Camille and Vincent sat at a table outside Decatur Street, sipping on their morning coffee and discussing the recent events involving Lucien. Both looked concerned as they exchanged their thoughts on the matter.
"Girl, ain't no time to be questionin' your gut feelings. That visit from Lucien got you all messed up. Why don't you reach out to Elijah?" Vincent suggested it to his blonde friend.
"Lucien was probably trying to extract information about Klaus." The woman rationalized "It's likely just his way of prying into his sire's intentions." She paused, contemplating, as she delicately savored her coffee.
"And what are Klaus's intentions?" Vincent inquired, his eyebrow arching as he observed her response to the mention of the hybrid's name.
Cami let out a dramatic sigh as if she were starring in her own personal soap opera. "Klaus is undoubtedly plotting something; though I can't say for sure what, I know he is an unmatched strategist. So maybe there is nothing to worry about," the woman said, unconvinced by the truth of her words.
"There ain't nobody who knows Klaus like you," the man said, "so why you still lookin' all worried for?" He inquired, keeping his eyes fixed on her and studying her reactions.
"Because I can't shake the feeling that there's more to what Lucien is planning," she admitted, furrowing her brow in concern. "Maybe you are right; the least I could do is give Elijah a call."
"How 'bout you give the man a call?" Vincent said nonchalantly, aware that at any other time, she would have contacted Klaus without hesitation, but after the breakup, she was holding back. "He'll appreciate the gesture, and you'll access information straight from the source," he suggested casually.
Camille gave him a pointed, unamused look. It wasn't the first time he had tried to shift the conversation to Klaus. As a fellow shrink, she knew what he was doing, and he was right. She needed to talk about Klaus, and more importantly, she needed to talk with Klaus.
"Why are you trying so hard to fix this?" She asked, "You don't even like Klaus!"
Vincent responded with a flair, saying, "Girl', you got feelings for him; you are in love with him, and Lord help us all, he feels the same way too. You ended things before even giving it a shot." He said this as he gave her a fixated but sympathetic stare. "Now listen, I ain't pretendin' to get why you're so smitten with him, and I sure as hell don't like him or approve of him. Honestly, you must've been outta your mind to let him into your life in the first place. But I can't deny that there's somethin' special between you two—a connection that's beyond my grasp. Whatever it is y'all share, it deserves a chance, and you, my friend, deserve to find happiness."
Cami's grip on the man's hand got tighter, and her beautiful green eyes lit up with her warmhearted smile. She was thankful that he was her friend and that they had become close over the past year. She wasn't ready to talk about Klaus, her feelings, or her fears, though. "Okay," she reluctantly said. "I'll think about it," she said as she stood up.
Camille's attempt to end this talk by leaving clearly amused Vincent. "Fine," the man said, giving up. "Go ahead and leave, but you can't avoid the 'Klaus Talk' forever." The blonde laughed. After saying, "I'll give you a call later," she left, realizing that Vincent was right: she couldn't keep avoiding the inevitable. But for now, she'll keep doing exactly that. She picked up her phone and called Elijah.
"Camille, is everything alright?" The noble Mikaelson asked from the other end of the line.
"Hey, I just wanted to give you a heads up," she began. "Lucien dropped by Rousseau's last night, prying about Klaus. Honestly, I don't think he's buying the whole 'hiding in the compound' story. Something about him gave me a bad feeling; I think he's up to something."
Vincent watched as Camille walked away, pondering how a sensible, strong-willed woman like her fell for Klaus Mikaelson. Seeing her spiral into depression and fear after becoming a vampire was tough, but he admired her resilience in finding some stability amidst the chaos. Breaking things off with Klaus was a step in the right direction, and Vincent hoped she could refocus on herself and their duty to protect the city. However, the drama surrounding the Mikaelson family continued to pull her back in. Lucien, Aurora, the Strix coven, Cortez, and now again Lucien. Vincent finally got convinced that his friend would be safer and happier by Klaus's side; thus, he was determined to help her confront her emotions sooner rather than later.
As he was about to ask the waiter for something stronger to spice his coffee, a powerful vision suddenly overcame his mind, causing him to writhe in agony and clutch his temples. His eyes clouded over, as if under a Kenning spell, and he was hit with flashes of images—a cloth-wrapped bundle hidden in a loose floorboard, an abandoned postal service train car, and a room full of wire shelves with bottles and jars. He knew exactly where he needed to go.
