The girls stepped outside and instantly heard yelling and saw a crowd.

Alex nudged her friend, pointing, "Look. Smoke! Come on!"

The girls headed towards the commotion. The pain meds had finally kicked in, making moving around much easier. They were half way across the Glade when Alex realized they were heading to the map room!

"Oh SHUCK!" Alex yelp, and speed up.

She pushed through the crowd to the front, and saw smoke billowing out of the door, Minho yelling and ragging, Newt kneeling on the ground beside Alby.

"What the shuck happened?" She asked as she knelt down beside Newt.

"Minho and Tommy saw smoke from the map room, and found Alby on the ground with a bloody head, the maps on fire! They pulled him out! And with some help put the fire out. I sent Tommy to fetch Jeff."

Alex's stomach dropped. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

Teresa had made her way over too, she put her small hand on Alex's shoulder, "You should go to Minho. I'll take over here." Alex looked up to see Minho by the trees, still yelling and throwing things, and punching the tree. She nodded and got up and cautiously made her way over to Minho.

"Hey, Min?" Alex asked quietly. She hadn't seen this side of him before, so she was a little cautious. He spun on his heel to look at her. His face twisted with rage. And his eyes were dark with anger and heart ache.

"GONE!!! 2 YEARS OF WORKING MY SHUCK ASS OFF AND ALL THE HARD WORK GONE! Burnt to the ground. There is nothing left! Every SHUCK DAY I risk my life to get those Maps! AND ITS GONE!"

His face fell into despair and with one last punch to the tree, splitting his knuckles, he sunk to the ground, his head in his hands. He let out an angry heart breaking sob. Alex crouched down in front of him, wrapping her arms around his large shoulders and pulled him into her chest, squeezing him tight.

"I can't even imagine what you are feeling."

He pulled away aggressively, causing her to fall back onto her butt, "YA YOUR RIGHT! You have NO IDEA! I've been here for 2 SHUCKING YEARS trying to find a way out! You have been here, what? A few months? YOU HAVE NO IDEA!" He yelled at her.

Alex winced, closing her eyes for a second, when she opened them she looked at the ground, she knew he was hurting and angry. But he was right though. She didn't know what being here for 2 years would be like, and that was her fault, he was sent here because of her. But his words were still painful, cutting into her heart. She got up, onto her knees, looking him in the eye.

"You're right. I don't know." He glared at her, but he was listening, she continued, "But what I DO know is that we will find a way out, despite this." She gestured towards the smoking room, "We WILL get out of here, Min. We have that key and it led us to a way out! Yes, those maps are gone and that bloody shuckin' sucks! Your hard work is gone! I don't know the maps or the anger at loosing them. What I do know is you. And YOU know that maze like the back of your hand! You know ever turn and corner. And that griever key might have been an accident... But ANY way out is still a way out. Right?"

Minho was quiet for a while, snapping twigs, grinding his teeth. He threw the last piece of the snapped twig into the trees, he sighed heavily. He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry Alex." He said to his knees.

"Min, I'm up here." She said gently, and lifted his chin so he was looking at her. He used the back of his hand to wipe the tears. Alex smiled sadly at him, and cupped his cheek.

"I'm sorry. I was...angry...I didn't mean to take it out on you. It wasn't your fault."

Alex leaned in and kissed him gently. "I know Love, it's all right. But you're right, you have been here so long. And to keep going every single day, to find a way out...that takes so much courage and hope. And stubbornness. SO much stubbornness! " She smiled at him, "You give the rest of the Gladers a reason to keep going. You have done so much for the Glade and the Gladers."

He didn't say anything, just buried his face into her neck. Alex wrapped an arm around his shoulders and her other one she placed at the back of his head.

"We will be Okay, as long as you're beside me." Alex said quietly, kissing the top of his head.

Thomas came jogging over, unaware of the situation he just walked in on. "Hey, are we going? We're burning daylight! Come on man! You can snuggle your girlfriend later!"

"Hey Thomas?" Minho asked, without moving his head.

