May the fates favour you. She always used to say that. He could not forget it, not on his life. In fact they all remember it and they believe it too, after this particular event in their life that showed them what fate really is.

Fate is a powerful thing. There is… this power somewhere, that no one can deny, that connects us to certain events and even to certain people in life. Some call it the power of the universe, some call it destiny. She called it a game of fates and they agreed.

This is a story of how fates brought them together, how their lives were so closely linked but they didn't even know. This is a story of linked fates.

CHAPTER-1

(Jace POV)

An ear-splitting sound from beside Jace cut his beautiful sleep short. It wasn't that the sound was too loud. But for Jace, it sounded like the earth was splitting in two and would swallow him at any moment. Hangovers are a bitch to deal with. It felt like he was in the pits of hell. His head was about to crack open. He covered his ears with the pillow and groaned. What the heck?! Why was he getting a call at …. he opened an eye to check the time from his bedside watch…..at freaking 6:00 in the morning?! That too on a Sunday!

This person is clearly mad, Jace thought as he tried to ignore it and go back to sleep, hoping that the person would leave him alone. But going back to sleep was simply impossible. His head hurt too much. Why did he have to drink so much. Ugh! And why was this ringing not stopping?

He searched for his phone blindly with his eyes still closed, patting his hand on the side cabinet. Finally his hand touched the cold surface of his vibrating phone.

He picked up the call and was about to scream bloody murder at the person for waking him up at such an ungodly hour. But he stopped dead when he heard the first words from the other side and only one thought came to his mind, I am a goner.

"Shadowhunters," said the anonymous voice. This was basically his everyday routine. You see, this was the code he had to complete whenever he dealt with any business related to his 'work'. That sounded like it had come straight out of some spy movie, but that's what he was. A secret agent.

The agency he worked for followed this protocol so as to ensure the right person picked up the call and information was not leaked. "Looking better in black than the widows of our enemies since 1234," Jace replied, in his morning drowsy voice.

He had always thought that the person who came up with the thing was an extraordinary being. Maybe he will get to meet him someday. On second thoughts, maybe not. The agency was centuries old after all. The people associated with this agency, called the clave, have been protecting people without their knowledge since a long time.

"Herondale," an amused voice was heard from the other end. Jace instantly knew who it was. Of course he knew. It was the same annoying voice that taunts his very existence in the world everyday. Why did he have to call him? "Morgenstern," Jace replied irritated.

It's not as if they were enemies. But sometimes Jace really wished he could just punch a hole in his guts. Jon started with his usual banter. "Had a late night? Running naked down Madison Avenue with antlers on your head again?" he asked. There, he just proved how irritating he can be.

"One freaking time!" Jace muttered. Jonathan Morgenstern, one of the best agents of all times, and Jace's best friend along with Alec. Of course he wouldn't let him live it down. He chuckled loudly on the other side. "Why did you have to call on the agency line at freaking six in the morning?!" Jace asked in an agitated tone. "Why, you got scared? Aww! Little Jacey got scareddddd. Scaredy cat." Great! He had the audacity to tease him. And he just proved how childish he can be. Jace sighed.

"On a more important note, Luke needs to talk to you," he said. Finally! The reason that he called. Wait what?! Luke?! At 6? On Sunday? On his day off? Something was not right. "What have I done this time?" Jace yelped. Jonathan laughed his fill again.

"What the hell Jace?," He said in between his spasms of laughter. "Why do you sound like an injured cat?" "Oh shut up. The hangover is enough. I don't need you to butt in too." Jonathan laughed again. "You are way to cheery for a Sunday morning Jon." Jace said holding his phone away from his ear.

He then began to think of the possible reasons as to why he was being called. Sure he had a reputation of being called to director aka Luke's office from time to time, which usually ended up in really unpleasant situations like getting the work of cleaning the washrooms for a month or doing the reports for the recent cases (it is not as easy as it sounds when there are about 50 pages to write in every case). But he couldn't think of anything which would lead him to being called to Luke's office now.

"Oh you did nothing," Jon replied nonchalantly. "But I would get here really fast if I were you. Luke won't be happy if you are late. Like usual." Jace would have considered it to be his death sentence except for the fact that Jon's voice sounded playful. "Okay. Be there in 10. See ya Joie!" He said, smirking. Oh yes, of course he had an embarrassing name for his best friend. He clearly remember that day. Jon was 15 and he was 13.

He was siting on the couch waiting along with Jon for his aunt Lilith who lived in France. The doorbell rang and Jon went for the door. They were alone in the house because Luke was at the Institute. He had been roped into the idea of staying at Jon's to meet his aunt because Jon claimed he couldn't possibly handle her alone.

His aunt came in wearing a ridiculous pink dress with neon yellow trimmings and with a pink handbag. She was wearing the brightest makeup Jace had ever seen with dark pink lipstick. Oh Angels Above. She looked more ridiculous than Snape in Neville's grandma's clothes! Jace just barely stopped myself from bursting out laughing.

When she engulfed Jon in a big hug, the effort to keep a straight face was more than the daily workout we did at the academy. " Joie, my precious darling! How is my little bean? Oh you have grown so tall, last time I met you, ..." and she went on gushing like this for sometime. But that was it for Jace. He couldn't listen further, because he had to run out of the room to get his laughter out.

