Chapter 8

Clary was still in the closet for another twenty minutes. Somewhere in that time, Magnus had gone back to the room, leaving Clary alone to think. She kept thinking about Jonathan, and Simon, and Armel, and where on earth those three flowers could be, together. She knows she's seen them, but for some reason she couldn't remember where. she held the glasses in her hand. One lense had a web of fractures across the bottom of it. Meaning it had hit something, hard. Simon had once dropped his glasses down a flight of stairs and they didn't break, meaning he at least has a concussion. at the moment. She smiled as she remembered when Simon had a minor concussion after being smacked in the head really hard by Sebastian with an X-Box controller. He even had a mark of where the buttons had dug into his forehead when he showed up at the Institute-

"That's it!" she yelled, excitedly, standing from her seated position on the floor. She stood and opened the door, only to bump into one of the stapp who was carrying boxes of gloves into the closet, knocking them all over the floor.

She bent down and started picking up some boxes, before standing and walking towards the room. "Sorry!" she called and picked up her pace.

Once she reached the room, she opened the door quietly to find everyone asleep. Isabelle was in the same seated position, her head resting on Alec's shoulder and his head on top of hers. Magnus, had gone to the far side of the bed and had his head resting on Alec's legs. then there was Jace. He had his legs stretched out and crossed, as well as his arms, and his head was resting against the back of the chair. He looked so peaceful.

Not wanting to wake him, she carefully reached into his jacket pocket, and slid his phone out. She typed in the password; 4778, which spelled 'Jace'. Typical. And then pulled out her phone. She learned the password once by looking over
Jace's shoulder as he signed in. She quickly muted his phone and then she called it on hers before picking up. Un-muting it, she put the phone on speaker and placed it on the arm of her chair.

Now all she had to do was be quiet, unless she was being shot at or stabbed or attacked or something by Armel. Sliding her phone into her pocket, she walked back over to Jace and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

She leaned over and put her mouth to his ear. "I love you." she whispered. she was gone before she could see a small smile make it's way onto his face.

…

The walk to the Institute was about 30 minutes. The whole walk there Clary was thinking about Jonathan, and Simon. And even her father. She wondered if he was actually in France right now. She hoped he was. Then he would be safe from Armel and all the chaos he'd caused. but, deep down she wished he was here, with her and Jonathan. She kept that train of thought until she reached the Institute. she walked around to the back where the huge garden was, and found the spot. There were tons of laurestines, orange roses and bird's-foot trefoil surrounding a small bench. She sat down there and waited. She still had another 10-

"Ten minutes early." a voice said. "Not bad Clarissa."

Clary stood up and turned around to see Armel standing behind a large group of laurestines. he smiled at her.

"I didn't think you'd come. Well, at least not alone." he said, his hands folded neatly behind his back.

Clary sighed. "Well, here I am." she said, spreading her arms out, phone in hand. She prayed that Jace, or Isabelle or someone would wake up if she needed them. "Now, you need to hold up your end."

Armel nodded. "Yes. Yes I suppose so." he said. He picked one of the small white laurestines and twirled it between his fingers. "I have a token for you. A hint." He walked over to the roses and picked one of the blooming orange buds, careful of the thorns. "I know what you desire. To have your brother back. And now, one of your closest friends." He chuckled as
Clary grew slightly agitated.

"Where are they?" Clary half-yelled. Hopefully someone on the other end of the line had woken up by now. She needed them to hear what was going on in case something bad happened.

Armel looked at her. "Does it matter?" he said sarcastically before responding. "They're in a car, buried underneath ten feet of gravel and dirt. But, they still have enough air to survive for another, hmm," he looked at his watch. "twenty or so hours."

Clary grew frustrated. He was trying to tick her off, and he was succeeding. "You said you would give me a hint." she said sternly. "Now where is it?"

He chuckled. "Oh, Clarissa. I already told you." he said, a smile crossing his face. "But, there's one last part of the riddle I have not told you." He walked over to the Bird's-foot trefoil and plucked a small yellow flower from the bunch. "This isn't about you, or your friends, or your damn brother. It's about what your father did." His voice grew louder and angrier with every word.

