Chapter 42: The Magician and The Fool
Two Years Ago
'Its not the place, its the people.' Virgil never really appreciated that quote until he came to Beacon Hills High School. The place itself was okay. It wasn't like the rundown places he had gone to back in San Diego. BHH had good, wide and beautiful grounds. Signs of graffiti, litter and vandalism were also rarely seen anywhere around there. The workout room was decent with great equipment and even the library was nice and well stocked. It looked like it was a pretty good place to go to school, the only problem was the people that used it for the schooling.
Since he had gotten there, people watched and took note of his every move and it wasn't because they were fascinated or taken with him. His brief stint in juvie had everyone come up with the most ludicrous stories about him being things from a drug dealer to contract killer in training. Among his classmates these rumors spread like wildfire. Most of their parents were even worse. The people in this small town seemed to have nothing better to do in their lives but to get up in his, it was pathetic. It probably didn't help with the Sheriff and a deputy shadowing him during his first month of school due to the complaints from parents made to the school board about him attending school with their "precious" children.
Though, today was special. It was the first day of Virgil not having his 'shadows' around him anymore. Sheriff Stilinski had gone off and convinced them that after a month of no incident, it was completely unnecessary. A part of Virgil was a little upset to see him go. He'd gotten used to the man and actually found him pleasant to be around. But also because he had helped in keeping the other students from annoying and hassling him. Now, some seemed to go out of their way to follow him around. It was like they were waiting for him to do something, now that his ball and chain was gone, and catch him in the act. Yet, whenever he moved to make eye contact, they averted their eyes and turned away and/or doubling their walking speed to move away from him, in the most unsubtle ways possible. He was getting tempted to jump at them and go 'Boo'. Idiots.
At lunchtime, he sat over at a spot by one of the windows and the few people close by moved to take their lunch and move away. The food here was surprisingly decent, definitely better than he had back at his old school or juvie, but he was having trouble enjoying it. He decided to just play with his phone when he noticed his grandmother's tarot deck. She had given it to him for today to celebrate his freedom from 'parole'. He didn't really buy her hoodoo talks but not having anything better to do, he decided to give it a whirl. He would go on and draw random people's 'soul card', as his grandmother called it. While he started to shuffle the cards, there was some sudden loud noise coming from a couple of tables away and caught sight of Jackson Whittemore, Beacon Hills High self-appointed BMOC. He was laughing it up with some of his lacrosse teammates and had his arms around his girlfriend. Virgil narrowed his eyes as he remembered Jackson's father being the one heading the charge to try and keep him from enrolling because he thought he was too dangerous to be around their kids. This small town's hot shot lawyer trying to throw his weight around and it looked like his son followed his lead with this school. Carrying himself like a douchebag with his gelled, blow-dried hair and cruising around in an expensive Porsche.
Jackson let his gaze move to him and noticed that Virgil was staring. "What are you looking at, jailbait?!" he snapped out at him. That made all the other players follow his lead and give him a stink-eye while his girlfriend scrunch up her face like Virgil was something foul to look at.
Virgil just rolled his eyes. "Jackass," he mumbled to himself as he resumed his shuffling.
When he was finished, he then decided to try Jackson first. What card could be his soul card he wondered. He let out a breath like his grandmother taught him and cleared his mind. He then drew the top card and placed it on the table. Virgil saw that he had drawn the Five of Wands.
"A massively impatient and competitive person, usually is a drama queen. Privately insecure and doubtful of himself but always hides behind a fierce and prideful face," he recited to himself what his grandmother taught him of the card meanings. He then looked back over at Jackson as he had gone back to boasting with his teammates, making sure they hung onto his every word. Virgil let out a small snort. "Yeah, that would fit."
He then let his eyes go over to Whittemore's female counterpart. Lydia Martin. The school's self-appointed fashionista and mythic bitch. She fit the image with her strawberry blond hair was finely combed, her face lightly coated with fresh makeup on and was wearing high end clothes. He also noticed that some of the guys near her and some passerbys let themselves stare at her, which she seemed to notice and bask in. As materialistic and vain as she was, Virgil would have to guess she was a Reversed Four of Pentacles. He then drew the card and found that she was a reversed card, but The High Priestess.
"A person that has repressed knowledge and instinct which is unrealized by clinging to the approval and opinion of others. Highly tempered and sexual as your spiritual side is blocked," he mumbled to himself. He then looked back up at Lydia, who was checking out her nails, with skepticism. "Her? Yeah, right." He then shook his head. "Don't take it so literal Virgil. It's not real," he said to himself.
"These seats taken?" someone suddenly asked.
"Uh," a second voice quickly hissed out. "Maybe we could find another seat?"
Virgil looked up to see two younger boys. Both seemed on the light side though were tall. The one who asked to sit had a buzzcut while the other nervous looking one had longer, curly hair. The buzzcut looked a little eager while his friend seemed a bit scared. If Virgil had to guess, they were coming over to try and get close looks of the school's bad boy. Either for cheap excitement or plain stupidity. Whatever the reason, Virgil could do without it.
"I was just leaving so knock yourselves out. Literally," he mumbled out as a quick afterthought.
Virgil then moved to grab his tray and his stuff when the buzzcut widened his eyes as he caught the deck on the table.
"Hey, are those tarot cards? Cool," he said, reaching for them.
"Whoa, hands off," Virgil cried, moving to slap his hand away but flicking some cards off and scattering them. He gave him an annoyed look.
"Sorry," the kid said, quickly taking his hand back.
Virgil then moved to gather the fallen cards as the two boys moved to sit down. He counted to see if he had all of them.
"Uh," the other nervous kid suddenly spoke. "You forgot this one." He was holding up a card.
"And this one," said the first one.
He snatched them off their extended hands and then started to stomp off. He could catch a glimpse of their conversation as he left.
"I told you it was a bad idea to come over here Stiles."
"What? Scott, my dad said he wasn't so bad."
