The first bullet tore through my left collar bone, going out the other side. I followed the force of the bullet, catching myself and then trying to make my get away. I ran around the back side of Chris, hiring another bullet wiz past me. Gerard pulled the trigger again, this time hitting me in the back. The force pushed me to the ground with a small cry.
"What are you doing?!" Chris yelled over the sound of the last bullet. I knew he wasn't talking to me, but I didn't want to stick around and find out how the conversation ended. I pushed myself up to my knees with my right hand, biting back the pain between my shoulder blades.
"This woman," Gerard said enraged, "betrayed us all. Hiding amongst us for years. Befriending Kate just to standby as they murdered her. I think…she's getting exactly what she deserves." Another bullet cracks through the air at the same time a growl does.
The bullet sliced through my right side, bouncing off the pavement, and it was all I could to stay up. I heard more growling and a scuffle, along with the gun sliding across the floor. I felt arms wrap around my back and pull me to my feet. "Come on!" It was Scott.
I didn't question how he got there or what had happened. I just held onto him and ran the best I could. We got about a mile away before stopping. Scott leaned me against a wall and then looked at my back. "Why aren't you healing?!"
"I am. The claw marks are from the Kanima. Those will…take a little longer," I said. "But the rest is healing." I sighed, out of breath and tired. I looked back at him the best I could. "How'd you find me?"
"I heard you at Jackson's. Followed your scent the rest of the way."
"Thanks for coming."
He nodded, with a look like he was shocked I'd think that he wouldn't come to my aid. "Of course."
"What happened back there?"
"Derek," Scott said. "I just saw him smack the gun out of Gerard's hands. I saw an opening and used it to get you out of there."
I nodded, pushing off the wall. "Come on, then. Jackson's getting away."
"Are you serious?" he was shocked. "You were shot three times and, I'm assuming, beaten before that."
"Yeah, I'm well aware. But I need to find him before Derek does." I started walking away from Scott. A second later he was by my side, wrapping an arm around my lower back to help me stay upright. I followed the sound of the Kanima's claws scraping across things for as long as I could.
We got closer to the center of town and all the background noise drowned it out. Scott had let go of me a little while ago. I was able to stand on my own. I was still bleeding but doing a lot better. We walked down an alley until we reached the end. It appeared to be some kind of night club. Scott peered around the corner as I hung back.
"Did you see where he went?" I jumped at the sound of Stiles' voice. I glared at him with daggers. He cringed. "Sorry, sorry." Then he looked me over. "Oh, my – what happened to you?!"
"Long story," I said. "And, we lost him."
"What? You couldn't catch a scent?"
"He doesn't have one. I've been following him by sound this whole time."
"Okay," he said, seeming a bit offended. I sighed. I know I said that a bit flippantly, but the boy needs to get over it. I'm not in the mood to play to people's feeling right now. He looked around me to Scott. "Any clue where he's going?"
"To kill someone," he replied.
"Ah. That explains the claws and the fangs and all that. Good. Makes perfect sense now," Stiles bobbed his head. I scoffed and walked around them to look at the front of the club. "What? Scott, come on. I'm 147 pounds of pale skin and fragile bone, okay? Sarcasm is my only defense."
"Just help me find it."
"Not 'it'. Jackson."
"Yeah, I know."
"Alright, but does he know that?"
"No," I said. I walked back up to them. "I was at his house, about to tell him, when this happened."
"You were there?" Stiles asked.
"Do you know what caused it?" Scott added.
"Whoever's controlling him…? I don't know," I answered.
"That's helpful," Stiles said. I glared at him. He looked away and at the building. He started backing up, staring at something. "Uh…dude." I heard the hissing before I even walked over to Stiles and looked at what he was seeing with Scott. I caught the tail end (literally) of the Kanima crawling into an open window of the club. "What's he gonna do in there?"
"I know who he's after," Scott said. I looked down at him and followed his gaze.
"What? How?" Stiles asked. Scott was staring at a boy in the line to get into the club.
"Armani."
"Who?" I asked.
"Danny," Stiles said. "He's, like, Jackson's best friend." I sighed and then walked back into the alley, looking for the back door into the building. I heard Stiles and Scott following. I walked up to the door, twisting the handle until it broke off. I tossed it to the side and then pulled the door open.
"That's one way to do it," I heard Stiles grumble. I ignored him and kept walking until I'd found the main part of the club. It didn't take long. Just follow the pounding music and the smell of desperation. I stepped out into the main part of the club and swore under my breath.
Scott and Stiles came to a halt beside me, seeming just as surprised as I was. "Dude," Scott said, "everyone in here's a dude." I sighed, trying to ignore all of the things men were thrusting around the room. "I think we're in a gay club." Had I been feeling better, I might have slapped him. But an annoyed eye roll was all I could muster.
"Man, nothing gets past those keen werewolf senses, huh, Scott?" Stiles said. I looked at Stiles and bit back a laugh. His face was priceless, but he also had several men dressed as women pawing at him. His eyes locked on mine. For a second I thought he might kill me if I said something.
"Come on, guys," I said. "We need to stay focused-" some half-naked men shoved past, dancing to the music, oblivious to slamming into me. "-as hard as that might be," I grumbled. Stiles walked up to me and began taking off his jacket. "Oh," I said with disgust. "Not you, too!"
"What?! No!" he scoffed, holding out the jacket. "This is for you. Again." I took it from him and slipped it on, hissing slightly at the pain in my shoulders that still remained. "Just make sure I get this one back."
I nodded, zipping it. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Like, seriously, don't."
