Chapter 13: Hank's Awakening
The precinct was a whirlwind of activity, the usual cacophony of ringing phones and hurried footsteps. But for Hank Griffin, the world had become a kaleidoscope of terrifying, shifting faces. He'd seen glimpses, flashes of something monstrous beneath human skin, but he'd always rationalized it away. Until now.
The case was a brutal one: a family massacred, their bodies torn apart. The only survivor, a young boy, was traumatized, whispering about "wolves." Adam had immediately identified it as the Bad Moon Rising case, a Coyotl family. And he'd warned them that Hank was about to get his eyes opened. Wide.
It happened in the interrogation room. A suspect, a seemingly ordinary man, was brought in. As Nick questioned him, the man woged, his face contorting into the snarling, predatory features of a Coyotl. His eyes glowed with a feral intensity, his teeth elongated into fangs.
Hank, sitting across the table, watched in stunned horror. His mind screamed denial, but his eyes, his very senses, told him it was real. The man was a monster. And then, the monster looked at Nick. And Nick didn't flinch. He just… saw it.
No. No, this can't be real, Hank thought, his heart hammering against his ribs. This is a nightmare. I'm dreaming.
But he wasn't. Nick, seeing Hank's reaction, finally broke. "Hank… I… I need to tell you something."
Adam and Monroe entered the room then, having anticipated this moment. Adam's face was grim, but his eyes held a profound empathy. Monroe, meanwhile, looked like he was about to burst into tears for his human friend.
"Hank," Adam said, his voice calm and steady, cutting through Hank's spiraling panic. "Take a deep breath. What you're seeing… it's real. And it's been real for a long time. Nick… Nick is a Grimm. And I am too. And that… that was a Wesen. A Coyotl."
Hank stared, his gaze darting between Nick, Adam, and the now-human suspect. "Grimm? Wesen? What in God's name are you talking about?"
Monroe stepped forward, his voice gentle. "Hank, please. It's… it's a lot to take in. But we're here. We'll explain everything. We've been trying to protect you from this."
The next few hours were a blur of explanations. Adam, with his comprehensive knowledge, laid out the basics of the Wesen world, the history of Grimms, the hidden society that existed beneath the surface of Portland. Monroe added his own insights, speaking from the perspective of a reformed Wesen, emphasizing the good alongside the bad. Nick, for his part, simply sat there, his face etched with relief that the secret was finally out, and concern for his best friend.
Hank listened, his face a mask of disbelief, anger, and a dawning, terrifying understanding. He paced, he yelled, he ran his hands through his hair. "You mean… all those weird cases? All those things I couldn't explain? It was… monsters? And you knew? And you didn't tell me?"
"We wanted to protect you, Hank," Nick said, his voice raw. "It's a dangerous world. We didn't want to drag you into it."
"Too late for that, isn't it?" Hank snapped, then sighed, running a hand over his face. "Okay. Okay. So, there are… monsters. And you two… you hunt them. And Monroe… you're one of them?" He looked at Monroe, who nodded sadly.
"A Blutbad, Hank," Monroe confirmed. "But a reformed one. I promise. I only eat vegetables. And sometimes, if I'm feeling really wild, a whole grain muffin."
A faint, almost hysterical laugh escaped Hank. "A Blutbad who eats muffins. Right. This is my life now."
Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the holding cells. The Coyotl suspect, despite being subdued, was thrashing, woging in his cell, his roars echoing through the precinct. He was trying to break out, fueled by a desperate, primal rage.
"He's going to hurt himself," Nick said, moving towards the cell.
"And probably everyone else in the precinct," Adam added. "He's part of a family, Hank. A very traditional, very violent family. They were trying to perform a ritual. A human sacrifice."
They rushed to the cells. The Coyotl, woged and snarling, was slamming himself against the bars, his strength immense. Other officers were gathering, confused and alarmed.
Adam stepped forward, his voice dropping to that deep, resonant tone that commanded involuntary obedience. The Aura of the First Grimm flared, focused entirely on the enraged Coyotl. "Stop. Now. You will cease your struggle. You will return to your human form. And you will tell us where the rest of your family is. And where the victim is."
The Coyotl froze, its thrashing ceasing. Its eyes, still glowing with feral intensity, widened, a flicker of primal fear and respect warring with its rage. It whimpered, its woged form flickering, then slowly, painfully, it reverted to human, collapsing against the bars, trembling.
"He's… he's just talking now," Hank whispered, utterly stunned. "What did you do?"
"Just a little Grimm persuasion, Hank," Adam said, a faint smirk. "Much more effective than a rubber hose. Now, tell us. Where is the boy?"
The Coyotl, under the relentless pressure of Adam's aura, spilled the location of the kidnapped boy and the rest of his family, revealing their twisted traditions and the desperate need to continue their ancient hunt.
They moved quickly, rescuing the boy and subduing the rest of the Coyotl family without further incident, thanks to Adam's detailed intel and his ability to compel the Wesen to cooperate.
[System] Wesen Defeated. Wesen Type: Coyotl. Extracting... Alchemical Vial Created: Coyotl Potion.
[System] The Coyotl Potion grants enhanced senses (hearing, smell) and increased agility.
A new vial, a murky, earthy green, materialized in Adam's hand. He pocketed it, a sense of accomplishment washing over him.
Hank, meanwhile, sat in the squad car, staring out the window, processing everything. "So… monsters are real. And my best friend is a monster hunter. And his cousin can make monsters spill their guts just by talking to them. And I'm… I'm just Hank."
Adam, sitting beside him, clapped him on the shoulder. "You're more than just Hank, buddy. You're Hank. The guy who's seen things, survived things, and is still willing to fight for what's right. And now, you're officially part of the team. Welcome to the crazy, Hank. It's going to be a wild ride."
Hank's in, Adam thought, a sense of satisfaction. Another piece of the puzzle. The team is growing. And soon, they'll all be ready for anything.
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