I run fast. Faster than I thought was possible for my Nephilim legs to go but I still go and don't look back. Beatrice Prior warned me I would be transported to the fringe and she wasn't lying when she said it's not exactly pleasant and warned me bring lots of weapons for self defense.
With the help of Magnus Bane and a few of Beatrice's science friends, we all managed to get me not only to Beatrice's home near Chicago but also in the future of the time period in which she lives in.
Clary begged to come join me on my nearly suicidal mission to the future Chicago but Alec helped keep her away for awhile till I departed New York through the time machine, portal thing. Magnus really needs to create a name for this new invention.
I begin to slow down when I see a black truck parked a while away, assuming I'm a safe distance away from the fringe.
The passenger door swings open and a short-haired blond woman jumps out, guessing to be Beatrice.
"Is that you, Jace?" She beckons me to her, as she walks towards me.
When she's near, I see the lines of muscles along her arms and tattoos over her pale skin. She has this innocence look about her face but her body language suggests much conflict, training, and bravery. I am impressed.
"Yes, hi." I reply, lamely.
"Wow, I can't believe it worked. I was starting to worry you changed your mind or got eaten in the fringe," she says as she stops walking when she reaches a safe distance away from me.
I look over her shoulder and see a young man staring at me. His eyes gaze at mine with a hard expression, lips in a tight line. Usually would be intimidating for a mundane, but that I'm not. I note to keep my distance from this stranger so I don't cause war with another world, another time period.
I laugh, "Yeah. It's not everyday you see someone pop out of thin air which many of the mundanes saw in the fringe. Had a little set back."
"Mundane? Nevermind. I don't even want to know," she laughs, "Come on, let's go back to the Bureau. That's where most of the serum supply is." She turns around and heads towards the expressionless man. Assuming, I follow.
"You can sit back here, it's not that long of a ride so we should be there shortly."
Beatrice (is that even her?) jumps in the passenger seat as the man walks around to the drivers side. No greeting what so ever. This should go well.
As I get seated, Beatrice turns around to look at me. "Jace, this is Tobias, my boyfriend." Oh, boyfriend. Now everything makes sense.
"And you're Beatrice, I'm guessing?" I reply, ignoring her comment about Tobias.
"Oh, yeah. I should have mentioned that before," she says, laughing, "but you can call me Tris."
"Tris. I'll keep that in mind."
We continue our drive to the Bureau and I can't help but notice that Tobias keeps resurfacing my mind. Do I look that harsh when other guys, such as Simon, look at Clary? I've never noticed before.
Jace? A feminine voice fills my head. Clary.
Before I left, I got a hold of the faerie rings from the Seelie Court that lets us communicate to each other inside our heads with just the touch of the ring.
Clary?
Jace! You're okay? Did you make it?
Yes, I'm heading to the Bureau where they have the serums. I'll talk to you later, I think we're here.
Okay.
At that moment, the truck stops moving and the engine goes dead. Tobias jumps out and walks towards the large opening, inside the building.
Tris and I sit in silence and then she says, "I don't know what's up with him. He was perfectly fine with the idea of you being here but now he's really uptight."
"Well I can't blame him, I mean look at me. I'm probably the biggest threat he has here."
At that, Tris turns around and stares at me, speechless.
I shrug, "Sorry."
"Whatever. Lets go."
We get out of the truck and continue to the security check point. Security check point?
As if she read my thoughts, Tris gestures to the men and equipment, "Just put your weapons in the grey box and walk through the cylinder door. It's just so the Bureau doesn't get attacked or anything."
I put my guns in the box and continue to the door and... BEEEEEP! All the men surrounding the security checkpoint aim their guns at me. I slowly reach my hands to my belt and pull out two knives. I hold them up for display and slide them against the floor towards the closest man.
BEEEP! Everyone stares at me, stunned. Letting out an exasperated sigh, I bend over and pull out two daggers from my boots; handing them over. I steal a look at
Tris. She's paler than before and staring at me, wide-eyed. I smirk and continue through the door and then... BEEEEEP!
"Oh, by the Angel! I don't have anything else."
The man with my knives and daggers comes up to me, pushing me against the wall. My initial reaction is to kill him, unsurprisingly but then I remember I'm not home. I'm in the future.
He pats me down and realizes I don't have anything left.
"Geez man, I wasn't lying. Now if you would excuse me." Stepping aside, I grab for my weapons in the box. A tight hand wraps around my shoulder, as if to warn me to stop.
