Gerard's evil smile grew wider across his weathered face. He paced slowly before the chained forms of Isaac and Boyd, his voice carrying through the warehouse with theatrical disdain.
"Six years ago, Derek, you should have died with the rest of your filthy family. But my incompetent daughter, Kate, failed to finish the job." He stopped pacing, fixing Derek with a cold stare. "But I am not Kate. I don't make mistakes. And I don't leave loose ends."
Derek's eyes burned red. "Let them go, Gerard. They are just innocent kids. This is between us."
"Oh, this is between us alright." Gerard's voice dropped to a venomous whisper. "But I'm not letting them go. Not until you're dead."
He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
The six Argent hunters raised their rifles and opened fire.
The warehouse erupted in gunfire.
Derek and Peter moved with supernatural speed, weaving between bullets, closing the distance toward the hunters. Tracy stumbled back in panic, but Scott was already there—shielding her with his body, guiding her behind a thick metal support beam.
Bullets struck Scott's back, his arms, his legs. He felt pain, but the bullets didn't penetrate his skin. The Hulk serum had done its work.
Tracy stared, wide-eyed. "You're… you're not even bleeding."
Scott gave her a tight smile, focused on keeping her safe.
Meanwhile, Derek and Peter tore through the hunters. Claws and fangs met flesh and bone. Within minutes, four of them lay dead or dying on the warehouse floor.
Only two hunters remained and walked back to stand near Gerard, their weapons raised but their hands trembling. And behind them, the two Zima hunters watched—unmoving, unimpressed, their arms crossed over their chests.
---
Above them, hidden in the shadows of the second floor, Jacob's eyes narrowed. He turned his gaze toward the warehouse walls—not seeing through them, but feeling what lay beyond.
Allison noticed his shift in focus. "What's wrong?"
"There are people surrounding the warehouse," Jacob said quietly. "I don't know if they're with Gerard or not, but from the energy radiating off them… they're Bogatyrs."
Chris asked, "The rest of the Zima family?"
Jacob nodded, a slow, dangerous smile curving his lips. "Yes. This is going to be fun."
---
Below, Gerard glanced at the two Zima hunters behind him with barely concealed irritation. "I didn't bring you here to watch."
The larger of the two snorted, unimpressed. But they stepped forward anyway, drawing their swords. White energy flared along the blades, humming with power.
Derek's eyes widened. Recognition hit him like a punch to the gut. "Peter! Be careful! Those are Bogatyrs!"
Peter's smug expression evaporated. "What?!" He glared at Derek. "I knew I shouldn't have come here! We're all going to die!"
"Shut up and fight!"
The Bogatyrs attacked.
They moved with brutal efficiency, their energy-coated swords leaving trails of white light. Derek dodged the first strike, but the second caught him across the ribs—a deep, burning gash that smoked as it tried to heal.
Peter fared worse. He wasn't as fast as Derek, and the Bogatyr he faced was as strong as him. Peter's claws scraped uselessly against the hunter's energy shield. In desperation, he dove for the assault rifles dropped by the dead hunters, rolling and firing in one motion. The bullets forced the Bogatyr back, buying precious seconds.
After fighting for a while, Derek, bleeding from half a dozen wounds, finally saw an opening. He feinted left, then lunged right, driving his claws through his opponent's throat.
The Bogatyr gurgled, dropped his sword, and covered his throat and distanced himself from Derek, trying to buy time to heal. But how could Derek let him heal? He closed the distance between them and drove his claws into the Bogatyr's chest, piercing his heart and killing him.
But Derek wasn't doing too well either. The wounds from the energy blade were too deep—his healing was struggling to keep up.
Peter was losing. His opponent pressed forward, sword swinging, energy shield raised. Peter fired wildly, backing away, but the hunter kept coming.
---
Gerard saw his moment.
He raised a pistol—loaded with wolfsbane rounds—and fired.
The bullet tore into Derek's leg. He roared, collapsing to the ground as the wound blackened and burned. He tore his pants and looked at it, watching as the injury refused to heal. Black veins began spreading slowly from the wound, the poison creeping through his flesh.
"Damn it," he snarled. "The old bastard used Nordic Blue Monkshood."
Gerard smirked triumphantly.
Derek, still on the ground, snarled and tried to push himself up.
Gerard aimed the pistol at Boyd. His voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "Stop. Or I'll blow his head off."
Derek froze.
