Chapter Six

When everyone had gone their separate ways and they were back in the hall, Alec turned toward Magnus. “Most of my gear is in the car. I don’t really have an office and I hate checking everything out each time I need to go out. Is there anything that you need to get ready? Like Simon said, we’ve got about an hour before we need to head out.”

 

“The full moon always makes me ravenous and even though I didn’t actually shift, the silver poisoning certainly didn’t help. A quick bite to eat would do wonders though we also probably have some time to kill before Hodge decides to leave so I’m not opposed to waiting a little bit. I will need to stop by the Den and repack my go bag and grab my badge and collar just in case.”

 

“I’m with you on food. Izzy tells me that I start to get angry when I don’t eat and if we’re about to confront a demon-summoning mass murderer, I’m going to need a clear head. Let’s stop by Jia’s office real fast to let her know that we’re going out to follow and lead and then we’ll go from there.”

 

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Magnus replied, sweeping a hand in the direction of the hallway. “I’ll let you lead the way. I can’t say I’ve had any interactions with the woman herself. Is she nice? Scary? Is she like M from James Bond?”

 

“Now you just sound like Simon,” Alec answered with a huff. “Jia is… she can be scary but she’s another one I’ve known for most of my life. She was sort of friends with my parents though not in the same way Hodge was. She’s nice though. Stern but fair. I think she took to me because unlike some of the others around here, and by that I mostly mean my siblings, mind you, I actually follow the rules. She told me once she sees a lot of herself at my age in me.”

 

“That’s quite the compliment.”

 

“I uh…I don’t know. I mean, I’m alright, I guess, but I’m nothing special and I hate when people think I am. There are hundreds of others out there who are better at talking to people than I am, or better shots, better investigators, better drivers. I feel like I just got lucky because working for the Institute has always been in our blood. Everyone knows the Lightwood name but sometimes…sometimes that’s more trouble than it’s worth. I want to be the best but not because of my family name. I want people to know that I’m worth all this…admiration even though I don’t want any of it. I want people to know the Alec part, not the Lightwood part.”

 

“Well,” Magnus said, giving Alec what he hoped was a comforting smile. “The more I get to know you, the more I can see the wonderful, brilliant, intelligent man that you are without the Lightwood name behind you. You, Alec, are the most promising agent that the Institute has seen in ages and it has nothing to do with your last name, trust me. And if we solve this case? I think that proves to anyone out there who still has their doubts, that you were able to do what others could not — bring a serial killer and a madman to justice.”

 

“Not just me,” Alec replied, his mouth twisting into the smallest hint of a frown. “It’s not just me solving this case. We’re partners. Everything we’ve found out thus far is just as much you as it is me. Hell, it’s probably more you than it is me at this point. You recognized Hodge’s scent, you picked up on the brimstone at the last scene. It was your theory about demons that started pointing us down the right path to start finding a meaning to the runes. You’re the real mastermind here, Magnus. I’m just along for the ride.”

 

Magnus looked like he was about to say something else but his features softened and Alec could tell that he changed his mind. “Like you said, we’re a team. You don’t have one without the other. I do so hope they’ll let me keep you after all of this is said and done. I’ve found I quite enjoy having a partner.”

 

“Same. I had my doubts at first but that really goes back to me not being good with people. All my life it’s just been me, Izzy, and Jace. I’m used to working with them and I wasn’t really willing to give anyone else a shot. I’m glad Hodge didn’t give me a chance to say no…even if he masterminded this thing for an entirely different reason in the first place.”

 

By this point, they’d reached Jia’s door and Alec raised his hand to knock. “Do you want to come in? You can wait in the hall if you prefer.”

 

“And miss an opportunity to meet the woman in charge? I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

 

Alec’s fingers twitched and he had to stop himself from reaching out to take Magnus’ hand to offer whatever comfort that he could that it really was going to be okay. Jia was a lot of bark and little bite (unless, of course, you entirely deserved it and then it was a lot of bite.) She was fair, however, and even if she was prejudiced against the wolves as most others at the Institute Alec was learning, she wouldn’t let her own views cloud her judgment of doing her job to the best of her abilities. 

 

He rapped twice and her voice beckoned him inside. She glanced up from her desk, her hand and pen hovering over a mound of paperwork. “Mr. Lightwood and Mr. Bane. To what do I owe this pleasure? I hope you haven’t discovered more hellhounds. I still haven’t finished the paperwork from the last ones.”

 

“Well,” Alec started, running a hand through his hair in the way that he did when he was slightly nervous. “The good news is no demons, yet, though I can’t make any promises for later but the bad news is that there might be another stack of paperwork in your future.”

 

Jia sighed and set her pen to the side before taking off her reading glasses and folding them in front of her. “Explain.”

 

“We don’t want to say much yet, mostly because we’re following a lead that requires a lot of discretion but we think we’re close to locating the Runecarver. If our lead proves fruitful, we may even be able to end this tonight, hopefully, before another person is sacrificed and a possible demon is let loose in the City of New York. I promise we’ll fully explain once we’re in the clear but I wanted you to know and be ready for action if we are successful.”

