NAOMI REID
Avery speeds down the relatively empty streets of Tares, her and Naomi on their way to Sean and Kai. A tense silence fills the car, both their minds occupied with anxious thoughts.
Naomi's brain couldn't decide what to focus on, all events from the past couple hours wreaking havoc in her mind. Her brother having found out about Lycans through a near attack - Her finding out Jensen was a Lycan himself - Even the situation with Dean and Calvin they'd just left. Her mind switched between scenarios, giving her a headache to go along with her aching throat.
"The night that keeps on giving!" Naomi thinks resentfully as she looks at the full moon in the sky - Practically twinkling with mischief as it shone down upon Tares City.
Checking the GPS on her phone, she points to the street ahead, letting Avery know where they had to go. Avery nods with an anxious sigh in response, her hands tightening against the wheel.
Naomi understood her fear. Sean being in a house with a hunter had her on edge too. Adding a shocked, scared, and confused Kai to the equation created a recipe for possible disaster.
As soon as they turn onto the street, they see Kai's wrecked car on the road ahead. Although not directly in the middle of the street, they still had to swerve around it to reach their destination.
Putting the car in park, Avery hops out of the vehicle. Leaving it idling with the door wide open she breaks out into a sprint toward the house. Naomi does the same, doing a little jog to catch up to her friend.
Avery rapidly knocks against the door, legs bouncing nervously as she stood waiting. The girls hear the sound of the latch unlocking before the door opens to reveal an old man.
"Ah, you must be here for my new friends. Come on in, we shouldn't be outside too much," The man says to them in a friendly manner. Naomi and Avery share a look before entering the home.
Spotting Sean standing off to the corner, Avery runs to him. Throwing herself into his arms she hugs him tightly, face buried in his neck.
Naomi spots Kai sitting on a leather recliner, his body tense as he stared off. She glances at the old man who came to stand beside her.
"He's been like that since I got them inside. He won't even look at his friend. I tried to coax him out of it but no luck," The old man whispers to her.
Nodding at him, Naomi makes her way to her brother, her steps slow and gentle. Stooping down in front of him Naomi shakes his leg to get his attention. Still moving carefully slow, she holds onto his chin, turning his head to face her.
Kai stares at her for a minute before fully coming to his senses, "What happened to your neck?!" He gasps out in shock, worry lacing his features.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Naomi croaked out, ignoring the burn in her throat. "I'm so sorry, Kai. I'll explain it all I promise!" She says to him before embracing him tightly in a hug. He hugs her back letting out a heavy sigh.
"Thank you so much, sir. For rescuing them," Avery says moving to shake the man's hand. "I can't express to you how grateful we are!"
"Oh don't you fret, it was the thing to do. Any other hunter would have done the same." He begins, dismissing her with a smile. "Besides, this has been the most Lycan-related excitement I've had since my grandson introduced me to the life of a hunter," He says, his tone almost giddy. "I'm still learning about them but I've always been a sharpshooter." He chuckles.
"Your boyfriend tells me you two don't have a hunter group to belong to. I feel like I should introduce you to my grandson. Young people like yourself, you'd fit in fine. It'd be safer too. He says hunters need to stick together now more than ever. Things are getting out of hand in the city." The old man says before walking off to retrieve a notepad and pen off his side table next to his couch.
"Here's his information. You give him a call," He says as he writes. "Especially now that your friend over there has been introduced to these things. I think having more support would be good for you lot."
"Thank you-"
"John. John Freys."
"Thank you, John," Avery says taking the paper as he handed it to her. "We should get going, thanks again for everything."
"No problem. Don't worry about that car, I'd have my grandson get his buddy to tow it for yah. Just give him a call."
The four of them exit the house, Naomi noticing the look Kai had on his face as he watched Sean and Avery.
~
"Naomi, stop. It hurts my throat listening to you try to speak," Avery says to her softly.
Naomi lets out a sigh, throwing herself onto her couch.
Having driven back to her place in tense silence, she, Avery, and Sean were trying to figure out how to handle the situation. It would have made sense to explain right away but Naomi's throat prevented her from being able to do the talking.
Avery could have taken over, which would have been fine, except Kai wouldn't look at her or Sean. Locking himself in his designated room he had at Naomi's place, none of them heard from him since they arrived. Hardly sparring a glance at his sister as well.
"Like brother like sister, huh," Avery joked at the moment which earned her a slap on the shoulder from Naomi.
