Calculatingly Wise

50

Theo looked at Mason. "So if you found him, what were you gonna do? Beat him up with your AP Calculus book?"

"I can be resourceful," Mason replied, holding up a partially melted steel rod.

Theo knocked it down and Mason picked the pipe back up and sighed. "Was that necessary?"

Mason shot him a look as Theo said, "Okay, so you're the smart one."

Tessa crossed her arms. "Why exactly are we here? Wouldn't the school be better? Or maybe somewhere with better lighting?"

Mason glanced at her. "Aaron hasn't been in class in days. The last sighting of the Faceless was in the tunnels."

Tessa frowned. "The last time we were here, Parrish burned the body. We haven't been here since."

"Why not?" Theo asked.

Mason glanced at Tessa, understanding her hidden meaning. "Because we're scared. We're all scared to come back down here."

"You're afraid."

"That's the exact reason why we should be looking down here."

"I feel it, too. And from Tessa's expression, she does as well."

Mason sighed as they came to a fork in the road. "Okay. Nice and bright, dark and spooky..."

"You're right," Theo interrupted, grabbing Mason's shoulder. "We need to follow our fear."

Tessa was already walking down the dark corridor when Theo and Mason followed.

Theo frowned at Mason. "Hey, it was your idea."

They trekked through the tunnels and Theo let out an annoyed sigh. "These tunnels go on forever, and we've been down here for hours."

Mason shook his head. "No real news from the last time you said it 20 minutes ago."

"I wasn't doubting the plan 20 minutes ago."

"If you're so concerned, just go. I mean, no one's forcing you to stay here."

"Yeah, and you leave and our army in charge of my survival? Don't think so."

"Whatever it takes just to save your ass, and nobody else's."

Theo frowned. "I'm here, aren't I? Maybe I wanna be in the pack."

Tessa scoffed and narrowed her eyes. "You? In the pack? Really?"

Mason went on. "A pack is about trust. I mean, the first thing anything you'd do is figure out a way to kill all of us. And it doesn't matter who forgets. I won't. I saw Scott's mom, Tessa's aunt. I saw what you did. And as much as I'm terrified of what's down here, I'm way more terrified of turning my back on you."

"Enough, you two," Tessa warned, hearing something. "Gods, what is that?"

Theo looked at his hand and growled as his eyes shifted yellow.

Aaron appeared and attacked them. Theo pushed Mason out of the way in time and Tessa drew her dagger. Theo and Mason were lying against a wall, staring at Adam.

He sat Mason up and asked, "You okay?"

Mason nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

"Where'd he go?" Tessa wondered.

Aaron appeared seconds later with an object in his hands.

"What was that?" Mason asked.

Theo's eyes flicked to the blonde. "I don't know. But we gotta find him."

They tried to get Mason up and he said, "Wait, wait. Something's happening. We need, we need to figure it out."

"So figure it out."

Theo grabbed Mason's arm and after a moment, said, "I can't..."

"You can't take it away if you don't care," Mason told him.

Aaron reappeared and Theo stood.

Mason yelled, "Theo. Tessa. Hey, Theo, Tessa... Guys, don't fight him! It's what he wants!"

Tessa stepped back, realizing Mason was right.

Theo ignored Mason and attacked Aaron, slashing him with his claws. He was hurt, but the wounds weren't showing.

"What in Zeus' name?" Tessa muttered. "Theo, stop!"

Aaron realized his wounds weren't healing and stepped into the light. He grabbed Theo's hands and thrust his claws into his stomach before running off.

Tessa, irritated by the failure, made her way back to Scott's and saw Malia enter Scott's room. She heard the water turn on.

She began packing her stuff and pulled Stiles' lacrosse hoodie off the hanger before breathing in the scent and slipped it on.

One less day until she'd be seeing him again.

[Liam and Scott are obviously at the school with Quinn, who is the other half of the Anuk-Ite.]