'His dad?' he thought as he headed to dump his tray.
Virgil was distracted by that thought that he didn't see that the card Scott gave him back was The Fool while the card Stiles gave him was The Magician. He just put them back into the box with the rest of his cards and took off to spend the rest of lunch in the Library.
Present Day
Everyone was staring at the blueprints as they went over the finer points of the plan for that night.
"Okay, Kira and Malia will go in from the visitor entrance. Blend in with the others coming for the evening visiting hours," Stiles muttered. "When the time is right, they'll make their way to the electrical room."
"Okay," Kira said, nervously.
"Got it," said Malia a little more confidently.
"What about the rest of us?" asked Liam. "How do we get in?"
"Parrish and I already had a plan for that and it's ready to go. Adding four more bodies to the mix shouldn't be a problem," Stiles added with a shrug.
Scott got nervous. "You sure it's okay to bring Parrish in Stiles? I mean, given what happened the other night? Maybe we should get someone else. Maybe your dad? Or Virgil, he could play the part."
But Stiles shook his head. "It has to be him Scott. The security officers and orderlies know all the local deputies. And if the Sheriff is seen doing it, they could get suspicious, especially after my last visit."
"Doing what exactly?" Zach coughed out. "How is he going to get us in?"
"You don't have to worry about that. Uh, by any chance Zach, and you Virgil, you two aren't claustrophobic are you?"
"No," they answered together, equally confused.
"When you look into the literal jaws of Death," Virgil started, a small far-off look coming over his face. "You'd be surprised how things like heights, the dark or enclosed spaces don't really phase you anymore."
After, Zach cringed. "And I think I'm more Dread Doctor phobic these days."
"Good," he said before turning to Liam. "You don't have claustrophobia, right?"
Liam shook his head. "No, I don't think so."
"Perfect, then we should all be able to get in."
"Great," Scott sighed. "So, once we're inside, we'll head straight down to their supernatural sub wing as soon as Kira creates the brownout. We all know the plan from there?"
Stiles, Kira, Malia, Liam, Virgil and Zach all nodded. All six of them looked to be at different levels of confidence for this plan. Scott himself was feeling pretty confident. With all of his friends working together again, and even with two more guys to help, there was a strong chance this all could work. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Stiles clapped his hands together.
"Scott, why don't you and Liam go to the hospital and pick up what we need."
"Yeah, my mom should be able to get it for us," Scott nodded as he looked over at Liam. The beta looked nervous but he nodded as well.
"I guess I'll practice making a brownout," Kira mumbled off.
Scott nodded. "Malia, could you stay with her?"
"Yeah," she sighed. "This should be fun." Malia then looked over at Kira, who stared back awkwardly.
It was clear that she felt this was going to be anything but. Kira then looked back over at Scott for a moment, he gave her a small supportive smile, and she then nodded before heading on off with Malia right behind her. Malia cast a look of her own over at Stiles as she reached the classroom door. They caught each other's eyes for a moment, just staring at each other, before Malia moved out to follow after Kira without saying or doing anything else. Stiles kept staring out after them until he felt a tap at his elbow.
"Hey," Scott muttered to him. "You alright?"
Stiles let out a deep sigh. "Ask me again after this is over," he muttered back. Stiles then cleared his throat. "I guess I'll go and tell Parrish about the changes to the plan. We all meet up at your house by 7 for Operation Silent Scream."
"Silent Scream?" Virgil repeated dryly. "Really, that's the best you could come up with?"
"What's wrong with it?" he asked him.
"What's right with it?" Virgil asked back.
Stiles shook his head tirelessly but managed a small smile nonetheless. Virgil curved his lips slightly as well.
Off to the side, Scott blinked his eyes a bit. "Uh," he started, making Stiles look back at him. "Maybe we should all stay together for now?"
"Why?" asked Stiles. "Your mom doesn't need to see all of us. Besides, after meeting with Parrish I was going to go and talk to my dad. Besides, I'm sure we all still have our own things to do before we head off tonight, right?"
Scott didn't want to split off now. Knowing what it meant when they all would have to meet back up again later. But, Stiles had a point. They each all had things to do.
"Yeah, okay," he said before he moved to grab Liam and then leave to get to the hospital.
Virgil and Zach started to make their way out but Stiles held them back.
"Wait," he said, making them freeze.
"What's wrong?" asked Virgil.
"There's something else that I need to do before I go, and I'm going to need both of you to help me."
The three of them moved down the hall when Stiles suddenly stopped out of nowhere.
"Stiles?" Virgil asked, stopping as well. He saw that Stiles was staring off behind them but he saw that there was nobody around. "What is it?"
Stiles didn't answer right away. He just kept staring off with slightly narrowed eyes before he shook his head. "Nothing, I guess. Uh, do you mind going to my jeep? There is a big jar there. Get it and meet me and Zach over in 302."
"Sure."
Virgil took off and Zach moved off to turn a corner as they moved for the stairs. Stiles turned the corner to follow after but then stopped and quickly looked back down the corridor they just came down. Again, there was nothing there.
"Stiles?"
Stiles turned to see that Zach was frozen up in the middle of the stairs, giving Stiles a concerned look at his behavior.
"Sorry," he said. "It's nothing."
Stiles' eyes scanned around for another moment before he shrugged his shoulders and moved on. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but it almost felt like they were being watched. Perhaps his nerves were just on edge about tonight. Eichen House always seemed to have that effect on him. Granted, with everything that's happened during the times he was there, no one could really blame him, could they?
Soon enough, they reached the classroom and Zach was helping Stiles with pushing all the desks to the sides to free up a giant space in the center.
"What are we doing this for Stiles?" he said as he went and flipped a desk upside and stacked it atop another one by the wall.
"Simple," Stiles sighed out as he moved a chair into a corner with some others. "Plan B."
They had just cleared up the space when Virgil stepped in and held up the jar he picked up from Stiles' jeep. "Stiles!" he asked the moment he stepped in.