"Ya?" Thomas asked, confused.

"Shut up." Thomas huffed. "Go grab my bag and water. Meet you at the door." Thomas rolled his eyes and left. Minho lifted his head and sat up.

"Tommy, pass me some disinfectant and gauze." Alex called.

Thomas huffed again. But jogged over to Teresa and Jeff, grabbed some supplies and jogged back, tossed her the stuff and then headed back to the Homestead for Minho's gear.

"Come on there Rocky, let's see that hand." Alex turned her head, kissed the side of his face, she gently pushed him to sit up.

"Hand." She said, holding her's out, waiting. He placed his bloody hand in hers. She sighed sadly. She cleaned the blood away, it wasn't as bad as it looked. She wrapped it up quickly. She kissed his knuckles.

"Now go find us a way out, Keeper of the Runners. That key is our way out now."

The fire and determination came back into his eyes. "You're right Sunshine. I gotta stop my whinin' and do what needs to be done."

"I know I'm right, I'm always right. Did you question my wise words of wisdom?" She asked him, raising an eyebrow. He chuckled quietly.

"You win Babe."

He stood up, and held out a hand and helped her up, and wrapped his arms around her waist, careful not to hurt her stitches. "What would I do without you?" He asked.

"Probably stab everyone on one of your murderous rampages?" She answered with a sly smile.

He just pulled her closer and kissed her forehead, "Very true." Alex smiled up at him. "I gotta go meet Thomas, sure you don't want to come with? You're better company than that shank."

Alex chuckled, "sorry babe. Wish I could."

He leaned in, and whispered into her ear sending shivers down her spine, and making her knees go weak. "Too bad. I could think of some things we could do instead of running." He kissed the tender skin on her neck under her ear. Alex lost the ability to talk and just made an incoherent noise. He pulled back with a cocked eyebrow and slipped into that sly sexy smirk.

"Minho!" she finally managed to squeak and pushed his chest and her face grew hot.

He laughed, his smirk never left. "Fine. Fine. Just me and the shank then."

Alex rolled her eyes, her face still burning. "Stitches. Remember? Don't want to rip anything.. yet. Especially if we're going to have company again tonight."

Minho stepped close again, "I know. I'm just teasing. Rest. I'll see you later."

She raised up onto her tip toes and kissed him goodbye. She watched him run to the wall and meet Thomas and run into the maze together. A shudder went through her, it was hard seeing him run in there since the night he spent in there.

An arm wrapped around her shoulders. "You have no bloody idea the effect you have on him." Alex looked up to Newt. He looked down at her. "Seriously. I've seen him snap like that two other times and both times we had to lock him in the slammer to calm down. I've never seen him slim it that bloody fast before. You both are good for each other." He squeezed her shoulder.

"Honestly I would be so lost without him, Newt... You and him keep me anchored and glued together when I fall apart." She rested her head on his shoulder.

Newt scoffed, "Me? Really? Doubt it. When you go into those night terror episodes I just make sure no one around is hurt, Minho is the one who brings you back."

"That may be, but Newt, you're my brother, my actual blood! You were..no ARE my best friend right from the moment you jumped into that cage. I would do anything for you! I love you Newtie Patootie!" And she wrapped her arms around his waist. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"Well, I guess now that we don't have maps to study...what will we do?" Newt asked.

"Try and scavenge what weapons we can from that cellar, help secure the Homestead.." They were quiet for a little while. "We should probably leave as soon as we can, I don't want to stay here being picked off one by one." Newt nodded in agreement.

She spent the rest of the morning in the MedJack room with Clint, Jeff and Teresa. They organized everything they had into piles and then sorted that into bags for Keepers, and a few other Gladers. When they were done Alex and Teresa handed out the kits. Once that was done, Teresa went to help Frypan.

Alex went to the slammer. She had some answers to get. She marched over to the slammer and crouched down in front of the door. Inside on the floor, leaning against the wall with his head in his hands, was Gally. He didn't seem to notice her presence. She sat down and let out a small hiss of pain. Gally finally lifted his head. His eyes widened in surprise, and then narrowed in suspension.

