"I know where the cup is," Clary declared.

Magnus closed his book and turned towards her.

"Come again?" Jace asked.

"The tarot cards. My mom, she must have painted them years ago, but the Mortal Cup has to be hidden inside the Ace of Cups. The card looks exactly like it."

Magnus and Jace shared a look.

"Wait, wait, why aren't you guys happy about this? All we have to do is find…Dot."

"If Dot had the cards when she was taken, we don't have much time," Jace said. "If Valentine gets his hands on the cup-"

Magnus surged up to interrupted Jace. "We know. If Valentine started creating Shadowhunters or gained control of demons, it'd be like Beyoncé riding on a dinosaur through Times Square."

"People would notice?" Shu translated. She'd learned to speak Magnus over the years of knowing him, and still it was hard to connect the dots of his metaphors.

"But he can control demons, I've seen it."

"He wasn't controlling demons," Someone said, walking in.

Jace instantly has his seraph blade out and everyone tensed up. A man with black hair and red eyes came walking in with his hands in his pockets casually. Even with weapons and eyes trained on him, he barely flinched, walking forward to Clary.

"All he was doing was paying off the demons, or making them promises," He said. "Paying off demons is easy, especially since they rarely survive long enough to collect payment."

"Still waiting on Valentine's thank-you card," Shu muttered.

"Demons can go out and do favors, make deals and exchanges, but having their free will taken away is another thing entirely. There are demons willing to follow Valentine to certain doom if they might get something out of it later in life, and sometimes just the fight and death itself is payment enough."

"Excuse me, who are you supposed to be again?" Jace asked.

The man gave Jace a once over. "I'm the one who nearly dragged you into oblivion, Jace Wayland. You were the only one who didn't pay up your memory of your most beloved. I would've been fine with the Alexander Lightwood boy, but you were more convenient. And don't think I haven't forgotten that you tried to stab me, Clary Fairchild."

"Valak," Magnus realized, before looking to Shu accusingly.

"Charon, why did you come back?" She asked instead of facing him.

"Keeping the Fairchild's memory wasn't going to stop her from finding out where the cup was forever. I hold Joselyn's memories of the cup's location as well, so no matter what Valentine does to her body, he couldn't find where she put it from her. But memories are a funny thing. They are like chains, one memory leads to another leads to another. There's no way to take every memory in existence of the past away. Even if humans don't remember something, the air, earth, material objects, time itself, do. I knew it was only a matter of time before you put together the right chain of memories to come to a conclusion, and the Werewolf, Luke, did not help in keeping the memory sealed either. As to you question, I've come because I want to offer assistance in exchange for something."

"We're not making a deal with a demon," Jace declared. "And we don't need your help."

Charon rolled his eyes. "And I thought Alexander was the serious one. At the least hear out the proposition. I want to offer my services in exchange for a favor. The moment you get the chance, the moment you get your hands on that cup, destroy it."

"Destroy it?" Clary asked.

"That cup brings nothing but trouble, to both you Nephilim to all of us demons and Downworlders. In the power struggle for it, all that has been wrought is anger and suffering. Vampires, Werewolves, Warlocks, and just regular old demons - each and every one of us want the cup not only for power, but to make sure that the rest of us aren't controlled. No one wants to be a slave, and whether one wants power or not, they're going to go after that cup to make sure they don't become one. I, myself, don't want to be a slave to that cup again, but as long as it exists, there's no such thing as safety from such a thing. Of course there's also the sword, but that's less important at the moment. You Shadowhunters were the ones who lost it in the first place, and I don't trust you to keep it safe for eternity again. Not with the horrid leadership you have, hating on every soul that doesn't have some angelic blood in them. It's because of you that Valentine is what he is today."

"We don't encourage the killing of Downworlders," Jace argued.

"No, you keep them alive so that you can look down on them, step on them when they get angry about it. You treat mundanes like uncivilized brainless zombies just because they're in the dark about the Shadow World. Don't even try to deny it. I know your mind, Shadowhunter."

"Charon, don't start picking fights," Shu requested. "What kind of help do you think you have to offer?"

I'm a well-known Greater Demon. At the moment, I can get you into and out of situations involving other demons like me since I have their trust. I can take the memories of any person you need memories from, and I can tell you every one of someone's dirty little secrets, making interrogations a walk in the park. For whatever it's worth, I can promise you that I'm only doing this to keep that cup out of Valentine's hands. I don't have any use for more Shadowhunters, and see no point in taking control of other demons. All you need to do is get that tarot card, pull the cup out with your little artsie powers, and destroy it. I'll go away peacefully once that has happened, and the world can keep spinning as it does."

"I still don't think destroying it is necessary," Clary said. "If we can get the cup and protect it, then what's the harm in-?"

"You can't protect it. You've seen how many people are out to get the cup, and the Shadowhunters, can't protect it forever. Even if you managed to protect it in your generation and pass the duty onto your children, humans are predictable. They won't keep the same honor over generations. More Valentines will be born in the future, and as an immortal, I see a problem in that. Old Razz made that cup for good purposes, but all it ever did was bring conflict and disaster for the power struggle that came with it. The only way to get rid of shadows is to snuff out the light. Destroy the big bad source of power, and no more conflict will come from it. Just give a ring when you need me."

