Nick hung up the phone & knew he better come up quickly with how he was going to approach this.
He didn't want to face many conversations since he knows Renard well, so he doesn't know him at all Nick humored to himself. The man had many secrets, told many lies, for many different reasons so it wouldn't be long before something would slip Nick up if somebody were to ask.
The last thing he needed was to run into Viktor that was for sure.
With Rispoli, he could tell what that relationship with Sean was like. He just antagonized Renard because he knows he can with Viktor around so the problem wouldn't be if he would have to talk to him. The problem would be running into him would mean running into Viktor because Rispoli rarely left his side.
So avoid Viktor, Rispoli & most of the Verrat. Sounds pretty easy right?
He wishes he was himself, especially right now, because his Grimm hearing would be very useful at this moment.
Adalind said she was upstairs, three doors down & there were two guards down the hall. Nick knew he better think with the mindset of their being more than just the two to keep his alertness high & to get him used to navigating through all the other ones he would face.
Adalind was going to have to be the one to guide him to the garage or parking area they keep the cars so they could get the hell out of here.
But one step at a time. Has to get to her first or doesn't even matter.
He went to open the door slowly but was spooked by his hand vibrating all of a sudden. "Stupid phone." Nick chided in an almost hush. He looked down at it to see who was calling & he felt his insides churn at the number he saw.
"Juliette."
So she was calling Sean now? Nick started wondering a little more if Sean was actually lying or not and this wasn't helping. How did she even get his number? Nick then realized though, he currently was Renard & she was calling his phone so she would think she is talking to him.
He can have his answer right now.
He accepted the call & slowly put the phone to his ear. "Juliette. How'd you get this number?" For some reason though, he couldn't keep some of the malice out of his voice.
"I copied Nick's contact list back when I thought he was hiding something from me, which he was." She said & Nick felt bad but a little annoyed by the fact she did that. Not that he should have been hiding something from her but to sneak & copy his contact list though?
"Why did you even do that?" He had to ask. He didn't need this conversation to be long, Adalind was waiting for him but at least this would give her time to get ready.
"Because I thought he was cheating on me or something, speaking of that. We need to talk."
Nick felt his heart ache a little but he felt more anger at this current moment. But...
She hasn't said anything yet so maybe she was just leading into this in an odd way & maybe she actually didn't do anything. Nick was trying his very best to ignore the detective side of himself because that part would make him look in the mirror and face the obvious facts. But acceptance is a hard thing.
"About?" He said shortly & coldly.
"What do you think!" She hissed from the other side of the phone. "The other night."
Nick felt his nose twitch. "What about it."
"What do you mean what about it?" She spat. "Don't act like you didn't enjoy yourself."
Nick felt a surge of frustration at her not saying it officially yet. "What the fuck happen Juliette?" He said in this short but low, cold tone. He could hear her breath hitch for a moment through the phone. Either out of surprise at the tone that he used, well to her it was Renard.
Or the fact, that to her, he was acting like whatever happened that night didn't.
"Don't act like we didn't have sex because you sure didn't have that same thought when you were rubbing all over me for round two." Nick's clutch on the phone tightened as his hands were clenched together in fists. They even begin to shake.
That twitch his nose did earlier was now happening to his eye as well. His lips pursed as he tried to hold his anger in as best he could in this current moment. "Why?" He said and he was sure the iciness was evident in it.
"Why what?! What the hell is the matter with you?" She asked with heavy irritation. "Look, I don't even care. I just need you to not tell Nick anything. It was a mistake & it's never happening again. Got it?"
So she really did do it.
The more the seconds passed, the more the realization set in. The more it set in, the more hurt embedded itself. The more it embedded itself, the more his fury rose as well. He let it simmer down before he spoke but could hear her constant prodding for an answer over the phone.
"Why'd you do it that night? Sleep with Renard." He could tell she scrunched her face up, probably wondering why Sean was referring to himself in the third person.
"I did what I did for many reasons. Why do you care?"