 

She said nothing for a moment and Alec was starting to wonder if she was not going to stand for his vagueness when she spoke again. “While the secrecy is a rather unusual way to proceed with a high-profile case such as this, I’m willing to trust your instincts and believe there is a reason for your silence. Just tell me this — there’s nothing truly illegal in what you’re about to do? No international crisis I’m about to need to clean up?”

 

Alec thought back to Simon’s mention of CCTV cameras that he most certainly shouldn’t have access to but figured that wasn’t what she was referring to and kept quiet. “No ma’am. It wouldn’t be that sort of paperwork.”

 

“Then I await your call and announcement of a successful hunt. Good luck with whatever tonight brings.” Magnus had been silent the entire time but she finally fixed her eyes on him. “Mr. Bane, I can’t say I expected to see you here. Are you aware of what your partner asked me to do for him?”

 

Magnus cleared his throat. He hadn’t been expecting to be addressed. “He told me that he asked to forgo the paperwork involved in letting a wolf leave the premises, Ma’am. I thank you for allowing the exception.”

 

The woman hummed. “Don’t prove that I was wrong in putting my trust in you and Alec’s word. He put his own reputation on the line for this.” She put her glasses back on and picked up her pen, waving her hand toward the door to shoo them out. They were dismissed. 

 

“Well, that went about as well as I expected and still better than I hoped,” Alec said once the door had closed behind him. “I’m just glad she let us off being as vague as we were. I halfway didn’t expect her to.”

 

Magnus was quiet for a moment, long enough that Alec began to worry that he said something wrong. “Did you? Put your reputation on the line so that I could come and go more freely while we solved the case?”

 

Magnus’ concern baffled Alec — why was this suddenly a cause for concern? “I mean, not in so many words but why wouldn’t I? I could leave any time I want so why shouldn’t you?”

 

“And I’m grateful, Alexander, I truly am but there’s no reason for you to put your reputation and your career on the line for me. I am not worth the risk to your future.”

 

Alec’s mind came to a sudden, grinding stop. His body moved next, freezing in place as his arm shot out to pull his partner to a stop as well. “Hey, no. None of that. You are worth it, Magnus. It doesn’t matter if you’re a wolf, or a human, whatever. You deserve the same chances that everyone else has and you’re a much better agent, a much better person than most people could even dream of being. Of course, I’m going to stand up for you. You deserve it,” Alec said, adding in his mind ‘and so much more.’

 

Magnus opened his mouth to speak, closed it, and then dipped his head instead. “Thank you for your kindness.”

 

“Of course, but I still think you have no reason to thank me for just doing what’s right,” Alec replied, knowing that if he didn’t change the subject, they wouldn’t be able to get anything done today. He glanced at his watch. “We’ve still got a little bit of time before Simon wants us to go pick up our comm devices. You said you needed to grab your go bag?”

 

“More like repack it,” Magnus answered, leading them back down the familiar halls that would take them toward the Den. “I’m currently wearing what was in my go bag. This was an outfit meant to be comfortable after a long night of running in the woods. I’m afraid that even your sister’s magic touch this morning didn’t do me much favors. I’m sure I look like an absolute frightful mess.”

 

Alec snorted softly but glanced over at his partner regardless. “You look fine but if you want to change, we definitely have the time. Do you want to just head that way and meet me at Simon’s?”

 

Magnus hummed like he was considering Alec’s words. “In lieu of our discovery, I feel it’s best if we stick together, don’t you? It shouldn’t take me too long — do you mind waiting? I won’t be long.”

 

“Of course not, Magnus. Do what you need to do. I’m not going anywhere.”

 

The Den was empty when they arrived, no doubt Luke was out trying to find Raphael, Catarina, and Ragnor to update them on the plan and what new information they’d discovered. Magnus headed toward the back hallway before stopping and turning back toward Alec. “You don’t have to wait out here, Alexander. I don’t bite.”

 

Alec felt the blush rising to his cheeks. “I, uh…”

 

“Come, we’re both adults. You can tell me more about Hodge in the meantime. I barely know the man outside of the interaction today and what my nose tells me. I’d prefer not to go in blind. Something little to you might mean the world in the long run,” Magnus said, curling his fingers and beckoning Alec down a back hallway that led to the private quarters. Alec realized that the Den was a lot bigger than he previously believed. Though there were only five members of the Institute’s pack, the Den had enough private rooms to house about thirty. 

 

Magnus led Alec about halfway down the hallway to a room on the left. There was no indication that the room was occupied at all, let alone by Magnus Bane. Magnus gave Alec a goofy grin and almost as if he was reading his mind, started to explain. “With a werewolf’s sense of smell, it’s easy to tell which room belongs to whom. Raphael and Cat prefer rooms at the beginning of the hallway for practicality. Ragnor is as far back as possible because he likes his peace and quiet. I, on the other hand, like to be somewhere in the middle.”

