Destiny [D.H.]

45

Eliana's POV:

As soon as I entered the sheriff's station, I saw Derek and Argent.

Derek smiled at me and I offered him a small wave before turning to Sheriff Stilinski. "You called?"

The sheriff nodded. "As you know, I saw the specialist in L.A. He told me the same thing every doctor says when they're trying to avoid a lawsuit. "We can't say for sure." Then, I spoke with Melissa. These are the brain scans. My wife's and Stiles'. I knew they were similar. But these are the same. Exactly the same."

Argent showed her the papers and as the sheriff said, they were identical. Derek met the sheriff's eyes. "And I'm guessing this isn't possible?"

Sheriff Stilinski shook his head. "Not even remotely."

I frowned. "Obviously the trickster is still toying with us. But why this one?"

The sheriff let out a sigh and looked at me. "When I was in the Army, an officer told me, "If you want to defeat your enemy, you don't take away their courage. You take away their hope.""

Argent looked Sheriff Stilinski for a moment. "You don't look like a man who gives up hope easily."

"But Stiles might. If this thing inside him, if it's using his mother's disease as some kind of psychological trick, then this isn't just a fight for his body. It's also a fight for his mind. Right?"

Argent frowned. "You know, he's left people severely injured."

"And several others dead," Derek stated bluntly.

Sheriff Stilinski looked to each of us. "That's why I need each and every one of you. I need people who are experienced in this kind of thing I need you to help me stop him."

"And by stop him, we're gonna trap him," I said. "I can't lose another friend."

We made our way to the Argent penthouse so we could gather weapons. Once Allison had picked up a reasonable amount, she said, "This is everything non-lethal I could find."

"Take all of it," the sheriff ordered. "What's the plan here?"

Argent took a moment to think. "Our best shot right now is for Derek to try to pick up Stiles' scent at Eichen House. Especially if he went through something stressful there."

"Should all five of us be going to the same place?"

Argent turned to his daughter. "Where else has Stiles been showing up?"

"School, the hospital."

Derek frowned. "Okay, hold on. We did this already. He disappeared. We started looking for him. Then walked right into a trap at the hospital. He's getting us to repeat the same moves."

Allison let out a sigh. "So, what do we do? Wait for him to come to us?"

I looked at her and shook my head.. "No. That won't work. We don't have time for that. There's a risk that the Oni will find him when the sun goes down."

Sheriff Stilinski met my eyes. "Scott's working on them, the Oni, right now, with Kira and your father."

Argent glanced to each of us. "That's the problem. We're all trying to outfox the fox."

"Listen. I'll understand if anyone wants to back out."

Derek grabbed a weapon from the table. "I wouldn't be the first wolf to run from a fox."

I crossed my arms. "I'm not running from this fox."

"Need I remind you, Ella, you get hurt, I feel your pain and vice versa."