Chapter 11 Obvious Questions
Scott was not looking forward to having to talk to Peter, again. For one thing, Peter was a sassy asshole on the best of days and today was not going to be one of them. Not after they beat him unconscious and left him tied up in a room all day. Even if he turned out being Stiles' non-evil, sudo foster father and not their universe's Peter; Scott still didn't know how to take differences in the alternate realities. Plus, he kind of felt bad that he and Derek dropped him a couple of times on purpose.
The second reason Scott didn't want to deal with Peter was because of the pack. They all wanted to be in on the meeting. Scott didn't know a lot about interrogation techniques but he was pretty sure you didn't go in with a butt load of people. Now he had to decide who was best to bring with him and who he was going to offend.
Scott could take Derek with him, he was sort of technically Scott's second. But on the other hand, Peter could push Derek's button's like no one else. Allison and Erica wanted to intimidate him and either choice wouldn't work. The twins wouldn't work either. He wouldn't let the puppies go anywhere near him. Cora was still pissed at her uncle and was inclined to react more emotionally than logically. Jackson was too sensitive and emotional. Isaac was sweet and innocent so no-go there. Same for Kira. Boyd would work for intimidation but he wasn't much of a talker so not the best to bring into a 'discussion'. The alternate universe trio might work if Scott knew how they would react to the bizarro version of their Peter. So that left Stiles, Danny, and Lydia.
Lydia. She would be perfect. Despite being a tiny human, she was quite intimidating. Scott personally thought it was because of her big brain and sharp tongue. Lydia was one woman you didn't want angry at you. Scott got shivers just thinking about it. She was so smart that she could totally play on Peter's level of manipulation. Not only that, but Lydia and Peter had history together, in a weird sort of way. He had been a voice in her head after he died. Totally took advantage of her banshee powers before she even knew she had them. Not to mention he bit her and left her to wander the wood in the middle of winter.
On the other hand, Lydia hated Peter. If anyone could be able to kill with their mind, Scott wouldn't put it past Lydia to be the one able to do it. And she was more than likely capable of killing in cold blood. Maybe if Scott had her help him question Peter he could make sure things stayed on the right side of homicidal. Yeah, that sounded like a plan.
Having picked who Scott was going to take with him into the interrogation he had to go inform the troops. He entered the living room with trepidation.
"And Scott enters the room to bated breath." Stiles narrated his entrance, "drumroll please."
Scott frowned at his pack as his betas actually complied with Stiles' command. And that was exactly the reason why Scott didn't want to give his best friend the power of being his second. Because Stiles would abuse his power and lead the pack into wacky shenanigans.
"Lydia" Scott said when they all stopped. There was an explosion of noise as everyone was complaining loudly about why they should be with him instead. Scott ignored it as he was already climbing the stairs to the second story. He shook his head. It wasn't like they wouldn't be able to hear the whole conversation anyway.
Lydia was trailing behind him; her smug superiority was in every line of the way she held herself. Scott paused to consider if he was creating a monster. Nah, Lydia was always smug.
"Do you want to come up with a game plan?" Lydia asked.
Well, now Peter knows they don't know what they were doing. Scott held up a finger to his lips trying to signal that Peter could hear them. Lydia's eyes grew and she looked at him apologetically. It was unlike her to miss something so obvious. He supposed it was easy to forget that half your friends had supernatural senses if they didn't talk about them.
Scott stared down at Peter as he swung open the door. Peter was lying against the floor completely wrapped in duct tape. Judging by the glare on his face he wasn't too thrilled to be there. Scott rolled his eyes and dragged him over to the wall so the they could prop him against it. Then like pulling off a band aid, he tore the duct tape from the man's mouth.
Lydia meeped. To be fair it was kind of groady. So apparently duct tape takes skin with it. Peter was lucky he was a wolf. And that he wasn't currently growing a mustache. All the same it must have hurt like a mother. Peter growled at the pain. Scott growled back putting him in his place.
"So, what do I owe this cruel and unusual torture to?" Peter asked.
"Honestly," Scott told him, "I think it's because you and Kate ... did stuff in Derek's bed."
Peter appeared curious, "So Kate is around?" Scott cocked his head listening to the man's heartbeat. It was hard to tell if the question was genuine or not.
"So which Peter are you?" Scott asked ignoring the previous question.
Peter confidently replied, "The original article."
"This isn't going to work." Lydia told him from the doorway. "We need to ask yes or no questions."
"What makes you think I will comply?" Peter stated looking between the two of them.
"I could always make you." Scott said his eyes glowing red.