Peter, still fighting, shouted, "Derek, don't listen to him!"
Derek ignored him, eyes locked on Gerard. "What do you want?"
"Let my men tie you up."
"Not happening."
Without a word, Gerard fired a normal bullet from his gun.
Boyd screamed as a bullet tore into his stomach.
Derek's eyes went wide. "Stop!"
Gerard fired again. Isaac convulsed, a second bullet punching into his abdomen.
Derek's hands clenched into fists. "Okay! Stop! Stop! I'll do it!"
Peter's voice rose above the gunfire as he continued firing at the Bogatyr. "Derek, don't! They're not worth it!"
But Derek was already surrendering. "Release them, and I'll let you tie me."
Gerard chuckled—a low, evil sound. "You don't seem to understand the situation." He shot Boyd in the leg. Boyd howled in agony. "You either do as I say, or I kill them. Simple as that."
Derek's shoulders sagged. Defeat burned in his eyes.
---
Above, Allison gripped Jacob's arm. "Jay, we should help them."
Jacob's expression was calm, almost detached. "Not yet."
"What are we waiting for?"
He glanced at Chris and Victoria, who watched in grim silence. "I want Chris to see exactly what kind of man his father is."
Chris and Victoria didn't respond. Their eyes remained fixed on the scene below.
---
Derek's voice was hollow with defeat. "Fine. You can tie me."
Gerard nodded to the two hunters beside him. They approached Derek cautiously, one of them holding a rope laced with wolfsbane. Just as he reached for Derek's wrists, Derek's hand shot out and clamped around the hunter's throat.
The other hunter stumbled back toward Gerard.
Derek's eyes blazed red. "Release them, or I'll kill him."
Gerard's face twisted with rage. "Useless trash." He raised his pistol and shot the captured hunter in the head. The man died in Derek's hands. Gerard immediately aimed at Isaac. "You made your choice, Derek."
Derek's defiance crumbled. He released the corpse, hands rising. "Wait! Wait, I won't struggle again."
Gerard glanced at the remaining hunter—the one who'd retreated—and sneered. "Well? Go on. Tie him up. I can't do it myself. I only have one hand."
The hunter didn't move. He stared at the body of the man Gerard had just killed, his face pale with shock and growing fury. "Why… why did you kill him?"
"He was a liability."
The hunter's voice cracked. "He is my brother."
Gerard corrected flatly, "You mean to say he was your brother."
The hunter blinked. "Huh?"
Gerard sighed, utterly indifferent. "Oh, well." He raised his pistol and shot the man between the eyes.
Gerard then raised his voice, addressing the shadows where Scott and Tracy hid. "You two! Come out, or I'll shoot your friends."
Scott's jaw tightened. He whispered to Tracy, "Stay here." Then he stepped out, walking toward Derek.
As he moved, Peter scrambled past him, diving for cover. The Bogatyr who'd been fighting Peter pursued—and swung his energy-coated sword at Scott.
Scott didn't even flinch. He sidestepped casually, then drove his fist into the Bogatyr's chest. The hunter flew backward, slammed into a wall, and collapsed with broken ribs, vomiting blood.
Gerard's eyes flickered with surprise, but he recovered quickly. He pointed at the wolfsbane-laced rope near Derek. "Tie him. Now."
Scott glanced at the gun aimed at Isaac, weighing the distance. 'Could I move fast enough to save Isaac?'
Derek said, "Scott, do it."
Scott picked up the rope and bound Derek's hands. The rope burned Derek's skin, but no one noticed that the rope had no effect on Scott.
"His legs too," Gerard ordered.
Scott obeyed. When he finished, Gerard gestured with the gun. "Now back away."
Scott stepped back, positioning himself between Gerard and Tracy's location.
Gerard walked to Derek, gun pressed against his temple. He leaned close, his voice a triumphant whisper. "Now. Give me the bite."
Derek's eyes widened in shock.
---
Above, Allison gasped softly. "That's what he really wants? But… he told Kate to kill herself after he learned she was a shapeshifter. Why go through all this to get the bite himself?"
Chris exhaled heavily, understanding dawning. "I understand the real reason he came to Beacon Hills now. He wants to cure his cancer by becoming a shapeshifter. The bite is his only hope."
Victoria's voice was cold. "I knew he was extreme, but I never thought he'd stoop this low. Becoming the very thing he's hunted his whole life."
