Out of The Shadows (Shadow Series #3)

13 - Matrix

        How has everything gotten this bad? I have no idea. It wasn't supposed to get this bad. I knew this whole going to the loft thing would be a trap, but it wasn't supposed to go like this. We agreed on not bringing lethal weapons. We agreed to not hurt Stiles' body. Not hurt Stiles. I was okay with Allison trying to tazer the Nogistune. I was okay with Derek trying to attack him. I am far from being okay with dad drawing his gun on him.

        Yes, it's the Nogistune, but it's still Stiles. 

        My hands had automatically tightened around my bow. No one is shooting anyone. On the way over, I was thinking of ways I could slowly start to let Dad and Allison back in my life, but this is making me question everything again. Before, Dad had a problem with wanting to kill my friends and it looks like he hasn't changed that much. 

        The tension grew even more intense when Mr. Stilinski pulled his own gun on my dad. My eyes move from the Nogistune, to my dad, and then back to Mr. Stilinski. This whole situation is escalating way too quickly. I don't even know how to react in this whole situation. 

        "You're not going to shoot my son." Mr. Stilinski clicks the safety off of his gun.

        Dad calmly glances at the gun pointed at his face. "You said it yourself, Sheriff. That's not your son."

        "Put it down." Mr. Stilinski orders. "Put it down."

         I worriedly look over at Allison and Derek. They appear to be just as concerned as I am. We came here to get the Nogistune, not pull guns on each other. I play with the end of the arrow in my hand. Dad can't shoot Stiles. But, Mr. Stilinski can't shoot my dad either. "Dad, don't do this." I speak up, sliding a little bit of my old self in my voice. 

        Dad tenses up at my voice. 

        The Nogistune tilts his head to the side, a little surprised that I'm coming to his defense. From my peripheral vision, I can see the Nogistune's face soften, easily reverting back to the old Stiles. The Stiles that we all know and love. "Dad, he's going to shoot me. He's going to kill me, dad."

        I bite the inside of my cheek. The Nogistune is not helping the whole situation right now. He knows that if he acts like our Stiles then Mr. Stilinski will continue to defend his son. My fear is that someone is going to wind up with a bullet in their head. 

        "Don't listen." Dad commands with a steady hand.        

        "Put it down. Now! Do it! Put it down!"

        The Nogistune turn its head towards my dad. "Pull the trigger." He says, tauntingly. "Come on."

        "Dad, don't!" I draw back an arrow while keeping it still pointed at the floor. When I learned about the supernatural, I promised to myself that I would always protect my friends. Stiles is still in there, I know he is. I refuse to let my dad shoot the Nogistune. 

        "Listen to me, you put the gun down now!"

        "Shoot me!" Stiles yells at my dad.

        "Argent, you put it down! Put it down!" 

        I step towards my dad, pulling on my best sad face. This used to work all the time when we were actually still a family. Why wouldn't it work now? "Daddy, please don't do this." 

        Dad's hands quiver. Believe me, I know how wrong it is to do this to him, but I can't allow him to shoot Stiles. 

        "Put it down!"