Distractions - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Third Person P.O.V:
"I know where the Cup is," Clary suddenly declared. Jace, Magnus, and Everest all turned to look at her.
"Come again?" Jace asked.
"Yes, please repeat that and give an explanation for the rest of us." Everest put away her phone from where she sat on the other end of the couch Magnus was reading on.
"The tarot cards. Our mom must have painted them years ago, but the Mortal Cup has to be hidden in the Ace of Cups. It looks exactly like it," Clary explained. Magnus and Jace shared a look as Everest peered up at her sister curiously. "Wait, why aren't you guys happy about this? All we have to do is find...Dot."
"If Dot had the cards when she was taken, we don't have much time. If Valentine gets his hands on the Cup—" Jace began.
Magnus rolled his eyes as he held up a hand and stood up. "We know. If Valentine started creating Shadowhunters or gained control of demons, it'd be like Beyoncé riding on a dinosaur through Times Square."
"People would notice," Everest summarized for the two that didn't follow Magnus's thought process.
"But he can control demons. I've seen it," Clary protested.
"Mmm, paying off a few demons is easy, especially since they rarely survive long enough to collect."
Jace snorted. "Still waiting on Valentine's thank you card."
Everest gave the blonde a sarcastic look. "Do you want me to forge one for you? Because I think that's the only way you'll be getting one."
"Yes Everest," he said, sarcasm dripping with every syllable. "I would like nothing more than for you to fake a thank you note from one of the most dangerous men in the world."
"Give me three days." Jace shook his head in amusement.
"Opening the gates of hell, that's a little more tricky," Magnus continued, hiding his amusement.
"Is it?" The three gave Everest exasperated looks. "Wouldn't you just have to know the right people? Like how it's not actually that hard to get off the hook for climbing public property if you know a cop?"
"Everest, I think we need to have a conversation about what is and isn't appropriate for conversation," Clary said with a sigh.
"I don't think so," Jace contributed, holding in laughter. "What Everest says is funny and it never needs to stop."
'Just wait until I bring him into a conversation about how Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory wasn't supposed to be white,' Everest thought to herself.
"Valentine doesn't have the cards. I do," Luke spoke up from the doorway. "They're in my desk back at the precinct. When Clary went missing, I went to the loft and cleared everything out, 'cause I didn't want the Circle to track the girls."
"That's great. This should be easy." Everest snorted softly.
"That's what General Custard said," Magnus muttered.
"That's also what I said before I let Gino and Roslyn take me rock climbing. I almost died," she muttered back to the man, who smiled.
"Magnus is right," Luke said. "Valentine has spies everywhere, even in the NYPD. We have to be discreet." Both of the twins snorted, but it was Everest who answered.
"Discreet? You look like something from the Mummy movie that died twice over before it got bit by a zombie and eaten by those freaky bugs." Magnus laughed and Everest grinned.
"We'll go in the morning. Werewolf healing, remember? Nothing a couple hours of beauty sleep can't fix." Luke held up a hand when he saw both Jace and Everest open their mouths. "And don't you two start. I get it, I don't look like I used to, but you don't have to rub it in."
The blonde boy and purple haired girl only smiled at him innocently.
"Everest? Can I talk to you?" Everest nodded and allowed her sister to pull her into a spare room.
"What's up?" she asked as they sat on the bed.
"I just wanted to catch you up on everything that's been happening since you either weren't there for it or you weren't told about some stuff."
"Go ahead." Everest leaned back against the pillows, motioning for her sister to explain the last few days to her. "I'm sure it'll be real fun."
...
Everest stared blankly at her older sister. Her posture was tense and her fists clenched as she leaned against the wall where she had moved halfway through Clary's explanation.
"So you're telling me, that not only was our mom kidnapped, Dot killed, me and Simon kidnapped twice, we learned about this world, summoned a demon after we learned that your and maybe my memories were taken and not got the memories back, Valentine is our dad and we have a long lost dead brother? And that's not even going into how I learned my brother is as alive as he can be, Theo died, and I learned that one of my best friends is a Shadowhunter and the other is a Seelie!" Everest ranted, her eyes like Greek fire. "What the hell Clary!"
