The World Needs More Grimm
Chapter 29
Master Manipulator
The time is 1:09am on Wednesday March 25th 2020.
It is the inside of the interrogation facility, for a fourth time. The large door opens, then Oscar Torres walks in, being roughed up by Davis directly behind him. Following closely behind is Josh and finally Trubel.
Lance Irving was already there, using his tablet. He stands immediately and joins the group.
Josh turns to look at Davis and Irving. "Why don't both of you Gentlemen take Oscar Torres to Interrogation room #9?" He asks.
Davis smiles. "Sure." He responds.
Irving nods. "I'd be glad to." He says.
Irving then follows Davis with Oscar Torres into the interrogation facility hallway and out of sight.
Trubel approaches one of the chairs in the makeshift command center and sits at the large table, deeply pondering. Josh looks at her curiously, with a slight smile.
"Are you ok Trubel?" Josh asks, sitting down across from her.
Trubel snaps out of her trance. "Sorry Josh. I'm going over the facts of this case in my head. I don't want to lose any leverage against him by rushing in there and revealing something he doesn't know." She tells him.
His eyes light up. "Ah, that's smart." He says.
Her eyes go dark. "I'm feeling that we need to be very careful with our interrogation tactics." She says, cautiously.
Josh smiles slightly. "Well, your intuition is usually right." He tells her.
Just then, Davis & Irving return from the interrogation room. They both join Josh & Trubel in chairs at the large table.
Irving is holding a vial of blood in his hand. "I went ahead and took his blood. I'll get this to the lab right away." He looks at everyone and smiles slightly. "After everything that's happened, I don't trust the fingerprint device as our only confirmation he's Oscar Torres." He explains.
Trubel nods. "Thanks for thinking about that Irving. That reminds me, I need to call Nick later today and tell him we caught Oscar Torres." She says, thinking out loud.
Josh looks at her. "Yeah, we don't want Nick to worry anymore." He says.
Davis turns to Josh. "He's secure and ready for you Porter." He quickly turns to her. "Or you Trubel." He says.
Trubel looks at both Davis and Irving. "Josh & I were just going over the facts in this case, so we don't reveal something that Oscar Torres doesn't know." She explains.
His eyes light up. "Good idea." Davis says.
Josh has been pondering. He begins. "He has no knowledge that the Daniels had a secret camera in their house and he was caught on video with the Von Marter Reaper brothers." He explains.
Trubel nods. "This also means he was not aware Chloe Daniels WAS there the night her parents were killed." She adds.
Irving is pondering also. "Either way though, he knows she's still alive." He says.
Trubel continues. "And because the Reapers drew blood, he is smart enough to realize his cover was blown that night, so we would figure out that Alan Hodges died in his place on October 10th 2018." She explains.
Josh nods. "Oscar Torres has no idea how we found Ben Peters and the manufacturing building, because we got that information from Sandra Oswald." He says.
Trubel has a thought. "Yes but, he would know we shut it down, took out the Schakals and let the Eisbibers go." She says.
Josh nods again. "Ben Peters didn't have any new names at that time for us, but he did confirm he knew Marsha Colburn the computer tech through Oscar Torres. Of course, we can't forget Michael Zodkowski, Ben Peters former boss." He adds.
Trubel looks at Josh. "And Sandra Oswald found Oscar Torres Agenda of targeting Grimms, through her reconnaissance." She explains.
Josh is trying to think of all angles. "Yes. Her few leads were the breakthrough with Ben Peters." He says.
Trubel is going deeper. "And—since we haven't found any of the 6 people from Oscar Torres' shell company, he wouldn't think that we knew about it." She explains.
Davis speaks up. "At least he knows nothing conclusive." He adds.
Josh nods. "He knows we took out the Coyotls and Klaustreich at Ted Baxters' warehouse, and captured Karl Borski." He explains.
Irving is following what Josh said. "He doesn't know how we got that information. Ted Baxter is still alive—which makes me think Stan Lewis hasn't made the connection just yet." He adds.
Trubel thinks ahead. "Yeah—well, he could be too preoccupied with whatever it is he is doing with the others." She adds.
Josh finishes pondering and looks at all of them. "I think a card to play with Oscar Torres in the interrogation is Michael Zodkowski. When you think about it, he is the main connection between Ben Peters and Oscar Torres. Plus, both places we hit had medical and lab equipment that could've been inventory from his closed business. We could let Torres believe we only know of Michael Zodkowski through Ben Peters, and not the shell company payment." He proposes.
Trubel is actually impressed. "That is a good idea Josh. However, we'd have to be careful to not reveal information about Sandra Oswald, or that we know about the shell company payments." She adds.
