I sat at the table in front of the circle of Keepers beside Thomas and Minho. The rest of the Gladers all crowded in around the keepers at the back. It was tight in the room and hot, which didn't help the smell. I wrinkled my nose, at the guys, how come only a few of them showered? Newt came strolling into the room, his hands shoved into his pockets. He looked grim, and frustrated already. He stopped beside a pole that supported the roof, and leaned on it. Newt had taken Alby's spot, temporarily as Leader, leaving the second in command chair empty. Seeing as it was a council meeting to discuses the three of us, Minho's chair also stood empty. 

Minho sat on my one side, leaning his chair backwards, his arms locked behind his head, making his biceps stand out. I had my feet propped up on the table, sipping on some hot tea Frypan made for my throat, which still burnt by the way, the bruising finally was at its worst, black and blue hand print. My leg was still heavily bandaged, but it felt much better. The infection was gone. Thomas sat nervously on my other side. His knee kept bouncing, and he kept chewing his thumb nail. 

"Dude slim it. What are they gonna do, banish you? We already survived a night." I swatted his hand away from his mouth. 

"But-"

"Dude! Seriously, if I say no, they'll listen." 

He gave me a skeptical look, but stayed quiet, his leg still bouncing. Newt cleared his throat, "In place of our leader, sick in bed, I declare this gathering bloody started or something like that" he said, with a subtle roll of his eyes as if he hated anything regarding formality. "As you all know, the last few days have been bloody crazy, and quite a bit seems centered around our Greenbean, Tommy, seated before us, and our One and Onl' gal."

Gally stood up, and puffed his chest up.

"This is gunna be good." Minho muttered. 

I snorted and tried hard to keep my laughter inside, but to no avail. I was still kind of tipsy from drinking whatever alcohol Clint gave while they did some crazy cowboy surgery.  I was curious what he was going to say, he was all about rules, but we seemed to have an understanding with each other, mutual respect. I know he didn't trust Thomas, but his memories weren't solid concrete evidence either. Gally turned to look at the Keepers and the Gladers behind him. 

Newt said, "Lets try to keep some buggin' order, here. If you're gonna blabber your shuck mouth every time I say something, you can go ahead and bloody leave." Gally sat down heavily, glaring at Newt and Thomas. 

"Oh. We can leave? That's an option?" I grinned, I took my feet off the table and went to get up. Minho reached out and grabbed hold of my waist and pulled me back down, I ended up sitting on his lap.

"Why hello handsome." I smirked. 

Newt went on to scold us, "If you two" he pointed at Minho and myself, "can't keep yourselves together, you will be kicked out! 'Cause I'm not in a very cheerful mood." 

"I already volunteered myself out! Why bother kicking me out when I wanna leave!" 

Newt pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled.

"Jessie, slim it and sit down."

I rolled my eyes and got up off Minho's lap and dropped dramatically into my own seat again, but I leaned over to Minho, "Don't piss off Mama Newt, MinMin! He's already in a bad mood!" I whispered loudly, making Minho snort harder. Thomas smacked my shoulder, but I saw he was also trying hard not to laugh as well. 

Newt rolled his eyes and chose to ignore us. 

Gally stood back up and started his speech. "Things are changing. No doubt about that! First we get  a random girl who shows up INSIDE the maze, claiming she's from another maze! Grievers coming out during the day... Ben is stung in broad Daylight and now Alby! And now this Greenie here thinks he can just run into the maze!" He turned and threw an finger in Thomas's direction. 

"He's not the Greenie anymore." I called. "My apparent doubleganger is. Also...some random girl," I emphasized , "Saved a few of your buts a few times, also it's not like i asked to be transferred into a maze full of shuck faced idiots."

"Babe!" Minho gasped, "That hurts." 

"Not you, hot stuff. I'd transfer to you any day." I winked. 

He smirked. Gally growled in frustration and Newt huffed. 

"What about me?" Winston gasped, holding his chest. 

