some guys think they can't be winners

[beanchaointe]

Comments

[unforgivably]

Great. Stalking the rent-a-john's.

( Or, whatever else the forest presses up against.

Scott gets a (5) to try the scent on for size again. Between the blood and his scent of being human, he doesn't get a great start, looking to Cora.

"I can't really lock on." )

[patrols]

[Thankfully, Cora's there to pick up the slack (15). "I've got it. We'll see what we can find." Good thing about it being something she doesn't recognize: it stands out.

Lindsay nods, before passing Scott her business card.]

Then I'll stay here and be a cop. Text me with anything you find. Both of you.

[She means you too, Damon.

Lydia glances up and tips her head to the side. "I'll go with Damon. See what I might be able to pick up."]

for Damon and Lydia canvassing for witnesses

[unforgivably]

( Scott nods, slipping her card into the back pocket of his pants. )

And I will be - banshee backup.

( He kids.

Damon knows that he and Lydia will trail back to the port-o-potty's and anything else that pushes up against the entrance to this forest. Canvassing has not been his thing before. Investigating, sure. Testing the water. Or, outright threatening.

But a good old fashioned investigation? )

[beanchaointe]

[Lydia's inherent charm does save them from some downright irate people (13), but she can't help but grit her teeth as she turns to face Damon. While she gets that this isn't the most glamourous job in the world, she is at least attempting to do her part.]

You could at least try.

[She's just saying.]

[unforgivably]

I'm trying. ( He's not. ) These carnival-goers are all a little lowest common denominator, aren't they? But - fine.

( Which doesn't mean that Damon cannot be helpful. He peers around them again, and along the edge of the carnival. (18) to see 3 prime spots to look for any employees or dining patrons - people who may have been camped out, or may have been able to see something.

What does he see? )

[beanchaointe]

[He would see a lot.

Things are winding down on the midway, with peak hours having passed in terms of food and games. A few rides are still running, but the ones that are big hits with children, less so. The excess crew is choosing to take their break then, with a couple clusters of them having settled on the edges of the pavilion with their dinner.

And one of them, wearing work overall that have an odd color paint on them, is eyeing Damon like he knows who he is, even if Damon doesn't know him from Adam.

Also, his phone vibrates in his pocket.]

[unforgivably]

( Well, first thing's first, he pulls his phone out and dog-ears one of the workers, including the people on break. )

Our best bet is with the traveling circus-workers.

( Is it a text, is it a call )

[beanchaointe]

[It is a text, from Lindsay. A second wound, gave us a clearer look at what kind of teeth this thing is working with. At a weird position though. Might be two killers.

And with it, Damon will get a picture of an almost perfectly circular set of puncture wounds, into the victim's shoulder. It barely is visible in the dark purple bruising that comes with lividity setting in, but it does indicate one thing:

This guy probably wasn't killed by a baby vamp who lost control of his teeth.

Lydia, in the meantime, is going to start making her way closer, but won't get so far that Damon can't pull her back if needed.]

[unforgivably]

( And he holds down his phone, showing Lydia the screen. )

Deputy Miller thinks there are two killers.

( He evaluates the puncture marks. )

Stiles is off the hook.

( Damon is right behind her, then, moving to, first, the paint covered guy who seems to have a thing for him. )

Doing some painting today?

[beanchaointe]

[Lydia will send out a text to the woods team to warn them to be careful, before coming up to join Damon as the painter looks up at him, wide eyed.

"Look man, I don't want any trouble. I'm just trying to do my job."]

for Scott, Cora, and Stiles following the scent

[commend]

( Scott lets Cora lead the way, Stiles giving the body one last look before he steels over, professional guise setting in (17) to stay professional and not emotional for the time being. He's felt like a kid too long after dying, like that freak kid-agent joining the FBI after his freakin internship. The small-town legacy kid with a formerly disgraced sheriff for a dad.