"You're asking me to never speak of it, I at least want to know why you did it." Nick said darkly. She didn't answer automatically though, Nick couldn't tell if she didn't know how to answer or if she was contemplating something.
"I-I just...Look, it's not your business, we had one night & now I'm asking you to keep it to yourself okay? Sometimes it's best if people don't know some things." She sounded like she was a little ashamed of herself for saying it.
Nick huffed. "That's funny, the only person who doesn't know anything right now, is you."
"What does that mean?" She asked with some confusion and annoyance along with some hurt. He could tell. "I don't even know what's happening anywhere right now." She added on.
Nick then remembered how she asked him if he agreed with Adalind that she was useless. Which to him she wasn't but at this current moment he was feeling pretty pissed but also she was very 'useless' at this point & he wanted to issue some of his own hurt.
"I guess Nick agreed with Adalind about you being useless then." Nick felt bad about it a little but he was feeling a very strong sense of disliking toward her right now. She did just cheat on him & now was trying to cover it up & lie to his face.
He heard her breath hitch & he knew he touched a soft spot in her with that comment. He then quickly remembered he has more important things & people to help & handle right now than his crumbling love life. He heard her about to say something but he just hung up the phone.
Leaving it on this empty cabinet in the closet as he'll have no more use for it now. As soon as the screen turns off he wouldn't be able to get into it anymore so no point in keeping it.
He leaned his head against the door to see if he heard anybody coming. The answer to that would be a 'no' for now.
He opened the door & peeked his head in both directions, looking at the door to the dungeon, wondering if Renard had awakened by now. Wouldn't matter for now since nobody was down there but Nick needed to hurry.
Shouldn't have allowed himself to be distracted by Juliette.
But it's a mistake he plans on making sure doesn't matter as he goes to go save Adalind now. Walking up the hallway towards the stairwell in the most Renard strut he can muster.
He passed a few guards standing by some doors & who were all sporting rifles and giving him looks. Nick wasn't sure if it was because they recognize him not behaving exactly like Renard's usual mannerisms or because Renard still isn't a well-liked person around here.
Hell, could be both. Nobody has said anything to him yet though.
He approach the point to finally head upstairs when he heard voices coming from the side. He took a moment to focus his ears, if he was his usual self, he would have been heard them.
He tried to hurry up the steps before the voice notice him but was too late. "Where are you off to in such a hurry." The snide tone that his voice exuded didn't take long for Nick to realize who that was. Viktor.
He stopped & turned around. Clearing his throat. Giving an eye to Rispoli he kept squinting at him like there was something different that he couldn't figure out about him. Nick had a feeling that would be the suit problem, another reason why he was hoping to avoid these two. Well, these two along with the four Verrat soldiers in tow.
"I'm going to see my daughter." Nick was telling the truth on that one technically.
Viktor eyed him a little closer now but Nick made sure not to falter. "When are you leaving?" Viktor asked eventually.
"Already trying to get rid of me?" Nick 'joked' if that's what he can call it. That's something Renard would say right? Close enough he hoped.
"Of course. That & I figured after I told you that your father would be here in the coming days, you wouldn't risk it." Nick had to do his best to hold his surprise in at that. Wouldn't look good if he were to be surprised by that info since Viktor just said he already informed Renard of this.
Nick had to think of something quick that didn't involve knowing too much to prod for more questions. Just wanting to see my daughter one more time & make sure Adalind doesn't fall out of line. Wouldn't want our deal being damaged now would I?" Nick hopes he didn't overdo it on that one.
"For your sake, I suppose not." Viktor kept staring at him for a while longer. Rispoli took a step forward like he was hoping that would help him figure out what was different. Nick was glad that they both were so arrogant they probably hadn't paid attention to the small details of what he or the real Renard were wearing. So now they for sure could tell something was different but don't know what it is. Yet.
"Well, we're off to delightfully torture the other you." Viktor's bewildered stare continued. "Rispoli." He said, implying for him to walk along with him now. Before staring a little longer himself. Rispoli followed suit. Both stared back at Nick but now headed toward the dungeon.
