puppy love } { of captured wolves and elusive alphas

[arbalete]

Allison: Do you really think that Laura would be that brazen?

Stiles: Putting my personal feelings aside? She feels secure here. She has reason to want revenge. She operates a mobile business that allows her to travel to locations and meet with people in various locations under the guise of lunch. It would be a good cover for a network hub to meet contractors and hand out assignments without getting her hands dirty.

Allison: [shakes her head] Against Kate, maybe. But these other hunters, who didn't do anything to them? She wouldn't risk it. She's not a chess player. Also, she doesn't strike me as the type to get other people to fight her battles for her.

Hayley: I still say we should break them to get the name of their alpha. I mean, I can't compel them but I do have other options.

Matt: [scowls] Pains me to say this, but I think Hayley's right. If there's a new alpha in the area, w need to know.

Allison: If you can't compel them, what can you do?

Hayley: [smirks] I can be very persuasive.

Matt: [cracks his knuckles] So can I.

Stiles: I think all of us can be, in our own ways. Hence this whole team thing.

Hayley: Let's start with me talking to them. Which one is the one who broke off and went after Allison?

Stiles: [clicks on the surveillance video and pulls up the image, and then starts running the facial recognition. give it a minutes and] Nathan Douglas. [leans in] Wow this dude is old.

Hayley: We've always aged well. [glances to Matt] If I take you in there with me, think you can follow my lead?

Matt: [thinks] Yeah, long as you listen to me when I see things that need to be done too.

Hayley: Sure. But right now, we're just going to talk. [and with that, they'll head towards the interrogation room they left him in?]

Matt: So does this make me or you the good cop?

Hayley: Oh, you're definitely the good cop. [and she'll open the door to make her way inside, striding to sit across from the werewolf and laces her fingers in front of her] Do you know who I am?

Douglas: You're the queen bitch of New Orleans. [his German accent is heavy, and he's very relaxed]

Hayley: [she laughs] Damn straight. And I know who you are too, Nathan Douglas.

Douglas: You know a name. You don't know the person.

Hayley: No, but I do know the age. And one of the benefits of being the Queen Bitch of New Orleans, as you so eloquently put it, is that I know how to deal with people who have walked this Earth longer than you have.

Douglas: You compare me to the Mikaelsons.

Hayley: No. Those old people? They don't play on any team but their own. I'm talking about people like Marcel Gerard. They know how to work on a team. They can play along, if you're on the same page. But if the team leader won't back your play? Then you do what you need to do. [she flattens her hands against the table] I don't think going after Allison Argent was part of your plan today.

Douglas: And why would you think that?

Hayley: Because I also know surprise when I see it. You have a pretty good poker face, but I know what it looks like when someone catches an unexpected scent.

Douglas: You do?

Hayley: I do. And I know what it's like to need to hunt down the people who took something from you. To have a list, that you need to cross off.

Douglas: So it seems you believe you know everything. I don't see why you need me.

Hayley: I need you, because the one thing I don't know, is who the alpha is. We've narrowed it down to a member of the Hale pack, and we don't know which one.

Douglas: Well, if you believe it's the Hale pack, you know who the alpha is. There is only one for that pack.

Hayley: Yeah, but it's not Laura, is it? Because Hale alphas are a lot of different things, but they don't lead from the shadows. Her mother taught her better than that.

Douglas: Then I guess what you seek doesn't exist, if you don't believe it to be her.

Hayley: Maybe it does. Maybe it doesn't. But someone was pulling your strings, and for some reason didn't want Allison dead. I'm willing to bet you don't like that so much.

Douglas: If that is what you believe.

Matt: [sighs] You know, she may seem like she's the good cop here, but she's really not. You might want to talk before she decides to become more persuasive.

Hayley: He's right. I mean if you really piss me off, I may just rip your heart out and go see if your partner will give me less trouble. Or maybe I'll toss you in a hole for a few days and see if you're more receptive then. [she pushes up and moves a bit closer, sitting on the edge of the table next to him] See, I may not be able to compel you? But I'm pretty sure there are ways that I can get what I want.

Douglas: [leaning forward as well, smirking] You of course assume that I am afraid of you. Or afraid of death. I have seen far worse than you. You do not scare me.

Hayley: No. I probably don't. But in addition to being the queen bitch of New Orleans, I also happen to be the mother of Klaus Mikaelson's daughter. Which I'm sure you already know. [she'll take a beat and move to stand behind him, resting her hands against his shoulders. she can't see his face as she issues this threat, but Matt sure can] And I'm sure he won't appreciate a trio of wolves with a vendetta drawing undue attention to the city where his daughter lives. Bringing hunters that could hurt her - or her mother for that matter. Who do you think he's going to take his anger out on? The alpha he can't find, or the minion who happens to be readily available. Because I'm pretty sure he won't kill you outright. [she tips her head to the side] Big strong werewolf like you? I'm pretty sure he might sire you first. Matt, do you remember what happens to other hybrids that Klaus sired?

