Alex's heart rate picked up, that noise sent her into an instant fight or flight feeling. She lept to her feat, her heart rate had picked up. She swung towards the door, looking for the danger.

The Gladers around her scrambled to stand up. Minho flung himself off the table, fists raised. They all glanced weirdly at each other,having no idea what was behind that door. The grinding stopped and the door swung open by a big man dressed in black combat gear. He had a gun strapped to his front. He had removed his helmet and scarf from his face, revealing his bald head. The door wasn't open all the way, but he appeared in the doorway. Alex could see tattoos creeping up his huge muscled arms and neck. She had just made eye contact with him when her head exploded with pain.

Alex grabbed her head with a gasp, her eyes instantly watering. When the huge bald man stepped into the room, his eyes fixed on Alex, her head exploded with pain for a second time in seconds, causing her to fall to her knees, clutching her head.

"Soldier A0. Welcome to Squade One." Said a deep and rumbling voice from behind her. Alex nodded, a little nervous.

"Meet the team. We have our snippers, Jack, Mike, Hank and Jaz. We have our tech and gadgets team, Alison and Fred. Our motor operations, Kal and Kelly. And our ground team, Mallary, George, Devon, Larry, Felix and now yourself." Alex shook hands with each person who was named.

The team faded and was replaced by sand. Everywhere she looked was sand, it was dark out, but stretched in front of her was sad. She glanced over her shoulder and saw a crumbling wall. She was alone by a fire. At least she thought she was alone. A young black dog crawled into her lap. Her arm was bleeding and she was trying to stop the bleeding, holding a dirty cloth to it. The blood soaked cloth was removed and hands were working furiously cleaning what looked like a huge chunk missing from her arm. The mysterious hands wrapping it up.

The sand faded and she was surrounded by a bright blinding white hall. "I'm going to warn you one last time- if you continue what you're doing with that boy, there will be nothing more I can do!" The voice was deep and rumbling, but it was urgent and gentle.

"I can't just stop loving someone! I can't! Trust me, I've tried. We both have! We don't care. I'd rather die for a cause like love then whatever shucked up cause they claim they have. It's bull shit, and you know it is! So stop lecturing me. I knnow you only joined to help take them down because of Bekka and what they did to her."

Hands were shaking her. She was clutching her head. Her memories disappeared, replaced by a pounding headache. She tried to open her eyes, but her head was so heavy and she was exhausted. She felt hands holding her shoulders, she just slumped forwards into whoever was in front of her.

"Okay, I got you, you're okay. Your Okay." The voice murmered and rubbed her back soothingly. She smelt sun, sweat, mint and a spicy musk. Minho. She sunk deeper into him, with a whimper of pain, just for a moment. She knew she had to get up.

Alex forced her eyes open as she pulled away. Minho was right in front of her, the rest of the Gladers had crowde around, all their faces worried. She tried to smile at them. Colapsing all the time was getting really irritating. But these memory episodes were out of her control, and they were getting more painful. She had no idea when or where they would hit. Something about that huge giant of a guard made these memories spring to the surface.

Minho opened his mouth, but she immediately shook her head. "No. Not here." she hissed through a clenched jaw. There was something about this place and her discomfort, she didn't want them knowing about her memory episodes. He closed his mouth, and frowned at her, his eyebrow furrowed.

"Alex, are you okay?" Teresa asked, her hand was the one rubbing her back.

"Yeah. Just...smacked my head on our way out of the maze..tired...you know.." She lied. She could feel the huge tattooed guard watching her.

Teresa gave her a knowing look and nodded. "Well, I'm sure we will be able to rest soon. Can you stand?"

Alex slowly stood up, with the help of Minho and Winston beside her, steadying her. She still felt very weak and dizzy. These memory flashes seemed longer, but it appeared they only took a few seconds, because the large guard had only just opened the door fully. Alex could see another man say something to another guard in the hall. He turned and walked into the room, flanked by 2 more guards. A shorter skinny man with graying hair stepped into the doorway. He was wearing a white sweater with a high neck, and white slacks, and a white suit jacket.

"You kids doing ok?" He asked, apparently oblivious to the scene that just took place with Alex.

