A/N: After soooo damn long, I've finally have an update on this one. Hope you enjoy it.
Also, I've found myself a new beta, to whom I'm immensely grateful for the work she did with this chapter (and hopefully many in the future)
After struggling to walk over high vegetation, Delphine was led inside the big mansion through what would've been the service door in a distant past. Inside, the halls are poorly lit with candles here and there. The female vampire who's met them at the door is sparse in words, but she has the kind of enigmatic smile that makes the human very uncomfortable and she doesn't even bother to waste more than a second to look at Delphine. To Ferdinand, however, she's almost warm, locking arms with the man as she guides them through the corridor.
When the vampire leaves them in a room - which somehow still has old kitchen appliances spread throughout - she closes the door without further explanations. Delphine looks at Ferdinand who was also left inside and raises a brow.
"She doesn't have the best manners," Delphine observes, her nerves finally setting in the pit of her stomach, making her queasy, and searching for refuge in humor.
"I doubt she makes it her priority to please you," the man says, walking around the room and passing his fingers on top of one of the countertops. "I'm more annoyed with the accommodations," he adds when his fingertips come up with a thick layer of dust.
"Do you know how long they'll keep us here?" Delphine asks, awkwardly leaning against a counter, not as worried about the accommodations as she is with whatever awaits her.
"I'm not really sure," Ferdinand answers, brushing the dust off his fingertips. "I only know that once the sun rises all of this will be over… one way or another," he adds ominously.
The doctor frowns. She suspects with a high degree of certainty that while he means to rattle her, there's also truth to what he's saying. It all depends on how well they'll receive what she has to say - and this is the moment she decides that if the need arises, she's willing to reveal everything she knows about DYAD and their intentions. She'd like to hold on to that information, but that might not be an option. They already know a great deal of what's going on in the Institute, the sterilization program is the only information she can provide that she's sure they know nothing about. If they did, things would no longer be so civil between human and vampire.
For a brief moment, doubt assaults Delphine's mind. She begins to mistrust her own judgment, acting on impulse for perhaps the first time in her life. She has always been patient: every move she's ever made well-calculated, every step she took is towards a clear destination in mind. And, while it's true that she might get what she wants out of this meeting, it's no less true that the reason that brought her here was not self-serving.
It was Cosima that made her come, it was the doctor's concern for the vampire's well-being that forced her hand and sought Ferdinand for help. If not for Cosima she wouldn't be here - she wouldn't feel compelled to let go of information that might reveal to be very precious in the future. Delphine realizes that she might be playing her hand too soon.
They probably also know where he is, she thinks as she waits to be granted the audience with the powerful group of vampires. Certainly the vampires' connections run deeper than DYAD's. I'll probably find him sooner this way. And yet, she knows that her initial plan - while slower - was much safer. She'd need to rely on no one but herself, wait until she had the clearance to go through DYAD's database. The option that now opens before her can give her what she wants sooner but dealing with the vampires is not only of uncertain results, it's also volatile and dangerous. She'd be at the mercy of their whims.
Be that as it may, the first order of business is to get out of this mess she'd put herself in. Delphine needs to prove herself useful to them, that her position in DYAD is an advantage to them. If she can show them she's not disposable, that she's not a one-trick pony, maybe she'll be able not only to get out of here alive, but also be armed with new allies.
When the vampire with the blonde hair comes back, Delphine has made up her mind. She takes a deep breath and joins the woman at the door when she calls her with a wiggle of her index finger and the same smile on her lips.
They leave Ferdinand behind and walk until they reach closed double doors.
"Are you ready for your day of reckoning, Doctor?" The vampire asks before she opens the doors.
Cosima's protective instinct kicks in the moment she sees Delphine cross the door. It takes a significant amount of restraint not to get up to meet the human doctor and pull her away from there. The vampire suspects that she's the only friendly face Delphine sees in the room - most of its occupants look at the human with dangerous curiosity, some with open hostility. How they regard her really depends on how well they welcome the idea of co-existing with humans.
She tries to give Delphine a reassuring smile when their eyes meet but it's not returned. However, the human doesn't appear to be angry or hurt, in fact her expression is one of determination – authentic and steely determination. When Delphine is encouraged to step inside and stand to face the entire room, there's no sign of wavering, no hesitation, nothing that would hint that she's nervous at all.
A weird sense of pride rises inside Cosima's chest - but it's not pure and is accompanied by nervousness on her own part, a hint of fear grasping her throat tightly. Anxiety twists her gut, makes the vampire feel uneasy - the expression on Delphine's features makes Cosima suspect that the human is about to do something drastic, reckless, ultimately dangerous. Cosima has absolutely no clue of what's coming.
