Chapter 4: The Vicious Cycle
The days that followed the Mellifer incident settled into a strange, new rhythm. Adam's coffee shop, The Daily Grind, became an unofficial headquarters. Kathreen, his new employee, proved to be an absolute godsend – efficient, quiet, and surprisingly adept at handling the occasional bewildered Wesen who wandered in, drawn by Adam's subtle aura. She didn't question the hushed conversations about "cases" or the strange looks Nick and Monroe sometimes gave Adam. She just brewed coffee and observed, a silent, watchful presence.
Nick, meanwhile, was slowly but surely adjusting to Adam's unorthodox methods. He still had his moral compass, sharp and true, but the sheer effectiveness of Adam's "informed intuition" and aura was hard to argue with. Hank, bless his skeptical heart, was still trying to rationalize everything. He'd seen the Jägerbärs, the Mellifers, and now he was seeing Adam's seemingly psychic ability to know things. His brain was probably doing mental gymnastics worthy of the Olympics.
One blustery afternoon, Nick and Hank walked into the coffee shop, their faces grim. "Another one, Adam," Nick said, dropping a file on the counter. "Mutilated. Looks like an animal attack, but… too precise. Too vicious."
Adam glanced at the file. Photos of the victim, a young man, showed deep, tearing wounds, almost as if he'd been attacked by something with incredibly powerful jaws. "Ah, the Mauvais Dents case. From 'Of Love and Monsters,' if I recall. Nasty business. These guys are basically human-hyena hybrids. And they're not just killing. They're… collecting."
Hank stared. "Collecting what?"
"Teeth," Adam said, a shiver running down his spine despite his detached knowledge. "They're obsessed with teeth. They believe they gain strength from taking the teeth of their victims. And they're incredibly fast, incredibly strong, and almost impossible to track if you don't know what you're looking for."
Nick's eyes narrowed. "You know who the next victim is?"
Adam nodded. "More or less. They target people who've wronged them, usually in a very specific way. And they tend to leave a… signature. A pattern. If we move quickly, we can intervene before the next murder. The victim is a man named John Doe, a local dentist. He recently had a dispute with a former patient over a botched procedure."
"A dentist?" Hank muttered, rubbing his temples. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be a dentist?"
"Because the universe has a twisted sense of humor, Hank," Adam deadpanned. "Now, let's go save this poor guy's molars. And maybe, just maybe, get a new vial out of it."
They piled into Nick's car again, the familiar routine already forming. Adam directed them to the dentist's office, a quiet, unassuming building in a suburban neighborhood. The sun was setting, casting long, eerie shadows.
"He's inside," Adam whispered, pointing to a darkened window. "They're already there. And they're about to strike."
They moved with practiced efficiency. Nick and Hank covered the front, while Adam, with his enhanced senses, found a back entrance. He moved silently through the darkened office, the faint scent of blood and something acrid – the unique smell of a woged Mauvais Dents – guiding him.
He found them in the main examination room. A woged Mauvais Dents, a horrifying blend of human and hyena, its jaws wide, teeth gleaming, was poised over the terrified dentist. Another, smaller Mauvais Dents, presumably an accomplice, stood guard.
"Party's over, fellas," Adam announced, his voice echoing in the silent room.
The Mauvais Dents turned, snarling. Its eyes, glowing with a feral hunger, fixed on Adam. It was a powerful, vicious creature, clearly not used to being interrupted.
"Grimm!" it snarled, lunging.
Adam was ready. He moved, not with the raw power he'd used against the Jägerbär, but with a calculated precision. He dodged the initial lunge, allowing the Mauvais Dents to overextend, then struck. A sharp kick to the knee, a jab to the solar plexus, a swift elbow to the jaw. The Mauvais Dents stumbled, its snarl turning into a grunt of pain.
The accomplice, seeing its partner falter, charged. Adam spun, a blur of motion, and delivered a devastating roundhouse kick that sent the smaller Wesen sprawling into a dental chair. It hit with a crash, groaning.
The main Mauvais Dents, recovering, lunged again, its powerful jaws snapping. Adam sidestepped, grabbed its arm, and used its own momentum against it, flipping the creature over his shoulder. It hit the ground with a sickening thud, momentarily stunned.
Adam didn't waste a second. He pinned the Mauvais Dents, his knee on its chest, a hand gripping its jaw, forcing it open. The creature struggled, its powerful muscles coiling, but Adam's enhanced strength held it firm.
"You like teeth, huh?" Adam growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Well, how about you keep yours? And stop trying to take other people's. Got it?"
The Mauvais Dents, eyes wide with fear and a dawning respect, whimpered, its woged features flickering. It was defeated.
[System] Wesen Defeated. Wesen Type: Mauvais Dents. Extracting... Alchemical Vial Created: Mauvais Dents Potion.
[System] The Mauvais Dents Potion grants enhanced biting power and dental regeneration.
A new vial, this one a murky, yellowish-brown, materialized in his palm. He quickly pocketed it, a satisfied smirk on his face.
Nick and Hank, having burst in moments after the main confrontation, stared at the subdued Mauvais Dents and the groaning accomplice. "Well," Hank said, shaking his head. "That was… efficient. Again."
"Told you," Adam said, standing up and dusting off his hands. "No fuss, no muss. Just a little bit of 'I know what you are and I'm better than you' attitude. Now, let's get these two locked up and make sure our dentist friend gets home safely. And maybe recommend a good therapist. He's probably going to need one."
Nick looked at Adam, a strange mix of gratitude and concern in his eyes. "You're getting… really good at this, Adam."
"It's a talent," Adam replied, a casual shrug. "Or maybe it's just that I've watched too many cop shows. Either way, it works. And this Mauvais Dents Potion? Could be useful. Imagine, enhanced biting power. Perfect for those stubborn pickle jars."
Four vials. The collection grows. And with each one, a little more power, a little more control over this crazy world. Adam felt a surge of confidence. This isn't just about surviving anymore. It's about changing things. For the better.