Finally, the chapter you've all been waiting for: chapter ten!
Sapphire131: I'm glad that you love this! Thank you!
Lilypotter72: You'll find out about the demonic possession soon! I think you'll like this chapter!
Angelcarstairs4679: This story is 1% plot and 99% feels!
Jennik55: Once again, I'm watching Supernatural while I write this! It's not very easy, though.
After the Silent Brothers had left the Institute, Jem, Tessa, Charlotte, Henry, and Gideon all went out to look for Will. They split up, and Jem and Tessa made their way to where Jem had been attacked by Will.
"We'll go to that alley, then look from there," Jem said. "Stay with me, alright? I don't want you to get hurt."
Tessa nodded and tightened her grip on the dagger she was holding. She barely knew how to use it, but Jem had given it to her just in case.
Just as they got to the alley, Jem stopped and grabbed Tessa's arm. She turned and opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped by his hand. He held on finger to his lips, then pointed to his ear, asking if she had heard something. Tessa suddenly realized that there was a very faint whirring noise all around them.
Before Jem could pull out a seraph blade, a dozen automatons stepped out from the shadows and surrounded them. Three of them were holding onto Charlotte, Henry and Gideon, and another two stepped forward to grab Tessa and Jem.
"Come, Shadowhunters," one of the automatons said in a gravelly voice. "Our master wishes to speak with you."
Tessa pulled at the door to her cell again and sighed. The automatons had taken all of the weapons and steles and separated everybody into different cells. The doors only had one small window, and she had no idea how much time had passed. She also had no idea where Jem or anybody else was.
Suddenly, there was a weird clicking on the other side of her door and she backed away. It was most likely an automaton, coming to take her to Mortmain or to kill her. The door swung open and she was surprised to see Jem putting something back in his pocket.
"How did you get out?" Tessa asked, running over to him.
"Lock picking wires, sewn into the lining of my jacket. They don't have to be used often, but they're very handy in some situations."
"Did you find the others?"
"Yes, they're down the hall. Make sure you stay behind me. Don't wander off. There's automatons everywhere."
They ran down the hall and met up with Charlotte, Henry, and Gideon, then walked through the maze of hallways, trying to find a way out. As they walked past an open door, Tessa looked inside and saw a table with leather straps on it. She grabbed Jem's arm and pointed it out to him.
The leather straps were placed in the right positions to tie someone down at the ankles and wrists. There were dozens of used syringes scattered on a table pushed up against the wall.
"I don't want to know what these are for," Charlotte said, looking at the syringes. "I just can't imagine what he's been doing to people."
They left the room and continued to find a way out, trying not to go in circles. One room that they found was mostly empty, except for their weapons in a wooden box on a table. They stopped for a few minutes to arm themselves, then continued on their way.
They came to a giant room, filled with thousands of automatons, all deactivated. They were standing in perfect rows, filling the entire room from wall to wall. There was a balcony set high in the wall across from the door.
Charlotte ushered them all inside and looked around. "We should destroy every last one of these."
"How?" Gideon asked. "There's too many. It would take hours, even with all of us. We should look for a way out."
"Oh, I would try getting out if I were you."
The Shadowhunters looked up to see Mortmain standing on the balcony. Behind them, two automatons closed the doors they had just come through.
"Welcome," Mortmain said, "to my headquarters. This is where I created my first automaton, and this is where you will die."
"How can you be so sure of that?" Jem shouted. "We're stronger than we look."
"I'm positive. Thanks to my army, I think you'll be rather outnumbered. Oh, I almost forgot! There's a new addition to my army that you don't see here."
Tessa felt Jem slip his hand into hers and squeeze. She gently squeezed back and looked up at Mortmain.
"He's the first of his kind," Mortmain was saying. "Very strong and brave. Hasn't backed down from a fight yet, and he's been in many, many fights."
"What makes him so special, though?" Charlotte asked.
"Well, one reason would be that he's not an automaton. The most important reason would be that he's a Shadowhunter that's been injected with demon blood multiple times."
Tessa gasped and squeezed Jem's hand. "No, he doesn't mean…"
Will stepped out from behind Mortmain. Jem tightened his grip on his knife until his knuckles turned white. Mortmain had taken Will and injected him with demon blood. Jem had experience with that. He knew that the demon blood reacting with Shadowhunter blood would cause pain. Will had been missing for three months. "Multiple times" could mean hundreds of times. Although the expression of Will's face was completely blank, Jem knew.
Will was in agony.
Uh, bye. I think I'm gonna go hide from all of you. I'M SORRY I BROKE WILL I'M SO SORRY. I'll be back on Thursday. Maybe you'll have all calmed down by then.