Everest closed her eyes and leaned her head back, letting out a sigh. Her posture relaxed and her fists unclenched as she looked at Clary again. Clary looked at her face and she knew, just as she had known every other time this happened, that Everest had once more shoved everything into her box of negativities and that soon that box would overflow and Everest would be left overwhelmed. But she didn't say anything, knowing that her saying something would make the box overflow faster.
Everest left the room and Clary didn't say anything then either. The purple haired girl plopped down on the couch next to Jace and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Yes?" he asked as he began to rub her arm, recognizing that the girl needed comfort.
"I need hugs," she mumbled.
"And you decided I was the best one to give you hugs?" he asked, seemingly amused.
"Magnus is busy, Luke is half-dead, I don't wanna talk to Clary, and my other options are elsewhere."
Jace chuckled as he wrapped his arms around the small girl who had so quickly wormed her way into his heart and become like his little sister. They sat like that for a while, quietly soaking up comfort from the other because they knew that in a few short hours, there would be no time for calm comfort. It would be a time for quick pep talks and cheers from each other.
...
Luke, Clary, Jace, and Everest stood in front of the precinct. On their way over, Everest had managed to get coffee and a small pack of Skittles, so she was content for the moment.
Luke turned to the three. "Alright, the cards are on my desk. This shouldn't take long."
"Alright," Jace said as he went to enter the building.
"Woah, woah, woah. It'll be easier to avoid unnecessary attention if I do this alone." Luke held out his hands to stop them.
"We'll wait here," Clary assured him.
Luke walked away and Jace rolled his eyes.
"Sounded boring anyway," he muttered. Everest handed him the rest of her Skittles and he gave her a small smile. Even once he saw that there were only purple Skittles left.
...
"Why is it taking so long?" Everest whined from where she was sitting on the hood of a police car. "I'm bored."
"I have a bad feeling about this," Clary agreed.
"I know a way we could find out. Just go in and see for ourselves," Jace suggested. Everest stood up, perfectly alright with that idea, but Clary shook her head so she sat back down.
"Luke told us to stay put, so that's what we're gonna do." Clary's phone rang and she smiled victoriously. "I bet that's him now."
"Doubt it," Jace and Everest said.
"Just so I'm clear," Jace began. "He did mention something about trying to avoid attention, right? From the looks of it, he's doing a terrible job."
Everest followed the boy's gaze and saw Luke being escorted by two men. She sighed and began to drink her coffee faster. She wasn't going to waste good coffee, not even for Luke.
"Circle members?" Clary asked, ignoring whoever was calling her.
"No, mundanes. Internal affairs officers," Jace told them.
"You can tell all that by looking at them?"
"I can tell all that by reading their badges." Jace rolled up his sleeve to reveal a rune. "Better than binoculars." Jace smirked.
Everest hopped off the car and started walking to the front doors. "Luke had his chance. Let's go."
...
Everest led Jace and Clary to where the interrogation rooms are, but Jace stopped her.
"What?"
"You can't go in there without a glamour," he told her, pulling out a stele. "Here, hold out your arm."
Everest rolled up her sleeve and allowed Jace to draw a rune on her forearm. She winced as her arm stung.
"There you go."
She smiled in thanks and followed after Clary to where Luke was being held. The door opened and a man stood in the doorway. The three slipped in and Luke stared at them.
"Garroway. Coffee?" the man asked impatiently. Everest almost asked for some, but Clary covered her mouth and shook her head.
"No, no I'm good."
"Suit yourself."
The door clicked shut as Luke took a tissue. "Camera," he muttered as he faked a sneeze.
"Luke what's going on?" Clary demanded as Jace disconnected the camera.
"I think I'm about to be a prime suspect in a murder investigation," the man told them.
Everest snorted. "How fun. What do we do now?"
