BACK AT the Institute Indiana paced. Things weren't going well. Simon had been kidnapped and Raphael had noticed her.
"What was that back there. How did the vampire know you?" Jace asks Indiana angrily, a bout of possessiveness taking over him despite knowing the girl for only a few days. He had heard of the pull of an unmated Omega but never felt it in till now.
"Look, I wasn't completely truthful about my knowledge of the shadow world." Indiana started, a guilty look appearing on her face,
"I didn't know about Shadowhunters or Downworlders but I did know about vampires." She looked down almost ashamed of herself for not telling the blond and brunette sooner. It was like disappointing them physically hurt her.
"How?" Is all Alec said,
"I had a thing with one of them." She mumbled,
The two boys breathed out deeply about to berate the girl before Clary interrupted.
"I still don't understand. How can Shadowhunters be better than than what you people call mundanes?" The smaller redhead shoots her twin a thankful glance, eager to have the attention off her.
"Because we protect humans." Izzy states,
"You're right. Humans. You protect humans. You left Simon all alone in the van. Great job, guys. You rock." Clary rants shooting a pointed look at the guilty Lightwood girl,
"There is some truth to the idea that human beings should have a modicum of common sense." Alec protects his sister from Clarys harsh words.
"Alec, not now." Indiana whispers as she grabs his hand gently in the hopes of calming him down.
"Look, they won't do anything to Simon. They just wanted to draw you out. They want the Cup, and they think you have it." Jace explains to both the emotional twins but keeps his gaze on Indiana to reassure her that Simon would be okay.
"But why do they think that? Why does anyone think that? What, my mom lies to me my entire life except, 'Oh, by the way, there's this magic cup, I hid on, like, the planet Bongo, but don't tell anyone.' What am I supposed to do now?" Clary rants earning a harsh look from Indiana.
"Look we don't know where the cup is but Clary stay calm and listen to these guys. They know how to help."
She may not have been part of this world long but she understood that this cup was very important and not to be mocked.
"We have to report to the Clave." Alec sternly says looking directly at Jace,
"I understand that but how does that help Simon?" Indiana uncharacteristically outbursts, the pressure of her kidnapped friend joining that of her mom was getting to her.
"They have to know we've learned about Valentine." Alec looks down as he gently explains to Indiana the importance of the new information they had just received.
"What, that he's our father? Great. Fine. Tell them. What good does that do Simon?" Clary rants shooting Alec a glare,
"Yeah I'm not sure telling the clave about daddy dearest is going to help him." Indiana agrees with her twin,
"Look, it's all connected. The vamps want the Cup." Jace stiffly says, not pleased with their attitude towards his mate.
"Why? It makes new Shadowhunters." Clary unhelpfully adds,
"Nobody wants Valentine forming an army loyal to himself. Plus, it controls demons." Alec rages at Clary tired of her stupid questions, he wants help Indi and all Indi wants to do is save Simon.
"They'll propose a trade. Simon for the Cup." Jace informs her,
"So, vampires will trade Simon for the Cup and Valentine will trade my mother for the Cup. Either way, I lose someone I love.
What if I just toss it up in the air and let them fight it out among themselves?" Clary rants selfishly.
"Clary your not the only one losing someone you love okay but you need to calm down. This cup is more important than mom or Simon or anyone. We get the cup, we kill Valentine then we focus on the rest". Indiana voice is cold as she states the facts.
"This doesn't matter to you does it?" Alec asks the pain in his side
"Yes, of course, it matters! Listen when you saved my life I put my trust in you.
Now, I need you to put your trust in me.
I can't turn into what you are overnight." Clary tries another inspirational speech to gain sympathy though all the Shadowhunters see through it,
"It's true. She was raised as a mundane." Izzy takes pity on the girl as she feels guilty for the loss of her friend,
"What are you, her spokesman now?" Alec asks his irritation rising rapidly,
"All of you shut up. We just need a plan." Indiana informs them.
"Uh, look at all this stuff, these screens.
I mean, can any of this help me find Simon? Where is he, anyway? Some kind of crypt in Transylvania?" Clary asks earning smirks from the surrounding four.
"Actually, no. They're locals.
