"The Dread Doctors by T.R. McCammon." Lydia read the book's cover.

"What?" Malia asked.

"I don't know. There's something about it." Lydia replied staring at the book.

"Has anyone read it yet?" I asked.

"Just me. And I didn't understand any of it." Malia replied.

"We should all read it." I suggested.

"Kira's working on that." Malia spoke.

We got to Malia's locker and she opened it.

"Stiles says he can't find anything on the author. He thinks it's a pen name." Malia explained.

Lydia turned the book revealing a synopsis. I frowned reading the synopsis.

""In a small New England town, teenagers are taken in the night and buried alive. Days later, they emerge transformed, wreaking havoc and spreading terror, commanded by an ancient order of parascientists known only as the Dread Doctors:"" I read and raised my eyebrows. "This sounds strangely familiar."

"How does it end?" Lydia asked.

"It doesn't. This is supposed to be volume one." Malia answered.

"Let me guess, there's no volume two because we're living in it." I sighed.

"Then maybe the real question is, is this a novel or someone's prediction?" Lydia asked.

[...]

I was in class. I was trying to fin something on the book. I noticed something and frowned.

"Why is your heart beating so fast?" Malia whispered.

"Because I'm near you, darling." I joked. "I found something, on the acknowledgements page. There's a name."

"Which one?" Malia asked.

""For providing scientific perspective and invaluable insight, this book is dedicated to Dr. Gabriel Valack."" I read.

"Do you know him?" Malia asked.

"Yeah, and I know where to find him." I replied.

[...]

"Lia, I'm going with you." Stiles grabbed his jacket.

"You said you were sick. That's why I came to see you." I raised my eyebrows.

"I'm slightly under the weather."

"Then you're staying. Malia's not going either, stay with her." I replied.

"Malia's not going because she knows that that place is a nightmare asylum of insanity and death, okay? Let's go." He moved his shoulder and I saw him wince.

"Did you get hurt?" I asked.

"What?" He pretended not to know what I was talking about.

"You winced."

"I have a bad elbow." He lied.

"It was your shoulder, Pinocchio."

"Pain radiates. It does that." He walked to the door and I stood in front of him.

He sighed.

"You are not going without me. You remember what happened to Deaton when he talked to Valack?"

"Scott, Lydia and Kira are going to be there, I think that's enough backup." I mentioned.

"Okay. I'm not letting you go to a place where one of the orderlies almost killed you."

"You were there too. Remember? They almost killed both of us."

"And we're both still alive. See? Teamwork."

"Let me see your shoulder." He sighed. "Stiles, I'm sure it isn't..." I reached out my hand but he held it stopping me.

My face dropped and he released my hand.

"You don't trust me?" I asked.

"Lia, it's not that..." He tried answering and I pursed my lips.

"Let's just go." I left the room.

I heard him sigh and walked out to catch up with me.

[...]

Lydia clicked the button at Eichen's gate.

"Hello? Anyone there?" Lydia asked.

I saw Scott and Stiles talk. I focused so I could hear their conversation.

"Are you going to be okay in there?" Scott asked looking at Stiles.

"Yeah. Why?"

"You just seem a little off."

"I think we're all a little off."

"Maybe some of us more than others." Scott looked at Kira and I immediately looked away.

"Wait. What happened?"

"Well, when the other Chimera, Lucas, when he came after us, I heard Kira say something in Japanese."

"That doesn't sound too bad."

"She doesn't know any Japanese."

"Still not terrible."

"She threw Lia against a pillar."

"Well that does sound terrible."

"And I also think I might have stopped her from killing Lucas."

"Okay. Wasn't he trying to kill you, though? I mean, that just sounds like self -defense." Stiles spoke.

"It was more than that. I mean, she nearly took off his head."

"Maybe she had no choice. There's gotta be a point where self-defense is justified. Tracy killed her own father. And Lucas would have killed you."

I frowned.

"They're not the bad guys. They're the victims. We shouldn't be killing the people we're trying to save."

I sighed annoyed and clicked the button.

"Hello! Bonjour! Can someone open this damn door for us, please?" I spoke annoyed.

The door immediately buzzed and opened.

"Well done." Lydia smiled.

We walked through the gate entering Eichen. We went up some stairs and heard the door close.

Damn place.

[...]

"Please empty your pockets into the container." The receptionist spoke.

"We're here to see..." Scott tried speaking.