He got up and threw a few bills on the table.
With a flashlight in hand, Vincent made his way through the dark and eerie postal service railway car. As he entered the room, full of shelves, he felt a sense of familiarity. He had been here before, in his vision. Following his instincts, he found the loose floorboard and pried it open. His heart beat faster as he unfolded the cloth to reveal a jar filled with sawdust. But it was what lay beneath the sawdust that made his heart skip a beat. In his hands, Vincent Griffith held the sole remaining white oak bullet. He gasped in shock, realizing the significance of this find.
This was the only weapon that could kill an original. This was the weapon the Mikaelsons and their enemies were looking for. He grew up in New Orleans, and he knew the stories: whoever held a weapon powerful enough to take down an Original, hell, whoever tried to go against an Original ended up dead, and Vincent didn't become the Regent of the nine covens of New Orleans to end up dead.
As he stood there, hyperventilating from the stress, he knew he had to act fast. He quickly shoved the bullet into his pocket and grabbed his crowbar and flashlight. He needed to get out of there before anyone found him. But a blonde woman blocked his way just as he turned around. She stood there with a knowing smirk that made his heart race.
"Don't worry, Mr. Griffith," she said, her voice smooth and confident. "I won't tell anyone that the Regent of the Nine Covens," she paused for dramatic effect, "looked like a frightened little rabbit when he held the one thing under the sun that can kill an Original."
After dealing with assaults by so many vampires recently, Vincent lost his temper and hurled the crowbar to the ground, approaching her. "If you're looking for an easy target, you're in the wrong place," he said as he raised his hands to cast a spell on her. That very moment, three other vampires vamp-speed into the train car and join her.
The woman, full of confidence, said, "May I offer some free advice, Mr. Griffith?"
Vincent, seemingly unimpressed by the presence of the vampires, shot her a glance, urging her to carry on.
The woman smirked as she added, "Know when you're outmatched."
"This is not the first time; vampires have gone against me," Vincent said, and before one of the men could lay a hand on him, he cast an aneurysm spell that melted the guy's brain in seconds.
"You were saying?" He asked the woman, raising an eyebrow in challenge. The woman's smirk faltered slightly, sensing she may have underestimated Vincent's power.
The other two vampires launched a new attack on the wizard: as they attempted to grab him by his arms and immobilize him, Vincent conjured a blast of fire that instantly reduced them to ashes. Standing triumphantly, he caught a glimpse of the woman's slightly impressed expression. However, his confidence quickly faded as he attempted to cast a spell on her, only to realize that his magic had inexplicably ceased to work. The woman, wearing a mockingly sympathetic expression, swiftly moved at vampire-like speed and positioned herself behind Vincent. Without warning, she grabbed him by the shoulders and sank her fangs into his vulnerable neck.
Vincent let out a blood-curdling scream that echoed through the room as he fought to break free from her grasp. His magic had failed him, leaving him defenceless against the female vampire draining him of his life force. As he finally managed to escape and fell to the floor, he looked up in shock and gasped, "Who are you?'
"I'm just a hired gun, Mr. Griffith, and unfortunately, you're in my way." the woman said, and before Vincent attempted something else, she punched him in the head, knocking him unconscious, and pulled the white oak bullet out of his pocket.
#####
Later that day, Josh waited at Marcel's bar, pouring himself a drink as Marcel descended the stairs, scolding a Strix guard on the phone. "I don't care if he turned into a cloud of smoke! Your job is to be Elijah's shadow! Don't let him out of your sight again!"
After hanging up, Marcel noticed Josh chuckling. "I remember the days when you would boss me around in that manner!" Josh let out a dramatic sigh as he comfortably settled into an armchair.
"Come on in, Josh. Have a drink! Take a load off! " Marcel sarcastically said as he pulled out the stopper of his decanter of Bourbon and poured himself a drink. "Tell me—how have I wronged you this time?" he asked the young vampire, who seemed comfortably settled into his living room.
The young vampire shrugged his shoulders mischievously, taking a sip of his drink before replying, "Oh, just the usual, Marcel… I merely remind myself of how you said the Strix would be gone once we figured out who was killing their guys."
