Chapter 3

Nick grabs Menace's arm and pulls her out of the room. He stares at her, before speaking in a low voice.

"What did you say inside?" Nick asked, waiting intently for her answer. Menace shrugged off his arm.

"I said nothing." Menace denied, about to turn her back, only to be pulled again.

"You said something. I heard it. We heard it." Menace tried to pull her arm again, but Nick wasn't letting go.

"What is it to you if I did say something?! It's not like you'll know what it is." This time, Nick let her pull her arm.

"Coyotl. You said Coyotl. You said that after seeing that guy change, didn't you?" Menace looks at his eyes, confused to see recognition in them. As if he knows what she said earlier, even though she didn't intend to say it out loud.

"So? It's not like you know whatever it is."

"I know." Menace frowned, shaking her head as if not wanting to believe.

Then the others started coming out of the room as ME's rushed inside.

"Wait in the lobby. I'll show you something."

Menace bit her lower lip as she watched Nick and the others follow the taller man. Sighing to herself, she did what she was told to this time. It's not like she can leave too. She still needs to learn more about her mother. That's the real purpose of her arrival in Portland.

✓

"Okay. Can you tell me why she is coming with us again?" Hank asked, looking at Nick who was driving, before glancing at the windshield mirror to look at Menace in the backseat.

"Remember what she said back in jail?" Nick glanced at Hank for a moment, a serious look on his face as he looked back at the road.

"You mean the Coyotl?"

"Yes. She said Coyotl after seeing the guy. She knows what Wesen he is." Nick explained, turning right at the corner of the road.

"Wesen? So, you know what Wesen is? You see them too?" Menace interrupted, leaning a bit closer to the two men.

Hank turns to her so fast with wide eyes, as if he's seeing a ghost.

"Even if others don't? Yes, I do." Nick answered skeptically, glancing at the windshield mirror. His eyes met Menace.

"Are you saying you're a Grimm too?" Menace asked in bewilderment. She has been seeing a lot of strange things since she was 12. She thought she was the only one who could, but there was hope inside her that her mother might be the same too.

That's one of the matters she wanted to ask her, but that's unlikely to happen now, knowing that her mother is dead.

"We'll explain later. For now, come with us."

Minutes later, the car stopped. Menace let the two men come out first, before stepping out. She looks at the store in front of her. Exotic Spice & Tea Shop.

She follows Nick and Hank as they stand in front of the shop. The door then opens, revealing a guy wearing brownish long sleeves. The same guy she sat in the backseat of the car on their way to the precinct last night after she was caught about to flee the place.

Their eyes met as she followed Nick and Hank inside the shop. The man's eyes widened as if he was seeing a ghost. He didn't say anything, letting them in first, before closing the door behind them. Pulling down the blinds on the glass window of the door.

"Rosalee just heard back from Alexander. It's bad." the man started, eyeing Menace cautiously. "Uhh, Nick. What is she doing here?"

All of them look in her direction. Even the woman inside the shop was surprised to see her there.

"I'll explain it later. For now, what were you saying?" Nick insisted, looking back at the man who remained staring at Menace. When Nick tapped him, he snapped. Shaking his head, before turning back to Nick, still hesitant to speak up.

"The Wesen Council doesn't exist anymore." the woman chimed in, making Menace wonder what she just said.

Is she saying that there's a government for Wesen, and she's just finding it out now? Menace thought.

"What?!" Nick exclaimed, clearly confused and surprised by the news.

"They were all killed last night by Black Claw." the woman continued, while Menace made a thought to remember words and names that sounded important so she could ask Nick later if he ever gets free time to talk to her.

"All except Alexander. That's how we found out. Somehow he got out." the man explained as he stood beside the woman, looking at Nick and Hank.

"They knew about the Black Claw?" This time, Hank asked. He looked just as surprised as Nick.

"Yeah, except they call it Schwarczkralle." Menace frowns at the words, getting more confused as she listens to them.

"Means the same thing." the man shrugged, catching her eyes. He quickly looks away.

"Well, where's Alexander now?" Nick asks again, completely forgetting about the fact that they brought Menace into the shop.

"On the run." the woman answered.

"When word gets out that the Wesen Council's been wiped out, I don't even know what's gonna happen." the man stated worriedly.

"I think Xavier knows a lot more than he's telling us." Rosalee started, not knowing the event that occurred back in the precinct."

