Chapter 23
Around 8:00 P.M., Nick and Emma were stepping up to the door to the Exotic Spice & Tea Shop. A Closed sign was displayed.
"This place is closed," Emma pointed out as Nick pulled out a key.
"Yes, but I have twenty-four-hour access to the shop," Nick replied before using his key to unlock the door.
"Are you part owner?" Emma asked as Nick was pushing the door open.
"No, but I'm good friends with the owners, and I use their basement to store my Grimm diaries," Nick began while stepping into the shop. Emma followed.
Nick quickly went to an alarm panel that had been installed five years before and punched in the code to validate his entry into the shop before the alarm sounded.
"This way," Nick told Emma before leading the way to the basement.
Once in the basement, Nick moved a bookshelf and uncovered a floor safe.
"Is this where you hide the staff as well?" Emma asked.
"No," Nick replied before kneeling next to the floor safe. "I keep the staff somewhere else."
"If you are the only one who knows where it's located, and something happens to you, then that staff could eventually be found by people who have no business having the staff," Emma pointed out.
"It's very unlikely that someone could inadvertently stumble upon the staff," Nick began as he punched in the code for the safe. "And regardless of if someone could or not, I'm not the only Grimm who knows where it's at."
"And hopefully those other Grimms won't betray you and go after that staff," Emma replied.
"There's only one other Grimm who knows its location and I trust her," Nick replied before opening the door to the safe. "In fact, Trubel—the other Grimm—is the only other Grimm that I do trust. Plus, there are physical and magical barriers that someone would have to go through to get to the staff, and I'm the only one who knows how to get pass those barriers. Although, if something would happen to me, the answers to get passed those barriers can be found among my Grimm books; however, a person would have to know what he or she is looking for to find them."
"Okay," Emma skeptically replied as Nick pulled out the Family Tree book.
Nick placed the book down on the table and opened it to show the current Grimms.
Prior to Emma showing up in Nick's reality, every entry was in black ink, but when Nick and Emma looked down at the page, Emma's name was next to Nick's name, and her name was faintly written down in a peach color. Across the page and setting by itself was Otto Fischer's name, and his name was faintly written down in a light green color.
"This book has my name in it," Emma pointed out, as if it wasn't obvious.
"Yes, your name and Otto's name are now listed in the book," Nick replied while gesturing towards Otto's name.
"I wonder if my name has disappeared from the Family Tree book from my reality," Emma thought allowed.
"Good question," Nick replied. "Anyway, your name and Otto's name are faintly listed in the book by a color other than black, and I'm willing to bet that the color change and how faintly that the names are printed indicate that you and Otto are not from this reality."
"I'm not taking that bet," Emma replied. "However, I would like to add that the color for my name entry and the color for Otto's name entry are different colors. So, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Otto doesn't belong in my reality or yours."
"I was thinking the same thing," Nick replied while pulling out his phone. "So, we need to get Otto on a fast transport to Portland."
"And how are we going to do that?" Emma asked.
"By help from some friends," Nick replied before placing his call.
A moment later, Flynn Anders (a ranking member of Hadrian's Wall) answered, "Nick, it's been ages since you called last. Is this a social call or did you dial me by mistake?"
"Neither. I need your help?" Nick replied.
"Yes, well, I hope your request for help is a simple one," Flynn began. "My men have been busy around the Black Forest in Germany. Uncivilized Wesen are randomly popping up around the Black Forest and I can't figure out why."
"Those uncivilized Wesen are coming from another dimension and the Black Forest is the crossroads between the two dimensions," Nick informed.
"And how do you know that?" Flynn asked.
"Because what I need help with and your issue are related to each other," Nick replied.
"Okay, you got my attention," Flynn replied. "What do you need help with and what do you know about where these Wesen are coming from.'
Nick took a breath before telling Flynn what he needed to know about the Mirror Dimension, Emma and Otto.
Flynn agreed to have his men look for Otto and then have Otto transported to Portland.
After Nick and Flynn ended their call, Nick showed Emma his Grimm diaries.
In Twin Falls, Trubel entered the hotel lounge by 8:30 P.M., and ordered a drink.
The lounge had eight tables that each seated four, and six barstools at the bar.
Six of the tables and five of the barstools were taken, so once her drink came, she walked over to the farthest available table from the entrance and sat down while facing the entrance.
As soon as Trubel took her first drink, a man stepped up to her table and asked, "Hi, Theresa Rubel?"
Trubel swallowed what was in her mouth and put her drink down before saying, "Yes, I am her. Are you Seth Sommers?"