"Turns out I still need 'em." Marcel leaned back in his chair, swirling the Bourbon in his glass thoughtfully. "Well, you know how it is, Josh. Plans change," he replied with a smirk.
"Mmm. And, in the meantime, me and the rest of your benchwarmers are supposed to do what?" Josh asked. With a sly grin forming on his face, Marcel chuckled. "Besides, keeping the bench warm?" raising his glass in a mock toast and nonchalantly shrugging, causing Josh to roll his eyes, yet the young vampire's smile betrayed his lack of true annoyance towards his boss and good friend
"I have a better idea. Maybe I should join them." Josh proposed abruptly, "How's that saying go? If you can't beat 'em...?"
That caught Marcel off guard, and he almost spat out his Bourbon in surprise.
With a mischievous grin, Josh stretched his arms out as far as they could go, his expression clearly conveying a playful challenge.
However, Marcel simply shook his head in response, "Not gonna happen," his determination unwavering. "But, if it makes you feel better, they're only staying to protect Elijah."
Josh narrowed his eyes at Marcel before turning on his heel and striding back towards the bar to refill his glass. "So, I guess they know about the auction, then?" the young vampire asked nonchalantly.
Marcel gave him a questioning look, both shocked by Josh's scheming and the fact that he had no idea what Josh was talking about.
" …For the last existing white oak bullet," Josh clarified with a sly grin, taking the opportunity to rub it in a little enjoying Marcel's surprise.
"Wait, you mean your army of fancy-pants vampires didn't tell you about this?" The young vampire dramatically shook his head and smiled, "Weird! Well, that's the thing about ancient vampires, isn't it? They don't pay attention to modern things. Unlike your friend here, who minored in computer science and wrote a paper on the dark web!"
"Bottom-line it for me, Zuckerberg?" Marcel teased, trying to hide his frustration at being left out of the loop.
"I ran down some online rumors… It turns out that someone claiming to have the last white oak is offering it up to the highest bidder," Josh specified after a long pause, "today."
Marcel pondered over the new information, his mind racing to make sense of it all. "It could be a fake." He suggested it as a flicker of doubt danced across his face.
At that very moment, a visibly worn-out Vincent Griffith walked into the room. His beaten appearance and the bruise around his eye caught Josh and Marcel off guard.
"I wouldn't bet on it," Vincent said without delay.
Both vampires looked at the Regent of the Nine Covens, startled. "I had the white oak bullet in the palm of my hand, and then some ancient vampire lady." Vincent pulled his collar to the side to reveal the painful-looking bite marks on his neck. "She rang my bell to get it."
Marcel's eyes narrowed, suspicious of the man's motivation.
But Vincent, unbothered by Marcel's suspicions, added, "Now, when I think of "old and vampire," I think of you and your new friends. But it sounds like this one ain't one of yours. Hence, she is most likely here for Klaus." Vincent's voice trembled slightly as he recounted his encounter with the female vampire.
A wave of unease washed over Marcel as he processed Vincent's words. The realisation hit him hard, as the implications of this going the wrong way sent a chill down his spine.
#######
A perplexed expression crossed Elijah's face as he disconnected the call and carefully placed his phone back into the concealed compartment of his elegant suit. Marcel just informed him that the last white oak bullet had been found and was being sold to the highest bidder in a private action today. The news left Elijah deep in thought, contemplating the potential consequences of this unexpected turn of events.
The sound of Kol yelling from the next room distracted his thoughts. He immediately rushed to the location of the noise, where Freya had just stepped in between Kol and Finn. His youngest brother was struggling against her so he could attack his older brother.
"Fancy a go at me, do you?" Kol challenged, "All these dodges and blocks... even the way you fight is boring."
"It's an odd critique, considering all your flair and flourish couldn't keep you from being bested the last time we faced each other." Finn retorted.
Kol reached around Freya and shoved Finn in the chest while Freya glared at him in frustration. Then he tried to push Finn backward against the wall, but as Freya was about to interfere, Kol shoved her aside, and she landed on the nearby couch. Before he could do anything more, however, Elijah vamp-speeded and pulled his younger brother away from the older one.