 

“And what about Luke?” Alec found himself asking as Magnus opened the door and switched on the light. 

 

“Luke’s a special case, given that he’s both the Alpha and was previously employed. He has a private room when he stays here but he’s also married with a kid so he goes home regularly as well.”

 

The inside of the room was nothing like Alec had expected. Magnus himself was so full of light and life and this little space was nothing like that. Alec was no stranger to the dorm-style rooms the Institute offered to agents who needed a place to stay overnight but they were never supposed to be permanent residences. He’d stayed in them himself multiple times over the length of his employment but those were just quick stays when he was too tired to go home or just needed to catch a few brief hours of sleep between cases. He knew that he always had his Loft to return to at the end of the day. 

 

Magnus’ room was the same standard gray most of the other walls in the Institute were. There was a small bathroom attached at the left and Magnus’ Institute standard bunk was pushed against the back wall, next to a small window that, while it didn’t appear to open, did give some natural light to an already dark space.

 

There were two end tables with matching lights, a dresser, and a small closet next to the bathroom. There was a matching set of lights on each end table and a single floor lamp in the corner. Outside of that, there was little to no decor. Magnus had a quilt folded over the end and a little plush unicorn sitting by his pillows. There were a few books sitting on each end table. His dresser had a simple mirror and two jewelry boxes. Outside of that, the room was bare.

 

Magnus gave him a grin and Alec could still see the exhaustion in every line of his face. “Make yourself comfortable,” he said, opening the closet door and shuffling things around as he chose a new outfit.

 

Alec said nothing as Magnus threw a couple of pieces over his arm and waltzed into the bathroom. When the door closed softly and the sound of the wolf humming floated in from the other room, finally Alec exhaled.

 

Before Alec was partnered with Magnus, he hadn’t thought too much about how their werewolf coworkers were treated. Hell, Alec could count on one hand the number of interactions he had with any of them. They were always there, however, in the background, assisting with cases and just generally trying to go through their day like any of their human counterparts. He knew the wolves were a part of the Institute but until Magnus, he never really considered how.

 

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath, running his hand through his hair as he glanced once more around Magnus’ sparse bedroom. 

 

How were their lives so different?

 

Magnus and Alec were both agents — the only difference between the two of them (besides the obvious of Alec being human and Magnus being a wolf) was really how long they had been employed. He’d grown up with the Institute in his blood whereas Magnus had joined them just a few short years ago. If Magnus had just recently been hired he could understand why his room was so sparse but if he’d been for years, there is no reason why there wasn’t more of Magnus on the walls of the room. 

 

And then there was the simple fact that Magnus’ life was surrounded by so many unnecessary rules and regulations. Where Alec was free to come and go as he pleased, Magnus was not. He wasn’t entirely sure what went into Magnus getting permission to leave but Alec knew that he really wasn’t a fan of the process. Then there were all the monthly appointments and testing he had to go through that Alec didn’t have to go through. 

 

It was…it was infuriating. 

 

With Magnus by his side, there was another thing that Alec was starting to notice. The sheer look of fear or disgust that some of their coworkers shot their way was absolutely horrific. They hated that the wolves were employed at the Institute, hell, they hated their very existence, and Alec really, truly couldn’t understand why.

 

He’d gotten to know Magnus and the rest of his pack members fairly well since he and his partner had been assigned together. Ragnor was wise and patient and his knowledge was truly impressive. The University he’d been employed with had lost a remarkable professor when he’d been fired for coming out as a werewolf. 

 

Then there was Catarina, who had been a nurse at a high-profile hospital and was one of the most caring people Alec had come to know. He’d seen how panicked she was when Magnus had come back from his silver poisoning that morning. She’d checked him out to the best of her ability and Alec could tell if she’d been able to drag him down into medical and do a full examination right then and there, she would have. Luke was bringing her with them this evening because her medical expertise may be needed in the off chance they were a hair too late to entirely stop the attack or one of their own got injured in the line of duty.

 

Raphael was another truly unique individual and while he had a gruff and unfriendly personality, Alec could tell based on his reaction when he’d shown up at the church, that he cared deeply for those who had made it into his inner circle. He’d been a great help to Alec while they were processing everything that they’d found. He’d provided a unique outlook from a more canine perspective and Alec was really starting to warm up to his no-nonsense attitude. 

 

And Luke, gosh. What could Alec even begin to say about Luke? 

 

Something needed to change. As much as he wanted to stop what he was doing right now and storm down to Jia’s office and demand solutions he knew there were bigger fish to fry. They needed to stop Hodge, find Valentine, save them from committing the next murder, and prevent a demon from being unleashed into the world. 

 

Well, another demon.

 

When all of this was said and done and behind them, Alec was going to do something about it. Magnus and his pack deserved so much better. 

