XxXxX –Elena's P.O.V. – XxXxX

Stefan led me through the crowd of people. Bright flashes of cameras went off every second for it was rare they saw me during these dangerous times.

We hurried up the stairs and he opened the door then closed it behind him when we were inside.

The first thing that we saw as I stepped into the room was Alaric and a woman who I recognized as Quella.

Alaric stared at me and Quella stirred her martini with the olive.

"Chief." I said wanting to be done with the lecture I knew was to come.

"Queen Elena." Alaric paused, studied Stefan and looked back at me. "Dirtying yourself in the field tonight?"

"Watch it Hunter." snapped Stefan.

"Don't you are your boys have somewhere to be?" I asked nodding at the two men behind Alaric.

"I must've missed your call for a proper police escort, so I took the initiative to meet you here myself." Alaric folded his arms over his chest and waited for a reply.

"I didn't call you." I said simply.

"Yeah." said Stefan growing angrier by the moment. "She's got me."

Alaric shook his head and chuckled. "Careful Queen, people might get it in their head that you're used to running off with the wrong crowd." he said letting his gaze drift over to Stefan.

Stefan walked up to Alaric and stared at him angrily.

"So sorry for the circus outside." said Quella looking at me with triumph plastered on her face. "Someone must have leaked the information about your visit."

My ass.

She continued with a sigh, "Breaks my heart. Especially when a Queen can't trust her own court."

I've had about enough of her bitching.

"You've been drinking an awful lot of those ever since we took over your state." I said looking at the martini with mocking eyes. I turned to face Alaric. "Captain. Some of us have cities to run." I smiled at him and he stared back.

"Sage will see you in. But he stays here." he looked at Stefan and shooed him to a chair.

"Come." said Sage from the doorway across the room.

XxXxX- Damon's P.O.V. –XxXxX

I paid the taxi driver and walked out onto the sidewalk. I had the pills in a case so that the delivery would be smoother.

I walked into a bar and ordered a table. I poured myself a shot of liquor and felt it burn down my throat.

"Mr. Damon sir! I was afraid you weren't going to make it!"

Margaret, Elena's little sister who had just turned twenty two, bounded up to me.

"You, uh, look very spirited tonight." I answered.

"I finally got enough money to pay for one of the orphan's surgery!"

I smiled. The girl had a good heart. She was still so innocent. And in this day and age innocence could kill you. But still, it was something you needed.

"Take this to your boss…ok?"

I handed Margaret the briefcase and she took it with a smile. She tried to see what was inside but before she could open the latch I told her to stop.

"Don't go peeking. The world will get you soon enough… no need to hurry it along alright?"

She nodded and walked off with a bounce.

I shook my head and took another shot. I then looked around and when no one was watching I slipped into the back room.

The music blasted from down the corridor and I followed the sound. It led me to a dog fighting arena.

People shouted and screamed as the two dogs ripped each other's fur and skin off. Some people threw coins at the dogs which made them even more insane.

A picture of Katherine hung on the wall. This was-or used to be- her territory. And the two horned creatures that Mutt had were on each side as if protecting the portrait like a person.

I walked over to where Mutt sat. He had bandages over his nose and one eye. He took a mouthful of cheep beer then turned towards me.

He tapped his watch and said "Took you long enough."

"Sorry to hear about your boss."

Mutt laughed then looked at the picture of Katherine. "Yeah. You're the only one." He put his beer bottle on the floor and looked back at me. "You know they found his insides just like the others. The police. They come in and they found a jack-in-the-box on the desk. And when they turned the handle…boom!... intestines everywhere." he laughed little more then abruptly stopped.

"Who you got tonight?" I asked looking at the dogs.

"Ugh. The crowds go this Pit."

"Who you got tonight?"

Mutt smiled and pointed to the corner. "You see that Rottweiler? Lost something close to it. Now it's looking for any fucker that gets close to it to kill." Mutt laughed more rubbing his hands. "I got him."

I looked at the dogs then back at Mutt. I smiled and tossed a fifty on the table.

Mutt looked at me with an evil grin and said "You're on."