Jacob's smirk returned. "I told you. That old man is evil. He killed his own people in cold blood, ordered his daughter to kill herself when he found out what she'd become, and now he wants to join the monsters he despises to extend his life." He paused, eyes gleaming. "But he's not surviving tonight."
Chris turned to him. "Just don't let Cogman have him. Kill him yourself. Make it quick. And burn the body."
Jacob raised a brow. "What?" He shook his head. "No, no. You got it all wrong. It's not me who's going to kill him." He gestured vaguely toward the warehouse walls. "Did you forget? The Zima family is waiting outside. They hate supernatural creatures. And Gerard is about to become one."
Chris frowned. "Oh, I forgot about them."
"If I'm right, Gerard probably has a plan to deal with the Zima family—even if he doesn't know yet that they're outside. At the very least, he would've made a plan to get rid of the two Bogatyrs he brought with him." Jacob smiled, clearly enjoying the show. "Let's just keep watching."
---
Below, Gerard pressed the gun harder against Derek's temple. "Hurry up. We don't have all night." Then he turned and fired a shot into Boyd's leg.
Boyd screamed.
Derek snarled, but Gerard just aimed the gun back at his head.
Peter hissed from behind Scott, "Derek, don't."
Derek's eyes closed. When they opened, his fangs had extended, then he bit down hard on Gerard's leg.
Gerard roared in pain as Derek's jaws clamped down, before shaking his head and throwing the old man aside. "Scott! Help me!"
Scott was already moving. He sliced through the ropes binding Derek with his claws. Then, together with Tracy and Peter, they rushed to Isaac and Boyd, cutting them free and dragging them to relative safety.
Gerard lay on the ground, clutching his leg, but his face split into a manic grin.
---
Above, a translucent screen materialized before Jacob's eyes.
[You have witnessed Gerard Argent receive the Bite. You may now sign in, Host.]
Jacob smiled. 'Great. But keep it for later, System. Right now, I want to watch the fun.'
---
Gerard pushed himself up, ignoring Derek and his pack completely. He stared at the bleeding bite mark on his leg, then threw his head back and laughed—a triumphant, insane sound.
"Finally," he breathed. "Finally!"
Derek's eyes burned with fury. "Now you have no bargaining chips. Are you ready to die, old man?"
Gerard's laughter didn't stop. It faded into a cruel, knowing smile. "Do you really think I came here without a plan to leave?"
Before Derek could respond, movement drew everyone's attention.
The Zima hunter—the one Scott had sent flying into the wall—pushed himself to his feet. His broken ribs had already healed, though blood still stained his lips. He walked toward Gerard, his expression cold and deadly.
"So," the Bogatyr said, his voice thick with contempt, "becoming a monster was your plan all along. Sir Stanisław warned us about you. He said you were an evil, cunning old bastard who couldn't be trusted."
Gerard watched him approach, his hand sliding subtly behind his back toward a gun tucked into his waistband.
The Bogatyr stopped a few feet away. "You know what I have to do now, don't you, Gerard?"
Gerard nodded slowly, his expression almost sorrowful. "I know. You have to kill me. But I hope you can understand what I have to do."
The Bogatyr's eyes narrowed, suspicion flaring—but it was too late.
Gerard's hand snapped forward, gun raised, and fired.
The Bogatyr tried to dodge, but he couldn't. The bullet tore into his shoulder. He stumbled back, gasping, as black veins began spreading rapidly from the wound. He clutched the injury, his face contorting in agony.
"Rusted bullet," he choked out, glaring at Gerard with pure hatred.
Gerard walked toward him, gun still aimed. "Yes."
The Bogatyr's lips curled into a bloody smile. "Even if you kill me… you won't live past tonight."
Gerard didn't waste words. He pressed the gun to the Bogatyr's temple and fired. Another rusted bullet. The hunter crumpled, dead before he hit the ground.
---
Peter watched the exchange with growing unease. He took a step back toward the exit. "I think we should leave. Now. Gerard doesn't look like he's the one at a disadvantage here."
Scott shook his head, his eyes fixed on the warehouse walls. "We can't leave."
Tracy frowned. "Why not?"
Derek's voice was grim. "Listen."
They fell silent.
And then they heard it—multiple heartbeats, the soft shuffle of feet, the whisper of movement just beyond the walls.
Derek's eyes widened. "There are people outside. We are surrounded."
To be continued… 😊
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