"Okay, see ya Christie!" Jace grimaced at the phone. That was the bad part. He could practically see him smirking on the other end. After he started calling him Joie, Jon came up with this name from his middle name.

Jace threw the phone on the bed and got dressed quickly in a simple black shirt and grey jeans. The drive to the institute of Idris, one of the many that the Clave had set up all over the world, was a total of 5 minutes with his motorcycle.

The same old routine took place. Jace took out his black shining motorcycle, his pride, and let himself be taken over by the flow of the wind. He always had the time of his life in those 5 minutes, with wind whipping his hair and the feeling of freedom overflowing in him, just like a bird taking flying in the wide, open sky. He even helped an old lady on the way. Yes he does have kindness somewhere in that heart of his. His job includes helping people after all.

He found Alec at the door steps, tapping his foot in annoyance. Alec never does any unnecessary motion if you know what that means. It seems he is truly irked, he is probably waiting for me, Jace thought as he walked to him. He assumed Alec was called by Luke as well. "What's the matter? Why have we been called?" Jace asked him as soon as he reached him.

"Morning to you to Jace. I am fine, thank you," he said in a sickly sweet voice. Jace grimaced. Alec used sarcasm. He was in a bad mood. He has probably been waiting for Jace for a while. "I don't know why we were called," he answered Jace's previous question, "Only one way to find out."

And so they made way to Luke's office. The rest of Jace's 'legendary team' was already there. "Finally the great Jace Herondale decides to grace us with his presence," Izzy said raising an eyebrow at me. "We have been waiting for half an hour bro, you are late," Jordon added, rubbing his eyes and groaning. He must have fallen asleep. Jace hid his grin at the thought.

"Fashionably late" He responded with a smirk. Izzy gave him a pointed look. "What? Its not my fault. Jon called me late," Jace said indignantly, trying to defend himself.

"Not his fault either. You sleep like dead. He told us it took more than about 10 minutes of constant calling for you to pick up the phone," Izzy said, narrowing her eyes at him. He just flicked my hand dismissively at her and sat down next to Jordon across Helen in front of the mahogany desk.

.o0o.

And this is how he found himself sitting in Luke's office on a Sunday morning.

"Agents," Luke greeted, looking at the six agents sitting in front of him whom he has been looking after since they were crawling babies. They all nodded their greetings. Jace looked around the table and found his usual team present. Isabelle Sophia Lightwood, Simon Lewis, Alec Gideon Lightwood, Jordon Kyle and Helen Blackthorne, with the exception of Jon. Jace wondered why Jon wasn't there when everyone else was.

"Director, why have we been called? Did we or one of us," Alec said, looking pointedly at Jace, "do something wrong?" He asked the very question that had been eating Jace inside. Luke chuckled at the insinuation. "Oh no no, nothing's wrong. In fact quite the opposite," he said. Opposite? What the….surely he didn't mean….

"Taking your current performances in classes and other small *ahem* unofficial cases *ahem* into reference, you are being given your first case." Luke ran his gaze through all of their faces one by one, checking their reactions. They all had frozen in their seats. The room was completely silent for some time. Alec composed himself first, " We'll do our best," he croaked out.

They all had been wanting to go out in the field and exercise the authority of real agents. But they had always been considered rookies, even though they knew more than many other agents working at higher levels. They had grown up as family to some of the best agents afterall.

They had been living in a different world than all other people and knew about things no child should know at their age. That is why they were hell bent on going on an assignment, especially Jace. He even had a tantrum in Luke's office once.

"It is a very important case and I expect you not to mess it up. Jon will give you the details; I have a meeting. Now hurry up, Jon also has somewhere to go. I just wanted to give the good news you have been waiting for ever since you were babies." Luke said chuckling and dismissed us.

"Wait a minute. Is Jon not going to be with us on this assignment?" Jace asked hurriedly. He was somehow getting a bad feeling about it. But why would that be? After all, this is our first case. They had been waiting for this for so long.

Luke examined Jace's face before saying," No, he won't." Jace was about to ask further but Luke beat him to it. "I suggest you ask him about it yourself," he said in his prime formal tone, leaving space for no argument at all.

Just then his phone rang. He saw the caller ID and paused. "I need to go. This is important. Good luck to you agents." And with that he stood up, picking his phone and walking towards the door, his voice still audible. "Hello Cherry. Sorry I had a meeting…" His voice cut off as the door closed.

"Luke doesn't have a daughter, does he? No he probably doesn't even have a wife, with him sitting in the office all day and night. Wonder who Cherry would be….his girlfriend maybe?" Jordon wondered aloud.

"Well he did say it was important," Rat-faced chimed in. Alec shrugged. They started to make their way towards the conference rooms where discussions usually take place, thus beginning the first official case of their lives.

A/N: Hey guys! I know this might seem like a short chapter but this is just an introduction. Next chapters will be longer and more interesting. I hope you like it. And one more thing. Jonathan Morganstern is not evil in this story. I had to say it. I really like to imagine what Jon would have been like if that damn Valentine hadn't given the demon's blood to him. And so there we go... Anyways there will be the usual pairings as in the book.

Please comment and tell me how was it, it would be really really nice of you.

~S