Chapter Eighteen

Two days.

Two days had passed since Samantha last heard from Bud. The two Hexenbiests, who were supposed to be guarding him and his shop, had called her in a panic. In very rough English, they reported his kidnapping once they'd regained consciousness.

Since then, Samantha had been alternating between anger and guilt—anger that Bud had been kidnapped and guilt that she hadn't provided him with more security. She was the one to call his wife, Phoebe, and inform her of his abduction. Samantha took several deep breaths before placing the call, attempting to prevent her voice from shaking. In the past two days, she had Woged more times than she could remember.

She wasn't there when Nick was told, but she'd heard that he'd lost his temper. Likely, he was feeling the same as her, only worse. He'd known Bud for years, and it was Nick's idea that Bud join the Council. Though, it was quite possible that Bud being in the Council was completely unrelated, and simply knowing Nick had put him in Juliette's crosshairs. Samantha assumed that Nick was wracked with guilt over that very possibility.

After tossing and turning and barely getting any sleep, once her alarm went off, she picked up her phone, called her Realtor, and lied. Well, a partial lie. She advised she wanted to show the building to the rest of the Council and asked if she could have a key so she could take them through the building. The Realtor, being fairly easygoing and anxious for the commission, was all too happy to provide access. However, Samantha didn't want access just to show to members of the Council, as there were dozens, possibly even hundreds of others she needed to corral into a single location. The restaurant she had been utilizing until now was nowhere large enough to contain the numbers she knew would be showing up. If she had more time, perhaps the Council would own the property outright, but for now, she'd only just agreed to purchase it.

When she arrived to unlock the door, there were several people already waiting to be let in—her newly hired employees. Alexander had done the recruiting for her. She was still struggling with how fast everything was happening, going from what was supposed to be a local endeavor to dealing with international problems. Alexander seemed to be in some sort of rush. He'd made a few comments that she inferred suggested he was concerned that someone in the future might challenge their authority. Perhaps someone would start an opposing Council, and the more infrastructure they established, the more difficult it would be for someone to undermine what they'd built.

He'd also been pushing for her to have a security detail. Until Bud had been kidnapped, she'd been refusing, but now she was beginning to relent. Though she'd insisted her security be in as plain clothes as is reasonable, she still didn't like seeing them lined up in front of the new Council meeting entrance like they were. Even in plain clothes, it wasn't exactly inconspicuous. She hadn't even finished turning the key in the lock when Alexander called out behind her. He rushed in an attempt to take the door from her. In her annoyance, she instead held it open and motioned for him to pass. After letting everyone in and closing the door behind her, she provided instructions and the plan for the evening.

Nick arrived at the Weaver's Loft, his footsteps echoing on the quiet pavement outside. Adalind had decided not to leave the Seidels' home. Opting instead to stay behind and watch Kelly. The Seidels were obligated to go to the meeting, being members of the Council. They, as well as Monroe had rode in Nick's car.

None of them knew what to expect when they arrived. The exterior of the building loomed before them, a weathered facade that spoke of decades of industrial history and heavy use. Cracked bricks and faded signage hinted at a past life filled with the hum of machinery and hustle of workers.

As he approached, Nick noticed a few others making their way to the entrance, almost like guests arriving at a party though the atmosphere was more subdued than a celebration.

An undercurrent of anticipation or perhaps dread hung in the air.

Colossal gates, adorned with aged metalwork, creaked slightly in the breeze. The structure seemed to exhale a history that lingered in the brickwork, a story waiting to be uncovered.

As he neared the entrance, Nick saw a Wesen standing guard, though what kind, he couldn't be certain until the guard completed his task with people who approached the door ahead of Nick. He Woged, a Klaustreich. Then those wanting entry also Woged. A family of Stangebär. The guard's job was clear – only Wesen were allowed in.

Nick, though a Grimm, was an exception. The guard, who had gone through the testing process several times and was clearly bored with it, was immediately taken aback and unsure of how to proceed. He hesitated for a moment before Monroe, Sasha and Isaac all Woged behind Nick. Two Lausenschlange and a Blutbad were more than a little intimidating. Nick's hearing picked up an audible growl from Monroe. He began to wonder if perhaps he should have insisted Monroe watch the kids and Rosalee come along instead. But she had triplets that were growing and needed to be fed. She also needed some time alone to pump so that Monroe would be able to feed those children the following day.

