( SEVEN )
strange frequencies

Theo turned back into his human form, the boy's gaze flickering between Alex and Stiles, who had just witnessed him rip out a Chimera's throat.

After a momentary silence, Alex began to walk back down to the hospital. "I heard Scott and Malia, so..."

Before she could leave, Theo spoke, catching her attention. "Wait, Alex. Don't say anything, please."

Alex just sighed, glancing at Stiles, who gently shook his head. Alex glanced at Theo again and nodded once, the girl turning around and running back into the hospital, leaving Theo and Stiles alone.

"I know what happened to Donovan." Theo started, Stiles' face full of shock and panic. "I know everything."

••••

Stiles pulled open the sheet to reveal the dead Chimera's deceased body, Stiles, Alex, and Theo glancing at Scott and waiting for him to say something.

The group were in Deaton's veterinary room, circled around the dead Chimera.

"You know him?" Theo questioned.

"His name's Josh." Scott answered, his gaze still on the Chimera. "He was a junior."

Stiles and Theo shared glances, Alex placing the sheet back on Josh's face.

"Which one did it?" Scott asked, glancing between the three. "The one with the cane?"

Alex and Stiles remained silent, the two glancing at Theo, who nodded. "Yeah." He lied.

"What are we gonna do with him?" Stiles asked, changing the subject. "We can't just set the alarm and leave, that's how Tracy disappeared."

"Well, someone's gotta stay with him." Alex crossed her arms. She then glanced between the group. "Not it."

"I'll do it." Theo sighed. The group all glanced at him. "It's not like I had a big Saturday night planned."

Scott's phone vibrated, the boy picking it up and frowning at the screen.

"What is it?" Stiles questioned.

"Another one." Scott frowned as he glanced at the group.

"What?" Alex questioned, the girl frowning as Scott continued.

"Another Chimera."

••••

Scott laid out a map, Stiles and Alex glancing down at it, Alex's arms crossed over her chest.

"We're back to telluric currents?" Stiles asked with a sigh.

"If the Dread Doctors didn't like coming into Eichen House because of them, maybe we can use them to protect Hayden." Scott explained.

"Okay, so, besides Eichen, where's the strongest current?" Alex questioned.

"You're standing on it." Scott responded as he tapped the location of the school on the map.

"You wanna hide her in the high school?" Stiles asked quietly, his eyes slightly narrowing. "For how long?"

"If we have to, all night." Scott replied, Alex sighing. "Liam convinced Hayden not to say anything to her sister yet. She's working a double tonight, she thinks Hayden is staying with her friends."

"But it's just a school, though." Alex frowned. "It's not exactly a fortress, we don't have a cyclops or a moat around the building."

Scott sighed. "Lydia's got an idea for that. Remember how Valack quoted Tesla?"

"Frequency and vibration." Stiles answered, Scott nodding.

"She thinks he wasn't saying that just to sound smart. She thinks maybe it was a clue." Scott replied, Stiles and Alex frowning.

"To do what?" Stiles questioned.

Alex spoke in realisation. "To disrupt their frequency."

Scott nodded as he continued. "Parrish took three cell phone jammers from the station. He thinks he can broaden their range of frequency. It's a long shot, but it's the best we've got right now."

"Sounds like a plan." Alex replied.

"Is Lucas coming?" Scott glanced at Alex, who nodded.

"He'll be here." Alex replied, Scott nodding.

••••

"Hey, are you coming to the school tonight?" Alex asked as she walked into Lucas' room, the boy nodding.

"Yeah, count me in." Lucas answered. "Honestly it's kinda fun."

"Which part?" Alex asked with a frown.

"All of it. Except when you get attacked, but other than that, pretty much all of it." Lucas replied, Alex raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"You know, it's actually pretty great that you're in the group now." Alex spoke, Lucas chuckling. "Another person to help us kick ass."

"I'm just glad everyone's cool with it." Lucas replied with a small smile.

"Well, yeah, everyone likes you." Alex sent him a small smile as she began to walk out of his room. "See you tonight?"

Lucas nodded.

••••

"Where's Lucas? Didn't you say he was coming?" Lydia questioned, Alex nodding.

"He'll be here."

As if on cue, Lucas walked through the double doors, approaching the group. "Hey, did I miss anything?"

"Nope, you're right on time." Lydia replied with a small smile. "Quick, everyone's in the locker room."

The three quickly ran into the locker room before the rest of the group locked them out, Hayden and Liam pushing something heavy in front of the door as they walked in.

Lydia took Scott and Alex aside and spoke to them quietly. "Is it me, or is Liam not aware of the second part of the plan?"

"I'm still not sure if there's gonna be a second part." Scott replied in a whisper.

"Or if it's going to work." Alex finished quietly, to which Scott nodded and glanced at the ground.