Matt: Oh, I remember. Watched my friend Tyler go through it. Of course, you have to hope he has some of the doppelgangers blood on him or you'll die a very painful death.

Douglas: Very interesting threat - of course that would also involve you needing to rescue Klaus, which would come with first having your three cures, and then you would need to gage on if there isn't already a history of goodwill between Klaus and any member of our team, and then figure if perhaps some of those we have killed weren't after you in the first place and that we may have helped you. [looks up at Hayley] Do you know any of those facts in the files you have?

Hayley: [leans forward and rests one arm across the back of his shoulders and smiles softly] And what makes you think that I need all of that? You do know that the Mikaelsons have faked their own demise before, right? Disappeared for centuries only to pop up again when there was something relevant to their interests? [she looks at him closely] You do know that Marcel Gerard is his son, don't you?

Douglas: Yes, and his jailer, and the one who sentenced Kol and Elijah Mikaelson to death.

Hayley: Yeah, it's a good story, isn't it. We worked pretty hard on it. But really, all I have to do is make a phone call. [she moves to sit on the edge of the desk again, and pulls out her phone] I think he could probably be here in a few hours, give or take.

Douglas: Call him. [and there is a smile because he's not going to reveal the ties his team has to Marcel in keeping their hands off Hayley and Hope in return for taking out hunters that Marcel points out to them]

Hayley: [and she will. and Marcel doesn't know all of the ties that Hayley, has and there's a very distinctive, very Klaus voice on the other end of the line that answers]

"Klaus": This better be important. I'm in the middle of something.

Matt: Oh he's in a friendly mood. This should be good.

Hayley: Just proving a point. My friend Nathan here is causing trouble in DC, and I'm trying to convince him that he really should be on my team.

"Klaus": Oh, this already sounds promising. What do you need? A heart ripped out? Some creative torture techniques?

Nathan: She is trying to discover the name of the one protecting the non-humans in DC area, including young Hope Mikaelson, because she doesn't like that someone must get their hands dirty to keep the balance.

"Klaus": Oh, Nathan. You must not know her very well.

Hayley: See, I have no problems getting my hands dirty. You're right. Sometimes it needs to be done. But this isn't the same thing.

Nathan: Oh, it's not the same thing? Are you not using your resources to protect the humans from the bad creatures with your little government funded team? Please, we are doing the same thing you are, just on the other side of the board. A few dead hunters who do not care about what creature they hunt keeps you safe. Keeps your daughter safe. But if wish for us to stop, then those who fear you getting the cures... well, you will not have anyone in the shadows making sure they don't find you. I'm sure Klaus knows how important it is to have allies in the shadows when he is unable to be here to protect you is.

Hayley: And how does this protect me, exactly? How does you killing hunters make you better than them? Ronnie Calavera, what evidence do you have against him?

Douglas: [and he just smiles] You are the one who claims to know everything. You tell me why we went after him. But think, have you or your daughter been threatened by a hunter or creature since you arrived in town and made yourself known?

Hayley: Yeah. We have. And if you think you're going to treat this like some noble venture because you're protecting me and I'm actually going to swallow it, you have another thing coming. I can keep my daughter safe - if I couldn't? We wouldn't be sitting here, having this conversation. Your little group isn't a bullet proof vest for my family, and more to the point, I didn't ask for it. So don't act like you've given me some big favor, because you haven't. There are always going to be people coming for me. There will always be people coming for Hope. And if anything you asshats have only shone a bigger spotlight on the city that I came to to keep her safe. [and now her sarcastic chill is gone, replaced by actual anger because it's that kind of ego that she can't stand, and s he's right in his face, deadly serious] So don't tell me you're doing this to protect me. You're doing this because you like the feeling of blood on your hands, and you think it's better if you dress it up into something "virtuous." Trust me. I know a killer when I see one.

Douglas: Never said I wasn't a killer. And you weren't the one who asked. But you may want to ask your fine New Orleans friends to see if one of them may have behind your back.

Hayley: I'll do that. But I'm not going anywhere until you give me the name of your alpha. It's either going to be you or it's going to be your friend, and I've got all day, so if you're not going to talk, then I have another werewolf to interrogate. [she scoops up her phone, hangs up on "Klaus" and starts to move to the next room] Probably should have started with the weak-willed beta in the first place.

Douglas: If he's still alive.

Hayley: [doesn't even bother to merit that with a response and heads to the second interrogation room. And then she stops. And she waits, and then heads towards an empty room instead]

Matt: [and he is going to give Nathan one last look before going to follow her, skidding to a stop when she changes directions and works to keep up] What are you thinking?

Hayley: If the betas won't talk, then you go outside the pack. [she opens the door before turning back to look at him] You listen in, you keep your mouth shut.

Matt: [grits his teeth at how she's talking to him, but he promised to play nice so he just nods]

Hayley: [she's saying that for your own good, Matt. Which you'll realize when she places the phone in the middle of the table places her phone on speaker and calls someone named "Marcel."]