Shoving Kol against the bookshelf in a smooth chokehold, from which he desperately fought to break free. "Behave yourselves," he commanded with a firm and authoritative voice, still keeping Kol pinned. "We have bigger problems to deal with than your petty squabbles. Especially considering we'll be confined here together for the foreseeable future." He added.
Kol was still struggling against Elijah's hold but eventually gave in, knowing that he had been overpowered.
Freya stood up from the couch, grateful for Elijah's intervention, and gave Finn a reassuring look before turning her attention to calming down her brother.
"What does that mean?" Kol demanded, furious at his siblings.
"I believe the term is "staycation." Elijah explained calmly, trying to diffuse the tension in the room. "You see, Niklaus isn't the only one who has inspired revenge fantasies. Right now, we are all at risk." Elijah expounded, "Marcel Gerard just notified me about a private action regarding the last white oak bullet. So, while Marcel works to retrieve the white oak, I recommend we dispense with the posturing and get down to some good, old-fashioned family bonding," Elijah suggested, looking around at his siblings with a blasé expression.
#####
Meanwhile, Marcel and Vincent returned to the loft, carefully placing a vampire's body in the middle of the living room. Josh, who, up to that moment, was completely absorbed in his online research, looked up in confusion at the sight before him. "Do we know this guy?"
Vincent simply shrugged, while Marcel explained, "Random enemy of Klaus. Elijah spotted him in St. James and had no choice but to take it down."
"Considering that bloodsucker just rolled into town today of all days," Vincent drawled as he snatched the man's phone and slickly bypassed the fingerprint lock using the dead guy's thumb.
It seemed like Josh was thinking along the same lines as the wizard. "That's a great thought! If he's here for the auction, they must have provided him with a login. Check his texts and emails." He suggested.
Following Josh's instructions, Vincent scrolled through the messages and stumbled upon a text from an unknown number containing the login details for the auction. Then handed the phone over to Josh, who eagerly typed in the login information on his laptop. To their surprise, a live video feed featuring the woman who attacked Vincent earlier and stole the white oak bullet suddenly appeared on the screen.
"That's her. The vampire who attacked me." Vincent said, pointing at the screen.
"Welcome." The woman said from the screen of the laptop, "You are the lucky few, chosen for your extensive resources and extreme prejudice towards the Mikaelsons."
"It seems to be a live-feet to the action," Josh murmured as the three of them kept watching the screen. "Whoever's bid proves most alluring to my employer will become the sole owner of the last piece of white oak in existence." The woman continued holding up a bullet for all to see through the camera. "The opening bid is $5 million. Shall we begin?"
The screen switched to a dark web chatroom where numerous bidders were commenting with their bids. Among the offerings were impressive: a fleet of tankers, two containers filled with exquisite Swiss gold bars, an island situated near Lisbon, Portugal, three luxurious silver chalets, and even the awe-inspiring Great Pyramid of Khufu.
Josh's eyes danced on the offers, impressed. "Whoa. A fleet of oil tankers? A dozen casinos in Monaco? Yeah, these guys are not playing around." Josh spoke nervously. "What do we do, Marcel?"
Marcel glanced at the screen, his mind racing with possibilities. "Type 'aliquid sub sole'. It's Latin for 'anything under the sun', an infamous Strix rite. It means the whole order pledges to fulfill any one command."
"You think that's going to work?" Vincent asked
Marcel flashed him a sharp look. "It's our best shot," Marcel replied confidently, and after a moment, the screen turned black, except for two words in white text: "BID ACCEPTED." Then, the dead vampire's phone rang, and Josh hesitantly answered, not actually saying anything. On the other end of the line, the woman also didn't wait for a greeting. "Congratulations," she said without pause. "4:00, 318 Toulouse Street, Suite 1."
Marcel rubbed his hands as a sense of relief washed over him. "All right. Let's go get our prize!"
Vincent and Josh looked at each other in disbelief. "Don't you think that was all too easy?" they objected in one voice. Marcel disregarded their concerns. "Ain't no need to be second-guessing guys," he said, and with a shrug, Vincent and Josh followed him out the door.
#####
Freya paced back and forth in the study adjacent to her bedroom, her mind clearly preoccupied with something. Finn casually propped himself against the doorway, observing her movements with a hint of curiosity. Surprisingly, the rest of the siblings were nowhere in sight, leaving the two of them alone in the quiet space.
