A/N: LISTEN UP my intellectual badasses (aka nerds). This story is probably going to end soon, because as I already have mentioned before, I had initially planned it as a trilogy. And I think I'd like to keep it that way, because I have plans *evil laugh*. So, just a heads up. Okay, I'm going to stop now. Proceed. Or not. Idk, who even reads these (besides my gang of intellectual badasses, of course)??

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Jace's mind was just as alert as it always was, maybe even more, because of the fiery redhead that had her elbow linked with his. She looked absolutely stunning in the long, black dress that hugged her petite figure and the stilettos that were partly hidden by the silky fabric - yet, Jace could glimpse them and the black see-through stocking when she moved, the slit of the dress on the left side making way for her feet to move, because mobility was key, even in formal situations. Not that Jace was staring. He raised his gaze immediately, not wanting to get caught staring and was greeted by a warm smile and emerald eyes staring back at his mismatched ones, the warmth and slight amusement twinkling in each one. One of her perfectly arched eyebrows was raised in question and he felt a squeeze on his arm.

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Mr. Barton. We'd take a look at your facility, then, to make sure it is suitable for our intended, ah, purposes." Jace drawled, getting back into discussion with the short and stout man. The man was sweating profusely (Jace cringed, why was it so damn hot in here?) and dapped his forehead with a white cloth as he nodded hastily, moving through the 'club'. The Lair was a very dimly lit and hazy place, the poles around the room, with a few women elegantly tangled around them (Jace raised an eyebrow, but then averted his gaze when he felt a jab at his back), and the dark blue, velvety seats spread across the room. There were a lot of dodgy people for sure, Jace could detect a mob-looking group, smoking cigars and talking in Italian, and there were also some young men with questionable state of minds, the needle punctures on their arms very evident, their gaze glossed as he and Clary moved to follow the 'manager', as he called himself.

Jace doubted that was the case, as he moved his hand to loosen the tie of his suit. Why was it so fucking hot in here? Clary squeezed his arm. "Leave it." she practically hissed through her smile, when the bartender's suspicious eyes followed them. Jace shook his head, eyes to the ceiling. "I'm dying here. Why the fuck did we have to dress up like this." he mumbled and caught the redhead smirking. "Because, dumbass, we're undercover and the wires are better hidden. Also, if it makes you feel any better, you look handsome in a suit." she said, releasing his arm to walk in front of him, in order to go through the doorway Barton had just disappeared to. Her hips were swaying a little too much and Jace smiled. 

"So, how many people are we talking?" Barton asked when they were in the back rooms, various ones occupied with 'exotic dancers' and others with men chatting, looking very much like some henchmen from action movies. Clary leaned against the wall, her leg going up to support her whilst her gloved covered hands (they went up to her arms, like she was fit to dance at a ball) searched her glittery purse for her phone. She blew a bubble, chewing her gum and gave the man a very uninterested glance. Jace was very astonished how good Clary was at acting like the wife of a mobster. Jace straightened his posture, tilting his head. "About 20 women, I can get them here by tomorrow night. I will also require some sort of formal contract so I can take a look at how things have been run here in the past. Valentine said that you'd have a few room where I could deal with the money?" Jace said lazily, while Clary stared at the camera of her phone, pretending she was using it as a mirror. Jace knew she was recording.

"Ah, yes, about that. Could I see some proof that this is indeed a valid information?" Barton asked and Jace smiled. They had done it all correctly. Faked documents and even Valentine's own signature. Looking at Barton, Jace knew the man wasn't of the brightest. So he stretched out his hand towards Clary, smiling brightly again. "Darling, the documents, if you will." he ordered and Clary raised her head, fishing in her purse. She came over, her hand snaking around his torso as she rested her chin on his shoulder, the papers ion her outstretched hand. "Here you go, sweetie." she said sweetly and Jace smirked, taking them and handing them to the short man.