"Okay you too Winnie." I drew a heart in the air and mouthed a dramatic "Love you" 

"What about me?" Chuck yelled from the crowed.

"You too Baby Shank!" I called back. I smirked at Gally, "I think the shuckfaces here kinda like me." 

"Everyone shut your bloody holes!" Newt yelled storming into the center, "I'm the bloody Chair right now, and if I hear one more buggin' word out of turn from anyone, I'll be arrangin' another Banishing."

"Man, Mama Newt must be PMSing." Minho leaned in and whispered, making me laugh so hard I  has tears in my eyes, my stomach hurt trying to keep the laughter inside. I heard a few snorts from Thomas beside me. 

I saw Gally's I saw his jaw clench. He was going to doubled down.

"Who cares if he's a Greenie or not!" Gally challenged. "Who shucken cares! He went into the maze, which is a clear violation of our rules!" Gally shot back.

"He also helped save Alby's life!" Frypan put in, frowning and rubbing his chin. 

"Did he?" Gally snapped.

"Well, he still has a heart beat and brain function...and looks like the Grief serum is working." I looked to Jeff, "Oh, by the way, sorry for snitching it...but it came in handy. Also, all runners should probably have an injection in their runners bag." 

"First off, STOP STEALING MY STUFF! And second, yes that's a good idea." Jeff nodded. 

"Can we get back to the issue at hand?" 

"Which is?" I yawned. 

"The Greenie broke a rule! I wanna see some justice!" Gally cried. 

"Oh. Well...where were we? Minho? Newt...Where were we at in this waist of time?" 

"Alby was alive 'cause Thomas- who-is-not-the- Greenie help save his life." Minho answered for me, glancing at me with a smirk. 

"Right." I looked back to Gally. "If we listened to you and left Alby behind, he would have been ripped apart by Grievers. You want the death of your leader on our hands? That's a bit selfish, no? The three of us risked our lives to help him." 

I pulled a small knife out and started to use the point to get some mud from under my nails. Gally growled. And then tried a new tactic. 

"For two almost three years we have coexisted with those things! And the minute Jessie gets here they come out in broad daylight and now Thomas has decided to kill one of them!" Gally roared, turning to the Keepers. 

"Well that's not my fault the Designers-"

"Creators!" Winston yelled, getting a few snickers.

I rolled my eyes and flipped him off, making him chuckle. "It's not my fault they like me better and want me dead more than you. No need to get jealous." 

The Keepers all tried to cover up their laughter. I saw Newt press his lips tightly together and cover them with his hand and he suddenly had to cough. I smirked. Minho was smirking, his eyes were sparkling with amusement. 

"Oh also, Gally?" 

His jaw was clenched so tight I was sure his teeth were cracking. His intense blue eyes flashed with frustration when he looked at me again. I pointed my knife lazily at him.

"We have not coexisted. Coexisting means existing in mutual tolerance despite different ideologies. And I'm pretty sure monsters that are trying to rip us apart, kill us, sting us or maim us is not mutual tolerance. But what do I know?" I shrugged, going back to my knife and nails. 

Newt had sat down, leaning back, arms folded, a look of pride on his face. He was watching me and Gally go back and forth. I'm sure if he wanted to he would step in...not like I would stop though, but so far he was letting me do my thing. Minho had his hands behind his head, amused with his signature smirk. A twinkle in his half moon eyes, watching the argument. It was hard not to keep looking at him. 

"But he's killed one! Who knows what this could mean now!" Gally roared. 

"With my help. And not just one Gally. It was...what was it Thomas?" I turned my head to look at him. He was sitting quiet watching the exchange.

"Five." He said, looking at me.

"It was five Gally." I repeated just to piss him off some more, which was working because he was turning more and more red.

Newt finally stood up and crossed his arms, and leaned on the wall, "what do you suggest we do Gally? You seem quite opinionated." He asked with a roll of his eyes, sounding board.

