Static
August continued to scan the station. All the other passengers were staring ahead or reading a newspaper, silently waiting for the train. He noticed a board above the tracks saying that arrivals to Beacon Hills were scheduled to arrive at 2:20 and would be on time. He noticed that other towns had arrived at their stops but were scheduled to arrive after Beacon Hills. All of the departures had been delayed, but Beacon Hills was not on the departure list.
"That doesn't make any sense," August mumbled to himself. The hunter searched for a clock, but was unable to find one. He checked for his phone, but that was missing too. He looked up again and noticed a sign at the ticket booth saying the clerk would be back in five minutes. He reached into his pockets, searching for a ticket, but was unable to find one. "Okay," he sighed rubbing his hand through his hair. "Where are we?" he asked turning to the man next to him. The man grunted and shook his head before turning back to his newspaper.
"Excuse me," August heard someone whispered on the other side of the station. "Sorry, where are we?"
"Stiles?" August whispered as he got out of his seat and slowly walked past the benches of waiting passengers, searching the station for any information he could gather along the way.
"We're at the train station," a woman replied.
"Right, okay, helpful," Stiles muttered. "Which train station exactly?"
August looked around as he passed by the stretch of benches. No one else seemed to be reacting to the conversation. "Train Station Number 137," the woman replied.
"Did you see me come in?" Stiles asked.
"No."
"How long have you been here?"
"Maybe an hour," the woman said. August saw the doctor shrug at Stiles before turning to look forward.
"We got here at the same time," a man in a suit sitting next to her said. "It's been at least six hours."
"Six hours?" Stiles gasped. "Where are you going?"
The man and woman stared at each other for a moment, unable to come up with an answer as August reached the bench behind them. "I had a ticket with me somewhere," the doctor said, search her coat.
"Not likely," August told her.
"August?" Stiles sighed turning to the hunter. "Oh, thank god," he said getting to his feet.
"Why are you traveling in your work clothes?" The hunter asked, ignoring Stiles's relief.
"I must have been in a rush," she muttered.
"To wait six hours at a train station?" August asked. "You have a watch on you," he added pointing to her wrist. "What time is it?"
She looked down as Stiles walked towards the ticket booth. "I don't know, it's not moving, it must've died."
"You don't have any other watches on you?" August asked.
She shook her head. "Do you know if anyone works here?" Stiles asked from the ticket counter as he held up his dust-covered fingers.
"The following stops have been canceled," a man's voice announced via the station's speaker system. "Hollatine, Batten, Bay Burry, Deer Ridge, Red Oak, Trenton, Anderson, King Springs," the voice listed. All the other passengers stood and moved toward the tunnel leading to the train.
August turned to watch them walk away as Stiles caught up to him. "Excuse me, where is this train's going?" Stiles asked a man that walked past. The man ignored him as he continued forwards. The two boys followed the group to the tunnel. Stiles continued to ask the other passengers about the train, but was ignored each time. The two stopped behind the others as they stared into the dark, empty train tunnel.
August heard a horse whinny and instinctively pushed Stiles back as wind blew in their face. A horse started to gallop toward them and the crowd started to run away. August moved back with them, but Stiles froze as he watched them. "Get back!" August told him, pulling the boy aside as other Ghost Riders appeared behind the first. The Ghost Riders smacked a man out of the way and a woman dove out of the way of the horses. The Riders tossed a handful of hogtied people on the ground before continuing forward. The ropes on the people vanished in a cloud of smoke as the Riders moved around the corner to where August and Stiles were standing.
August and Stiles stumbled backward until someone grabbed Stiles and slammed him against one of the pillars. August slid behind the man as the Ghost Rider rode past. "It had to be you," the man muttered, looking at Stiles.
August's hand grabbed the man's shoulder and pulled him off Stiles. "Who are you?"
"Peter Hale," Stiles told the hunter as Peter shrugged August off. "What're you doing here? How are you here?" Stiles asked as he followed Peter.
"What do you mean how am I here?" Peter asked. "I'm here, you are here, we are all here. Now get the hell away from me, Stiles."
"How 'bout you tell us where here is," August told him.
Peter turned and glared at the hunter as he sat down. "It's a train station," he replied, gesturing at the room.
"Okay, did you not just see that?" Stiles asked him.
"See what?"
"The horses?" Stiles stammered. "The hogtied businessmen with the magically dissolving ropes?" Peter looked at the boy as if he were crazy. "I'm sorry did anybody just see that?" Stiles shouted turning to the others. They all jumped and turned to him.
"Do you mind? You're blocking the board," Peter told them. "I'd like a little warning before my train arrives."
"Okay, you're waiting for a train," Stiles muttered. "How did you get here?"
"Pretty sure I took a cab," Peter replied.
"Last time I saw you, you were being locked away in Eichen House."
"I was in Eichen," Peter gasped. "Thanks to you."
"Memory's good. Can you remember how you got out?" Stiles asked. "They discharge you?"
"No, the power went out and I ran like hell," Peter said. August sighed as he looked to Stiles.
"That's it. You just ran?" Stiles asked.
"Yes, that's it. I literally just ran away from the insane asylum that was holding me hostage."
"And you ran right to a train station?" August asked.
"Yeah," Peter scoffed.
"But you said you took a cab," the hunter reminded him. Peter tried to respond, but was unable to find his words. August threw his hands in the air before pacing away from him.
"Wait, after I got out. There were two guys on horseback—" Peter started.
"That means this has been going on for almost three months now?" August sighed, looking to Stiles.
"I've been missing for three months and no one came for me?"
"That's what the Ghost Riders do. They erase you," Stiles said, sitting on the bench.
"Ghost Riders? Ghost Riders of the Wild Hunt?" Peter asked.
"Yeah," August sighed, sitting next to Stiles.
"You know what we're talking about?" Stiles asked.
"Of course I know what you're talking about. They ride the lightning. They are an unstoppable force of nature. But I promise you, they don't make pit-stops in train stations," Peter explained as he sat across from the two.