"Good timing cause we just finished," Stiles sighed out.
But Virgil looked pissed. "What the hell is this about?!"
Zach seemed taken aback. "What's up?"
Virgil then brought out a big glass jar filled with familiar black dust. "Mountain ash, right?"
"Yeah, I need you to make another barrier. I have to try to make myself able to get through."
"You mean so you could pass through the one at Eichen?"
Zach's eyes widened. "That's your Plan B?! Getting through the barrier yourself? You don't think I could do it?"
Zach seemed to shrink a bit and Stiles let out a deep, tired breath.
"No Zach, I know you can. You're still Plan A. But, you always should have a Plan B. And a C. D. An E wouldn't hurt either. Look guys it's not that I don't think you two could do it. But, one thing I've learned after all this time is that when you make a plan, something unexpected and terrible always happens to complicate and/or change everything. And through that mountain ash, that's probably where it's going to be."
Stiles let himself think back to their previous plans of action over the last two years. Summoning the Alpha at the school, capturing the Kanima's master at the rave, infiltrating the Calavaras' club, and protecting Hayden. They had made plans for dealing with those things and nothing had turned out like they had the first time. Something always happened to make everything worse. This time, that worse thing would be Lydia dying and going on to take who knew how many people along with her. They couldn't let that happen. Not to mention, Virgil and Zach were new to all of this. They had been pulled in because of the Dread Doctors and what they unleashed in this town. They were involved in that but Lydia had nothing to do with them. He knew they were only doing this because of him. That made them his responsibility. So, if the worst did happen, he wanted to make sure nothing happened to them.
"You're thinking about Dr. Valack, aren't you?" said Virgil. "That he might have something waiting through there? Are you really that scared of him?"
"Yeah, I am. We know so little about this guy. And what we do know is terrifying. The guy drilled a third eye into his head to give himself, and other people, visions. He used to work experiments on people at Eichen House years ago, then became a prisoner there, and now is running the place. Not to mention, he was afraid of the Dread Doctors, and from what they went through to get into Eichen House to get to him, that feeling might have been a little mutual. And if those three wanted him out the way, there must be a reason."
Virgil nodded. "Okay, now I'm starting to be more scared of him."
Zach nodded in agreement. "What do you think could happen?" he nervously asked.
"Honestly...I don't know."
"So, you're saying we need a trump card," Virgil mumbled. "And what better trump card than a beast?"
"Yeah. I'm not so sure about being a trump card. Or a real beast. I mean, that other beast is shifting left and right to go on killing sprees through town. He tore through the hospital and over a dozen people in just a few minutes. I still can't control my shift and when I do, I don't know what I'm doing or where I'm even going to end up." Stiles moved to rub furiously at his temples and over his eyes.
Virgil reached down to the pouch at his waist and pulled out his grandmother's deck. He let his eyes focus on Stiles as he moved to draw a card. He looked down and saw it was The Magician.
"Well, this one says you are," he said, holding it out for him to see.
"A tarot card?" Stiles then looked down to the rest that he was holding. "I noticed you pulling those out a few times before."
"Yeah," he said shuffling The Magician back into the deck. "They used to be my grandmother's. She taught me all about tarot and how to use them. And after she died, she specifically left them to me in her will and ask I keep them close by. They calm me and help me think. She once told me that they've been in our family since after Salem. Claimed they really had power and were tied to our bloodline."
Stiles blinked. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah, right," Zach chuckled.
"Says one of the guys whose eyes glow and can grow fur, fangs and claws. Or wings," he added, giving a pointed look at Zach.
Stiles sucked in his teeth. "See your point," he conceded.
"I honestly didn't believe it either. I kept them around because I guess I just wanted to humor her, or myself. Think there was someone crazier than me. But, I think a small part of me knew she was telling me the truth. Now, after everything that's happened, I'm sure that she might've been right, about everything."
"That card. The one from before. What was it?"
Virgil smiled. "Let me show you."
He then went over to one of the desks at the side and set the deck down. He shuffled them a bit and then set them down. Virgil asked Stiles to cut the deck and he went and broke it into two piles. Virgil went and combined them again and then he went to draw a card and place in face up.
"The Magician?" Stiles read aloud.
"Yeah, that's your card. Your soul card."
"My soul card?"
"The card that identifies you. The one that best defines your very being. It's the one card of a person that never changes. All that can change is the card's position. Upright or upside down. And The Magician is yours Stiles."
Stiles looked at the card that depicted a man holding a glowing stick in the air. "So, it's right side up. Is that good?"
Virgil smiled. "It says you're a person that is very smart and very crafty. You're also self-driven, determined to take your skills to next level. You can achieve just about anything that you put your mind to. You tend to push on in spite of things trying to block your path, which only makes you push back harder." Stiles' eyes were focused on the card. "That sound good to you?"
"Sounds good to me," Zach said off to the side.
Stiles blinked and let himself look away from the card. "Okay, well can your cards tell me how I'm supposed to do that now?"
"Maybe." Virgil then moved to go and draw two more cards and put them underneath The Magician. He left them face down. "This a power reading. This card," he said pointing to the one on the left. "Tells you your strength and this one," he said pointing to the one on the right. "Reveals your weakness. But you can't have one without the other. Stiles, if you see your strength then you have to see your weakness too."
"Show me," Stiles said with no hesitation.
Virgil turned away and revealed them. The strength one showed Ace of Wands and the weakness one showed Ten of Wands. "Hmm," he said to himself. "Interesting."
"What? What do they mean?"
"Well, your strength Stiles is that you're bold and proactive." he said pointing to the Ace of Wands. An image of a hand holding a glowing stick. "You're not one to give up easy. A problem or issue comes along and you strive to solve it and tend to do so." He then pointed to the Ten of Wands card. "But...your weakness is that you move to take on more problems than you could handle. You carry your burdens and take on those of others on top of it all. Like the image of the guy overcarrying so many sticks, you try to carry the full brunt of the everything to try to spare anyone else having bear any of their strain. You might be a great magician, or werewolf, but you still have your limits. You're still...human," he added with some irony.
