Hank had always liked Bud. However, he was pretty sure that Bud wouldn't be of much use in a fight. Yet he couldn't help but feel a minute sense of dread as the small Wesen drove away from abandoned riverfront factory. But Nick had been very clear on the phone that they needed to meet alone. He trusted Nick with his life but Hank still wished that Nick had gone into more details on why they were meeting at this particular place and why they had to be alone when they met. More so, he hated going into any situation unprepared and without his gun. Hank felt practically naked.

Before entering the 2 story factory, Hank decided to quickly scout the parameter. He discovered a fire exit door on west side that he was pretty sure was locked but likely unlocked from the inside. He checked tried the doorknob and found it was indeed locked but if need be, Hank thought, he could kick this door down. The large sliding doors that faced the river on the north side where materials and finished products were shuttled through was bolted shut. He had expected as much. On the east side he found the main employee door that was unlocked just as Nick had told him it would be. Hank hesitated a moment before turning the knob and opening the door into the darkness.

"Hello...Hello...Nick are you there?", Hank said in loud whisper as he began wondering through the warehouse. Though he had kept his voice low, the faint echos told him that although the factory was 2 stories tall from the outside, on the inside it was a mostly empty main floor with a high ceiling. He didn't want to announce his presence any louder but he had to let Nick he was here. While it was dark inside, it wasn't completely dark. There was some moonlight coming through the dingy barred windows and his eyes had already began to adjust. He could now confirm what his ears had told him. This place had been some type of wood manufacturing plant which wasn't surprising. There were strips of lumber, rusty band saws, and other machines of every size and in various states of disrepair scattered across the floor. Hank relaxed just a bit as he discovered he could see a clear path of about 200 feet to the fire exit he had made note of a few minutes earlier. His training had told him to always find another available exit in any given situation.

"Nick?", Hank whispered again a little louder. Given what had happened in the last 24 hours, Hank was of course on edge but suddenly everything about this situation felt wrong. He knew Nick would never intentionally lead him into a trap but maybe something else was at play. "I'm gettin' the hell out of here!", Hank said to no one in particular and began making his way through the discarded factory equipment back towards the original door he had entered.

"Going somewhere little Grobsehen?". It was the gravelly voice of a Wesen that Hank recognized immediately and it originated from somewhere between he and his intended exit. His heart began to thump in his chest. Hank knew he had gotten lucky a few hours ago when Bud had unexpectedly showed up and saved him but he certainly didn't expect lightning to strike twice. As the massive Wesen stepped out the shadows and into the dim ambient light in the factory, Hank had already made his next decision.

"As much as I'd like to go a few rounds with you again big guy, it'll have to wait!", Hank said as he began slowing backing towards the alternate exit he had wisely mapped out in advance. He knew from experience that although the Siegbarste was big and strong, the Wesen wasn't exactly a sprinter. Unless he tripped or lost his footing, Hank was certain he would beat the Siegbarste to the fire exit with plenty of room to spare and it should be unlocked from the inside. But as he was turning to make his dash he saw a dark figure drop silently from one of the steel beams the crisscrossed the factory ceiling. He couldn't yet make out the creature but the way it landed without making a sound was a sure sign to Hank that it was a Wesen. The creature then began to pace back and forth in an angry threatening manner with a low growling noise but had not yet advanced on Hank. Hank surmised that this was the Hundjager whose snout he had smashed earlier and wondered why it hadn't already attacked him. But before Hank could ponder this any further, another Wesen was on top of him!

The initial attack by this new Wesen had been a body block that sent Hank sprawling in the dirt and dust of the abandoned factory and had knocked the wind out of him. He struggled to his feet trying to get some air in his lungs while simultaneously looking for some type of weapon he could use. The Siegbarste and the Hundjager were guarding both of his potential escape routes but fortunately they hadn't yet joined the attack on him. Though still gasping for air, Hank thought that if he could someone disable or even kill this 3rd Wesen quickly, he might still have a shot at making it out alive. He decided to buy a little time.

"So it takes 3 big bad Wesen to take on little o' me.", Hank said as his eyes darted around looking for a weapon of some sort.

"Let me have him!", growled the Hundjager. " He owes me for this", he finished pointing to his bandaged snout.

"You may get your chance...again but we will see if our Wesen brother can do what we weren't able to do when we had our chances! It is his turn take the prize of killing the Grobsehen", the Siegbarste responded.

Hank had a feeling that the Wesen had discussed this before and had come up with a simple plan of 2 them protecting the exits and one of them finishing him off. Still though, it didn't explain why they knew he'd be here at this exact time and place. The detective in him wanted to go over the facts and figure out why Nick had led him here. The human instinct in him said he needed to find a way to survive!