The man sat across from Trubel, and as he prepared to speak, Trubel saw his throat twitch and tremble.
"Yes, I am him," the man finally said.
"You are here much earlier than what we had agreed on," Trubel pointed out.
Trubel again saw his throat twitch and tremble before he replied, "I can say the same thing about you. Anyway, now can you tell me who had died, and what was left to me in the person's will?"
"Sorry, the information I have is for Seth Sommers and you are not Seth Sommers," Trubel told him.
Trubel again saw his throat twitch and tremble before he replied, "Of course I'm Seth Sommers." He went for his wallet. "I'll show you my driver's license."
"Give it up," Trubel replied. "I may not know who you are, but I know what you are."
"What do you mean, you know what I am?" the man asked.
"Are you wired," Trubel demanded to know. "Is Seth listening right now?"
"I'm not wired, so no one is listening," the man replied. "And what did you mean that you know what I am?"
"You are a Mynah and Seth Sommers isn't," Trubel informed before gesturing towards his throat. "I can see your throat twitching and trembling just before you imitate Seth's voice. And since you are not Seth, who are you?"
The man pursed his lips before saying in his normal voice, "I'm Armin Grey. So, what Wesen are you?"
"Before I answer that I want to know why Seth sent you," Trubel replied.
"Seth told me that you are a con-artist and that you have set your sights on conning him," Armin replied. "So, he sent me here to find out what your con is and report back. Now tell me; what kind of Wesen are you."
"I'm not a Wesen, Armin Grey; I'm a Grimm," Trubel replied. Panic shot across Armin's face as he woged into a Mynah looking bird. "Don't freak out. I'm not after you."
Armin shifted back into his human form before asking, "But you are after Seth?"
"I never said that I was after him," Trubel replied.
"Then why lure him here?" Armin questioned.
"He picked the place where we meet, and I needed to meet him, because he and I have things to discuss," Trubel replied.
Armin considered what was said for a moment before saying, "I don't buy it. You are a Grimm and he's… well, he's something that Grimms always go after."
"I never go after innocent Wesen and I know another Grimm who doesn't go after innocent Wesen either," Trubel replied. Armin failed to hold back a chuckle. "What?"
Armin pursed his lips before saying, "I don't know what all you know about Seth Sommers, but he's definitely not innocent."
"Seth and his brother Nathan are Dämonfeuers," Trubel began. "The two work for a crime lord named Dwight Lyndall, and I'm very certain that Dwight is having either Seth or Nathan or both burn down buildings in Twin Falls, and I've been sent here to stop them before they can burn down anymore buildings."
"Whoa, wait a minute," Armin demanded in an angry tone and emotionally woging. "Seth and Nathan are the ones burning down buildings?"
Armin was shifting back to his human form as Trubel replied, "Well, Dämonfeuers are responsible for the fires, and I had eliminated two suspects yesterday, which leaves only Seth and Nathan as my only two remaining suspects. So, either one of them or both of them are responsible."
"Yes, well, one of them or both of them will be dead before tomorrow," Armin replied while quickly standing.
Trubel stood quickly as well and blocked his path while demanding to know, "Hey. Stop and tell me what in hell has your feathers all ruffled."
Armin shot Trubel and annoyed look before saying, "My girlfriend and my sister were killed in the same arson fire six weeks ago."
"Okay, well, I'm sorry for your loss, but you can't go charging in half-cocked," Trubel told him. "In fact, charging in will only get yourself killed, and as I said, Dwight might be ordering them to set the fires."
"Okay, well, what is your plan to go after them?" Armin quickly asked.
"I actually don't have a plan," Trubel admitted. "I've been making it up as I go."
"Okay, well, what was your plan if I had been Seth?" Armin asked.
"My plan was to find out what Seth looks like, along with what vehicle he drives, and then tail him until I can get him by himself," Trubel replied. "And, yes, I know that my plan isn't much of a plan, and it fails to identify or locate Nathan, but as I said, I'm making it up as I go."
"I can help you with knowing what Seth and Nathan look like," Armin replied.
"Do you have a photo of them?" Trubel asked.
"Not yet, but give me a few minutes and I'll give you one," Armin replied. Trubel shot him a curious look. "I just need a pencil or a pen and a blank sheet of paper."
"What are you planning to do, sketch them?" Trubel asked.
"Of course," Armin replied.
"Okay, I'm going to presume that you are a good sketch artist and not just pretending to be," Trubel replied.
Armin slightly chuckled before saying, "Voices and sounds aren't the only thing that we Mynahs can imitate. We are master forgers as well, and a lot of the forge paintings have been painted by Mynahs."
