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❰❰ ୧ ⋅ ˚ ₊ ·┊ೃ ' 🧪  038.
┊❝ IN THE EYE OF THE
HURRICANE ✩ ‧ ₊ ૪
↳  ‧₊˚ •° there is quiet ━━ ❜

As the sun sets over the city wall, Mae finds herself pacing the floor of Lawerence's War room. Anxiously, she rubs her thumb along the diamond ring around her neck, biting the inside of her cheek. Outside of the anxiety she felt, Mae's face remained stone, not even a twitch of her lip could give away the feeling. Every once in a while, she'd stop in front of the window, watching survivors pass through the wasteland they were forced to call home.

The last of the Gladers wait idly for Thomas, Peter and Gally's return, deep in conversations. The thought of seeing Theresa again made a bubble of rage surface in her throat, her fingers subconsciously adjusting the gun on her hip.

She couldn't help but blame the girl for how life turned out for her and her friends.

If it wasn't for Theresa, so many people would still be alive, so many children wouldn't have been recaptured, Minho would be with them. Newt wouldn't be infected. She wouldn't be standing here planning to break into her childhood city and face her mother.

That being said, Mae used to be a positive person.

She always had a positive thing to say even at the worst moments. So, if there was anything she could take out of this situation, it was that it pushed her to fight harder for what she believed in.

It taught her to wield with an iron fist.

It brought her back to Gally.

Teddy groans outwardly at Mae's rapid footwork. He stood up, rubbing his nose; which caused his glasses to shift up and down on the bridge of his face. "You're freaking out right now." He claims, stepping into her pace line.

Mae almost stumbles into the boy, looking down with a delicate frown. "What? I'm not."

"You're freaking out." repeated Teddy, crossing his arms. "Which is freaking me out. So, stop it."

Mae's shoulders slack, dropping her hands at her sides. "I can't help it." She confessed, "I'm worried that our plan might have holes. Usually, it takes weeks to plan something like this and we've only been on the same page with each other for a few hours."

Teddy's eyebrows knit inward, taking in her worries. He then decided to match her pacing, so she wouldn't be alone.

Together, they fall into a line.

"The plan is to sneak in, find Minho, get out. Sounds simple to me." He admits; his childlike mind not understanding the complexity. "We've escaped WICKED before, many times."

"It's not supposed to be simple, and we got lucky." Mae shook her head, looking down as they paced. "Ava is working with Janson. Janson has an army; Ava is secured on the top floor. The plan only works if she welcomes me in...it only works if I could distract her long enough for Theresa to slip the boys inside."

Teddy takes a moment to think, "You just gotta play the part good."

"My mother and I never had a good relationship."

"But, she's still your mom."

"And I'm still her daughter, and she allowed WICKED to use me and keep me in the Maze for years." snips Mae, her tone more than bitter about the subject. "She's the reason my father is dead."

Teddy gave a low whistle. "Your life story is crazy complex. They should write a book about you."

Mae gave a breathy laugh, enjoying Teddy's company. "Yeah? Well, it wouldn't be a good story. They should write a book about you. Mr. taking down WICKED at ten."

The boy shrugs, "I'm more mentally developed than most. Besides, Peter says I'm stubborn and hate everyone, so I'm perfect for the job."

They fall into a comfortable silence. Her eyes shift to where Newt sat, fidgeting with his hands as Jorge spoke to him. Mae's immediately fill with tears that she blinks away.

"Teddy, I gotta tell you something." Mae mutters, pulling him aside.

"You and Gally are gonna get married?" Teddy questioned in the same whisper, a hopeful sing to his tone.

"Wha-, No-, well maybe in the distant future when we survive this." She stammers, "Why? Would you want me to marry him?"

"Yes?" He replies, as if she was the crazy one. "I was in the vents when you told all the girls at Janson's base about what happened in the maze."

Mae blinks away her shock, "I'm going to breeze past the fact that you're very nosy and if you were older, that would be creepy." She paused, gathering a realization, "Wait. Is that why you're so passive aggressive with Thomas?"

Teddy gave a grin, "I like Thomas sometimes, but I don't know if you've noticed, I've gotten everything I've wanted so far."

Mae hums in agreement. "I was going to tell you something more serious. Teddy, something's happened to Newt."

Teddy frowns, "What do you mean? What's wrong with him?"

