"What the hell even happened to her?" I asked Stiles as we drove down the road.
"Malia said there were these people in masks." I furrowed my eyebrows. "Mask?"
Stiles nodded. "Yeah, there were 3 of them. Apparently they were too strong and Malia couldn't do anything about. Tracy was leaking silver goo." I nodded, still confused.
"Do we know what the goo is?" Stiles shook his head. "Deaton thinks its mercury, but we're not sure." I sighed as we pulled up to my house.
Stiles and I got out of the car, walking into the house to see Deaton, putting down a duffle bag on the table. "Perfect, you're here." He said, directed us near Scott and Kira. We walked over to them, taking a seat as Deaton pulled out jars from his bag.
"A werewolf with the talons of an eagle." He placed the jar on the table. "Possible a shape-shifter, known in eastern mythology as a Garuda."
He pulled out another jar. "Tracy's claws."
"The unmistakable claws of a werewolf but, a werewolf who was also bears the vemon and the scales of a Kanima."
"What do you even call that?" Kira asked as Deaton shrugged. "Personally, I call it terrifying."
He paused. "But at the moment, i'm more interested in how Tracy was able to get across the mountain ash."
Scott crossed his arms. 'I thought nothing supernatural can do that."
Deaton nodded. "As did I. So if Tracy was able to cross the mountain ash and no one supernatural can do that."
"Then Tracy's not a supernatural." I muttered as everyone turned towards me. Deaton nodded. "Exactly."
"If she wasn't born and she wasn't bitten, she had to have been made." Stiles furrowed his eyebrows. "Made?"
"Someone is trying to make supernatural creatures with non-supernatural means." He put all the jars back in his bag. "And whoever they are, they're somehow managing to blur the lines between science and the supernatural. But there's more."
He took a seat at the table. "Liam said he found another hole out in the woods. Burying them could be part of their process, a kind of incubation."
Scott sighed. "What are we supposed to do?" Deaton shrugged. "Same thing you've always done. Protect your friends. Protect each other."
Stiles crossed his arms. "So, what about someone like Tracy?"
"I wish i could tell you." Deaton stood up, grabbing his bag off the table. "Hopefully, i'll have more answers soon. I'll be gone a few days."
Scott's eyes widened. "You're leaving?" Deaton nodded. "Just a few days."
"How scared should we be?" Deaton sighed. "I've lived in the world of the supernatural a long time. But i'm still a doctor. Still a man of science. Something like this happens, it rattles the foundation of everything you believe. Someone like this shakes you to the core."
"Something like what?" I asked as Deaton sighed. "The rules. The rules have changed."
The next day at school, you could feel the tension. The air felt unclean as I walked into Biology. I took my seat, next to Theo, placing my head down on the table.
"You okay Aubrey?" Theo asked as I slightly nodded, sitting up. "Yeah, just stressed."
"Is it about what happened at the station." I sighed. "Partially."
"I'm just really confused with everything that's going on lately. With Tracy and Donovan, everything is just getting to my head." Theo placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry Aubrey, everything will turn out okay in the end. I promise."
I sighed as Ms. Finch started writing on the board. "I hope you're right."
"If 99.9% of our DNA sequence is the same as other humans, what could account for the missing 0.1% difference?" Ms. Finch asked as she looked around the room.
"Theo?" Theo glanced up from his notebook. "Um, nucleotides."
Ms.Finch nodded, turning back towards the board. "That's right."
I couldn't help but furrow my eyebrows as a thought came to mind. I raised my hand as Ms. Finch turned around. "Yes, Aubrey?"
I felt all eyes turn to me as I spoke. "Can there be more than one species in the same DNA?"
Ms. Finch shook her head. "No, but there can be multiple sets of DNA in the same individual. We call that a chimera." I nodded, glancing over at Scott.
"Anyone know where that term comes from?" Ms. Finch pointed at a girl. "Sydney?"
"Greek mythology. It's a lion with a goat coming out of its back and a tail that ends in the head of a snake." Ms. Finch nodded. "That's right Sydney."
Sydney smiled in triumph as Ms. Finch smirked. "Do you want to read us the full Wikipedia entry off your phone?" Sydney's eyes widened as she shook her head.