"Please empty your pockets into the container." He repeated.

We put our phones, keys, wallets, etc, in the container.

"Includes jewelry too." He pointed at my necklace and bracelet.

I sighed taking off the phoenix necklace Stiles gave me and the bracelet putting them in the container.

"Please remove your belt and place it into the container." He looked at Kira.

That was her sword.

"I kind of need the belt. I mean, it's crucial to the outfit." Kira spoke.

"Please remove your belt, which patients will attempt to take from you and use to strangle either themselves or others."

"That's lovely." I murmured.

"Right. Got it." Kira removed her belt and placed it in the container.

I saw the man looking at Lydia and me. I looked at him frowning. I felt someone grab my arm and saw Stiles.

Suddenly, the door opened.

It was Dr. Fenris

[...]

"I'll remind you that I'm only doing this as a favor to Deaton. And I'm doing it against my better judgement."

"Hey, what's the etiquette for talking to this guy? I mean, do you ever look at the other eye?" Stiles asked.

"I wouldn't. In fact, while you're down here, try not to make eye contact with anyone or anything."

"That's lovely." I murmured.

[...]

I saw Scott and Kira stop. I started feeling exhausted.

"What's in here?" I asked.

"Mountain Ash. You can cross it, they can't." He replied and I looked at Scott and Kira.

Lydia, Stiles, and I looked at each other.

"You didn't think you were all going, did you?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Where's the Mountain Ash?" Scott asked.

"Everywhere." Fenris replied. "But heavily concentrated down here."

He took out his keycard and opened the door.

"Valack's cell is the last one at the end of the hall."

"We'll be right here." Scott spoke.

"I don't know if I can do this." I whispered.

"Try it. I know you can." Stiles told me.

Lydia and Stiles walked through the ash and I stood in front of it. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes trying to focus.

I immediately felt the heat in my body and took a step forward. I opened my eyes and saw that I had crossed the ash.

"See?" Stiles smiled and I smiled a little.

We walked down the hall. It had little light. The air felt cold and the vibe felt so odd.

I saw a woman with no mouth who ran towards the glass and I jumped slightly.

I kept walking feeling my heart beating quickly. I looked at another cell and my eyes widened.

I swore I saw Kali. Glass in her body and blood dripping from her. I blinked several times.

Kali was gone and in her place was a weird creature.

We picked up our pace until we got the cell at the back of the hall.

There we saw Valack sitting on the ground.

"Tell me what you just saw." He spoke looking at Stiles.

"Me?" He asked confused.

"The creature in the previous cell. The Sluagh. The myth is that they can take on the appearance of the lost souls that have become inextricably bound to it.  Happen to seen any lost souls, Mr. Stilinski?"

"Everyone down here." Stiles replied.

"Don't give up on us yet. We're all works-in-progress." Valack spoke.

Peter's phrase.

"Where did you hear that?" I asked.

"Wise words from a former cellmate." He answered getting up and walking towards the glass. "Did you bring the book?"

Stiles pulled the book out of his jacket and showed it to him.

"Very nice. First edition. Of course, there was only one printing."

"There is no T.R. McCammon, is there?" Lydia asked.

"No." Valack replied.

"You wrote it." I realized

"That's right, Lia. Maybe you've already guessed that it's not just a book."

"What is it?" Lydia asked.

"A tool. Designed to open your eyes." Valack replied.

"To what?" Stiles asked.

"To them. The Dread Doctors."

[...]

"Why did you use a pseudonym?" Lydia asked.

"I had a profesional reputation once. I wasn't interested in ruining it by putting my name on a second-rate piece of trash."

"Then why did you write the book in the first place?" I asked.

"You haven't even read it, have you?"

"No." I answered.

"I wrote it because no one believed me. Because no one listened. They're here, aren't they? In Beacon Hills."

"What are they?" Lydia asked.

"Not entirely human. At least, not anymore. They were scientists once. Scientists who worshipped the supernatural. Tesla said, "If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration"" He spoke and I tilted my head listening to the phrase.

"They found their secrets in electromagnetic forces. Ways to prolong their lives, give them power, and most importantly, making you forget you ever saw them." He explained.

I remembered what happened the other night. When I felt a hand grab me. What if they have done something to me?

"What do they want?" Lydia asked.

"Good question, Lydia. Everyone wants something, don't they?"

"Okay, so what do you want?" Stiles asked.

Valack passed us a tape recorder and a container through a compartment.

