11Author's Note: Here's another chapter because of reviews. After this is the turning point (whether I stop or keep going) so please let me know if you want this story to continue.
Chapter 8
The train came to a stop and Clary jumped up, swaying a bit with the car. She took a step towards the now open doors, but a hand caught the sleeve of her shirt.
"Let us come with you," Isabelle said. "We'll share a cab and make sure you get to your friend alright."
Clary shook he head, her feet itching to get moving. "That's really nice, but I'll be fine."
She stepped out of the train car, Isabelle and Alec behind her, and began making her way to the station's exit. Isabelle looped an arm through hers, matching Clary's pace. Alec was a few steps behind, speaking into a cell phone and sounding serious. Clary couldn't make out what he was saying to the person on the other line.
"It's no trouble at all," Isabelle insisted. "Alec's just calling our friends now to let them know we'll be a little late."
Clary didn't push the issue. All that mattered was that she'd get to see Simon soon and he would be alright. He was well enough to text her what had happened, at least.
That stepped out into the dimming sunlight and towards the waiting cabs lined down the street. Clary tried to approach the closest one but Isabelle pulled her back.
"No, not that one."
A cab near the back of the line accepted a passenger and pulled away from the curb. In its place, another slid seamlessly into its spot. Isabelle let out an audible breath.
"C'mon, that one there seems alright." The tall girl practically dragged Clary by the elbow to the seemingly normal cab.
Clary slid in first, telling the cab driver which hospital to go to. He was wearing a baggy sweatshirt with the hood pulled up to conceal his head and although Isabelle and Alec seemed to have no problem with him, Clary felt her arms break out in goose bumps.
So she was getting a weird feeling from the cab driver. So what? There were other people in the cab with her and she only had to go the short distance to the hospital. She would be fine.
Magnus strolled quickly through the winding streets. He needed to reach out to the Clave as soon as possible but he also never ran anywhere. It wasn't attractive.
He never would have predicted-
But, his mind reminded him, that's what you get when you play with time.
The gate to the institute loomed only a few paces ahead. He brushed past the gate, past the doors, up the elevator and then marched the rest of the way into the library. Hodge was seated at the ornate desk as usual, not that Magnus had come to the institute enough times to know what was usual for Hodge. This was one of the greatly infrequent times when the warlock was needed by the members of the Clave. Even if they didn't know it yet.
"Call the Clave," Magnus barked. "Tell them to get over here as fast as possible."
Hodge stood slowly from his seat, his bird fluttering at the movement. "Magnus, what are you talking about? I'm afraid it's not in your authority to-"
"He has it." Magnus was trying very hard to keep his voice steady and not at all hysterical. Something that was proving very difficult when ghostly figures of Alec, Isabelle, Hodge, and a boy he knew didn't exist yet who Magnus still recognized walked around the library and through him. "Valentine has the cup."
At this, Hodge stiffened. "No. He...he can't have-"
"Today he discovered Jocelyn Fairchild's hiding spot and Jocelyn herself. She was in a small farm house owned by Lucian Greymark. I'm sure you remember him." Magnus raised knowing eyebrows. "Lucian was murdered shortly after Valentine captured the pair, I don't know what happened to Jocelyn's daughter." Magnus nodded at Hodge's surprise. "Yes, she had a daughter. I also know for a fact that Jocelyn had the cup on her when she was taken. Valentine is not stupid, he will have discovered it by now." At this, Magnus took two steps forward and sank into the empty sofa next to an invisible Jace. "We do not have much time. This can be fixed but not for much longer."
Hodge nodded and began drafting a letter.
"Let me out!" Clary shouted for the fifth time, gripping the door handle but not yet at the point where launching herself into traffic at 40 mph was a good idea.
"We're sorry for this, really." Isabelle said, hands up and palms facing Clary. "You're a suspect in an investigation and we can't let you go. Not until you've been cleared of all possible charges."
"I haven't done anything!" Clary shouted, she couldn't seem to say anything clearly enough for them to understand.
Alec raised unpitying eyebrows and spun to face her. "Ok, then. What's your excuse for the demon activity everywhere you go?"
