Episode One -- Black Dogs -- Macon, TN

Emma watched as the boys cut her off and shook her head as she floored it, driving along side of them long enough to stick her tongue out at them and then sped past them. There was no way she was getting stuck behind a guy driver.

Spotting Tam up ahead, Emma slowed down and pulled her car behind her. "Miss me?" She asked with a smile as she got out, turning her car off and walking over to her.

Once the guys showed up Tam mentioned the fact they had to wait and Emma sighed as she sat on the hood of the car, picking at her fingernails in boredom. This was always the worst part. "So... whats your favorite color?" She asked after a moment of silence, looking up with smirk not actually serious but not having anything else to say. What were you supposed to talk about with complete strangers who wanted nothing to do with each other for four hours?

Nathan parked his car by the others on the side of the road and got out in just enough time to hear Tam say they would have to wait. So he laid back on the hood of his car and played with the cross that was around his neck. So what's your guy's story? He asked looking at Tam and Emma.

Mitch smiled when Emma passed them but making sure to hide it from Nathan. Last thing he needed was Nathan giving him shit about him having a crush. When they got there Tam had told them they would have to wait and Mitch was kinda glad as that meant he could find out some more about Emma. And he smiled when Nathan asked them about their past.

Tam raised her eyebrow as Nathan asked for their stories. She looked over at Emma for a brief moment before turning back to the boys.

"I have a hard time telling it, really. Not because it's very sad, but because I don't remember a lot of details...from before." She started, easily keeping the smirk from breaking across her face. "See, a couple years back I got pulled up onto a fishing boat by some fisherman. He saved me, got me back into health. He called me Ariel for awhile. For the mermaid, you know. I didn't even know my own name, you see. But then I got back to mainland, found a safety deposit box that belonged to a me. Only clue to who I was." She was getting into it now, leaning forwards, one hand bracing her weigh on a thigh, the other gesturing as she spoke.

"Inside it were all these IDs and a gun and I got a little spooked, see? Especially since I realized some guys were following me around. I took off with this chick..Marie...but the guys kept coming after us so I had to take care of it. Killed em. Didn't even know I could. 'Course...they're still coming after me. So I gotta keep on my toes. They killed Marie though." She sat back up, no longer leaning with her hand on her thigh. "I really loved that girl."

She didn't dare look over at Emma, not sure what she'd see there. "What about you?"

Nathan was looking over at Tam not believing a word that came out of her mouth. But he went along with it figuring that Emma would do the same thing. So he just laid back down on his car with his hands folded over his chest waiting for Emma's reply.

Emma held back her laughter as Tam started her story, obviously reciting the plot from the Bourne movies. She decided to play along though and looked at her seriously. "Wow, this guy I know went through that too. You might know him, his name is Jason Bourne." She told her, not being able to hide her smile any longer.

"And no offense but I don't share my personal stories with strangers." She said, glancing at Nathan and Mitch, figuring if they wanted to spill their guts they could but until they gave her a reason she wasn't going to. Besides, her brother had nothing to do with this case.

Nathan smiled at Emma's response. Well since no one wants to get things started off I guess I'll go. Nathan said now sitting up on the hood of his car. I was born in Philly and moved in with my uncle who meet an.........unfortunate end with this guy with big coal black eyes. So I went seraching for him and came across this bastard here. Nathan said indicating Mitch. There was a potiential werewolf in New Mexico and there was this girl. Nathan mentally kicked himself for digging that crap up. Anyway if this kid over here hadn't been there i would have died. Nathan slid of his hood and raised his shirt showing them the claw marks from the werewolf.

Tam listened as Nathan explained about meeting Mitch, stumbling over the mention of a girl. There's always a girl. When he finished, he lifted up his shirt to show a souvienier from the experience. Hm. Tam had a scar on her stomach too.

And her arm and her back and her knee and...okay. Tam didn't play with others anymore. She knew that.

"Well, that's lovely." She said on a sigh, reaching back to scratch at her neck. "That killed about ten minutes."

She took a quick glance at her cell phone display and yep, only ten minutes. Fabulous.

Nathan gave a sigh as Tam totally diregarded his story but hey at least he was trying to get to know these people. Only ten minutes. When does this guy usually show up then? Nathan questioned trying to focus on something other then the story he had just told.

