Jina slowly woke up. It took her a minute to fully understand what was going on. She always woke up a few minutes before her watch alarm went off. But she didn't have that anymore. She rolled over and everything came back to her. She saw Aris sprawled out on the bed across from her. And Flossie was asleep on the top bunk above her. The small digital clock on the dresser said it was 630am. She had slept longer than she ever had before. Her alarm always went off at 530am. She must have been tired. Her head didn't hurt as bad, whatever Doctor Crawford gave her, sure helped.

She lay curled on the bed for a little bit longer. The room had white walls, and steel bed frames. There were no windows, and she didn't see any cameras. As she lay in the bed she heard the air conditioning come on. It was quite loud. She frowned, and pulled herself over to the edge of the bed and peeked under it. There was a vent under her bed. She groaned, of course she had a bed over the loud rattling vent. She grumbled as she got out of bed and grabbed the extra pillow from the other bed. She crawled under the bed to stuff the pillow over it, hoping to muffle the horrible sound.

Jina frowned at the vent for a second. There was something about the vent. It made a tickle as the back of her head. There was something trying to push through her walls around her memories. She lay on her stomach under the bed staring at the vent. The tingle wouldn't go away. With a growl of frustration, she shoved the pillow out of the way and gripped the vent and pulled. It popped off with surprising ease.

Glancing behind her, Aris and Flossie were still asleep, so without further delay she pulled herself into the vent. Once she was inside the vent she got up onto her hands and knees. The vent was long and straight. If she banged the sides it echoed, making her wince at the loud noise. Jina crawled to the end of the straight and now she had the option of going to the left or to the right. She paused and looked back and forth. Shrugging her shoulders and took the left.

Jina crawled through the vent taking a few more turns, remembering the directions so she could get back, she slowed down as she saw a light streaming through the vent from the bottom. Jina slowly and carefully crawled closer, keeping her elbows tucked in so she wouldn't hit the sides.

She stopped at the vent and peered down. It was a vent over a hallway. There was nothing in the white hall to see, a few doors. Jina was about to turn away when there was a beep that echoed through the empty hall. There was a door that slid open, steam or smoke billowed out of the door as a light turned green above the door and then from the steam or smoke or whatever it was stepped two people Jina knew.

Doctor Crawford and David. They stepped into the hall and the door slid shut. The hall went quiet again. They both leaned towards each other, whispering. David glanced back and forth down the hall. Jina pulled herself even closer. Her nose was now touching the vent, just trying to hear.

"Did you find out?" David asked.

"No. Not yet." Doctor Crawford shook her head. "He's tight lipped about his plans for them."

"Well...the more we can find out the better we can equip Horhey."

"Yes I know. But there's nothing I can do. I have his signature on her papers - so now I can at least keep her from the farms for now. I don't know about the others though."

"All I know is he wants the two for sure, until the others are here and he has something else planned for A and B. So they might all be safe from the farm for now." David whispered urgently.

"I have another shipment going out in 3 days. Can you have it ready by then?"

"It'll be ready." Doctor Crawford nodded.

David also nodded and then walked away down the hall. Doctor Crawford ran a hand down her face, her shoulders sagged for a moment and then walked in the opposite way. Jina waited for a moment and then decided it was time to get back to their room. It didn't take her long to get back. Running the maze every day for months on end, directions were easy for her and she got back in no time. She slid out from the vent and rolled out from the bed and came to a stop by a pair of boots.

"Where the finch have you been?" Aris hissed.

"Sneaking." Jina lay on her back and grinned mischievously at the boy.

He rolled his eyes and leaned down holding out a hand. Jina took it and he helped her up.

"Explain." He demanded.

"You could have buzzed my head." Jina pointed out. "We have this weird ability to talk that way, ya know."

"Ya...it's just kinda weird...ya know?"

"Sure, but it also feels familiar. It doesn't bug me. Talk to me anytime. Okay?"

"Fine." Aris sagged a little. "Okay, but tell me where you went!"

"Okay...so get this..." Jina whispered, leaning in. She grabbed his arm and pulled him to sit down on her bed. She whispered the conversation between David and Doctor Crawford.

"So...what does that mean? What farm? Who is Horhay? Who are these others? And who's from A and B? And what are A and B? And what does your doctor need to have ready?"

Jina frowned and shrugged. "I have no idea. This place just brings up more questions than answers." Jina rubbed her forehead trying desperately to put something together. "When I saw my file...or the half a page of my file beside my name it said Subject B3. And there was something else about subjects from A. It said...I had a- a brother...A7. There was no name beside it. Do you think there was more then one maze? Like maze A, maze B, maze c and so on?"

"That would make sense." Aris nodded slowly. His eyebrows were pulled together, his watery blue eyes stared at the feet cement wall across from them. "But still more questions than answers."

"Ya." Jina grumbled. She hated not knowing.

"Well..." Aris said after a minute, "you should probably go shower, your covered in dust. And the people here might get a little suspicious."

