p class="MsoNormal"Maybe getting it on in the back of a car when supposed to be watching a homicidal lizard was an error in judgement for Ellie and Scott. After their intense conversation, it just sort of happened - they probably would've stayed the entire night sleeping there if Stiles hadn't woken them up./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="3dad26b53de0d13e1a9c239784888947"Disgust clouded over his features for a moment when he saw them curled together intimately, but Ellie figured that he ignored the situation for his own benefit and continued to complain about their inability to 'do anything right'./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="dfd978c7a1f8ea3342d9ecc9e69ebc83"Sighing, Ellie said: "I have to tell Uncle Chris." Scott didn't reply, only frowned in consideration. "He's going to kill someone," she added, "Chris is an experience hunter - he'll be able to cope better than we will."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="75d9537144c9f0df2befa368b4677167""Okay." The werewolf said eventually, "Okay, tell him. Tell him everything."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="d323e78e6fd890f6e4cd83c06d72eea9""Scott... I think we've got to tell mine, too," Stiles added. "He doesn't know what he's dealing with."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="612d04ddad98544dfe5d5397addf766d"Scott's shoulders drooped. "This is all my fault."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="775901f649885e8e6bbec23fbb529f2e""No! No, it isn't, Scott." Ellie shook her head earnestly, "If it's anyone's, it's Derek's. He's the one who bit Jackson. But we have to tell them; we're just a bunch of teenagers, we can't handle this by ourselves."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="571f10dc30430981afa797a63768e276""Okay," Scott replied./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="b0a23d4c6c4e44dcd24bb38ea2a89b4c"Ellie turned to Stiles. "How are you going to make your dad believe all of this? I don't even believe it half the time and I'm a part of it!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="462dc1d873e4ea9fe057daa76025a833""I don't know," Stiles shuffled his feet. "But he has to know. It's not safe otherwise."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="cfaa2e2f99f502d6f035641c2093c093"Scott turned around, nodding, eyes flashing gold. "He'll believe me."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="9eecb7db59d16c80417c72d1e1f4fbf1";/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="4460421a0fb31b36947f2bb50fb473ca"Ellie decided not to go with the boys to the police station, instead intent on returning home and informing Allison what was going on - maybe telling Chris against her boyfriend's wishes./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="254687ec6cfc894290c65f4d1b663dcd"The house was dark when she got back, her aunt and uncle either out or asleep, and the sound of faint voices was emanating from her cousin's room. Cautiously, she peeked her head through the door, relaxing when she saw Allison and Lydia sat together./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="eb14de0d19d3494ceb9c6fac2e3f5743""What's going on?" Ellie asked softly. The girls were staring at the computer screen in the corner of the room, Allison seeming enraptured in whatever Lydia was doing./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="8759e24a3a0965bef79267880127d279"Allison didn't turn around to answer. "Lydia's translating that thing for, um, that lesson. You know, the archaic Latin text."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="96ba3491dc49a7372ba5a1a869f4fa5c""Ooh," the shorter girl said, leaning down to watch what Lydia was doing - which wasn't entirely interesting; she was just scrolling down the page disinterestedly and flicking her eyes over the text. "Do you, um, understand it?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="f74d0c1d5bed1e3df034885dfb9e7c6a""Yes," Lydia sniffed. "Now shush, I need to concentrate."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="c257f46c339d0687d87317545ce11c90"Ellie did as she was told, until the strawberry blonde suddenly stopped, squinting. "This says that 'the kanima seeks a master'. Does that mean anything to you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="06b7453f4ab6b0fbd6ba1aae76f3a089""Are you - are you sure? Miss Morrell said that that word means friend; 'the kanima seeks a friend'." Allison said desperately, sharing a horrified look with her cousin./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="d3ed7653feeb8a11b902f365edfdd59c""She was wrong," Lydia told them definitively. "It means master."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="3fe4c4087b441d31c511a1029a831ebd""The kanima seeks a master," Ellie repeated./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="48a77db02a471f5d847962020fffe972"Lydia stood up, looking bored. "Is that important."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="4705141612dd4594874cf06e243d0157"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Yes/em, Ellie thought miserably. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Very Important./em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="f3d9b62163c083e575a6d94bd8586c98""Someone's not protecting him," Allison said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="4f70ecd4403fb2dc981713644b2b4cff"Ellie finished, "Someone's controlling him."