"Nice," Stiles mumbled.
"The cards are telling you that you can't solve every problem yourself. There are some problems that just aren't yours to fix or burdens that aren't yours to carry. At least by yourself." He then went and set the jar of mountain ash on the desk. "Like with this. You shouldn't have to take on this extra burden, at least alone. You have your pack. And, for now, you have us too."
Stiles sighed. "Look, I get what you're trying to say. I do. Maybe you're right and I don't need to do this now, but I feel I still should. Just in case," he stressed out when he saw Virgil about to argue more. "So...could you just pour the ash, please?"
Virgil let out a deep sigh as he went and gathered up his cards and went to uncork the bottle of mountain ash. "Just in case," he repeated.
"But wait Stiles," Zach said as Stiles stood off as Virgil trapped him in a mountain ash circle. "What about Parrish? Don't you have to go over the new plan with him?"
"Yeah, and I will, after I get out."
"Before 7pm?"
"I was close before. I felt it. I can do it."
Virgil poured the last of the ash to complete the circle around the young werewolf. "Done."
"Why don't you guys go off and wait at Scott's house until its time."
"Maybe we should stay? Or we could go and talk to Deputy Parrish for you?" Virgil offered.
"No," he said sternly to them. "I'm going to do that. You two will go and wait over at Scott's. And don't tell anyone where I am either."
"But, if it takes too long...how are the others supposed to start if no one knows you're still here?"
"Then I better not stay trapped here then, shouldn't I?"
'That sounds like The Magician alright,' Virgil thought to himself. "Alright, but, if we don't hear from you before 6 then we're talking. Deal?"
Stiles closed his eyes as he felt some irritation but took a deep breath and then let it out in a huff. "Deal," he consented.
Virgil and Zach then moved to head on out the door as Stiles tried to focus himself. He stood there for few minutes, just having his eyes closed and breathing calmly. Many thoughts and emotions started passing through him before he suddenly lifted his head and opened his eyes to reveal their blue shifting glow. He then moved to go up against the side of the barrier.
Outside in the halls, Virgil and Zach reached the stairs and started to stomp down them. When Stiles hit the barrier, Zach flinched and looked back over at the vacant hallway they just left.
"Do you think he'll be okay?" he asked a bit nervously.
Virgil gave a look back himself as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "Well, he didn't seem too hurt when he tried back at his house before."
"But, do you really think he could get through before 7pm tonight?"
"Who knows. This is as new to me as it is to you. But...during his first attempt, I did a small reading and I got this." He dug into pouch and pulled out The Nine of Wands card.
"And what's that one mean?"
"It symbolizes the process of going through a long hard battle or obstacle and you've been nearly drained. But, you're close to what you want and all it will take is just one final push to pull through."
Zach gave a look back again. "He's pushing all right."
"So, chances are he'll be fine...most likely."
"Oh...well that's good then." There was silence for a bit until they came up to the school's main doors. "So, if I'm a Page and Stiles is a Magician-" Zach started. "Then what is your soul card Virge?"
"Virgil," he grunted back but still managed a grin as they went and pushed the doors open and left the building.
Kira was looking down at a homemade circuit box connected to a lightbulb with two metal rods before her. She went to grasp them, took a deep breath, and then let her foxfire flow out through them. Immediately, the bulb started to light up. The light flickered, growing brighter every single time before it lit up with a hot, white light before quickly exploding after a second.
Malia gave the shattered bulb a small look before turning her gaze to a disappointed and frustrated Kira. "So...try again?"
"Yeah," she sighed out. Kira moved to go and replace the lightbulb with another one. "So," she said trying to fill in the awkwardness of her latest failure. "Can I ask you a question?"
"No," she said.
"How are things going with Stiles?"
Malia moved to look down at her feet. "I don't know. We haven't really talked since...well, since everything happened."
"Oh."
Malia's hand moved to rub at the spot over her heart. "It still hurts to see him. And I don't mean just from the broken pack bond. It hurts knowing that I can't be with him anymore. That I can't go and hug him, spend the night like we used to or even talk to him anymore. I want to, so very much, but now...it's like we shouldn't. That it all feels wrong now."
Kira's could see the heartbreak plain on her face. She had to remember that Malia was still very new to living a human life. Stiles was her first love, her first boyfriend. And now, he was her first ex. "Well, I'm no expert but I think that's what it's like when you break up."
"Well, then breaking up sucks then," she sighed out tirelessly. "I don't know why people do it."
"I guess they do it because they feel that they have to."
"Well, is that what it feels like for you?"
"What do you mean?"
Malia blinked. "You and Scott."
Kira shrugged as she fastened in the new bulb. "I don't know. I mean, Scott and I didn't break up, not really. But, I don't know if we're still together either. He's trying not to bring it up but I know Scott is still shaken after everything that happened with me and Lucas, and what happened with that girl in his kitchen."
"The chimeras," Malia said with a nod. "Who Theo probably used to set you up like he used Donovan to set Stiles up." Malia narrowed her eyes as her claws grew out and angrily scratched deep indents into the workbench. The guy had "I swear, the first chance I get, I'm going to rip and tear Theo's face off."
Kira straightened up at the mention of him. "Yeah, well, you're not going to be the only one. Not just what he did to me and to you. But everything he did to Scott, Stiles, Liam, Satomi and her pack. And what he's doing now to Hayden and Corey. Something tells me there's already a line."
"We better take a number then."
That made the two girls catch each other in the eye before they broke into giggles and shared a small smile. It lasted for about three seconds before they sobered back up.
"Malia," she said after a few seconds. "Did your mother really try to kill you?"
"Did your mother really leave you in the desert with skinwalkers?" she asked back.
"Are you really going to try and kill her first?" she asked a bit nervously.
