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Olive leaned against the car, totally eavesdropping on the conversation happening between Scott and Araya.
"So what now?" Stiles' voice boomed in her ears, causing her to jump. Malia looked down at her with furrowed eyebrows and she just shrugged her off.
"She says she knows where we can find Derek," Scott sighs, approaching them.
"She gonna tell us where?" Lydia asked, folding her arms in front of her.
"Actually she's giving us a guide," Scott shrugged, causing the group to exchange confused glances. Before anyone could say anything, someone rode in on a motorcycle, stopping in front of them. They took off their helmet, revealing a familiar face.
"You're the one who saved Isaac," Olive said, nodding toward her and she smiled.
"Yes, but you can call me Braeden," She nodded once at Olive who smiled slightly at her.
"Who's Braeden?" Malia said lowly to Olive who turned to her.
"She's a mercenary."
"Right now I'm the only one who's gonna take you to La Iglesia," She said, leaning back on her bike seat.
"The church?" Lydia furrowed her eyebrows, turning to Braeden who nods.
"What's the church?" Stiles asks, and Braeden takes a deep breath.
"It's not a place you'll find God."
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The six of them squeezed uncomfortably into Stiles' Jeep, just as they did on the ride to Mexico, and followed Braeden on her bike to La Iglesia. Malia sat up, resting her arms in between Scott and Stiles' seats, causing Olive and Lydia to shift uncomfortably.
"Okay, I'll ask. Who's Kate Argent?" She raises an eyebrow, looking in between Scott and Stiles.
"Uh, I'd like to know, too," Kira raises her hand, causing Stiles to sigh.
"Well, we were at her funeral, so I'd like to know how she got out of the ground," Stiles raises an eyebrow as he watches the road.
"She was never in it," Scott says, turning to Stiles.
"She was Allison's aunt, and a total sociopath," Lydia stares out the window, causing Malia and Kira to exchange a glance.
"Argent's sister," Olive says lowly and Kira's face softens.
"We don't have to talk about it now," She sighs, but Olive shakes her head.
"Um, yes we do," Malia turns back, looking at Kira and then back to Scott.
"No, I wanna know the full story," Olive takes a deep breath, folding her arms over her chest and looking at Stiles in the rearview mirror.
"Alright, Kate was the one who set the fire that killed most of Derek's family," Stiles starts, glancing between the road and the mirror.
"Along with my parents," Olive interjects, causing Scott to look at her with wide eyes. "Did you not know that? We should have a group chat or something."
"Anyway," Scott chooses to brush past it, shaking his head. "Some of them survived, like Cora and Peter."
"A very angry Peter," Lydia raises an eyebrow and Scott chuckles lightly.
"Yeah, he's the one who bit and turned me."
"And the one who finally caught up to Kate and killed her," Lydia says, returning her gaze to the window.
"Or so you thought," Olive turns to her, and Lydia nods pointing at her.
"Yeah, but we saw her buried," Stiles shakes his head, gaze still tight on the road.
"No, we saw a casket, remember?" Scott turns to him. "She wasn't in it. The Calaveras heard that Kate had been killed by an alpha's claws. They wanted to make sure that she was really dead. Her body was healing, more and more as she got closer to the full moon. She was coming back. So they switched out the bodies. They took her."
"If a hunter's bitten they have to take their own life before they change," Olive says in realization and Scott turns back to her and nods.
"The Calaveras treat the code like law. They make it their responsibility to enforce it," He sighs, watching the scenery out the windshield.
"Good for her, I wouldn't do it either," Malia says, turning to Scott.
"Would you kill half a dozen people to get out? Cause that's what she did," Scott raises an eyebrow, sitting back in his seat.
"So Kate's a werewolf now?" Kira says, sitting up.
"I don't know. You know, there's this saying. Sometimes the shape you take reflects the person you are," Scott shrugs and Lydia raises an eyebrow.
"What kind of shape is sociopathic bitch?" She retorts, causing Olive to snicker. Before anyone could say anything else, the Jeep hits something, causing it to stall and Stiles to pull off the road. As they all get out, Braeden turns around and stops in front of the Jeep.
"What happened?" She asks as she approaches them.
"I don't know, it felt like we hit something," Stiles shakes his head, already examining the Jeep.
