"Come on, Rach!" Jina hissed. "Move it!"
Jina gave the girl in front of her a shove.

They had about a two minute lead on the Griever. They seemed to be out in droves lately, patrolling corridors during the day now. They were lucky it was only one and not a pack. Rachel had been a good Mapper, picked up on everything really quick, but she was still a fresh Mapper to be out in the maze and they had run almost head long into one of the monsters.

Jina had to scramble to a stop and Rachel slammed into her, pushing her into the open intersection. The Grover let a very animalistic machine screech of glee and snapped its jaw, like it was anticipating its next meal.

Rachel had froze, her jaw dropped in a silent scream, finally seeing the beast in its full entirely. Jina had to drag the girl back down the hall. Hissing at her to move and shoving her down the hall. Eventually Rachel got her feet moving and she was sprinting with a fresh wave of adrenaline.

Aris! Jina screamed, rounding another corner.

What happened? Are you okay? Rachel? He responded immediately. She could feel his anxiety and worry.

Griever. We're coming in hot!

Aris knew exactly what that meant. The two new Blondies had been in the Glenn for three weeks now, and in those times, the Grievers hadn't stayed in the maze anymore. If they were chasing a mapper, they followed right into the Glenn. They never stayed very long; knowing the girls would take them down, but they would stay long enough to try to destroy something or someone.

Aris stayed connected, but Jina knew he was going to warn Harriet. Sonya was running a different section with Taylor. So Harriet would grab a few brave girls and come ready to protect their home.

Jina and Rachel took another turn. Jina was slowing down, her ankle was starting to throb. She had been pushing herself the last few weeks, excited with the two Blondies, hoping they had some answers. And now sprinting and taking corners so fast, the throbbing and sharp pain was slowing her down much to her frustration. The Grievers long deadly sharp metal legs slammed into the stone floor, propelling it's self forward with a speed only a machine was capable of. It left long thin divots in the stone, each time one of the long spider crab like legs would slam down. Rachel stumbled. Jina slowed down to grab her arm and hefted her back to her feet.

Okay, they are grabbing spears and klank. Which door? Aris's voice hummed in Jina's head, it was slightly distracting. He always kept a calm demeanor- despite the panic she felt for a second.

South. Coming up to the main hall. It's right behind- shit!

Jina had to yank Rachel to the ground, they both dropped and slid into the stone wall. The Grievers claw had almost grabbed them.

"Come on! Up! Let's go! Let's go!" Jina screamed.

She scrambled to her very tired and sore feet. Rachel was gasping for air. Both girls were drenched in sweat, and sucking air. Jina had a stitch in her side. They had to dive in different directions avoiding being impaled.

Jina rolled and came up on her feet, facing the thing. Rachel ended up behind it, the Griever ignored her and turned towards Jina. The claw opened and closed a few times. It's razer sharp teeth snapped a few times. And then it screamed. Jina slowly backed up, shoving the shooting pain of her ankle to the back of her mind. She yanked her machete from where she had it strapped to her back.

Just like the last one, it didn't seem interested in stinging her, the stinger wasn't even out and ready. It wanted her out of commission. The monster stalked forwards, making Jina back up down the hall. She could feel her heart slamming wilding against her ribs. Her hands were so sweaty from sprinting and now pure raw fear filled her veins. All she wanted to do was curl up and cry. With a sob stuck in her throat she tightened her grip on her machete and clenched her jaw so tight her teeth hurt.

"Come on you disgusting hunk of junk!" Jina shouted, trying to inject some defiance into her voice.

She caught a quick glance of Rachel getting to her feet. Jina had to duck and swing her weapon up and block the crab claw. The loud clang of metal on metal echoed through the maze, it bounced off the old stone. Jina dove to the side avoiding her head being separated from her body. She swung out wildly and felt her blade sink into something soft. There was a disgusting squelching sound. Jina grabbed the handle with two hands as the Griever reared back with a scream- like the bio-machine could feel pain.