"Ah, yes, they um. Look to be in order. I-" Barton stammered and Jace held his breath. If the man decided to make a phone call, they'd be doomed. The short man seemed to be calculating whether this was worth Valentines time and rage. He took out his pen, signed the papers and the  nodded. "This way then. I can show you the room you can use." he said and Jace took a hold of Clary's hand, falling a little behind the other man. "Eyes open." he hummed quietly and Clary's nod was almost undetected.

Barton opened another door, which led to a much bigger room, all white walls. A lot of computers and other machines occupied it, with men behind the screens. There was the sound of money being counted on machines, the beeping of various other machines and screens and the smell of cigarettes was almost unbearable. "So, this is where the drugs and money move through, as you know. Jonathan Morgenstern handles most of this, alongside with Raphael Santiago, thought we don't see a lot of him here." Barton said, clearly out of breath. Clary scrunched up her nose, not following them into the room.

"You go ahead, I can't stand the stench." she said a little too dramatically and Jace hid his smile. He leaned to kiss her cheek. "Check the other room, record everything you see." he whispered and then, a little more loudly, stated "Of course, darling." He turned and followed the short man, who was showing him around the room.

Jace was pretty sure all of this was enough to take down Jonathan, but there was nothing incriminating about Valentine here. The computers might hold answers, though... They needed Simon. He tried to figure out how to get their tech guy in here without compromising their mission, when he heard someone shout something, then there was a gunshot and a scream. 

He ran outside, ignoring Barton's calls, and reached the corridor, where Jonathan was standing over Clary, who was on her back, leaning on her elbows. The red hair had come undone from their clip and the red locks were cascading down her shoulders. The gun she had tucked underneath the dress lay just out of reach next to her. Just a few inches from her, there was another man, looking very ragged in the dirty T-shirt and jeans, not to mention the bullet hole right on his forehead. Jace was proud for just a few second - Clary was a very good shot.

Jonathan was smirking at her and the raised his gaze, the black orbs meeting Jace's blue ones and he gritted his teeth, as Jonathan's gun was aimed at Clary. "Fuck." he muttered. Jonathan wasn't supposed to be here today. "Well, well. This wasn't how I pictured us to meet, dear sister, but I guess it's better late than never." Jonathan said, the wicked smirk still plastered on his face, those eyes trained on Clary now. Jace took a step forward, his gun stretched out.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." said a voice and another taller man stepped into the corridor. Jace already recognized the voice, but still he couldn't hide the shock on his face as Hodge held him at gunpoint, his eyes fixed on Jace. The hand trembled just slightly. "You? That's how Jonathan knew to come here?" he asked, voice like venom and trained his gun on his team leader, his captain... no, he didn't deserve titles like that. Alec was more of a leader he would ever be. "I didn't want to do this Jace, but you all left me no choice. I wanted only Magnus, but you insisted on 'teaming up' with him and when you wanted to take down Valentine, well... I saw an opportunity to get rid of him. It was never my intention to let any of you get hurt." Hodge said and his voice was calm. Jace could see that his face was almost pleading - asking for Jace to understand.

The blonde moved closer to the trio, glancing at Clary. "Are you alright?" he asked and she nodded, angry eyes on Jonathan, who smiled at her viciously. "So you wanted to kill Magnus? Why didn't you just do it? You had plenty of opportunities for it." he asked, trying to think of a way to warn the others. He didn't yet know what Hodge's plan was, but Alec needed to be told. Hodge seemed a little uncomfortable but he shook his head. "I did need Magnus dead. That was the deal I made. After you'd brought him in and told me your plan... I contacted Valentine myself. I made a deal with him and I could offer something in return. He wanted Magnus dead as much as I did, but there was something else he wanted. And I delivered, tonight. Tonight, it'll all be over and my family will be avenged." Hodge said and Jace squinted his eyes at him.

"You're crazy. What the fuck are you talking about?" he asked and Hodge smirked. "You might not know this, but I had a brother. His name was Hugo. And Magnus killed him. I've been tracking him for years and finally, I had a good clue on him, and the best hunters to take him in... Too good-hearted hunters, as it later turned out. You could've just handed him over, but no. You had to go and start 'trusting' him." Hodge almost spat, his eyes now clouded with anger. Jace shook his head, still desperately trying to find a way to reach to his earpiece without being suspicious.