"Scott, we need to get there by night, it's too dangerous otherwise," Braeden says as Scott turns from her to Stiles.
"Go."
"Not without you," Scott shakes his head, but Stiles stops him.
"Dude, someone needs to find Derek. We'll think of something, we always do, just go."
"How many people can fit on your bike?" Olive raises an eyebrow, turning to Braeden.
"Three if you hold on like hell," She replies, and Olive turns to Scott.
"Alright, I'm coming with you-"
"No, Olly, it's-"
"If you're about to tell me it's too dangerous I'm gonna hit you with my shoe," She folds her arms in front of her and Stiles snorts from behind her. "I got us into this mess, I'll be damned if you don't let me help get us out of it."
Scott thinks for a moment before reluctantly agreeing to let her come with them. He was honestly afraid of what she would do to him otherwise, besides, her shoes looked hard.
"Here, take one of these," Stiles hands her a flashlight from the back of the Jeep and Olive narrows her eyes.
"My eyes-"
"Just take the flashlight," He grumbles and Olive laughs lightly, taking it before joining Braeden by her bike. Scott moves to follow but he's grabbed by Kira.
The two of them watched Kira ramble to Scott, something about being careful, Olive chose not to eavesdrop on this one. Kira pulled him into a hug, which lasted a little long, and Olive rolled her eyes, leaning against the bike. She was beyond tired of 5th wheeling.
"Scott!" Braeden called out to them, but they didn't pull away. "Scott, we have to go!"
This got his attention and he released Kira, joining them at the bike. Scott grabbed the extra helmet, handing it to Olive who just shook her head. He rolled his eyes, placing the helmet on her head anyways and getting onto the bike behind Braeden. Olive scoffed before joining them and gripped onto Scott tightly as they rode off down the dirt road.
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Braeden wasn't wrong when she said to hold on like hell. Olive practically had to choke Scott in order to keep from falling off. But soon enough, the bike slowed and they pulled up to a cliff looking over the town. It was more of a shell of a town, a carcass left behind of a town that once was. There was one building still standing, which Olive presumed to be the church, but everything else looked like the town got too big and shed its skin to move elsewhere, like a snail or a snake. Braeden sighed as she joined them, standing in between Scott and Olive.
"La Iglesia," She rested her hands on her hips, looking out at the town.
"What happened here?" Scott said, still looking out at the distressed buildings. It was like a car accident, they couldn't look away.
"An earthquake, it leveled the town," Braeden explained, and Scott furrowed his eyebrows.
"Then why is the church still standing?"
"The locals think it's because of what's underneath," Braeden nodded and Olive sighed.
"Do I wanna know?" She rose an eyebrow, glancing at Braeden who chuckled slightly.
"I'll tell you anyway," She met her gaze before they both turned back to the sight before them. "The church was built over an Aztec temple. It belonged to a people called the Nagual."
"Shapeshifters?" Scott turned to her, and Braeden nodded.
"Were-Jaguars," She met his gaze and Scott's eyes widened.
"There are Were-Jaguars now? How many animals can we turn into?" Olive furrowed her eyebrows, folding her arms in front of her.
"You'd be surprised," Braeden raises her own, nodding slightly.
"So Derek and Kate are somewhere in there?" Scott asks, a little terrified.
"I don't know, I've never gotten this far before," Braeden shrugs, hopping back on her bike, and Olive and Scott share an uneasy glance before joining her.
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By the time they'd reached the entrance to the town, night had fallen. They got off the bike as Braeden let the kickstand down, parking it nearby. They stood at the entrance to the church, Olive and Scott both wearing nervous looks. Braden handed Scott a flashlight and Olive clicked her own on, shining it in front of her. Braeden cocked her shotgun, causing Olive to jump.
"Why are you so jumpy?" Braeden turned to Olive, who looked at her with wide eyes.
"This is a scary situation," Olive pouted slightly and Braeden rolled her eyes, continuing into the church. Olive looked at Scott before nodding for him to go before her and he chuckled lightly before following Braeden.
"If you find Kate in here what are you gonna do with her?" Scott asks, finally catching up to her.
"Take her back to the Calaveras, that's what they paid me for," She explained nonchalantly, looking around the path before them.
"What happens after that?" Olive raises an eyebrow, letting her flashlight fall to her side.
"Not my problem," Braeden purses her lips, shaking her head.