Well, that gives him a very short time limit even more now so Nick sped up even faster.
He reached the top of the stairs & saw the two guards down the hall that she was talking about. He then remembered she said her room was three doors down, he made sure to put his best Renard impression on as he walked to the door.
He reached the door & gave a light knock twice on it.
He heard footsteps approach the door. They were steady but slowed and became tentative. Adalind must have still been wary to make sure Renard didn't end up getting the drop on him & trying to fool her. Nick was highly impressed by that, despite everything going on, she was on high alert.
Just a day or two ago he was worried about having to protect her from herself but she was locked in for sure now. She really loves Diana that much.
He already begin seeing her in a different light but now she was making that light brighter every passing second.
She opened the door slowly, meeting him with a gaze that appeared to be cautious but like she had a feeling it was Nick. He was about to say something else only Nick would know but then she leaned in to stare a little harder at him.
Nick felt a little self-conscious for some weird reason. He wasn't even himself right now.
Her gaze softened though, looking more relieved now. "Nick." She said sweetly. Opening the door fully, allowing him in.
"How'd you know?"
"Sean for one would just enter, your suit is different & you carry yourself differently than he does, and...Theirs just a look in your eyes that...I don't know, either way, I know it's you"
Nick arched up his eyebrows for a moment. "Maybe you should have been a detective too." Nick was a little surprised at how observant she was but not too much. Hexenbiest have to be able to read people or a situation to best see how they want to approach it for their benefit.
He went to look out the window well the window sill since all the windows that cracked & fell through haven't been replaced yet from Adalind's scream earlier. Watching the snowfall along with the pale sky dimming into night time but it was still light out somewhat. Probably is good that it will be dark very soon.
He caught sight of Diana staring at him out of the corner of his eye. It wasn't a comfortable stare though, he felt like she was glaring actually. Like he was an adversary. He ignored it though, he looked like her dad at the moment. So why would she be staring at him like that? He was probably overlooking into it.
"What's next?" He heard Adalind ask coming up behind him to grab Diana out of the carriage. Diana still had her eyes looking to the side to glare at him & now Nick wasn't so sure if he was overlooking into these looks.
He peeked over to stare back for a moment but then back to Adalind who seemed to have not noticed it. "Do you remember the quickest way to get to the garage or wherever the hell they keep the cars?
"Uh, I believe so. It's not too far from here actually."
Nick nodded. "Okay good." He looked over to see Diana was still staring at him but now he could have sworn her cheek twitched. "Is she okay?" He asked finally because it was bothering him.
"Yeah, why do you ask..." Adalind's words slowly faded as she spoke them. Noticing how Diana was staring at him as well now. "I don't understand." Adalind said. She was confused as to why Diana was looking so hostile right now.
All of a sudden her eyes glowed purple & Nick had a bad feeling immediately. Adalind furrowed her brows in confusion but her worry about what was about to happen built because she doesn't know what Diana was about to do.
All of a sudden Adalind sees Nick go flying backward as if he was shot out of a cannon & smashed through the closet wall. Adalind's eyes shot wide open in shock & at first, she was confused until she look down to see Diana's eyes stopped glowing. So she did that? Oh god. "Nick?" She exclaimed with panic.
She couldn't even see him but she heard these very painful noises he was making. Along with what sounded like rolling agony. She went to take a step to go check on him but then the two guards from the hallway came bursting in the door. Guns aimed & ready to fire if needed.
"What are you doing in here!" The one with a hood demanded at her. His accent was very crude.
"I-Uh." Adalind didn't even know what to say, she just held Diana tighter. They took a step towards her but then the room was filled with more deep, painful grunts and groans. Adalind's face didn't move from the direction of the two Verrat guards but her eyes looked over to where Nick was sent careening through the wall as the guards did as well.
"Who's in there?" The one without a hood asked & she wasn't sure if the question was to Nick or at her.
The groans of agony slowly phased out though & all was heard now was very hard breathing. Almost as if he was running for a while & was winded.