Malia tightened up her jaw and removed her goggles.
"What are you doing? Why are you taking off your goggles?" Kira asked her.
"Because you're going to do it this time." Her face was stone cold full of resolve and certainty. "You're going to make a brownout here and now. Just like when you'll do it at Eichen when we go get Lydia. Do it. Do your thing."
Kira went and finished fastening in the new bulb before she moved to grab the metal conductor coil. She gave Malia a last look, seeing the confident expression she was giving her, before taking a deep breath and focusing her foxfire into the circuit. The lightbulb quickly lit up, burning brightly for a moment before the bulb popped like a balloon. But it wasn't alone. The lights in the classroom all shorted out and sparked out, leaving the whole room darkened. With that, Malia and Kira moved to head out the door before anyone could come in and catch them.
As soon as they stepped out the door, there was an area of the chalkboard that started to shimmer before Corey appeared in front of it. He watched the doorway where the two left with a small smile on his face. He was getting better at this. All that time and they hadn't noticed him at all. Corey knew enough to be careful though. After all, he stayed far enough away when he had spotted the entire pack heading into that classroom. After all, the last time he tried to sneak up around Scott and Stiles, they spotted him. He repressed the urge to shudder thinking of Scott's fangs and his roar along with Stiles and his long, thick claws. When he spotted Stiles leaving with those two new guys, he had tried to follow them but Stiles seemed to sense that he was nearby so Corey knew he had to stay away. Scott and Liam, he saw them heading out but guessed he would have the same trouble with Scott so shadowing Kira and Malia turned into the safe bet. And it seemed to have paid off. He learned everything he needed to know. No muss, no fuss for once.
Melissa McCall was working at the reception desk when she heard the elevator doors pop open. She quickly spotted her son getting off and walking for her and she smiled, though it instantly vanished when she spotted Liam walking in right after him.
"Scott," she said lightly as she saw her son.
Yet, when she noticed Liam coming up behind him, her face quickly stiffened up. Liam shrunk a bit as she fixed him with a stern gaze.
Scott cleared his throat to get his mother to look back at him. "Mom," he said gently to her.
She sighed as they needed to get back on track. "Uh, yeah. Follow me."
His mother led them both off to the morgue where she went into the closet and where she moved to pull out a pair of empty body bags.
"We're going to need a few more," Scott grimaced.
His mom then went and yanked out a couple extra. "It's no problem. We keep plenty extra these days," she told them dryly. She then headed over and while Liam moved to take them, she turned and gave them to her son instead. "Just promise that you're not going to come back in one of these."
"We're coming back with Lydia."
She nodded. "Okay."
Melissa then went to go and grab a few more and they followed after her until she passed by one of the recovered corpses of the Beast's victims on a nearby slab.
Liam paled a bit. "We still don't know who's doing this. Who the Beast is, well the other one anyway."
"We'll find out," Scott said, trying to reassure himself as much as Liam.
"You think it's someone we know?"
"I hope not."
Scott knew how hard it was to have to fight against a monster that was someone they knew underneath. Not that fighting monsters of people that they didn't know was any easier.
"You think he even knows he's doing it?"
"What makes you so sure it's a he?" Melissa said, roughly thrusting a few more body bags at Liam.
"You still mad at me?"
She shook her head. "No. But, if you try to kill my son again, I'll put you in one of these myself."
The two wolves could tell that Melissa was not lying at that part. They gave each other a look as she moved to leave the room.
"She's still mad," Liam whispered.
He nodded. "Yeah." Scott then looked back over at the body of the victim. "As for the Beast, whoever it is, they're all alone. We'll stop it together. All of us."
Liam sighed. "And what about the Dread Doctors? And Theo? And his chimeras?"
This time, Scott sighed. "One thing at a time. Right now, let's go and get Lydia."
Dr Valack, or Dr Fenris as known to the rest of the Eichen staff, was moving through the dark halls of the facility's sub levels with one of deputy nurses.
"Have the security personnel been informed to be on high alert tonight?" he asked.
"Yes, of course doctor. Are we really expecting trouble?"
"With what I have planned for tonight, I would be foolish not to."
"But, our prevention methods would make sure our 'special' wing can not be breached."
"It wouldn't be the first time it was. And even if that were so, I don't expect that to deter these particular troublemakers."
He then took a turn which led him to a dimly lit storage room. He headed for a cabinet where he went and pulled out a mask. Not just any mask, but a mask that resembled the ones worn by the Dread Doctors. His fellow nurse went wide eyed at the sight of it.
"Have you actually put that thing on someone?" she asked him.
"Not in years," he said turning it over in his hands. "Shut the door, would you."
The nurse moved to do just that. "How do you know it still works?"
"I don't. Suppose we should give it a try."
With no warning, he moved to jam it on the nurse's head as her back was turned. The moment it went on, she gave a scream that echoed through the empty halls and carried lightly up to the upper levels, mixing into the many screaming back noises of the infamous Echo House.
The sun was starting to set when Scott made it back to his home but his spirits had brightened up somewhat. While there were still some bumps between them all, he, Stiles, Kira, Malia and Liam were all working together again. There was also Parrish and even some more added help with both Zach and Virgil. With so many working together, they were sure to get Lydia back. Scott felt things were starting to look up again.
At least he thought they were before he stepped into his living room and his high mood dropped at the sight of Theo sitting in wait on his living room couch.
"Hey Scott," he shrugged and gave a lazy kind of wave.
Scott tensed immediately. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I just came for a little friendly chat. I would've tried to catch you at school but I can't really show my face around there anymore. Not since the Sheriff went and put out that warrant on me. I mean, how am I supposed to graduate?"
"I doubt you really care about school all that much," Scott said in a low toned growl.
"Don't you? After all, you and the others were all just there, on a Saturday," he said back with his small side smirk.
Quickly, Scott's stomach dropped. Theo knew what they were doing.
"You can't show your face around there. How could you-"
"Corey," he answered.