"He's going to need some time to process before he lets any of us speak to him. You know that," Avery says to her gently.
"I don't think he'll be letting you or me near him, babe," Sean comments. "He thinks I'm a monster. Just like the thing that attacked us."
"We need to talk about that too! What the hell is going on with the Lycans in the city all of a sudden? The teens from the apartment, this," Avery says to them.
"Something is definitely going on. And it's not natural, I could tell you that. The scent! Coming from the thing! The eyes and build - There's no natural explanation for that kind of thing. Whoever that was though, they're far gone." Sean replies.
"Hmm?" Naomi sounds to portray her question since she was unable to speak.
"Remember, the full moon is the only time Lycans can transform fully without problem," Avery begins. "Changing on the wrong moon, though possible, has its repercussions. Mentally they'd start to forget themselves and become more animalistic. Do that enough times, there comes a point where they won't be able to return to their human form. In that state, it's as if they're Lycan and Lycan alone."
"When we turn, we're still a bit of ourselves. Like if I were to fully transform, I won't hurt you or Av. I know and recognize you guys. I can have logical thoughts - I won't head into the city, attack a random stranger, or things like that. It's all about control," Sean explains further. "Some people have more control than others. There are people out there who lose themselves to the Lycan when they turn while others hardly have a slip-up," He continues.
"The state of the one that attacked us - I'd say it's pretty close to someone who's lost to the Lycan, but there's something else to it."
"Like what? What more is there? Isn't being in that 'forever Lycan' state the worst there is?" Avery asks running a hand through her hair.
"That's the thing, it's like that, but times one hundred."
~
ARROW BERLIN
In the basement of the precinct, in the corner of her holding cell, Arrow's fingers idly scratch at the bars that kept her trapped in the space. The paint already chipping away. Worn down from the numerous hands before her that desperately grabbed at them.
The stench of sweat, rust, mildew, and cleaning chemicals burns Arrow's nose with each inhale. The basement was dimly lit, and recessed light bulbs scattered sparsely on the concrete ceiling. Arrow's cell didn't even have one.
What her cell did have was a metal toilet, sink, and an old metal bed with the thinnest mattress she'd ever seen. The bed looked as if it would collapse underneath her if she dared to sit on it. The unevenly painted cement floor beneath her seemed like a safer bet, though it was no cleaner than the mattress.
The only noise in the room was the loud snoring from her cell neighbor. A scrawny man who'd been talking to the wall since they brought her in. Of the other four people locked up down there with her - Two were fast asleep as well. The other two lost to their thoughts just as Arrow was.
Wanting to check the time, Arrow looks down at her wrist - Only to realize her watch was no longer there. She sighs in defeat, shutting her eyes tightly.
Since they threw her in the cell, no officers had come to her. She didn't know much about legal procedures but she'd plan to demand a phone call. If anything, that should be the one truth television portrayed.
Legs tired, Arrows sinks to the floor, sitting in the corner where she'd been standing.
Mentally going through the list of people she could contact, Arrow only came up with two names- her brother and Dean. They were the only two people she could truly trust.
It'd been some time since she last talked to Dean, wondering if he would answer if she used her call on him. It was a risk considering he didn't respond the last time she contacted him. Arrow had no way of knowing if he'd be available or working a case that would keep him from his phone.
Although she considered her brother an option, she did not want to reach out to him. To disrupt his life and bring him back to the city he tried so hard to get away from would make her a horrible sister.
Arrow could hear the muffled sounds of the busy precinct from the open door down the hall. She wondered when someone would collect her for questioning as quite some time had passed since they brought her in.
Arrow couldn't help but marvel at how the domino effect that was Bell Valentine disrupted her life to such a degree.
~
YARA ROSEWOOD
"Who?" Yara mutters at the same time Jensen exclaims "Vincent?!"
Jackson lets out a sigh, waving his hand at them, "Let's keep all questions till the end, yeah? Now as I was saying," He continues.
"These two people. I worked with them, once upon a time... until we stopped seeing eye to eye. The three of us..." Yara watches intently as Jackson trails off, seeming to struggle to find the words he wanted.
"We were all interested in the science behind Lycanthropy. The anatomy of Lycans, lesser-known strengths, weaknesses...The answers to questions people no one's thought about asking," He begins. "When I met Vincent Rockwell, he was already working with Elmann Berlin. I was shocked. A Lycan working with a hunter to research and understand Lycanthropy. That got my attention. Then Vincent showed me a sample of their work and I was on board from there. The three of us worked together well for the most part. Personalities clashed here and there but nothing major. But...somewhere along the line...it stopped being a partnership. Our research began to cross that line that wasn't meant to be crossed." Jackson pauses, letting his words sink in.