They both began taking slow but calculated steps toward the hole in the closet now. Guns aimed with their eyeballs already staring through each of their own scopes. Adalind began panicking even more now, what does she do? She can't just stand there.
Rispoli and Viktor were a few feet away from the dungeon door now.
"Did you prepare the others to be prepared for the very, excruciating torture they will be asked to perform?" Viktor asked Rispoli, never turning to face him or breaking stride as they headed for the dungeon.
"Of course." Rispoli responded like a true sycophant.
"Oh, this is going to be fun." Viktor said back in a tone too happy for something so evil.
As they walked by a closet, Rispoli suddenly just stopped in his tracks. Turning his head over to the direction of the said closet. "What is it?" Viktor asked him.
"I hear something vibrating." Rispoli said as he began walking toward the closet door. Putting his hand quickly on the doorknob & twisting it open aggressively while the four other Verrat soldiers prepared to open fire on anything if needed.
"What is it?" Viktor asked, curiosity growing.
He saw Rispoli lean in for a moment then pull out a phone. A number was calling. Rispoli gave Viktor a look before he answered, the curiosity on Viktor's face growing exponentially.
"Who the hell do you think you are, sleeping with me then all I ask for you is to not tell Nick and then you hang up out of nowhere like that!" Rispoli's face scrunched up at the sudden yelling hostility from this woman.
"Who is this?"
"Who the hell is this?" The woman spat back. Rispoli gave Viktor a look.
"I believe that is Sean Renard's phone. As to why it was in the closet, I do not know. Yet. However, back when he wanted to strike a deal with me the other day, he did inform me of obtaining the knowledge from a woman close to the Grimm. I believe we have just heard her delightful voice." Viktor said the 'delightful' part sarcastically. "Hang up." He commanded & Rispoli did as told.
"Write down that number, may come into use at some point." He told one of the Verrat men. "Rispoli, I believe it be best to find Sean & ask him as to why he has his phone in a closet." Rispoli gave him a nod & headed in the direction they saw Nick go. Well, for them it was Renard.
"Who is in there!" A Verrat guard hissed loudly in this sickening tone. As they approach the hole.
Nick felt his breathing start to settle just slightly & begin realizing what just happened. Besides the pain he just felt, he felt good once again. He wasn't sure why yet. He couldn't even see clearly right now. He also felt like his hand had some blood on it.
He also remembered Adalind & Diana were...wait a minute. Did Diana blow him through a wall? He'll have to worry about it a little later though. Right now he had to make sure to keep Adalind & Diana safe. He also didn't need any bullets going off yet.
He wanted to try & leave as quietly as possible before they have to let shots go off, he didn't even have a gun right now. Through one of the cracks in the wall, he can see Adalind holding onto Diana & she looks conflicted about how to approach this. "Don't worry, I got this." he thought to himself but like he was saying it to her.
He saw two pairs of feet so maybe Diana blowing him through a closet wall wasn't the worst thing. At least now he can take them out, just had to make sure no shots went off.
He waited until they finally got to the point they could see in there & hopped out of the closet as quick as he could. Grabbing ahold of the hooded Varrat soldier's rifle on the left & delivering an elbow to the side of the head of the one on the right. Now wrestling the gun out of the hooded Varrat guard's hands he used the middle portion of the rifle & rammed it into his face but saw the one he elbowed attempting to raise his gun now.
Nick saw a switchblade on the side of the guy he was next to and yanked it out & threw it at the guard who was about to shoot him. Nick didn't really get a chance to aim it but it hit its target as it stabbed through the right shoulder blade of that guard as he let out a strained grunt of pain. The blade, however, surprised Nick though as it came zooming back in his direction but not lethally and he saw out of the corner of his eye that Adalind had her one hand up so she was doing that so he could get it back.
He caught it & stabbed into the hooded guard's neck but kept his hand on it so he could use it to not only spin towards the other guard for leverage but so he could pull it out & stab the other one in the chest as he ducked a left-handed punch from him.
