So close to the end of this season
Also, side note, I watched Cherry (Tom Holland's new movie) and it's very impressive. I also saw Chaos Walking, and it was really good!
Another side note, out of curiosity for possible future fics, do you guys prefer first-person (e.g. I said) or third-person (e.g. she said, Riley said)?
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"My dad's got an APB out," Stiles told us.
He, Malia, Isaac, Liam, Lydia, Kira and I all stood around Scott's kitchen table the next morning. No one had heard from Mason or Corey since last night, and we needed to find him as soon as possible.
"For a 5'8" 16-year-old?" Kira asked.
"I recommended nine-foot-tall rampaging werewolf," Stiles shrugged.
Liam's eyes fell, a sad look on his face. "It still might not be him."
None of us said anything, not wanting to be the one to remind him that he was there with Scott when they found the evidence. The bloodied shoes were found in Mason's car. The car that Scott had been lead to by the Beast's scent.
It was Mason - whether we wanted it to be or not.
When Liam realised no one was going o reply, he looked away again. "But, Hayden's at the school looking."
"I can keep checking the woods," Malia offered.
Isaac nodded, "I'll go into town, see if I can catch his scent or Corey's anywhere."
"My mum can check all the hospitals in the county," we heard our Alpha say.
All of us turned to see him entering the room, looking much better than he had the day previous. This wouldn't exactly be difficult because just like multiple times before, he had looked to be on the verge of death. And yet, here he was the next day, healthy with hope in his eyes.
"We can find him," Scott assured us all.
Liam seemed somewhat more hopeful after hearing Scott's words since most of us hadn't provided him with any. "What happens then?"
"We figure out a way to save him."
"Okay," Lydia said with a nod. "Where else could we look?"
"Let's ask Corey."
I held up a hand, "Yeah, we've had just as much luck finding him as we've had to find Mason. And it doesn't really help that he can disappear."
Scott shrugged, before reaching to the side quickly and grabbing the thin air. Except, it wasn't thin air.
Corey manifested as Scott grabbed ahold of his shirt, eyes wide with shock. He can't have been too surprised though, considering Scott had been able to sense him that time in the tunnel.
"Wait. Wait. It's not my fault," Corey said quickly as Scott dragged him forward by the collar of his shirt. "They took him and I couldn't do anything. They took him. . ."
"Who?" Scott asked, trying to clear it up before Corey went any further.
Corey fell silent for a moment, calming himself down. "The Dread Doctors."
We all fell silent, knowing just how much worse this situation had become. At least when he was missing before, we had just thought he'd been with Mason and we'd had a chance. But now, he was with the Dread Doctors; even if we knew where to find him, it wasn't going to be easy.
Isaac sighed, "Well. . . that's just awesome."
♧♤♢♡
"We still haven't figured out why the Dread Doctors took me, Stiles. I still can't remember anything from that night," I reminded my boyfriend as I waited for Scott outside of the school.
Stiles was on his way to meet the Sheriff and Lydia. The strawberry-blonde had gone with Parrish in the morning in search of the Nemeton in hopes of figuring out what was going to happen and where the Hell Hound came into the plan.
I had wanted to go out there with them, but instead, I had gone with Scott and Liam. The two werewolves were currently talking to Theo and trying to negotiate, and we all thought it best that I was not present for that.
The only reason I was going with them was that we may go to the Dread Doctors' operating theatre, and I was hoping that would shed some light on what happened to me when they took me.
Plus, Stiles was worried about the Desert Wolf coming after me, so being with Scott gave him some reassurance. It was the only way he would let me go without him.
"Well, once we've found Mason, we'll talk to Theo again," Stiles replied from the other end of the phone.
I sighed, looking down at my shoes. "I know he lied to us constantly, but I think he was telling the truth this time. I really think that he doesn't know what they had him inject me with."
There was a moment of silence before he replied, "So, you really think that going there and triggering the memory is the only option?"
