"The two of you are not going to Mexico!" Sheriff Stilinski cried.
Emma crossed her legs on the couch, watching the conversation unfold. "Dad, Scott and Kira have been kidnapped and taken to Mexico. Okay?"
Emma nodded. "That's a perfectly reasonable reason to go."
The sheriff shot her a look.
Sheriff Stilinski turned back to his son. "Okay. Even if Deaton is right about this, the best thing is to go through the proper channels."
"Dad-" Stiles began.
"That means calling the right law enforcement agencies, border patrol, putting out an all-points."
Stiles shook his head. "Dad, Emma and I can't just wait around for the wheels of bureaucracy to start spinning in five different government offices. Okay? Someone needs to go down there, find them, and rescue them."
Sheriff Stilinski narrowed his eyes. "I can keep you from going."
"I'd find a way."
"I can throw you in a cell."
Stiles glared. "I'd still find a way."
The sheriff sighed. "Stiles, please. Just give me a little more time to verify something slightly more concrete than a psychic vision with some guy with a third eye. Look, I will call every law enforcement agency all the way down to South America if I have to. If nothing turns up, then we'll book three flights to Mexico. We'll all go, okay?"
Stiles' impatience showed as he shifted from one foot to another. "Okay, great! That's great! Do I get a gun?"
The sheriff turned to his son. "No!"
---
They swung by to get Malia and made their way to Scott's. They rushed to his room and Stiles tossed an article of clothing.
Emma threw a jacket to Malia. "Maybe this?"
Malia sniffed it and let out a sigh. "Fabric softener."
Stiles ran into Scott's bathroom and Emma glanced at Malia. "Oh, no."
"What?"
"I am so sorry."
He reappeared with a pair of dirty underwear, causing Malia to glare at him in disgust. "Remember, Scott's life is on the line," he told her, shoving the boxers in her face.
She shot him a look before grabbing a pillow from Scott's bed. She sniffed it and smiled. "Got it."
Stiles let out a sigh. "Yeah. That works too."
They walked down the stairs and saw Liam sitting at the kitchen table. Stiles frowned at him. "Oh! Liam, go home. You're not coming with us."
"Why not?" Liam wondered.
"Because it's a full moon. And I don't feel like driving all the way down to Mexico just to have you rip my throat out or my girlfriend's throat out."
Emma glanced at him. "This'll be his first full moon without us."
Liam nodded and pointed to her. "Thank you, Emma! You can lock me up, right? Chain me to the back set or something?"
Malia frowned. "You tore through the last chains, remember?"
Stiles let out a sigh. "Yeah, we would have to freeze you in carbonite to get you down there."
Liam glanced between them. "Okay, then where do we get carbonite?"
"Oh, Dios," Emma muttered.
Stiles glared at Liam. "Seriously? You haven't seen it either?"
Liam's eyes widened. "Wait! What if we put me in the trunk?"
Malia shook her head. "You'd get out of that, too."
Emma stood across from the young werewolf. "You've been a werewolf for a month. You don't have to do this."
His eyes met hers. "I know, but I want to. There's gotta be bigger chains, a bigger trunk or something. There has to be."
Emma could almost see the wheels turning in Stiles' head. "Maybe there is."
He shot her a smile; the smile he gave when he was planning something.
---
They drove to meet up with someone and arrived at an old plane hanger. A black van pulled up at the same time.
Emma frowned, glancing at her boyfriend. "Stiles? What is-"
He glanced to her. "Braeden. She arranged all this." He hopped out of the Jeep and turned to Braeden. "How did you manage to get a prison transport van?"
Braeden gave him a smile. "I'm a U.S. Marshal."
Stiles nodded slowly. "Yeah, I just thought that was just a cover."
Derek stepped out of his car and saw Liam. "Are we really bringing him?"
Stiles, in turn, saw Peter. "Are we really bringing him?"
Peter moved closer to them. "We're bringing everyone that we can. And considering Scott and Kira were taken the night before a full moon, we should probably get going."
"What's that mean?" Malia questioned.
Peter turned to her. "If Kate took Scott back to the same temple she took Derek, how do we know that she's not planning to do the same thing to him?"
Liam frowned in confusion. "What? She wants to make him younger?"
