crazy way she wanted her last hunt.

Morrigan honestly didn't know what was up with her. She'd just up and left her whole life behind to go after what? An early death? A twisted need for revenge for what had just happened to Shane. She hit the radio on her new 2005 Land Rover Freelander and headed east on I-70, pushing 75 mph the whole way, something she never did. She wasn't thinking straight, and she knew that sooner or later it would catch up with her.

What the hell do you think you're doing?! her dad had said angrily as she withdrew from her Veterinary Medicine classes that semester and signed up for correspondence courses instead. This is not what I want for you.

Well, Dad, It's my choice and I'm going. You guys can stay here in Georgetown, run this ranch and pretend that you're making a real difference, but I'm not staying.

She hated herself for doing that to him, and to her mom, who had just lost her son to one of those things. The radio was playing the same song again, something about Mississippi. She wasn't going to pay attention, so she turned it off and set her sights once more on the horribly open road of western Kansas. She missed the trees already.

Morrigan still wasn't quite sure why her parents had let her go, she knew they could have given her hell, but instead, they'd cried quietly for a bit, took back Shane's car keys, given her their Land Rover and sent her on her way.

Her phone rang and she put it on speaker. "Hey, Rome," she said with a sigh. "I'm on my way."

He stiffled a yawn on the other side. "Yeah, well that's good. See you in a bit."

After driving a couple of hours straight Georgina pulled over and parked at a service area to take a short break. She checked her cell phone for new messages and saw that her aunt had tried to reach her earlier, but when she called her aunt back nobody answered. Georgie sighed, started the engine and left the service area.
Most of the time she was so busy that she didn't have much time to think of her family, but there were rare occasions where she actually realised how much she missed her aunt and uncle and her home in Boston, and sitting alone in her car after having attended a funeral was just one of these moments. Georgie turned on the radio and didn't even care that she listened to a rap song with rather offensive swear words- something she would usually turn off immediately- but she needed distraction from thinking of home. Suddenly there was a weird sound, almost like a high squeak, and the radio played a different song, something about Mississippi. Georgie listened for five seconds and went back to the other radio station, but only a moment later she heard the strange sound again and the radio played Johnny Cash's Jackson.
"What the hell is wrong with the radio?" Georgie changed from channel to channel until she was so annoyed that she turned the radio off. "There's no way I'm going to listen to country music...", she mumbled.

"I still don't need you wearing that dress when we're out together, Lennie. People might think we're a couple or something, and then how am I gonna pick up chicks?" he winked at her. "Speaking of which, I don't want a black Ferarri anymore, talk about depressing. I need to get it repainted red. You know, a nice, sexy red. Guess I'll wait until we get another APB out on us to change it, help disguise us..." Rome paused. Elenna was staring at him like he was insane.

"Hey. Eyes on the road, chica. Just because I want a new one, doesn't mean I want you to wreck this one."

"Rome. There are so many things wrong with what you just said..."

"Jesus H. Christ, aren't there any good radio stations in this wasteland? Next chance I get, we're getting Satellite." Rome flicked the dial until he found an alternative radio station he might be able to tolerate, though he could never tell Raws about it.

Rawson. Geez, even when he wasn't here he was annoying: plaguing his dreams and turning them into nightmares. Speaking of nightmares, that weird number where the rockstar got ripped into confetti might actually be important. But maybe if he ignored it, it might go away.

"So," Rome pulled himself out of his thoughts in time to get on the phone with Morrigan. Apparently she decided a life on the run from the cops killing demons was cooler than having a family and a home, but, hey, it takes all kinds.

And you haven't told her about the wanted felons part of this equation, Rome, he scolded himself, but he shrugged and ignored it.

"So it looks like Morrigan's joined the team," he began conversationally, when--

I FEEL LIKE JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI! Kid Rock shouted at an ear-splittingly annoying volume, and Rome quickly adjusted the volume, wondering what kind of glitchy piece of crap he had paid a quarter mill for.

"What the hell? Okay, pull over, Lennie, I'm going to fix this piece of sh*t." He caught Morrigan's Land Rover and Georgie's Audi in his side mirror pulling over, too. "Wave them on, if you want, or you can go with them. This hunk of junk isn't going anywhere until I give it a stern talking to," Rome said, sliding into the driver's seat to fuss with the computer as Elenna got out to talk to the others.

