Authors Note:
Funny story about casting. So originally I always saw Avery as Shelley Hennig, ever since I began writing she was always who I had in mind. Cue Season 3B when she pops up as you guessed it, Malia... I was kind of pissed. I do love the character of Malia now, but for a while I unjustifiably hated her. So then came my recasting in my head, because when I'm writing I find it really important to be able to visualise my characters. I went through a tonne of images, actresses and nobody's alike until I finally settled on Kristen Stewart. Some people don't quite see it. For me her 'casting' as such was based purely on looks. I studied her and also Henry Cavill (who is my Sam) and on certain angles they do slightly look related.
Some of my casting was based on acting though. Sigourney Weaver as Andrea is only because I've seen her play similar characters convincingly, that I couldn't look past her. I can just picture her menacing smile! Anyway, rant over. Happy reading :)
Also thanks for the reviews!
Chapter Twenty-Four: Knowledge is Power.
Sam stood outside the locker room, as Scott and Isaac spoke to Sheriff Stilinski. It had become very apparent that Jackson's death wasn't the only thing to worry about at this current time. The Sheriff's son, Stiles, was missing. On any other occasion no-one would have thought much about it, he had scored the winning goal after all. They could have put it down to a celebratory disappearance. But considering Gerard's warning and premeditated rampage that took place minutes ago the three were very, very worried. That and the fact that Stiles was Scott's closest friend. If anyone could understand Scott's worry when hunters were involved it was Sam. The worlds of the ordinary and supernatural didn't blend well together.
While Scott and Isaac finished speaking, Melissa McCall (Scott's mother) rode in the ambulance with what was likely to be more undercover hunters. No one quite understood the possibility of Jackson, the supposed indestructible Kanima, being the victim of Gerard's rage. It was better to have someone on the inside and who better than Mrs. McCall?
The Sheriff left the lockers as everyone else filed out, including one very proud looking Coach Finstock. As the crowd moved out, Sam slyly moved in.
"The coast clear?" Isaac asked, looking around as Sam entered.
"I think so." Sam nodded. Instantly Scott's claws grew and he pried off the door to Stile's locker.
"You're gonna find him by scent?" Isaac questioned.
"We all are." Scott threw Isaac one shoe and Sam another, while he grabbed one of Stiles shirts.
"Wait, how come you get a shirt and I get a shoe?" Isaac frowned. Sam nudged him in the side. As he did, Scott looked towards the corner of the locker room to find Derek and Avery walking out of the shadows.
"We need to talk." Derek said, arms at ease behind his back. Avery glanced behind as Peter then appeared as well.
"All of us." He said with a cheeky smirk. Scott's mouth dropped.
"Holy Sh–," Scott went to say.
"Language!" Peter cut him off.
"What the hell is this?" Scott continued, his arms thrown up in a huff.
"You know I thought the same thing when I saw you talking to Gerard at the Sheriff's Station." Derek let out an amused huff.
"Okay, hold on." Scott stuttered, "He threatened to kill my Mum, and I had to get close to him. What else was I supposed to do?"
"I'm going to go with Scott on this one." Peter interrupted again, "Have you seen his Mum? She's gorgeous."
All at once, Avery, Sam, Scott and Derek communally shouted, "Shut up!"
"Wait… who's that?" Isaac whispered in Scott's ear.
"Peter. Derek's Uncle." Scott replied, "A little while back he tried to kill us all, then we set him on fire and slashed his throat."
"Hi!" Peter gave a little wave. Avery turned around and smacked it down.
"Wait how is he still alive?" Scott shook his head.
"Doesn't matter." Avery dismissed Scott's question, "Where's Jackson's body?"
"On its way to the morgue. But, wait… how–?" Scott look eternally puzzled yet again.
"Kanima stuff. She can see through my eyes and I asked her to help with stopping Gerard at the game." Sam explained. Scott's lips silently formed an 'Oh' shape and he nodded with slight confusion. The inner workings of the supernatural never really made sense to anyone.
"Okay, why is no one taking this as good news?" Isaac said aloud, "Our lizard problem is solved."
"Because I've seen Sam's throat get slit and him walk away unfazed." Avery stated, matter-of-factly, "And I don't think Jackson's actually dead."
"This didn't just happen. Gerard wanted it to happen." Peter added.
"Describe to me his injuries again." Avery turned to Sam.
"Self inflicted wounds. Caused by his own claws. The skin was punctured ten times in vital spots on his lower abdomen."
"…And that doesn't sound good." Avery frowned, beginning to pace back and forth.