"Get the cards. In my desk, bottom drawer."
Everest's brows furrowed. "Same drawer where you keep the caramel chocolates?"
Luke sighed and Clary glared at the man in indignation. Those were some of her favorite chocolates and he knew it. "Yes, Everest. That drawer."
"Alright."
"Woah, woah, woah. You can't glamour yourselves. I'm not the only Downworlder in the force, and we don't know who's working for Valentine. If anybody spots you—" Luke's face was grim.
"We'd be leading them right to the Mortal Cup," Jace realized.
"Exactly." Luke cast a wary glance at the door. "Better to assume everyone has the sight than to gamble that they don't."
"Luke," Clary said, her worry evident.
"I can handle myself," the man assured her.
...
Everest watched, amused, as her sister struggled to deglamour. By the time Everest and Jace had turned visible again—Everest had accepted Jace's help—, Clary had tried seven times unsuccessfully. Jace stared at Clary and she stared back.
Everest coughed awkwardly. "The cards?"
"Right. How exactly are we gonna get them? I doubt we can make it out of this closet without drawing attention. Let alone Luke's desk and you, Clary, are covered in runes." Jace pointed out every flaw in whatever plan could possibly be created, but Clary just smirked.
"Everest isn't."
Jace shook his head. "She's not, but what exactly is your plan? I'm not going to let Everest or you go out there without a plan."
Everest recognized the look in Clary's eyes and she hid her glee. She liked this plan.
"Don't worry. I've got a plan."
Jace cast a wary look at Everest who was nearly bouncing. "A good plan this time?"
"90%. Just follow Everest's lead. Oh, and I apologize."
"Apologize for what?"
"The other 10%," Everest chimed in with her own smile as she opened the door.
"I don't think I'm going to like this plan," Jace muttered under his breath as he followed after the twins.
Everest hid her excitement as she and the others entered a room full of police officers. She morphed her face into one of fury and hurt. She whirled around and faced Jace, glaring.
"You son of a bitch!" she shouted. Her hand connected with his face and he stumbled back.
"Oh!" Jace exclaimed and he looked at her in shock.
"Stop following me!"
Jace grabbed her arm. "Hey, what happened to being discreet? Hmm?" he whispered urgently.
"Wait, what did you say? You cheated on me?" Everest made her body tremble in anger as she stalked away from the boy.
Around the room, policemen that Everest knew well looked up and many of them started walking towards Jace.
"I...huh? I did not." Two policemen held him back as he tried to follow after Everest and Clary who had slipped by. "Woah."
"You're never going to see me in your crappy apartment ever again, I hope you know that," Everest snapped as she opened the drawers of Luke's desk. They were empty.
"That girl means nothing to me. Nothing," Jace declared. At his words, even more of the officers glared at him. From behind her little sister, Clary saw Jace gulp as he noticed just how many people were glaring at him.
"Is this the boyfriend I've heard so much about?" Captain Vargus asked from behind the twins. Her distaste was obvious.
"Nope, not anymore. Everest dumped him this morning," Clary supplied.
Stupidly, Jace saluted the woman. "Hi."
"Where is all of Luke's stuff?" Everest asked, standing up straight.
"IA took everything. What are you looking for?"
Everest saw Clary hesitate and she pulled out a lie she had come up with specifically for these situations. "I lost track of my permit papers, and I need them to get more bullets since I ran out. I know Luke keeps a copy in his desk, so is there any way I can get them?"
Vargas sighed and looked regretful. "No, not till he's cleared. You lose that paperwork way too often."
"Cleared? Cleared of what?" Clary pretended to be confused.
"Oh, don't worry about it. We have it handled." Vargas waved her off and turned to another officer. "Jacobs! Can you get Everest another copy of her permits? And email her a PDF version of them?"
A man with dark eyes nodded and Everest's phone chimed in her pocket.
"Thanks, Captain."
"Anytime Kiddo. Just keep track of those papers."
