The Silver Soldier

XXX

"Fucking bitch." I stare down at Austin's limp body and flex my hand. He most definitely broke my pinky finger. The fucker must have had a really goddamn thick skull.

That would explain some things.

I spit a wad of mercury onto the ground by his side. My nose is mostly healed now, but the pain has vanished completely.

I look down the line of my old friends: my father, Isaac, Lydia, Malia, Scott. It isn't hard to read their faces. In fact, I can almost hear their thoughts just by the way their eyes shimmer with tears.

"Stiles-" Malia starts, choking on her own words. "Why?"

I lock eyes with her, and some part of me feels guilty. I never actually told Malia it was self defense, she only knew what Scott told her. And I believe that if I had, she would have been on my side. But I ruined that opportunity.

"It's quite simple, really." I state. "I never wanted this. I never wanted to get torn apart by the Dread Doctors and made into- into this." I gesture to my face, my body. "I wanted to grow up, and go to college, and get married. Do you think that I would have assumed this line of profession out of free will? No." I can feel my blood heating up. "I told Scott the truth, I killed Donovan out a self defence, not because I merely felt like it. I wasn't a monster back then," I shake my head. "But I sure as Hell am now."

"You could have told us-" Lydia begins.

"I did." I say, deadly calm. "But the truth wasn't good enough, was it Scott? Remember that night in the rain? At the animal hospital? How I told you I didn't mean to, that I never intended on killing Donovan. I told you. But you believed Theo instead." I feel Theo's presence behind me. He played them well, they didn't know they were losing until he betrayed them. I can't find it in me to smile. "Now look where that got you."

"I'm sorry." Scott whispers. "I'm sorry Stiles."

"You left me out there, in the rain." I recall. "That's when they came for me, Scott. They took me, strapped me down to a table, and they killed me, Scott. I died that night, and you - all of you - were more concerned with the loss of Donovan's life than the loss of mine." I return my focus to Scott. "How can you be sorry when all of this is your fault? If you had just believed me - waited a couple more seconds... maybe I would never have become the monster I am now."

He shakes his head. "You're not a monster."

At that, I laugh. "You never learn, do you?" I pull out another handgun from the holster on my belt, cock it, and point it down at Austin's unconscious body. I pull the trigger once, twice, three times. One shot to the head, one to the heart, and one to the throat. All whilst staring at Scott. "When I say something, you better believe it's fucking true, Scott." I say. "But by all means, please try to convince me otherwise. I'm all ears." When no one responds, I smile. "Thought so."

Everyone in front of me is staring. Blinking at me. They don't know what to say, what to do. They're frozen in shock, betrayal.

"You're not Stiles." Isaac says from beside Scott. "Stiles was stronger than you in every way."

For the first time, I look over at him. He has slight stubble on his face, a slight indent on the bridge of his nose from a newly acquired pair of glasses. He doesn't seem as scared as the rest of them. And I take his calmness as a challenge. "Stand up."

There is something about holding a position of power that makes me a little too cocky. I have absolute power over each and every single person here, and they can't do anything to balance the odds. They are all mortal, weak, less than.

I have nothing to lose.

Isaac hesitates, but then stands. I toss the gun to the ground, opening my arms in invitation. I'm within punching range, all he has to do is made a move. I wouldn't stop him. "Would you like to test that theory, Isaac?" I ask, grinning. My fingertips are tingling, eager for a fight. I can't remember the last time I lost a fight, but I sure as Hell don't intend to lose now. "Hit me"

He balls his fists, glancing down at Austin.

"Isaac." Scott warns, he looks just about ready to pull Isaac back. All the fear has disappeared from his face. He is glancing from me to Isaac, his gut telling him who is the most at risk. And it isn't me. "Don't."

Isaac is staring at me, but he heard Scott. He knows what is best for him, he shouldn't hit me. But if he doesn't, I won't have a problem shooting him in the head for disobeying my orders. then again, I am aware that some part of me has been stalling this whole time. I could have shot each and every one of them when they first knelt before me. I should have done that.

I've always hated when the bad guy in a story has the hero captured, yet they always take time to tell the hero their whole sob story instead of killing them right away. Doing that gives the hero's friends time to save them.

And then it hits me.

They do have backup coming.

That is why Isaac and Scott no longer seem scared...

They know they are going to be saved.

My gaze moves to Lydia and Malia, their tears are gone.

I have to keep the smile off my face as an idea begins to form in my mind.

When their backup comes, they will make sure I am not killed. They are optimists. They believe that I can be fixed, they won't try to kill me, they will take me hostage. They will attempt to turn me back into the Stiles they once knew, and I will let them.

Acting has always been one of my strong suits.

They won't know what hit them until I have the muzzle of my gun pressed against their forehead.