"Or take him back to when he wasn't a werewolf," Derek said.
Peter nodded. "A werewolf can't steal a True Alpha's power. But maybe a Nagual jaguar, with the power of Tezcatilipoca behind her... Maybe she can. So, if everyone is sufficiently freaked out, I say we get going."
Stiles shook his head. "Not yet. Not without Lydia."
Emma called Lydia and got no answer. She noticed a frown from Derek and shot him a questioning eyebrow to which he answered, "What's she doing at the school anyway?"
Stiles turned to Derek. "Well, we got Kira's sword, but we needed something with a stronger scent. Lydia went to get a jacket out of her locker." He attempted to call her. "Nothing."
Braeden shrugged. "If she has a car, she can catch up to us."
Peter turned to her and nodded. "That's a good point. We'll call her from the road."
Emma narrowed her eyes at Peter. "I don't like that idea. What if something happens to her?"
"Would you like to stay?"
Liam's eyes flicked to Emma. "I could call Mason. He has a study group at school."
Without taking her gaze from Peter, Emma said, "Good idea. I'm in back."
He nodded and smiled. "Good. Thanks, Emma."
Stiles turned to Malia and asked, "Are you gonna be okay riding with Peter?"
She nodded. "He is my father. Perhaps we can do some bonding."
Stiles frowned. "No, don't do that. If you want to bond with him, play the radio, and play it loud." He walked back towards Emma. "I don't like the idea of you being in back. Maybe you should sit up front with Malia or Braeden."
Emma crossed her arms. "I'll be fine."
"Em-"
Her eyes flashed white. "Stiles. I'll be fine."
"Please be careful. If anything were to happen to you-"
"I'll be careful. I promise."
Peter continued. "Remember what we're dealing with. It's not just Kate. It's Berserkers. You might see human eyes behind those skulls. Do not assume there's any humanity left. Oh." He noticed Liam's wide eyes. "Don't worry, my friend. It is that fear that will keep you alive. A reminder to everyone. You do not fight Berserkers to survive. You fight to kill."
Emma shrugged. "Then what are we waiting for? We have friends to save."
She followed Derek and Stiles into the back of the van. Derek immediately cuffed Liam's wrist and questioned, "All good?" Liam pulled the chain and Derek continued. "Okay, I brought something to help you."
He pulled something small out and Stiles laughed sarcastically. He held up the triskelion. "This has been with my family for centuries. It's a very powerful, supernatural talisman. We use it to teach betas how to control themselves on a full moon."
He handed the talisman to Liam, who stared at. Stiles cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes, it's powerful. Very powerful."
Liam focused on the talisman and all seemed well. That is, until he started grunting. "Whatever you were gonna teach me..."
His breaths grew heavier and he gripped the talisman tighter while jerking the chains. "...I think you better start."
Emma leaned forward and said, "Liam, you can do this. Stay calm. Derek?"
He stepped closer to the beta. "Liam, are you with me?" The latter looked up at Derek. "We have a mantra that we use. You repeat it, you focus on the words. It's like meditating. You say the words until you feel it coming back to you."
Liam gave a slow nod as he rocked back and forth while scraping his claws along the talisman. "Okay, okay! What are the words?"
Derek's voice took on a sense of urgency as he said, "Okay, look at the triskelion. See the symbol? I have a tattoo on my back. It's the same thing. Each spiral means something."
From his spot next to Emma, Stiles said, "Alpha, Beta, Omega."
Derek nodded. "It represents the idea that we can always rise to one and fall back to another. Betas can become Alphas."
"Alphas can become betas."
Liam looked between them. "Can Alphas become Omegas?"
Derek nodded. "All you have to do is say the three words. And with each one, you tell yourself you're getting calmer, more in control. Go ahead."
"Alpha, Beta..." Liam said quickly.
"Slower."
He slowed his voice down. "Alpha... Beta... Omega. Alpha... Beta... Omega." His groaning resumed.
"Good," Derek encouraged. "Say it again. Remember every time you say the words, you're getting calmer."
"Alpha... Beta... Omega."
"Say it again."
Emma frowned, watching Liam's face. "Derek, your talisman isn't working."