 

Alec would sit down with Jia and make demands, putting the full power of the Lightwood name behind him. He would make sure changes happen and he didn’t care who he took down in the process. 

 

It was then that Magnus chose to emerge from the bathroom, now wearing tight black pants, a shimmering blue shirt, and suspenders. There was a wave of silver in his hair and he’d added many more necklaces and rings to his person. His makeup had been touched up and he was…absolutely stunning. Alec found himself unable to breathe.

 

“It’s amazing what a good outfit will do for you,” Magnus said as he stepped out of the bathroom. “I feel ten times better already.”

 

Alec had no words. Between Magnus’ breathtaking appearance and his revelations about how the wolves are treated, Alec’s brain was both going a million miles a minute and not at all. His partner noticed his silence and looked at him with a slight frown on his face. “Alexander? Is everything alright?”

 

No, Alec thought to himself, no it’s really not. You deserve so much better than you’re getting right now and one day, hopefully soon, I hope to prove that to you. “Yeah,” he said instead. “I guess I’m just a little tired. I may not have been poisoned but Jace, Izzy, and I were up all night researching. Are you ready to go? It’s about the time Simon wanted us to meet him.”

 

“Yep! Just let me grab one more thing,” Magnus replied, strolling across the room to open the drawer on one of the end tables and grabbing both his badge and the leather collar that had another copy of his badge. “Now I’m ready.” He paused as a thought seemed to cross his mind. “Do you really think that this will work — that we can end this tonight?”

 

“Yes,” Alec answered truthfully. “Yes, I think we can. Our plan is pretty much foolproof. Simon has a way for us to track Hodge and he will lead us to Valentine. We’ve got enough back up and I think we’re finally one step ahead of them. We may not know where the attempted summoning will take place or who they will try to sacrifice but I really do think that we’ve got all our ducks in a row, so to speak. I don’t want to jinx anything but…what can go wrong?”

 

“I hope you’re right, Alexander. Oh, I do so hope you're right.”

 

With Magnus changed and ready to go, they made their way back to Simon’s dungeon of an office. “Just in time!” The man exclaimed when they entered. “You two are the last to swing by and pick your comms up. Here,” he said, holding out his hands, with an earpiece nestled in the palm of each. “Crystal clear audio. Sound canceling. Longer than normal range. I think you’ll find these beauties will do everything you need them to and a little bit more.”

 

“These don’t look like they are standard issue,” Alec stated as he took the device and nestled it in his ears. 

 

“Oh, they are! Well, they were, at least. I may have done a teeny tiny bit of tweaking to just make them better. Just a little boredom project of mine. I promise you that they’ll still work the same as they did before they’ll just do so in a clearer, more precise fashion.”

 

“Is there anything around here that you haven’t turned into a project, Sherwin?” Magnus mused. 

 

“Look, a guy has to stay on his game in this cutthroat world.”

 

“Yes, I’m sure IT is really dangerous,” Alec replied flatly. “Thank you for the comms, however. You’re going to monitor everything from here, correct?”

 

“Yep!” The tech replied, reaching over to his keyboard and typing a few commands to change his view. “Jace already has the tracking device installed. You can see it flashing there. I’ll let you all know once it’s moving and you can follow at a distance. I’ll guide you to your final destination like the world’s best GPS. You guys can do your James Bond thing and stop Hodge and Valentine from unleashing terrifying evil on the world.”

 

“A little exaggerated but yes, that is essentially the plan,” Magnus said. 

 

There was a wild beeping sound from Simon’s computer and he turned around with wide eyes frantically scanning the screens. “Uh, you guys might want to shake a tail feather because it looks like Hodge is on the move already.”

 

Alec swore under his breath and grabbed Magnus’ hand without thinking. “Fuck, come on. We’ve got to go.”

 

They jogged down the hallway as fast as they could without raising suspicion. Magnus started to head toward where Alec’s Charger was normally parked but Alec shook his head. “Not that way. I asked Jace to move my things. We’re taking my personal vehicle.”

 

He led the werewolf up a floor on the parking deck to where his white Discovery was parked. It wasn’t a recent model, but not classic enough to catch someone’s eye. It would blend into the sea of vehicles seamlessly as they followed Hodge through the streets of New York. They climbed in and Alec peeled away, pausing only long enough to allow the agent working at the security desk to open the barrier to let them out. 

 

“He’s got a bit of a head start on you guys but you should be able to catch up quickly. The others aren’t far behind you. It was a bit of a scramble for everyone to get out. I don’t think anyone expected Hodge to make his move so soon,” came Simon’s voice from Alec’s ear.

 

“I don’t suppose your fancy computer program can find us a shortcut or two, Simon,” Magnus asked.

 

“Hey! You called me by my name. And yeah — I got you. There’s going to be a road coming up on your left called Thornton Avenue. Turn down that and a right when it dumps you onto Holcomb. Thornton may be an alley but the satellite view I’m looking at makes it look clear. That should save you about forty-five seconds, give or take. I’ll have your next direction here in a jiff.”