"I don't know if being experimented on is something I want to remember," I thought aloud. "But I need to know what they did to me. My abilities are stronger now, and I need to know why they would do that to me. Why would they make someone who wants them gone stronger?"
My mind thought back to Liam and Hayden's retelling of what had happened to them in the Dread Doctor's operating theatre. It didn't sound pleasant in the slightest, and what I imagined in my imagination of what they did was bad enough. But I needed to know.
"I don't know, Ri. Hopefully, this helps you figure it out. But please, if you see anything that looks like a Desert Wolf, run. For the love of everything, just get out of there, okay?"
I felt myself laugh as I straightened up, "Considering she makes even Malia nervous, I won't be sticking around if she shows up. Either way, I've got Scott and Liam and my abilities; I'll be fine."
I heard the door to the Jeep open as Stiles climbed out of his car. "I've just gotten to the station. Let me know how things go?"
I smiled, assuring him that I would call him as soon as I knew anything. I hung up the phone, pocketing it as I leaned against the outside of the school.
Even though I wasn't Theo's biggest fan, I hoped that he and Scott could come to some sort of agreement. Whether we wanted it or not, we were going to need Theo's help to stop the Beast.
Malia and Braeden were at Scott's house, Isaac was with Melissa at the hospital, Hayden and Corey were at the school, Charlotte and Iris were parked near Mason's house.
We had the most prominent spots important to Mason covered, and we prayed that he would go to at least one of them if he got away from the Dread Doctors. But that was a big 'if'. I didn't want to say it out loud, but from our track record, the only way someone got away from the Dread Doctors was if they let them go.
And I doubted they were about to let their greatest asset loose unless it benefitted them in some way. But that also begged the question, why did they let me go? What did they have planned?
Before I could dwell on it further, Scott was exiting the school. He looked around before spotting me, approaching me after doing so.
"Theo is going to take us to the operating theatre," Scott informed me.
Grabbing my keys out, I walked in the direction of the car park. "Let's go, then."
♧♤♢♡
"They called him Der Soldat," Theo told us. "That's German for 'The Soldier.'"
He stood in front of a large glass tube, big enough to fit a body. And apparently, it had. This was one of the Dread Doctors' lairs, but I had been walking around for a while now and it just didn't seem familiar.
There had to be another location; one that actually had the equipment and resources that the Doctors would need to be performing their experiments. That was the one where they had taken me. I wasn't 100 per cent certain, but I had a strong feeling this wasn't it.
Theo continued as Liam, Scott and I walked closer.
"I'm pretty sure he fought in World War II."
"And he was a Nazi," Scott clarified.
"And an Alpha werewolf. The Dread Doctors were using him to prolong their lives. They've been doing it for decades. Actually, probably longer."
"How old are these guys?" Liam asked.
"Who knows. But wherever they go, he goes, too."
I bit my lip in thought, "So if we find the Nazi werewolf, we find the Dread Doctors. How do we find him?"
Theo smirked, seemingly pleased that I was acknowledging that we were working together. "Keeping him alive requires a pretty unique set of conditions. There's got to be a power source. It has to be underground-"
"And on a telluric current," Scott interrupted, pulling a map from his pocket. It was similar to the one we had found when we had looked at Danny's school project.
Theo accepted the map as Scott held it out to him. He unfolded it, his eyes tracing the lines on the map until he found what he was looking for. His smirk widened as he looked up from the map, "Looks like we're going for a hike."
♧♤♢♡
We followed Theo out into the woods, the dark shrouding the trees as night fell. It felt like we had been walking for a while now, and there had still been no sign of Mason.
"Where is he?" Scott asked after we had walked some more.
Theo looked at the Alpha over his shoulder, "I thought we were looking for him."
"You know who I'm talking about."
"Deucalion?" Theo clarified.
Scott nodded, "You shouldn't trust him."
"And you're the one who let him live."