"If you know something, want to share with the class?" Peter questioned smugly. She shot him a death stare before elaborating.
"I need to get my hands on a bestiary. There's an entire chapter on Kanima lore. Only my family copy is back in Bellevue." Avery bit her lip in thought, "If we don't get our hands on that information soon we're at a severe disadvantage to Gerard and the rest of the hunters. Something is going on right now with Jackson that we need to put a halt to A-S-A-P. Otherwise, we might as well start digging our own graves."
"I know where we can get our hands on one." Scott declared, "A while back Allison, Stiles and I worked at getting a copy of Gerard's bestiary on a USB. The only thing is that person who's in possession of it is currently missing."
"Stiles?" Sam said with slight annoyance, no plan they ever created was ever straightforward.
"Stiles." Scott nodded.
"There are some Hale Family records that weren't destroyed in the fire I could consult. They may not be as in-depth as a bestiary but they're worth a look." Peter suggested. Avery nodded.
"So Derek, Peter and you two," Scott pointed to the Venator siblings, "Go after the Hale records. Isaac and I will find the USB in Stiles' room."
Before anyone could argue, Scotts phone began to ring. His mother was on the other end. He answered, "Hey Mum, I can't talk right now."
Melissa's voice echoed through the phone as she spat out words faster than anyone but Scott could process. By the time the call had ended though, it was obvious whatever the call was about was a serious matter. Everyone stared at Scott for answers.
"So Jackson's supposedly dead body is secreting a mucus cocoon, which isn't good, right?" Scott questioned nervously.
"Okay, so I've got a plan… kind of." Avery proposed, "Scott and Isaac go find Mumma McCall and make sure Jackson's doesn't do anything else freaky. Derek, Peter and Sam go to the Hale house to get the werewolf records and I'll break into the Stilinski's house, find the USB and get the data."
"Shouldn't I get the USB?" Scott questioned, "I know Stiles' room like the back of my hand."
"As much as the inner chicken in me hates the idea of breaking into the Sheriff's house, I'm the only disposable person here. You need to help your mum out. Besides all bestiaries are written in archaic Latin, something which hunters are forced to learn at age fourteen." Avery said in one breath. Scott nodded and without further arguments everyone split up onto their next task. Avery took Isaac's phone and when they had completed their assignments they would all meet back at the Hale house.
xxxx
Andrea was trailing behind Gerard as another hunter dragged along the Stilinski kid. The events at lacrosse game had been less than satisfactory. As much as Andrea had been ready to hunt down her children, it was supposed to be on her terms. Seeing Sam was a shock to say the least. Although she had hardly knew what she was looking at when he sprouted spotted fur and cat eyes. Sam was no werewolf, which only fuelled Andrea's anger. She needed to know exactly what he was, but her brief encounter didn't give her enough time to properly analyse what he was. She'd been running things over in her head, listing all the creatures she'd come across in the past and trying to apply them to her own predicament. The most likely answer, although very rare, was that Sam had shifted into a were-jaguar. While he was probably more durable than the average wolf, he wasn't impossible to kill. Andrea was going to have to rethink her approach.
Stilinski was thrown down into the basement with a thud, Gerard and Andrea at his heel. It was completely dark as the teenager stumbled to his feet and turned on the light. To his bewilderment stood Erica and Boyd, tightly bound to electrical wires. He rushed forward as they grunted, their mouths taped shut. He attempted to free them but jumped back as the live wires gave him a painful shock.
"They were trying to warn you," Gerard's voice echoed as he walked slowly down the wooden stairs, "It's electrified."
"What are you doing with them?" Stilinski asked, standing protectively in front of them.
"At the moment just keeping them comfortable," Gerard glanced back up as Andrea mimicked his eerie descent, "There's no point in torturing them, they won't give Derek up."
"But they may give two others away…" Andrea said with a sick smile, taking a seat on the bottom step.
"Okay." Stiles paused and locked his jaw, "So what are you doing with me? Because Scott can find me, he knows my scent. It's pungent you know, more like a stench. He could find me even if I were covered in fecal matter and urine."
"You have a knack for creating a vivid picture Mr. Stilinski, let me paint one of my own." Gerard raised a boney finger, "Scott McCall finds his best friend bloodied and beaten to a pulp. How does that sound?"
"I think I might prefer more of a still life, or a landscape, you know." The kid bit back, but his voice was trembling. When Gerard didn't reply but continued staring intensely Stilinski pattered on, "What are you like 90? I could probably kick your ass and –."
