True North

18

The sheriff placed an X through Tracy's picture and said, "Chimeras."

Stiles shrugged. "Well, yeah, two dead Chimeras."

"And new eight ones," Lena said, slouching in her chair. "That's ten now."

Sheriff Stilinski didn't turn around, focused on his board. He tacked up another picture. "I'm thinking 11." Lena noticed Stiles tensing up as his mouth opened. "Our station tech guys confirmed something for me." He turned around. "They said both the holding cell lock and cameras could have malfunctioned because of something electromagnetic. You said that, uh, these guys..."

"Dread Doctors."

The sheriff frowned, turning to her. "Are we really calling them that?"

"Yeah. Are you thinking they broke Donovan out?"

"It's how they got into Eichen, isn't it?"

"Donovan's a Chimera," Stiles said.

The sheriff nodded. "Yeah. But is he a failure like Lucas and Tracy?"

"If he is, he's probably dead."

"Not until I've seen a body." He studied his son. "You're uncharacteristically quiet." He glanced at his niece. "You're quieter than usual."

Stiles locked eyes with his dad. "Yeah. Sorry... I'm, uh, I'm just trying to think about it. Uh... these are are all strangers, right? So, now shouldn't we be trying to figure out why these teenagers? If the Dread Doctors, if they went through all that... burying them, killing them, breaking one of them out of jail..."

"They couldn't have been chosen at random."

Lena shook her head as she stood. She walked towards the board and looked at it. "There's something in common with them. There was something that made them right for this experiment."

---

They made their way to Scott's and Lena sighed. "Really? We have to read this stupid book?"

The strawberry blonde looked at her and nodded. "My mom's book club usually has more wine."

Stiles let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Well, they also probably didn't read books that caused violent hallucinations."

"That's why Malia's here," Scott told him.

Kira frowned. "So none of us go running into traffic?"

"Or worse."

"Like what happened to Judy," Malia said. She noticed their confused looks. "Chapter 14."

Lydia grabbed the only actual book and looked at it. "Maybe I should have my mother read it. She might remember a girl with a tail leaping off the ceiling and attacking everyone."

Lena was handed a stack of papers and sighed.

Stiles muttered, "Yeah, if it works."

"It has to," Lydia replied.

"What does that mean?" Scott asked the strawberry blonde.

Lydia met his eyes. "I think I saw them during surgery. When I look at the cover of the book, it's almost like..."

"A memory trying to surface," Theo finished.

Stiles tensed up and Lena stood behind her cousin with narrowed eyes.

Lydia glanced at Theo and nodded. "Yeah."

"Isn't that what Valack wanted when he wrote it?" Kira questioned.

"If they did something to me, I want to know what it is."

Each teen, excluding Lydia and Lena, grabbed a stack of papers and scattered across the room. Malia and Stiles were on the couch. Scott and Kira were across from them, on the other couch. Theo and Lydia were both in a chair and Lena was on the floor.

They started reading and after a few minutes, Kasia began closing her eyes. The book was an exhausting read, and she already hated it with a passion.

"Anyone feel anything yet?" Scott asked.

"This book is dumb," Lena mumbled.

"Tired," Kira replied, trying to keep her eyes open.

"Hungry," Lydia answered.

Theo gave a small smile. "I think he meant the book."

Lena attempted reading again, but the book seemed to drone on and on.

Scott glanced between Lena and Kira. "You two aren't giving up, are you?"

"Just resting my eyes," Kira told him.

Lena sighed. "I'm gonna throw this into a fire like Metatron did." She rested her head back and her breaths evened as she fell asleep.

Everyone eventually dispersed and Stiles remained a moment longer.

He picked Lena up in his arms, went out to the Jeep, and drove home.

---

The next day at school, Scott looked between his friends. "We keep an eye out for each other today, okay?"

Stiles glanced at Lena. "Yes, and keep an eye out for eight other potentially homicidal Chimeras."

Lena nodded. "Oh, sure. That'll be easy."

"And keep an eye out for the Dread Doctors," Kira added.

They separated and made their way to class.

In the midst of class, Scott began panicking.

Liam, in his class with Lena, glanced at her with wide eyes.

Lena frowned. "What? Do I have something in my teeth? A stray hair? Murder in my eyes?"

Liam stared at her a moment and shook his head. "What? No. Scott's in trouble!"

The two shot up and ran to find Scott, using Liam's werewolf scent.

They found Scott sitting against the teacher's desk in the classroom.

Lena shook Scott's shoulder a few times, but he didn't respond.

Liam showed his werewolf eyes and growled his alpha's name.

Scott shook his inhaler and took a puff. "Thanks, Lena. Thanks, Liam."

As they made their way to the hospital, Lena was suddenly in the forest, staring at Theo who shot her a sadistic smirk.

"No! No!" she screamed as she started running, coming in contact with something.

Scott pulled her up and asked gently, "Lena, are you okay?"

The blonde nodded. "I'm fine. Completely and 100%  fine. Uh, I haven't heard from Stiles, so I'm gonna find him."

"Be careful, okay?"

"You too."

Scott stared after her, taking a moment to focus on her chemosignals. There was an overwhelming scent of fear, stronger than he'd smelt before. Lena Stilinski was terrified of someone or something.