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="a01a6d709781b5653dface2d0fdb20c9";/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="ac2a3f19881d6b08a74898b0f2ce8e09"It took a total of three tries to get Stiles to answer his phone, and Ellie's patience failed after the first. They had incredibly important news to tell them, news that could potentially change the entire game. When the line was eventually connected to the boys, Ellie allowed Allison to explain - she was much too busy noting down everything she knew about the kanima. If it really sought a master, they weren't looking for a person who wanted to protect Jackson; they were looking for someone who was forcing him to kill people./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="9aad542b3cafc820b3be70d3da5c1c0d""If Jackson doesn't know what he's doing, then he probably doesn't know that someone's controlling him." Allison said into the phone./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="733f2f272d02044c252ea1a270543c49""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Or he doesn't remember/em," Scott suggested./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="228d409bc0481917db768e8863ea1bf2""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"What if it's the same kind of thing that happened with Lydia when she took off for the hospital/em?" Stiles wondered./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="9568de7085675c07e126b4feb1de1596"Ellie answered, "A fugue state."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="06f3cf7a730557aa8dd0490863e66a9d""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"He'd have to forget everything: the murder, getting rid of the blood/em." Stiles added, "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"But he'd need help with the video/em."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="8fc5d10ede4d51cf12668500b885faa9""Whoever's controlling him helped him with that," Ellie nodded, even though Allison was the only one who saw./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="2f7db7bccf762d7d574eda6c9ec7cb81"Allison's mouth tightened. "Are you sure Jackson has no clue about any of this?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="5c55670e9889e3641a79206e32fcf016""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"He thinks he's still becoming a werewolf and that being with Lydia somehow delayed the whole thing/em," Stiles explained./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="949b526923fd7d1b40119ec851683f33""So," she continued, "Do we try and convince him he's not?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="e8253f5b8293134d7b59e7483127c7af""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"If it helps us find out who's controlling him,/em" Scott agreed. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Then, yeah."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="82c5b08469973ec771ac42126cbacc68""Do you think he'll talk to us after what we did?" Ellie asked, grimacing. They did kidnap him, after all. Lizard or not, that was still deemed socially unacceptable. And, you know, illegal./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="fbeed1cac4a2073ceca054bafc203537""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Yeah, it's us; he'll talk to us/em," Stiles said, though his voice was unsure. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Right/em?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="a464c5e663d44c62e887e18bb3c0ae68";/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="77a42bd22bf8b73cee3299f7cc70d1d0"He was wrong. Apparently, Jackson was so much of an asshole that he got a restraining order put on Scott and Stiles - which made everything infinitely harder. Why did Derek have to bite him of all people?/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="9c0aa48a7ec7608e8c3749e69436330c"And, since their phones were being monitored, and cameras were literally everywhere in school, Ellie had to arrange to speak to the boys by poking their heads through bookshelves. The idea was both cringe-worthy and funny. She almost couldn't believe how low things had gotten for them - Peter and Kate seemed like a walk in the park compared to the kanima, Gerard and Derek./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="0f60d6624e21d3ff6aad2a657b65c10c"Allison and Lydia were together for their free period ("We can't leave her on her own," Ellie argued when her cousin refused to let her go alone. "She's been through a lot - she needs a friend."), and Ellie was tasked to 'nonchalantly stroll through the history section' so that she could see the boys./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="ee68524b2d70da04385eb2aa7e3436df"It would probably be pretty obvious they were talking to each other is someone watched the security feed, but Gerard seemed to be too confident in his intimidation tactics to expect her to talk to Scott and Stiles./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="9ae6b41c2e10f5a3f628d28daa9e6a34"As casually as she could, Ellie passed the tablet with the kanima information through the shelf and into Stiles' hand. "That was everything Lydia could translate, and, trust me, was very confused."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="7e76735dce0e2d47f72d3ac5b060dfba""What did you tell her?" Scott asked, scrolling through the information./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="df842d9d99a171c0f94567411b0b9017""That we're part of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures," she answered, grinning at the idea. A few years ago she had been, but right now she had enough supernatural in her real life - there was no need for any more./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="73be266f5f6119fe69c8b3c1888f5d7a"Stiles said blankly, "I am part of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="32585f2a29f41f05c7b47b737844c52b""Oh," Ellie laughed lightly. "I used to be, too."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="ea649595bc86f7af8a40f3790ac4d550""You did?" Scott sounded surprised, before shaking his head violently. "Okay, no, that's off subject. Does this say what's controlling him?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="a865b6583c55f4eeb83dde6dfc2900d3""Not really, but Stiles is right about the murderers," She conceded. "It calls the kanima a 'weapon of vengeance'. There's a story in there about a South American priest that used the kanima to execute the murderers in his village..."