Man, it was nice having a Hexenbiest on his side for once. Made that a lot easier. A Grimm and Hexenbiest teamwork? Something tells him that's probably a first.
He took a breath and looked over at her & she still looked a little panicked but also like she was seeing something. "I figured you could use a hand." She said a little frantically.
"Thanks." Nick said as he nodded to her. Renard's suit didn't feel as snug as it once did though & he was a little confused by that.
"Your back." She said with a small, upbeat smile. At first, Nick was slightly perplexed by what she meant. Furrowing his brows at her until he got a grasp on what she meant. He went over to the mirror that was on the side and he saw his face. Not Renard, but his face. He was himself again finally. Is that why Diana did it or did she recognize he wasn't her actual father and took it upon herself to send him a message?
She was staring at him again but with no hostility this time but it wasn't a good-natured look at all either in Nick's honest opinion. No time to worry about that though, it was go time now. "You said you know where the cars would be?" She gave him a nod. "Let's go."
Nick picked up one of the rifles from the dead Verrat soldiers and took the magazine out of the other one for extra ammo as they exited the room. He was more of a simple Glock pistol kind of guy but a rifle that appeared to be an M16 probably be better suited for shooting their way out of here though.
He hoped they could sneak out mostly quietly but even he knew that wasn't going to happen for long.
They made it down the hallway to the point where the two Varrat guards were formerly standing. Nick looked around the corner & saw you could either keep going straight, walk forward a few feet & go downstairs or another stairwell that leads higher.
"I assume we're not going up." Nick said to Adalind, noticing how up close behind him she truly was. She held Diana close to her shoulder too, Nick was glad about that. There was about to be a lot of brutal killings most likely & whether Diana understands what was happening or not, Nick doesn't want her to see that. The kid is supposed to grow up normal anyways right? Well, he'll get started early on trying to help achieve that so if making sure she doesn't see a bunch of murders was what he needed to do, well then he thinks he can easily oblige to doing that.
"When I was here with Eric, if you keep going straight that leads to another stairwell which will take you to a random room that doesn't really matter, another way downstairs and a bedroom."
"Do all of these stairwells have three options to them?" Nick asked in some disbelief.
"It's a castle." Adalind said and Nick knew that but still didn't change the fact that it felt like a maze.
"What's downstairs that way?" He asked.
"It's just a path to the torture chamber." She said it simply but he could hear the eerily tone come out of her. Maybe because he was about to be the one in it if he hadn't knocked out Renard.
She was about to speak again but Nick held his finger up at her, signaling for her to be quiet for a moment. He leaned his head down to let his hearing focus in. It sounded like footsteps, but not near them. It was the stairwell that lead to the dungeon he was held.
Probably Rispoli or a Verrat guard.
"Somebody's coming." He said to her quietly.
"I didn't hear anything." She said not because she didn't believe him but because it was pretty quiet to her until then she remembered he was Nick again. "I'm so glad you are you again. This way." She said and walked forward a little & Nick put his hand on the small of her back to motion her forward. He doesn't even know why he touched her, just felt right.
They both turned the corner now.
As they both turned the corner, on the other side of the hall near where Adalind's and Diana's room was, Rispoli came up the stairwell. Heading quickly for the room as he already noticed the wood on the door appeared to be splintered like someone busted in. He drew his gun & opened it up in a hurry to inspect. Barging in to see if Adalind was there or not.
He ran over to the carriage to see Diana wasn't in there anymore, along with no Adalind in sight. He look to his left & saw firstly the hole in the wall and then two of his Varrat men dead. One also didn't have a weapon anymore.
"Shit." He hissed to himself. Rushing out of the room.
"Awaken him." Viktor said to one of the four Verrat guards he had with himself as they stepped foot into the dungeon to see a still knocked-out Renard even though they still think it is Nick right now.
Now they could have shaken him a little or even thrown water on his face. But they decided to sit him up so they could allow one of them to slap him in the face to wake him up. Renard made a grunt of annoyance and then quickly remembered what just happened. Burkhardt escaped. "Burkhardt." He said in realization.
