A/N: Drawing close to the end here. I know there's some questions that need answering in regards to the flashback chapter and I'm going to try my best to answer them in chapter 9. I hope you're all enjoying the story so far, I really appreciate all the feedback. Please excuse any grammatical errors. So without further ado, enjoy!

Chapter 8

New Orleans

The French Quarter

It was the middle of the night and a black armored van pulled into what was known as the French Quarter of New Orleans, the place where Vampires, Werewolves, and Witches alike roamed around freely.

Xena explained The Mikaelson's connection to New Orleans, as well as, Marcel Gerard's ascension into the ruler of New Orleans to Oliver and Felicity on the drive up. With all of this in mind, Oliver's main goal was to get Thea out of Klaus' reach safely.

"You know I always wanted to come to New Orleans." Felicity said as she drove the van, getting a stern look from both Oliver who sat up front and Xena who was in the back, "Under different circumstances I mean…"

"Stop right here." Xena spoke, "You see that building right there? That's the Abattoir, home of The Mikaelsons."

"Are you serious? That's like a mansion!" Felicity noted.

"The Mikaelsons got this place in the 19th Century from what I was told. It's been theirs' since." Xena explained.

Oliver observed the large home of The Mikaelsons. It stood about three stories tall, many ways in an out.

"Alright, I'm going to recon the place. See if I can find Thea." Oliver said.

"That's a bit dangerous don't you think? What if you run into Klaus or Elijah? They can hear your heartbeat." Xena asked.

Oliver pulled out a pistol, "The bullets in this clip are wood tipped. It may not kill them, but it'll hopefully slow them down enough for me to escape."

"These aren't regular vampires Oliver! Those bullets will only- why am I even trying? Now I see how you feel Blondie." Xena said with Felicity agreeing.

"I need to make sure Thea is alright." Oliver said firmly.

"Ok…but how are you gonna get in?" Xena asked, Oliver not responding but giving her a look of 'did you really just ask me that?', "Right, forgot who I was talking to. So are you going to suit up here?"

"No, I brought my suit just in case but if the Green Arrow is seen here in New Orleans, that'll raise suspicion and unwanted attention." Oliver says as he pulls a black mask out and places it over his face,

"They're not expecting me until tomorrow so the chances of them being there may be less given everything going on in New Orleans. Make sure to park somewhere that you can't be seen."

"Be careful Oliver." Felicity told Oliver.

Oliver hops out the van and watches as Felicity and Xena pull off before crossing the street toward the Abattoir.

The Abattoir

Oliver, dressed in all black and a black mask, made his way through the halls of the Abattoir, that time spent in the League of Assassins was put to good use as he didn't make a sound roam in the home of The Mikaelsons.

So far he found no one in the house. He looked around every corner and every room but the house was clear and no sign of Thea, until he heard footsteps coming up the stairway. Oliver turned a corner and waited.

A figure walks past him, a woman, standing at about 5'4" also wearing all black with a leather jacket. Long wavy black hair in a messy bun. Oliver figured she was human since she didn't notice him and decided to follow her. She walked down the hallway and stopped, as did he. Oliver quickly turned into another corner as the woman turned around and looked behind her with suspicious eyes.

She retraced her steps, she thought she felt someone behind her and went to check it out. Oliver knew she was coming and had to think fast. As the footsteps got closer and closer, the woman turns and looks at the corner, but no one was there. She takes a couple of steps forward and analyzes her surroundings but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

She turns back around and walks away as Oliver silently drops from above. He watches her enter into a room and close the door.

"Have you found Thea?" Felicity asked over the comm.

"No," Oliver said silently, "but there is someone else here. A woman."

"Does she have dark brown hair? I hope it's not Hayley, if it is you're kinda screwed." Oliver heard Xena say.

"No she's hum-" Oliver stops his sentence as he glances outside and into the courtyard. He sees a woman setting a table with short, neck-length dark brown hair wearing professional clothing, "Thea."

Oliver silently made his way to the balcony of the courtyard and watched as Thea started to leave. Oliver quickly jumped down from the balcony and landed nimbly behind Thea.

"Thea!" Oliver said but still silent. Thea turned around and she had a blank look on her face as if she didn't recognize Oliver.

Oliver went toward Thea and kneeled in front of her, pulling his mask on top of his head to reveal his face to her, "Hey! It's me Speedy, I'm here. Guys I found Thea."

"Is she ok!?"

"She looks like she doesn't recognize me." Oliver answered.

"She's compelled, bring her back to the van so I can take it off of her." Xena told Oliver.

Oliver slipped his mask back on, "Alright Speedy, we're getting you out of here."

Oliver tugged on Thea little bit and she resisted, "No!"

Oliver looked back at his sister and tried to talk to her, "Thea it's me, Ollie, you're under mind control and we have to go."

Oliver tried pulling her again but she kept resisting, now getting more violent as she flailed against Oliver's grip, "No! LET GO OF ME!"

"Well, well. What do we have here?" Came a voice.

A voice from distance calls out causing Oliver to turn and draw his gun. It was Klaus. Oliver made sure Thea was behind him as Klaus started walking toward them.

"It would seem we have an uninvited guest." Came another voice directly behind Oliver and Thea.

