Time of Death:
"This a bad idea." I repeated for what seemed to be the hundredth time as I crossed my arms over my chest with a huff but everyone in the room seemed to ignore me.
When I arrived home that afternoon from lunch with Derek, Scott and Stiles cornered me by the stairs and practically demanded that I get my laptop before joining them in the kitchen. I was too confused and curious to both arguing with them but I regretted that decision the moment they explained their plan to me.
Stiles and Scott stood at opposite ends of the kitchen table while Liam stood next to me on one side and Kira stood directly across from me on the other. Three of our laptops were set up on the table in front of us and I shook my head slightly as I pursed my lips in annoyance.
"Is three enough?" Kira asked nervously as she shifted on her feet with an uneasy expression and I was glad I wasn't the only one who wasn't completely on board with this plan.
"Depends on how many cameras they have. But I think so." Stiles told her with a firm nod of his head as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully and I rolled my eyes at how unprepared we were for this plan.
"Are we really doing this?" Liam asked unsurely as he crossed his arms over his chest and glanced around the table at all of us with a questioning expression.
"No." I answered firmly in unison with Scott, who responded with an equally determined, "We're doing it."
I glared at my brother in defiance with a scowl etched on my lips but he just met my gaze with an unwavering stare of resolve before adding in a pointed voice, "Tonight."
"But isn't it kind of dangerous?" Liam asked sceptically with a raised eyebrow and I nodded rapidly in affirmation as I bit the inside of my cheek.
"It's incredibly dangerous. And borderline idiotic." Stiles amended casually as though it was the most natural occurrence for us to be planning something so incredibly dangerous and completely idiotic.
"Have you guys done something like this before?"
"Something dangerous? Or something idiotic?"
"I think it's a 'yes' to both." Kira informed him with a small nod of her head as she bounced on her toes and Liam made an indistinct noise of understanding, but his chemo signals exuded nervousness.
"It's a definite 'yes' to both." I muttered bitterly with a roll of my eyes and Stiles 'hmmphed' loudly in protest as he gave me a slightly offended look. I offered him a tight smile that didn't even begin to look sincere and he childishly stuck his tongue out at me as he leaned his hands on the table surface.
"You don't have to be part of it if you don't want to." Scott told the youngest member of the pack in a sympathetic voice and my expression instantly softened as I turned my attention to the Beta next to me.
"I'm not scared." Liam protested instantly in a sharp voice as his eyebrows furrowed and I placed a hand on his bicep as I offered him a small smile. I couldn't help feeling proud that he was actively placing himself in danger for the protection of strangers.
"Then you're borderline idiotic." Stiles told him cheerfully as he clapped the younger boy on the shoulder with a smile and Liam grinned slightly as he ducked his head. The lightened mood shifted back as the seriousness of the situation settled around us and Stiles released a sigh as he put his hands back on the table. "If we do this, we don't know what's coming for us. You know that, right?"
"How do we even know something's definitely coming?" I asked them in a demanding tone with my eyebrows raised as I looked between my brother's and Kira nodded demurely in agreement as she looked at her boyfriend for an answer.
"Because the tape from Garrett's bag said visual confirmation required." Scott answered calmly as he fold his arms over his chest and I pursed my lips in annoyance when he mentioned the gym bag belonging to Garrett. I didn't know why Scott felt the need to hide a gym bag under his bed, especially when the only thing inside was a tape recording about how to collect payment from The Benefactor.
"Simon said the same thing. He couldn't get paid by The Benefactor until he had proof that you guys were dead." Stiles murmured thoughtfully as he glanced in my direction and I felt my blood run cold at the mention of Simon's name as I looked down at the ground so no one would notice my guilty expression.
"So the idea is, what if you kill someone on the dead pool, but you can't send the proof?" Scott asked rhetorically as he looked around the table with a slight frown and I planted my hands on the table in front of me as I tilted my head to the side.
"You don't get paid." I said as though it was obvious with a shrug of shoulders and Stiles pointed towards me in approval with a smirk on his lips. "But how does that get us any closer to The Benefactor?"
"He still needs to know if the target is really dead."
"Especially if it's someone high on the list." Stiles added helpfully with a deep nod of his head as he scratched his chin and I automatically scowled at the reminder of what we about to attempt.
"So, if he wants visual confirmation..." Liam trailed off unsurely with a slightly confused expression and I placed a comforting hand on his arm as I looked over at my brother for an answer.
"He's going to have to come get it himself." Scott concluded confidently with a slight smile that did nothing to reassure me and I pursed my lips to stop myself from shouting obscenities as I shook my head.
"I hate this plan." I told them pointedly with an eyebrow raised as I placed my hands on my hips and my brother gave me a sympathetic smile as he turned his attention towards me. "It's a bad plan. A horrible plan."
"It's our best plan."
"That doesn't make it a good plan. It's a bad plan."
"Sophie, I – "
"If my name was on the Dead Pool, then I could do this."