"What the ff...." Caleb was cut off as the radio blasted some punk he didn't recognise, screaming about Jackson Mississippi.

Caleb spun the volume control until it locked, but if anything, the "music" ... white noise got louder, pounding on his eardrums like industrial machinery capable of hate. Caleb pulled his truck over in convoy with the others, and devoid of anything more productive to do without removing a lot of interior panelling, punched the radio. With a grand total of zip, zero and nada effect. Grumbling incoherently, he pushed the driver's seat as far back as it could go and half-upended himself.

Reaching into the small of his back, he produced his Leatherman from its pouch and went to work on removing some panels to get at the radio's electronics. Because unlike Rome and Elenna's new electric razor, his Ford didn't come with an integrated supercomputer with a million bells, whistles and marching bands to tell you what the problem was from the driver's seat and then tell you to call a real mechanic instead of fixing the issue.

"You might want to stretch your legs, Aly. There's a lot of wiring to dig through in here," Caleb called from the footwell as he completed the act of turning upside-down in the seat and removing his jacket.

Aly shivered, almost able to see her breath in the cabin of the truck. She had felt cold since the funeral. Allison had been too young to remember Jena's but the impressions were still recalled.

When the radio went insane she just put her hands of her ears and rocked back and forth. She felt like she was going to puke.

“I’m not driving with any of the others, they don’t let me drive, listen to weird music and like it and talk constantly about how I should have done my hair. Sorry my dear Rome you are stuck with me, I’ll wait until you are done. I just check if Georgie has some chocolate for me.”

Lenna grinned when he basically kicker her out of the car. The others had stopped behind them.

“Hey guys Rome has to fix the radio, its acting weird.”

Lenna was searching for clothes to get changed; she was long enough wearing a dress. She found a clean pair of Jeans and a shirt. She first pulled on the Jeans and then took of the dress, since everyone had seen her in underwear anyway she didn’t care that her friends saw her bra again when she pulled the shirt over her head. She felt much better now, but the best part was she took of the high heels and was not going to put them back on. With untied Chuck’s she went over to the pink car.

“Hey Georgie, do you have any chocolate left? I’m starving.” Lenna kneeled down to tie her shoes.

The blond girl rolled her eyes. “You should not eat chocolate when you are hungry. I have granola bars you should eat one of them.”

Lenna looked for a moment nearly angry at Georgie.

She is just worried, that’s all.

When she stepped forward and hugged the surprised Georgie, it was just a whisper. “Chocolate please, a lot of it. I had some rough days.”

Georgie was holding on to the younger girl for a moment before she let her go and got some chocolate and cookies for her. Lenna went with her lunch over to Morrigan and leaned against the Land Rover. “So you are really staying with us. Aren’t you curious to know more about us?”
Lenna wasn’t sure what she was doing, except trying to be friends with the girl that lost her brother only because her insane ghost/werewolf brother killed him.

No it is not only because of this, she is a nice girl and should know we trust her. We are a team.

“A word of advice, keep an eye on the crazy guy in the Ferrari. He gets each girl undressed that is not in her right mind or not on a tree by three.” Lenna made sure Aly couldn’t hear her; she didn’t mean to insult her. And to be honest Aly is still in a weird situation, she is still processing the fact monsters are real or was when she hooked up with Rome.

“You want some chocolate?” Lenna smiled friendly at Morrigan.

Chocolate would be awesome right now. Morrigan took the food from Lenna. "So why do you people keep bringing up the fact that I'm here? It's not like I'm crazy or anything. I know perfectly well what sort of mess I've gotten myself into."

Lenna frowned. "Uh, sure." She stuffed a piece of chocolate in her mouth.

"And I know the type of guy Rome is, my brother Kyler isn't exactly an angel, and I hate to admit I've dated a few like him too." She smiled and stared off toward the mass of people trying to reconfigure their stereos.

"I really do appreciate that you guys care. It makes this easier. I just want you to know that I don't blame you at all for what happened. Well, maybe I did at one point, but it wasn't your fault." She put out her hand. "Shake on it?"

Lenna smiled and took Morrigan’s hand. "I'm glad you think that way."

Taking another cookie Lenna said.