Tam sighed, rolling her head on her neck. "Midnight." She answered distractedly. "That's what the ME's reports said. Based on the liver temp, so it's approximate." Her neck popped a little and, satisfied, she regarded the others.

"I've got silver bullets in my car, but I'm packing lead right now. One of you want to saddle up with silver, and someone else with salt rounds?" She suggested. "Figure we may as well run the gamut."

Mitch raised his hand when Tam asked if anyone wanted to pack silver or salt to cover their bases. I'll take the salt. Mitch said lowering his hand.

Nathan casually went around to his trunk and opened it rooting through one of the bages in there. HE pluked out a brown suitcase and rooted through it pulling out a clip of silver bullets. I'll take silver. Nathan said coming back to the front of his car. While he took his gun from his waistband and loaded it with the silver bullets.

Midnight came and went with no appearance by the...whatever it even was. Tam had moved to stretch across her backseat not long after the bullet discussion. If they had to wait, she could at least relax.

Once the sun started showing on the horizon, Tam got up and moved around to the driver's side.

"Well that was a bust. I'm going into town, make sure there weren't any other murders down the road, grab a room for the night since this isn't going to be a one nighter, after all." She announced, sliding into her seat. "Feel free to follow behind or go do something else." She told them. With that, she headed off, into town.

There hadn't been any deaths. And people were getting irate. Why hadn't the police done anything by now? It was getting ridiculous! The deaths all happened in practically the same spot! Why was this so hard for them?

Tam caught a few hours shut-eye at a dingy hotel and then was off again, in the library by 10 am, scrolling through the archives. She'd research, talk to a few more people, then be back in the area by midnight.

After almost an hour, she had figured out that none of the deaths were locals, all of them had just been passing through and didn't make it much farther than the farmhouse. Tam revamped her search, going after information about the farmhouse's former inhabitants.

No one since the 1940s, when the owner had died. A grumpy old man with no wife, no family. Just two dogs that townspeople back then said he treated horribly. He wasn't missed.

After Nathan had loaded his gun with silver he laid down on the hood of his car. Nathan would look up every so often and see Mitch looking at Emma although he never said anything Nathan could tell that he liked her. Tam had announced that she would be heading into town and that they were welcome to follow her. So Nathan slid off his hood and got into the driver seat with Mitch riding shotgun and drove into town. Upon reaching the motel Tam was staying Nathan got himself a room and he and Mitch went in and slept for a while. When he awoke later on that day he got his laptop out of his trunk and began searching for all the deaths that had happened in the area he came up with only one match. Some farmer that had died in the 40's. The search had taken him quite some time and he ended reseraching until about 5:30 p.m so he and Mitch went and got something to eat and then began to head over to the location the murders had happened.

Mitch had road with Nathan to the hotel where they caught some z's. A few hours later he awoke to Nathan sitting on the bed with a laptop. Mitch go off of the couch he had slept on and walked over to Nathan asking the time. It's about 4:00 pm. Nathan had said. Shortly after they went and got something to eat and rode back to the spot of the murders figuring the other would be there sooner or later.

Emma followed the others into town but instead of going to sleep right away like she should have, when she got into her room she immediately pulled her laptop out and started reading about all the deaths that had occured. She wrote down the similarities, they all happened at night by the farm house, everyone was from out of town so far, and then shut it off figuring she'd get a few hours of sleep then go out and hit the town to see what they knew.

So at eleven the next morning she showed up at the library, pulling out their archives and finding out everything possible about the farm house since she figured it was all connected to there. After reading about the cranky old farmer she gave up, figuring it was all the information she'd get and decided to start questioning the locals. There had to be some sort of urban legend or theory floating around about what was happening.

This was how she ended up at the local bar, sipping beers with Chad and Josh, and hearing their 'horror stories' about the farmhouse. She had spent all afternoon talking to as many locals as she could find but most of them rattled off the same story, sticking to the facts and refusing to give up any more information. These two however, one flirty smile and a couple of arm grazes later and they were telling her everything she knew. She figured the fact they were pretty much drunk helped out since they weren't thinking fast enough to filter out what could be considered myth. "Yeah so the farmer now continues to haunt the road, killing any trespassers at the stroke of midnight." Josh was saying and Emma nodded, leaning forward in her seat slightly as though she was hooked on his every word.

