Recovering

Chapter 7: Satomi

Scott dropped me off first, carrying me to my room, where Mom allowed me to take a nice, long, hot shower and change my clothes before getting into bed, and brought me a hot chocolate before I slept, along with checking me over for any injuries. The good news was, the well's coolness had successfully numbed my burnt fingers, or so I thought as I drifted off to sleep.

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I was woken up later that night by Stiles and Scott playing a tape not-so-quietly in Scott's room. I put on my slippers and went in to listen:

"After entering the IP address, you will be connected to a DarkNet portal to an untraceable bank. Once logged in, enter your account number to receive wire transfers. The IP address will deactivate with each transfer. You will receive a new IP address should you choose to continue down the list. Remember, visual confirmation is always required for payment," stated the voice on the tape. It was disguised via what was no doubt a voice modifier; but it was also, no doubt, the voice of the Benefactor.

"You ever made a wire transfer?" Stiles was asking Scott when I walked in.

"Never had enough money," responded Scott. "Kiki, I thought you were asleep."

"I was," I yawned. "You two are really loud. Where'd you get all this money? And what are you listening to?" I sat down on the floor next to Scott and leaned my head on his shoulder.

"Garrett," admitted Stiles. "Scott found this duffel full of money, and it had this tape, too. That's what we were listening to. Anyway, back to my point - so you didn't understand a word of that either?" he asked Scott.

"I don't understand any of this - why would someone use all of this money, just to kill us?" asked Scott.

"Someone wants you dead, dude," Stiles told him. "Badly."

Scott sighed and began to put the money away. Stiles put a hand out and said, "Whoa, whoa, what're you doing?"

"It's late," Scott said. "We've got the PSATs in the morning?" I had forgotten that Scott, Stiles, Malia, and Kira would all be taking their PSATs, what with all that was going on. Lydia wasn't taking them, because she had already taken them in her freshman year, being a certified genius and everything.

"No, I meant the money," Stiles said. "$500,000? Do you know how much money that is?"

"It's $500,000?" Scott replied, not seeing Stiles' point.

"It's half a million dollars, Scott! What're you gonna do with it? You're just going to slide it under the mattress?" asked Stiles.

"I haven't talked to Derek," argued Scott. "The money's his."

"The money's Peter's," Stiles responded.

"What does that mean?"

"It means maybe we should proceed with caution," Stiles said finally.

"You don't think we should tell Derek?" Scott asked him.

"No, no, of course we have to tell him, it's just, I'm just saying, part of that money is Peter's, right?" Stiles asked.

"Yeah," Scott said slowly.

"Right," Stiles continued, "Peter. Homicidal killer. Remember? You want to give half a million dollars to him?"

"So we should give Derek his money back," Scott said slowly, "but not Peter?"

"No, I didn't say that," argued Stiles.

"Stiles, what are you saying?" asked Scott, confused.

Thankfully, just then the conversation was broken up by Malia's loud footsteps coming up the stairs. Scott quickly shoved the duffel back under his bed, he and Stiles both stood up awkwardly, I was pulled to my feet, and Malia opened the door, hair wet from a shower she had obviously just taken.