Chapter 74

The animal clinic was quiet in that uneasy, after-hours way – lights dimmed, shadows stretching too long across the tiled floor. Everyone stood clustered around the exam table, the sheet drawn back just enough to reveal the still form beneath it.

“Do you know him?” Theo asked, voice low.

Scott nodded, his jaw tight. “Yeah. His name was Josh. He was a junior.”

Silver exhaled slowly, the sound heavy with exhaustion. He stepped forward and gently pulled the sheet back up over Josh’s face, smoothing it down like it might offer some kind of dignity. No one stopped him.

A beat passed.

“Which one did it?” Scott asked. “The one with the cane?”

Stiles and Theo exchanged a quick glance.

“Yeah,” Theo said. “That one.”

Stiles rubbed a hand over his face. “So… what do we do now? We can’t just set the alarm and leave. That’s exactly how Tracy disappeared.”

No one answered right away. The hum of the clinic filled the silence.

“Someone has to stay,” Silver said finally. His voice was steady, but his shoulders were tight with strain. “We can’t leave him alone.”

“I’ll do it,” Theo offered. “I was supposed to meet Ren. Guess I’ll have to cancel.”

Silver stiffened.

“Cancel?” he echoed before he could stop himself.

Theo glanced at him, something unreadable flickering in his expression. “Yeah. We had plans.”

Silver’s jaw tightened. “Ren didn’t say anything to me.”

A shrug. Casual. Unbothered. “Maybe it was last minute.”

Silver felt the words land heavier than they should have. A sharp, hot flare in his chest he couldn’t immediately name.

“He’s my best friend,” Silver said, a little too fast. “He would’ve mentioned it.”

Theo tilted his head slightly. “I mean… he didn’t say not to tell you.”

“That’s not how Ren thinks,” Silver shot back. “He doesn’t keep things from me.”

Theo’s mouth curved into a small, almost placating smile. “Hey. I’m just saying what it sounded like. Could be wrong.”

Scott’s phone buzzed in his hand before anyone could respond. He glanced down, his expression shifting almost instantly.

“What is it?” Silver asked.

Scott looked up. “Another one. Another Chimera.”

🎭

Silver hung back at first,sitting on Scott’s bed, arms crossed loosely like he was trying to keep himself grounded. The house was quiet in that uneasy way – too still, every sound magnified. Scott stood closest to the bathroom door, his posture careful, nonthreatening.

“Hayden?” Scott called through the door, keeping his voice steady. “It’s Scott. I know you’re scared, but we just – we want to help.”

He paused, listening, then frowned slightly. “I can hear her heart beating. It’s really fast.” He glanced back at Liam. “What happened?”

“She was fine when we got here,” Liam said, hands flexing at his sides. “I looked away for, like, two seconds to text you – and then she locked herself in.”

“Why?” Stiles asked.

Liam shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Scott exhaled slowly. “She’s definitely a Chimera?”

Liam nodded. “She said she heard a voice. It told her, ‘Your condition improves.'”

That made the room go quiet.

“Okay,” Stiles muttered. “That’s… deeply unsettling.”

He stepped forward, knocking lightly on the door. “Hayden? Hi. This is Stiles. Your sister works with my dad down at the station? Look – just open the door, okay? You can trust us.”

No response.

Stiles stepped back, frustration creeping in. Scott moved closer again. “Hayden, we just need to tell you the truth. And that’s usually better face-to-face.”

Still nothing.

Silver pushed off the wall and stepped forward, his voice softer, calmer – less like someone asking for answers and more like someone offering space.

“We can explain everything if you come out,” he said. “And it’s okay if you’re not ready to believe us. Or talk.”

He rested his hand lightly against the door.

“I know what it feels like,” Silver continued quietly. “To realize your life changed without you agreeing to it. To have your life change in one night.”

His eye flicked briefly to Scott, then back to the door.

“And I’m sorry,” he added. “We just need to know you’re okay.”

A beat passed.

Then another.

The lock clicked.

Silver felt his chest tighten as the door cracked open. He reached out and slowly pushed it the rest of the way.

Hayden stood there.

Her eyes glowed a bright, unnatural yellow. Her teeth had lengthened into sharp canines, and her fingers ended in claws that dug faintly into her palms. She looked terrified – but steady, like she was holding herself together by sheer force of will.