"Well, it looks like they do," August muttered before he noticed Peter grimacing at an old lady smiling at him.
"I've escaped one prison only to land in another one," Peter muttered. "And this looks like the underground lair of a depressed bureaucrat."
"Come on, there's gotta be a way out of this place, right? Have you tried looking around? Have you talked to anyone who knows anything?" Stiles asked.
"If this is the Wild Hun, then there is no escape," Peter told them. "We're doomed to ride the storm forever."
"Yeah, but we're not in the storm, we're in a train station," Stiles said as he got off the bench. "We can get out of a train station."
"We can't get out of here, Stiles, because this place isn't real."
"What are you talking about?" Stiles asked Peter.
"Beacon Hill doesn't have a train station."
"We're getting out of here," August told Peter. "My pack has been up against worse."
"Who the hell is he anyway?" Peter asked.
"August," Stiles said.
"Well, I don't like him," Peter replied.
Stiles rolled his eyes before turning to the hunter. "You can tell the others where we were are?"
"I've been trying," August sighed, standing.
"How? There are no phones here," Peter said.
"His pack has some telepathic link," Stiles explained. "Are you sure you've tried?"
"My head feels like it's going to explode," August told him. "I can't find any trace of the link in my mind right now."
"Blake's pack?" Peter asked.
"Blake's dead," August told him before walking toward one of the doors. Stiles ran past him and tried pulling the doors open. "It's locked," August told him pointing at the chains and lock on the door.
"Yeah, I see that," Stiles sighed.
"I just need to find my lockpick," August muttered patting his pockets.
"What are you doing?" Peter sighed as he took a seat behind them.
"A little help please?" Stiles asked pointing at the chain. Peter shrugged before walking over and pulled the chain from the door. "Okay," Stiles sighed.
"You could be a bit more proactive," August commented as Stiles opened the doors. Peter scoffed as the watched Stiles go through the door only to come out of another door behind them.
"What the hell?" he muttered before moving towards the door to try again. The boy reappeared in the same doorway as last time.
"No, no, no, keep going," Peter muttered as Stiles ran to try the door again.
"I don't see you coming up with anything," Stiles said.
"Left shoulder, against the pillar," Peter whispered to them. "Don't look." August and Stiles turned to figure out who Peter was talking about. "I said don't look," he told them causing them to turn back.
"Or what? He'll escape?" August asked.
"No, he's watching us," Peter whispered.
"So?" Stiles asked.
"So, every person in this station is either comatose or catatonic. He seems very interested in keeping an eye on us," Peter replied.
"Well, then I'm very interested in finding out what he knows," August told them walking towards a boy leaning on one of the pillars. The boy tried to move around the pillar but August grabbed him and held him against the wall.
"I'm starting to change my mind about him," Peter muttered as he and Stiles moved toward August.
"You're watching us, why?" August asked as the boy tried to break out of the hunter's grasp.
"You tried the doors," the boy chuckled. "Nobody ever tries the doors."
"This funny to you?" August asked, lifting the boy by his collar.
"Hey, hey, hey," Stiles said grabbing the hunter's wrist and lowing the boy. "Have you tried the doors?" Stiles asked as August let go.
"The ones that I could open. I've tried everything else," he told them.
"Not everything," Peter said. "You're still here."
"Yeah, and it seems like you've got some kind of plan," Stiles added. "So, why don't you tell us about it?"
"I can tell you. Doesn't mean you can do it."
"Try me," August told him.
"It's right in front of your face," the boy said, turning to look at the tunnel the Ghost Riders came from. "You didn't see it, did you?"
"We saw it," Stiles told him.
"Then why'd you waste so much time running through the doors?" he asked. "I'll tell you why. Because it's all part of the illusion. You're afraid."
"Of what?" August asked.
"The guys on horses. They want you to be afraid."
"I'm not afraid," Peter growled.
"I've already fought them before," August said before they walked toward the tunnel.
He and Peter froze when the reached the tunnel's entrance. "Can't do it, can you? I saw you run from them," the boy said.
"We really should kill him," Peter mumbled.
"I'm open to it," August replied.
"Or you can just walk through it," Stiles told them.
"Or," Peter said turning to August before grabbing and tossing the hunter into the tunnel.
"Asshole," August spat as he pushed himself off the ground.
"Now you're getting it," the boy said, walking in after August. Peter followed after him.
"Stiles, let's go," Peter called back to him. August turned to Stiles and watched as he froze up at the entrance. Peter sighed before moving back and pulling Stiles into the tunnel.
"I have no idea what she's talking about," Steve thought as he listened to Ms. Finch's lecture about the corpus callosum.
"Well, the plan was to have you switch into Scott's classes and Leonard do the homework for you," Charlie explained.
"What was I in before this?"
"Mythology," Fiona replied.
"That sounds more applicable," Steve sighed.
"That's why I'm taking it," Charlie commented.
Steve sighed as he stretched and looked out the window. He froze when he spotted a blue Jeep sitting in the parking lot as a tow truck driver examine it. "Have I ever worked on cars?"
"It was a minor hobby of yours," Jay told him. "Why?"
"I think I worked on that one," Steve said, narrowing his eyes at the Jeep.
Ms. Finch continued her lecture as Steve tried to recall the Jeep. "Steve? Lydia?" Ms. Finch asked, moving in between them and the window after she had finished asking a question about the material.
"I completely agree," Lydia said.
"Carbon based," Steve said nodding at her.
"Is there something outside more fascinating than the structure of the human mind?" she asked them.
"Probably a lot of things," Steve replied.
"I don't think so," Lydia muttered, looking around Ms. Finch. Steve looked over and saw a tow truck backing towards the Jeep. "No," Lydia answered.
Ms. Finch sighed. "Good," she said to Lydia. "Now many people credit the corpus callosum for giving us a sense of intuition, gut instinct, even we ourselves aren't aware of—" Ms. Finch continued. Lydia and Steve had returned their attention to the Jeep as the tow truck driver started to put the hook on the Jeep.
