Thomas and I sprinted side by side towards the crowd of frantic boys standing around the open doors. I glanced at my watch, the doors should have closed five minutes after me and the boys got back. Shuck.

We skidded to a stop beside Newt and the other Keepers. Alby caught up a few moments later, he was breathing hard.

"They aren't closing." Zart said.

"Yes, clearly Shuck face!" I snapped.

He flinched and shuffled away.

"Why won't they close? What's going on?" Frypan asked.

Thomas and I stood rooted to the spot, both thinking hard about everything we had seen heard. I could almost feel his gears spinning and grinding. 

We need to get rid of these extra Gladers. I can't think with them screaming and klunk

Give them a job-

Great idea. Meet with Newt and Minho and Alby..

I saw Thomas nod. We turned back to the panicking Gladers together. A plan forming in our minds.

"Everyone slim it!" I yelled. 

Surprisingly they all went quiet. Every eye was glued to me. Shuck. I hate crowds and people. 

"No idea why doors wont close right now. Whatwe do know, is we need to be ready-"

"For what?" Someone yelled.

"Anything." Thomas said flatly. 

"Right ray of buggen' sunshine aren't you Tommy?" Newt rolled his eyes.

Thomas looked a little sheepish, his cheeks going slightly pink. He shrugged, glancing at the ground for a second.  

"Chuck!" I yelled, looking around the crowd for him, he came shoving to the front, and threw his arms around my waist. My panic subsided for a moment, I held him tight. 

"I want you to stay close to Vinny, okay? Vin?" I looked around the crowd, Vinny was standing a few guys away, "Chuck's your right hand man." Vinny nodded solemnly. 

"Thank you!" I mouthed. Vinny nodded again with a small smile. Chuck elbowed his way over to Vinny.

"Dug go to Home Stead and take Sloppers and Builders, Bricknicks...and start to barricade the windows and weak points!" I turned back to the group of Keepers, pointing at the guys.

Dug didn't say anything neither did the Bricknick Keeper. Gally scowled at me, well I think it was more at Thomas. He didn't seem to like how I was bossing him around. No one moved for a second. 

"Bloody do it!" Newt yelled. And they jumped and started to scurry away.

"Lee, your in charge. I'm staying here for a moment." Gally barked. 

I rolled my eyes.

"Winston, you go with him, take some of your guys too." Thomas added. 

"Got it!" He nodded at us. 

"Fry! Viny, Tim and Chuck? Get as much of the food to the Home Stead." 

"We'll make that our...where we make our stand." Thomas said.

"Get the others." Alby added, his demeanour said calm and collected, but I saw the beads of sweat and the panic and fear in his eyes. It was the same look that Gally always had. 

"Okay, now, Minho, Newt, Alby..and Gally" I growled his name, my eyes narrowing.

"We need to figure some stuff out." Thomas added, we formed a little circle, a small little Gathering.

"Okay. First. Gally" I straightened up, my eyes full of angry fire, "I want you to keep your shucken mouth closed right now. We all know your conspiracy theories about Tommy!"

"But-"

"No." I snapped, "You need to listen and not talk." 

I could see his hands opening and closing into fists and his breathing was quick and shallow.

"That metal brain-heart thing? It was a key, it opened a door of something, it was covered in Griever slim, but it definitely opened a door!" Thomas started.

"We aren't sure about the Cliff. If we can survive the night, I want to check out the Cliff with the key!" Said Minho.

"Good idea, 'cause the night we were out there it was wide open, like the shucken end of the world...but it always looks like part of the wall." I agreed, my mind was spinning.

Gally growled and grabbed my arm, "I don't think-"

I raised my head and eyebrows at him, "You do not get to tell me what to do!" I snarled, and yanked my arm out of his grasp. 

I could see the anger, and hurt in his eyes. But I was still way to angry and hurt over what he did to me, regardless of his reasons. I turned my body slightly so I wouldn't have to see his face. I was so angry I could feel the hot tears forming. And I couldn't cry, not now.

Thomas cleared his throat, "Anyway...I was thinking-"

"Never a good thing." I interrupted, trying to keep myself from breaking down.