“We bring it up so often that you are here, because you don’t know everything the mess includes you are in. We are not just a bunch of hunters. We are not raised to be hunters; some were respectable citizen not a long time ago. And unfortunately Rome wasn’t kidding that some of us are fugitives and not for the normal hunter and law trouble stuff.”

Lenna knew that not everything was her story to tell, so she was unspecific who had what problem of her friends.

“I’m not sure but I think I am wanted for helping a fugitive of the FBI, who is wanted for murder and some other little things. Oh and I shot at a FBI agent to free another fugitive. I normally don’t shot anything. I don’t like guns. Long story.” Lenna looked at Rome and wondered what he told the others about her.

Maybe they know what I’ve done? Why I can’t shoot.

She shook her head slightly; Lenna was not going to ask what they knew. So if it never comes up she will never know what they know about her past.

“Why are you not one of the drivers trying to fix their radios?”

Georgie walked over to Elenna and Morrigan. "Don't eat too much of that sweet stuff, you have to watch your figures, girls", she said while winking at them.

"You seriously think we care?", Elenna asked with a sarcastic voice.

"No." Georgie grinned and grabbed one granola bar. "But I care about your crappy diet."

Elenna rolled her eyes. "Here we go again..."

"I'm just kidding, Lenna!" She turned towards Morrigan. "Hey, did your radio play these weird songs as well?"

Morrigan nodded her head. "Yes, something about Mississippi..."

"Exactly!" Georgie folded her arms. "I highly doubt that it's just a coincidence..."

Morrigan leaned into the her Rover and checked the radio. Four different channels, four different songs about Mississippi. "I'm starting to think it's a sign that we're supposed to be somewhere."

She could hear one of the guys cursing at his radio loudly enough that anyone driving past would likely have to shield their child's ears.

"I think I heard about his once, someone being lured to a place by music over the radio, but my dad wouldn't tell me the details. Now I'm wishing he would have."

Rome admired the trio of chicks in the rearview mirror as he fiddled absently with the radio. It was on a new kick now, and wouldn't Raws have been proud to hear him listening to Johnny Cash? Rome tried not to think of the possibility that this was a not-so-subtle hint, that this was something supernatural that wanted them...in Jackson, of all places. They hadn't left that much of a mark on the supernatural radar, had they, enough that something this powerful could be gunning for them? They were much more likely to get into legal trouble.

The odds of the feds springing a trap for them in Mississippi was highly unlikely.

Rome pulled out his phone and began to work his magic. Now that he'd gotten them talking to each other, maybe his phone could talk some sense into his retarded car.

Rome watched, however, helpless, as his phone now also developed a mind of its own. The GPS activated, and instead of honing in on its destination to Protection, Kansas, it now changed to Jackson, MS. The Hilton, as a matter of fact.

But that wasn't the least of his problems.

Because now the world was doing that all-too familiar in-out thing, like he was making an FTL jump in Battlestar Galactica, and then with a bright white flash, he was no longer sitting in his car.

Vivid, intense flashes.

The rocker kid, again, clearly now. Running from something invisible, something violent, something hungry.

There was no sound but music. A song he'd never heard before, some old-timey blues guitar song he didn't recognize.

The kid was pounding up a flight of stairs, mouth open, gasping. He hadn't yet shut the door when it exploded as something unseen barrelled through, bringing the kid to the ground, and proceeding to turn him into mincemeat.

A sharp gasp as Rome filled his lungs announced he was back. He threw his head back against the back of the seat, chest heaving, as he reoriented himself. He wondered if anyone saw, if he had reacted, twitched, or seized when the vision it: it was embarrassing, like getting caught with your pants around your ankles.

That's when Rome recognized the smell.

He threw the car open and staggered out to the side of the road.

"Whoa, Rome!"

"What the hell, what happened?"

Rome managed not to actually throw up, but bile burned the back of his throat. Of all the smells in all the world to remind him of the worst thing he could imagine. Not imagine. His imagination wasn't good enough. This reminded him of the worst thing he could remember.

Elenna was at his side. "Rome, Rome, what is it? Rome, what happened? Another vision?"

He couldn't speak for a long while, until Elenna shook him.

"Don't you smell it?" he asked, forlornly. He was pretty sure his voice cracked. He was pretty sure he didn't care.

