Minho slowly got up from his crouch on the floor and sat down on the bed. His dark eyes were intense and flicking over my face. He frowned.

"Memories?"

I just nodded. I swallowed hard, closed my y eyes and rubbed my eyes. Trying to calm my shaking nerves, I ran a hand through my dark black hair.

"It was...the same memories as before, but...more details."

He was quiet, he didn't push. He sat waiting patiently for me to explain.

"I was given. I wasn't taken as a child. I was handed over! I was eight and given over to this creep, this...Handler, by someone who was supposed to protect me!" I spat. I was shaking with anger.

"Jess..." He started but trailed off.

I swallowed hard again, shoving everything down. I shook my head, and tried to compose myself.

"I saw Tess." I said with a small tight lipped smile.

"What do you mean? You saw her...wait, in your dream?"

I nodded. "we were in the... waiting room? The room all the kids were in before they called us one by one. She was called right before me. She looked the same. Big blue eyes..."

Minho stayed quiet, he just frowned slightly with sad eyes. He opened his arms. I crawled over immidiatly and curled up in his arms, my face pressed into his neck. He held me tight, his one hand gently running through my hair.

"I love you Jess." He whispered.

"I love you too." I whispered back.

My wild racing heart and jumpy nerves calmed down now that I was wrapped in Minho's arms. I stayed here until I heard Frypan's bell for supper. Slowly and begrudgingly got up. I pulled Minho's hoodie off and pulled on some pants and a t shirt. Together we slowly went for supper.

As we entered the dinning area most heads kept glancing at me. Some looked anxiously at me some looked terrified and others looked at me suspiciously. Minho slid his hand into mine and pulled it up and kissed the back of my hand. When I glanced at him and raised an eyebrow, he just smirked at me. I rolled my eyes.

"People staring at me isn't something new. People not liking me isn't new."

"I know."

"I don't need you to protect me."

"I know, Baby." His voice was quiet and gentle, he had a slightly ammused smile on his dark chiseled face.

"I don't need protecting 'cause I'm a woman!" I snapped.

"I know. But you're MY woman. And that means I've always got your back." He slid an arm around my waist, pulling me close into his side.

"I can take care of myself." I scowled. I tried to keep those angry shields up, the back the shuck off vibe, but what he said made my heart melt.

"You have." He said, his dark eyes boring into mine, looking down into my soul. "You still do. And you still will. I've just joined in, too. Now we take care of each other."

"Dammit Minho." I grumbled and rolled my eyes, but the corners of my mouth turned into a smile and my cheeks went slightly pink.

He smirked. And his eyes twinkled. He kissed my temple as we got to the counter. Fry gave us supper and we went to sit with the others. Newt, Alby, Thomas Teresa and Jason were discussing the possible words needed for the code on the computer in the Griever hole in four. I slid onto the bench by Winston.

I half listened to the conversations around me. My mind was spinning. I felt a nudge in my side and I jumped.

"Huh what?" I looked around.

"I asked what you're thinkin' JayJay. You have a far away look and your chewing your cheek."

"Ya, we need a plan for tonight... Gally's warning...it's sitting wrong with me. His warning...there is something to it. Maybe it's time we leave this shuck hell hole!"

As I was talking the table went quiet and every head turned towards me. Newt and most of the guys at the table were nodding. Alby looked pale and slightly sweaty, his hand shook with the tremor. Dug looked unsure.

"We need to be ready for whatever comes. Gally so wonderfully informed us that They are coming for us."

"How do we know it was a warning for just you?"

I turned my cold eyes on Dug. He gulped and I saw his eyes dilate but he stood his ground.

"We don't." I said simply. "But you wanna take that chance Dug?"

Teresa rolled her eyes. "And he wants to stay here."

"Right? Something's got his mind twisted." I agreed.

"Well...what do you buggen' suggest then Love?"

I frowned. I twisted my body and looked at the Gladers. There was a high tension in the area. They all seemed lost and confused. Alby wasn't really doing much as leader. Newt was too gentle. It was up to her. She racked a hand through her hair. And turned back to the table of Keepers, Thomas and Teresa.

Life here in the Glad was harsh, these guys didn't fully understand how hard it could be. They had a soft and easier time than my first maze. These guys needed to toughen up. The time to be gentle was over. Time to just glide through life was over. It was high time these boys banded together and stopped relying on the fee runners to get them out.

They needed a leader with authority, who could keep them held together, and get them through the next hours of a bloody harsh reality of life and death.

"I'm still second?"

Newt looked at Alby. Alby held his hands up, shaking his head.

"Whatever. Do what you want." He finally said.

"What?" Thomas asked, a little miffed.

Alby deflated and put his elbows on the table and his head in his hands, "I don't know, you guys know I'm messed up...since the changing...I shouldn't be in charge! Newt, Jessie you take over. I'm stepping down "

"Oh Bloody- '' Newt started but Alby cut him off, angry all of a sudden, as he stood up.

