Morningstar

25

Season Five

BEACON COUNTY SHERIFF'S STATION

Parrish was on the phone. "Yes, ma'am, we're having trouble with the power as well. It's most likely related to the storm."

"Parrish!" Sheriff Stilinski called. "Check the back-up generator and make sure it's fueled! And Parrish? Answer the phone!"

"Six months. Six months of directing traffic, doing courthouse security, serving subpoenas... And today? I finished a total organizational overhaul of evidence lock-up. Now, I'm stuck behind the front desk while there's downed power lines, a jack-knifed tractor-trailer, and reports of gunshots downtown. I don't know what I did to lose your trust, but you need every available deputy out there."

Luci took his hand and he calmed slightly, giving him a small smile.

"Okay. Got something for you." He handed Parrish a piece of paper.

Parrish looked at it. "A noise complaint?"

"Yeah. Somebody made a noise... Somebody else complained about it. Check it out. You can even take Luci if you'd like."

ABANDONED HOUSE

"Hello?" Parrish called as he and Luci entered. "This is the Beacon County Sheriff's Department."

"Hello?" Parrish and Luci called as they looked around. "Hello!"

Parrish found someone and rushed towards them, asking, "Hey! Hey, can you hear me? Okay, okay, we're going to get you out of there. I'm coming right back. Just hang on." Parrish went to investigate and came across someone. "I'm here, I'm here! Back up if you can."

"Not a Werewolf... But you're something," Belasko said. "Now, you're no ordinary creature, Deputy, nor is your little girlfriend... But then, neither am I. Not tonight. I'll let you live if you answer one question-- where is Scott McCall?"

"Never heard of him."

Luci shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"RAWR!" Belasko yelled, rushing Parrish and attacking him. He jabbed his claws into Parrish and Parrish frowned in pain.

Luci let out a gasp and, trying to ignore her own pain, went to help Parrish. "This vulnerability thing is annoying, Dad."

ABANDONED HOUSE

As Luci put pressure on Parrish's wound, Parrish said over the radio, "Dispatch... Officer... Officer down. I got Luci here too. She's okay."

"Jordan?" Lydia called as she ran in. "Luci, are you okay?"

Luci nodded, her pressure on Parrish's wound lessening. "I will be when he is." She turned to Parrish and stroked his hair. "I'm here. I'm right here. Stay with me."

"Parrish?" Sheriff Stilinski called as he ran in. "Parrish?" He helped Parrish up. "Okay, okay, easy, easy..."

Lydia supported Luci as they left the house.

BEACON HILLS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

"You said you were gonna keep him on desk duty!" Melissa cried as she looked Parrish over. "Why does Luci seem weak?"

"Yeah, it was just a minor noise complaint," Sheriff Stilinski replied. "He apparently makes her vulnerable, whatever that means."

"He's not on fire, is he?"

"Not that I know of..."

"You know, maybe it's part of his healing process?" Parrish began to stir. "It's okay... It's okay... You all right, Deputy?"

"Scott," Parrish said. "We need to find Scott."

Luci frowned. "Yes, but where is he? Does anyone know? Jordan, tell them what we saw. They need to know."

Parrish looked between Melissa and Sh riff Stilinski as he said, "His claws were different-- twice the size of Scott's, more like talons."

"If that's the worst part, that doesn't sound too bad..." Melissa trailed.

"It's worse. They did something to me. I don't know how to describe it, other than it felt as if the life was being drawn out of me, through them. Through the claws."

"And now he's looking for Scott?"

"Which got me thinking about what this guy can do. The rule is you have to kill an Alpha to steal their power, right?"

"But it's different for Scott-"

"You can't steal a True Alpha's power," Sheriff Stilinski said.

Parrish and Luci exchanged a look and stated in a concerned tone, "I think this guy can."