"I'm not letting him just take it if I worked on it," Steve thought, getting up and moving toward the door.
"I'm sorry, I'll be right back," Lydia said abruptly before following after him.
"I'm on my way too. Maybe Lydia and I will find something," Fiona thought the alpha.
"I'm just gonna check if they're okay," Steve heard Scott mutter as he and Lydia moved through the halls.
"Hey! You can't tow this Jeep!" Lydia shouted as they ran out the doors.
"Paperwork says I can. It's reported as abandoned," the driver told them.
"It's not abandoned, it's mine," Steve told him as Lydia put her hand on the hood.
"It's yours?" he asked.
"Does it matter?" Lydia asked.
"Sounds like a no."
"Pop the hood. I've installed everything myself," Steve told him as Scott and Fiona ran up behind them.
"That's great kid," the driver sighed. "I'm sure you did."
"We'll move it as soon as he grabs the keys," Scott panted.
"I'm sorry, once it's on the hook—"
"Please don't say you're on the hook," Lydia sighed.
"Well, I can't now."
"Okay, look, there's gotta be something that we can do," Scott said. "Sign something, call someone—"
"Pay someone," Lydia mentioned looking at the driver.
"Drop fee's a hundred and fifty. Cash," he told them.
"A hundred and fifty? This thing isn't even worth that much," Scott said as Lydia started to dig through her purse.
"Did we ever figure out our money situation?" Steve asked.
"Yeah, it's in your name," Kaia told him.
"How much you got?" Lydia sighed.
"I got it," Steve said, reaching into his pocket.
"You don't carry cash," Fiona reminded him.
"Just give me your money," Lydia told Scott. The alpha sighed as he reached for his wallet.
"All I have is fifty dollars. And when I say all, I mean all," Scott told her.
"Or—," Steve thought, looking to Fiona and reached for the cable.
"Don't," the banshee warned him as the alpha grabbed the cable.
"Why not?"
"'Cause people can't just rip metal cables," Jay reminded him. As Scott and Lydia paid the driver.
"Do you have the keys?" Scott whispered as the driver moved back to his truck.
"No, it's not actually mine," Steve told him.
"So, none of us have the keys to this thing?" Scott asked.
"But, now we have a Jeep," Lydia mentioned.
"That'll be taken again tomorrow," Fiona told her.
"Then we move it," Steve replied with a shrug.
"And how are we going to do that?" Lydia asked.
"We have four werewolves, a werecoyote, a were—"
"We're just going to drag a car through town in the middle of the day?" Lydia asked, interrupting him.
"We'll figure something out," Steve said, scratching his head.
August followed Peter and Stiles as the boy led them to another terminal that was covered in cobwebs. "Congratulations, you found another part of the phantom train station," Peter commented.
"Is this the way out?" Stiles asked turning to the boy.
"If it was, we would be leaving," Peter replied.
"You might want to stay off the tracks," the boy warned them.
"In case the train finally comes?" August asked.
"No. That's the way in and out," the boy said, pointing to the other end of the terminal where a storm cloud hovered. Thunder rumbled as they heard a horse whinny. "They're coming," the boy warned them before running to the ledge. The other three followed him as he moved to stand behind a pillar.
The three of them hid next to the boy and watched as the Ghost Riders rode through the cloud in flashes of green. August and the others pinned their backs against the pillars as the Riders rode past. August stared after the Riders in surprise.
"That's the way out?" Peter gasped pointing to the cloud. "How in the hell are we supposed to do that?"
"We jump," the boy said.
"Jump?" August and Peter asked at the same time.
"On the back of the Riders as they go through."
"Is that all?" Peter asked his voice breaking.
"I've been timing it," the boy told them. "Look we can jump from here just before they go out."
"I think you're confusing your pronouns. We aren't going to do anything, but you should absolutely give that a shot," Peter told him.
"Do you want to get out of here?"
"I don't want to jump on the backs of faceless cowboys that take people's souls," August told him.
"We want to get out alive," Stiles said. "Okay? How do you know this works? Seems like a lot could go wrong."
"Look, I can't stay here. I'm losing my mind in this place."
"I think you have an excellent grasp on the situation," Peter commented. "I say go for it."
"Peter," Stiles sighed before they heard the Ghost Rider's horses whinny.
"Hey, they're coming back," the boy said pushing them back.
"This is a terrible idea," August warned the boy. Peter and August ran to the pillar behind them as the boy moved around to the other side of his pillar. Stiles stood in between them for a moment before joining Peter and August.
"If you try to throw me again, I swear—," August whispered to Peter.
"We can't let him do this, right?" Stiles asked, interrupting the hunter.
"He seems set on this," August replied.
"But he could die," Stiles told them. Peter shrugged in response.
"I don't think we'll be able to convince him not to," August admitted, watching as the boy prepared himself to jump.
"Hey, we'll figure something else out," Stiles told him. "Look, there's gotta be another way out of this place."
"But there isn't," the boy said. "I've been looking for months. Are you comin' or not?"
"It's all you," Peter said, holding his thumb up to the boy as the Ghost Riders rode into the terminal.
"No," Stiles muttered before running toward the boy. August and Peter grabbed him and pulled him back to the pillar, out of sight of the Ghost Riders.
"Don't let them see you," August warned.
"Let him try," Peter said, causing the three to turn their attention back to the boy. They watched as the boy ran alongside the Riders before jumping on the back of the last Rider. "Come on. Come on," Peter muttered.
The Rider tried to push him off, but the boy held on. As the Rider passed through the barrier, the boy was knocked back, screaming as he landed on the tracks. August's eyes widened as green flames covered the screaming body before disappearing into ash.
"Ouch. Somehow I don't think that went the way that he was hoping," Peter commented.
"He just died," August reminded Peter as Stiles ran toward the ashes.
"You guys knew he would die," Stiles muttered, coming to a stop.