"What do you want?" He spat.

Alex sat there for a minute, a hand on her side, holding her stitches. She looked at him evenly. "I want to know why you hate me so much. Why do you hate Tommy so much."

Gally just scoffed. "Because ever since you came here, everything has been going wrong. I saw you and Thomas in my memories and I have a gut feeling you guys are the reason for all this, you did this."

Alex sighed, "Gally, that's the same klunk you've been spewing for a while. Anything new?"

Gally huffed. "No. I don't trust you. Or him...or the new girl."

"But, I want you to know we were friends. We hung out before the maze. You, Alby, Minho, Tommy, me, Tes, Newt, and our sister. Sometimes Chuck. We would sneak out at night find a room and hang out, eat snacks..just be kids. We were friends, at one point." Alex said. She watched as his eyes went wide again, watching her. His face was hard to read, but it morphed into a scowl.

"I don't believe you. It's a trick!" He snapped, and looked away.

Alex sighed, and nodded sadly. She knew there was nothing she could do or say to make him believe her.

"Gally?" She asked thoughtfully.

"What?" He snapped.

She sighed. He just clenched his jaw. She looked at him, thinking again rubbing her bottom lip with her thumb. "Do you remember the gathering?"

He looked at her confused. "What gathering?"

It was Alex's turn to look confused. "The one right after Thomas and Minho got back from the night in the maze. Do you remember what happened after you and I argued?"

He stared at her blankly.

"Gal...do you remember the outcome of that meeting?" She asked hesitantly. He looked down at the floor, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't think so... what happened last night?" She questioned him.

Gally looked back up at her. "What...what do you mean?"

"I mean, after Minho, Tommy and I got back, we argued, then got ready for Grievers. What happened inside the homestead? I wasn't there."

He gave her an irritated look, "Hammered all the windows shut, making sure everyone was inside. I saw you and Alby leave." He paused, "And..and then..." he trailed off.

"Gal, how did you know the Grievers were only going to take one Glader a night? They only took Adam. They didn't even bother killing me, and I was literally in their clutches. How did you know?"

He just opened and closed his mouth a few times, his eyes wide, but he stammered "What..what are you talking about? Why would grievers only take one?"

"You don't remember anything, do you?"

He shook his head. "I do...but more like a dream."

"Interesting." Alex stood up with some difficulty and started to walk away, when Gally scrambled to his feet.

"WAIT!" He called. Alex stopped and turned around. "I don't like you. I don't trust you. But it wasn't me. I swear. It was me...but not me doing it. It was like someone was inside my head. Does that make sense?"

Alex nodded, "I believe you, Gally. I really do."

It's the same as Alby.

She found Newt sitting at a table, eating an apple. She plunked down beside him, "Gally was being controlled last night...just like Alby, tried to choke himself. I knew something was off at the gathering!" Newt looked over.

"Interesting theory."

"Well, he's a slint head, and we never got along here, but his weird behavior makes sense. Did you notice his eyes and body language at the gathering? What about last night?"

Newt shook his head, "no I was a bit preoccupied."

Shuck. I'll ask Minho when he gets back.

Alex sighed. "Okay, what's next on the bloody agenda?"

She spent the rest of the afternoon pulling weapons from a still smoking Map Room. By the time everything was pulled up and piled in front of the map room, her lungs were burning from inhaling all the smoke. She dug through the pile and found a few extra full quivers, she flung 2 over her shoulder, restocked her holsters with knives. As she stood up, Newt came over, arms folded with a sour expression.

"We need a gathering."

Alex nodded "Ya, we need a plan for tonight, also we need to hear what Minho and Tommy found...maybe we can leave this shuck hell hole!" Alex stretched her sore muscles, wincing when she pulled the stitches in her side.

"These stitches are annoying. You think Jeff could take them out?" She started walking towards the homestead, Newt hurrying to catch up "I doubt it. Know how much shuck blood you lost yesterday?" Alex sighed, looped her arm through his and they walked towards The Homestead.

