-OK. Yeah, we are trying to, I'm still trying to pick up a scent but I can't find anything. But she's definitely attracted to something.

She could hear him behind her. They were trying to find out if Scott had heard from Stiles, because he wasn't picking up his phone, but from the way the conversation had derailed, it was obvious that Scott had already reached Deucalion. So she kept walking, pulled by that small thug that she could feel in her heart, the Nemeton was calling her and she was answering, step by step, wondering what she would find in the end. Was his father still alive? Scott's, Stiles'?

The storm just grew worse.

-Allison!

Isaac reached her. From the way he looked at her she thought that he had seen a ghost. Maybe she was becoming one. After a minute or two he decided he could not stay quiet anymore. How... Stiles of him.

-So, how was it? You know... being dead? Did you see your whole life in front of your eyes or something?

-No - she chuckled - Nothing like that. We saw the same moment, actually, from each of our perspectives. I saw myself with my mom, we were driving, and suddenly this boy appeared in the middle of the road. I had to yell at my mom to go back and look for him, it was hysterical. Anyways, we went back and he wasn't there anymore, and the only thing we found was this inhaler that my mom very conveniently decided to throw away. I wonder if he ever got it back?

-Who?

-Scott. He was the guy we almost hit.

-You are kidding me.

-No, I'm not. We realized the moment we woke up, that we were together somehow. That we are together somehow.

-Wow.

-Yeah. Wow.

They kept walking for a bit longer. The thug was much stronger now, and she almost wanted to start sprinting, but she was afraid she would be caught unaware of whatever horror was Ms. Blake hiding there. Better be cautious than dead, her mother had said to her once.

-Why that moment?

-What?

-You said that the three of you thought of the same moment? Why the moment when you almost ran over Scott?

-No, the moment was when Scott was bitten.

-What?

-Yeah... I mean, I didn't know until we were back, but it was true: that night, Scott and Stiles went looking for Laura Hale's body, and ended up with Stiles being picked up by his father and Scott being bitten by Peter. And my mom and I almost killed Scott when he appeared in the middle of the road. C'mon, we are really close.

-When Scott got bitten. Maybe it was the first time you guys were together or something?

There was a hinge of jealousy in there, and she couldn't help but smile. He had been alone for so long, he was envious that they had been friends for a while before they met him. But she knew the truth.

-No. It was a test, a trial. The Nemeton was seeing if we were true enough to our roles. True guardians, I guess, or at least true enough to substitute our parents. And I guess that moment was when we became guardians. Of Beacon Hills.

-But that's bull! It's not like you were offered with the option and said "Yeah!" or told "Here's what you gotta do now". Christ, you were thrown into this like hay to the fire, expected to be consumed at the end.

-I guess that's what makes us special. That we survived.

-That you survived, or that you've been shouldering because there's no other choice?

-There's always another option. We could've ignored it. Scott could've become an omega, or follow Peter, or killed himself. Stiles could've ignored it, or ran away.

What could she have done? Honestly, she didn't know, because she knew she would've never choosen another option. He smiled at her, understanding.
Suddenly, his face changed. Had he picked up the scent?

-Allison, I hear something.

-What?

-It's an emmitter. It's one of your dad's. I can hear it now. Let's go!

-Not so fast! We don't know what is over there!

But he was already gone by the time she said that. So she ran after him, letting the thug guide her in the same direction the wolf was running. She didn't stop until she saw him getting close to a trap door that was less than a hundred yards from the stump where Stiles was standing.

-Stiles! You're here!

-What? Allison, what are you talking about, where's Stiles?

A quick look from the wolf told her that he couldn't see him, and a quick glance at the boy told her that something was very, very wrong.

-Stiles?

-Allison, listen to me. I don't know why, but I know that this storm will make the cellar cave in, so you need to get to my jeep and grab the sledgehammer and the bat that are there, together with Isaac's strength should be enough to hold the walls from falling completely over. You need to go grab them, that way you can save them. I need to go to Scott to make sure he doesn't lose his humanity to the curse.

-What? What do you mean? Stiles, where are you? Are you...?

-No, I'm not dead yet, but I will be - there's no time. Allison, please listen to me, I need you to save my father, and tell him I love him.

-Where are you? Stiles, please, answer me!

-You know where I am. Find my body and save our parents.

And with that the boy disappeared. Allison couldn't believe it - had it been a ghost? A hallucination?

-Allison, please!

Isaac brought her back to reality. He was trying to pry the door open - she just told him to rip it apart. They could hear the adults voices in there, but before Isaac could jump into the cellar she grabbed him and shouted that the cellar was about to cave in and they were going to get help. She could almost hear her father agreeing with her and immediately started to run to where she knew Stiles jeep was waiting for her - it was nearby, a bit more than a mile away. She thanked her father for teaching her to run through the woods in sneakers. As soon as they reached the jeep she got her phone out and started dialing 911 but stopped. There was a reason why Stiles hadn't mentioned the possibility, and she knew it - if she called 911 Scott's father would be onto them, and right now they couldn't afford it. So she directed Isaac to grab the stuff and run back to them, while she was trying to remember all of her parents' teachings about what to do in an accident.

-What have we said, Allison?

Her mother was there again, reminding her of what to do.

-If there's no immediate need to hide the body, we call 911.

-Is there any immediate need to hide the body?

-If Scott's dad sees us here he'll try to arrest us or at least will suspect of us. More than he already does. We can't risk him finding out about us.

-Is there any immediate need to hide the body?

No, there wasn't. And they could always worm their way out of the law - Gerard had told her about the very good lawyers the Argent family employed. So she took out her cellphone and dialed 911.

-911, what is your emergency?

-I need your help. I'm sending you two sets of coordinates, both of sites in the middle of Beacon Hills natural reserve. The first one leads to a root cellar where I know there are at least three persons trapped, my friend is trying to help them but I fear is gonna cave in. The second leads to a site approximately a mile from there - I'm with a boy, sixteen years old, he had an accident and ran his car into a tree. He's unconscious, but breathing, but he's bleeding from the head.

-OK, I need you to calm down and repeat me the coordinates.

She looked at her screen and gave her the GPS codes.

-OK, we are sending someone immediately. I need you to stay in the line. Are you hurt?

-No, I'm fine. It's just my friend here and I don't know about those in the cellar.

-There's help on the way - Parks and Rec will be there really soon. What is your name, sweetheart?

-I'm Allison.

-OK, Allison, I want you to... give me one second, Allison - she heard the line go mute. She knew what it meant - Allison? Allison Argent?

-Yes, Agent McCall.

Consequences be damned.