Josh nods. "Yes, definitely." He says.
Trubel looks up, and literally holds her head high. "And the biggest card to play—that is, if he does play hardball—is the revelation that we know about Stan Lewis, the scientist, from only one source-Dawn Richardson." She says confidently.
Josh looks at her. "I certainly hope you're not ready to go there yet." He says, somewhat reserved.
Trubel shakes her head. "No way. Only as a last resort." She says with a slight smile.
Josh ponders again. "How do you think this interrogation is going to start Trubel? I mean, assuming you'll go first. I'll never forget the look on his face at Suzanne Chamberlains' estate when he saw you. It's like he KNEW who you were." He asks curiously.
Trubel looks at him. "Yeah, I noticed that too." She replies.
Davis speaks up. "Well, for sure he KNOWS a lot that we don't know." He adds.
Irving nods. "Yes. It's getting all of that out of him that will be difficult." He explains.
Trubel finishes pondering and looks at Josh. "I think I SHOULD interrogate him first, simply because he acted as if he knew me." She explains.
Josh agrees. "Fair enough. Don't forget we have unaccounted time with him." He reminds her.
Trubel nods. "Yep. October 11th 2018 through February 9th 2020." She remembers.
Davis realizes something. "And up to now, we still don't know what he was doing then." He adds.
Josh sighs. "Very true. Well Trubel, sounds like a big challenge but if anyone can do it, I know you can." He smiles slightly.
Trubel nods at him. "Thanks Josh. I hope you're right." She says.
Josh looks at her. "Don't be afraid to cut loose and ask me for help." He adds.
Trubel nods. "Alright. Here I go." She informs them.
Trubel promptly stands up, and walks methodically down the hallway. She opens the door swiftly, and enters the interrogation room.
Oscar Torres is handcuffed to a table, sitting upright, just as Ben Peters, Karl Borski and Timothy Doane were. Slowly, he sits up straight, and looks at her face with an unflinching gaze. A sense of arrogance takes over his facial expression. It's like he's deluding himself that he's in control of the situation, even though he's the one in handcuffs.
Since it's HW standard operating procedure, Trubel methodically does the same thing with her machete; she removes it, purposely making the loud slicing noise, and places it on the table in the corner.
She is careful to turn and face him, not too fast or too slow.
Their eyes meet for the second time. She has a look of inner-strength, good vs. evil, and victory all over her face.
She confidently approaches the chair opposite Oscar Torres and sits down.
Oscar Torres attempts to set the tone of the interrogation, by being the first to speak, in his thick South American accent. "You are the Grimm I heard about." He says matter-of-factly.
Trubel gives him a piercing stare. "Good. I have a reputation to protect." She says firmly.
Oscar Torres lets out an arrogant laugh. "It had nothing to do with your reputation my dear." He says in his thick South American accent.
Trubel shakes her head at him. "Let's just get one thing straight; I am NOT your dear." She says firmly.
Oscar Torres grins—a pure evil grin. "You might be. You would do anything to find out what happened to your parents." He suggests.
Unfortunately, Trubel can't contain her emotions at that statement. The confidence drains from her face in an instant, and she finds herself desperately hoping for an answer. That is all Oscar Torres needs.
Oscar Torres continues. "In 2018 I did meet the Wesen who killed your parents." He reveals.
Trubel instantly begins choking up. "Who—where-wh-?" She stutters.
Oscar Torres lets out a deep sigh, averts her gaze and looks up at the ceiling. "It's unfortunate I'm your prisoner, because now you will never know." He informs her.
Trubel responds angrily. "Tell me!" She yells.
Oscar Torres does nothing but stare straight at the ceiling, with an unflinching gaze.
Trubel suddenly realizes she let Oscar Torres get under her skin in no time. The interrogation took a turn that she never imagined. She angrily stands up, grabs her machete and walks out the door, but not without slamming it shut behind her.
She rejoins the group in the makeshift command center. One look at her watery eyes is enough for Josh. It takes everything he has in that moment to control the urge to reach out and give her a comforting hug.
Josh is still looking at her face. "He upset you." He verbalizes.
Trubel sniffles slightly. "Yeah." Is all she can say.
Josh nods to her. "Are you ok?" He asks.
Trubel sighs deeply. "I can't believe I walked right into that." She reveals.
Josh looks at her with soft eyes. "What happened?" He asks gently.
Trubel sighs. "He claimed to have met the Wesen who killed my parents. But he wouldn't tell me anything else." She reveals.
Josh is actually shocked. "And—you believed him?" He asks.
Trubel doesn't hesitate. "Yes because how else would he know my parents aren't around? This also explains why he knew who I was at Suzanne Chamberlain's estate." She explains.
