Episode 5: Stopped Dead pt3

Derek had done as Stiles had suggested and followed Jordan. He was a good Deputy and informed his boss of their plan. He had no clue how they would phrase 'I followed the hellhound' as a way for discovering a body. Derek would have said on a normal day there was only a few hints of Parrish's supernatural abilities. Not today. If you looked at Jordan right now ... You would see what looked like fire surrounding him.

"What are you doing?" John asked him.

Derek refrained from shrugging, knowing it would be a pointless gesture. "He has turned onto Parker's Avenue."

"Oh fantastic." John grumbled.

Derek had thought the same thing. Like in any city there were rich areas and poor areas. This was the neighbourhood where Lydia and Jackson lived. This was not going to be pretty. Any death here would create a lot of scrutiny from concerned residents. The sad thing was for the majority of the residents it would be due to the drop in house price. Image was everything. A dead body was not sellable and that would be the crux of the matter.

Derek saw Jordan come to a standstill next to a beer truck. The mystery was over and now they had body number two. Derek sighed, "You better get out here. We found the next body."

One was an accident, two is careless ... Derek hoped they didn't get to three or even four. They needed the link between the victims and why the kill style was so different. The first was a shooting and this one was a garrotte.

Jordan shook off his strange mood. He took a quick step backwards. What had happened? All he could remember was talking to Derek about how creepy Haigh was. There was something dead in him. Jordan was saying this having seen it during his time in the Armed Forces.

"Is this a hellhound thing?"

Derek glad for the calm question, grinned. "Afraid so."

"Huh. Well it could come in handy. I need to train myself."

Derek couldn't help share his gut feeling. "Well I fear you may get all the practice you need in the next few days."

This conversation was a backdrop to them doing their job. Jordan's brain caught up to what his partner had said. "What?"

Derek had sympathy. He remembered the early days of dealing with new powers. He'd trained others with their powers. He just put a hand on his partner's shoulder. "I will explain everything but right now we need to do our job."

It was enough to get Jordan's focus. Derek didn't need to wait for victim recognition, he recognised the beta. He was one of Satomi's wolves.

Stiles was on the phone to the Alpha. Derek had told him and Stiles felt it was only right to do this.

"What can I do for you Alpha Stilinski?"

Stiles wondered why she was calling him that as he wasn't a wolf. He just he wished he didn't have to deliver the news. "I'm afraid a deputy will be informing you of a murder that took place this evening. Derek is at the scene processing it now."

Stiles might not have been in the room with her. He could tell the news had shaken her. He heard her hit a chair as if she had fallen back.

"What happened? I felt the bond break?"

Stiles couldn't give her those answers as he didn't know. He should wait for the officials but with the supernatural element. There was a risk he was unwilling to take. He didn't want her to reveal her wolf due to shock and grief. He knew she may have felt the bond break but that could happen for so many reasons.

"I do not know those answers." He replied hoping she could hear the honesty in his voice.

Satomi cursed in Japanese, Stiles had no doubt it was particularly vitriolic. "I want the bastards who are hurting my wolves dead!"

Stiles was alert now. "Hang on ... this is not the first?"

"Three of my wolves are dead this past week. I know the hunters are in town ... I assumed they were hunting us."

It was a fair assumption. The only trouble was Stiles knew that was not true. Yes the Calaveras clan had been in town. They had troubles of their own. After the death of the matriarch ... they had left town. Stiles took a deep breath, "You need to tell Derek every detail."

The Alpha asked him. "Why?" The confusion in her voice evident.

Stiles had a sinking feeling and it was a bad one. He knew what the list was, it was a group of names. He just didn't know how the list came into creation. It was so obvious now that he could kick himself. It was hearing Satomi's wolves were dead that gave him one of the missing pieces. He would bet any money that every victim was a supernatural. Stiles chose to be honest with Satomi as she deserved the truth.

