CHAPTER-4

(Jace POV)

Jace didn't think this case would start so soon. It seemed like those boring cases they heard of everyday. He thought he would take his sweet time and have a perfect case. These intel missions usually lasted long and were tedious. But this was becoming exhilarating fast.

"Get out of wherever you are while talking. He is heading south of the apartment. Summary. Simon had been surveying the cams. Noticed something out of ordinary. Sebastian had gone out in the middle of the night and he came back with a package. It's shady. He just took the package and went out of the house. Simon can track his phone for now. So we are to follow him for now. We don't know what's in the package. It could be something dangerous." Jordon told him, the background noises of traffic making his voice sound low.

Jace went inside the café and walked to the girls' table in a hurry. "Hey girls? A dire situation has come up. My friend got his car tire punctured. So I must leave. I hope you don't miss me too much." He winked at them and left. Izzy had given him a look asking what was up but he didn't say anything because right now Izzy wasn't needed. He knew Alec would call her soon enough.

"Was that necessary?" He heard Jordon chuckling from the other side of the phone. Not replying, Jace asked instead, "Does Alec know?" "Yes. Simon notified him. Alec wants both of us to go after him. He and Izzy will come as backup." Jordon replied in a low voice. He must be near Sebastian, Jace thought, noticing the absence of the traffic sound. "Keep me notified on the position." Jace told Jordon as his bike roared to life. As they hadn't arranged the comms yet, Jace resorted to sticking the phone inside his helmet. First and foremost after this, he will be going to Bane's and get his damn guns and some comms. The roads were empty and Jace raised his speed without hesitation. "He is outside," Jordon was saying but paused in between. "Pandemonium?"

His tone was questioning. And Jace could understand why. He didn't know what could have been the reason that he would go to a club in the middle of the day. A club notorious for being the the hangout of the 'Downworlders' no less. They, the Shadowhunters, worked from the shadows. But Downworlders were those who lived in the dark.

He remembered how his mother used to describe them to him when he was young, as if telling a bed time story. She would reminisce about her life as an agent with his father and would often tell some tales that no one at his age would know, unless of course there parents were badass secret agents. Young Jace would love hearing about the thrilling secret agent life, gaping every now and then, his small eyes going wide with wonder. He never knew if she was trying to scare him off or just getting lost in her tales, but she would start with saying that Downworlders had long been referred to as half demons.

Jace didn't know it at that point of time but now it was clear to him. It was not because they were terrifying or malevolent, but because they could trick you by the sleight of hand and you wouldn't even realize. They just had been given this reputation and were not all bad people. Some proved to be very useful if one had the right connections, like Magnus Bane. But their reputation was not just empty rumors. There were some groups within the Downworlders that had been responsible for a fair amount of bloodshed, and thus people had always been wary of them. Some were even rumoured to have the trademark of leaving bodies without blood. It was said they would suck it out of the bodies, and sell the blood and the organs. Nasty people, Jace had always thought.

It's been so long since he had a proper talk with his mother. He will have to visit the manor soon. He missed her. He would definitely go after this mission. No he will have to go sometime soon or maybe call her. Jon told him to have a talk with her. If he went to the manor, maybe he will bring back some books. Life was too boring right now. For now, Pandemonium..

Sebastian wouldn't have a reason to go there. Unless... unless there is a more direct link between the Circle and Sebastian than they had thought. He sped along the road in the direction of Pandemonium. He wondered what Jon would be doing right now. He hadn't called even once since the mission had started. Jace thought that calling him might not be a good idea as he didn't know what kind of a mission he was on. Maybe he could ask Luke later. But now was not the time and not the place, he chided himself as he got off his bike half a block away from the club. He found Jordon waiting at the entrance.

He raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You didn't follow him." "He just went in." Jordon said shrugging. "He was looking at his watch the whole time like a hawk. Maybe waiting for an exact time to go in. He also received a call." Jace nodded and went in, with Jordon following him. "Tell Simon to check his call logs later," Jace told Jordon. It was eerily quiet inside. The management must be on the first floor. "Where did he go?" It was dark and they couldn't see anything clearly. "You check the first floor, I will take the ground floor." Jace said while patting his back pocket to check his pistol. "As you don't have a weapon, just give me some sort of signal and wait. Don't act on your own."

Jordon nodded. "That's fine and all, but are we supposed to reveal ourselves? Wouldn't it jeopardize our mission?" Jace hadn't thought about that. Calm down, he told himself. No panic. In times like this, he should think rationally. But what should they do? Should he let Jordon handle this as Sebastian hadn't seen him?

