Jessica doesn't get a chance to choose...

[Jessica's POV]

Elizabeth has won. Carmilla and Mary are dead. What's the point? Jessica begins to rationalize. The revolution continues whether I die here or not...

"Do what you got to do" Catherine says coldly, sighing. Jessica doesn't respond.

Oh, Catherine Jessica thinks.

Elizabeth is right. I'm a killer. Why try to fight it? Why the hypocrisy? Jessica thinks.

I'm not a killer; I was made one by Elizabeth and Diana Jessica also thinks.

Jessica can't make up her mind. The thought of surrendering to Elizabeth disgusts her. But her survival instincts are strong. She curses her cowardice, but she wants to live. At any cost. Jessica finds herself paralyzed with indecision. She senses Elizabeth's growing impatience, as well as a real coldness from Catherine. Jessica finds the easiest decision is no decision, she freezes. She can't kill Catherine, not after everything they've been through. She can't bring herself to say that either, knowing it would consign her to **** (or worse) by Elizabeth.

"Well, child? Will you retake your place at my side? Or will you persist in the puerile temper tantrum?" Elizabeth says, tapping her fingers against her forearm.

Jessica swallows hard and makes a decision.

"I, I'll--" Jessica begins, but is cut off by the sound of loud bangs and shouting from upstairs. Elizabeth turns, cursing. She shoots Catherine daggers with her eyes, and then runs out of the room in a blur.

What is happening Jessica thinks. Are those....guns? she wonders. Catherine starts to laugh. There are more loud bangs, it sounds like a real struggle is happening upstairs. Catherine laughs harder.

"Humans aren't as weak as we think, Jessica" Catherine says cryptically. Jessica is about to ask what she means, but is distracted by another loud crash.

"So. Were you actually going to kill me?" Catherine asks, a smirk on her face.

"I...." Jessica begins.

"It's okay, you don't have to explain. Elizabeth has that affect on people. But I don't think you would have" Catherine says. She stretches her hand out against the bindings, her fingertips brushing against Jessica's. Even the small amount of skin to skin contact puts Jessica more at ease.

"Catherine. What is happening?" Jessica asks.

"Insurance" Catherine laughs.

"Insurance?" asks Jessica.

"Look. Storming onto Elizabeth's turf without backup was an iffy plan, no?" Catherine says. She is surprisingly jovial given that she's tied to a table. "I cut a deal" Catherine says. "Elizabeth and Diana's location, for amnesty."

"Amnesty from who?" Jessica asks, more confused than ever.

"The Helsing Group" Catherine answers. "Vampire hunters."

Jessica's mind reels. Vampire hunters? Humans? What? Catherine laughs again.

"I know. Against type for me. Don't think for a second I've gone soft of the blood bags. But, it made sense. I don't want Elizabeth's world. They don't want Elizabeth's world. Simpatico." Catherine says. "I texted them the address the second I started to feel ill. I figured this would be hard alone, but I had hoped we could finish this without help from the cattle."

Jessica can't believe what she is hearing. This is the second time Catherine has withheld information from me she thinks angrily. Did Carm and Mary know?

"Oh, don't act so hurt. You knew what you needed to know" Catherine says crossly, as if reading Jessica's mind. "While we are playing show and tell, do you want to tell me what your answer to Elizabeth was?" Catherine says. So much for 'It's okay, you don't have to explain' Jessica thinks.

Jessica wants to ask more, but is interrupted when several heavily armed humans burst into the room. Jessica finds herself staring down the business end of a crossbow, a stake aimed directly at her heart.

"We had a deal!" Catherine screams, yanking on her bindings in vain.