"It's hunting season on all supernaturals ... I think." Just voicing his thought somehow made it all the more real.

Satomi snorted, "We're always hunted by the hunters."

Stiles knew it was bigger than just hunters. "No every supernatural is a target right now. Watch your backs even more than usual ... this might get worse before it gets better."

Oh crap, this was not going to be a fun phone call. He needed to tell his boo that the pack was on a kill list along with everyone else. Damn it. He wished he made war wards in the amulets.

"You should do the same." Was how Alpha Satomi signed off the call.

Stiles was way ahead of the older alpha werewolf. He was on the phone to his mate. "We're fucked and not in a good way. The cryptography will release a list of names I'm sure of it ... It's the supernaturals."

Derek sucked in a breath, it was the worst case scenario that any pack catered for. The only trouble was there was no real way to plan for it.

Stiles didn't care. He couldn't give the pack war wards. He could raise them around the pack house though and turn it into a fortress.

Mab hadn't ever explained how to play nice. His Dad tried but when it came to magick he definitely took after his grandparents.

Act normal they said. It will be okay his Dad had told told him. He was being a worry wort they had all told Stiles. When he got back to the pack house he was going to yell, 'I told you so' at the top of his voice. This was huge. He was trying to figure the puzzle out in his mind. There were too many pieces right now. He need space and string to make all the connections.

School sucked on any given day but everyone was sick. It presented like the flu but it was making Stiles' nose itch. He was sure there was a magic element. There had to be but that was crazy, or so he thought. The longer the day went on and the more people he saw getting sick.

Trigonometry had not been fun with all the coughing and sneezing. He was resisting the urge to down OJ on a grand scale to stay healthy. He just didn't understand why no else was freaking out. As far as he knew, most people seemed relatively healthy when he walked into school this morning. So why were they all so sick right now? And why was no one freaking out about it?

At least it was lunch, so he could escape outside to eat. It was healthier out there. If Stiles was honest with himself - he wanted to recharge a little using nature. His energy felt low today. It was another reason he was cranky. He was now sure someone was messing with him. He felt as if he had thrown some major magicks around. The only trouble was that since raising the war wards - he'd used no magick at all. He should feel like he was bursting with energy not low on it.

When Stiles saw Jackson looking pale too, he was sure something bad was going down. This was more than just bad luck. He didn't resist the urge to feel his head. Stiles needed to see if the pup was running a temperature. The wolves could get sick but he remembered a conversation with Derek. It didn't happen often and it was always serious complaints nothing like the flu. Stiles' sinking feeling was returning Bing style. Still he attempted a joke trying to make the beta feel better, "Did hatchet poison the food again?"

All Jackson did was shrug and Stiles was close to freaking out. Jackson never passed up an opportunity to mock the dinner lady. Stiles pack mother instinct ramped up even further and he didn't think that possible. He needed to see all the pack to check they were healthy. He hoped he was worrying over nothing. "Where are the others?"

Lydia glided into his eyeline almost as if she had heard the question. She zeroed in on Jackson just like Stiles had. Pursing her lips with worry she tested his forehead. Her tone was full of worry. "You're getting sick."

Jackson lay down, not wanting to stay up as felt miserable. "I know. I thought Derek sad this shouldn't happen?"

Stiles didn't say a thing as he was not sure what he could say to reassure. He chose deflection as a valid technique. Stiles motioned to the entire eating area, "So are a lot of people."

Lydia could tell something was amiss. "Why?"

Stiles didn't know. "I think I want to call Mel' and ask for some advice."

The new substitute teacher watched on in glee. He'd wait a few more hours and then this school would reap him a massive payday. The virus he'd unleashed in the ventilation system was designer. It would attack all and would weaken even the strongest werecreatures. He was just a human and was not stupid enough to try and face his victims on an equal footing. It was nothing personal they were his meal ticket for the next few years .

