I flattened myself against the wall, all my fears and panic came soaring back. My breathing was shallow and sharp. My hands were numb and shaking. I held my head in my hands.

"No. No. No. You can't fall apart now! Tommy needs you! Stay together! Keep it together!" I whispered.

With a massive effort I took a deep breath and peeked around the corner.

A panel had opened on the side of the cop machine's side, revealing a screen from which Janson's face stared back at him.

Relief flooded me. It was him, but he wasn't in the cop machine—there was just a video feed of his image. I assumed that he could see everything as well.

"What happened?" Thomas asked, his voice was slightly higher than it normally was.

My eyes went back to the man now lying on the ground.

"How'd you find me?" Thomas asked.

I could only see a small section of Janson on the screen from my hiding spot but he had his fake concerned frown. Don't fall for it Tommy! He's lying whatever comes out of his mouth is lies and poison!

"It took a considerable amount of effort and luck, trust me, my dear nephew. And you're welcome. I just saved you from this bounty hunter."

Thomas let out a laugh. "You're the ones paying them anyway. What do you want?"

At least he's not fully trusting him...I guess having a building blow up in you and when he showed up at that camp killing a whole bunch of people...he also took Minho. Okay, Tommy is smart, he won't fall for it.

"This was our safest means of contacting you. I'm urging you to bring yourself in and complete the testing. We've been using our data to select a Final Candidate, and you're the one. We need you, Thomas. It all rests on your shoulders. Your sister did a wonderful job in continuing in your absence, though he data was incomplete when her transport was ambushed and killed. However we aren't getting nearly enough from your friend, Subject A7-"

"His name is Minho!" I spat quietly.

"What? Charlie is dead?!"

"Yes dear boy, she was on her way here when she was attacked by horrible savages! They-"

"I thought she was dead before and you had her leashed like a shuck dog!"

I had enough. My hands had stopped shaking, the fear was replaced by anger, white hot burning anger. I slowly stood up, and pulled the gun from my hidden holster under my hoodie and jacket. Pulling my hat down a bit more, I pulled the hood up as well, my pink hair hiding the sides of my face.

I held the gun in both hands, one to hold the gun and pull the trigger, the other to balance- just like Magnus had taught me. I took a deep breath. I knew as soon as I shot I'd have to book it. Sprint back, to the Resistance building avoiding all the other cop machines and hopefully find Gally, Zayn, Sophie and Magnus.

Closing my eyes I counted to 3 quickly. I spun around the corner and raised my gun.

"Hey!" I screamed.

Thomas twisted around, the machine spun towards me and I pulled the trigger. Once, twice, three times. The cop machine sparked and started to smoke. The thing spun a few times and then crashed into the car. Which caused a small explosion, sending Thomas to the ground. He was like a bouncy ball, he was back back in his feet the second he hit the ground.

I wish I could have stayed. I wanted to run towards him, but I heard the sound of more cop machines.

"Go! Run!" I screamed at him. I spun around and sprinted away.

"Wait! Come back! Wait!" He called.

I heard the sound of stomping feet, and quickly I glanced over my shoulder. Thomas had made it to the intersection and was going to follow me when a group of people slammed into him. I had to hold back a sob. It was Newt, and Fry and two others I didn't recognize, a girl with short dark hair and a middle aged Hispanic man. But Newt and Fry and Thomas, they were here and they looked okay!

I turned and sprinted. I knew Janson had seen me, I had no idea if he recognized me. But I knew I had to run. I had to hide. Maybe ....maybe I could work out a plan and get them back.

I almost ran head long into another cop machine, I scrambled to a stop and threw myself into the doorway of a building. The thing passed and I took off again. It was like running in the maze. I knew the turns back to our Resistance building. That's where I was headed, praying the others made their way back there.

It only took me 20 minutes to get there. I sprinted into the garage and threw the door. Flying through the halls and up the stairs, screaming for Sarg the whole time.

Bursting out of if his office was a frantic looking Gally. Everyone else came spilling out of the office.

"CHARLIE?" Gally screamed panicking and came running towards me.

