Title: Conviction

Chapter Four: Interrogation

When Adalind awoke her first thought was wondering why she was so sore, and then remembering the TASERing. Police officers don't TASER people for routine traffic stops and they most definitely do not chain up suspects in abandoned factories. She also noted that the Key was also missing, perfect. Slowly she started to look around not wanting to alert her captors that she was awake. There was a gallon jug of water, a roll of damp looking single-sheet toilet paper, and a bucket Adalind sincerely hoped she wouldn't be using. No one was visible but there was a camera hanging from one of the overhead pipes, they might already know she was awake. That she still didn't know who 'they' were was in no way helping her rapidly swelling headache. None of the options are good. If these were Eric's men, they would kill her for taking the key, most likely with torture. If these were Sean's men, they would want the cure for the curse, which she didn't have; and even if she did have the solution they might still kill her. If these were friends of the Grimm, well that would likely result in her death also. So her best hope right now was that this is the work of a rival family, the least likely but most promising option.

The man still wearing the police uniform came walking through the door. He sat in a steel folding chair just outside of where Adalind could reach. He set a old time black leather medicine bag on the floor next to him. Adalind sat up, noting that the leg iron connected to a thick chain, perhaps three feet long, that was secured to the a set on pipes along the wall.

"Miss." He started.

Adalind broke in with fake cheer, "Please call me Adalind. What's your name?"

"Your name, or my name, do not matter for the purposes of this interaction, miss."

"This interaction?" She said raising an eyebrow.

"I have series of questions I'm going to ask you, miss." The man stated, his expression was blank. The fake warmth and friendliness from the traffic stop was gone.

"Why should I answer them?" Adalind asked aggressively.

"Because it will be easier on you if you do."

"No, no see you're getting it wrong. You are supposed to offer me something, money, better accommodations or... that I'll get out of here alive." Adalind maneuvered flashing a smile.

"I will not lie to you in this room, miss. The first two options aren't on the table, the third isn't up to me." Stated coldly.

"Well you could put in a good word for me."

"Miss, if it where up to me I'd slit throat now and be done with it." He said flatly without anger, malice or impatience.

"But it's not up you." Adalind said warily, "Who is it up to then."

"It does not benefit me to tell you that. As a said before, miss; I have series of questions I'm going to ask you. Some of them are simple, some of them are more complex. We both know the answers to a number of them. Some I need to know and you will know the answers. Other questions I know you have no way of answering. As long as you answer honestly and do not attempt to manipulate me things will go easily for you."

It took everything Adalind had to not panic, to not shake. She needed time to think, to find a way out of this.

"I...I can hardly answer questions on a empty stomach can I?" Adalind hopelessly stalled.

The man reached over to the black bag, removed sandwich in a plastic bag and tossed in to Adalind.

"Then eat miss." The man then leaned back in his chair waiting for Adalind to finish her meal.

Adalind opened the sandwich bag, it looked and smelled like a Chicken Toastie from Kenny & Zuke's. Unsettling, since it was what she always would get when the law office she worked at got in sandwiches from them. But she was hungry, so she dug in slowly. And the man just sat, not impatiently just waiting. It could be a coincidence, but if not the man not only knows her favorite sandwich but that she would stall by asking for food. She would like to think she manipulated him into giving her food, but it did not feel like he was doing anything he did not plan to do. Then sooner than she would have liked, even with eating slowly, she was at the last bite. Time for questions, she looked up at the man. He hit a button on his wristwatch and waited some more. After ten minutes Adalind was about to start asking the questions, and after thirty minutes she did. He did not even acknowledge her being in the room. Later then that he grabbed this bag and stood.

"I will be back in a few hours miss."

"What?" Adalind was genuinely flummoxed.

"The sandwich, one of your favorites, was laced with a number of things, which have absorbed into your system by now."

Adalind panicked went over to the the bucket to stick her fingers down her throat.

"Miss. There is no need for that. Everything has already adsorbed and you will be vomiting before much longer anyway."

She looked up at the man as he walked from the room. She felt her gut gurgle unpleasantly and felt the beginnings of nausea in her stomach. She was screwed, she knew it and they knew it; but she still did not know who 'they' were.

"Ian, over here." Ian Harmon walked over to the Kay and the banks of computers currently being brought online by the band of Mellifers. Kay didn't wait for him to acknowledge her, she just dove in.

