Chapter Thirty-Two: The Fates Lead
A/N: April Fools, everyone! Also, happy hunting for anyone who does that during Easter. Here be the next chapter.
Enjoy!
Perspective: Katherine
-x-x-x-
"The Fates lead the willing, and drag the unwilling."
-Lucius Annaeus Seneca
"I know where they are."
Freya and Finn stop mid-sentence at your declaration.
It's 3 A.M. but you'd made it to the living room where you had heard the elder of the two's voice. Damon had just called you, and this news isn't something to be left for the morning after.
"Kol and Elena?" Freya asks, offering a hand towards the couch. You don't sit.
"How?" Finn's brows narrow.
You shake your head at him. "Viktor has a house. It's less than 3 hours away. If we head on over now, we can be there by—"
"Whoa whoa, slow down. Take a seat."
"No!" you shake off Freya's hand. "We have to go."
The blonde glances at her brother who only looks on to you with narrowed eyes.
"Start from the beginning, Kat," Freya leads.
You want to protest but you understand the confusion. You answer Finn's first question, "I got a call from a contact of mine. Both Kol and Elena are being held in the same location, but you know that won't last long. We need to go now."
"Where?"
"Roanoke." You hate how unfazed they both are. Where is the urgency? "Viktor has a house there. Clearly, Tobias is using it as a hideout. If we leave now, we—"
"We? No—" Freya is cut off only by Finn.
"And who might your contact be?"
"Uh…" you trail off unintentionally, having been so ready to fight Freya's objection that his question catches you off guard.
"Katherine?" Rebekah appears at the door, rubbing her eyes. "What's going on?"
She directs this mostly to her siblings, already defensive.
Finn raises his brows, waiting for your reply. He's expectant, and you can tell that Freya is already suspicious.
"From Damon." You say truthfully. There's no use hiding that, they'd figure it out easily enough.
"The Salvatore? The one who threatened me?"
"If you want to see Katherine again, you'll give me what I want."
"He wouldn't have hurt me," you say because pointing out that he saved your life sounds too Stockholm syndrome-y in this context.
'Dammit, Damon.'
"Who I got it from is besides the point. His contact saw them there."
"Third-hand account? From a man who, is not only a stranger, but thought it well to manipulate my sister into trading something for your life?"
You shake your head at the way Finn says these things. He isn't wrong, but he's definitely coming to all the wrong conclusions.
None of you have time for this.
"What do you think, Finn?" Freya tilts her head.
"It could be a trap," he concludes.
"My thoughts exactly."
"We can't waste time," you repeat for the umpteenth time. "I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't certain."
"That it's not a trap?" Finn speaks bluntly, "You're not exactly a reliable source."
You should know better than to be taken aback. "I wouldn't…"
"Do it again?"
You swallow a little, just as a silent Rebekah grips your hand a little tighter. Anyone else would mistake that as a simple sign of support, but though in part, the squeeze is mostly to pull you back. This isn't a fight you're going to win, but you aren't looking for a fight.
"Finn, that's enough," Freya speaks but it isn't exactly reprimanding.
"Freya, please," you throw one last effort.
She nods easily, probably planning on checking the validity of your news, even if you didn't beg. "I'll look into it."
Finn doesn't say anything more, reverting to the stern blank expression he always wears.
Before you can object any further, the two eldest Mikaelsons dismiss you by walking out of the room.
You turn to Rebekah with a frustrated sigh.
As defensive as she's been with her family (and not just for you), you understand completely why she hadn't said a word.
"Kat," she begins.
"I know."
It's bad enough that the Mikaelsons distrust you, but the Pierces' involvement just had to be the icing on the cake. Did you really think they'd just jump into action at your word ever again?
"That doesn't mean we overlook this though. They're at Roanoke right now."
This information is invaluable. Damon had relayed that the doctor that Enzo had been escorting just so happened to be there for Elena. Your first thought was that she might've gotten hurt, but she'd been fine on the surveillance footage just before being taken.
You shudder at that, but the thought of Tobias getting away with another heinous thing just makes you furious. Whatever that doctor is doing to Elena, it can't be good. And you can't just sit around and do nothing with this information.
"But think about where you go this information from. He threatened your life."
You watch the way she says this, cautious, but you don't at all remember the details of that phone call in the truck. You'd been too preoccupied then. "Consequently, he also saved it."
"Doesn't matter now, does it? You know how much my family loves threats."
