32. | TWO TAKEOVERS.
( fury )
Astrid's heart hammered in her chest with every unanswered call to Allison. She had been blowing the girl's phone up since they left the party and hadn't gotten a call back yet. Scott, Stiles and her had gone back to Stiles' to convince Sheriff Stilinski that Matt was the killer and now they were on their way to the station for evidence. Stilinski wouldn't just take her or Scott's word for it so they had to resort to this option.
The four stepped into the station, Astrid at the back, and the deputy at the front desk looked at them as if they were insane. Sheriff Stilinski spoke to her while the three teenagers stood behind him, looking at one another.
"We look at the hospital stuff first, okay?" Stiles whispered to the other two.
"What's so important there?" Astrid asked.
Stiles frowned at her. "Because all the murders were committed by Jackson, except for one, you remember?"
"The pregnant girl, Jessica." Scott chimed in.
"Yeah. Since Matt had to kill her himself, somebody from the hospital could've seen him."
Stiles' dad called for the teenagers to follow him. They were barely into the hallway leading to the Sheriff's office before Astrid's name was called. She turned around to face her father, who looked pissed again, just like he had when he confronted her in that exact hallway last time.
"Why haven't you answered your phone and why are you here?"
"Phone's dead," she held up the device for emphasis. "and we're doing something important."
"We know who the murderer is and now we need evidence." Stiles jumped into their conversation.
Astrid turned around to glare at the boy, who shrinked away behind Scott, before directing her attention back to her dad. Makoa was looking at her with an unreadable expression before he crossed his arms tightly. "No."
"She can stay and help-" Stiles' dad started, making Makoa's eyes snap up to the man behind his daughter.
"That's not your choice to make."
The tension between the two adults was apparent to all three teenagers then. It had been there for a while, but Astrid didn't exactly care about their problems. Whatever police drama they had going on could wait.
The girl brought her best angered expression out, stepping closer to Makoa. "I'm trying to save countless more people and you won't let me! Two of my best friends are missing and I have no idea where they are and I am damn sure I just saw the killer of those innocent people," she paused to calm herself before looking up to him pleadingly. "Your shift is over and I have adult supervision, now go home and let me do this. Please."
It felt like hours before he responded. Like he had to take in just how pathetic she sounded and decide if he was going to listen to her plea. He finally sighed and gave her permission, but Astrid didn't allow the excitement to show on her face. She just nodded and watched as Makoa left the building to go home. She didn't let herself go into the Sheriff's office until she saw his car drive into the night.
The guys were already piled around the computer and viewing video evidence. The video from the hospital was playing and Stiles was arguing with his dad about what they had seen.
"Matt's head, yeah. I sit behind him in history. He's got a very distinct cranium, it's weird."
The sheriff gawked at his son. "Are you crazy?"
"All right, fine, then look at his jacket, huh?" Stiles pointed at the screen. "How many people do you know who wear black leather jackets?"
"Stiles millions of people wear those. I have a black leather jacket." Astrid piped up from the corner. Stiles threw his hands up at her input, while his dad nodded.
"I knew I liked her."
"Okay, can we scroll forward? There's gotta be a shot of him coming at one of the cameras." Scott halted the argument from progressing and Stilinski sped the tape forward.
Stiles yelled for his father to pause it again, only for Sheriff to point out that it was just the back of Matt's head again. Just the back of his head made Astrid want to puke. She had been near a psychopath on more than one occasion.
"Okay, but look. He's talking to someone."
Scott got closer to the screen, squinting his eyes before widening them. "He's talking to my mom."
⁂
Melissa McCall barely remembered speaking to Matt until Scott sent a picture of him to her phone. She had stopped him for tracking mud into the hallway, which was strangely significant to the Sheriff and Stiles. Astrid had no clue how the law really worked - if she did she would have been in the foster system by now.
Stilinski pulled out a folder and began leafing through it. "We've got shoe prints alongside the tire tracks at the trailer site."
"And if they match, that puts Matt at the scene of three murders. The trailer, the hospital, and the rave."
"Actually, four," Stilinski pulled out a paper with a list of names on it before standing up. "A credit card receipt for an oil change was signed by Matt at the garage where the mechanic was killed."
"When?" Stiles questioned.
"A couple hours before you got there."