The Klaustreich removed his Woge and nodded his head in apology. Not intending to create an incident, a Grimm's eyes are simply difficult to be prepared to see. As Monroe once noted, 'infinite darkness.' The Klaustreich wasn't as prepared for it as he thought he was.

He stepped aside and allowed Nick and company to pass. Nick moved through the entrance, aware of the unique dynamics at play. The Weaver's Loft, with its potential for transformation, stood as a neutral ground for Wesen from various backgrounds, a place where alliances could be formed and conflicts navigated and hopefully avoided. The subdued ambiance outside belied the intricate tapestry of Wesen politics and relationships that awaited within. Though Nick didn't see any Woged faces inside, he knew he was surrounded on all sides by Wesen of several kinds. Some of which he knew wouldn't appreciate his presence, but would tolerate it.

Monroe's face was lit up in what could only be described as awe. Now Nick remembered why Monroe had to be the one to join him. He'd had never let Nick forget it if he'd not brought him along to witness what he knew Monroe considered more history being made.

Many of the attendees, and Nick made a mental tally there were a few hundred people in the room, were women. He guessed most were Hexenbiests. Chatting among themselves, the conversations seemed to be a heavy mix. Some people who clearly hadn't seen in each in a long time were catching up, others seemed to be planning some sort of strategy as to what they'd do if they were in charge of hunting down the power thieves.

Nick unsure of what to do with himself went to stand in a corner with Monroe while the Seidels sought out Samantha. Nick happened to notice, in another corner, two others that seemed to be trying to stay out of the way as well. He knew they looked familiar, but he was having trouble placing them at the moment. He nudged Monroe as he nodded at the two, "You know them?"

Monroe thought for a moment and shrugged, "Nope, don't think so."

Nick's attention was disrupted as he noticed Samantha enter the far end of the room, surrounded by a new security detail he'd heard her complaining about, accompanied by other members of the council.

Samantha attempted to enter the room with her head held high and with as much grace as could. She felt she was doing well. Feeling this much pressure and stress was new to her. Though she knew it should have the opposite effect, every new member, every new person, every new family that became involved in this entanglement just made her feel more and more ill at ease.

Oddly, the sounds in the room took her back to her days in elementary school in the cafeteria at lunchtime. Jumbled words echoing through the room as hundreds of people talked among themselves. None of it discernible, though she'd catch a word and phrase here and there. The memory made her think of the cafeteria food, which made her think about the square pepperoni pizza they had what she believed to be every Friday. Then, for just a flash of a moment, she wondered if she'd be allowed to go have a slice or if only students were permitted. Would it be weird to ask?

"Sam? Chairperson?"

She blinked to herself and realized that one of her security detail had been updating her that they'd, 'checked the perimeter and found no threats.' Samantha refrained from rolling her eyes and decided instead to nod and praise the guard for doing their job.

Glancing down at her outfit, she decided to wear a navy blue dress that walked the line between professional and approachable. The fabric felt foreign against her skin, a stark reminder of the swift transition into a world of intricate politics at the mere age of twenty-one. A delicate necklace from her grandmother adorned her neck, and a subtle bracelet – both carrying sentimental weight – provided a touch of familiarity in this sea of formality. She had traded her usual sneakers for sensible heels, a reluctant nod to the expectations placed on her. The finishing touch was a subtle, almost subconscious adjustment – a bracelet that held sentimental value. As she entered the room, Samantha couldn't help but wonder if the adults around her could sense the uncertainty beneath the facade of a young woman playing the role of a leader.

Not far from her, she saw two women attempting not to make eye contact with anyone else in the room. Both of them seemed to be trying to make themselves as small as possible while using the crowded room as their camouflage. Samantha recognized the women for who they were—the two assigned to guard Bud when he was kidnapped. They had both also been victims of power theft in the past couple of days. Samantha wasn't sure who was first, but she'd heard that they'd both wailed in anger and shed a few tears when they'd made the discoveries. Embarrassed and weakened, Samantha felt badly for them. She didn't blame them for what happened but totally understood why they might blame themselves.

Continuing to scan the room for familiar faces, she spotted Nick and Monroe in a far corner and reflexively jolted from her standing position, quickly marching to his location. It startled her security detail, and they all had to scramble to reposition themselves around her. When she saw their reaction, she exhaled through her mouth in irritation. The extra attention felt more like a distraction than protection. Alexander had made valid points about her safety being paramount, so she'd deal with it for the time being.

She didn't feel comfortable saying it out loud for fear of sounding like a sycophant, but she never felt safer than when Nick was around. Always taught to run at the first sight of a Grimm, her life had been changed in so many ways because he'd been so different from what she was raised to believe he would be. But that wasn't why she wanted to speak with him. She needed him for what he knew, less than what he technically is.

