Twenty-Nine \\
"Just go, I'll meet you there." Koda hopped out of his Toyota at the Sheriff's Station, the Hale boys wondering what the hell she was thinking.
Although perpetually terrified to go into the station, she thought of saving Kira and Scott, as well as Stiles' text of a way to get Liam to Mexico without killing everyone.
Koda went through the front doors, coming to a single guard at the desk. She pretended she wasn't wanted for suspected murder and instead politely smiled at the officer at the front. "Morning."
"What can I help you with, Ma'am?" An older man looked over the top of his Sunday paper, clearly not thrilled.
"Hi, I was hoping I could speak with the sheriff."
"Are you here to report a crime?"
"No, I just need to talk to him," Koda said. Her heart was beating out of her chest, making her second guess herself. She was a known fugitive and she walked into a police station on her own free will.
"I'm sorry, Miss. You can't just come in and ask to talk to the sheriff," the officer told her. "It doesn't work like that."
"Could you just tell him I'm here? If he knows, he'll want to talk to me."
The man blinked at her, folding his newspaper in half. "What's your name?"
"Koda."
He raised an eyebrow, "You got a last name, kid?"
"He'll know who it is," Koda told him. "And I'm not a kid, I'm twenty four."
The officer picked up the phone on the desk, his expression flat as he pushed 1. "Sir, I've got a 'Koda' here asking to talk to you. She - yes, Sir." He hung up, hitting the gate release and motioning with his thumb.
"Thanks," she mumbled, going through the gate and past him.
Sheriff Stilinski quickly met her, escorting her to his office. Shutting the door, he turned to her. "What are you doing here? It's dangerous for you to come to the station."
"I know, but I need to ask you a favor," Koda said. "I big favor."
"Is this about Scott and Kira being missing?"
Dakoda nodded, "It is."
He folded his arms, "What do you need?"
"A prison transport van," she said with a slight wince. She didn't want to lie but if she said it was for Liam and also Stiles' idea, she'd never get it. "If we catch Kate, we'll need a way to get her back."
Sheriff Stilinski ran a hand along the back of his neck. "Come with me."
"Oh, my god thank you." Koda followed him to the garage with relief.
Stilinski pulled a set of keys down from a hook, "Only Deputy Parrish knows about the supernatural so I'm going to sign it out under his name. He'll understand. Please be safe."
"You're a life saver," Koda happily said. She climbed into the van as Stilinski opened the garage and gave a wave as she left.
Out of worry for her, Derek had waited despite Peter's protests to get the hell out of there. When seeing her in the van, he wheeled around and headed for the warehouse.
Within minutes the two SUVs pulled into the warehouse where Stiles' Jeep was waiting.
Stiles looked confused as he approached Dakoda. "How'd you get a prison transport van?" he asked, motioning to it.
"I asked your dad nicely," she replied as she walked up to him and Malia.
Derek shut the door of the Toyota, seeing Liam. "Are you really bringing him?"
Stiles motioned to Peter, "Are we really bringing him?"
"We're bringing everyone that we can," Peter said pointedly. "And considering Scott and Kira were taken the night before a full moon, we should probably get going."
Malia furrowed her eyebrows, "What's that mean?"
"If Kate took Scott back to the same temple that she took Derek, how do we know she's not planning to do the same think to him?"
Liam didn't quite buy it. "What, she wants to make him younger?"
"Or take him back to when he wasn't a werewolf," Derek offered.
"A werewolf can't steal a true alpha's power," said Koda. "But maybe a Nagual jaguar, with the power of Tezcatlipoca behind her...maybe she can."
"So," Peter said as he stood between Derek and Dakoda, "if everyone is sufficiently freaked out, I say we get going."
"We can't," Stiles said. "Not without Lydia."
And when close to twenty minutes passed without Martin's arrival, the group of six were getting itchy to leave.
"What's she doing at the school, anyway?" Derek asked.
"We got Kira's sword, but we need something with a stronger scent," Malia told him, katana in hand. "Lydia went to get a jacket out of her locker."
"Nothing," Stiles announced once he attempted to call the banshee repeatedly.
"If she's got her own car," Koda said, "she can catch up to us."
"That's a good point," Peter agreed. "We can call her from the road."
"No," Stiles quickly disagreed. "What if something happened? What if she's in trouble?"
"Fine," Peter said. "You stay, you find her. We're gonna go on without you."
Liam piped up, "I can call Mason. he has a study group at school. Maybe he could look for her."
Stiles sighed despite wanting to wait. "Alright. Fine." He stopped Malia as the group dispersed. "I need to be back there with Derek and Liam. I've got some experience dealing with out-of-control teen wolves. You're gonna be okay riding with Peter?"
"He is my father," Malia said. "Maybe we could do some bonding."
"No, no bonding. Play the radio, play it loud."
"Remember what we're dealing with here," Peter said as he pulled on his jacket. "It's not just Kate, it's berserkers. You might see human eyes behind those skulls. Do not assume there's any humanity left." He smiled condescendingly at Liam. "This little one is terrified of them, aren't you? 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."
"Are you done with your monologue?" Dakoda asked Peter, her arms folded over her chest.
Peter rolled his yes, going to his car with Malia.
"Hey, Liam." Koda motioned for the freshman as Stiles and Derek climbed into the back of the van. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," he replied.
Koda lifted an eyebrow, "You don't have to lie to me." She gave a soft nod when Liam didn't reply. "It's more than just a fear, isn't it?"
Liam shrugged, "I guess so, yeah."
"Brett's worried about you," she said. "He told me what happened at the game last night. That you froze. Are you seeing berserkers when they're not there?"
"I don't know why it's happening," Liam admitted to her.
"Are you sure you want to come? Brett's staying, he could help you tonight with your shift." Dakoda was genuinely concerned about Liam, having known him for a few years.
"No, Scott's my alpha. I need to help save him."
Koda expected nothing less and softly smiled. "I have something that could help. You've got PTSD, Liam. Do you know what that is?"
"Yeah, my grandpa had it after fighting in Vietnam," Liam replied. "I have that?"
"From fighting the berserkers, the memories are, per se, haunting you. I've treated it before. Do you mind?" she asked as she lifted her hands. When Liam let her, she put her fingers on his temples.
Liam's eyes closed on impulse, a lightness fluttering across him. When he opened them again, he seemed confused but smiled.
Dakoda only patted his back, "Go on and get in, we've got a wolf and a fox to save." She hopped up and started up the van, driving once everyone was settled in the back.
Getting out past the town limit of Beacon Hills, they picked up speed on their way to Mexico.
There was only one thing Koda didn't like; Peter was leading.
He shouldn't have know how to get to La Iglesia.
- Ah yes, the return to Mehico. Koda is going to kick some ass - Mel xx