Scott blinked. He then remembered how the chimera was able to make himself look invisible. "You had him spying on us."
"Yeah, he's getting better at being unnoticed and is especially a lot more careful around other shapeshifters given what happened back in the tunnels the last time we met. He was sneaking around Malia and Kira earlier and overheard some pretty interesting stuff. Like how you're planning to try and break Lydia out of Eichen House. And he heard them mention that you and Stiles are working together again. You two made up?" Scott narrowed his eyes at him. "Well, I'm happy for you guys. Really, I am. But, even with you two and the rest of your pack back together, it's not going to be enough. You still have to get through the mountain ash barrier. We can take care of that."
"You want to help us?" Scott asked, utterly doubting the sincerity of the offer.
"You gotta admit, you need all the help you can get. And none of you can get passed the ash."
"I think we've got the mountain ash covered."
This time it was Theo speaking with doubt. "Oh, yeah? How?"
The door behind them started to open and the two of them turned around to see Virgil and Zach walking in and they froze just like Scott had done at the sight of Theo.
"Stay there," Scott told them.
"Well." Theo let a small smirk worm its way onto his face as he got off the couch and stood up. "It looks like you've made some more new friends." His gaze focused on Virgil. "You, yes I remember you. You live in the same building as Zach."
Virgil looked over at Scott. "What the hell is this bastard doing here?"
"Ouch, that's kind of harsh, don't you think?" Theo's face had an unrealistic expression of pain. "I mean, you don't even know me."
"Well, if half of what we've heard about you is true, that's more than enough."
Theo let out a small, proud snort before his gaze shifted over to Zach. "So, this is where you disappeared to? Scott McCall and and his pack. You really think you stand a better chance with them?"
"Well, they're not working with the maniacs that made me into a freak and then tried to kill me," Zach spat out.
Theo sucked in some air. "Ooh, touchy. Something tells me you've been hanging out with Stiles. Both of you. They don't seem like the type that I can see you taking in Scott."
"Speaking of," Virgil said, giving a look over at Scott. "Is there something that you're waiting for?"
"What are you talking about?"
Virgil just widened his eyes at him. "Are you serious?"
Theo smiled. "Well," he said bringing the attention back to him. "Nice to see you're holding down the fort as well as usual Scott. Now I know you need my help if you really hope to get Lydia out of Eichen House."
"Why do you care?" he asked him.
"You saw the fresco, didn't you? The one showing the two creatures, the Hellhound and the Beast. Well, one of them anyway," he added with a shrug and a smirk. "The point is, they were fighting each other over a pile of bodies. I just don't want to be one of the bodies. That's all."
"Oh, well, sorry but no."
"Why? Because you have him?" he said, casting a look over at Zach. "He won't be enough, and you know it. I guess you'll have to see that for yourself when I get to Lydia first." Theo then started to walk off but stopped directly in front of Zach. "And you, my offer's now off the table. So if I see you tonight, I'll be sure to finish what the Dread Doctors couldn't."
With that, he then walked out the front door with the three of them staring after him. As soon as the door closed, Virgil turned back to Scott with an incredulous look on his face.
"Seriously, that's it? You're really just going to let him go just like that?"
"And what am I supposed to do?"
"Oh, I don't know. Bite his throat out, rip off his arms and legs. You're supposed to be a werewolf, aren't you?"
"Being a werewolf doesn't mean we go around killing people," Scott argued back.
Zach's eyes went into a hard glare. "But it does mean letting the psycho who helped those Dread Doctors take me and a dozen other people and turn us all into a bunch of lab freaks, and then kill us go?" Zach spat out in a perfect blend of viciousness and panic.
"At least after he was done using them to play the hero so he could suck up to you," added Virgil.
Scott glared over at Virgil but Zach brought his attention back on him.
"I was lucky that I didn't die like the others. That bastard tries to take me like them and now just threatened to kill me. And you just stood there and watched. Are you going to just watch when he's ready to actually go and do it?"
"I won't let him do that."
"And I'm supposed to believe that? This is the guy who almost killed you and you let him go and do what he wants, but you're not going to let him kill me?" Zach then shook his head before he moved to head for the front door.
"Zach, where are you going?" Scott asked after him.
"I can't do this." He then stopped to look back at Virgil. "Tell Stiles he was right. He did need that Plan B."
With that, he then opened the door and then stomped off. Both Scott and Virgil called out after him but it was to no avail. Zach just yanked the door to slam hard behind him.
Scott yanked at the hair on the back of his head in irritation. He grit his teeth as he let out a heated breath before he turned around to look at Virgil. He was glaring right at him.
"If you're looking for sympathy and comfort, you won't find it with me," Virgil hissed at him.
"What is your problem?"
"Did you really just ask me that?"
"I don't mean with this. You've had a problem with me since we first met."
"Yeah, well I don't know how you're used to doing things with all this pack stuff, but for me, I kind of find it hard to stomach traitors."
"Believe me, I am not excusing Theo-"
"I'm not talking about Theo," Virgil said, cutting him off. "He's not the traitor. He didn't betray anyone."
"What? Everything happened because he betrayed us."
"No, he's a double crosser. He didn't betray you and your friends, he double crossed all of you. There's a fine line. You double cross your enemies. It's those you love and care about who you betray. Why do you think they say the lowest circle of hell is reserved for traitors? That's why. And I'm guessing Theo didn't love or care about you or the others. But you, you love and care about Stiles."
"Stiles," he said, lowly and plainly. "This is because of him. What exactly did he tell you?"
"Actually, he wouldn't say much about what happened between you two but he didn't have to. The look in his eyes. The way he carries himself around you. I know it, because that was how I was after I got betrayed."
"What?"
"Yeah. I had a best friend too. A guy I thought of as a brother. I always had his back and went to hell and back for him. And in the end, I meant nothing to him. He betrayed me to save his own ass. Ruined my life in order to keep his own safe. And you McCall, you are just like him."