Silver didn’t step back.

“I believe you,” Hayden said quietly.

🎭

Ren sat on the couch with his feet hooked over the armrest, one socked heel nudging the cushion as the muted television washed the living room in soft blue and silver light. Some late-night rerun flickered across the screen  –  laugh track subtitles popping up and disappearing  –  but he wasn’t watching it. He hadn’t been for a while.

Theo’s text still sat open on his phone.

Sorry. Can’t make it tonight.

Ren stared at the words longer than he meant to, thumb hovering uselessly over the screen like there was a right response he just hadn’t found yet. Eventually, he locked the phone and set it face-down on the coffee table, a deliberate motion, as if turning it over might keep the disappointment from leaking out into the room.

It didn’t help.

He left the TV muted. Turning the volume back up felt pointless. His thoughts were loud enough  –  too loud, overlapping with everything else he’d been carrying all week. Kira. School. Silver. Things unsaid. Plans that kept shifting just out of reach.

The house creaked softly around him, settling. Then came footsteps on the stairs.

“Plans fall through?” his dad asked.

Ren glanced up. Ken Yukimura stood at the bottom step, sleeves rolled to his elbows, tie long since abandoned, hair a little messier than usual. He looked tired in that quiet way  –  present, but worn thin around the edges.

Ren shrugged, noncommittal. “Something like that.”

Ken didn’t press. He crossed the room and sat in the armchair opposite him, leaning back, hands resting loosely on the arms. He had always been good at this  –  at being nearby without crowding, at letting silence do some of the work.

“You’re worried about your sister,” Ken said gently.

Ren huffed out a laugh, more breath than humor. “Wow. Psychic now?”

Ken smiled faintly. “I have two children. One is glowing with fox fire half the time, and the other is sulking at home on a Saturday night with the TV muted. It’s not hard to guess.”

Ren leaned forward, elbows on his knees, fingers lacing together. “Mom and Kira… they’re handling things in a way I can’t. And I keep thinking I should be doing more. Or less. Or  –  ” He exhaled, frustrated. “Something else. I just don’t know what.”

Ken watched him for a long moment before speaking again.

“Do you remember when you and Kira were little,” he asked, “and the power went out in the apartment during that storm?”

Ren groaned softly. “Dad…”

“You were eight,” Ken continued, unbothered. “Your mother was working late. The whole building went dark.”

Ren’s mouth twitched despite himself.

“Kira was convinced something was in the hallway,” Ken said. “She refused to leave the couch.”

“She said the emergency lights made the walls look haunted,” Ren muttered.

“And you,” Ken went on warmly, “took every flashlight you could find, lined them up on the coffee table, and sat with her for two hours.”

Ren huffed. “I was terrified.”

“Yes,” Ken said gently. “You were. But you stayed anyway.”

Ren went quiet, gaze dropping to the floor. The memory pressed in unexpectedly heavy  –  the dark apartment, Kira’s small hand clutching his sleeve, the hum of distant thunder through the windows.

“You didn’t need to fix the power,” Ken said. “You just needed to be there. That’s what being human is sometimes.”

Ren swallowed, throat tight. “I don’t know how to help her now. Everything feels bigger. Like I’ll do the wrong thing just by opening my mouth.”

Ken’s expression softened. “You don’t have to fix this. Your mother and I will take care of Kira. That’s our job. You take care of your friends. Help them figure out what’s happening. Help them not feel alone.”

Ren nodded slowly, the pressure in his chest easing just a fraction.

There was a pause, the TV light flickering quietly between them.

Then Ren said, too casually, “Theo was supposed to come over. He canceled.”

Ken’s eyes flicked to the phone on the table. “Mm.”

“He’s… helping too,” Ren added after a beat. “Sort of.”

Ken raised an eyebrow. “Theo?”

Ren stiffened. “You know. Theo. From school.”

Ken tilted his head. “I don’t.”

Ren opened his mouth, closed it, tried again. “He’s  –  he’s part of the group. Kinda.”

Ken studied him more closely now. “You’re disappointed.”

Ren scowled, defensive. “I am not.”

“You absolutely are.”

Ren rubbed the back of his neck, ears warming. “He’s just… there. Okay?”

Ken hummed thoughtfully  –  then, almost too casually, “I thought you were spending more time with Lydia lately.”

Ren blinked. “What?”

