**TRIGGER WARNING**

Alex's eyes fluttered open, she let out a groan. Everything hurt. But she wasn't dead. She closed her eyes again.

Everything hurts and I'm dying!

She groaned again when she opened her eyes a second time.

My eyelids even hurt! Would dying be better at this point? Maybe dying would be better... everything shucken huuuuuurts! Uhg, I feel like a building collapsed on me... Wow Alex, really? No wonder everyone gets annoyed with you. A building literally exploded on you. Oh shuck!

Her eyes shot open. Everything was dark, Alex couldn't tell if it was still night or if the cement around her was blocking the sun. All she felt was cement and rubble. It surrounded her, she couldn't even straighten her arms in front of her or out to the side.

Oh no no no no! Not good. Not good. Don't panic.. don't panic. Hold yourself together. It's not a tight small space...you're fine...don't panic, keep that anxiety to yourself.

Her breathing came in short shallow gasps. She squeezed her eyelids closed, her hands formed fists, every muscle in her body was tense. She could feel her heart beating, it got louder and faster, taking over her hearing.

Tight spaces...enclosed spaces. No no I hate this I hate this! I can't...I can't...

She heard a low deep voice bouncing around her mind, it growled at her, "You are a soldier now. Soldiers don't cry. Soldiers don't panic. Act like one! Take inventory of yourself and your supplies. Pick yourself up and get the job done."

Her breathing still came in shallow gasps, tears still made a path down her dirty dusty face, her muscles still clenched. She didn't want to be a soldier. She wanted to fall apart and be the scared little girl she was. Alex closed her eyes again trying to calm down. But it wasn't helping. Her breathing wasn't working, her tears were coming hot and salty, pouring down her temples into her dirty hair. A memory from the Glade sprung up. She mentally grabbed onto it, holding it for dear life.

"Alex. Feel my heart, feel the rhythm, focus on that." He let go of her hand_ when he knew she would keep it there, her desperate eyes still wild and searching for something, anything. Minho grabbed her face in his hands and gently turned it so she had to look at him, he placed his forehead on hers. He let go of her face with one hand and placed it back over her hand, which had grabbed his t shirt in her fist, he gently unclenched her fist so it was flat again over his heart.

He sat there holding her while her body and mind panicked. He over exaggeration his slow breathing, that seemed to help, gave her something to focus on. Her wild eyes found his steady ones. She felt his heartbeat, it was slow. It was steady. It was strong. It was her anchor. It brought her back, she could feel his chest rising and lowering in long slow breaths. Hers slowly slowed down, and became regular, matching his rhythm. Her wild heartbeat slowed. She came back. She closed her eyes, letting the exhausted tears fall.

"I'm here. I got you Sunshine. I can't say it will be ok, I don't know that, but I'm right here, beside you. Cross my heart." She smiled through her tears. "I know." she whispered. He sat up, concern still written on his face. He wiped a stray tear from her bruised check.

The memory made Alex smile. "Thank you Min. I can always count on you...even if you're not here" she whispered out loud. While her mind focused on the memory, her body had relaxed.

Time for soldier training. Mental body assessment: arms? Working, hurts, nothing broken. Legs? Sore, but moveable, knees and ankles, nothing is in immediate danger or reason for panic...well aside from the tight enclosed space.. All good. Can I get out of here?

Alex moved her head, trying to see around her. When the building collapsed the rubble fell, piling up. Somehow it fell around her, forming a pocket.

Wow, that was lucky! Shuck sakes, how many times have I cheated death?! Maybe my guardian angel isn't that drunk. Or maybe Chuck helped out. Thanx Chuckles, I owe ya! Or Matt? Is this payback for saving your shank butt? We even now. Love you little bro!

There was enough space around her to roll from her back onto her side, it was tight but manageable. Her backpack broke her fall, and it felt like...a huge canvas cloth...maybe a tent? She slowed down when she hit the tent and landed on her back, and the walls falling down around her.

Alex squirmed onto her stomach, and wiggled forward, she could see a lighter darkness ahead of her. There was a small opening ahead of her, an arm's reach away. She would have to take her backpack off and shove it through the hole first.

It took a while, but managed to wiggle it off, and shove it through the opening. She then wiggled the sheath of arrows and her bow off and pushed them through. She wiggled her head and one shoulder out. Alex froze as the cement around her groaned and shifted. There was a piece of metal wire sticking out of the cement, her jacket snagged on it, cutting her jacket and arm. She hissed with the sharp pain. She shimmied over as best she could and pulled herself free. Just as some cement shifted and fell. Causing a cloud of dust to rise around her.

Alex sat up on her knees, coughing. She assessed her situation again, now that she was free of the rubble. If she had fallen even a few feet over she would have been squished or impaled. She shuddered at the thought. She didn't want to look like a griever pancake. Alex looked up to the buildings around her. The moon was still up, but it was getting lighter out. She wasn't sure how long they were in Jorge's place or how long she was knocked out.