Doing her best to hide her irritation, she stopped, spun on her heels, and held her palms out to her security detail, addressing them all as a group, "I won't be needing you as my shadow while I talk to my friends." She lifted her eyebrows as she waited for acknowledgment from her team, and when they all nodded, she spun on her heels again and approached Nick to give him a hug.

When she released her embrace, she took a step back and divided her next words between a demand and a request of Nick, "I'd like to have you standing next to me when I address the room."

Nick's eyes couldn't hide his puzzlement, "I'm not sure how that will go over in this crowd. You sure about that? I said from the beginning I don't want people thinking I'm a part of the Council."

Samantha nodded in full understanding and agreement, "I agree, but this about your knowledge of Juliette. We can't ignore that elephant in the room."

Nick scanned the room in an attempt to find any hostile faces, as though the general public perception of his relationship with Samantha would influence the decision he was about to make. Once more, he noticed the two men he half recognized in another corner of the room. They were both eyeing him up, and when one of them Woged, he immediately tensed as he knew exactly where he'd seen them before.

When they'd announced the formation of the new Wesen Council in Portland, two people had shown up in the second half, and when Nick first laid eyes on one of them, they'd Woged to expose that at least the one was a Skalengeck. In that moment, he felt he might have a fight on his hands, and the same thing was happening right now. The same one had Woged, and Nick instinctively reached forward to grab Samantha's wrist and began to gently but firmly pull her body behind his own. Before Samantha could turn her head to figure out what had caused Nick to react as he had, Nick saw a similar performance as before as the man who was with the Skalengeck reached forward and grabbed his buddy by the shoulder. Pulling him back in the corner with him, the Skalengeck removed his Woge, and the two men averted their eyes as though nothing had just happened.

Samantha had only seen the tail-end of the interaction and was confused, "Do you know those guys?"

Nick shook his head, "I was hoping you might know what they're about. They were at the Council announcement, and the one seems to have a problem with me, but the other won't let him act on it. I'd approach them, but," he gestured at the room, "I don't think I should make a scene."

Samantha also looked around the room, "Yeah, I think that's a good call. Besides, it's time to get started. Come on. You're coming with me." This time, she grabbed his wrist and gently but firmly pulled him towards the center of the room.

Before making it a few steps, she turned to Monroe and asked, "Would you mind translating for me?"

Monroe's eyes widened in surprise. He looked around the room and bobbed his head up and down, "That's a big crowd..."

Samantha shrugged, "Yeah, but I'm the one who has to come up with the stuff to say. I've been planning it all day."

Monroe bobbed his head in a more exaggerated fashion, with mock annoyance at her request, "Fine!"

She mouthed the words, "Thank you," and then jerked her head to the center of the room for him to follow.

Her security detail attempted to try to meet her, but she Woged and brought them to an immediate stop with a look that froze one of them so cold she heard his shoes squeak on the concrete floor.

 ***

"Ladies and gentlemen, first we had members of our community victimized with power thefts and assaults. Now we find ourselves confronted with another grave injustice – one of our own, our beloved Bud Wurstner, has been forcefully taken from us. I share your concern, your worry, and your anger. Bud is not just a council member; he's a friend, a pillar of our community, and someone who has earned the love and respect of us all. His wife and children are currently under guard in a safe location.

In the face of these blatant acts of aggression, I want to assure you that we will not stand idly by. Those responsible for Bud's kidnapping will face the wrath of justice, and we will pursue them with unwavering determination. We will employ every resource, follow every lead, and utilize the fullest extent of Wesen Law." She paused here to let her words sink in about what 'the fullest extent of Wesen Law' actually meant.

"Our community is strong, and our bonds run deep. Though what we're doing here now, running a Council out of Portland, is brand new to us, and we're up against crimes that haven't been committed in centuries. Together, we will not only ensure the safe return of Bud but also mete out justice to those who dared to disrupt the peace we hold dear. We will find Bud, and we will bring him home. The love and unity within our community will be a force stronger than any act of malice. Together, we will overcome this challenge, and together, we will ensure that justice is served.

Your support is crucial now more than ever. We are entering a challenging time, and it's not just justice we seek; it's a declaration that our community will not bow to threats and intimidation. We are not just victims; we are warriors, and it's time to stand united against the encroaching adversity.