"You know why you couldn't do this. Even if your name was on the Dead Pool. We can't risk you turning into a Darach. I'm not saying you would, but imagine the mayhem you'd cause with your intelligence, skill and resourcefulness. It would be worse than we've faced put together. Times ten." Scott replied easily with a small smirk on his lips and I swear there was a hint of pride in his eyes as he placed a hand on my shoulder in silent support.
"Why doesn't anyone ever want to kill me?" I whined dramatically with a pout on my lips as I dropped down onto one of the seats at the table and Scott chuckled in amusement as he gazed down at me fondly.
"What are you talking about?" Liam asked in confusion as he sat down on the chair next to mine with a frown and I released a loud sigh as I tilted my head to the side thoughtfully.
"Well, Peter loves me. Jackson loves me. Matt liked me. Deucalion likes me. Aiden loved me." I pondered out loud as I raised a finger each time I listed a name and then slumped my shoulders in defeat as I looked around the table at the group. "Even the Nogitsune liked me. At least a little bit."
"Miss Blake hated you." Stiles reminded me in a cheerful tone as he pointed at me with a grin and I hummed in acknowledgment as I nodded slightly in agreement with a small frown.
"Yeah, but that was because she was jealous over Derek. Not because I'm a powerful supernatural entity."
"'Powerful supernatural entity'?"
I gave Stiles a sarcastic smile as there was a knock at the front door and I stood up from my seat with a groan as Scott immediately started moving towards the door. Kira glanced around the room nervously before following after her boyfriend to answer the door and I placed a comforting hand Liam's shoulder because I could sense his unease. He glanced up at me with a shaky smile as I squeezed his shoulder and I looked over at the doorway when my brother led Kira and her mother into the room.
"If I'm doing this, I'm doing it comfortably. Upstairs?" Scott asked with an unease smile as he rocked on his heels and gestured towards the stairs with a nod of his head. A wave of worry washed over me as I watched my brother disappear up the stairs with the Yukimura's and Liam glanced at me nervously before he followed his Alpha.
"This is a bad idea." I repeated resolutely to the human as I strolled over to stand next to him and he chewed on his lower lip nervously as he looked towards the stairs anxiously. "I've already watched him die once before, Stiles."
"He's going to be fine, Soph." Stiles assured me firmly as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and drew me into his side as I rested my head on his shoulder.
There was a brief moment of silence as I contemplated my next sentence and I lifted my head off of his shoulder as I gave him a hesitant look before whispering confidentially, "I told Derek."
"You told –? Why –?" he started questioning frantically as his arms waved spastically and I placed my hand over his mouth to stop him as I glared at him heatedly. His next words came out muffled as I placed my index finger in front of my lips and then tapped my ear before pointed at the roof, silently reminding him that Scott and Liam might be listening to our conversation.
"Yes, I told Derek. My boyfriend, who I lo – who I trust." I corrected myself quickly as I offered him an insincere smile and he eyed me in confusion as he nodded his head slowly. "I needed to talk to someone. Derek kind of knows what I'm going through."
"Paige." He stated in a muffled voice with a sadness in his eyes and I nodded even though it wasn't a question as I released my hold on his head. His shoulders slumped in exhaustion as he tilted his head curiously and he rested a hand on my elbow with a sympathetic smile on his lips. "Did it help? Talking to Derek?"
"A little. I cried it out. Derek made me hot chocolate laced with vodka. It was all very therapeutic."
"You can lace hot chocolate with vodka?"
"Sure. You can lace anything with vodka." I replied nonchalantly with a smirk on my lips as I winked at him and spun around on my heel as he spluttered incoherently behind me.
"Listen, um, I'm gonna go make sure everything's set up at the hospital." He told me nervously as he scratched the back of his head and I narrowed my eyes at him contemplatively as I cocked my head to the side.
"You're just as freaked out as I am. You don't want to watch this either." I stated in a mixture of realisation and amusement as I pointed at him with a small smirk touching my lips. He rolled his eyes at me but didn't argue the point as he avoided my eyes and my face softened into one of sympathy as I walked back over to him. "Go. I can handle this part on my own."
"Yeah? Thanks! Thank you!" he chirped in a rush as he lurched forward to grab my upper arms and pressed a sloppy kiss to my cheek as I scrunched my nose up in mock disgust. "I love you. Love you!"
I laughed slightly as he dashed out of the house without a backwards glance and I rolled my eyes at him fondly as I reluctantly made my way upstairs to Scott's bedroom. My brother was laying on his bed while Kira hovered over him anxiously and her mother stood patiently to side of the room as Liam paced around in distress.
"Have I mentioned this is a bad idea?" I asked sarcastically to announce my presence as I strolled into the bedroom and Scott smiled over at me in amusement but didn't bother defending the plan anymore.
"Are you guys totally sure about this?" Liam asked nervously as he glanced at his Alpha with a frown but didn't stop pacing the length of the room while I walked over to stand near him.
"I think Liam's kind of nervous. Maybe you should tell him it's going to be all right." Kira instructed her boyfriend in a shaky voice as she nibbled on her lower lip and I smiled slightly at the obviousness of her words.
Understanding shined in Scott's dark brown eyes as a grin split his face and he reached up to grasp her hand tightly in her own as he looked straight in her eyes, "It's going to be all right."
