Warning - Use of strong language
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*Lunch time*
"....so we're striking that off as well." Luke's voice reached Alec's ears as they sat on the dining table, noticing the four agents of their family sitting in the living area, discussing the case while a bunch of stuff was scattered on the coffee table.
"Have they eaten anything since morning?" He asked.
"I'm afraid not," Simon said. "I've tried so much to make them eat, heck even breathe but since the time Clary gave that ultimatum they have become superhuman. I swear, this case is going to give all of us nightmares, cop or not!"
"And I've never seen my husband that desperate before." Jocelyn said, "I just hope he'll not lose himself while solving this case."
"Same, mom has gone insane." Aline chimed and Alec sighed, glancing towards the direction they were sitting.
"Are you four serious!?" He slightly raised the octave of his voice, and four of them turned towards him.
"Kiddo, you were literally the same years ago, if not worse, and in every case."
"Might be, but I always ate otherwise I was deprived of something specific if I wouldn't, and being in a relationship, you all might understand what."
"Dude, I'd prefer that than not having a partner at all," Jace said and locked eyes with Clary before jumping back into whatever he was doing.
"See, nothing works!" Simon said.
"Fine, then you people won't get Bouillabaisse that I've made because I'm not gonna make it again till the time I'm here. There'll be extra for you all now, enjoy."
"You made Bouillabaisse, big brother!? Oh my God!" Izzy yelled, and all four of them turned towards him, mouth open wide.
"Dude!" Jace looked perplexed before throwing whatever paper was in his hand on the table and rushed towards the dining area followed by the other three as well.
"So when our son's gonna make our favorite then only you'll move your asses? Do you have magic in your hand, Alec?" Robert said with a chuckle.
"At least they moved their ass and stopped torturing our couch, Robert." Maryse chimed.
"Mom! Dad!" Izzy groaned, "Can you two not!? You all know this case is important."
"But you people need to eat to have the energy to solve the case and I'm tired of running behind you like a child, Lucian!" Jocelyn said as Luke sat beside her and she smacked his head with the spoon in her hand.
"Jo!"
"Can we please eat now? We need to jump back where we left off soon and I don't want my food to get cold!" Jace said and served himself a lot of that soup earning a smack in his hand from Izzy.
"Leave for others, you idiot!"
"Izzy!"
"At least that made them eat," Patrick said, and everyone chuckled in agreement.
The group burst into chatter and everyone ate and discussed the wedding plans until Izzy's phone buzzed and she cursed loudly after checking it.
"What? Everything okay?" Alec asked.
"Yes. No. Um, no actually. Luke, it was the Indonesian Intelligence Agency, they said that the majority of those schools got shut down and their old records were burnt a year ago due to an accident. Now what?"
"We still have many schools left and if we had to, we will go beyond the law. We need to find that killer or impersonator, whoever he is, as soon as possible!"
"Are you serious about going beyond the law, Luke?" Jace asked.
"Yes, if that's what it'll take."
"What in the world are you people talking about?" Maryse asked.
"Izzy found that this specific way of slitting the throat is a part of a surgery mainly popular with vascular biologists and scientists since she had a little background in surgery." Jace said, "Since that Intan Ginting was Indonesian, we are checking all the universities and schools in Indonesia who had courses in that field."
"You people are certain it's that Intan guy? My wife shot him." Patrick said.
"There's a way in science, a condition, where some people can hold their breath for a minimum of 15 minutes and a max of an hour," Izzy said. "We are speculating that could have been the case."
"Wasn't he shot in the head, though?" Clary asked.
"We have to try all the possibilities, kiddo." Luke said, "Even if it feels impossible."
"By far we have found at least 200 schools in Indonesia that offer that course, and in illegal ways too." Jace said, "If it's not that Intan then it has to be someone related to him. Otherwise, why go after the families of those victims?"
"But Jace, that's a lo-" Before Clary could complete her sentence, Magnus started coughing loudly, while rubbing his hand over his chest.