"Well… let's hear it then!" Maria says, impatiently. "What do you have to say that's so important that an urgent meeting had to be called?"
Delphine is the only one who remains standing, everyone else is seated. Even Rachel has retaken her seat after returning, and yet, it's the human who's in a vulnerable position - with every pair of eyes on her. Still, she doesn't flinch, meeting everyone's gaze with an authority she truly doesn't have. It is only Cosima's stare that she avoids.
"I believe I have information that might interest you," the Doctor says to the room in a calm, confident voice.
"And what makes you think we don't hold that information already?" Aldous is the one who asks, and despite his cynical approach, he's probably the one who mostly wants this meeting to be successful, having called it and attesting to its urgency. "There's very little that happens in DYAD that we don't know about," he adds.
"I'm aware that you have other informants inside the Institute, but none of them are as well positioned as I am," Delphine's tone remains controlled, emotionless. "However, if you knew what I have, I'm sure the relationship between our two species wouldn't be so… cordial."
Cosima raises a brow at that statement, and along with her reaction, everyone else in the room can't take their eyes off the human. For the moment, Delphine holds more power than everyone else in the old mansion.
"Stop with the suspense already!" Maria, ever so impatient, jumps into it.
With all the tension that has been built up, Delphine somehow still capably produces a grin. "Of course," she says. "As soon as you give me what I want - good information has a cost after all," Delphine points out.
"I hope you realize that there are limits to what we can do," Francis intervenes for the first time. "As long as you understand that and what you ask is within reason…"
"I'm sure that what I'll ask of you is well within your reach," Delphine counters immediately.
"I realize you're probably not familiar with how our community organizes itself, Doctor," Rickard, the representative of the Nordic families, joins the conversation. "But each family is an independent unit. We do have a set of rules which are universal, but unless those are broken we cannot determine how one head of a family acts," he briefly looks at Shay, "whether we agree with it or not."
Cosima stares momentarily at the man with the long, well-kept, blonde beard and long equally yellow hair, tied in the back. There's no doubt in her mind that Shay has been lobbying for her own interests and that Cosima's situation is well known to the Council. However it seems like her sire hasn't been entirely successful, judging by Rickard's words. Discord might have been disseminating in the council on Cosima's account and it appears not everyone is in agreement with Shay's methods.
"If you think it's acceptable to remove one's free will… well, that's your own issues. Although I might say that a family can't be terribly united if some of its elements are forced to be a part of it." Delphine's eyes linger for a few seconds on Cosima, but her expression remains impenetrable. "But that's beside the point - this isn't about Cosima."
Cosima has absolutely no idea what were the intentions behind Delphine's words, but it makes the vampire look around nervously. The human might've stretched her luck too far - vampires don't deal well with criticism of any kind, but to point out a flaw in a system that has been in place since they've decided to organize themselves… well, that's just plain reckless. Still, the reaction to what Delphine said is not as visceral as Cosima expected, and that might well be because the situation was already controversial to begin with. It's hard to tell whether Delphine saw that then decided to take advantage of it; or if she just said it because she thought it. Whatever it is, it's the difference between being a calculated genius or stupidly lucky.
And regardless, Shay's feeling the pressure of having all eyes on her - with several showing open condemnation. The silence lasts barely half a minute, but it might feel like an eternity to Shay who shifts uncomfortably on her seat. And this, Cosima is certain, is intentional: Delphine understands the impact of her words and it's allowing time for them to set in.
"What is it that you want, then?" Shay caves, wanting to shift the attention away from her.
"I want your help to find someone," Delphine answers, but as she speaks she doesn't look at Shay, but at Francis. "He was turned nearly 20 years ago, in Paris."
"You think we know all the vampires?" Maria asks with a scornful chuckle. "And what makes you think this person is still even alive? A significant number perishes within the first couple of years. Young vampires are extremely reckless and lack the necessary control to survive in this world that the humans have built."
"You are the council, use your connections! I'm sure that if you want to find someone, you can," Delphine says, and this time she doesn't sound nearly as in control as before - her voice lacks the restraint it would be advised in dealing with this situation. Cosima wants to warn her - Delphine has been doing well so far; far better than the vampire thought she could. But the human's emotions are finally coming to the surface and she's losing the tight grip she had thus far.
"Not every vampire is part of a family; some are loners, vagrants. Constantly moving, with no ties to the community whatsoever," Francis explains in a controlled voice. He's a reasonable person and that's his way of warning Delphine to moderate her temper - she's so close to stepping on a line she shouldn't cross.
"Try!" Delphine snaps, either not understanding Francis' warning or choosing to ignore it.