"I got the cooling systems up and running for the server farm, and enough fuel to last off the grid for ten times as long as it should take to do this. Buzz Lightyear and gang here should have everything up and running in a hour or so." The Mellifers looked up as one toward their nicknamed compatriot. He just rolled his eye's and continued typing away, linking up the servers to bounce data around the globe. "The perimeter is set up with camera and motion sensors, a couple groups ready to intercept anyone wandering into the area. We not sure how many people Eric has with him, so we've stacked the teams thicker that planned. We also have 6 people out looking for Adalind. Two team are tracking down Eric and his group, trying to get numbers and locations. Sean's working a GPS location and a trace and trap a his brothers phone..."

"He can get that?"

"He'll pull some favors, keep it off official books. As for the Other teams, they are all called. It's no communication from here on in. We are on the count down, I'd try getting some sleep tonight because about 36 hours from now the siege will be underway. I'll go out and get updates from the teams in Portland, but no one else will be in or out of here until an hour before go. "

"You think we can really pull this off."

"No. I've been toiling for years toward a goal I think we can't possibly achieve. Dumbass. It has to work, if not I'm just going to have to fly over there and start ripping off heads until it does work. We waited long enough, hell I've waited too long to see this through. So Fearless Leader, its time to put on your big boy pants and get it done."

"Kay, your motivational speeches suck."

"Then why are you smiling."

"Gallows humor perhaps." Kay smacked him playfully over the head and limped on over to the next task at hand. He wanted to tell her to rest, but out ranking her or not, she would not slow now. Not now after so much time and sacrifice.

Nick just got confirmation that his head injuries would be fine, no signs of swelling. So against his doctors recommendation he was checking himself out of the hospital. He already felt miles better after a couple hours of rest.

He climbed into Monroe's car and turning to his friend said, "Thanks."

"No problem dude. What's the plan?"

"I think I need to have a conversation with the Captain."

"Huh, no kidding man."

"I would like you to be there when I do. Out of site, but I figure you can send a text or something if the Captain brings... company."

"Okay, but what are we going to do if that Gargoyle shows up?"

"Time to go to the trailer... She saved my life. So, I'm not looking to kill her but I would like to know what I'm up against. If there's an Achilles heel I want to know about it. I'll set up a meeting with the Captain, and research until then."

Nick's phone rang and a blocked number flashed across the screen. Monroe glanced over to Nick as he answered the phone. Whoever it was made Nick look like he was about to kill someone.

The trace was set up on Eric's phone he wouldn't be able to listen in but he would have Eric's location, who he was calling and for how long. Looking down the list of conversation one line made his stomach sink, Eric had called Nick. The conversation was under five minutes but still Eric would not have to say much to cause trouble. Renard didn't know what his brother had told Nick, but at least Nick didn't know if Eric was telling the truth.

Nick's number then flashed up on Renard's phone.

"Yes." Renard answered.

"We need to talk."

"Yes, we do. I assume my brother contacted you."

"Yes, is what he said true?"

"At least some of it would be."

A noise of rage, almost a growl sounded, before Nick took a deep breath and continued, "You remember that house in the woods where Hank shot the Blutbad holding the little girl."

"Yeah...yes."

"Meet me there at 7pm."

"See you then." Renard said, "Nick, I.." And the the line went dead. Nick hanging up on him wasn't a great sign but it was better than him screaming through the phone at him. Or Nick ambushing him somewhere.

Adalind felt here stomach lurch again, and she started dry heaving yet again. By now her bowels and stomach were empty. She felt shaky, over heated and her abs were so sore that she would cry if she could spare the water.

Sean Renard knew this conversation was not likely to go well. It shouldn't bother him that the trust and respect Nick once held for him was destroyed. He was used to manipulating and betraying; he could look his own father in the eye from the time he was a child and plot against him. What he was not accustomed to was manipulating and betraying someone he trusts and respects. His best strategy would be to not physically defend himself. Any offensive move would be repelled with greater force. He would count on Nick's conscience to out weigh his anger. Perhaps taking a beating would offer a catharsis and help Sean with his own conscience. Of course if his beating became severe enough Kay would intercede despite his request to work this out without her assistance. The best conclusion he was hoping for was détente.

Renard's black SUV pulled up two minutes before the appointed time to the house of the Blutbad that Nick and Hank rescued that little girl from. He exited the car, took a large breath and walked up to meet the obviously furious Grimm and stated, "We need to talk."