XxXxX- Elena's P.O.V. –XxXxX

"Keep away from the cell." said Sage. "Don't look her directly in the eyes. Do not ever tell her anything personal." he looked at me then started to walk the opposite direction. "I will be here. Watching."

I looked towards the door that led to the stairs. I took a deep breath and put one front in front of me, willing myself to move.

I walked down the stairs. The room being shut off from light.

It was cold, and there was a complete silence when I finally reached the bottom step.

I walked past cages filled with silent people.

Rows of silent people.

I reached the back of the room and opened a door. A large cage was placed in the room with only a small light illuminating the dark.

"Meredith?" I asked.

Meredith smiled and walked from the shadows in the back of the cage. "Hello…Elena."

I sat down and stared at Meredith. Her eyes were cool and her voice was calm.

"It's been a long time." I sighed holding the folders in my hands.

"Eighteen years since you condemned me to this cell. Not much has changed with me. And…how are things, outside?" she whispered.

I refrained from telling her and instead put the attention back at her. "You know why I'm here."

"Civilians have are being abducted and gorged. And you…you Elena are wondering if I'm involved."

"Are you?" I asked.

"You know I'm not. But yet you hope I know who does. Tell me queen: how have you held up under the pressures of the city? The gangs, the feminist fowler. Do you smell it?"

"That is not the-"

"Very futile. Do you hear them my queen? Do they still whisper my name? Has this…butcher reopened the wounds that your city has long hoped had scabbed?"

I took a shaky breath. "A cadet and a young child were discovered late last week. Do you know who's responsible?"

"The one responsible for death of one so young and promised? Responsible for sullying the clothes you wear with a crimson tint of the inefficient?" Meredith hissed.

"Y-yes." I choked out.

"I would've thought you'd put your heroes on the case? They clearly did a passing job of dealing with me. What has become of our fare boys of the Salvatore family?"

"This is the case file." I said holding up a folder with my left hand. "I can leave it with you or-"

"On the condition that you tell me one thing." she smiled wickedly and hissed: "With the city crumbling around you, you must need to work out your aggression without surfacing to the people. So tell me Queen Elena: when it is the queen that your people are surfacing, how do you it? Tall and bright…or dark and twisted?"

I stood up and stared at Meredith with a cold face. "I'm leaving."

I turned around and left the room…not bothering to close the door.

I passed a cell that seemed to be unoccupied.

"Queen. Queen! Queen…"

I looked into the cell closer as it seemed to chant queen.

"The Queen!" a person shouted and jumped out from the shadows. He hit the bars and landed on his back.

I screamed and the alarms went off.

"Queen Elena!" shouted Meredith from the open door.

I ran back over to her and she hissed, "Queen that was awful of that soul…leave the file. And Elena…make sure to return in a day."

XxXxX- Damon's P.O.V. –XxXxX

"Gee Mr. Damon that curry recipe of yours must be great." Maragret poured the money from the dog fight, or curry recipe, onto the table.

"Thanks kid." I put ten bucks in her hand. "Go home. Get some rest eh?"

"Thanks Mister." Margaret smiled and noticed me sigh. "Is something wrong?"

"Tell me something kid. How do you still stay happy?"

XxXxX- Elena's P.O.V. –XxXxX

"I'm not having this argument again!" I shouted at Stefan.

"Love, please!"

"Go to bed, and have a shave for fucks sake!"

Stefan rubbed his chin and walked away.

I ordered a few more files and turned around. A sharp sting went all through my body…and I blacked out.

XxXxX- Channel 8 news –XxXxX

This just in! It's been over an hour since the break-in at Queen Elena's home. Sources have not seen anyone and only Stefan Salvatore was found unconscious at the scene. Details- oh. H-hold on. Police Chief Alaric Saltzman has prepared a statement. We are going live to that statement now.

"As the head of Fell's Cathedral's Protective Military Force, I must declare martial law, that until such time that I deam it safe for the citizens of the city to return to normalcy."

XxXxX- Damon's P.O.V. –XxXxX

I stared at the news screen shocked. Elena was missing.