The Alpha looked away from Theo, his expression turning to stone, "I'm not a murderer."
Liam and I glanced at each other, neither of us wanting to interrupt the conversation they were having. Besides, the Beta was more concerned with saving his friend than getting in the middle of Theo and Scott.
"You still think you're gonna get through all this without killing anyone?" Theo asked the boy.
The question seemed to freeze Scott for a moment, the only sound being our footsteps. His voice was low as he replied, "I didn't say that."
"We're close," Liam stated, interrupting. I was glad he had, though. Scott seemed to be reaching a breakpoint with Theo, and we still needed his help.
"You get his scent?"
Liam nodded, and Theo began to look around. "Which way?"
Liam, Scott and I all looked at each other. Maybe if Liam had his scent, we wouldn't need Theo's help anymore. But, that all depended on whether we were finding Mason or the Beast.
"You think you're going to leave me behind?"
I shrugged, "It's pretty tempting."
Scott apparently made a decision, turning to his Beta. "Liam. . ."
The boy shook his head, "Look, he wants to kill him."
"I just want his power," Theo corrected. "You want to fight someone that actually wants to kill Mason? Go fight Parrish."
"Who did you see when you put on the mask?"
This, I was interested in. I hadn't known that Theo had put on one of the Dread Doctor's masks. How had he survived that?
"I already told you. It was Mason."
Theo looked like he was getting rather pissed off, a scowl set on his lips.
"Okay," I nodded. "If you want us to trust you at all, then you'll tell us who."
This made him stop, staring at me for a moment. His scowl fell as he breathed out heavily. "I saw a man dying in the snow. He was impaled on a spear."
"It's called a pike," The Alpha informed the boy. "Lydia told us the story."
"Then you all know what it means. Time's running out."
Theo was right, unfortunately. If he was seeing who the Beast truly was instead of Mason, that meant it was beginning to remember who it really was.
"Where is he, Liam? What direction?"
Liam hesitated, avoiding Theo's gaze for a long while. He looked at me, but I wasn't sure, so I turned to Scott.
The True Alpha gave half a shrug, before eventually just nodding. The Beta gestured forward, leading us through the woods. We moved fast, not slowing down until we arrived at a rundown looking shed.
Liam claimed that this was where Mason's scent led. Scott opened the door slowly, walking in. Liam, Theo and I followed after him, making our way down a small staircase to a lower level.
It was dark, the only light coming from an industrial lamp that gave the room a strange glow. The roots from above were overgrown, weaving their way around the bars on the staircase.
Searching the lower level, it took less than a minute for Liam to find Mason. The boy was unconscious, lying in front of the glass tube that held a body; now that I could see it up close, it actually looked more like a tank.
There was a tube connected to the top of the tank, leading down and was attached to the other end of a large needle inserted in Mason's neck. Liam moved him slightly to look, but the boy didn't wake.
"It's connected to him," Scott thought aloud.
I found myself staring at the body. Theo was right, it looked quite old. Bubbles came from the mask, suggesting that it was still alive; which was distressing, to say the least.
"What is this thing?" Liam asked as Scott knelt beside him.
I tried to get closer, but it was hard to make out in the dim lighting. The massive needle was firmly planted in the back of his neck, and I definitely didn't want to be the one to risk removing it.
"I don't know," Theo answered honestly as he watched Scott examine the tube.
"Liam," Mason gasped. Apparently, he wasn't unconscious after all. "I can feel it. It's in my skull."
I felt a shiver run through me, turning and looking over my shoulder. The room looked familiar. I found myself moving before I could stop myself, stepping further into the room.
The table, the lights, the tools; this was where they had taken me. I drifted further, placing a hand on the operating table. I pulled back as the cold of the metal bit at my fingertips.
"Riley. . ." I heard Theo say quietly. I looked back at him, shrugging to ask what he wanted.
"Get back."
I felt my shoulder tense, turning around enough to see one of the Dread Doctors standing behind me. I moved quickly, retreating to stand beside Scott.