They're at the Hotel DuMort, down in Gansevoort Street." Indiana hesitantly informs them.
"And we came back here? Why? We have to go there. Let's go, now. Come on." Clary tries to rally the group.
"We need a Clave resolution for that." Alec the practical reasons,
"The five of us can't declare war on the vamps all by ourselves." Izzy adds
"And we can't react without considering our options. Downworlders are slaves to their impulses. We're not." Alec continues.
"Alec, you can't just jump on all the Downworlders." Izzy smiles,
"Oh, that's right. Seelies have their charms, apparently." Alec teases
"As do vampires." Indiana mutters lowly, missing the tight look Alec and Jace exchange.
"Seelies?" Clarys asked the confusion showing on her face,
"Like faeries. The Fair Folk. Add pixies, nixies, elves anybody half-angel, half-demon. It's pretty much a catch-all term." Jace exaggerates,
"Izzy can tell you all about them. She's got a thing." Alec smirks
"We've all got a thing or two, don't we?" Izzy casts a look over to an oblivious Indiana and a knowing, and smirking, Jace.
"Okay, I can't listen to this. Simon's been kidnapped by vampires. I guess I'll just take care of it myself." Clary storms off towards the door,
"Clary, you're gonna get yourself killed.
Clary. Simon, too." Jace stops her.
Blocking out the conversation Indiana violently taps her phone.
Indi-'Where is Simon?'
It's not long before a response comes through,
Camille-'Here with me not so safe and sound ;)'
Camille antagonises Indiana knowing that she is in a place of power.
Indi-'I swear if you touch him your dead'
Indiana threatens causing Camille to laugh on her end of the phone, the mental image of the small redhead trying to hurt the old Vampire is vastly amusing to her.
Camille-'Don't worry I'll only hurt him a little"
She replies and Indiana's grip on her phone tightens dramatically.
Indi-'Your dead'
Indiana sends before shutting off her phone.
"We need weapons, and we can't let anyone see us get them." Alec informs them leaning forward,
"I know where to get what we need." Jace says looking directly at Indiana.
[][][][][]
Climbing out of the van, Indiana steels herself, for some reason she had always felt off kilter in graveyards.
"Whose grave is it?" Jace asks as he takes point, front and centre.
"Mary Milligan, born January 10th, 1802.
Died, January 10th, 1878." Izzy reads,
"All right, Alec, let's go." Jace demands.
"We're looking for a stash of weapons right?" Indiana clarifies,
"Here with Mrs.Milligan." Jace nods.
"Why are there Shadowhunter weapons in a churchyard?" Clary asks yet another stupid question.
"Because all of the ancient religions recognized demons. Or at least they used to. They forgot about the threat because we've been here to protect them. Typical mundane failure of imagination." Alec grumbles, a grumpy look plastered on his face and yet all Indiana can see is a cute pout.
"Are you saying we did too good a job? You just can't let up, can you?" Izzy huffs,
"You know what? Alec, why don't you go check out by the angel?" Jace rhetorically asks.
"We couldn't gear up at the Institute, but we know our ancestors left a cache around here someplace. We'll find it." Jace explains to the twins,
"I always wondered where my dad was buried. I used to wish he was still alive. Be careful what you wish for." Clary looks up at Jace biting her lip and a loud growl erupts from the back of Indiana's throat. Izzy wraps her arms around Indi's waist pulling her back gently.
Jace takes steps back from Clary and quickly turns round to hide the growing grin on his face.
"How are we even getting into the hotel?" Clary questions trying and failing to regain Jace's attention.
"I know a way in." Indiana says as she breaks off Izzy's grip and walks off to inspect gravestones looking for Mrs.Milligan.
"Jace! Indi! Izzy! Alec! I think I found it!" Clary calls the group over,
"Beloved servant? Little creepy, Who wants that on a headstone?"Indiana smiles,
"Someone who is in service to a cause greater than themselves." Alec returns a smile,
"At least she is now." Jace says clearing the dust off the stone,
"Abracadabra." He traces a rune on the tomb,
"Wait, you people actually say that?" C,sry asks Indiana groans at her sisters stupidity.
"No, Clary, they don't. How am I related to you." Indiana mumbles.
