"Hello, this is Special Agent Barrow and Special Agent Ross here to ask you questions about Kol Mikaelson." Barrow knocked on the door several times.

Agent Ross remained behind the female FBI agent, still staring at the large mansion in awe. He did not realize that there would be luxurious mansions around towns like Mystic Falls. Now he understands why the Mikaelson's lived together. They have a freaking huge mansion with plenty of rooms to spare, Ross thought.

The door creaked open slowly and a head stuck out in alarm. Barrow stepped back slightly as the door opened completely. She smiled at the man behind the door politely, taking in his appearance. Alike Kol, this man is attractive as hell. He has dark blonde hair, a pair of light blue eyes very much alike her own, and a strangely familiar smirk on his face. He is definitely Kol's brother, Sydney sighed.

"I'm Klaus Mikaelson, to whom do I owe this wonderful pleasure?" Klaus smiled at the beautiful blonde in front of him, completely disregarding the fact that she is an FBI Agent.

Sydney pushed a few strands of her long blonde hair behind her ear and extended out a hand for him to shake. She noted his British accent, and she did expect it—Kol had a British accent too.

"I am Special Agent Sydney Barrow, and behind me is Agent Bart Ross. We're from the FBI."

Klaus shook her hand and she almost gasped when their skin fell in contact. His skin is so cold against hers, nearly in a similar matter when she made contact with Kol. It is strange for her to be making a bunch of comparisons right now. After knowing Kol for years, she had no idea that he had siblings or perhaps a family. Now, with Kol gone, the only remnants she has left of him are whatever is in front of her.

"Oh, please come in by all means!" Klaus moved aside to let the agents inside the mansion.

When the agents stepped foot inside, they followed Klaus to the grandeur living room with beautiful paintings adjourning the walls. Ross glanced up at the chandelier lights in awe but Sydney completely ignored it. She is already used to lovely mansions, after visiting Kol's mansion back in NYC plenty of times.

Klaus Mikaelson gestured toward the sofa seats and both agents sat down side by side. The host took a seat across from them, flashing a small smile.

"So you guys are here about Kol?" He sounded very confused.

Ross is really confused about this entire case too. He did not understand why they have to travel all the way from New York City to solve a case about a man no one knew much about, a case where there is no evidence of this said man being dead. Bart Ross is an FBI agent but he has never felt so unprofessional in his life. Sydney is leading this investigation, so his best shot is just following her leads.

"I know it has been about a year since his death, we've been a little late—but I really want to find his killer and do his death justice." Barrow rested both her arms on her legs as she leaned toward the victim's brother.

Klaus studied the blonde carefully with the same look of suspicion everyone in this town has been shooting her. She did not like the feeling of people distrusting her—all she is trying to do is tie the loose end.

"How do you know Kol is dead?" Klaus tested.

"Are you telling me that he isn't?" Sydney challenged.

"I'm not saying anything; you shouldn't have come here, love."

Sydney is now angry instead of sympathetic. She is tired of everyone telling her to drop this case and go back home. No one understands how much solving this murder case means to her; no one understands how able she is to solve unsolvable cases like this one. No one should underestimate her; no one should disregard this case.

"KLAUS MIKAELSON!" Sydney bellowed, slamming both hands on top of the coffee table in front of her.

Agent Ross squirmed at not only the anger expressed by the blonde but by her abuse of expensive furniture. He even didn't dare move in his spot on the sofa because everything in it looked extremely expensive.

Klaus, however, did not seem to be intimidated by the FBI agent. He remained in his spot, motionless, same smile on his face.

"Let's just say that Kol is still alive…" She started, after calming down.

"Isn't he?" Klaus interrupted.

"Okay, he is alive. He is last seen on January 30th of last year. This place here is listed as his last place of residence. After the 30th day of January, there are no more records of him existing. Where do you suppose he is right now?" She explained the scenario.

Mikaelson placed a hand on his stubby chin, deep in thought, or at least feigning his thoughtful look. He leaned back into the sofa seat and folded one leg over another.