"Sure, we can try," Aldous says, but his tone is dismissive. "But first we need to know what we're getting for our efforts. All this negotiation is pointless if you don't have anything to bargain with."
"I'd say a vampire's address for the survival of your kind is more than a fair trade, wouldn't you?" Delphine says casually, too casually for the severity of her affirmation.
The information drops like a bomb in the room. Everyone looks shocked either from the content of the information or the way it was delivered. Still, Cosima notices a fair share of doubtful looks - probably thinking that in her desperation, the human is bluffing. A lot of these people have been around for so long that it has lead them to believe they're truly invincible, untouchable…When in fact, they die the same as others. Sure, their ability to heal is far greater than most - the longer one lives, the more resilient their immune system becomes - but there are injuries that not even them can survive. And then there's the sun and the deadly rays that it casts. UV light will kill the older ones in the same way as it would extinguish a newly-turned vampire. Let them step outside, and after a few hours under the sun, one won't be able to distinguish between the ashes of a centuries-old vampire and that of a new one.
"Every piece of information that we have tells us that DYAD means to control, not eliminate us," Aldous says. He sounds skeptical, but Delphine is playing into his hand, unknowingly. There's a gleam in his eyes: if Delphine's claims are true, then Aldous has just found the justification he needs to wage war against the humans.
"It's true that that was their first priority. They wanted to catalog all of you, know who you are, know your routines, perhaps even understand your kind," Delphine continues recklessly, unaware of the beast she's feeding. "But if you thought that was all they wanted, then you're unbelievably naïve for your years. And if you think that what they're doing now is bad, if they're successful in their next project… well…" the human lets it drift in the air.
Cosima wants desperately to make her stop. If the information is real, this is definitely not the venue to disclose it. There are too many ears eager for an opportunity to jump to war and chief among them is Aldous, whose eyes glister in delighted expectation.
"That's a very serious affirmation you're making, Doctor. I hope you have proof to sustain it," Francis says. He too notices the hungry eyes of his peers.
"I wouldn't say so if I wasn't sure," Delphine says, meeting his stare. "I'm well aware of the gravity of my words."
"And how exactly does DYAD plans to achieve that?" Rickard asks.
This time the human doesn't answer right away. Cosima can see doubt dancing in her bright hazel eyes. Delphine is faced with an internal struggle: she knows that if she reveals all she knows now, there's a chance she might not make it out of the old mansion alive. Unfortunately, Cosima is not the only one who notices this.
"You hesitate," Aldous says in a calm, friendly voice. "It's understandable. If I were in your place, I wouldn't be compelled to disclose it all either. You're in a room filled with strangers, people you've probably seen as enemies most of your life."
"No, that's not it," Delphine's voice sounds weaker than before though not fearful, but the doubts plaguing her mind arises in her words. "I've asked for something in return, and you've given me nothing. Why shouldn't I do the same?"
"Fair enough," Aldous smiles. He can smell blood and is going for the kill. "Give us a name, we'll do our best to find him. But in the meantime, you have to give us at least something so we can protect ourselves. I'm sure you can understand our need to take some preventive measures."
Delphine stares at the man for several seconds, evaluating her options, which aren't many. "I don't mean to offend you, but how do I know you'll keep your word?"
Aldous doesn't like it as his smile hardens but still never leaves his lips. "Why don't we entrust Cosima with the task of finding this person you're looking for?" He proposes, to Cosima's amazement. "Surely you trust her, no? She'll have this Council's mandate to see that it gets done. Consider it a show of good faith on our part."
"This Council had not agreed to any of this, Aldous!" Shay reminds him in a metallic, cold voice, filled with barely-contained anger. "Your word counts as much as any of ours here - you cannot decide this by yourself."
"Put it to a vote, then…" Aldous raises his hands in a gesture of phony surrender.
He knows the outcome. After what Delphine hinted at, no one will put Shay's selfishness above the interest of the entire group. And when the voting is done the decision is unanimous - even Shay couldn't vote against it in fear of standing alone.
"It's decided," Francis announces after all hands have been raised. Next he turns to the human. "It's time for you to tell us what you know, Doctor," he says.
Delphine takes a deep breath, her eyes move over everyone's in the room, but Cosima doubts she truly sees them. "The formulas…" she begins and hesitates again. "The treatment they offer to the volunteers who come to the Institute, they're changing it… well… trying, really," the Doctor continues, more determined now. "They're trying to control the virus, prevent propagation… a sterilization of sorts."
"And that's what you're working on?" Aldous is the only one who can find words.
Delphine nods her head only once. "That's what I've been working on," she confirms.
"How close to success?"
"DYAD itself still has some work to do," the human says. "But it's only a matter of time before they take a closer look into my own progress."
"You know how?"
"I know how."