"Everest, I'm sorry. I apologize. I just want you to know that it only happened like...two or...it only happened a couple of times and I am totally—"
"Shut up," snapped the three females. Jace looked slightly taken aback.
"Babe, come on," Jace pleaded.
The older woman stepped towards the blonde threateningly. "Listen, you don't get to call her 'babe,' okay? In fact, you don't get to call her at all. Everest's done with you. You got it?" She looked at the officers. "Take him out."
"I have rights!" Jace called out as the two men dragged him away.
Vargas gave Everest a sympathetic look. "Maybe it's for the best?" Everest just shrugged.  "Don't worry about it, I get it. You always fall for the bad boys, right? Or is that just me?" Everest and Clary laughed a little at the captain's awkward statement.
"Here you go Kiddo," the officer who had sent her the paperwork said as he approached with a file in his hand. "Here's all of your permits that allow you to have a gun, the paperwork that says you have been properly trained with it and in self defense by trained officers, and the paperwork that allows you to order more bullets if you need them." He gave her a stern look. "Don't lose them."
"I won't." Everest stuffed the file into her bag as she waved goodbye to the officers. "Thanks for your help! I'll see you later!"
She grabbed Clary's hand and dragged her out of the precinct, her smile growing as the two got closer to the front doors.
"I love that plan," she told her sister. "It's so effective."
"I know." Clary smiled at her sister, glad that she was so happy after she had shut down earlier. "It's the only reason why I'm glad you dated Steve Evans."
Everest grimaced at the memory that the plan was based off of. "Well, at least the officers at the precinct know that I have kinda a bad track record when it comes to guys so they don't exactly question it when I run in followed by an ex."
Jace fell into step beside them and he scowled. "You know what? I'm gonna bring Alec with me next time. I don't think he's ever slapped me in the face."
The girls giggled as they reached the Lightwood siblings. Everest gave Izzy a hug as she whispered in her ear.
"Has Alec ever slapped Jace in the face?"
"Multiple times. Why?"
"I'll explain later."
Izzy smiled. "Someone call for backup?"
"Yeah, what took you guys so long?" Jace asked.
"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing," Alec snapped.
Jace either didn't notice Alec's frustration, or he just didn't care. "It's complicated," Jace said simply.
"We found the Cup," Clary interjected.
"The Cup?" Izzy repeated, her disbelief clear.
"Yeah, but then we lost it. We have to sneak back into the precinct to get it."
"This is a disaster," Alec grumbled.
"Hey, demon pox is a disaster. This is an inconvenience. We need a plan, that's all."
"Demon pox?" Everest's gaze met Jace's and his eyes gained a mischievous glint.
"I'll tell you later," he promised. "There's a song."
Everest cheered quietly as the others groaned quietly in exasperation.
"What about a glamour?" Izzy interjected.
Jace sighed. "We tried that. Anyone working with Valentine would see right through it."
"Can we ask Magnus Bane to Portal us inside?" Clary asked innocently.
"No," Alec said sharply. Everest shook her head no violently.
"That'd be awkward," Izzy looked away as Alec gave her a stern look, Everest giving a stern look to the ground. She didn't want to involve Magnus in this situation, not when she couldn't sort through her feelings about him or Alec. "Magnus can only Portal us to places he's been before."
Clary's phone rang again and she stepped aside to answer it. Everest only heard Simon's name before she tuned out the conversation.
Izzy looked at her and furrowed her brows. "Are you alright?" she asked softly as Jace went after Clary.
"Fine," she said quietly. "I'm just gonna—gonna need a—" Everest trailed off as she failed to put what she needed into words. Her hands made grabbing motions as she tried to verbalize her needs.
"Nap? Hug? Alone time?" Izzy prompted.
"That. I'm gonna need all of the above when this is over," Everest mumbled as Jace and Clary returned. Neither of the Lightwoods heard her.
...
Everest stood between Izzy and Alec as they walked into the precinct. She had a small pout on her face because neither of them would let her lead the way or use her role as a daughter/niece-figure to a lot of the officers to their advantage, claiming it was too risky.