"No," Scott barked out. "I don't know what this friend did to you, but I would never actually choose to do that Stiles. Theo tricked me."
"Tricked you? He tricked you to cast Stiles out? I've known plenty of liars in my life Scott and the best lies are the ones that people want to believe. You believed Theo's lies because you wanted to. And, somehow I can feel this wasn't the first time this has happened."
"What are you talking about?"
"I remember all the press from last year. The stories about the Argent woman setting fire to the Hale House. And I did catch some looks at school between Stiles and that girl Allison Argent, the girl you were dating. And it was clear, from the unsubtle longing looks you threw each other, you were still dating after all that. Knowing what I know now, about werewolves and that the Argents were actually werewolf hunters. I can put two and two together you know. You went and betrayed Stiles then all for a piece of ass and now, you went and betrayed him for a complete one."
Scott stomped over at him, his eyes let out their crimson glow in anger. "You don't know anything," he lowly growled.
Virgil just stared back defiantly. "Is that supposed to scare me or something? Two weeks ago, I looked Death in the face, literally. You think I'll curl up in terror if you flash those red eyes at me?" Scott was breathing a little heavy but he blinked a bit as he calmed himself and let his eyes go back to normal. Virgil shook his head. "You're a mess McCall. If you're the leader around here then no wonder Stiles feels like he has to take on so much."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Oh, I gave Stiles a tarot reading earlier. Helped him see both his strength and his weakness."
"Tarot," Scott mumbled to himself. "Yeah, Deaton told me about your grandmother. He said he went to her for readings and advice sometimes."
That threw Virgil for a loop. "The vet? Really? Wow, this really is a small town."
"And you gave Stiles a reading with her cards?" Virgil nodded. "Give me one."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, I am," he said resolutely.
Virgil just stared at him for a moment before he shrugged. "Alright. Fine, I'll give you one. The same kind that I gave to Stiles earlier."
He moved over to the coffee table in the living room and pulled out his deck as he sat, laying them down on it. Scott sat opposite him, watching as Virgil was cutting and shuffling the deck of tarot cards. The guy had his eyes on him as his hands worked, watching him in some kind of focus. After a moment, he pushed the deck over.
"Cut the deck," Virgil told him.
Scott reached over and cut the deck in half before Virgil reached over and recombined them. He then pulled it back before he went and pulled out three cards and arranged them with the last two standing side by side below the first. They were all face down.
"What are those?" asked Scott. Virgil responded simply by revealing the middle card. The picture was facing him and Scott easily read that it was The Fool. "What's that?"
"You," said Virgil.
"Me?"
"It's your soul card."
"Soul card?" Scott repeated.
"It's the card that represents who you are at your core. Your innermost self."
Scott narrowed his eyes a bit annoyed at him. "You're saying I'm a fool?"
"Oh definitely. But this," He then pointed at the card. "The Fool usually represents someone with potential. The kind of potential that could lead to anything. Something that could be great and memorable. A person full of hope and that can be capable of taking something and bring it to a new direction. From what Stiles has told me, you've gone and brought together a pack of not just werewolves. I might be out of depth here but to me that still sounds new and full of potential. A wide eyed, hopeful fool."
That made Scott ease up a little. To him that actually sounded good. "I like The Fool then."
Virgil smiled but it wasn't of happiness. "Yeah, I bet you would. But," he sternly stretched as he started tapping on the picture of the foolish man depicted on the card. "The Fool is upside down. That reversed position instead means a person who has no direction on where to go with anything they do or make at all. Their potential is wasted and squandered. They tend to have the bad habit of repeating the same mistakes over and over and think that there will be a different result with each time. Like circling around the same road and thinking you won't fall down the edge that is in plain view. And that is what this card is saying you are at your core. A true, hopeless fool." Virgil saw Scott's shrink a bit after he was done, his eyes stuck on The Fool's image. "They call you a True Alpha, right? Irony."
"You're making that all up," Scott growled.
"Go ahead, call me a liar or crazy if it makes you feel better. The Reversed Fool does also believe that they always know everything. They're rigid about that, stand behind the belief they always know best even when they're proven wrong."
"Do it again," Scott grumbled.
Virgil shook his head. "I can't. I could shuffle the deck and draw again but The Fool would still be your soul card. You know, this isn't the first time I've drawn The Fool with you. The few times I'd seen you before, I've checked what your soul card was and it was always this one, in this position."
"You're saying I can't change this?"
"No. You see, a person can't change their soul card, I mean it's your soul, your inner nature. All that can change is the direction it faces. For better or for worse. But, don't get too excited. That doesn't happen on a whim. I mean, people can't just one day decide to be a better person or just go bad. It takes something practically life changing to do that, for anyone."
"What about the other two cards?"
Virgil pointed to the one at the left of The Fool. "This shows what your strength is." He then pointed to the one at the right. "This tells your weakness. Do you want to know what they are? Because, if you see one, you have to see the other and I can't promise that you'll like it. Only that it'll be the truth. Sure you can hack it?" he challenged.
Scott clenched the hand at his side into a tight fist. Deaton had warned him to brace himself if he got a reading with these cards. He said that they tell the truth but facing the truth was hardly ever easy.
He took a deep breath. "Show me," he muttered out heatedly.
Virgil let his lips curve a bit. "Okay then McCall. But don't say I didn't warn you." He then revealed his strength and Virgil leaned back a bit as he saw it. "Ah, The Three of Cups."
"Tell me that's good," Scott asked hopeful to have some good news.
"Actually, it is. It's very good. This represents people coming together. In this context, it's saying that you are able to bring different kinds of people together for a great purpose or a common goal. Do you think this fits with you?"
Scott just nodded. "Yeah, I do."
He began to think back on times where he was able to rally the different kinds of people to his side the last two years. Lydia and Jackson when Peter was running amok. The times of getting Derek and his pack with him to stop the kanima. Allison and her father with him to stop Gerard and save Kira and Stiles. And even his mom, Stiles' dad and Parrish. This was his strength. He could see it and wasn't going to argue with Virgil on this one.