Ken shrugged lightly. “You mention her often. I assumed…”

Realization hit all at once.

“Oh my God  –  no,” Ren said immediately, sitting up straighter. “No. Lydia is – ” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “She’s a friend. An annoying friend.”

Ken’s mouth twitched.

“She corrects my grammar,” Ren added, offended. “Out loud. In public.”

“That does sound serious,” Ken said solemnly.

Ren shot him a look. “Dad.”

Ken lifted his hands in surrender, clearly amused. “Just making observations.”

Ren groaned and dropped back against the couch cushions. “I hate this house.”

Ken’s smile softened as he stood, smoothing a hand briefly over Ren’s shoulder as he passed. “You’ll be fine.”

The TV continued to flicker soundlessly as Ken headed down the hall.

Ren stayed where he was, eyes tracing the ceiling  –  thinking about canceled plans, complicated people… and one very annoying banshee friend.

🎭

The room was dark except for the soft glow of the streetlight filtering in through the curtains. Scott was already half-asleep beside him, breathing slow and even, one arm slung loosely across Silver’s waist. Silver lay awake, staring at the ceiling, counting the seconds between breaths that weren’t his.

He turned his head – and his gaze snagged on the dresser across the room.

The drawer sat closed now, harmless in the dark. The way the air had been punched out of his lungs as Scott, panicked and furious and not thinking, had slammed it shut with Silver too close. Too in the way.

Silver’s chest tightened.

He shifted, carefully, then pushed himself upright. He sat there for a long moment, shoulders tense, eyes fixed on the dresser like it might move if he looked away.

The mattress dipped behind him.

Scott stirred, blinking himself awake as he registered the empty space where Silver had been. “Hey,” he murmured, voice thick with sleep. He reached out automatically, fingers brushing Silver’s side. “What’s wrong?”

Silver didn’t answer.

Scott followed his line of sight, then frowned. He sat up fully, understanding dawning in his expression. Without a word, he swung his legs out of bed and crossed the room. He grabbed one of his sweatshirts from the back of the chair and held it out.

“Come on,” Scott said quietly.

Silver hesitated, then took it. Scott pulled on one of his own, tugging it down over his shoulders, movements unhurried, grounding. He waited until Silver was dressed before guiding him toward the door with a gentle hand at his back.

They sat on the front steps, the night cool against their skin. The neighborhood was quiet, porch lights glowing down the street like distant stars. Scott leaned back against the step behind him and Silver followed, settling into the space between Scott’s arm and chest. Scott wrapped an arm around him, easy and familiar, his chin resting lightly against Silver’s hair. Above them, the sky stretched dark and open, stars faint but steady.

“Should we even be out here so late?” Silver asked.

Scott glanced over, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. “I like our chances,” he said.

Silver let out a quiet laugh, more breath than sound. His gaze dropped to his hand. Slowly, deliberately, he began to unwrap the bandages. The mark beneath was raw and dark, the skin burned and crusted over.

They sat on the front steps, the night cool against their skin. The neighborhood was quiet, porch lights glowing down the street like distant stars. Scott leaned back against the step behind him and Silver followed, settling into the space between Scott’s arm and chest. Scott wrapped an arm around him, easy and familiar, his chin resting lightly against Silver’s hair. Above them, the sky stretched dark and open, stars faint but steady.

“Should we even be out here so late?” Silver asked.

Scott glanced down at him, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. “I like our chances,” he said.

Silver let out a quiet laugh, more breath than sound. His gaze dropped to his hand. Slowly, deliberately, he began to unwrap the bandages. The mark beneath was raw and dark, the skin burned and crusted over.

Scott’s smile faded as he watched.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The quiet felt heavier than it should have.

“You meant what you said to Hayden,” Scott said finally.

Silver didn’t look up. “Yeah.”

Scott’s arm tightened slightly around him. “You think people get pulled into this because they get close to us.”

Silver nodded once. “Because they do.”

A long pause stretched between them, filled only by the faint rustle of leaves down the street.

“Hayden didn’t ask for this,” Silver continued. “She just… knows Liam. And Liam knows us.”

Scott didn’t interrupt.

“That’s the pattern,” Silver said quietly.

Scott’s jaw shifted. “That’s not on you.”

Silver gave a small, humorless smile. “It’s not not on me either.”

Scott tilted his head slightly, listening.

