chapter fifty-five
❝ you betrayed me ❞
weaponized

━━━━༺❀༻━━━━

"Isaac Lahey, what have I told you about saying that!"

From France, Isaac chuckled into the phone, knowing he aggravated Kennedy. "And I don't care," He told her honestly. Kennedy groaned, climbing into her car. "So, what are you up to today?"

"Driving to the school to supervise PSAT's. And probably make sure Malia doesn't stab Stiles with her pencil." Kennedy follows. She pulls out of the parking lot, driving down the road. "What about you? Any interesting conquests there in France?"

"Just living the life, Ken, as always." Isaac says, walking down the streets of Paris. "What about Jackson and Ethan? How did that date go?"

Kennedy gasps, "Oh, amazing! Jackson called me after, drunk crying saying thank you for helping him come out as bisexual, and that Ethan is the best guy in the world. It was kinda sweet, actually." She explains, looking both directions of the road before going forwards.

Isaac smiles as he waves at a passing person, "Thats great! I'm glad Jackson's less douche these days." He says honestly.

"I know! And the others thought I was an idiot to forgive him." Kennedy says, "As if Lydia and I hadn't made out in front of him in ninth grade,"

Isaac stops in the street. "Wait, what?"

"Never mind."

༺❀༻

Kennedy walked into school. After last night, Kennedy had spent the night at Derek's loft. She didn't know Scott had Garrett's money, that was her family's money. And she certainly didn't know Malia's name on the list was Malia Hale.

Kira looks around. "Where's Lydia?"

"She's took it her freshman year." Says Stiles.

Malia looks over. "Does that mean I could have taken it some other time?"

Scott looks at the Tate. "Malia, you studied harder for this than any of us."

"Doesn't mean I'm gonna do good."

Stiles tilted his head, "Well,"

Malia looks over, "Well, what?"

"It's do well, not good."

Scott looks at Malia as she throws her hands in frustration. "You're doing this, because while we're trying not to die, we still need to live." He says, "If I survive high school, I'd like to go to college. A good college."

Kira nods in agreement, "It's only three hours. We can survive three hours."

"Hey guys!"

They all jump back, turning to look at Kennedy. Stiles raises a brow, "Babe, what are you doing here? You took these freshman year,"

Kennedy nods, "Yeah, but I'm helping Ms. Martin. It's supposed to give me extra credit for my college class." She explained calmly.

Kira frowns, "What college class?" She asks. The five teens get distracted by the line moving, and Kennedy waves goodbye as she walks into the classroom.

"Please do not open the test booklet until you are instructed to do so." A man named Simon says, "This test is two hours and 10 minutes. There will be two 25-minute critical reading sections, two 25-minute math sections and an essay writing portion that will last 30 minutes." Kennedy stood in the back corner of the room, "There are supposed to be two teachers monitoring this exam."

Ms Martin looks over. "I know. It's Coach. He's not exactly punctual. Um, let me just try him again." Natalie excuses herself, calling the Lacrosse coach.

Simon turns to look at Kennedy, who waves. "How old are you?" He asks curiously.

Kennedy frowned. "Seventeen." She deadpanned, side eyeing Stiles.

"Interesting," Simon chimes. "You remind me of someone, I'm just not sure who," Kennedy gave him a confused weirded out look. Scott and Stiles make eye contact, but the moment ends when Natalie Martin walks back in.

"I can't find him, but Mr. Yukimura is upstairs grading papers." The woman said kindly. "Do you want me to try him?"

Simon spoke up, "We have to start. We can ask for his assistance during the first break." Natalia slowly nods. Kennedy walks around to the desk, watching Simon click the watch. "You may now open your test booklets and begin."

Kennedy sighs, watching the teenagers in the room go through their booklets, including a rambunctious Stiles. She watches Malia nervously slide off her jacket. Malia glances at Kennedy, who gives her a reassuring smile. It was extremely boring, in Kennedy's opinion. Usually, Kennedy would be in the chairs with the students. It was boring then, but it's even worse just watching them.

And then someone tumbles out of their seat.

"Sydney!" Natalia calls out, rushing over. "Are you all right?"