"Whoa! Where's Mrs. Milligan?" Clary exclaims as she reaches in and pulls out a seraph blade.
Alec berates Clary as Indiana looks at the cache of weapons, none seeming to stand out to her. Looking at the bracelet on her wrist that she has seen Izzy fight with she sticks with it.
"Do you see what you need in here?" Alec asks his sister seeing her not grab anything,
"No. I didn't bring my whip. I need it.
Its back at the Institute. I gotta go." Izzy replies,
"Take Clary with you, teach her how to use the blade." Alec demands and Izzy smiles as Clary looks as if she wants to protest.
The two girls walk off leaving the Alpha, his Beta and an Omega behind.
"Okay, let me show you how to use this thing. Now, it knows you're a Shadowhunter, so it wants to respond. But you have to be firm with it. Let it know who's boss. There. You make it a part of yourself and it a part of you. Now, the bracelet never breaks. It's saying you belong together." Jace starts as he grabs Indiana's arm and the bracelet starts to unravel.
"I'm all for trying something new, but dating a weapon I'm not too sure." Indiana jokes, trying to rid the three of the intense atmosphere, the heat of the two body's closing in on her putting her off as she and Jace crack the whip together, it sending off a bout of angelic force.
"Cause you're part angel, Little Red like all Shadowhunters. You understand?" Alec finishes.
"Not even a little." She breathes out.
"You'll get there. It's not something you understand in your mind. It's something you know because it's pulsing through your body. It's in your blood." Alec speaks into her ear as she lifts up her arm and the whip crackles through the air for a second time.
"Could I even do this without you two?" She whispers.
"You just did." The mates speech in unison.
"But it felt like you were still with me." She looks up at them both
"We are." Jace starts,
"We will be." Alec finishes.
"Are you ready?" Alec asks as Indiana recoils the serpent around her wrist,
"I'm ready." She confirms,
"You look ready." Jace adds.
[][][][][]
"You guys wanna kill time at a biker bar?" Indiana smirks as she walks, sandwiched between the two boys.
"We can't move on the vamps until sunrise.
Plus, there's something I need in here." Jace explains as they make their way into the bar.
"What a fucking drink? I know I could use one after all the shit that's happened in my life recently." Indiana laughs before Jace answers.
"I don't drink." His voice is serious though all three of them know it's a lie.
"Look as much as I would love to get wasted
we need to save Simon, not hang around a bunch of posers." Indiana explains causing both Alec and Jace to laugh at her.
"Guys, it's not funny." Indiana shoves then both jokingly,
"It's kinda funny Little Red." The boys exchange a look over her head.
"Shouldn't you be teaching me to kill vampires or something? Like I know I'm already a real life Indiana Jones but I could use a few lessons." She teases
"What's Indiana Jones?" Alec asked eliciting a outraged look from Indi.
"We are watching that when we have time." She states leaving no room for argument.
"Do me a favour angel. Look over there. What do you see?" Jace pulls the conversation back to the topic at hand, Indiana's heart flutters at the new nickname.
"A lot of people. Waitress, people making out. Wait vampires feeding!" It shocks Indiana as she sees the flip in reality.
"There are layers to reality. You can peel them away. See the Shadow World." Jace furthers,
"Check out that guy. He's got something." Jace smirks,
"What? An STI?" Indi raises her eyebrow at him,
"Now, now." Alec tuts,
"Bet you can't handle his charm." Jace taunts,
"His encanto really, you though I'd fall for that. Lucky for you guys I'm a good actress." Indiana states before walking towards the man.
"Hey. I've been wondering who owns this sick bike." She smiles flirtatiously at the vampire
"Well, hey, baby. You like to ride?"The vampire smirks as he hold his right hand up in the air and twists it bringing a haze over Indiana that she fights hard and pushes back.
"You know you smell like a friggin' angel, right? But without all that Shadowhunter rune crap all over you. Much better look, right?" The vampire smiles as he shows his true appearance.
"Right." Indiana giggles as she 'agrees' with the man.
"I don't know what the hell you are, angel doll, but you're one tasty Omega." The vampires arms wrap around Indiana's waist as he pulls her in,
"Thank you." She whispers looking into his eyes.
