Chapter 10 Prepared

Nick POV: Here he was at the appointed time, apprehensive, yet determined to judge for himself if HW was to be trusted. Meisner stood outside of a nondescript building without windows. He walked up with a nod, "Meisner". Nick carried some important pieces of the puzzle under his arm.

"Burkhardt, you think you've found something?" Meisner looked as skeptical as Nick supposed he could look, without much reaction.

"Actually one of my friends did at the cost of four broken fingers and twelve stitches to the face," Nick paused to let the information sink in. "The uprising took him because he works with me, and I've worked with you from time to time. We got to him just in time, otherwise you wouldn't have this lead." Nick took offense to not being taken seriously, especially for Monroe's sake.

With one nod, Meisner seemed to accept the validity of Nick's information. "Follow me," he said while placing his right hand on a panel next to the door. Biometric security, Nick filed in his memory in case it was ever useful. Then he followed Meisner into a hallway lit by what looked like emergency lighting, till they came to a door midway down the hall . Once again placing his right hand on a similar panel, they entered what looked like a war room. There was a global map on the far wall that was backlit in red, and in the middle of the room there was a strategic command complete with a round table.

Meisner motioned for Nick come to the table as Eve stepped out of shadow. Nick almost jumped at her stealth which was unnerving, not to mention the jarring sensation he got from that familiar face. Swallowing, he stepped forward and rolled out the documents he carried under his arm. "Monroe was taken two days ago and held about here, north of Washington Park in a cabin," he indictated on a map of the greater Portland area. "He was tortured for your organization's current location here in Portland, which of course he didn't know," Nick explained. He glanced at Eve to see if there was any reaction to mentioning Monroe, but nothing. "Monroe believed they didn't intend for him to live, so they weren't very careful what they said around him. The one who was in charge, told Monroe's guard at one point to get back to the University District, here," he once again indicated.

"We ran a check on the owner of the cabin and any relatives of his that work in the University District. The owner's nephew works here," he detailed. "This building next door here," he pointed to last building on the street near the highway, "is closed for construction. There is no access to any floor above the second floor according to these blueprints submitted with current permits," he finished as he revealed the second paper under the first, pointing out what he had explained. "I think that is their headquarters at this time."

"Excellent. Maybe we should collaborate with local police more often. Give me twenty-four hours for surveillance, then you'll hear from me," Meisner replied while extending his hand. Nick resented the fact he never once acknowledged Monroe's innocent involvement in all this, but Nick took his hand in one firm shake. The jury was still out for him as pertained to HW. As he turned to leave, Eve seemed to be examining him as if he had become a more interesting specimen. With a mental shake, he nodded to her which made her look confused. Who was that person, Nick questioned to himself.

Adalind POV: It was well past the time Nick should have met with Meisner. Why was it taking him so long? Kelly seemed to sense her anxiety because he fussed and just wouldn't go to sleep. Maybe it was teething. She took a teether ring she had purchased out of the freezer and let Kelly gum it. He seemed to calm down a bit. She had to give it to Rosalee, she sure knew her homeopathic remedies. Kelly started to wind down, eyes drooping. Soon he was fast asleep, so Adalind placed him in his bed. It was time to move his crib to where Trubel's bed was. Not that he understood one thing of what his parents did right next to him, but it would make Adalind more comfortable.

Then she heard Nick coming in, and she relaxed in a sigh. Coming down the stairs, she walked straight into his arms and held him tight.

"Whoa. To what do I owe this pleasure? We're you worried?" Nick sometimes didn't know when to tease. She pushed away from him in a huff.

"You knew full well I was unsettled about this," slightly punching him in the arm while Nick grinned.

He pulled her back into his arms and gently said, "I'm fine. I'm still not sure about the organization, but there was no harm done."

"Was Eve there?" Adalind didn't look at him when she asked. She still was envious of the time he'd had with Juliette. Five years together with Juliette had to be better than what they had now. Nick would still be with her it hadn't been for Adalind's actions.

"As distant as ever. I think I'm part of an experiment for her brain to figure out. I got the distinct feeling I was similar to a rat in a cage for her," Nick answered. " What's wrong?" Ooops, her face must have given her away.

"I'm sincerely sorry, Nick, for messing up five years worth of relationship for you," said apologized again not meeting his eyes. She felt him firmly gasp her shoulders, then with one hand he tilted her face up to look into her eyes.

"You didn't ruin our relationship. Juliette did, when she hid her transformation from me and then forced it on me one day. I'm not proud of the way I handled it, but it was her choice to leave, not mine," he expressed with emotion. Maybe one day Adalind would finally believe him.