Silver’s voice stayed low. “We got together – my dad was trying to kill you. We fake broke up and Michael came back. We did break up and we lost friends. We got back together and Allison died. Then Michael and my aunt come back trying to kill both of us.” His fingers curled slightly around his injured hand. “And now… I’m this.”

Scott didn’t speak at first. His arm stayed around Silver, but it tightened.

Silver went on, the words spilling now that they’d started. “Every version of us lines up with something getting worse. I can’t stop seeing it like a timeline.”

Scott swallowed. “You’re connecting things that were already broken.”

“Maybe,” Silver said. “But I’m always in the middle of it. Even before Beacon Hills. It just… keeps going.”

Scott shifted so he could see his face. “Hey. Look at me.”

Silver hesitated, then did.

“This?” Scott gestured gently toward Silver’s hand, the scars, the weight behind his eyes. “This is what scares me.”

Silver frowned faintly. “Gee thanks. I thought you were going to say the opposite.”

Scott shook his head. “I’m not scared of losing you because of monsters. I’m scared of losing you because of you.”

Silver’s throat tightened.

“I think about after,” Scott said. “A lot. I picture you in an office somewhere quiet. I picture me at a clinic that smells like disinfectant and dog hair.”

Silver let out a weak breath of a laugh.

“I picture you coming home tired,” Scott went on. “Talking about patients. Me complaining about some cat that hates me.”

Silver looked down. “Scott…”

“I want that,” Scott said. “With you still you.”

Silver swallowed. “What if we don’t make it that far?”

Scott didn’t hesitate. “We will.”

🎭

The afternoon sun hung low over Beacon Hills High, heating the metal bleachers and bleaching the field into a dull green. Silver sat on the lowest bleacher, one arm braced behind him, posture guarded. The bandages along his face and wrist caught the light when he shifted. Lydia stood a few steps above, eyes distant and intent. Ren paced nearby, unable to settle.

Silver broke the quiet first.

“We’re back to telluric currents.”

Ren stopped pacing. He let out a breath through his nose, something between disbelief and frustration. “You’re serious.”

Silver nodded, expression steady even if his shoulders weren’t. “If the Dread Doctors avoided Eichen House because of them, then maybe we can use the same thing here.”

Ren turned, glancing at the school behind them, then back at Silver. “Here as in – “

“The one and only.” Silver said.

That earned a sharp, humorless laugh from Ren. He shook his head. “You want to hide her in Beacon Hills High.”

Lydia spoke before Silver could answer, her voice calm, precise. “It’s one of the strongest convergences in the county.”

Ren looked between them, jaw tightening. “For how long?”

Silver hesitated – just long enough for Ren to notice – then said quietly, “If we have to… all night.”

The words settled heavily between them. Ren crossed his arms, frustration bleeding through the cracks in his composure. “It’s a school, Silver. It’s not a safe house. It’s not a bunker. It’s barely locked after hours.”

“It doesn’t need to be,” Lydia said.

Ren turned fully toward her now. “Then what is it supposed to be?”

Lydia’s gaze unfocused slightly, like she was listening to something beneath the hum of the world. “Remember Valack?” she asked. “The way he kept quoting Tesla.”

Ren’s eyes narrowed. “Frequency. Vibration.”

“Yes,” Lydia said. “I don’t think he was just trying to sound clever. I think it was a clue.”

Ren frowned. “A clue to what?”

“To disrupt them,” Lydia replied.

Silence stretched between them, thick and contemplative. Silver leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees. “Scott thinks if we can interfere with their frequency – if we can throw them off even a little – it could slow them down.”

“It buys us time,” Ren said, though doubt edged his voice.

Silver nodded. “Parrish took a few cell phone jammers from the station.”

Ren stiffened immediately. “You already talked to him.”

“I did,” Lydia said gently, stepping in as she felt Ren tense.

“They’re not perfect,” Silver continued, not rising to the challenge. “But if we widen the range, layer them across the school – “

“It might work,” Ren finished, rubbing a hand over his face.

“It’s a long shot,” Silver admitted.

Ren looked at him sharply. “You can’t be okay with using her as bait, Silver.”

Silver didn’t look away. “I’ve been used as bait many times.”

“Silver,” Lydia and Ren said at the same time.

Silver exhaled. “I trust Scott.”

Ren’s eyes narrowed. “But do you agree with this plan?”