"Remember," Virgil pointed to the other card. "There is still your weakness."
Scott's jaw tightened a bit. "Okay. What is it?" Virgil then went and flipped the card. It was upside down, facing him so he could easily read the name. "The Emperor?"
"Reversed," Virgil grunted. "It's a card representing leadership. Upside down, it's stands for being weak in leadership and judgment. Also can stand for daddy abandonment issues," he added with some bite that made Scott's jaw stiffen. "What its saying here is that while you can bring people together, you're not very good at keeping them together. Or holding on to the people you already have. Probably because you're so concerned with reaching out to people that you probably shouldn't. Judging from what just happened with Theo, you Scott seem to care more about your enemies than your friends."
He was glaring at him. "That's not true."
"Isn't it? You betrayed Stiles on the word of Theo. All because he was trying to protect himself and his father from a vengeful, homicidal cannibal. And I'm guessing you chose to betray him for Allison's hunter family. Her father and grandfather, our principal until he disappeared. Like I said before, you're a creature of bad habit. Literally," he snorted.
Scott moved to throw the cards off the coffee table and got into Virgil's face. "Shut up," he growled, letting his red eyes out again.
But Virgil just stood up and smirked back at him. "Guess you couldn't hack it after all. Not surprising from a weak fool." Scott's teeth were gritting and it was easy to see his fangs had shifted out as well. Virgil still looked unpanicked. "Oh, what are you going to do?" he challenged. "I mean you did just let someone who double-crossed and almost killed you stroll out your front door. Which is why you're going to have to explain to Stiles why we just lost the one that was going to get us in to save Lydia tonight."
Scott blinked as the glow faded from his eyes. "Stiles? Zach, he said something earlier."
"Oh, yeah. The Plan B. Stiles, he's still at the school. We left him in a mountain ash circle because he wanted to try to get through it again."
"You left him trapped in mountain ash?"
"He asked us to."
"Where?"
"Room 302. But he said-"
Scott then went and pushed Virgil away and threw himself out the front door without letting him say another word. Virgil just shook his head after him and then bent down to pick up his scattered tarot cards. The first two cards he picked up just happened to be The Fool and The Magician.
Scott road his motorbike as quickly as he could and practically leapt off it when he got to the front of the school. The sun was halfway set and there were less cars parked nearby than before. Scott ran up to room and yanked the door open but he gasped as soon as he got inside. The room was empty, save for the circle of mountain ash still there.
At the station, Jordan Parrish was working at the front desk when the sound of the front door made him look up to see Stiles come in and give him a pointed look. He deflated at the sight. Jordan knew too well by now what was coming. But, he also noticed that Stiles looked a little worn out. The kid was breathing hard and seemed to be sweating a bit.
"Stiles, are you okay?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah I'm fine. Just had a harder time getting here than usual, that's all. But, I'm here and our plan to get Lydia out of Eichen has changed a bit. Well, a lot."
Stiles quickly came over and told him that the plan had changed and now included not just Scott, Liam, Malia and Kira but Virgil and Zach as well. He finished with tossing him the keys to the station's van.
Jordan took them and tossed them back. "That's gotta be the worst plan I've ever heard."
"No, the plan is perfect. And it's work perfectly especially if you agree to drive the van." He then pushed the keys back.
"Does the Sheriff know about this?"
"How do you think I got the keys?"
"I thought you stole them."
"Well, that is perfectly, reasonable assumption," he admitted. "I did not steal them...this time. And you know that all the Eichen guards know every single one of the Sheriff's deputies. If this is going to work we're going to need a real deputy."
But Jordan was still resistant. "Stiles, I can't. I mean, the last time I was there I attacked you."
"Yeah, I know. I was there. You don't need to remind me."
"And what if that happens again? I couldn't control it. I'm dangerous."
Stiles deflated a bit. "Join the club Parrish. What, you don't think I'm dangerous? When you attacked me, I ran off and transformed into a big, hairy beast. Honestly, it's lucky I didn't run into anyone when I went under like that. Or the other times."
"What about your dad? He was there, that first time you changed, but you didn't hurt him. In fact, you saved him. Brought him to the hospital."
"Yeah, well, for all I know, that a fluke. Okay, I couldn't control myself any better you could. But there is one thing that our two problems have in common."
"And what's that?" Jordan calmly asked.
"There is another giant werewolf running around out there that's gone and already killed over 30 people. Yet, you and I are the only two that fought it and weren't killed."
"Yeah, well, what is that supposed to mean?"
"Well, I like to think it means that we're both the best shots of stopping it before it goes and tears everyone in this town to pieces. But, if we don't save Lydia tonight, there might not be much of a town left to save."
Jordan gave him a bit of a look before he reached over and grabbed the keys.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait on this chapter. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays and some technical difficulties I faced after, it was a hectic time. But, with the arrival of the Teen Wolf movie, I was inspired to push on again. Sadly, the movie fell short on my opinion. As I'm sure it did for a good many other fans. Now, I want to make sure my story goes and takes everything and everyone into a better direction.
I hope you liked the readings that Scott and Stiles got. A look into their greatest strength and weakness. Stiles with his power to deal with problems and come up with solutions but overextending himself by taking his friends and loved ones personal problems on top of his own; especially when they might not be his to take on. And Scott with his power to bring different people together for common causes or foes but lacks the means of keeping them and especially his own people together during or after they are done; all because of him lacking sound judgment or a weak sense of leadership. Though, that was just a glimpse of their individual strength and weakness. As a person. It doesn't include their strength and weakness as werewolves or as friends and partners. Those will come into light later on for the both of them.
The next chapter will have them begin to go for Eichen House and try to rescue Lydia. But, like Stiles feared, there are problems, even before they start. Also, there will be some action with Derek and Cora as the Alpha Oscar makes a move on them.
