+++
"It's a dead pool. A hit list of supernatural creatures. This is only part of it. The rest still has to be decoded." Scott explained as Sherrif, Stiles, Scott and I looked down at the list of the names of supernatural creatures
"Who found this list?" Sheriff asked.
"Lydia."
"How?"
"She wrote it." Stiles answered, and then elaborated, "Actually, she transcribed it. Without realizing it."
"Banshee?
Stiles nodded, "Banshee."
"Beautiful." Sheriff whispered and then asked, trying to gather more information, "All right, what are these numbers next to the names?"
"We're getting to that. But, you need to know that the code was broken with a cipher key." I told him.
"Wait. You mean, like a... Like a key word?"
I looked down and spoke gently, "It's actually a name."
There was silence as we all recall the death of one of our closest friends.
"Allison." Scott said quietly.
"Her name broke a third of the list." I added.
"And now we think there's two other cipher keys." Scott nodded to Sheriff.
"Which will give us the rest of the names?" Sheriff asked, still trying to grasp everything that we were telling him.
We all nodded.
"Okay. So how do we get the cipher keys?" Sheriff inquired.
Stiles began explaining, "Same way we got the code."
"Lydia. She's been out at the lake house all weekend trying to find the other two key words." I informed Sheriff.
"You didn't know about Demarco or Carrie. Hmm? And what about these other two names on the list? Uh, Kayleen Bettcher and Elias Town. They werewolves too?"
Scott shook his head, "I don't know. But Deaton said that the Nemeton would draw supernatural creatures here."
"Here being Beacon Hills? Or Beacon County? The population of Beacon Hills is just under 30,000."
"And dropping..." Stiles added and I gave him a dark glare.
"But if we're talking Beacon County, then you're looking at close to 500,000." Sheriff took a seat and let out a deep sigh, "Look, how many werewolves, banshees, kitsunes, Imperio Ocolo and whatever the hell else is out there are we talking about?"
"Imperium Ocolorum." I corrected Sherriff and he looked up at me with an expression that read that he couldn't care less. I nodded in understanding and then told him, "You'll get it one day."
Sheriff continued, "And what if the next cipher key uncovers not 12 names but 100?"
"We don't think there would be that many. There's a limit."
"Because of the numbers. We think that once we decode the names, the numbers will add up to 117." Scott explained.
"117 what?"
"Million." I stated.
Stiles grabbed the dead pool from the desk and began writing the letters M and K next to the numbers listed.
"117 million dollars, Dad. Stolen from the Hale vault and is being used by someone to finance all these murders." Stiles added.
"Someone who wants every supernatural in Beacon Hills dead."
"So the coded list goes out. And somehow these professional assassins get that list."
"And a cipher key." I rolled my eyes, frustrated that we didn't have another one yet.
"And then they go after the names on the list. They being killers with no mouths, tomahawks, thermo-cut wires that can take your head off."
"Let me see. Carrie was also stabbed. What's this mark?" Stiles asked looking down at the papers.
"We're not sure yet. We're still waiting on the ME's report." Sheriff told us and then shook his head, "There's one other thing I don't get. How did this new assassin know that Demarco was going to be at the lake house?"
"Everyone knows he delivers kegs to teenagers for a little extra cash."
"Ah... So whoever ordered that keg killed Demarco." Sheriff concluded.
"Yeah, it was someone at the party," Stiles said.
"A student."
+++
"The both of you need to stop hovering." Lydia told us as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"We aren't hovering," Malia defended us and then looked over at me.
"We're just...waiting." I added.
"Draw something, write something...we need to know who else is on that list." Malia instructed, sounding more and more impatient.
"You mean, you need to know if you're on the list," Lydia corrected, and dropped her pencil down.
"Well, I mean, it would be nice to know if there's someone out there trying to kill me." I nodded.
"Yeah," Malia agreed, "If someone's coming to take my head off, then yeah, I'd like to know. So, pick up the pencil and keep trying, something's gotta come to you."
Lydia took a deep breath and picked up the pencil once again. She closed her eyes and concentrated while Malia and I slowly began to hover over each of her shoulders again.
"Sit down!" Lydia ordered and we both quickly ran over to the desk and flipped open a text book, "You both are making me nervous."
Malia and I glanced up at each other, trying to hide our smiles. We knew this situation was serious, but I guess in a way we were trying to make light out of it.