Gally threw a hand towards Thomas, "This shank needs to be punished! And Jessie with him!"

Arguments broke out everywhere.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "You could try. You guys keep forgetting I took out a dozen of you, A wild crazy Ben, and I can break out of your lame slammer. Sooo, who's brave enough to try?" 

I raised an eyebrow. The room had gone silent. Minho held a hand out for a high five. I heard Thomas mutter, "Nice."

Minho finally spoke to Gally, "You wanna punish the shank for the same rule you broke?"  

"Ooo! This just got juicy!" I sassed. 

Gally took a step forward, his hands were trembling, the glare would have scared anyone else, but I wasn't like others. I took my feet off the table and stood up, holding a knife up, he stopped, his eyes glued to the knife in my hands. Minho and Thomas had also stood up, looking like my my body guards, not that I needed them, but the sentiment was sweet, knowing they had my back.

"Try the intimidation tactic does not work on me. I ain't scared of you Gally." I hissed, suddenly angry and ready for a fight.

"ALL RIGHT SLIM IT!" Newt yelled, stepping in-between them, "Everyone sit the bloody shuck down. And don't say another bloody word unless I ask you too." Newt said with authority. 

"No!" Thomas huffed, crossing his arms, "No one tells me what to do!" 

"Thomas sit down." I rolled my eyes.  Thomas sat down.

I never took my eyes off Gally as he backed up and sat back down in his chair. I noticed when Gally blinked and looked away, his body language changed, he looked different, he looked stiff and uncomfortable, his eyes lost the fire he had a second ago. Now they looked blank and vacant.

I sat up straight. I knew that dead look. I whipped my head around, like I would be able to see Him standing in the shadows. I felt my chest becoming tight.

"Minho!" Barked Newt, pointing at him "you were there with Tommy and Jessie. Explain."

Minho stood quickly, taking everyone off guard. He hooked his thumbs into his runners vest, "I was out there; I saw what this guy did- when I turned tail and ran...this dumb shank stayed behind to help Jessie with Alby. Look, I don't know if he's brave or stupid. But whatever it is, we need more of it." Minho took a dramatic pause, making me roll my eyes with a small smirk. He then said with a deadpan expression, "I nominate this shank to replace me as CoKeeper of the Runners!"

There was complete silence, everyone was shocked into stillness. And then chaos erupted. Some agreed with Minho, others not at all. I know Minho would never give up his leader position so easily, he was proud of it. When he sat down with an amused little smile and a wink at me, I knew he was playing them. I leaned over and whispered.

"What game are we playing?" 

He just smirked and winked again. Newt was waving his arms and storming around the front, "SLIM IT YOU SHANKS! I've never seen so many shanks acting like a bunch of bloody babies. We may not look it, but around these parts we're adults. Act like it, or we'll disband this bloody Council and start from scratch." Newt was marching from one end of the room to the other glaring at everyone. Everyone slowly quieted and sat down.

"Now Minho! That's a huge klunk to bloody drop on us. Stand up and defend your bloody ridiculous idea!" Newt demanded.

Minho's amused expression turned to exhaustion, but he slowly stood back up. Crossed his arms, with his head down. He took a slow deep breath. He looked around then, slowly.

"It's sure easy for you shanks to sit here and talk about something you're stupid on. I'm the Keeper of the Runners-"

"Co. Co Keepers" I interrupted.

"CO keeper" He rolled his eyes and I nodded in satisfaction. "and the only others here who have even been out in the Maze are Newt and Jessie, clearly- and I'm not talking about those shuck idiots behind you. My runners know. But you shanks, I'm talking about you shuckin Keepers who make the decisions. You don't get it"

Gally interjected: "Not if you count the time I-"

"I don't!" Minho shouted, rounding on him. "And believe me, you or nobody else has the slightest clue what it's like to be out there. The only reason you were stung is because you broke the same rule you're blaming Thomas for. That's called hypocrisy, you shuck-faced piece of-"

"ENOUGH!" Newt roared again. 