"I didn't know, I assumed," Peter said, shrugging.
"Yeah, but you could have warned him."
"We did," August told Stiles. "He was desperate."
"We could have stopped him," Stiles said.
"Stopped him every time he tried?" August asked. "We'd spend more time looking after him then looking for another way out. He would eventually do it."
"So, you're okay with letting him die?"
"No, but people die, Stiles,"
"And now we know," Peter muttered.
"Know what?" Stiles asked.
"That we're stuck," Peter replied. "It's over. We are trapped because that was out only way out."
"Or that's just what they want us to believe," Stiles said.
"There has to be another way out," August said, nodding.
"What—What is it with you teenagers? You think that you're so special. You think the rules don't apply to you. Do you two get it?" he asked them. "We are dead and buried!" he shouted before grabbing Stiles wallet and opening it up. "Money? It's worthless," he said throwing the cash on the ground. "Driver's license, credit cards—"
"Would you give me my damn wallet back?" Stiles said, pulling it out of Peter's hands.
"It's all meaningless," Peter said, taking Stiles's keys. "Keys?"
"Peter," August warned.
"Give me my keys," Stiles said before Peter threw them aside.
"What, did you think you were gonna drive us out of here?" he asked before turning to August. "You think you were just going to think to your pack and they'd come in and save the day? Is that what you two thought? Don't you get it? We don't exist. And we are already forgotten."
"Not by everyone," August told him. "My pack remembered Stiles and me."
"Do they? Now that you're gone. Now that you're stuck in here. You don't think they've forgotten about you?" Peter shouted.
"If they did they'll remember," Stiles muttered, stepping into Peter and shaking his head. "Scott, Steve, Malia, Lydia, someone is going to remember us and they are going to come for us. But who would ever come for you?"
Peter clicked his tongue as he looked at Stiles. "You give me a call when your high school sweethearts conjure up a plan to get out of here," he said, glaring at Stiles before walking away.
Stiles looked back toward the cloud as August looked around. "My pack should remember," August said.
"You guys didn't know who Alex's parents were," Stiles reminded him.
"We also never met them," August said, picking up the contents of Stiles's wallet. "I shared a part in their mind. They'll notice something is missing," August said, causing Stiles to turn to him. The boy was biting his lip as his eyes watered. "You were part of the link for a moment," August added, handing Stiles the wallet. "They'll remember you too."
Stiles nodded, looking down at the ground before the two headed back to the station in silence. August sat next to Stiles, observing the other passengers while Stiles stared down at his hands.
"I'm waiting for a train," an old woman beside Stiles told them.
"It's probably running late," Stiles responded.
"I'm going to see my grandchildren," the woman continued. "Who are you going to see?"
"Uh, no one," Stiles admitted.
"Our friends," August corrected before the PA system squealed. The two looked up at the speaker as the woman returned to staring into space.
Stiles stood and moved to the speaker and August followed as the announcer listed of the same cancelations. The two shared a look before they started to follow the wire leading from the speaker. They stopped when they saw the end of the wire, right above another door.
"Intercom," Peter stated from the pillar behind them. "Maybe a radio?" he added as the two looked back to him, a hint of hope in his voice.
"Only one way to find out," August muttered before moving to the door. The hinges creaked as August pushed it open and the three stepped into the dusty room. They found a radio, hooked up to a microphone sitting on a desk in the middle of the room.
"We can call for help," Stiles whispered.
"Who are you going to call?"
"Our friends," August replied as he and Stiles moved to the desk.
"It doesn't work," Stiles sighed after flipping the switch.
"And how are you going to do that?" Peter asked as August searched the back of the radio for the cord.
"Radio signal can travel through time and space. It's done all the time. NASA picks up random signals periodically. Images, static, random words, code," August listed as he followed the cord to the wall. "It's plugged in," he added to Stiles.
"Your theory is ridiculous," Peter told them as Stiles ducked beneath the desk. "Magnetic disturbances and a few pixelated photos doesn't mean that you can use a HAM radio to communicate across the supernatural barrier. Ghost Riders can't be seen, heard, or remembered," he continued as Stiles popped up from the desk. "You really think they're going to use a gadget around that you can use to call your friends?"
Stiles reached for the radio and turned it on, resulting in a high pitch screech that filled the room as the radio lit up. "Yes," August replied as the three of them covered their ears.
Steve ran out of the classroom when he heard a screech and spotted Scott across the hall. "There you are," Malia sighed as Charlie ran up behind her.
"You heard it too?" Scott asked them.
"Where is it coming from?" Malia asked.
"This way," Scott replied, leading them towards the exit.
"What does a screech like that mean?" Steve asked.
"No clue," Charlie admitted.
They came to a stop outside the doors when they spotted Fiona and Lydia standing in front of the Jeep.
"You need to stop lending her our hearing abilities," Jay told Charlie as they ran to meet the banshees.
"He didn't," Fiona thought back without turning away.
"It's coming from inside," Lydia told them.
Steve looked into the passenger window and noticed a radio sitting on the center console emitting a static filled screech. Scott tried to open the drivers side but found it was locked. "Did someone just lock their keys inside?" Malia asked.
"Break it," Lydia pleaded. Scott paused for a moment before forcing the handle and opening the door. The six of them continued to stare at the radio as the screech became slightly louder.
August reached over and turned the volume down, allowing them to remove their hands from their ears. He and Stiles started to adjust the knobs to create a clearer sound as Peter stared at the door.
"Take your time. No rush," Peter commented after a few minutes. "Only thing at stake is any evidence of our existence. Soon to be lost. Forever."
"Okay, not helping," Stiles told him.
"Maybe you should get lost," August told him before they continued to adjust the dials.
"Then who would keep watch while you two—?" Peter started before a horse's whiny interrupted him. He ran over and unplugged the radio's wires.
"Hey—" Stiles started as he and the hunter lost the signal.
"We need to move," August whispered when he noticed Peter's expression.
