Chapter 10

Three days. Three days were an eternity when your son and the woman you love are MIA, Nick told himself in his impotence. The days, at least, had been filled with a rather befuddling case of several young, healthy people being found dead and looking 60 to 70 years their senior. It reeked of Wesen involvement. However the nights, the nights were the worst. Adalind and Kelly's absence was gut-wrenching. He missed Adalind's gorgeous, bright smile the minute he walked through the door, missed her companionship, and especially felt the lack of her soft warmth as he lay in bed in futile attempts to sleep. He missed his infant son and everything that went into his care, the tedious, the messy, the joy that Kelly brought into his Grimm life. This was how Adalind must have felt when they took Diana, except Adalind had no idea where her daughter had been taken to. He had been an absolute idiot for ever doing such a thing, Nick exclaimed to himself. He resolved to make sure this game Adalind was playing with Renard would secure her Diana and that Adalind would never have to live without her daughter ever again.

Meisner would be integral. Nick had already had a heart to heart with him about Adalind and Kelly's safety, but it was time to see the man again. Nick was walking through HW's bleak halls to do just that. The place just wasn't the same without Trubel, who had been sent on assignment several weeks prior while he was in Germany. Eve was frigid, grating on him and Meisner was his dry, reserved self. The only time the other man showed any emotion was around Adalind which would have made Nick jealous any other time, but appealing to Meisner's affection for Adalind might just be Nick's best course of action.

"Burkhardt," Meisner acknowledged him. "What's this about? I thought we agreed to protect Adalind and your son to the best of our abilities. Eve has, in fact, already placed audio and visual surveillance inside Renard's house." Good, Nick thought. At least Meisner didn't waste time when he determined to do something.

"I appreciate your actions, but this is not necessarily about that," Nick started. Then taking a big breath, he continued, "What would it be worth if I joined this sting of yours and Adalind's?"

"I'm not sure what you mean," Meisner replied as he narrowed his eyes slightly trying to figure Nick out.

"Well, if Adalind is bound and determined to get Diana back, the only way to expedite that is to help her. I want her and Kelly home," Nick stressed.

Meisner seemed to examine Nick for a moment before responding, "What do you have in mind? It's hard to imagine how you could help."

"Being the Grimm under Renard for sometime has given me a particular leverage. While we're not on good terms right now, for obvious reasons, I am in a position to put pressure on him towards a certain goal," Nick explained. "Plus, as a detective under him, I could 'grudgingly' feed him false information or a message from you."

Meisner ran his hand over his beard in thought, then nodded decisively. "You're right. So, what are your exact plans?"

Sitting at his desk opposite Hank, they discussed the possible lead they had in their current case. A plastic surgeon in downtown Portland seemed to be connected to each of the victims at one point in time or another. Several had consulted with him on a beauty regiment. "We need to go see this guy," Hank had just finished saying when Nick's phone went off. Looking down at the screen, his heart nearly stopped.

"It's Adalind," Nick told Hank.

"Go on, take it. I'll go to this guy's office and you can meet me there, okay?" Hank suggested as he rose and grabbed his coat to leave.

Supremely grateful, Nick nodded as he answered the call, "Adalind?"

"Nick," she responded in a voice that lacked her usual openness and it hurt him deep. He had done this, driven a wedge between them by being an obtuse, lying imbecile. "Rosalee said you wanted to talk?"

"Yes," he replied with a sigh, wondering how to start. "I know you may not want to and I don't necessarily deserve the right to ask, but could you meet me for dinner or at least coffee? I miss you both and I just want to see you."

For several seconds Adalind didn't answer, and Nick thought he'd blown it again, when she finally replied, "Yes. Six o'clock at Floyd's on NW Couch, if you can get away."

"I'll be there," he said reassuringly. There was so much more he wanted to say, but it all got caught in his throat.

"See you then," Adalind finished a little less impersonal and she hung up.

Nick was preparing to follow his partner, when his phone rang again. He answered his phone with, "Burkhardt."

Meisner's voice replied, "I've located the package. It's time to spur Renard into action."

Looking up to see Sean in his office, Nick said, "Understood." They had been scrupulously avoiding one another, so Nick didn't have to stretch it much when he reluctantly approached the captain's desk. Nick huffed, "I just got a call from Meisner. He told me to inform you of Black Claw's latest scheme, at least as far as they've been able to piece together."

Sean sat back and sent a cold stare at him before saying, "Continue."

Nick glared back for a couple of breaths, then began, "Meisner believes your anonymous tip about Hanano's location was a set up. Black Claw gave him up."

"I know," Sean replied cooly. Nick gave him a small scowl. Meisner had filled him in about his conversation with the captain in the parking garage, but Renard wasn't to know that. "Meisner approached me about it after Marwan was killed."

"Well, it would seem that someone on Dixon's staff knew about the assassination. Her name's Rachel Wood. It was discovered through the footage that she knew where the shot was coming from," Nick detailed then watched Sean's reaction. Renard pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Is she Black Claw?" Sean questioned as he searched Nick's face. Hooked, Nick thought, now to reel him in.

"It would appear. The only reason for having someone on the staff of the candidate you plan to assassinate, Meisner speculates, is because you plan to replace that candidate. They probably have someone else in their control they're hoping to get elected. Black Claw's plan is taking over the world one government office at a time, it would seem," Nick outlined. Renard shifted slightly in his chair, Nick observed with satisfaction.

"Does Meisner have an idea who they have in mind?" Sean asked as he crossed one leg over the other in what appeared to be a casually unaffected attitude.

Nick wondered if that was the Captain's tell briefly before continuing, "Not yet, but he said since you were a friend and supporter of Dixon's, maybe you could keep your eyes peeled." Nick heard Sean exhale a long breath. Sometimes people around him forgot that Nick heard more than the average person. Sean was no different.

"Is that it?" Sean inquired.

"Yes," Nick said then sharply turned to leave.

"Nick, wait," Renard said. Nick turned back to him and crossed his arms over his chest in a very unwelcome stance. "Maybe we should try to iron out our differences. We'll probably be working together for sometime." A devious idea came to Nick.

"I'm not interested in rehashing your crap, Sean," Nick said firmly. "Besides, I'm putting in a request for a transfer to another precinct. I'm not interested in reconciling with the man who destroyed my home." Renard's eyes got big as Nick smirked to himself, let him sit on that.