Chapter 16

Elijah was in the Gypsy encampment, though his arrival made the surrounding air tense, it was a planned meeting, nobody would be foolish enough to attack.

A young woman came to greet him.

"You're Elijah." It wasn't a question.

"You've heard of me ?" He calmly stated.

"Yes. I'm Sophie Devereaux, the Elders sent me to talk with you." She couldn't help but tremble a bit at the man before her, but hide it well. Elijah Mikaelson was not known as the most dangerous Mikaelson but his ruthlessness did not lose to any of his siblings.

"Let's go inside to talk more comfortably." Sophie guided him inside a caravan.

Once settled, they didn't lose time to go straight to the point.

"We do not want any troubles with your clan, we're ready to forgive the stolen goods and let you keep it calling it bygone, and a reckless fight between our young members." Elijah proposed.

"The Elders do not wish a war with the Mikaelson either. But such nice proposal cannot come without a price ?" Despite her age, Sophie hadn't been chosen to lead this talk for nothing.

"As it seems both our sides want the same thing, let's discuss the details, shall we ?"

-O-

"Did you tell Klaus about us ? You should have told me before."

Marcel and Rebekah were secretly meeting, not that most of everyone didn't already knew about them by now.

"He already knew I was seeing someone when he came to me. I had to tell him it was you, he threatened I wouldn't like the consequences otherwise, who know if he'd have organized a witch hunt to find you or something if I didn't talk." Rebekah explained herself, despite what she'd said she truly hadn't believed Klaus would actually kill Marcel, otherwise she definitely would never have said anything. Still seeing the bruised face of her lover, she felt a bit guilty. "Does it hurt ?"

She pressed her pretty pale hand against his dark cheek.

"It's fine." He covered her hand with his. "I got Diego to look into it. Rumors were going around about you, I told him to investigate further for now. I need to lay low."

Rebekah nodded, but at this time the door of the room they were meeting in burst open and officers stormed in.

"Marcel Gerard you are under arrest."

"What ? For what reasons ?" Marcel tried to struggle, but he was already pined by the officers who began to haul him outside.

"You'll know once we're back to the station, don't resist and follow us."

Rebekah tried to help him, but an officer was blocking her. She gave him a good kick in the shin and he cursed as she passed him running after Marcel.

"Marcel !" She arrived in the street just to see Marcel put into the police car.

By then the officer had caught up with her and prevented her to go further, the police car with Marcel left like that.

"A pretty girl like you shouldn't get dirtied by such hands." The officer leered at her.

Rebekah glared fiercely at him and spat at his feet before storming off.

-O-

Her destination was obviously the office, as luck would have it most of her family were already gathered there.

"Klaus ! You fucking bastard !"

"Do you want to repeat that ?" Klaus rose from his seat, temper flaring. He didn't appreciate his little sister barging in to insult him like that.

Seeing Rebekah open her mouth to comply, Freya quickly went to her side, afraid she'd try to fight Klaus.

"Rebekah ! Calm down."

"What is this about ?" Elijah frowned.

"Are you that pissed because Nik discovered your little romance." Kol teased, amused.

"Calm down ? And I'm not pissed, I'm mad as hell that he set the cops on Marcel." She pointed at Klaus.

"What ?" Elijah immediately redoubled his attention to the problem.

"The police just arrested Marcel before my eyes and took him away. If he didn't allow it, could it have happened ? After all he did for our family, how could you ?!" Tears began to fall down her cheeks and not wanting to look a second more at her brother she turned and left the office.

"Kol, go after her, and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid." Freya ordered.

Kol for once didn't protest and silently left.

"Is that true ?" She turned to Klaus.

Since the beginning he had a frown on his face, but had stayed silent. Nobody could tell what was going on in his head.

"Does it matter ? Rebekah believes it, and soon enough so will everyone else." He finally spoke.

His two elder siblings sank into silence. He was right.

"I'll go to the police station and see under what charge they are detaining Marcel." Elijah walked out, the only good thing with how busy he'd been recently, was that he had no time thinking about Katerina.

"Klaus, don't allow Rebekah to misunderstand you." Freya gave him this parting advice as she left too.

Klaus meanwhile leaned back in his chair, his eyes taking a dangerous glint.

"Well played Inspector, well played."

-O-

Unsurprisingly the rumor that Marcel Gerard was arrested by the police and Klaus had a hand in it because the other man was sleeping with his sister quickly spread.

Caroline was listening to Bonnie as she was getting drunk at the Mystic, Matt trying to slow her down.

"That's why you can't trust the Mikaelson." She slurred and heavily set her glass down on the counter.

"Bonnie you should stop drinking." Matt warily looked around in case someone heard her. But the music was loud enough, none heard her mumbling.

Caroline had heard all about the rumor of course, the waitresses were gossiping about it earlier and Gloria sternly put a stop to it. The older woman herself had been mum on the subject. Nobody knew what she truly thought about the fallout between her nephew and the Mikaelson, from what Caroline saw, she wasn't getting involved.

Bonnie's head was on the counter, her eyes closed. To be honest, she wasn't close at all with Marcel, even less because she'd always kept her distance as he worked with the Mikaelsons. A part of her even thought it served him right for getting involved with Rebekah. Still, no matter how distantly related, he was family and he'd always treated her well, she just hoped he got out of jail soon.

"I'll take her home." A voice she absolutely didn't want to hear at that instant said close to her.

She frowned as she was picked up in someone's arms. But she didn't open her eyes, the only reason she let him was because she didn't think she could walk all the way to her house, and she was drunk, lowering her defence.

"I don't trust you." She whispered.

"I know, gorgeous. One day you will."

She snorted very unladylike but let Enzo carry her home.

-O-

As soon as they put him in a cell, they had roughed him up quite a bit, no questions asked either.

Marcel was resting from the last bout of beating when the door to his quiet cell opened and a neatly dressed middle-aged man walked in.

"My, it seems the young ones had the hand heavy today. You see quite of few people think a black man and a young white woman have no business consorting together." The man casually explained, as if it couldn't be helped.

"Interracial relationship isn't against the Illinois law, tell them to get with the time. And if that's the only reason I'm here, I think I'll leave now." Marcel said despite the ache in his jaw.

"Oh, Mr Gerard, you are not going anywhere. I have a lot of things to ask you. And do you really think Klaus Mikaelson will help you after you lied to his face ?" The man smiled.

Truth be told, Marcel was uncertain on this as well, and the man seemed to know that.

"Who are you ?"

"Inspector Steven Coleman."

Marcel took another look at the man, so that was the new wise head inspector of Chicago police. He wasn't impressed yet.

"How about we begin and you tell me all you know about the Mikaelsons ? Trust me, you'll be making it easier on you if you talk now."