Chapter 5

Hope Mikaelson had not slept a wink last night. All she could think about was the dead werewolf. If werewolves were dying did that mean Cleo could die? Or herself?

She rubbed her head as she focused on making lunch. It was her turn considering Cleo had made dinner yesterday.

Klaus still had yet to come home, but he sent a message to Hope this morning saying that he was trying to come back as soon as possible, but it would probably be a few more days.

Her father wasn't gone too often. He didn't like leaving them, but every once and while he needed to go away on "business." Hope wanted to come with him, but as usual he refused. Claimed it had to do with her "safety" and whatever.

The Mikaelson had baked something today for lunch inspired by an episode of her favorite show. She had traded a few things at the shop to get a couple DVDs of the show Cutthroat Cooking, but for all that Hope had learned, Cleo still claimed that she needed help in the cooking department.

She figured she would just leave Cleo's lunch downstairs and wait for witch to come down and get it. Hope didn't want to walk in on Cleo and Kaleb, her boyfriend, enjoying themselves.

Kaleb wasn't Cleo's official boyfriend, but Hope saw him enough around the house (when Klaus wasn't home). And she could tell by the way they looked at each other, they weren't just friends.

Cleo had been dreading telling Klaus. Hope, however, was looking forward to that conversation. She thought it would be fun to be the bystander instead of her usual place of being reprimanded.

The tribrid placed Cleo's food on the counter and headed to the couch to rewatch some more Cutthroat Cooking, but suddenly the sound of whooshing stopped her in her place.

Hope placed a hand on her hip not turning around, "I know you're there."

"You know," said the person behind her, "One day it's not going to be me—"

Hope scoffed, "You're right," Hope whipped around, "And then when they come, I'm going to do this. Moist."

The person was quickly throwed from the floor into the wall. Hope raised her eyebrows daring him to have a comeback.

The blonde-haired boy being held against the wall smiled, "You know you're kinda hot when you get all badass."

Hope rolled her eyes releasing him with her magic, "Really?"

A wicked grin crossed the boy's face, "Really."

He then vampire sped the both of them into the wall kissing the tribrid fiercely. Hope's plate full of her lunch fell to the ground, but she didn't care. Instead, she wrapped her arms around the vampire pulling him closer.

"Wait—wait—wait," he pulled back, "Your dad isn't home, right? Because I would really like my spine to stay in my body."

"Nope," Hope said tugging him back.

"And Cleo?"

"Don't worry Cleo is busy," she jumped up wrapping her legs around his waist, "Now stop interrupting us."

Roman smiled in return.

xxxx

"So let me get this straight you found one dead werewolf in the woods and now suddenly you're worried we're all going to die of radiation positioning?"

"Gaslighting is not cute for the record," Hope growled as she pulled away from his hold. The two were cuddling in Hope's bed.

Roman rolled his eyes, "I'm just trying to see your logic."

"Fine," Hope sighed, "We all know humans have been dying because they can't handle the radiation, and now suddenly wolves and witches start disappearing from the shop and they turn up with radiation burn marks all over their bodies—"

"Wait, I thought you said you only found one werewolf."

"Technically—"

"Hope—"

"Listen, I just know I'm right. I can feel it. The radiation marks . . . they look—they look identical to my mothers. I have the image of hers burned into my memory."

"Hey," said Roman softy placing a hand on her cheek, "It's ok, and well you've got me sold."

Hope scoffed, "Really?"

"Really," he said with a smile, "And I assume in classic Mikaelson fashion you have a plan."

Hope bit her lip smiling as she unwrapped herself from her boyfriend and her bed sheet. She headed over to her desk pulling off a map and a few pens.

She hopped back on the bed spreading out a map of the US, "So, because my dad is ancient, he knows a lot of people. Because of that, he knows exactly where the bombs hit. I don't think he was ever going to share the information with us, but Cleo's really into all that science so he had a map made," she pointed to Alaska on the map, "That's us and the closest place the missiles hit is estimated to be in Spoken Washington. No human can get within ten miles of the place—"

"And that's where you want to go?"

"Yep, Cleo has all this crazy stuff for radiation in the lab. We can bring all kinds of equipment. Cleo can do some tests on the radiation to see if it really is that toxic, and best of all we can talk to the locals to see if any of them know of missing werewolves or witches."