"So, you've done this before, right?" Liam asked Noshiko hopefully as he came to a stop next to me with a frown and I linked my arm through his in an attempt to comfort him as well as myself.
"I've seen it done." Noshiko replied in a deadpan voice as she crossed her arms over her chest with a blank expression and I breathed out a disbelieving laugh as I rested the back of my hand on my forehead.
"Is that just as good?"
"No."
"Mom, you're not inspiring confidence." Kira scolded her mother pointedly with a scowl marring her lips and I ran my fingers through my hair as I turned my attention away from the kitsunes.
"Good. This is a terrible idea." Noshiko reprimanded drily without a hint of remorse in her voice and I had to admire her blunt honesty even if I did agree with her.
"Do you want us to do it without you?" Kira asked her threateningly as she narrowed her eyes at her mother in determination and I gritted my teeth to stop myself from arguing that maybe we shouldn't be doing this at all.
The Yukimura's stared at each other silently for a moment, both of them scrutinising the other for any signs of surrender and I frowned as I looked in between them like they were participating in the least exciting game of tennis ever.
"Put your hand over his heart." Noshiko relented reluctantly with a heavy sigh escaping her lips and Kira smiled briefly as she stretched her arm to place her hand over Scott's chest but his hand shot out to circle her wrist.
"Hold on. What happens while I'm out? Am I gonna feel anything?" he asked curiously with a hint of fear in his voice as he looked towards the elder kitsune and the dread in the pit of my stomach grew as I closed my eyes so that I didn't have to see the distress in his eyes.
"It might feel like you're dreaming."
"Good dreams or bad?"
"I suppose that depends on you."
There was still a troubled downturn of his lips as he released his hold on Kira's wrist and laid back down on the bed with his head on the pillow as I opened my eyes. I subconsciously flinched when Kira placed her hand over his heart and Liam guided my head onto his shoulder as I turned my face into his neck so that I wouldn't have to witness my brother die for the second time. I squeezed my eyes closed tightly but curiosity got the best of me when I heard the buzz of electricity and I lifted my head to watch as Kira's foxfire electrocute him. He gasped loudly with wide dark brown eyes as his muscles seized and his heartbeat shuddered erratically until it fading into next to nothing as his eyes fluttered closed.
"Oh, Jesus." I murmured sadly as I shook my head to myself and I turned away so that I wasn't looking at my brother's dead body as I grabbed my cell phone from the nearby desk. "I'm going to call the ambulance. You guys should go."
"I'll wait with you." Liam offered politely in a hopeful tone as he took a step towards me and I lifted my head with an eyebrow quirked questioningly before remembering that he didn't really know Kira or her mother.
"Sure. Thanks."
"We'll meet you at the hospital." Kira told me softly with a small smile as she squeezed my arm gently when she passed me and I tried to smile back. She paused in the doorway to cast a nervous glance towards her boyfriend before continuing out the door and her mother trailed after her as she nodded slightly in my direction.
"Have you ever seen a play?" I asked Liam curiously as I dialled 911 on my cell phone and I looked up at him as he shook his head in answer with a confused frown. "You're about to."
I pressed the call button on my phone as I held it up to my ear and cleared my throat gently as I prepared myself for what I was about to do. The line rang twice in my ear before a female voice answered, "911. What's your emergency?"
"My – my brother. Something happened! He started shaking and seizing and now he's not breathing. Oh, my god. He's not breathing!" I told them frantically as I clutched my hand to my chest and Liam raised an eyebrow at me with a small smirk on his lips. "What do I – what do I do?"
"Okay, where are you? What's your address?"
"54 Finn Street."
"An ambulance is on the way."
"O – Okay. Thank you." I stuttered quickly before hanging up the phone with a shake of my head and I looked around for where to put my phone before realising my purse wasn't upstairs.
"And The Oscar goes to…" Liam drawled teasingly with a smirk as he followed me out of the room and I shot him a reproachful look over my shoulder as we headed downstairs into the kitchen. "How'd you get so good at lying?"
"Practice." I told him sarcastically with a roll of my eyes, thinking that he was just mocking me and he sighed heavily as he sat down on one of the seats at the table.
"And that would be funny, but I'm actually being serious." He told me in a solemn tone of voice as he rested his elbows on his knees and I slowly turned around to face him from where I stood near the counter. "How'd you get so good at lying?"
"You have to believe in the reason you're lying. You tell yourself it's for a good reason. That it's for their own good. You tell yourself that the truth is dangerous, that they're safer not knowing, and maybe that's true. To be good at lying, you have to lie to yourself. And if you do that for long enough, it eventually becomes the truth."
"I don't – " he started to say before pausing as he ducked his head and played restlessly with his fingers as he bit down on his lower lip unsurely. "I don't know how to do this. Any of this. Scott's lying dead upstairs. Stiles is setting a trap to catch a serial killer. Kira just killed Scott. It's freaking me out. I'm freaked out!"'