Sydney sighs as she's pulled to her feet. "I'm okay. I just got kind of dizzy." She pushed her hair behind her ear. Natalie looks down at the girls arm, seeing an unfamiliar marking.

"Sydney, how long have you had this?"

Kennedy walks closer, "I don't know." Sydney answered honestly.

"Ms. Martin, do I need to stop the test?" Asks Simon.

Ms Martin shook her head, "No, um, it's fine. Everybody stay in your seats." She says, walking past the students, "I'll, um, be back in a minute." Kennedy watched Natalie grab her phone. "Nobody leaves the room."

Kennedy looks around the classroom. Scott looks at her, sending her a confused look. Kennedy shakes her head, unsure what's going on.

"Get back! No! Do not come in here! Get back outside!" Kennedy jumps in surprise at Natalie's shouts. Classmates begin to pile out in confusion. Kennedy walks out with Stiles and Scott. Natalie looks at them all. "Back to your seats. Now. Please." Kennedy looks at the boys, pushing them back towards the door.

༺❀༻

The school was flooded with teams of people in yellow Hazmat suits, as well as brief cases with C.D.C. on them. Classrooms were turned into quarantined spaces, sickly students being brought in. Kennedy stands with Natalie and Scott, looking at Sydney.

"We isolate the sick and then we wait for instructions. If I'm wrong, they'll be out of here pretty quickly, and then I'm the crazy biology teacher who panicked for nothing."

Natalia walks out, leaving the two Alphas with the panicking Sydney. "Hey. You're gonna be okay."

Sydney shakes her head at Scott. "It's not that. The PSATs, the qualifying tests for the National Merit Scholarship." She explains, "My parents can't afford to send me to college without it."

Kennedy smiles softly. "Well, I'm sure they'll let you take it again." She tells the girl. Sydney smiles, nodding slowly. Scott and Kennedy walk out of the quarantined space.

The three girls gathered in the hallway, waiting in line for their blood to be drawn to test if they're sick. Malia looked around, "Guys, do you ever get the feeling that Scott and Stiles aren't telling you everything?" She asks.

Kira looks over. "What do you mean?" She asks nervously. Kennedy furrows a brow.

"Like they hide stuff." Malia deadpanned with a smile.

"I think if they did, they'd probably have a pretty good reason." Kira said finally. The answer was weird i'm Kennedy's opinion.

Malia tilted her head. "Do you know what they're hiding in the bag under Scott's bed?" She asks.

"What bag?" Kennedy asks, looking between the two girls.

Kira snapped her head up, "What? No, I've never been under Scott's bed. Or in it. Just on it," Kira trailed off. "Wearing clothes." Kennedy and Malia share weirded out looks.

"Kira Yukimura." The doctor calls out. Kira steps forward, and Kennedy and Malia turn back
to each other.

"What do you think they're hiding?" Kennedy asks.

Malia shrugs, "I was hoping you would know." She tells the girl.

Kennedy shakes her head. "No. The three of us promised not to keep secrets anymore, so as far
as I know, there's nothing." Kennedy looked down in thought. What if there was something? What if they're were hiding something? What if they broke their promise?

Suddenly, an electric shock flies through the needle on Kira's skin, nearly getting the doctor. Kennedy jumps back. Malia and Kira watch as the doctors begin to pile around. "Okay, this is when we leave," Kennedy mutters, grabbing Malia and Kira and pulling them away.

༺❀༻

Scott looked up, his eyes turning red. Mr. Yukimura sighs. "It's still happening." He says.

Malia looks around, holding up her hands. "I can't make them go back." She says, gesturing to her claws.

Kennedy, who stood next to Stiles, looked at her self in a mirror as her eyes turned red. "Oh god," She looks at Stiles, "Why didn't you tell me I look like a freaky murderer with red eyes?"

Mr Yukimura speaks up. "Obviously the virus is affecting the three of you in a way it won't hit any human being." He explains.

"You guys have to stay out of sight. We have to quarantine you from the quarantine."

Kira looks over, "Yeah, but where? I mean, what if they get violent? Like on a full moon."

Scott shakes his head. "We shouldn't stay in here. Not in the locker room."

"A classroom is not going to hold us." Malia followed.

"What about the basement?"

