In McCook, Nebraska, Harper Sayles lets herself into the public library and opens the place. She puts book away, and Winston Mathers taps her on the shoulder and asks if they're on for dinner. Harper says that they are. Miles runs over with a stapler and asks if Harper is okay. She tells him to put the stapler down, and once she leaves Harper says that people don't come to the library anymore. Winston walks out and goes down the street, excited that he's having dinner with Harper. Someone grabs him and pulls him into the bushes, and he screams.
At the bunker, Jack is busy pouring sugar into his coffee when Dean comes in and asks where Sam is. Jack says that he went with Charlie and figures that they're doing something really exciting.
Outside Memphis, Tennessee, Sam and Charlie sit in a truck and watch a place where people went missing.
Jack says that Sam had him stay there to keep an eye on Dean when he came back, and assures Dean that no one blames him for what happened with Michael. Dean says that he blames himself, and Jack coughs and claims that he might be allergic to doing nothing. He tells Dean that he should hunt, and he and Castiel have been working hunts. Dean says that Sam is trying to keep Jack safe and he's a smart guy.
Bored, Sam plays with a fidget wheel.
Jack shows Dean an article on one corpse that turned up with human bite marks, and other people that have gone missing. Dean warns that Sam won't like Jack leaving and tells him that he'll go on his own. Jack reminds him that Hunters are supposed to go in pairs, and insists that he needs to do something. He explains that he could have killed Michael when he was strong but didn't because he was distracted. Dean assures him that he didn't do anything wrong, and Jack says that it's the same for him and Dean and asks for a chance.
Dean calls Sam and tells him that he's going out with Jack. Sam reluctantly agrees and tells Charlie, and asks if it's the right place. Charlie shows him a jar of green goo that she found when she scouted the place.
Jack and Dean go to the diner that Winston liked and talk to the waitress, Wanda. she doesn't know anything about Winston's death, and refuses to cooperate further. Dean offers money for Wanda to stay, and she advises Dean to talk to Harper about Winston. Wanda and the other customers talk about Harper and how she's a nice woman, but everything seems to go wrong for her and she keeps losing men. They figure that Harper has bad luck.
Charlie tells Sam that Dean will be fine, and Sam tells her that Dean used to have their Charlie as his wing man. She tells him that she was just a programmer before the angel war, and she lived with a woman named Kara. Charlie explains that when Michael and Lucifer started their war, they released an EMP that destroyed all of the technology in the U.S. No one ever came to save them, and when the food ran out people got mean. A lot of people, including Kara, died in the rioting. Charlie tells Sam that society eventually falls apart, and Sam says that it doesn't happen there. She says that it just hasn't happened yet.
Dean tells Jack that they found him a case and eats pie. Jack wonders about what Harper had going with Winston, and suggest that Harper isn't human. Dean says that they'll find out. He goes to the library and questions her about Winston. She doesn't want to talk ab out him, but Dean insists. Jack comes in and asks for a book about the area history, and he and Dean stage a conversation about how Dean can't talk to Harper if she doesn't want to. Dean tells her to back off and Jack calls him "old man". After telling Jack that it isn't over, Dean walks out and Harper tells Jack that he was chivalrous. Clearly smitten, she says that she has the perfect book for Jack.
Dean watches as Harper and Jack leaves. Miles approaches them and Harper says that she's taking Jack to her apartment to show him her favorite book. Miles objects but Harper ignores him and Dean follows Harper and Jack. Meanwhile, Miles takes the garbage out behind the library and hears something moving among the cans. Dean hears him scream and sees garbage fly out of the alley. He goes over and finds Miles' bloody corpse on the ground. Something watches him from behind the face and quickly runs off.
Charlie continues reading books and says that she hates Hunting. Sam tells her that she's awesome at it, and Charlie points out that Hunting jut ends in tears and death. He says that their Charlie said something similar, and Charlie tells him that it's her last case. She's going to go away from monsters and people.
Harper's apartment is directed with hearts and Amore signs. She lets Jack in and says that it's weird that he brought her there, and tells Jack that she's not putting the moves on him. Harper goes to get the book, and Jack puts a silver disk on the floor and sprinkles his hands with holy water. Dean calls and Jack ignores it, and Harper comes back with the book. She picks up the disk and touches Jack's hand, and he mutters an exorcism spell under his breath. Nothing happens, and Harper asks him to sit on the couch with her.
Charlie finds information about a Musca, a human/fly hybrid. Every hundred or so years, a male fails to find a mate and uses people's bodies as a nest, using goo to stick them all together. A hooded figure sits down next to two women who are sitting at the bus stop Charlie and Sam are watching. They leave and after a moment, the figure walks away.