 

“Alec, Jace and I are en route. Don’t do anything stupid if you get there before us,” Isabelle said, and Alec could hear a squeal of tire wheels and knew that it must be Jace in the driver’s seat.

 

“No one needs to be playing heroes,” Luke chimed in. “Valentine is dangerous and not just because of all the murders he’s already committed and the demon. He’s unpredictable. We really need to stick together and keep our heads on straight if we want this to succeed.”

 

“Alright, Alec. You’ll follow this road for a little bit and then there will be another right. The name of the road is Ponce De Leon. Looks like Hodge might be caught up in a little bit of traffic due to some road construction. Once you’re on Ponce, you’ll take a left onto Skin Alley and then another right onto Walton and you’ll be right behind him.”

 

“Thank you, Simon, please let me know if anything changes,” Alec said as he took the turn onto Ponce De Leon as instructed. He narrowly navigated his car the wrong way down the street, weaving between parked cars and trash cans until he spilled onto Skin Alley. He needed to be careful — the NYPD wouldn’t recognize his personal vehicle as belonging to an Institute agent and the last thing he needed was a delay from trying to explain to him that he was tailing a suspect on an active investigation. 

 

“Your impeccable driving skills could make a man swoon, Alexander,” Magnus nearly purred from the seat next to him. 

 

“Hey, you two — no flirting on the coms when there’s an unwilling audience,” Jace cut in. 

 

Alec practically choked between Magnus’ comment and Jace’s addition and he felt his face turn a bright red. He turned onto Skin Alley, thankful for the momentary distraction.

 

“I think it’s cute,” Simon added helpfully. 

 

“Not helping,” Alec growled. “Can we stick to the very active murder investigation we’re currently working on? What’s the next step, Simon? Is he still on the same path? I’m on Walton now.”

 

“He’s about a quarter of a mile ahead of you. And it looks…Nope, I was wrong. He just turned off. You’ll take a left on Baker Street. It’s a bit too early to tell but if I was a betting man, I’d say he was heading toward the docks.”

 

“The docks,” Jace whined. “Why is it always the docks? I hate the docks. Can’t they get more creative for the demon summoning? Like in the middle of Times Square or Central Park or the alley next to The Hunter’s Moon and then we can all go for a nice beer afterward?”

 

“You’re just upset because there are ducks on the Hudson. Get it together, Jace.” Isabelle said with a teasing tone. 

 

“No! I just don’t like the docks because it smells. I walk away reeking like fish. It has nothing to do with the ducks.”

 

Alec tuned out his sibling’s bickering, focusing instead on Simon’s occasional comment with another instruction. Magnus was silent next to him, a look of determination on his face.

 

“Alright, Alec,” Simon said finally, putting an end to some sort of conversation that Jace and Isabelle were having about The Fast and The Furious. “It looks like he’s stopped or at least hasn’t moved for a few minutes. You know that old sugar factory that burnt down in the forties? It looks like he’s there.” There was the sound of Simon typing on the other end. “And from the satellite view, it doesn’t look like he’s alone. Gotta say, it’s a great place for a murder. The city is due to demo this next week. It’s been closed off for two months now to keep people out of it in the meantime. There’s a chance we never would have found this body.”

 

Alec had to agree. They were lucky that they had come to the conclusion about Hodge, otherwise they would have been far too late. 

 

Simon continued helpfully guiding them to their destination but Alec no longer needed his instructions. The sugar factory was something that was hard to miss.

 

When they were close enough that he felt they might draw attention, he turned off into an alley and turned off the car. “We’ll walk from here,” he said as he opened the truck and began arming himself. “We’ll wait for the others, however, they shouldn’t be too far behind.”

 

“What is this?” Magnus asked as he stepped up next to him. “Are you keeping secrets from me, Alexander?”

 

It took Alec a moment to realize what Magnus was talking about. Apparently, when he asked Jace to move his stuff from the Charger to the Discovery, he’d taken that to mean everything in his car — including the bow that Alec kept in there for when he wanted to unwind at the range.

 

“Uh, not quite a secret and it’s not something I use in the field. I was really involved in archery when I was a kid. I was pretty good at it too — nearly went to the Junior Olympics for it sort of thing. I like to keep my skills up so sometimes I bring my bow and spend some time in the range when it’s not being used,” he explained. 

 

“A real life Legolas. You’ll have to show me sometime.”

 

Alec eyed his partner and realized that his partner didn’t have a gun. “Do you have a weapon?”

 

Magnus shook his head. “While I am qualified to carry one and go through the same annual certification that everyone else goes through, the Institute won’t issue one to me. They think my teeth and claws are enough of a weapon.”

 

He had to stop himself from growling, adding yet another line item to the list of wrongs that he was currently creating in his head. “Here,” he said instead, removing one of his handguns from its holster on his thigh and holding it out to his partner. “I don’t care what the Institute says, it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when we’re dealing with literal demons and a serial killer or two with Institute training behind them.”