But, the guy that first showed up in Mystic Falls to help protect one of his best friends, he's here now. And he died for her. For Elena, and for Caroline. It's not in vain.

Scott has done this before, however. They're off to find a kanima a something.

[impetere]

[Scott (15) and Stiles (11) pick up some of the scent when Cora's nose begins to flag and she finds herself coming to a stop, starting to lose the scent as they land in a clearing of trees (9).

Scott finds the scent again, heading towards the left, and Stiles catches the scent of blood - the victim's blood. It's not enough that it would lead to him descending into a frenzy again, but just enough for him to be able to indicate which way the creature might have gone.]

[commend]

( Scott goes left, first, stopping, perception check of (19) and Stiles moves in the direction of the blood (nat 20) for the vampire driven crazy by the very same blood.

"He was here. Ivan."

Here first, Scott thinks. )

The question is, did he wander down here, or was he brought here.

[impetere]

I don't think he did. I smell the blood, but I don't smell him.

[She did not roll as well as her friends, but she rolled well enough to notice that (11). Scott will also notice the same, that while the blood is present, the parts of the scent that would incapsulate the rest of a person is not. Ivan did not come this way, but his blood definitely did.

Stiles is the one that gets the biggest clue, however. That nat 20 means his vampire night vision is kicking in, and he manages to catch some of the blood on one of the trees nearby. As he moves to get a closer look, he notices that the blood transfer isn't moving in the direction of the body. In fact, it looks like it's moving away from the body.

It seems as though the killer brought the blood with him, and brushed against the tree as he made his escape.]

[commend]

( "Guys," Stiles says, approaching the tree and looking back in the direction the killer must have come from. "Whoever killed him - whatever - it went this way. And it's covered in his blood." Enough to brush up against the tree. )

Stiles is right. He wasn't killed here.

[impetere]

[Cora nods, before taking a few steps past them, eyeing the trail.]

Should we keep following it? Or do you want to report back to the deputy?

[commend]

I'll message her.

Deputy Miller, it's Scott McCall. We caught on to the trail. Something is still covered in his blood, we're going from there.

( Stiles shakes his head.

"It's not like I'm not law enforcement. And, she has her hands full with the body and the bureaucracy. And it's better she investigate from there. If she wants to join, then, she can ask. Let's follow the rest of the trail." )

[impetere]

[She will send him back the same picture/message she sent Damon with an added note: There might be two of them. Be careful.

Cora's brow furrows.]

I didn't mean go all the way back. I just meant giving her an update.

for sam and dean, bugging local law enforcement

[patrols]

[While the local supernaturals poke around, Lindsay's busy getting to work processing the evidence. As she picks her way through the victim's pockets and what was left behind, she looks up to see two tall men come up to her and she frowns.]

Guys, you have to step back. This is a crime scene.

[cholesterol]

( Never great with law enforcement, and putting down roots here, Dean fights his first urge to pull his fake credentials. He stops short, holding hands up, looking beyond her. )

Sorry. Our friends came this way.

[patrols]

[Her eyebrows go up, and then she looks down at the license again.]

Your friend from Norfolk?

[She's trying to figure out of she should be giving notice or if these two are looking for someone else.]

[cholesterol]

Not from Norfolk. But, they are out-of-towners. New to the town, like us. Dean and Sam Winchester.

( (13) to hear Cora's cry out as he gets friendly. )

[patrols]

[Sam doesn't catch it (7), but Lindsay (14) and Dean do, both heads turning towards the sound of the howl. Her eyebrows go up because she definitely sent two wolves towards trouble so...]

Well, that's not good.

[Then she glances back to them.]

Your friends from Beacon Hills?

[cholesterol]

They do happen to be.

( She heard that, too? )

Real dogs. Enthusiasts. ( (7) )

[patrols]

[Yeah, she doesn't buy that for a second (15). But it's more important that the wolves make it out okay, so she'll tip her head towards the sound of the howl.]

Then you better head after that sound. Sounds like they might be in trouble.