+++
Within twenty minutes the school was swarmed with individuals in hazmat suits and they were setting up pod tents, with beds located on the inside. That is where the infected students went, assuming that they were contaminating the air.
"Bet they're thinking smallpox." Stiles said as he, Malia and I sat on the desks, just waiting.
"Not likely," Simon commented from the desk, "Smallpox was eradicated worldwide in 1979. We've only managed to completely eradicate two viruses in history. The other was rinderpest. It killed cows."
I looked at him suspiciously. There was something about this man that felt off to me.
"So we should be comforted by that, right?" Stiles asked sarcastically.
Simon raised his eyebrows and shrugged, "Unless it's something worse."
"Whatever it is, they're taking it pretty seriously." Malia sighed, "They're a lot of cars and trucks out there."
We're doing the best we can. I heard Sheriff say from outside.
"Your dad's with them." I stated looking up at Stiles.
Stiles got up from the desk, "I should probably call him." He sighed.
"Don't bother. They would have shut off any access to all outside communication by now. No cell service, no WiFi. No one starting a panic. Looks like we're all just going to have to wait here and see what happens." Simon chimed in again.
I let out a groan and rolled my eyes, "Shut up."
Mr. Yukimura then opened the door and locked eyes with me immediately, "Lainy...something's happening with Scott."
The only thought that was racing through my mind was that the dead pool was somehow involved. And with that being said we were in the presence in another assassin.
+++
"It's still happening," Mr. Yukimura sighed after looking into Scott's eyes that were transforming from red to brown.
"I can't make them go back," Malia stated holding up her claws as beads of sweat began dripping down her forehead.
"Obviously the virus is affecting the two of you in a way it won't hit any human being..." Mr. Yukimura told us and then turned to me, "Lainy, how are you feeling?"
"Um...I'm fine," I lied to them.
Truth it, my eyes were continuing to fade in and out. Either everyone was there, or it was complete darkness.
"Lainy..." Mr. Yukimura sighed, "I'm over here."
I took a deep breath and turned my body to Mr. Yukimura who was standing behind me.
"My vision keeps going in and out." I told them truthfully.
"Oh..." Mr. Yukimura inhaled deeply, "It must be affecting the power in your eyes then."
I heard only his voice as my vision become blurry and faded to nothing but black. I squeezed my eyes shut and was met with Scott in front of me when I opened them. The background was fuzzy but his face was clear as day. The features on his face were growing weaker.
I didn't say anything, I just nodded as I felt my face become warm from a fever.
"You guys have to stay out of sight...we have to quarantine you," Stiles said, "From the quarantine."
"Yeah, but where? I mean, what if they get violent?" Kira inquired, "Like on a full moon."
"We shouldn't stay in here," Scott shook his head, "Not in the locker room."
"A classroom is not going to hold us," Malia said.
"What about the basement?" Kira suggested.
"Too many ways out. We need something secure. Somewhere nobody can find us."
"The vault." Stiles whispered and then looked up to all of us, "The Hale vault."
"The Hales always have an escape route...like their house. There has be another way in."
"Alright, let's go then!" Malia exclaimed while I stood back.
I couldn't see. I didn't know where I was going, or where they were going.
"Guys!" I yelled back reminding them, "Can't see!"
I heard footsteps rushing back and someone tugged on my hand pulling me along with them.
+++
"This is where the school sign is, so the vault's gotta be right about here," Stiles mapped out after pulling out a large blueprint of the school.
"I suppose if there's a second entrance, it would probably be accessible from the basement." Mr. Yukimora told us.
"It's probably somewhere in this hallway, or this corridor." Stiles said before I felt a body collapse on me.
I grunted as I tried to push the limp body up, but I felt weak myself. The figure was blurry to me but it smelt like Stiles.
"You okay?" I asked as he stood back up slowly.
"Whoa..." he muttered, "Sorry, Lains."
I nodded taking a few deep breathes, "It's okay."
"You're getting sick." Mr. Yukimura said, "You all are, and it's gonna do different things to all of you, especially those who aren't human."
"I don't feel sick," Kira told her dad.
"I think it's affecting you differently, neurologically. I found your test answers here in a pile with the others."
I bit down on my tongue, frustrated that I couldn't see clearly, and sometimes not even at all.
But I knew that everyone was getting worse.