"I'm guessing you're the distraction?" Alec asked Izzy.
"Nope. I've decided to grow up, remember? No more distracting for me." Everest's eyebrows raised. That explained Izzy's lack of a dress, but not the reasoning. "Besides. I don't think I'm her type."
"Oh, crap," Alec mumbled softly as he realized what his sister was implying.
"Don't worry. It's good practice." Izzy smiled encouragingly at Alec.
"Huh?"
Izzy made sure that her purple haired friend wasn't paying attention before she spoke. "You know, for asking out Magnus or Everest."
Everest glanced over from the vending machine when she heard Alec sputtering and Izzy tutting in annoyance.
"What? What are you doing?" the tall boy asked.
"She's obviously unbuttoning your shirt. I just don't know why." Everest gave her friend an amused look. "Why are you unbuttoning Alec's shirt?"
"He looks too formal with it buttoned all the way. There, better." She smoothed out his collar as the boy became more uncomfortable.
"Izzy, this isn't really my department."
"Come on, you do this sort of stuff all the time."
"You do," Alec snapped. "I don't."
"You'll be fine, Alec. I promise," Everest told him, placing a hand on his arm. "Besides, if you do too bad, we'll come and save you."
"Go on big brother. Go distract." Izzy pushed Alec towards the receptionist with a grin. "He's going to crash and burn." She kept the smile on her face when Alec looked back at them and Everest gave him a thumbs up.
"He's going to burn faster than Rome," Everest agreed.
"We're going to have to save him, aren't we?"
"Probably."
The two watched with growing horror and embarrassment as Alec made a fool of himself. Everest buried her face in Izzy's shoulder as he knocked over a water bottle and made a distressed noise as Izzy mumbled 'idiot' under her breath. She couldn't believe that Alec was so incredibly ignorant when it came to being the distraction. Surely he'd gone on solo missions before where he had to be the distraction.
Izzy led Everest towards the electronics room and caught the secretary's badge. Everest looked up and directed the girl to the box that controlled the power. Izzy drew a rune on the box and the power went out.
In the panic that followed the power going out, Izzy and Everest were swept outside by the crowd of people leaving. Everest gripped tightly to her friend's hand as she led her outside. Ducking to avoid the gaze of Captain Vargas and Officer Jacobs, the two made it to Alec.
"Do you come here often? Seriously?" Everest exclaimed, still feeling the effects of second-hand embarrassment. "She works here!"
Alec shrugged. "I panicked, give me a break."
"We thought we would have to save you," Izzy told her brother as she made Everest sit down on a bench. "Sit down Sunny. I want to do your hair."
Alec looked offended. "I thought you said you had faith in me."
"We did. For three seconds. And then you started walking over there."
Alec rolled his eyes and sat next to Everest. They waited in silence for Jace and Clary to get back. During that time, Izzy braided Everest's hair twice, Everest had somehow gotten more coffee, and even Alec had grown bored of watching people go by.
"Did you get it?" Alec asked. He stood up to greet Jace and Clary. Izzy looked up from where she was undoing Everest's hair again and dragged the girl over to the others, her purple hair still halfway braided.
"Theoretically," Clary answered.
"Theoretically?" Everest repeated. She didn't like the sound of that.
"Yeah, I found the card. I just have to figure out how I reached into my notebook before. It's not...it's not an exact science." Clary looked annoyed, but Alec more so.
"Can't you just pull the Cup out?"
Clary glared at him. "I can, theoretically. I just...it's not as easy as it looks, Alec."
Thankfully, Jace intervened before someone got punched—likely Clary. "Look, you two can discuss theory as much as you want when we get back to the Institute. But right now, considering we just stole from the cops, I suggest we get home."