A black cloud swirled up from his feet, engulfing him, and when it dispersed he was gone.

"Do we really wanna trust that guy?" Jace asked.

"He won't do any harm," Shu said. "In the end, what he said was true. He just wants to make sure that he's not subject to the power of the cup being in someone else's hands, mainly Valentine's, just like everyone else. For now, we continue on as normal. Find the cup, and if we ever are forced to call upon his aid, we will have to make a choice whether to do as he says or not. For now, we owe him nothing."

"But the tarot cards are with Valentine, right?" Clary asked. "What are we supposed to do?"

"Valentine doesn't have the cards," Luke said, walking in. Everyone turned to him curiously. "I do. They're in my desk, back in the precinct. When Clary went missing, I went to the loft and I cleared everything out 'cause I didn't want the Circle to track her."

"That's great," Clary said. "This should be easy."

"That's what General Custer said," Magnus pointed out, sitting in the chair beside him.

"Magnus is right," Shu said. "Valentine has spies everywhere, even in the NYPD."

"We have to be discreet," Luke agreed.

"Discreet?" Clary asked. "You look like something out of The Mummy movie."

Magnus giggled, but when everyone looked his way he gave a 'I didn't do anything' look.

"We'll go in the morning," Luke said. "Werewolf healing, remember? This is nothing a couple hours of beauty sleep can't fix."

"Be careful," Shu warned. "You're just asking for things to go wrong."

"What's going on?"

Alec and Izzy jumped back as Shu appeared next to them out of thin air.

"I assume things went wrong, but why are you unbuttoning his shirt, Izzy?"

"Alec gets to be a distraction today. We need to get that woman's I.D."

She pointed to a woman at a desk.

"And you seriously think Alec is the kind of guy to be a distraction?" Shu asked in disbelief.

"Well, I don't think I'm her type."

Shu rolled her eyes. "And he doesn't exactly look her type either. Look, the plan is much simpler than that. Allow me."

She walked over to the desk. "Excuse me, are these free? I'm looking for some information on-"

She knocked a water bottle over as she reached for the brochures beside the desk. The cap had been on, however Shu made it so that the lid was only sitting on top and not screwed on, resulting in near all of the water spilling out onto the desk.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Uh, I think I have some tissues in my bag here, hold on."

The woman began quickly moving folders and notepads out of the way, and Shu flicked the I.D. card sitting on the table. Izzy, who was walking by casually, caught it as she passed, and Shu moved the folder that the I.D. had been sitting on to buy a little time when the guard went looking for it, making her think that it hadn't just vanished into thin air and was probably lost when everything got moved.

"I got it, hon, but thank you," The woman said.

"I'm sorry, again. Thank you."

Taking a couple of the brochures for her cover, she rushed away to join Izzy as she drew a rune on the power box and the entire facility went black.

"There they are," Shu said, pointing to Jace and Clary exiting the building.

"Did you get it?" Alec asked.

"Theoretically," Clary said.

"Theoretically?"

"Yeah." She sighed. "I found the card. I just have to figure out how I reached into my notebook before. It's…it's not an exact science."

"Can't you just pull the cup out?"

"I can. Theoretically. It's just - it's not as easy as it looks, Alec."

"Listen, you two can discuss theories as much as you want once you guys get out of the open, but right now, we just stole from the cops, so I suggest we get going," Jace said.

"Guys," Izzy said, looking down at her necklace as it began to glow. "I think the mundanes might be the least of our worries."

"It's probably just reacting to me," Shu said. "But I wouldn't put it against Valentine's spies to have found us by now. We need to get moving."

"Never a dull day," Jace muttered. "Let's go."

They quickly began to walk off, when Clary bumped into an old woman. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

She kneeled down to grab the purse she'd dropped, when the old woman revealed herself to be one of the shape-shifters, opening it's mouth to attack Clary.

Shu was instantly there, taking the monster by the head to pull it into the purple and red seraph blade she had drawn. It instantly exploded into dust, and she quickly sheathed the blade back in her bag.

"What the hell?" Clary asked, standing.

"Language," Shu said. "Not in front of grandma."

"You used a seraph blade," Alec noticed.

"Yeah. I did. But if that thing found us, it means others are nearby."

She motioned towards a man getting out of one of the police cars. His eyes glowed with the green of a shape-shifter, and he began to walk towards them.

"She brought friends," Jace muttered.

"How can you tell?" Clary asked.

The group began walking off quickly.

"It's like seeing through a glamour. You just gotta pay attention to the details."

"I can't see anything."

"Behind us," Izzy warned.

Clary turned to look at the man with glowing eyes stalking forward.

"I-I still can't see them."

"What, are you blind, woman?" Shu asked. "Ugh, nevermind."

They stopped as another man in front of them with glowing green eyes took notice of them.

"Okay, there's too many people," Clary muttered.