_____________________

Everyone- but Thomas and Minho- were cramped into the bigger gathering building. They had let Gally out for the meeting.

"All right settle down ya Shanks!" Newt yelled.

He turned to Alby who was still sitting with the Keepers even though he insisted he wasn't the leader anymore.

"You want to say anything?" Newt asked.

Alby looked up at Newt and then at Alex. He stood up staring at the floor. The white and bloody bandage around his head was a stark contrast to his dark skin. His eyes were so dead and lifeless, it was hard to look at him. He was the strongest, most stable guy in the Glade. Everyone looked to him, including Alex. He was her support and biggest advocate.

"Ya..I officially resign as leader. That changing...it messed with my head...Newt is now Leader and Alex is 2nd." There was some murmuring, the gladers already knew Alex had stepped into that role, but to hear it officially announced that their leader was stepping down was different.

Things are definitely changing, their fearless leader was stepping down...this can't be encouraging.

Alby was quiet for a moment, still talking to his shoes, "It was me."

Alex looked at him, her eyebrows knit together. He had tears sliding down his checks, the hopelessness in them was hard not to see.

"What was you, Alby?" She asked gently, standing up.

"It was me. I burnt the maps..IT WAS ME!" he screamed the last few words. "They wont let us leave... I had to..they won't let us..." There was a collective gasp from everyone in the room, it was deadly silent.

"What the bloody hell?" Newt asked.

Alex's anger crashed into her like a wave, she snapped. She stormed over and shoved him in the chest.

"The shuck is your problem? Huh? Minho risks his life every day for 2 years and this is how you repay him? Burning all the hard work? What about the rest of the runners? Huh?"

She shoved him again, right in his face, "What a shucking wonderful leader you are! You selfish slint head, burning the only hope we had! You're shuckin' lucky Tommy, Minho and I found another shuck way out of this bloody hell hole! Cuz you would have sentenced every Glader here to death! You selfish shucken skint head!" She shoved him again, making him stubble back. Alby didn't even look at her. Just stood there, tears falling down his dirty face, lifeless hopeless eyes downcast.

Newt and Frypan had to pull her away.

"IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED? YOU DON'T WANT TO LEAVE SO YOU SENTENCE EVERYONE TO A BLOOD GORY DEATH?!" She screamed at him, while Newt and Frypan held her back.

"Slim it!" Newt hissed at her. Alex ripped her arm from his grip, still breathing heavily, glaring at Alby.

"A leader does what's right for the whole of the community, not what he wants. Everyone here wants to leave this shuck hole- with the exception of Gally- You had no right!" She hissed at him. "LOOK AT ME!"

He finally lifted his face, and it showed how broken and lost he was, maybe some guilt mixed in but Alex was still livid at him. There was silence in the room. Alex took a deep breath. And turned to look at the Gladers.

"So for tonight, we wait for Minho and Tommy to report what they found. We need to be ready for whatever comes. Gally so wonderfully informed us that we will have Grievers visit every night, and pick us off until we're all dead." She told the Gladers.

She rolled her eyes, having a hard time controlling her temper. "And he shuckin wants to stay here." she muttered as the Gladers got loud. This was brand new information to them, about the grievers.

"Way to break it gently to them" Newt whispered. Alex shrugged, she was done with gently. Life here in the Glad was harsh. And the time to be gentle was over. They needed a leader with authority, who could keep them held together, and get them through the next hours of a bloody harsh reality of life and death.

"SLIM IT!" She yelled over the noise. When order was restored she continued, "Ya, that's some shuck news to take in. However, we have weapons...We can distribute them out and we will fight. Those shuck Creators won't take us down that easily! WE FIGHT! After more than 2 years of being treated like mice, tonight we're making a stand. Tonight we're taking the fight to them. Tonight the Grievers better be scared."

Soon shouts and battle calls broke out, rising in volume, filling the air like thunder. They all left the hall to go get battle ready.

Minho and Tommy should be back by now... where the shuck are they?

Alex's anxiety started to creep up.