Clary's eyes grew wide as she saw him pull out a knife from his sleeve. She backed away slowly and steadily. she heard muffled sounds coming from her phone, knowing that Jace and the others were awake, and listening. She held the end of her phone, where the microphone was, to her mouth. "Jace," she whispered. "He has a knife. I'm at the Institute. Hurry."

She lowered the phone to see Armel advancing steadily. "It's about revenge." he said, and lunged.

Clary screamed, hoping someone would hear her, and ran. She ran down the paths through the garden, trying to find a way to lose him. She took a sharp turn right, and tripped over something. She looked down to see a garden hose, with one of the large metal ends on it. Grabbing it, she stood to see Armel a few feet from her, and she swung it.

The hard metal end hit him square in the side of the head. he dropped the knife and gripped the area of his head where he was hit. "Merde!" he yelled, hissing in pain.

Clary turned and started running again. Up ahead, was the new maze. A series of long winding turns made of large bushes and flowers. She ran through the entrance, taking millions of turns every which way until the was sure he wasn't behind her. She slowed down, taking deep breaths. She'd lost him, but now she was lost in the maze. She didn't know the way back out, but knew she couldn't go back either way. So, she kept moving forward. After a few moments, she took a right turn, only to see the exit, straight ahead. She sighed in relief and picked up her pace. The stopped as she saw a figure, block her exit.

"Oh Clarissa. You really aren't as smart as you think you are." Armel chuckled, advancing slowly.

Clary didn't see his knife on him, meaning he was weaponless. She could run the other way and find her way back out. But then she saw a hand behind his back as he advanced. If she turned, he could get her from behind. She wasn't risking it. She was trapped. He slowly approached and she backed up.

"Armel, you don't have to do this!" she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I know why you're-"

"No you don't know!" he yelled, making Clary jump. "You don't know anything about this! Penryn's father is out of the way! This is between me and your father now!" He pulled his hand out from behind his back. In it, was a stun gun.

Clary stiffened and continued to back up. "I'm sorry about your daughter! But it's not my father's fault!" she cried.

She saw Armel stiffen at the mention of his daughter. He took a breath and looked up. "You can't apologize. NO ONE CAN! SHE'S DEAD! AND NO APOLOGY CAN BRING. HER. BACK!"

He raised the stun gun and readied to fire. He was so close. Clary's eyes grew wide. "No, nononono please!" she pleaded, her voice just above a whisper. She could hear muffled yells from her phone, but ignored them.

"Bon nuit, Morgenstern." he spat and pulled the trigger.

Clary screamed, but was cut off as a jot of electricity went through her veins. Her phone hit the floor with a loud crack, and she soon followed, losing consciousness.

…

I wanted to end it there, but I thought since exams are coming and I'll be busy, I'd throw some more in!

…

"Where are they?" a loud voice rang through the hospital room, jolting everyone awake.

Jace jumped and rubbed his head, sitting up too quickly. "What the-"

"Does it matter?" another voice said, not a loud as the one before. "They're in a car, buried underneath ten feet of gravel and dirt. But, they still have enough air to survive for another, hmm, twenty or so hours."

They all recognized the voice immediately. "Armel." Jace mumbled and picked the phone up off the table.

"You said you would give me a hint." the first voice said, louder than the last. "Now where is it?"

Isabelle held a hand to her mouth. "Clary…" she whispered.

"What the hell is she doing?" Jace asked, worriedly.

"Oh, Clarissa. I already told you." Armel responded with a chuckle. Jace was getting extremely nervous. He was up to something. "But, there's one last part of the riddle I have not told you."

"Riddle?" Alec asked quietly. Jace shook his head, not understanding either.

"This isn't about you, or your friends, or your damn brother. It's about your father." Armel's voice sounded angrier and angrier with every word.

"Shit, Clary get out of there!" Jace said fairly loudly, hoping she'd hear.

They heard a gasp and heavy breathing before a voice returned. "Jace," Clary's voice whispered shakily. "He has a knife. I'm at the Institute. Hurry."