"Enough of this. Kill him. We can't afford my father being interrupted tonight." Jonathan said to Hodge and the man raised his gun at Jace. His hand trembled visibly now. "I am so sorry, Jace, truly. I never wanted any of you hurt. Just him." Hodge said but Jace raised an eyebrow. "Even you don't believe that." he said, his voice monotone. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Clary move.

Just as she pulled Jonathan's feet from under him, Jace pulled the trigger. And so did Hodge.

***

"You've got eyes on him?" Alec asked, biting his lip as he paced on the roof. Isabelle huffed in annoyance. "Relax, loverboy. I know what I'm doing." she said, slightly less annoyed when she saw the anxious look on Alec's face. The hunter made a dismissive gesture, his eyes rolling in the most exaggerated way possible. "He's not my-" he started sternly and Isabelle waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I've got it, okay? Would you relax?" she said, trying to go for a soothing tone but ended up sounding like she was talking to a child. Alec stopped pacing, raking his hand through his hair. "I'm not sure I appreciate your tone." he said, offended and sat down next to Isabelle.

She moved a strand of her hair, fixing her gun and stared into it whilst she was talking. "Alec. He'll be fine. Trust me, okay?" she said, now gentle. Alec spared her a glance. She looked like a fierce warrior or a secret agent, or both. Her tongue stuck out as she zeroed in on the docks where Magnus was supposed to handle the drug exchange as well as the prisoner. "I do." he said to his sister, glad she was there. If anyone could shoot any threat that could've shown itself, it was Isabelle.

"There they are." she said quietly, her voice more excited now and Alec went down next to her, on his stomach just like Isabelle. "Here." she said and moved her head so Alec could take a look. The gun allowed them to see the men perfectly, Magnus coming out of the car and talking to some shady guy. Then there was more communication and then there was a man, with a bag on his head, dragged between two other men. He was fitted into a car and after the loading process of the drugs, the car took off. Isabelle and Alec were on the roof of a big office building, from where they could see the route of the car without needing to move.

"So, what happens after this?" Isabelle asked Alec, tracking the movement below as the city light twinkled in the dark. A cold breeze swept over them and Alec was glad he had worn one of his thicker leather jackets. His hazel eyes looked down to the streets, where the cars looked like speeding ants. "Ask something that I can answer." Alec said, his voice tired but a smile on his lips. Isabelle mimicked his sad smile. "I think it'll all be alright, in the end. You deserve to be happy." his sister said and he eyed her, a little confused. "Where did this come from?" he asked and Isabelle didn't look at him, but kept her eye on Magnus. "You were always the target for mom and dad. Because you were brave enough to be who you are. It hurt to see them drag you down like that. And you always endured it all by yourself, you took the heat off of us when we never even asked for it. You were more of a parent to me then they ever were. But most of all, you are my brother, and you deserve the happiness you've enabled for me and Jace." Isabelle's voice was calm, but the emotion made it tremble slightly.

Alec sighed, moving to sit next to her and lay a hand on her shoulder. "You're my sister and he's my brother. I'd do anything for you two." he said quietly and Isabelle gave him a sad glance. "Yeah, but at what cost?" she asked, but before Alec could answer, her gaze was back on the warehouse Magnus was meeting Valentine. Her frown was deep as she zoomed in. "Something's not right. Magnus is holding a gun on the prisoner." she said and Alec's heart started beating erratically. "Well, wasn't that what he was supposed to do? And now you create a diversion." he said but Isabelle shook her head. "Valentine has his gun on Catarina." she whispered and Alec slid to the ground, moving to have a look himself.

Magnus was standing before the prisoner, who had his bag removed. Valentine was indeed standing, a gun on Cat's temple, with a few men behind him, guns raised. He cursed. The, he zoomed in on the man. He gasped and bit his lip. "That's not possible." he mumbled and Isabelle gave him a confused look. "What?" she asked, now slightly panicking and Alec shook his head, trying to ignore his thumping heart and the blood rushing in his ears. Magnus needed them. 