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="57c673122b11338ec3c53a88f18657c6""Alright, so maybe it's not all that bad," Stiles broke in optimistically./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="5e7af3cfb45d5dcac50b50ce740f3a3c""Until the bond grew strong enough and he started to kill anyone he wanted," Ellie finished./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="735948f4ef145e371fc225f743ff7c42"Stiles made a face, "All bad," he said now, "All very, very bad."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="cd88cea993d8a2c2d5b0cf3ad488bbb0""Here's the thing, though, " she added, "The kanima was supposed to be a werewolf, but it can't until..."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="5c178444449c2054d3a73eec820346d6""Until it resolves the thing in its past which manifested it," Scott read, eyebrows knitting together./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="ed1ba599c9e7f8c003192e5584e943da"Stiles scoffed. "Okay, if that means that Jackson could use a few thousand hours of therapy than I could've told you that myself."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="23ca64105c344d132d69c4fcd88bd528""What if it has something to do with his parents?" Ellie suggested quietly, "He's adopted, right? He never knew them."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="99bcd13237c215f34c7db1bb562220eb""Does anyone even know what happened to them?" Scott asked, turning to Stiles/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="876b45a41477f48c7fcef88a5fc31710"His friend took a deep breath, mouth tightening. "Lydia could."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="fd515c012bff3b09252587241c50d65e""And if that doesn't work," she fiddled with a few books before pulling back. "He doesn't have a restraining order against me. I'll just ask him."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="89f20bf145c66f58463442cc168fcf51""But..." Scott frowned. "What am I supposed to do?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="b994077e1242af590038cb9c32c0b7a4""You have a makeup exam," she reminded him. "Don't think about anything but that, okay? The test is important; if you fail the class then you'll have to retake the year."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="4f500cabb69f4a757932fff8f908128f"The werewolf groaned. "Fine, but if he tries anything..."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="e13a0cfb6c0f6bd30a6edace57f18813"Ellie smiled, caught between being pleased that Scott really cared and annoyed that he didn't think she was capable of working on her own. "Scott, I can take care of myself. I'll be fine."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="bbfbb432341fdcb31191ae3e663b37ab"Before her boyfriend could reply, she was walking out and offering nothing but an inconspicuous wave over her shoulder./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="329d55b4e79c95bb3c08afd9e1084994""Dude," Stiles said when she was gone. "Don't worry. If anyone can face Jackson on their own, it's Ellie. She's tougher than she looks."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="061d6f7931e046ba402747a6ee78a897"Scott nodded, trying to allow his best friend's words to comfort him, but all he felt was dread./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="3dad26b53de0d13e1a9c239784888947"Disgust clouded over his features for a moment when he saw them curled together intimately, but Ellie figured that he ignored the situation for his own benefit and continued to complain about their inability to 'do anything right'./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="dfd978c7a1f8ea3342d9ecc9e69ebc83"Sighing, Ellie said: "I have to tell Uncle Chris." Scott didn't reply, only frowned in consideration. "He's going to kill someone," she added, "Chris is an experience hunter - he'll be able to cope better than we will."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="75d9537144c9f0df2befa368b4677167""Okay." The werewolf said eventually, "Okay, tell him. Tell him everything."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="d323e78e6fd890f6e4cd83c06d72eea9""Scott... I think we've got to tell mine, too," Stiles added. "He doesn't know what he's dealing with."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="612d04ddad98544dfe5d5397addf766d"Scott's shoulders drooped. "This is all my fault."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="775901f649885e8e6bbec23fbb529f2e""No! No, it isn't, Scott." Ellie shook her head earnestly, "If it's anyone's, it's Derek's. He's the one who bit Jackson. But we have to tell them; we're just a bunch of teenagers, we can't handle this by ourselves."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="571f10dc30430981afa797a63768e276""Okay," Scott replied./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="b0a23d4c6c4e44dcd24bb38ea2a89b4c"Ellie turned to Stiles. "How are you going to make your dad believe all of this? I don't even believe it half the time and I'm a part of it!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="462dc1d873e4ea9fe057daa76025a833""I don't know," Stiles shuffled his feet. "But he has to know. It's not safe otherwise."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="cfaa2e2f99f502d6f035641c2093c093"Scott turned around, nodding, eyes flashing gold. "He'll believe me."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="9eecb7db59d16c80417c72d1e1f4fbf1";/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="4460421a0fb31b36947f2bb50fb473ca"Ellie decided not to go with the boys to the police station, instead intent on returning home and informing Allison what was going on - maybe telling Chris against her boyfriend's wishes./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="254687ec6cfc894290c65f4d1b663dcd"The house was dark when she got back, her aunt and uncle either out or asleep, and the sound of faint voices was emanating from her cousin's room. Cautiously, she peeked her head through the door, relaxing when she saw Allison and Lydia sat together./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="eb14de0d19d3494ceb9c6fac2e3f5743""What's going on?" Ellie asked softly. The girls were staring at the computer screen in the corner of the room, Allison seeming enraptured in whatever Lydia was doing./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="8759e24a3a0965bef79267880127d279"Allison didn't turn around to answer. "Lydia's translating that thing for, um, that lesson. You know, the archaic Latin text."