Deranged

Chapter XIV: A Reunion

I am honestly so sorry for this late update! We have a problem with communication lately, and it seems as if we are down by one author. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this chapter! It's in the perspective of Hamza, but is written by Hana. I promise to have the next chapter up by this Friday.

Orange light filtered into the sky, signaling the beginning of a new day. And with new days come new opportunities.

From atop, Hamza watched as Maximus found his way around the maze of the dark, silent alleys. Quietly, he chuckled to himself, and then fell from a fire escape to drop an inch in front of the Shadowhunter.

"For Pete's sake!" Maximus blurted out, taking a step back with an annoyed expression.

Hamza grinned. "Sorry, Nephilim. I was just wondering how it felt to be forced into terror." He realized there was a hint of bitterness in his voice but he couldn't care less. "Why did you ask me to meet you?"

Maximus crossed his arms and stood there for a while. It seemed like minutes; it seemed like seconds. They stood there with locked eyes, Hamza's distant and cold, and Maximus with a gaze that could pierce metal straight to its core. Hamza noticed that he was stiff, less comfortable around the vampire.

Slowly, he opened his mouth and spoke. "You took one of us, didn't you?" Seeing Hamza raise his eyebrow, he cut him off. "Don't deny it, vampire."

Hamza realized the Shadowhunter was clearly worried, even if he tried hard to conceal his unease.

He sighed and laughed quietly. Hamza never quite understood the patriotism of Nephilim. "Oh, don't talk about such grave topics, little Maximus." But he couldn't help but think the eerie absence of wind made him feel as if there was something grave to talk about.

Hamza noticed that Maximus' jaw was set and his hands were clenched at his sides. "There is no reason not to. We did nothing to harm you. Nothing." He took a breath, "Why would you harm us? You know the Shaman is not telling the truth. He never does. Just tell me where Husni is. He won't know you did."

Hamza raised his chin. "It's too late; he refused to give information to the Shaman. Husni Morgenchild has passed."

This seemed to hit Maximus as if a werewolf had rammed head-first into his chest. Why was he so stunned? Maximus was not even from around Chicago; he couldn't possibly be so close to this boy. He couldn't have possibly been so close to the boy.

"What am I supposed to tell them?" Maximus demanded. "That there's a dangerous person to be afraid of? That the small amount of peace we had is being threatened?"

Hamza stood there silently. Each word felt like a blow to his gut. And slowly, the pieces came together. Yasen was not trying to build a better world. He was trying to build a world belonging to himself.

"By whom?"

Hamza whirled around; how had he not heard someone coming? The two scanned the area up and down, but there was no one other than themselves in sight.

"Who's there?" Hamza demanded. He started towards the dark street where he recalled the voice came from, but was too late to flinch away from the clutch of the newcomer. In a second, a knife was held against his throat.

Hamza tried not to laugh; he knew he could escape from this person's grip easily, but he complied as he was forced to return back to Maximus.

"Ham- Hana?" Disbelief laced itself into Maximus Earhart's voice.

"Is this how you get your information? From a vampire? Alone?" Judging from the voice, it definitely sounded like a female. Hamza rolled his eyes. He hated captivity. With a quick jerk of his body, he managed to take control of the knife in less than a second and held her in the same position he was in just a moment ago.

Max held up his hands. "Leave her alone." Despite his submissive posture, it was easy to recognize the warning glint in his eyes. 

"I don't obey your commands," Hamza snapped, and his grip on the girl tightened. He could have sworn he heard her snarl.

Even though Hana was held tight against her will, and a knife was piercing into her skin, she still managed to scold the Shadowhunter. "I can't believe you would ask the murderer whether or not he killed someone! I thought you were smarter than that, Maximus!"

"I trust him. Besides, he didn't kill Husni! He just - he has information."

The faltering in Max's voice surprised Hamza. He realized Max was trying to hide the fact that Hamza was the enemy's right hand.

"Let go of me." She tried to jerk away from his hold, and Hamza was too bored to struggle. He released her and threw her knife to the side. Hana turned back to the vampire, refusing to look at Max any longer.

Although her face was covered with anger, and a layer of sweat coated her skin, Hamza could still recognize her.

The vampire smiled a bit. "Ah, an old friend. Nice to see you again."