His eyes bulged and he immediately jumped up to try and go catch him but was punched extremely hard in his gut by one of the Varrat guards when he jumped up. He crumpled over from the impact, coughing from the wind being knocked out of him.
He's getting tired of getting hit that's for sure. First Nick's mother, Juliette, Nick himself & now a Varrat. "What the hell are you doing?" He said as his breaths were strained as he was trying to regain it.
"Did you really think you would be allowed a free pass to try & kill me Grimm." Viktor replied to him. He nodded at two of the other Varrat guards which lead to one punching Renard in his jaw while the other followed that up with a knee that connected with his upper abdomen. "Again." Viktor commanded as Renard's angered yelps of pain hit. He caught the fist coming from the Varrat on the right & grabbed him by his throat to choke him against the wall out of anger but was punched where his kidney would be by another one. Then violently jabbed on the other lower side of his back by the Varrat he just choked.
He let out a strained grunt of pain
"Wait wait!" They all were about to begin beating on him until Renard realized he better speak now & get angry about being wrongfully hit later. "I'm me, not the Grimm. He escaped." Renard's words were strained as he grabbed ahold of where he was just jabbed in the kidney.
"Impossible. Again." He nodded to the Varrat once again. This time two of them Woge and delivered haymakers to his chest & then grabbed a handful of his shirt to toss him to the ground, sending him sliding for a moment. Renard finally snapped this time though & Woge himself & popped right up only to be elbowed in the nose on his way back down.
Calm yourself Sean he had to tell himself mentally.
His mouth tasted metallic so he must have been bleeding from it & he could feel blood seeping down his temple so his head must be lacerated. He rubbed it for a moment to see how much blood would be on his fingers & it wasn't too much. He looked up at Viktor who had this overly satisfied smile on his face.
"Now that the lies are done & the introductions have been made" Viktor lifted his eyebrow. "Would you like to tell me where the keys are or shall we be making a trip to the torture chamber? Up to you honestly, but I can assure you I'm hoping the latter comes to fruition." He said to calm and gleefully.
"I came down here alone, out of sympathy, which was a mistake. Burkhardt attacked me & left me in here. He's probably off to try & retrieve Adalind and my child." Renard said, ignoring the questions Viktor asked that Sean didn't even have the answers to anyway.
"Chamber it is then." Viktor said in response and then the Varrat motioned toward Sean. Renard thought quickly though as he noticed there was no Rispoli.
"Rispoli!" Renard said suddenly. "I assume you sent him to go check on Adalind for some reason. Yet he hasn't arrived back." Viktor held his hand up now, signaling for the Varrat to stop moving.
"Why were you in a closet earlier?" Viktor asked.
Renard's face shifted to utter confusion. "What?"
"Your phone was in the closet near her, receiving a call from a very agitated woman...Why?"
Renard's face stayed bewildered. "I don't know what you're talking about." Viktor's face lost the usual smugness and grew more serious. He didn't like the fact he was starting to believe him. He kept his gaze on Renard as he pulled his phone out of his pocket & called Rispoli's.
It didn't take Rispoli long to answer.
"Rispoli, why do you sound rushed?" Viktor questioned as he still kept looking at Renard.
Rispoli looked around a corner cautiously to scan the area, making sure it was clear as he put the phone back to his ear. "Adalind Schade & the child were no longer located in their room. Two of my men were in there dead along with a hole in the wall & a missing gun." He informed as he turned the corner slowly.
Viktor's eyes closed out of very quick building frustration. "Find them. Quickly." His tone started sounding sinister now.
"On it" Rispoli responded and then hung up. Viktor was staring daggers at Renard now as he placed the phone back in his pocket. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't have your fingernails ripped off of your hands & have you hung by your eyelids. His voice had so much malice & a calm fuming sense to it that a normal person probably would have flinched from how bone-chilling it was.
"That child barely responds to you or anyone here in a way that isn't hostile. Unless it's Adalind or myself." He took a pause. "You need me." Sean said simply.
