Thomas was looking towards the one wall with a few windows to the hall. Alex followed his gaze. She saw a flash of black hair.

"Tes?" Alex had stood up along with Thomas. Without talking to each other they both quickly made their way over to the window.

"Hey! Teresa?" Thomas called, "Teresa!"

Alex bagged on the glass "TES!" She shouted.

Teresa turned at the noise, her blue eyes filled with fear. She made eye contact with Alex, silently pleading for help.

"Hey, hey, hey." A guard had come over to them, they were making a bit of a scene banging on the window, and yelling. Alex ignored him, turning back to the window, she saw the doctors and a few guards escorting Teresa, pushing her around a corner.

"Where are they taking her?" Alex demanded, not taking her eyes off the spot she disappeared.

"They just have to run a few more tests. Don't worry, they'll be done with her soon." The guard tried to reassure them.

"Is she okay?" Thomas asked, worried.

"She's fine." the guard said quickly.

"Do you know anything useful?" Alex snapped at him, With a scowl on her face. She knew they weren't going to get any answers. She grabbed Thomas by the upper arm and pulled him away. They stormed back to their group. When Thomas and Alex sat back down, Newt, Minho and the rest of the Gladers leaned in. The other boys had left somewhere.

"What was that bloody about?!" Newt asked.

"Tommy and I just wanted to make a scene, Newtie. Just for the shuck fun of it." Alex answered, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"Wouldn't put it past ya." Clint chimed in.

Alex paused, then smirked at him, she pointed at him, her elbow resting on the table. "Touche ya Shank."

Minho and Frypan snorted with laughter and Newt just groaned and rolled his eyes. The rest of the guys just shook their heads. Thomas was deep in though, his face was all scrunched, his eyebrows meet together in the middle and his lips were pressed into a thin lipped frown.

Alex continued, "Don't you remember what Dr Prior told me? I might have to go for more tests but mine weren't life threatening? And only after he talked to his colleagues, he might come get me? Well Tes has been with the doctors the whole time and now guards are marching her through the halls with a whole team of doctors. She looked terrified!"

"Ya, something's not right!" Thomas added. "why won't anyone give us answers?"

"For once, I agree with you Tommy. I want answers and they don't have any to give."

"Okay, ouch, what do you mean by 'for once'?!" he muttered.

"What did Rat Man want with you?" Minho asked, changing the subject.

"Rat Man?" Newt asked, his eyebrows furrowed together.

"Ya, doesn't Janson look like a rat to you? He's so twitchy, with his beady eyes and whiny voice and he's slippery, he gives me the heebie jeebies! Just like a rat! And I don't trust him." Alex explained quickly, waving a hand.

"And for once... I agree with you, Alex. Now that you mention it, he does remind me of a sewer rat!" Thomas nodded with a smirk.

Frypan and Clint snorted with laughter. "It's so true!"

Alex smiled at them, "Thank you guys. Also, ouch Tommy, just this once?" She smirked at him, repeating his words back to him.

Thomas just rolled his eyes, "Anyways..." he said loudly.

"Ya, Tommy... anyways! I get a creepy vibe from him, and it's like he's not telling us the whole truth. There is something about him that sets me on edge." Alex said, rubbing her bottom lip, thinking for a moment. The guys didn't push it.

"So what did he want with the two of you?" Frypan asked again.

"He wanted to know what I knew about WICKED." Thomas blurted. Alex nodded. "Me too."

"Really? Both of you? Seems suspicious they would ask just you two...who used to -and I use this term loosely- work for them.." Minho said in hushed tones, everyone leaned in closer, scared to be overheard. Thomas was looking as confused as ever.

"Ya, that is weird...something is definitely up." Alex put her sore head in her hands, trying to figure it all out. But trying to figure out what was going on was impossible. She needed a quiet place to sleep.

"Oh also! I over heard RatMan and Captain Marshmallow once he was done with me. He said something about a chip inside me needs replacing, and something about kill Zone patterns and a phase two." Alex said, looking up from her hands.