I'm surprised I don't have brain damage from the amount of times I've been knocked out...or maybe you do, but how would you know? Minho would still love you. Right? SHUCK! MINHO!

She scrambled to her feet and spun around trying to see the other buildings and the windows. Everything was empty and dark.

No no no no...they wouldn't just leave me. He wouldn't do that to me! Unless...they think I'm dead!

Her stomach dropped out onto the floor and her heart stopped. She sank to the ground.

They all think I'm dead! That's the only reason they would leave me behind...right?

Alex hugged her knees tight. She could feel her heartbeat pick up its pace, and her breathing was becoming short.

Breath Alex. Alex, breath...BREATH DAMMIT!

She closed her eyes, trying to picture Minho holding her hand over his chest, feeling his steady heart and his deep inhales and long slow exhales. It was a few minutes of deep breathing and her heart rate slowed down.

Alex opened her eyes and looked around, assessing her situation again.

Alone. Definitely alone. WICKED must also think I'm dead. Well that's a plus!

Captain Ronin was right; she didn't have the time or luxury to cry, or panic. She pulled her backpack into her lap and started taking things out, seeing what she had, what was useful and what wasn't. 2 flashlights and extra batteries, an extra t shirt- could be used for strips of cloth if need be, white gauze bandages and a small half empty bottle of cleaning alcohol, and a small little first aid kit, an empty water bottle, her bow and quiver of arrows. Only one snapped, but the sharp arrow head was still a weapon, her knife, rope and a few matches, her little gift from Chuck and her promise necklace from Minho.

Okay, I can work with this. First step, clean this cut.

She took her jacket off and cleaned the cut- hissing through the sting. And wrapped it as best she could, it wasn't too deep. She tried to wipe the blood off her face and ear. It was still buzzing. She slipped her jacket back on, repacked her bag and slung everything back on, she got to her feet.

She heard Captain Ronin in her head again, "What now Soldier? What do you do? You have no food or water, alone in a desert with monsters chasing you and an evil corporation who wants to drain you for your blood. What do you do?"

Alex took a deep breath.

Step one, find water. Building this big had to have a water source...

Alex slowly climbed over the fallen building rubble. It took her a while to climb to the middle of the rubble, she had come across a few bodies. They all had bullet holes in them and were broken and squished,  in ways Alex knew she would never be able to unsee.

This is all WICKED! WICKED did this to them!

Alex was making a mental list of all the things she hated WICKED for.

After many hours of searching and shifting rubble, Alex eventually found a broken pipe that was dripping water. She filled her bottle up. Alex cupped her hands and drank as much fresh water as she could right now. She used the water from the pipe to wash her face and rub the blood off, wasn't great. But better. She still had no food.

Okay, step one complete. Step two, where do I go..? I need to find Minho and Newt and the Gladers. But with no way of knowing how long I was out, I don't know how far they got. Or where they went. Shuck.

Alex climbed to the highest point in the rubble, trying to see where she was.

It's brighter in that direction, so that's East, meaning that way is West..Jorge said something about finding a guy in the city... And the...city is...? There, that must be the city.

Alex turned and saw a bunch of dilapidated buildings, sitting up against the mountains.

Next steps Captain, is I get to the city and find this...Marcus guy and find the Gladers. Mission accepted.

She shouldered her pack and headed towards the dilapidated buildings. If she thought climbing up here was bad, climbing down towards the city was harder. The building on this side seemed more unsturdy and what was left of the walls teetered dangerously in the wind. Alex took her time, being extra cautious. The howling wind made her hear things. She shuddered.

She wasn't sure if it was the wind or if there were other noises mixed in. The bubble of unease and tension formed in her chest. The dark sky was becoming lighter, but that didn't mean being alone in a crumbled building was a stroll in the park.

A walk in the park, ya Jurassic Park maybe... It's just the wind Alex. Get yourself together.

She tried to pick up her pace anyways. The wind was picking up too, ripping at her jacket and blowing her hair everywhere. She finally made it to the bottom. Now, how to get across this huge sinkhole? Bottomless pit of doom?

Shuck sakes. I can not catch a break.

Stretching in front of her was a pit, with cement walls crumbled along with twisted metal sticking out at random. There was also a fire burning on one side of the pit.

This must be the crank pit we hung over. Only way is over. Or I go back the way I came.

She heard the eerie howl again. She was positive it was more than the wind now. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she was getting a shiver of apprehension. The notice was coming from behind her.

Okay, not back that way... Across the pit of doom and death it is. Great.

She found a long skinny piece of steel, and she dragged it over. She did her best to get it across the hole. Thankfully the hole wasn't very big, but still she had to walk across it. She was working up her nerves to take a step when there was a shriek from behind her.