The three of them ran out of the room and ducked behind a pillar before a Ghost Rider rode into the station and toward the intercom room. The Rider dismounted and kicked open the door, drawing his revolver and scanning the room.
"In case you're keeping count, that's twice I've saved your life today," Peter whispered to Stiles before walking away.
August and Stiles shared a look before heading back to their seats.
Steve popped the Jeep's hood and he and Charlie moved to examine the engine as the others got in and started to search for clues inside the Jeep. "It's all new," Steve sighed as he looked over the engine.
"You remember working on it?" Charlie asked.
"Vaguely, but I don't remember what I did, or how I did it."
The two jumped when they heard the static cut off. "Why'd it stop?" Malia asked as the two closed the hood and joined the others.
"It doesn't matter," Lydia told her, turning the master switch on and off. "There has to be a reason," she added after a few tries.
"Somehow you two heard what we did from inside the school," Charlie said, looking at Fiona and Lydia. Steve tilted his head as Scott's nose twitched.
"What?" Scott muttered.
"Lydia and Fiona heard—" Charlie started before Scott cut him off.
"No, I caught a scent. All three of us," he said looking at his pack before turning to the other alpha. "And Steve's."
"Mine? I've never been in this Jeep before," Malia said.
"Neither have I," Scott replied.
"Yes, we have. We just don't remember it," Lydia told them.
"I thought we were done with that?" Malia groaned.
"No, you were," Steve reminded her.
"Parrish checked the VIN number. There's no record of an owner," Scott told them.
"The Jeep didn't just drive itself here," Lydia commented.
Scott paused for a moment and looked over at Malia. "Who's side are you on?" Malia asked looking at the alpha.
Scott froze for a second before looking at the two, both looking at him expectantly. "I'm on everyone's side," he announced.
"He's not real. Trust me," Malia told Lydia. Lydia huffed and started to search the glovebox again. "I've lost a lot of people in my life. It's a long list and I don't feel like adding to it."
"That's why we're getting them back," Charlie told her. "We've lost our own list of people, we're not giving up on this."
Lydia pulled the vehicle's title from the glovebox and handed it to Malia. She raised an eyebrow before passing it to Scott. "It's from '96 and there's no name," Scott stated.
"But, there's an address," Malia told him, pointing to the paper. "129 Woodbine Lane."
"I know that address," Lydia admitted, causing the others to look up at her.
"We came across it a few times," Fiona added, nodding at the other banshee.
"Stilinski," Lydia told them.
"We can see if he knows anything about it," Scott said as they got out of the Jeep.
"Let's go right now," Lydia suggested, moving toward her car. She paused when she noticed no one was following her.
"I've got homework to catch up on," Scott sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
Lydia turned to Malia and raised an eyebrow. "I'm busy," Malia responded with a shrug.
"I'll come," Fiona told her. "You two keep watch, make sure no one takes the Jeep," she added, looking back to Charlie and Steve before the two banshees got in the car and drove off.
Scott waved to the other two werewolves before he and Malia headed off.
"If this could be the key to finding August why would we just stand watch?" Steve asked, turning back to the Jeep.
"Because it's not our key," Charlie reminded him.
"Well, the sword doesn't make as much noise."
"I'll watch the Jeep. Go grab the spatha and come back here," Charlie mumbled, tilting his head as he stared at the Jeep.
"Hey, sorry to bother you, again," Lydia stammered when Mrs. Stilinski opened the door. "But could you help us with this," she added handing Mrs. Stilinski the vehicle's title.
"Where did you find this?" Mrs. Stilinski asked after looking over the title and letting the two inside.
"We found it in a Jeep that was in the school parking lot," Fiona explained as the sheriff joined them.
"A Jeep?" he asked, sitting next to his wife.
"Yeah, it's blue. The title has your address, but it didn't have a name so we were wondering if you knew anything about it."
"We used to have a blue Jeep," the sheriff said causing Lydia to perk up in her seat.
"But we don't anymore," his wife added.
"What do you mean?" Fiona asked as Lydia's shoulders fell.
"I don't know what to tell you," Mrs. Stilinski replied. "I haven't seen that Jeep in—almost eighteen years," she added looking to the sheriff.
"But it's in your name," Lydia muttered.
"But it was stolen."
"Then how'd it end up at the high school?" Lydia asked.
The two shrugged at the banshees. "Beats the hell out of me," the sheriff told them. "I mean, that thing was a junker back in the day. God only knows who'd want it now."
"Maybe somebody dumped it there?"
"You think they'd find a more secluded place to dump a car," Fiona stated.
"Maybe it couldn't go any further," Mrs. Stilinski shrugged causing Fiona to narrow her eyes at the woman.
"Is there any way to trace the history of the Jeep after it was stolen?"
"No," the sheriff said flatly.
"Traffic cameras, CCTV—" Fiona started but stopped as the sheriff shook his head.
"Maybe there's fingerprints in it," Lydia added, hoping for anything that could give her a clue.
"Lydia, is this about Stiles?" the sheriff asked as Mrs. Stilinski slowly shook her head.
"Honey, don't you think you two have taken this far enough?" his wife added handing the title back to the banshees. Lydia grabbed the title and stared at it, her face dropping completely. "I don't really know what's going on with you lately, but maybe it's a good time to talk to your mom. Maybe distance yourself from her," she added nodding at Fiona.
Fiona bit her lip as Lydia nodded her head. "I'm sorry. You're right," she sobbed.
"Hey, you okay?" the sheriff asked.
"No, yeah. I'm sorry, can you just—" Lydia started, collecting herself for a moment and pointing to the hall. "Do you mind—?"
"Of course. Take your time," Mrs. Stilinski told her.
Lydia moved stiffly toward the hallway, as the sheriff and his wife shared a look. The sheriff sighed before turning to Fiona. "Can I get you something to drink?"
"Water's fine," Fiona muttered, staring after the other banshee. She turned back to the couch when she noticed Mrs. Stilinski leaning in toward her.
