I groan when I heard a knock on my door. I yawn and stretch-out my arms and legs before checking the clock beside my bed and noticed that I've been asleep for twelve hours straight.
After that mission we had — Dot, the Silent Brothers, then the vampires, not to mention the work-out I had, and the reports I made that morning, it drained all my energy to a pulp. I didn't even know how exhausted I was until I laid on bed.
"Come in." my door then opens. Alec enters my room and walks towards the bed "Good morning...or afternoon, rather-- possibly evening-- what time is it again?" I asked him while rubbing my eyes.
"It's evening." he answered then place a soft kiss on my forehead "Jace needs us. He has a lead on the Mortal Cup."
"Let me take a quick shower then I'll come find you." I swirl out of bed then head to my bathroom. When I notice Alec is following me, I turn around to face him "What are you doing?"
"You said you're going to take a shower." he denoted. He's flirting with a serious face.
"I said I'm going to take a quick shower." I corrected him, emphasizing a word "You can't come in."
"Why not?" again with the serious face.
"Alec."
"We'll be quick..." he said as he pushes me inside, locking the door "...oh, we'll be quick, alright."
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"Magnus Bane's involved?" my greet as I enter the study hall where Jace and Clary are.
I heard about a Magnus Bane before. He's the warlock who have helped Raphael during his...transition. He's kind of like a father-figure to him.
"I think so." Clary answered "Back at the hotel, that vampire Camille, practically accused him of stealing my memories."
"Where did you hear that?" I asked.
"Mundie."
"Simon."
Jace and Clary answered in chorus.
"When Simon told Camille someone took my memories back at the Hotel DuMort, she blamed Magnus Bane." Clary furtherly explained "Besides, I keep having these dreams where this guy is with my mom, and she tells him to protect me."
"You mean like, you're seeing memory fragments?" Jace query, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Yeah, but..." Clary sighs in frustration "...they're not making sense."
"Whatever. Why didn't you tell me about that?" Jace exclaims.
"Because Jace, practically four days ago I didn't even know this world existed." Clary retorted back "Let alone that my dream is real."
"Magnus' magic is too powerful, he can invade even the Silent Brothers." I softly spoke, chiming in "If he's really the warlock that took your memories... he could be the key to everything."
"People are risking their lives to help me get my memories back, but there might not be anything there." Clary said as she sits on the arm rest of a bench "I might not remember anything that will lead to the Mortal Cup... or my mom."
"Clary..." Jace move and stood closer to her "...believe me when I tell you that finding your memories is our only shot at getting the Mortal Cup back."
"But-" Clary starts.
"Look at me..." Jace interrupted "I'm willing to take that chance with you."
Wow... there is so much chemistry swirling around here, I can practically hear birds singing.
Izzy's entry in the room interrupted us "Guys, the Mundie's leaving."
"Simon? He can't leave." Clary stood up.
"He can and he is. Unless you want me to tie him down and restrain him?" Izzy humored, nonchalantly "Just a heads up, I can't do it gently."
"I have to stop him." Clary rolls her eyes at her before running out the room.
"Alec and Hodge are ready for us in the conference room, by the way." Izzy smiled as if nothing happened.
"Tell them we'll be late a bit." Jace sighs in irritation "How can one mundane be such a pain in the ass? Come on, Madds."
Jace and I rush out of the study hall and follow Clary to the Ops. Simon is seen in the exit way, about to leave.
Simon's supposed to be in the Infirmary, healing until the vampire blood in his system faded. He has bite marks inside his lower lips to what I assumed whoever it was, they were kissing when he got bitted. It was also seen in his culture result that he has vampire venom in him.
For mundane having vampire venom in them, they'll feel kind of high... kind of like they're in love with the one who bit them. Simon might see things that aren't real...hallucinate.
"Simon, what are you doing?" Clary hastily rushes to Simon.
"I already told Izzy that they can't keep me prisoner here." Simon pointed angrily at us.
"Prisoner? Wait, what-- Simon!" Clary moved in front of him to stop him when he started walking out again "Where are you going?"
"I'm going home, Clary. And if you haven't already completely drunk in their Kool-Aid then you're coming with me." Simon referred to the medicine drink we offered him this morning.
That blue drink evades symptoms of hallucination to bitten mundanes. This particular drink has a strong medication that the first sip will leave a strong bitter flavor down the throat, but the aftertaste is very sweet.
Speaking of which, Simon should've had another drink by now. I'm kind of surprise he's still making sense.
"You know I can't." Clary defied.
"Yes, you can, it's..." Simon bout back "...it's not safe here."
That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
"In fact, this is the safest place she could possibly be." Jace countered with a smirk.
Exactly.
"You don't get to talk to me, Captain America." Simon yells, angrily.
"Considering I'm the guy with weapons, I get to say what I want." Jace continue to ridicule which send Simon to his breaking point.
"Jace."
"Okay, come at me, bro!"
Me and Simon expresses in unison.
"Oh, yeah?" Jace derided, ignoring me as Simon angrily approached towards him.
"Yeah!" Simon shout.
Jace and Simon were about to meet in the middle to brawl, but Clary and I stop them. Because of the yelling and screaming, everybody in the Ops had their attention to us.
"Jace, that's enough!" I raised my arm on Jace's chest.
"Stop! Stop! What is your problem?" Clary moved between us, pushing Simon back.
