Through the Dark // S.S. [Book One]

Chapter 45

I walk into the station and into the sheriff's office to see Derek and Mr. Argent. "Hi, guys. Sorry for barging in. Sheriff? You wanted to tell me something?"

The sheriff nods. "The specialist I saw in L.A. told me the thing that every doctor says when he's trying to avoid a lawsuit. "We can't say for sure." And then I spoke with Melissa. These are the brain scans. My wife's and Stiles'. I knew they were similar. But those are the same. Exactly the same."

Mr. Argent shows me the papers and I see that they're an identical pattern. Derek looks up at the sheriff. "And I'm guessing this isn't possible?"

The sheriff shakes his head. "Not even remotely."

I fiddle with my fingers. "So it looks like the trickster is still playing his tricks. But why this one?"

Sheriff sighs and meets my eyes. "When I was in the Army, an officer told me, "If you want to defeat your enemy, you don't take away your courage. You take away their hope.""

"You don't look like a man who gives up hope easily." Mr. Argent says.

"But Stiles might. If this thing inside him, if it's using his mother's disease as some kind of psychological trick, then this isn't just a fight for his body. It's also a fight for his mind. Right?"

Mr. Argent frowns. "You know, he's left people severely injured."

"And several others dead." Derek deadpans.

"That's why I need each and every one of you." Sheriff Stilinski says. "I need people who are experienced in this kind of thing. I need you to help me stop him."

"And by stop him, you mean we're gonna trap him." I tell them.

At the Argent's penthouse, Allison gathers up weapons. "This is everything non-lethal I could find."

"Take all of it." Sheriff says. "What's the plan here?"

"Our best shot right now is for Derek to try to pick up Stiles' scent at Eichen House. Especially if he went through something stressful there." Mr. Argent says.

"Should all five of us be going to the same place?"

Mr. Argent glances to his daughter. "Where else has Stiles been showing up?"

"School, the hospital." Allison answers.

Derek frowns. "Okay, hold on. We did this already. He disappeared. We started looking for him. Then walked right into a trap at the hospital. He's getting us to repeat the same moves."

Allison sighs. "So, what do we do? Wait for him to come to us?"

I shake my head. "We don't have time for that. Especially not if the Oni find him when the sun goes down."

"Scott's working on them right now, with Kira." Sheriff Stilinski informs.

Mr. Argent looks at us. "That's the problem. We're all trying to outfox the fox."

Sheriff glances at each of us. "Listen. I'll understand if anyone wants to back out."

Derek picks up a weapon from the table. "I wouldn't be the first wolf to run from a fox."

Mr. Argent picks up a stun baton. "Apparently I'm carrying the lightsaber."

I grin. "Star Wars. Love it. Se kamía períptosi den trécho apó aftón ton agóna."

(Translation: No way I'm running from this fight.)

Allison turns to her father. "Dad, you and Derek hit Eichen House. Sheriff, it's you, me, and Meg in the hospital. We all meet in the school."

In the elevator, Sheriff Stilinski turns to us with a sigh. "You know what, I don't know how you guys do it. You're all so strong. You're fearless. Hell, you even manage to keep your grades up."

"I am failing Econ." Allison says.

"Most of my classes are D's." I shrug. "Though, that's probably due to not being able to read. Dyslexia is a wonderful thing."

"Isn't that Coach's class?" Sheriff asks with a sigh. Allison nods and he continues, "Well, I'll have a talk with him. Your teachers too, Megara. Maybe they can arrange something for you so you don't have to read."

Allison lets out a deep breath and I turn to her. "Alli? You okay?"

Sensing something is wrong, the sheriff stops the elevator. Allison's eyes tear up. "I'm not...Fearless." She starts sobbing. "I'm always terrified. I...I act like I know what I'm doing, but I don't. I don't know if Isaac is dying right now. I don't know if I made a mistake with Scott. I don't know what my dad is thinking. I don't know if we should trust Derek. I don't know how Meg manages to stay so strong. I don't know...I don't know anything."

She sniffles and the sheriff hugs her. "You know what's funny? You sound just like a cop."

Allison laughs softly and continues sniffling. I place a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Alli, half the time, though I don't show it, I'm terrified. I've been through this enough to bury the emotions I don't want shown. You're one of the strongest people I've met. You'll be fine."

She smiles at me. "Okay. Thanks, Meg."

Sheriff's phone buzzes and I ask, "What's that?"

His phone then beeps and he says, "Someone's breaking into my house. After Stiles started sleepwalking, I had some security precautions put in. Motion sensors. Cameras."

He clicks it and a familiar room comes into view. "Is that his room?" She glances to me as she sees me nodding.

We see Void sitting on Stiles' bed looking directly into the camera and waving. "Skatá." I curse.

We rush to Stiles' room and Mr. Argent looks around at the sticky noted chess pieces. "What is all this? What are these sticky notes for?"

Sheriff motions to the chessboard. "This is what Stiles used to try and explain to me about all of you."

"Cool, maybe it's a message from Stiles. The real Stiles."

Derek frowns at one of the chess pieces. "You think there's any reason my name's on the king?"

Sheriff glances to the king Derek is holding. "Well, you're heavily guarded. Though I guess the alarming detail is that you're one move from being in checkmate."

I narrow my eyes as I look closer. "Uh, guys? This isn't a message from Stiles. This is a threat from the Nogitsune."

Allison nods. "She's right. He's at the loft. That's what he's trying to tell us. And he wants us to come there."

"Night's falling." Derek informs.

I sigh. "This couldn't sound any more like a trap."

Sheriff Stilinski turns to me. "I don't think it is."

Mr. Argent looks to the sheriff. "I think your opinion might be slightly biased, Sheriff."

"Hear me out. What we're dealing with here is basically someone who lacks motive. No rhyme, no reason, right?"

I frown. "Meaning what exactly?"

"It's a trickster." Sheriff says. "The killing is just a by-product."

Derek thinks for a moment. "If you're trying to say it won't kill us, I'm not feeling too confident about that."

"It won't. It wants irony. It wants to play a trick. It wants a joke. All we need to do is come up with a new punch line."

I glance outside. "The sun is setting, Sheriff. What do you have in mind?"

We get to the loft and I stand close to Sheriff Stilinski as I follow him into the room. Void turns around and smiles. "Hi, Dad."