Everest gave Clary a sheepish smile as she gave the girl a pointed look. She knew what that look meant. It meant 'yeah, Everest. You're supposed to leave after you steal something.' Everest also knew why Clary was giving her that look. A few years ago, Everest had dared Clary and Simon to take Everest's phone from Luke's desk after he had taken it for having it out in class. (Jocelyn had been on a trip so Luke was in charge.) Except, Everest had gotten distracted looking at butterflies and hadn't left the property afterwards and if someone hadn't seen her outside the whole time, well, let's just say that she would not have been allowed to go to Roslyn's house the next day.
There was a red, pulsing light from beside Everest and she looked up to see that Izzy's necklace was pulsing. "Guys, I think the mundanes are the least of our worries," the girl warned.
"At least we know the demon necklace works," Alec said.
"Never a dull day with you lot, is it?" Everest snorted as they started to leave.
"Guys, slow down!" Clary called, a few steps behind the other four.
There was a thud and Everest turned around, her hand at her hip as she saw Clary apologize to an old lady.
"Oh, I am so sorry." Clary bent to pick up a bag and there was a screeching noise as the lady's face grew ugly tentacles. 'The old lady's a demon. Great,' Everest thought sarcastically.
"Grandma!" Jace exclaimed as he crept behind the demon. He had a pleasant smile on his face as he stabbed the demon and it disintegrated.
"What the hell?" Clary exclaimed.
"Language," Everest chided, taking the opportunity to get Clary back for something she had pulled weeks ago. "Not in front of Grandma."
"How did it find us?" Alec demanded.
"I don't know, but she brought friends."
Everest looked around at the growing crowd, trying to spot the demons that Jace mentioned. She couldn't see any.
"How can you tell?" she asked Alec as she walked between him and Izzy.
"You need to pay attention to details," he told her. "Look for things that are off about them. Glowing eyes, blurry appearances, sharp teeth, clawed nails, whatever it is."
Everest looked around again, and this time she saw more people with glowing eyes than she was comfortable with. "Shit."
"Pretty much."
"There's too many people."
"I don't say this often, but I agree with Clary. We gotta get outta here." Everest looked up at Alec in surprise.
"Mark the calendar," she mumbled. Izzy gently flicked her shoulder, but she didn't disagree.
"This way!" Clary led the four down a flight of stairs and stopped outside a door. "What's the Unlock rune again?"
Jace ignored her question as he kicked the door down.
"Open sesame," Everest said with a grin. "Now let's go."
There was one less set of footsteps behind Everest and she turned around. Alec was standing in the doorway with his bow drawn as he aimed towards the door.
"What are you doing?" Jace shouted at him.
"Holding them off. Take Everest and Clary back to the Institute."
"No, if you're staying, I'm staying. We fight together," Jace protested.
Alec rolled his eyes. "Don't be stupid. If the demons get the Cup, we're dead anyways."
"I'm not leaving anyone behind."
"You don't have a choice."
"Look, I get that you guys are having a moment, but we really have to go," said Clary, glancing back at the entrance.
Izzy smirked at the blonde. "Don't worry. It's not the first time Alec has saved your life. I doubt it'd be the last."
"Go."
Jace gave his Parabatai a long look before he followed after Clary and Izzy. He went to pull Everest along, but she held up a finger.
"Alec!" she called. He looked at her in confusion. "Don't die. Please and thank you."
Alec gave her a nod and Everest allowed Jace to pull her after the girls. By the time the two had caught up, Everest was really regretting wearing white shoes, especially because they were no longer anywhere near white.
"Hold on. I'm sorry Jace." Clary was breathing heavily as she leaned against the wall.
"It's okay. We can take a breather," Jace said. He stepped towards the redhead in concern.
"No, it's not that. I, um..."
Izzy and Everest got the hint when the older Fairchild looked at them.
"We'll scout ahead."
Izzy and Everest walked away, their hands intertwined as they tried to comfort the other. Izzy had a seraph blade out and her whip ready to be used, and Everest had two seraph daggers in holsters given to her by Izzy, but she was more comfortable with a gun and so she didn't draw her blades yet. Everest held her hand so that Izzy could see it and she waved it through the air three times.