+++
I just stood there, completely helpless as my friends continued searching around the basement. My vision was completely gone, and I could barely hold myself up because my body was becoming so weak. But I couldn't give up, not now when my friends were getting more sick as well. I would do anything I could to help them.
"Hey guys..." Stiles said and I turned to face him, "Over here."
Kira pressed her hand gently to my back and guided me to where they were all walking.
"Look at the cracks in the wall. Looks like the entrance outside, it only opens with claws... anyone's claws right?"
There was silence.
"Lainy or Malia, can either of you try?" Scott asked.
"Why us?" Malia asked.
"I...I don't have control."
"I'll do it, seeing as how Lainy is basically blind." Malia said, "But first tell me what you've been hiding from me."
More silence. I didn't know what she was talking about- I had no idea that Scott and Stiles were hiding anything from her, if they even were at all.
"What?" Stiles stammered quietly.
"I know you think you're trying to protect me, but I can handle it." Malia spoke and then paused waiting for them to say something. But I really had no idea what she was talking about. She then slapped hands together and exclaimed, "I know I'm on the list."
I gulped discreetly, thinking about my phone call with Ethan.
Stile replied slowly, "Yes..."
"So how much?
"How much what?"
"How much am I worth?"
"Four million," Scott answered.
More silence. Not being able to see was becoming more and more frustrating.
"Are you okay?" Stiles asked.
"Yeah." Malia nodded, "Scott's worth twenty-five, Kira's six, do we even know if Lainy's on the list yet? They'll take you guys out way before me."
Malia's footsteps that left my side as she began walking toward the wall.
"Progress?" I asked looking at Stiles, though I couldn't see him.
"Progress." He responded quietly.
Soon the stone of the wall made a scraping noise and Kira led me into the vault.
+++
Time was passing by slowly, or at least that's how it felt. I didn't know what time it was, or how long it has even been. It felt like hours, but it could've only been a few minutes.
But all I knew is that I could no longer stand, my head was tight, like it was packed with millions of cotton balls, making it unbearable to even try to open my eyes. It didn't matter if my eyes were opened or closed, I couldn't see regardless. It was hopeless.
"We're gonna get out of here, Lainy." Scott continued to reassure me, "We'll be okay."
My body was so weak as I lay on Scott's lap. His hands slowly rubbed my head. I know that he wasn't doing well either, and I'm just glad I couldn't see the pain he was in, the pain that anyone was in.
"You know this is where it all started," Stiles spoke up, "That's where the money was."
I assumed he was pointing toward the empty safe, that was once filled with 117 million dollars.
"117 million in bearer bonds." Stiles continued.
"How do you even change bearer bonds into cash?" Kira asked.
Stiles cleared his throat and then said, "Bank, I guess. They just let it sit here the whole time collecting dust. You know bearer bonds are basically extinct?"
"Why does it matter?" Kira asked.
"You know how many problems that money could solve?" Stiles asked.
"For you?"
"Me. My dad...the Eichen House and MRI bills are crushing him."
Scott began playing with my hair, "Mom does this thing, she writes down all the items in our budget, and how much they cost. Then she adds them all up and figures out how long we have until...we'd lose the house."
It was silent for a moment, and I slowly reached my hand for one of Scott's and intertwined our fingers loosely.
Stiles, once again broke the silence by asking, "So, can you hear anything?"
Scott carefully lifted my head, "I'll be right back," he whispered.
I nodded once and let Kira's body replace right where Scott's was.
"Lainy, are you okay?" She asked carefully, "You're starting to look worse."
I let out a deep breath, "I don't think so."
"Try to sleep." Kira whispered and I nodded.
And soon, my world around me felt weightless and I was submerged into my subconscious.
+++
"Lainy," someone whispered, "Lainy, wake up."
I took a few deep breathes and opened my eyes.
"Scott?" I whispered looking up at him.
I could see him.
He looked at me with fear before he slowly reached up and wiped away the warm liquid coming from my eyes.
"What is it?" I asked afraid to move.
He looked down at his hand and back up to me, "Blood."
Maybe it was just my body releasing the sickness that was inside of me. I slowly reached up myself and touched both my cheeks where the blood had fallen.
I looked down at my hands in horror and let out quiet sob.
"Lainy," Scott sighed before encompassing me in his arms. "It's okay now."
"D-did you...did you find the cure? Are we going to be okay?" I asked looking back up at him and then around the empty vault.
Scott and I were the only two left in here.
"Yeah, you're better now." Scott whispered, "We all are."