Hank spotted a wooden leg from a chair or table that he might be able to put to good use. It wasn't much but it did look solid and heavy. The problem was that it was much closer to this new Wesen than it was to Hank. Hank decided to gamble. From his current vantage point he could not only face off with this Wesen, he could also keep his eyes on the Hundjager and the Siegbarste. But if got this creature to circle with him before they went at it, he may be able to get his hands on the potential weapon lying on dusty floor of the factory.

"What kind of Wesen is about to get his ass kicked tonight?", Hank asked with false bravado as he began slowly moving to his right. The Wesen followed in turn also moving to its right. It was instinctual more than anything else. Single combatants whether they be human or Wesen will circle each other before they engage, both keeping their opponent in front of them while simultaneously sizing up the other. Hank had not yet recognized what type of Wesen this was but he could make that at least in physical size, this Wesen was his equal and he might have a chance. As they continued to circle each other about 10 feet apart, Hank didn't dare look down but he could sense that he was almost in reaching distance for the unfinished bat size piece of wood that he'd be using for a weapon. Just as he was about to reach down quickly and grab the wood, the type of Wesen he'd be facing came into clear focus. It was a Bludbat!

Hank hesitated for a split moment. He's mind suddenly racing back to the time he had first witnessed a Wesen. That Bludbat had scared him on a primitive level so bad that he couldn't sleep for days and when he could finally get a few hours of restless sleep, he had always kept his gun by his side. Though he'd learn much about Wesen since that fateful day in an forest just outside of Portland, that moment never dulled and he still held that fear somewhere deep within.

The Bludbat suddenly rushed him and Hank realized that the Wesen knew what he was up to and just before the creature reached him lunging with outstretched claws for his neck, Hank's training kicked in and rolled to his right while picking up the detached chair or table leg he'd been hoping to get his hands on. While still on one knee, Hank grasped the wooden leg tightly with both hands and swung it as hard as he could at the surprised Wesen's left knee area. "Damn", Hank thought to himself. The wood wasn't as heavy as he thought it would be. His first strike had landed with a solid thud and though the Wesen howled in pain, Hank knew that he'd hadn't disabled it in any manner.

"The Bludbat needs our help!", Hank heard the Hundjager that was no longer in his field of vision growl.

"NO! The Grobsehen is mine!", the Bludbat growled back in response.

Hank knew he had to move fast on this Bludbat while at least part of the Wesen's attention was elsewhere. He stood and swiftly came at the Wesen with the piece of wood poised above his right shoulder for a downward strike and the Bludbat braced itself and raised both hands in to fend it off. But instead, Hank slammed a short right side kick into the already injured left knee of the creature and felt the crack of bones. The Wesen screamed in pain as it collapsed down to its one good knee clutching its left leg in its left hand. The Bludbat right hand was reaching for something behind its back that Hank didn't notice.

"Oh ho! This Grobsehen is very good. I think I will have my chance next.", Hank heard the big Siegbarste say in a gravelly yet jovial tone. Hank didn't know who he'd face next or if he'd be facing off with both of these Wesen at the same time but he knew it would be 2 instead of 3 and that bettered his odds of surviving considerably. He approached the still writhing in pain Wesen and took a batter stance close enough to make sure he didn't miss. Though he knew Wesen had been there to kill him, Hank didn't want to kill this Wesen in such a brutal manner. However, he had make sure it was out of this fight. He then tightened his grip and prepared to swing...

"Hank...I'm sorry.", the injured Bludbat said just loud enough for Hank to hear.

Hank hesitated for just a moment when he realized who this Bludbat was and at that same moment the Bludbat plunged a long and deadly looking knife deep into Hank's chest. Hank stumbled back a few steps with a surprised look on his face and collapsed.

"Monroe...Nick..why?", Hank whispered as he lay prone on the ground. His mind couldn't fathom what had just happened. He couldn't think of any scenario in which Nick betrayed him and Monroe ultimately killed him. Those were his last thoughts as the darkness overtook him.

1 year later...

"This isn't so bad", Hank thought as looked out of his window at the Beaverton state mental hospital. He had spent the last year recovering from something he couldn't remember. In fact, he could only remember 5 of the last 6 years and this last year he had been in this mental hospital. They had tried all kind of procedures to help him recover his memories but none had worked. But Hank was okay with it. Maybe whatever had happened during those 5 years should stay gone he thought. His only regret was that he couldn't remember anybody from those 5 years.

"Can we come in Hank?", Hank heard someone say from behind him. It was this guy named Nick and his buddy Monroe. Monroe had a severe limp and walked with a cane. These two would drive over from Portland every few weeks to visit him. They didn't talk about anything in particular but Hank always enjoyed their company.

"Of course!", Hank answered as he shook hands with both of them. He guessed that he probably knew the 2 of them from the 5 year gap in his memory but neither one ever brought up the past or what caused Hank's amnesia. What he did know for certain was that they were now his friends and as they normally did on their visits, the three of the them chatted and joked for about an hour. When friends were about to leave, Hank finally got up the nerve to ask, "Hey Monroe, how exactly did you get that limp?".

The End