"The hell's happening there?" Minho muttered the next morning, pointing at three masked people walking over to us. All three wore black uniforms. One of them held a gun, one handcuffs, and another a taser.

My breathing sped up and my hands got clammy. "Oh, no."

"You know them?" All Gladers turned to me as I froze in my place. I couldn't respond or move, but just stared at the guards in pure fear. They were here for me, I knew it. The taser said enough.

And I was right. Minho and the others got violent, but one simple use of the taser made them drop onto the sand. Once they got to me, I still hadn't moved. In fact, it barely came through my head what was happening.

They clicked the cuffs on my hands and roughly dragged me with them, the metal almost cutting my wrists. Minho's hand reached out for me, but the last shock from the taser let him stay in his place.

I cried out, hoping so badly they wouldn't repeat the cycle they used to do on me every day, but deep inside I already knew.

By the time we arrived in front of a Berg, tears were streaming down my face. Yet I went along, seeing no other option than cooperating... I had felt enough tasers in my life already.

I got pushed down on a chair and the usual happened. They tied me on it, I didn't resist. A syringe got inserted into my body, I knew resisting would make it worse.

A cry escaped my mouth, making me mentally punish myself, but the feeling of the liquid rushing through my veins was the worst.

Janson appeared in front of me, a familiar smirk on his face. "Long time no see, Lenora."

I grunted. "I'm very happy we reunited."

He shook his head, laughing. "I can see you met A7 again too. Am I right?"

"His name is Minho." I snapped. The liquid started to burn, which perfectly let me know it was activating.

"And your name is Lena?" Janson smiled evilly.

I bit my lip, hiding the pain that by now felt like it was cutting through my skin and bones. "Did you spy on me or something?"

"Aah." He laughed. "No one ever removed the chip, Kid. You're lucky we didn't control you and-"

I tried to attack Janson, but the ropes on my hands were strong. "Couldn't you come up with some more original idea of torturing? It's getting old."

Janson got up from his seat. "Thought you would like something you're familiar with. Enjoy it, Lenora."

Before I could reply, the liquid activated completely.

First, shocks hit my body. It was like electricity and hurt so badly that I felt like fainting. Then, the burning got worse, as if someone set me on fire. It split my bones, twisted my stomach, and made my mouth fall open.

I sobbed louder than I remembered doing in a long time. Tears streamed down my face as my body shook, sensitive already.

And when it got worse, I could do nothing but scream. My screams were filled with pain, words for Janson to stop, curses against WICKED, and especially for Minho's help.

"Please.." I managed to get out when my voice had turned hoarse from the screaming and the pain started to fade away... but it also could've been my body going in a trance from the amount of pain I had been going through.

The pain I had been going through every week since I was a child.

~

"Hey, hey.." A voice behind me said once my eyes opened.

I cried out at their arms wrapping around me, not wanting to be touched by anyone from WICKED. My resists and kicks didn't work. They were strong. Their arms were strongly wrapped around my torso.

"Lena, you're okay." They said.

Slowly I realized someone from WICKED would never call me that name and once I heard the voice was younger than Janson's, it came through my mind I was lying on the Scorch its sand.

I sobbed loudly, feeling my cheeks get wet. My arms tossed around in the hope to find something. Just something that would make me come back to reality.

"Lee, it was just a dream. You're awake now." They lowered their voice. "It's okay."

"Min.." I gasped quietly, literally feeling the last forces of pain in my body. "...Minho?"

"Yes, it's me," Minho assured me as he readjusted me in his arms. "Shhh.." He whispered when I cried even louder. "I got you." He then wiped some tears off my cheeks and put a strand of my hair behind my ear.

I sniffed while my breathing calmed a bit. "You're here." I realized quietly.

"Always." Minho's grip on me tightened. "Always, Lee."

I cried quietly, some last tears falling. Minho lay my head on his chest, which was the most relaxing thing ever.

His heart beat against my ear at a steady pace over and over again. I let out a sigh of relief when I heard that, but couldn't close my eyes yet.

"Hey." Minho moved his hand in my hair. "Can you tell me what happened in your dream, princess?"

