"Woah, Mr. Shadowhunter." Isabelle greeted Magnus and Alec. "I don't remember these marks yesterday." She walked over to the both of them, knowing that line could mean Alec's runes and possibly the hickies Magnus left.
"I tell him they're beautiful, but he's uncomfortable with showing them." Magnus grinned, knowing Isabelle all too well.
"Magnus is right, they are amazing." Clary commented, admiring them as well. Isabelle grinned at Alec's figure.
"Alright, where are the others?" Alec quickly changed the topic noticing Brian and Catarina were not there.
"Yes, let's get a move on, I don't need any of you looking at my man." Magnus latched onto Alec possessively.
"He's all yours." Ragnor added, "Now let's get started already." Ragnor ordered once he saw Lydia, Maryse, Brian, and Catarina walk in.
"I agree." Brian grinned, sitting down next to Ragnor.
"Alec if you could inform us with everything you know." Lydia gestured for the meeting to the start.
Alec nodded, "As you know, Jonathan is hunting for six mortal instruments. And the six of us are beacons to use the mortal instruments to open the gates. Valentine had merged pieces of the power of these instruments into our own soul that enable us to utilize some of its magic. In a sense, we are keys to opening the gates of both heaven and hell. Without our souls, the gates can't be open."
"How does Jonathan play into all of this?" Jace asked.
"Jonathan is a summoner. He has to be able to cast the spell and have the power to open the gates. We might be able to unlock the gates, but someone has to be strong enough to push the doors open." Alec clarified.
"What I don't understand is the point of all this." Lydia stated.
"When the gates are open, Hell will rise up and Heaven will come down. They aren't just two separate realms anymore. They both can now, destroy realms, angels will start to fall, but I don't really know the major details. The amount of power that it can give is only told in legends, and no one has actually done it before. But the issue isn't what happens when Jonathan gets what he wants, it's how we end it. Opening the gates are easy, closing them is the hard part."
"Don't we just…Close the doors?" Brain asked.
Isabelle chuckled, "If it weren't for the person who asked it, I would think Jace asked that question."
Brian made an offended look, "I'm not that dumb. It was an actual question."
"Hey, I'm not dumb." Jace retorted.
Alec continued, "It's not that simple. It took Jonathan years of training and magic to be able to be ready for the summoning of the gates. The piece of angel and demonic souls within him are the only reasons why he is eligible to even attempt to open the gates. So closing is something of an alternative matter."
"So, we stop Jonathan from getting to the Mortal Instruments and figure out how to close the gates." Clary summarized.
Alec nodded, "Which mortal instruments does he have?" Magnus asked.
"Well, the London Institute has two mortal instruments and the Brooklyn institute is keeping the mortal cup and the mortal mirror." Ragnor answered.
Brian was explaining the details of which Instruments they needed to hunt down, but Alec couldn't help but look around the institute. He felt as though someone was watching them or him specifically.
"Alec!" Maryse called out.
"What?" Alec snapped out of it.
"Are you okay?" Magnus went and touched Alec's cheek to see if he was sick, "Maryse has called your name at least four times."
"No, it's just …" Alec sighed, "something feels off."
"Off?" Catarina asked.
"Like...someone is watching us."
"It could be shadowhunters looking at you, because of yesterday's trial." Isabelle explained, "There has been some talk going around."
"Oh, I'm sorry about that."
Maryse shook her head, "It has nothing to do with you."
Brian interrupted, "Anyway-"
But Alec beat him to it, "London doesn't have any mortal instruments."
"What?" Brian questioned Alec.
"Before you blew up our organization, Jonathan had already told me that he snuck into the Institute and gathered information and the whereabouts on Jophiel's mortal brush."
"He snuck in?!" Brian slammed his fists on the table. "How did he sneak in?"
"Technically, Jonathan is a Shadowhunter. And he has the power to transform into any image he sees fit." Alec informed him, but he still felt something was off.
"So, what? He stole the mortal brush and the mortal sword?" Brian gritted his teeth, disappointed that he couldn't even protect two possessions that were in their own territory.
Alec quickly looked behind him, sensing a tingly feeling and ignoring the discussion happening before him. He was observing each Shadowhunter until someone came up on his side. "Ms. Lightwood, I got the information you asked for."
Alec quickly looked at the intruder and observed that it was the same guy from yesterday that caught his attention before he left with Magnus. "Underhill." Maryse greeted, "Yes, thank you."
Alec gave the Shadowhunter Underhill a once over and felt a tingly sensation that he wasn't to be trusted. Magnus lightly elbowed Alec, "Are you sure I shouldn't be jealous?" he teased. Instead of playing along, Alec gave Magnus an unsure look. "What's wrong?"
Alec was gonna respond but Underhill bumped into him and commented, "Watch it lover boy."
