stefan and elena ended up escaping from the travelers and damon got a call from stefan but they weren't sure where they were.
may and caroline walked into the house and saw jeremy and matt carrying a body.
inside the house, it was full of bodies everywhere.
"if this is your idea of a party, it's pretty dead." may joked.
"what the hell is going on? who are all these people?" caroline asked.
"traveler husks. they've passengered themselves into the beautiful citizens of mystic falls, like your buddy, mr. sikes. you two make yourselves useful. patrol the town. call if you see anything weirder than usual." damon said the last part being directed at jeremy and matt.
"and what are you planning on doing with all of them?" caroline asked.
may saw damon putting a pool table stick in the hand of an unconscious traveler.
"here you go. oh, yeah. well, markos put them in a cave. i'm hoping he wants them back." damon said before he hit a ball with the stick.
"so you think drawing markos to your house is the best idea?" caroline asked him.
"it's the only idea... unless your body snatched ex boyfriend in the basement can help us." damon said making caroline chuckle.
"julian is not tyler, therefore he has no reason to help us. so until i figure out a way to get tyler back, he's just extra baggage." caroline said.
"like we need any extra baggage right now." may said before she let out a sigh.
"there's no shame in giving up. i mean, aren't we all a little sick of tyler?" damon said.
"damon." may said glaring at him.
"you know what? your whole i'm too cool to care thing is really starting to get old. and don't think for one second that i believe your mood has nothing to do with elena." caroline said.
"spare me the unsolicited relationship advice." damon told her.
"fine. just keep your torture happy hands off of tyler until i figure something out. i don't abandon the people that i care about." caroline said before she walked away.
-
damon was getting impatient waiting for markos. may saw him tapping a traveler on the forehead making her question him.
"what do you think you're doing?" may asked him.
"nothing. ah." damon said before he picked up a fire poker.
just before he could do anything, his phone rang.
"saved by the bell." may said as damon answered his phone.
"salvatore boring house." damon said.
"i'm calling about my people." markos said.
"hey. you found my note. now, listen, don't be offended, but i can't just give them to anyone. so, what do they look like?" damon joked.
"they're ragged. beaten down by the world. desperate for a home." markos replied.
"you just described homeless people, aging hipsters, and matt donovan." damon said.
"one of them is five ten, wearing a black coat. you're standing next to him." markos said before he entered their house.
"markos, i presume." may said as he nodded.
"i know the concept of a home is new to you, but it is polite to knock." damon told him.
-
"nice place. a little rustic. my tastes are more modern, ironically. still... good bones and all." markos said knocking on the wood of the wall.
"what are you a realtor?" may asked him.
"i think you read the flyer wrong. see, the bodies are the only thing on the bargaining table. and in the attic and the garage and the kitchen." damon said.
"about that... please tell me taking hostages isn't your grand plan, because it feels a little small. much like the half bathroom off the foyer." markos said.
"funny. here i thought you didn't have a sense of humor." damon said.
"hmm." markos said before he started smelling something.
"oh, if you're wondering about the smell... i have your salvation army doused in gasoline... and i am just itching to light a match." damon said.
"yeah, damon is a bit of a pyromaniac." may said.
"hmm. you're right. none of this would be possible without their willingness to passenger themselves into your citizens and help perform my spell. and while i'd like to give them the opportunity to return to their actual bodies..." markos said before he stabbed one of them in the neck with the wine opener.
"it's not essential to my plan. did you really think you'd found the whole of my people? travelers are everywhere. they're the faces that surround you every day, the world over, the ones you don't notice because you're too busy making a mess of all that you have. and they want those things too. a home, a family, a better life. and they're willing to die for it." markos explained.
"you want a promised land. i get it. okay? but look, off the record, i mean, mystic falls is kind of a dump. bad schools, terrible traffic. and forget about ever getting a decent cup of coffee. heh." damon said.
"and not to mention, there's no damon salvatore's in other places." may said.
"mystic falls is a means to an end, like a small pebble... dropped into a very large pond." markos as he fixed himself a drink.
"very poetic. no idea what it means." damon said.
"once we destroy the spirit magic in this town, the witches' curse will finally be broken. but from there, the spell will ripple outward, unraveling spirit magic as it spreads. only pure magic, our magic, will remain. my people will be free to go whenever they chose. and when witch magic and all that it has ever created is gone from this earth, you will be too." markos said.
"i think i've heard about enough." damon said.
"as have i." may said.
damon tried to attack markos but markos fought back. may looked at him and tried to grab him but he pushed her back.
"you two underestimate me. i've completely transfused myself with doppelgänger blood. i'm channeling all the power of my people. you're not strong enough to kill me anymore. not that it matters. the spell has already begun." markos said.
may used her vampire hearing and she could hear the travelers chanting.