Scott breathes heavily. "Too many ways out. We need something secure. Somewhere nobody can find us."

Kennedy looks up. "My vault!" She says finally.

"The Hales always have an escape route. Like their house." Scott explains, "There has to be another way in."

"If there is, I wasn't around long enough to learn it." Kennedy says honestly.

Ken Yukimura gestures the kids along. They trail after him into Coach's office, pulling out a map from one of the drawers. "Why does he have that?" Malia asks, looking at Kennedy. Kennedy shrugs her shoulders, not so sure herself.

Stiles points at the blueprint. "This is where the school sign is, so the vault's got to be right about here."

"I suppose if there's a second entrance, it would probably be accessible from the basement." Mr. Yukimura explains.

"It's probably somewhere in this hallway. West corridor." Suddenly, Stiles falls into Ken, who pulls him up.

They pull up Stiles's sleeve, seeing the gross rash beginning to develop. "It's happening to you too. You're getting sick. You all are."

"I don't feel sick." Kira defends.

Mr Yukimura leans onto the desk. "I think it's affecting you differently, neurologically. I found your test answers here in a pile with the others." Kira looks down, seeing the bubbles she had circled weren't bubbles at all.

"Well, let's go!" Kennedy says.

The teens rush into the basement, studying the walls and doors for any possible entrance. Kennedy stands by Malia, wiping sweat off her forehead. Stiles looks around, seeing the strange cracks on the wall. "Hey, guys, over here." Kennedy and Malia walk over, "Look at the cracks in the wall. It's like the entrance outside, it only opens with claws." Stiles explains, pointing to the patterns. "Anyone's claws, right?"

Kennedy looks up, "No, just a Hale's," She tells them honestly. Kennedy flicks her claws, knowing she very well might not be able to put them away. Scott and Stiles make eye contact, moving out of the way as Kennedy begins to walk over.

Malia grabs Kennedy, "But first tell me what you've been hiding from us." She deadpanned. Stiles and Scott look at each other, stuttering. "I know you think you're trying to protect me, but I can handle it." Kennedy looks at Malia, confused. "I know I'm on the list." Kennedy looks at Stiles, wondering if that's what he had been hiding.

"Yes," He trailed off. Kennedy looked over, raising a brow.

"So how much?"

Stiles tilted his head. "How much what?"

"How much am I worth?"

"Four million."

Malia paused, looking down at the ground for a moment. Kennedy's eyes softened. "Are you okay, M?"

"Yeah." Malia shrugged, "Scott's worth 25, Kira, six. They'll take you guys out way before me." Malia deadpanned. She grabbed Kennedy's arm, dragging the girl to the vault door.

Kennedy reached her claws in, watching the lock change colors as she moved her hand around, before the all pushed in and slowly opened, revealing the vault itself. Kennedy walks in , not bothering to look at her friends who had never been in it before.

༺❀༻

Time passed, and the three were-creatures became increasingly sick. Malia leaned onto a wall, looking over at Kennedy. Stiles had his girlfriend propped up on his lap, running his hands through her hair and up and down her arms as he tried to comfort her.

Stiles looks at Scott, "You know, this is where it all started." The McCall looks up at the boys voice. Stiles gestures to the vault behind Scott. "That's where the money was. 117 million in bearer bonds."

"How do you even change bearer bonds into cash?" Asks Kira.

Stiles shrugs his shoulders, "Bank, I guess. Thats what Ken says." He tells them, "They just let it sit here the whole time collecting dust. You know bearer bonds are basically extinct?"

"Why does it matter?" Kira asks as she sits next to Scott.

Stiles looks down at Kennedy, seeing her sleeping figure. "You know how many problems that money could solve?"

Kira furrowed her brow, "For you?"

"Me. My dad," Stiles shrugs, looking at Kennedy again. "The Eichen House and MRI bills are crushing him."

Scott rubs his hand over his arm, "Mom does this thing, she writes down all the items in our budget, and how much they cost, then she adds them all up and figures out how long we have until," He trails off, "We lose the house." Stiles purses his lips together sadly, looking down at Kennedy.

"You know she knew about the Bonds?" Stiles asks. "She knew how much they were, how much they could help people,"

Malia speaks up, "Didn't she only get her memory back like, a year ago?" She asks. "Plus, she was never actually in the vault when she was little."