Peter paused as if he had not thought of that and was unsure. "You know it's been a long time since I was interrogated by Talia. She was quite the nosey older sister. She was about the only person who could get anything from me. And that was when I was still a kid." His glowing blue eyes met Scott's eyes without flinching. "I wonder if you are up for the challenge."
Scott growled at the wolf.
"Scott, don't let him get to you." Lydia told him. "Calm down." He took a steadying breath. Peter wanted to distract him from what was really important. Over his breathing, he could hear his pack discussing the play by plays of the conversation. It so the humans knew what was being said.
"Are you the Peter from this dimension?" Lydia asked squinting down at him. Peter didn't answer. "He is." She told Scott.
Peter raised a characteristically expressive Hale eyebrow. "How do you figure that?"
"If you weren't from this dimension you wouldn't have to hide that information."
"Ah, but I don't trust you. If you don't know who I am then I am safer assuming we have an equal amount of information we don't know about the other."
"Irrelevant." Lydia popped off, "If that was the case, you'd let us assume you were this universe's version of Peter. And-"
Peter interrupted, "But then I would be at a disadvantage. I would easily be caught in a lie pretending to be something I'm not."
"As I was saying, you wouldn't be trying so hard now to convince us that you are a visitor."
"What If I just wanted you to be more uncertain of who I was by using misdirection." Scotts head was starting to swim. Did they have to purposely talk like that? It reminded him of that one guy from the Princess Bride.
"Ok," Lydia agree leaning back, "But we have a secret weapon."
Peter was definitely amused, "And what's that?"
"We have the other Peter's pack here." She answered.
He was quiet for a second then he asked, totally serious, "Are they ok?"
Welp, that solved that problem Scott thought to himself. They were dealing with the other version of him. But Lydia had the scariest freaking smile on her face. Maybe not so done deal.
"Yes," Lydia agreed, flicking dust from her manicured nails. "Although one of the girls nearly died."
"Laura or Lexie?" Peter bit out in a rush.
Lydia arched an eyebrow of her own and looked at the door thoughtfully. Scott could not figure out what game she was playing. Obviously, this Peter knew who was in his pack. "Lexie; I think. The three of them were in rough shape when they got here. But with a little help from Melissa they all pull through." Peter let out a sigh of relief, "I'm glad they're all safe." Scott knew there was something wrong with that statement, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Lydia on the other hand had a triumphant smirk. Down stairs the pack's conversation had gone quiet. Stiles nagged at them for stopping; but was shushed for his trouble.
"Now that's been established." Lydia continued, "Why do you think any version of you would work with Kate."
"He would obviously be getting something out of it." Peter told her.
"Obviously." There was a long pause while Lydia waited for Peter to say something. He stared back so she continued, "I hardly think it's just for the obvious."
Peter arched another Hale eyebrow, "the obvious?"
"Getting some." Even Scott got the joke. There was a rash of gagging noises from downstairs. The pack started discussing the conversation again. Letting the humans know why they were so grossed out.
Peter frowned first in the general direction of the living room, then at Scott, and finally at Lydia, "Double entendres, very witty."
"Yes." Lydia flipped her hair, "sarcasm aside; I don't think that's all to their relationship. Peter doesn't strike me as someone wouldn't get in bed with the enemy without multiple reasons."
"Business and pleasure," Peter smiled cockily at her, "Sure, sounds like something I'd do."
It was like a sass war, Scott thought to himself. He wished they'd at least stop referencing Peter and Kate sleeping together. It was making Scott want to hurl because he couldn't get rid of the memory of that dead cat smell. "So what else could he want from her?"
Both of them flicked their eyes towards Scott. "God, you make me sound shallow."
"Well," Lydia snarked, "I'm sure it's her brains and personality." There were loud boos to that from downstairs.
"Guys!" Scott growled, "Focus."
"We know it's a plot of some kind." Lydia said off-handedly.
Peter snorted, "What make you think that?"
"Apart from its you we're talking about?" Lydia queried.
"Toche."
"And we know he is partially to blame for the dimension travelers." Lydia continued.
"Yeah but why?" Scott burst out while Peter made an affronted noise.
"How do we know he was involved with the dimension travelers, with me?" Peter asked.
Lydia seemed smug at that little slip up, "Because we know that Willy gave Kate the spell."
"Ah," Peter grimaced, "Willy."
"And that if Peter is working with her they must be messing with it together. The timing can't just be a coincidence." Scott finished exposing.
Peter made an impressed hum. "Wow, Scott that was actually pretty logical reasoning."
Scott flushed, "Hey, I can figure things out too."