Harper asks Charlie where he's from, and he says that he's from Lebanon. She says that her family is the last person in the family, and Jack coughs briefly. He notices a photo of Harper and a man, Vance, on the end table. Harper says that Vance was her boyfriend and he left town after they graduated college to see the world while Harper just wanted to experience the world through books. Jack is surprised that he left Harper, and Harper says that it was the start of her run of bad luck. He says that it's hard to be positive, and Harper stares at him. Dean calls, but Harper pushes the phone away and asks if Jack believes in love at first sight. Jack says that he has to use the bathroom, goes in, and calls Dean to tell him that Harper passed the tests. He figures that Harper is in love with him, but Dean tells him that she isn't and explains that something bit out Miles' throat. Jack figures that guys around Harper are cursed, and something attacks Dean and the phone goes dead.
Jack goes out of the bathroom and Harper apologizes for coming off as intense. He says that she's fine and so is he, but he doesn't know if he wants to get coffee with her. Dean breaks in and locks the door, and then tells Harper that he works with Jack and they're not FBI... and they're there to save her from whatever is snarling and trying to break down the door.
Dean explains that the creature punched him in the face, and sees a photo of Vance and tells Harper that it's the monster. Vance calls to Harper through the door and Dean figures that he's a zombie, and tells Jack that there's only one way to stop it. The undead Vance comes in, and Dean stabs him with a silver knife and tells Jack to get Vance out. Jack does so and Dean yells at Vance to get his attention. The zombie charges at him and they fight.
Sam and Charlie continue watching the bus stop, and Sam tells Charlie that she can't just go off alone. He says that people need people and she's a Hunter, and he knows that they can't just walk away from it. Charlie tells him that it's her life, not his and not his Charlie's. The figure comes back and sits down next to a man at the bus stop. The bus pulls up, blocking their view, and when it moves off the figure is dragging the man into a nearby alley.
Jack tells Harper that they have to keep moving and takes her hand.
Dean and Vance continue fighting and Vance finally walks off.
Jack and Harper go to the library and lock the door.
Sam and Charlie go down the alley and find a door covered in goo. According to Charlie's book, a brass nail dipped in sugar water can kill the Musca. Sam says that they'll have to get creative and go into the building. There's a stench in the area and flies buzzing around. Charlie and Sam go down the stairs, guns drawn, and split up to search the place. Sam finds a rag dipped in chloroform, and Charlie finds the man atop a pile of bodies and confirms that he's still alive. The Musca reaches out and grabs Charlie, and she yanks free but knocks herself out when she falls to the floor. The Musca emerges from the pile of bodies and attacks Sam, and Charlie wakes up and kills it. It turns to face her and Sam shoots it. The Musca goes down, leaving Charlie covered in its goo.
Vance arrives at the library and Harper goes to make sure the door is fully locked. Vance sees her and they look at each other, and Harper opens the door and lets Vance in. He gives Harper a book and she kisses him, and tells Jack that Vance is her boyfriend and he just gets jealous. Harper explains that Vance is stalking Jack, and it's a game that the two of them pretend. She says that Vance has to eat flesh to maintain his body and it all works out... except for Jack. Vance lunges at Jack, who ducks into the shelves.
Harper announces over the PA that she comes from a long line of necromancers and Jack is obviously a Hunter, and she can't let Jack or Dean get in-between her and Vance. She says that she had to kill Vance to keep him in town after college, and none of the other guys are like Vance so they had to die. Harper picks up a romance novel and waits, while Jack hides from Vance. Dean finds Jack and tells him that they have to get zombies back into their grave and drive a silver spike through his heart.
Jack calls to Harper, asking why she's doing it. He says that he's not afraid to really love her, and comes to her desk and asks what it would be like for her to be with someone alive. Harper points out that she tried to kill him, and Jack says that all relationships have stuff but they could stay in the town and never leaves. Vance knocks Vance down, and Dean shoots him with a shotgun. As the zombie advances on Dean, Dean asks him if he enjoys eating people to stay with Harper. Harper tells Vance to kill Dean, and Jack handcuffs Vance with a pair of silver handcuffs. Vance screams in pain as his wrists burn, and harper runs out before they can catch her.
As Sam and Charlie drive back, Sam figures that the man from the bus stop will be fine. Sam says that the Musca could have been happy but went off on his own, and Charlie says that she gets the point about going off on her own. She says that she found love and lost it, and doesn't kill people and nest in their body parts. Sam suggests that they saved a man with a wife and children, and if they help people and then they'll help people, and it's all worth it. Charlie remembers burying Kara, and tells Sam that she is not like the Musca but she'll think about staying.
Harper stops at a diner and writes to Jack saying that he's the first man to get her to leave McCook. Once she'll kill him for destroying Vance, she'll bring him back and they'll be back together.
After Jack and Dean destroy Vance, they go back to the bunker and Dean says that love gets crazier than what Vance and Harper had. He tells Jack that he did good, and Jack points out that he was right and Dean should let him go on hunts. Dean tells him that he'll make mistakes and it's how he learns from the mistakes. Jack says that it's about not beating themselves up about making mistakes, and Dean tells him that he'll talk to Sam when he gets back. After another bout of coughing, blood pours from Jack's nose and he collapses.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 16, 2018