A/N - I don't own any of the characters or TV shows or creativity for those things, just the idea for the story. Enjoy.

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Craig reminded the 'contestants' that only the Hustler knew all the answers to the questions. That Craig himself didn't know any of the answers, he would be guessing right along with the panel of guests. "the first elimination will be after question three, one of you will be eliminated by the Hustler."

Ferguson pointed to the TV screen where the first question appeared, "what year was considered the first tattoo establishment in America?" The options were 1900, 1870, 1920, 1890.

"Talk it out, you got one minute." Craig walked away while the group talked among-st themselves as to what to say or answer the question that was ridiculous. Alec looked to Magnus, they knew there was some odd magic at work. Clary and Jace were in protective mode. Craig circled the room, dusted off some antiques as he waited for the groups answer.

Alec was about to get salty, what the heck was going on and was annoyed with the entire situation but stopped with a look from his husband. Magnus tried to calm him without touching him or giving much away. All of them were suspicious and recognized they couldn't be as familiar with each other like they would normally, there was something odd and it was clear the TV host thought they were all strangers to each other and contestants on a game show.

Fake Simon convinced the group of the year of 1870, the only other person who could know was Magnus Bane and it appeared it was not something he had paid attention to, he let fake Simon lead the discussion. However, Magnus was on to the guy, he suspected that maybe Simon was not who he claimed to be. Magnus was very good at reading people. Simon's quirky behavior was not on display like it would be normally. Simon was odd but not enough for his usual behavior, Magnus was suspicious. The warlock couldn't use his magic but he didn't live as long as he did and not have the smarts that went with living a long life.

"Let's take a look at the screen," the question and answers appeared on a flat screen "You got it right!" Craig pointed to the second flat screen where and a dollar amount appeared. "1870 in New York." Craig walked about the room, he looked directly at Clary, "do you have tattoos?" Clary lied and said 'no.' He followed up with "where are you from?"

"New York." Clary realized they'd have to come up with different places, it might seem odd that they are all from New York. Ferguson asked her what she did for a living. Clary knew to be careful with her answer, "I'm an art student."

Craig jumped on to that answer quickly, "art student, as in a tattoo artist?"

Clary realized the mistake, "no, I never been in a tattoo shop."

"Are you the Hustler?" Ferguson inquired.

"No." Clary smiled brightly hoping to get the limelight off of her.

"Interesting. Next fact about the Hustler, the Hustler believes in the supernatural." The TV host walked to the screen and another question appeared. "Which of these weapons is not a myth?" Ferguson rattled off the weapons for the group to discuss.

Fake Simon inwardly chuckled, he knew the answer but would the warlock know or not. He couldn't decide helping them was good or not, really in the end the money was meaningless to him. They spent the minute and advanced the cash.

##

The real Simon was annoyed with the game, he could talk Izzy into watching movies but Jace and Alec, not so much. Alec would rest his head in Magnus' lap and fall asleep, nothing he meant to know but did. Simon and Izzy spent too much time with the Lightwood-Banes. Jace found movies boring but did humor Clary from time to time and he did because of her best friend Simon. None of the shadowhunters would know the answer to that, except maybe Magnus. He was frustrated and nothing he could do to help.

As he is lamenting on that another thought bothered him. Why was he always the one to be captured first and needing help. He trained with the best and had gotten very good, yet somehow ridiculous things happened like being dumped via a portal going to a cell. At least it wasn't limbo he supposed, then turned his attention back to the screen.

Magnus and Clary led the discussion this time and Clary counted on Simon to know, he wasn't a movie buff for nothing. While he agreed with them, his input wasn't quite useless but close. Magnus and Clary knew that there was something off with Simon. They'd have to figure it out without exposing their heritage and still manage the humans in the room who knew nothing of their existence.

##

"Times up, do you have an answer." Ferguson announced. The group shook their heads collectively, and chose the correct option. "Are you sure?" The group assented their decision.

The TV host re-read the question and options, then waited and they again had the correct answer. Craig pointed to the money screen and pointed out, "you've got $20 thousand dollars so far."

He looked at Magnus, "so tell me what do you do?"

"I'm an alchemist," Magnus smiled genuinely.

"Alchemy?" Craig placed a finger to his chin, "that's an odd field, is there lots of business."

Magnus shrugged, "I do alright." He sat up more straight in the seat to clarify, "I'm a chemistry professor, alchemy sounds more fun for my students."

"Lying comes naturally for you. Sounds a bit like some sort of supernatural feel to it." He paused, "are you the Hustler?"

Magnus shook his head and replied, "no." He was a tad put out, he understood his Alexander a whole lot better at the moment with his salty behavior or attitude. "It's a creative way to get students interested in the subject of science."

"Tensions seem to be rising," the TV host noted. "One of you is the Hustler and knows all the answers to the questions." He looked at Jace, "You look like a body builder, are you one?"

Jace didn't know what to say to that but admitted he worked out. Craig nodded and then asked what he did for a living. At this Jace wasn't sure what to say, he's a shadowhunter and he knew he couldn't say that, "I teach self defense." It was the only thing he could think of to say.

##

The Reaper removed Izzy, Jace and Alec when the opportunities presented themselves and in that order. While the demon was worried about the warlock, he would be easier to manipulate with his lover missing. While he didn't spend much time talking to Asmodeus, he was aware of his warlock son and shadowhunter husband. He did know that the warlock's father was in limbo banished there by his own son.

Reaper didn't want Clary and Jace to partner up with their abilities, though Clary recently returned to the shadow world and her special abilities had yet to surface but no point in taking chances. Reaper needed Clary for her topical knowledge. He'd fool them, he was certain and waiting for the last of the information and questions and then the sweet taste of revenge.

The parabatais were an issue as well but he decided it could not be helped, while they fight better together, getting out of the cell would take more than a special rune. They were not as fluent with media or other topics that would seem strange to them.

The money part got very high, it was at $200,000 by the end of the ten questions. Reaper didn't let them miss a question though he had seen people do that, nope, not for him. If he was going to live in the mundane world, the money may be handy.

He learned one thing about the group, they knew about demons, the occult and the supernatural. Since Simon was a nerd in a large number of ways, there was no way it would be believable if he didn't direct them to the right answers when needed especially about pop culture but did make sure Clary was instrumental in that area.