Kira and Scott look at the Tate. "How do you know that?" Scott asks.

"She told me." Malia shrugs her shoulders. "Her parents told her about the vault, the money in it, which they were saving a lot of it for Kennedy as soon as she's eighteen, and they taught her how to open it. But they didn't tell her where it is, cause, well, she was like, eight." Malia explained to them. She didn't quite understand what Stiles was saying. Was he saying if Kennedy had told them about it and given them the money, they would've been better off? Sure, it would've helped a lot, but as far as Malia knew, Kennedy had no control over the money until she turns eighteen, and the Hale wasn't much of a thief.

Night fell, and time only continued to pass as the teens got more and more sick. Stiles walked to the door with Scott, trying to listen for the others. Malia and Kennedy had cuddled up together, Kira trying to comfort them both.

"Anything?" Stiles asks.

Scott listens to the sounds above them. "They're looking for us. Someone's going to have to go out there."  Both boys turn to look at Kennedy and Malia. Scott shook his head, looking at the human. "We need to tell them the truth about Peter. Ken and Malia going to see the rest of the dead pool eventually."

Stiles steps forward, "Try to remember that Peter and Kennedy are the only names missing on that list." He says slowly, "Which either makes him incredibly lucky with a benefactor," Stiles trailed off, not wanting to say Peter was in fact the Benefactor. "Of they find out, they're going to go to him, you know they will." Scott looks back at Kennedy, whos head leaned on Malia's tiredly. "And then he's going to twist his way into their heads like he does with everyone. Including us." Scott looks back at his best friend, "We let him walk around like nothing ever happened, like he's one of the good guys," Stiles trails off, shaking his head. "Scott, he's not one of the good guys. If Malia finds out about him, she's gone. And if Kennedy finds out Peter cheated on her mom, she's gone too. That's probably what he's waiting for and if he wins, we lose."

"We're already losing." Scott whispered. He slowly lifted up his hand, seeing his nails bleeding black like blood.

Time passed, and the boys developed a plan. Stiles sighed as he walked over to Kennedy. He kneeled down, looking at his girlfriend who curled up in the corner. "Ken, baby, hey,"

"Stiles," Kennedy opened her eyes, groggily looking at the Stilinski. He put his hand to her forehead, seeing her nails covered in black blood, as well as her lips. She slowly sat up, groaning as she did.

"I gotta leave for a few, okay?"

Kennedy stares at him, "Where are you going?" She asks, confused.

Stiles ran his hand up her arm, "Whatever's happening, it's worse for you guys. That means it's not just people getting sick, it's another assassin."
Kennedy exhaled sharply in realization, looking clear at her friends and the sleeping Malia next to her. Stiles shrugged off his jacket, "Here." Kennedy sniffles as she lets the boys wrap the fabric around her. His comforting scent calmed her down slightly. Stiles ran his hand over her hair, looking down at his girlfriend.

"You're coming back, right?" Kennedy asks softly. Stiles felt his heart break a little, knowing he had been lying to her, and that she was in pain. He slowly put a piece of her hair behind her ear, running his thumb along her face.

"Yeah, I'd never leave you behind." He tells her honestly. Kennedy slowly smiles at him. Stiles reruns it, kissing her forehead as he holds her hand. Kennedy watched as he slowly walks away, a tear rolling down her cheek. She was dying, and this could very well be the last time she sees him. Stiles slowly walked to the door, looking back.

Malia, who had woken up for a moment, slowly pulled Kennedy closer, the two girls holding each other tightly. Malia rubbed Kennedy's back soothingly, trying to calm the girls cries down as they came to the realization this may be it for them. Stiles watched sadly as the door began to close. This could be it, he realized slowly. He just had to hope it wasn't.

"I don't wanna die," Kennedy whispered, looking at Malia.

"We're not gonna die," Malia says, looking at the girl she called her best friend. Kennedy smiled sadly, her eyes filled with tears. The two girls leaned onto each other, exhaustion waving over them.

