WHERE WE COME ALIVE | SHADOWHUNTERS FF

SIX

Lyra felt her tense shoulders relax at that. She quirked up a small smile and nodded in agreement.

They entered the briefing room where the three others stood waiting with Hodge by the large monitors in the center of the room.

Together, they walked up to the others who'd stopped talking in their presence.

Jace was the first to greet them, more or less. "You're late." He wasn't talking to Lyra, because his eyes were directed at Henry.

Henry leaned on the table. His chin raised in a haughty manner before he pulled out his coin, and began tossing it into the air like he did the first time they'd met. "I don't remember answering to you," He hummed.

Lyra stood next to him awkwardly, while showing her awkward wave. "Sorry, it won't happen again," She promised.

Jace glanced at her and backed off from his glaring match with the other. He turned to Hodge and motioned for him to hurry. "Whatever, let's just get through this briefing," He grumbled.

Alec and Isabelle stayed quiet, though their hard expressions showed that they meant business tonight.

Hodge began by flipping the monitor to show them a map of a block. His fingers tapped on the screen and widened the eagle view to show shabby apartments and old buildings. "We've been getting disturbances throughout the week of Ravener's snooping around this area, just a few blocks away from the Institute. We don't know what they're after, only that they have taken up shop in one of these abandoned buildings. It's a classic case of nesting and infestation. Your assignment is simple—take out the nest," He explained.

"What are they after?" Lyra frowned.

Ravener's—grotesque little vermin with their multiple legs and slimy bodies. They were low level demons, but as usual, where there were a group of ravener's, there was a puppet master pulling the strings.

"It doesn't matter." Jace paced by the monitor, already amped up. "We take those out, then whoever called them here will go running. We clean out and it'll go smoothly," He said.

"Until you get in my way again," Henry chided with a taunting smirk.

Jace opened his mouth to refute this, until Alec nudged his arm. "Enough, Jace. We have to focus," He shared a momentary glance with Henry, and instantly, Henry's face grew angry but he stayed silent.

"Alec's leading the mission," Isabelle said while glancing between Henry and Jace with an excited glint in her eyes, "We can fill you in on the rest. Should we go?" She turned with her brunette locks flaring for a moment across her back. She strutted her way to the elevator.

Henry caught his coin in hand and moved to follow after her. He glared toward Alec as he passed, before he whistled in a calling manner.

Alec had to bend back as the small mass of shadow and a flutter of wings darted forward.

The raven sat atop of Henry's left shoulder, cawed at them, then flew off again.

Henry looked to Hodge. "Take care of him while I'm gone," He ordered, then walked off.

Lyra moved after him, muttering an apology towards Alec as she squeezed past him and jostled down the hall to the elevator with the others.