Detained [2] 《SHADOWHUNTERS》

Chapter Thirty-Three

Alec, Izzy, and Andy stood around one of the maps in the ops center, fishing for ideas on how to track Valentine down. Because as Jace had lovingly put it, "one down, one to go." Andy was already dressed in fresh gear, tense and ready to head to Idris whenever it was required of her. She messed with one of the straps on her jacket for the umpteenth time. Izzy frowned as she watched her fidget.

The Lightwood girl stared at Andy for awhile. She almost relaxed and focused back on her brother, but as soon as Andy snapped the leather into place, she pulled it back and readjusted it again. "Do you just want to borrow one of mine?" Izzy asked, exasperated.

Andy glanced up and shook her head. "I didn't have enough daggers last time. I'm trying to make sure I have space for them." And with that, she went back to working intently at the fabric.

Iz rolled her eyes. Surely, the best way to check if daggers would fit was to actually go get them and test them out. She exchanged a tired look with her brother, who shook his head in an attempt to dispel her annoyance. Alec knew it was easy for them to focus on trivial things when gearing up for something big. For Andy, it was the straps. For Izzy, it was the constant snap of steel buttons that was driving her mad.

Clary and Jace came up behind him, joining them at the table. "We tried to track him like we did with Jonathan, but for some reason it didn't work," Clary informed with her brow furrowed, putting her stele away.

"Magnus' wards are up, so Valentine must still be in the city."  Jace added. It was good news, but better news would have been that they knew where he was. 

He glanced at his sister as Izzy finally tore her eyes away from the woman's fidgeting. "Thank the Angel for Magnus and the warlocks," Iz muttered. 

"They didn't unlock the wards for us," Alec said curtly.

Izzy brushed off his comment. "Teams are out doing block by block sweeps throughout the city. We'll find him." She stated optimistically. She was feeling it more than the rest of them, still determined and reeling from the night before.

Alec closed down the map, the vibrant blue light that washed over them dimming. Jace pulled Clary to the side, voice low, asking if she was okay. Alec shuffled over towards his sister and the woman beside her. He wished Andy had been paying closer attention, but he was glad that she was ready. He was hoping they would find Valentine before it came to chasing him outside of the city, although something told him they weren't going to get that luxury.

As if the fear wasn't burning through his chest enough already, the lights dropped to a deep red and the alarms began blaring. It was quicker than the usual warning that indicated something in the Institute was breached. He glanced up to one of the monitors along the wall and was surprised to find a demon alert. "Aerial sensors," he questioned aloud.

They all jumped into action, even Andy losing her interest in her clothing. The group came back together and approached the monitor. "Is it Valentine?" Clary questioned.

"No," Iz told her what the rest of them already knew. Valentine wouldn't have set off the wards above the city unless he hooked a left towards JFK and tried to catch a plane. And he wasn't that stupid, the Clave could catch him six hours later in one of the countries that bordered Idris. "Could be some kind of wraith demon."

The red dot was moving quickly across the city. Crazy quick for how zoomed out the map was. All five of them were on it instantly, rushing to the weapons room.

°◊°◊°◊°

The group raced through the streets. The head of security at the Institute had sent them an updated location, and they were about three blocks away. The demon's roar was a loud, creaking thing that echoed over the rooftops and down into the roadways. It was close.