Marcel: [and he will answer curious on what this is about] Hello, Hayley.

Hayley: What the fuck, Marcel?

Marcel: ... It's nice to hear your voice too.

Hayley: You basically run me and Hope out of New Orleans, and then you try to use some werewolf pack with a vendetta to "protect" us?

Marcel: Hope. They are there to protect Hope in case you end up getting yourself in over your head and she is left alone without anyone to turn to.

Hayley: Yeah, and who's fault is that?

Marcel: They had it coming. You're the one who can't leave it alone and get out when you have the opportunity to.

Hayley: [she huffs for a moment because she doesn't care of the Mikaelsons had it coming. they were her family and if he thought that she was just going to take it lying down, to raise her daughter with uncontrollable magic with no one to turn to, running the risk of triggering her curse before she was even old enough to understand what it means - that's not a burden she wanted to bear all on her own. there was no getting out for her. there never was. not as long as her daughter had "Mikaelson" as her last name. she takes a deep breath, and turns back to the phone] This isn't why I called you. I need the alpha.

Marcel: There are a lot of alphas. Be more specific.

Hayley: I need the alpha of the Vendetta Pack.

Marcel: I can't give you that information.

Hayley: Why the hell not?

Marcel: Because there is no alpha.

Hayley: How the hell is there no alpha? Someone is calling the shots.

Marcel: When you have a group of like minded individuals who believe in the same thing, you'll find that people can work well together as a team, focusing on each of their strengths to mutually accomplish a goal.

Hayley: Then which like minded individuals did you happen to meet with other than Nathan Douglas?

Marcel: I'm sorry, Hayley. They do a lot of work for me against my enemies. I won't betray them. You're going to have to figure it out on your own.

Hayley: [and her hands slam down on this table] They are off the rails, Marcel. I'm not looking to hurt the guy, I just want to talk to him.

Marcel: If you want to talk to him, you send a messenger.

Hayley: And how do I do that?

Marcel: Find a member of the team willing to tell the others. May not work, but it'll be better than nothing

Hayley: [sighs heavily, before rubbing her forehead] Do you know where they get their leads?

Marcel: From their allies. I've sent them a few myself.

Hayley: [weighs that quietly for a moment before nodding] Okay. Thanks. [and then she'll hang up before Marcel can say anything else]

Marcel: [aw, he wanted to tell her to tell his little sister he said hello]

Hayley: [NOT TODAY SATAN. or at least that's where her brain is. Instead she's just going to take a deep breath and pace a bit]

Matt: [now that he can talk] You do know he's saying to use one of these two idiots we've got as the messenger.

Hayley: Yeah, we're not going to do that.

Matt: Think about it though. We track them back to the nest. You've got their scent. Allison is a good tracker. Stiles, as much as I hate it, is a sharpshooter with a sniper rifle. And I've been working on the drone programs with Bruce to use them for surveillance. We get a bug on them, track them, and they will either go back to their little wolfy den or call in and we can find them.

Hayley: They may have been sloppy enough to get caught but they're not that stupid. We let them go, they'll go to ground and a shifter that old knows how to hide his scent.

Matt: Hence the bug, the drone, and Allison's skills.

Hayley: What about the other one? I don't trust that smarmy German son of a bitch as far as I can throw him.

Matt: No, I agree. The German one isn't the right choice. The other one is nervous. Sloppy. He'll go to ground for a day or two, see if we're watching- which the bug and drone will be the best to keep all our scents away. then when he relaxes and thinks he's one upped us, he'll reach out to update the team and we can get him then.

Hayley: [considers for a moment, before nodding slowly] Okay. Let's set it up and see what we get.

Matt: [smirks] Thank you.

Hayley: Just keep an eye on them. I don't want the poor sucker to end up dead, but that may be too much to hope for.

Matt: I will. [and he is going to go off to talk to Allison and Bruce to get the first part set up]

Hayley: [and she will update Stiles who is off for Thanksgiving]

Stiles: [and he is going to sneak away from his Dad and Ben even though he just got there after leaving work when Hayley and Matt when to interrogate. He'll call her back though] What's going on?

Hayley: [she was only going to text but okay!] We're setting another trap. Bugging one of the guys we caught and sending them back to see if we can catch the leader.

Stiles: Which one?

Hayley: Not the German. I want to punch him in the face a few times and stick him in a hole for a while.

Stiles: I don't think the other one saw me. I'll keep my eyes open while at the Hales Thursday.

Hayley: Sounds good. Just keep me posted. And enjoy you time with your dad. [A beat] Oh! Are we still on for introducing Ben and Hope on Wednesday?

Stiles: Yes. Zoo or the Bounce House?

Hayley: Let's do zoo. We haven't been there in a while.

Stiles: I hope that Hope likes penguins.

Hayley: Oh, she loves them.

Stiles: So does Ben. Meet us by them at ten?

Hayley: We'll see you there. [and she'll hang up and let him get back to his dad]

Stiles: [yup, because they are hitting up Dave and Busters today]

Hayley: [good times!]