sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood

[madskilled]

Comments

[notwitty]

I don't know. I don't think so, from what Gloria said his sister might be adjacent to all of this.

[But he hasn't actually talked to William yet.]

I'll let him know that an offer may be on the table though.

[matriarchate]

Do it. Sell us. We need someone like him. And he could do some good.

( She's done her own research! )

[notwitty]

You got it, boss.

[He closes his eyes with a sigh.]

I also might have made friends with a Bennett witch.

[matriarchate]

Do you regret making friends with a Bennett witch?

( Hmm? )

[notwitty]

It's more that I'm not sure we're actually friends yet. But I did get her number.

[So they've got friend potential.]

And, just for the sake of sharing information, Elijah Mikaelson is in London.

[matriarchate]

Just for the sake of it, why? And how do you know?

( How much happened in one night? )

[notwitty]

Well, the Bennett witch suggested using vampires to handle the police end of things. Compelling a cover story, not eating them. Whoever her vampire friend was, she was hanging out with Elijah.

[And then just for the sake of clarification.]

Is that the kind of ally we want to be making?

[matriarchate]

We already are. Or, I'm working on it. There's a witch we want on our side. She's a Mikaelson. If you've make a Mikaelson friend, that could go a long way. Are you going to be seeing your friend again?

( Translation: make friends again. )

[notwitty]

I told her to call me if she needed me but she and the new heir are staying with Eliza, and I have a feeling the new heir is going to be getting out of town.

[He takes a deep breath.]

I'll see where we're at after I get some sleep.

[matriarchate]

Get rest, Isaac. You're not always on the clock.

( And thank you. )

Is there anything else I need to know?

[notwitty]

The vampire Elijah was with. She knew you. Or at least knew of you. I think her first name was Bela.

[That is the last player on the board, he doesn't know that Stefan Salvatore's going to be showing up.]

[matriarchate]

Talbot?

( She already knows. )

She... procures - or, procured rare items. Nobody's seen her in years. Most hunters thought she'd died. Bela, you're sure? British?

[notwitty]

Definitely British. But it was a phone call. All I saw was the caller ID.

[And all the caller ID said was "Bela."]

[matriarchate]

That's probably not a coincidence. They're not aligned with Monroe's hunters?

( The coincidences are stacking? )

[notwitty]

I heard a rumor about hunters with hearts removed from their chest and throats torn out, so I'm gonna say no.

[Also vampires are the last supernatural creature that Monroe's people would recruit, to say the least.]

This feels like a test run. They picked a small target and are working their way up to the biggest one.

[matriarchate]

It feels like it could've been a test run but that went awry. Not that people still didn't lose their lives.

Get some sleep, report back when you have more. And try to lock down William Queen.

[notwitty]

I'm on it. Be careful, Allison.

[Monroe might be coming for something nearby next.

And then, just before he passes out he sends a text to Bonnie she's free to wait on until after she gets her own sleep:]

Do you think you might be able to get me in a room with Bela and Elijah?

[It would be a favor, obviously, but Isaac isn't really one for subterfuge. It feels too much like using people, and he's been on the receiving end of that equation more often than he would like.]

[moralitypolice]

( "You too."

And, before Stefan pays a visit, but right after Bonnie picks up her phone to check the time, she types out a response. )

No guarantees, Bela usually prefers to set her own meets, but she's also going to come to Eliza's. You could just be here when she gets here. Happenstance.

[notwitty]

[He wakes when the text comes in, having kept his phone active just in case something worse happened and he was needed. It's not the best sleep he could have gotten either, but he'll deal.]

Works for me.

[He's nothing if not an opportunist. He does some mental math on the names he needs touch base with, but the vampire duo is likely to be more elusive. That should take priority.]

What time?

[moralitypolice]

Soon, actually. I don't know how long they'll be with officials. She said she'd be here after.

[notwitty]

[And with that he's getting out of bed. Guess William will have to wait until after.]

On my way. Any chance Eliza made breakfast?

[He hasn't eaten since before the attack and he's in desperate need of calories.]

[moralitypolice]

( William's sister is going to interrupt anyway, better that's not the more, the merrier, right? )

She's making it right now. I'll tell her to set a plate aside.

[notwitty]

[Probably yes. Give the siblings time to reacclimate.]

Thank you.

[And with that, he will briefly shower, throw on his best "meeting new people" clothes and swing his way over to Eliza's letting himself in the back door so he doesn't attract the attention of the witches on the street.]

Am I too late?

[moralitypolice]

( That's what we'll call it. )

( The funny thing is, Isaac's best meeting new people clothes are sometimes nicer than other people's meeting new people clothes. Even bloody and ruined

Bonnie is back inside, nods to the kitchen. )

Eliza made one for you. Danny took his in the room upstairs. I just finished. Unless you mean for Bela and Elijah. You didn't miss them either.

[notwitty]

Both, actually.

[But he places two to-go cups down on the counter, along with a paper bag of fixings before he goes to get his plate.]

I wasn't sure if you were a coffee person, but I figured better to err on the side of caution. Eliza usually has nothing but tea.

[He also doesn't know how you like it, hence all the sugar and cream.]