Not All That Glitters Is Golden.

The Stranger In The Shadows

The early morning air was chilly as Frederick Calvert owner of the Exotic Spice & Tea Shop opened up for the day, news had already spread through the tight knit community of local shopkeepers about Sam Bertram and the break in the night before. After looking around the empty streets he slipped back into his shop, but he didn't see the leather clad figure in the shadows as he slipped from his hiding spot catching the door before it slid shut.

"I'm not open yet" spoke Freddy sternly as the figure took off his helmet and looked him dead in the eyes.

Something about the man before him made shivers run up and down his spine, a feeling of foreboding took over him making Freddy shudder and an involuntary woge come over him. That was when he saw the man before him for who he truly was, and fear took over.

"Gggg Grimm" he exclaimed as he went to take off and hide.

"I'm not here to cause problems, I need information" spoke the man softly as he slowly approached the counter.

Placing something down before Freddy he backed off and smiled calmy making Freddy strangely feel at ease. Taking the object Freddy was taken back at what he saw. Wrapped in a plain cloth was a small, faded crest hand painted on what looked like papyrus.

"So, Will it be as before?" asked Freddy as he watched the stranger in the doorway.

"So Shall it be so again" he answered, Freddy's heart pounded as he nodded and indicated for the man to approach.

"you are Laufer?" The stranger nodded as he took back his artefact with a smile, Freddy began relaxing somewhat.

"Frederick Calvert, you can call me Freddy" said Freddy as he took a chance offering the stranger his hand, the stranger took it and while smiling spoke.

"Nicholas Burkhardt, most call me Nick though. I need some information; I was supposed to meet with Sam Bertram he had an artefact that worried him greatly. He asked specifically for the presence of a Grimm due to the nature of the artifact. When I arrived, I was too late, his body was still walm, but his spirit had long departed. The shop was ransacked, and my artifact was missing...."

"Skalengecks" interrupted Freddy making Nick look at him with both interest and confusion.

"The last few weeks a group of two possibly three Skalengeck's have been ransacking business's, petty crime stuff. Junkies, small time criminals, they even hit my shop a few weeks ago" he added angerly as Nick pushed off from his resting place and unfurled his arms, his face change become a little harsher as he looked at Freddy making his shudder.

"J?" he asked more like a statement them a question making Freddy stutter and nod.

"Legal or not, clear your stock of it. If I see any evidence of it being sold I will..."

"I will be gone; I'll clear it out now. Just stuff to help people from now on" stutter Freddy nervously as he fumble for his keys to open his stock room.

"Good now I'll head out and see what I can find out about these Skalengeck's, you spoke of. I'll be back later. Thank you for your help, Freddy have a good day" with that Nick slipped his hood up and slipped out into the early morning streets.

Freddy who had been pushing himself up against the wall let out a deep breath, before sliding down it and thanking all that was holy that he'd lived through what had only been an hour interaction but had felt like a lifetime. He couldn't believe it he'd been mere feet from a living breathing nightmare made flesh, the Grimm though cool and calm had been open and welcoming too. He'd listened to Fredy and treated him like an equal and not something beneath him.