 

Magnus took the offered weapon gingerly and accepted the spare holster Alec handed him as well. “Thank you. I must admit I feel much more comfortable facing whatever we’re about to face actually armed.”

 

Alec was about to reply when a scream came from inside the sugar factory. They both froze and Alec glanced over his shoulder, hoping to see his siblings pulling up behind them. “Jace — how far out are you? We’re out of time.”

 

He heard the sound of a horn honking over the comms and his brother swearing. Not surprisingly, it was Isabelle who answered. “A cyclist got hit by a car on Walton. The entire road is at a standstill. Jace is trying to weave over to the side of the road so that we can park and try to catch up on foot.”

 

“Cat and I are in the same boat,” Luke added. 

 

“We managed to avoid the accident but we had to take the long way around. We won’t be there for another fifteen minutes at least,” Andrew said. 

 

Fuck. Whatever was going on inside didn’t have fifteen minutes to spare. “Alec, don’t you dare do something stupid,” Isabelle tried to order but Alec was already not listening to the voices in his ear. He glanced sideways at Magnus and his partner nodded. 

 

“Together,” he whispered.

 

“Together,” Magnus repeated. 

 

Alec drew his weapon and proceeded up the steps, tiptoeing quietly around pieces of fallen metal so they didn’t draw attention to themselves. He could hear voices coming from inside, so he followed them to their source.

 

“Hold still, you blasted woman,” a man Alec quickly realized was Valentine (albeit older and with less hair) growled as he attempted to tighten the ropes tying her to a pillar. “Don’t you dare ruin this before we’re even started.”

 

“Sir, are you really sure we should be doing this tonight? The Lightwood boy and the wolf —” Hodge asked, even as he helped the man with the ropes.

 

“Are none of my concern,” Valentine said. “They would have been out of the picture if you hadn’t failed with the wolf.”

 

Alec watched as Hodge’s face twisted into a frown. “I don’t know how he managed to evade the hunters and recover from the silver solution so quickly but I do bet Lightwood was involved somehow. Those two seem to be joined at the hip more than ever.”

 

“I won’t delay my plan any further due to your own incompetence, especially not when we’re so close to success.”

 

“And I want to see the fruits of our labor as much as you do but I do think it’s best to delay another week. They're expecting us to go through with the ritual tonight. If we skip this week and try again next week, they’ll be thrown through a loop because the timeline is off. They may even stop looking entirely if they think the sacrifices have come to an end.”

 

“No, the Institute won’t let something like this go unsolved and if we’re successful in harnessing the power of a Greater Demon and bringing it under our thumb, their investigation will no longer be necessary,” Valentine said and Alec glanced sideways at Magnus. Now they had confirmation of what the two men were trying to do here.

 

When Valentine stepped away, Alec focused on the woman. Her clothes were dirty and tattered — obviously well-worn and very likely the only ones she had. There were bruises blossoming across her skin, half-hidden under the grime. One shoe was missing, likely due to whatever struggle it took to get her here. She didn’t appear to be severely injured, not yet at least, so at least it seemed they’d gotten here in time to prevent another senseless murder. 

 

While Hodge had only recently arrived, it seemed that Valentine had been here longer. The so-called summoning circle was already drawn in chalk and while Alec could recognize some of the symbols, he was too far away to see them all. Hodge was standing in the center of the circle, watching as Valentine grabbed a book and a wicked serrated blade out of a satchel on the ground.

 

The chalk circle had been drawn around the support pole the woman was tied to — a change from previous crime scenes but likely one more out of convenience. Alec’s grip tightened on his gun as Valentine stepped closer to the crying woman. “Unfortunately, darling, this will hurt but think of it this way, it will be over soon and if it’s any consolation, you can die knowing that you’ve played a part in changing the world.”

 

As the tip of the knife made contact with the woman’s throat, she screamed again and Alec knew they were out of time. He ducked out from behind his hiding place with his pistol raised and his partner by his side. “Valentine, stop. These murders come to an end. You’re under arrest.”

 

Despite his human form, Magnus was growling next to him. Alec hoped that they could stall long enough for the others to get here.

 

The man’s eyes widened in shock before they narrowed. “Hodge, it appears we have guests. Deal with them.”

 

With his focus on Valentine and the terrified woman about to be sacrificed, Alec had temporarily forgotten about his traitorous boss. Hodge had never been a fan of guns — though he was required to be certified to use them like the rest of the agents at the Institute — and his preference in the field had always been knives. 

 

In fact, it was Hodge who first started teaching a teenage Alec how to defend himself when he’d come home from school one day with a black eye and a busted lip. He hadn’t been the one to start the fight but when he saw one of the younger kids cornered by a group of bullies, he was sure as hell going to finish it.

 

Alec’s parents hadn’t been happy that he’d allowed himself to be so injured and had told him that if he had any hope of joining the Institute and living up to the Lightwood name, he needed to do better. Alec had taken those words to heart and had started sneaking out late at night, finding a quiet and hidden spot in his backyard to try and start ‘practicing’ based on some videos he’d found on the internet. 