"He's my problem! He's just like Kirk Duplesse from high school. Do you remember him? Total jerk with the square jaw. Smelled like body spray, always bullying people." Simon noted raising his voice up "Why don't you do your own homework just once, yeah?"
I think it's safe to say we don't know what Simon's talking about, but the look on his face says a lot about trauma. I empathize with him... and so as Jace.
"Simon, calm down. You have to get back to the Infirmary." I gently rationalized.
"I can take care of myself." Simon defiantly stated.
Simon turns around and stomps his way out the Institute.
"I'm not saving his ass a second time." Jace uttered when Clary gaze at him.
And Jace empathy is gone.
"Really, Jace?" Clary spat before she followed Simon outside.
I stare angrily at Jace until he notices me "What?"
I rolled my eyes at him before I follow our guests outside. Sound of footsteps closely trail behind me.
We can't let Clary out of our sight now, especially the Circle is looking for her.
Heading out, Simon and Clary are having silent conversation by the end of the stairs. I lean my side in the entrance column while Jace stood beside me as we waited for them to come back inside. To no avail, Simon walked out leaving Clary behind.
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"Magnus Bane..." Pa immediately announced as Jace, Clary, and I entered the conference room "...he's over three hundred years old and as you can see, he's not exactly shied away from the pleasures of every century." he send the files from his tome to the monitor for us to look as Clary and I took sits. Jace opted to stand "His taste are both exquisite and quite excessive."
"He looks like the Downworld's David Guetta." Clary voiced out.
"Guetta's already a downworlder." Izzy informed which stunned Clary "Vampire? Ever seen him in the daylight?"
"Can you two focus?" Alec snapping at them "This is not a joke."
"Someone needs to get laid." Izzy mocked which cause me to grin as I remember earlier.
"Magnus is one of the most powerful Warlocks I've ever known." Pa chimed in, halting childish interferences "He has a deep mistrust of shadowhunters."
"Well, then why did he help my mom removed my memories?" Clary asked "Isn't she a Shadowhunter?"
"Yes, one of the best." my father answered "But help might not be the most accurate word. Now, did Magnus provide a service for Jocelyn? Perhaps. But more than likely, your mother paid Magnus handsomely for his magic."
"Warlock usually require payment before they help anyone with anything." Jace said as he took a seat next to Alec.
"Word from the Clave is that most of the warlocks have gone into hiding since Valentine began hunting them." Alec added.
"Valentine must be searching for the warlock, where Jocelyn-" Pa stopped himself as his rune started to burn. I put my hand on the table and looked at him, worriedly.
"Hodge, your rune. You okay?" Clary worries. The burning of the rune slowly fades, resulting to my father giving Clary a nod.
Seeing his runes burn is nothing new to us. Still, it bothers me to see him in pain.
"So, how do we find Magnus?" Clary asked.
"We don't. Magnus finds us." Jace answered "We'll set up a meeting, somewhere protected to lure him out of hiding."
"And I know exactly where to do it." Izzy said, standing up and taking the tome from my father to show us a VIP Invitation.
"A downworlder rave. Nice, Izzy." Jace praises her.
"And where did you get that?" Alec asked.
"From Maddie." Izzy pointed to me and they all stare at me.
"Traitor." I mouthily said to Izzy.
"Another Downworld party, Maddie?" Pa scoffed.
"I got invited, dad...to a Downworld party that is highly exclusive. Do you know how rare that is?" I stated, quite proud.
"They could be taking advantage of you." Jace indicates.
My gaze snap to him and stare at him, ridiculously "Since when have you know me become a push over?"
"Uh..." Jace hummed like he was going to think about something. I raise my eyebrows at him "Okay, fair point."
"Any who..." Izzy broke the conversation "...according to intel, Magnus likes to party so, there's a good chance he'll be there."
"He'll never go for it." Alec countered "Not with Valentine hunting down warlocks."
"No, he will be there." Jace said, being optimistic "He'll blend in. Hide in plain sight."
"I don't know, it's seems-" Clary start.
"Trust me, if Magnus is coming out of hiding..." I interrupted Clary "...he's going to one of the biggest parties of the year."
"Never underestimate Magnus' hedonism... or his greed." my father criticized "Come with me."
We followed him outside to the training room, opening a safe from the floor. He ran his stele to unlock it, thus removing the lid and revealing a beautiful ruby necklace.
"Is that real?" Izzy asked as Pa holds the necklace in his hand.
"A four-karat, un-heated Burmese ruby." Pa narrated. Izzy admires the necklace, lovingly "This necklace has special meaning to Magnus Bane as a gift from him to his then lover, Camille Belcourt."
"Wait, Camille and Magnus were lovers?" Clary was stunned.
"It's not uncommon. Warlocks gets around." Jace informs.
I felt Alec's hand stroking a small portion on my back. He does this when the information bores him.
"Magnus bought it in 1857 for the price of his London townhouse." Papa informs "Now, the jewel is enchanted by a spell that alerts the wearer to the presence of demons."
"It's so beautiful." Izzy said as she marvels the jewel.
"Magnus has longed to reunite with this necklace. Offer it to him. He might just take the bait." Pa suggests.
"I'll send Magnus a fire message to arrange the meeting." Jace said as he heads out the training room.
"Fire message?" Clary query.
Before anybody could explain, Jace added "We have to get to Magnus before Valentine does."