Forgetting the Past

Chapter Twenty-Three: Help Along the Way

Jace's eyes flew wide open, but the last image he had seen was still burned into his brain; Clary's look of absolute terror. His heart had wrenched inside his chest to see her like that, so scared, so afraid. He couldn't bear to think that brave, fighting Clary might be giving up hope.
Then he realized they had to act quickly. Sebastian was going to be furious that she had contacted him through his dream. The look on Sebastian's face when he had approached Clary made Jace boil with hatred.
Swinging his legs off the bed, he hit the floor walking and strapping on his weapons belt at the same time. He flung open the bedroom door, stomping into the living room. "We have to go," he shouted at Magnus and Alec, who were sitting on the couch just as he had left them, but watching an episode of The Vampire Diaries. The two liked to watch mundane shows and criticize their ideas of the supernatural, but it rather bored Jace. He preferred the kind of shows that involved weapons. Just any kind of weapons.
"But Jace," Alec protested, "it's the last episode!"
"This is way more important," He said, slipping in his combat boots at the doorway.
"How so?" Asked a sassy Magnus, as if he were daring Jace to come up with a reason that they should leave their season finale.
"I had another vision, in my sleep" he said, standing at the door. "Clary's in danger. She needs our help ASAP. If we don't get there soon, Sebastian's going to hurt her." He had to force out the last words, but they got the couple on the couch moving.
"The ceremony to create the portal isn't ready yet-" the warlock began as he shrugged on his sequined trench coat. Why he wore that in the heat of summer, no one could fathom.
"Well it has to be. She can't last much longer alone down there."
Magnus sighed. "I'll do what i can."
After catching a ride from a cab, the three men walked briskly down the sidewalk toward the Institute. On a mission like this they would need plenty of weapons.
Alec put his hands to the doorway and gained them entrance. They took the elevator up to the correct floor, and made their way as quietly as two Shadowhunters in heavy combat boots and a warlock in bedazzled shoes could.
Once inside the weapons room, Jace and Alec began stocking up on all the daggers and swords they could conceal on their bodies. Halfway through the process, Isabelle walked in on them.
She took it in for a moment while the three stood frozen. "What are you taking all these weapons for?" She asked.
Alec struggled to reply, making Jace wish he had been the one to make up the lie. "We, uh, we're going to get rid of a few Behemoth demons downtown and we... We needed to stock up on weapons."
Jace could tell by the look on her face that Izzy was not buying it.
"We haven't gotten any reports of Behemoths in since last week, and you guys are really heavily armed for that kind of mission," she pointed out.
Magnus sighed. "She's got us, boys."
"So what's going on? Spill," the feisty girl demanded. "I want answers."
They explained the situation to her, how they were going to try and portal into Pandemonium and rescue Clary. Isabelle was none too happy about it.
"You said she was trapped down there and you would tell us as soon as you figured out any way to get to her!" She hollered with an accusing finger aimed at them. "Does Simon even know about this? What about Jocelyn, and Luke?"
"They know just as much as you do," Jace replied.
"I just- ugh! Why didn't you say something?" Izzy demanded.
"Because it's going to be extremely dangerous," Alec reasoned. "Even worse than going to Edom."
"And I would do it anyway!" She said. "I don't want Clary to die any more than you do; she's like a sister to me. I'm going with you guys. And I'm telling Simon- he'll want to go, too."
Alec took in a frustrated breath. "You're not going, Izzy. I don't want you to get hurt."
"I'm going, and that's final. You don't get to make all of my decisions for me, Alec!" And with that, she was gone, probably to call her vampire boyfriend. Jace sighed.
"Well, that adds two more to the ride, I guess."
"You can say that again," Magnus told him. "And we'll need as many as we can get if this ceremony is going to work."
"Are you ready to do it?" Alec inquired.
"Not quite, but I think by the end of the night I can pull it off."
"You better be able to, warlock," Jace said, not looking at either of them. "Because I have a feeling we're going to need to be in Pandemonium by then."