Return of the Hale || Stiles Stilinski

5

"So, the Walcott's were the first," Stiles recapped to his father in the Sheriff's office with Neriah and Scott standing on either side of him two nights later. "At least the first that we know about. Four murders. Sean, his brother, and their parents. They were killed by a professional assassin called The Mute."

"Weapon of choice, a military tomahawk," Neriah cut in. "But then The Mute was killed by my father after he tried to blow up Derek with a Claymore mine."

"Next was Demarco," Stiles said, pointing at the crime scene photo of Demarco with his head decapitated. "He delivered a keg to the party at Lydia's lake house. And got decapitated outside his car. And then last night, twenty-three-year-old Carrie Hudson."

"It's a dead pool," Scott said. "A hit list of supernatural creatures." He pulled out the list, handing it to Mr. Stilinski. "This is only part of it. The rest still has to be decoded."

"Why found the list?" Mr. Stilinski asked.

"Lydia," Stiles answered.

Mr. Stilinski looked up at him. "How?"

"She wrote it. Actually, she transcribed it. Without realizing it."

"Banshee?"

"Banshee," Neriah said with a nod.

Mr. Stilinski sighed, looking back down at the list. "All right, what are these numbers next to the names?"

"See, we're getting to that," Stiles started. "First, you need to know that the code was broken with a cipher key."

"Wait. You mean, like a...Like a key word?" Mr. Stilinski asked with furrowed brows.

"It's a name," Neriah answered.

"Allison," Scott said, looking anywhere but any of them.

Stiles and Neriah shared a worried look before Stiles said, "Her name broke a third of the list."

"And now we think there are two other cipher keys," Scott said, looking at Mr. Stilinski.

"Which will give us the rest of the names," Mr. Stilinski sighed. "So how do we get the cipher keys?"

"Uh, same way we got the code which is Lydia," Neriah explained. "She's been out at the lake house all weekend trying to find the other two key words."

Mr. Stilinski nodded, going through the crime scene photos of Demarco and Carrie. "You two didn't know about Demarco or Carrie?" He glanced between Neriah and Scott who both shook their heads. "Hmm? And what about these other two names on the list? Uh, Kayleen Bettcher and Elisa Town. They werewolves too?"

"We don't know," Neriah admitted. "But Deaton warned us that the Nemeton would draw supernatural creatures here."

"Here being Beacon Hills? Or Beacon County?" Mr. Stilinski quietly exclaimed. "The population of Beacon Hills is just under thirty thousand."

"And dropping," Stiles added, receiving a look from the three of them.

Mr. Stilinski tiredly sighed. "If we're talking Beacon County, then you're looking at close to five hundred thousand. Look, how many werewolves, hybrids, banshees, kitsunes, and whatever the hell else is out there, are we talking about?"

"Well, there's only seven Hybrids left now," Neriah quietly mumbled.

"We gotta get you therapy," Stiles whispered, glancing at her.

"What happens if the next cipher key uncovers not twelve names but a hundred?" Mr. Stilinski questioned, sitting down.

"We don't think there would be that many," Stiles said. "There's a limit."