I don't have anything clever to say for this one... just review if you can please!

*Disclaimer* Mee no own Dawk-eest Pow-waahs! ;P

~ Chapter 35: The Battle Plan ~

CPOV

We made our way slowly to the back door, then somehow my feet stopped in front it and I turned to him. It was dead silent, not even a cricket was chirping and the night air was calm. When his deep green eyes fell onto mine my heart jumped and I shivered.

"Chloe, you better head back in before you catch cold. Look at you, your shivering." I held myself back and shook my head.

"No, no I'm fine! I just..." I grasped at my jacket collar trying to buy me some time. I just... I just, what? I wanted to tell him something, there was something important that I wanted to tell him, but my mind was so scattered I couldn't remember? Idiot!

"Chloe, don't be scared. I'll be there the whole time; I wouldn't ever let anything happen to you." He came up and rapped his arm around my shoulders giving me a reassuring shake, and then he pecked me on the lips, slowly whispering to me that after this it will all be over. "We will be able to go home, no more running, not more hiding." He rubbed my arm then slid open the back door for me. I stepped in; eyeing him in the light that flooded out of the motel room.

"Derek," I said, shaking my head with a laugh. "I know, but do you know that you have five o'clock shadow?" he turned his head away, blushing profusely as he glided his fingers across his face realising the coarse whiskers for the first time.

"The rustic grunge look, I can't pull it off now can I?" he shot me a humorous face with a playful grin.

"Guess I'm just not used to you actually looking grown up, I guess?"

"I left my Bick razors back at the safe house, guess it shows now doesn't it?" I giggled and he silently did along with me. "Good night Chloe, see you in about an hour." He then disappeared into the night as I closed the door, swallowing him in darkness.

"Where have you been?" Tori said from her bed, twirling a ball of energy in her hand. I shrivelled into the wall from surprise.

"Tori! Don't scare me like that!" She laughed and diffused the ball.

"If anything you're the one scaring me!" Tori got up from the bed and came over; she messed up my hair then pulled me to the middle of the room. "I thought you were an innocent little thing, but after seeing you wander into the night to go have a make out fest with that thing? I don't know anymore."

"Derek is not a thing Tori. And how do you know what I was doing with him? I could just have been out there for some fresh air for all you know!"

"Or some fresh meat!"

"TORI!" she stuck her tongue out at me than laid back down on her bed.

"Do whatever you want Chloe I will stop bickering, it's obvious you won't listen to me anyway." She then rolled over and after a moment I realized she fell asleep.

~x~

I sat there for a minute on the edge of my own bed, kicking my feet absently thinking of Sophie.

..."But you must understand Chloe; the reason why we worry is because as soon as a werewolf completes his selection process, he will never love another again."

... Never love again?

..."He is far from finishing it; the usual ritual can last from months to even years, it won't end until_." She cut herself off and mouthed "I will tell you later, she's coming back."

...it won't end until what?

I pulled at my sheets; wrapping myself up to try to warm the chill going up my spine. This puzzle was missing a few too many pieces, but I did not have the time to ponder it because at that very moment a knock came from the door. I answered it, and saw the lean serious face of Andrew.

"It's time." He said. I looked up to him and with the most understanding face I could make I nodded.

"Okay," I was ready.

~x~

We drove at a slow speed with our headlights out and motors silent. The forest seemed to creep past me like a dark entity and I shivered at the thought of ghosts walking these roads. The interior was quiet; Derek sat on the far right while Liam and Andrew focused their attention on the road. I felt so alone sitting by myself next to the tinted window that only revealed shadows and my heart felt cold and nervous as I lowered my head to stare at my frightened palms.

"Remember the strategy you two." Liam said, raising his vision to stare at us from the rear view mirror.

"I will head with the resistance and lead them the safest and quietest way into and through the building." Derek mumbled hoarsely. He then shot his glowing eyes towards me.

"And I will be with Derek and determine where the two are held from the directions my aunt gave me." I whisper.

"The success of this mission depends on your two's teamwork." Andrew cuts in, he then manoeuvres to face us and beams a smile. "So... try to get along okay?" I couldn't help but crack a smile.

After Andrew turned back around I noticed Derek fidgeting with his arm, and as he held it I saw him winch in pain.