Astrid zoned out from the rest of the conversation, instead unwillingly being taken to that familiar dreamscape. The stench of death was in the air everywhere Astrid turned in that place, even when she walked to the front door. She was in the front room of the sheriff's department again, but the deputy wasn't standing to greet her this time. The woman was on the floor, eyes unmoving with claw marks running down the front of her body. Her gun had been taken and when Astrid looked into another room she could see three more bodies mutilated the same way.
The girl gasped as she was brought back to the present and scanned the room. Scott had been standing in front of her, while Sheriff Stilinski looked at her for an answer. Stiles wasn't in the room.
"Where'd Stiles go?" she couldn't hide the panic in her voice or the goosebumps that rose on her arms.
"He went to the front, why?" Scott frowned at her.
"He's here. Matt is here."
All three of their eyes snapped to the doorway as Stiles entered the room, trailed by Matt who held a gun to his back. She gripped his arm as soon as he was close to her, allowing her to feel the tremors running through his body. She wrapped an arm around his waist to still his body.
"Matt? It's Matt, right? Matt, whatever's going on, I guarantee you there's a solution that doesn't involve a gun." Stilinski probably dealt with a lot of psychopaths, but Astrid was sure he hadn't dealt with one that had a supernatural sidekick as dangerous as the Kanima.
"You know, it's funny you say that, because I don't think you're aware of just how right you are." Matt put the gun at his side but his face said enough. He wasn't afraid to kill them on the spot.
"I know you don't wanna hurt people."
"Actually, I wanna hurt a lot of people. You three weren't on my list, but I could be persuaded. And one way is to try dialing somebody on your cell phone, like McCall is doing," Scott snatched his hand out of his pocket at that, which made Astrid worry even more. "That - that could definitely get someone hurt. Everyone. Now!"
All three of the men sat their phones on the table and looked at Astrid when a fourth one wasn't placed. She looked at them as if they were the ones that hadn't listened to Matt's demands. "What?"
"Your phone, Astrid. Or is that pretty little head of yours empty?"
She stepped away from Stiles, who she felt grasp for her to keep her close. Her eyes narrowed at Matt as she crossed her arms and smiled at him. "It's in Stiles' Jeep, dickhead."
"Then you won't mind a body search. For my safety."
Astrid held her arms wide open as if to invite him. Matt put the gun in the back of his waistband and stepped forward before beginning to pat her down. She kept the urge to punch him leashed, even holding her breath when he got close to the side of her bra, where her phone actually was. Luckily he hadn't felt it, but he kept going slower and slower with his movements until his hands were almost underneath her skirt.
Astrid kneed him in the groin then, gritting her teeth as he kneeled over. "That's far enough you fucking pervert."
She could hear him inhale deeply and for a brief moment she was worried that he'd sic the Kanima on her. Instead, he nudged everyone in the room towards the holding cells, where he had Stiles cuff his own dad to the wall. Stilinski had ordered his son to comply with Matt's demands. It made Astrid's heart ache to see them in such a situation as they were forced to walk through another hallway without the Sheriff.
As they were walking out, she and Scott both stalled at the sight in the room beside them. It was the same room from her vision earlier and just as grisly. Astrid thought she saw Makoa's face on one of the deputies and buried her face into Stiles' shirt for a moment.
"What, are you gonna kill everyone in here?" she heard Scott ask loudly.
What sounded like a laugh came out of Matt. "No, that's what Jackson's for. I just think about killing them, and he does it."
Astrid's comfort was pulled away as Matt pushed Stiles forward, but her grip on him made her heels scrape against the floor. The sound made Astrid remember where she was again and that her dad was far away from her. He was safe.
⁂
Matt made them shred every single piece of evidence they had, whether it was incriminating or not. With every piece of paper she had to stick into the shredder, a tiny piece of hope left Astrid. Even if they managed to catch Matt in the act now, there would be nothing pointing him to these last couple of murders.
Headlights flooded the room, making Astrid jump up. She immediately sunk down as she remembered that Melissa McCall had been called earlier and would be in the same situation they were in.
"Sounds like your mom's here, McCall." Matt spoke from the chair, still pointing his gun at them.
"Matt, don't do this. When she comes to the door, I'll just tell her to leave. I'll tell her we didn't find anything. Please, Matt."
Astrid knew that Scott loved his mom just like she loved her dad. That was why she could sympathize with his pleading. Melissa was a good woman, she didn't need to be in the middle of this.
