Chapter 16
John bit back the groan that wanted to escape as he slowly came to consciousness, trying to get his bearings without opening his eyes.
His head throbbed, flexing his muscles, nothing felt broken.
He listened to the whistling wind, but no one seemed to be with him.
Opening his eyes, he blinked slowly, everything taking its time to come into focus.
He had been right, the room was empty and obviously some form of underground cellar with huge roots poking through the earth.
He groaned, flexing the ropes, quickly realizing there was no escaping his bonds. He needed out of here as soon as possible. There was no knowing how long it would be before the Darach returned to sacrifice him.
Looking down he sighed in relief when he noticed his dog tags were still around his neck.
Lifting his shoulders he tucked his head hooking the chain with the edge of his tongue, walking it slowly towards his mouth, grunting lightly until he finally had his tag into his mouth.
Taking a deep breath he crunched down hard on the tag, feeling it crack between his teeth and finally let it drop with a sigh of relief.
Now he just needed to wait for the cavalry to arrive.
He only hoped they arrived in time.
~*~
Chris and Allison arrived at Derek’s loft soaked from the hurricane that was building, arms laden with bags of weapons, letting them drop loudly against the table where everyone was assembled. Chris quickly starting to take everything out and describing it. “This jar is Wolfsbane oil and this oil is Mistletoe. Dip your blades and arrows into this and it should give you a slight edge should you be forced into combat with the Darach or the alpha pack.”
Handing clips to everyone who used guns he continued. “Those are wolfsbane bullets. They will work against wolves, don’t waste them on the Darach.”
Pulling out the final box he sighed. “This is all the mistletoe bullets I could make in such a short amount of time as well as the mountain ash and Mistletoe powder you should need Stiles. We should decide what our action plan is with those bullets. Do we divide them between us or do only two or three people get full clips?”
Natasha looked everyone over before speaking. “The best shots out of all of us are Stiles, Phil and myself. So how about we all get a clip and you have one as well, Chris. Allison and Clint will back us up with arrows”
The pack all looked at each other in shock when the first person mentioned as being the best shot was Stiles and Natasha smirked. “Oh I forgot, you guys like to underestimate the little human.”
She ruffled his hair, much to Stiles grumbling. “The only reason I beat him at target practice was because I cheated. Kid could take most of you out in hand to hand as well, I bet.”
Tony beamed at Stiles proudly, as if it was his doing and offered his fist to Stiles who rolled his eyes and fist bumped Tony’s armor covered fist, wondering what his life was that he was fist bumping Iron man, while surrounded by both the avengers and werewolves and hunters.
Derek raised a brow at Stiles who just shrugged. “I’ve been training with a super soldier and a super spy and my Uncle, who is head of SHIELD no less, has been teaching me to shoot since I was a kid. It’s not my fault you always saw me as weak and pathetic.”
Derek scoffed, voice softening. “I never thought you were pathetic Stiles.”
Steve stiffened next to Stiles before stepping forward and breaking up the conversation, Derek eyeing him with confusion before taking a breath and fighting a smirk.
Caps voice was all business when he spoke. “The Shield team stays behind on the bus for backup and to have the Bus ready should we need an emergency escape. The wolves do what the wolves do best. Tony can fly over and see he can register anything odd on his scanner. We should be split up into two teams, Thor with one group, the other with me. Banner, try not to let the big guy out unless needed.”
Stiles kept focus on Steve as he spoke, his voice keeping him centered.
Derek’s phone rang and he answered with barely a grunt.
Stiles watched as he became more and more worried until he finally breathed out one word. “Mistletoe.”
Stiles marched forward wrenching the phone from Derek’s hands and pressing speaker. “Talk to me.”
The voice purred over the phone. “Well, well. Stiles, if it isn’t a surprise. Though I understand you’re a smart cookie, I doubt you’ll be able to solve our dilemma.”
Stiles snorted. “Yeah yeah, zombiewolf, I missed you too. Now shut up and tell my team what’s going on so we can help out. Thor has knowledge of the Darach, he might be able to help.”
Peter became all business immediately. “Everyone else has been evacuated but Cora. We are sitting ducks and the Alpha pack could get here anytime. She’s getting worse. She’s vomiting this black substance mixed with Mistletoe.”
Scott jumped to his feet. “My mom is there, we need to get to the hospital!”
Thor hummed, rising to his feet. “She has poisoned the girl. I have something that can counteract it but we must make haste. If she is expelling Mistletoe we may already be too late.”
Everyone rose to their feet ready to pack up and move when a beeping sound stopped Stiles in his tracks. He frowned at his uncle as he fished out his cellphone. “What the hell is that sound?”
His Uncle smiled triumphantly. “That’s John. He broke his SHIELD tracker. Every former SHIELD agent is given a set of dog tags. Should they get taken they just need to bite down on it to activate the tracker. That means he’s alive.”