"I don't know, maybe he changed his name and moved out of the country…?" Klaus is not taking this seriously.

Barrow glared at him and then shared a look of irritation with her operative. The brunette shot his boss a reassuring smile, gesturing for her to continue on. Sometimes when she spoke to the victims' friends or family, they weren't helpful at all. This is just another instance of the frequent scenario. Taylor's right, this is too personal, Barrow thought.

"Tell me, Agent Barrow, what brought you here to Mystic Falls? What is it about Kol that brought you all the way here?" The man questioned.

Sydney gulped, looking away from the victim's brother for just a mere second. She did not want to admit to anyone the real reason she was insistent enough to be here. It is also unreasonable for her to lie. She cannot expect to find the truth if she lied her way through everything.

"Kol's death is a special case, I like unusual cases like this."

"Very well, then, please share with me what you know." Klaus requested.

Barrow did not understand how the tables have turned during this meeting. They are the FBI agents and she was supposed to be in control of this session. This is her investigation, she should be the ones asking questions and retrieving information. It seem like Klaus understands the art of mind control.

She needs to take a different approach; she needs to make him want to answer her question.

"I know that Kol is dead, you are not going to convince me otherwise. He died in Mystic Falls. I've done my research Mr. Mikaelson." Barrow said.

Klaus raised an eyebrow but nodded wordlessly in agreement. He did not look like he is about to protest.

"His death is a special case, you are definitely right, Mr. Mikaelson. It is very hard to seek out concrete evidence for this investigation. My team and I agree that we have a bit of a complication as to where to start except for your mansion. Now, let me tell you…" Sydney place her left leg on top of her right, an arrogant grin on her face, "… there is nothing more suspicious looking than an uncooperative sibling. Obviously, his body is nowhere to be found so you are taking the opportunity to lead me to think that he isn't dead."

The man tilted his head, a look of anger flashing in his features now. His eyes stared at her, dead-on and stiff cold. Barrow, unfazed, continued on with her observation.

"You have FBI agents in your living room discussing the matters of your brother's death and you counter my questions with a shit-eating grin on your face. You know damn well what I'm trying to say."

Klaus glared at her.

"What are you trying to say, Agent Barrow?"

"That you, in fact, killed your brother."

The victim's brother shot up from his seat, but not before slamming his fists against his expensive coffee table. Agent Ross squeaked again, staring at the abused furniture in disbelief.

"I did not kill Kol!" Klaus growled.

"Let me tell you what I think, Mr. Mikaelson, you killed your brother and very effectively hid his body in hopes that no one would notice his disappearance or death. Then, feds show up at your doorstep with the discovery of what you've been trying to hide. Your biggest fear has come true for you, and you decided to convince me that Kol is not dead so we can drop this case."

"Agent…"

"YOU want us to drop the case so that we won't ever find out what happened to him. The sheriff of Mystic Falls won't do shit to find out where Kol is. Yes, we do not have much information on Kol Mikaelson, but you have proven that you hid everything concrete on him by your nonchalant and oblivious front—and I know you are clearly lying. You want to know why you hid the evidence?"

"Agent Barrow, I…"

"I know why you hid the evidence. You want us to turn back around and give up because one, this case isn't within our jurisdiction. Two, we wouldn't have purpose to be here if we do not have enough information to carry on this investigation. It would benefit you because if we do not have enough evidence, we get sent home. And when we get sent home, we wouldn't have proof that YOU, Klaus Mikaelson, murdered your own brother and stashed the body."

Klaus let out a loud growl of frustration as he took angry strides toward the seated agent. He pointed an index finger at the blonde, and she took notice that his whole body is shaking.

I broke him wide open, she thought triumphantly.

"I DID NOT KILL KOL!"

"Oh, the defensive of a killer, it's getting less and less fruitful over the years, isn't that right, Agent Ross?" She turned to her agent, making sure to let the suspect know that she is taunting him.

"That's right, Agent Barrow." Agent Ross replied, clearly growing more and more impressed with Barrow.

