- IV -

I sighed as soon as I reached the confines of my apartment. It was almost dark when I reached home after the frightening encounter with Klaus which further tainted his already ruined image of himself. Doesn't he have the decency to at least ask properly? But, I doubt I would have agreed because I would have been able to tell what his ulterior motives were. If I didn't have this ability, maybe I'd be able to believe what I want to; I'd be able to trust blindly just like any other person.

Knock! Knock!

I was pulled out of my deep thoughts by a knock on the door. Now who would visit me at this time of the day? I walked to the door from the dining area where I was sitting and peaked through the peeping hole to see a man holding what seemed to be a card.

"Delivery for miss Karen!"

I twisted the knob to open the door.

"Who's it from?" I didn't get an answer, instead, he held up the card for me to reach. There was nothing in his mind that gave any clue as to who the card was from. Odd.

"Okay… nice talking…" I said sarcastically, weirded out by him. I took the card and in seconds, he was out of sight. I walked to the dining area as I flipped the cover.

See you tomorrow at the town hall, 3:00 sharp. –Klaus

Of course… I placed the card on the table and headed to bed. I'm going to have a long day ahead of me tomorrow.

My eyes fluttered open but remained squinted due to the rays of sunlight seeping through the curtains of my window. It's morning already. I checked my clock to see that it was already 11 o'clock A.M. I slept in! I rushed to my closet to change clothes and quickly headed out the apartment and to school By the time I got to the campus, I had already missed my first class and my next class was about to start.

After my three-hour class, I rushed outside only to be greeted by a classmate from the class I missed.

"Karen!" She looked distressed.

"Hey! What's up?"

"It's Anna! She was rushed to the hospital!"

"What?! Why?! Where?!" I said, panic starting to takeover.

"She got hit by a car around ten minutes ago!"

Without another word, I rushed to the hospital where she was. I went straight to the nurse's station to ask here she was and I and I was quickly led to the emergency room.

I waited outside for what seemed like hours. I don't know what I'd do if I'd lose my best friend. She's like a sister to me. We've been through so much since we were children and she's my only family here in New Orleans.

"Are you miss Anna Robert's relative?" A doctor finally went through the doors at around 2:30.

"I'm her friend. She has no family here in New Orleans. How is she? Is she going to be alright?"

"Her condition is still critical. She lost a lot of blood and she has a serious head concussion. We will continue monitoring her. We will update you."

My knees felt so weak. I didn't know what I was going to do.

"Can I see her?" I managed to say faintly.

"Of course."

It was already 8:00 P.M. When I left Anna in the Intensive Care Unit. I mindlessly headed to my apartment with my arms wrapped around my torso to keep me warm. It was only at that time that I remembered the meeting I was supposed to be in that he supposedly compelled me to go to. If I weren't in the situation I was in, I would have rejoiced but I was too occupied with the Anna's current condition.

"Well, well, well. It appears that compulsion doesn't work on you after all." I heard a very familiar voice from behind me. I stopped but didn't turn to meet eyes with Klaus. He swiftly moved to stand in front of me. So fast that my eyes weren't able to see how he got there. He looked at me as if he was examining me.

"You seem troubled, love." He smirked. "I can be of help to you. Ask and I shall grant it."

"What about you leave me alone?"

"I don't think that's what you want." He paused for a while. "I believe your friend is in the brink of death."

His words quickly caught my attention. I reached for his wrist to read his mind which he didn't protest against.

"I was being followed the entire time?"

"Think of it this way, if I didn't have you followed then I wouldn't have been able to find out that your friend is in the hospital fighting for her life and I won't be able to offer you a deal."

"You can save her?"

"Of course I can, darling. All you need to do is ask."

"And in return" I paused as I looked him intently. "You will use my abilities against the other sectors?"

"I wouldn't say against. Just so we can avoid be fooled by them." He smirked as he walked closer towards me.

"Do we have a deal?"

I shut my eyes and swung my head away from his direction. "O-okay."

"Very well. Rest assured tonight that your best friend will be well again in the morning."

He was gone by the time I opened my eyes.