The raven haired girl understood and she paused to allow Everest to take a deep breath. She leaned her head back, her untied hair falling out of the braid even more, but she didn't care. All she cared about was calming herself down enough to be useful in a fight if needed. She took deep breaths and Izzy rubbed her thumb on the back of Everest's hand to help ground her. Everest looked at her friend again and gave her a grateful look.
"Don't worry about it. That's what family's for." Izzy smiled at the girl and Everest smiled back.
There were footsteps behind them as Clary and Jace caught up. There was a red pulse and Everest pointed to Izzy's necklace. The girls looked around in fear, but they couldn't see any demons.
"It's pulsing," Izzy warned the other two.
"Again?"
"Getting close. Let's spread out."
Everest drew her daggers and held them expertly. She saw Jace's shocked look and gave him a small smirk.
"What? Just because I'm better with other things doesn't mean I don't know how to use a dagger." The boy shook his head.
"Izzy, where is it?"
"I don't know. It's like they're right here, but I don't see them."
Realization hit Everest like a triple-decker bus. "They're above us."
Something clattered above them and a scorpion-like demon launched itself at Jace. Clary gasped and looked horrified as she watched Jace kill it.
"Are you hurt?" the redhead asked worriedly. Worry seemed to be a common emotion nowadays.
"I'll live."
"What are those things?" Everest demanded, disgusted and fearful.
"Shax demons. They're like the bloodhounds of the Shadow World," Jace explained. Everest groaned. Not good. Not good at all.
"They've been tracking us," Izzy told them.
"So what do we do?"
"The Institute's only a couple blocks from here. Now, we can't lose them, but they won't be able to track us if we split up." Everest looked at Jace like he was crazy.
"I don't like that idea," Everest protested.
"Everest, you and Clary will be fine. Izzy and I will draw them away. No matter what happens, just keep running."
Something snarled from above them and Izzy nodded at Everest.
"Jace, I—"
"Clary, Everest, go!" Jace shouted, leaving no room for argument.
The twins ran down a random hallway full of sludge, but for once, Everest wasn't focusing on the feeling of wet socks or how there was something dripping onto her head as she ran. She was too focused on staying alive. They turned a corner, but it was a dead end. Everest smacked the wall with her hand, frustrated beyond belief.
"Crap," Clary said.
"No duh," Everest snapped.
She backed up against the wall and watched as her sister pulled the Mortal Cup out of a tarot card. She was sure she looked like an idiot with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, but she didn't care. Clary had just pulled an actual chalice from a tarot card that had glowed purple. That wasn't normal!
"Get back! I said, get back!" Clary held the Cup out in front of her and shouted at the demons until they went away.
"Holy shit, Ritz," Everest breathed out.
"Yeah, pretty much."
Clary pulled Everest back down the way they came, but there was no sign of Jace or Izzy.
"Jace?"
"Dusk?"
Everest turned around in a circle and spotted Jace at the end of a hallway.
"Jace!"
The blonde boy ignored Everest as he ran to Clary. Everest frowned. That was weird, Jace almost always at least acknowledged her presence before going to Clary.
"Hey. Oh, you're hurt." Clary frowned as she touched the blood on Jace's face.
Everest watched the interaction between Clary and Jace, her suspicion growing with every word said. Jace had specifically told Clary to keep the Cup, but now he wanted it back? That wasn't right.
I'm going to stab him, she mouthed to Clary, who nodded. Apparently her sister wasn't completely oblivious.
As Clary reached into her bag, Everest stabbed Jace through the chest with a dagger.
"Clary?" he gasped out, once more ignoring Everest's presence.
"Jace? Oh, my God! Jace!" Clary started to freak out, but then his eyes glowed and the girl slashed at his chest with her own blade and the demon turned to ash.
"Good job, Ritz," Everest said, breathing heavily.
"You too."
Footsteps sounded in the empty hallway and Everest heard Luke shouting.
"Clary! Everest!"
"Get back!" Clary shouted, pushing her sister behind her as Luke and Alec approached. "How do we know you're Luke?"
