Distractions

Three: Creepy Places Galore

Everest watched as the blonde boy fought and killed the strange man who had come from the bushes. 'That must have been what I heard,' she thought bitterly. 'I shoulda thrown them harder.'

She had no idea why the man called Clary, 'Fairchild', or why he only addressed her, as if Everest didn't exist. As Clary ran towards the blonde yelling "Jace", Everest stared at the body, hand at her hip, reaching for the weapon that wasn't there. Everest tuned out the first part of the conversation, tuning in when Simon stated the obvious.

"And here I thought that you became immortal after having your spleen, kidneys, and stomach all destroyed." She shook her head. "Of course that's a dead body, Rat Boy."

The blonde boy, presumably Jace, chuckled, but Simon ignored her comment. The boys argued, trying to get Clary to trust and follow them, but Clary just looked at her.

She put her hands up, shaking her head in denial. "Don't look at me. I'm not gonna get involved in this. I'll just follow you." There was no way Everest was going to make this choice for her older sister.

"Clary. Clary, come one. We have to go," Simon pleaded.

"Simon," Clary started, and Everest knew which boy she had chosen. "I think Jace can help us."

Clary ignored Simon's protests. "Come on."

The other three started walking towards the church, but Everest stopped.

"Uh, Ritz?" Clary turned around, brow raised. Everest pointed towards the van. "Can I?"

At Clary's nod, Everest darted towards the passenger seat, ignoring the curious glances thrown her way. She grabbed her backpack before opening the glove compartment. She tucked her gun into her waistband and clipped the extra magazine next to it. She walked back to the group, though she stopped again by the dead body.

She pointed at it, but before she could even open her mouth, Clary cut her off. "No. Absolutely not."

Everest pouted, but followed the three into the church. She disregarded Simon's comments as she gazed around at the sight in front of her. There were people milling around, screens and technology filling the front room. To one side, there were training rooms and to the other there were countless hallways and doors that led who knows where. As she stared, she barely noticed Jace take her and Simon's hands until Simon started protesting.

"Buddy, what's going on, man? I'm not your type, man. I don't even..." Everest snickered lightly at his panic. Had she not known Simon was straight as a sewing pin, she would have assumed he was panicking for a different reason.

"Woah, where the hell are we? Clary is there a war I don't know about?" It's almost like Simon could only now see the building, Everest thought with a slight frown.

"There is now." Jace started towards one of the screens.

"And I think our mother's at the center of it." Clary followed after him.

"Wow. What a way to announce a war. I might borrow that one," Everest mumbled as she pulled Simon after the two. What Clary said wouldn't fully register in her mind until much later.

Everest ignored her friend's constant questions as she leaned against a table. She took out her notebook and tried to find a blank page. The purple haired girl sighed as she saw there was only one more page left. She'd really have to get another soon.

"Your thing? You guys have a thing?" Everest facepalmed at how jealous Simon sounded.

"He means a Shadowhunter thing. That's what they do, protecting humans from demons." Clary watched something on the screen that Everest couldn't see.