I slammed into him and wrapped my arms around him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and held me tight. He had lifted me off my feet and I just wrapped them around his waist.

"Shuck! Charlie! What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine I'm fine." I panted.

I was covered in sweat, and breathing hard. I pulled away just enough to hold his face.

"Gally! I saw them! They're here! I saw Tommy! And Newt and Fry! They're here! I saw them!"

"Whoa whoa, slow down woman!" He tried to slow my wild panicked excitement.

"I saw Tommy! And Newt and Fry!" I cried.

"Come inside and explain." Gally set me back down and pulled me into the office.

Sarg was at the desk. He was mostly stationed here now, leaving Laurence in charge at the building outside the walls. Laurence was become more mad more unstable. He was under the care of Hans, and the other buildings the medical bay- well the more detailed one.

Gally tried to get me to sit, but I had to much nervous and panicky energy to sit. He gave up with an exhaspirated sigh and handed me a bottle of water instead, from the mini fridge in the corner.

"Okay who are these people and why do I care? Also, what happened and why were you seperated?" Sarg demand.

I launched into the wild story of what happened in the coffee shop, and following Tommy and then the Cop machine controlled by Janson.

The office was dead quiet when I finished.

"We have to go get them! Please!" I begged.

Sarg looked skeptical. Gally nodded.

"Okay." He said simply.

"What?" Sarg cried, standing up.

"If you don't agree I'll just do it anyways!" I yelled and turned to storm out of the office, ready to set out again and find my brother and friends.

Gally grabbed me around the waist and pulled me back, while he turned his head to answer Sarg.

"Why not? Their immunes, they know WICKED. We know Janson is looking for them...and we might be able to get into their building now." Gally explained.

Sarg sighed and sat back down.

"Fine, all valid points."

"I'll leave details to you guys then. Go. Shoo. I have stuff to do."

________________________

Magnus had set out for the Tattoo shop to talk to Jasmine and Trix, see if they knew anything.

"It would be better if we could get them and get them outside the wall." Gally said.

We were standing around a table trying to figure out how to get them before Janson got his hands on them, and not just a cop machine.

"He must be tracking them with those chips! We need to get them to Hans!" I added, "so ya Headquarters would be best."

"You said there were two others with them?" Zayn asked, and I nodded.

"I didn't recognize them, but definitely part of their group. The older guy looked genuinely worried."

"Okay...so we gotta take that percussion too. Keeping our location a secret." Zayn muttered.

"Just grab them, throw a bag over their heads and bring them there. What's the big issue?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah, we might just have to do that." Gally rubbed his forehead, "know him, Thomas will make a scene, especially if he sees your still alive. Better to do that away from potential cameras."

I opened my mouth to protest, but then closed it, "yeah your right, he would totally cause a scene."

"I know I am! That's why I said it." Gally elbowed me.

"Oh shut up." I rolled my eyes and held up my tattooed finger.

"Aww love you too babe!" He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes.

"I hate you Gally." I muttered, crossing my arms, turning back to the table.

He wrapped an arm around my waist his hand in my hip and pulled me closer and kissed my temple.

"I know Charlie, and I hate you too." He muttered.

Sophie snapped her fingers, "hey, as much as I love you too, cut the coupley lovey dovey stuff right now."

I flipped her off too.

It took us another half an hour to figure out what to do. And as we were leaving the room we got a call from Magnus.

Gally called us all back in the room. We crowded around the com.

"Okay, so Jasmine said she saw a group that fits the discriptions enter a sketchy hotel."

My mind started spinning.

"We'll have to scrap our plan." I muttered, I grabbed the com from Gally, to much protesting.

"Okay, Magnus!" I cried, my brain working faster then I could talk.

"Can you get them a note? Ask them to meet outside the wall- they have an easier time getting in and out then we will with a van full of kidnapped people. Sign it from Sparky. He'll come."

"Ya sure Snips. That works. I'll get it to them be ready tomorrow, I'll stay here for the night, keep an eye on the hotel."