"Not much." Or more like, not at all.
Rebekah sighs, seeing your frustration. "You trust him?"
"Yes."
"And his contact?"
She gets you there, noting your hesitance.
"Frey's just making sure it's not a trap." Again.
Damn. You lick your already drying lips. This isn't the first time you're cursing your past-self.
"We can't wait, Bex. It's already going to take three hours to just get there."
"So? What're you going to do? Go out on your own?"
"That's an idea," you mutter.
"Well, that's just unfortunate, I guess," she says, hand jutting out to shove you slightly.
You falter, unable to bounce back like normal. "Rebekah!"
"Too bad you can barely stand on your own right now."
You glare at her, but the older girl's eyes soften.
"Come on. You know Freya. She won't take long. It's just a precaution. Give her a second before you try and run off to rescue your sis."
Freya and Finn have no reason to hold anything back just because of you. Kol is also missing, after all. And on the off-chance Enzo's information is wrong, you'd wouldn't want to run one way and find out you should've been going to opposite way the whole time.
You hate to concede but you do, impatience bubbling just under your skin.
Rebekah jerks her head to the side, persuading you to go back. She doesn't at all point out that this is unlike you; no, very rarely do you ever jump in headfirst. Not without some plan or at least, a verification on the solidity of your information.
You'd done that with Robero and look where that got you?
Eternally frustrated, you let your friend pull you back towards your room without another word.
-x-x-x-
You hadn't gone back to sleep.
Unlike your friend, you just couldn't.
Without your consent, your mind turned itself upside down trying to picture what Tobias was doing to Elena.
He couldn't afford to kill her, not with you "dead," but you can imagine a few things that could outweigh death. Tobias isn't exactly foreign to these types of ideas, and that worries you.
You shut your eyes now as you lay on an examination table, grunting at the pain in your side.
You'd woken to Damon's phone call hours ago and Rebekah had been proven right about Freya.
Admittedly, you'd been staring at the clock, and just under the hour after you'd informed her and Finn, Freya had come back with a decision. A course of action.
"They've already left, haven't they?" you had assumed, peeved, but she'd shaken her head.
"No, but we are on our way out."
Your lips had parted then, about to insist.
"Don't even think about following us, Katherine," she warned. Stern. "I'm serious."
"Freya."
She had been deliberately firm; her tone and her eyes, it wasn't just a warning, she was forbidding it. But that just made you even more indignant. You'd given them the location, and as much as you trust them with your life, your relationship with the Mikaelsons is much more complicated than simple trust.
Given the bus crash, your fickle relationship guarantees nothing in your favour.
After the four eldest Mikaelsons left, you'd made up your mind that you didn't care about stepping on any toes. You weren't a Mikaelson, Viktor's villa is a familiar place, and you'd make good time if you left at that moment, Freya's wrath be damned.
Before you could so much as try to leave, you'd been stopped short by both Rebekah and Caroline.
Physically unable to strongarm your way out, you'd conceded, and the two blondes had made it their mission to take turns keeping an eye on you. Like a child.
"Cute," Rebekah had smirked at your pout.
"This isn't funny."
"No. It's not," she agreed.
"You of all people…"
"Don't turn this around on me, Kat," she said harshly, and a tad more defensive than she intended. "My siblings may do whatever they want on a whim, but this isn't about my relationship with them. You know I'm the last person who'd want to be on their side but I'm not going to let you stumble off into danger again."
"Rebekah."
"Don't 'Rebekah' me, Katherine. You won't change my or Caroline's mind, so do yourself a favour and save your breath."
You'd glared at her, angry that she was right and angry that you'd been effectively shut down. "Bitch," you muttered.
"At least heal up before you attempt to join the rescue."
As if said rescue wasn't something time sensitive.
You had bit your tongue anyway because like she said: you wouldn't win that argument.
Hours later, you're still crossed about the whole situation.
You aren't sure what the time is but by now, the Mikaelsons should've already gotten back. Why haven't they at least called to say they're on their way home?
You have a bad feeling about this.
Your hand rakes over your face, mitigating your pained groan as you try not to squirm.
"Almost done," Dr Malachai Parker assures. "Do you know who did these stitches?"
His continuous questions are a welcome form of distraction. You assume it would've had to be Damon and you tell him that between a shaky breath. "Why?"
"Hmm," he hums, his lips pulling into an inquisitive frown. "Not bad."