The sound of a door squealing open rang through the department. Matt only scoffed and looked at Scott with distaste. "If you don't move - now, I'm gonna kill Stiles first, and then your mom."
The trio were pushed outside again, towards the main door of the huge office. Matt forced Scott to open the door, a sadistic act on its own. Astrid's heart was pumping wildly in fear of seeing the werewolf's mother and what would happen. But once the door was actually opened she sighed in relief.
"I have never been happier to see you, you untimely bastard."
Derek stared at the group so intense it was like he was back to creepy Derek from before. Except, instead of busting the teenagers out of the department, he fell to the floor with a loud crack. Jackson's appearance in half-Kanima form only worsened the situation since this was the second time the alpha had been struck with the paralyzing venom.
Matt bent over Derek, who's face was deadpan. "This is the one controlling him? This kid?"
"Careful," Astrid warned. "He's crazy."
Matt ignored the girl's remark, only continued to stare down at the alpha from above. "Well, Derek, not everyone's lucky enough to be a big, bad werewolf. Oh, yeah, that's - that's right. I've learned a few things lately. Werewolves, hunters, kanimas, seers or whatever the hell Astrid is. It's like a frickin' Halloween party every full moon. Except for you, Stiles. What do you turn into?"
"Abominable snowman. But, uh, it's more of, like, a wintertime thing, you know, seasonal."
Matt flicked his head and Jackson sliced Stiles with his tail. The teenaged boy immediately buckled under his own weight and fell on top of Derek, who grunted. Jackson teasingly waved a finger in front of Scott's face in warning.
"Get him off of me." Derek grumbled from the floor.
"Oh, I don't know, Derek. I think you two make a pretty good pair," Derek turned his head to snarl at Matt, who only laughed. "It must kinda suck, though, to have all that power taken away from you with just a little cut to the back of the neck. I bet you're not used to feeling this helpless.
"Still got some teeth. Why don't you get down here a little closer, huh? We'll see how helpless I am."
"Yeah, bitch." Stiles slurred his words.
Headlights flashed through the room again, making the dread settle on Astrid once more. Somehow she knew that it wouldn't be another werewolf to join the group of hostages. Matt seemed to figure this too and perked his head towards the window. "Is that her? Do what I tell you to and I won't hurt her. I won't even let Jackson near her."
The last words were directed to Scott, who looked at the window conflicted. Stiles yelled for his best friend not to trust Matt, only for the psychopath to roll Stiles over and press his boot to his neck. Astrid moved forward to hit him but strong hands wrapped around her body to keep her back. It was Jackson, whose scaly skin repulsed Astrid along with the reptilian stench.
"This work better for ya?" Matt teased, pushing his boot down tighter.
"Okay, just stop! Stop!" Scott yelled.
"Then do what I tell you to."
Scott's eyebrows knitted as he looked down at Stiles. "Okay. All right. Stop!"
"Astrid has to agree too." Matt sang the words, looking at the girl with humor in his eyes.
"Fine! Just stop it, you're killing him!" the girl screamed, attempting to pull away from Jackson.
Matt laughed as he brought his foot from Stiles' neck, signaling for Jackson to let her go. Astrid fell down next to Stiles as she was released, immediately putting her hands on either side of the boy's face. She looked at him with a relieved smile as the red cleared from his face and he started to breathe normal.
"Cute," Matt said from above before he pulled Astrid off of the floor. "You and Scott are coming with me."
Astrid's knees almost buckled underneath her as she was forced to walk out to Melissa. Scott was the one that had the gun to his head, but Astrid had all of the nerves. Scott called out to his mom when they got closer to her, making Melissa sigh in relief, but her face dropped once she looked up to see Scott with a gun to his head.
"Mom, just do what he says. He promised he wouldn't hurt you." Scott turned back to face Matt, like he was checking to make sure he had been telling the truth.
"He's right," Astrid jumped as the bullet entered Scott's side, a chill settling over her at the sound of Melissa's scream. Stiles' dad began yelling from the holding cells but Astrid only focused on keeping Melissa away from Scott. "But I didn't say I wouldn't hurt you."
Astrid held onto Melissa, who tried to pull away and help Scott. She managed to slip out of the teenager's hand, to which Matt pointed the gun at her. "Back, back! I said get back!"