 

At that time, it wasn’t unusual for Hodge to stay over for a couple of days, especially when Alec’s parents were suddenly called away and they needed someone to keep an eye on their children lest they get accused of child endangerment or something of the sort. It was during one of these visits that Hodge had caught Alec sneaking out and had followed him to his makeshift training ground. 

 

Alec had frozen, terrified that Hodge would tell his parents and Alec would get into even more trouble than he already was. Instead, the man had taken one look at the Youtube videos that Alec had been trying to learn from and had told him that if he had wanted to learn self-defense, there were much better ways to do so. That night, and every night he was there until Alec’s parents had returned, Hodge would go out to the secluded clearing with him and he would teach Alec the proper way of doing things. 

 

Even when Alec’s parents had come back from their business trip and life went back to something nearly normal, Hodge continued his training with Alec. He’d pulled him away for an hour each day, usually picking him up from school. The secluded backyard clearing had been replaced with a proper gym and eventually Alec’s poorly self-taught abilities turned into actual skill. 

 

Eventually, Jace and Izzy had gotten word of his lessons and they had all started to join Hodge after school to learn. Alec’s parents didn’t mind that their close friend had taken it upon himself to teach their children. They were too busy to do so themselves and at least there would be a proper role model in their children’s lives. 

 

When they’d become properly proficient in hand-to-hand, Hodge had added sticks to their lessons. Fighting with a weapon was different from fighting hand to hand but stubborn determination was a Lightwood family trait and it wasn’t long after that they’d proved they had the skill there as well. 

 

After that, other weapons were thrown into the mix. Knives, swords, whips, staves…Hodge taught them to fight with them all. ‘You never know what situation you may find yourself in,’ their teacher had told them when he’d presented them with an actual broom handle during a lesson. ‘You might not be armed but anything can become a weapon in a moment of desperation. It’s best to be prepared and trust yourself and your skills to get you through the fight unscathed.’

 

And now here Alec was, face to face with his mentor once more, only this time, they weren’t sparring and the fight was real. Hodge’s own thigh holster was empty, the gun likely left behind in his office in favor of the large, serrated knife in his hand. “You don’t have to do this, Hodge,” Alec said slowly, his eyes never leaving the older man. “I don’t want to fight you. Let’s just call this here and go back to the Institute. I’m sure we can figure everything out here.

 

While Alec’s attention was focused on Hodge, he felt, rather than saw, that Magnus had started to move toward Valentine, trying not to make his final destination too obvious. 

 

“You won’t hurt me, kid, I trained you. I know where your strengths and weaknesses lie. You don’t have a chance. Get your mangy mutt and get out of here before I’m forced to do something both of us will regret. What would your parents think if they knew you were here?” The man sneered, knowing well enough that Alec knew that he’d always been a disappointment to his parents. 

 

“I’d like to think that maybe just this once they’d be proud of me for catching a serial killer and trying to prevent a Greater Demon from being unleashed in the world,” Alec replied, moving slightly to the left to try and block Magnus from Hodge’s view. 

 

The other agent snorted. “Not likely. Your parents value family more than anything else. What would they think to know you were trying to fight one of your own?”

 

Alec grit his teeth. “You might have been a good family friend, Hodge, but you are not a Lightwood. My parents aren’t stupid — they wouldn’t stand here and let you follow through with what the two of you are trying to do here. I’d like to think if they were here right now, they’d be by my side trying to stop you, no matter what sort of relationship you had with them in the past.”

 

That final statement was enough to send Hodge into a frenzy but Alec had been ready for it. Hodge moved quickly but Alec was younger and faster. The blade of the knife had been aimed for Alec’s throat (apparently, Hodge wasn’t going to hold back so Alec knew he’d have to really be on his game if he wanted to get through this alive.) He twisted and ducked out of the way, the tip of the knife just managing to skin his shoulder in the process. “I liked that shirt,” he goaded, trying to further anger the older man hoping that he’d start making mistakes. 

 

“Then maybe you should turn around and run back home to mommy and daddy with your tail between your legs,” Hodge taunted. 

 

“Not a chance,” Alec replied as the two of them slowly circled each other. “This ends here. Today. One way or another.”

 

Hodge moved again but he’d broadcasted his next move in anger and Alec had been ready. He spun to the right, planting a foot in front of Hodge’s, causing the man to trip. When the other agent was on a knee, Alec brought the butt of his gun down on the back of the man’s neck. 

 

There was a grunt of pain and Hodge fell forward. Alec knew from experience that he was likely seeing stars at this point. With his mentor temporarily incapacitated, Alec turned his attention toward Valentine and Magnus. 