"NO NEWT!" He bellowed, the Keepers around the table all sat in stunned silence. "I can't, not anymore." Alby paused, he ran a hand over his face, then dropped his hands flat into the table. "Just...just give me a job, something to do, but I ain't making any decisions."

"Works for me!" Minho said with a shrug.

I nodded. "Whatever. I have a feeling we don't have time to argue."

"What are you thinking JayJay?"

"Well...we have weapons... We'll distribute them out and we will fight. Those shuck Designers-"

"CREATORS!" a few keepers yelled.

"Shut up you sticks!"

"Haven't heard that one in a while." Mi hi chuckled.

I rolled my eyes.

"The fuckers who put us here- Better?"

"Better." Winston grinned while Newt cringed and rolled his eyes.

"They won't take us down easily! I'm hoping these ugly STICKS have some fight in them. After 3 years in a rainbow and sunshine maze...ya'll are soft."

There was a few scofs.

"Tell me I'm wrong. When was the last time the group of you fought off a Griever I side your walls?"

It was quiet and a few guys avoided my glaring eyes.

"I thought so."

"You have put the fear of God in these ugly shanks and the knowledge of weapons and fighting and klunk so... Seems like this is where you and Tess shine. We need your warrior ninja skills to lead us."

"Will you two come up with a plan?"

I looked at Tess across the table and we both grinned.

"Fuck ya, we will!"

Teresa just chuckled with an evil smile.

"Okay, I'm glad those two are on our side." Thomas muttered.

There was a wild scream. Followed by a bunch of terrified yells and screams. I twisted around and was on my feet with a knife in my hand faster than any of the Keepers could react. From between the Homestead and Kitchen Gally came staggering out of the shadows.

His eyes raged with lunacy; his clothes were torn and filthy. He dropped to his knees and stayed there, his chest heaving with deep, sucking breaths. He looked around the dinning area like a rabid dog searching for someone to bite. No one said a word.

I didn't have to move, his wild eyes locked onto mine.

"They're coming for you." Gally whispered sinisteraly. His hand shock as he raised it to point at me. "They're coming for you."

There was shuffling and movement behind me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Minho on my one side, one hand ready to grab the long knife in his hip, Winston beside on the other side his supper knife held in his hand. I knew Teresa was standing on the table behind me, and Thomas was standing tense and coiled.

I didn't say anything, just narrowed my eyes. Every muscle was tense and my knuckles were white as I filled the handle. The entire dining area was silent and unmoving, like any movement would trigger him.

"They'll kill you!" Gally screamed, spittle flying everywhere.

Someone had reached forward and grabbed my arm from behind and tried to pull me away, but I ripped my arm free with a snarl. I flicked my eyes to the side. Thomas somehow managed to slide up beside me.

"The Grievers will kill you all! One every night till it's over!"

I watched, tense and ready for a fight. My eyes followed his movements as Gally staggered to his feet and staggered forwards. Gally came staggering right up to Thomas and I. We all stood stiff and straight, waiting for him to do something. I wouldn't hesitate to take him out. Permanently. Maybe he sensed my thoughts, because Gally's wild rage filled eyes had locked into mine.

His eyes slid over to Thomas, and then over to Teresa who was standing still up in the table behind Thomas and I ready to fight. I knew I could count on her. Everyone here would fight, but I trusted four people to fight beside me; Minho, Winston, Teresa and Thomas. I one hundred percent trusted Newt, but he was always the gentle one, and I wasn't sure if he could do what needed to be done, if push comes to shove.

Gally pointed a bloody finger at her. "You're one of them! You shouldn't be here! Traitor!"

His wild eyes slid over to Thomas. "You," he said with a sneer so pronounced it went past comical to flat-out disturbing. 'It's all your fault!"

Without warning he swung his left hand, forming it into a fist as it came around and crashed into Thomas's ear. He went crashing down to the ground in a yelp. He rounded on me.

"Gally." I said calmly. I was surprised how calm I felt in this high stress and tense situation.

"You! You kill for them. You're their weapon. You and her...you kill for them." Spit flew from his mouth. His eyes flicked back and forth between me and Teresa. "He's coming for you."

A shiver traveled down my spine. How did Gally know about Him? I heard a small sharp intake of breath behind me from Teresa. Thomas had scrambled back to his feet as soon as he hit the ground, and pushed Gally away. Gally stumbled backward and crashed I to the picnic table behind him. The Gladers who were sitting there scrambled out of the way with a cry of surprise.

I stepped forward ready for Gally to retaliate, but he straightened instead, taking everyone in with his mad gaze, his eyes swept the entire dining area. Everyone was too stunned to do anything.

"The shuck Maze'll kill all you shanks.... The Grievers'll kill you ... one every night till it's over.... I ... It's better this way...."

His eyes fell to the floor.

"They'll only kill you one a night ... their stupid Variables ..."

Gally looked up, his eyes lost the wild deranged look and they went dead and lifeless. I glanced up at Teresa. Her eyes had gone wide and she lost colour in her face.

"They're coming..." He whispered.

The ground started to rumble and the loud stone on stone grinding sounded. The doors were opening back up.

They were coming.