Chapter 5: The Big Bad Wolf and a Grimm's First Hunt
The hunt for the Blutbad serial killer intensified. Nick Burkhardt, still reeling from the bombshell of his Grimm heritage, was a walking bundle of confusion and raw instinct. He saw things, things that weren't there, things that were there but shouldn't be. His Grimm Vision flickered, unreliable, a terrifying new filter on a world he thought he knew. Hank, bless his oblivious heart, was still trying to solve the case with good old-fashioned police work, completely unaware that their suspect could turn into a hairy, fanged beast at will.
Adam and Wanda, meanwhile, were operating in the shadows, a two-person, sarcastic, supernatural black-ops team. They observed from a distance, Adam's mind a whirlwind of meta-knowledge and Library lore, Wanda's senses picking up on the emotional currents and subtle magical shifts.
"He's still struggling with the woge thing," Adam murmured, watching Nick narrowly miss seeing the Blutbad killer woge in a crowded street. "It's like trying to learn to ride a unicycle while juggling flaming chainsaws. And also, the unicycle is secretly a monster."
Wanda nodded, her gaze sharp. "He is… distracted. His mind is fighting what his eyes see."
"Yup. Classic Grimm growing pains," Adam said, then a mischievous idea sparked in his mind. "Alright, System, pull up everything on Blutbad weaknesses. Anything that can slow them down, disorient them, make them easier to catch without, you know, resorting to excessive force. We're going for 'apprehended, not annihilated' here."
The Library System instantly flooded his mind with data: specific scents that irritated Blutbaden, certain frequencies that caused discomfort, even ancient Grimm tracking methods that exploited their primal instincts. Adam found a particular herb, a rare, pungent variety, known to temporarily dull a Blutbad's enhanced senses.
"Perfect," he muttered. He pulled out his phone, quickly composing an anonymous message. Subject: Blutbad activity. Suggest: Check abandoned warehouse district near old mill. Look for unusual scent, like burnt sage and wet dog. Might be a new lead. He sent it to an anonymous tip line he'd found in the System's "covert operations" section. "Let's see if Nick's 'luck' improves."
Later, as Nick and Hank closed in on the Blutbad in a tense chase through a dark alley, Wanda subtly went to work. The Blutbad, snarling, lunged at Nick. Just as it did, Wanda, from her hidden perch on a fire escape, extended a hand. A faint, almost imperceptible crimson shimmer pulsed in the air. A loose brick on the alley wall suddenly dislodged, falling with a loud clatter directly in the Blutbad's path, causing it to stumble. Then, a sudden, inexplicable gust of wind swept through the alley, momentarily kicking up dust and debris, obscuring the Blutbad's vision just as Nick was about to be overwhelmed.
"Whoa!" Nick exclaimed, momentarily disoriented but seizing the opportunity to gain the upper hand.
"Just a little bit of atmospheric enhancement," Adam whispered to Wanda, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Think of it as adding a dramatic fog machine to the scene. Makes everything more cinematic."
Wanda, her eyes fixed on the struggling Blutbad, subtly manipulated the air currents, creating a swirling vortex of dust around the creature, further disorienting it. She was learning quickly, adapting her immense powers to the subtle, precise interventions Adam required. It was like a dangerous, high-stakes game of charades, where the stakes were human lives and the clues were invisible magic.
Monroe, who had reluctantly joined Nick in the hunt, watched the Blutbad stumble, then blink, confused by the sudden gust of wind and debris. He frowned, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes. "That was… odd. Like the wind had a personal vendetta against him."
Nick, panting, finally managed to subdue the Blutbad, pinning it against a wall. The creature, disoriented and snarling, slowly began to woge back, its features receding, its fur shrinking.
"First date with a monster, and it almost ate your face. Classic," Adam muttered, watching from a distance as the police arrived to apprehend the now-human killer. "But hey, at least you got the guy. And you didn't even have to use a silver bullet. Progress!"
[MISSION COMPLETE: Blutbad serial killer apprehended. Reward: 50 System Points.]
[GRIMM DEVELOPMENT: Nick Burkhardt's first successful Wesen case. Adaptation to Grimm abilities progressing.]
Adam felt a surge of satisfaction. Fifty System Points. Not bad for a day's work. He could already imagine the possibilities. Rare artifacts, lost knowledge, maybe even a new pair of magical sunglasses that would make him look even cooler.
"See, Wanda? Teamwork makes the dream work. Or, you know, makes the monster go to jail," Adam said, patting her shoulder. "Nick thinks it was just luck, or his burgeoning Grimm instincts. We know better. We're the unseen forces of chaotic good, making sure the narrative stays on track. And occasionally, making sure the protagonist doesn't get eaten by a grumpy werewolf."
Wanda looked at the scene, then at Adam, a faint, genuine smile touching her lips. "It is… different. But good."
"Different is my middle name, kiddo. Well, actually, it's 'Danger,' but 'Different' is a close second," Adam quipped. He pulled out his mental shopping list. "Now, about those System Points… I wonder if the shop has anything for, say, enhanced tracking. Or maybe a really good pair of noise-canceling headphones for when Monroe starts rambling about clocks."
He knew this was just the beginning. Nick Burkhardt was on his path, stumbling through the Wesen world, and Adam and Wanda were right there, ready to subtly guide him, to add a dash of chaos, and to make sure the story was just as entertaining as it was dangerous. The first hunt was over, and the game was officially on.