Liam grunted and Derek cried, "Liam, say it again!"
Derek moved closer to Liam, wary of his claws and fangs. "Emma, back up."
Emma shook her head. "No. I can get through to him."
"Derek?" Braeden questioned from the front.
Stiles glanced at Liam. "I think we're gonna need to go a little faster. Keep going!"
A chain broke and Liam's hands were soon free.
"Braeden, you might want to go more than a little faster!" Emma yelled.
Liam's hands wrung around Derek's neck. "Liam!" Derek cried. "Liam!" He tried to pull Liam's hands away.
Braeden glanced to them. "We're almost there."
"Keep focus!" Derek yelled.
Stiles shook his head. "Derek, I don't think alpha, beta, omega is resonating with him."
"You know any other mantras?"
Emma nodded. "Liam, I need you to listen to my voice. What three things cannot long be hidden?"
He turned to her and frowned. "Liam, focus on me. What three things cannot long be hidden? What three things?"
Liam let out a grunt. "Sun... The moon... The truth."
She gave him a nod. "Good. Again."
"Sun, the moon... The truth."
"Derek?" Braeden called.
"We're okay," Derek said in a relieved tone.
Liam finally started gaining control. "Sun... Moon... And the truth."
Stiles smiled at the blonde. "That was smart. Using Satomi's mantra."
When the van stopped, Liam looked between them. "I can't believe I did it. For a minute there, I thought I was gonna tear the three of you apart."
Stiles flicked his eyes between Emma and Liam. "Yeah. That would have made for an awkward ride home. So, thanks. For not killing my girlfriend."
Stiles focused on the young beta. "Liam, think you can bring the same level of control and strength to La Iglesia?"
He smiled and flicked his wrist to reveal his claws, and Stiles returned his smile. "All right. We might actually be able to do this."
Derek opened the door and they saw a Berserker waiting for them. It grabbed Derek's collar and pulled him from the van. Emma screamed as she jumped back to avoid getting grabbed. Derek fell to the ground and the Berserker's claws entered his stomach.
"Braeden!" Emma yelled. "Derek's in trouble!"
She winced as she heard a gunshot and raised her hand. Braeden cried, "He's gone!"
They rushed over to Derek to find him lying against a rock. He noticed Emma's expression and gave her a small smile. "I'll be okay."
The blonde frowned. "No, Derek. You're dying. I don't think I can heal this."
Derek continued smiling. "I'll be fine, Emma. Go help your friends. Save Scott and Kira."
"How bad is it?" Peter wondered.
Derek winced, reassuring his uncle. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just get to Scott. Just find him. We'll be right behind you. Go. Go!"
Emma glanced to Braeden. "Don't let him die."
She nodded. "I'll try not to."
They group, excluding Derek and Braeden, ran into La Iglesia.
The second they entered, Emma felt uneasy. And no matter how hard she tried to shake it, she couldn't.
They kept a good pace until Peter stopped, causing the teens to crash into him. "Okay, everyone stop, stop, stop, stop!"
Emma stared at him. "We're stopped. What is it?"
Peter turned to them. "We gotta figure out where we are, then we gotta figure out how to find Scott and Kira."
Stiles' phone began ringing and they shared a look. He frowned. "How do I have any service?"
He answered. "Hi, Dad. Okay, Dad, I know you're angry. Okay, well, when Emma and I get back, you and maybe her dad can ground us. You want me to lie? Uh, Lydia was at the school when we called Mason to look for her, but now we're not hearing back from either of them. I don't know, Dad. I don't know what I'd be doin'. You know, I'm just... I'm trying to save my friends. Dad, if it's one of the Berserkers at the school, you're gonna need firepower. A lot."
When he hung up, Emma let out a wry laugh. "Thanks for offering to ground me."
Stiles sighed. "Sorry."
Liam glanced between them. "What do we do now?"
Something caught Malia's eye and she yelled, "Duck!"
They fell to the ground, seeing a Berserker's arm dart towards them. Peter cried, "Get down! Get back! Go! Go, go, go, go!"
They ran down a dark hallway.
Malia tossed Kira's sword to Stiles and Emma raised her hands once again as she followed him. She figured it was smarter for him to have some protection; at least until they found Kira.