She bent down, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm telling you this now so you can prepare yourself. Personally, I think everything will be fine." She lies to herself, "But, in case he isn't. . .Newt has what Brenda had. The good news is; Brenda lived with the serum Mary made. Vince has some still. If we can find Minho and get out before tomorrow, get can make it back to camp. . .if they're still there when we get back."

Teddy bites the inside of his cheek. "He got infected? By those Cranks."

"Yes."

Then, Teddy reacts to the news in a way Mae didn't expect.

He smiled.

She reels back at his grin. "Why are you smiling?"

Teddy runs off.

"Teddy!" Mae shouts, gaining the attention of the others. Newt stood up in worry but she waved him away, running after the little boy. "I'll grab him."

But Newt didn't listen, running after both of them the best he could. "What's happened?"

His pace quickens beside Mae, as they both followed Teddy's footsteps. They dodge and weave past Lawerence's people in the hallways with light feet, a dance of a sort that they seemed to know well.

"I might've mentioned your condition."

"You just love breaking hearts, don't you Mae?" joked Newt, his tone coming off as sarcastic as he rolled his eyes.

"Well, considering he smiled when I told him, you might want to reconsider yourself as the bad guy." She grumbled back.

They find Teddy in a room that all the Gladers bunked in this morning. The boy ran to his backpack in the corner.

"Teddy," Newt spoke, walking inside with caution. "I know this might be hard for you. I don't want you to lose anyone else."

Teddy didn't respond. He unzipped his bag, rummaging through it before pulling out a cloth.

He turns to them, smiling wide. "You should've told me earlier."

Mae hitched her breath, watching as Teddy unwrapped the cloth to reveal a syringe with a familiar blue liquid. It was the antidote. Newt froze, his eyes bulging out of his head.

"Teddy. . ." Mae couldn't find the words to express her feelings.

Newt on the other hand, grabbed the syringe from Teddy, holding it up in the candle light with gentle tears.

"I stole one before Peter and I left with Jorge and Brenda. I figured, I dunno, it would be smart to keep one on me, just in case something happened. I just wanted to help." He smiles, "Guess, I was right. Something always happens with this family."

Mae is sucked into a memory. Her view now in the Maze, standing in front of Nick as they argued whether to fight and live to see the doors open or die.

She once said the same thing to Nick, holding out the serum she stole. She remembers that night well, holding Nick through the pain only to lose him the next morning.

Another example of how similar Teddy and Mae were.

"Teddy." Mae tears up. She let out a breath she didn't realize she held.

"You little genius," Newt swept him into a tight hug. Teddy groans out at the pressure, his glasses going crooked.

"You're amazing." Mae adds, throwing her arms around them both. "This-, This is incredible."

Frypan knocks on the doorframe. "They're back. Oh, are we doing a group hug?" He rushes forward, piling them all down.

"Fry, you're squishing my lung." Newt complained.

"Come on, we have to go see Peter." Teddy ushered them all.

Newt doesn't move, his eyes firm on the antidote. Mae pinched her lips together, "You two go on ahead, we'll be just a moment."

"No Glader left behind!" Teddy cheers, pumping his fists in the air as Frypan led him away.

Mae takes that moment to stand in front of Newt, her hands coming up to his shoulders. They didn't speak for what felt like minutes, until Newt let out a tired sigh.

"We still don't know if this will help me." mutters Newt, "Brenda is fine but for how long? She takes these injections, and we wait for the other shoe to drop."

"Then it'll delay the turn long enough for us to figure out a better plan." Mae firmed her tone. "It'll be long enough for us to rescue Minho, long enough to get back to Vince. As much as I hate to say it, maybe WICKED's closer to finding a cure that works long term. Once I'm inside, it'll be the first place I look."

Both were unaware, that with Thomas' blood mixed into the serum they held was the key to saving the world.

What they had was exactly what WICKED wanted.

"Promise me, I'f I turn—"

"I'll handle it." Mae vows.

-

Just as Mae enters the war room, Gally could be seen throwing Theresa roughly on a chair. Thomas and Peter are tying the traitor with rope. There's a bag on her head so she didn't know where they stayed – just in case she decided not to help them, not that Mae planned to give her a choice.

"Extraction successful, Boss." Peter salutes Mae.

Mae steps forward, roughly removing the bag over Theresa's head. She watched as Theresa looked around the room, her eyes burning with fear as she stared at the group she's betrayed.