Josh ponders a moment. He looks at her again. "He wastes no time in bringing that up, so he could bring you down. That manipulating Wesen!" He says in disgust.
Tuesday March 31st 2020. 9:17am.
The group is assembled, once again in the makeshift command center of the interrogation facility. This time, John Sanders is with them.
It has been confirmed. Clearly, on one computer screen it shows that the blood sample Irving took last week from their prisoner is 99.912% Oscar Torres blood, clearing up any issue that he could be another body-double.
Trubel appears 100% better than a week ago; the Trubel, the tough Grimm, is back.
Everyone else took a crack at interrogating Oscar Torres with no success.
Today will be Josh's' first turn.
He calmly and confidently enters the interrogation room, and like Trubel did before him, methodically and noisily removes his machete and places it on the table in the corner.
As he turns to face Oscar Torres, he opens his eyes wide purposely while staring him down, intently.
Oscar Torres isn't flinching either. He has the same look of arrogance on his face as he did last week, with only just a bit of sleepiness in his eyes, because he is forced to sleep upright.
He's careful not to woge either.
Josh sits down in the chair, opposite facing him. He wastes no time, wanting to take control of the interrogation as soon as possible.
Josh looks straight at him. "It's over Torres. Quit jerking us around." He orders him.
Oscar Torres grins an evil grin. "Oh, is that what you North Americans call it? Jerking around. I'll remember that next time." He says jokingly.
Josh shakes his head. "Don't bother. There won't be a next time." He explains.
Oscar Torres allows a long pause to come over their conversation. "My apologies. I had no intention of upsetting your girlfriend last week." He says to Josh with a completely straight face.
Josh doesn't walk into that. He pretends to be confused. "What makes you think she's my girlfriend? Because both of us are Grimms?" He asks.
Oscar Torres nods. "It's clear that you have feelings for her. Again, I apologize for upsetting her. You as well." He fakes pleasantries.
Josh is getting irritated. "I don't care Torres. You are getting off topic by trying to manipulate the conversation with me, just as you did with everyone else. NO MORE CONVERSATION. I'm asking questions NOW." He explains, firmly.
Oscar Torres reveals just how smooth—suave he can be. "But of course." He nods to Josh.
Josh jumps right in. "Why did you and Timothy Doane attempt to kill the Grimm Scott Braun?" He asks, pointedly.
Again, Oscar Torres grins an evil grin. "Because he's a Grimm. Much better him than you, I say." He adds.
Josh is pissed. He scoffs at the remark, then ponders. "Maybe I should just cut off your hand right now." He verbalizes.
Oscar Torres knows right where Josh is going. "You will not however, because you need me alive." He states factually.
Josh gives him a piercing stare. "Unfortunately. Dead Wesen don't talk." He says.
Oscar Torres nods. "You are wise." He adds.
Josh clears his throat. "Mr. Torres, I understand your dislike for Grimms. However, one thing has puzzled me since the Daniels were murdered; you setup your fellow Luison and acquaintance Alan Hodges to be your body double and die in your place on October 10th 2018. Why?" He asks.
Oscar Torres nods in agreement. "A unfortunate casualty. But necessary for my disappearance." He explains.
Josh nods. "I see. I want you to tell me all about that." He suggests the topic of conversation.
Oscar Torres shakes his head slowly. "Yes, of course you do. However, I must decline." He finally says.
Josh looks at him intently. "That's too bad. You've got nothing to lose now. You're here." He smiles at him, hoping he'll change his mind.
Oscar Torres scoffs. "You believe you know me, do you not, Grimm? He asks.
Josh looks at him. "One thing I know for sure about you; I wouldn't want to be your acquaintance. I just might end up dead like Alan Hodges." He tells him.
His eyes go dark. "Not a remote possibility, considering you are a Grimm." Oscar Torres suggests.
Josh ponders the Wesen vs. Grimm scenario Oscar Torres just referred to. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He adds.
Suddenly, Oscar Torres yawns widely. "I am very sleepy now. I enjoyed our discussion today, why don't you see how your Grimm girlfriend is doing and return tomorrow?" He orders him.
Josh is stunned Oscar Torres terminated the conversation so quickly. In the back of his mind he was hoping he'd be the one with the huge breakthrough, but he's just as unsuccessful as everyone else was.
Oscar Torres begins dozing off with his head on top of the table.
Josh jumps up, floored that their prisoner could actually fall asleep right in front of him. He grabs his machete and walks out the door.
Thursday April 9th, 2020. 7:45am.
