Kurt sat in the meeting chamber, numb with shock.

"Hey, don't worry, dude," Puck told him, "we'll find them and you can have the pleasure of blowing Pearlman's head off yourself."

Kurt's lips twitched very briefly at that idea though he didn't respond to his fellow human.

"Noah is right, Kurt," Jeremiah said, "remember that the com-units double as a GPS. All we need to do is pick up on Blaine's signal and we'll know where to go."

"And I'll gladly take you there myself," Santana said. "The full moon's coming up and it wouldn't be a bad idea to have someone like me with you."

Santana had gotten permission to come to New York in order to be with Brittney since Santana refused to continue leaving her in the care of Craig and the other wolves.

That's why Kurt found it odd that Santana would volunteer for something like this.

Part of what he was thinking must have shown on his face because Santana grinned at him.

"I think I can trust these idiots long enough to keep my girl safe while you and I go in and kick these lunitics' asses. Besides, I won't be satisfied until I see for myself that Pearlman is dead and there's no better why to do it then to be there."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"I'm coming too, by the way."

Everyone turned to Jeremiah at these words.

"I'm considered one of the ruling bodies of the rebels here in New York so it's my duty to make sure these maniacs are brought to justice."

Kurt didn't say anything, but he had a feeling that Jeremiah wanted to help break Blaine out just as much as he did.

"I want to come too," Puck announced abruptly.

"What? Why?"

"Because the dude sort of saved us from slavery," Puck explained. "I figure I owe it to him."

"Plus I'm probably too clumsy for a rescue mission," Finn added.

"That too."

Kurt smiled and this time it stayed on his lips.

A werewolf who also happened to be Santana, a vampire and one of the strongest humans he knew. Yeah, this rescue mission might just work after all.

Now all they had to do was find Blaine.

As if on cue, the laptop they had open in the middle of the table started beeping.

"That's him," Nick said.

A tiny red light was pulsing on the map of New York City that the computer screen presented to them. The place looked like it was in a rather run down area of the city, but that didn't surprise Kurt any.

Pearlman was trying to lay low for right now what with the police after him.

"Right then," said Craig, "you four had better get going."
////
Blaine was tied to a chair in the middle of the motel room.

The place was small, dark and dingy. A perfect place for a trio of fugitives. He didn't bother counting the human as one since the boy was obviously just following Karofsky's orders.

He was pretty sure it was Karofsky's slave anyway, he certainly resembled the boy that had been at that fucking party not so long ago. Plus he seemed to hover around Karofsky more then Pearlman or Bentley.

"You still haven't said how you plan on making him do it," Bentely was saying to Pearlman.

"That's true," agreed Blaine, "you have no way of controlling my actions, Pearlman."

Pearlman hissed, "I thought I told you to shut up!"

"If you wanted me quiet then you should have gagged me."

Pearlman hissed again and turned back to Bentley.

"You haven't been listening to me. I don't need him to assassinate the king, I just need you to tell the witnesses that one Count Blaine Anderson told you to assassinate his Majesty.

"After that, I can expose the rebles and win the peoples' favor. Then I'll be the one sitting on that throne."

"You seem to keep forgetting that your a wanted man, Pearlman."

"Nobody has to know it's me, Anderson. There is such a thing as resemblence among indivuals. I'm sure they'll write it off as that and nothing more."

"Unless I say something."

Pearlman chuckled, "Two things, Anderson, the first being that no one will belive you and the second, you'll be dead."

"You really seem to have counted your chickens before they've hatched, Pearlman."

Pearlman walked over to Blaine and leaned in close to him.

"Anderson, I have been planning this for years. It's true that I've had to make some pretty quick adjustments since you and your friends fucking killed half of my followers, but trust me when I say that I know what I'm doing. I've studied the populance throughout all my years upon this earth and vampires are really not that different from humans when you really get down to it. All they need to do is see their leader killed, somebody to blame it on and then someone else to look to for leadership. It's really not that hard to understand."

Pearlman straightened back up and turned his back on Blaine.

"Mr. Bentley, I trust you have everything you need. Now get down to the courthouse and get yourself in position for when the king makes his speech there."
////
"Noah, we won't be able to help Blaine if you get us killed!"

"Oh shut up, Fang Boy, I know what I'm doing."

Puck was speeding down the road as fast as the car would allow. Everything went by in a blur of color as they raced towards their destination.

Honestly Kurt was surprised that they hadn't tipped over in a firy explostion either, but at the moment he didn't care.

All he cared about was getting to Blaine before Pearlman killed the count.

The fact that Blaine was still alive at all was a good thing. It meant that Pearlman might be keeping him alive for something. Then again, that something could just be to torture him.

Kurt shoved those thoughts away and tried to let his mind go blank.

In a few short minutes they were in front of the flee bag motel. Puck slammed on the breaks and Kurt was suddenly very grateful to whoever invented seatbelts.

Jeremiah opened the door so that Santana could scramble outside. The vampire stumbled out after her and leaned against the side of the car.

Santana growled at Puck as the human stepped out of the car.

"Oh shut up! At least I got us here in one peice."

"Only just," Jeremiah grumbled.

"Enough chitchat," said Kurt, "let's get in there."
////
Tina and Mike stood in the shadows as they watched the camara crew setting up.

"Here we go another boring speech from our great, wise king."

Mike grinned, "Careful. The king and queen might think there's something wrong with you if keep acting so cheerful."

Tina slapped his arm playfully and he laughed.
////
On the building across the street from the courthouse, Paul Bentley postitioned his sniper rifle on its stand. He lined the eye of sight up with the podium that the king would be standing behind for his speech.