"I did not know that?" Trubel replied.
"I figured as much," Armin replied before gesturing towards the bartender. "Anyway, I'm going to see if the bartender has paper and a pencil."
Trubel nodded and retook her seat before Armin moved towards the bartender.
Within a short time, Armin returned with a sheet of paper and a pencil. As soon as he retook his seat, he began to sketch.
Trubel sat back, drank her drink and watched as Armin sketched out Seth and Nathan.
Before Armin could finish his sketch, Trubel asked, "Why did you agree to come here in Seth's place, Armin?"
"I am a gambling man," Armin began as he continued to sketch. "In fact, my last girlfriend broke up with me because I wouldn't go to gambler's anonymous meetings. Anyway, I had borrowed money here and there to gamble with that I haven't been able to pay back, and I owe Seth two hundred dollars. He told me that if I came in his place, he would consider that my dept with him was paid in full. Although, when he sees me again, he's going to want to know who died and what was left to him in the man's will."
"I—under the alias of Barbara Lipkin—own two condemn houses in a small Louisiana town that I can't seemed to sell," Trubel began. "In fact, both houses are said by the locals to be cursed, which is why I can't find anyone who's willing to buy it…"
"How are they cursed?" Armin asked as he continued to sketch.
Trubel shrugged before saying, "I was called away, so I never had the time to investigate it. Anyway, I'll put up one of the deeds as what was left for Seth in the will."
"So why did you buy the two cursed houses?" Armin asked.
Trubel took a breath before saying, "Last year, the group I'm with had sent me to that Louisiana town to stop a group of Hässlichs from turning the town into a tourist trap. Their plan was to buy all the land that they could get their hands on within and around the town, demolished every building that weren't useful to their plan and fill the empty lots with mobile carnival rides and outdoor market stalls. And, I stopped them by purchasing certain lots before they could. In total, I had purchased thirty lots, which was enough that prevented them from fulfilling their goal. Anyway, once my group got word that the Hässlichs have moved on, my group sold all the property—except for those two cursed houses—for a slight profit to businessmen who actually wanted to help the town."
"Hmm. Most Grimms would have killed the Hässlichs instead of buying property before they could," Armin pointed out.
"Yes, well, I'm not like most Grimms," Trubel replied.
"I've noticed," Armin replied before putting his pencil down and pushing the paper over to Trubel. "Anyway, the man on the left is Seth and the man on the right is Nathan." Trubel picked up the sketch. "Seth drives a red Mustang and Nathan drives a gray Chevy Silverado."
Trubel stared at the sketch for a moment before asking, "Where is Seth and Nathan now?"
"I'm to meet Seth at My Corner of Hell night club after you and I go our separate ways," Armin replied. "And I'm assuming that Nathan will be there too. If I had your number, I could keep you updated on what Seth and Nathan are doing."
"I'll give you a number, so you can reach me, but keep in mind that double-crossing me will only get yourself killed," Trubel replied.
"I have no reason to double-cross you; especially if Seth or Nathan is responsible for killing my girlfriend and my sister," Armin replied.
"I just wanted to get it out there," Trubel replied.
"Understood," Armin replied. "Anyway, do you have the deed to the land with you?"
"I don't, but I could get in within forty-eight hours," Trubel replied.
Armin slightly cringed before saying, "By you not having anything upfront to show Seth of his inheritance, it will only enforce his thought of you being a con-artist."
"Okay, well, I don't have anything on me that I can give him?" Trubel replied.
"Mmm, how much money do you have on you?" Armin asked.
"I don't have much cash on me," Trubel replied. "Why?"
"Do you have a debit card, so you can get more money?" Armin asked.
"I do," Trubel replied cautiously. "And again, why?"
"I have a friend who acquires certain things and sells them for whatever he can get for them," Armin replied. "And I think you would be better off if you buy something from my friend, instead of using a piece of land for his inheritance."
"Okay," Trubel replied. "Take me to your friend and I'll see what he has?"
"Let me give the bartender back his pencil and we can go," Armin told Trubel as she finished off her drink.
"Let's go," Trubel replied as she placed the empty glass on the table.
Armin nodded before standing up and walking up to the bar. Trubel was right behind him.
In Portland, at the Running Bear Lumber Mill, Monroe and Erica were escorted into the warehouse area and were each encouraged to sit in one of the available chairs.
Seven rows of three folding chairs sat on the left of a narrow walkway, and another seven rows of three folding chairs sat on the right of the narrow walkway. However, only the back eighteen seats were available.
As a joke, Monroe asked the escort, "So, which side of the aisle is for the groom?"