You don't catch the rest of his probably snarky compliment as you shift, and he smooths over the medical tape around the gauze on your side.
"Alright," the doctor expresses, patting your arm as he stands. "You can unclench your jaw now if you want."
You ignore the amusement in his voice as you listen, licking your lips, and turning your head.
Kai takes your temperature, and double checks any small cuts or scrapes he might have missed. The man, though one of the Mikaelsons personal doctors, is barely ten years older than you. You would wonder how someone so young could find himself employed by a notorious criminal organization, but his father is the original Mikaelson doctor, and it might as well be their family business.
"You okay?" he asks as he cleans up all the supplies he used.
"You have a twin, right?"
He pauses, raising a brow. "Yes?"
"What's the worst thing you've done to her?"
"The worst thing I've done?" he repeats, curious about this line of questioning. You don't clarify and he tilts his head in thought. Casually, he responds, "Uh, well, one time I did take her favourite doll. When we were kids… Actually," he hesitates for a second, but then shrugs, "I burnt it in front of her. Why?"
You… don't know what you were expecting, and honestly, you have no reason why. No reason you'd say aloud to him anyway.
And besides, what would compel Kai to do that even as a kid?
You shake your head, "Nothing. Am I good to go?"
"Oh yeah. If you mean, you'll be fine, then yes. Granted for what you went through, Katherine, you should probably thank whatever angel is looking over you. You're lucky you're not dead."
"I'm aware."
He shrugs. "Good. Now, professionally, understand that under no circumstances would I recommend you leave your bed," he pauses, rolling his eyes. "But none of you make this job easy anyway, so heck."
You smirk a little, "Since when has your job ever been easy?"
Kai just about shrugs again when a man burst through the door.
"Parker!"
You make brief eye contact with Thierry Vanchure as he urges Kai out of the room. "Come quick!"
He doesn't explain any more as he rushes back out. Kai follows him, leaving you by yourself. Just as he walks out the door, you hear the commotion.
Trampling footsteps.
Frantic voices punctuated by a low guttural cry.
You sit up, confused as two men run in. They pay you no mind as they beeline for the medicine cabinet.
"What's going on?" you ask, needing to grab one of the men's arm to get his attention. The man blinks at you but answers all the same.
"Finn. He's been shot." Without another word, he hurries out.
"Shot?" you mutter, looking up in time to see Freya rush by in the hall. "Rebekah!"
You call your friend when you see her following her sister.
She looks at you, glancing to where Freya disappeared off to before continuing her path. The look on her face. Worry.
The commotion continues on, dying down as everyone seems to settle, but you can still hear Finn screaming in agony.
You make your way to the door, seeing the number of people at the door to the next room. Finn is in there, if the shouting isn't any indication. Turning around, you move the opposite way towards Freya.
You find Freya and Rebekah in the library.
"—need to get that blood off of you."
Your friend holds a towel while Freya pours herself a drink. You infer the blood must not be hers and ask, "What happened?"
Freya shakes her head, a rigid huff accompanying the slam of the empty tumbler on the table.
You flinch, "It was a trap…"
"Not exactly. We got there in time to intercept a departure. We engaged and it turned into a shoot out. Finn was shot."
She shakes her head again and you share a look with Rebekah.
"And Kol?" the younger blonde asks.
"He shot Finn," Freya replied darkly.
You echo Rebekah's, "What?"
Why would Kol shoot his brother?
"Uh," Rebekah is as surprised as you, sputtering a little, "Kol is reckless, yes, but he wouldn't shoot Finn."
"Well, he did."
Your jaw hangs loose as you try to fathom what that means.
"And then he left with Sophia," the elder Mikaelson states, pulling off her bloodied jacket. "Did Kol say anything to you? At the lake house? When he was helping you."
You hesitate only slightly. "…This doesn't make sense. He would've taken me straight to Tobias if he was helping them."
"Maybe not. But maybe he did bring you to them."
"Elena…"
"Whatever his reason," Elijah appears, draping his jacket over a chair, "it doesn't matter. I saw him aim for our brother and pull the trigger. It was deliberate." The twitch of his jaw as he spoke portrayed his rage.
"What then?" Rebekah challenges.
"He didn't seem in need of a rescue."
"They have to be holding something over him."
"Enough to attempt to kill Finn?"
Rebekah turns to Freya, but the older woman doesn't offer any assistance.
