Chapter 16: The Fuchsteufelwild Assassin
The crisp Portland air, usually a welcome reprieve, felt charged with an invisible tension. Adam, despite his usual nonchalance, felt it humming beneath his skin. He was behind the counter of The Daily Grind, making a latte for a surprisingly early customer, when Kathleen entered, her eyes narrowed, scanning the street outside.
"He's here," she stated, her voice a low murmur that only Adam could hear over the gentle hum of the espresso machine. "The assassin. He's made his move."
Adam didn't flinch. He'd been expecting this. Renard, the ever-scheming Zauberbiest, wouldn't take Adalind's early neutralization lying down. He needed to destabilize Nick, and in canon, that meant targeting Juliette. A Fuchsteufelwild assassin, a creature of fear and cunning, was his chosen instrument. But Adam had already ensured Juliette wouldn't suffer the full brunt of Adalind's curse, so the target was still Juliette, but the stakes were different. This wasn't about a Hexenbiest curse; it was about a Royal trying to assert dominance.
"Where?" Adam asked, his voice calm, pouring the latte with practiced ease.
"Her veterinary clinic," Kathleen replied, her hand instinctively going to the hilt of a hidden blade beneath her jacket. "He's moving now."
"Right on schedule," Adam muttered, handing the customer their coffee with a polite smile. "Alright, let's go save the vet. Again. You'd think these people would learn to stop messing with Nick's girlfriend."
They sped through the Portland streets, Adam driving with a focused intensity that belied his casual demeanor. He called Nick on the way, his voice urgent. "Nick, get to Juliette's clinic. Now. There's an assassin. Fuchsteufelwild. He's after her."
Nick's voice was sharp with alarm. "A Fuchsteufelwild? How do you know?"
"Just trust me, Nick," Adam said, cutting him off. "Get there. We're almost there."
They arrived at the clinic moments later. The front door was ajar, and a faint, acrid scent, the signature of a Fuchsteufelwild, hung in the air. Inside, the clinic was in disarray, overturned chairs and scattered medical supplies.
"Juliette!" Nick yelled, drawing his sidearm, his face a mask of fear.
They found her in one of the examination rooms, cornered by a woged Fuchsteufelwild. Its face was a grotesque, fox-like mask of cunning and malice, its eyes gleaming with predatory glee. Juliette, terrified, was backing away, clutching a metal tray as a makeshift shield.
"Well, well, well," the Fuchsteufelwild snarled, its voice raspy. "Looks like the Grimm's little pet is a bit feistier than I was told. But no matter. Prince Renard wants a message sent. And you, little human, are the ink."
Adam didn't hesitate. "Hey, furball! Leave the lady alone! Unless you want to spend the rest of your miserable life as a very fashionable scarf."
The Fuchsteufelwild spun, its eyes widening as it saw Adam and Kathleen. A flicker of surprise, then a surge of fury. "Two Grimms? This changes nothing!" It lunged, its claws extended.
Kathleen moved first, a blur of disciplined power. She met the Fuchsteufelwild's charge head-on, deflecting its claws with a swift block, then countering with a series of rapid, precise strikes. Her movements were fluid, economical, every blow designed to incapacitate.
Adam, meanwhile, used his enhanced agility and strategic mind. He danced around the Fuchsteufelwild's attacks, looking for openings, striking where Kathleen had left it vulnerable. He was faster than the Wesen expected, his movements almost too quick for the eye to follow. He delivered a powerful kick to its knee, forcing it to stumble, then followed up with a jab to its jaw that sent its head snapping back.
The Fuchsteufelwild roared in frustration, its cunning mind struggling to adapt to the coordinated assault of two Grimms who fought with a terrifying synergy. It tried to use its fear-inducing abilities, its eyes glowing, but Adam, fortified by the Hexenbiest Potion, felt only a faint ripple of unease, easily dismissed. Kathleen, too, seemed unaffected, her focus absolute.
"You're out of your league, buddy," Adam panted, dodging a wild swipe. "This isn't a game of hide-and-seek. This is a beatdown. And you're losing."
The Fuchsteufelwild, desperate, tried to disengage, to flee. But Adam and Kathleen were relentless. They cornered it, their movements a seamless dance of attack and defense. Kathleen delivered a devastating elbow to its ribs, making it gasp. Adam followed with a precise strike to a pressure point on its neck, and the Fuchsteufelwild collapsed, woging back to human form, unconscious.
[System] Wesen Defeated. Wesen Type: Fuchsteufelwild. Extracting... Alchemical Vial Created: Fuchsteufelwild Potion.
[System] The Fuchsteufelwild Potion grants enhanced agility and a minor resistance to fear-inducing effects.
A new vial, shimmering with a cunning, fox-like orange, materialized in Adam's hand. He pocketed it, a triumphant glint in his eyes.
Nick, having rushed forward to check on Juliette, stared at the unconscious assassin, then at Adam and Kathleen, his face a mixture of relief and awe. "You… you saved her. Again. And that was… incredible."
Juliette, trembling but safe, looked at Adam and Kathleen, her eyes wide with a terrifying new understanding. She had seen the monster. She had seen the Grimms. The hidden world had just crashed into her reality, violently.
"What… what was that?" she whispered, her voice hoarse. "Who was that man?"
"Just a very bad man, Juliette," Adam said, his voice softer now, reassuring. "He won't be bothering you anymore. You're safe now." He glanced at Nick. "Get her out of here, Nick. She's going to need a lot of rest. And probably a very strong drink. Or a very long, very detailed explanation."
Renard, Adam thought, a silent message sent across the city. Your move failed. And now, I'm coming for you. Not personally, mind you. But your plans? They're toast.
Meanwhile, in his lavish apartment, Captain Renard paced, a furious energy radiating from him. The phone call had been brief, brutal. The assassin had failed. Spectacularly.
"He was subdued?" Renard snarled, his voice barely controlled. "By the new Grimm and his… partner? How? The Fuchsteufelwild is a highly trained operative!"
The voice on the other end was apologetic, but firm. "They were… formidable, Prince. Their coordination, their speed… it was unexpected. The Grimm also seems to possess an unusual resistance to fear effects."
Renard slammed his fist on a nearby table, a crack appearing in the polished wood. "Unusual resistance? This Adam Stiels is more than just a Grimm. He's a problem. A growing, unpredictable problem. And he keeps interfering. He keeps… winning."
This is becoming personal, Renard thought, his eyes burning with a cold fury. He's not just a nuisance. He's a threat to everything I'm trying to achieve. And I need to understand him. Before he destroys everything.
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