"Derek?" I whisper only quiet enough for him to hear, he looked at me from the side and quickly stopped what he was doing.

"What? It's nothing!" he mouths; I jump back and raise an eyebrow.

"Don't you dare tell me that your body picked now to_" he turned all the way around to face me and I saw the embarrassment in his flushing face.

"I'm nervous okay? I think that's what triggers it."

"You're nervous?" I ask, he nods and turns away.

"I have to calm down or I'll_" I squeeze his arm and he flinches. He takes a deep breath and gives me a simple nod with an up turned smile.

"Derek," I whisper, rubbing his shoulder. "I'm here for you. I always will be." He took my hand into his and shone me a kind glow of his emerald eyes.

"Thank you," he said as he leaned over to kiss me, then all of a sudden the car lurched. We fell back and I wacked my head on the window. Owww.

"We're here," Liam announced; he looked back at us with a serious glare. "It's time for you guys to do your task." We nodded and stepped out of the truck, Andrew following us.

"Keep the car running," Andrew told Liam. "If this turns out as planned, we won't be too long."

"Just make it back in one piece sorcerer." He turned his attention to Derek. "And make sure she does too boy." He was meaning me. Derek nodded instinctively.

"I won't let anything happen to anyone." Then he flashed his eyes my way, his stare saying "Especially you Chloe."

~x~

Slowly we made our way undetected to the back of the building; we had six large men with us, all werewolves from the pack. Derek plastered us to the side of the wall, he peeked around the corner and I saw his nostrils flare.

"Figures," he says."There's a guard."

"Just one?" I whisper, I pump my fists and look up to him. "we can take him." He shakes his head.

"We won't have to if the plan works correctly." Suddenly a voice transmits from the guard's radio. I press closer to hear.

"What, intruders at the entrance? I'm on my way!" the guard turns and runs in the direction of the front and we make our way as fast as we can to the door.

"Locked, and it won't budge" Derek growled as he tries his best to break it.

"Let us have a go at it," says our six companions, and quickly the door was smashed open. Quietly we crept inside, making sure our stunt was not over heard.

"Alright; where to from here Chloe?" I pull away from the group and start looking around the corridor, searching for any distinct marker that my aunt may have shown me.

"I..I don't_" I flinch as a person steps from a room and stares at me.

"Chloe?" Derek turns to me worryingly. He doesn't see them.

"There's nothing there is there?" I ask shivering.

"No, you must be_" I stopped him as soon as the entity spoke up.

"It's only been two weeks or so since I seen you Chloe, how have you been?" it was a girl's voice; she stepped from the shadows and flashed me her crooked eyetooth.

"Rae?" I shriek, Derek whispered her name in shock and I took to the ground running up to her. I came up to her and held my hands out in front of me. "Oh my god Rae, I'm sorry, so so sorry. I am too late." She placed a ghostly hand upon my arm and smiled at me with her glossy brown eyes.

"It is alright Chloe, you wouldn't have been able to save me," she stepped away and rubbed at her hands as she recalled the memory. "They terminated me the day after you broke out. I already played my purpose to lure you here back then, and when you escaped... I was no use to them anymore." I dove and clasped her in my arms, but she dispersed like fog and reappeared farther down the hall.

"Rae..." I choked; she put her finger to her lips and pointed down the hall.

"I'll lead you to Kit; I won't let these horrible people take another innocent victim." I nod.

"Come on," I say, looking over my shoulder to my group. "Rae is going to lead the way."

~x~

Carefully we tracked down the corridor, made our way past several security guards unnoticed and finally came up to a lone cell, Kit's name was scribbled on a piece of paper that laid in a plastic shelf on the door; kind of like a hospital.

"Dad," Derek whispered under his breath, I looked to him and I motioned for him to do the honours. Slowly after a moment of lock-breaking Derek shoved open the door, and there sat his father at the edge of the bed. He looked hollow eyed and pale, his hair was greased back from probably fingering it through his hands like I always saw Derek doing, and he was skinny... too skinny.

"DAD!" Derek called, he rushed into the room and gathered his father in his arms.

"Derek, no let go of me it's a_!"

"Trap?" I turned around and there stood Doctor Davidoff and Tori's mom. Before I knew what was happening Diane bound the six werewolves in her spell and Davidoff had one arm around me, the other holding a gun to my head. I held very still.