"Back to Scott's point," Lydia said refocusing the group, "why?" She paused letting the question hang. Then, "What would both Peter and Kate want badly enough that they were willing to work together? Something that they couldn't get here?"
"Kate probably wants revenge but Peter's had enough opportunities to mess with us before now. You remember the lamia incident and when the nogitsune showed up? He didn't have to help us then." Scott mused.
"Not unless he was biding his time." Peter pointed out with a far off look on his face.
Lydia narrowed her eyes at him the she dismissed the suggestion, "No."
"What do mean, 'no?'" Peter sneered at her.
"Yeah," Scott agree with Peter's question.
"Sure, it could be revenge, Peter does things for multiple reasons. But it's more than that. He wouldn't go to all the trouble of dealing with another dimension just to get his petty revenge." Lydia explained her reasoning.
Peter was glaring a little bit at that last part. Lydia didn't seem faced, "So, the question to ask is, 'What does Peter want more than anything?'"
"To be a sarcastic bastard?" Scott suggested unhelpfully. There were shoots of laughter downstairs.
"To be the alpha!" Peter snapped out, clearly upset. His eyes were glowing blue.
"Why thank you Peter, for your cooperation." Lydia said, "I'm sure we can figure the rest out from here."
Scott almost asked Lydia what she was doing as she pulled him toward the door. "Wha-"
"Wait." Peter called to them, "aren't you going to let me out. We're on the same side."
"No, Peter," Lydia told him closing the door, "we aren't."
Halfway down the stairs Scott asked, "What was that?"
It was Genim who answered, "That Peter wasn't my alpha."
"He didn't say anything about Isaac not making it." Stiles pointed out coming up behind his double. Still a little creepy.
There were growls coming from upstairs as Peter realized he'd been played. "Plus," Genim continued, "he was have said something about Melissa when you brought her up. Her death messed him up pretty badly." Scott shuddered. It still wasn't cool thinking of Peter dating his mom.
"I think I know where he'll be," Lexie said hesitantly, popping her head around the corner of the hall. "I'd like to check it out first."
Scott nodded his approval. "That's alright, we have to go to graduation practice anyway. Make sure to take Derek with you.
"I'll go too." Genim told him. It was not quite asking permission; but it still made Scott a little awkward acknowledging it. Like, dude, you do you. Genim was a grown adult (almost) and he wasn't really in Scott's pack. He could do whatever he wanted. Scott gave him the same node he'd given Lexie.
There was a flurry of activity as his pack got up to head for the cars. The twins and Cora were staying back with the pups to study because they were still juniors. Laura, also offered to stay and help them study. Jackson could have stayed, having already finished school in England, but wanted to come and see his old crowd.
O0o.o0O
There was noticeable excitement in the air when they got to the school. The halls were buzzing with happy conversation. The pack lined up around one of the tables so they could purchase their caps and gowns.
After getting the cloths, they moved towards the gym where coach Finstock was yelling at them to find their seats. The pack took up whole row by themselves.
"Normally, we'd stick all you guys in alphabetical order but past years have proved you all can't stay in line to save your life. So, we're handing out cards to write your names on. Don't lose your cards! If you don't have a card you don't graduate."
"What coach means to say is you'll still graduate but you won't be part of the ceremony." Miss Marten interrupted his tirade looking a bit frazzled. "Next, rules. Please be on your best behavior. You are representing the school."
"You roughhouse; you're out." Coach said taking up the mike again. "You bring one of those stupid blow up beach balls; you're out. You mess up the line even a little bit."
Coach Finstock waved both arms gesturing for the class to respond, "you're out."
Coach glanced at the pack's row, "I'm talking to you McCall, Bilinski." He made that hand signal to say he was watching them. Scott and Stokes slowly slid down in their seats.
After that they were forced to practice lining up and walking in straight lines. It was ridiculous. "We're going to keep doing it until you get it right." Coach boomed out at them.
"Hey buddy what's wrong. "Stiles asked grabbing Scott's shoulder. He was unconsciously tensing and looking around. Something smelled off. Then, all of a sudden, something raddled at an open door. Jackson streaked by across the gym from his perch on the bleachers.
"Whitmore, what the he'll are you doing!" Coach yelled. "Aren't you supposed to be dead."
A/N: I finally know how the story is going to end. There are 7 chapters left so I'm going to start wrapping it up. My plan is to be done with the story by nanowrimo but it may take a couple extra weeks to upload the chapters. Thanks again for my wonderful comments. As always let me know what you think.
Till nextime,
~Alycat