Alex froze. Terrified to look over her shoulder. She knew it wasn't just the wind. Those things were scavengers, like crows after a bloody battle. Coming to pick what they wanted to eat, she was thankful now to be hidden by all those walls. They didn't find her while she was knocked out. Bile rose up in her throat at that thought.

"MOVE SOLDIER" she heard the Captain bellow in her head.

She was very thankful she could remember her training, or at least remember the Captain's voice. Her terrified brain formed something tangible, so she could follow something. She placed her foot gingerly on the steel beam, it creaked. Alex placed her other foot, and slowly made her way. She could hear the screaming growing closer. She could hear the scraping of rocks and rubble now. They were close.

She still had to make it the other half and then somehow climb up the other side. She tried moving faster, but that just made the beam shift and she almost lost her balance.

Alex could feel her heart thumping against her ribs, and her hands were sweaty. A small piece of rock came tumbling down and landed at the edge of the pit. Alex froze. She tried to steady her breathing. She knew that they had found her.

One came bounding over the hill of rubble, she scrambled down to the edge of the pit. Alex and the female crank made eye contact. She smiled at Alex. Alex saw missing teeth, and her tongue looked swollen and bloody, like she used it to chew on. The Crank's hair was long, but chunks were missing and it was knotted and matted. Alex noticed that her eyes weren't as black as some of the others she had seen, but one eye was twitching.

"Hello pretty girl." she cackled. "So pretty. Pretty girl. So alone. Why is she alone? All alone!"

Alex tried to shuffle further along the beam. She knew this crank was just as crazy. The beam creaked when Alex moved again.

"NO! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" She screamed all of a sudden, her eyes changed from insane to pure terror.

"THEY WILL KILL US! DON'T LEAVE ME!"

The crank jumped onto the beam, making it rock dangerously.

"STOP!" Alex screamed.

The crank didn't listen, and took another wild step forwards. The steel beam shifted on the far side, slowly slipping away from the edge.

"IF YOU KEEP DOING THAT WE BOTH FALL!" Alex yelled.

The crank wasn't listening, she kept coming. The beam shifted again. Alex screamed as she lost her footing. She managed to grab onto the beam as she fell. She was holding on with one hand, dangling over the pit.

This is how I die. Officially. Death by dropping into a crank pit.

Her sweaty hand was slipping. She tried to grab it with her other hand. Just as she was slipping, a face appeared and a hand shot out and grabbed onto her wrist. Her life was literally hanging by the hand of a crazy crank.

"Please. Help." Alex desperately pleaded.

The crank was looking at her, her eyes almost looked normal. She was a young woman, in her early 30's maybe. Maybe once with a family of her own, maybe a husband and child.

"They're coming," She whispered. Her eyes slipped back into the wild insane unsteady ones.

"They can't find a pretty girl! A girl all alone! She's all alone. But they can't find you. I must hide you. Yes, hide the pretty girl who is all alone."

She threw her head back and laughed. It was a loud wet cackle.

"Please help me," Alex pleaded again.

The woman was still holding her wrist, the only thing keeping her from falling into the black. The woman's eyes met Alex's and an unsettling smile twisted onto her face.

"I will. I will help the pretty girl who is all alone. I will help you, I will hide you."

She let go.

Alex shrieked as she fell into the crank pit.

Alex's stomach dropped. The wind whipped her hair, she flailed her arms, trying to grab anything. Her hands grasped a rope. With all her strength she held on.

Rope burn sucks. But breaking my back is worse.

She slowed her fall enough that when she hit the rocky bottom nothing broke, but she heard something snap. She felt pain shoot up her leg from her ankle, and her hip and elbow were all scraped and scratched, definitely going to leave bruises. Alex slowly sat up breathing fast and heavy. She looked up, seeing the light from the hole, there was an outline of the woman at the top who was still cackling. Alex saw the rope she had grabbed. One end was trapped under a fallen piece of building, probably the rope that Jorge's goonies tied them up with. Alex looked back around her, trying to get her eyes adjusted to the darkness again. She took her backpack off, and rummaged around and grabbed a flashlight. She turned it on.

She was alone at the bottom of a rough rock pit, with what looked like a tunnel that crossed right through. Alex tried to stand up, but her ankle shot pain up her leg. She sat back down and pulled out the extra shirt, and ripped it into strips, she took her boot off and wrapped her ankle tight. She also wrapped her palms, keeping them from any other injury. She slid her boot back on, and shouldered her pack. She tried to pick up her bow, but it was snapped in half. She growled and threw the broken pieces at the cement and stone walls.

That was the snap I heard.

She took her quiver off her back and tied it around her belt, at least she could use the arrows... She picked up the flash light.

Which way? Left or Right? Well I was trying to go towards the city..and that was..

She looked up, trying to see which way the beam was facing.

That way...to the right it is.

Alex took an unsteady breath and limped towards the cold dark tunnel.