"Yeah man, and he goes after pretty girls who are just passing through so we should probably keep you safe tonight." Chad piped up and Emma laughed, deciding that was all the information she was going to get out of them. She figured Josh had a good theory going on and Chad, well he had a whole other theory playing out in his head that was never going to happen.

"Aw well I think I can manage fine. Thanks guys." She told them as she finished off her beer, standing up and kissing each one on the cheek as she left, not bothering to pay for the drinks like she had promised at the start of the night. She was saving lives after all, she shouldn't have to pay for dumb college boys and their drinks.

Glancing at the clock as she got into her car, Emma swore loudly. It was already 11:45, there was no way she would make it there before midnight. She quickly put the car in drive and sped off, the thought of going through all that work and the others getting the kill pissing her off. She quickly reached the road and smiled in relief as she saw the others sitting by their cars, no sign of a baddie having showed up. She wouldn't be missing the fun after all.

"Holy Hell!" She yelled out as two black dogs ran out in front of her car, causing her to slam on the brakes and swerve around them. Jumping out of her vehicle, Emma gave the dogs a once over and deciding they were fine started walking towards the others. She froze however as she heard movement behind her, glancing down at her watch and making a face as it read exactly midnight. Pulling her gun out, Emma turned around slowly and her thoughts were only confirmed when she saw the farmer standing behind her. Well this just got interesting.

Tam drove back to the site around 11 pm that night. After reviewing the archives that morning until about 10:45 and then leaving to talk to locals, she had putted around town, finding out what she could about the farmer.

He was a dick. He had two puppies. He abused them. He died. Everyone rejoiced. End of story. Now there were deaths practically on his doorstep.

Tam waited silently on the hood of her car, her gun out and resting on her thigh. The boys were at their car too. Emma was not present. Tam hoped she had decided to leave it to them and moved on.

Midnight rolled around...and Emma showed up. So did two puppies, which was new. Tam perked up, raising her gun slightly as Emma climbed from her car, after swerving to miss the dogs.

Then the farmer appeared, walking up from the shadows, a sickle in hand.

He swung out at Emma but she caught his wrist and they grappled a bit. Tam couldn't get a clear shot in, but she kept her gun at the ready in the event that a shot should open up.

((emma's bits posted with permission from emma))

Emma struggled with the farmer as he tried to stab her, her gun having fell to the ground as she grabbed his arm. She kneed him in the stomach and he dropped forward a bit, giving Emma time to twist his arm and get the sickle away from him. Kicking him in the stomach and kneeing him in the face, he dropped, and she quickly brought the sickle down on his neck, not even blinking as it pierced it and blood spurted out. She then took a step back as he started on fire and turned around to face the others, giving a bow as she picked up her gun.

"Well that was exciting." She told them with a grin as she wiped some blood off her face. There was nothing she liked more than ridding the world of bad guys.

Nathan and Mitch got there in just enough time to see Emma drive the farmers syth into his neck. The got out of the car and looked at her You ok? Nathan asked looking at Emma.

Mitch got out of the car and stared at Emma who was covered in blood. He then ran over to check on her.

Emma laughed as the guys checked on her, looking down at herself to see she had maybe one bruise but other than that nothing had happened. Yeah her clothes had some blood on them but it wasn't anything she couldn't wash out. "I'm peachy, totally dominated the bastard." She said with a somewhat cocky grin on her face.

Seeing that Emma was ok Nathan looked around at the others. So then i guess that this is goodbye. He said sounding a little dissapointed that they would all be parting ways.

So i guess this is good bye. Nathan had said. Mitch had thought about striking out on his own again but....Actually i was planning on riding with you Nathan. Mitch said looking over his way.

Nathan smiled when Mitch said he would be comming with him. Then let's get going. Nathan said. He went over and said good bye to Tam and Emma giving each his cell number. Mitch was following suit. They then began walking back toward Nathan's car so they could get the hell outta there.

Tam added Nathan to her contact list. Even if she didn't like working with others, even she could admit that hunters needed contacts. You had to be able to ask for help, even if you didn't like asking for help from the people weaseling into your case.

She gave Emma a quick head-nod and then got into her own car and headed out, passing by both cars and then hightailing it out of Tennesee.