Maybe I Was Wrong (Teen Wolf: Stiles Stilinski)

Chapter 55

Scott looks like a confused puppy.

“Ketamine?”

“It's the same stuff we use on the dogs, just a higher dosage,” Dr. Deaton explains, placing a little bottle of clear liquid on his work table. We’re paying a visit to his clinic to figure out how to take out the kanima. Well, I mean, not kill him. If we can somehow miraculously manage that and still capture him.

“What does it do?” Scott asks.

“If you can get close enough to Jackson, it should slow him down enough to buy you some time,” he says.

“Until we capture him?” I ask.

“Exactly,” Deaton nods. “And that’s where you and Stiles come in.”

“We’re doing something?” Stiles asks.

“Yes, Stiles,” he says, lifting up a bag of... something onto his table. “This is some of what you'll use to create the barrier. This part is for you, Stiles. And Grace will be on the look-out. Say something or someone threatens to, uh, disrupt Stiles’ task, euphemistically put, I assume she’ll be able to hold them off and bring him to safety.”

“Naturally,” I say, glad I’ll be with Stiles tonight.

“Uh, that sounds like a lot of pressure,” Stiles says. “Can we maybe find a slightly less pressure filled task for me?”

“It's from the mountain ash tree, which is believed by many cultures to protect against the supernatural. This office is lined with ashwood, making it difficult for someone like Scott to cause me any trouble,” Deaton says, showing us the grey powder in the bag.

“Oh my god,” I mutter, reaching for the necklace I’m wearing today. Of course the stuff works against the supernatural.

“What?” Stiles asks.

“Uh, it’s in my necklace too. Mountain ash. It’s my mom’s,” I explain.

“You’re familiar with how it works?” Deaton asks me.

“Not really,” I say.

“Scott, touch her necklace,” Deaton orders.

“O-okay,” Scott nods, stepping closer and reaching his hand forward, but before he can touch it, he pulls his arm back with a hiss.

“Ah- that’s warm. That’s very warm,” Scott mutters, observing his red fingertips.

“Okay, so then what?” Stiles asks. “I just spread this around the whole building and then either Jackson or whoever's controlling him can't cross it?”

“They'll be trapped,” Deaton says. 

“Doesn't sound too hard,” Scott comments.

“Not all there is. Think of it like gunpowder. It's just powder until a spark ignites it. As you could see, Grace has it naturally. That usually occurs in hunter families. Unfortunately, it’s not wise to use a hunter for this task, as Grace’s willpower is too strong and it could result in a literal fire, which would be a little extreme. So you need to be that spark, Stiles.”

“If you mean light myself on fire, I don't think I'm up for that,” Stiles says.

“Did you just say I can light things on fire with my mind?” I ask. 

“Let me try a different analogy,” Deaton sighs. “I used to golf. I learned that the best golfers never swing before first imagining where they want the ball to go. They see it in their mind and their mind takes over. It can be pretty extraordinary what the force of your own will can accomplish.”