A noise caught Emma's attention and she stopped. "Listen."
He gave her a quick nod. Emma ushered him behind her as she shined her flashlight around, still holding her knife. She saw a face and smiled. "Oh, thank god, Kira."
Stiles jumped. "Oh."
Emma hastily looked the kitsune over and saw blood trickling from her mouth and a stain on her shirt.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked.
Kira nodded. "I'm okay." She met their eyes. "Stiles, Emma, it's Scott."
Stiles asked, "What do you mean "It's Scott"?"
"The Berserker," Kira said. "Kate did it."
Emma frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"She made him into one of them. I don't know how, but it's him. If they don't know it, they could kill him."
"That's why Lydia isn't here," Stiles realized. "They won't know they're killing Scott. Tabi, go."
Emma ran back to the fight and Liam grinned as soon as he caught her eye. "Oh, good. We could use some of your abilities."
Berserker Scott saw Emma and ran towards her. He pinned her to a wall and Emma closed her eyes, figuring death was deserved. She opened her eyes and said. "Scott, it's me. It's Emma."
Stiles and Kira ran in. Scott was holding Emma hostage by her neck, causing her to start choking.
A tear fell down her face. "I won't hurt you, Scott. You're my friend."
Stiles stared at the scene before his eyes, horror evident all across his expression.
Scott's claws inched closer to her neck and Stiles yelled, "Emma! No!"
Liam pushed Emma out of the way and she fell to the ground, coughing. Stiles instantly ran up to Emma and looked her over.
"Why didn't you fight back?" Stiles asked.
Emma looked away. "I deserve it. After how bad I was..."
"Emma, listen to me carefully. You don't deserve to be hurt or killed. You have to push past the words of your mom."
Emma smiled shakily, struggling to believe his words.
Scott held him hostage and Liam called out to his alpha. "Scott. Scott, Scott, listen, listen, listen! You're not a monster! You're a werewolf! Like me."
Scott hesitated for a second, and that was all he needed. His fist fell and Liam dropped to the ground. Scott ripped the pieces of bone armor off. He pulled apart the helmet and let out a roar fit for an alpha. Golden light came from the skull. His face appeared, completely shifted.
Liam glanced at the witch. "Are you okay, Emma?"
Emma nodded, looking at her friend. "Thank you, Liam."
The two joined the fight.
Liam was knocked down before he could do much of anything. A column crashed over his head and Scott jumped up, joining Emma in attacking Peter.
Scott deflected and avoided each of Peter's punches. Emma landed a couple swings on Peter before Scott made him crash into a wall. He jumped on the altar and said, "You were never an alpha, Peter. But you were always a monster."
Peter began to rise, but Scott jumped off the altar and punched Peter in the jaw, knocking him out.
The group ran out from the cave as the sun rose.
Argent turned to the others and smiled. "There's enough yellow wolfsbane to keep Peter out for the trip in the back. But be careful."
Scott took Kira's hand and questioned, "You're really going with them?"
He nodded. "I made a deal with the Calaveras weeks ago. They'll leave you alone. All of you. But only if I help them catch Kate."
"What if you can't?" Kira wondered.
Argent met her eyes. "I'll find her. Someone has to."
Emma turned to Derek. "Don't be too distant."
Derek offered his arms and she accepted. "I won't. Call if you're ever in danger, okay?" Emma nodded and he gave a small smile. "Bye, Emma."
After goodbyes, they drove back to Beacon Hills.
---
Emma snuck inside her house and was greeted by her disappointed father.
"Where were you?" Carson demanded. "The sheriff said something about Mexico."
"Yeah. We were camping."
"Camping in Mexico. Why don't I believe you? The truth. Now. And who's 'we'?"
Emma let out a sigh. "Okay, we rescued Scott and Kira from these things called Berserkers. Creepy things with masks."
"Why were Scott and Kira in Mexico?"
"I don't know. But we saved them. And this was Stiles' idea first."
"You and your boyfriend are trouble." He hugged his daughter and kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad you're safe. Go on to bed. I'm sure you're exhausted."
Emma nodded and walked up to her room, curling up on her bed.
She closed her eyes, soon falling asleep.