Gally had leapt to his feet and started towards Minho. Minho in crossed his arms and came around the table, like he was showing Gally he was ready to fight if needed. I watched as the guys stared at each other. Minho's dark intense narrowed eyes and Gally's flat almost dead vacant eyes. The unsettling feeling hit me again, I scanned the Gathering hall again, all the Gladers and the all the corners, even the roof. I had no idea what I was looking for, but something wasn't right.  Newt had shoved Gally back into his seat. 

"Minho, continue." Newt demanded. 

"So we killed a few shucken Grievers, ya, so what? If we hadn't we wouldn't be here and Alby would have died and you'd all be shucken screwed." He unhooked his thumbs and crossed his arms. "I've never seen anything like it. He didn't panic. He didn't whine and cry, never seemed scared. Dude, he'd been here for just a few days. An' just a few days after this guy shows up, he steps out in the Maze to save three shanks he hardly knows. All this klunk about Thomas breaking a rule is just beyond stupid. He didn't get the rules yet. But plenty of people had told him what it's like in the Maze, especially at night. And he still stepped out there, just as the Door was closing, only caring that three people needed help. Think about what we were all like in the beginning. Huddling in corners, disoriented, crying every hour-"

He froze, his chest heaving. His body shuddered while he closed his eyes for a moment . He took a breath, crossed his arms over his chest, making his biceps stand out.

He cleared his throat, "Ya, we didn't trust anybody, refusing to do anything. We were all like that, for weeks, months even, till we had no choice but to shuck it and live."

He took a pause again, the room was dead silent, no one had ever heard Minho talk like this. But it was all true, and they knew it.

"Oh, give me a break," Dug finally spurted. "I bet Minho's the one who actually got rid of the stupid things."

"Oh shut up Dug." I rolled my eyes, and I flipped my knife a few times to prove a point. "Hey Fry smack him for me." Frypan smacked him hard in the back of the head. 

"Thank you Fry." 

Frypan nodded, looking smug. Newt pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath, muttering something about having to deal with a bunch of shucken children. Minho and I glanced at each other and looked away quickly, both of us smirking and trying not to giggle again. Newt looked to Minho, and gestured for him to continue. 

"But that was just the beginning. After he stepped into the forbidden maze, he saw me give up on Alby and Jessie, leave them for dead. And I was the veteran—the one with all the experience and knowledge, the shucken KEEPER!"

I opened my mouth to argue,

"CO keeper, but Jess had been attacked by Alby," he gestured to my neck, "And she had just carried that huge lug back to the glade, and I LEFT THEM.  She begged me to stay and help, but no...my own shucken fear and panic got the better of me and I ditched them. Thomas saw me give up. She owed the Green nothin' yet SHE STAYED BEHIND to help Thomas save Alby's shuck life. Think about the willpower and strength it took them to push Alby up that wall, inch by inch. It' s psycho. It's freaking crazy! Even after running a full day, and carrying Alby's unconscious body...she still helped get him up the shucken wall! And then took on a bunch of shucken Grievers! AND look what one did to her!" He pointed to my very heavily bandaged leg. 

"We get the point," Gally snapped, his body still rigid and empty eyes, I was really freaked out by the look, I felt my heart pounding and my hands were sweaty. "Thomas here is a lucky shank and your girlfriend is better than us."

"Shucken rights!" Minho growled,  "No, you worthless shuck, you don't get it! I've been here two years, and I've never seen anything like it- they don't get scared like we do! Thomas ran into the maze after everyone told him how dangerous it is, and what happens when the doors close, and he did it anyway just because he THOUGHT he MIGHT be able to help. He saw an opportunity, he thought outside the shuck box! He used the walls and killed it, squished it flat! For you to say anything about the two..." his frustration and anger making him trail off.

"It was actually Jessie who used the wall, it was my idea to have the Grievers run into each other...it was her idea to blow them up." Thomas finally piped up.

The council room was dead silent.