The Ancient One

Chapter 19

Jake wasn't sure if he could rely on Mark for what he needed him to do, but they'd been together a long time. If he couldn't trust Mark, who could he trust? He'd already arranged for the address of the Queen's condo to get to Kloss, so that part was in play. Now, he needed intel.

"Mark, I need some help."

"What do you need?" the reply text came.

"I need to know when Kloss will attack the Queen's lair."

"Why do you need that?"

"I want to know when she's finally taken out. We've been toyed with by the girl a lot, and she hurt us. I want to know. I give you my word I will not go there and be a part of it, but I need to know. Not only that, when she's taken out, he'll release Sam and Amanda."

"I'll see what I can find out."

"Thanks"

He hated deceiving his friend, but this was too important to risk Mark siding against him, even if he didn't mean to. His sister and nephew were at risk, and that changed everything for him. Jake waited patiently, for most of the day. Unfortunately, patience was a commodity he was in short supply of.

"Jake, Kloss here." Came a text. When the tone first sounded, he thought it was Mark.

"We need you to contact the ancient vampire, and we know you can. Either the Queen turns herself in, or bad things could happen to some very special people."

That text finally settled it for Jake. He had wanted to think Kloss would do the right thing, despite what he'd already done and what Kristiana had warned him of, but he'd proven he was too far gone.

"I will contact the one I have the number for, but what if they say no?"

"Make sure they don't."

Kloss wouldn't even consider anything short of absolute success. Of course, the text didn't make sense, if they were going to attack the lair. Actually, it did, after thinking about it a moment. If she turned herself in, everything was a lot easier for them. It did make sense, but it infuriated him.

He forwarded the text to Father Wolfram, hoping there was something he might be able to do. This was definitely not the right way to operate.

"We will see what we can do. I cannot promise anything, and not fast, either."

He then forwarded it to Stefans, who replied immediately.

"Kristiana expected this. We are ready, and will let you know when they attack. Be ready."

"I will see if I can get any idea when the attack will be." he texted back.

"Very good." came the reply.

"Jake I don't know anything about an attack, and no one else does either, but there is an all hands meeting tomorrow at noon." That had to be it. He forwarded that to Stefans.

"Jake, try to stall them if you can. Not the attack, but anything bad with your family."

"Captain, the guard I have contacted said he must send this through the chamberlain, who will then present it to the Queen. It will take a little while, maybe two days." he texted Kloss.

There was a long pause before the reply came. "I think they could move faster, but we will accept that. Make sure they understand the gravity of this. We mean business."

Jake was absolutely confused. Why was Kloss being so serious with this, when he was planning on attacking the next day? It simply didn't make sense. For that matter, why was he planning an attack while trying to use his family as leverage? There was simply no logic to it.