The man held up his hands. "I got you spray paint for your birthday. And I got Everest new pens and binders. What happened?"
"Demons. Long story," Everest spoke up, stepping forward. "Where'd you two come from?"
"Jail." Everest snorted. "I ran into Alec. Said you might be down here. Thought you might need some help."
"Apparently not," Alec mused as the demon's ashes disappeared. "Looks like they took care of it."
"Shouldn't we get going or something? More demons could be coming, right?"
"Oh, don't worry about it." Luke waved off the concerns. "I've got the pack on the lookout. If there's any other demons, they'll take care of them."
Clary smiled at the man. "Look at you, leader of the pack."
Luke shrugged. "Well, you know, it has its perks."
Everest motioned down a random hallway. "Shall we?"
"Yeah, right."
Trigger Warning! Everest uses a gun in the next section!
Clary and Luke led the way with Everest and Alec not far behind. Everest froze as she heard scuttling behind her. She drew her gun and whirled. There was another Shax demon behind them. Everest pulled the trigger, knowing that it wouldn't kill the demon. However, the demon turned to ash before her eyes as the bullet became buried between its eyes.
Trigger Warning Over!
"How did you do that?" Alec asked, his eyes wide. Clary and Luke had similar expressions.
"I don't know," Everest muttered.
She knelt down where the case had landed and looked at it closely, careful not to touch the still hot metal. There was a small etching on it and she pulled out her phone to use the camera as a magnifying glass. It was the Angelic Power rune. Everest racked her brain trying to figure out where she got the bullets she was using and she came across a memory from when she was fourteen.
Isabelle Lightwood sat under a tree with Everest Fairchild's head in her lap. It was Everest's birthday, only hours before she had to go meet Raphael.
"Hey, Sunny? Sit up for a minute, I wanna give you your present."
Everest sat up, her burnt orange hair full of flowers and leaves that Izzy had braided in. She looked at the girl impatiently as Izzy brought out a small box. It was heavy as it was placed in her hand and Everest tried to guess what it was as she unwrapped it.
She was so far off, it wasn't even funny. Inside the box were bullets for her gun that she had just finished learning how to use.
"Thank you Dusk!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the taller girl.
"You're welcome. But these are special bullets." Izzy pointed to a small etching on the casing. "You see that mark? That mark allows these bullets to hurt anything that you shoot. Even if someone says it won't."
Everest hadn't really questioned her friend's words at the time, but now after she had just shot and killed a demon, she understood. She looked up at Alec and forced a small smile onto her face.
"Your sister gave me these bullets forever ago and I guess I just forgot."
"But how did they kill a demon?" Clary asked.
Everest gently picked up the now cool metal. She held it up for the others to see. "Look. There's a rune on the side."
"That's..." Luke frowned.
"That's very Izzy, giving people weapons." Alec shook his head. "Let's go before any more demons slip past the wolves."
Everest nodded and began walking again. "Oh, and Alec?" She turned to face him. "That's why one of my friends calls me 'Shots.'" She smiled at him and turned back around.
...
Clary, Alec, and Everest entered the Institute to see Jace in front of a screen and multiple Shadowhunters.
"...now, Clary and Everest are the only things that matter."
"Jace!" Clary exclaimed, rushing for the blonde.
"Everest!" Izzy shouted, pulling the shorter girl into her arms. "You're not allowed to leave my sight, you hear me?"
"I hear you, Iz. I hear you loud and clear." She looked up. "Thanks for the bullets by the way."
"What are—oh. Finally figured out what they do, did you?"
Everest nodded and saw Alec looking at something with his lips pursed and eyes narrowed. She followed his gaze to where Clary and Jace were kissing each other passionately.
"Oh," she whispered.
"Oh indeed." Izzy sighed. "Alec's upset."
"Go after him," Everest told her. "I'll be in my room."
"Are you sure?"
Everest nodded again and pushed Izzy towards her brother. By the looks of it, Alec needed the raven haired girl more than Everest did.