"Yeah, so am I." I told him softly as I slowly made my way over to the table and sat down on the chair next to his with a small smile on my lips as his head jerked up in surprise. "What? You thought I was an emotionless robot? That's my twin brother lying dead upstairs. It's my friends that that serial killer are after. I'm freaking out too."
"But you act so confident all the time."
"Didn't you hear what I just said? Lie to yourself for long enough, it eventually becomes the truth."
Liam looked down at the ground with a thoughtful expression as he clasped his hands in front of him and I reached out to rest one of my hands on top of his with a sympathetic smile pulling at my lips, "I can tell you one thing I know that's the absolute truth. What we do, it's hard and it takes a lot out of you. But the secrets, and the danger, and the hell that we go through, it creates bonds that are unbreakable."
A moment of heavy silence followed my words as I bit my lower lip and his forehead furrowed in thought as he stared down at the ground. I pushed back the feeling of self-doubt that ebbed into my conscious because I wasn't someone that easily dealt with their emotions and I leaned forward to catch his gaze, "Your first family, is your blood family. And that will always be true, that means something. But there's another family. That's the kind you go out and find. Maybe even by accident. And they're just as true as your first family, maybe even more so. Because they don't have to look out for you. They don't have to love you. But they choose to. This pack, we are a family. We might fight and argue and disagree, but when it counts and when it's needed, I know that every one of them would be there for me. They have already been there for me. And I would do the exact same thing for each one of them. Each one of you."
The sound of sirens in the distance echoed through the empty house and I released a sigh as I sat back up straight. I squeezed Liam's hand gently as I stood up from the chair and let go his hand as I rubbed my forehead in frustration over this plan.
"What are you going to do?" Liam asked me softly as the sirens got closer to the house and I turned to look at him with a smirk on my lips as I strolled towards the door.
"I'm going win a Golden Globe." I joked lightly with a shrug of my shoulder and I paused near the door as I closed my eyes for a moment while I took a deep breath. In my mind, I pictured the ashen faces of Aiden and Allison in an effort to bring tears to my eyes. Their dull eyes had haunted me for months and now I was slightly grateful for their presence.
Tears started streaming down my cheeks as I opened my eyes and I forced my breaths to come out in short pants as I heard the ambulance pull to a stop outside. The siren was cut off as I pulled open the door and I rushed out with wide panicked eyes as two ambulance officers climbed out of the front seats.
"Please! My brother! He's upstairs in his bedroom. He's not breathing! Please, help him!"
"Okay, Miss, calm down. Which one is his bedroom?" one of the EMT's asked me as they rushed pass me into the house and I followed after them as I pointed up the stairs without hesitation.
"Second door on the right."
Without another a word, they disappeared up the stairs as I walked into the kitchen and grabbed my purse from the counter before holding a hand out towards Liam in silence question. He nodded once as he grabbed my hand with a blank expression and I tried not to listen to the EMT's because I didn't want to them declare him dead. As though he could sense my distress, Liam squeezed my hand supportively and I offered him a forced smile as one of the paramedics came running back downstairs. I watched as he ran out the front door to the ambulance and grabbed the portal gurney before running back upstairs to help his partner. After another minute or two both the paramedics climbed down the stairs carrying the portal gurney between them and Scott was lying unconscious with an oxygen mask over his face.
"Is he okay? What's going on?" I asked in a desperate voice as my trembling fingers danced across my lips and one of the paramedics glanced over his shoulder at me as I followed them outside.
"We've got to get him to the hospital. His heartbeat is thready and barely there. Are one of you related?" the paramedic asked in a rush as they carefully placed the gurney in the back of the ambulance and I nodded my head jerkily in admission as I stared at my brothers blank face. "Okay, well, both of you can ride in the back with me. I've got some questions for you. Let's go."
We climbed into the back of the ambulance and I immediately slid my hand into my brother's without a word as Liam sat next to me with a hand on my arm. The paramedic sat on the opposite side of me and the siren started blaring as we sped towards the hospital, "Okay. What can you tell me? What's his name? What's his age? What happened? Is there anything the doctors should know?"
"His name is Scott McCall. He's seventeen. He was sitting on his bed, just talking to us, completely normal, and then his muscles locked up. He got all tense and then he started seizing. I didn't know what to do."
"You did the right thing." The paramedic assure me with a brief smile as we pulled into the hospital ER and he climbed out the back of the ambulance as the other EMT opened the door. They pulled Scott out the ambulance quickly and I waited a minute as they wheeled him into the hospital before I climbed out of the ambulance with Liam one step behind me.
"Okay, I'm going to go find out my brother's dead. Go down to the morgue. Kira and her mom should be down there by now." I told the Beta firmly as we headed into the hospital and he nodded jerkily in acceptance as he looked around the ER wildly. "Hey, concentrate."
"Sorry." Liam muttered sheepishly as he shook his head to himself and I rolled my eyes subtly as I guided him towards a set of double doors marked 'Hospital Personnel Only'. "Whoa, where are we going? We aren't allowed back here."
"Haven't you figured it out yet? I'm Sophie. Normal doesn't apply to me."
"Right, sorry."
"Stop apologising.