As it reared back on its back few spider like legs Jina ripped her blade down trying to cause as much damage as she could in the few seconds. She saw a few sparks, and there was some kind of dark motor oil leaking out now. The thing twisted and Jina's machete came free and she was thrown into the wall with a sickening crunch.

The Griever slammed down causing the ground to shake. Jina tried to get to her hands and knees. But her head had hit the wall and was now seeing double and the ground was shifting too much, making her stomach feel sick. The Griever slowly stalked closer, knowing Jina was defenceless.

And then Rachel was in front of her, holding her long knife in one hand and Jina's machete in the other. And then a split second later there was a wild scream from down the hall. Something was hurtled, and with a disgusting shiiink sound, the spear sunk into the Grievers side, making it stumble.

Jina blinked a few times, trying to see straight. Running down the hall was Harriet, Flossie, Aris, Yelena and Hannah. They each had spears and big sharp deadly weapons. Aris had a hatchet. And each yelling in defiance. The Griever screamed, turning to the new threat. It swung its tail around, it didn't want to sting Jina, but apparently the others were okay to take the Poison. Aris blocked the tail and swung his hatchet, somehow managing to knock the leg, braking it at the joint.

Harriet screamed and slammed her long machete down on the tail. Something shiny clattered to the ground. The Griever decided it had enough, and with a scream it turned and ran back down the hall, leaving the group of girls alone.

Jina was panting hard, willing her vision to stay in place. Someone knelt down in front of her.

"Hey...Ji? You okay? You been stung?"

"Shhhh. Stop yelling, Floss. And stop moving." Jina muttered, closing her eyes. The motion sickness was making her mouth water with extra saliva and her stomach heaved.

"I ain't moving." Flossie said. "We gotta get you to Jill."

Jina opened her eyes and tried to stand. But even that movement made her stomach twisted dangerously again. She reached out trying to hold onto the wall but missed drastically and her vision went dark for a moment.

"Whoa whoa whoa. Easy. I got you." She recognized that voice. The only male voice in the Glenn. Aris held her and threw her arm over his shoulder. "Hey...Harriet? I think you smacked a stinger off."

"Well finch! I did."

"Shh." Jina whimpered. "Aris...stop moving. Wait! I'm...gonna be sick." She slid from Aris's grip and crumpled to the ground and promptly threw up.

Jina didn't remember much after that. Her world was spinning in dizzying spirals. She closed her eyes, trusting Aris and Flossie to get her back. By the end of the straight hall, Jina was pretty much being dragged, she wouldn't put pressure on her ankle and she couldn't hold her head up either, it flopped and rolled back and forth.

She heard footsteps storming towards them and many loud voices shouting. Jina just whimpered at the noise. Aris and Flossie ignored the girls and shoved through the crowd. Jina heard Rachel and Harriet give a quick briefing to the girls. Jina wasn't listening anymore. Her head rolled again and flopped onto Aris's shoulder.

"Almost there. Come on...stay with me."

Jina just groaned.

She hated it here. Why couldn't the Grievers just end her...why was she stubborn and had to fight back? She could have just stood there and let it have its way with her... But no, she had to go into fight or flight, and her natural instinct was to fight. She hated the dead ends, the never ending questions with no answers. Tommy's voice said help was coming. But the two Blondies they got weren't providing any big revealing answers.

Though Aris had made a little progress on the Maps- he had figured out that there were a few more letters that the changing maze walls made. B. L. E. C. A. T. Not the most helpful- it didn't even spell a word! But Jina knew without a doubt now, that the maze was code.

Jina felt her body being laid down, she didn't fight it. She laid there unmoving. Her world spinning and her stomach turning. She heard hushed voices beside her. Giving Jill the low down on what happened.

"Come on Ji, I know it sucks, but sit up enough to take this- it'll help with the spinning." Jill encouraged. She felt a hand under her shoulder blades and she was lifted up. She protested. It took a second but the dizzy spell settled enough. She took the pill from Jill and sipped the water. Jill nodded in satisfaction and Aris let her lay down.