Viktor's glare intensified. "I don't need you. I would keep my value as high as you can cousin. Because as soon as it dwindles, I may not be so kind."
Renard knew at some point he was probably going to have to make a move against Viktor. Burkhardt ruined any leeway he had now. He hated when his cards are taken out of his hand before he can even play any of them.
"Bring him along but watch him closely. I'm still not convinced you are who you say you are." They all began to walk but then Viktor stopped in his tracks once more. "Don't play games with me Sean, you will regret it and if you're the Grimm..." Viktor stared directly into his eyes. "You best hope we find that Hexenbiest and her child fast."
They all began walking out of the dungeon now & Renard stood in his place staring for a moment before being shoved ahead by one of the four Varrat guards that were there.
"How far are we?" Nick asked her quietly. They went in the direction she said & it was surprisingly pretty empty this way. Which means it was definitely about to get extremely difficult because Nick knows his luck is absolutely terrible.
"It's not too far. A few more turns & we should be there. I don't know how many will be in our way though." She responded equally as quietly.
"Won't be long before they see us anyway." Nick said as they turned into this hallway which looked like it was more for show than actual use.
"Make a right." She directed first. "And what do you mean?" She questioned.
"We have already passed by seven cameras & a couple of hidden ones. They probably haven't seen us since they were on their way to torture, well you know...me." Nick said to her & Adalind honestly can't believe she forgot about the number of cameras in this place.
She felt a slight panic. "What if they saw you escape?"
"Wouldn't matter too much. We're already here & I don't think that dungeon or whatever it is had much power in its direction." He nodded his head to the left to ask if that was the direction he should go now & she nodded yes.
"Besides, I was Renard at the time so it'll be okay for now, just don't know how long." She nodded at his explanation. She rubbed Diana's back softly as she stared as she was staring at Nick for a lingering moment but he didn't see her since he was slightly ahead. Watching him be so locked in on trying to get her and Diana to safety was incredible to her. He had nothing to gain and everything including his life to lose yet here he was.
She has never been shown this kind of kindness. She grew up a Hexenbiest, was raised by one, was chasing after a half royal/Zauberbiest, and was a lawyer surrounded by selfish businessmen. She's not exactly accustomed to altruism or acts out of the heart.
It really got to her though because Nick had absolutely no reason at all whatsoever to do all of this to help her. Saying that would be understating it. She knows his mother told him about how powerful her daughter is and will grow to be and how they can't allow the wrong hands to get ahold of her but he never said that's why he was doing it nor did he ever make her think that was why.
Then when he did tell her why because it was a sore spot for him. It just made it that much better. He didn't want a kid growing up feeling like he did even if that meant helping someone he hated.
But her child was given away to the Royals.
The same royals who want him pretty badly still to this day. Yet despite all the reasons not to help her, he did anyway. There had to be an ulterior motive right? But there wasn't.
Unbelievable.
He...Is unbelievable. Was what her mind corrected her to say.
"Thank you for doing this." She said quietly as they were approaching a door.
"How about you wait until we get out of the dangerous castle first before you thank me." He replied to her.
"I know, but still. Thank you." She said kindly. He stopped for a moment & turned to give her a look. It wasn't a smile but a nod along with this look like an "I got you" look and she thinks she liked that more than any smile in that moment.
"Here?" He asked, looking at the door and then back to her.
"Yes."
"Show me the camera feed from Ms. Schade's room from fifteen minutes ago then fast forward." Viktor commanded one of the Varrat guards.
He did as was told & Viktor looked on as he watched Nick who still looked like Renard at the time walk into the room & Sean squinted at the screen himself to see what was about to happen. The video was still going in fast forward but then Viktor told them to rewind it after he watched Renard going flying through a wall.
"Who did that? Adalind?" Sean asked out loud.
"Considering everything that has been happening the past few days you ask that question?" Viktor said to him sarcastically. "Obviously it was your daughter, who doesn't appear to like you so much now does she."
