Chapter 40: Plan B

When Caroline came to, it was to a pair of rough, warm hands against her face, and a fading in and out familiar voice. She probably could have opened her eyes a little faster. But a part of her just wanted to stay there in the darkness with those hands and that voice calling her name.

"Tyler?"

He didn't answer. He didn't have to. Of course, he didn't really have time to, either, because the vampire was lunging up from the floor and flinging her arms around his shoulders. They continued their embrace all the while Tyler helped Caroline to her feet. It was when she was steady that the vampire pulled away from him, and then promptly hit him.

"I am so glad you are alive, but don't for a second think that you're off the hook for what you did to me."

"Look, I'm all for girl power, but can you string him up some other time?"

Caroline's entire body turned a tight 90 degrees toward the voice, looking the girl up and down.

"And who are you?" Caroline crossed her arms.

"Erica, werewolf," the girl huffed, "and barely keeping it together under the full moon so don't push me."

"Well this is great," Tyler sighed just in time for the familiar whir of the small air vents to kick to life. "And just gets better."

"What's that?" Caroline glanced at the ceiling.

"Wolfsbane," Tyler grunted. "They use it to knock us out. It hurts me, but they have to give her some sort of antidote, otherwise it'll kill her."

"And I don't think they care about keeping me alive anymore," Erica backed away from the vents. "I think this is their version of cutting their losses. Kill me and weaken you before storming in, fangs blazing."

"Get her out," Tyler pointed to where Caroline had crashed through.

"No way," Erica coughed, bringing her arm up to cover her mouth and nose. "I'm not leaving you."

"Oh," Tyler cocked his head and grinned, "so now you're nice to me."

"Caroline!"

All three turned toward the hole and Caroline rushed toward it, poking her head through.

"Stefan?"

"I'm coming down!"

"No, wait," Caroline shouted back. "The vampire walked over to the werewolf and whispered. "How high can you jump?"

"What? I don't know -"

"Well, no time like the present to find out, huh, let's go." Caroline grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her toward the hole.

"Get off of me!" Erica reeled back but her bite was weakened by the bark of a cough that seized her. "I'm not leaving without Tyler."

"Oh, cut the melo-drama already! Tyler's coming too, even if I have to drag his hybrid ass out of here myself. The wolfsbane is only going to keep making you weaker and soon you won't have enough strength to make it out. Not to mention the pack of Alphas that are still all here, probably ready to barge in if this doesn't work to kill you, if they haven't already moved to the roof to stop us. Now, you got about 5 seconds before I throw you up and out of here myself. So, move !"

Erica spared Tyler one last long look before ducking into the wall. Bending her knees, the werewolf took in a deep breath before pouncing upward. She could see the opening and the sky beyond it getting quickly closer, but not close enough. With a cry, Erica struck out her arms, digging claws into solid stone. She was slipping when the hand met her own and she only glared up for a moment before allowing the blond vampire to pull her the rest of the way up and through the opening.

"You shouldn't be out here alone," Stefan smiled as he helped the werewolf to stand, remembering their conversation that day in the woods.

"Still don't need a vampire babysitter," Erica quipped, her mouth quirking up just at one corner.


"Okay Tyler, your turn," Caroline moved toward the hybrid.

"You go first."

"Now that would completely ruin my plan, wouldn't it?"

"Your plan?" Tyler shook his head. "You have a plan?"

"We had a plan. Sort of didn't work too well."

"Gee, ya think? So what plan is this one?"

"The one I just made up thirty seconds ago."

"Of course," Tyler huffed out a low laugh. "Why are you whispering?"

" Plan," Caroline ground her teeth. "Now, get to the roof."

"Care -"

"I'll be fine," she pushed him toward the hole, "go. And make sure Stefan comes down."

The hybrid hesitated only for a moment before ducking down into the wall and jumping. He hadn't been gone long before another body crashed down and emerged from the debris.

"Caroline," Stefan clocked the empty room. "Tyler says you have a plan."

"Yupp." She nodded and held out her hand. "Still got any of Alaric's wolfsbane grenades left?"


"I'm tired of waiting!" Ennis paced outside the bank vault, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

"We have to wait for the wolfsbane to take them all down," Kali stepped in front of him.

"We could take them all down!"

"Yes, we could," Kali stroked his cheek. "Quickly. But how many would we have to kill?"

"I don't care."

"Deucalion does. Derek needs to be the one to kill them. Not us. Ethan and Aiden are taking care of the vampire. Deucalion is going to draw the rest of Derek's betas into the vault. This is going to work."

"It better. What's taking so long?"

"We've got a hybrid in there, remember? He's strong." Kali pressed an ear against the vault door. "When I hear him go down, that 's when we go in and take them all. I'll open it up, and you bring down the vampire bitch before she can run. Remember, he wants her too."

"With pleasure."