"She needs to rest. That poor head of hers, I don't know what the Designers are playing at. Each Griever that comes after her doesn't sting her, but it smacks her around... This is the second concussion in a few months."

"Maybe the Designers don't want me to have memories..." Jina muttered. She couldn't keep fighting the desire to close her eyes and let her body drift to sleep. She just wanted to die at this point.

Ya know...you might be right Ji! What if you have the answers hiding behind those walls around your memories?!

Wouldn't that be something...check on Rachel. She...did good. Now shush it hurts!

She felt Aris sigh and then he was gone. And the Med Hut was quiet and she was left in silence. Jill puttered quietly, taking her boots off and wrapping her swollen ankle. Jina's body pulled her into sleep before Jill was done.

< • >

Jina slowly woke up with a groan. Her head was a lot better. She could sit up without feeling the spinnies. Her stomach had also settled. Her ankle was sore, but not sharp pains anymore. She slowly looked around. The Glenn was quiet and it was dark. It must be sometime in the early morning. She slowly got out of bed and came to the door. The Glenn was peaceful. There was a gentle mist on the grass, the stars twinkled. She could hear the sliding grinding noise of the huge walls moving deep in the maze. The maze was changing again. There was a distant shriek of a Griever. Jina went to close the door, going to her own room when something shiny caught her eye. She went back into the Med Hut. Sitting on the table was the piece of the Griever stinger that Harriet knocked off.

With shaking hands, she reached out and picked it up. It was quite heavy. She slowly backed up and sat back down on the bed. Slowly turning the part over in her hands she saw again, stamped in black on the metal, W.I.C.K.E.D. Frowning she turned it again. The metal part looked like a huge needle, she could see a green liquid inside. The Griever poisoning.

Aris's words came back to her. Maybe the designers didn't want her to know... But know what? Would she find answers in her memories? Would she understand? Could she get her girls and Aris out of here and back to their families? What if she turned out like Beth? Angry, mean and spiteful. Or what if she learned something of her past that she didn't like- like Josey and Beth claimed. What if they were right and she was bad?

Only one way to find out. She gripped the Griever stinger so tight her knuckles were white, her heart was beating hard, and her stomach tightened into knots. There was a small clicking sound by the window. Jina narrowed her eyes at the beetle blade.

"You didn't want my memories back? Well jokes on you now, you stupid Designers. Looks like I win."

Her nervousness was replaced by anger and white hot rage and she jabbed the Griever stinger into her thigh out of pure defiance. At first nothing happened. Other than her thigh now hurt.

"Ha!"

And then she felt it. She felt the pain, white hot, like corrosive acid in her veins. She gasped as it spread from the sting sight up her leg. She could feel it working its way through her veins, it was eating away at her from the inside. An intense burning itch starting at the injection sight.

"Dumb idea!"

She groaned with the next wave of pain. It felt like every muscle in her leg cramped. She could feel the hot burning pain flowing in her veins as it moved throughout her body. She withered in pain. The Stinger slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor. As her body spasmed with pain she slid off the bed and onto the ground.

ARIS! She screamed. Rachel! Help!

She felt their instant panic. This time as the next wave of pain crashed over her consuming her body and mind, she let out a scream. She tried keeping it quiet by clamping her jaw tight, but the pain was too much. She had no concept of time. She didn't know if she laid there for an hour only a few minutes. Her mind was wrapped up in the all consuming fire that burnt through her body. She was aware of the sudden loud voices and frantic footsteps.

A door crashed open as all of Jina's muscles clenched and she let out another loud gut wrenching scream. There were too many voices to understand who was who, they all talked over top of each other anyways.

"What the hell is going on?"
"I don't know! She just screamed in my head for help."
"What did she do?"
"Look! The Stinger!"
"No...she wouldn't stab herself!"
"She's not that stupid!"
"You said yourself- the Designers probably didn't want her to have memories... Well she will now-"
"-if she lives through the changing."
"Jill! Do you have the serum? Come on woman hustle!"

