Aurora's outfit:
Loft / Highschool / Animal Clinic -
Loft / Bank -
Chapter Fourteen
⊚ Chaos Rising ⊚
Isaac paced around the wall if windows in Derek's loft while Aurora leaned against the table next to Derek, who sat on a chair with a book in his hand. "You know, I'm starting not to like this idea. Sounds kinda dangerous..." Isaac said as Aurora watched him walk back and forth, "You know what? I definitely don't like this idea, and I definitely don't like him." Isaac said and Aurora nodded.
"Nobody does." She said and Derek sighed, "You'll be fine." Derek said and Isaac paused for a moment before looking at Derek. "Does it have to be him?" Isaac asked and Derek never looked up from his book, "He knows how to do it- I don't. It'd be more dangerous if I tried doing it myself." He said.
"What about Aurora?" Isaac asked before looking at his sister, "You gotta have a spell that could help for something like this... Right?" He asked and she shook her head. "Not that I'm aware of." She said making him sigh as he walked over to the table.
"You know Scott doesn't trust him, right?You know, personally, I'd... Well, I'd trust Scott." Isaac said and Derek raised his eyebrows. "Do you trust me?" Derek asked, glancing over at Isaac, "Yeah." Isaac said before shrugging slightly.
"I still don't like him." Isaac said and Aurora chuckled, "Nobody likes him." Aurora said. A second later the door to the loft slid open making them look over to see Peter walk in. "Boys and girl. FYI? Yes, coming back from the dead has left my abilities slightly impaired... but, the hearing still works. So, I hope you're comfortable saying whatever it is that you're feeling straight to my face."
"We don't like you. Now shut up and help us." Derek said, snapping his book shut before standing up and Peter nodded slightly. "Fair enough." He said before flicking his claws out.
"Relax. I'll get more out of you if you're calm." Peter said as he walked around Isaac who nervously sat in a chair. "How do you know how to do this, again?" Isaac asked as he glanced back at Peter.
"It's an ancient ritual used mostly by Alphas, since it's a skill that requires quite a bit of practice. One slip, and you could paralyze someone... Or kill them." Peter said and he placed his claws on the back of Isaac's neck while Aurora and Derek glanced at each other.
"You... You've had a lot of practice, though, right?" Isaac asked nervously and Peter smirked slightly, "Well, I've never paralyzed anyone." He said making them all furrow their brows slightly. "Wait, does that mean that you-" Isaac went to say but Peter cut him off by pushing his claws into Isaac's neck making Isaac cry out in pain slightly, grabbing Peter's arms.
They both grunt in pain and Isaac jerks slightly, trying to get away from Peter making Aurora start to step forward but Peter stopped her. "Wait, I see them-" Peter said before starting to look dizzy until he suddenly pulled away from Isaac, stumbling back into the table. Aurora immediately crouched down in front of her brother, gently turning his head to look at his neck.
"What'd you see?" Derek asked as Peter walked off to the side while panting, "It was confusing... Um, im-images, vague shapes..." He said and Derek raised his eyebrows. "But you saw something." He said and Peter nodded slightly, "Isaac found them." He said making Aurora look over at him.
"Erica and Boyd?" She asked and Peter shook his head slightly, "I barely saw them- I mean, glimpses." He said. "But you did see them?" Derek asked and Peter nodded, "And worse." He said and Aurora sighed. "Deucalion... I think he was at the hospital too, Scott told me there was a blind man in the elevator."
"He was talking to them. Something about time running out." Peter said and Isaac furrowed his brows slightly, not looking up, "What does it mean?" He asked before looking over at Derek. "He's gonna kill them." Derek said and Peter shook his head, "No, no, no, no, no. He didn't say that. He did make them a promise... that, by the full moon, that they'd both be dead." He said making Aurora raise her eyebrows.
"The next full moon?" She asked and Peter sighed, "Tomorrow night."
