SENTINELS | Alec Lightwood²

ONE

The investigative research team of the Chicago Insistute had requested an immediate response to a patrol command at specified coordinates.

40.7037° N, 73.9823° W

Reports of suspicious activity connected to Case #003876. Immediate reach expected. Update is mandatory by 16:00.

"This is May's mission command," Izzy muttered.

"How did you get this?" Alec snapped. He stomped over, swiping the note into his hands.

"She sent it to me."

"Why?"

Cameron blinked at him for a second. He was tall. May mentioned it many times before but having him loom over his figure like he was measly 5'4 or something made him fix his posture.

"Because she's my parabatai." He pulled up his sleeve, revealing a rune printed on his skin, on the inner flesh of his wrist. "And I think she's in danger."

Lydia looked the boy over. She knew of him. Heard about his connection with the Stoneharts, just as many others did. He was almost seen as a traitor himself after Aisling killed herself. If it wasn't for the fact he was a valuable Clave member, who didn't know any better. "Cameron Karlyle, Centurion of the Chicago Institute."

"That's right, Ma'am."

Alec shook his head. "May lost her runes. Yours should be gone too."

"It was gone... it came back."

Magnus hummed in curiosity, wanting to take a closer look at it. He took a step forward, meeting the man's eyes. With a gentle hand he look it over. "It's real. No doubt about that."

Cameron nodded, sending the warlock a curious grin before turning back to the group. "We send each other our mission command's in case something like this goes wrong. We only trust each other at the Chicago Institute."

Alec's eyes looked him over skeptically. "And you think she's in trouble?"

"It's been gone for hours and I haven't even gotten a sign that she's safe. No fire message, no call from a landline-- nothing, and this rune... it means she tried to use it. She's out there trying to contact me."

"Then why isn't the Chicago Institute sending out people?" Isabelle asked.

"Because they never sent May on a patrol mission. Actually, they haven't heard from Mayla in hours. Her stele is untrackable and I can't feel her through my rune." Cameron said with a shaky voice, the thought making his skin crawl. "She's officially been announced as a missing suspect."

"What?!" Alec asked, his shoulder squaring like a beast. His anger fuming like fire.

"Suspect?" Lydia asked. "Why wasn't I made aware of this?"

Cameron looked over at the blonde in a pants suit and blond ponytail. Man, did Mayla describe the people in her life accurately. "I'm not sure. But they've been keeping many people out of the loop since Mayla joined the Chicago Institute. They've been lying."

"The Clave? Lying? Never." Magnus muttered to himself.

Alec sent the warlock a look. "A suspect of what? What do they think she did?"

Cameron rested his hands on his hips exasperatedly at the thought. "Finally joined Valentine and his cause."

"What?"

Izzy sighed, leaning on the table. Of course, they would think that. Why would they trust an all-powerful being they can't control? That was never how the Clave worked.