Jina was thrashing with the pain, she felt her back aching off the ground and then curl into a tight ball. The pain of the Poison was not like anything she had experienced. And then the itching feeling started. It was like a creepy crawling feeling at the base of her skull and worked its way up the back of her head, but inside her mind. She grabbed her head and screamed, thrashing her head back and forth. It needed to stop. There were things inside her head. She felt them. She tried to slam her head into the ground. Something or someone held her head. Her eyes flew open and she was in a full panic on top of the pain. The Poison coursed through her system.

"I've never seen someone react this fast!"
"WHERE'S THE DAMN SERUM?"
"Here!"

There was a sharp pinch in her shoulder and something cool flowed through her. Like cold water on a burn. There was instant relief. And with that relief her consciousness was pulled into the dark.

< • >

The girls around Jina all slowly let go of her, all panting. Rachel, Aris, Harriet Sonya and Flossie- it took all of them to hold her down while Jill stabbed her with the Grief Serum.

"Well it's working..."

"What's going on?" Aris demanded. "You guys said Grievers sting...but never explained what happens."

"It brings back memories -"

"Yes. Clearly. We know that...but what's happening to her body? Why's it already covered in black veins?"

"Dunno. Each girl who's gone through it were all slightly different...but at some point they look like this. Act like this. Screaming, crying, fighting, some were out for three or four days, some out for a week." Jill explained, slowly standing up and tossing the syringe into the garbage.

"Some just went bat shit crazy." Flossie shrugged.

"Those were the girls you had to reject into the maze at night, right?" Rachel asked. "Jina told me." She added, when she received a look from Harriet and Sonya.

"Ya. But I haven't seen someone react that fast to the Griever poison." Harriet frowned. It usually takes a few hours at least."

"But look, how buggen' fast she also reacted to the serum. Usually the poor finchface is in it for a day or two before they slow down and calm." Sonya said, still kneeling beside Jina's body. Jina would twitch every once in a while, but she wasn't thrashing and trying to slam her already concussed head into the floor.

"Well, let's get her up onto the bed. I don't think we'll have to tie her down like the others." Jill sighed.

With the help of the girls, they got her back up onto the bed. Jina gave a small whimper and tears leaked out from behind her eyelids and slid down her temple and disappeared into her hair.

"The memories are reserfacing." Flossie said sadly.

"Well...I hope she learns something." Harriet huffed, "that was the dumbest thing I've seen yet. And I've seen some dumb klank up in this place."

"I'll take first watch." Aris volunteered and pulled the chair over to her bed and plunked down.

"We don't usually have to sit by the bed-"

"Really?" He snapped, "she was just in here with a smacked around head and now she's got some messed poison coursing through her body from the Designers. What's next? She might try and kill herself."

"It's fine guys. Aris has a valid point." Sonya said patting Aris on the shoulder.

"Well... I might as well start breakfast. I'll bring ya some breakfast in a bit, ya?" Flossie smiled gently at Aris.

Rachel hesitated at the door and then made up her mind. She came back over and sat at the foot of Jina's bed and pulled her knees up to her chest, keeping her eyes on Jina's face.

"You okay?" Sonya asked quietly.

"It's...it's a lot to handle." Rachel answered.

"Understood. She'll be okay." Sonya nodded.

"Ya...ya I know. She always is." Rachel gave her a tight smile, as Sonya left the three of them alone in the med but. Aris reached out and took hold of Jina's hand and Rachel's hand in the other.

"We'll be okay...as long as we're together." He gave her an encouraging smile.

"How...how do you know?"

"I dunno. I just...feel like the three of us have been through a lot together."

"Same." Rachel agreed.

Jina whimpered again, this time words escaped her lips. "No! No...please don't! Please...no! Stop!"

Aris and Rachel shared the same apprehensive look and watched Jina struggle through whatever memories were slipping through the barriers.

< • >