My elbow flies back, connecting with a hard abdomen. Shouting and shuffling sound instantly and I quickly grab all my weapons and proceed on the man who touched my shoulder. One kick to the stomach and the man falls cold on the ground. I turn, waiting for the next one.
"STOP!" I turn to the source and my eyes land on Tris. Pale, wide-eyed and... startled? Maybe I was wrong about her.
I walk slowly to her and put my hands on her shoulders. "Tris," my voice comes out calm but tight, warningly.
She looks like she's going to cry but her voice is surprisingly steady, "Jace, you aren't home. This is my world that I have to live in everyday. Please don't ruin it all and then leave."
Sliding my hands down her arms, I hold her hands in mine and reply with, "I'm sorry. Not again. I promise."
She wraps her arms around me and I pull her close.
Over Tris's shoulder, I see Tobias glaring at me. He shakes his head and storms out of the room.
I smile and bury my head in Tris's shoulder, holding her tighter.
...
Tris leads me down a long hallway in silence. After the security checkpoint, she hasn't talked much. Regret is probably going through her mind. Pained that she allowed a dangerous man into her world. Everyone insisted on keeping all my weapons but I managed to sneak a knife into my boot when no one was looking. If Tris saw, she would probably tell Magnus to get the portal ready.
Tris and I walk through the metal doors at the end of the hallway.
"This is where the serums are made and processed," she says without looking at me, "I'll give you a tour of the place today and tomorrow we can get started on training with the serums. It's probably best we get you in and out, huh?" She turns, looking directly at me.
"Tris." I move towards her.
"Don't." She reaches out a hand to stop me from touching her. "Meet me here at 5, we'll do the tour then." With that, she walks out.
I stand there, stunned. I'm not surprised of Tris's reaction towards my affection, but of my longing to hold and protect her. Clary is back home, worried of my safety. I'm here, trying to get with a taken woman that's from the future. What is wrong with me?
I look over and see dark beating eyes on me. Tobias.
I stand there, uneasy and say, "Hey, can you show me how..."
Tobias snaps into action before I can process what is happening.
He rams me into a nearby wall, his forearm crushing my neck. His face is inches from mine. Sweat spills over his face as his breaths are rapid with anger. I try to talk but it's pointless, his arm is too tight against my throat.
I throw my foot against his kneecap, loosening his grip on me for a split second which is all I need. I take his arm he was holding me with and snap it back, getting a scream out of him.
Grabbing his other arm, I fling him against a cabinet full of glass jars. Glass shatters everywhere and rains down on Tobias's body that lays against the cabinet.
I help him to his feet and smash his face into the glass shards on the shelf.
He follows up on a kick back right in my gut, making me fly back with the impact.
Quickly regaining his balance, he comes up behind me, pulling my hair towards the ceiling. I yell, with all my strength I have, trying to get away from his grip.
"What's wrong, pretty boy? Scared of me killing you or messing up your hair?" He laughs, clearly amused.
Loud footsteps sound in the hallway that I came down with Tris. They grow louder and louder the closer they get. The metal doors swing open and guards come filling in all around us, with guns in hand.
I kick my foot in front of me, grabbing my knife. Spin around and kick him in the gut making him hunch over. I stand behind him, knife to his throat.
"You were saying?" I whisper to him, a smirk in my words.
Our breaths are in unison when the first guard speaks, "What the hell is going on?
Who is this guy, Tobias?"
Before he can reply, a short figure moves towards the center of the room- towards Tobias and I. Tris.
Trying not to let her make my guard go down, I tighten my hold on him and the knife.
Tobias laughs, "don't let her weaken your game, pretty boy. She's not as good as she looks."
I look at Tris, starring at her glassy eyes. How could he humiliate her like that? In front of all these people?
Her face is full of disappointment, betrayal, and the sign of fresh wounds not only opening, but reopening.
I want to go over and comfort her, tell her it will be okay. But she doesn't deserve that. She's too strong for it.
"Let him go, Jace." She stares at me like she's trying to hold a private conversation with me.
I slowly remove my knife from his throat and quickly bring it down on his thigh.
Blood spills on my hand and the floor, releasing a scream from him. I quickly remove my knife from his skin.
Shuffle sounds all around me as guards grab me tightly, pinning me from attacking. They hustle me across the room, towards the doors.
Everything is a blue around me. The movement, the sounds, and the pain. I focus on Tris as she lays eyes on me. Pain mixed with fear across her fragile-looking face. Tris. The brave one, the strong one. The one I thought was fearless but is now afraid of me.
...
To Be Continued...