"You really shouldn't try to make others believe in your lies. It's bad for their health," the woman whispered to Fiona.
Fiona's jaw dropped slightly as she watched Mrs. Stilinski lean back into the couch, a faint smile returning to her lips as the sheriff returned with a glass of water.
"We'll figure something out," August told Stiles as the boy slumped down the wall.
"As soon as we turn that radio on the Ghost Riders will come back to find us," Stiles sighed, rubbing his hands together.
"Then we need to figure out how to make it work quickly."
"How? Do you know anything about a HAM radio that's decades old?"
"No, but I know a lot about trial and error," August replied, kneeling down to the boy.
"It's only going to take one error," Stiles stated, staring at August.
"Do we just hope the sword starts making a screeching noise?" Steve asked as he sat in the Camaro next to Charlie as the sun set.
"I don't know," Charlie admitted looking across to the Jeep. "But maybe with two relics close to each other something will happen."
Steve wobbled the sword in his hand before it slipped slightly, bouncing off the steering wheel before the alpha caught it again. "What if there isn't a way to get them back?" Steve muttered, causing Charlie to turn to him. "No one has found anything. No one is even looking for anything. We're just waiting for a sword and an old Jeep to give us some answer."
"There has to be a way."
"And if there isn't?"
Charlie bit his lip as he returned his focus to the Jeep. They sat in silence for a moment before Charlie's eyes widened and he opened the passenger side door. "Stay here," he ordered before running off.
"She's been in there a while," the sheriff stated, looking toward the hallway as the sun started to set. "Maybe someone should check on her," he added looking to his wife.
She nodded and moved to stand before Fiona sprang to her feet. "I'll check on her," the banshee stated before moving down the hallway. She found Lydia sitting against the wall, beneath the peeled section of wallpaper, holding her head in her hands. Lydia looked up as Fiona neared, revealing her smeared makeup and dried tears. "Hey, how about we get out of here?"
Lydia nodded and sniffled slightly before Fiona helped her to her feet. "Thank you for your time," Lydia muttered as they passed through the living room.
"We're just worried about you, Lydia," Mrs. Stilinski said as she walked them to the door.
Lydia nodded before the two banshees stepped outside. She sighed and looked at the ground when the door shut behind them before going to take a step forward. Fiona grabbed the other banshee when she caught movement out of the corner of her eyes. "What is it?" Lydia whispered as Fiona followed the shadow.
A pair of red eyes flashed before disappearing behind a neighboring house. "Charlie," she thought before turning to Lydia. "We need to move quickly," Fiona whispered, nodding to Lydia's car.
The two sprinted to the car before getting in. "What's going on?"
"Just drive," Fiona told her as she looked back to the house and saw the shadowed figure with red eyes wave at them. "Drive," she ordered when Lydia didn't move.
"Where is he heading?" Jay thought as he ran out of the house.
"I don't know he cut us off," Leonard replied.
"Shouldn't I have more help?"
"We don't know if Steve can be influenced by him still. I have to figure out how to save Chris and Fiona had to get Lydia out of there. Kaia is on her way, but you need to find them first."
"Sounds like a great plan," Jay commented, looking up at the sky before heading into the woods.
Steve jumped in his seat when he saw another car pull into the parking lot. "Tow truck," he texted to Scott, Lydia, and Malia before getting out of the car.
"Stall him," Fiona told him. "We're on our way. We'll figure something out."
Steve flagged down the truck, stopping him a few yards away from the Jeep. "You can't take my car," Steve told the driver as he exited the truck.
"Cut the act. I know it's not yours."
"It is, and it's not abandoned, because I'm here with it," Steve told him.
"Then take it home," the driver said. Steve opened his mouth to respond but couldn't come up with something to say. "Thought so," the driver commented before moving back to his truck.
"You can't take the Jeep," Scott said, coming to a stop beside Steve.
The driver groaned as he turned back to the two. "Listen, I have to get this piece of junk out of this parking lot."
"But we already paid you—I gave you all of my money for that drop fee," Scott said as Lydia and Fiona pulled into the parking lot.
"Yeah, and I dropped it, alright?"
"How much? I'll write you a check," Lydia sighed as she joined the others. The smeared make up had been wiped away, but she sounded defeated.
"It's not about how much. They want it out of here, okay? It's not up to me," the driver told them before stepping toward the Jeep. Scott and Steve moved up to stop him.
"Just come back later," Steve warned him.
"Don't make me move you kid," the driver sighed. "Okay? I'm hooking this thing up and I am towing it away."
Scott's knuckles cracked as a low growl made its way up Steve's throat. "Calm down," Fiona warned the alpha.
The two calmed when they heard metal ripping and they looked up to see Malia rip the hook off the cable. "Your truck's broke," she said, handing the hook to the driver with a smile.
"So, it's okay if she does it?" Steve asked, looking back at Fiona. The alpha's face softened when he noticed Fiona's worried expression.
August and Stiles jumped over a bench as the heard the Ghost Riders coming down the tunnel. They turned when Peter jumped next to them. The three watched as the Rider rode in, firing their revolvers in the air as flashes of green flew out of the muzzle. The Riders tossed four kids wearing lacrosse jerseys to the ground and the ropes binding the players disappeared.
"This place is really startin' to fill up," Peter commented.
"Gwen? Gwen!" a girl shouted as one of the players took off their helmet.
"Phoebe? Oh, my God, you're here!" Gwen shouted, embracing the girl. The two jumped as the Ghost Riders fired their revolvers into the air again.
"Wait a second. That girl. I know that girl. Her name is Gwen. She plays lacrosse," Stiles stated, watching the two as the Rider continued to circle the crowd and fire their guns.
"Astute observation," August commented.
Stiles shook his head and turned to Peter. "How long has this been going on?"
Peter peered around the bench and August followed his gaze to the arrival board. "This isn't a train station. This is a way station," Peter told them over the screams and gunshots. "It's not gonna stop."