Yara glances at Clay, seeing the shocked expression on his face. This was a side of the story they never knew.
"Vincent was, and still is a master manipulator. Elmann is like a spoiled maniac who will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. Whatever crazy idea he concocted in his head, he'd do and do until he satisfied his curiosity. And me...It was more than I bargained for, but at the time I was in so deep I didn't even see how far off the rails we'd gone. I'd never intended to be a part of something so... so radical," Jackson explains.
"Vincent doesn't like when people say no to him or do things their own way. He's a powerful man who knows a lot of powerful people. And he loves to prove that. He's the reason I came to see you, Carter," Jackson says eyeing Jensen.
"I know he showed you pictures of Clay and me from that night. He told me so, recently. I think to rub it in my face how he's always one step ahead, how he could control any and every narrative. You were an easy target. He knew once he got into your head with that fact you wouldn't question anything else." Jackson explains.
Yara's eyes widen in shock at this revelation her mind spinning around the fact as she wondered if this would truly change anything between Jensen and Clay.
"You're saying that whole operation business was an elaborate plan of his? Just to sabotage mine and Clay's friendship to prove a point to you?" Jensen asks, confusion written all over his face.
Yara watches Jensen reel back in shock as Jackson nods. "There is no organization going around exposing the truth to people. It's all him and his team, he made half of it up as a cover. It didn't need to be foolproof either, he knew you wouldn't stop to think or question anything else when he dropped that piece of information on you. And he was right. You didn't. And he was right about the outcome too- Your reaction to Clay."
"To what end though? Just to sabotage your brother's friendship? That doesn't make any sense. There must be something more behind it than just proving a point to you, Jackson," Yara comments.
Jackson shrugs in response. "I came to Tares because word got to me that he and Elmann are working together again. I have scores to settle with both of them."
"You came to Tares to start a fight with these people," Clayton says, Jackson, stiffening at his words.
"You don't know the full story, Clay. Don't look at me with those judgmental eyes. I'm doing what I have to. It doesn't concern you so don't worry about it. I just came to fix your stupid friendship. You're welcome." Jackson mumbles out to his brother, annoyance in his tone.
"They're working together without you. You said you left because you didn't like the work they did. Why are you after them now?" Clay questions, his voice raising slightly.
They all heard the accusation in his sentence.
"You don't need to worry about it Clay! My plans don't concern you. The back story and all that, was just for you to understand everything - Put the past in perspective and let you know that you guys were manipulated. That's all. That's where the sharing stops. I'm dealing with the rest on my own." Jackson argues back.
"If he's got an eye on us and has been manipulating and interfering with our lives, then I'd say it does concern us!" Clayton exclaims.
"As far as I know it was just the separating you two thing," Jackson responds.
"Exactly!" Yara pipes in. "As far as you know. There could be more."
Jackson lets out a heavy sigh, "Maybe I don't know all his plans or his whereabouts. Not yet anyway. But I do know I have this covered. You guys can go about your lives as normal. There's nothing for you to involve yourselves with," Jackson orders, standing in from his seat.
Clay gets up as well, holding out a hand to stop his brother.
"It's not that simple," Clayton says, stepping to his brother.
"Oh, but it is!" Jackson argues, the two standing face to face. A silent standoff going on between the two brothers.
"Forget it, Clayton!" Jackson growls softly to his brother. To her side Jensen and his friend both stand from their seats, watching the scene unfold - Ready to intervene.
Getting up as well, Yara goes to Clay, putting a hand on his tense shoulders.
"There's still a lot of holes in your story man. There is more to all this. This Vincent fella interfered once, who's to say he won't do it again - If he hasn't already," Dalton says to Jackson.
Jackson lets out a heavy sigh, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "If there are more things that you all absolutely need to know, then I'll come to you and I'll tell you. Then and only then. There's truly no need for your involvement," He says to them in a low voice that left no room for argument.
"This is not the end of this, Jackson," Clay growls.
"Oh, but it is brother. I've said all I've come to say," Jackson responds matching Clay's tone. "This is my problem and I'll take care of it. Don't try to get in my way. It won't end well, for any of you."