North Starr

55

Melanie rested on her stomach while she, Scott and Stiles listened to the tape. Stiles pressed play, and they heard a male voice. "After entering the IP address, you will be connected through 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 be assigned a new IP address if you choose to continue down the list. Remember, visual confirmation is always required for payment."

"Either of you ever made a wire transfer?" Stiles questioned.

Scott shook his head. "Never had enough money."

"No, never," Melanie replied with a shrug. "Uncle Peter and Derek never really said anything about it."

Stiles asked, "So you didn't understand a word of that either?"

Scott frowned. "I don't understand any of this. Why would someone use all this money just to kill us?"

"Someone wants you dead, dude. Badly." Scott slid the bag of money under the bed. "Whoa, whoa, what are you doing?"

"It's late," Scott replied. "We've got PSATs in the morning."

Stiles shook his head. "No, I meant the money. $500,000. You know how much money that is?"

"It's $500,000..."

Melanie rolled her eyes. "Which is also half a million. What are you going to do with it? Hide it under your bed and hope your mom doesn't find it?"

He turned to her. "I have to talk to Derek. The money's his."

"You mean his, Melanie's and Peter's," Stiles corrected.

"What does that mean?"

Melanie frowned at her friend. "Proceed very carefully."

"You don't think we should tell Derek?"

Stiles stood and looked out the window. "No. No." He sighed. "No, of course we have to tell him. I'm just... I'm just saying, some of that money's Peter's, right?" He turned away from them.

"Yeah."

"Right? Peter. Homicidal killer? Remember? You want to give $500,000 to him."

Scott frowned. "So we should give Derek his money back. But not Peter?"

"I didn't say that," Stiles said.

Melanie let out a frustrated sigh. "Then what are you saying, Stiles?"

They heard something and panicked. Scott and Tessa stood, trying to look like they weren't doing anything. The door opened and Malia entered. "We found Satomi's pack. Derek and I. But they're dead."

"All of them?" Scott asked with a frown.

"All the ones we found."

"Then where's Derek?" Stiles wondered.

Melanie let out a frustrated sigh. "If my brother has gotten himself in trouble again..."

---

The next morning, Melanie's alarm woke her up and she shut it off with a slap. She yawned at sat up, rubbing her eyes.

She got up and got ready.

Stiles came by to take her to school.

---

When they got out of the car, Kira and Malia joined them and Kira asked, "Where's Lydia?"

"She took it freshman year," Stiles replied. "Tessa did too, but she wanted to get a better score. Honestly, I don't understand that."