"What, Rome, what--" Elenna stopped, and sniffed. Her face darkened.

"Sulfer," Rome gulped.

And then he threw up.

Lenna got some water and handed it Rome. She looked at Rome for a moment she wanted to hug him, but that would maybe be a bit awkward. But Lenna was not sure what to say. Most of the time Rome was hiding he had visions and he rarely spoke of them.

“Rome, did you see the demon?” It was just a careful whisper. He didn’t ask her to learn all those exorcisms for nothing. Lenna knew that there was very little you could say Rome was scared of and demons could fit in this category.

Rome shook his head. “No. In the dream. It was invisible. Dunno what it was.”

“Hey the girls said that the radios try to tell us, that we have to go to Jackson.” Lenna looked at him.

“The Hilton, in Jackson. That's what my GPS said.”

“Rome, why do I have the feeling that was not the first vision about this? Earlier in the car, when you were sleeping you woke up from a vision, right? I know you have a lot in your sleep, that’s why you are avoiding it. But I let the fact you stopped sleeping slip for the moment, what do you know about Jackson?” Lenna scanned Rome from head to toe, she wasn’t sure why but she felt she needed to check what the vision actually do to him. There are moments she wished she could do some tests to figure out what was going on, but not right now.

“Something was chasing this...rocker-type kid. Something invisible, and it was growling, and it ripped him to pieces. The guy was terrified, like he could see it. And there was a song, like whiney, bluesy, I don’t know it. And...and whatever it was, it just ripped him apart, like a, like a meat grinder. It was disgusting.”

Lenna looked worried at Rome. Now she did give him the hug she thought about earlier. “The growling how did it sound? Did it sound like an animal, like a dog or lion or something?”

Rome had stiffened when Lenna hugged him. You could call him adorable; at least when he is thinking about something he was familiar with. “Maybe.”

Lenna let Rome go. “Hey remember not long after we met? Raws was gone and we were on the worst hiking trip ever. We were hunting black dogs, did it sound like them?”

He forced a chuckle. “I'm trying to forget about it, Lennie. But yeah, I guess so, sure.”

Lenna finally spoke loud enough that everyone could hear her. “I’m not sure how the sulfur fits into all this but I get more and more the feeling we should not ignore all those hints. What about doing a trip to Jackson? Maybe I find a guy I can marry in a fever like Jonny Cash did.” Lenna grinned.

Rome laughed sophomorically before cutting himself off suddenly, so that it startled Elenna who had been so sure she was cheering him up.

"Like hell we're going to Jackson," he ground out. "Like hell I'm going to Jackson, that's for frakking sure." He shook his head more times than was necessary, until it felt like his head was going to rattle off his shoulders.

"Rome--" Elenna began.

"No," he insisted. He looked up at the rest of the gang darkly, taking this opportunity to regain some of his tarnished masculinity by getting angry: "Case you folks missed the memo, I don't do well with demons. You all can take this gig if you want to, but unless you want an incredibly handsome liability on the team, I'm on the bench for this one."

"Rome, we don't know if this is even a...demon we're dealing with," Elenna began quietly.

"Oh no, we know. I know. Unless you know of something else that smells like sulfur or you've been eating rotten eggs in my car, chica, I know exactly what's been screwing with the radios and giving me weird..." he trailed off, frustrated. "Vision," "premonition," "omen," and "nightmare" were big time taboo. They didn't need to be said: certainly not by him.

This has got to stop happening. Especially in public. In front of people.

Yelling, begging, pleading or explaining. Lenna wasn’t sure what to do first. She took another piece of chocolate before she looked at Rome.

“Rome please, I don’t… I can’t go without you and we both know that we wanna help whoever is in danger. Remember bringing light into the dark world? We need you in this gig; you know at the moment the most about it. And hey didn’t you say after the Skin Walker that we are a team and you are the team leader? How can the team function normally when the leader is missing? We need your charm in case we meet girls, and Caleb is not that charming. And don’t forget what happened the last time I tried to do something on my own. I ended up in a locked car and was supposed to die. I need my hero to keep me safe.” Lenna smiled at Rome.

Yeah sometimes I’m not bad in the talking part.