"Mae?" Theresa shifts in her seat, unable to make eye contact with the blonde. Her eyes redden with tears, her guilty heart gnawing at her caged ribs, wanting more than anything to make Mae understand why she did it. "I-I-,"

"You what? Never thought you'd see us again, huh, shank?" spoke Mae. She knelt down and grabbed Theresa's chin rough, forcing the eye contact. "Don't shy away now. You had so much to say back at Right Arms old camp. 'Caused a bit of a stir in our plans for safety, in case you've forgotten." Her grip tightens on Theresa's chin, causing the girl to whimper slightly.

Gally leans into Frypan's side, his eyes never leaving Mae. "Is it wrong to be attracted to this?" His voice gets loud, "Guys, maybe we should take a five and regroup-?"

Frypan elbows his bad rib, causing Gally's comment to fade into a deep cough.

"Gally?" Theresa voiced in surprise. Looking between him and Mae for a long moment, "You must be relieved." She says to Mae.

"Only thing I can thank you for," replied Mae, roughly moving her hand away from the girl, "Our mutual hatred for you brought us back together."

"Here's how this is gonna go," Gally grows more serious, crossing his arms over his chest, "We're gonna ask you some questions, and you're gonna tell us exactly what we need to know."

Mae grows ridged, knowing the real interrogation was about to start.

She motioned for Peter and Brenda to back her up with a single hand movement. Brenda immediately stands, taking her other side as the trio stood in front of Theresa.

Frypan crossed his arms, a grin of amusement twitching on his lip as he leans toward Gally, "If anyone's gonna get good information out of Theresa, it's Mae. Let's just say, in these last few months, Mae's gotten us more information against WICKED than the Right Arm could scramble together in years. She's got a special touch."

Mae leans forward, eyeing Theresa, "If you don't cooperate, it won't end well for you."

"I know you're upset; I know I hurt you. I just wanted you to feel how you made me feel a-and I know that's wrong." Theresa tried to speak, but Mae held a hand up for her to stop.

"Let's put that behind us, shall we?" Mae smiled. Theresa eased for only a moment before the blonde added; "For now."

"You're going to help us." Peter spoke, "Repay your debt."

"Is Minho alive?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?" Gally adds.

Theresa hesitates.

"Now isn't the time to clam up, Theresa." Mae removed her gun from her holder. "I've become quite the shot since you've last seen me."

Theresa panicked, looking back at Thomas, "You guys don't seriously think—,"

Gally drags a chair up, slamming it down and taking a spot beside Mae, he rested his arms against the back pieces, wanting to participate. Mae gave him the room, eyeing his arms through his sweater as she does.

Brenda shuffles back to give the duo some space, picking up some playing cards as a fun distraction.

"Don't look at him. Why you looking at him? Look at me. He's not gonna help you." Gally's voice teeters on a dark drawl.

Mae's eyes widened slightly, "Can we take a five—"

"Girl, keep it in your pants for two seconds." Peter mutters in her ear.

"Now, we know you have Minho in the building. Where?" Gally continued.

Theresa hesitated again.

Mae was tired of her hesitation, clicking her gun off safety and pressing the muzzle into her neck, "Speak. Or forever hold your peace."

"Mae," Thomas warned.

"Thomas." She replied in the same tone, not tearing her eyes away from the traitor.

"He's with the others in holding." Theresa swallows thick, eyeing the gun, "Sublevel three."

"How many others?" Newt piped in.

"Twenty-eight."

Brenda calmly placed a playing card on the table, shuffling through the deck with a smirk, "Pete and I can make that work, Boss." She directs her words to Mae.

"Good that." Mae replied.

Theresa shook her head, "No. You guys don't understand. The whole level is restricted. You can't get in without a thumb print ID."

"That's why you're gonna come with us." Thomas voiced.

Gally hummed at the idea, "Well, I don't know. We don't necessarily need her. Right?" Mae's lips turn up, knowing where he was going with this, following his figure as he stood up and grabbed a scalpel from the table. "Not all of her. We just need her finger."

"I was a medjack, I can make a clean cut." Mae adds on.

Thomas sighed, "Guys, enough."

"Are you squeamish? I guarantee you she's done a lot worse to Minho."

Newt clenched his jaw at the thought.

Thomas stands up, "That's not the plan, back off." He repeats, taking the scalpel.

"The plan is to get in, the more you protect her the more your team turns on you." Mae whispered in Thomas' ear.

At that, Thomas looks around. Everyone was looking at him, deep frowns set at his choices. These people are willing to lay down their lives for a cause he was supposed to be leading, his hesitation toward Theresa makes following him harder.