Oliver turned and pulled Thea behind him as he drew a second pistol and pointed it at a man with black hair wearing a suit with a hand in his pocket, Elijah Mikaelson.

"I wouldn't waste your bullets stranger. They will do nothing more than annoy me." Elijah told Oliver as he pulls back the hammer of the pistol.

"You must be one of Oliver Queen's associates I presume." Klaus stated, optimism in his voice, "I must say he never ceases to amaze me."

Klaus snaps his fingers and Thea starts walking toward Klaus.

"Thea!" He yells, keeping both his fingers on the triggers as he watches Thea stand by Klaus' side.

Klaus takes a step behind Thea, moves her hair from her neck, and tilts her head sideways. Oliver watches as Klaus' eyes started glowing yellow with veins protruding from around the eyes and his teeth turn to fangs.

"Now unless you want to see me feast on her body as you watch her life slowly fade away into nothingness, you will put down your arms." Klaus commanded.

Oliver hesitated for a moment before realizing he was in a losing situation. He took his aims off of Klaus and Elijah, pushing the hammer of both pistols forward and slowly placing them on the ground.

Klaus turned back to normal and smiled at Oliver, "Smart man. Brother if you would."

Oliver looked at Elijah as he leaned and took the mask off of Oliver's face. Klaus and Elijah were shocked at this revelation.

"Oliver Queen," Klaus said, letting go of Thea, "well this changes things. Please, come have a seat."

Oliver watched as Klaus sat at the table Thea set. Oliver turned back to Elijah who had an amused look on his face, making sure Oliver didn't try anything more stupid than he has.

Oliver walked over to a chair on the other side of the table from Klaus and sat.

"Are you thirsty?" Klaus asked Oliver who didn't give him an answer, "Bring us a bottle of wine, Love. This is a cause for celebration of Oliver Queen's stupidity."

Thea left the table and went inside the house, Oliver watched her with the side of his eye before turning his attention back to Klaus.

"So tell me Oliver, you break into my home without doing what you were told. Why should I not kill you where you sit?" Klaus asked.

"I had to make sure my sister was safe." Oliver answered.

Thea walks back with two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine. She sits one in front of Oliver and pours the wine half way, then makes her way back to Klaus and does the same thing before sitting on Klaus' lap.

"As you can see, she is perfectly fine." Klaus said arrogantly.

"Excuse my brother for his manners." Elijah says as he sits in a chair next to Oliver, "He only wanted to ensure we held up our end of the bargain. Now that you see that we have, where is your end?"

"She is being brought up as we speak. I told my partners I would come alone to make sure this wasn't a trap." Oliver said.

"So now that you see this isn't a ruse, where should we go from here?" Elijah stated, Oliver turning his attention to him.

"Xena." Oliver stated.

"Yes, the reason we are all in this mess." Klaus replied."

"I won't let you have her." Oliver told Klaus.

Klaus chuckled. Elijah looked at Oliver with interest. "Then it seems we are at an impasse. Either way, why should we let you live, Oliver Queen."

"I want to make a deal." Oliver spoke.

Klaus looked at Klaus "I'm a little intrigued, one more laugh can't hurt."

"I challenge you, by combat, for the freedom of my sister and Xena." Oliver announced.

Klaus sat back at Oliver's statement astonished, "Well Oliver, if you wanted to die so badly all you had to do was ask. Besides, for her treachery she will have to answer to me."

"If I win, you let them go and never bother them again."

"And if I win?" Klaus asked.

Oliver didn't answer that question, he sat there and stared coldly at Klaus who still had Thea in his lap.

"Ah, no answer? How about this, if I win, I will compel you to be my servant for the rest of your days along with your sister. You will continue to run Star City under my rule and will have to answer to no one but me. And after I kill the girl and get the blade back, we'll go to your loved one's next."

"Do you know who it is you are fighting for?" Elijah interjected, "Yes your sister, but Xena as well? Why would you throw away your life for a stranger, Oliver Queen?"

"Star City and the people of Star City are under MY protection. Xena, is also included. Do. We. Have. A deal." Oliver said sternly.

"How honorable of you Mr. Queen," Klaus replied, "You have peaked my interest. You must believe firmly in your skills to THINK you have a chance of defeating me. Very well, I do accept. I'm thinking the old Lafayette Cemetery will be the perfect burial ground for the Green Arrow. We will meet there tomorrow at twilight. The traitor will know where that is."

Oliver watched Thea for a moment before leaving his seat. He grabbed his two pistols and proceeded to walk out of the house.

Outside of the Abattoir, Oliver waited at a distant alley as a black armored van picked him up.

"Wow, you're surprisingly not dead." Xena told Oliver as he entered the back of the van.

"What happened?" Felicity asked.

"Thea's fine, still under Klaus' compulsion, but fine. He agreed to battle for Thea's freedom as well as Xena's tomorrow at a place called the Lafayette Cemetery." Oliver answered.

"That's not discouraging at all." Felicity said worryingly.

"So how are you gonna fight him? Yeah you're good with a bow and can throw some good hits but Klaus is literally indestructible." Xena noted.

"Everything has a weakness, Xena. The thing is finding it and using it to your tactical advantage." Oliver says as his phone starts ringing and quickly answers, "John."