"Let's start with this." Nick said as he swung and connected a fist with Renard's head stunning him. A jab broke his nose, starting a trickle of blood down his lip. This was followed with a knee to gut, dropping Renard to all fours. At this point Nick broke contact, circling, deciding what to do next; off-put that his opponent didn't seem to have any intention of fighting back. He walked up behind Renard, grabbing his hair and pulling him up to his knees.

Nick pulled back his fist to land another blow as Renard broke in with, "Perhaps you would like some answers before I'm beaten unconscious?" Still Renard had not made and move to either defend himself or even shield himself. He just held out his arms to his side and stared at the Grimm's coiled fist.

"To your feet." Nick bit out. As Renard got to his feet Nick ripped his suit jacket from his shoulders. "Place your hands on the wall, feet spread."

Again Renard complied, he placed himself about two feet away from the wall, then leaned forward spread eagle against the wall, head bowed. Nick searched the jacket, finding only a phone before discarding both items to a pile. Nick patted Renard down, surprised to not find any weapons only house keys and a wallet. He searched the wallet, mostly to see if that would get any reaction. Finding nothing notable it the wallet he tossed the keys and the wallet to the pile.

Nick surveyed the man in front of him. Waiting for for his next order, apparently, he hadn't shifted since he cooperatively assumed the position. It felt like another manipulation. Nick had expected a conflict, an ultimatum, that was what he was preparing himself for but that wasn't what showed up. He couldn't help but lose steam; he doesn't usually hit people once they've surrendered. Nick did want answers, Renard had something to tell him and evidently was willing to take a beating for the opportunity. Nick was trying to make up his mind and stepped toward Renard, noticing the man tensing, bracing for the next volley of fury. Not wanting to disappoint, His Highness, Nick landed and punch to his unprotected ribs. The crack of breaking rib bone, was an uncomfortable sound, and it drew a gasp from Renard and momentary buckling of his knees. He brought a hand from the wall as the injury was reflexively shielded. Nick had wanted a reaction, to hold on the rage but this felt wrong. As Renard returned his hand to the wall again opening himself for attack, Nick couldn't continue. This was one of those sticky moments. Do the ends justify the ends? Certainly not if his only end was revenge. How much farther off from this was branding Wessen like the Grimms of old? This was not how he imagined a prince to act.

"Face me. I want those answers." Renard removed his hands from the wall and slowly turned to face Nick.

Renard warily regarded Nick wondering how far he would get through those 'answers' before earning another round of bruises.

"My brother is here in Portland first for the key and secondarily to see if I can be trusted. Now after the ship his goal will most likely be to kill both of us and then be able to take his time looking for the key. Are you aware of the ressitance movement, the Läufer?"

"Yes."

"Well they have a stake in keeping The Key out of the Royal's hands. Eric has brought considerable forces with him, more than you or I can repel. I have some... contacts within the resistance, they are willing to help us. It's in keeping with their goals, so I believe they can be trusted to work towards ridding Portland of my brother's influence and insuring that you continue on as a custodian of the key. It would help if we, you and I could work together towards this goal."

"Work together! With everything I've found out in the last day how could I trust you! Why didn't you tell me!"

"I couldn't tell you, I needed to keep the appearance of following my brother and the family's directives. If they were aware that you knew who I am, there would be certain expectations. I have tried to run interference but it hasn't always worked."

"How do I know you haven't been manipulating me most of my life!"

To this Renard almost looked annoyed. "Nick I've known you since about the same time you joined the force. I didn't know you had Grimm blood-line. I didn't know about blood until you put in for the position in my precinct. I always do a more through background check through my other sources on the people who work closely with me. I do so to insure that my brother or one of the other families has not placed a spy or assassin with me without my knowledge. With that background check my sources figured out who your Aunt was. Even then the likelihood that you would become a Grimm was small. Most Grimm get their inheritance as soon as a close Grimm relative dies. Its much rarer, but not unheard of, for the inheritance to wait until a second death. Even with those long odds, for there also to be Key involved... Hell Nick, if I was that good at manipulating things; this whole conflict would have been settled before you graduated High School. If anything made things more difficult and complicated."

"Do you know who wanted my Aunt dead?" Renard instantly regretted bringing up the topic but there was no way to avoid it.