"But that does get us into the next topic of mutation. As you know from the reading, DNA is a fragile molecule. Isn't it Scott?" Scott glanced down at his book as Ms. Finch sighed.
"Or did you miss last night's assigned reading?"
"Kind of."
"Kind of or yes?"
Scott sighed. "Mostly yes."
"Well, then thank you for another helpful transition in topic."
Class went on for what seemed like forever until the bell finally rang. Ms. Finch stood up, passing a couple of papers back to random students. "Drop forms. All those now acutely aware that they do not belong in this class, you should fill one out. The rest will be on my desk." She walked back to her desk, placing the forms on the front as the whole class got up from their seats.
Scott, Kira, and I made our way to the library. Now that we knew about the kanima, Scott wanted to do some research. Stiles and Malia came up to us as Scott looked up from his book. "Did you get in to see Lydia?"
Apparently, Lydia had got a nasty cut from Tracy when I wasn't looking. "No. I tried using my free period but she's still in the ICU and no one outside family is allowed in."
"We got one thing." Malia muttered, placing a Bestiary down in front of us Stiles sat next to me. "Anything in here about half-werewolves, half-kanimas?" Kira asked as she flipped through the pages.
"The Chimera." I muttered. "Um, what?"
I glanced over at Stiles. "Chimera." Scott flipped to the page. "It's a creature made of incongruous parts."
Scott nodded. "And if Liam said he found two burial sites, it means Tracy's not the only one."
"Who's the second Chimera?" Kira asked as Stiles nodded. "And why would they bury them?"
"Deaton thinks it's part of their process." Malia nodded. "The people in masks."
As I was walking home, my phone blared out from my pocket. "Hello?"
"Hey Aubrey." Mason said as I smiled. "Mason, what's up?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to come with Liam and I tonight to a club."
I furrowed my eyebrows. "Aren't you two a little young to be going to a club?" Mason sighed. "Yes, but Hayden's got us covered and Liam's on edge so I thought if you were here, he'd ease down."
"Why didn't you call Scott?"
"Um, I don't think it's his type of club." I sighed. "You're lucky I have nothing to do." I said as I walked up to my house, throwing my bag inside the window before hopping into my car. "What club?"
"Sinema."
"Okay, i'll be right there." I said, hanging up the phone."
I arrived at the club, meeting Liam and Mason in the front. Liam's eyes were glued to his phone as we walked around the back.
Mason sighed. "Can you put your phone away for five minutes? Aubrey is right here, if Scott needs you, he'll howl."
Liam sighed, shoving his phone into his pocket. "I just feel like I should be doing something."
"You are." Mason placed a hand on Liam's shoulder. "You're my wingman tonight."
"And considering the state on my dating life, I need a wingman, co-pilot and a really hot flight attendant." He chuckled as Liam sighed. "I'm definitely not your hot flight attendant."
"Okay, yeah, choices were limited, but at least here, we can get drunk." I snickered, shaking my head. "Supernatural can't get drunk."
"Oh well, we can have a good time." I nodded as we walked up to the door. Mason lightly knocked, reveling Hayden who glared at Liam. "I said i'd let you in. Not him."
"You said I could have a plus two." She shook her head. "I didn't say plus Liam."
Liam sighed, stepping forward. "I'm his flight attendant." Hayden furrowed her eyebrows. "What?"
"Wingman." Liam sighed. "Forget it, I don't have to go in."
I shook my head. "No, you're coming." I reached into my back pocket, pulling out a $100 that i'd 'borrowed' from Scott. "How about me, him, and him for plus $100?"
I held out the money as Hayden sighed, taking it from my hand. "Welcome to Sinema." She smiled, backing up so we could go inside."
As we walked in, my mouth dropped. Lights were flashing everywhere, male strippers grinding up and down the poles. "We don't look old enough to be here." Liam said as Mason chuckled. "Neither does he." He pointed over to Brett who was dancing with another guy.
"So is this club mixed?" I asked, seeing only guys. "Ish." Mason tilted his head before running off into the crowd, leaving Liam and I in the middle of a grind fest.