"Love!" Alec exclaimed while rubbing his hand on Magnus' back.
"Magnus, are you okay?" Maryse asked.
"*Cough* I ate a large piece *cough* of crab meat *cough* *cough*. I think I'm gonna puke, excuse me!" Magnus said and rushed towards their room.
"I'll go check on him. Sorry." Alec said and rushed after his husband, certain that, that wasn't the case at all and was proven right when he noticed Magnus pacing in their room, having fear visible on his face.
"I suspected so," Alec whispered, making sure no one else was coming as well. "Those four are being way too best for their own good. We still have the upper hand, babe. You have the inside information."
"That's not what it's about darling," Magnus said. "My name is registered as Magnus Bane in that school, with my picture too. Those schools have the policy to have a yearbook of every student performing surgery on animals and humans. If they'll see that, it's... it'll be all over then. It won't take time for them to-"
"Hey, calm down! Calm down, babe!" Alec rushed towards his husband and rubbed his arms who was trembling badly. "Calm down! Nothing like that will happen and we will make sure of that, okay?
Izzy said that the majority of those schools got shut down with their records burnt down, let's hope yours was one of them. If not, then we'll figure out another way, but they're not gonna find out anything about you, okay?"
"I'm scared, Alexander. I-"
"You don't want to see hatred in the eyes of the ones you love for you. Your family, our family. I get it, I am too babe. I don't know what I'll do if Mom finds out I... quit my job to.. choose the path of a crime. That I'm the accomplice of The Perfectionist. But what I do know is that I'll never leave your side, no matter what. We're in this together, love."
"What have I done to deserve you?" Magnus said, and rested their foreheads together, leaning into him.
"Oh please, babe. Stop with that." Alec said, feeling the warmth rushing throughout his face.
"But how are we going to make sure if my school is on their investigation list or not?"
"Leave that to me. I know for a fact that when my sister starts babbling about something she loves, she couldn't stop. And this seems to be her area of interest. Besides, I led that case, so they'll be more than happy if I show any kind of interest."
"Alright, I hope nothing goes wrong."
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*Evening time*
"Oh come on! Put that show back!" Helen whined when Simon snatched the remote and changed the channel to put some other channel that was running a Marvel movie.
"Nope!"
Magnus sighed, leaning back on the couch and glancing from time to time at his husband, who had been talking to the FBI group for hours now. It was only Izzy at first, but soon others joined too and they fell into deep conversation about something.
The more time passed by, the more anxious he became. Why was it taking so long for his husband to find out?
"Oh come on, Simon! You literally can watch those on your phone or laptop!"
"So can you people!" Simon retorted.
"This is the biggest TV in this house, with all our favorite channels!" Aline shot back.
"Exactly!"
"Why are you people fighting like kids?" Alec asked as he sat beside him and his heart started racing badly.
"Because you people own the largest television in existence!" Simon said, "Now let me watch my favorite movie! And you both dare not try to snatch the remote!"
"Oh heck no, Lewis!"
Alec exhaled a deep breath, rubbing his temple as the group kept fighting over the stupid television remote. "These people, I swear!"
"Do you want me to have a heart attack!?" Magnus whisper yelled. "What happened?"
"Oh, sorry, it's burnt. You can relax. We can start looking further."
"Thank God!" Magnus said, leaning onto his husband, snuggling into his neck when Alec suddenly jumped up and snatched the remote from Simon's hand, making him startle.
"Darl-"
"DUDE! Weren't these two enou-"
"Shut up!" Alec said authoritatively, quickly changing the channel backward to the one that appeared a few seconds ago while those people were doing tug of war with the remote.
"Darling what's-"
"Wait!" Alec said sternly again, making others who were busy with planning the wedding stop and direct their attention to him.
"What's going on?" Maryse asked.
Once Alec found the channel he was looking for, Magnus realized that it was a news channel and his husband quickly increased the volume, catching everyone's attention.
