Okay guys! I know I've MIA for while and I'm really sorry about that but it was my best friend's birthday and she wanted me to finish a story I started last year so it took all my free and I still haven't finished yet.

I know this chapter is short, but I'll make it up to you promise.

Love, Lilly

Chapter Eighteen: Goose chase

It turned out, Clary was a lot more difficult to track down than Jace and Alec had initially anticipated. They had found a trail that led to a hotel in Lower Manhattan but she was long gone when they got there. But they hadn't left empty handed and had decided to track the alias Clary had used to book her room: Leona Chaderry. Then the trail had led them all the way to the Upper West Side to a hotel, once again with an empty room.

"For a civilian, she sure knows how to go underground," Alec said and he saw the shadow of a smile perked up on Jace's lips. They were grabbing lunch at a small dinner, resting their feet before going back to the chase. "Wonder who taught her."

"Jocelyn told me once that she was always the best at Hide and Seek," Jace said absentmindedly. "She would stay hidden in the garden for hours before Luke had to lure her out."

"I see she put that talent to good use," Alec said and he smiled. "And I have to admit Leona Chaderry? That was pure genius."

"What do you mean?" Jace frowned.

"Are you serious?" Alec asked. "Don't tell me you missed it! It's an anagram!" He shook his head and took a napkin, scribbling the two names one under another and linked each letter of Clary Herondale to its match in Leona Chaderry. Jace's golden eyes widened. He looked back and forth at the white napkin and at Alec who was smiling in triumph before grabbing his phone.

"She should be a spy," Alec said, nodding to himself while Jace was impatiently tapping his fingers against the cold aluminum of the table. "It's a work of art." He looked out the window and then his head snapped back at Jace. "How do you know Leona was Clary if you didn't get the anagram?"

Jace looked at him as if to say: are you serious? –or seriously stupid?. "I show them a picture."

"Right," Alec said and he lightly blushed.

"Aline?" Jace said after what seemed like a long time. "What the hell took you so long?" Alec heard Aline shout something in Jace's ear. "Really? Well that's interesting. No, that's not why I've called. I need you to get down to Hodge's office and ask him to run a name down for me and if you could be discrete about it that would be great."

Alec was annoyed to have only one part of the conversation but he just ordered another coffee while Jace and Aline were joyfully catching up. "Okay, no problem, I'll meet her there. Do you have any idea why she wants to see me there? I knew it!" Alec jumped back, surprised. Jace covered his phone with his hand and leaned forward whispering: "Aldertree is a traitor."

Alec's heart missed a beat. "Okay. The name is Leona Chaderry. And ask him to also run down every possible anagrams of Clary Herondale, please, it's important. Thank you. Yeah, I'll call you later."

"Are you sure?" Alec asked, only seconds after Jace had hung up. "You know we can't go after Aldertree without proof. He's the DCS."

"Jules had her suspicions; Verlac confirmed them."

"Shit," Alec cursed. "As if our lives weren't complicated enough with Valentine and his psychopathic son–"

"Don't forget the Pangborns brothers and lovely but crazy daughter," Jace interrupted.

"Oh yeah. Them. Now we have to stop the Director of Clandestine Services. Why God hates us so much?"

Jace shrugged. "I think it'll be fun."

"Let's find Clary first," Alec said. "Does she know you saw her?"

"Yes."

"And does she know you know it's her?" Alec continued.

"I think so," Jace said. "When the cab got away I think I saw said something like sorry," Jace explained.

"Do you think she's apologizing for lying about being away or for following you? I guess she could be sorry for both–"

"Neither," Jace replied.

"Then–"

"I think she was apologizing for something she was about to do," Jace clarified.

Neither of them spoke for what seemed to be a very long time before Alec's face darkened. "What did you tell her?"

Jace looked confused. "About Valentine!" Alec almost shouted. "What did you tell her?"

"The truth."

"All the truth?" Alec insisted.

"Yes, that he's an evil scumbag who wants revenge for our 'betrayal'," Jace said, taking a large bite out of his cheeseburger.

"And nothing else?"

"I might have gotten into the details of the case," Jace said slowly. "What? My entire marriage was on the line, it wasn't the time to 'omit' some details."

"How did she take it?"

"Where are you going with this?"

"How did she take it?" Alec repeated.

Jace sighed. "She blamed herself. I tried to convince her that it wasn't her fault but she said that if she hadn't met Jonathan and if she hadn't invited him to Tabitha's party then we'd still be safe. Why what is it?"

"Did she noticed?" Alec asked. "How Jonathan looks at her?"

Jace shook his head. "What are–" He froze. "Oh shit."

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See you soon!

Lilly