Bellatrix Mikaelson (Season 3)

Chapter 11

NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT
[Klaus and Lucien are still in the interrogation room at the police station, where Klaus is continuing to question Lucien on what his intentions are for his stay in New Orleans.]
Klaus: Whatever Tristan's role in this charade may be, have no fear. I will discover it. First, I'm going to drain you of vervain. Then, I'm going to ask you a few questions, and, once you've answered, if I'm feeling sentimental, perhaps I'll grant you a painless death. [Lucien, who has been scoffing and rolling his eyes while Klaus was talking, stands and looks exasperated as he leans against the table.]
Lucien: Please, enough posturing! Ask me anything you want. As I've said, I am only here to protect you.
Klaus: And yet you lied about your werewolf bite. Why?
Lucien: [exasperated] I simply didn't want to bother you! Don't you have greater concerns than a little wolf-bite that I can cure on my own?
"He's hiding something. I can feel it." Said Bella.
"What?" Asked Elijah.
"I don't know. But he is definetly hiding something." Said Bella.
[This revelation seems to stun Klaus, but before he can interject, Lucien continues talking. He opens the file with the photos of the murder victims and spreads them across the table.]
Lucien: Let's discuss these absurd murders. If it were true that I was scattering bodies about and scarring up faces, then you would be right to assume I'm mentally unstable. I'm not, by the way.
"Yeah, that's why he cut his face. Because he is so mentally stable." Said Bella rolling her eyes.
Lucien: But, who would benefit most from you thinking that I am? Who else but Tristan?
Klaus: [patronizingly] Ah.
Lucien: Because if you don't trust me-- if you kill me and are forced to stand alone-- wouldn't that benefit him? [Klaus scowls and walks around the table until he's standing behind Lucien.]
"He isn't alone." Said Bella.
Klaus: It's a very interesting theory... only I don't need your protection. I'm quite capable of protecting myself. [Lucien turns to face Klaus, and stares at him, though he does look nervous at their proximity.]
Lucien: Undoubtedly. But who looks after your family, hmm? Your friends? Camille, for instance? Such associations make you vulnerable, and thus in need of me. [Klaus sighs at this statement, and Lucien sits down and dramatically sets his feet on the table. However, before they can debate the matter further, Detective Kinney comes into the room. When he sees Klaus, he frowns in confusion.]
Kinney: What the hell are you doing here?
Klaus: [smiles fakely] I'm Mr. Castle's legal counsel-- [He stands in front of the detective and claps his hand on his shoulder before staring him in the eyes.]
Klaus: [compels him] --Here to ensure justice is served. [Kinney pauses and blinks in confusion as the compulsion takes hold.]
Kinney: Hmm. Well, your client's not gonna need you today. We found another body. This one's fresh. [The scene cuts to an alley in the French Quarter, where yet another wealthy-looking man has had been killed and had his face mutilated before being hung by puppet strings like the other murders.]
"Someone else could do it for him." Said Bella.
"Or Tristan is the one doing it." Said Layla.
[Back in the Police Station, Detective Kinney is still looking at Lucien.]
Kinney: It couldn't have been you. You're free to go, Mr. Castle. Don't leave town. [Kinney leaves the room and Lucien, looking smug, stands to his feet and spreads his arms wide.]
Lucien: And, like a phoenix, I rise. [Cami is standing in the doorway and watching suspiciously as Lucien heads toward the door. Before he leaves, he turns to Klaus, who seems unhappy and confused by all of this conflicting information.]
Lucien: Do think about what I said, Nik.
[Cami and Klaus share a suspicious look once he's gone.]
THE STRIX HEADQUARTERS
[Elijah and Tristan are still in the grand room of the building that The Strix is using as a New Orleans base of operations. Elijah is gazing out the window and doesn't seem at all pleased to be reunited with his progeny.]
Elijah: You waltz into my city unannounced with your flock of sycophants flaunting news of a threat. All the while, your little lapdog Aya is conspiring with none other than Marcel Gerard.
Tristan: [rolls his eyes] "Conspiring." How grandiose. I thought I was the one with a flair for the dramatic.
"Hell no! Mikaelsons are the most drama queen people ever." Said Layla.
Elijah: [coldly] Watch your tongue. [He walks over to Tristan and threateningly adjusts Tristan's tie.]
Elijah: I am not the patient, fun-loving social butterfly you might recall.
Tristan: [sighs] Your Marcel is a potential recruit. He has nothing to do with the larger issue we face.
Elijah: [skeptically] The larger issue?