"They wanted us here."
The other two doctors entered the room also, their clicking sounds beginning to echo off of the walls. My ribs felt right as they stared us down.
"Liam, try to get that thing out of Mason's neck," Scott instructed.
The Doctors began walking towards us casually, the leader tapping his cane against the tiles as he went. I found myself looking at Theo, who looked just as worried about this as I did.
"Theo. . ." the Doctor with the cane said, his voice sounding like static as it came through his mask. "Theo Raeken."
Theo immediately stiffened, standing taller as he stared the Doctor down. "He's coming with us."
"Failure. . . Theo Raeken."
Glancing at the boy, I gave him an honest concerned look. "I think you're the one who needs to get back, Theo."
The boy shook his head, "I'm not a failure."
The Doctor didn't stop, continuing to advance on us. "Not a complete failure. We learned from you."
"Theo, he's trying to get to you," Scott warned the boy, hoping he would listen. This was about saving Mason, not trying to take on the Dread Doctors again.
"This is what they want, don' give it to them. We can't beat them."
"The mark of a true failure," The Doctor continued, deliberately aiming to press Theo's buttons. "Repeating the same mistake again and again."
Theo looked away from the Dread Doctor to face Scott and me. "We're taking Mason," he said in a low voice. "Then I'm taking what's mine."
When he turned back to the Dread Doctor, his face had transformed. His eyes were glowing, fangs protruding, and his claws at the ready.
Theo growled loudly as he stepped towards the Doctor in a form of challenge. "Let him go."
"You have the entitlement and narcissism typical of your generation," The Doctor replied plainly. "In that, you are a profound success."
I stayed by Theo's side as Scott went to help Liam. The beta was struggling, unable to figure out how to remove the needle from Mason's neck without possibly killing him.
"Don't listen, Theo."
The Doctor continued before Theo could reply to me. "But your failure taught us one thing. The banality of evil. That you were and would always be an ordinary evil."
"You think I'm ordinary?" Theo smirked.
"We believed that to resurrect the perfect killer we had to start with the perfect evil. From you, we learned true evil only comes by corrupting something truly good."
"Not something," I heard Scott say from behind us. "Someone."
"Mason," I said more to myself than anyone else.
As the Doctors closed in, Theo attacked. Moving into step, I helped as best I could. Thrusting the air towards the Doctor who had been speaking to Theo, I shoved it into a wall, while the boy took care of the other.
Unfortunately, there was three of them and only two of us. The last one hit me forcefully, throwing me to the ground and making me lose hold of the first Doctor.
Scott and Liam got up to help us, but even with the four of us, hitting the Dread Doctors was like hitting a brick wall. They just keep throwing us down, our hits not having much impact. I pushed them back to give us more time, but even that only held so long.
The sound of shouting made us all slow down, turning to the glass tube. Mason was on his feet, one of his hands at the back of his neck. He yanked out the needle, before dropping it, standing somewhat straighter.
"Transformation," The Doctor said as black smoke began to gather at Mason's feet. "Transformation without frequency."
Liam shouted his friend's name, but it didn't stop the black smoke as it rolled up his body.
Mason opened his eyes, to reveal them glowing a bright white-blue. But that somehow wasn't the worst part. He opened his mouth to reply to Liam, growling, "That is not my name."
All of us, including the Dread Doctors, stood watching in awe as the Beast transformed before our very eyes. It stretched its neck, looking up to the roof as it let out a loud roar.
Once full transformed, the Beast attacked the Dread Doctors. One, he broke his neck, and the other he just took its head clean off.
Theo tried to get it to stop, but only got thrown to the side. When I saw it moving towards the last Dread Doctor, I tried to stop it also, still not having gotten all of my answers.
"Stop! I need to know what they did to me!"
"Success," The lead Dread Doctor stated before the Beast buried its claws into his body and began to drag him out the door.