"What do you mean?" August asked as Peter turned back to the board and sighed.
"What is it? What are those places? Bannack? Canaan? I know you know something," Stiles asked.
"We gotta get out of here. Nobody is safe," Peter muttered.
"Yeah, in here?" Stiles commented nodding to the Rider that continued to circle the crowd and fire his gun.
"In Beacon Hills. Your friends, your family, everyone you've ever know. They're gonna be taken." Peter stated before running off.
"Where are you going?" Stiles asked.
"I know where," August muttered before running off after him. He heard Stiles follow a few moments later.
The three slipped passed the Ghost Riders and moved through the tunnel to the other terminal. "What did you see up there? The towns. What did it mean?" Stiles asked once they caught up with Peter.
"I just told you. They're never gonna stop," Peter replied.
"Not until everyone in Beacon Hills is taken," August finished.
"Okay, so what's the plan then?" Stiles asked the two as they continued down the tracks.
"I'm goin' through the portal," Peter said.
"Wait, wait, wait. No one gets through the portal. You said that yourself," Stiles stated.
"No human can, but I'm better than human, remember? I'll heal." Peter replied.
"And I have the pack link," August added.
"Except you don't in here," Peter reminded him. "And there's no guarantee you'll make it far enough to discover if you'll reconnect." August froze next to Stiles as Peter continued forward. "Let's not have a moment," Peter sighed, stopping and turning around.
"If you survive, you have to find my friends for me, okay?" Stiles said, walking up to meet Peter. "And you have to tell them about us. 'Cause they're not gonna remember me, so you have to tell them that I'm here," Stiles continued, talking faster as he went.
"When I survive," Peter corrected. "I'm going to get as far away from Beacon Hills as I possibly can. And if I happen along one of your below average friends, and it doesn't inconvenience me, I might mention your name."
"You selfish dick," August muttered as Peter turned to walk toward the portal.
"Yeah, what about Malia?" Stiles asked, causing Peter to freeze. "I know you're doing this for her. You're risking being incinerated for her. And I'm okay with that."
August turned when he heard a horse whiney back in the train station. "Stall 'em," Peter told them.
"What? How?" Stiles asked as they turned back to Peter.
"Use your head," Peter told them before running up to the platform.
August turned back to the tunnel as he heard the horses galloping toward them. Stiles ran up to the platform and started to push a bench. August joined him and they threw the bench down across the tracks just before turning to watch Peter duck behind a pillar.
"This has to work," August whispered as the first Rider rode out of the tunnel, his horse pausing at the bench and rearing up before continuing around the obstacle and toward the portal. Peter leapt onto the Riders back as it passed, struggling to hold on.
The two saw him look back at them once he steadied himself. August noticed one of the Riders stop before them and pushed Stiles to the ground as a whip flew toward them. The whip wrapped around August's neck and he was thrown into the wall by the horse's feet before the Rider continued on. The two looked at each other before turning to watch Peter disappear through the barrier.
Charlie slid to a stop when he found Blake in the woods. The alpha's back was turned to him as the beta's growl echoed off the trees. "Oh please, you've never hurt anyone," Blake commented, turning around revealing his glowing red eyes. Charlie's eyes glowed blue in response as he continued to growl. Blake smirked at the beta. "He was just a human."
"No, he was a monster, just like you," Charlie stated.
"Oh, I assure you I'm far more monstrous," Blake growled as Charlie charged forward. The alpha knocked the beta aside, bouncing him off a tree. "I always knew you liked the banshee's daughter," Blake chuckled as Charlie returned to his feet.
"You threatened her," the beta growled.
"And I'll do much worse than that."
"Kaia, I found them," Jay announced as he slid to a stop behind Blake.
"Kitty wants to play?" Blake growled, turning his head slightly to the werecheetah.
"I always want to play," Jay growled as spots formed on his face and his eyes turned amber. The two rushed toward the alpha, but Blake stepped aside, causing the two to collide with each other.
"Pathetic," Blake spat as the two scrambled to their feet. They turned back when they heard a painful roar shake the trees. They looked back to the alpha and found the clearing empty.
Charlie glared at Jay before the two began searching for the source of the sound.
"I could probably hotwire it so we could move it somewhere," Steve mentioned as Scott and Lydia climbed into the Jeep.
"Do you know how to hotwire a car?" Malia asked before scanning the streets for any cars.
"No, but I'm sure someone in the pack knows."
"Well?" Lydia asked after a moment.
"Apparently, they're busy," Steve sighed, rubbing his neck.
"With what?" Scott asked. Steve shrugged as Lydia started to flip the radio's switches.
The three of them listened for any signal to be picked up while Malia continued to search for any unexpected visitors. The four froze when they heard a painful roar fill the air. "What the hell?" Scott whispered before they exited the Jeep and ran over to Malia.
"Did you hear that?" Malia asked.
"I think all of Beacon Hills heard that," Lydia replied.
"It wasn't anyone in my pack," Steve muttered. "Who else is out there?"
"I'm not sure, but I think I recognized it," Malia told them.
"Go!" Lydia ordered and the three ran off into the woods.
"You guys find anything?" Steve asked as Charlie and Jay searched the woods.
"No," Jay answered, circling back toward the others.
"Want to tell me what you guys were busy doing earlier?"
"Not now," Charlie replied.
"Any luck?" Scott asked once they had all regrouped.
"No," Malia said while the others shook their heads. "He hasn't roared again. I've got a scent but—"
"There's something wrong with it," Scott finished.
"It smells like fire," Jay added before they heard another roar.
The five ran toward the sound, coming to a stop when they found a man lying on the ground, the smell of burning flesh filling the air.
Scott put his arm up once they neared. "I hear a heartbeat," Malia told him.
"Who is that?" Scott asked, looking to Charlie.
"I've never seen him before," Charlie admitted, looking to the others.
"I don't know," Malia sighed. "But I know the scent. Even through the barbeque.
