Courageous

55

Scott, Carter and Stiles listened to the tape. Stiles pressed play, and they heard a male voice. "After entering the IP address, you will be connected through a Darknet portal to an untraceable bank. Once logged in, enter your account number to receive wire transfers. The IP address will deactivate with each transfer. You will be assigned a new IP address if you choose to continue down the list. Remember, visual confirmation is always required for payment."

"Either of you ever made a wire transfer?" Stiles questioned.

Scott shook his head. "Never had enough money."

"No reason to," Carter replied.

Stiles asked, "So you didn't understand a word of that either?"

Scott frowned. "I don't understand any of this. Why would someone use all this money just to kill us?"

"Someone wants you dead, dude. Badly." Scott slid the bag of money under the bed. "Whoa, whoa, what are you doing?"

"It's late," Scott replied. "We've got PSATs in the morning."

Stiles shook his head. "No, I meant the money. $500,000. You know how much money that is?"

"It's $500,000..."

Carter let out a sigh. "Which is also half a million. What are you going to do with it? Hide it under your bed and hope your mom doesn't find it?"

He turned to him. "I have to talk to Derek. The money's his."

"You mean his and Peter's," Stiles corrected.

"What does that mean?"

Carter frowned at his friend. "Just be careful."

"You don't think we should tell Derek?"

Stiles stood and looked out the window. "No. No." He sighed. "No, of course we have to tell him. I'm just... I'm just saying, some of that money's Peter's, right?" He turned away from them.

"Yeah."

"Right? Peter. Homicidal killer? Remember? You want to give $500,000 to him."

Scott frowned. "So we should give Derek his money back. But not Peter?"

"I didn't say that," Stiles said.

Carter frowned. "Then what are you saying, Stiles?"

They heard something and panicked. Scott and Carter stood, trying to look like they weren't doing anything. The door opened and Malia entered. "We found Satomi's pack. Derek and I. But they're dead."

"All of them?" Scott asked with a frown.

"All the ones we found."

"Then where's Derek?" Stiles wondered.

---

The next morning, Carter's alarm woke him up and he shut it off with a slap.

Amos opened the door and smiled. "I made breakfast."

Carter groaned softly. "I'll be down soon."

"Good. Hurry up."

Carter got dressed and walked downstairs. He grabbed a slice of bacon and toast. "I'm too nervous to eat a lot. Do I really have to do this?"

"To graduate, yes. Just take your time and you'll do just fine."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Good luck, Carter."

---

When he got to school, he joined his friends and they were soon joined but Kira and Malia and the former of the newcomers asked, "Where's Lydia and Kinsey?"