Jina looked down at herself, she was indeed covered in dust. She grabbed some clothes from the dresser and went to the shower. Flossie was still sound asleep. Poor girl. She hadn't had a day off in the 2 and a bit years they were in the Maze. She was always up early making them breakfast. She was the only one up earlier then Mappers. Jina smiled gently at the sleeping girl. She shut the door and stripped her dusty clothes and jumped into the shower. Again this had perfect pressure and heat. She cranked it and let the hot water run over her body. The shampoo and conditioner smelt like vanilla and coconut.

Once she was done, Aris jumped in the shower and by then Flossie was finally awake. She was sitting on the bed, eyes puffy and red. She must have been up late into the night crying. Jina crawled up onto the bed beside her and pulled her friend into a hug.

"I miss the girls." She whispered.

"Me too." Jina whispered back. "Janson said they were trying to find them and get them back."

"Do you believe him?"

"I...I believe that he wants them back..." Jina said slowly.

"Do you and Aris trust them?" Flossie sniffed. She sat up and looked at Jina. "And I know when your lying."

Jina though for a minute. "I do believe he wants them back." Jina said slowly. "Whether it's for a good reason or not? That I don't know. I don't feel comfortable with him. He makes me feel anxious. So...no, I guess I don't trust him."

Flossie nodded slowly. "That makes sense."

"Aris and I have trust issues though. So...don't take our word-"

"No." Flossie cut her off shaking her head, making her dark curls bounce. "You have good instincts. And your gut hasn't led us astray. So if you don't trust them, then I don't trust them. I trust you Ji."

"Thanks Floss." Jina said quietly.

There was a loud pounding on the door. A moment later the door swung open. David stood in the doorway, dressed the same as he was in the hall. Dark camo pants, black t shirt, bullet proof vest and a fancy sleek shiny gun strapped to his back and a small pistol strapped to his thigh.

"Morning. Time to rise and shine. You have fiveteen minutes before I come back to get you for breakfast." His eyes swept the room and then narrowed. "Where's the boy?"

"Uhh...the shower." Jina answered.

And right on time, the door to the bathroom opened, and Aris stepped out, steam billowed out around him, he was rubbing a towel on his damp hair.

"Morning." Aris said with a nod.

David nodded once in satisfaction. "Fiveteen minutes." And closed the door. Flossie let out a slow breath.

"I think he's okay. But still. We gotta be careful." Jina whispered. "Get dressed and I'll tell you something."

The three sat on the bottom bed waiting for David to come back, Aris had tried to open the door, but they were locked in. It made Jina anxious, she felt trapped being in the locked room. She explained to Flossie the conversation she overheard between David and her doctor. Before Flossie could answer anything, there was a bang on the door and it opened.

"8 am on the nose." Aris said.

"Noted." Jina whispered back. They had decided to keep track of times and schedules.

David stood feet planted and hands clasped behind his back. "Come on then. I'm sure your hungry for breakfast."

He spun on his heel and stomped off down the hall. The three hurried after him.

"So, as you know, this is the Waystation. We landed on the Landing pad on the West Tower. And went to the Med Bay in Section B of the building. Right now, we're in Section C, hall 2, room 4. There are a few other halls that all filter to the cafeteria. From now on, you are free to roam Section C. It's just halls to dorm rooms, there is a gym down one hall and the cafeteria in the centre. Everything else you need a security pass or one of us to be with you. The cafeteria is open from 8am until 10pm. Your door will be unlocked by 730 and be locked at Last rounds at 11 45pm, otherwise come and go as you please. Anything else find one of us and we'll see what we can do."

He explained everything as they walked down the hall. He stopped and nodded at the two guards standing at the door. They stepped out of the way and David pushed a door open and noise hit Jina hard.

"Wha....?" Her voice got stuck and the question died in her mouth.

Her eyes went wide and she looked around the huge room. It was a strange mix of underground cement bunker and shiny new medical facility. The tables were all long steel tables and steel benches. There was a big kitchen taking up one side, it was open to the room, people in white and hair nets stood serving food. There were tons of kids, maybe a hundred and fifty kids ranging from 13 to 19 ish. Maybe a little older. But there were tons of them. Some sitting at tables in groups laughing and talking, some standing in line for food. The sight of so many different kids made Jina's head feel dizzy.

"Someone will be by shortly to collect you for that x ray." David said to Jina who just nodded, her eyes wide and glued to the kids.

David left them standing dumbstruck in the doorway. Flossie was the one who moved first. She grabbed Jina's hand and started forwards towards the line for food. Aris followed. Jina's head swiveled, trying to see everything.

They joined the line and waited. The line was slow, it gave Jina time to take everything in. Now that the initial shock was over, she noticed most of the kids looked relaxed and carefree. They didn't seem to find this unusual. They laughed and talked with each other.

"Hey...so you're new."

Jina jumped and turned. A boy stood behind her. He had a bit of a squished looking face. He had broad shoulders and smaller eyes.

