Arrested (Book 1 of the Arrested Trilogy) {malec au}

Chapter Twenty-One

"That's the CUP?"

Alec held the small chip in the palm of his hand. "So it would seem. This is what's causing the huge ruckus lately. This tiny little thing."

Magnus looked at it. "It's smaller than I imagined."

Alec snorted. "What were you expecting? An actual cup? A goblet shaped drinking glass?"

Even Chairman Meow seemed interested in the small chip. He had jumped up on the counter and sniffed at Alec's hand, eventually beginning to purr and rub his head up against Alec's thumb.

"What do we do with it? We can't just leave it here for everyone to find." Magnus took a plastic baggy out from the cupboard. "Here. Put it in this for safekeeping."

Alec placed the chip into the bag. "We turn it in. It's obvious. We found the CUP before Valentine so we have to bring it to the authorities."

"Alec sweety you are the authority."

"Oh. Good point. Well in that case we'll bring it into the higher authorities in the morning-"

"Are you insane?!" Magnus held the baggy with the chip inside close to his chest. "We just learned not long ago that there's a mole in the precinct and you want to bring this in so the mole can take it back to their boss? Boy, I knew you were smart but sometimes I actually think you may be dumb."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Fine. Tomorrow morning I'll talk to my father about the Circle like Catarina suggested. Life's been so crazy lately that I never even found time to breathe."

They both sat on the couch at the same time. Chairman sat on the coffee table, giving them a show by lifting one of his back legs high in the air and began to lick himself.

"Chair, that's disgusting. Go somewhere else and do that," Magnus gently nudged his cat off the table with a foot. Chairman meowed in protest.

"He's not pleased with you," Alec pointed out.

"He never is. Nothing pleases him. He's a little diva."

"Kind of like his owner."

"Meh. I'll take it. I do like being a diva sometimes. Except I don't lick myself in front of people like that. Or flick my poop everywhere."

Alec laughed so hard that his entire body shook. "Oh fuck. That was good. I just imagined you with your leg in the air and-" He stopped to laugh again, doubling over.

"Laugh it up. We'll see who's laughing in the morning when you wear a button up shirt and all your damn buttons are done up wrong. What are you, ten years old?"

Alec punched him on the shoulder playfully, eventually falling back against the couch to admire the painting. "Who even put the CUP on the painting? And what made them do it?"

Magnus shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I doubt it was Clary. She doesn't even know about it."

"Or so she claims. Maybe it was her. That's quite the hiding spot though. I'd never suspect it actually being in the painting." Alec tilted his head. "How did Catarina know it was there?"