"You don't care?" Scott asks, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Do you? She's a mass murderer."
"And you're a mercenary," Scott looks at her, raising an eyebrow, and Braeden shrugs.
"Girl's gotta eat."
"If you were paid enough, would you kill her?" Scott turns to her and Braeden stops, turning to face them.
"If the money was good? I would kill either of you," She says before turning to enter the church. Olive turns to Scott, eyes wide.
"She scares me," Olive said lowly before continuing into the church, hearing Scott laugh behind her.
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As they entered the ruins of the steeple, Braeden kicked down a few wooden planks and entered the building.
"Can you catch Derek's scent?" Braeden asks as she leads the way through the pews.
"Yeah, already on it," Olive nods, following her. Scott comes between them, grabbing them both by the arms and stopping them from continuing.
"Do you hear that?" He turns to Olive who furrows her eyebrows, listening in. She widens her eyes as she hears a distant roar.
"What?" Braeden turns to them and Scott looks ahead.
"There's something else in here," He says wearily as Braeden looks around.
"Something like what?"
"Something not human," Olive stares in the direction of the sound, wide-eyed, and Braeden raises her shotgun, walking ahead of them.
They moved down the corridors of the church carefully, Braeden leading the group with her gun raised just in case. Olive dodges a cobweb as she walks down the stairs, on high alert for whatever was in there with them.
"So, you're Olly?" Braeden turns back, looking at Olive, who knits her eyebrows together.
"Um, yeah."
"You're the one Isaac couldn't stop talking about? The entire time I was trying to save him, he was delirious, couldn't stop saying he had to get back to Olly," She rose an eyebrow as she continued ahead. Olive's heart sank slightly at the comment. She cleared her throat, brushing past another cobweb.
"Yeah, we uh, we were supposed to have a pretty important conversation," She shook her head, looking down at her feet as she descended the stairs.
"What conversation?" She rose an eyebrow and Olive turned to her with narrow eyes.
"You're quite nosey," She deadpanned and Braeden chuckled.
"Hey, if we die down here this goes to my grave, so..." She trailed off, causing Olive to laugh lightly.
"It's not important anymore," Olive shook her head, swatting the 5th cobweb she's come across. Damn those things were annoying.
"What happened?" Braeden turned back to Olive, who shook her head, a small frown appearing on her face. "Did he dump you?"
"Kind of a crass way to put it, but yeah technically," She shrugged, earning a look from Scott.
"Why?"
"You really want my life story don't you?" She chuckled nervously and Braeden shook her head.
"No, just curious."
"He said he had to figure out what he was feeling. We have this...impairment that kind of makes feelings confusing sometimes, so he wanted to figure out if he really loved me. Or if it was just-"
"The twin flame connection?" Braeden rose an eyebrow, turning back to her. Olive widened her eyes, stopping for a second. "Once you two found out pretty much everyone else did. People talk."
"Nice," Olive whispered, shaking her head. "Yeah, the twin flame connection."
"Well, that only bounds you to a person, it doesn't create feelings. So whatever you two felt for each other was real," Braeden explains and Olive tilts her head.
"What does that mean?"
"It means, whether you guys are friends, lovers, hell even enemies, you're going to be in each other's lives forever. Doesn't matter the relationship between you two. Your emotions are all real."
Olive stands on the stairs, thinking for a minute. She sighs, staring at her feet before Scott catches up behind her, placing his hand on her back and startling her a bit.
"Can we talk about something else?" He looks at Braeden as they continue walking and Braeden nods.
"Sure, why didn't you kiss her?" She turns back to Scott who almost trips down the stairs, causing Olive to laugh.
"Who- Olly?" He asks, eyes wider than saucers. Braeden twists her face up, shaking her head.
"No, your girlfriend," She stops, turning back to him, and then continues on.
"Oh... wait- Kira?" He asks, still confused.
"Whatever her name is," Braeden shrugs as the two of them catch up to her.
"Well, she's not really...uh- We've never actually-"
"What he means is they've been pining desperately for each other for a while but neither of them has said anything 'cause they're idiots," Olive explains, earning a look from Scott.
"I didn't say anything during yours," He grumbles, and Olive chuckles lightly, patting him on the shoulder.
"So if you die down here are you gonna regret not kissing her?" Braeden asks, turning to Scott who stays silent.