"Ya." Jina agreed, "Came last night."

"So which maze you from?"

"Umm....I think they called it B?"

He hummed. "But like...girls? Guys? How long you in there?"

"You mean they were different?" Jina asked.

"Apparently. Only been here a few days. I've talked to a few different kids, each story is different... Yet all similar."

Jina frowned and eyed the kids and the room and the guards stationed around the room.

"Interesting." Jina said quietly. She turned to the food and grabbed a tray, the boy behind her copied her actions. She turned back to the boy, "We were all girls, except for Aris. He came..what? Three...? Three weeks?"

"Technically three weeks and six days. But who's counting?" Aris agreed.

"Flossie, the girl in front," Jina indicated with her head, "she was one of the originals, was there for two years-"

"Four months and six days. But who's counting?" Flossie added, leaning around Aris.

"And you?" The boy asked Jina.

"12 months, 3 weeks and six days. But-"

"Who's counting?" The boy answered with a small smile.

"Exactly." Jina smiled sarcastically at him.

"Come on, I'll show you guys around." He said. He turned away with his tray and waded through the crowd of kids. Jina noticed a few of them turn and looked, curious about the new kids. Some gave them a side eye, a few guys wolf whistled. Aris turned, muscles tense.

"Hey, not worth it man. Just ignore 'em. They can't try anything, too many armed guards, they won't let the boys actually do anything."

"Still..." Aris snapped.

The guy led them to a back table where another kid sat. He was short and skinny and kind of looked like a ferret. They were an odd looking sight together. The big kid sat down beside the ferret kid. Aris, Jina and Flossie sat opposite them.

"Didn't catch your names." The big boy said.

"Aris. This is Flossie, and Jina." Aris introduced them. "You?"

"Dozer. And this is Shortstack."

Jina nodded. Weird names, but she wasn't gonna judge. She assumed nicknames.

"So? How did you guys get here?" Jina asked, picking at her food.

"We were in our...it wasn't even a maze. It was just a huge ring of walls, and no way out.  One day the side of the wall just explodes. Then these guys come busten in. There were only about a dozen of us, but Shortstack and two others and myself ended up on one helicopter and then were here."

"What happened to the other two?" Flossie asked.

"They were called." Shortstack said.

"Called?" Jina asked.

"Ya, those lucky bastards." Shortstack grumbled. He looked like an angry little ferret that Jina didn't want to cross, he looked like he'd be scrappy and fight dirty.

"Janson comes every supper and calls a list of names, they go to some kind of farm. A safe place. Away from here and WICKED and all the crap of the world." Dozer explained.

"They can only take in a couple of people at a time." Shortstack added.

Jina felt a cold shiver run down her spine. David and Doctor Crawford had mentioned something about going to the farms. It had an ominous feel to it. The Farm.

They spent a long time observing the cafeteria and the other kids. Jina eventually got up and went to this mysterious gym. She went for a long run, trying to work it all out in her mind. The running helped ease her mind. It wasn't the same as regular running, but the machine allowed her to run in spot. She ran for most of the afternoon. She eventually went back to their room for a shower and then with Aris and Flossie went back to the cafeteria for supper.

They sat with Dozer and Shortstack again. The cafeteria seemed to be even more full. Jina felt more on edge. The noise escalated in anticipation the longer supper went on for. Until finally the door to the restricted section opened and Janson stepped out surrounded by a few armed guards.

"Good evening, Ladies and gentlemen." He called. The noise went silent. Every head turned on his direction. The tension was so thick it seemed suffocating.

"You all know how this works. If you hear your name called...Please rise in an orderly fashion, join my colleagues behind me... Where they will escort you to the eastern wing. Your new lives are about to begin."

"Wonder if I'll be called!" Shortstack whispered eagerly. His dark and naturally narrowed eyes were glued to Jason's list.

"Lizzy." A girl with frizzy red hair got up, she had a big smile on her face.

"Hector."

Shortstack whipped around. The kid who went by Dozer stood up, he had a huge grin on his face. "I'll see ya on the other side man!" He clapped Shortstack on the shoulder and stomped his way over to Janson.

"Tracy. Steven. Stacy. Dawn. And lastly, Leo." Shortstack smacked the table with a wild whoop. He stood up. He must have been Leo.

"Later guys. Good luck next time."

Jina watched as Dozer and Shortstack, who were apparently Hector and Leo, high five each other as they lined up. There was a collective groan from the other kids still sitting, who weren't called.

"Now, now, don't get discouraged. If I could take more, I would. There's always tomorrow. Your time will come."

The way his dark beady eyes swept them all greedily made Jina shiver again.

There's definitely something else going on. And I don't like it. Jina spoke to Aris, she felt him humm immediately.

I think we need to explore a bit. He suggested, glancing at her.

That's a great idea. Maybe Flossie can cover for us.

Great. Let's go.

Jina tapped Flossie and the three of them left the table and out of the cafeteria back to their room.

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