Malia began flipping through the textbook before looking back up at me. She pointed down at the picture of what looked like a wailing woman and we both looked up to Lydia.
"Lydia!" Malia called out.
The tip of her pencil brushed roughly against the canvas and she let out a groan.
"What? Oh my god...what?"
"Maybe we need help," Malia turned the book so Lydia could see.
"Help from another Banshee." I clarified.
Lydia nodded with understanding.
"Meredith."
+++
"Economic disparity exists in all forms. Well, take sports, for example. Some teams have better training facilities. Some have better equipment. Unlike Beacon Hills that can barely afford the duct tape to keep our equipment together." Coach lectured as he walked around the classroom, holding up a lacrosse stick in his hand.
I listened and for some reason all his lectures turned into rants about lacrosse. I was starting to get worried that when it came to the final that I would be completely unprepared.
"You know," Coach struck the end of the stick on Stiles' desk causing him to jump in a spastic movement and turn his focus away from what he was doing.
Coach leaned in real close to Stiles looking from the pictures and then back to Stiles, "Stilinski, if I could grade you on how profoundly you disturb me, you'd be an A plus student."
Stiles nodded, pursing him lips together, "Thanks, Coach."
"Put those pictures away." He hit the desk a few more times, "New girl, go up and answer the questions on the board."
I looked up at him with confusion before saying, "But...we haven't read the chapters for that yet."
"I know you can do it, you're my star student unlike Stilinski over here." Coach tilted his head to Stiles, and right as he was about to begin walking away, Stiles made a quick movement and grabbed the end of the lacrosse stick.
"Stilinski!" Coach exclaimed as they tugged back and forth on the stick. Finally, Stiles gripped off the bottom and then pulled away. "The hell is wrong with you? Don't answer that."
Scott and I both had our eyes locked onto Stiles waiting for some sort of explanation.
"It's a lacrosse player." Stiles said quietly.
"The killer's on the team."
"New girl, let's go! Answer the question."
My mouth hung open at the fact that one, he still calls me new girl and two, he wants me to answer a question for the readings that we are supposed to read next week.
"But Coach-"
"Come on!"
+++
"This... This is pointless." Scott exclaimed tossing another lacrosse stick onto the table.
Stiles, Kira, Scott and I had gone through every single one and still hadn't found what we were looking for. If we were even looking for the right thing.
"Most of the team plays with their own gear." Scott continued.
"Maybe instead of trying to find a lacrosse stick with a hidden dagger in it, we should be trying to get the game canceled?" Kira suggested.
"No, the game is going to be the best way to catch him red-handed." I disagreed shaking my head as I looked down at the pile of lacrosse sticks.
"But what if he's red-handed 'cause his hands are covered in the blood of the person that he just stabbed to death? Which, by the way, could be either of you guys." Stiles pointed out and then looked at me, "Even you, Lainy."
I nodded. Even though I hadn't been on the list, I still was supernatural. I was at a high risk of getting killed, even without my name written down.
"Or Liam." Scott whispered, and then looked up at us, "Well, we don't have the whole list and he could be on it."
"We don't know anything about that list. How it's made, how it's updated. I mean, who's been out taking a supernatural census anyway?" Stiles inquired his hands waving around spastically.
"How do they even know about me?" Kira asked, fear evident from her tone.
"They know about everyone."
That means that I have to be on it somewhere, I thought to myself.
Stiles sighed, "I think Kira's right. I think we should stop the game."
"I'm not afraid." Scott immediately shook his head.
Kira turned to look up at Scott, she smiled at him, "Neither am I."
I looked at her curiously as she gazed at my boyfriend. I shifted uncomfortably and then looked at Stiles who began flailing again.
"Well, I'm terrified. And I'm not even on the list." Stiles announced, "Guys, these are professional killers. It's their profession. One of them's got a thermo-cut wire that cuts heads off. Who knows what else they have?"
a/n: hey everyone! so I just finished my semester and that means more updates and more writing!! So as you guys probably noticed, I usually update every Saturday, but now since I'm out of school for the summer, I'm going to update twice a week! I'm not sure what days or anything specific like that, just be on the lookout for more updates coming your way!
I hope you all are enjoying the story so far, I got a few plot twists that I'm leading up to right now so be ready for those!!
Love you all,
Saige