"Just one problem?" Hope raised her eyebrows, "Your father."

"That's the great part," Hope's eyes twinkled, "He's going to be gone for the next few days maybe even longer."

Roman nodded, "Ok, ok I see what you're getting at, but this project seems like it will take a couple of weeks not a few days."

"It sounds like that, but you haven't heard the step-by-step process. Speaking of which I should probably get started on step one. I need as much time as possible to get everything in motion before the Big Bad Wolf gets back."

Roman tugged a piece of hair behind Hope's ear, "You're brilliant you know that, but there is one problem with your plan. I want to come with you."

Hope looked a taken back. She assumed Roman wouldn't want to be part of it considering how she herself had a lot of doubt especially about not being caught by her father, "Seriously?" she questioned.

"Seriously," said Roman, "But I think that step one can wait a bit."

He pushed the map off the bed, and the tribrid and vampire became tangled up with each other once again.

xxxx

"No way!" shouted Cleo.

Hope's face fell, "Why not?"

Cleo scoffed, "Why not? Hope do you even hear yourself? Nothing lives within ten miles of the radiation – nothing! Not humans, not witches, not werewolves, and vampires if they were unlucky enough to be suck there, they would continue to die an endless death by intoxication."

"But you said we had equipment," argued Hope.

"No, I said equipment existed. We don't have it."

"Well, can we find it in Washington?"

Cleo was silent for a moment, "We can. Can't we?"

"Maybe," said Cleo, "There were rumors that most of the technological equipment was moved after the radiation into a college in Seattle."

"Great, Seattle is only a bit away from Spokane."

Cleo scoffed at a bit, "We have no way to get there other than rover. It would take us days to get there and to get back. And we have huge hybrid size problem if we aren't back by then."

Suddenly paper came bursting into the air slowly falling to the ground. Hope snatched it from the floor, and read it quickly, "Here!" she snapped shoving the note at Cleo, "it says that he would be back for at least another three weeks! If we push it, we can make this happen!"

Kaleb and Roman had been quietly watching this conversation from the kitchen instead of the living room not wanting to get involved with the sister's argument. But suddenly Roman decided to speak up, "I would help too."

Cleo gave him a look as if to question and that would be helpful because?

"And I would help too of course," said Kaleb wanting to back up his girlfriend, "Assuming it was safe."

Cleo huffed in annoyance, "Come on," said Hope softly, "Don't you want to figure out if radiation poisoning for the supernatural is even possible? Please we both saw the werewolf. You know that I'm not making this up. I wouldn't be asking this if I didn't believe it was important."

The witch was quiet for a minute, clearly thinking hard. Finally, she said, "Fine," Hope immediately brighten, "But I assume you already know we can't tell Klaus. He would never let us near this, but when he does eventually find out I get full permission to throw you under the bus. Because we both know that when Klaus finds out, he literally goes to ground us for the rest of our lives. He will probably haunt us in afterlife. There really is no getting rid—"

Hope cut her off as she slammed into Cleo giving her a tight squeeze, "You are literally the best person ever. I love you so much!"

Cleo leaned into the hug for a bit longer before pulling back saying, "Ok, but we cannot waste any more time. Kaleb," she said pointing at her boyfriend, "You have helped me in the lab many times so I will make you a list of everything I need you to get. Help Hope's blonde friend—"

"Boyfriend," mumbled Hope, but Cleo ignored her. Even though Cleo was only a bit older than her, Hope swore that Klaus, Cleo, and the whole Mikaelson family viewed her as the baby of the family. Meaning that probably only her Aunt Rebekah would ever acknowledge Roman as Hope actual boyfriend.

"—understand the lab. Make sure he doesn't break anything! We're on a schedule!"

So, I just wanted to clarify something. The reason the world fell apart in my story was basically the massive, massive amounts of radiation suddenly in the air. Hope, Cleo, and the Mikaelsons know that the radiation was created by atomic bombs/missiles being released all over the world. They know this from the many connections Klaus has created over the years. Josie, Lizzie, and Caroline do not have those same connections which is why they do not know how the radiation got there in the first place. This is all because there is no central government or any other organization to tell the populace what really happened.

Lizzie chapter is up next! I have it close to done, but I make no promises. I am excited though. We get to see her side of the story (which is pretty different from Josie's) and more of Caroline being a mom!