Derek erupted with a loud dastardly growl but I saw the fright hiding behind his anger. His eyes were flashing terror as he looked to the gun and back to me, but I held still trying to calm him, if he saw me struggling he might pounce. And if that happened... Davidoff might shoot him.

"What's wrong Souza, scared of a little pistol? You seemed to dodge all the ones pointed at you so far, but what are you going to do when it's little Chloe Saunders it's directed at?" he rubbed the end of the gun against my neck and I had to try hard not to swallow.

"Let her go Dr. Davidoff, she has nothing to do with me or my father." Kit stood up and held onto his son by the shoulder, I was not sure if he was trying to protect Derek, or restrain him. Davidoff grinned.

"Why not tell this girl the real reason why she is the center of all this Mr. Bea? She is," he pressed the nozzle to my neck again. "dying to know." I shuttered. Derek's attention shot to Kit and he gave him a look of bewilderment. Davidoff was buying time, we had to get out of here!

"Well, I guess I can't hide this from you two any longer."

~x~

Kit wove a story about how I was the very first successful child to come out of the experiment alive, and about how I was introduced to Derek and his brother when we were very young.

"When you met though, something... happened." I saw Derek flinch.

"Well?" Davidoff pushed the pistol closer. "Tell them what happened."

"We found out that the dormant selection gene enacted itself prematurely."

"You mean?" Derek stuttered.

"That as soon as you saw her at that group home years later... after all that time that gene was enacted and you underwent your first change your... you won't love anyone else again Derek. You made your transition into werewolf hood and your instincts no longer will let you."

So this is what Sophie was talking about...

The doctor looked down to me with a sickening smile.

"And after surveying your development we realised that you two were failed experiments, you're too strong and unstable. We don't need no "pitter patter" of little mutant monster feet running around anytime soon, get me?" I blushed, but I didn't feel embarrassed on the contrary, I was burning up with fury! "Maybe... to make it all easier, I should just end this little problem right now. The control personnel I ordered should be here any minute, so how about I just make it quick and painless shall me?" He angled his gun better and my eyes grew wide.

"No, you can't! She is just a child!" Kit pleaded, Derek rose into a threatening stance, and when I thought it was all over I heard the sound of Ms. Enright moan and collapse to the floor, and the gun from the doctor's hand was slapped away.

Derek dove onto him and threw him across the room, Davidoff hit the bed post with a sickening whack and his eyes hung open as blood poured out of his mouth.

"What just happened?" I asked, Derek grabbed my hand and lead the group down the corridor.

"I don't know, but we have to move, apparently the distraction out front was not enough, we have to get out of here!" I saw the terror in his eyes; he was frightened about what he just done.

"It was for the best Derek, you did the only thing you could in that situation."

"I killed him, dear god what have I done?"

"You had no choice." He stayed silent and kept his gaze adverted.

We burst out the back door and Liam pulled up in haste.

"Get in!" he called.

The six men piled into the bed of the pickup and Derek, his father and I climbed into the back, Andrew was on our heels, his hand clutching a thick file folder.

"This will convince the supernatural court!" He laughed, and then I heard the sound of guns going off and a bunch of security men started firing from the back door.

"Get down!" Liam yelled, he pulled Andrew in and sped off into the night.

I was gasping for breath, Derek still had his had entwined with mine and he looked at me expectantly, like he was waiting for me to tell him to let go. I didn't.

I looked over at Kit, his eyes closed and looking tired, Derek glanced over to him too, then back to me.

"We did it," I beam, and he nods in agreement.

I stared at the darkness of the trees as we raced by, no one was chasing us, and a faltering calmness arose from the night air.

"Back to the pack we go!" Liam chimes, "No one will follow us after finding out we stole their evidence. They are probably going to start heading out of state here in the next few minutes."

"Shouldn't we go after them?" I ask.

"No," Kit says, he sits up straighter and looks out the window absently. "The cabals will deal with them and then the order of the Sorcerers will get their hands on them. They won't get far, what we need to do now is not associate ourselves with them anymore." He turned his attention on us and his chin rose. "What we need to do now is focus on a more complicated issue." Derek's grip tightened.

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