I fully relaxed when he started to move his hand on my head, slowly massaging it. "You know, just WICKED.." I mumbled. "Torturing me."

I heard his heart rate speed up. "Why do you have dreams about WICKED, Lee? You know them?"

"This is the point where I pretend to fall asleep," I replied. "But yes, I know them."

"How?" He paused. "If you don't mind explaining. Are you all right now?"

"I'm okay now." I nodded and took a deep breath, deciding to tell Minho half of my past, but first I looked at the others.

"They sleep so deep they didn't hear your cries." Minho smiled. "But go on."

"Right." I cleared my throat and went straight to the point. "So I was taken by WICKED, but I bet that doesn't surprise you a lot. You know I know Janson and the Grievers."

"Mhm." He nodded and listened attentively.

"But unlike you guys, I didn't get sent into the maze."

"Was that because you escaped around the same time we got sent in there?"

"Partly," I replied. I knew why I ran away; I couldn't take the torture, orders.. and couldn't leave the most important people in my life while I was behind the screens.

"But I think they wouldn't have sent me in the maze either way." I shrugged.

Minho's hand made its way to mine. "Why's that?"

"Cause I had different tasks to complete there."
And then it started to get harder for me to talk clearly.

"Which were?"

I looked down in shame. I couldn't! I couldn't tell him.
"Horrible." I started. "They're so horrible that I... I can't tell you."

My voice broke halfway through the sentence as Minho squeezed my hand.

"And if you find out about the things I did... I bet you don't even want me in your life anymore. You'll say I'm a monster, which is true, Minho."

He tensed up completely. "Don't you ever dare to say that again, Lena."

I shook my head as tears formed in my eyes again. "I am a horrible person. If you find out, you'll agree with me."

"I won't," Minho assured before he sat straight up and cupped my face. "You're not a monster. No matter what you've done, I won't find you a horrible person, Lena." He said sternly. "Because I know that whatever WICKED did to you... whatever you did wasn't voluntary."

I bit my lip and looked down. Minho was right, but voluntary or not, I still did horrible things.

"Hey." He moved my chin up again. "I know them, Lee. They're not so gentle. And I know you. I know that you won't easily hurt innocent people."

I scoffed. "How do you know? I went out here every day to kill off Cranks with Holt."

"Yeah, but you didn't kill us, did you?" Minho smiled. "You wanted us to be safe, told us to leave. You never hurt us."

For a few seconds, I was speechless.
"I did hurt you, Minho." I peeped.

"WICKED did." He corrected. "They're manipulative, I know. So I don't care what you did to us. Even if it's your fault we're here, I don't care." He wiped some more tears off my cheeks. "I don't care because I know, and I will repeat it every time... I know you didn't do it voluntarily."

"How do you?" I swallowed deeply, trying to hide the tears in my eyes, which by now were because of Minho's sweetness.

"I heard your screams a few seconds ago, princess." He lowered his voice. "They were enough for me to know what was happening."

I sniffed again. "What do you think was happening then?"

Minho's face was soft, but eyes raging, yet that didn't scare me at all. "You were getting tortured." He started. "Your hands were clasping around your own body in a way... only seeing that... it made me angry. You were screaming for mercy and for Janson to stop... you mentioned my name and yelled for help. And just screams that broke me, Lee."

I couldn't help to drop more tears and wrap my arms around Minho tightly.
My soulmate, I was sure.

"How didn't they hear me scream then?" The corners of my mouth turned slightly up as I motioned at the Gladers.

Minho snickered. "I don't know. Maybe Fry brought them earbuds."

"I don't think they have earbuds here, Min." I laughed quietly. "But why would they anyway- oooh."

"They're a bit disrespectful," Minho whispered as he let go of the hug, so we could look each other in the eyes again. "And they think my only goal is to hit on you in wrong ways."

"Which is true?" I raised my eyebrows.

He laughed. "Of course not. Just having you by my side is enough. I don't need to do anything nasty to love you."

I smiled deeply. "Love me?"

"Yes, Lee. Love you." Minho stated, cupping my face once again. "I love you... you."

The 'I love you' meant a lot to me. I couldn't remember anyone ever saying that in the last four years.

"I love you too." I breathed before our lips made contact.