"Won't make a difference. Do whatever you want to me, you still won't get through the front door." Theresa says strongly. "The sensors will pick you up, the—"

"We know. We're tagged. Property of WICKED," Thomas replied bitterly.

"Not if I get inside first. Not if I disrupt the sensors." Mae smiled, "Think mummy would welcome me in?"

Theresa hesitates.

Mae falters. "She would. . .wouldn't she?"

Theresa looks away, "She misses you, Mae. She's your mother."

"Who would've thought?" The blonde mutters.

"Nah, that's took much work on you, might take longer than we have." Thomas tells Mae, looking back at Theresa, "She's gonna help us with that too." He holds up the scalpel.

Everyone in the room erupted into disagreement.

"I'm not letting that maniac touch me with that sharp thing!" Teddy snapped.

"And i'm not letting Teddy let that maniac touch him with it either!" Peter adds.

"You want her to slit our throats?" Mae yelled at Thomas.

"I-I wouldn't do that to you, Mae." Theresa spoke up.

Mae scoffs a laugh, "But erasing my memory, pushing me into a box, pretending to be on our team and betraying us to WICKED is something you can do? I think your morals are shifting."

"She'll do it." Thomas vows.

"We won't give her the chance to mess up." Gally firmed.

And so, Theresa was given the scalpel. The ones that were tagged fall into line, Mae stood behind the traitor, the gun never leaving Theresa's temple as she worked through each and every one.

Gally was next.

"Just, uh, try and stay still." Theresa muttered.

"Just, uh, try and do it right." Gally bit back.

Theresa sighed, making the cut along the nape before removing the tracker with a set of tweezers. When Gally winced, Mae clicked the gun off safety. Theresa froze at the sound, continuing with a shaky shoulder.

"I'm glad to see you both back together." Theresa tried to make conversation.

"Don't talk." Mae replied.

Theresa nods at the command. "H-He's done." She finished up the stitch.

Next was Teddy, who glared daggers at the teenager, "If you mess this up, I'll come back from the grave and haunt you."

"Noted." Theresa replied.

After Teddy was Thomas.

"Try and relax. This is gonna sting." She told Thomas, the scalpel inches from the back of his neck.

"Let's just get it over with." Thomas muttered.

The second Thomas winched, Mae pressed the gun deeper into her skull. Theresa let out a shocked gasp, before continuing her work.

"She enjoyed that." Gally muttered, throwing away the gauze.

"You're probably right." Frypan muttered.

Newt did his rounds with some clothes, "Here, see if these fit."

"You're looking better, Newt. Less pale." Peter comments.

Newt smiled.

"Better get going old man." Brenda throws Jorge his keys, "Long road ahead of you."

"You sure I can't talk you out of this? It's your last chance." Jorge muttered.

"I'm apart of Mae's platoon." Brenda joked, her face growing more serious when she adds: "She's a good Leader. I believe in her. You know, it's not like you to shy away from a fight."

Jorge sighed, "And it's not like you to go looking for one. Our young cuidadora has the kind of vengeance in her eyes nowadays that I'm scared for you to follow." He admits, "She'll get herself killed."

"She won't." Brenda firmed. "We'd never let her get that far."

"I just can't help but think if I walk out that door, I'm never going to see you again. Any of you." Jorge looked around, "Since when do we go sticking our necks out for strangers?"

Jorge knew the answer. He hated it, but he knew. He had gone from a leader of his own people, with a single daughter by his side; to blowing it all up to following a dream. A dream of a better life for both of them. And yet, he found more than he'd thought he'd get.

A family.

A group of children he couldn't help but care for, a place in the Right Arm where he was respected among adults who all want the same thing. To keep the children safe and watch WICKED burn.

"I was a stranger once, too." Brenda placed her hands on Jorge's shoulder. Together, they released a deep sigh, "Just don't leave us hanging."

"No, never."

Theresa turns to witness the hug, Mae's eyes follow, her cold expression faltering at the duo. Brenda and Jorge reminded Mae of her father, those memories being the only blessing from the return.

He was always a soft-spoken fellow. If Mae thought hard enough, she could picture his sandy blonde hair, her soft blue eyes and a smile she mirrored well. He had a gentle touch to parenting compared to the hard shell he had toward the place he WICKED.