Stiles eyes widened a mix of hope and shock blooming in his chest as Phil gave out orders. “Alright, we need to split up. Steve, Thor, Natasha and Clint, you go with Derek and Scott to the hospital and get Cora and the others taken care of. If the Alpha pack arrives, you have clearance to wipe them out. If you come in contact with the Darach, same goes.”
He looked to Stiles and the others. “Stiles, Tony and Bruce you’re with me. Lydia, Allison, Isaac and Chris, you follow us. We’re getting my brother out of there.”
Steve stepped forward arguing. “Sir, I should be with you and Stiles. I want to help with the extraction.”
Stiles moved forward, placing his hand on Steve’s forearm. “Steve, if the Alpha pack shows up, they need the strongest people there to take them out. Go and protect Cora and Scott’s mom. We’ll get dad out of there and meet you all at the hospital. Uncle Phil, don’t think for one minute I’m going to forget you mentioning dad is a former SHIELD agent.”
Steve stared back at him, reluctant to leave before finally nodding and Phil just smiled, ignoring his comment like he once had about his own spy status.
Everyone dispersed quickly, aware of their orders and ready to follow them.
~*~
When Steve and the others arrived, thankfully the crowd had died down. As it was, there was a lot of gaping when people eyed Thor and Captain America walk in, in full armor. The power was out, the backup generators barely producing any light.
Even Peter’s eyes bulged in shock when they stormed Cora’s hospital room. “When the pack said Stiles had befriended the avengers, I wasn’t sure if I should believe them.”
Natasha smirked. “Yeah, well we appreciate him more than your pack did.”
Peter scoffed. “Please anyone would appreciate him more than they ever did. I told Derek that Stiles was an asset, I even offered him the bite when I was alpha, but he refused. He would have made a great wolf.”
Thor gave Peter a wide birth, obviously uncomfortable with the man and moved to Cora’s side, taking a vial out of his pocked. “This should cure her of her ailment but shall require time to take effect.”
Peter frowned. “We might not have that time. The Alpha pack could be here anytime.”
Scott ran into the room, looking slightly panicked “We need to find my mom, she wasn’t at the entrance and I can’t find her anywhere.”
Steve took Scott by the shoulder, squeezing gently. “Scott, look at me. We’re going to find your mother. I’ll start in the basement, Natasha and Clint, will start on the roof. Nat, while you’re up there, see if you can do something about the power, we can meet back here in the middle.”
Thor stepped forward. “I shall accompany Natasha and Clint to the roof and see if I cannot calm the raging winds.”
Steve nodded. “Everyone else, Stay here and protect Cora.”
~*~
There was no scream, no noise to tip him off, he just turned the corner and there was a nurse in blue scrubs being held down by this hideously deformed creature that could only be the Darach.
Steve let his shield fly and the creature flew backwards with a shriek and the nurse rose to her feet. “Get out of here, Scott is waiting for you in Cora’s room.”
She got behind Steve, reluctant to leave him alone with the Darach even though she was clearly petrified.
The creature rose from its prone position and slowly advanced on him, features smoothing into a beautiful, smirking woman. “Well, well. I lose one sacrifice and land the motherlode of all sacrifices. This really is my lucky day.”
~*~
Natasha was the first out onto the roof, moving to the electrical panel and yelling into the wind to be heard by Clint and Thor. “The wires have been cut! This was done on purpose!”
As if from the shadows, what could only be the Alpha pack materialized, a blind man flanked by two teenagers and a barefoot wild woman.
The blind man spoke, prim and proper English accent and manners apparent. “I do apologize for the inconvenience, but we needed the distraction to help us infiltrate the hospital. Our initial goal was to get to Scott McCalls mother. Unfortunately, the Darach has gotten to her first. It appears that you have come to aid the Hale pack. Maybe we can come to a mutual agreement. My name is Deucalion; this is Kali, Ethan and Aidan. “
Clint’s eyes widen in shock. “YOU are the leader of the alpha pack? I have to say I’m kind of disappointed.”
Natasha nodded in agreement. “I was thinking we would be up against some great behemoth of a man, not some weak blind guy.”
Thor nodded silently in agreement.
Deucalion twitched lightly, yet continued on, his voice barely managing to hide his annoyance. “I shall give you a word of advice that you should heed well. You should leave now with your loved ones before we are forced to become enemies.”
Clint, Natasha and Snort all snorted before Clint smirked. “ Trust me Duke, we have much better enemies than you.”
Natasha hummed in agreement and Thor crossed his hands over his chest, smirk on his face. "little man, perhaps YOU should leave before you become OUR enemy."
All amusement escaped Deucalion’s face at the comment, cold rage as he stepped forward, his words slowly gaining in volume. “Do you know who you are speaking with? I am the Alpha of Alphas. I am the apex of apex predators. I am death, destroyer of worlds. I am the Demon Wolf!”