Silver’s mouth tightened, irritation flaring. “Sorry – does trying to save Hayden interfere with your alone time with Theo?”

Ren froze, then turned on him. “Does Scott know about your secret meetings with your ex-boyfriend?”

The words hit like a slap. Ren didn’t wait for an answer. He turned and stalked away across the field, boots kicking up dust as he went.

Lydia watched him go, then looked back at Silver, stunned. “What just happened?”

Silver tipped his head back and groaned, dragging a hand down his face.

🎭

Ren found Kira sitting on the edge of her bed, her back straight, hands resting loosely in her lap. The room was quiet, too quiet, the kind that made every sound feel louder than it should have been. Her belt lay neatly beside her on the comforter, placed with care rather than tossed aside, like she’d already made a decision and was just waiting for the moment to act on it – or be stopped.

He paused in the doorway for a second, watching her. The weight in his chest tightened.

“I’m heading out,” Ren said finally, breaking the silence. His voice was gentle, careful. “But… I can stay. If you need me, I’ll stay.”

Kira didn’t look at him right away. Her fingers brushed the edge of the belt, then stilled. “Go,” she said softly. “I’ll be okay.”

Ren stepped into the room anyway, the door clicking shut behind him. He crossed the small space and sat down beside her on the bed, close enough that their shoulders nearly touched. “You sure?” he asked.

She nodded once, then glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “Are you going to talk to Silver tonight?” she asked. “About how you’re feeling. About your trust issues.”

Ren’s jaw tightened. He shook his head and looked down at his hands instead. “Not tonight,” he said. “It’s not the right time.”

Kira studied him, quiet but attentive.

“I don’t want it to sound like I’m calling him out,” Ren continued. “Not for not trusting Theo. Not for… anything.” He let out a slow breath. “And honestly? It’s not all bad. It’s nice having new faces around. Fresh energy. People who aren’t carrying years of the same mistakes.”

Kira’s mouth curved slightly, though there was something sad behind it. “You’re being very mature about this,” she said.

Ren huffed out a soft laugh. “Don’t tell anyone. I have a reputation.”

He nudged her shoulder gently. “Tonight, you don’t worry about plans or doctors or anything else, okay? Just relax. We’ve got it handled.”

She finally turned to face him. “You better.”

“If we’re lucky,” Ren said, standing, “we might even bring home a Dread Doctor.”

Kira rolled her eyes, but she smiled.

Ren paused at the door, looking back at her one last time, then slipped out of the room.

🎭

Parrish’s cruiser rolled to a stop near the school and the engine cut off. He stepped out just as Malia, Ren, and Lydia approached, the night air sharp against the quiet parking lot. Parrish popped the trunk, revealing the cell phone jammers lined up inside.

“We’re betting our lives on these?” Malia asked, already reaching in and pulling one out, weighing it in her hand.

“I think we’re betting Hayden’s life on them,” Lydia said calmly as Ren handed her another.

Parrish exhaled. “Yeah, well. I’m glad I brought my gun.” He shut the trunk with a solid thud.

The three of them headed inside through the locker room entrance. The fluorescent lights flickered on as Parrish set one of the jammers on a bench and started adjusting the dials, his movements precise and practiced.

A little ways off, Lydia and Ren drifted toward Silver and Scott, lowering their voices.

“Is it just me,” Lydia murmured, “or is Liam not aware of the second part of the plan?”

Scott rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “I’m still not sure there is a second part.”

“Or that this will even work,” Lydia added.

Scott nodded, letting out a breath. Ren’s jaw tightened. “If he finds out, he’s going to be really angry.”

“I know,” Scott said quietly, the weight of it settling in as the plan moved forward anyway.

🎭

“Scott,” Ren said quietly as he and Lydia walked up beside him. Their voices stayed low while Liam and Hayden stood a few feet away, heads bent together, speaking in hushed tones that felt too fragile to interrupt.

Lydia folded her arms, eyes flicking down the hallway and then back to Scott. “We were thinking… since none of our phones are working, we can’t check in on Stiles or Theo.”

Scott blinked, the realization landing hard. “I didn’t even think about that.”

“Me neither,” Ren admitted. He glanced toward the shadows stretching down the corridor, then back at Scott. “So we’re just standing here, waiting for guys in masks and breathing tubes to show up. But who – or what – are Stiles and Theo waiting for?”