The group is assembled again in the makeshift command center. They've been sorting facts through, and double checking all angles to see if they missed something.
Unfortunately, they haven't missed anything.
Trubel is the first one to feel aggressive. She walks down the hallway to his interrogation room. She opens the door, and promptly closes it.
Oscar Torres is sitting straight up this time, with his eyes semi-closed.
He opens them wide and sits at attention, with an evil grin. He appears happy that Trubel has finally returned.
She sits in front of him, this time without removing her machete.
Trubel looks him straight in the eyes. "Torres, this is your last chance to talk." She warns him.
Oscar Torres snaps to attention. "Very well my dear Grimm. What shall we talk about?" He asks her, suave and polite.
Trubel doesn't hesitate. "Everything. First, tell me why you killed the Daniels in Upstate New York." She orders him.
Oscar Torres gives her a look of surprise. "It is apparent. They were Grimms. The very reason Scott Braun should have been killed." He replies condescendingly.
Trubel is pissed. "I am through playing games. WHY would you kill the Daniels, a harmless family? Just because they were Grimms does NOT make sense to me." She explains, yelling.
Oscar Torres looks at her intently this time. "It will never be logical to you my dear. You are NOT Wesen." He explains.
Trubel sees her opportunity. "I guess you're right. Being 3 years old, watching your parents being decapitated by a Grimm-that does something to you. Scars you for life." She says pointedly, speaking slowly.
It worked. She got under his skin this time. Oscar Torres scoffs, woges, but doesn't say anything.
Trubel nods. "Now we are even." She says, almost whispering.
Oscar Torres retracts. "I was not aware this was a competition. My apologies." He responds.
Trubel now stands up & paces. "Your partner-in-crime, Mr. Ben Peters. He had very insightful information. But, unlike you, he didn't know what his former employer Michael Zodkowski was doing with the medical and lab equipment." She sits down. "Perhaps, now that we are even, you might share that information with me." She suggests.
Oscar Torres shakes his head slowly. "Never." Is all he says.
Her eyes go dark. "That is unfortunate. I was hoping you would be a source of enlightenment, since you consider Grimms closed-minded fools. PLEASE. Enlighten me." She almost pleads in an attempt to get on his good side.
Oscar Torres scoffs. "Grimms do not deserve to be enlightened my dear." He says condescendingly.
Trubel acts surprised. "Knowledge is Power, Mr. Torres." She explains.
Oscar Torres is clearly frustrated. "You Grimms have instilled fear into the hearts and minds of ALL Wesen throughout the ages. It's time now for Grimms to know the fear that we have felt—fear that paralyzes you, fear of the future, fear in knowing that you are incompetent to do anything now, wishing you could change what happened in the past." He abruptly stops his tirade, nervously realizing he went a bit too far.
Her eyes light up. "Oscar! I didn't realize you were so passionate about the history of Grimms and Wesen. I'm sure that has everything to do with your parents being killed by a Grimm when you were 3 years old." She says pointedly.
Oscar Torres regains his composure and looks at her intently again. "You—and all Grimms should be VERY fearful of what will happen in the future." He responds speaking slowly.
Trubel ponders what he just said. "Well now, perhaps this means that—there might be another Wesen uprising like Black Claw? This time, Wesen against Grimms?" She asks curiously.
Oscar Torres lets out a condescending laugh. "Black Claw? Black Claw will be eclipsed 100 times by what is to come. That, my dear, I can assure you." He says firmly.
Trubel ponders. "I see. Oscar, you have me—very intrigued. But like all hidden agendas, they have a way of being revealed, sooner or later." She explains.
His eyes go dark. "Much, much later my dear. Actually, by then it will be too late." Oscar Torres says, with his evil grin.
Trubel looks at him. "I very much doubt that." She responds.
Oscar Torres fakes pleasantries again. "Ah, I've only now realized that I neglected to apologize to you my dear. For upsetting you and your Grimm boyfriend last week." He says pointedly.
By now, Oscar Torres has gone too far, and pushed her buttons.
Suddenly, Trubel removes her machete from its case and with barely a moment's notice, stabs Oscar Torres' left hand with the tip.
He yells in pain and shock.
Trubel removes her machete. "THAT'S FOR MURDERING THE WESTERFELDS AND STEALING THEIR MONEY YOU GREEDY LUISON!" She yells at the top of her voice.
With that last sentence, Trubel confidently replaces her machete in its case and leaves the interrogation room.
She enters the makeshift command center where, with the exception of Matthews and Snyder, everyone is assembled. She sits in a chair across Davis & Josh.
Davis nods, hopeful. "Alright. You do look better than last time." He says.
Josh smiles slightly. "That must mean you got somewhere." He says.