"Alright. Good that!"

I was feeling lighter than I had done in a long time. We were going to get Tommy back! This plan was simpler, but definitely still risky. I handed the com back to Gally with a smile.

We informed Sarg of the plan and we packed our stuff and headed back to the train tunnels to grab some more guys to help with the plan.

___________________________

I snuggled into bed beside Gally with a smile and my heart feeling like the knife was sliding out. The sharp pain wasn't as bad.

"You seem...happier." Gally muttered into my hair.

"I can go back to being a grouch!" I twisted around to see him, and scowled at him.

He chuckled and kissed my nose.

"You're cute when your happy."

"And when I'm mean, angry and vengeful?" I raised my eyebrow at him.

His eyes grew dark as he looked at me, his hand slid into my hair, and he rolled on top of me,

"Sexy as shuck!" He growled.

I hummed with a smirk and pulled him close and kissed him hard.

I was thirteen and Thomas was fifteen years old, we sat together on a bed, he was holding my hands tightly. The room was dark except for the amber glow of a lamp on the desk. Teresa was there—she had pulled a chair out and sat close to Thomas, she gave me a quick glance and it was full of contempt. I scowled back at her, but winced. Janson had left a fresh bruise on my face and it was still tender.

I looked back at Thomas, his face is haunted, a mask of misery as he looked at me with pity. It matched how I was feeling. I felt a tear slid down my cheek.

"You had to do this," Thomas said quietly, "You know how he gets when he tells you to do something and you refuse. Last time you couldn't walk straight up for a week!"

I looked blankly back at him. I felt there but at the same time I wasn't there. I don't remember the details of what happened, but I know my insides feel like rot and filth, twisting and turning in guilt and disgust. I had done something horrible, but I couldn't quite grasp what it was. A ghastly thing that is no less repulsive because I was told to it by Him. He hit me a few times when I tried to protest. He had brought out the whip and I caved with tears.

“You had to do it,” Teresa nodded, but she didn't sounds upset.

“I know,” I responded in a voice that sounds as dead as dust. Thomas looked back at me with tears in his own eyes.

The Purge.

Thomas starts talking again. “They wanted it to end this way. Better to die than spend years going crazier and crazier. They’re gone now, you had no choice." He tried to make me feel less guilty.

"You had no choice, and no better way to make it happen. It’s done and that’s that. We need to get the new people trained and keep the Trials going. We’ve come too far to let it fall apart." Teresa said matter of factly.

I hate her. For a moment Thomas glares at her.

Thomas looked back at me. He knows she’s trying to be strong, I can see how much he's hurting.

"You had no choice, Charlie. He threatened to chain you in the Crank pit."

"That doesn’t mean I have to like it." I whispered miserably.

I hate myself, I have never hated myself with such intensity before.

Teresa nods but says nothing.

My dream self tried to push into the dream me, trying to figure out what was going on. Trying to push through the barrier of where my memories were held...

A flash of pain from between my eyes to the back of my head, making me whimper loudly, and flinch, waking Gally.

The original Creators, Flare-infected, purged and dead. Countless volunteers to take their place. The two ongoing Maze Trials, running strong over a year in, with more results every day. The slowly but surely building blueprint. Training for the replacements...and my turn to go into the Maze the following day.

I woke with a whimper, I instinctively curled into a ball, the panic and anxiety gripping me hard. I felt a hand on my arm, making me cry out and scrambled off the bed and into the corner of the room, hyperventilating. My wild eyes flicking all over the place. Not registering anything. Not until I felt Gally's hands on my face, shushing me, running his hand through my hair. Whispering gently to me, repeating I was safe.

"He wasn't the first! He wasn't the first!" I repeated over and over, grabbing onto whatever was infront of me, which was Gally's arm.

"Slow down, slow down. You're okay, your safe. Take to me Charlie."

"I killed people. I killed them all! He made me...he made me a killer!" Tears poured my cheeks.

Gally had no idea what I was saying, but he pulled me into his lap and rocked me gently holding me, reminding me that I was safe, and that he had me.