They continued forward and moved around the man's body. "How do you think he got here?" Scott asked as Malia and Steve knelt on either side of the man. "There's no tracks, no fire."
"Kaia?" Jay asked, cautiously.
"Haven't found him yet," she told him.
Malia leaned in to take a closer look, but they all jumped when his eyes snapped open. "Oh, my God. Peter?" Malia gasped.
The man whimpered in pain as he nodded slightly. "Who's Peter?" Scott asked as he knelt beside Steve.
"Peter Hale," Malia said and the man started to nodded slightly harder. "My dad."
"Hale?" Steve muttered as Peter turned to Scott, causing him to gasp.
"Peter?" Scott stammered. "He bit me. How could I forget him?"
"How did I forget him?" Malia added.
"The Wild Hunt," Charlie muttered, looking around the area.
"He has something," Malia announced, reaching for Peter's shaking hand. As Malia came close, Peter started to groan in pain. Scott quickly grabbed his hand and black tendrils started to crawl up his arm.
Malia followed suit as Steve watched, the groaning increasing slightly before calming a bit. Steve touched Peter's arm lightly. A few seconds passed before black tendrils started to crawl up his arm. Charlie turned, looking down at the tendrils moving up his and Jay's arm before staring back at Steve.
Malia let go and reached inside Peter's hand. "What is it?" Scott asked before Malia held up a set of keys.
"You were going to try and go back?" Stiles asked as they headed back to the train station.
"Peter's right. The Ghost Riders are going to take everyone in Beacon Hills. They won't leave until then."
"How do you know?"
"Bannack," August replied pointing to the arrival board. "It's a ghost town turned state park in Montana."
"Someone could figure out what's going on if they searched there?"
"Not likely. The state cleaned everything out. They use it to reenact the old gold rush days."
"But one of the others?"
"Maybe," August shrugged, looking through the board.
"Cannan," Stiles whispered before moving toward the intercom room.
"Get it going. I'll keep watch," August told Stiles once he closed the door.
"What do you think the odds of that key working are?" Steve asked Fiona as they sat in the Camaro and watched Lydia and Scott get in the Jeep. Fiona kept silent and leaned closer to the windshield. "Charlie said the Jeep wasn't our key. Shouldn't we let them do this on their own? See if we could get Peter healed faster than the hospital could?"
"Leonard and the others are already working to help Peter. Besides, I don't think there are separate keys. August and Stiles would have found each other," Fiona whispered.
The Jeeps engine started to sputter as Lydia turned the key. "Could that be why you and Lydia feel so connected?" Steve asked turning to the banshee. Fiona looked at the alpha surprised. "Charlie caught me up on what was happening while I was in my room."
"You're not like you used to be," Fiona mentioned as the Jeep started to sputter again. "You would have made the connections and rolled with them without questioning it."
"I'm still not sure what's all going one, to be honest. I feel like I'm in the dark about most of our powers," Steve admitted.
"You'll get back there," Fiona said before the Jeep roared to life. "It worked," she sighed.
"I was kind of expecting a bit more," Steve commented as they continued to stare ahead.
"I think I've got it," Stiles muttered after twisting together a wire.
"No sign of them so far, hurry," August told him as a muffled screech and some static emitted from the radio.
Steve jumped when he heard static and a screech come over the radio in the Jeep. The alpha got out and ran to the Jeep as Scott moved to turn the radio off. "Hello?" a voice said faintly
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait," Lydia mumbled stopping the alpha as Fiona ran to join Steve.
"Hello? Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me?" the voice said.
Lydia grabbed the mic and held it up to her mouth. "Stiles?"
"Stiles are you there?" Scott asked, leaning into the mic.
"It worked?" another distant voice asked on the radio.
"August?" Steve gasped leaning into the Jeep.
"Steve?" August asked.
"Scott? Lydia? Is that you?" Stiles asked.
"Oh my God, Stiles. We can hear you," Lydia panted.
"You know us?" August asked.
"You remember us?" Stiles added.
"Stiles—Is this you? Is this actually you?" Lydia asked.
"Yeah, it's me. Do you remember the last thing I said to you?"
"You said—" Lydia started before looking at the others. "You said, 'Remember I love you.'"
"You should have let me fight with you," Steve added, cracking a smile when he heard August chuckle for a moment before the pair fell silent.
"Are you okay?" Scott asked.
"Where are you?" Lydia asked.
"We're coming to get you," Scott said.
"You can't. Not now," August told them.
"You won't be able to find us," Stiles added.
"Stiles—What—What are you talking about?" Scott stammered as Steve backed away from the Jeep. "Just tell us where you are and we'll come find you."
"We don't have a lot of time," August said, his voice sounding distant again.
"Right, just remember this. Canaan, okay? You have to find Canaan. Just find Canaan," Stiles said before the radio started to emit static again before falling silent.
The four of them stared at the radio in shock for a moment.
"Stiles?" Scott asked leaning into the mic. "Stiles!"
"Stiles, we have to go now," August warned when he heard a horse from the other terminal. "Stiles?" he asked, looking back and seeing the other boy frozen at the mic. "We need to go," the hunter repeated, pulling Stiles out of the chair.
The two quickly sat on the bench as the Ghost Rider came out of the tunnel and headed toward the room. After checking it over, the Rider returned to his horse and rode away. "We warned them," August assured him. "They'll figure it out."
Zach opened his eyes in the dark room. He tried to stand but found that he was chained to the wall. The chimera whipped around when a door opened, filling the room with light. Three Ghost Riders approached him and he tried to shift, but grunted in pain as his wings struggled to emerge. He reached down and felt a wide leather strap wrapped around his chest. One of the Riders knelt down, level with his face and tilted its head before reaching around to the back of Zach's neck. He tapped it a few times and the chimera felt electricity bounce between his neck and the Rider's fingers.
After a few taps, the Rider stood and shook his head at the others before walking back out of the room. "They're planning something," Zach muttered to himself before trying to pull off the leather binder.