"That's Asmodeous Bane. Magnus's father." he said, standing up. "Not an FBI agent?" Isabelle clarified, still wearing a confused look. Alec shook his head, tucking in his guns and went towards the elevator. "We are going over there, now. This is going to end badly, if we don't. Can you reach Jace? I can't reach him." he talked, not bothering to see if Isabelle was following him because he knew she was. "I can tell Simon to contact him, maybe our communication is down? Wait, Alec, wait." she said, when Alec wasn't listening. He pressed the elevator button, his mind racing. He had a very bad feeling.

"Maybe I should just find another rooftop that's closer, I'm more use when I'm in the sky." she said and Alec turned, just as the elevator arrived. Her face was determined, the black lock flowing in the wind. "You're right. I'll call you as soon as I'm in position. You get a hold of Simon." he said, stepping into the elevator. Isabelle stopped the doors from closing, her eyes on his. They were fearless, but full of worry. "Be careful, brother." she said and Alec nodded, the coldness setting into his bones. "You too." he replied, before the doors closed.

***

"It's not possible." Magnus whispered, when one of the men took off the bag over the mans head. Asmodeous looked very shaken, his clothes torn and strutting a black eye. Otherwise, he looked...alive. Too much for Magnus's liking. "You died." he whispered and saw Asmodeous smirk. "That's what you would have preferred, right?" he asked and Magnus shook his head, gaze on Valentine now. The bald man was leaning on his desk, smiling. "What a lovely family reunion, huh?" he asked and Magnus was utterly confused.

"Let me help you understand what's happening next." Valentine said. His face betrayed amusement above all. It sickened Magnus's stomach. "You will kill him. Asmodeous had been trying to take over my operations for years now, and I finally caught him - with a little help. Yes, he did survive, don't ask how. After he did, he's been relentless on taking me down... And when you told me that you wanted to join again, well. This is revenge, sort of. What better way to even the score, after you betrayed me? Kill him, and I'll let your friend live." Valentine said and with that, the door behind him opened and Catarina was escorted into the room. She looked fine, besides the fact that her cheek was bleeding, like someone had cut her with a knife.

"This bitch is a handful." one of the men said and Catarina elbowed him to his face. The man groaned in pain and Valentine caught her. She stopped struggling when she felt the cold barrel of a gun at her temple. Her eyes went to Magnus, the fear in them evident.

"Let her go." Magnus said through gritted teeth. This was all too much, too confusing. How had Asmodeous survived? "Kill him, and she will live. You know I'm a man of my word. However, we haven't got all night. I know, for a fact, that your precious Alexander and his friends are watching us. Bad move, really. I could shoot them in an instant." Valentine said, eyeing a pedestal above Magnus. On a small balcony like construction was Arita, her cold gaze on Magnus, the smile lopsided and cruel. The sniper rifle in her hands gleamed under the lights. Magnus's heart pounded like crazy, a lump in his throat didn't permit him to speak.

Alec was out there and so was Isabelle. They would try and interfere. They'd all be killed. Magnus raised his gun at Asmodeous, who was still smirking at him, head lulling back, almost like he was drunk. "I always knew you're just as cruel as me. Like father like son." he said, laughing. "Magnus, don't!" Catarina yelled but Magnus's hand was steady. It had never been so steady before, even though his mind was occupied with everything that had happened, that he couldn't wrap his head around. It didn't matter. He breathed in and out, calming himself. "Do it!" Valentine said, clicking the bullet into place. Magnus closed his eyes and when he opened them, he could only see the cold and frighteningly familiar brown of his father's eyes. 

He stretched out his hand, pulling the trigger.

***

"Simon? What are you doing here?" Alec asked, when he reached the warehouse, the assembled team of hunters already waiting for him, with Simon greeting him with a wave. "I'm actually trained for the field, unlike you guys always thought. Isabelle is out here, so why shouldn't I be?" he asked defiantly and even thought Alec was surprised, he didn't have time to argue. "Fine, as long as you can shoot a gun, I'm good with it." he said and Simon smirked. He flipped his handgun, loading it and Alec nodded. "Listen up. There are three people in there, that are ours. Proceed with caution - we don't know how many men Valentine has in there." Alec started, telling them of the plan.