"If the Pierces are holding him in a vice grip," Elijah continues, "If his intention was only to deter us, he had no reason to shoot Finn in the chest."
"So, we're just going to leave him with those psychos?!"
"Absolutely not."
"No," Freya takes over. Cautious, yet conflicted. "We need answers. We need to find him."
"And Elena?" you speak up, finally. "Did you find her?"
Freya's eyes lock with yours as her gaze changes ever slightly.
"Frey…"
"She was there," she confirms, refraining from continuing.
"And?"
"The Pierces were on the move. We had the choice to follow her or Kol. We pursued our brother."
You blink, your jaw clenching in silence. You'd expected this, but that does nothing to curve your disappointment.
"Was she okay?" Rebekah asks for you.
"A little out of it, I think, but she seemed… well."
You walk out before Rebekah can ask another question.
In your room, the door closes behind you. You huff, staring at nothing in front of you for a moment before throwing the first thing you could find against the wall.
A vase.
The water and the flowers scattering on the ground.
"Fuck!"
You should've gone with them.
"Kat." Rebekah comes in but you shrug off her hand.
"Does Freya know where they were heading?"
"No. Sophia was already driving off with Kol. They didn't have time to check Elena's car."
"What about the people with her? Tobias?" If Tobias had gone with Elena, why wouldn't they chase that car as well?
She shakes her head.
"I fucking knew I should've—"
"No, you shouldn't have."
"I knew your siblings wouldn't have—"
"Goddammit, Pierce! You literally couldn't have gone, because you're still recovering from nearly bleeding to death in a fucking freezer! Elena can wait. Tobias already killed you, he's not going to make the same mistake twice if he really needs you alive so badly."
"That's not a guarantee."
"No! But that doesn't mean you should be running off trying to—"
"Yes! That's exactly what that means. My god, 'bekah. She's only in danger because my uncle is a psychopath. If you're not going to help me, don't get in my way."
"What's going on?" Caroline comes in with a face full of worry.
"I'm going to find Elena," you say. "Rebekah was just moving out of my way."
The elder girl shakes her head, and you note the blood on Caroline's hands. Seeing your gaze, she explains with a nod to the hall, "It's a mess out there."
Finn isn't the only casualty.
"I'm going whether you think I should or shouldn't."
"I'm only looking out for you," Rebekah asserts, offense creeping onto her features.
"Where would you even start?" Caroline steps forward.
"Care…" Despite your assertion, how possible would it be to bypass two people?
She shakes her head, "I want to help."
"Caroline!"
"What? We already had to stop her once. I'd rather help than have Kat sneak out by herself. You know she will. And besides, Elena's my friend."
Rebekah glares at the other blonde but huffs out her reluctance.
There's a pause.
She groans irritably before breaking it.
"We'll have to get past my siblings. I can't leave, and Freya isn't going to let either of you go."
"Any way past that?" you question, knowing full well the answer.
"Yes," Rebekah rolls her eyes. "Come on."
-x-x-x-
Amid the chaos at the compound, sneaking away had been easier than it should've been. If Finn had been conscious, he would've been disappointed at the lack of security. In fact, the remaining Mikaelsons have most likely already noticed your absence.
You glance at Rebekah, her jaw set, and her brows creased.
"Hey, don't frown so hard," you say, filling the silence between the car's engine rumble.
Not even Caroline says anything as she drives.
Rebekah sighs deeply. "I'm here for you, Kat. But don't be surprised when you push yourself and I tell you—"
"I told you so," you finish with her. Unlike Freya, your friend is just the type to do so.
You scoff a little.
"Pretty sure, we already established that."
"Good."
"Good."
"Great, you guys made up. Now which way am I supposed to go, Kat?" Caroline butts in from the front.
"It's a long way. Just stay on this interstate for the next hour."
"The next hour? This isn't the way to Roanoke."
You respond, "We're not going to Viktor's villa."
"Then where are we headed?" Rebekah questions.
"Before I went to find Robero, I'd left Elena at a cabin," you explain. Right now, your only option is to find someone who could tell you more about the current situation. "Trevor should know something about her location."
Back at the compound, you'd called Damon to get more information from Enzo. Freya hadn't blamed you or your contact for any sort of trap, so you can infer that his friend had been truthful. But no immediate reply from them meant you'd have to find answers yourself. Trevor is likely to help you wherever his loyalties lay.
Whether that's willingly or unwillingly is entirely up to him.