Scott exhaled slowly, dragging a hand over his face. “I don’t know,” he said. “And that’s the part I don’t like.”

Time stretched. Nothing happened.

Across the room, Silver had gone quiet. He slid down to sit against the lockers lining the wall, shoulders drawn in, gaze fixed somewhere far away.

Lydia noticed immediately.

She slipped away from Scott and Ren and crossed the room slowly. When she reached Silver, she rested her hand on his left shoulder. He startled, breath hitching, then relaxed when he saw it was her.

“Hey,” Lydia said softly.

She sat beside him, the cool metal pressing into her back. Her hand drifted from his shoulder down toward his, tentative. Silver pulled his hand back without thinking.

“Sorry,” he said quietly. “I just – “

Lydia didn’t answer. Instead, she leaned her head gently against his shoulder. After a moment, Silver didn’t pull away.

They watched Ren pace across the room, sharp and restless.

“Have you talked to Ren?” Silver asked under his breath.

Lydia lifted her head slightly. “About what?”

Silver sighed. “About… anything.”

“He’s worried about Kira,” Lydia said gently.

The words landed hard. Silver’s mind flickered back to the constant fear of losing Allison every time she stepped into danger.

“I get that,” Silver said. “I really do. But he’s been acting like – “

“Like someone who’s scared,” Lydia cut in.

Silver clenched his left hand without realizing it. When he opened it again, the mark stared back at him, angry and raw.

Lydia followed his gaze. “He’s not the only one who’s made mistakes,” she said quietly. “You’ve messed up too.” A pause. “You did lie to us.”

Silver flinched.

“Lydia – “

He reached up suddenly, covering her mouth with his hand – and froze.

Screaming filled his head. Lydia’s scream, sharp and panicked, echoed again and again as Eichen House flashed behind his eyes. White walls. Restraints. Blood.

“Silver,” Lydia said – inside his head, louder now. “Silver. Look at me.”

She pulled his hand away, heart racing. The hallway was silent. No screaming. No alarms.

Only Silver – staring through her.

She looked down and saw his eye mark burning red, the skin sizzling faintly. Smoke curled from his palm. Her breath caught as she lifted her gaze and saw his left eye beginning to glow, red and smokey.

“Silver,” Lydia said again, out loud this time. Firmer. Anchoring. “Silver. You’re here.”

Scott and Ren both noticed then and moved toward them.

“Everything okay?” Scott asked carefully.

Silver sucked in a sharp, stuttering breath as the trance broke. He blinked rapidly, disoriented, staring at Lydia first – then Ren, then Scott. “I – what – “

He pushed himself to his feet too quickly, swaying for a second.

Lydia stood with him immediately, steadying him. “He’s fine,” she said, even as worry flickered across her face. “He just needs a second.”

Ren crossed his arms, frustration simmering beneath concern. “This plan is still stupid,” he said to Scott. “We don’t even know if it’s going to work.” Ren scuffed his feet walking away.

“Ren – ” Scott started.

“Let me talk to him,” Silver said quickly. “Okay? He’s just worried.”

Scott hesitated, then nodded, taking a step back, forcing himself to breathe.

Silver joined Lydia and Ren, the three of them huddled close.

“This plan is reckless,” Ren said. “We’re gambling on guesswork.”

Silver met his gaze. “Do you have another plan,” he asked evenly, “or do you just want to complain about Scott’s?”

Lydia stepped between them instantly. “Okay. Stop. Both of you.”

Ren’s jaw tightened. “There is another option,” he said carefully. “We could see Michael.”

The name dropped between them like a match to gasoline.

Silver went still, like the air had been pulled from his lungs.

“No,” he said immediately. “No. We’re not doing that.”

“Silver – ” Ren started.

Lydia moved closer at once, sensing the shift, her hand hovering near Silver’s arm.

“I’m just saying he knows things we don’t,” Ren pressed.

“And he takes things,” Silver snapped. “You know that.”

Ren opened his mouth to argue, but Silver cut him off.

“Why are you being so hypocritical?,” Silver asked, his voice tight but steady. “You told me to cut him off,” Silver went on. Lydia’s eyes flicked between them, sharp and alert. “And I saw no pushback when I said I was gonna do it.”

