So... As I've said before sometimes I will write things out of order. I'll do a bunch of work on the middle of the story while I'm still working on the earlier chapters. Putting ideas down as they come to me. So we've now reached a part where I had written quite a bit already. I've got 6 or 7 chapters done. I'm not going to post them all at once because I want to give myself some cushion to write additional chapters and hopefully to maintain at least a semi consistent update schedule. So for the next several weeks anyway we will have normal updates.
Not sure how many if any people are still reading the story. Typically people won't pick something up until it is done. If you've stuck with me so far. Thanks. :)
Paul flinches back at the mention of his name. He's dirty, covered in filth, and too many wounds to count. They vary in age from somewhat healed to freshly inflicted. Peter growls in anger at the state of his pack mate and slashes at the chain holding the door shut. Paul cries out and presses himself further back in the corner hand held up defensively. Peter wrenches the door open and Paul screams. The scream, broken and hopeless sounding is nearly as traumatizing to the pack as Paul's physical condition. Derek grabs his uncle's arm. "Hold on." Peter freezes realizing his actions are further traumatizing his pack mate and moves back. "We need to get him out of here. If we are discovered our chances of making it out alive are nonexistent" Peter says under his breath. "Paul?" Derek asks gently kneeling down to eye level. "Do you know who I am?" Paul's rapid breaths and unhealthily rapid heart beats are the only reply. "Paul. I'm Derek. I'm your Alpha. Can I take you to Isaac and Kyle?" For a moment there is a flash of recognition in Paul's wild terrified eyes. "Derek." Paul whispers his voice hoarse from who knows what abuse. "Derek?" Paul says again his heart slowing slightly. "Yes. Do you remember? Derek Hale, Isaac Lahey, Kyle Jeffreys." "Dead." Paul says as a wave of sorrow and loss rolls off of him. "Dead." He says again sobbing and turning his head away. "Paul." Derek says moving forward slightly. "I'm not dead. No one is dead. Isaac and Kyle are alive." Paul looks blankly at Derek the recognition from before gone.
"Paul. It is very dangerous here. We need to leave right now." Derek moves closer to Paul. Paul notices and whimpers trying to get further away. "I'll never hurt you. We're your pack. Please let me help you." Derek reaches out slowly as he moves further into the cage eventually he reaches Paul's shoulder. Paul flinches so violently that the entire cage shakes. Peter's nose twitches and he looks at Scott standing to his right. Scott's half shifted to Beta hands clenched tightly against his claws causing blood to drip from them as tears streak his face. "Check the hallway." Peter whispers to Scott. Scott blinks a few times as his control returns and his human features return. He nods stiffly and moves towards the door. "It's OK." Derek says soothingly. He squeezes Paul's shoulder gently sliding his hand up around and then gently kneads at the back of Paul's neck. Paul shudders groaning brokenly. "No…." Paul cries out weekly. "Come here." Derek whispers as he pulls Paul forward and embraces him firmly. "Paul, we have to leave right now." Derek whispers. Paul shudders again whining quietly, weakly trying to push Derek away.. "We're going to take you home." Peter says gently kneeling down and looking at cables connected to the cage. "Derek" He says drawing the Alpha's attention. Peter gestures to the cables connected to the cage and then to the equipment on a nearby table. They see for the first time the entire cage is rigged to electrocute Paul. Were it to be switched on there would be no escape from the current. The two wolves look again at Paul's body and see several areas where the skin is crisscrossed with burn marks from the electrified cage. "Come on." Derek says fighting to keep his voice soft as his eyes burn red with fury. "Look around and see if you can find some clothes." Derek says over his shoulder. Peter begins rapidly checking the cabinets and drawers in the room. After fruitlessly checking half of the room he wrenches open a cabinet and finds Paul's clothes lying in a wad at the bottom of the cabinet. His long dead phone with the removed battery shoved in one of the shoes. Peter shoves the device in his pocket and then carries the clothes to Derek.
Derek starts to back out of the cage pulling the reluctant human with him. Soon they are out Derek stands helping Paul up. "No" Is all Paul says as he nearly collapses against Derek.
"Guys." Scott's voice comes from the hallway. "The elevator is moving we need to leave now." Derek pulls Paul into his arms and he and Peter walk swiftly out of the room. They head away from the elevator back towards the stairs they had used to gain access to the secure floor.
"The charges are all set." Chris says over the radio. "Guys you have movement all over the place. You need to get out now." Danny says a moment later. "Is the stairwell still clear?" Peter asks as they pause at the door. "Yes but not all the way down." "We have to move the elevator is nearly here." Scott says as they all rush in to the stairway. "There is a welcoming party on the 3rd floor guys. They don't seem to know you're above them. You're going to be OK down to the 5th floor any closer and they will hear you." "What good does the 5th floor do us?" Derek whispers as they all hurriedly move down the stairs. Paul whimpering and struggling weakly in his arms. "There is a service elevator that I should be able to get you to. There's a problem though." Danny sighs. "Of course." Scott growls softly. "There is a large open space you'll need to cross. The floor is mostly deserted but there are guards. The cameras are out on that floor. Once you leave the stairs i'll be blind." "How about 6?" Derek says pausing outside the 6th floor door. "There are too many people on that floor. I don't see how you could possibly make it through." Danny says. "How do you know there aren't too many people on 5?" Peter asks.