༺❀༻

Kennedy groaned as she rolled over, her and Malia still staying close. She tugged her hands into Stiles's pocket, feeling something inside. Malia poked her head up, seeing the piece of paper in Kennedy's hand. Kennedy sat up, Malia doing the same.

Scott looks up, realizing exactly what it was. "Kennedy," He calls out. The two girls look down at the unfolded paper.

Kennedy tried to look at the paper further, her eyes beginning to blur. Her and Malia looked at one another, but there was nothing but that. "I can't see." Kennedy whispers.

"I can't see anything!" Malia calls out. The two girls grabbed onto each other, trying to make sure they were okay.

Something crashes, and Kennedy looks up. "What's happening to us!?" She calls out.

Kira fumbled on the round, "Scott? I cant, I can't see!" She says, holding onto the wall. Scott stumbled around weakly. His own sight was now impaired. The sickness was wavering over them, more than before.

Malia held onto Kennedy tighter. "Kenny? I'm scared," Malia confessed.

Kennedy felt tears running down her face. "I know," She sobbed quietly, pulling Malia closer. This was it, this was the end.

"Hey, Scott?"

Kennedy could hear Stiles's voice. She leaned onto Malia weakly.

"Kennedy!" Stiles shouted on the other end of the door. Kennedy wanted to say something, but it was all so much, the overwhelming exhaustion. She felt like she was already dead. Stiles slammed his body into the door, trying to get it to miraculously open. "In the vault, in there with you. It's called reishi mushrooms. Scott?" Stiles slammed on the wall. "Kennedy, open the door! It's in there with you. It's in a jar, it's on one of the shelves. Kennedy!" Kennedy and Malia held hands as they realized it was already too late. They weren't going to make it. "Scott, can you hear me?"

Stiles slammed on the wall over and over. He needed to get his best friend, his girlfriend. They were in there. He threw his body into the wall, and the realization that they may already be dead crossed his mind. "Kennedy, please!" He cried out, his eyes now threatening to spill with tears.

Kira slowly looks up, "Reishi... Scott, I saw it. In a jar on one of the shelves." She says slowly, trailing off.

Scott groaned as he stood up, trying to find the strength. Kennedy crawled on the ground, hearing the boy fall to the ground. "Kennedy! Your eyes!" Scott yells. "Use your eyes!"

The Hale slowly looks up in confusion, unable to see a thing. She groans in frustration, triggering her Alpha eyes. Scott was right. She could see. Kennedy gasped in realization, pulling herself to her feet. She stumbled again, falling to the cement. Scott weakly reached over, tugging the girl up. They hung onto each other as they climbed to the shelves. Kennedy looked around, unsure what exactly they were looking for. Scott reached his hand, fiddling with a jar on a shelf.

Suddenly, the jar flies to the ground, smashing next to the Alphas. Kennedy gasps as the scent fills her lingd. She gasps for air, looking up at them. She slowly climbed to Malia, the two girls looking at each other. Kennedy slowly looks at the paper in Malia's hands.

Malia Hale 4

Kennedy's mouth hung open in shock. The Hale looked up at Malia. "What does this mean?" Kennedy asks. Malia shook her head, not so sure herself. Kennedy looked back slowly, glancing at Scott and Stiles.

They lied to her.

Kennedy looked at the ground in realization. This entire time they had lied. She hadn't seen the name on the list. She hadn't looked at the list, all she knew was that she wasn't on it. But Malia was. And Malia was a
Hale. But she wasn't Talia's kid, so that only meant one thing.

They were sisters.

Stiles rushes over to his girlfriend and her friend. He kneels down, "Hey, you alright?" He breathed. Kennedy looked past him, unsure what she was feeling. Anger, betrayal. Stiles looks at her confused, "Kenny?" He asks, receiving no response. "Ken," He reaches up to her shoulder, when her hand grabs his wrist. Stiles looks at it for a moment, seeing Kennedy's glossy eyes meet his. Malia slowly stood up, watching Kennedy push the boys hand away. Stiles watched as Kennedy and Malia, hands linked, walked away from the human boy, and past their friends.

Scott and Kira slowly looked at the Stilinski, who was unsure what just happened. He looked at where they had been sitting, seeing the dead pool list on the floor. The list with Malia's name. Realization settled in.

He had lied.

And Kennedy knew.