⊚
In some random empty class, Lydia and Allison hold their arms together, forming the complete symbol on their skin. Derek and Aurora stood in front of them while Scott look on at his side and Stiles sat on a desk. Derek raises his eyes to meet Allison's, neither of them blink as they glare at each other. "I don't see anything." He said and Scott stepped forward, "Look again."
"How is a bruise going to tell us where Erica and Boyd are?" Derek asked and Scott looked at him like it was obvious, "It's the same on both arms. Exactly the same." He said and Derek just shook his head.
"It's nothing."
"Pareidolia." Lydia said making them look at her confused, "Seeing patterns that aren't there. It's a subset of apophenia." Lydia said and Scott sighed softly and looked at Derek and Aurora.
"They're trying to help." Scott said making both Aurora and Derek look at him with raised eyebrows. "These two?" Derek asked looking back at Allison and Lydia. "This one, who used me to resurrect my psychotic Uncle. Thank you." He said, pointing at Lydia while Aurora looked at Allison with a slight glare, "She stabbed my brother." Aurora said.
"Okay, all right, now, come on. No one died, all right? Look, there may have been a little maiming, okay, a little mangling, but no death. That's what I call an important distinction." Stiles cut in but it just made it worse.
"My mother died." Allison said making Derek raised his eyebrows, "Your family's little honor code killed your mother. Not me." He said and Allison just glared at him and shook her head. "That girl was looking for Scott. I'm here to help him, not you." Allison said and Derek raised his eyebrows, "You wanna help? Find something real." Derek said before he and Aurora went to leave but Scott stopped them.
"Guys... Give her a chance. Okay, they're on our side now." Scott said and Aurora cocked an eyebrow, "Then maybe you should tell her what her mother was actually trying to do that night." Aurora said in a slight whisper before walking out.
⊚
Ice pours into a steel tub filled with water, the kind of tub typically used to bathe animals. Deaton approaches to watch Scott, Stiles, Aurora and Derek empty bags of ice into it. Kneeling next to the tub, Isaac tentatively touches a finger to the water, instantly taking them out.
"Obviously, it's not going to be particularly comfortable. But if we can slow your heart rate down enough you'll slip into a trance- like state." Deaton says making Isaac look up at him, "Like being hypnotized?" He asked. "Yeah, you'll be half transformed. It'll let us access your subconscious mind." Aurora said and Scott raised his eyebrows,
"How slow does his heart need to be?" He asked.
"Very slow." Deaton answered, "How slow is very slow?" Derek asked making Deaton and Aurora glance at each other. "Nearly dead." Aurora said making Isaac's eyes widen, "But it's safe, right?" He asked. "Do you want me to answer honestly?" Deaton asked and Isaac shook his head slightly, "Not really. No." He said. Before any one could say anything else a rubber snapping catches their attention.
They look over to Stiles who pulls on latex surgical gloves. Feeling their eyes on him Stiles turns to the group with a slight smile. "What?" He asked and Derek raised his eyebrows at him making him frown and take the glove off.
"If it feels too risky, you don't have to do this." Aurora said looking at Isaac, who stared at the tub for a moment. He took his shirt off before stepping into the tub with a soft splash. Already shivering, he takes a few quick breaths to prepare, then gives them a nod.
Grabbing him by the arms, Scott and Derek plunge Isaac into the ice-filled water. Isaac bursts from the icy water, gasping through his fangs as his body convulses from the cold. "Get him back under." Deaton says and they push Isaac beneath the swirling ice, struggling to keep him submerged while Stiles clutches at his ankles. Isaac's body shudders, jerking upward.
"Hold him."
"We're trying!"
Isaac's eyes snap open, glowing yellow. Strangled gasps come from his throat. But then, finally, his body relaxes. Breath slowing, he slips back amid the ice and closes his eyes. Deaton looked up at Aurora and nodded making Aurora glance at everyone.