"Yes. There is something you should hear."

"Were you involved?"

Renard paused, he wanted Nick to hear the phone message Marie left before making his explanations. However, his hesitation was not well received. Nick's rage over took him, and he punch Renard in the gut. Then grabbed both of his upper arms slamming back him into the wall, hard. Renard felt a pop, as his left shoulder dislocated from the force of the blow and briefly he cried out. He was pinned to the wall, unable to stop the lancing pain through his shoulder.

"Were YOU involved?!" The Grimm bit out.

"I did what Marie asked."

"What! I don't believe you." Nick leaned in unknowing pressing even harder against the injured shoulder.

"That much is clear." Renard gasped. Nick heard the tone, noticed the expression of pain and released him. Renard immediately hunched over and grabbed his shoulder.

"I..." Nick was about to say that he was sorry, but honestly he was too angry to be sorry. He just didn't want to be a man who tortured information out of people. "Is it broken?"

"No." Renard glanced over, "I think it's just dislocated. Your Aunt left a message for you, as proof of what she asked of me. Perhaps you would like to listen to it before continuing my interrogation."

"Yeah...Sure." Nick was still holding on to the anger but he knew he shouldn't allow it to control him; "I can pop that shoulder back in." Renard considered it briefly, nodded and then angled his body so that Nick had better access to the joint. He wasn't even sure if this was something Nick knew how to do, but he wasn't about to rebuff the small olive branch. Nick grasped the arm applying downward pressure, bent the elbow 90 degrees and began to rotate the joint until in popped into place with a grunt from Renard.

"Thank you." The joint was still sore but Renard could move his arm again. Nick would have thought that his Captain would have been affronted or furious to be man-handled and battered like this. Now the man just looked exhausted, and unsurprised by violence pointed in his direction. Nick watched as he gingerly fished his phone out of the pile of belongings. He seemed cautious to keep everything in Nick's full view. Retrieving the phone he began to pull something up in a browser window.

Typing in a password and then hitting play before handing the phone to Nick. Nick drifted away from Renard as a recording of the familiar voice of his Aunt emanated from the phone.

"Hello, Honey. It's me. This message is in case things become complicated and I sorry but it has to be vague. It partially about the item I gave you to protect. I thought I had shook off the people following me, before I came here, but I didn't. I'm going to try and throw them off you. There's a man, the one who will give you this message; he doesn't want the item. I have a reason to believe him. I have asked him to send people after me. I don't know enough about him to say to trust him, I don't know his plans and I know he's not telling me everything. But at least one or more of the people sent after me, where because I asked him to. Some compounds interact in unexpected ways, but if this works how I... how we planned you may never need to hear this message. Trust yourself Honey, and good luck." There was some shuffling heard and then the message ended. Nick sank against the side of the house, staring at the phone and replaying the words in his head.

When Nick had told Marie about the hexenbiest attempting to inject venom into her response didn't make sense; but not much did at that time. She gave him a piercing look and said, "It can't stop until I'm dead, that will complicate things. I didn't plan to die in this room. You did well, really; death is coming for me and no compound can stop that. Trust yourself Honey, and good luck." When Nick looked up Renard approached.

"Why would she ask anyone to do that?"

"Ideally she wouldn't have died in Portland. The venom would have interacted with the Chemotherapy, the reaction would have been... temporarily restorative. It might have given her an additional week of full strength." It did fit with what Marie said to him but Nick didn't trust Renard. Nick's eyes narrowed in doubt, he stood aggressively and Renard tensed.

"By all means confirm what I have said with an apothecary, they should be able to confirm the effects of those compounds mixed."

"I will." Nick replied noticing the connection being drawn to Marie's message.

"The plan was for her to leave Portland looking strong, like the length of her hospital stay was due to the attack and not the cancer. This would keep my cover, keep the evidence of my working against my brother hidden and offer some protection for you. I was then to convince the Families that she had left Portland with the Key. Historically some Grimms have awoken when a family member's heart stopped but was restarted. You coming into your inheritance could have been explained by Marie's hospitalization."

"She would have died all alone."

"No. Someone close to me, the Gargoyle you met, was going to look after her until the end. She would have been as comfortable as possible."

"Instead she died in the fighting someone in the hall way of a hospital." Nick stated, anguish evident.

"Yes."

"You sent them too." Nick ground out.