The distress on the pack bonds had Lydia, Stiles and Jackson racing to a room. It was one of the science labs. The commotion made it difficult to see what was happening. Stiles understood. He also knew Isaac was ill. As he pushed his way to the front of the classroom. "Hey Isaac buddy. You need to calm down."

Isaac was fever high to a dangerous level. Stiles used magick to keep him calm. The last thing they needed was for him to lose control because he felt unwell. His golden pup was fitting still but calmer with his appearance. Stiles could see the relief on the teacher's face. Stiles didn't let go of his hand but asked the teacher. "Do you mind if I call his guardian to meet him at the hospital?"

It wasn't exact procedure. It allowed her to focus on keeping the emergency services informed about Isaac's condition.

Derek answered immediately, "How bad is Isaac?"

Stiles said more than he had to because of all the witnesses. "Isaac seems to have a nasty fever. They are gonna take him to the hospital for a precaution."

"We'll meet you there."

The EMT's were there and recognised Stiles. He had somewhat grown up with the emergency services in town. There was an odd look or two from the other medic. Isaac himself stopped the issue from developing as he refused to let go of Stiles.

Things were a blur from there. The pack worked as one to get themselves signed out of school. It wasn't hard as they didn't have to feign distress or sickness. They were waiting in the waiting room until they got permission. Stiles could stay with Isaac as Derek had put him as second emergency contact. Stiles could feel Derek approach.

His Dad was with Derek. He knew his Dad had demanded to drive Derek to the hospital.

Derek took his betas hand as a priority. He could suck pain away like this. He was glad the police uniform covered the veins in his arm as they would be black right now. It would be difficult to explain to any hospital staff unless it was Melissa. He looked to Stiles and could see the worry in his eyes. "What happened?"

Stiles wish he had words to explain what had gone on at school. "I'm not sure but something is rotten at school."

His Dad caught one quick, "Abnormal bad?"

Stiles wished he had more of the puzzle. He started to share with his Dad all he had so far. Some say a problem shared is a problem halved. "Not yet but something is wrong at school. Everyone is falling sick."

"Everyone?"

Stiles could hear the unspoken questions. "Yeah Dad. Go look at the pack, they are getting sick. Lydia and I look the healthiest."

His Dad could see the point Stiles was making. He'd seen them coming into Isaac and they all looked like they were suffering from a rough bout of the flu. Stiles and Lydia just looked a little tired. He didn't like the idea everyone was getting sick a part from Stiles and Lydia. If Stiles was right then people may have started to question why were he and Lydia okay.

He needed to put the clues together. He knew his son, Stiles was trying to figure out the same puzzle. "What would be the reason?"

It was a fair question. Stiles ran the thoughts through his head. All the people in school were sick including the werewolves. What was different about Lydia and him? The only link would be their Fae origins. Could that be it? To what end?

A chilling thought hit Stiles. You could kill a sick werewolf pretty easy compared to a healthy one. It wouldn't even be difficult if they were delirious. The damn list again. He needed the names and soon. He hoped they broke through the encryption soon. Danny would be in state what with his mate being in the hospital.

Stiles had to ask, "Would Isaac collapsing be enough to get a Deputy over there to investigate?"

John was glad that they were in a private hospital room. "To what end?"

He didn't disagree with the notion. He just needed to know how he would phrase the request and who he would send. At the moment the only candidate that came to mind who could go was Parish. He had to hope the Fae connection would be enough to stop Parrish getting sick.

Stiles hummed as he mulled the problem over in his mind, "To stop more dead bodies. It would be real easy to kill anyone who is sick."

It was true and whilst his pack was okay. There were some of Satomi's' wolves still there. His Dad knew him too well. He knew Stiles had a theory. "Out with it son."

"I think the list Danny is going to break is a list of supernatural names. I think someone has made the school sick to target the werewolves."

A look of horror over the others faces made him realise they believed him. This was bad on every level. Who did he have to hunt? Well the pack would soon figure it out ... Until then no one was going anywhere alone.

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