“And now you’re bringing him up like he’s a backup plan?” Silver asked. Ren swallowed, jaw flexing. “That was different.”

“How?” Silver demanded. “Because now you’re desperate?”

Silence stretched between them until Ren looked away first.

Lydia stepped in, firm but calm. “Enough. This isn’t helping.”

Silver’s voice dropped, the sharp edge fading into something raw. “I’m not your enemy,” he said quietly.

Ren’s head snapped back up.

“I’m not the thing you sacrifice when you’re scared,” Silver went on. “I’m not a last resort you throw into the fire when you don’t know what else to do.”

Ren’s eyes hardened. “Does Scott know that?”

“Ren!” Lydia snapped.

Silver shook his head, hurt flashing across his face. “Forget it.” He turned away, running a hand through his hair. “This isn’t helping.”

Across the locker room, Liam and Hayden sat on the floor with their backs against the lockers. Hayden was half-asleep, her head resting on Liam’s shoulder, her breathing slow but uneven. The hallway around them was quiet in that particular way that never really meant safe – too still, too expectant.

Liam’s eyes kept drifting, scanning without him meaning to, until they landed on Scott’s duffel bag a few feet away.

Careful not to wake Hayden, he gently shifted her weight and stood. He crossed the hall and unzipped the bag. The soft rattle of metal shattered the silence.

Chains.

Scott, Silver, Ren, and Lydia all looked up at once.

Liam lifted them slowly, letting them clink together in his hands as he turned toward Scott. “What were you going to do with these?” he asked.

Scott hesitated, then shrugged, like that made it easier. “I brought them just in case.”

“In case of what?” Liam pressed.

“In case we had a chance to catch one of them,” Lydia said before Scott could answer.

Liam stared at her, stunned. “Catch one of them?”

“If we can’t make the school a fortress,” Scott said quietly, stepping closer, “then maybe we can make it a trap.”

Liam’s jaw tightened. He glanced back at Hayden. “They’re coming for her,” he said. “Doesn’t that mean she’s the bait?”

Silver exhaled and stood, running a hand through his hair. “Liam, we brought her here to protect her.”

Liam dropped the chains back into the bag harder than necessary. “And now she’s bait.”

That was when Hayden stirred.

She pushed herself upright slowly, blinking as she took in their faces. “Am I?” she asked softly.

“No,” Scott said immediately. “No one’s bait.”

But the words didn’t hold.

“We can’t be bodyguards for everyone,” Scott continued, frustration bleeding through despite himself. “Not every night. Not like this.”

Liam shook his head. “Then why aren’t we calling Silver’s dad? Or the sheriff? Why are we hiding in a school instead of actually doing something?”

“Because we don’t know anything,” Scott shot back. “Not who they are. Not what they want. They’re winning – and we don’t even know what the game is.”

Liam stepped closer, gesturing sharply at the jammer nearby. “And what if that thing doesn’t work? What if they get in anyway?” His voice wavered. “What if you have another asthma attack?”

Scott went still.

“Then what?” Liam demanded.

Scott swallowed. “…I don’t know.”

“What if it’s Silver next?” Liam said, the words spilling out now. The room seemed to tighten around them.

Silver froze.

Scott’s face hardened. “That’s not fair.”

“Isn’t it?” Liam snapped.

“This plan sucks!” Liam yelled.

“Second that.” Ren muttered..

Scott’s head snapped up. “You got a better one?” he fired back. “Kids are dying. She’s next. Somebody has to do something. Somebody has to save everyone – “

“And that means someone has to be bait?” Liam shot back.

Silver stepped between them before it could go any further, his voice tight but controlled. “Enough. Yelling isn’t fixing this.”

The silence that followed was heavy, pressing in from all sides. Hayden’s breathing was the only sound.

Liam looked at Scott then, eyes bright with fear. “Scott,” he said quietly. “Promise me you’ll do everything you can to save her.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “Promise.”

Scott didn’t hesitate this time. He nodded. “I’ll do everything I can,” he said. “I promise.”

“Guys,” Hayden said softly.

They all turned to her as she dug through her bag, panic creeping into her expression. “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’ll get them,” Scott cut in immediately. “What’s your combination?”

A few seconds later, Scott, Lydia and Silver slipped out into the hallway.

“Hurry,” Silver said under his breath. “We’ll keep watch. Be careful.”

