laissez les bon temps rouler//jackson kenner

1.23

Elijah's phone rings and he answers it, "Impeccable timing. Jackson is fine. He's...a little tied up right now. Can we call you back?"

Nik snickers at Elijah's joke, and flips open another crate. Inside are another handful of bombs, with a folded slip of paper on top. Klaus frowns, just as the red blinking light on the bombs turn green. "Oh, that doesn't bode well."

"Are you trying to kill us?" Jack shouts.

Klaus picks up the folded paper, as Elijah and I watch him. 'This is for Thierry.'"

I realize what is about to happen so I quickly grab Jack and rush out of the building. I stop far enough away to catch my breath and make sure my brothers made it out.

When we get back to the compound we head up to the study. Hayley is pacing back and forth. She looks concerned when we all return covered in ash looking very disheveled. She rushes over to Elijah making sure he is okay. "Thank god you're alive!"

Jack has his arm around my shoulder as I help him sit on the couch.

"I'm fine, too, thanks for asking," I tease. I look over Jack's wounds.

"What about the stones?" Hayley asks.

Elijah sighs. "Scattered across the bed of the Mississippi, I'd imagine."

Nik heads to pour himself a drink. "Marcel's not a fool. He knows an empowered werewolf army would mean the end of vampires in New Orleans. The explosion is his way of saying he means to prevent that. For all the good it'll do him."

"Well, it did him pretty damn well, didn't it?" Hayley asks.

"This is my fault. I'll find a way to fix it," Jack states.

I rub his shoulder. "No, Jack, you're hurt. No one's blaming you."

"I'm blaming you! Those stones will be hard to replace." Nik looks over at Elijah and smiles evilly. "Fortunately, I always have a backup plan."

I hear someone arriving in the courtyard downstairs. We all head down and I notice Francesca Correa walking in with five other men, one carrying a suitcase.

"You can't seriously mean her! She's a gangster!" Hayley protests.

"I see her more as a means of procuring rare items at short notice." Nik turns to Francesca and her entourage. "Greetings, Ms. Correa! I see you've brought company."

Francesca smiles. "These are my brothers. I always include them in delicate business matters." She turns to her brothers. "Fellas, meet Mr. Mikaelson."

Nik smiles. "Please, call me Klaus. All my friends do."

"I don't know if I'd call us friends." Francesca reaches into the briefcase her brother is holding, and pulls out a small black drawstring bag. "But, if you and Marcel are planning on having a little throw-down, I'd prefer my family to be on the same side as the inevitable victor."

"Then, you have what I asked for?" Nik questions.

Francesca holds out the bag. "Not enough for an army at such short notice, but it's a start."

Elijah steps in, "Strange, I wasn't aware that she was familiar with our plan."

"My price for doing business is full disclosure. Your brother complied," Francesa informs him.

"And what does the Human Faction stand to benefit from all of this?" I ask.

"I only want us to solidify our allegiance to the ruling class. It's good for business," Francesca explains.

Nik examines the stones. "If only everyone shared your capacity for reason."

"Sadly, they don't. Marcel is being especially vindictive. I'm worried he might come after me, or my family, just for meeting with you." Francesca takes a deep breath. "It might be in our best interests if we combine our efforts."