"There's four steps. We get into Eichen, we get into the Closed Unit, we get Lydia, get out." Scott said as he, Stiles, Melanie, Liam, Belle, Malia and Kira stood around his kitchen table, leaning over multiple different stacks of papers about Eichen House.
"And we have to do it all of this while getting past orderlies, guards, electric door locks, and a Mountain Ash barrier." Scott said, making Melanie's eyes go wide as she looked up at the two boys. "You have a plan for all of that?"
"A good one?" Belle added, making Stiles sigh as he dug into his pocket, pulling out a card. "I stole this last night off an orderly. But it's useless 'cause they reset the codes each night."
"So why did you take it?" Liam asked, shrugging this shoulders. Stiles' face fell slightly as he glared at Liam. "I'm getting to that."
Stiles sighed, turning to the rest of the group. "The only way to get Lydia out of Eichen is to make that key card work again." Melanie's face scrunched, tilting her head in confusion slightly. "How are you going to do that?" Stiles clenched his jaw, getting annoyed with the sophomores. "We're getting to that, okay, just listen."
Belle groaned, crossing her arms. "If you keep pausing we're gonna keep asking questions so if you could.. you know... pick up the pace? Thanks." Stiles whipped his head to Belle, squinting a glare before turning to the rest of the group. "I pulled all the history off the key card. Two weeks ago, there was a brownout and the security system rebooted. During a reboot, all of the key cards revert back to a default code."
"So, if we trigger a reboot..." Melanie mumbled, Stiles nodding along since she was starting to get it. "The card goes back to the default code. It works again." Stiles said, making Melanie smile that she got the idea.
"How are we going to cause a brownout?" Kira asked. Stiles turned to Kira, pointing at her with pursed lips. "That's your part. You're going to draw power from the main line. But only enough to cause the brownout. Not a blackout. Do that and you send Eichen into lockdown which would be bad. Very, very bad."
"I don't think that was enough verys. Maybe add one more, really freak her out." Belle said, Malia whacking her head from behind her. Stiles gave Belle a look before turning back to Kira while Scott pointed at the map. "There's an electrical room behind the reception counter. The main power line goes into two breakers that run power to all of Eichen. And Mel, you're going with her." Scott said as Stiles nodded. "Yeah, we want you two to stick together since you guys mess up the currents. It's a big fiasco. We don't want that. "
"Okay, slight problem. I don't know how to do that." Kira said and Scott shook his head. "That's okay. You have time to practice." Belle rubbed her eyes, looking at the group. "Let's say all this goes perfectly. How does a brownout get us into the Closed Unit of Eichen?"
Stiles gave her finger guns, nodding. "The system takes five minutes to reboot. In that five minutes all the alarms will be turned off the key card should work." Scott nodded, pointing at Liam. "Liam, you and I get Stiles to the gate of the Closed Unit. But after that, he has to go on his own. We can't get past the Mountain Ash barrier. And when we're gone, all anyone's going to think is that there was a reboot of the security system caused by a brownout."
"Uh, any questions?" Stiles asked, clasping his hands together. "How do we get into Eichen House in the first place?" Melanie said, pointing at her, Malia and Kira. "What's our worst-case scenario?" Liam asked.
"What if I can't do it?" Kira asked desperately as Belle rose her hand. "What am I doing?" Belle asked. All the questions made Stiles groan. "Okay, admittedly, a lot could go wrong."
"Everything could go wrong." Belle said. Stiles curled his lips angrily, making a strangling motion with his hands, making Belle chuckle. Scott groaned, making the group turn to him. "Guys, if we don't do this, we lose Lydia. She's going to die in there tonight. And she might take a lot of innocent people with her."
...
"Just promise you're not coming back in one of these." Melissa said, holding a bunch of body bags. Scott nodded, making his mom sigh, handing him, Melanie and Liam the bags. Melanie laughed as she looked down at the bags in her hands before letting out a sigh. "I'm so glad I'm not gonna be in one of these."
Scott scoffed, giving her a side eye. "You were going to until I warned Stiles about your claustrophobia." Melanie raised her brows proudly, a big smirk on her face as Liam sighed. "We still don't know who's actually doing this. Who the Beast is."
"We'll find out." Scott said as Melanie's smile fell, looking between the boys worriedly. "You think it's someone we know?" She asked, making Scott sigh. "I hope not."
...
"She took out the whole school?" Melanie asked Malia with wide eyes as she looked into the box of broken lightbulbs. "She took out the whole grid." Malia yelled, making Melanie's eyes go wide, backing up into Liams side. She turned to Kira who just quickly nodded.
"Look, I failed every single practice try. This isn't going to work." Kira said tiredly, turning to Scott. Belle sighed, looking around the group. "How far can we get without the brownout?"
"The front door." Stiles scoffed out. Melanie shook her head, standing her ground. "We're going." Malia turned to Melanie like she was crazy. "Mel, we went through boxes of light bulbs." Melanie shook her head, shrugging. "It doesn't matter." Melanie said before turning to Kira, sending her an encouraging smile. "You can do this." Kira shook her head.
"The key card won't work unless there's a reboot. And there's no reboot without a brownout." Scott sighed, taking a step towards Kira, grabbing her hands. "I know you can do this. Anyone here think she can't?" Scott asked, looking around the group.
"Not me." Belle said as Liam shook his head. Scott and Kira turned to Stiles who raised his hands in surrender. "I was the one who put you in the plan." Everyone then turned to Malia, who stared off at Kira.
"What?" Malia asked, shrugging. "I believe in you too, Kira." Stiles whispered to Malia, trying to get her to say it. Malia's eyes went wide as she shook her head. "I'm the one who's going to be locked in an electrical room with her." Melanie's face scrunched at Malias words, raising her hand. "So am I. And I have faith in her." Malia rolled her eyes, turning to Kira. "You can do it."
...
"You have been trying to teach me how to play this game for months. Just get over it. I'll never learn." Melanie groaned as she sat criss cross on Liams bed, Liam beside her as he tried to teach her how to play him and Masons favorite video game.
"Come on. Just a little longer." Liam said, making Melanie chuckle. "It's getting late." Liam pouted slightly, leaning in to kiss her lips. "Don't go." Liam whispered, wrapping his arms around Melanie from behind and kissing her neck. Melanie smiled, shaking her head and turning to look at Liam. "I have to."
Liam removed his lips from Melanie neck, and looked up at her, kissing her lips. "Stay." He pulled her into another kiss as Melanie chuckled, pulling away slightly. "Did you forget we have to be at Eichen in a few hours?"
"Who cares?" Liam mumbled, grabbing Melanie by the edge of her jaw, pulling her into a deep kiss. Melanie felt herself melt into the kiss before their lips pulled apart again. She let out a small hum and opened her eyes, sending Liam a small smile. "I guess, since we both have to go to Eichen, I can stay the night."
Liam smiled, wrapping his arms around Melanie, and leaning back, both of them falling back onto his bed with giggles.
—cute little fluff chapterrrr
next one might be a little long sooo