The Gladers all stared at her dumbfounded.

"The shuck does that mean?" Leo asked.

"Wish I knew!" Alex muttered.

"This just brings up more questions and less answers!" Thomas muttered, frustrated.

Alex groand again as her head pounded, making her eyes sore, the harsh light didn't help. She turned her head around to see the cafeteria, watching the kids around her. She glanced up at the table in the corner, the kid from the maze of girls was gone.

"Newt! We missed our chance! Shuck it! That kid could have been in Sonya's maze!!"

Newt looked over, and then strained his neck to look around the cafeteria. Alex deflated.

"Well, we can try looking for him later. I'm sure at some point we will run into him." Newt said, trying to cheer her up.

"Ya." She yawned, rubbing her forehead again. Fred and Colin cautiously walked back over and joined the table again. Holding a stack of cookies.

"We brought...umm a piece offering...I'm uh, sorry." Colin muttered. Alex crossed her arms.

"My eyes are here. Not on the floor." She snapped. Fred elbowed him and he looked up, his face red.

"I'm sorry. I was an idiot. It won't happen again." He mumbled a little louder, but kept eye contact, even with Alex staring daggers at him.

"You won't be trying that on ANY girl in the future. We owe you NOTHING." She challenged him.

The guy nodded, "Yes ma'am."

"Good."

The boys sat down and handed out the cookies. Minho put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, she instantly laid her sore head on his shoulder.

"I think you need some coffee...and my cookie too." He held out his cookie.

"Yes to the coffee. Or a nap and how about we share?" She asked and broke it in half, "You think they have any coffee in this place?"

"They do, yes. At the front by the food line." Colin answered. "Sorry, overheard the coffee thing."

Minho kissed her temple quickly "I'll be back Sunshine. Save my seat and don't stab anyone while I'm gone."

"No promises." She said, yanking the knife out of the table and twirling the butter knife around her fingers.

"Just hide the evidence!" He chuckled as he left.

Alex grinned evilly, enjoying the nervous look in Colin's eyes as he watched her spin the knife.
______________

Minho was back a few minutes later with two steaming mugs of creamy coffee. "Here you are babe."

"Have I ever told you, you're the best hunkiest boyfriend ever?" Alex cooed as she accepted the mug.

"Nope." He popped the P. "Do it again. I like the way you said it."

"Oh slim it you two!" Newt whined, pushing Minho's head.

Alex laughed and picked up the mug in both hands. "Mmmm coffee." she muttered happily.

She leaned in and whispered seductively in Minho's ear, "You're definitely the best hunkiest, sexiest, kindest, thoughtful protective boyfriend, Min. Ever"

She could hear the hum in his chest, and heard him mutter, "shuck me." His hand also tightened on her thigh for a moment.

"Gladly." She whispered back with a sly smirk.

He pulled her back so she was leaning into his chest, while he sat straddling the bench. His arm was lazy wrapped around her waist. She sighed happily.

She took a sip. Her eyes went wide. The mug fell from her hands. It shattered and spilt all over the table. White hot pain shot from her head through her body, she clamped her hands onto her head, she let out a yelp of pain. Her body seared with pain again, she bit her lip hard to keep from crying out again. Her head snapped upwards, her eyes glazed over and her body shook violently, falling back into Minho. He caught her before she fell off the bench.

She was in a bright white cafeteria, with metal tables. Sitting on a bench with Minho, Newt, Alby, Gally, Frypan, Thomas and Teresa, Sonya and another dark skinned girl. Everyone was clean and dressed in crisp white. There was a mug of hot coffee in her hand. She sipping it and laughing with the people around her. The plain white mug had black letters stamped on it.

Alex looked around as someone laughed beside her, she turned but was now sitting in her bed, in the Homestead .

"They have coffee here?!" She asked, shocked.

"Yes, thank the creators. It comes every 2 weeks with the supplies." Newt said.

