Gasoline • Martin.

13

Guided by one of the paramedics to the morgue, Nathaniel was with his father and his sister looking at the bodies of two recently killed people. Nate was the last to enter, closing the door behind him. He walked to stand besides one of the bodies and waited for his father to start.

"This one, Sean," Chris said looking at the name tag attached to his foot. "Sean was killed by this thing Gerard said is a kind of shapeshifter. It hasn't been around of centuries." Nate knew this conversation was more for Allison than for him, but he still payed attention, he just didn't pipe in.

"The thing you shot outside the club the other night," Allison said. "South American legend we know of calls it the kanima." Chris analyzed his daughters face and expression. She was calmed on the outside, but Chris knew her enough to know she was nervous.

"This one, Jessica. She was smothered to death after giving birth. The police think it was done by someone else. We think it's a person who's controlling this other shapeshifter. That means two killers, Allison. One human, one not."

Chris gave his son a look, one which Nate understood perfectly. Nate moved from his spot behind Allison to face her. "You know, the question I had after Gerard and dad told me about our family- Why us? They quoted me Winston Churchill. The price of greatness is responsibility. Personally, I think it's more about knowledge."

Chris decided to take back control of the conversation and continue the speech. "But we know the truth. We know about the world. That makes us responsible for a young couple, their newborn daughter, anyone that doesn't have the power to defend themselves. Are you starting to get it?"

Chris voice and demeanor was so challenging and authoritarian that even Nate felt the objective of the conversation, even when he had similar ones many times before. Nate's hazel eyes travelled to his sister to see how she was going to react to the talk.

"I get that this isn't a lecture. It's an interrogation." Nate smirked, glad that his sister was quick to understand the message. "That depends on what you know. Gerard showed me the library. Cameras didn't catch everything, but do you really think a little high school fight can explain that amount of damage?"

At the mention of the videos, Nate gulped. He was already scolded by being horrible at his one job, but it still brought awful thought. It brings back the words Gerard always repeats after Nate does something wrong. You're disappointing James. He knew he was; he didn't need his grandfather always reminding him.

"We know you're trying to protect your friends, but people are dying. A child was orphaned. What you know makes you responsible. It makes you responsible for this." Chris uncovered the bodies, Allison turning around, not bearing the sight.

"What do you want me to tell you?" Her voice was so low, almost like a whisper. "Anything you know. Anything that can lead us to the one question that might mean everything." Allison started to breath heavily, getting a bit closed off by her father firing question after question to her.

"Who controls the kanima?"

•••

Missing school was Nate's favorite thing that day. Staying home to plan how their next mission was going to go was perfect for Nate. He hated school with a passion, and he loved hunting, so combine no school and a hunt, he was in paradise.

The hunters were in the basement of the Argent household; Chris, Nate and Gerard controlling the meeting, with Allison seating on the stairs and the other hunters dispersed inside the room. "All right. The party's in a warehouse just inside the industrial sector. Allison learned that Jackson Whittemore will be there seeking his next target out of the crowd."

"Since we still have little clue as to just how strong he is, we need to be extremely cautious. When Allison has Jackson's location and has determined him to be at the optimal point where we can take him down, she'll signal me."

Chris turns to look at his daughter before speaking. "Optimal meaning as far away from the crowd as possible. There will be no collateral damage tonight." Chris signaled Allison to go back upstairs and go.

When the brunette was out of earshot, Gerard directed his attention to his son. "As willing a participant as she seems, your young protegee there also appears to be under the impression that we are planning a trap."

Chris snaps the magazine of his gun into place and looks at his father. "I think she doesn't need to know any more than that." Nate received a gun from his father, placing it on the back of his pants before going to his quiver and analyze his arrows and see that they were in place.

"For the rest of us then, let's be perfectly clear. You don't trap a creature this dangerous. You kill it."

They got into two cars, Nate riding with his father and grandfather. The ride there wasn't very long, and sooner than he thought, he was getting out of the vehicle and strapping his quiver on his back, and cocking his gun.

"Careful, gentlemen. Something wicked this way comes."

They split in groups, Nate hanging with his dad and another group of hunters. They walked to one of the alleys, both Argent leading the group. In front of them, two shadows appeared before the people made themselves known. It was Derek Hale and Vernon Boyd.

"Derek," Chris said. "Back off."

The werewolf frowned, looking back as his beta and back at the hunters again. "Back off? That-That's really all you've got? I got to be honest, Chris. I was really expecting more from the, uh, big, bad veteran werewolf hunter."

Chris scoffed, a small, silent chuckle leaving his lips. "Okay, then. How about didn't anyone ever tell you not to bring claws to a gunfight?" In cue, all hunters, including Nate, cocked their guns and aimed them at the two werewolves.

"Yeah, that one sounded pretty good," the beta stated. Derek was not fazed by the hunter's actions, but he was certainly disappointed by his beta's words.

Bullets were fired, and Chris pulled his son behind one pillar, to cover him, while the other hunters were firing in the front. Nate looked round the column, firing at any odd movement he saw. Not wanting to waste too many bullets, he discarded his gun to his waistband and pulled his bow and an arrow from his quiver.

He loaded the arrow and aimed, having trouble finding Derek and Boyd, the two werewolves hiding behind a dumpster. "Shoot them!" A yell from her father startled him but Nate focused back on the moving targets. "I can't, not if I don't want to hurt one of our own."

"Nathaniel, shoot!"

Nate took a deep breath and focused his eyes on Vernon Boyd. He exhaled and let the arrow soar through the air. It found his target on the werewolf's shoulder, the teen screaming in pain. Nate smiles in accomplishment before winking at his dad.

"Good job, son."