laissez les bon temps rouler//jackson kenner

2.5

"I've known my brother Finn to be merciless, but I'll admit, this exceeds even my expectations," Elijah states.

"They're just kids. Marcel, you know the Quarter like the back of your hand. If anyone can get them out of here, it's you," I tell him.

"Oh? And take 'em where?" Marcel questions.

"There's still wolves deep in the Bayou. Ones that didn't take a ring. They can look after them," Oliver explains.

"The ones that never sold out, you mean," Marcel states.

"You wanna look at it like that, that's fine. We did what we had to do," Oliver argues.

Marcel sighs. "Your wolves have been fighting us for decades. Why trust us now?"

Aiden hesitates for a moment. "One of the recruits is my little brother. There's no way I'm sending him to war."

I look to Elijah hoping he will help. He looks to Marcel before sighing. "Tell us what you need."

"Alright, the kids are being held in the City of the Dead until we bring them through the Quarter to St. Anne's Church. Now, meanwhile, Vincent is holding a meeting with a few humans in-the-know. The ones who have been... reluctant to fall in line with his new leadership," Aiden explains.

Elijah looks stunned. "He's going to use the children to kill any opposition."

Aiden nods. "Activate their curse, send a message to anyone who's thinking about going against him. It's two birds, one... bloodbath."

"Okay, so, we'll hit them while the kids are on the move," Marcel offers.

"Aiden, make certain you and Oliver escort the children. We'll handle the rest," Elijah explains.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait. Esther and her psycho son are already giving me the stink-eye. If these kids go missing on my watch, I'm as good as dead," Oliver argues.

"You wanted to help your people and make amends for the past. This is your chance," Elijah tells him.

We all split up heading to different places across the quarter. The streets are filled with partiers celebrating All Hallows Eve. Everyone around me is in costume. Gia is tasked with accidentally running into one of the werewolves to distract them. Aiden chases after her and Oliver takes the kids away.

When Oliver passes the alley Hayley and I are in I call out to him, "Ollie, this way!"

Oliver and the kids follow me through an alley and into Rousseau's, where Josh is waiting for us. He opens a door hidden behind a cupboard in the kitchen. "Go ahead." The kids start into the tunnel. "It's a passageway from the Prohibition days. It'll take us pretty much anywhere we want to go," he tells us.

Josh goes in first than Hayley than me. I look at Oliver and smile slightly before he closes the door. As I lead the kids through the tunnel I put my finger to my lips. Josh is in front of me with a flashlight. When we get to a metal gate Josh breaks it down. As we exit the tunnel Gia is there waiting.

"Hey, where's Marcel?" Josh asks.

"Uh, he's getting the getaway car," Gia tells him.

"Hey! Big-mouth! Shut it! There are werewolves everywhere," I warn.

I lead the kids to the nearby gas station. Marcel is there waiting with the ambulance we are using as the getaway car. Marcel quickly hops out of the front seat and gestures toward the children to get in the back. "Let's go! Move!"

Marcel and I help the kids into the back. I hear Aiden shout behind me, "Nick!"

His little brother smiles up at him. "Aiden! You made it!"