Chapter Three

JACE watched Clary go into the bar. It was chocking they hadn't run straight to Valentine with the news. He felt lucky though that they'd moved safe houses the previous night. He remembered that shifter, Camie he believed her name was; she'd probably believed the information she'd given them was true. In a way it was. Sebastian probably knew that. Or they'd already breached that safe house. They were barely ahead of Valentine, moving just in time to escape his goons' hands.

When Sebabstian had thrown Clary by the hair he'd wanted to jump down there and wipe that ugly grin off of his face. "Thanks for ditching me Jace." Isabelle snapped coming to sit down next to him on the rooftop. "What're we watching?" Jace didn't answer her. He wanted to see Clary come out of there but knew that if they stayed Isabel would spot her.

"Sorry Iz," He said. "I hadn't realized you missed my hotness." A smile formed at the corner of her lips.

"Your comebacks are getting weak Jace." She laughed. Jace shrugged and continued watching the street, wrapping his arms around his knees. Isabelle knew something was off with him but shrugged it off. She felt bad for the kid. He'd lost everything, they all had.

They sat there for over an hour. Jace just stared at the bar ahead of him and Isabelle was starting to think something was really wrong. He hadn't moved an inch. She wasn't even sure he was blinking.

"Jace, maybe we should go…" The door to the pub slammed shut below them. Jace jerked upright. Isabelle recognized the red head almost immediately.

"that's-" He slapped his hand over her mouth, muffling the noise.

"Shhhh. Don't let her hear you." She looked at him like he had three heads. He released his grip on her.

"I-I can't believe she's alive." Isabelle whispered. Jace gave her a quick glance. Clary removed her jacket. She had all of the Shadow Hunter Runes now, Jace could see. He and Isabelle noticed the large black oval rune on her shoulder.

"W-what is that?" Isabelle whispered.

"It looks like the emblem on the enforcer uniform." Jace responded leaning closer.

"We need to talk to her-" Jace grabbed her arm.

"I-I've been watching her for about a week now Iz," He said ignoring the angry look he was getting. "I don't know what they did to her but she's a killing machine. I wouldn't risk it until we know more." Isabelle shook her head but didn't struggle to get out of his grip.

"She's in one of their uniforms." He hissed. Jace looked at the ground.

"Clarissa!" Two men were approaching her, both in their uniforms smiling. She gave them a slight wave, keeping her face blank. "We haven't seen you around lately." One of them said. "Where've you been?" Clary forced a smile. She opened her mouth to respond when Jonathan strode out of the bar. The guys instantly lost their smiles. She glanced at him and they understood her reasoning.

"Jared." Jonathan said. "Carl." The guys mumbled a hello.

"W-we'll see you later I hope." Jared said taking his friend and slipping into the bar.

"What were you talking to them for?" Jonathan asked. Clary swallowed.

"They just showed up. They're my friends John." He rolled his eyes. She knew what he was thinking 'You shouldn't have friends. You're dad's little slave.' Clary averted her gaze. "Can we just get back?" She sighed. Jonathan didn't answer right away. When she looked back up at him we was sniffing the air.

"Do you smell that?" he said. "No of course you don't." Clary watched him make a complete circle.

"You're acting like a dog John. Please let's go back? I'm tired." Growling in frustration he glanced down at her.

"We still have another hour of patrol. If we go back an hour early who'll he kill? Me." Clary dropped her shoulders. "GODDAMNIT!" Jonathan yelled abruptly slamming his fist into wall. "What the hell is that smell!"

"Look… You're tired. I'm tired. We aren't going to work well if we stay up anyway. Can we please just go back." Jonathan narrowed his eyes.

"You're not funny."

"I'm not trying to be funny."

"We have orders Clary."

"You got the orders. Not me. I'm tired and I'm going back. You can follow me if you want." She turned to leave. Jonathan grabbed her arm.

"I am not getting in trouble for you. I never wanted you here. Father should've let you die in that lake." Clary clenched her jaw.

"There's one thing we agree on." She snapped back. "Now I'm going home."

"No you're not!" She shrugged herself out of his grip and started backing away.

"I'm going home Jonathan. If you want to order me back go ahead but you're going to have to order me." Jonathan's black eyes bore into hers. He didn't fight, just watched as she went farther and farther down the street. After she disappeared out of his sight he took a deep breath. He had orders to not let her get hurt. He also had orders to finish the shift. He knew he'd get into more trouble if Clary got hurt so he rushed after her. She'd feel his anger towards her tomorrow.

Clary knocked softly on Valentine's study door. "Father?" She questioned. She loathed calling him Father, but it had been one of the orders she'd been given. Actually it was one of the first orders and it drove her crazy. She heard some shuffling of papers.

"Come in Clarissa." Valentine's study was actually the mansion's library. It almost resembled the Institutes. It had two floors each twenty feet high. The second floor was more of a surrounding balcony with a spiral staircase on each side. Clary walked over to her father's desk and sat down in a chair. "You're early home." Valentine stated, not looking up at her. Clary swallowed.

"I was tired Father." She fidgeted with her hands. "Jonathan was acting like a dog. He couldn't tell what smell was what. I thought I was going to pass out." Valentine signed his name on a paper and looked up at his daughter.

"You guys were… tired." He sighed.

"W-we couldn't work efficiently. If we were attacked… I don't know what would happen." Valentine cracked his neck.

"And where is Jonathan?" He knew Jonathan wasn't allowed to leave Clary unprotected.

"Right here Father." Clary hadn't even heard the door open. Jonathan rested a hand on her shoulder. She could feel his nails digging into her skin. "I followed her home from a distance. She wouldn't listen to me when I said we still had another hour of patrol." Valentine stood and walked over to his son, tilting his head to the side.

"Did you order her John?"

"I-"

"Because if you'd ordered her then you'd still be working. Wouldn't you?"

"I-"

"And here you are. So who really wanted to leave?" Valentine took a step closer. "The angel child?"

"Father-" Clary shot out of her chair.

"Or the Demon boy?" Jonathan's hand wrapped around his father's neck in less than a second and lifted him off of the ground. Valentine wasn't fazed though. He was used to his son's aggressiveness.

"Don't you dare compare me to Clarissa!" John hissed venomously.