The escort pursed his lips before patiently saying, "You're the sixth person who has made that joke, and at this point, the joke has lost its humor."
"I can understand how it would lose its humor after a while," Monroe sympathized. He then gestured towards the seats. "Anyway, my friend and I will seat ourselves."
The escort nodded before turning and walking towards the front. Monroe and Erica continued towards the seats and sat down. Monroe took the middle seat on the right in the last row while Erica to the end seat on Monroe's right.
The remaining seats filled up quickly and within a short time, fifteen people were left standing.
Two of the people left standing was a pregnant woman and a young man on crutches. When Monroe and Erica saw the two, they gave up their seats to them.
Once Monroe and Erica joined the others who were standing, Tobias Black began to speak.
"Thank you, all, for taking time out of your busy schedule to come out," Tobias told them. "I recognized most of you as current customers and past customers. For the past month Alexander Construction has been doing business with me. The owners to Alexander Construction are Kehrseites, which some of you already know. In fact, I have been receiving a lot of unpleasant emails over the past three weeks for doing business with a business that is owned by Kehrseites…"
"Rightfully so," a man replied while standing. "You are a Wesen, and you should be only doing business with businesses that are owned by Wesen."
"Yeah," eight men and seven women uttered in an uneven chorus.
"We Wesen need to stick together," one of the men continued.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please," Tobias uttered, as if to regain control. "This Wesen one-sided feud, bigotry and resentment towards Kehrseite community needs to stop."
"One-sided?" a women questioned. "How can you stand there and claim that our feud with the Kehrseite community is one-sided?"
"I say that because, on a global scale, over ninety percent of the Kehrseite population doesn't even know about us," Tobias replied. "As far as the Kehrseites are concern, we are just a part of their community."
"Well, whose fault is that?" Galvan (an un-woged Löwen) angerly questioned.
"No one's at fault," Tobias replied. "It's just how it is."
"It didn't have to be," Galvan uttered. "Seven… eight years ago, Black Claw were making changes on a global scale, but those changes were cut down by the resistance, and it wasn't because the resistance had better fighters than we did; it was because there were too many Wesen who were unwilling to fight. And I bet that you and your family were among the ones unwilling to fight."
"I've seen you in here on a few occasions as a customer, but I don't know your name," Tobias told Galvan.
"It's Galvan King," he replied before woging into Löwen. Erica got on her phone and texted an officer at the police station to run a background check on Galvin King. "I own King's Woodcraft Workshop, and most everyone calls me King or sir."
Tobias pursed his lips before saying, "Yes, well… King, you're correct; my family and I weren't a part of the fight. In fact, I wholeheartedly disagreed with what Black Claw was doing then and I still wholeheartedly disagree with what they tried to do today. However, it's clear to me that you share their sentiment. So, please leave, and stay away. I don't need you here at this gathering or as a customer." In an angry motion, Galvan moved leave. Tobias looked over the crowd as he continued to say, "If anyone else here share the same sentiment and views as the members of the Black Claw, then you can leave as well, and don't bother coming back."
Three men and two women got up and followed Galvan to the exit.
Once Galvin and the other five were out of sight, Tobias continued to say, "I understand that we, Wesen, need to stick together as a community, but as a businessman, I can't shun the Kehrseite community and expect to stay in business. And among the faces that I recognize, a few of you are business owners, as well. So, how many of you—business owners that is—do business with the Kehrseite community?"
Two men and three women immediately raised their hands, and after a short delay, another four men and two women raised their hands one after the other.
"Okay, eleven of you are admitting that you do business with the Kehrseite community," Tobias continued. "To the ones who didn't raise their hands, we—the business owners who do business with the Kehrseite community—are not saying that we prefer to do business with the Kehrseite community over the Wesen community, but—speaking solely for myself and not for the others who raised their hands—I see nothing wrong with doing business with the Kehrseite community. So, I am asking all of you—especially the ones who are sending me the unpleasant emails—for your understanding and lenience. Now, unless someone have more to say about doing business with the Kehrseite community, I would like to give the floor over to Annabeth Wise."
Monroe leaned towards Erica and whispered, "Isn't Annabeth Wise the Mayor's wife?"
"She is," Erica replied. "Annabeth and Mayor Brent Wise are Heftigaurochs."
"Wow," Monroe replied. "As to how many emotional rallies I have seen Mayor Wise do, he hadn't woged once in them. So, I didn't think that he was Wesen."
"Those emotional rallies were staged events… not that I'm saying that he fakes the passion that puts into them," Erica replied. "He just has an exceptional control over when not to woge."