Alex scrambled out of bed and was instantly sitting at a picnic table in the Glad with Newt, a plate of pancakes and a mug of coffee. The plain white mug had the same black letters stamped on it.

Her head came back, her eyes big, she was still shaking, her head shooting white hot pain and her brain felt like it was burning. Blood trickled down her chin from biting her bottom lip. She grabbed her head again and scrambled back off the bench, onto shaking legs. Colin and Fred sat frozen, freaked out with what they saw. Minho, Newt and Thomas jumped up beside her and the rest of the Gladers were in a half standing half sitting stance, unsure what to do, worried about her.

"Hey hey hey, it's ok. What did you see?" Minho said soothingly, he wrapped an arm around her pulling her close. He gently wiped the blood away with his thumb.

"The ..the..it's the coffee. It's the same. It's the same coffee as before...in the Glade and from before.... Minho! It's the same coffee!!"

She was desperate for them to understand, but she was panicking and the words coming out didn't make sense. Her head also felt like it was going to split apart. The white hot fire was burning inside her head, and her body was sore. Minho pulled her to his chest, in a tight safe hug, rubbing her back, trying to soothe her. She found Newt's eyes. He looked skeptical of her, his lips were pursed.

He doesn't believe me...or he doesn't WANT to believe me.

She looked at Thomas. His eyes were wide with worry.

He will believe me! He doubts them. He doesn't believe these people!

"Min. You believe me don't you?" She whispered desperately.

"Ya Sunshine. I believe you." He said quietly into her hair.

She wasn't sure if she believed that.

"Okay LISTEN UP!" A loud gravelly voice bellowed from the front door of the cafeteria. Alex broke from the hug recognizing the voice. She saw Captain Ronin, standing with his feet planted wide apart, hands clasped behind him, standing in front of the sealed door.

"The new group. Maze A. Seven guys, one girl. Front and centre." He barked. He made eye contact with Alex.

"He means us. Come on guys." Alex sighed.

The guys looked at her, but followed. She laced her fingers with Minho and led the group of guys towards the door. The cafeteria was silent. Every eye watching the group. She heard some whispering behind hands and she saw some finger pointing. She narrowed her eyes and clenched her jaw, she knew they were talking about her scars. And why would someone as good looking as Minho want to be with someone who looked like a Griever's chew toy?

Minho let go of her hand. Her heart dropped. She knew it. He changed his mind, now that they were outside of the Glade and all the eyes of other beautiful girls were watching, he would change his mind.

He threw his arm over her shoulder instead, pulling her close. He smirked down at her, and kissed her temple. The claws around her heart loosened, her breathing was easier. She reached her hand up to hold his hand around her shoulders. And snaked the other around his waist.

"Feels like what high school would be like. We're totally the popular power couple, babe! And our posse behind us! Ha." He said, puffing his chest out and strutting the rest of the way.

"Uhg, I have a feeling I would have hated high school.." Alex complained, scrunching her nose.

"Ha! Nah Sunshine, those shanks are jealous. I have a smoke show badass warrior as a girlfriend."

"Still think I'd hate high school." She shrugged, but Alex cracked a small smile. She loved Minho and his unwavering love and loyalty.

They stood in front of the Captain. "Alright, I'm to led you to your sleeping quarters." He growled at them. He spun on his heel and led them out the sliding door and down yet another white hallway.

The Captain led them down turn after turn.

"You remember the way back, ya?" Alex whispered to Minho. He nodded and tapped his temple. "And from the front door" he said under his breath.

Alex noticed Captain Ronin's head twitch in their direction. Alex stopped talking. She trusted Minho's eidetic memory and mapping skills.

The Captain led them down yet another white hall. She swore whenever, if ever, she got a house, she would not paint anything white. She was sick of it. He stopped at the end of a hall, in front of a big metal door with yet another card lock entrance. The door opened to reveal a room with a bunch of bunk beds, a dresser in the back, a door, Alex assumed led to a bathroom. Everyone walked forward.

Captain Ronin held out his hand when Alex went to pass.