"Should've kissed your girlfriend," Olive wiggles her eyebrows, walking ahead of the group and Braeden chuckles.
"I like her," She nods toward Olive before following after her, leaving Scott slack-jawed.
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They finally reached the end of the stairs, which led to another corridor and, somehow, more cobwebs.
"They should really fire the maid," Olive said as she swatted a clump of webs down from the ceiling. Scott laughed lightly as he moved past her.
They walked in a line, Olive bringing up the caboose, as they neared the end of the hallway. Olive furrowed her eyebrows, looking behind them and shining her flashlight.
"What?" Braeden asked in a harsh whisper. Olive looked in the opposite direction one more time before shaking her head, and turning back to them.
"Nothing, I thought I heard something," She sighed as they continued down the hall, Olive taking a glance behind her every few steps.
Suddenly, they heard a long breath and distant footsteps coming from behind them. All three of them turned around, on alert as they looked for the cause of the sound.
"Did you hear that?" Braeden turned to the teens and Olive nodded.
"Is this why you never get that far?" Scott asks, planting his feet.
Rushed footsteps made their way toward them and Olive unsheathed her claws as she waited for whatever was about to attack them. The creature rounded the corner and Braeden fired multiple shots into the space in front of them, but they were basically fighting it blindly.
"Where is it? Do you see it?" Braeden shouted as the three of them backed up toward the end of the hallway.
"I don't know, I can't see anything!" Scott shouted as he waved his flashlight in every possible direction, trying to catch a glimpse of what was attacking them.
"Where is this thing?" Olive shook her head, looking around frantically but she couldn't see shit either.
"It's coming back, it's coming back!" Scott shouted as running footsteps grew louder and louder before them. A roar came from down the hallway and Olive swallowed hard, almost knocking over Scott as she stepped back.
"Get behind me," Braeden whispers, looking at both of them suddenly very worried.
"Don't have to tell me twice," Olive whispered, practically jumping behind Braeden, but Scott stood still.
"Scott!" Olive whispered, but Scott didn't move.
"Scott, come on!" Braeden urged, but Scott kept his feet planted in the ground.
As the creature rounded the corner, Scott's eyes flashed red as he let out a loud roar, causing the structure around them to shake. Olive and Braeden both jumped at the sudden loud noise and the creature took off in the opposite direction. Scott turned around, looking at them with a surprised smile.
"I think I scared it!"
"I think you scared everything!" Braeden exclaimed and Olive nodded frantically.
"You scared me, kinda," She swallowed and Scott gave her an apologetic smile before furrowing his eyebrows, noticing something behind them. The walls crumbled, revealing a tomb in its wake. The three of them shared a glance before entering.
"What is that?" Olive narrowed her eyes as she stepped into the tomb.
"Tezcatlipoca," Braeden says as she enters behind her.
"What?" Olive turns back to her and Braeden sighs.
"The Nagual jaguar god," She explains, dusting off the imprint on the wall. "I think we found Derek."
Olive turned to Scott with wide eyes as she approached the tomb, placing her ear to it and listening. She heard a faint heartbeat from behind the door, and she turned to Scott again, a grin beginning to break out on her face.
"Alright, yeah, move," Scott nods, gently moving her away from the wall as he brings his fist back, punching a hole into it. Olive grabs the surrounding wall, making the hole bigger and the three of them peer into it. Olive's smile fades as she sees the figure inside.
"Oh my god," She says, eyebrows furrowed as she turns to Scott.
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Stiles and the rest of the gang pull into the town, stopping the Jeep at the entrance to the church. He practically jumps out as he sees four figures emerge from the entrance, squinting to see if they were alright. Braeden comes out first, a weary look on her face, followed by Olive and Scott, who seem to be helping Derek out of the church. He smiles to himself, knowing that they were okay until he sees who they're holding up.
"Is that him? Is that Derek?" Malia turns to Stiles, who lets out a deep breath. He tilts his head, placing his hands on his hips.
"Kind of?" He squints as Olive and Scott approach them and a teenage Derek looks up at them, physically weakened. He ran to help them, giving Olive a confused glance before taking her place.
"Don't ask me what's going on because I really don't know," She shook her head as Stiles took Derek's arm from around her shoulder and wrapped it around his own before turning back to her.
"What the fuck?"
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