"Do you wanna jump on the bike, baby?" The vampire mumbles into her ear from his position behind her,
"Yeah." She breathes out in fake excitement
"All right. Careful." He whispers as he manoeuvres her onto the bike she fights the bile building up in her throat as he shoves his front right on to her ass,
"Ooh, yeah." She bites her lip as he leans in.
"Hey. You having fun with our girl?" Alec snaps as he and Jace move in front of the man,
"Piss off, Shadowhunters." The vampire snarls.
"Brad's gonna take me for a ride." Indi winks at the boys,
"That's right." The vampire looks down at her smiling.
"That's not gonna happen." Alec informs him,
"You heard the lady. Step aside." Brad spits at the Shadowhunters hitting them Jace in the stomach sending back slightly,
Indiana laughs and brad joins in as he looks back at her.
"Don't move, Indi." Alec says before the vampire sends a punch, both Shadowhunters disappear from his sight.
"Yoo-hoo, Romeo." Alec gets his attention, the vampire turns round only to be punch in the face by Jace who catches the keys.
"As you were." He states before Jace jumps in front of Indiana and Alec behind her before the bike speeds out of the room.
"Better hold tight, this bike runs on demon energy. It's pretty mean." Jace tells the two behind him,
"Don't their bikes run on that, too?" Indiana asks inquisitively,
"Why do you think Jace picked this one? It's been modified." Alec explains from behind her.
Indiana suddenly becomes hyper aware of the two bodies touching her. Alec hands around her, her hands on Jace's abs. She pulls herself back to the present.
"But we still have to find-"
"Simon." All three say together
"Yes, we'll find your mundie." Jace spits out,
"You got a good grip?" Jace reiterates,
"You keep asking me that!" Indiana complains and then the bike lifts up off the ground and they are flying.
"Why didn't you just do this in the first place?" Indiana laughs.
[][][][][]
"As you know what that vamp tried to do to you back at the bar it's called encanto.
That was just the first step. It's kind of like what a cobra does to a mouse right before it strikes. This will keep you safe just in case you run into Mr. Fascinating again." Jace smirks as Alec tries to hold back a laugh.
"Give me your arm." Alec instructs,
"I'm never gonna live that down, am I?" Indiana asks,
"Probably not. No. Though I am curious as to how you did resist the encanto with no rune." Alec questions as he draws on a rune for silence and a rune for encanto on her arm.
"The vampire I was seeing was, possessive as they, and I, thought I was mundane the only way to stop an encanto was to build up a tolerance to it. It sounds harder then it is because every time they got close to my neck I saw through the encanto." Indiana dutifully explains.
"The vamps won't hear us coming, but we can't disguise the scent of our blood from them. Once we enter the building through there, they'll know something's up. But if our plan works, we'll have time to find Simon."
"The mundane world is all into vampires.
I don't get it. They see everyone else as an animated sack of meat." Jace said as he grabbed Alec's hand, walking across the gravel of the roof.
Indiana stays silent, she sees the romance of it.
"How will we find Simon?" She asks the two boys instead.
"He'll be in the most secure room in the building." Alec informs her,
"Trust me, we'll know it when we see it." Jace continues.
"What if they do an encanto on him? Will he turn into a vampire?" Indiana may have known they exist but that doesn't mean she knows everything about them.
"No, you have to drink vampire blood for that. Even then, there's more to it. It's an overly involved process, if you ask me." Alec says his voice full of disgust.
"But that doesn't make any sense. What if a vampire bites him?" The girl questions,
"They won't drain him right away. They like to take their time. Vampires are real gourmets." Jace smirks.
"He'll be terrified." Indiana whimpers,
"Actually, he'll feel kind of high, kind of like he's in love." Alec says trying to calm her
"With the one who bit him?" She asks even more panicked then before, it didn't work.
"Yeah." Jace confirms,
"It's awful isn't it." Alec states,
"It's awful? Guess I wouldn't know." Indiana says glancing from Jace to Alec.
"You've never been bitten?" Jace guesses,
"And you've never been in love." Alec gets it right.