The unity within our community will be a force, yes, but it will also be a call to arms. We need each and every one of you to be vigilant, to be the eyes and ears of our collective safety. We cannot let fear paralyze us; instead, let it fuel our determination to root out the source of this malevolence.

In the coming days, we will be faced with challenges we never could have anticipated. We may be pushed to the limits of our abilities. But remember this: the strength of our community lies not just in words but in action. We will need your strength, your courage, and your commitment.

Bud's kidnapping is not just an attack on one of our own; it's an attack on all of us. Together, we will defend our community, and together, we will face whatever comes our way.

As we confront some of the most powerful Hexenbiests in recorded and possibly even unrecorded history, I ask for your commitment, your unwavering support. In the days ahead, we will have to make difficult choices, and we will need every one of you to stand beside us. We are not just a community; we are a family, and it's time to protect our own.

Your courage will be our strongest weapon, and your unity will be our shield."

Though several people had stolen glances at Nick as Samantha spoke, it wasn't until now that she finally made reference to him, "Everyone here I'm sure has at least heard of Nick. Or perhaps as," she used finger quotes, "The Grimm.' He knows one of the Hexenbiests personally and is standing with us against their power thefts. Call it a blessing in disguise if you'd like, but I believe if Nick and the Hexenbiest didn't have a history, her Coven would likely already be stealing power across the country and maybe even the world. We have a chance to stop them here and now before things get even more out of hand.

Are there any questions?"

There was a brief pause before a woman shouted from the back, "How will we get our powers back!?"

Samantha took in a deep breath and exhaled through her nose before she replied, "Nick was able to provide us a method to reverse power theft. We've tested it, it works, however, it isn't perfect and it requires the thief or thieves to be present and, we believe, alive."

There was some commotion from the crowd at the potential hazard of keeping the thieves alive and present. Samantha had to raise her voice to be heard, "If we can somehow obtain the device the thieves are using, we could potentially use it to reverse power thefts as well. But only four people at a time can use that device." At this, those in attendance became more unruly and voiced their dissatisfaction. Samantha had to shout, "There is no perfect solution!"

The crowd seemed to get even louder. She clearly was exasperated. Taking a deep breath, she Woged. Samantha's transformation was swift, her features shifting into the sharp, keen visage of the Scharfblicke, an owl-like appearance. As the feathers formed on her face, she opened her mouth, and a piercing screech echoed through the room, cutting through the chatter and drawing every eye toward her. The sound, reminiscent of a screech owl's call, demanded attention, and the unruly crowd fell into a hushed silence. Nick was surprised she could make such a sound, but he saw that he was the only one in the room who was.

She kept her Woge for another moment as she shouted, "These women have essentially declared war. I would love for everything to go back to how things were before these power thefts began. But for now, it's our responsibility to at least stop them from stealing even more power and possibly becoming so powerful that no one will be able to stop them. Everything else will have to take a backseat to that. If that's not what you want to hear, I'm sorry. I didn't sign up for this to tell you what you want to hear. We have some challenges ahead of us and I can promise you your powers back all day long. But until we stop the Coven of Thieves, it would all be hollow promises."

At this, Alexander stepped out from the perimeter of the crowd and raised his hands to get the attention of everyone as he shouted, "If everyone could form a line out the door. We need to collect all your contact information so that we can coordinate once new information is learned."

Samantha had intended to field more questions but, for once, was glad that Alexander had interjected himself. It was one thing to be the face of the Wesen Council; however, she still needed to learn to delegate, and Alexander was getting better at reading her moods when it came to taking things off her Chairperson's plate.

Nick put a hand on her shoulder and with some awkwardness, said, "You're doing great."

Samantha turned to look at him, she relaxed her face and her Woge faded away as she half-smiled and nodded a 'thank you' at him. She wanted to say something, but without any warning her eyes welled up with tears. Nick, unsure how to react, stepped toward her and placed his body in front of hers so that her face wouldn't be easily seen by the crowds milling by.

"What can I do?"

Samantha shook her head, "All of this and we have no idea if Bud is alive or dead or what's happening."

Nick spoke softly, "All we can do is wait. I have faith that as angry as Juliette is, she won't hurt Bud. I think she's biding her time until she suggests some sort of exchange. Bud for Adalind most likely. Either that, or the Staff, or both."

Samantha wiped at the corners of her eyes, "That's dumb. She has to know you'd never go for that, right?"

"Maybe. But I don't think that's all this is about."

"How do you mean?"