“And I make sure no demon gets too close to you, and in case I fail don’t worry I know at least half a dozen exorcisms, a good friend asked me to know them to keep him safe. And nothing will stop me from doing that. And I always wanted to go to Jackson. Please Rome.” Did you ever saw a little girl trying to convince an adult to do something less smart? Then you know how Lenna looked right now at Rome.

"You're kidding, right? I didn't ever say that, really, did I?" Rome sighed, letting the huff turn into a half-laugh. "Well, maybe I did, but seriously, chica. It's nice to know you care and all, but that doesn't change the fact that I'd be endangering the team." Luke Skywalker saying I'm endangering the mission, I shouldn't have come suddenly came to his mind, and Rome missed his brother, who would have picked up on the reference and supplied Han Solo's It's your imagination, kid.

But Raws wasn't here. And Elenna was. Hell, Aly, Morrigan, Georgie, and Caleb were here, and Rawson wasn't.

And they were--okay, "counting on him" might be a little--a lot--strong, but they apparently were at least good at pretending they enjoyed his company, or at least needed his psychotic premonition things. That much he could argue was true. As much as he hated it, he had one over on this please-Got-not-a-demon-whatever-it-was-then-thing: he could see what it was getting up to. Although he hadn't picked up on it fast enough last time, he was the research database.

Which was stupid. Why couldn't he just be the cute one and leave it at that?

"Rome--" Elenna began, but he shook her off.

"Okay, okay!" Rome scrambled to his feet. "Enough with the puppy-dog eyes. So long as no one else objects, I'm coming, I'm coming. Someone call this in to Tex. We'll swing back by for guns and gear, and maybe she'll have some more intel...." He had turned back to his car, unable to look at the rest of the team, until a thought struck him, and he wheeled around, fixing his team with a hard stare:

"But you have to promise that if--if something gets inside me again--you won't hesitate to take the shot."

"You're kidding, right? I didn't ever say that, really, did I?" Rome sighed, letting the huff turn into a half-laugh. "Well, maybe I did, but seriously, chica. It's nice to know you care and all, but that doesn't change the fact that I'd be endangering the team." Luke Skywalker saying I'm endangering the mission, I shouldn't have come suddenly came to his mind, and Rome missed his brother, who would have picked up on the reference and supplied Han Solo's It's your imagination, kid.

But Raws wasn't here. And Elenna was. Hell, Aly, Morrigan, Georgie, and Caleb were here, and Rawson wasn't.

And they were--okay, "counting on him" might be a little--a lot--strong, but they apparently were at least good at pretending they enjoyed his company, or at least needed his psychotic premonition things. That much he could argue was true. As much as he hated it, he had one over on this please-Got-not-a-demon-whatever-it-was-then-thing: he could see what it was getting up to. Although he hadn't picked up on it fast enough last time, he was the research database.

Which was stupid. Why couldn't he just be the cute one and leave it at that?

"Rome--" Elenna began, but he shook her off.

"Okay, okay!" Rome scrambled to his feet. "Enough with the puppy-dog eyes. So long as no one else objects, I'm coming, I'm coming. Someone call this in to Tex. We'll swing back by for guns and gear, and maybe she'll have some more intel...." He had turned back to his car, unable to look at the rest of the team, until a thought struck him, and he wheeled around, fixing his team with a hard stare:

"But you have to promise that if--if something gets inside me again--you won't hesitate to take the shot."

Lenna went pale and looked shocked at Rome.

One day I should tell him that I think this will not stop the demon, it will kill him but the demon will just keep using his body. But not right now.

“Yeah, yeah if you get possessed and there is no other choice the one who can will take the shot. Let’s get back to Tex to gear up.”

Lenna followed Rome when she looked at him. “Rome, you wanna drive maybe it keeps you busy?”

“Or it gets us killed before we are in Jackson.”

Lenna smiled. “Can I try what Vera can do?” Lenna knew that the high speed will distract her from the fact that she just had promised Rome to make sure someone will kill him if he gets possessed again.

I really hope he can’t read my mind. I don’t want him to know that I would rather die than let him die.

When Georgina got into her car she thought about the promise they had to make. She didn't want to think about the possibility that Rome could get possessed again and they had to shoot him, however, telling herself that this would not happen anyway was not a good idea. They had to be prepared...just in case.
Georgie watched Elenna and Rome getting into his car. "Don't tell me you're going to let that 19-year old girl driving your freaking Ferrari..." She sighed and shook her head. "Unbelievable!"