"I don't say this often, but I agree with Clary," Alec said. "We gotta get out of here."

"Can you open a portal, Shu?"

"Only big enough for one person after what happened with your friend Luke. It wouldn't be able to sustain itself if all of you were to try to jump through, and we need to keep someone with Clary at all times. Throwing her through a portal alone doesn't sound like a smart idea."

"This way."

They hurried down the steps and to a door that had a high voltage warning. "What's the unlock rune again?" Clary asked with her stele out.

Jace kicked the door open.

"Or that," Shu muttered.

"Open sesame."

As they headed inside, Alec summoned his bow and quiver, drawing and nocking an arrow.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Jace asked.

"Holding them off," Alec said simply. "Take Clary back to the Institute."

"No, if you're staying, I'm staying. We fight together."

"I'll look after him, Jace," She said. "I can't go to your Shadowhunter Institute. I'm considered a Downworlder, remember? Besides, if the demons get the cup, we're dead anyways."

"I'm not leaving anyone behind."

"You don't have a choice," Alec argued.

"I know you guys are having a moment, okay? But we really have to go," Clary urged.

"Don't worry. It's not like this is the first time Alec has saved your life," Izzy said. "I doubt it'd be the last."

"Go," Alec ordered.

Clary and Izzy already turned to continue and Jace reluctantly followed.

Alec pulled back the bowstring and was ready to fire at anyone that came through the door, and Shu pulled out her stele and drew a stamina rune.

"You have a stele," Alec noticed as he let an arrow fly and drew another.

"Yeah, I do," She said calmly, blasting the next man that came into view to dust.

"You can use runes."

"I see you've won the 'Most Observant Shadowhunter' trophy. Congratulations."

"But you're a Warlock."

"And you're a Shadowhunter. Are we done here?"

He fired his next arrow. "How?"

"Long story."

"We've got a bit of time on our hands."

She chuckled and blasted the next monster. "Not that much time. Maybe one day. Ask Mags. Magnus can explain - if you gain enough of his trust, that is."

"He knows?"

"Duh. Three hundred plus years with that man and secrets are shared. Just don't tell anyone about me, okay?"

"Something bad?"

"Good or bad. Depends on the perspective. I'd rather stay without the notoriety of Magnus. I stay in his shadow, I stay safe from those who want to put me on display, or put my head on a stake."

Alec shot one of two demons at the door and Shu put two fists together and pulled them apart, her magic engulfing the second man and then pulling him apart to nothing but ashes.

"And what if I do tell someone?"

"I'll march up to you and anyone you tell and kill you all."

"Not one to mince words, are you?"

"I get it from Magnus."

He shot and arrow and she sent a wave of power right after it, engulfing the arrow and then causing it to glow. When it hit the man in the center of the next wave, it exploded, taking out the other attackers that were taking shelter outside of the door's range.

"Promise not to tell? Don't make me put a rune on you to silence you."

"I promise."

"If I find out you told someone, I wasn't kidding on what I'd do."

"Acknowledged."

"Hey! It's me, Luke! Don't shoot!"

They paused and saw as Luke walked into view with his hands up. "I'm the real Luke. Shu, you healed my wounds yesterday after I fought and beat the former Alpha of my pack. You're a Warlock. Alec, you were there too, helping Magnus keep my forced transformation from the Alpha venom poison in check."

Alec slowly lowered his bow and Shu let the magic around her hands die out. "Where've you been?" She asked.

He shrugged. "Jail."

"Great. I hope you've got a plan for that."

"Hope for the best?"

"Great plan. Use that one all the time."

"Where's Clary?"

"She, Jace, and Izzy are somewhere that way. Heading to the Institute."

"There isn't anyone else coming this way, so I think we're good. I've got the rest of my pack hunting any more down now. We should probably try and find Clary and the others. Might be some unfriendly creatures down there that were already past you two in pursuit."

"Might need some help," Alec agreed. "Clary isn't exactly a top-notch fighter."

Shu closed and locked the door just in case, before they headed after the others.

"Clary!" Luke called.

"Get back!" She shrieked, holding her seraph blade out. "How do I know you're Luke?"

"I got you spray paints for your birthday," He said, holding his hands up in surrender once more. "What happened?"

As they approached, she dropped her defensive stance. "Uh, demons. Long story, um…where'd you come from?"

"Jail," He said again. "I ran into Alec and Shu. Said you might be down here. Thought you might need some help."

Alec looked down to the ashes of a demon on the floor disappearing. "Apparently not. Looks like she took care of it."

"Shouldn't we get going or something?" Clary asked. "More demons could be coming, right?"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Luke said. "I got the pack on the lookout. If there's any other demons, we'll take care of 'em."

Clary smiled. "Look at you, leader of the pack."

"Well you know. It has it's perks."

"Shall we?"

"I trust you'll take care of things," Shu said. "I'm not heading to the Institute. I'm not a Shadowhunter person. You guys are cool, but the majority of you peeps are not fun to deal with. See ya when I see ya."

With that, she opened her portal and jumped through.