Once in a Lifetime

23

As Robin walked away, intent on finding Theo, she was attacked by one of the Chimeras. She tried fighting, but her gun and fists did little to nothing.

She dialed her husband's number and when the other line picked up, she said, "Micah, Preserve."

"Robin? Robin!"

He found her unconscious and bleeding. Hastily, he picked her up and drove her to the hospital. "Stay with me, baby."

5B

FUTURE

Dr. Valack smiled at the two girls, who were sharing the room. "Tell me where you are Lydia and Tabitha. Tell me what you see."

"The bridge..." Lydia began.

"Keep moving," Dr. Valack encouraged. "Describe what you find. Tell me what he did."

The girls found themselves drifting slightly and he said, "Stay focused, Lydia, Tabitha."

"What did you do to us?" Tabitha slurred, trying to tell herself to wake up. "Where am I? Last I remember I was in the... In the woods. I think."

"I've amplified your abilities and Lydia is connecting with you. Something that might just save the lives of your friends. Now focus on the bridge... On Theo. Why did he let his sister die?"

Lydia stood behind a tree as she watched a young Theo watch his sister die. She shook her head. "I don't know."

"You don't see it yet," Dr. Valack said. "Search for it. Keep looking. Why did he let her die? What did he want?"

The girls saw Theo's sister rise from the water. She had a gaping hole in her chest, and her ribs were visible.

Tabitha gasped softly. "Her heart. He wanted her heart." A fresh trepanation hole in her head, as well as in Lydia's, helped them relay the information.

Dr. Valack frowned. "There's no record of a heart condition. But a transplant would make Theo a genetic Chimera unlike the others. The hypothermic conditions would keep the organ viable. But why him? Why choose a ten year old willing to kill his own sister?"

"Why do you care?" Lydia asked groggily.

"Because Theo was a first step in the right direction for the Dread Doctors. Think of who they are. Para scientists who have prolonged their lives and twisted the laws of nature in pursuit of one goal. The creation of the perfect killer. And now they've done it. But Theo doesn't know who the success is. The last Chimera. It doesn't matter. There's a reason they chose him, a reason he failed, a reason they changed their methods, and a reason they finally succeeded. It all starts with Theo."

Sparks bounced around the walls as Tabitha heard the last sentence.

Outside Eichen House, Theo's pack attempted to get inside. Tracy used her kanima venom to disable a guard. Josh grabbed a guard's taser and absorbed the electricity from it. Corey stepped out from the wall, becoming visible. They got inside and Orderly Schrader looked down at them. "Visiting hours are well past over."

Theo smirked. "We're not here to visit. We're here for Lydia Martin and Tabitha Young."

Back with Dr. Valack, he was still looking for information. "When did you know for sure? That the Dread Doctors had succeeded?"

"Scott and Stiles found out that night," Lydia answered.

"The night of the Supermoon."

"They didn't know it yet," Lydia said. "There was too much going on. Liam had nearly killed Scott." Tabitha's breath hitched at the memory. "Kira was still gone. Malia was still looking for the Desert Wolf."