"Clary! Get out of there! Run!" Jace yelled, but the only answer was more heavy breathing.

After several seconds, a voice returned on the line. "It's about revenge." Armel said. There were heavy footsteps and a loud scream. Clary's scream.

"CLARY!" Jace and almost everyone else yelled. Jace jumped out of his seat and reached into his pocket for his car keys. But instead, he found nothing. "Damn it!" he yelled. Clary still had his car keys.

"What?" Alec asked, standing up as well.

"Clary had my damn car keys!" Jace yelled, hitting the wall with his fist. He ran over to the door and opened it. But before he could leave, a hand gripped his arm. He turned and came face to face with Alec.

"It's too far! You'd never make it!" Alec said, fear in his eyes.

There was a loud 'oof' from the phone, followed by more breathing. Everyone was silent as they listened for what happened next. There was a sliding sound, like something was being picked up off the ground, before a whipping sound came through followed by a 'clang' and a yelp in pain.

"Merde!" Armel yelled.

Loud footsteps filled the room again, and heavy breathing and panting to go with it. Minutes later the occasional rustle of leaves and branched joined the chorus. Then, it all stopped. No more footsteps, no more bushes. Even the breathing had slowed.

Jace held the phone to his face. "Clary?" he asked, his heart racing. "Clary are you alright?"

Breathing was his only response. There was a breath in relief, and the footsteps returned, steadily. Then, a gasp, and it all stopped.

"Clary?" Jace asked again. "Clary what's happening? What's wrong?"

"Oh Clarissa. You really aren't as smart as you think you are." Armel's voice returned, menacingly.

"Shit, shitshitshitshitshit! Clary! Turn around! Run! Get out of there!" Jace yelled.

No response. She probably couldn't hear him at all. But, Clary's voice soon came back.

"Armel, you don't have to do this! I know why you're-"

"No you don't know! You don't know anything about this! Penryn's father is out of the way! This is between me and your father now!"

"Oh my god, Jace get her out of there!" Isabelle pleaded.

"I'm sorry about your daughter! But it's not my father's fault!" Clary cried.

Magnus' head perked up. "Daughter…?" he muttered. Wait a minute...

"You can't apologize. NO ONE CAN! SHE'S DEAD! AND NO APOLOGY CAN BRING. HER. BACK!" Armel screamed.

"No, Clary get away from him!" Jace pleaded.

"No, nononono please!" Clary pleaded, her voice just above a whisper. She sounded terrified.

"Clary get out of there!" "Run! GO!" "Clary run!" "Turn and go!" "Clary!" "Please, get out of there!" "Get away from him!" "Go! Get away!" "Turn around!" "Go! Get out of there!" Everyone was surrounding the phone, yelling anything they could so she might get out of there.

"Bon nuit, Morgenstern." Armel spat.

There was a click, and Clary screamed. Her cry was cut short as a buzzing replaced it. It soon stopped and there was a loud crack. Then, nothing.

"Clary?! CLARY?!" Jace cried, hoping she would respond. Silence greeted him.

He fell back into his chair. the phone fell from his hands and landed on the floor. He placed his elbows on his knees and ran his hands through his hair. his breathing was shaky and uneven, like he was fighting back tears.

Isabelle had broken down completely and was holding on to Alec like her life depended on it as she sobbed. she lost her boyfriend and her best friend in one day. She couldn't bear to lose anymore.

Magnus was on his laptop, searching for something. His expression unreadable, but he never took his eye's off the screen. Whatever he was doing, it was important.

Isabelle soon calmed down, and released Alec from her grip. "Where's my phone?" she asked.

Alec reached into his pocket and grabbed it for her, handing it to her. "What for?" he asked.

Isabelle quickly grabbed the phone from his hand and began dialing a number. "I'm calling Maia. We need to get to the Institute. We need all the help we can get."

Haza! Chapter 8! I just re-watched Aliens in the Spaceship from season 2 so I could get all Hodgkin's sciencey dirt mumbo jumbo. Hehe. So, ya. We get to see Simon and Jonathan next chapter! Yay! Well, see you when I see you!

-TBBG