Normally Alec would just brush it off but that comment, lover boy triggered something in him. And he grabbed Underhills wrist and pulled him back to face him, "What did you say?"
Underhill smirked, "Are you offended?"
"Alec, let him go." Lydia ordered. "Underhill, you clearly walked into him. You should be the one apologizing."
Underhill scoffed and Alec didn't want to let him go yet. "Alexander," Magnus took ahold of Alec's hand, "some people" he glared at Underhill, "are just not worth your time."
Alec sighed, "Maybe I am overthinking it. Sorry for the outburst." Underhill glared and sntached his arm out of his hand and walked away, not showing the growing smirk on his face.
"As we were saying…" Ragnor brought the crowd back.
"Right, It's true Jonathan got his hands on Jophiel's brush but he found out the mortal sword you had under protection was a fake." Alec continued.
"Fake?!" Brian questioned. "The amount of trouble we went to get a hold of that, only to find out it was fake?!"
Alec produced a guilty look, "I guess I'll remind you, I was there for that one."
"You stole it?" Catarina asked.
Alec shook his head, "I merely traded it. I gave you guys the fake one and hid the real one."
"I don't know if I should be mad at you or give you a pat on the back for deceiving me." Brian fisted.
Catarina patted Brian's back, "Atleast Jonathan has one less than what we thought he already had."
"He currently has the mortal eye, the mortal cross, the mortal brush, and the mortal scroll. This institute has the mortal cup and Raziel's mortal mirror."
"Technically that's five." Clary added, "Raziel's mortal mirror is a public lake."
"So, we need extra protection on the mortal cup and …" Lydia trailed off, "You should probably stay at the institute. After all, you are one of the key ingredients in Jonathan's plan."
"There's one more thing." Alec added, "That day, the witch pulled something out of me… it was about a week before you decided to blow up the organizations institute. Jacob and I were both sent to Jonathon for punishment because of a stunt we pulled at a traditional event. Jonathan took Jacob's entire soul out of him, and placed it in me. No one can survive with more than one soul inside. Witches are told to be the ones who can handle souls. And Aaren did it. He took Jacob's soul out of me and for safety I … kind of hid it."
"So, Jacob…" Lydia started.
"Dead." Alec finished for her.
"So we have the upper hand." Isabelle commented, "We know the location of the mortal instruments and one of Jonathan's needed souls...after all, we have the mortal cup and you here."
"You're right, we just need to up the security on the mortal cup, add some Shadowhunters at Raziel's lake and Alec should probably stay here." Maryse added.
"So...we stay at the institute?" Clary asked.
Maryse shook her head, "No, Edward has been spotted roaming around New York. And since we learned his brother is dead..." Maryse pointed to Alec.
Alec nodded, "He's probably here for me."
"Why? You didn't kill him?" Magnus was irritated that his lover was in danger again.
"But he doesn't know that." Alec replied.
Then the Institute's alarm went off, triggering a warning. "What's happening?!" Catarina yelled.
"It's an intruder!" Isabelle informed.
"Where?" Brian asked. Lydia quickly brought up the map of the institute to see where the warning was triggered. Everyone but the London reinforcements, Alec, and Magnus gasped. "What is it?"
"It's where we keep the mortal cup!" Maryse shouted.
"You kept it in the institute?" Ragnor yelled from their idiocy.
All the Shadowhunter's in the vicinity were running around trying to find the intruder. Until someone yelled through the lobby, "He's outside!"
The lot of them followed his lead and ran straight outside and saw the group of Shadowhunters in battle stance against a singular man. The man in front of them grinned at the Shadowhunters, not doing anything. He observed the crowd and was waiting for a specific individual.
"Underhill?!" Maryse questioned. "What are you doing?" she yelled seeing the Mortal cup in his hand.
Underhill produced the widest smile, none of the others had ever seen, "Underhill?" he asked, "Quite suits him. Don't you think…Alexander?" he pointed.
"He's taken!" Magnus bit back.
Underhill chuckled and snapped his fingers. Within seconds, he deglamored himself. "Jonathan." Alec gritted.
"You've gotten weaker, Alec. Slower." Jonathan toyed with him, "I was impressed. I was dropping hints here and there, but your lover seems to be able to calm you down." Jonathan sighed, "Love makes you weak Alec."
"How d-" Jonathan cut Magnus off.
"I would love to stay and chat." Jonathan played with the cup in his hand, "But I have places to be." Chris popped out of nowhere and stood beside Jonathan.
"Chris." Alec greeted.
Chris simply nodded, "Since, you really want to prove yourself as a Shadowhunter…" Jonathan smirked, "I'll be coming for you."
Chris opened a portal behind them and before the others could attack, they had already walked through and disappeared before them.
"Well…" Jace started, "I guess they have six now." The others looked at Jace with a not-now look. Jace put up his hands in mock surrender.