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="96ba3491dc49a7372ba5a1a869f4fa5c""Ooh," the shorter girl said, leaning down to watch what Lydia was doing - which wasn't entirely interesting; she was just scrolling down the page disinterestedly and flicking her eyes over the text. "Do you, um, understand it?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="f74d0c1d5bed1e3df034885dfb9e7c6a""Yes," Lydia sniffed. "Now shush, I need to concentrate."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="c257f46c339d0687d87317545ce11c90"Ellie did as she was told, until the strawberry blonde suddenly stopped, squinting. "This says that 'the kanima seeks a master'. Does that mean anything to you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="06b7453f4ab6b0fbd6ba1aae76f3a089""Are you - are you sure? Miss Morrell said that that word means friend; 'the kanima seeks a friend'." Allison said desperately, sharing a horrified look with her cousin./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="d3ed7653feeb8a11b902f365edfdd59c""She was wrong," Lydia told them definitively. "It means master."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="3fe4c4087b441d31c511a1029a831ebd""The kanima seeks a master," Ellie repeated./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="48a77db02a471f5d847962020fffe972"Lydia stood up, looking bored. "Is that important."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="4705141612dd4594874cf06e243d0157"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Yes/em, Ellie thought miserably. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Very Important./em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="f3d9b62163c083e575a6d94bd8586c98""Someone's not protecting him," Allison said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="4f70ecd4403fb2dc981713644b2b4cff"Ellie finished, "Someone's controlling him."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="a01a6d709781b5653dface2d0fdb20c9";/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="ac2a3f19881d6b08a74898b0f2ce8e09"It took a total of three tries to get Stiles to answer his phone, and Ellie's patience failed after the first. They had incredibly important news to tell them, news that could potentially change the entire game. When the line was eventually connected to the boys, Ellie allowed Allison to explain - she was much too busy noting down everything she knew about the kanima. If it really sought a master, they weren't looking for a person who wanted to protect Jackson; they were looking for someone who was forcing him to kill people./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="9aad542b3cafc820b3be70d3da5c1c0d""If Jackson doesn't know what he's doing, then he probably doesn't know that someone's controlling him." Allison said into the phone./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="733f2f272d02044c252ea1a270543c49""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Or he doesn't remember/em," Scott suggested./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="228d409bc0481917db768e8863ea1bf2""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"What if it's the same kind of thing that happened with Lydia when she took off for the hospital/em?" Stiles wondered./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="9568de7085675c07e126b4feb1de1596"Ellie answered, "A fugue state."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="06f3cf7a730557aa8dd0490863e66a9d""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"He'd have to forget everything: the murder, getting rid of the blood/em." Stiles added, "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"But he'd need help with the video/em."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="8fc5d10ede4d51cf12668500b885faa9""Whoever's controlling him helped him with that," Ellie nodded, even though Allison was the only one who saw./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="2f7db7bccf762d7d574eda6c9ec7cb81"Allison's mouth tightened. "Are you sure Jackson has no clue about any of this?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="5c55670e9889e3641a79206e32fcf016""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"He thinks he's still becoming a werewolf and that being with Lydia somehow delayed the whole thing/em," Stiles explained./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="949b526923fd7d1b40119ec851683f33""So," she continued, "Do we try and convince him he's not?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="e8253f5b8293134d7b59e7483127c7af""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"If it helps us find out who's controlling him,/em" Scott agreed. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Then, yeah."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="82c5b08469973ec771ac42126cbacc68""Do you think he'll talk to us after what we did?" Ellie asked, grimacing. They did kidnap him, after all. Lizard or not, that was still deemed socially unacceptable. And, you know, illegal./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="fbeed1cac4a2073ceca054bafc203537""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Yeah, it's us; he'll talk to us/em," Stiles said, though his voice was unsure. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Right/em?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="a464c5e663d44c62e887e18bb3c0ae68";/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="77a42bd22bf8b73cee3299f7cc70d1d0"He was wrong. Apparently, Jackson was so much of an asshole that he got a restraining order put on Scott and Stiles - which made everything infinitely harder. Why did Derek have to bite him of all people?