 ***

Juliette had never known a person with more nervous energy than Bud. That nervous energy would expel itself as talking. Lots and lots of talking. Always so polite, so apologetic, kind, engaging, not to mention, rapid. Which made it all the more enraging that he hadn't spoken a word since she'd come face to face with him two days ago.

She didn't expect him to betray Nick and tell her where Adalind is. If Bud is anything, he's loyal. It was possible he didn't even know her location. What she wanted him to admit to her though, was that she was not deserving of his loyalty. That Adalind was not a good person. That she, Juliette, was Bud's actual friend.

They'd left behind the abandoned railroad storage unit and instead Juliette had led their group to a location that she had both been to and had never been to before. A place she'd only heard of but also a place she'd visited with Nick in some alternate timeline where he'd fought Zerstörer. It was covered in dust but it had what they needed. Privacy, a fireplace, a room to keep Bud in beneath the floor. They weren't too proud to admit they were happy to have a place with a proper bathroom.

With no electricity, they'd had to resort to magical means to make the cottage comfortable. Juliette, already a powerful Hexenbiest long before she'd committed a single power theft, was still surprised at how easy it was to make a new home for their group, even if only temporarily.

She was sitting on the stairs that led from the first floor to the cellar where they'd been keeping Bud. There was a bed there for him to rest on. She didn't bother to tell him what it was originally used for. He sat on the bed, refusing to look at her or even speak. She'd had to bring him food from time to time. Trying to make sure his time there wasn't completely miserable. There was no reason to hurt him, not that it stopped the women in her Coven from encouraging it nonetheless.

"Have him tell us where the Staff is being stored!" and "Maybe he knows where that Adalind woman is." Were a couple of refrains she'd heard a few times in one form or another.

She'd had to explain as though she were talking to children that even if Bud betrayed Nick's trust like that, Nick would have likely moved the Staff and Adalind at best and at worst, laid a trap for them to fall into. For now, they had to let Nick simmer in his guilt. That was one weakness that few have ever exploited in him. Nick will blame himself and the longer he has to stew in those emotions, the easier it will be to manipulate him.

In the meantime, however, she wanted Bud to look at her. To say, SOMETHING. Anything.

"I understand your loyalty to Nick, Bud. The two of you have been good to each other. But, Adalind? She doesn't deserve your kindness. What about what our friendship has meant, huh? You and me? You were the second Woge I ever saw. You tried to protect me that day. Tried to talk me out of it. Maybe if I'd listened to you, so much of my life would have turned out differently. I'd still have my veterinarian practice. Maybe even my home. Though I doubt Nick and I would still be together. Of course, then Nick would have never slept with Adalind," she raised her voice, "Because she wouldn't have been able to disguise herself as me!"

She regained her composure, "Ask yourself Bud, do you think Adalind deserves to walk away with the life that I had? With the man that I once loved? With the people that I once fought side-by-side with. That I happily and enthusiastically called my friends. Does she deserve that, Bud? Does she deserve you as a friend?"

Bud stayed silent for a few moments and at first Juliette felt he truly was never going to say anything until he said, "She's not perfect. She's made mistakes. She's a mother of two." He took in a deep breath and for the first time looked at Juliette. Taking in her completely Woged appearance. The dried-up corpse-like appearance that was jarring even for someone who'd seen as much as Bud had over the years. Though he'd been avoiding her eyes out of principle until now, it was more difficult to maintain her gaze than he thought it would be and she could tell. He said, "My friendship with Nick not withstanding, I wouldn't tell you where she was even if she were a total stranger. It's not what a good person does. And the Juliette that I used to know... my FRIEND... would know that. Because she knew what was right... and what was wrong."

Why could no one else see what Juliette saw? Why did everyone treat Adalind so well? "Bud, if things were reversed. If you could exchange yourself for Adalind's well-being, you'd do it wouldn't you? It's the right thing to do." If Juliette hadn't already been fully Woged she would have Woged out of the anger that was building up in her. She clenched her teeth and Bud winced as he heard them scraping together.

"Adalind would never do that for you! She doesn't do the right thing, she does what's best for her! She's a leach. A parasite. She will always put her own needs above yours, above Nick's. I need all of you to see that. That she is not your friend."

She realized she'd been clenching her fists so hard she was hurting herself. She shook her hands at her sides. When the pain subsided she spoke softly, "People have forgotten how manipulative she is. Every smile, every compliment. It's all a show. By the time you realize it, you'll already have a knife sticking out your back."

She stood up and walked up the stairs, closing the door, leaving Bud in Darkness.