Scott nodded, leaned in, and pressed a quick kiss to Silver’s cheek before turning and heading down the hall alone, his footsteps fading fast.

Lydia and Silver lingered near the corner, the silence stretching thin.

Then – something echoed down the hallway. A soft sound. Too deliberate to be nothing.

Lydia stiffened. “What was that?”

Silver took a step forward. “Scott?” he called. No answer.

“Stay here,” Silver said, already moving.

Lydia’s eyes widened. “What?” she hissed, grabbing his arm and pulling him back. “What if it’s the Dread Doctors?”

Silver hesitated, jaw tightening, then nodded once. “That’s what I need to figure out.” He squeezed her hand briefly. “If you see something – anything – scream.”

Lydia sighed, fear flashing across her face, but she nodded and let him go.

Silver followed the sound of footsteps down the hall, every instinct screaming that something was wrong. The lockers stretched on endlessly, fluorescent lights buzzing overhead.

“Scott?” he called again.

No answer.

He slowed near the lockers, fingers brushing the cold metal as he turned the corner –

– and everything shifted.

The air thickened. His throat seized, breath catching hard in his chest. Silver staggered back, hand slamming flat against the locker to steady himself.

The metal burned.

Silver’s eyes widened as a metallic sheen spread beneath his palm. The surface of the locker rippled, like liquid trapped under steel, silver-mercury veins bleeding outward from where he touched it.

“No – ” he whispered.

His mark flared violently, heat crawling up his arm.

Mercury and blood spilled from his mouth as he doubled over, choking on it. The metallic scent hit the air instantly – sharp, electric, wrong – burning his throat as it splashed against the floor.

Silver froze.

Footsteps echoed.

Three figures emerged through the distortion – tall, masked, unreal. The Dread Doctors watched him.

One tilted its head.

Another stepped closer.

Silver tried to move. His body wouldn’t respond. Panic slammed into him full force, breath hitching, heart pounding so hard it hurt.

“I – I’m not – ” His voice wouldn’t work.

A gloved hand grabbed his wrist.

The injector slid into view, already filled with shimmering silver fluid.

“No – please – ” Silver gasped, terror breaking through as his body betrayed him.

The needle plunged into his arm.

Fire exploded through his veins.

Silver screamed – but no sound came out. The mercury surged, racing beneath his skin, burning into the mark like it was being activated rather than added.

The Dread Doctor leaned close, mask inches from Silver’s face.

Studying.
Then they let go.

They walked past him as if he no longer existed.

The hallway snapped back into place.

Silver collapsed to his knees, gasping, clutching his arm. The mercury vanished from the floor, from the locker – but his hand was still shaking, skin faintly glowing where the mark had flared.

“Silver!”

Hands grabbed his shoulders.

The world solidified.

Mason knelt in front of him, eyes wide with panic. “Hey – hey – look at me. You’re okay. You’re here.”

Silver sucked in a ragged breath, vision blurring. “They – ” he choked. “They were here.”

Mason shook his head. “There’s no one here.” Silver looked down at his arm.

The mark still smoldered.

Silver sucked in a shaky breath and nodded weakly as Mason helped him to his feet. “I – I need to find Scott,” he said, urgency flooding back in.

They didn’t waste another second.

They found Scott in the biology classroom.

He was standing rigid, hands clutching his throat, eyes unfocused – choking on something that wasn’t there.

“Scott!” Silver shouted.

His gaze snapped around the room, landing on a scalpel resting on a tray.

He didn’t hesitate.

Silver grabbed it and dragged the blade down Scott’s palm.

Scott screamed, the pain sharp and real enough to shatter the trance. He staggered back, gasping, clutching his hand.

“Sorry – sorry!” Silver blurted, dropping the scalpel. “That was the first thing I thought of!”

Scott blinked, disoriented, then took in Mason standing behind Silver. “What – what are you doing here?”

“I found another chimera,” Mason said quickly. “His name’s Corey.”

Silver’s eyes widened. “Wait…”

Scott’s expression shifted as realization hit them both at the same time.

“Where are Liam and Hayden?” Scott asked.

They ran.

Minutes later, Scott, Silver, and Mason burst back into the locker room – only to find Malia , Ren and Lydia standing there, tense and pale.

Lydia looked up at them, fear etched into her face.

“They’re gone,” she said. “Hayden and Liam are gone.”

The room fell silent.