I rolled my eyes and then started moving. We walked through the club and to the bar. It was in the center, so it helped us get a little better view of the crowd. We walked up to the counter, Stiles pounding his fist on it. "Two beers."
"No!" I told the bartender, nearly cutting Stiles off. The guy looked at me. "Don't serve these guys anything."
Stiles turned to me. "Oh, come on!"
"I shouldn't be serving you, either," the bar tender said. I looked at him, slightly confused. "Men only. How'd you even get in here?"
"I'll just see myself out." I took a few steps back and looked at Scott. He offered a helpless expression.
"Hey, I found Danny," Stiles said, pointing past me. I turned and saw him in the crowd dancing with another guy.
"And, I found Jackson," Scott said. I followed his gaze to the ceiling. The Kanima was above the dance floor. I looked back to Scott about to reply as a security guard walked by and grabbed my arm. "Let's go," he said, pulling me. I cringed, since he'd yanked on my left arm.
I spun, putting my right hand on the back of his head and then pulling it down into my knee cap. The action was followed by a crack and then his body sinking to the ground. I looked at the others. Stiles' mouth was on the ground. "Scott, let's go." I nodded toward the crowd as my claws came out, and then started walking that way.
"Get Danny," I heard Scott say behind me. Probably to Stiles. I kept walking, keeping my eyes on the Kanima. I was trying to get right under it. But the fog machines turned on and I lost sight of him. The fog cleared and he was no longer on the ceiling. Scott stood beside me. "Where'd he go?"
"I don't know. He must be in the crowd. Split up," I said. He nodded and then walked away. I started working my way through the crowd. A thud caught my attention through the noise of the music. I noticed a few people seeming to disappear in the middle of the crowd.
I pushed through the bodies and ran that way. I came out of the mess to find several men on the ground, the Kanima hovering over Danny. "Jackson!" Scott yelled, running up next to me. I looked up, following the Kanima's gaze. Derek appeared in the mess of the crowd, fully shifted.
"Derek," I said his name with a warning tone. His eyes looked at me for only a minute before he lunged forward. "No!" I lunged and tackled him to the ground. But his claws had already ripped open the Kanima's throat. I lay on top of Derek, staring at him. "What are you doing?"
"What needs to be done," he replied before shoving me off of him. I rolled onto my back as he vanished. The rest of the room was gasping at what had happened, all noticing the men paralyzed on the ground. Stiles ran up to me and grabbed me, pulling me up.
Once I was standing, we started moving. Disappearing into the crowd. "Where's Scott?"
"Following Jackson," Stiles said. We pushed through the crowd to the back of the building. I picked up Scott's scent and let it lead me to him. We exited the building through a side door and then followed the blood trail through the parking lot.
We found Scott crouched down next to Jackson. He was human. And naked. He had blood running down his chest from the wound in his neck, which had already completely healed. Scott looked up at me. "What do we do with him, now?"
"Well, we can't leave him here for Derek to finish off," I said, looking at Stiles. "Go get you car." He grumbled something but left anyway. He came back a few minutes later. We'd gotten Jackson in the back seat before the police had arrived. "We need to find out if Danny knows about Jackson."
"Okay," Scott said. "I'll talk to him."
"And, what about the naked guy in my car?" Stiles asked.
"I'm sure you'll figure something out," I smiled. "I need to tell Ben what happened here, so I'm staying. But you two need to get Jackson out of here." Before Stiles could protest any further, I walked away. I walked up to the front of the building and found Ben.
Of course, he wasn't too happy to see me at another crime scene…that I probably caused. "You," he pointed at me, clearly holding back his anger. "We need to talk," he spoke through gritted teeth. I opened my mouth and he cut me off. "Not here. Understand?" I nodded. "I'm tired of you keeping me out of the loop. This has got to stop."
"I know. I'm sorry," I shrugged. And I was going to leave it at that. And I probably should have. "But, you know, I am an adult. I can make my own decisions. I have a life outside of you, one I was perfectly fine living until I came here." I turned to leave, but turned back to add, "And I'm not your daughter."
I turned to walk away and slammed right into the sheriff. "Sorry."
"Sara, what are you doing here?" He looked me over, stopping on the jacket.
I sighed. "What? A girl can't wear men's clothing?" I said as flippantly as I could. I walked away before he could reply, not that it looked like he even knew what to say. I got about five feet before my eyes locked onto another person I knew. Another person I could yell at. Chris.
He was along the sidelines talking to people. Anger boiled inside of me and I marched up to him. I saw his car parked across the street from the club and figured Gerard was in it. I walked up to Chris and grabbed his arm, pulling him out of Gerard's sight. He jerked his arm free, glaring at me sympathetically.
"What…what was that? I thought you and I were good," I said, "I thought things were fine between us."
"Me and you, yes. Not with him." I rolled my eyes at his words. "As far as he's concerned-"
"What? I need to die, too, in his quest to rid the world of the supernatural?" I asked. Chris stepped forward, reaching a hand out. I stepped back, out of his grasp. "No! You can't play both sides, Chris! That's what you're doing. That's what we're all doing. Everyone's got their own sides and their own rules." I stepped closer to him. "You and I both know your sister got what she deserved."
He straightened and then spoke with a controlled voice. "I know."
"Really? And, what happened to your code? How many things are you going to let Gerard ruin and kill before you pull your head out of your butt and see the light of day?! You need to pick a side before it's made for you. You're either my enemy or my friend. You can't be both."
He didn't reply for a couple minutes, letting me cool down. "Are you sure you're still talking about me?"
I looked up at him. His eyes were sympathetic, studying my every move. I shook my head and walked away.
