The house in Massachusetts was quiet with Cara already there waiting with her arms folded. Harry lingered a step behind Michael, rolling his shoulders like he was still shaking off the hunt.
"Well?" Cara asked, eyes flicking between them.
Harry answered before Michael could. "They got away."
Cara's jaw tightened. Then her gaze slid to Michael. "What happened?"
Michael shrugged, casual to the point of irritation. "They weren't what I was expecting. More tenacious. More… insidious than the others we've killed."
"That's unexpected," a woman's voice said calmly from the shadows.
Michael didn't turn immediately. He smiled first, a small knowing look on his face and then, he looked back.
She stepped forward and the room seemed to acknowledge her presence in a subtler way than it did his. Dark-skinned, tall and poised. Her hair fell in long, neat braids down her back. Her eyes were deep brown, almost black and framed by a face that was undeniably beautiful.
Tamara, the head Witch leader of the Order.
Michael inclined his head slightly. "Tell me something, Tamara. Do you know what happens when two souls collide with one another?"
She didn't hesitate in giving an answer to her boss's question. "They are destroyed. Each rejects the essence of the other. Different natures cannot coexist so they cancel one another out."
"Correct," Michael said. "And yet… when I fought those things, the banshee and Ankhar—"
"Ankhar?" Harry cut in, frowning.
Michael glanced at him. "Correct. Oh yes. The big mummy guy. That's what I'm naming him."
Tamara sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You name existential threats now?"
Michael waved it off. "Hey, it's cool." Then his tone shifted into a more calmer tone as the gravity of the situation settled in. "But here's the problem. Those two aren't singular."
Cara's brows drew together. "How so?"
"They're a multitude," Michael said simply. "Hundreds of souls packed into one body."
The room stilled at the ridiculous thing.
Tamara's eyes widened just a fraction. "That's impossible."
Harry shook his head slowly. "Not really. We've known for quite some time now that they're harvesters for Arcadius."
Michael nodded. "Exactly. But the essence I felt when I made contact with them wasn't layered but in fact it was fused. Like a knot of souls forced into coherence."
Cara leaned forward. "Explain."
Michael turned the sat down along with Harry. He placed his hands behind his head. "Think of a situation," he said, with a smooth voice. " Where Individual identities are eroded until what remains is a composite of many wills crushed into a single structure."
Tamara's gaze sharpened. "A forced amalgamation."
"Yes," Michael said. "Arcadius must have taken harvested souls and jam-packed them together. Not to let them merge naturally but to compress them. Hundreds of essences locked into a single vessel, reinforcing one another."
Harry exhaled slowly. "That would explain the regeneration you spoke about."
Tamara nodded, disturbed despite herself. "That's… disturbingly simple. And complex."
Michael inclined his head. "Which is why they regenerate so quickly. To truly kill them, I'd have to unravel the structure repeatedly."
Cara stared at him. "Repeatedly how many times?"
Michael shrugged again, infuriatingly casual. "Oh. Maybe a hundred…Or two."
Harry groaned. "That's going to be a hassle."
Michael smirked, then turned back to Tamara. "Get your witches on their trail again. I need them found and fast."
Tamara straightened immediately. "It will be done."
Michael then looked to Cara. "There was a complication. A man died."
She nodded once. "I know what to do."
"If he has family," Michael added, "compensate them."
Cara met his eyes. "Of course."
She stood, already reaching for her tablet. "Brandon's waiting for me plus the paperwork won't do itself now would it."
As she moved toward the door, she paused and glanced at Harry. "By the way, Lady Branson is around."
Harry's eyes went wide. "Lexi?"
He was on his feet in an instant, chair scraping loudly against the floor.
Tamara rolled her eyes. Michael chuckled. "Whipped."
Harry cleared his throat stiffly. "Oh? Is that so?"
Cara laughed as she left the room. "Try not to deny it too hard."
Harry muttered something under his breath and headed for the door. "I'll… excuse myself."
Michael called after him, amused. "Tell Lexi should come see me in an hour."
The moment Michael stepped outside an hour ago, the world rushed back in. He found a comfortable spot to sit and wait.
The street was busy with cars rolling past in uneven waves, people talking over one another, laughter and impatience colliding in the heat of a Massachusetts summer. Life moved fast around him, loud and unconcerned. Michael, however, barely noticed any of it.
His eyes were on the sky.
Calm and blue and beautiful.
'Why don't people spend more time watching the clouds?'
'Mystic Falls,' he thought. 'It's summer already so…'
Which meant trouble. It always did. Summer in Mystic Falls had a way of dragging in Originals, bad decisions, supernatural drama stacked neatly on top of teenage angst. If there was a season for things to go wrong, this was it and God the family reunion is almost here.