"Probably because it isn't me." Renard said back dryly.
Viktor gave him a look that showed he didn't believe him or didn't really care to hear from him. "Fast forward." He commanded after seeing the two Varrat soldiers come storming into the room.
"Pause it." He ordered now after seeing a man pop out of the closet he was blown into. It wasn't Renard anymore either. Viktor could feel a rage preparing to bore out of him because that only could be one person. "Play it." He said darkly.
Watching Nick kill the two Varrat in the room with the aid of Adalind. He closed his eyes, trying to keep that boiling-hot anger down before it came out but he couldn't resist punching through the screen and throwing his glass that he usually drinks from against the wall. "They'll be headed for a car." He spat.
He pulled out his phone & called Rispoli. "Get as many of your guys to where we hold the vehicles as fast as you can. Cover as many entrances as you can as well. No guns, don't want to risk hitting the Royal child. Hurry." He commanded as he hung up before Rispoli could even speak.
He turned to glare at Sean now.
Sean looked from the screen when he realized he was staring at him. "I tried to tell you before I got here not to underestimate him." Renard said & Viktor's eyes flared. "Hold him." He commanded and it didn't even take half a second for two Varrat to grab Sean by his arms. Viktor grabbed Sean by his face & Sean growled at being handled like that and almost Woge but his skin only rippled.
"Let's get one thing clear. You, not me, allowed your personal feelings to travel down there alone. You, not me, allowed yourself to be taken down & you, not me..." He gripped Renard's face harder. "Is the reason I am looking like a fool at this current moment, So I suggest you tread lightly." He shoved Renard back by his face now and they both glared at each other with ill will.
Renard rubbed his jaw a little from where Viktor had a grip on it.
"Okay it should be this way then we are in the clear." Adalind said as they were walking down the last corridor to the garage. She noticed he didn't say anything and he looked bothered. "What's wrong?"
"I got a very bad feeling. No Varrat this whole way except for the two in the room you were in, it's been quiet, I haven't heard footsteps and we can't hide from the cameras yet nothing has happened."
She knows he had a point but she was hopeful this time. "Maybe we just finally have some luck." She knew it sounded ridiculous the moment she even said it.
"I know we don't know each other's life stories but has your life gone well enough for you to believe in having good luck?" Nick said with a humorless scoff.
Adalind didn't speak but gave a quick thought on if she could believe that or not. Judging by the mother she had, the issues she has been dealt the past few years, the situations including the one she was in right now, and along with many other unfortunate events that have happened to her in her life. The answer to that question would be a no. A big hell no actually.
She took a breath. "Shit." She then heard Diana let out a little laugh & quickly changed what she said. "Crap. I mean crap." She looked at Diana's face who was smiling before holding her close to her chest again and the little moment made Nick smile a little.
Nick took a sniff though. "Crap literally." He said & at first Adalind was confused until she sniffed down toward Diana.
"Oh. So that's why you laughed." Diana smiled at her once again & Adalind felt so motherly having to deal with a full diaper.
"Looks like we'll have to hurry up and get you out of here so you don't have to keep that on." Nick said to Diana in a kid-friendly voice. They were about to open the door that led to the garage until Nick stopped suddenly & put his hand on the front of her shoulder blade to signal her to stop as well.
She knows now when he leans his head down slightly & twists it to the side a little, he is trying to focus his hearing.
"Shi-" He didn't finish the word as he looked over at Diana for a moment. "Crap."
"What is it?" Adalind asked him.
"Well, there aren't any Varrat in here because I'm pretty sure theirs a good amount across this door." He said in displeasure at the situation.
Now that was the luck she was used to having. She let out a much overdue sigh. "Shit."
AN: Sorry for the week's wait! College classes to handle sadly but I'll still be trying to upload chapters at a better rate than I have been as of late.
Shouldn't be much of a problem moving forward. Hope everyone is doing well! Thank you for all of the reviews on the last couple of chapters, glad you all enjoyed them & the double upload. There may be another double upload on the way hehe :)