"Now, remember... only I talk to him. Too many voices will confuse him and draw him out." Aurora said and everyone nodded, "Isaac? Can you hear me?" She asked and Isaac stirs, eyes moving under the lids as if dreaming. "Yes, I can hear you." Isaac answered making Aurora nod, "It's Aurora, I want to ask you a few questions. Is that all right with you?"
"Yes."
"I want to ask you about the night you found Erica and Boyd. I want you to remember it for me in as vivid detail as possible, as if you're actually there again." Aurora says and Isaac tenses, rising up from the water. Derek and Scott gently press him back, but he begins to struggle, "I-I don't wanna do that. I don't- I don't wanna do that. I don't wanna do that."
"Isaac, it's fine. Just relax. They're just memories. You can't be hurt by a memory."
"I don't wanna do that."
"It's all right."
"I don't wanna do that."
"Relax. Relax." Aurora said calmly and Isaac eased back down, seeming to relax again. "Good. Now, let's go back to that night- to the place you found Erica and Boyd. Can you tell me what you see? Is there some kind of building? A house?"
"It's not... It's not a house. It's stone. I think marble." Isaac said and Aurora nodded slightly, "That's good. Can you give me any other descriptors?" She asked.
"It's dusty... and so empty..."
'Like an abandoned building?" Aurora asked and Isaac didn't answer, "Isaac? Isaac?" She asked. Suddenly, Isaac's His hand around Scott's wrist, grabbing him with a sudden intensity. "Isaac, relax-"
"No, no, no, they see me! They see me!"
"Just memories- you won't be hurt by your memories. Just relax. Relax." Aurora said calmly and breathing hard, Isaac's grip begins to loosen until finally, he releases his grip on Scott. "Good. Now, tell us what you see. Tell us everything."
Eyes open, Isaac stares up at the ceiling, transfixed by the memory, "I hear him. He's talking about the full moon, about being out of control when the moon rises. "Is he talking to Erica?" Aurora asked, "I think so. I can't... I can't see her, I ca-I can't see either of them."
"Can you hear anything else?"
"They're worried what they'll do during the moon. They're... worried that they're gonna hurt each other." Isaac said and Derek looked up, "If they're locked together on the full moon, they're gonna tear each other apart." Derek whispered and Aurora nodded and looked back down at Isaac. "Isaac, we need to find them right now. Can you see them?"
"No..."
"Do you know what kind of room it is? Is there any kind of a marker? A number on a door? A sign?" Aurora asked and Isaac draws in a sudden, terrified breath as he shot up, "They're here." He said in a whisper. "They... They..." Isaac whispered starting to panic again as Scott gently pushed him back down. "It's all right-"
"No!" Isaac yelled and started to struggle more, "They see me. They see me." Isaac cut him off. "This isn't working." Derek said, leaning forward, "Isaac, where are you?" He said making Aurora look at him. "You're going to confuse him." Aurora said, "They're coming- they found me." Isaac said as he struggles, water splashing up as panic grabs hold of him.
"Where are you?" Derek asked as ice spills across the floor around while Derek struggles to hold Isaac still. "Derek, his heart rate- he could go into shock." Deaton said and Aurora nodded, "Derek, let him go." She said but Derek didn't listen and shouts again, voice thundering at Isaac.
"Where are you? What did you see?"
"A vault- it's a vault- a bank vault."
Water splashing, Isaac jerks up from the tub, alert and excited, he's completely out of the trance. "I know where they are. I saw it. I saw the name." He said and while Aurora and Scott help him out, Deaton throws a towel around his shoulders. "Beacon Hills First National. It's an abandoned bank. They've been keeping them in a vault. Locked inside..." Isaac said noticing their subdued reactions.
"What? What's wrong?" He said and Stiles sighed, "You don't remember what you said right before you came out of it?" Stiles asked and Isaac furrowed his brows and shook his head. "You said when they caught you, they dragged you into a room. And there was a body in it." Aurora said making him look at her, "What body?" He asked and she sighed as she glanced at the others for a moment.