"Right, sorry." He repeated absently as I pushed open a door that led to a long hallway and I gave him a mock glare as I stopped in front of an elevator. I pressed the down button as he shifted anxiously on his feet and the doors slid open with a soft 'ding' as I gently pushed him inside the lift.
"Call me if there are any problems." I instructed him with a small smile because he looked so nervous and he exhaled sharply with a determined glint in his blue eyes as he nodded his head in acknowledgment. The doors slid closed as I blew him a teasing kiss, hoping to put a smile on his face and I shook my head to myself as I hurried back down the corridor with a look of false panic.
A loud horrified scream echoed through the cavernous halls of the hospital and for a split second my heart stop beating of its own according when I recognised the owner of that scream. My breathing quickened as I pushed my legs as hard as they could go while still appearing human to the masses. All I could think about was getting to the owner of that scream, of seeing them and make sure that they were safe. I turned a corner, skidding slightly on the laminate flooring and what I witnessed down the opposite end of the corridor made my blood run cold. I was sure that the colour had drained from my face as I reached blindly out to steady myself against the closest wall and my eyes widened in alarm as my lips parted in dread.
Sobs echoed down the hallway from where my mother was collapsed in a doctors arms, crying for the loss of her only son and the sound was added to the archive of horrific noised locked in the back of my mind right along with Allison's dying breath, Aiden last heartbeat and the words Scott spoke the night he tried to kill himself at Motel Glen Capri.
"Mom?" I asked hesitantly with a concerned frown on my lips as I slowly made my way down the hall and the doctor holding her, who I now recognised as Liam's stepfather, looked up at me with a sad expression.
"I'm so sorry." He apologised sincerely as mom clambered to her feet and rushed to pull me into her arms as I let out a disbelieving gasp. For a second it felt entirely real, like Scott was gone and part of my soul was gone along with him.
I wrapped my arms tightly around my mother as I buried my face into her hair and she clung to me desperately like I would disappear at a moment's notice. I vaguely heard the doctors retreating footsteps as I tried to regulate my breathing and I forced myself to remember that Scott was perfectly fine downstairs.
"Mom, we gotta go. We gotta meet the other in the morgue." I reminded her in a whisper as I gently pushed her off of me and brushed her unruly hair back from her face as I offered her a small smile.
"Right. Come on, honey." She said in an equally quiet voice as she roughly wiped the tears off of her cheeks and I linked my arm through hers as we started walking towards the stairwell. We were silent as we made our way downstairs onto the basement level and we walked into the morgue where everyone was waiting for us with Scott's body.
"I still hate this plan. I mean this is pretty significantly terrifyingly. He looks dead." Mom said in a strained voice as she stared down at his face with tears in her eyes and I hated how broken she sounded.
"Give me your hand." I instructed softly with a small smile and she instantly placed her hand in mine with an absolute trust in her eyes. I guided her hand to the upper left side of Scott's chest and placed it there as I applied a slight amount of pressure while I waited patiently for the faint beat of his heart to occur. Relief flooded through mom's features when we felt the tell-all thump of his heart and she sighed with a smile on her lips as she closed her eyes for a moment before looking over at me.
"Is that enough to keep a werewolf alive?"
"Enough for an Alpha."
"How time do we have?" Mom asked us all in a curious voice as she looked around the group surrounding the gurney and I exchanged a knowing look with Stiles across the metal table without saying a word.
"Forty-five minutes." Noshiko answered bluntly from her spot on the other side of me and mom leaned forward slightly to look at her with an eyebrow quirked in question.
"What happens after that?"
"I bring him back the same way." Kira told her politely with a small smile but there was an obvious unease to her posture and I didn't have to be a werewolf to sense the anxiety radiating off of her.
"No, I mean what happens if he stays like this longer than forty-five minutes?" Mom asked with a hint of frustration in her tone as she gestured to Scott's unresponsive body and I bit the inside of my cheek as I ducked my head in shame.
"No one's told her?" Noshiko asked incredulously as her eyes widened in shock and her accusing gaze swept over the three on the other side of the table before coming to rest on me.
"What? What happens after forty-five minutes?" mom asked frantically as she gripped my forearm tightly with a frown and I could see the desperation in her eyes compelling me to answer honestly.
"He dies." I told her truthfully in a small voice as I avoided her eyes and I heard her sharp intake of breath as she let go of my arm as though my skin had burnt her. "Scott made us promise not to tell you. We tried to talk him out of it, but he used his Alpha powers on us. I'm sorry. I know you're probably really angry at me right now, but we only have forty-five minutes and I have to go set up the cameras. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
I cast her a remorseful look as I slowly backed away from the gurney and I could see the betrayal in her dark brown eyes that were so much like my own. That disappointment directed at me was almost as horrible as seeing Scott's nearly dead body but I didn't have the time to grovel for forgiveness.
There was an awkward tension in the air as Liam, Stiles and Kira quickly followed me out of the morgue and I forced myself to concentrate on saving Scott and catching The Benefactor. If I did that, then I could earn my mother's forgiveness or at least throw Scott into the line of fire since the whole plan was his idea.