Melissa looked at her son worriedly. Scott only told her to listen to him before Matt yelled at him to get up. Sheriff's voice came from the holding room again which only pissed the gun-wielding maniac off more. He forced everyone to the holding room, where he threw Melissa into a cell, who begged Matt to let her help Scott.
"Melissa, he'll be fine, I promise." Astrid was trying to quiet her before she let anything slip that remotely gave Matt a clue that she didn't know about her son's werewolf status. She knew it wouldn't be beneath Matt to torture Melissa with that knowledge.
Over Melissa's pleading, Astrid could hear Matt taunt Scott with the realization that neither of the adults knew about his werewolf status. He then screamed at Melissa to shut up before he put the 'next' bullet into Scott's head, to which the older woman finally gave in to his demands.
"Back to the front, McCall. You too, Johansson."
Astrid looked over at Matt, her thoughts bordering on attempted murder. The need to pummel him grew once he grabbed her by the arm and pushed her so that she was next to Scott.
"Are you healed yet?" the girl whispered, careful not to let Matt hear.
"A little, I just don't want to scare my mom."
Astrid looked at him with pity. "You know he's going to do it right? Show her what you are?"
A look of anguish crossed the teen wolf's face that quieted Astrid. That and the still paralyzed bodies of Stiles and Derek, along with Jackson still standing in the corner half transformed.
"The evidence is gone. Why don't you just go?" Scott questioned.
"You - you think the evidence mattered that much, huh? No, no, I - I want the book." the crazed look in Matt's eyes only worsened.
"What book?"
"The bestiary. Not just a few pages, I want the entire thing."
"What makes you think we have it or that we'd know where it is?" Astrid asked, crossing her arms again.
Matt glared at her while Scott furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you want it for, anyway?"
"I need answers."
"Answers to what?" Scott yelled, tired of the cryptic responses.
"To this." Matt lifted up his shirt, exposing an entire side full of scaly skin. Astrid covered her mouth with her hand and started back away, only to hit the desk. The skin rippled with a light blue shine accompanying it.
Matt flicked his head towards Astrid, who barely had time to register what was happening as the Kanima moved behind her and slashed his tail. She reached back to feel the slice on her neck, but to her horror nothing happened. She just looked around the room in confusion. Then, the tail was around her neck and she was pushed against the wall.
"What the hell are you?" Matt hissed, holding the gun to her head.
"A human with certain abilities. That's all."
"Bullshit!" he pressed the gun to her forehead, making her grit her teeth and close her eyes.
Astrid lifted her head as she opened her eyes, staring down at him. "Lydia's immune to the venom, too. Maybe we're the same thing."
"Oh no. You're something different, Astrid. Everyone knows it. You aren't human."
"Fuck you," she snapped with flared nostrils. "I'm more human than you ever were and will be."
"You might be immune to the venom but you can still die. So, if I hear one more smart-ass comment I'll have Jackson rip you to pieces. Got it?"
Astrid nodded quickly, just wanting to get that gun away from her. He pulled it away and demanded that she sit down in the chair, keeping Jackson nearby in case she moved. Jackson faced the boys for a moment, before turning around to face the other room. It was then that Astrid let quiet tears slide down her face. She put a hand over her mouth to hold in any noise, but she couldn't stop crying.
Minutes passed before she got herself to stop and her eyes cleared. Then she saw Derek stabbing himself in the thigh with his claws. Before she could ask, every light in the vicinity went out. Backup lights glared in the hallway as emergency noises sounded through the department, but their room was still pitch black.
The sound of gunfire echoed from the main room, making Astrid's heart race. Jackson left her side to investigate and Scott soon entered the room. He helped Stiles up as Derek yelled at him to go, to which Astrid balanced the boy's weight on her shoulder. Scott looked at her in the dark, probably noticing the tears, but she shook her head and made them move forward.
She looked back to find Jackson trailing them and told Scott as much. The werewolf shut a door behind them, only for the sound of cracked wood to follow close behind them. Scott kept closing doors as often as Jackson kept breaking them, until they finally entered a room with a metal door.
It gave Astrid a moment to breathe as Scott sat Stiles down on a bench and left.
What the hell was going on?
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{Word Count: 3645}
three more chapters until the end guys!
noticed how I cut off the end before the actual takeover went down (it's because I highkey don't care about this episode, ngl)
anyways, see y'all next update!