"How did you find out that our mayor was Wesen?" Monroe asked.
"Last year, Mayor Wise's seventeen-year-old son was being framed for murder, and Nick and I were the ones investigating the case," Erica replied. "It came out during our investigation that Mayor Wise and his family were Heftigaurochs."
Before Monroe or Erica could say anything else, Annabeth greeted the audience. She then talked about the constructions of a new community center and charity events that were to benefit the Wesen community. Tobias was going to donate a portion of his lumber for the project.
In Twin Falls, Trubel stopped off at an ATM machine and took out three hundred dollars before following Armin to a one-story house that had a basement and a garage. The garage was accessible by an ally.
When a thirty-year-old man answered the door, Armin introduced Trubel to Russell and Russell to Trubel.
"I brought Trubel here to show her what you have for sale," Armin continued.
"I have no clue to what you are talking about, Armin," Russell quickly claimed and timidly glancing at Trubel.
"I'm not a cop or a federal agent," Trubel quickly assured him.
"Which is what an uncover cop or an uncover federal agent would say," Russell replied.
"Russell, your paranoia is getting worse," Armin quickly accused. "She's not a cop or a federal agent. She just wants to look at what you have for sale."
Russell pursed his lips before saying, "Fine, but before I show you anything, I want to know who exactly that I'm dealing with."
"Okay, well, Armin has already told you my name," Trubel began. "But I can show you my driver's license if you would like."
"Your driver's license won't show me who you are," Russell replied before woging into a Reinigen. Panic shot through his eyes as he forced himself to say, "Grimm."
"Relax," Trubel quickly replied. "I'm just here to see what you are selling and if you have something worthwhile, I'll buy it."
"Russell, she's not here to kill anyone," Armin added in Trubel's defense. "She just wants to look at what you have for sale."
Russell slightly hesitated before returning to his human form and saying, "Fine. But next time, Armin, call me first and give me a heads-up before escorting a Grimm to my front door."
"And miss out on seeing you wet yourself?" Armin jokingly asked. "Where's the fun in that?"
"I didn't wet myself," Russell defended.
"You came close to," Armin replied.
"Yes, well, you just lost your friend's discount with me," Russell shot back.
"Hey, you two," Trubel uttered before Armin could reply. "I would like to see what is for sale and then get on with my night."
"Of course," Russell replied before gesturing for her to follow. "This way."
Trubel nodded before she and Armin followed Russell into the house.
Russell escorted Trubel and Armin to the basement and then proceeded to show them what was for sale.
Trubel looked at a complete set of golf clubs with a golf bag, men's watches, an exercise bike, a road bike, a television set, games systems, a power saw, a drill, a large toolbox filled with common tools, paintings and a few other items.
After considering her choices, Trubel chose the golf clubs. After paying Russell for the clubs, Trubel and Armin left Russell's house and went their respective ways. Since Armin was to meet up with Seth, he took the clubs with him.
After leaving Russell's house, Trubel drove to the apartment building where Seth and Nathan lived at and searched the block for Seth's red Mustang and Nathan's gray Silverado. When Trubel didn't see either vehicle, she drove to My Corner of Hell night club and search the parking lot.
Trubel found the two vehicles, along with Armin's vehicle, quickly after reaching the lot, and then climbed back onto the roof of the nearby building, so she could watch when Seth or Nathan would leave the night club. Like the night before, Trubel's motorcycle was parked in the alley of the building she was using.
Around 10:15 P.M., Trubel's phone vibrated. After pulling her phone out and seeing who was calling, she answered.
"Alysa, what's going on?" Trubel asked.
"Lucy went to Morgan's mansion today to confront Kyle and Willie and got herself in a bit of a jam," Alysa began. "Katherine and I could use your help to get her out."
"What kind of Jam did she get herself into?" Trubel asked.
"Willie's girlfriend, Scarlett and Scarlett's two sisters are also here from Tennessee, as well, and Scarlett and her sisters are Hexenbiests," Alysa began. "When Lucy entered the mansion, Scarlett and her sisters trapped her inside. Now, Morgan is demanding for Katherine and Lucy to willingly join the Lunar Owl Coven by tomorrow night before midnight or Scarlet will kill Lucy and make it look like a suicide. Katherine has contacted her coven members, but not one of them is willing to go up against three Hexenbiests or the Lunar Owl Coven."
"I'll meet you at Katherine's house," Trubel replied.
"I'm at her house now, so I'll see you when you get here," Alysa replied. "Bye."
"Bye," Trubel replied before putting her phone away and moving to get off the roof.
To be continued.