"That went better than I expected." Stiles quipped in a light-hearted tone of voice as we hurried down the corridor and I shot him an annoyed glance as we came to a stop in front of an empty hospital room.
"Have you got the laptops?" I asked whoever was listening as I flipped on the light switch and strolled towards the impeccably made hospital bed in the centre of the room.
"Yeah, yep, here we go." Stiles murmured to himself as he rushed to take out the three laptops from his messenger bag and I silently went about connecting them to the hospital internal security system but something wasn't letting me connect.
"Someone take my phone and call Chris." I instructed firmly without taking my eyes off of the screen as I bit my lower lip in frustration and I heard someone fumbling through my purse behind me. "Ask if he's attached the transmitter to the security camera on the roof. I need it to connect to the internal security system."
"He's says, 'try it now'." Stiles relayed to me as he leaned forward to peek over my shoulder and I pushed his face back with the palm of my hand with a roll of my eyes. I clicked a few more button of the keyboard of the centre laptop and then all three of the monitors lit up with multiple feeds of the hospitals security cameras. I hummed in satisfaction as I stepped back to observe my work with a smirk and Stiles clapped my on the shoulder with a proud grin on his lips as he nodded in approval.
"Chris sent the message, right? He contacted The Benefactor?"
"Yeah, it's all good."
"What'd you say? Please, don't tell me you wrote something stupid like, 'Target has been neutralized. The crow flies at midnight.' It has to be authentic."
"Wha- You think - ? I would never!" he protested vehemently with an offended expression and I quirked an eyebrow at his overdramatic response because I knew that meant he was lying. "It's taken care of, alright?"
"Is that supposed to look like that?" Liam asked suddenly in a concerned tone as he stepped up next to me and I turned my attention back to the monitors as one of the screens faded into static.
"No. No, it's not." I answered him quietly as I bent over the keyboard and started doing a system assessment to make sure it wasn't a problem with the laptop.
"Where is that?" Kira asked me nervously as she leaned forward to crowd around the screen with the rest of us and I checked the location of the transmitter with a purse of my lips.
"The roof. Someone's gonna have to check it out." Stiles stated reluctantly as he ran a hand through his hair while looking over my shoulder and I immediately went to exit the room but Stiles caught my wrist before I could move more than a step. "No, no, not you. You're the only one who can work the security system."
"I'll go." The kitsune said instantly as she headed towards the door with a determined expression and I frowned at her in surprise as I pulled my arm free of Stiles' hold.
"Whoa, whoa. This might not just be a malfunction." I warned her pointedly as I waved a hand towards the monitor and she nodded in understanding as she pulled out her katana with the ease of someone who'd been wielding it for years.
"That's why I'm bringing this."
"I'm coming with you." Liam volunteered almost immediately after with only a hint of fear in his voice and I felt a pull of dread in my stomach as I watched the inexperienced Beta follow Kira.
"Okay. And you're both coming right back. Immediately." I called after them in reluctant acceptance as they ran out of the room and I closed my eyes as I released a heavy sigh.
"Kids." Stiles stated teasingly under his breath with a grin as he shook his head and I shot him a glare that had him rising his hands in mock surrender. "I'm just saying, it's nice to see you acting so maternal."
"No, no. No, no. I'm not maternal. I once killed a cactus, remember? I am not the 'mom' of this group, okay? If anything, I'm the cool aunt." I objected passionately as I flailed my arm out to the side and he chuckled under his breath as he nodded in mock seriousness without a word. I glowered at him as I turned my attention back to the remaining monitors and the florescent lights overhead flickered a few times before turning off altogether. The two remaining screens turned to static as I assumed that the transmitters had died and I rushed over to the door to check if the lights outside were off.
"The lights are out in the hall." I informed Stiles as I quietly shut the door before turned around and walking back over to the bed as we both started packing away the laptops.
"What do we do?" Stiles asked me curiously as he placed the laptops safely into the messenger bag and I bit my lower lip thoughtfully as I peeked out the window into the empty corridor.
"Hand me my handbag."
"What? Why?"
"Stiles! Handbag!"
"Right! Okay." He muttered in bewilderment as he raced to collect my handbag and held it tightly to his chest like it was the most precious thing in the world as he rushed over to where I was standing. I offered him a small smile as I reached into the bag and pulled out the Sig Sauer P2269mm I carried in there most days. "Oh, a gun. You have a gun. Neat."
"Are you gonna be a baby about this, or what? Because it's either me and my gun, me and my claws, or you and your nothing. Make a choice." I told him sternly without making eye contact as I checked the chamber to make sure it hold ten bullets and I could hear the distinctly quick beating of his heart that conveyed his unease.
"I'm with you. It's just the last time I was around a gun, it was aimed at my forehead." He explained in a shaky voice with a forced air of nonchalance and I clicked the chamber back into place as I finally looked up into his familiar amber eyes.
"No one's going to touch you, Stiles. When have I ever let something happen to you?" I asked him rhetorically in a soft voice as I reached up to cup his cheek with one hand and he nod once with a slightly sheepish expression as I slapped his cheek patronisingly with a wink. "Come on."