 

In the time it had taken for Alec to bring Hodge down, Valentine had apparently begun the ritual. He’d slashed through the woman’s stomach with the knife and a massive amount of blood was seeping into the circle. The victim appeared to still be alive though Alec truly didn’t know how long she would last in that condition. Magnus had his gun trained on Valentine, who had opened the book and had begun to chant in a language that Alec couldn’t understand.

 

A heavy wind began to whip through the room and Alec had to fight to remain on his feet. He lifted an arm to shield his eyes from the flying debris. “Stop, Valentine!” He yelled, trying to be heard over the nearly deafening noise in the room. “It’s over! This ends now!”

 

The man barely glanced in Alec’s direction but it was just long enough for Alec to see that his eyes were burning with an inhuman fire. “Fuck,” Alec muttered under his breath, his mind racing a million miles a minute trying to come up with the best path forward. Something began to materialize in the center of the circle and he knew they were quickly running out of time. 

 

A sound of a scuffle came from his left and he glanced over to see Magnus going toe to toe with Hodge. Before Alec could react, a sharp, blinding pain pierced his shoulder and he fell to his knees with a shout. He heard Magnus call his name but it sounded muffled and far away. He lifted a hand and touched his clavicle, only to find that his fingers had come away dripping in blood.

 

“Not so fast,” he heard Hodge say, and the next thing that Alec knew Magnus was on his knees, Hodge’s knife flush against the flesh of his neck. Alec’s own gun, the one he’d given to Magnus before they entered, lay by his feet. The older man turned his attention to Alec when he was satisfied that the werewolf wasn’t going to move. “Alec, I don’t want to hurt you. You’ve been shot so accept your defeat and stay down. It’s over. If you even think about trying anything, I slit your pretty little boyfriend’s throat.”

 

Magnus’ eyes were wide with panic and a bright yellow gold that suggested his wolf was close to the surface. The thing in the center of the room was quickly becoming more and more solid. Alec felt his vision starting to swim. “That’s my cue to make myself scarce,” Hodge explained. “Wouldn’t want the demon to not realize who its true master is and you know what? I think I’ll take your mutt with me. He’s already ruined our plans once, maybe it’s finally time to teach him some damn obedience.”

 

Alec was losing blood rapidly and his body was starting to defy him. He’d already fallen to his knees, his limbs beginning to feel cold and stiff. He watched as his boss reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a black leather collar. Magnus noticed it out of the corner of his eye and began to struggle. Alec tried to call out his name but found that it only came out as a weak cough. 

 

With what Magnus had shared with him before, he knew this was his partner’s greatest fear. He couldn’t let Hodge take him - he owed it to Magnus to try. He was supposed to have his partner’s back and keep him safe and here he was bleeding out on the floor of an abandoned sugar factory while a madman tried to summon a demon and his mentor kidnapped his best friend. He tried to struggle to a better position, raising his gun in the direction of the two men. His vision was fading in and out. Hodge chuckled. “Come on, Alec. I thought I taught you better than that. Would you really try and shoot me and risk hitting your wolf in the process?”

 

Alec coughed again, trying to force his body into behaving itself just long enough that he could get a shot off without putting his partner’s life at risk. He watched as Hodge fastened the leather band around Magnus’ neck, still pressing the knife to his skin with his other hand to keep him still. The wolf struggled, trying his best to get away without cutting his own neck open. 

 

Hodge growled, keeping one hand tightly gripped on Magnus’ collar, tossing the knife away with the other. He reached for the previously discarded gun and pointed it at Alec. He fired off another shot and Alec felt another round graze his arm. “You’ll stop struggling and come quietly or the next shot I let off will be fatal.”

 

While Alec could tell the new shot wouldn’t kill him, the new wound on top of the pain and blood loss from the hole in his shoulder was quickly becoming too much for his body to handle. He slumped forward, his eyes losing focus. Magnus cried his name once more but Hodge pulled him to his feet and pushed him toward a hallway in the back, his gun still trained on Alec until they disappeared from sight. Alec tried to call out but the words got stuck in his throat.

 

Movement to his right caught his eye and Alec tried to turn his head. The creature that Valentine was trying to summon was nearly solid now. He needed to do something — he’d already failed Magnus. He refused to fail humanity as well. He was dimly aware of the gun still in his hand. He raised the pistol with a shaky hand, knowing that he couldn’t really miss with a target as large as the one in front of him, despite his fading vision. He left off two shots but the creature didn’t switch and he heard the bullets make impact with the concrete behind it.

 

Valentine glanced his way but kept chanting, his eyes still full of hellfire as black lines seemed to swirl under his skin. The bullets may not have done anything to the demon he was trying to bring through but Valentine was still (mostly) human. Alec felt his vision fading fast and knew it was only a few seconds before he blacked out completely. He hoped Jace and Isabelle and the rest of the small team they’d assembled were nearly here. Someone needed to stop Valentine and bring back Magnus and Alec…Alec had failed. 

 

He raised his gun in Valentine’s direction, trying to aim for the head as his vision blacked out. He pulled the trigger and the world fell away around him.