This is the last time, she reminds herself as he does it again.

The last time he'll ever do it. The last time she'll see him.

But Brenda... again, it makes her rethink her plan. She can't leave Brenda behind with this man. He needs to be dead.

"Fuck," his groans leave a clammy trail in her neck. She presses her eyes shut, swallowing the bad feeling away. Her fists clench around the bedshe—

"Siren, what are y—" the intruder freezes.

Amery freezes.

She can tell by the way the intruder's standing who it is, even though the light behind him casts a shadow over his face.

"Jorge!" Amery moves the bedsheets over his whole body except for his face as he rolls off her with a swift motion. "Siren couldn't sleep. I thought I'd lie down next to her."

Terrified, the girl watches as Jorge steps closer. If he joins in, she will lose all the hope she has ever had.

"Get away from her, right. Now."

He takes his pants from her chair. "Just a—"

"No. I think you'll be perfectly fine without those."

Disgusted, Siren looks away. She would've preferred it if Jorge handled it differently.

If he had just shot Amery immediately.

"Get the fuck away from her!" The yells then begin. Jorge pulls out a gun just when Amery takes a knife from his pants. Before he can do something with it, a gunshot blares through the room.

Blood spatters everywhere. A loud scream leaves Amery as he reaches for his leg, from which blood is flowing.

Anger seizes through her veins. Through the leg? He deserves one in the head! Why is Jorge not doing what he's so good at? Why is he showing unspoken mercy?

She takes Amery's knife off the ground. Like she has done in so many simulations and dreams, she bores it through his stomach. A cut on his face, too. She hits his shoulder—

"Siren, do not." Jorge snatches the knife out of her hand, pushing her onto her bed. She pulls her oversized sleep shirt past her knees right away.

And watches as Jorge drags a wincing Amery out of the room. Dozens of yells follow. Curses in Spanish. Curses in English. Threats in both languages. But no more gunshots.

She listens until the noises fade away, probably downstairs. Another twenty anxious minutes pass by.

The girl is sitting straight up, with her bike shorts back on, when Jorge finally returns.

"Don't worry, he's gone now," he says, out of breath. "Forever. I promise—"

"You didn't kill him," she says. "Why didn't you kill him? Why did you hesitate for so long? Why did you not let me kill him? Why did you not give him a brutal death? Do you not know how badly he has hurt me—"

"I do know," he interrupts. "With a bullet in his leg and multiple slashes over his body, it won't be long 'till he bleeds out. That's worse than a quick bullet in the head."

"But he's supposed to be dead immediately," she says, her voice barely above a whisper before it rises to a near yell, "Why didn't you kill him? You stupid, stupid man! Why did it take you so long to realize?"

"Siren, let me explain—"

"What is there to explain?" She snarls.

"I have my reasons—"

"When I tried to explain my reasons, you locked me up for it! I'm not listening to you."

"Siren—"

"Shut up. Leave me alone. Tomorrow, I'll go overthrow WCKD with you by my side as if we're the best duo. Go do something useful to prepare for that."

꥟

Pretend she's a lost Immune, get into WCKD's building.

Once inside, kill the boy and girl so that they can't proceed on their project.

In the mean while, Jorge and his men will intrude.

But that's his idea.

Siren's idea only contains the first step of his.

"Here you have your knife." Jorge slides a hairpin that can expand into a weapon into her ponytail. "Tuck another one in your waistband and take a gun, obviously. Barkley, make sure Brenda has no idea about this! Keep her distracted in her room."

"Ah, so you're locking her up now?"

"Quiet," is all he replies. "Get in the van."

Once everyone is spread around the vehicles, they're driving off to the correct location. It should be about an hour away from Jorge.

Siren watches the outside world, amused, by the many things she sees, even though it's mostly sand. Her nose sticks to the van's window as she presses her face as close to it as possible.

"You ready, Siren?"

"I think I need to practice my go-to move on men first," she replies.

Her boot slams down right in Jorge's crotch.

That's what he gets.

"Just a minute and the pain will be gone," she mimics. "Sorry I gave you no time to tell me stop. Not that I would've listened to that, though. Who the hell listens to people these days?"

Enough, he mouths.

"Sorry, can't understand." For the rest of the ride, she tunes him out. It's only when they have arrived, she flashes him the tiniest smile.

It's not fake. It's a goodbye. A small thank you for the few things he has done for her.

"Okay, you know your spot," says Barkley. "Pretend you're an innocent little girl who needs a place to stay. Kill the kids, then make your way back to the vans as we finish the rest off."

"Yes, yes." Siren jumps out of the van. Another the minute walk, and she will have arrived at WCKD's gigantic building.

"Good luck," Jorge tries.

Another last glare at him. "Thank you, sir," she says, then steps through the grass.

Her mind is almost blank as she walks. No regrets. No hesitation. Perhaps there would be hesitation for what she is about to do if Jorge had showed a little more affection last night.

But he didn't. And a heartless father can't teach his children emotions, so she feels nothing right now.

As the guards in front of the big, steel door take her in, she holds up her hands.

No acting like an innocent child who's immune.

"Hi," she says. "I come from a horrible place. They want me to manipulate you into letting me inside the building, but I know you're all smarter than anyone in my old place. If you let me in and stay with you—and let me get anything I want—you are free to use my immune blood for anything. Just don't hurt me and it'll be fine. And I will also let you know that there's men who want to hack your system and then bomb you."

They stare at her.

"Well?" She asks, raising her voice so all the guards waiting in the woods can hear. "Deal or not? We don't have a lot of time to decide."

One of them starts speaking into a walkie talkie. She waits, slightly nervous now. If they don't agree, Jorge will give her the worst life ever, knowing she wasn't about to act like she wanted to stay at WCKD, but really wanted to.

Anything better than Jorge's place, at this point.

This place almost seems like heaven.

A strong, white building. Enormous. With professional doctors and other employees inside.

After the conversation on the walkie talkie, the masked man turns back to Siren. "Let me cuff you. Once inside, we'll see if you're trustworthy." Then he looks at his colleagues. "Make sure they lock all the doors and active the force fields on. We're likely under attack."

Perfect.

She easily lets them cuff her. "Thank you."

Before she passes the sterken door, she looks back for a third time. Jorge stands there, destroyed, his mouth wide open. "Siren!" Leaves his mouth, but it's too late now.

She turns back to the WCKD guards.