The Unknown Variable

Part 6

"I am not panicking Liberty." Damon growled through the phone.

Truly he wasn't panicking no, he was furious.

His best friend had burned in that fire, and he was sure that he had avenged him by making sure the Society burned to the ground with him.

So, to find out that they had survived when Enzo hadn't; made a cold flame blaze through his entirety.

"They were supposed to be dead. None of them were supposed to make it out alive." He could hardly keep the anger out of his voice as he paced the length of the living room.

"I know but, all we can do is focus on the problem at hand and keep our eyes open. After we have sorted out the problem you are having with the pendant and the Original family, we can take care of the Augustine Society once and for all."

Damon snarled under his breath, forcing his hand to relax where it had curled tightly into a fist, his knuckles turning bone white.

"Once we are done, we are ending this, once and for all." Damon kept his tone as even as he could, barely resisting the urge to put his fist through the wall in front of him.

"Of course. For now, be careful. I've already lost one friend. I am not going to lose another."

Quickly hanging up, Damon's eyes slid shut as he fought to control the anger and fear that surged through his blood.

He had, albeit unknowingly, let Lorenzo's murderers walk away free once; he would not let them do so again.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Klaus strolled towards the Salvatore boarding house forcing himself not to grin at the sight that greeted him.

After witnessing the chaos his cub had left behind after being attacked, he decided to move his timetable forward.

He had been lucky enough to happen upon one of the group's members in the Grill after leaving the alley.

The man had reeked of vervain, so he had been unable to compel him.

However, the bar had been relatively empty, so it had gone unnoticed when Klaus forced him from the building.

A car ride and a spell later, Klaus had managed to take control of the man's, apparently named Alaric if his ID was anything to go by, body.

Anticipation flooded his veins as he surveyed the group that lay before him.

Stefan sat on the couch with the doppelganger cradled against his chest.

Across from them sat the Bennet witch, sorry ex-Bennet witch; he could not deny being proud of his son for his calculated decision.

As he made his way closer, all eyes in the room flashed to linger on him while the conversation lulled to a muted halt.

The silence was immediately broken as a blonde teenager sauntered into the room, rage and apprehension warring in her eyes.

"I thought you were just supposed to yank the pendant from his neck and bring him here to lock up." The blonde enquired forcefully as she came to a stop in front of the others.

"It wasn't that simple, Caroline. As soon as we walked up to him, he was already on the defensive. He was expecting us." Stefan's eyes snapped to Klaus, who stood stock still behind the couch.

"Did you tell him what we were planning, Alaric?" Klaus's eyes narrowed as he stared at Stefan.

The question was demanding, angry, and filled with accusations; had he chosen the wrong member to gain control of?