Rogue (Supernatural) [Rogue Trilogy] {1}

21. Thinman (Part 1)

21. Thinman (Part 1)

We find out that Casey's photo was posted after her time of death, leaving us with another puzzle. Another puzzle that had to be put on the backburner this morning when Dean got a call.

The call brings us back to the diner, which has transformed into a crime scene. Sure enough, the damn Ghostfacers van is here before my brothers and me. This time, I take lead into the diner. The coroners haven't taken the body yet. The body is the boss of the diner, Trey.

"Agents," says the deputy as we arrive, "thanks for coming."

I look angrily at the Ghostfacers, who have camera equipment out. "What are these two crapshoots doing here?"

"I figured it wouldn't hurt to go a little 'Medium,' you know? Uh...two counties over, folks were combing the place for a poor little dead boy back in August. The cops let a psychic do her thing. Shish, bang, boom—found a body a day later."

"Uh-huh," I say distantly. "Excuse me." Dean follows me as I approach the Ghostfacers. I whack them both upside the head. They both squeak—which I find amusing—and look like I've scared the color out of their faces. "I thought we told you to scram?"

"Oh, well, what are you gonna do?" Harry asks boldly. "You gonna out me, 'agents'?"

My eyes widen, and I look at Dean. "Can I kick his ass, please?"

"Not in public," Dean tells me. He looks at the boys. "Okay, look, playing paparazzi at a crime scene—who does that help but yourselves?"

"The bloggers, Dean, the believers—everyone who needs just a little proof to know that Thinman is out there."

"Wait," I cut in, eyeing Harry, "so, you're saying there's a lot of folks online that are pretty die-hard about this thing?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Oh, yeah," Ed echoes. "Uh-huh."

"You throw the right Tibetan symbol into the mix, you dumbasses ever think the Thinman comes to life as a Tulpa?" Dean snaps.

"Because thousands of people can agree that Thinman is any one thing? The lore changes blog to blog. He's not a Tulpa."

"Okay, all right. All right. Right here, right now, cut the crap. Do either of you actually know what Thinman is?"

"No. We just play Supernaturalists on TV," Ed deadpans.

"We have no idea what we're doing...Of course we do!" Harry chimes in.

"Thinman is part man, part tree."

"Some people believe that he emerged from a nightmare of an autistic boy."

I really don't appreciate this attitude right now. These two boneheads aren't taking this seriously. People are dead because of this Thinman thing!

Dean rolls his eyes. "All right, so you have no idea," he says.

"Fellas," says the deputy, "you'll want to see this."

Dean, Harry, Ed, and I congregate over to Sam, who's been viewing the security footage while Dean and I have been harassing the Ghostfacers.

"All right, check it out," Sam tells us.

We watch on tape as Thinman stabs Trey.

"Whoa" is the collective response from the Ghostfacers.