Alex was really surprised by his voice, it sounded nasily and whinny; it immediately grated on her nerves. His nose twitched as he talked, and his beaty eyes darted around. He looked at all the Gladers with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. When his eyes met Alex's, she instantly felt that unseating feeling explode in her chest. More so that she already felt. Her body stiffened, and her eyes narrowed. She involuntarily took a step back. She bumped into Minho's chest. She could have sworn she saw the twitching man's mouth twitch into a smirk. But it slid just as quickly into one of concern.

Minho's hands came to her arms, "You alright?" He said quietly.

"No. Something doesn't feel right." Her head seared with pain again. Her eyes watered butHe just hummed, and squeezed her shoulders gently.

"Sorry about all the fuss. We had ourselves a bit of a swarm." The man in white said as his eyes slid to Thomas when he asked "Who are you?"

Alex swore she saw that smirk again.

The shuck is his problem?

The man smiled and held his hands out wide, "I'm the reason you're all still alive. It's my intention to keep you that way. Now, come with me."

He turned on his heel, and waved his hand for them to follow. The guard stayed by the door until they all passed and then followed behind them. Alex and Minho were at the back of the pack and Alex kept glancing over her shoulder.

What is it about that guy? Do I know him? How? I don't remember him. But I must, or I wouldn't have had that memory glitch. Great...now I'm calling it a glitch...thank you chuckles for calling my brain glitchy.

Their guard kept his eyes forward, if he noticed Alex continued glances, he didn't show it.

Their guide, Alex decided to call him Rat Man, kept talking, "...We'll get you kids squared away. You can call me Mr. Janson."

Alex leaned over to Minho, slid her hand into his, lacing her fingers into his, "I prefer Rat Man." she whispered.

Minho snorted with laughter, and turned into a cough and she heard a deep choking noise behind her, she glanced over her shoulder, the guard had a hard set face, but she saw the corner of his mouth twitch.

Maybe he's not so bad.

"He does look like a twitchy rat, doesn't he?!" Minho whispered back.

"Ya, especially when his nose twitches!"

Minho snorted with laughter again,"Ya, a real piece of work, that guy. I've gotta get me one of those shuck suits! Fancy stuff."

"Ya, but unlike him, you could pull off a full white suit!" Alex giggled back.

Alex giggled uncontrollably, Minho right along with her. Newt and Rat Man both glared at the pair, which made them laugh harder. She must be tired, she was trying very hard to keep it under control, but every time she and Minho glanced at each other they snorted with laughter again. She had tears leaking out her eyes. They weren't paying attention to anything RatMan said.

Their guard cleared his throat a few times, narrowing his eyes at the two in the back. Rat Man continued his speech, a little louder, as he led them down cement halls. "I run this place. For us it is a sanctuary, safe from the horrors of the outside world." He turned around to walk backwards, holding his hands wide, like they should be impressed.

"You all should think of it as a way station. Kind of a home between homes." He said cheerfully. "Watch yourselves." They had passed under some construction workers, they were cutting some pipes, causing sparks to fly around.

"That mean you're taking us home?" Minho called to him, his eyebrows raised.

"A home of sorts. Sadly, there wouldn't be much left of wherever you came from. But we do have a place for you." Rat Man's voice had a weird edge to it, it was a fake cheerfulness.

Alex saw Minho's face fall. And then narrowed his eyes when Rat Man kept talking like it was all a practiced sales pitch. Like he was trying to convince them.

"A refuge, outside the Scorch, where WICKED will never find you again. How does that sound?"

"Too good to be true," she whispered to Minho, who hummed in response. She then raised her voice to be heard over the construction, "Why are you helping us?" Alex asked.

"Let's just say..." His eyes borre into hers for a moment. She could feel the tension, where it came from she wasn't sure, as far as she knew they just met. But she did think there was something off about him and she was laughing at him earlier. He blinked and spun around continuing to walk down the hall.

"...the world out there is in a rather precarious situation. We're all hanging on by a very thin thread. The fact that you kids can survive the Flare virus... makes you the best chance of humanity's continued survival. Unfortunately, it also makes you a target, as no doubt by now you've noticed." He replied, without looking at them, and a lazy flick of his hand.

He led them around one more corner and stopped in front of a big sealed door. He took out a card key, and swiped it, causing the keypad to change from red to green with a small beep.

Alex shuddered.

Uhg too similar to the Griever tunnel!

"Beyond this door lies the beginning of your new lives. First things first... let's do something about that smell."