"On the blueprints it is mostly mechanical stuff. HVAC, water heaters etc. Also storage. Guys they are moving up the stairs you need to go now." "Shouldn't all that be on the roof or in the basement?" Scott asks. "Possible trap, or definite fight." Derek says. "We don't have a choice." Peter says as they descend the steps and approach the door for level 5. "Open the door then secure it behind us." Derek says. The badge reader on the door flashes green and Scott pulls it open. The group slips in side pulling the door shut just as people from below come up the stairs. The reader flashes red as Danny secures the door and locks out all badges. "So far so good." Scott whispers through his throat mic. The men move slowly through the darkened space. Mechanical noises humming softly in the near darkness. "Keep going north and you should come to a set of double doors. Through there you'll be in the big open space. It's either nothing, or its a shooting gallery." Danny says worriedly. "They are not watching the service elevator?" Peter asks as they approach the mentioned double doors. "They locked it down on your floor. I'll be able to unlock it however once it starts moving they will likely be alerted." Danny confesses. "Well?" Derek asks with annoyance. "I'm going to put the fire system in test mode as soon as you're in the elevator. Then I'm going to simulate a fire it'll set off alarms and will hopefully draw their attention away from the elevator status board in the security office." "Do they know Paul is gone yet?" Scott asks looking at his terrified squirming pack mate. "No, the people who came up in the elevator walked past and are in another office on that level." Danny replies. "So they know we're in the building but not that we're here for Paul." Derek says. "They are in the middle of a cold war of sorts with several other families." Chris says speculatively. "Ok let's do it." Peter says opening the door just enough to peer out. "Give me a moment to see what we're up against." He says. Derek frowns but nods and Peter slips through the door silently. He moves away from the door to distance himself from the rumbling machinery and concentrates on his sense of smell and hearing. "The floor is unfinished." Peter says eyeing the construction materials and exposed beams.
"There are 4…." A slight scuffle is heard over the radio followed by silence. "Correction 3 guards. One is in the office next to the service elevator. He's on the phone, the other two are…." Peter?" Scott asks opening the door slightly. "The other two are….let's say indisposed...entertaining each other rather vigorously on the other end of the floor. Come out stay in the shadows." Soon they are creeping towards the service elevator. Eyes on the window where the other guard is. "Danny open the door." Derek whispers when they are pressed against the wall next to the elevator. They keypad next to the elevator call button lights up and beeps softly before the doors slide open noiselessly. The wolves breathe a sigh of relief and silently board the lift. "OK Danny express us to the bottom lock out the other floors." Peter says hand hovering over the button. "One moment." Danny says. "I'm in the van I can be at the doors in 10 seconds I just need you to say when." Chris says from his position down on the street. Suddenly alarms sound and strobes inside the building begin to flash. "Ok go." Danny says. Peter hits the button for the ground floor and the lift starts moving. "Anything?" Derek says struggling to hold on to Paul who's crying and fighting against him resumed when the alarms sounded.
"They are moving towards the indicated area you'll probably have a 60 second window." Danny says. "Chris go!" Scott says seconds later they are on the ground floor. Peter stabs at the button to open the external doors instead of the ones that would lead inside the building. As the doors open they hear a crash as Chris rams the van through the fence at the back of the property and careens towards them. The guards distracted by the fire alarm take no notice of this. As the van skids to a stop next to the elevator Chris looks around with his eyes raised scanning windows and the roof. "Can't believe it was that easy." He mutters as the side door is thrown open and the wolves pour into the van." "Go!" Peter shouts slamming the door. Chris guns the engine and cuts the wheel racing back out the way they came. "Care to do the honors?" Chris says handing Peter a small remote. Peter grins "I'd be delighted." Taking the remote he presses the button seconds later several explosions can be heard. Peering out the back window the pack watches as the building leans dangerously to the side then collapses in on itself. "Wow." Scott says eyes wide. "That was…...More than I was expecting." "They really should not have left so many flammables in the basement." Chris says slowing the van to an acceptable speed limit and casting a critical eye over his shoulder. "How is he?"
Paul is still now but shaking with fear. "Please." He begs softly. "Paul?" Scott says kneeling down in front of the terrified human. "Don't hurt me." Paul finishes. Scott reaches a reassuring hand towards Paul. Paul jerks and screams surging to his feet he catches Derek off guard and escapes his grasp. Paul flings himself at the back door and manages to get it open before any of the shocked wolves can reach him. He jumps out of the speeding van and hits the ground rolling several times before coming to a stop.