I carefully aimed the gun at the floor as I slowly opened the door and held up a hand to stop Stiles from following as I checked to make sure the coast was clear. I nodded my head for him to follow when I was sure that the corridor was empty and I smirked in amusement when I noticed that he was still clutching my handbag to his chest. The lights overhead flickered as we quietly headed in the direction of the morgue and I made sure to keep Stiles behind me even when he tried to push in front. I shot him a reprimanding look as I rested a hand on his chest and my head snapped around when I heard the sound of footsteps approaching from around the corner. I silently shot Stiles a pointed look telling him to stay there and I waited for him to nod in understanding before I held the gun at the ready in front of me. I schooled my featured into one of impassive indifference as I took a deep breath and then I stepped around the corner in a determined stance with my gun trained on whoever snuck up on me.
A relief sigh escaped my lips when I saw Chris standing at the opposite end of the barrel and the pistol in his hand trained on me. I lowered my gun to my side as he did the same with a spark of approval in his eyes and Stiles snuck his head around the corner with a concerned frown on his lips that morphed into relief when he saw who it was.
"The power's out in the whole building. We lost all the cameras." I informed Chris as the three of us started walking down the corridor towards the morgue and I glanced over my shoulder with vigilance.
"I'm going to do a sweep. Stay with Scott. Text me if you see or hear anything." The veteran hunter ordered firmly as he held open the morgue door and I nodded in understanding as I gently pushed Stiles into the room before me.
"Be careful. Text or call if you need backup."
Chris nodded once in acknowledgement as I stepped into the room and he closed the door behind me as I immediately made my way over to the gurney where Scott was lying. I placed my palm down over his heart as I applied subtly pressure and waited for the tell-tale heartbeat in an effort to remind myself he was still alive. I exhaled in relief when I felt the almost non-existent thump of his heart and I nodded once to myself as I turned my attention to the human standing next to me.
"So, um, what's going on with Malia?" I asked Stiles hesitantly as I looked at him from the corner of my eye and he sighed heavily as he bent down to lean his forearms on the gurney with his hands clasped together.
"She, uh, she's not answering my calls. Or my texts. Or my posts on her Facebook page." He answered sadly with guilt written all over his face and I scrunched my nose up in sympathy because I hated seeing him so miserable.
"Sorry, hon."
"I just – I don't know what more I can do. I think if I can get her to listen to me, I will be able to make her understand. I mean, we had a good reason for lying to her, right? Peter's not a good guy. We were protecting her."
"Malia's a tough girl. She doesn't need protecting." I reminded him softly in a compassionate voice and he scoffed out a laugh as he rubbed the back of his head in frustration.
"Well, what does she need? Because I'm at a loss here, Soph." he admitted quietly as he turned his head to look at me with tears in his eyes and I rubbed his shoulder sympathetically as he tried to smile but failed.
"Sorry, hon, but I'm emotionally challenged. Derek is the emotionally stable one in our relationship." I told him jokingly with a smirk on my lips and his eyebrows raised in surprise as a matching smirk spread across his lips. "I will tell you one thing, to make a woman happy give her three simple things: attention, affection and appreciation."
"Thanks." He murmured appreciatively as he nudged me with his shoulder and I nodded silently in acknowledgement as I returned his small smile.
"Chris should be back by now." I said to myself as I looked over my shoulder at the door with a worried frown and Stiles hummed in agreement as he pushed himself off of the gurney. "I'm going to go call him."
I slid my gun into the back of my jeans as I wandered over to the corner of the room and started typing out a text message to Argent as Stiles paced the length of the room nervously. I cast him a worried glance as he bit his nails because he had dropped the habit years ago and he only did it when he was really concerned about someone he cared about, something I had noticed when his mother was sick.
A startled gasp escaped my lips when the double doors to the morgue flew open and Chris came sliding into the room on his back with a grimace on his lips as he looked over at the human boy, "Stiles, get out of here."
Kate Argent came sauntering into the room with a smirk on her lips as her gaze locked on the human so I assumed she could sense my presence behind the door and Stiles immediately tensed at the intrusion as he stared at her with a hard expression. "Get out of the way, Stiles. I'm taking the body."
"Why? Visual confirmation?" Stiles asked in a hard voice as he narrowed his eyes at her and she let out a throaty laugh as she shook her head at him in amusement.
"Don't worry, handsome. I'm not The Benefactor."
"Then what do you want with the body?" Chris asked her in a mixture of distrust and curiosity as he climbed to his feet and placed himself in front of Stiles so that he was blocking Kate's view of him.
"I wish I could tell you." Kate told him in what was almost a sincere tone as she looked at her brother and I rolled my eyes impatiently as I took the gun out of the waistband of my jeans. With I blank expression on my face, I aimed the barrel at the back of her head and took a step forward into the light as I turned off the safety with an obvious 'click'.
"What's French for déjà vu? Oh, that's right." I tutted tauntingly to Kate with a click of my tongue and her shoulders stiffened in realisation as she breathed out a chuckle. I strolled up behind her with my finger ghosting over the trigger of the pistol and Chris gritted his teeth like he was stopping himself from saying something, either a plea not to kill his sister or a plea for me not to be the one to kill her, but I knew what needed to be done in order to protect my family. "Back off!"
