Alex had a quick shower, feeling her sore tired muscles relax. She was a good runner, quick and could easily keep up with Minho...but full sprinting for that long was definitely not her favorite. She opened the shower door and stepped into the cool evening air.

"You all done?" Matt asked.

"Ya, Thanks Matt for standing guard, sorry if I kept you from something and Gally won't be too mad." Alex gave him a half hearted smile.

"Nah, all good Shanket! Alby's orders!" He smiled brightly at her, "She-Bean is to guard in the shower at all times. No exception." He put on his best Alby impression.

"It's appreciated."

He shrugged, still smiling at her, shoving his hands into his pants pockets. "It also gets me out of the evening shift with Gally. He's usually more cranky then, so it's a win!"

"Well, Thanks Matt. I'm going to go drop this stuff off. I'll catch you and Chuck later? He had another prank idea- this one you and I might have to talk him out of though, we all might end up dead!" Alex smiled and waved goodbye heading to her room.

It was one of those moods where she wanted to be alone, because the guys were getting on her nerves but as soon as she was alone her mind would buzz with unanswered questions, remind her how guilty she was and then it would fill up with a certain Keeper and her heart would squeeze. She couldn't figure out what she wanted, her head and heart were struggling against each other. And Minho's swinging emotions didn't help. She was frustrated with herself. Maybe archery in the Deadheads would help. Alby was someone who she could be with but wouldn't pry. He seemed to understand more than most.

She found Alby sitting by the Homestead, with a cup of coffee. She walked up to him, crossed her arms and stuck a hip out. "Wanna come shoot with me? I'll teach you to hit the target" she teased, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Oh you did NOT just say that to me! You're so on little Shanket!" he replied, accepting the checky challenge.

He set his coffee down, then slowly looked her up and down, "Ya know, we could probably find ya your own bow, one that fits better." He said thoughtfully, he stood up and headed towards the map room. "Come on!" He called over his shoulder, "keep up there slowpoke! I thought you were Miss speedy?"

"Oh you did NOT just say that to me!" She yelled back, chasing him down.

He led her to the map room and over to the little hatch under the trunk of maps and down into the weapons room. Alby turned and offered her a hand, but she had already jumped from half way up the stairs, landing quite as a cat beside him.

Going through a few of the other bows, trying them, getting a feel, they eventually found her a bow that fit. It felt right when she picked it up. It was a modern bow, but had an old medieval design and feel to it. She could feel her arm to glee when she picked it up. It felt familiar.

She also grabbed a quiver, making sure it was full. She was strapping it to her back when she saw a brown leather belt that caught her eye. It was sitting on a table by the knife wall. Alex walked over, her curiosity got the better of her. She hesitated before picking it up. Instantly her head snapped up and her eyes glazed over.

She was standing in a weapons room, a shiny white and metal one. Weapons were placed evenly along the walls and tables, each with a label. There was a huge giant of a man in front of her, he was in full combat gear. Alex couldn't focus on his face, it was all blurred out. When he spoke, she knew that voice. It was a deep rumble commanding voice. "Subject A0, your belt and holster along with your knife vest. The man was saying, handing Alex the brown leather. "It's custom made for your smaller size, it also has more than one place for those knives of yours. Once it is fitted and your weapons acquired you are being sent for your mission. You will be stationed in The Fallen City for the week, you're assigned with my Squad, Squad One, your mission partner is Felix. You leave at first light. Understood?"

Alby was snapping his fingers in front of her face "The shuck just happened Shanket?"

"I ...I had... I had another memory resurface." She looked down at the leather belt. Without saying anything else she buckled it on, around her waist and around her thigh, she searched around the table quickly and found the chest vest and grabbed a few knives that looked well worn in on the matching leather handles. They felt...familiar in her hands, the weight evenly distributed and comfortable. She put everything on.

How? Why would I have this made for me? I was sent on missions? What did I do before this? And why would the Creators send this up? What is going on?

"Alex?" Alby was a little unsure what was going on, but seeing their little ray of sunshine decked out in leather and weapons was intimidating.

"Alby, these are mine. The memory? For whatever reason, the creators made this for me. And for some reason, sent them up...because...I don't know why, but why else would they be here?! They seem too small for anyone around here." She asked, still struggling with the memory. Alby rubbed his neck, thinking.

"Well I can't really let you walk around decked in weapons. However, the belts and harness you can have, you're right, they don't fit anyone here." He smirked and chuckled softly to himself. "Minho was very upset. He said and I quote 'would make me look even more badass'" Alby laughed at the memory.

Alex scoffed with a smirk of her own, "Poor pumpkin, he's gonna be so disappointed I out badass him."

She weighed a knife in her open palm, tossed it up into the air spinning it end over end, caught it spun her body around and tossed the knife. It spun with incredible speed and slammed into the wall behind her. All in one fluid motion. She crossed her arms with a smug smirk, looking at Alby for his reaction.

He smirked back at her. "Definitely more badass than Minho could ever dream of." He paused then added solemnly. "We can go practice with them, but I take them back and lock them up when we're done, maybe you can keep one, just as a precaution. Deal?"

"Good that" Alex agreed.

_____________________

Alby and Alex with Bark recovered from their sprint in the maze, beside her, were deep in the Deadheads, away from the other Gladers. Alby had carved a target into a tree. The two were having a friendly competition, though it wasn't much of a competition, Alex won every time.

It was nice hanging out with Alby, he didn't pry, or ask questions. When Alex asked, he had good advice. She didn't tell him everything like she did with Newt, but she trusted him completely if she ever did want to spill her deepest secrets. And he only teased her a little when it came to her and Minho. He knew it was a touchy subject for her. He had a big brother, proud Father feel to him.

She watched as he leaned his bow against a tree and trudged back over to their target tree.

"Alby." Alex started then stopped, suddenly kind of nervous.

"Ya Shanket? What's on your mind?" He asked as he retrieved their arrows and knives stuck in the tree.

"Umm, well I just wanted to say Thanks. I guess." She shrugged. "You have always had my back and believed in me even with everything that's happened. I know I disrupted your regular routine." She chewed on her bottom lip for a second, he walked back with a small smile. "And also, thanks for giving me my first archery lesson." She added, but then finished with a cheeky smile, "Even though I'm so much better than you"

He had walked back and placed his rather large hand on her shoulder, "Alex, my little Glade Warrior, it has been an honor to teach you the basic skills I have. Ya you changed the regular routine. But that ain't your fault. There ain't nothin' I can do about it. You definitely make this dismal place better. You're my little sister. I'll always have your back. Always. And I'll always believe in you!"

He was not a touchy person, neither was Alex but she couldn't help it. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him around the waist. He hesitated for a moment but also wrapped his arms around her, patting her back, and giving her a little squeeze.

"Alright that's enough. Don't get mushy on me now little warrior! Come on best 4 out of 5?"

Alex laughed, stepping back, "Shank, I've beat you every time!" She gave him a playful push,"But sure, get ready to have your bloody butt kicked!"

Their quiet was split by an inhuman animal scream and a very terrified boy yelling for help.