"Did you get Jace?" Alec asked him and Simon shook his head. "I couldn't reach him. I think something must've happened, but Hodge wasn't at the Institute, so I sent a couple of other men to check the Lair." the brunette said and Alec was again impressed. And also confused. "He wasn't?" he asked. Where the hell could Hodge be? He put that out of his mind for now. Jace was the best hunter he knew. He could handle any situation and Clary would be safe with him.

He moved towards the doors, signalling for the others to follow. He took a deep breath and moved in. The corridor was empty and he quickly made his way to the next set of door, gun raised half-way. He peered over the corner and saw two men standing at the doorway that led to the room where Magnus was in. He took another breath and raised two fingers to the hunters. Then he nodded to one of them, Ralph, and the guy moved to the opposite corner from Alec's. Together they took out their guns that were loaded with sleeping darts. They shot at the same time, making the guards drop to the ground silently. Alec moved forward, reaching the doorway just as he heard a gunshot.

***

"Oh, no you don't." Isabelle mumbled from the roof, having spotted the white haired woman on the small balcony. Her gun was fixed on Magnus, just as Alec rushed through the doorway. Coincidentally, it was the same moment as Magnus pulled the trigger, and Asmodeous fell to the floor, clutching his leg. Isabelle huffed out a breath, replacing her normal bullets with explosive ones in a matter of seconds and trained her gun on the woman. She took a breath and shot. The gun exploded, sending the woman flying to the floor.

Isabelle smiled to herself and then her earpiece rang. "Jace? Where the hell-" she started, but was cut off by another voice, not familiar to her. "Hello, Isabelle. I hear you and your friends are giving my father a hard time. Call them off, or Jace dies." the call ended and Isabelle was immobile on the rooftop. She stared down at the warehouse and could hear gunshots. "Fuck." she cursed out loud, moving to leave the building, trying to reach Alec on the earpiece.

***

Magnus saw Asmodeous fall, just as he heard gunshots from the doorway. His heart leaped as he saw Alec stride in, in full gear and the rifle in his hands raised, eyes flaming with anger, excitement and something else, that made the hazel darken. Magnus moved behind a pillar, when Valentine's men started to shoot him and then, when he peeked towards the man, who had thrown Catarina aside onto the floor, there was an explosion. From the corner of his eyes, Magnus saw Arita jump from the balcony, landing in perfect balance on the floor, pieces of stone fallin around all of them from the explosion. 

Magnus didn't have time to think about it, he ran to Catarina and crouched down to her. "Are you alright?" he shouted over the gunfire. Catarina's hair was a mess, her cheek was bleeding even more and it was smeared with dust and dirt. She grabbed Magnus's sleeve as he hoisted her up. "Ragnor..." she mumbled but Magnus saw Valentine make his way towards the exit, his men covering for him. He gritted his teeth. 

His head whipped towards Alec, who just shot another one of Valentines men and hid behind a pillar. Magnus dragged Cat behind one as well, peering towards the exit. "Alec, Magnus!" came a voice and Isabelle was there, rushing towards them, avoiding the bullets expertly. She knocked one of the guards on the ground and reached Magnus. "Take care of her, and find Ragnor!" he yelled, not bothering to listen to Isabelle's protests. His eyes were on the exit. 

***
Alec saw Magnus thrust Catarina into Izzy's arms and run towards the exit, where Valentine had just disappeared. Magnus kicked on of the men standing by the door to the face, leaving him unconscious and then pulled out his gun, firing at the other.

Alec ran towards Isabelle, noticing how she looked agitated. "Alec! You have to stop Magnus, he can't kill him!" she shouted over the commotion. Alec stopped, giving her a questioning look. From the corner of his eye, he saw the white-haired woman approach them. "Jace and Clary... Jonathan's got them. If we kill Valentine, he will kill them!" Isabelle yelled and Alec felt fear course through his veins. How did this happen?