"The what?"
Alec rolled his eyes. "Stop pretending. What are you playing at? Power? Immortality?"
Clary was trembling all over now. "You're crazy. You're all crazy."
Without warning, the cab came to an abrupt stop. Clary's hand slipped off the door handle as her head flew into the plexiglass separating her from the driver. Isabelle wasted no time, wrapping a tight hand around her right arm before she knew what was happening and then Alec was opening the door and pulling her out by the left arm.
She struggled, going limp to try to break their hold and then thrashing around when that didn't work. It was no use. No one was around to help her. They roughly dragged her into the cemetery, because that was where the cabbie had taken them, not faltering at each attempted escape. The cab driver was there too, a middle aged man with pale skin and a bald head, guiding the group with silent confidence.
They reached a statue and stopped. Clary waited for them to do whatever it was they were going to do with her. They did nothing and it was then that Clary saw the staircase in the ground.
"No!" She shouted, kicking at the cab driver, at anything she could reach, but they didn't so much as flinch. "I haven't done anything! I swear! Let me go! Take my wallet!"
Isabelle's mouth was a thin line but she helped force Clary step by step down in the darkness of the Silent City.
More sweatshirt-wearing, bald men greeted the group as they reached the end of the stairs. Clary wasn't sure what she had done to upset this cult. Worn a sweatshirt inadequately?
"Please," Her voice was thin now, deep below ground and in near darkness. "Let me call my mom, let me-"
"Your mom is gone. She'd be here with you if we could find her." Alec said.
Clary was confused. Surely they knew where she lived and would have found her mother there. "I don't-"
"Your house was in flames when we got there today." Isabelle informed her, trying to avoid eye contact. "There were signs of demon activity but there were no bodies."
Clary sucked in a sharp breath. Luke's house burned down? But her mom had gotten out, maybe Luke had gotten home in time to save her.
"So if you tell us which demon she was trying to summon," Alec continued. "Or why someone might have sent a demon after her, we could solve this whole thing right now."
"There's no such thing." Clary knew this wouldn't work, they were clearly crazy, but she had to say it anyway.
"Ok, then." Isabelle spoke up. They were entering a tunnel full of bared cages, chains hanging from the walls. "Tell us about Simon Lewis. Why did we find him in your apartment with a ravener demon this morning?"
Clary jolted at the name. "Simon? You- is he okay?"
The pair pushed Clary into a cell and shackled her left wrist. The company of hooded men began to disperse as Isabelle pulled the cell door closed. She seemed to be struggling with something. Then she met Clary's eyes before leaving her alone in the darkness.
"He's dead."
It was dark when Isabelle and Alex emerged from underground. Isabelle shivered despite the August heat.
"She seemed genuinely confused."
Alec nodded. "I can't tell if she's just a very good actor or if she honestly didn't know what was happening. There's too many coincidences, though. Demons don't generally go after Mundanes unless they are called and this girl has had demon activity everywhere she's gone today."
They were halfway to the gate now and Isabelle glanced back through the many tome stones to where the Silent City's entrance lay. The dark cemetery bothered her less than the image of the Mundie girl in her cell. "I know that this was what we were supposed to do and that she'll only be down there until we can question her, but I still feel like I've done something horrible. Do you?"
Alec nodded. "It's strange. It feels like betrayal, but who have we betrayed? No one."
Isabelle felt his words flip something on in her brain. It was like betrayal, like...guilt. She thought of the fear an innocent Mundie might be feeling down in the Silent City. They would erase her memories but sometimes the fear of something unknown continued long after. She saw as clearly as if she was sitting on the bed next to her, the Mundie lying on a bed in the institute's infirmary. Her red hair was dulled and limp and her skin was grey and bruised in many places. Isabelle couldn't tell whether she was still alive or not.
Alec hailed a cab and helped a dazed Isabelle into the backseat before giving the driver directions to the institute. He leaned close to Isabelle so that he could speak without being overheard. "We'll tell Hodge and then it's out of our hands. He'll take care of it."
Isabelle nodded, relieved, she never wanted to see the Mundie girl ever again.