All the cards

38

Amity watched Isaac walk away, and stiffened as a scent wafted over to her. She looked around before zeroing in on a human walking towards her, a box in hand. He handed her the box and started walking away.
"Hey!" She called after him, running after him, stopping him. "Hello?"
"The Strix send their regards." He said and attempted to step out into the traffic. Amity pulled him back with one hand.
"Who are you?" The man struggled to head out onto the road. She leaned in to try to compel him. "Stop."
"I can't." He said. Amity rolled her eyes and dragged him into the compound. Setting the box on the table, she shoved the human onto a chair. Concentrating she undid the compulsion with ease.
"Who sent you?" Amity questioned.
"What?"
"Who... sent... you?" She asked slowly and deliberately. Amira sped down.
"What's going on?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out." Amity turned back to the human.
"All I know is, some chick asked for a picture, then I got shoved into the back of an SUV and this man told me to come here to give you that box. He said when I finished I should walk out into the road and stand there. Was I really going to-?" He broke off.
"He was compelled." Amira said and Amity nodded.
"Thank you for your cooperation. Now I'm going to need you to forget meeting the man who told you to come here. I'm going to need you to forget all of this. You'll simply remember you had a good time touring the city, and you will go back to your hotel. In the morning you will pack your bags and move on. New Orleans isn't the best place to be right now." The human nodded and walked out and Amity picked up the box. There was a letter attached.

Dearest friends,
Please find enclosed the heart of Jackson. Hayley's will follow unless you meet me at Coltrane's Autoshop, 1268 Adderly in the ninth. No tricks, no Amity, or you may find Hayley missing a heart anyway.
Kind regards,
Tristan

Amity growled ferociously as she opened the box to find Jackson's heart.
"Grandma, grandma. Stop." Amira stood in front of her.
"Tristan will pay for this."
"Yes, he will. But stop for a moment and think. He has Hayley."
"Fine. I'll rescue her then kill him." Amity tried to shove past Amira. Aeliana appeared.
"You know you can't do that."
"Watch me." Aeliana grabbed hold of Amity as she put down the letter.
"Amity, you're angry and upset."
"No kidding! He killed Jackson and he has Hayley hostage."
"You'll be no use to anyone if you go in this angry. You know your limits."
"I won't need magic to rip out his heart."
"Zia!" Aeliana snapped. "You kill Tristan, then what? You can't come back from that. You can't break your oath."
"What oath?" Amira asked.
"When we got our magics, your grandmother chose a path of light." Aeliana explained. "She made a vow that she would never use her sorcery for harm or anything that would go against nature. Her powers come from a place of love and goodness."
"What about Dahlia?"
"I boosted Amity's magic then. She wasn't using her sorcery. All that had been blocked off."
"We're wasting time."
"We will get Hayley back. But you've got to give us a chance to do it the right way." Amira tried to convince her grandmother. Amity softened at her granddaughter's gaze. "Tristan probably isn't there yet, and he's not going to do anything. He knows the moment he hurts her, there's no going back."
"He killed Jackson. For that, he has to pay."
"And he will." Amira said. "But you can't rush in, half cocked and angry." Freya walked down, without the kids.
"What's with all the yelling?" Amity looked at her sister, tearfully. "Hey, what happened?"
"It's Jackson. Tristan got to him and Hayley."
"What?" Amity gestured to the box.
"He killed Jackson, and he has Hayley." Freya slowly walked to the box, opening it. She gasped, seeing the heart and Amity reluctantly handed over the letter. Freya took a seat, trying to gather herself, failing to hold back tears. Elijah walked into the compound. He was with the warlock- the one whose body Finn had taken possession of. Elijah looked between the girls.
"What's happening?" He asked.
"A messenger came. Some compelled tourist. He left that." Amity gestured at the box. He walked to the table and suspiciously opened the box. He shut the lid almost immediately, and looked up.
"Who?"
"Jackson." Freya answered, handing him the letter.
"So, unless we meet their demands, Hayley will be next."
"For God's sake, enough of this. I'll kill him myself."
"He doesn't want you there." Freya said to her sister.
"He won't know."
"Are you sure? He's got the activated serratura. All he has to do is set it." Amity and Aeliana exchanged looks. "What?"
"The Serratura is a lot more powerful than you realised."
"How powerful?"
"It's pure dark magic, worse than anything you might have ever scene."
"I created it. With Mal. We were going to use it to trap Zia over a millennium ago."
"What?"
"I wasn't exactly myself- it's a long story. But the Serratura is powerful enough to hold even your sister."
"Why would you create it?"
"It's a long story, Elijah. But that's fine, because I won't get caught in it. I will just be in and out. Get Hayley back, then deal with Tristan."
"If he catches even a hint that you're there, he'll kill her."
"I can sneak in undetected."
"Oh? And what if he has another weapon that can be used against you?"
"The worst that'll happen is, he can trap me. And even then, Lia and Mal created the Serratura. They can undo its magic."
"If we worked together. Who knows if Mal would even care enough to help?"
"I believe in him."
"Yeah, well, that's kind of your thing. Peace, love, forgiveness. It's your trademark."
"She has a point." Amira agreed.
"This is ridiculous." Amity pulled her arm out of Aeliana's and disappeared. She located Hayley, and looked at her sadly.
"Amity." Hayley noticed her and Amity nodded. She closed her eyes, searching for anyone nearby. When she was sure the coast was clear, she made her way to Hayley. She slowly pulled out the IV lines that had been hooked up to a wolfsbane tank and undid Hayley's shackles. Amity helped Hayley up, and looked sadly at Jackson.
"Come on." Amity said, picking up Hayley. A vampire walked in.
"Hey!" She said. "Who are you?" Amity didn't reply and instead disappeared before Tristan's minion's eyes. Elijah, Freya and Klaus stood together. She carried Hayley to the sofa and laid her down.