It takes two rings for Damon to pick up.

"Please tell me this trip won't be a waste of time." He hears the annoyance in Damon's voice.

Enzo sighs, "I started asking around and then got sent to some guy named Klaus-"

"As in the Original?" Damon asks.

"I guess. Anyway, he wanted to know who I was and what I was doing. He then confessed he hasn't seen or heard from her." Enzo explains.

He hears a muffled argument before Damon says, "Elena insists that Bonnie's never wrong, so Klaus must be hiding something." The exasperation is evident in Damon's voice.

Any hope of them staying in Mystic Falls is quickly pushed aside. "I guess I'll see you in New Orleans." Enzo sighs.

"Stefan drives like a grandma, so don't hold your breath." Damon says before the line goes dead.

Enzo wraps himself in the familiar embrace of solitude. He goes to a hole in the wall bar, one where no one will notice his supernatural status.

The Mystic Falls gang arrive sooner than expected; Enzo knows Damon could only keep them away for so long. Damon calls, much to Enzo's surprise, before unleashing Stefan and Elena on New Orleans. They agree to meet at the compound.

A mile before he gets there, Caroline's face lights up his phone and dread pools in his stomach. "Gorgeous." He answers.

"Atticus is here. He's covered in blood. He says he wants to talk to you." She relays; her tone could be one of feigned small talk with a neighbor.

Enzo sighs, knowing he doesn't have time for this, but Caroline isn't exactly in the helpful mood.

The sigh was enough for Caroline to let Atticus on, "It's on speaker." She says.

Atticus's panicked voice soon follows. "They want war."

Enzo stops walking.

"So? The full moon is not for another 9 days." Caroline states.

"They have the witches on their side." Atticus says.

"When will they attack?" Enzo asks.

Atticus exhales, "Five days."

Enzo knows Klaus could handle the Mystic Falls gang, but he also knows that Damon is too smart to just let his disappearance go without question. The last thing he needs is Damon to put everything together.

"Good. So we can start preparing tomorrow." Caroline makes the decision for him.

Her cold indifference makes Enzo want to set the world on fire.

Enzo is last to arrive.

"I'm glad you could make it." Klaus snaps.

Enzo suppresses a sarcastic comment, knowing they need to get through this quickly.

"Girl troubles?" Damon smirks.

Enzo can hear Stefan scoff and feel Klaus's eyes burn into his head. Before Enzo could comment, Elena speaks up.

"We know Caroline was here, and we know that your town isn't warm to newcomers." Enzo can hear the threat in Elena's voice, but he doesn't know how she will back it up.

Damon sighs deeply. Stefan looks expectant. Klaus looks amused.

Damon speaks up before things escalate, "Klaus, we were just wondering if you've heard from her recently."

"Is she missing? Or did she leave?" Klaus asks, clearly knowing the answer.

They stumble.

Klaus nods, "From what I've heard," he gives Enzo a pointed look, "she left by choice. Wanting a break from this." He gestures to them.

Enzo is surprised by the patience Klaus shows, expecting him to lose his cool and chase everyone away.

"She's not thinking straight." Stefan argues.

"So you're telling me that Caroline isn't capable of taking care of herself." Klaus states.

Enzo wonders how long Klaus can be patient with them.

Damon must be thinking the same thing because he speaks up, "Is it possible she could have past through without anyone noticing?"

Klaus sighs in frustration, "As I've told your friend, I know about every vampire that passes through. I got a call about you the moment you passed the welcome sign."

"Creepy." Damon says.

"As much fun as this was," sarcasm thick in his voice, "I must go." Klaus dismisses them.

Elena waits until they're by the car before speaking up, "He's hiding something. She was here."

"He's always hiding something." Damon snaps.

"Trouble in paradise?" Enzo says loud enough for Damon to hear.

Damon shoots him a glare.

Stefan also glares at Enzo, "What did you tell him?"

Enzo shrugs, "The truth."

He watches as Stefan's face floods with anger. Damon notices it too; he places a hand on his brother's shoulder.

Elena is oblivious to the tension around her. "What does he have to gain for hiding Caroline?" Elena wonders aloud.

"The guy does things just to mess with people." Damon says.

Stefan shrugs his brother's hand off.

Elena frowns, "Bonnie says that Caroline appeared and disappeared here. So we should start with the witches."

"They're not friendly." Enzo states.

"It's our best shot." Stefan retorts.

Enzo's not in the mood to fight with Stefan. "Suit yourself."

Damon follows Enzo as Stefan and Elena chat.

Enzo stops when they're out of vampire earshot.

"I have a flight to catch." Enzo says.

Damon sighs, "So your not coming back?"

Enzo smirks, "Mystic Falls is nothing but Augustine for me. Plus your annoying little brother."

Damon laughs. But quickly sobers up, "Want to grab a quick drink while these two play Sherlock?"

Enzo pauses, but he sees the tension in Damon's shoulders. "Is Stefan Watson?"

Enzo steers clear of Rousseau's, not really in the mood for the stares they give newcomers.

"It's a dead end." Enzo says as they sit down at the bar of some pub whose name is already forgotten.

Damon sighs, "I know. But what am I suppose to do? Elena is too stubborn to give up."

Enzo nods; there's no use in trying to change Damon's mind.

Damon clears his throat, "Thanks for trying."

Enzo stays quiet, knowing this isn't the reason he wanted a drinking partner.

Damon waits until his third drink before saying, "My mom's a vampire." He watches as the tension leaves Damon. Maybe Damon's problem is his mom, not Elena's memories.

Enzo doesn't know what to say to that. Damon's always had his issues with his parents.

"She's in a prison world." Damon continues.

This gets Enzo's attention. He knows that the Gemini Coven reserves that for evil supernatural creatures. "I'm guessing Stefan doesn't know." Enzo deduces otherwise Damon wouldn't be talking to him about this.

"I don't want to ruin Stefan's memories of his mom." Damon explains.

Damon pauses. "I saw her on my way back from 1994. I asked Kai to look into it."

Enzo slides over his drink; Damon gives him a grateful look before drowning it. "Apparently she was a ripper in Europe. But the coven caught wind of her when she murdered a ship full of people on her way to America."

Enzo feels his stomach drop.

"When did this happen?" Enzo asks.

Damon glances at the bartender, "November 1, 1903."

Enzo remembers her well, and now looking at Damon, he can see the resemblance.

The bartender pulls Enzo from his memories with fresh drinks. "Are you doing to bring her back?" Enzo asks. Enzo has his own questions for her, but he keeps that to himself.

"I don't know." Damon pauses, "She's a monster, but she's also my mother."

A/N Sorry for the boring chapter.

I just wanted to update everyone on Mystic Falls.

Until next time!

A la prochaine!