He knows that she is capable of breaking her suspects or even witnesses. She has methods and ways, a master manipulator she is. But he has never seen her point an accusatory finger at the victim's siblings unless there is enough proof that they are the killer.

"KLAUS MIKAELSON, YOU TELL ME WHERE THE HELL KOL'S BODY IS RIGHT NOW!" Barrow shouted, getting up from her seat.

"I don't know where his body is."

"BULLSHIT! YOU STASHED HIS BODY. You buried it under ground or something right? Perhaps you stabbed him and dumped his body in some unknown body of water. Or maybe you are wise enough to bury a dead body in a graveyard where no one will look because EVERYBODY UNDER THERE IS ALREADY DEAD. Oh, or maybe…"

"HIS BODY WAS BURNED OKAY?" Klaus screeched, clearly had enough of the blonde's wild theories.

Agent Barrow grinned in victory, sharing looks with her fellow agent.Now, that is how you get information out of arrogant pricks like him, she wanted to say.

"Oh, so you know what happened to his body." Agent Barrow replied tauntingly.

His blue eyes softened as soon as he allowed himself to blurt out the information. He blinked several times, looking to be more vulnerable. Vulnerable is not something she expected to see on his face.

"I didn't kill him. Someone sent me a picture of my brother's burnt body." Klaus said softly.

Barrow froze, clearly bothered by the information he just shared. She snapped out of it as soon as she allowed it to bother her. It was just a flicker of a moment, because now, she decided to move on in her questioning.

"Why did you lie to me, Klaus?"

"Because if I showed the picture to anyone, no one will believe me. People will say that it might be a sick joke, or that it was photoshopped. But you know what? I have a feeling, that I just know that he is dead. The picture is real. I bloody know it!"

I believe you, Barrow sighed. She gave him a curt nod and started dusting off her black dress pants.

"May I see this picture you spoke about, Mr. Mikaelson?" Barrow asked.

After giving a solemn nod, Klaus disappeared into another connected room. In his absence, Ross took the opportunity to praise the blonde.

"Damn, Barrow, you're good." He said in awe.

"I'm good because it's my god damn job." Barrow winked.

Their conversation trailed off when Klaus reappeared inside the room with a picture in hand. Shaking his head, he handed the picture over to the blonde agent. Barrow blinked several times, bracing for the worse before she allowed herself to look down at the picture.

"Thank you, Mr. Mikaelson. I just have a few more questions regarding this picture."

"That's fine, love. Do you believe me?" Klaus looked a bit frightened, which is strange considering how he acted previously.

"I believe you, Mr. Mikaelson. How did you receive this picture?"

"It was slipped under my front door."

"Do you have any idea who sent it?"

"Of course not, agent."

"Alright, if you were to make one wild guess, who do you think it could be?"

"The sick bastard who killed him."

Barrow sighed in defeat but gave the man a nod.

"I would like to keep this picture if you do not mind. It will be returned to you… if you want it back."

"No thanks, you can keep it, Agent Barrow."

"Very well then, we will keep in touch. Do not leave town anytime soon, do you hear me, Mr. Mikaelson?"

"Of course, love, I have nowhere to go anyways."

This charming fool, Sydney internally rolled her eyes. She turned from the victim's brother and started walking out of the mansion. Agent Ross held out an evidence bag for her to place the picture inside. Luckily Barrow decided to wear gloves today, because her fingerprint would be all over the item and her print—plus Klaus's—would make catching prints more complicated.

We won't find prints on it, her subconscious told her. She knows that.

"Ross, call Des, tell him to retrieve reports on any fires that took place on the entire month of January and even February in 2013." Barrow ordered her agent and watched as he took out his phone.

Klaus smiled at the agents as he kindly escorted them both out of his mansion. As soon as he closed the door behind them, he sighed to himself.

"They better find the killer."


A/N: Shazam! Chapter two! But yeah, who enjoyed the showdown between Barrow and Klaus? (And I feel awkward every time I write Barrow cuz there's a recent episode of Teen Wolf where there's a villain named Barrow.) Enough of that, I felt totally in the mood to post this because that episode of the Originals tonight was blazin'.