Tristan: You've no doubt heard about the war between the sirelines? Well, as it happens, your line, thanks to my Strix, has wreaked all manner of havoc on Lucien and his assorted interests. As a result, he's desperate to exterminate the lot of us-- me, Aya, everyone you've sired. Of course, the economical way to complete this task would be for him to kill you. [Elijah's clenches his jaw, but continues to stare at him suspiciously.]
Tristan: You don't believe me. Perhaps you underestimate Lucien's ambition? While I doubt he'd have the gall to attack you directly, I believe he might try and find someone else to do it-- namely, Niklaus.
Elijah: [narrows his eyes] What makes you so certain that Niklaus would select Lucien over his own family?
Tristan: From what I hear, he tortured his friend Marcel, cursed the mother of his child, and burned your paramour in front of you, all because he thought it the logical way to defeat his enemy.
"Because it was logical way." Defended Klaus.
"And it was also a revenge." Said Bella.
Tristan: With Lucien in his ear, how long before the logical thing is to get rid of you?
"Oh, please. Even i know Nik wouldn't kill Elijah." Said Kol. Bella nodded.
[At the reminder of Gia's death, Elijah's face flashes with sadness and anger as he clenches his fist. However, realizing that he may be giving too much away, he quickly recovers his poker-face before responding.]
Elijah: Well, how very fortunate, indeed, then-- Niklaus is on his way right now to put Lucien out of our collective misery.
Tristan: [alarmed] You have to stop him.
Elijah: [scoffs] And why would I do that?
Tristan: Lucien's seer believes there's an object capable of killing you.
Elijah: I'm well aware.
Tristan: Well, I don't have it. I'm quite certain my sister doesn't have it, either. Logically, then, one must assume that Lucien has it, or he knows where it is. If he dies, none of us will find it. Not until some other assassin attempts to use it against you. If you've any hope of finding that which can kill us all, Niklaus needs to be stopped.
Everyone glares at Tristan.
NEW ORLEANS POLICE STATION
[Cami and Klaus are standing outside the police station, where they're discussing what they've just learned.]
Cami: For the record, Vincent thinks you should kill him, but you can't execute someone without, you know, due process.
"I agree with Vincent." Said Bella.
Klaus: [exasperatedly] Are we really going to have a legal debate about this?
Cami: [worriedly] He said something about rising like a phoenix. What did that mean?
Klaus: [rolls his eyes] Lucien has a taste for hyperbole. Although, in this case, he's rather on point.
Bella nodded.
FLASHBACK-- COURT OF MARSEILLES, 1002 AD
[Klaus, Bella and Elijah are outside near a large lake, where they are preparing a traditional Viking funeral for Lucien. They place two gold coins over his eyelids before grabbing two nearby torches. Both brothers look very upset by Lucien's death. Bella looks like she doesn't know what to feel.]
Bella: Do you really think it was your blood that healed him?
Klaus: I saw it with my own eyes. When I found his body, I tried to feed him more, and... nothing.
Elijah: So then, we... We may only heal the living? [Klaus nods, near tears.]
Elijah: That's... peculiar. [He turns to Klaus and squeezes his shoulder affectionately.]
Elijah: I know this can't be easy for you, brother. [Sqeezes Bella's shoulder, too.] Or you sister. [Bella can't take it anymore and leaves. Elijah follows her. Klaus stand alone and starts to cry, and stares at Lucien's body for a long while before taking a deep breath and stepping forward to set his funeral pyre ablaze.]
People look at Klaus and Bella with pity and sadness.
[However, before he can, Lucien bolts upright with a gasp and is overcome by a coughing fit as Klaus is stunned into speechlessness. After Lucien has recovered, he looks at Klaus in confusion.]
Lucien: What...? [Klaus, realizing his friend has returned to "life," smiles at him.]
PRESENT-DAY-- NEW ORLEANS POLICE STATION
[Cami gasps when she realizes what Lucien is to Klaus.]
Cami: He's the first person you ever turned. Is that why this is so hard for you, because he's the first of your sireline? [Klaus scowls and says nothing, just as Lucien comes out of the police station. He's wearing black sunglasses, and smiles happily before he turns and walks away. Klaus is about to follow him when Cami grabs his arm and stops him.]
Cami: Klaus, if he's not lying, if he is telling the truth, if he is here to help you... you don't have to kill him. [Klaus sighs in frustration when he sees Lucien get into the back of a fancy black town car.]
Klaus: [smiles weakly] Camille. So eager to keep me from a mistake I might regret. It means more than you know.
Bella smiled at Klaus.
[Lucien's car drives past them, and Cami turns to watch it leave the station parking lot. However, when she turns back to Klaus, she hears the tell-tale *whooshing* noise that indicates he has vamp-sped away. She sighs in frustration when she realizes he's gone.]