His glasses shattered with the decibels of his final scream, thunder rumbling behind him.
Undeterred, Thor scoffed. “My nephew Fenrir would eat you and shit you out upon the bones of his enemies. You are naught more than a pup!"
Something in Deucalion snapped and he wolfed out, skin blackening into a gruesome wolf form with blood red eyes and Clint cocked an arrow into his bow immediately, Natasha aiming her gun in his direction, cocking it.
Everything happened all at once and was finished just as quickly.
Deucalion lunged forward and Clint let his arrow fly, Deucalion catching it in his claws. Distracted he did not dodge the wolfsbane bullet that hit him between the eyes.
Deucalion didn’t even hit the ground before Thor was on him, ripping his head from his shoulders.
At the sight of their downed Alpha, two things happened at once. The twins turned and ran and Kali screamed at the top of her lungs, wolfing out and lunging at Thor.
Just as quickly she was dispensed with, Thor easily stopping her from slashing at any vital points and Natasha slipping her knife that had been dipped in wolfsbane and mistletoe and easily sliding it against Kali’s throat. With a gurgle she slumped against Thor who just pushed her off before rising to his feet.
Clint sighed, whining lightly. “I thought they were going to be more of challenge than this!”
Natasha smiled leaning forward and kissing him lightly on the lips. “Next time we’ll get you something bigger and badder.”
Clint huffed and turned to the electric panel. “Let’s get this thing fixed.”
~*~
Tony flew up overhead and confirmed that they were clear as they quickly made their way to his dad’s location. “Everything looks good from up here; Get the puppy to see if he smells anything. I’m pretty sure I see a door hatch. Must be where he’s being kept.”
Isaac huffed grumbling that he was not a puppy before taking everything in. “I don’t smell anything. We should be alone. “
They carefully moved forward, finally reaching the door, Tony landing next to them.
Phil crouched listening before whispering. “Tony, Stiles, you’re with me. The rest of you, keep an eye out and alert us if you see anyone.”
It took everything he had not to rush down when the door was opened and they carefully made their way downstairs.
All bets were off when he saw his dad In the corner with dried blood encrusted on the side of his face.
He was at his side in a second, carefully cutting the roped off of him as his dad huffed a tired. “It’s nice to see you son, but we are going to have a lengthy talk about why you are wearing a SHIELD uniform. You too Phil, I told you not to get my son involved in any of this.”
Phil huffed, obviously relieved to have found his brother alive. “Your son is a weirdness magnet; it was only a matter of time before he got involved. Let’s get you out of here and back to the hospital. We need to meet up with everyone.
With Tony’s help they managed to get Stiles dad to the car and back to the hospital in no time.
Walking into Cora’s room, he frowned. Everyone else was there, Thor was a little bloody but looking fine, Cora was awake and other than looking a little pale, was looking much better, Peter was leering at him, in his shield uniform, while Derek growled at his uncle.
Stiles demanded answers, voice brooking no bullshit. “Where’s Steve?”
Everyone looked around blankly until a voice from behind him answered. “He saved me from the Darach, but she took him instead.”
Tony frowned. “"Why take Steve? I guess he IS a warrior.”
Melissa sat herself down, still shaking. “She said something about the ultimate sacrifice.”
Stiles frowned, his brain going a mile an hour trying to make sense of everything. “The Darach was looking for different kinds of sacrifices. Steve is definitely a warrior and a guardian. He’s also a Philosopher since he teaches art underprivileged kids in his spare time. He’s not a healer though.”
Natasha, Clint and Phil shifted nervously before Phil finally answered. “Steve is medically trained. He received training not long after he started working for the military so he could go into dangerous areas no one else could and help get men out.”
Tony snorted. “At least he’s not a virgin.”
Stiles froze, trying not to fidget as everyone’s eyes fell on him and Tony finally groaned. “Stiles... Don't tell me Steve is a virgin...”
Stiles remained silent, deciding that his Uncle’s methods might actually be a good technique for once.
Tony turned, clearly frustrated. “Dammit stiles! You should've sexed him up already!”
John stiffened, flaring at Tony. "My son is seventeen!"
Stiles cut off Tony’s rebuke, his nerves finally getting the better of him. "My sex life is not the issue here! Steve's LIFE is the issue! What the fuck is wrong with you people?!? We should be trying to find him!”
Tony huffed pulling out a cellphone as if from thin air and throwing it at him. “Don’t worry Stiles, I got you covered.”
Stiles looked at the map and the little dots blinking. All of them except for one were situated at the hospital. The other one was at the old abandoned distillery. “That dot is Steve?”
Tony nodded. “All the avengers have trackers implanted into them. They are only accessible to me or Phil. makes it easy when we are running an op.”
Stiles made his way to the door, not waiting one more second. “Well, what are we waiting for then? Let’s get Steve back and tear that bitch into pieces.”