"Xavier's dead," Nick said.

"What?" Rosalee and Monroe exclaimed in unison.

"We put him in a cell before we could get him into protective custody. Somebody got to him." Hank chimes in, delivering the news.

"He was killed by a Coyotl who woged in front of the jailer." Nick continued.

Menace shrugs as she determines that Xavier must have been the guy who got his throat ripped out. Sighing to herself, thinking that she'd just be more confused if she kept listening to them without knowing anything from the beginning, she decided to look around the shop. Zoning out their voices as she makes sure not to distract them.

Their talk didn't last long though when Nick started rushing to the door. Hank stopped him.

"Oh, we got to back you up," Hank exclaimed.

"No, no, no. I have to go alone. They'll know If I don't." Nick explained, looking back at everyone.

Menace rushed towards them, trying to get hold of the situation.

"Hold on. You trust this?" Monroe stepped in, walking closer to Nick.

"Nick, what if it's a setup?" Rosalee did the same thing, walking towards Nick and standing on his side.

"Then I'll handle it," Nick answered, obviously in a rush.

Whatever's going on, Menace is sure that it's a trouble that Nick needs to deal with. She sighs at the thought of pushing the talk about her mother to another day. She knows that she couldn't be a priority. After all, she's the new girl in town who suddenly showed up spouting something about being the daughter of a woman that Nick cares about.

"Nick, wait a minute. You don't know what you're dealing with here. This woman is not exactly in the most stable place right now. She just killed a whole bunch of people, albeit to save our lives, but... You know what? Maybe there is no albeit. Maybe saving our lives had nothing to do with it, you know? Who knows why she killed them?" Monroe rambled.

Menace was sure that whoever they were talking about was the same woman she met last night. The woman who welcomed her and called her a Grimm. The Hexenbiest.

They all argue for a moment, Menace standing at the side near the door. Waiting for a turn to speak up.

"Wait!" Menace exclaimed, grabbing Nick's arm as he was about to leave the shop. "You can't leave me here. I understand that you have more important things to settle, but I also need to know a lot of things. I also left my car back in that place where you guys caught me, so I can't get back on my own."

Everyone looks at her as Nick lets out a sigh and faces her.

"I promise to talk about the matters you have. Hank can have someone tow your car and bring it back to the precinct. For now, I want you to stay here. I'll get back to you as fast as I can." Menace tried to say something again, but Nick was already out.

Menace bit her lower lip, as she slowly turned around. Everyone was looking at her, and all remained silent. It was Hank who spoke up first, sighing to himself.

"May I know what car is it?" Hank asks, pulling out his phone, ready to call someone.

"It's a black 2012 Chevy Impala. It was parked at the side of the road, feet away before the entrance of the Industrial site where you guys parked."

"Okay. I'll grab a cab to get back to the precinct and have someone tow your car. I'll have them bring it back to the precinct. Once I get told that it has arrived, I'll call you. For now, stay here as Nick said. And Monroe..."

Menace watches as Hank pulls Monroe to the side, out of her hearing zone, Rosalee behind them. She stares at the back of her head. Grinning at the thought that they tried, yet without knowing, failed to do so.

"Keep an eye on her. Nick talked to her back at the precinct, but I think there are still a lot of things they have to discuss. Also... Nick thinks she's a Grimm too."

"What?!" Monroe shouted. His face turned pale.

Menace raises an eyebrow in their direction when they all turn to her in unison. Their eyes are wide and uncertain. Hank walks past her with a small smile, closing the door of the shop behind him.

"So..." Monroe started, both him and Rosalee glancing at each other before giving her an uncertain smile.

"What Wesen?" Menace started, sure that they were Wesen because of their reactions. And if they are close friends of Nick's they must know who he is, hence, Nick also knows what they are.

"W-What you mean?" Rosalee asks, wrapping her hands around Monroe's arm.

"Indeed, I don't have any idea whatever is going on around here, but I get a grasp of it. So... If you're both friends of Nick, then I have no problem with you guys, and so you are to me."

Once again, Monroe and Rosalee glance at each other. It was Rosalee who approached Menace first, which surprised Monroe too, seeing that he was trying to grab her back.

"I'm Rosalee. I'm a Fuchsbau. This is my husband, Monroe." Rosalee started, pulling Monroe to her side. "He's a Blutbad."

Menace nodded, looking at Monroe, which the latter answered with an awkward smile.