"Erica. You said it was Erica."
⊚
"She's not dead." Derek said as he paced around slightly making Aurora sigh and run a hand through her hair. "Derek, he said, 'There's a dead body. It's Erica.' Doesn't exactly leave us any room for interpretation." Aurora said. "Then who was in the vault with Boyd?" Derek asked and Stiles sighed and shrugged, "Someone else, obviously." He said. "Maybe it was the girl on the motorcycle." Scott suggested and Isaac shook his head, "No, she wasn't like us... And whoever was in the vault with Boyd was."
"What if that's how Erica died? They, like, put them against each other during the full moons and see which one survives? It's like Werewolf Thunderdome." Stiles said making Derek look at him, "Then we get them out tonight."
"Be smart about this, Derek. You can't just go storming in." Deaton said and Derek shrugged slightly, "If Isaac got in, then so can we." Derek said and Aurora sighed and shook her head. "Derek listen, I'm all for getting Boyd and the other person out. But Isaac didn't even get through a vault door, he got caught." Aurora said and Scott nodded in agreement, "We need a plan."
"How are we gonna come up with a plan to break into a bank vault in less than twenty-four hours?"
"Uh, I think someone already did." Stiles said as he looked down at his phone, "Beacon Hills First National Bank closes its doors three months after vault robbery." Doesn't say here how it was robbed, but it probably won't take long to find out." Stiles said reading an article. "How long?" Derek asked and Stiles chucked and raised his eyebrows.
"It's the internet, Derek, okay? Minutes."
⊚
Scott, Derek, and Aurora crowd around a work table where Stiles unrolls a blueprint of the bank. "Okay, you see this? This is how they got in- it's a rooftop air conditioning vent, leads down inside into the wall of the vault, which is here. Okay?" Stiles said and with a red marker, Stiles circles the vault before continuing.
"One of the robbers was lowered into this shaft. Now, that space is so small, it took him about twelve hours to drill into that wall, which is stone, by the way. Then, throughout the rest of the night, they siphoned the cash up to the guys back on the roof through that one little shaft in the wall. Boom!"
"Can we fit in there?" Scott asked and Stiles nodded, "Yes, we can, but very, very barely. And, they also patched the wall, obviously, so we're gonna need a drill of some kind. I'm thinking maybe a diamond-bit-"
"Look, forget the drill." Derek said making Stiles look at him with raised eyebrows, "Sorry?" He asked incredulously. "If I go in first, how much space do I have?" Derek said making Stiles look at him flabbergasted.
"What do you... What do you think you're gonna do, Derek? You gonna punch through the wall?" Stiles asked and Derek roll his eyes. "Yes, Stiles. I'm gonna punch through the wall." Derek said patronizingly making Stiles scoff and turn to him. "Okay. Okay, big guy, let's see it! Let's see that fist. Big old fist. Make it, come on! Get it out there! Don't be scared, big bad wolf!"
Derek holds out his clenched fist while glancing over at Peter who watched in amusement while sitting on the spiral stair case. He glanced at Aurora and she just smiled and raised her eyebrows in amusement as Stiles puts one hand on Derek's elbow and the other a few inches from his fist.
"Yeah, look at that! Okay, see this? That's maybe three inches of room to gather enough force to punch through soild co-" Stiles said but was cut off by Derek slamming his fist into Stiles's palm making the teen boy fall back on to the desk in pain as he held his hand, walking away.
"He can do it!"
"I'll get through the wall. Who's following me?" Derek asked, glancing over at Peter who scoffed, "Don't look at me! I'm not up to fighting speed, yet. And honestly, with Isaac out of commission, you're not looking at very good odds for yourself." Peter said and Derek gave him a look..