••••

"Scott?" Alex asked, catching Scott's attention, the boy turning around to face her. "I was thinking, since we can't use our phones, we can't check in on Stiles and Theo."

"I didn't even think about that." Scott widened his eyes.

"Me neither." Alex replied with a sigh. "So now we're just standing here, waiting for guys with masks and breathing tubes to show up. Who, or what, are Stiles and Theo waiting for?"

Scott swallowed nervously.

••••

Everyone's eyes were on Liam as he opened a duffel bag to find chains.

Scott, Alex, Lucas, and Lydia all shared glances as Liam turned to face them. "What were you gonna do with these?"

"Whack 'em to death." Alex responded sarcastically as she crossed her arms.

"We brought them just in case." Scott sighed, telling Liam the real answer.

"In case of what?" Liam frowned in confusion.

"In case we had a chance to catch one of them." Lydia replied, glancing at Liam.

"If we can't make the school a fortress, then maybe we can make it a trap." Scott added, the boy walking closer to Liam.

"They're coming for her." Liam spoke with a frown, referring to Hayden. "Does that mean she's the bait?"

The group glanced at Hayden, who was frowning and glancing between them.

"Liam, we brought her here to protect her." Lucas explained, catching Liam's attention.

"And now she's bait." Liam responded angrily.

"Am I?" Hayden questioned, glancing between the group.

"No, no one's bait." Scott responded as he glanced at her. "But we can't be bodyguards to everyone every night."

"Then why aren't we talking to Stiles' dad?" Liam questioned with a frown. "Why aren't we doing something better than hiding in a school?"

"Because we still don't know anything about them or what they want, okay?" Scott responded, the boy starting to grow more annoyed. "They're winning, and we don't even know what the game is."

"What if they come in here, and those things don't work?!" Liam exclaimed. "What if you have an asthma attack again? What do we do?"

"I don't know." Scott responded quietly.

"This plan sucks!" Liam exclaimed angrily.

"You got a better one?" Lucas raised his eyebrows, defending Scott.

"Kids are dying, and she's next!" Scott exclaimed, glaring at Liam. "So somebody has to do something. Somebody has to save everyone, so somebody's gotta be the bait!"

At his response, Lydia closed her eyes and inhaled a breath, Alex sighing and glancing away, and Lucas glancing at the ground.

Liam sighed and gently nodded as he walked closer to Scott. "Scott. Promise me you'll do everything you can to save her."

When Scott didn't say anything, Liam spoke again. "Scott. Promise."

"I'll do everything I can." Scott responded, glancing at Liam. "I promise."

"Guys?" Hayden spoke, catching everyone's attention. "I think I might need a little help right now. I forgot my pills. I have a bottle in my locker, I can get them, but I-"

"I can get them." Scott cut her off, Hayden nodding. "What's your combination?"

Once Hayden told him her combination, Scott walked out of the locker room, Lydia and Alex following him to the door.

"Hurry. We'll keep watch." Lydia whispered.

Scott nodded as he began to make his way to Hayden's locker, disappearing from Lydia and Alex's view.

After awhile, Alex and Lydia frowned as they shared glances. Scott was taking way too long.

"Scott?" Lydia whispered.

"I'll go." Alex whispered to Lydia, who nodded.

Alex slowly walked out into the hallway. She frowned when she noticed someone sitting in a corner. The girl approached him, the figure turning and glancing at her, revealing himself to be Donovan.

"Donovan?" Alex asked with a frown, Donovan reaching up and grabbing her by the throat. He lifting her, digging his nails into her skin.

Alex gasped, scratching at his arm, however, it seemed like Donovan was invincible.

With one quick scratch to her face, Donovan released her, Alex groaning as she hit the ground. The whole right side of her face was cut off, blood spurting from the wound.

Although it was a hallucination caused by the Dread Doctors, it felt real for Alex.

She screamed as she slowly stood up, the girl trying to walk back in the direction of the locker room, however, she found that she couldn't move. She released breaths as he face began to ache.

••••

When Lydia realised Alex was taking awhile too, she walked outside the locker room, only to find the Tracy, and although she didn't know it, she was experiencing a hallucination.

••••

A few Dread Doctors slowly walked past Alex, Alex trying to fight them, however, it was no use. She felt herself grow dizzy at the loss of blood, and the ache in her face wasn't getting any better.

••••

Scott scratched Alex's hand, Alex gasping as she came out of the hallucination. Alex touched the right side of her face, letting out a relieved breath once she realised it was a hallucination.

"Scott? Mason?" Alex frowned in confusion, the girl glancing between the two. "What the hell just happened?"

••••

"They're gone." Lydia started as Scott, Mason, and Alex ran into the locker room, joining Lucas, Malia, and Lydia.

"Hayden and Liam are gone." Malia finished, glancing between the group worriedly.