Trubel ponders. "Maybe yes, maybe no." She smiles. "At least he's in pain. I stabbed him in the hand to get back at him for murdering the Westerfelds." She informs them.
Josh smiles. "Trubel! Great job." He praises her.
Trubel continues on. "Before that, I used the Ben Peters, Michael Zodkowski angle. I hoped he'd disclose more about what the other 5 are doing with the medical and lab equipment." She explains.
Josh nods. "Very good. What did he say?" He asks.
Trubel is still puzzled. "He actually went off about how Grimms need to feel the fear now that Wesen have felt for centuries. He said what they are doing is 100-times greater than the war with Black Claw." She reveals.
Irving is surprised. "I don't believe that. The war with Black Claw was overwhelming. I know that for a fact. I was in it." He reveals.
Trubel nods at him. "Me too." She says.
Josh ponders. "Did he reveal anything else?" He asks.
Trubel shakes her head. "Nope. Only by his reaction did I confirm what we already concluded. The 7 are involved in a secret project involving medical and lab equipment." She tells them.
Josh is now frustrated. "That Luison is such a Master Manipulator! I wish I could just—kill him." He says.
Irving looks at him. "Easy Porter, don't let him get under your skin." He warns him.
Davis speaks up. "Or in your head for that matter." He adds.
Trubel finishes pondering. "I don't know Josh. I feel we need to take his warning seriously. And that means we are running out of time." She explains.
Josh nods. "I know Trubel." He says.
Trubel ponders again. "Maybe it's time we give Karl Borski over to Davis? Let Torres rot and get lonely." She suggests.
His eyes light up. "I'm ready you guys!" Davis responds eagerly.
Josh agrees. "Alright. We'll bring him back here. Just be careful you don't kill him." He instructs Davis.
Davis nods. "I can do that Porter." He says.
Josh looks at her. "Trubel, how long do you think we should we let Torres rot?" He asks.
Trubel thinks about it—for 5 seconds. "Not more than a week." She says.
Josh nods. "Very well then. Let's hope this angle works." He says.
Wednesday April 15th 2020 10:06am
It's now been three weeks since Oscar Torres was finally captured. The group is now assembled at HW NYCs command center.
Morale is low. Even though they have Oscar Torres in custody, they are no closer to finding the others, as well as what they are working on.
Josh sighs. "I don't know about you guys, but I am so ready to go to plan B and plan C in an effort to get Torres to tell us everything." He says.
Trubel shakes her head. "I'm not Josh. After 3 weeks of interrogating him, I don't think that would work now." She reveals.
Davis speaks up. "I think it's time to play REAL hardball with him. I can help." He suggests.
Irving looks at him. "Well, considering playing hardball DIDN'T do anything with Karl Borski, I would say a change in tactics is due now." He adds.
Sanders stifles his grief over his family. "I'm open to any suggestion. We've got to get this murderer to crack." He says, firmly.
Trubel suddenly thinks of something she hasn't thought of before. "Have any of you ever used a Hexenbiest for interrogation?" She asks.
Josh shakes his head. "We don't know any, so the answer is no." He says matter-of-factly.
Her eyes light up. "Well, I do. Eve. Based out of HW Portland." Trubel informs them.
Josh looks at her. "Ah, yes. Do you think she'd be willing to help?" He asks.
Trubel ponders. "Yes, as long as she's not on another assignment." She says.
Sanders speaks up. "Please contact her Trubel. Whatever she needs, we can accommodate her if she helps us." He almost pleads.
Trubel nods. "Alright. I will. Hopefully she can come right away." She adds.
A short time later, Trubel is at her computer at HW NYC, using the video link to call Eve.
Eve accepts and she appears on screen.
Trubel looks at her. "Hey Eve." Is all she can say.
Eve looks at her display. "Trubel. What a nice surprise. You are still in New York." She adds.
Trubel nods. "Yep. We caught the Wesen killing Grimms. Oscar Torres, the Luison." She lets out a long sigh. "3 weeks of interrogation hasn't cracked him. I was hoping you might be able to help." She tells her.
Eve now knows why she called. "You mean, hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil?" She asks.
Her eyes light up. "Yes. My personal favorite." Trubel says.
Eve smiles. "I'd love to help, but right now I'm in Athens, Greece." She reveals.
Trubel is disappointed. "I understand." She says.
Eve looks at her. "I'll tell you what, let me see what I can do to get over there. I'll let you know as soon as possible, alright?" She promises.
Trubel smiles, hopeful. "Ok Eve. Thanks a lot." She responds.
Both ladies end their video chat at exactly the same time.
END OF CHAPTER 29