"You sure you can pull the trigger fast enough?"
"Please. We both know the answer to that. But, if you have doubts…" I trailed off darkly as I pulled the gun away from the back of her head and blindly released all of the bullets from the chamber, each one hitting the floor with a loud 'clink' in the otherwise silent room.
I took a step back from her, allowing her room to turn around and face me with a scrutinising expression as she swept her gaze over me shrewdly. I felt my nails grew into claws as I cocked my head to the side and I knew my eyes were now a vibrant violet as my teeth elongated into fangs. I let out an angry roar that made the glass beakers on the table next to the gurney rattle and she hissed loudly as her eyes transformed into a bright green while her canines lengthened into sharp points.
"You're not going to kill me." Kate growled confidently as she narrowed her eyes at me and I growled lowly but didn't argue because she was right, I wouldn't kill her when Derek needed answers from her.
"I'm not going to let you take his body."
"Okay, well, obviously, you guys have a lot to talk about, so, maybe I saw some coffee, a vending machine outside." Stiles stuttered unsurely as he started trying to manoeuvre around Chris but the hunter placed an arm out to stop his movements.
"Listen to me, Kate. We have a plan." Chris told his sister firmly as he took a small step forward and there was a desperation in his voice that made the Werejaguar turn her attention to him.
"If killing Scott was part of it, you're worse than me." Kate taunted drily as her features reverted back to human and I allowed my own werewolf visage to fade because I knew I could transform at a moment's notice if she made a threatening move.
"He's telling the truth. We're trying to get to The Benefactor." Stiles informed her seriously with a straight face as he stepped up besides the hunter and Kate raised an eyebrow at them in apparent amusement as she regarded them in consideration.
"If you didn't notice, you're on that list too. And you're worth more than most." I reminded her provokingly with a sneer as I moved to stand next to Chris and she scoffed derisively with her arms crossed over her chest as she levelled me with a glare.
"That's why I'm here." she spat out through clenched teeth as she narrowed her eyes at me and I raised my eyebrows as I gave her with most sincere look I could muster under the circumstances.
"Then back off and let us do what we planned. Take the Berserkers, and go. Kate, we have a plan."
"Kate…" Chris started to draw her attention from me and she turned to look at the genuine pleading in her older brother's eyes as he met her gaze imploringly, "Please."
I took a moment to glance nervously at the clock above the door and felt the blood drain from my face when I saw we only had three minutes until we were out of time. I clenched my hands into fists at my side as I turned my attention back to the Werejaguar in front of me and she glanced at all three of us for a moment before nodding once in resignation. I released a relived breath as she exited the morgue without a backwards glance and I immediately went about picking up the bullets that I had dropped during my showdown.
"We only have two minutes. Someone call Kira!" I shouted over my shoulder as I popped the bullets back into the clip of the gun and I heard Stiles scrambling behind me as I stood up from my crouch.
The doors flew open as I immediately aimed my gun in their direction with a severe expression and Kira skidded to a stop in front of me with eyes wide in fright as her lips parted in shock. "Oh, um, ah..."
"Thank god." I breathed out in relief with a sigh as I dropped the gun down to my side and she nodded rapidly as she snapped her mouth closed. I rushed over to the gurney with Kira in step with me and I grabbed Stiles arm for comfort as I slipped the gun into the waistband of my jeans.
The kitsune placed her hand over the top of Scott's heart with her eyes closed and I watched as electricity erupted from her fingertips before spreading across his body like a cocoon. His heart stuttered erratically as the electricity faded before returning to normal and he gasped loudly as his dark brown eyes flew wide open.
I closed my eyes in relief as I leaned into Stiles slightly for support and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders as he pressed a kiss to the crown of my head. I opened my eyes with a small smile on my lips when I saw my brother being attacked by Kira's lips and they pulled apart with matching grins on their faces.
"What happened? Did it work?" Scott asked us all breathlessly as he looked between with a desperate hope in his eyes and I bit my lower lip as I avoided looking at him because I didn't want to be the one who crushed that hope. I heard his distressed sigh so I assumed someone had at least shook their head and I heard the door fly open as my hand immediately went to the gun at my back.
Liam ran into the morgue with a panicked look on his face as he looked around for someone in particular and I frowned in concern as I removed myself from Stiles grasp so that I could help him. "What is it? What's wrong?
"It's Kira's mother...She's hurt." Liam answered softly as he focused his gaze on the kitsune and Kira's eyes widened in shock as she climbed down from the metal gurney. I watched her run out of the room without a backwards glance and then turned to look at Chris knowingly as he nodded in understanding before exiting the morgue after her.
I ran a hand through my messy brunette hair as I exhaled slowly and I turned my attention to the Alpha sitting up on the metal gurney. I placed my hands on my hips with a stern expression and he grimaced sheepishly when he met my gaze as I narrowed my eyes at him, "You are never allowed to come up with a plan ever again. And I mean, ever!"