"So, I'm supposed to just let them die?" Derek asked and Peter shrugged slightly, "One of them already is dead." Peter said and Derek shook his head. "We don't know that!" He said making Aurora sigh in annoyance, "Do I have to remind you what we're up against here? A pack of Alphas, all of them killers. And, if that's not enough to scare your testicles back into your stomach, try to remember that two of them combine bodies to form one giant Alpha. I'm sure Erica and Boyd were sweet kids. They're gonna be missed." Peter said making Stiles sigh irritably.
"Can someone kill him again, please." Stiles said and Aurora nodded, "Planning on it." She muttered making Peter look at her in offense. "Derek, seriously? Not worth the risk." Peter said as he looked back at Derek and Aurora rolled her eyes, "I'll go." She said making Derek look at her.
"You don't have to, you could go home." He said and she smiled and raised her eyebrows, "Derek, I'm helping. Lord knows you'll need someone there to save your ass." She said making him roll his eyes but still smile before looking at Scott.
"What about you?"
"Yeah, if you want me to come..." Stiles said, thinking Derek was talking to him, "Not you." Derek said before looking at Scott who peers down at the bank vault circled on the blueprint. "I don't know about Erica... But, if Boyd's alive, we have to do something. We have to try." Scott said and Aurora raised her eyebrows, "But?"
"Who's the other girl? The one locked in there with Boyd?"
⊚
"What?" Derek asked, looking over at Scott as they and Aurora stood outside the back of the bank. "There's just something I can't get out of my head." Scott said and Aurora sighed, "The moon's rising, Scott. What is it?" She asked.
"Risk and reward." He said, glancing over at her while Derek raised his eyebrows, "Which means what?" He asked. "We're not measuring the risk with enough information. We don't know enough." Scott said and Derek shook his head slightly, "We know time's running out!" He said and Scott nodded.
"Yeah, but think about it- they put the triskele on your door four months ago. What have they been doing all this time? Why wait until now?" Scott said and Aurora furrowed her brows slightly and nodded, "Actually- Yeah, he has a point." She said and Derek sighed impatiently.
"We don't have time to figure out every little detail-" Derek said and Scott cut him off slightly, "Okay, but what if this detail- the reason why they waited- is the most important one?" Scott asked. "Then we do nothing, and Boyd and Erica are dead. I know what I'm risking- my life for theirs." Derek said before running up a pile of trash, grabbing into a bared window then jumping over to the ladder before looking down at them.
"And I won't blame you if you don't follow me." Derek said and Scott and Aurora glanced at each other before Scott gestured for her to go ahead of him.
A little while later Derek managed to punch through the wall and the three of them stepped into the vault. They glanced around before seeing a figure standing near a pillar. "Boyd?" Derek asked and all he got in response was Boyd growling at him while stepping forward, "Boyd, it's me. It's Derek." Derek said and then Scott's phone started buzzing making him pull it out.
"Stiles, now is not the best time..." Scott said after answering the phone, "Scott! Scott! No, listen to me, okay? Look, you gotta get outta there. Look, the walls of the vault are made from a mineral called hecatolite- it scatters the moonlight." Stiles said.
"What does that mean?" Scott asked while Derek held his arm out slightly, "We're here to get you out, okay...?" Derek asked and Boyd growled at him. "Look, it keeps the moonlight out, okay? They haven't felt the full moon in months-" Stiles said and Peter started talking, "Okay, think of it like the gladiators in the Roman Colosseum. They used to starve the lions for three days, making them more vicious, more out of control. Deucalion has kept them from shifting for three months, diminishing their tolerance to it."
"Scott, they're gonna be stronger-"
"More savage, more bloodthirsty... Scott, they're the lions! They're the starved lions, and you, Aurora and Derek just stepped into the Colosseum." Peter said and Scott glanced over at the moon light that was starting to shine through the hole.
"Guys... we got a problem. A really big problem." Scott said and they looked at him until there was another growl and a girl walked around Boyd making Derek and Aurora's eyes widened. "Cora?" He asked and Scott looked at them confused, "Who?" Scott asked and Aurora just looked at Derek.