Then, the woman was there and Alec ducked, avoiding her fists but she was quick as lightning, her feet sweeping under him, making Alec fall onto his back with a grunt. His gun slipped through his fingers but before the woman would stab him with the exceptionally long knife she held, Isabelle knocked her over. The woman rolled over and got back on her feet. She moved like a cat, her eyes glinting with a deadly glow. Isabelle took Alec's hand, pulling him up. "Go. I've got this." she said, eyeing the woman and Alec looked to her and then back to his sister. He hesitated. "Alec, Magnus needs you, even if he doesn't know it! Go!" she yelled, shoving him towards the exit and Alec conceded, picking up his gun and ran.

***

Isabelle stared at the woman, who had a smirk on her face. "You won't be able to escape, little girl. I'll kill you and she is next." she indicated to Catarina, who had fallen onto the floor, clutching her leg. Apparently she had gotten injured in the process of the whole ordeal and couldn't move. "Go to hell." she snapped at the woman, still and Isabelle smiled at Cat. She was a fighter. The woman seemed unfaze. Isabelle twirled, her feet kicking the woman in the face and split her lip. She moved further, locking her arm and twisting it behind her back. "Who are you calling a little girl?" she asked, smirking. The woman kicked her elbow into Isabelle's ribs, making her wince and backing off. The white-haired woman threw a knife at her, burying it into Isabelle's arm. She screamed in pain and when she fell to her knees, the woman kicked her in the face with her knee. Isabelle heard a crack and groaned in pain. She must've broken Isabelle's nose.

She fell back onto the floor but the woman came smirking above her, holding her up by the hair and hoisting her to stand. Isabelle gritted her teeth, to avoid yelling. She could feel the woman's breath on her neck as she stood behind her, the knife raised to her throat. "Say bye bye." she told her and Isabelle's eyes found Cat's, whose eyes looked afraid. Afraid for her. Isabelle grunted, knocked her head back and swiftly kicked the woman to her side, making her scream out in pain. Then, Catarina was there, behind her and with a loud grunt and a painful expression, Catarina swung a wooden blank to the woman's head, making her double over and land onto the floor on her back. She groaned in pain as Isabelle sauntered over, holding her injured arm. She pressed her heel to her throat and the woman's eyes were cold as ice when she winced.

"Bye bye." Isabelle said, kneeling down and landing a blow to her face, knocking her out cold. That would leave a nasty bruise, she thought. Isabelle smiled, straightening up and saw Simon run towards her. She noticed it was now silent in the room, with Valentine's men lying all over. She also noticed a lot of their own standing about, examining the fallen. "Simon? What on earth-" she started, but Simon reached her, pulled her into his embrace and kissed her. Even though her arm was hurting like a bitch, just as her nose, she smiled into the kiss. When Simon pulled back, his eyes were shining. "Thank god you're okay." he said. "I didn't know you had field experience." Isabelle mused, inspecting her arm. "I didn't. First time." Simon announced and Isabelle laughed. She then winced, touching her nose. "Let me." Simon said and Isabelle held still while the brunette inspected her. 

"We have to get you to a hospital." he said but Isabelle shook her head. "First Ragnor, then hospital." she said, earning a thankful look from Catarina. "Nice one back there." she said to her and Cat smiled. "You did most of the work." she told her and Isabelle laughed, feeling the pain in her arm concede a little. "Lead the way." she said and Catarina went ahead. Simon told the others to call an ambulance, while he and Isabelle went to find Ragnor. "Where's Magnus and Alec?" he asked Isabelle.

She clenched her jaw, when they took the stairs and gave Simon a look. "Went after Valentine." she said with a glum voice, hoping Alec got to Magnus, before the latter got to Valentine.

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A/N: Sorry I'm posting so late but I got sidetracked by painting my nails. Yep. I did that. Anyways, I didn't check for typos. SORRY! I still love yall. Feel free to point them out so I can fix them later. Biiiiiiiii xxx