"I want the scream of a Banshee and the magic of a dark phoenix." He replied and I sighed.

Lydia grabbed the recorder and I grabbed the container.

"No way. Not happening. Sorry." Stiles snatched the container from me.

"He knows something." I whispered to Stiles.

"The guy is a nut-job who drilled a hole into his head." Stiles whispered, upset. "He's probably lying his ass off."

"How many have died so far?" Valack asked. "All of them teenagers. Am I right?"

"What?" I frowned.

"Want to know how many died the first time they came here? I wonder how many will die if they succeed?"

The lights flickered and I looked at Valack.

"This already happened before." I spoke.

"And now they're back. All because a few teenagers, who never even considered the consequences, decided to reignite a supernatural force they barely understand!" He yelled annoyed.

"The Nemeton. How do you even know that?" I asked.

"I know because I saw it." He replied and I looked at him confused.

He removed the bandage from his head revealing his other eye and I looked away.

The lights flickered and I looked around.

"Who did you come with?" Valack asked.

"Our friends." Lydia answered.

"What are they?" He asked.

"Don't answer." Stiles told us.

"You brought a kitsune." He spoke upset.

Suddenly, one of the light bulbs exploded and we jumped scared.

"What's happening?" I asked terrified.

"She's disrupting the building's defenses." Valack replied.

"What do you mean? How?" Lydia asked.

"It's not just Mountain Ash that keeps this building secure. It's the electromagnetic energy." He explained. "Eichen is built on the convergence of telluric currents. Ley Lines. It's what allows it to keep certain supernatural creatures in. And certain others out."

I sighed understanding everything and heard metallic footsteps.

No.

"They knew you were coming. They're here. And you unlocked the door for them."

Valack walked over to the glass and I backed away.

"You give me your magic and you hit record. Do it now. It costs you nothing." Valack spoke.

"But it's worth something to you, so you're not getting it for free." Stiles replied.

"The book, what does it do?" I asked.

"Tell us!" Stiles yelled.

"I told you. It opens your eyes."

"How?" I insisted.

"It triggers the memory centers of the brain, clearing the fog and brings the images of The Dread Doctors into focus. I wrote the book in an effort to find out if anyone else like me had ever seen them before. I thought I could circulate it, an effort to trigger someone...Anyone else's memory."

I looked at Lydia and saw her looking down. I started seeing images of the Dread Doctors in my head.

I blinked quickly.

"They'd see the cover, a hint of memory...They pick up the book, read it. The suppressed memories surface, and they'd find their way to me to discover more. Just like you did."

"Did it work with anyone else?" Stiles asked.

"You didn't see it on The New York Times Best Seller list, did you?."

"So all we have to do is read the book?" Lydia asked.

"If you've seen them, if they've done something to you, then the book will help you remember. Now give me what I want!" He yelled.

Stiles handed me doubtful the glass container. I looked at Lydia and saw how she was looking at the recorder.

We were seriously doing this.

[...]

Lydia put the container and the tape recorder in the compartment. The alarms went off.

"What do they want?" I asked.

"Lia, I think we need to get out of here." Stiles spoke grabbing my hand.

"What are they trying to do?" I asked.

"Lydia, go." Stiles told her.

Lydia quickly ran away to hide.

"Read the book." Valack replied looking at me. "Anyone who's come into contact with them."

"Lia, we gotta go. Now." Stiles looked at me with a worried expression on his face.

He grabbed my arm and we walked quickly down the hall to hide.

"Read the book!" I heard Valack yell.

[...]

I heard footsteps and closed my eyes. Stiles was hugging me tightly.

I heard their footsteps near our hiding spot and I held my breath. Stiles was breathing heavily. His heart beating quickly.

I looked besides us and saw Lydia leaning against the wall scared.

"What are they doing?" I whispered.

"I don't know." Stiles whispered.

Suddenly, I heard Valack scream. Stiles hugged me even tighter and I squeezed my eyes shut breathing heavily.

After that I heard a noise. I heard the sound of glass breaking. The container with my magic.

I felt a slight pain in my chest.

Did they break it on purpose?

There was a sudden silence, I sighed in relief.

"I think they left. I think we're okay." I spoke.

"No, it's not okay. All of this, it's on us. Everything that's happened, everything that's going to happen, it's our fault." Stiles spoke.

"It's our responsibility." Lydia spoke.

"Our fault." I added.

[...]