The trio get closer to the entrance,
"What's the deal with you and that guy, anyway?" Alec questions,
"Yeah, he seems kinda-"
"Watch your mouth." Indiana cuts him off.
"Unworthy of you? How's that?" Jace smirks,
"You really think you have it all figured out don't you?" Indiana gages,
"I do." Jace steps closer,
"You don't even understand our friendship." Indiana pushes,
"Really?" Jace scoffs
"You two are parabatai, right?" She looks at them both,
"I would die for him." Alec defends,
"Now you understand me and Simon." Indiana glares before looking away.
"Sun's gonna come up soon. Remember how to use your whip? Keep your arms steady and don't overestimate what you know. They can be tricky. We'll try and keep them off you as much as we can." Jace says looking at the sky.
"Where are Clary and Isabelle?" Indi looks around.
"Being distracting." Jace smirks.
[][][][][]
The trio made their way through the building until they saw Brad.
"Indiana!" The two boys shouted before they were tackled by multiple vampires,
"You! Just ran 30 blocks to get here before I freaking burned to death in the sun! You missed your ride, angel doll." He gripped her waist tightly,
"Why'd you go with him, huh? You really know how to hurt a guy."
Indiana knees him in his crotch,
"You're right. I really do know how to hurt a guy." She spits down at him looking at Jace and Alec,
"Indi, look out!" The boys shout in unison,
"Bitch, you're finished!" He slams her against a a wall. Her bracelets unravels, she flings her wrist up catching Brad around the neck with her whip, she pulls tightly and he vaporises.
Looking up to see that Clary and Izzy has entered the room she demands,
"Let's go find Simon."
The five of them, weapons out, walk the corridor before they enter a room containing Simon and Raphael.
"Simon!" Indiana shouts, seeing the knife to his neck she rushes forward only to be held back by Alec,
"That's not gonna do any good." He informs her on what she already knows,
"Listen to him, Indiana Fairchild.
Put it away. I've had more than enough of your friend for one day. I'd love to cut his throat. Don't give me a reason. Put it away!" Raphael screams at them,
"Simon. Simon, are you all okay? Please tell me your okay!" Indiana pleaded as Clarys eyes teared up.
"I wouldn't say all right." Simon tries to answer,
"Stop talking! Now if you would all just follow me. Let's go! Come on, let's go! Up here now! That's right, get down there now! Get down there or I'll kill him right now!" Raphael shouts as he leads them down a corridor.
"Raphael look, we're not gonna hurt you.
We just want Simon." Indiana looks up at the boy she once called a friend.
"I'm glad you do. We don't! We wanted you and your sister." He taunts,
"Well, here I am." Indi leaps forward only to be caught by Jace,
"I said 'wanted'. Not my idea. Now, get out! Go!" Raphael forces,
"Not without Simon." Indiana insists, unaware that Simon watches Clary walk towards the door,
"Shut up! Open that door right now or I'll kill him right here." His threats become more frequent,
"Listen to him!" Jace shouts, Indiana's heart races in her chest, her veins go ice cold.
"But Simon will die if-" She tries again,
"Go! Go! Go!" Simon shouts,
"Go! Take him! Go!" Raphael pushes Simon forwards and Indiana pulls him into her arms.
"This is about Valentine and the chaos he can bring." Raphael answers the unasked question of why he had let Simon go,
"Indiana Fairchild! Jace Wayland! Remember who your friends are." The two nod respectively at Raphael before closing the door.
"Shouldn't we get the hell out of here?" Simon panics,
"Why, Simon?" Jace asked, irritated by the trouble one mundane has caused,
"They're right downstairs." Simon almost shouts,
"Let them come after us. They'll just turn into a bunch of fried eggs out here.
I thought you said you watch movies." Jace storms off.
Indiana tackles Simon into a hug,
"I thought you were gone." She whispers,
"I'd never leave you." He reassures her.
Clary joined their hug mumbling something about the three musketeers being back together. But Simon know where she stands now and it's then he realises how much each musketeer is like their namesake.
Pulling out of the hug Indiana rushes up the stairs towards Alec and Jace. Wrapping a hand around each of their necks she pulls them down to her height.
"Thank you." She whispers planting a gentle kiss on each of their cheeks before pulling them into a hug.