The Universe's Mixer

(Happens prior to this.)

Fred had tried calling for Castiel, but that had felt a little odd, just calling someone’s name out loud. She'd even found a summons, but she felt bad about summoning an angel. She didn't think it was right to treat any sentient being like it a dog - called with a whistle, treat, or threat. Plus, she'd done enough as it was. Or not enough. She still hadn't found the cure for whatever had happened to him. There had been moments that she felt like someone was watching, but she chalked it up to being paranoid. Even that one time in the shower; then again, she lived in a city that actually had its own Norman Bates.

She finally decided to give in and hit the Library; only they wouldn't let her near the computers. It aggravated her that they were going to keep her away from information. She wasn't sure what she would do, but there had to be something. After looking through various yellow pages, a few more angel books, and then a comic about Black Canary, she took a small break with a stop at the museum, or the display cases. Yes, nothing overly exciting or new. Dean’s amulet sitting there gave her some sort of comfort. He did exist. She was pretty certain he existed.

Fred headed out of the library and stopped, her brows furrowing. Had she had her clipboard on her when she went in? She stood not far from the side of the building, thinking about what she’d brought with her. Somewhere above something was rocking, something very big and heavy, something that could squish a frail human to a bloody mess. Said possible bloody squished mess shrugged and started on her way, deciding she hadn’t brought the board with her.

“Maybe a cafe!” One of those internet type places seemed like a good place. Did the City even have one of those internet type cafes? ( Well, she guessed she’d have to look. )

Dinah was late picking Jake up from school. Traffic was horrible and she found herself longing for her bike and the ability to just zip between lanes. The new car was sporty, but definitely couldn’t maneuver like a motorcycle. Then the City was being particularly uncooperative in that the streets just kept changing. She finally made it, long after the last bell had rung. She could only hope that Jake had waited. She didn’t like him walking home alone, but she knew he didn’t always like being driven to and from school. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him or didn’t think he was capable. It was just that she knew the type of monsters that lurked in the City. Some of which he’d already been forced to face, for that matter.

When she parked the car in front of the school and didn’t immediately see Jake, her gut tensed up slightly. But he could have been inside waiting. Could have been in the back. Could have been just out of sight.

After searching the entire school yard and inside the school without finding any sign of him, her panic was beginning to rise.

But still, he’d walked home without incident before. It was possible he was halfway there already. She returned to the car and pulled away slowly, her eyes trained to the sidewalks for any sign of Jake. Maybe if she tried to take the usual way home, she would catch him and be able to drive him the rest of the way. Assuming the City cooperated of course.

She didn’t make it very far away from the school before she spotted something on the sidewalk and smeared in the bushes nearby. It was hard to tell while driving, so she pulled over. Maybe it was nothing, she reassured herself. Maybe...

Dinah stepped out of the car and stopped short as she reached the sidewalk. Her breath caught in her throat. The sidewalk was a mess of blood and footprints that looked like... hyenas. She caught sight of something round and coated in blood. Dinah knelt to pick it up, her hands shaking. Even before she touched it, she was sure of what it was. A plate. One of Jake’s plates, to be exact.

The only reason that plate would be out and bloodied was that Jake had been in trouble. She looked at the paw prints. Perhaps it was some other form of canine, but she knew all too well that Harley Quinn owned a pair of nasty hyenas.

It was likely that Harley was acting on her own, she reassured herself. That wasn’t ideal, but it was better than if... no, she wasn’t even going to think about who else might be involved. Her feet began to move at a run before she could even think about it, following the trail of bloodied footprints and paw prints. She took several turns down side streets, before the trail just abruptly ended at a wall.

The City’s doing, no doubt. Dinah looked around frantically for any way that they might have gotten around the wall, any sign that the City hadn’t just changed the damn streets on her so she would lose the trail.

She had to find him. Had to get to him before Harley could do any more damage. Dinah took off at a run again, following the trail back to her car. She didn’t think to use her phone, didn’t think to call ahead to see if Harry or Fred would be at the office.

She definitely didn’t care if they were busy. Instead, she pulled up to the side by side detective agencies.

Jake had only had the chance to ride in her car once so far-a brief test drive after she’d bought it the day before. Dinah’s hand swept over the seat until she found a few hairs. They were barely visible, given how short his hair was. She could only hope that was enough for Harry’s spell. If not, well, she had to hope that Fred would agree to fire up Barbara’s computers. Just this once.

Dinah approached the door to Harry’s office and tugged at the door knob, just now realizing that it was late enough that he might be home, or could be anywhere but at the office.

( The Search Begins )

(Continues from this)

Fred stood in the elevator, taking in the tech that was waiting on the other side. She took a small step into the brain of a rather nice superhero nervous system. So this was where she did her work. Fred couldn't hide the little smile and definite look of appreciation. She wasn't overly high tech herself, not usually. The brainy female liked walls and markers, or dry erase boards and markers. She liked writing and working through things, but she didn't mind getting hold of some really good equipment. Without touching it, without playing with it, she knew just by looking at it, that it was pretty high end.

"I've been attacked before. Guilty by association; it's not new." Fred looked over her shoulder. "Just recently. Course, someone saved me. Not that I mind it, but I get tired of being saved. Sometimes I want to save someone. Guess that's what I'm doing now."

She didn't ask permission to start turning on screens, or waking them up from screen saver sleep. Her fingers brushed keyboards, touchpads, mouses...mice? She almost commented on the plural for that particular device, but thought better of it.

"I'm guessing this place has a comms system?" Fred looked back at Dinah before taking a seat in a rollie chair. She gave it a small test of back and forth and nodded. Nothing like a good rolly chair.

She'd sounded concerned. No, she sounded more than concerned, even if she was trying not to. Dean Winchester knew that sound. He'd heard it in many women's voices before, and he'd probably had something like it in his own voice. No, he hadn't lost a child, but he had lost someone he loved. More than one. He was going to help her get Jake back. The kid wasn't all bad; he needed to relax, but Dean guessed that the kid was high strung, if that's what it could be called, for a reason.

He'd "borrowed" a car to get most of the way, dropping it off a block away. He walked the rest. The older Winchester found it with a little looking; it wasn't exactly in the same place Dinah had seen it last. He wished that Sam was around. Not so much to help, though the sasquatch would have been helpful in seeing over really tall obstacles, but to know that the guy was safe, okay, whole.

Fred, the almost hot geek, had said somethings that bugged Dean; actually she'd a whole hell of a lot that had bugged him. Yet, the time travelling bit, which Dean was getting somewhat use to, gave him a small hope. It would explain Castiel, and if Sam could be whole here...Dean didn't think too hard about it. But, if Sam was okay, soul intact here, Dean was going to do what he could to keep his brother in the City. Soulful Sam, puppy dog eyes, girly habits, and all, was a good thing. Plus, if Sam was here pre-apocalypse, there was no way he would ever go to hell. It wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the worst idea ever.

Dean didn't see Dinah right off, so he started looking for clues. Even if the blood was a really big one. There might be other things. She'd said something about pictures for Fred? So, out came that handy dandy phone he couldn't get rid of to start snapping prints, whatever.