"Let's just see what he is up to first. You," he started but a voice cut him in between and he stilled, like a predator who just found his prey. "Wh-what are you doing?" Jordon poked him in the side and then pointed towards a door isolated at the corner of the club. It was probably the store room. The voice had definitely come from inside it. Jace walked to the room stealthily, like a tiger stalking to his prey. Jordon was at the entrance checking for any other people around. Having a person with you was always strategically better. And Jordon had always been exceptionally reliable.

Jace remembered the time when Jordon had joined their group like it happened yesterday. He used to work under the Special Ops department and had been shifted to the Agency. His previous group had been killed off in an operation and he didn't want to continue working there. Later on, Jace was told how the place was full of memories of their group and that it hurt Jordon even to be there. But according to the upper officials, such amazing talent could not be let go to waste. So he was transferred here at the Agency.

When he had just transferred and had been placed in their group, they all had been wary of him. But they all warmed up to him pretty quickly because of his loyal and reliable nature. Soon it felt like he had always been there with them. Jace glanced at him now, as he looked around for any sign of people around them. Though he was about the same age as Jace, his face seemed much more aged. Mature. Jace has always felt that Jordon had gone through a lot more than he let on in the past. But who was he to ask. He knew that sometimes, a person needs personal space as much as air. So he never questioned him about it.

Now, as Jordon signaled the absence of any person, Jace peeped inside and saw the man in question. Sebastian. But wait, who is that? Jace thought as he saw a girl standing with her back to the door. She had blonde hair and was wearing casual clothes. Exceptionally small height. Is she..?

As these thoughts were going through his head, the girl spoke again in a hesitant voice. "Sebastian, what is in that bag?" It was then that Jace noticed him holding a black bag that been obscured from his vision before by the girl that was standing in front of Sebastian. It had to be the package that Jordon was referring to. The man himself was standing quiet, probably thinking what to be done in a situation like this.

"If you hand me the bag, I won't say anything to anyone." Jace had to say that the girl was commendably daring. Sebastian gave her a derisive smirk. "And what can you do?" 'If I won't give you the bag' remained in the air, as if provoking her to show what she was capable of in this situation. "Aline will be here in about ten minutes." She said simply.

Sebastian's expression changed from contempt to anger. His eyes looked like they would swallow the little girl into the infinite darkness. But he simply gave her the bag and walked away, muttering curses under his breath. Jace was just gaping at the whole exchange, not understanding a word and had little time to move out of the way and hide as Sebastian came out. Seeing Jace, Jordon hid as well. This petit girl had just saved them from fussing up their mission. He told Jordon to follow Sebastian, handing him the gun, just in case.

He then texted Alec to not come and that the situation had been handled. He got a reply almost simultaneously, asking about Sebastian. But Jace ignored it as he had more important things to do, even though he knew for sure that he would get a handful from Alec later. Now what to do of the bag? Jace pondered. On one hand, if he goes to the girl, someone might get to know that they are keeping a tab on Sebastian. On the other hand, they really needed to know the contents of that bag. And he had a feeling the former won't be the case this time.

So, he walked in the room and knocked at the door that had been left open by the irritated Sebastian. The girl rummaging through the bag turned around and green met golden.

"What are you doing here?" Jace repeated her previous words, but with surprise instead of hesitation.

"Just passing by...?"

A/N: I am so sorry guys that I haven't updated in a while. My school started and I had enough homework to do to last me a year (it still isn't completed yet). School just started and I have a big test coming up. I am seriously feeling dead. But fortunately, I got enough time to write this chapter (by ignoring my work of course). I know I said I would write a long chapter and I know this is extra small, but please bear with me. Next chapter would be awesome. I will probably update a few days after 31st May. Also if any of you guys love anime like myself, follow me on tumblr: prayforthewick5d.

Question: What is your favourite ship in TMI/ Infernal devices/ Dark artifices?

I personally can't choose between Clace and Malec. Again. I am sorry and will try to update soon. READ AND REVIEW darlings!

Reply to individual reviews:

Samtmilover: Thanku so much for reading and reviewing! I really love reading reviews. I guess you were one of the guests who had been reviewing before (Correct me if I am wrong!) Read on further to know more about Roxy! I really hope you like this chapter, though it's a little late:)

daniM2004: Thanku for reading! Here is more. Hope you like it!:)

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~S