Yes, you heard that right. The Perfectionist has struck again, is it the same person who died five years ago? We don't know, as the NYPD and FBI haven't given any statements. Though what's strange is that, unlike the last two attacks, which were on the families of the previous victims, this time its victims are completely new people.
This time, The Perfectionist has brutally murdered, Henric Penhallow, Rodrick Penhallow, William Herondale, and shocking again a woman, Imogen Herondale.
Why is he attacking groups this time, what is his motive? And why is our police not doing anything.......
"What the fuck!? Uncle Henric?" Aline stared at the screen as others gathered around the living area, everything else forgotten.
"That bastard was a fucking monster, so I'd say good riddance." Patrick said, "And Henric wasn't behind. Though why them? I don't think they knew Asmodeous or any of those people. Jia?"
"I'm wondering the same." She said and exchanged looks with Luke, Izzy, and Jace.
"I... I know William and Grandm... Imogen... were corrupt and..."
"Jace..." Alec rubbed his brother's arm, and so did Izzy.
"And... a stain on the name of FBI and human... they.. they were monsters... who walked freely after murdering my parents..."
"Jace.. hey..." Alec hugged his brother as tears fell on his face.
"I'm okay..." Jace cleared his throat, gently pushing Alec back. "I don't know how to feel... but.. how are they related to those fifteen victims?"
"What if they're not?" Alec said, "Doesn't this unrelated murder prove you people are searching for an impersonator?"
"But he has still murdered the families of Oliver and Malcolm?" Izzy said desperately.
"What were their surnames again?" Patrick asked.
"Swift and Fade. But why Patrick?" Jia questioned.
"Fade. I remember listening to this surname from Henric's mouth a few times." He said, and the investigators exchanged looks.
"So someone is using the same technique of The Perfectionist to murder... what.. corrupt officials? Who are involved in exactly what?" Luke said and rubbed his temple. "This brings us back to square one. Damn it!" He threw his hands in frustration and Jocelyn carefully rubbed his back.
"So now what? All our research goes to nothing. Where to start now, Luke?" Izzy asked.
"With figuring out how these people knew each other. Maybe it could lead us to the supposed next victim of this impersonator, and we can figure out why he's killing them. We can set a trap that way. Jace, if you're okay with...."
"You don't have to ask. I'll look into gran... Imogen's history."
"I'll come with you," Izzy said.
"Jia."
"Let's go, Luke. We shouldn't waste even a second now." Jia said, and they all grabbed their gear and left the house.
"This just got super tense." Simon said, "Umm, game room anyone?"
"Not us. We'll be in our room." Alec said, grabbed his hand, and started walking as the chatters behind them started fading.
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"Well, this took a turn," Alec said after locking the door. "Do we still need to-"
"Yes," Magnus said immediately, rubbing his hands and moving to and fro while sitting on the edge of the bed. "Yes, Alexander. I still have a strong gut feeling that this is related to them. I don't know what they'll find, but whatever it is, we need to find it first. I'm... I'm having a weird feeling about that person, the killer."
"What do you mean, babe?"
"I don't know how to explain but... I'm not sure anymore that, that person is a psychopath or killing innocents. I don't want to end that person anymore. I don't.. I don't know, Alexander. The more we're getting into this, the more I'm.. I'm having this weird feeling of... of..."
"Hey..." Alec knelt in front of his husband and cupped his face. "Calm down. Hmm.. what do you want to do now? How are we going to find that person? Are we going to investigate those schools?"
"That'll take forever, Alexander. I'm not sure anymore. Fucking hell!" Magnus fisted the sheets, and Alec gently placed his palms over them.
"Calm down, love. Alright, let's look at it this way. If you're saying it's connected then Asmodeous might know these people in some way. Maybe through some kind of corrupt or illegal operation that we didn't care to research about."
"I..." Magnus groaned.
"Focus Magnus. I know you want to end this soon but for that, we need to figure out what this person wants, okay?"
Magnus nodded and leaned into his touch. "Thank you so much, Alexander. Thank you." He whispered and locked their lips in a soft kiss.