"Cool your jets, G, stop making fun of my chauffer!" Rome shouted playfully toward the blindingly pink Audi. Georgie rolled her eyes at him and got into the car.

Rome stepped up behind Elenna where she stood about to get in the car.

"I'm driving," he said, softly, for her ears only.

"Rome..." she looked uncomfortable. "What if you have a--"

"Vision?" Rome shrugged. "You can ride with someone else if you want. But I'm driving."

Elenna frowned, but moved around to the other side of the car.

Rome sat down, started the car, and pulled on his seatbelt. Then he paused, watching the caravan depart. He'd catch them easily. But he needed to say something first, something he wasn't prepared to admit in front of everyone else. Not yet, anyway. They already thought he was weak. Elenna knew he was weak. Maybe that was why he didn't mind telling her:

"Please, Lennie, we shouldn't do this. I shouldn't do this. I'm the weakest frakking link, here, I mean--I got possessed by a ghost! What's the deal with that? It's like I'm wearing a neon sign that says meatsuit for rent, no money down, I mean, come on!" Tears pricked his eyes. He really was that scared: but more than that, he was disgusted with himself. And not just for crying like a bitch, either. "So if I'm going with you, you gotta keep your promise."

Lenna looked away. This was not fair. Rome was supposed to look after her not the other way around. When Lenna finally found the strength to speak again she didn’t look at Rome she spoke to her knees.

“I know you are scared, it is okay to be scared, and you should be scared. But that does not mean to be a reason to stop. Do you wanna let innocent people that don’t know what is out there in the dark die? Being scared is part of the job, Rome. And I think passing any all… werewolf hunts,” it took Lenna a lot of effort to say this one word, “wasn’t a good example. We are going to Jackson, and this we include you. You can stay low if you want. Or maybe see me having some fun riding a demon’s ass with a few words.” Lenna looked up, her eyes were shiny. “And yes I do keep my promise. If necessary and there is really no other chance I will take the shot. I won’t let it happen that your body is used to hurt anyone.”

Rome looked relieved, well a bit.

“Oh wait I have an idea. Bobby gave me this when I went hunting on my own. It is not really your style but it will help you.”

Lenna climb in the backseat so that she could easier search.

“Here you go.” Lenna was handing Rome an amulet while she climbed back in the front seat, with the Key of Salomon in her arms.

“While you are driving I practice my fighting skills a bit, just in case.”

Rome chuckled. She was trying.

"Yeah, whatever, kiddo, just don't hurt yourself," he winked at her, though, just to make sure she wouldn't hit him. But then, more serious, he added a vulnerable-sounding "Thanks," that he meant from the bottom of whatever he had in the way of a soul. Before it got awkward, though, he put the car into gear.

As she went back to a book, however, and he got back onto the highway, Rome fingered the amulet she had strung around his neck. It was just a simple silver disc, which he couldn't get a good look at without going cross-eyed, on a black leather cord. Definitely not his type, but if it kept him from demon possession--

Heck, if this just ups me from being the lowest common denominator in the pool of unlucky bastards the demon's got his eye on, I'm happy. Someone else can try getting possessed this time, and see how much freaking fun it is!

He didn't really mean that, maybe, but the thought of possible safety did improve his mood. As if to prove his happiness to himself, he gunned the engine until was almost kissing the ass of Georgie's pink Audi. Forgetting about Elenna in the car next to him, he pulled up next to the Audi and tapped his horn.

Georgie looked up in surprise, and he flashed her a charming grin and waved before speeding ahead, tauntingly. She laughed and coaxed the Audi close after him.

"What are you doing, Rome?" Elenna accused, looking up at what was going on.

Play number 43 in the Book of Rome, he thought, but said out loud, "Racing with G. You had the change to ride with Morrigan." He shrugged.

"This old blockhead...", Georgie mumbled while racing after Rome. Although her car was fast she knew the Ferrari was a little more in advance to hers. However, that didn't stop her from racing with him. After all, she loved driving fast - if there was not an old lady crossing the street, which happened before... Georgie quickly looked in the rear mirror to check if the others were following, then she smiled and accelerated.