/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="9c0aa48a7ec7608e8c3749e69436330c"And, since their phones were being monitored, and cameras were literally everywhere in school, Ellie had to arrange to speak to the boys by poking their heads through bookshelves. The idea was both cringe-worthy and funny. She almost couldn't believe how low things had gotten for them - Peter and Kate seemed like a walk in the park compared to the kanima, Gerard and Derek./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="0f60d6624e21d3ff6aad2a657b65c10c"Allison and Lydia were together for their free period ("We can't leave her on her own," Ellie argued when her cousin refused to let her go alone. "She's been through a lot - she needs a friend."), and Ellie was tasked to 'nonchalantly stroll through the history section' so that she could see the boys./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="ee68524b2d70da04385eb2aa7e3436df"It would probably be pretty obvious they were talking to each other is someone watched the security feed, but Gerard seemed to be too confident in his intimidation tactics to expect her to talk to Scott and Stiles./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="9ae6b41c2e10f5a3f628d28daa9e6a34"As casually as she could, Ellie passed the tablet with the kanima information through the shelf and into Stiles' hand. "That was everything Lydia could translate, and, trust me, was very confused."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="7e76735dce0e2d47f72d3ac5b060dfba""What did you tell her?" Scott asked, scrolling through the information./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="df842d9d99a171c0f94567411b0b9017""That we're part of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures," she answered, grinning at the idea. A few years ago she had been, but right now she had enough supernatural in her real life - there was no need for any more./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="73be266f5f6119fe69c8b3c1888f5d7a"Stiles said blankly, "I am part of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="32585f2a29f41f05c7b47b737844c52b""Oh," Ellie laughed lightly. "I used to be, too."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="ea649595bc86f7af8a40f3790ac4d550""You did?" Scott sounded surprised, before shaking his head violently. "Okay, no, that's off subject. Does this say what's controlling him?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="a865b6583c55f4eeb83dde6dfc2900d3""Not really, but Stiles is right about the murderers," She conceded. "It calls the kanima a 'weapon of vengeance'. There's a story in there about a South American priest that used the kanima to execute the murderers in his village..."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="57c673122b11338ec3c53a88f18657c6""Alright, so maybe it's not all that bad," Stiles broke in optimistically./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="5e7af3cfb45d5dcac50b50ce740f3a3c""Until the bond grew strong enough and he started to kill anyone he wanted," Ellie finished./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="735948f4ef145e371fc225f743ff7c42"Stiles made a face, "All bad," he said now, "All very, very bad."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="cd88cea993d8a2c2d5b0cf3ad488bbb0""Here's the thing, though, " she added, "The kanima was supposed to be a werewolf, but it can't until..."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="5c178444449c2054d3a73eec820346d6""Until it resolves the thing in its past which manifested it," Scott read, eyebrows knitting together./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="ed1ba599c9e7f8c003192e5584e943da"Stiles scoffed. "Okay, if that means that Jackson could use a few thousand hours of therapy than I could've told you that myself."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="23ca64105c344d132d69c4fcd88bd528""What if it has something to do with his parents?" Ellie suggested quietly, "He's adopted, right? He never knew them."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="99bcd13237c215f34c7db1bb562220eb""Does anyone even know what happened to them?" Scott asked, turning to Stiles/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="876b45a41477f48c7fcef88a5fc31710"His friend took a deep breath, mouth tightening. "Lydia could."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="fd515c012bff3b09252587241c50d65e""And if that doesn't work," she fiddled with a few books before pulling back. "He doesn't have a restraining order against me. I'll just ask him."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="89f20bf145c66f58463442cc168fcf51""But..." Scott frowned. "What am I supposed to do?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="b994077e1242af590038cb9c32c0b7a4""You have a makeup exam," she reminded him. "Don't think about anything but that, okay? The test is important; if you fail the class then you'll have to retake the year."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="4f500cabb69f4a757932fff8f908128f"The werewolf groaned. "Fine, but if he tries anything..."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="e13a0cfb6c0f6bd30a6edace57f18813"Ellie smiled, caught between being pleased that Scott really cared and annoyed that he didn't think she was capable of working on her own. "Scott, I can take care of myself. I'll be fine."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="bbfbb432341fdcb31191ae3e663b37ab"Before her boyfriend could reply, she was walking out and offering nothing but an inconspicuous wave over her shoulder./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="329d55b4e79c95bb3c08afd9e1084994""Dude," Stiles said when she was gone. "Don't worry. If anyone can face Jackson on their own, it's Ellie. She's tougher than she looks."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;" data-p-id="061d6f7931e046ba402747a6ee78a897"Scott nodded, trying to allow his best friend's words to comfort him, but all he felt was dread./p