Confidence [The Mortal Instruments] {Rewritten}

III Alec's P.O.V

Pain... that was the first thing I felt as soon as I woke up, a burning pounding at the back of my head preventing rest.

"Mr. Alec!" Every thought of resting flew out of my head as I heard the panicked exclamation of my future son.

"Rafael," I groaned, trying to incorporate myself. I had help from an unknown pair of hands, but I didn't pay them much attention, preferring to concentrate on my little boy. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"No," Rafael answered softly,shaking his head slowly. Then he crawled onto my lap and snuggled into my chest. "I was afraid, but these kind Downworlders helped me out," he told me.

It was then when I noticed our companions: a pair of faeries, one witch, three werewolves, and one vampire. All looking worn out, hungry, and edgy. "What happened?" I demanded to know as kindly as I could in this situation; being held as hostages wasn't a pleasant experience for anyone.

"I was wandering around on my own one day when a group jumped on me," answered the witch. "Then I woke up in this cold and dark basement with these handcuffs. They are of a special type, so I can't use my magic. The same happened to the rest."

"Is anyone hurt... badly?" I asked them, wanting to know if anyone was in dire need of a doctor or a Silent Brother.

"No," they all replied, and I sighed, grateful for the little mercies.

"What is going on?" The vampire demanded grumpily, surely hating his current position.

I didn't want them to panic or spread rumors that could lead to a war between Shadowhunters and Downworlders, but I also didn't want to lie. So, I did what I do best—I was honest. I told them everything: about my family's suspicions, the failed attempts of this terrorist group, the kidnapping of Rafael, how my family and I had to split up to cover more ground in the search for Rafael, and how I was paralyzed by a warlock's magic and then knocked down by a Nephilim.

"Damn it! You guys really have it hard," a werewolf commented. "It's been almost three years have passed since you all went to Hell, and now you are trying to stop a terrorist group."

"Tell me about it," I replied with a dry chuckle. "But that isn't important right now; we have to get out of here."

"We had already tried everything, and nothing had worked," lamented a tired faerie.

"Did you try to work together?" I asked, smiling in triumph when they looked at me confused. "Does anyone know the routine of the guards? When do they have a change? Or at what time do they leave the food? Or if they ever enter the cell?"

"They leave food at twelve o'clock and have a change of guards at one o'clock; the new guard never comes until fifteen minutes later," answered... Rafael. We all looked at him surprised. "What?" he asked defensively, sounding like a kid at our shocked looks. "I got bored."

"I bet you did," I laughed,hugging him tighter.

He will be a magnificent Shadowhunter, I thought proudly.

"Every day they come at two o'clock to get one of us and interrogate us," continued another werewolf. "Everyone but Rafael. It's good to know that they have at least a bit of consciousness."

"They kidnapped Rafael to get to us;if that is consciousness, I fear for the world," I snorted, but then got serious again. "Look, tomorrow I will bait them as much as I can to get them to choose me for interrogation. I would have already used the fifteen minutes between the change of guards to manipulate a utensil to free myself from these handcuffs. When they think that I am unable to fight because of them, I'll knock them out and get the keys to free the rest of us. Then we will use a location spell to get out of here and to Lightwood Manor. What?" I asked, confused when I saw their awed gazes at me.