He exhaled slowly.
'Probably should check in,' he mused. 'See how they're doing.'
Then he shook his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"Nah," he muttered. "Only when there's a reason."
"Any divine revelations from up there?"
Michael didn't flinch. He didn't even look away from the sky.
"Yeah," he replied dryly. "Turns out clouds are as beautiful as ever but you see the sun remains aggressively judgmental."
Lexi stepped up beside him, arms crossed with an amused smile already in place. "Good to know the heavens are staying on brand."
Michael finally glanced at her. "How've you been?"
She shrugged lightly then sat down. "Alright. Here and there. Running errands for Harry and Brandon. Trying to get the third structure off the ground."
Michael raised a brow. "You really are determined to start a vampire structure, huh?"
"Why not?" Lexi said easily. "We've got one for the werewolves, one for the witches. Might as well give the vamps something official too. And what do you know, I just might call it The Fang"
Michael studied her for a moment then smirked and chuckled. "This wouldn't happen to be because you want to support your little boyfriend, would it?"
"What? No, no," she said quickly, then stopped.
She blushed.
"I mean, it's not because of Harry," Lexi added, waving a hand. "It'll just… help. Streamline things. Make stuff easier."
Michael tilted his head, eyes glinting with mischief. "Mmmhmm. Easier for your man, huh?"
Lexi groaned. "Oh my God."
"Talk about supportive girlfriends," Michael continued, clearly enjoying himself. "Hehehe."
She rolled her eyes, then smirked back. "Yeah, well, that title goes to Nadia and Brandon."
Michael nodded solemnly. "Oh yeah. Ultimate power couple."
A brief silence settled between them, comfortable.
Then Lexi glanced at him. "So. How was he?"
Michael's expression softened just a touch. "He seemed alright last I checked. Not struggling with bloodlust or anything, so that's good. Though… he does need to be more cautious about who he runs into."
Lexi frowned. "What do you mean?"
"He met Klaus," Michael said casually. "Just before being shipped of to war. He met him back in New Orleans. Back in the '40s."
Lexi stopped walking. "What?"
"I know," Michael said. "You only knew about Damon coming to him. You sending Damon away from Stefan."
She stared at him. "Klaus was that close and I didn't even know about it."
Michael shrugged lightly. "Looks like it was unavoidable. Fate has a funny way of circling back."
Lexi huffed. "I hate when you're right."
Michael smirked. "You'll survive."
He shifted gears smoothly. "Enough of that. How's the search?"
Her expression sobered. "Not good. Cara's got me searching Australia now. Still nothing. Most of our people on the ground can't get a trace on the Travelers."
Michael clicked his tongue. "Damn it. I knew getting my hands on the Anchor wouldn't be easy… but this is ridiculous."
He glanced at her. "Alright. What good news do you have for me?"
Lexi brightened slightly. "We've located Triad Industries. Their main facility is in Fort Valley, Georgia."
Michael's eyes sharpened. "Good. Have you managed to infiltrate it?"
She shook her head. "Not yet. Security's tighter than the Kingmaker's."
Michael sighed. "Figures. Fine. Keep trying."
As he said it, his phone vibrated in his hand.
Michael pulled it out, turned the screen so Lexi could see.
Stefan Salvatore.
Lexi blinked. Then smiled faintly. "Well. That's convenient."
Michael's lips curled into a knowing grin.
"Impeccable timing."
"Yeah, uh divine customer service," he drawled the moment he answered the phone. "If this is about the apocalypse, please hold. If it's about destiny, press one."
Lexi snorted, shaking her head as she folded her arms.
Then Stefan's voice came through the line.
"We need your help."
The humor vanished from Michael's face instantly.
He straightened up immediately after that. "What's happening?"
"It's Klaus," Stefan said. "He's back."
Michael blinked and looked at the phone before saying. "And?"
"He's not alone."
The line went dead.
Michael stared at the phone for half a second before lowering it. He exhaled slowly through his nose.
"One thing after the other," he muttered. "Ei."
Lexi looked at him, already knowing the answer. "Mystic Falls?"
Michael nodded. "Looks like it's back to Mystic Falls for me."
He pushed off from where he was sitting, rolling his shoulders once as if bracing himself. "Tell Harry to keep tracking those two Infernals. Loop Tamara in. I want anything they do reported to me immediately."
Lexi gave a sharp nod. "Sure thing."
He took a step and stopped when she called out to him.
"Michael."
He glanced back.
"Take care of Stefan," she said quietly.
His expression softened, just a fraction. "Definitely."
And then he was gone