"Ha ha. Shut up, Sparky." 

I just grinned at him. I could feel the anger from Gally.

"Newt.. have you seen those signs out in the Maze, the metal ones that say World In Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department?" Thomas asked.

Newt shook his head, "That was after my time, Charlie was the one who found them." 

I saw his face fall for a second, but then he was back, his 'I'm figuring out a puzzle' face. 

"Well, you know about them, ya? Same with you Alby?" 

Both boys nodded.

"Okay, so I was thinking...The letters stamped on the Griever Key-"

"And the supplies!" I yelped and slapped my forehead.

"World in Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department...W.I.C.K.E.D ! Well Shuck me! I've been here two years, seen those shuck signs for over a year and never put that together!" Minho gasped, smacking his forehead as well. 

"The bloody creators... But that doesn't sound good at all! Catastrophe..Killzone..?" Newt nodded, rubbing his thumb over his lip. 

I noticed Thomas watched for a second and then glanced away blushing.

Just shucken kiss him already!

You better shuck off! 

Nope! You did this to me...I'm gonna do it right back!

I felt a groan of annoyance and exasperation. I chuckled at his embracement.

"Hey! No buggen' telepathy thing right now, you two!" Newt snaped his fingers in Thomas's face. 

We both blinked and shook our heads, we both spaced out for a second. 

"Anything interesting going on up there?" Newt asked, raising an eyebrow at Thomas.

"Yes-" I grinned

"No!" Thomas said at the same time. He glared at me. I just smiled sweetly at him. 

"No. Not important for right now. Later maybe." 

I grinned even bigger. 

"Anyways!" Thomas said loudly, "What's going to happen to Teresa?"

"She stays put." Alby growled. 

"I think we need to let her out." Thomas protested.

"Uhg, why? She's a bit-"

"Listen to me!" Thomas cut me off loudly.  "There's something about her—I think she and I were sent here to help end this whole thing! I'm not sure why Charlie was here earlier. There's no beating around the bush, Ben and Alby and obviously Gally..." Thomas gestured at the guys, "You both saw me and the girls...but I don't...I don't think we were sent  to jack things up, but to end this."

"Yeah! End it by lettin' the Grievers waltz in here and kill us?" Gally growled. 

"I've heard some sucky plans in my day, Tommy, but that's got 'em all beat." Newt frowned at him.

Thomas groaned, running a hand through his hair, I could feel his frustration. 

"She's a sneaky manipulator, and I don't like her. Like at all, but I think Tommy is right." I said slowly, seeing where he was going with this.

"I don't think that's what it means, the walls not closing." 

Newt  folded his  arms;  he  looked uncertain, Gally looked far from convinced and Alby hadn't said much of anything, his arms folded over his chest, looking at the ground.

 "Tommy, what're you goin' on about?" Newt finally asked, his big brown eyes were glued to Tommy. I knew he was hoping for answers, just like the rest of us. I frowned, thinking back to the WICKED and what it stood for...It clicked. And I knew out of anyone here in this group to believe my idea it would be Newt. 

"Newt! Tommy! I think ... I think we're here as part of some weird experiment, or test, or something like that. WICKED...Experiment Department!"

I could feel Thomas's excitement as he picked up on my idea, he nodded "Yeah...and said slowly, "It's supposed to end somehow-

"We can't live  here  forever-"

"-and whoever sent us here wants it to end!"

"Nailed it!" I cried, fist pumping. Thomas and I high fived. Grinning stupidly at each other.

The other four were staring at us like we grew an extra set of heads. Thomas and I looked at each other nervously and then back to the others.

"Problem?" I snapped.

"It's just freaky how you two act...like ya we know you can buggen' read each others bloody minds, but even when you talk out loud...it's freaky." Newt shook his head, with a bemused look. 

We shrugged. At the same time, and Newt raised an eyebrow at us. And then as if we had planned it, we sighed rolled our eyes and folded our arms, in unison. 

"Cut it out Tommy! Stop copying me! It's freaking them out!" I tried to hid the giggle. I knew this was not the time for this, but it was too funny.

"It's like they share one mind. Weirdos." Minho smirked. 