"I know you've had your disagreements, brother." She paused, finally breaking the silence between them. "But I hope we can find a way to move past that and work together."
Finn scoffed and turned to face her. "'Disagreements?' Such a quaint way of describing it all." Said bitterly. "There can be no conciliation between me and my brothers."
Freya clenched her jaw, frustration evident in her eyes. "I understand how you are feeling, but we need to set aside our differences for the greater good of our family," she pleaded. "Besides, you promised me that things would be different this time." She reminded him.
Finn approached his elder sister, gently placing his hand on her shoulder as a gesture of affection. "They are my beloved sister! Your presence here has ensured that." He sighed heavily before adding, "However, when I said I wanted a change, I think you misunderstood me. I'd still rather die than be part of this wretched family."
"I know our siblings hurt you, but you hurt them too, Finn. We can't change our past, my brother. We can only work towards a better future," Freya said softly.
"Try to understand, sister; some wounds run too deep to heal." He looked at her with a mixture of sadness and resoluteness in his eyes.
Freya was about to make another argument as to why he needed to give their family another chance when Elijah's voice was heard from the doorway.
"Freya, would you excuse us for a moment, please? I believe Finn and I have some catching up to do." Elijah said calmly.
The blond witch was about to burst into tears due to Finn's stubbornness. All of her life, she wished to be part of this family. To have her siblings by her side. Now she had that chance. Daliah was defeated. She was free and finally reunited with her long-lost family. Finn and Kol had returned from the dead; now was the chance for their family to mend what was broken. But Finn's and Kol's unwillingness to forgive and move forward was a barrier she couldn't seem to break through. She nodded silently, excusing herself from the room, feeling defeated and alone in her quest for family unity.
Finn gave Elijah a cold stare and rubbed his neck anxiously as he paced around.
The elegantly dressed man entered the room and closed the door behind him before turning back to Finn with a fake smile. "So, tell me—do you intend to bully your way through all our siblings?" he asked, his tone icy. Finn clenched his jaw. "You always had a penchant for idle chat." He commented.
"Well, perhaps we could discuss something a little bit more constructive," Elijah suggested, raising an eyebrow in challenge.
The condescending tone of his brother only fueled Finn's anger. The elder Mikaelson took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure in the face of his brother's provocation. "Do you intend to intimidate me into forgiving you?" he asked, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Or are you interested in repairing our fractured relationship?"
"It depends on what your intentions are," Elijah replied coolly.
"Could you believe me if I told you I'd changed?" The oldest Mikaelson requested
Elijah stood in front of the large window, skeptically looking at the busted-with-life street. " Have you?" he inquired.
Finn paused for a moment, considering his brother's question, "Yes... and no." He finally replied. "All that time trapped alone in Freya's pendant, I was able to reflect on what we've become over a millennium. I'm still sickened by what you all are, but I'm done trying to atone for past sins."
Elijah turned to look at Finn with a smile on his face, obviously finding his brother's remarks entertaining. "It is curious the way you speak, as though you and I are not the same." He paused, looking at Finn with a mix of amusement and pity.
"We are not the same!" Finn declared firmly, shaking his head. "You may have given up on redemption, but I haven't. I still have a chance at some small happiness. Just allow Freya to put my soul back in a witch's body, and I promise never to look back again."
"Last time you occupied a witch's body, you turned against all of us, Finn," Elijah reminded him sternly. "You even went against an innocent baby, your own niece! I cannot risk that happening again."
"I'm not proud of that," Finn admitted with a heavy sigh. "But I'm willing to prove that I can be trusted this time." Elijah's expression softened slightly, considering Finn's words.
"How do you plan to prove yourself?" Elijah asked, his voice cautious.
Finn paused for a moment, choosing his next words carefully: "With Klaus on the run and Rebbeca cursed, I know you need another Original to fight by your side."
Elijah's eyebrows raised in surprise at Finn's suggestion. "You're offering to help us take down whoever is plotting against the family you hate so much?" He asked suspiciously.
Finn nodded solemnly. "I am if you give me your word that you reconsider my request."
"You have my word, brother. However, I cannot promise anything more until I see your loyalty in action," Elijah responded.