Hollow ▪️ S. Stilinski

vii.

EDITED

Johanna narrowed her eyes as Gerard walked into Allison's room, Victoria's death was still new as the brunette mourned her mother. Chris Argent joined Johanna, standing by her side. "He's going to use this against her, use her grief and turn it into blinding anger." Johanna didn't take her eyes off of Allison's doorway. "I won't let him do that to my daughter." Chris shook his head angrily. "I don't think you have a choice, he already planted the seed. You think he didn't know what Victoria was going to do, how her plan was going to backfire? We may have gone in blind, but something tells me he didn't." Johanna spoke bitterly about the old man.

"You think he knew?" Chris looked at his niece shocked. "It wouldn't surprise me if he did." Johanna shrugged. "Did you know he's dying? Cancer. He didn't come here to avenge my deadbeat mother, he came here to wage his final war." Johanna confessed to her uncle, both watching for Gerard to leave Allison's room. "He's been planning his final war since long his diagnosis, Johanna. Kate didn't come up with the idea of the Hale House fire herself, she was just the one crazy enough to do it." Chris looked down at his niece, remembering her mother. "Planting seeds." Johanna scoffed as she shook her head. "I should probably get in there." Johanna made a move toward her cousin's room, watching her grandfather exit the room.

Allison looked up at the doorway when she saw movement. Johanna gave the girl a small smile and made her way into the room. "Care if I join you?" Johanna took notice to the small envelope in Allison's hand. Allison didn't respond, just moved over to make room on her bed. "Something worth reading?" Johanna motioned to the envelope. "Gerard said it's from my mom." Allison looked a the envelope she was fiddling with. "What are you going to do with it?" Johanna looked at the brunette curiously. "Right now, I want to burn it." Allison scoffed as she stared at the paper in anger. "Not always a bad idea." Johanna shrugged, almost wanting to hand her the lighter herself. "You got a lighter?" Allison looked at her cousin with a spark in her eye.

Johanna raised an eyebrow but pulled the lighter out of her pocket. Allison took the small machine and walked over to her desk, setting the envelope ablaze. Johanna watched the brunette's moves cautiously as Allison stared at the fire. Allison was silent before she began ripping things off her wall throwing the fire into her trash basket and adding to it. Johanna stood up as Allison made her way over to her closet, ripping clothes out.

"Well don't stop on my account." Johanna held her hands up when Allison finally remembered Johanna was still there.

Johanna had left Allison to react to her mother's death however she saw fit and made her way to her own room. Johanna was cleaning her weapons when Allison made her own way into Johanna's room. "Scott texted me." Allison held her crossbow in one hand and her phone in the other. "What did he say?" Johanna looked at her cousin expectantly. "He wants the beastiary, but it's not from Scott. He wouldn't have texted me and he definitely wouldn't have mentioned Derek." Allison handed the dirty blonde the phone. "The Sheriff's station?" Johanna raised an eyebrow as she read over the text. "If Derek's there, I doubt it's willingly." Johanna scoffed, knowing of his recent arrest record. "Do you think Jackson's there too?" Allison looked at Johanna for her insight. "Maybe." Johanna shrugged, unsure of all the elements at play lately. "If he's there, would the one controlling him be there too?" Allison continued to ask questions. "Allison, this might be something to take to your dad." Johanna didn't have the answers that Allison was looking for. Allison nodded and the two girls made their way downstairs, searching for the Argent men.

The four Argents now stood in the basement, discussing the situation. "How many do they keep on in the night shift?" Gerard questioned as Chris pulled a layout of the Sheriff's station. "Since budget cuts, maybe four at the most. My guess would be they're either dead or paralyzed by now." Chris looked into the situation after he too read the text. "This might just be the confluence of events we've been hoping for." Gerard grinned as he looked over at Chris. "Confluence or conflagration?" Chris narrowed at her father, not liking his motives. "I'm open to both." Gerard turned his grin in the direction of Allison.