"Yes." Nick glared and Renard understood that a more detailed explanation would be required, and he was probably going to get punched, again. Renard folded his hands behind his back and continued, "Once the first attack didn't go as planned, then venom was no longer and option. It's difficult to get and has a short eight-hour shelf life. If I stopped the attacks at that point it would have raised too many questions. So, I switched the attacks to humans, hoping Marie could gather enough strength to follow through on the plan."

"But not before pulling the officers guarding her."

"Correct." Nick looked at Renard. Again having placed himself in range for Nick to take out his anger. Part of Nick wanted to summon the anger to continue pummeling the man; mostly Nick was just tired mentally if not physically. He didn't think he would understand Renard even with all the facts laid out. He was dangerous. And if his dealings with Adalind had proven anything to him it was leaving dangerous people alive was a bad idea; even if they seemed disarmed. Perhaps that was the point of Renard being so cooperative, to make a discussion to kill him difficult. Renard shifted as Nick's considered him.

"What, are you trying to figure out what I'm thinking?"

"Well, I imagine it mostly hinges of if anything I said can be believed and whether or not I'll be losing my head tonight." Renard stated matter-of-factually.

"Why show UP AT ALL IF THERE'S THAT QUESTION! FUCK! WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SHOOT ME! Hell if you didn't want to get you're hands dirty with it you could have just left me on that boat with your brother. Why risk your 'cover' getting me to a hospital. Why...why..any of it." Nick was utterly exasperated, his expression open and emotions free for anyone to read. At that point Renard did look Nick in the eye. Nick could see regret, and his expression did seem honest; but it was nothing Nick would bet anything on.

"You are someone I trust, respect and care about. Your anger at me isn't without...ample justification. So your, loss of respect for me and your wish cause me harm doesn't change my point of view. I don't want you dead or harmed; but I do understand my actions have caused harm, to you and to others. I... I am trying to do the right thing. In people like my brother and the Verrat I see the potential for another World War, for plunging the world centuries backward in progress; for the mass murder of people that don't fit within a certain small view of the world and for anyone who gets in the way. I believe those ends justify the means I have taken and will take." Renard again broke eye contact and resumed his position of waiting.

"If you don't want me harmed, why involve yourself with Juliette. I don't see any grand world cause in that." Nick ground out dangerously. Renard looked over to Nick, Eric must have relayed his interest in Juliette, most likely in worst possible interpretation.

"Adalind put Juliette into that coma outside of any plans I had. My only involvement was to threaten her mother into making something to wake her up. I promise that my only intention was to wake her up. The solution had some side-effects I was not aware of and most likely, intentionally, wasn't informed of. It resulted in a compulsion that is effecting both Juliette and myself; I think its slowly driving us both insane. A curse that I was attempting to find a cure for with no success. Hopefully a resolution can be found soon there are some contacts I was previously cut off from that may be able to help with resolving this...issue. And I'm still searching for Adalind; we may be able to get answers from her."

"What about The Key." Nick asked digging for more information.

"If the we can find The Key, it will be returned to you. If that is your wish. Either way it would be my proposal to tell the Families that I am in possession of The Key, a photo would be enough proof at this point."

Nick didn't know if he believed that The Key would be returned to him. And in any case between Eric and the Captain he would prefer that The Key not go to Eric. He might not know what to make of Renard but he knew Eric was a bloody little psychopath. "Why do you want the Royals to think you have The Key?"

"It should slow or stop the stream of assassins looking for it; at least for the time being. If it is believed to be in my possession the other Royals will see this as a power play and believe The Key could be secured from me with the promise of status, land, money and or power. Which it wouldn't. I'm not interested in obtaining those things. Also, when assassins do come I should be able to deter or dispose of them effectively."

"Why would you take on that danger?"

"I'm used to it. The Families have a list of reasons to kill me, aligning with the resistance and being born would still out rank having The Key in my possession."

"I'll think about it. If you have information about Adalind, The Key or your Brother will you share it?"

"Yes, I will attempt to keep you informed."

"I need to go think." Nick started to backup and walk to where his car was parked.

"I am sorry Nick."

"I trusted you, I..." Nick's frustration bubbled over. Nick's fists clenched and Renard's posture tensed. Nick let the moment drop, and resumed his walk towards his car.

Renard turned to retrieved his belongings and muttered to himself, "That could have been worse."