"Fuchsbau, huh? Fox-like Wesen, right?" Rosalee nodded with a smile. "Out of all the Wesens I've met, which doesn't always result in such peaceful conversation like this, Fuchsbaue are truly beautiful."

"Oh. Thanks!" Rosalee smiled widely, glancing at Monroe and tapping his shoulder. Trying to ease the man's tension.

"So... You truly are a Grimm. Not that I have a problem with that, since we also have two Grimms, and that they are friends we trust-"

"Monroe, right? We're good. So... You need to calm down."

"Oh, yeah! Yeah, I'm calm. Why don't you sit down?" Menace nodded, going further inside near the counter, as she watched Monroe grab a chair from another room.

"Thanks," she muttered as she sat on the chair Monroe gave her.

"Is it okay to ask where you live before going here?" Rosalee asks, going around the counter. Grabbing a few jars, and placing them carefully on the shelves while waiting for Menace to answer.

"Idaho."

"That's hours and hours away from here. What made you come here?" Monroe asked this time, handing another jar to Rosalee as he grabbed some for himself. Helping his wife put some of them back on their shelves.

"I'm searching for my biological mother. I haven't met her since she left me in an orphanage. Nick was the only person I found that could be connected to her."

"How is Nick connected to your mother?" Monroe stopped what he was doing. Rosalee, who's standing on his right puts down a small brown paper bag on the counter.

"This is the only thing I found out in the short talk I had with Nick. My mother is his aunt, so, if we get more time to talk and make sure of some things, it will turn out that I had just met my cousin."

Menace stared at the couple in confusion when they got silent. Glancing back at each other then back at her, as if communicating in their minds.

"Marie Kessler is your mother?!" Rosalee exclaimed, walking forward while staring at her, trying to see the resemblance on Menace's face.

"Nick's Aunt Marie is your mother?! The Aunt Marie?!" Monroe followed, doing the same thing.

The couple then leans their faces, before unexpectedly woging. Menace didn't make any move, as she watched them stare into her eyes. Seeing the same empty void that they see on Nick's and Trubel's. Then they woge back.

"Oh, my god. You truly are a Grimm." Rosalee exclaimed.

"Not just a Grimm! The daughter of Marie Kessler! Her mom is like the hunter of the predators." Monroe rambled, forgetting the fact that Menace was standing right in front of them. "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I mean I don't mean that your mom is-"

"No need to. Thanks for that. I got a little bit of an idea of how my mom is. After all, I wouldn't know how she is. I guess I was too late to find out." Menace gives them a small smile. "I just wish Nick would tell me how she felt before she died."

She notices then how Rosalee and Monroe glance at each other. Monroe's arms wrapped around Rosalee's shoulder. They look like they are arguing through their eyes, and they only finish with Monroe sighing.

"I don't know if I should be telling you this. Nick should be the one doing so." Monroe started, looking uncertain as he stared back at Menace's eyes.

"If you know something about my mother, you need to tell me, Monroe. I've never met her. I want to know her. So, please."

Monroe glanced at Rosalee again, and when she only smiled, he let out another sigh.

"I bet Nick already told you that Aunt Marie died because of Breast Cancer, right? He wasn't lying, but at the same time, that wasn't all the truth." Menace listens intently, making sure to remember every word. "Your mom was already weak from her sickness, and it only got worse when she was attacked by an assassin. They kept coming even when she was already hospitalized. I was once assigned by Nick to check on her, and keep her safe, and believe me, someone's arm getting ripped off wasn't the end of it. As I said, they just kept coming. Until Aunt Maire had to be the one to fight. She won, but... That fight made her already weak body, too tired. That caused her death."

Menace remains silent for a moment, frowning as she discerns the information.

"Assassins... Let me guess. They're all Wesens, right?" Monroe only nodded, the couple watching as Menace leaned back on the chair. Closing her eyes for a moment, before letting out a sigh, and sitting properly. "Then my mom is a Grimm too, right?"

"Yes." Monroe subtly answered.

"I see. Thank you, Monroe. That's more than what I needed." She gives them another smile, this time it was forced. Noticing that Menace seems tired. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." Menace remarks, noticing the worried look they are giving her.

Once again, Menace leans her back on the chair, closing her eyes as if trying to get a rest. Monroe and Rosalee let her, understanding that the news must be tiring.

✓