Before he could finish his sentence Gerard gripped him by the shirt collar and threw him to the ground. He stood over the kid and repeatedly punched him in the face. Stiles gasped at each assault, the blood gushing from his wounds. Erica and Boyd recoiled at the sight, pulling at their restraints. Andrea looked away from Gerard and focused her attention on them.
From her pocket she pulled out a thin knife. Nothing particularly special, but certainly sharp. She got to her feet and slowly made her way to the wolves. They stared at her with fear, their eyes bulging and their stomachs churning.
"What's the matter pups?" Andrea cooed, "You're not afraid of little ol' me?"
Andrea playfully twirled the knife through her fingers. A perpetual wicked smile plastered itself across her face. She was going to enjoy this.
"I believe you're familiar with Samuel and Avery. They've caused me a lot of trouble." Gerard's punches became rhythmic as Andrea paced back and forth, "I came to Beacon Hills to hunt a werewolf that had stolen my son's identity only tonight I come across him and he's not that at all. So I thought, hey, why don't I just ask the little wolves that he's been spending all his time with?"
Andrea stepped forward and pulled away the tape covering their mouths. Boyd and Erica sucked in deep breaths of air.
"Tell me what he is." Andrea pressed the knife into Erica's throat. She whimpered and cried further.
"Stop!" Boyd cried out, his voice coarse with fear, "Please stop!"
"For your kind?" Andrea turned her head ever so slightly to look at him. The disgust riddled her face, "Never."
With a swift movement the knife was ripped away from Erica's throat and found its way into her stomach. The room was a haunting symphony of pain. Andrea's maniacally laughs, Erica's roar of agony, the sickening sound of Gerard's punches with Stile's jaw and Boyd's pleads of peace.
"This place is sound proof dearie. Scream all you want. No one's going to hear you." Andrea slowly twisted the knife further inside Erica. The girl tried to keep in her screams, squeezing her mouth and eyes shut. Andrea reached up and firmly grabbed Erica's chin.
"Tell me what Sam is!" Andrea screamed. Erica whimpered yet again and defiantly shook her head. Andrea huffed in delight, "I admire your strength, but it is foolish nevertheless."
"Family." Erica hissed before she spat in Andrea's direction. If Andrea had been holding back, now was the time where that came to a stop. Andrea ripped the knife from Erica and slashed at her face once before inserting it into her left shoulder instead. Erica howled and slumped against her chains, shaking. Her teary eyes slowly trained on Boyd as he struggled against his electrified chains. The electricity running through them wasn't enough pain to deter him.
Gerard, who had been watching the whole thing, stopped beating Stiles and moved to turn the power up on the wolves' chains. Instantly Boyd's struggles came to a halt as his body braced against the high-voltage. Erica only seized into further suffering. When Gerard put it back down neither wolf was in the shape to fight back again. Slowly Andrea slid the knife out of Erica and cleaning it on the girl's shirt.
"I'm so disappointed tonight. First I tried to kill you other friend Isaac, which didn't work out to plan. I didn't really want to kill either of you, but if you're no use then I don't see why I can't change that. I know we may need you as leverage against your Alpha but we only really need one." Andrea menacingly paced back and forth between the Betas. Their eyes followed her with horror, "That is, unless you co-operate. All I ask is for you to tell me what Sam is. I know you know, so don't play dumb."
Boyd and Erica remained silent, their mouths shut. Andrea was almost surprised. Almost. Again she toyed with the knife in front of them before halting in front of Boyd. She trailed the knife lightly across his cheek, glancing at Erica's reaction out the corner of her eye. Andrea reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial with a purple liquid inside. Taking the top off the glass she dipped her knife inside.
"I do love this specific smell of this strain of wolfsbane." She taunted, dramatically smelling the contents of the vial, "Very lethal to werewolves. Not to mention painful."
Through the entire ordeal, no matter how hard Andrea had pushed she hadn't gotten a reaction out of the she-wolf like she was now. It was more than pure un-adulterated fear. It was the look of desperation as the light of her life was about to be torn away. Andrea had her right where she wanted. She closed the vial and put it away, spinning the knife lightly on her index finger.
"3…" Andrea began to count. Boyd gulped, "2…"
"Stop!" Erica shouted before Andrea could finish.
"Erica don't!" Boyd pleaded. Gerard hastily turned the voltage on his chains higher. He shouted again as the electricity coursed through his veins.
"What were you going to say?" Andrea coyly tilted her head. Erica glanced guiltily between Andrea and Boyd before finally speaking one clear word. Kanima