Distractions

Fifty: Soul Sucker

"What's up ?" she asked when she answered her phone. Clary glanced over at her briefly, then steered her away from a pothole Everest hadn't noticed.

"Can I borrow a dress? I need something mundane to wear."

"Sure. Why though?"

There was a short pause. "I'm going out with the doctor from Catarina's hospital."

"The one who kept calling you nonstop?"

"That one."

"You need to tell me everything after you get back."

"It's just dinner," Izzy said with a soft laugh. "I'm just doing it to get him off my back."

"Then why go at all?"

"You're right," Isabelle said quickly. "I shouldn't go. I should help with the search for the Owl."

Everest frowned. "No, Dusk, you should go. It'll be good for you to get out of the Institute and have some fun."

"Ev, we're here," Clary said. She looked up and sure enough they were at the precinct.

"I should let you go," she said. "I'll talk to you later. Have fun on your date."

"I'll talk to you later," Izzy echoed before hanging up.

"You ready?" Clary asked as Everest pocketed her phone.

"To look at pictures of dead people? Always," Everest deadpanned.

"Just don't throw up on me, yeah?"

"I'll throw up on you on purpose."

"Don't you dare."

"Watch me."

They stared at each other for several long moments before they burst into laughter. Everest doubled over, clutching her stomach. Clary covered her face in a futile attempt to muffle her giggles. After several minutes, and several amused looks from passersby, they got themselves under control and made their way into the precinct.

Everest waved to the officers she knew, which was most of them, as they made their way to Luke's desk. He was waiting for them in front of a rolling bulletin board covered in pictures of corpses and post it notes.

"Are these the victims of the Owl?" Everest asked, crossing her arms and leaning against Luke's desk.

Luke nodded. "Yeah. Twenty-six victims in total throughout the tristate area. Law enforcement thinks it's some deranged cult, brainwashing their members to kill their loved ones." He glanced at Clary, who was wringing her hands. "What's up?" He sat down in his chair.

Clary sighed. "I need to talk to your sister."

"Cleophas?"

Clary lowered her voice. "I need an Iron Sister. And for what I have to do, I can't go to the Citadel."

"What's this all about?" Everest would also like to know that. "Kiddo, it's me. You can talk to me about anything."

"Um..." She leaned against the desk next to Everest. "Back at Lake Lyn, when Jace and I were battling Valentine, Jace wasn't just injured." She took a deep breath. "He was killed."

Everest froze. Was Clary saying what she thought she was saying?

"What?"

"I was holding him, dead in my arms, and...Raziel was right in front of me. I did the only thing I could."

"You had Raziel bring him back?" Luke asked incredulously.

"I had no choice," Clary said, voice cracking. "Luke, I've been lying. I've been lying to Alec, to Izzy, to Everest, to everyone. It's eating me up inside. It's not who I am."