"Woo!" I danced around, taking another shot of alcohol, knowing it wouldn't do anything. "This is fun!" I shouted, dancing next to Liam who glanced around. "Aubrey, are you getting any scents."
I took a small sniff of the air, only smelling the alcohol and sweat. "No, I didn't catch anything." He nodded, walking over to Brett. I followed him as Brett and him talked. "No, I don't smell anything."
"No one else in here's like us?" Brett shook his head sighing. "I don't know dude, Maybe, it's Beacon Hills."
"What's the difference?" I asked as Liam shook his head. "it felt different."
"What do you mean?"
"It felt off. It felt wrong." Liam said as his eyes landed on something. "Hey, do you see that guy?" I turned around, finding a guy staring over at us. "He keeps looking over here. Do you know him?"
"Yeah." Brett nodded. "That's Lucas." Liam backed up, bumping into someone. "Are you kidding me?" I turned around, seeing Hayden picking her tray up off the ground, glass spread out everywhere. "Those were $10 each." She glared at Liam as he rubbed his neck.
"Sorry."
"The bartender isn't just going to refill them for me."
Liam reached into his pockets. "Uh, Okay, um. I've got money." He pulled out a couple of dollars, handing them to Hayden. "$12 dollars and change." Hayden sighed, taking the money. "You still owe me $200."
Liam sighed as Hayden walked off. Suddenly I smelt something, something weird. "Liam." I muttered, following the scent through the crowd. "You smell it now."
I nodded as we walked through a beaded door, seeing Mason and Lucas. Lucas had spikes coming out of his arm. I growled, running towards him, throwing him off Mason. "Liam, find Scott." He nodded, running off, leaving Lucas and I.
"What are you?" I snarled as he smirked. "You're worst nightmare." He threw me off of him, his eyes a pitch black.
Suddenly, Brett came out of nowhere, attacking him. I got up, running towards him as. Liam came running behind us, Scott and Kira behind him. "You're a little late!" I yelled as Lucas came running towards me.
I grabbed onto his shoulders, shoving him into the wall. He grunted, throwing out his hands, newly equipped with claws. "What is that thing?" I heard Mason say as Scott came up next to me.
Kira pulled out her sword as Lucas hit us both, throwing Scott to the ground. He groaned as I grabbed Lucas's arm, tossing him across the floor. As he was about to get up, Kira stood above him, her eyes orange.
She started yelling in japanese as an arrow was shot into Lucas's neck. Looking up to where the arrow came from, I saw 3 masked me standing there.
Lucas's eyes rolled to the back of his head as a silver goo came from his mouth. "Is everyone okay?" Scott asked as we all nodded.
"We need to get him out of here." Scott said, looking towards Liam. "Liam, give me a hand." Liam bent down, grabbing Lucas as Scott grabbed the other side.
I glanced up at the men as they stared down at us. "Why did you do that?"
"His condition was terminal." They said as they started walking away. "Wait, what does that mean?" One of them turned around. "Failure." He said before walking off into the distance.
We brought him to the hospital, our mom letting us in the back door. "I"m sure they'll come up with a reasonable explanation for the stringers in his arms." Mom sighed. "I guess it's better than trying to explain a tail."
"Better than the truth?" Scott said, staring at Lucas. "Maybe. This is the best that we can do for now."
I sighed. "I should've done better. I should've known that this wasn't going to happen." I sighed, placing my head in my hands. "I should've been able to stop it. I should've told you."
Mom sighed. "You know, your grandfather used to have a saying about the word should. You know what you're doing when you say should too often?" Mom asked as we shook our heads. "You're should-ing all over yourself."
I chuckled quietly as mom smiled. "I know that I can't be the Mom that says 'I don't want you to do anything about this.' 'Cause you two are always going to be involved, because not only do you have the power to do something, you care enough to do it. So all you really need to ask yourself is, 'what am I going to do?"
I stood up, glancing at Scott. "I know what we're going to do. "We're going to find out who did this." Scott nodded, standing up with me. "And we're going to stop them." Mom nodded at us as we stood up, walking out of the morgue.
Trying to stay on schdule now that school is starting up in 4 weeks. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
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