"Can we figure out what the shuck is going on?" Gally yelled, frustrated with us. 

"Yeah. But I think...it's not a jail or whatever, its a test or experiment, why? No idea." Thomas said, going serious again.

"I don't think Tommy and Teresa have anything to do with us being here. They're just pawns, they sent them here as our last tool or hint or whatever to help us get out." I added, looking directly at Gally, narrowing my eyes, challenging him to question it. 

"And." I added,  "I think they sent me, too. I heard a voice during the Changing saying I was supposed to do something I was created for...a distraction or some klunk. But... as much as I hate saying this, because I really don't like her, just because she was the trigger for the Ending doesn't make her bad. I mean there is absalutly something fishy with her, she knows too much for someone who clams to have no memories"

Newt looked toward the Slammer. "Well, as much as I think I can agree with you two, she stays. She can handle another night in there, if anything, she'll be safer than us." 

Thomas nodded. "Okay, we get through tonight, somehow. Tomorrow, when we have a whole day of safety, we can figure out what to do with her. Figure out what we're supposed to do." 

Gally snorted and rolled his eyes . "Greenie, what's gonna make tomorrow any different? It's been two years." 

Thomas straightened, I saw the defiance in his face, he stood toe to toe with Gally.

"Because now we have to solve it. We'll be forced to. We can't live that way anymore, day to day, thinking that what matters most is getting back to the Glade before the Doors close, snug and safe." 

"It's ending, this is all ending, and it's NOT Tommy's fault, Gally. You need to get over it! It's going to happen!" I said sharply, stepping between  the guys. 

Newt and Minho thought a  minute, the wild bustle of the Glader preparations happening behind them. Alby still hadn't said anything.

 "Dig deeper. Stay out there while the walls move." Minho finally said, nodding.

"Exactly," Thomas said, "That's exactly what I'm talking about!" 

Minho and I high fived. 

"Survive tonight. Check out the Cliff. Bust the shuck outta here!" Minho cheered. 

"About surviving the night. Wanna blow some shit up?" I asked with a devious smile. 

Newt and Minho's eyebrows went up. 

"I have an idea." 

They crowded closer and I quickly explained my idea. 

Everyone went off to get the guys needed and supplies. Gally tried to corner me.

"No Gally, I'm not in the mood, I'm pissed and I don't want to talk to you, cuz I would like to introduce your face with a brick." I snapped.

"Charlie! Would you just STOP!" He yelled, grabbing my arm tight and spinning me around. 

I snarled, but he was too strong, and I couldn't get my arm free. 

"I'm sorry. Okay? I'm sorry! I feel like such a-"

"Ass hole?" I snapped.

He nodded and hung his head. I stopped struggling as hard. 

"Please...I'm sorry, I thought...I thought I could keep you here...safe, away from out there." 

"Yeah, that didn't work out so well for ya, now did it?" My voice was cold. 

He just shook his head. When he looked I saw the tears in his eyes. 

"I...I didn't think that stuff would seep into here...the doors have always kept us safe." His eyes slid to the open doors behind me, his eyes glazed over, staring off into the darkness. 

"Yeah, well...nothing is ever safe in this shucked up place, I've been telling you that for like a shucken year. But of course, as much as you say you believe me...you don't, you never did. This placed is shucked, the creators are shucked, we're shucked. So let me go. I have a night to get through alive." 

He took a shuddering breath, my blood was boiling, and it took all my will power not to slap him again. His eyes were broken and hallow, scared and quite probably remorseful, but I was too angry to look too closely. He reached his other hand up, and I flinched. I saw his eyes widen and then fill with tears. 

"I wasn't going to hit you, I would never do that Charlie!" His voice cracked.

"No, just drug me and lock me away." I spat, I could feel my heart pumping hard. And I could hear it pounding in my ears.

He opened his mouth but closed it, blinking the tears away. He slowly let go of my arm, and I yanked it back, taking a few steps backwards, my eyes narrowed. 

"Please be careful, Charlie." He whispered. 

I turned and started to walk away.

"I love you." I heard him whisper. 

That would be the last time I heard him say that.

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