Bentley sat down on the chair he had brought with him and waited for everything to start.
////
Pearlman stood at the edge of the courthouse's lawn.

He wanted his plan to work fast and in order for that to work he had to be there when the king was killed so that he could begin his mob hysteria.

He just hoped Karofsky wasn't doing anything to mess up his plans.
////
"What are you doing?" Blaine asked.

"I'm letting you go, what do you think I'm doing?"

"What's your game here, Karofsky?"

"No game, Anderson. I owe you one after everything I put you and your slave through."

"He's not my slave," Blaine said as the last of the ropes fell away. He stood up and turned to face Karofsky, "Kurt is his own person and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Karofsky nodded miserably.

"I know, which makes me glad that I didn't buy him at that auction. I would have destroyed him."

"Yes, you probably would have. However," Blaine turned to Rock. "You seem to be changing your attidue on the place of human beings."

"Yeah, I think I am."

"Was this your plan all along then? Fool Pearlman into thinking that you work for him so that you can expose him?"

Karofsky laughed bitterly, "I didn't have a plan, Anderson. I don't have one now either."

"You know, you could join us..."

"Right and have people hate me? No thanks."

"They would get used to you being there. Besides, if they find out you helped me escape, I'm sure they'd be willing to at least give you a second chance."

It was at that time that the door to the motel room burst open.

Blaine, Karofsky and Rock spun around to see a very strange sight.

Two humans with revolvers pointed at them and a vampire and a werewolf with their teeth bared.

"Kurt! Don't attack!"

"What the hells going on?" Puck demanded, his gun still trained on Karofsky.

Kurt, however, had lowered his weapon and was stepping hesitantly into the room.

"He just freed me," Blaine explained.

He stepped forwards to meet Kurt halfway and they pulled each other into a tight embrace.

"Freed you?" Kurt turned a steely gaze on Karofsky. "I don't understand."

"I fucked up, Kurt," Karofsky replied.

Kurt snorted, "Is that supposed to be news?"

"Now, Kurt, it's okay. We're not going to get anywhere if you keep insulting him."

"But, Blaine," said Jeremiah, "isn't he the one that you said tried assassinating you?"

"He is and don't worry I'm not stupid enough to trust him completly yet or even at all at the moment."

"It doesn't matter if you trust me or not," Karofsky said. "And I don't mean to rush you or anything, but you guys have a king to save."
////
"Shit, can't you slow down a bit!?"

"What is with all of you? You say we can't waste time and then you're telling me to slow down?"

"I would just like to make it there in one peice, Puckerman," Blaine snapped.

"We will as long as you people stop distracing me!"
////
Bentley took his position as the king approched the podium.
////
Pearlman's eyes flickered to the rooftop as he waited for the bullet to hit home.
////
Bentley fired.
////
Blaine put on a last burst of speed as he tackled the king to the ground.

The bullet hit the side of the building.

The royal gaurd pulled Blaine rougly to his feet and held him away from the king.

The queen and Tina helped the king to his feet. The king tore himself out of the women's grasp and marched up to Blaine.

"What do you think you are doing!"

"Please, sire, I can explain--"

"There's no need to explain anything! You accosted me!"

"Wait, father," Tina said, adopting the title she was to use when they were in public. "I think he may have just saved your life. Come look."

The king and queen followed their adopted daugther over to the indention in the wall where the bullet was still stuck.

"Oh my God!" the queen exclaimed, "If he hadn't tackled you to the ground that bullet would have went straight through your skull!"
////
Bentley swore wildly and positioned the crosshairs so that they lined up with the back of the king's head.

Before he could pull the trigger, however, a gut-wrenching growl came from behind.

He turned just in time to see a large black werewolf leaping at him.

He hit his head on the cemenet as he went down. The werewolf's teeth latched onto his arm and he gave a cry as it began to rip and tear at his skin, bone and muscle.

He hit the werewolf in the side of the head and it stumbled.

He scrambled to his feet and headed for the door, stopping short as he saw glowing yellow eyes locking onto him.

The pack of five lunged at him, knocking him to the ground. The first werewolf marched up to him and the last thing he saw a flash of teeth as it bit into his face.
////
Pearlman was growing anxsious as he waited for Bentley to finish the job.

When he heard the unmistakable sound of werewolves howling out that they had just made a kill coming from the rooftop, he knew what had happened.

As discreetly as he could, Pearlman edged away from the crowd who were now watching the scene unfold on the courthouse steps.

As he was watching the crowd to see if anyone would notice him, he ran into a cluster of three people.

He shouted as the strangers grabbed his arms to restrain him and began steering him back into the crowd.

All eyes turned to them as Pearlman struggled against the strangers who had managed to drag him kicking and screaming up to the king.

"Your Majesty," said one of the strangers, "I think you'll find that this man has the answers to all your questions."
////
The royal gaurd released Blaine as they took Pearlman from Jeremiah's, Kurt's and Puck's care.

"Who are you four?" the king demanded.

After the four introduced themselves a howl sounded and the crowd of vampires hurried out of the way as Santana led her group of five wolves up to the courthouse.

"And that's Santana Lopez," said Jeremiah. "She's on our side and judging by the looks of things she and her pack just killed your would be assassin."

The king blinked as Santana sat down with a self-satisfied air.

"I think it would be best if all of us went inside to talk," the king said slowly.

"Of course, sire," answered Jeremiah, "but I must tell you that if we are to talk then there's a friend of ours that you need to contact back in Lima, Ohio."