Book One: Panacea (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Fifty-One

At Isobel's Residence, John walks through the front door and notices that there are a lot of suitcases in the entry, he seems to become relieved a little at the sight.

"I see you're packing. That's a good sign." He comments and then looks at Isobel as she enters the room.

"It won't be long now." Isobel comments.

"Did you get the missing piece? Where is it?" John asks.

"I don't have it yet."

"Then, why did you call me here?" Isobel walks into another room, John sighs and follows after her.

"Because I have the next best thing." Isobel enters the room where Diana is tied to a chair, really tied to a chair, ropes wrapped tight around her so she can barely even move. Cherie and Franc flanking her, ready to stop her if she tries anything. John spins on Isobel.

"What the hell are you doing?" John asks her.

"Getting what I want."

"Yeah, but she is my niece and you're going let her go right this second!"

"That gaudy ring on your finger comes off." Isobel counters.

"Come on, Isobel, I know you, okay? It's me, John. You can't hurt a kid."

"I'll kill her to prove you wrong."

"Really? Are you that far gone? Look, I know you've changed but the old Isobel is somewhere in there, isn't she? Come on, let her go." John tells her.

"Faites le souffrir," Isobel tells her minions, Cherie and Franc beat him and throw him on the floor. Isobel catches his hand and removes his ring. "Nice try. We'll see how you do without this." Isobel comments and then leaves the room. Diana looks at John, he's on the floor, bleeding.

...............

Alaric walks into his classroom to find Stefan, Elena, and Bonnie gathered and looking worried. He looks between them and raises an eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Alaric asks, Elena looks at him and lets out a breath. She didn't want to be the one that tells him about Diana and Isobel but she has to be the one. Diana is her sister. And she is the one that knows just how much Alaric cares for Diana.

"Isobel took Diana" Elena rushes out.

"What?"

"She took her" Elena answers. "Threatened her and then took her...." She begins to ramble as her panic sets in again. 

"We'll get her back" Stefan assures Elena understanding that this is upsetting her. Diana has protected her a lot these last few months, had her back, and now she's...taken because of her, because she couldn't do what Isobel wanted of her, and now Diana might get hurt because of it.

"How?" Elena counters, her voice breaking.

"What does Isobel want? To let Diana go?" Alaric asks them.

"She wants the device" Stefan answers.

"Diana is stronger than you all know" Bonnie counters. "She'll get herself out of this"

"And what if she doesn't?" Elena argues.

"Just give Isobel what she wants" Alaric points out, his heart hammering in his chest at the thought of what his wife might do to his.....friend. He's terrified that Diana is going to get hurt, or worse, because of this.

"Damon has the device, and he's not going to hand it over, especially if it's harmful to vampires." Stefan points out.

"What if it's not?" Bonnie asks, they all look at her.