"Derek... get out. Get out now!" Cora said and Scott lightly tapped Aurora's arm making her look at him and he nodded at something. She followed his line of sight to see the entire inside of the vault was lined with mountain ash besides a small gap in front of the door of the vault.
The vault door opened making them look over to see Ms. Morrell crouch down, filling the small gap of mountain ash. "No. No, wait!" Aurora said, going to run forward but Boyd and Cora started to shift and growl more violently.
Boyd grabbed Scott and tossed him to the wall before running over to him. Aurora threw her arm out as her necklace glowed making Boyd fly away from Scott. Cora ran up to Derek, swiping at him while he dodged her clawed hands until Scott ran forward, pushing her into a pillar.
"You know her?" Scott asked, glancing at Derek and Aurora as he moved to stand next to them. "She's my sister, my younger sister." Derek said and Aurora nodded, "I used to babysit her." She said making Scott furrow his brows. "What the hell is she doing here?" Scott asked and Derek shook his head, "Like I have a clue? I thought she was dead!" Derek said. All of the sudden Allison ran up to the vault door, "Look out!" She yelled making Derek grab Aurora's arm and quickly moved out the way. Boyd grabbed Scott before slamming him to a pillar then throwing him to a wall.
Boyd dragged Scott off his feet, smashing him against the wall. Derek turned to help, but Cora blocks his way, attacking with renewed ferocity. Aurora sighed before letting out a whistle making Boyd turn to her and growl.
He charged at her and swiped his clawed hand but she stepped back. "Caeco." She whispered making Boyd suddenly stop and look around as he couldn't see anything but darkness. Aurora quickly moved around him before pressing her hand against his back making him go flying into the wall.
"You okay?" She asked as she walked over to Scott and helped him up, "Yeah, thanks." He said nodding.
Aurora turned back to Boyd who got up, the blindness spell already gone as growled at them before charging at them. He was about to swipe at both of them but Aurora and Scott both grabbed one of Boyd's arms. Though, Boyd's additional strength from the full moon and Scott being the only one of the two with super strength made Aurora and Scott's backs hit the wall but they still managed to keep Boyd from clawing them.
"No! Don't break the seal!" Derek yelled making Aurora look over to see Allison's hands hovering over the line of ash making her eyes widen. But obviously Allison wasn't going to listen, she was more worried about the six-foot werewolf trying to kill her ex-boyfriend and teacher.
"Boyd!" Allison yelled making him spin around, yellow eyes focusing on her while Aurora's eyes widen. "No! Don't!" Aurora yelled but Allison whips her hands across the seal and the mountain ash swirls up into the air and a break appears in the barrier. Roaring, Boyd charges toward her. Allison leans against the wall as both Boyd and Cora hurdled out of their prison, racing for freedom.
With their feral growls growing fainter in the distance, Allison steps out only for Derek to walk over to her, grabbing her arm. "Don't touch her!" Scott yelled, running over, "What were you thinking?!" Aurora said making Allison glare at her and rip her arm from Derek's grasp.
"That I had to do something!" She said and Scott stepped forward, "She saved our lives." He said making Derek turn to him. "Yeah, and what do you think they're gonna do out there? Do you have any idea what we just set free?" Derek asked making Allison raise her eyebrows, "You want to blame me? Well, I am not the one turning teenagers into killers." She said and Derek chuckled sarcastically.
"No. No, that's just the rest of your family." He said making Allison squinted at him, "I made mistakes. Gerard is not my fault." She said and Aurora raised her eyebrows. "Yeah? Well what about your mother?" Aurora asked making Allison furrow her brows in confusion, "What do you mean?" She asked and Aurora look at Scott.
"You gotta tell her, Scott. She should hear it from you." She said making Allison turn to Scott as well, "What does she mean, Scott? What does she mean?" She asked and Scott just looked at the ground.