As Ava climbed the ranks James was forced to follow, before simply finding a cure became about torturing and conditioning children. The night he planned to expose WICKED's darkness to the people of the city, he was killed at Ava's confession to the council.

The first traitor Mae was forced to face. The burn of the first person she's ever lost.

"She's looking good," Theresa's words bring Mae back to the present. Allowing her eyes to turn back to the conversation. "Healthy. How've you two been getting her serum?"

"What are you talking about?" Thomas forced himself to pretend on the outside that he didn't want to talk to Theresa.

Mae knew.

She can tell in the way his shoulders failed to tense up, in the longing in his voice. He wanted Theresa to change her mind. To follow them because she wanted to, to turn her back on WICKED.

"Brenda. I didn't think she'd still be alive."

Mae thought of Newt, glancing at the blonde who was smiling and laughing with Teddy and Peter.

"When was her last treatment?" Theresa continued.

"At the Right Arm, last time we saw you."

Theresa froze her movement, taking in Thomas words with several blinks. "But that was months ago."

Thomas shuffles forward at the scalpel that lingered near his skin, turning to face Mae in concern as they both stare back to Theresa. Mae lowers her gun just slightly.

"That's no possible. She should've turned by now. There's no way she could possibly still-,"

Thomas flings the chair back, standing up. "All right, that's enough. Come on, Mae, it's your turn." He takes the gun from Mae, motioning for her to sit.

Mae's eyes never broke from Theresa, her heart hammering in her chest.

"What? You don't believe me?" Theresa stands up as well, not caring about the gun anymore when it came to Thomas' hand.

Yet, Thomas clicks the gun in place. "Do you expect me to? You made your choice. Hurry up, we don't have a lot of time."

Theresa picks up the scalpel, working on Mae's tracker. Mae held her hair up, "Thomas, maybe we should hear her out." She softly spoke.

Thomas reels, "Mae, you can't be serious. I know for a fact-,"

"Teddy. He had a serum; he brought one with him, here. We gave it to Newt moments before you got back." Mae admits lowly, "If what Theresa says is true then we've had the real serum this whole time, it's-."

"Mae, stop feeding into her bullshit she just doesn't want us to kill her!" Thomas yells so loud it gains the attention of the others.

Gally rose up to his feet, stepping over with a set jaw. Peter lingered behind him. "Everything okay over here?" Gally asked, looking straight at Thomas.

"Yeah." Thomas and Mae spoke together, never breaking eye contact. You can hear the anger in their voices, all directed at the wrong thing, their aim pointing at each other instead of the enemy.

"Yeah, we're done." Thomas walks away.

"Mae?" Peter voiced, wanting a direct answer.

"It's fine." Mae promised, forcing a smile. "Theresa's almost done."

When the boys were out of earshot, Mae shuffled for Theresa to finish.

"Mae, if Thomas-,"

"I know." Mae mutters, "If my mother found out, she'd kill him, more than she already wants to. But then Newt-, we'd just have to be sure."

"Mae, so many children in that Tower- in the world; could use this. You have no idea." Theresa tried to reason.

Mae stared back, surprised at her words. "I have no idea? At what cost to Thomas?"

"One life-."

"A life that saved yours, a life that saved mine; all of us." Mae seethed in a low whisper, being more discreet with her anger. "Sure, if he's willing to give enough for a few that's one thing, but dissecting him? Draining him? It's worse than death. And the worst part? He'd say yes. But we can't save the whole world, we just have to save the many and evolve the best we can."

"The Mae I met in the Glade, even before that, wouldn't be like this." 

"The Mae you met was a severely traumatized child with no memories thanks to you." She snapped, grabbing the gauze herself.

Theresa's eyes burn with tears, "It's all I think about. Mae, I regret it more than anything."

"And you'll regret telling them about Thomas, too. I'll make sure of it." She threatens, standing up.

Gally let Mae walk past her, before moving toward Theresa moments before she grabbed at the scalpel, his hand goes over hers in a firm grip, "Nice try."

Gally leads her away, not seeing her grab Thomas' bloody gauze.

Mae met her friends halfway, snatching her gun back to Thomas and handing it to Peter. When he grabbed the end, Mae kept her hand in place, giving him a firm look, "When I go in there, I can't be armed. I won't have a single weapon on me. I need you to be my eyes."

"Mae," Thomas stepped forward, "You can't change up the plan last minute like that."

Mae glanced at him, "If Theresa walks in with two guard behind her it'll be more suspicious. We have more than enough bodies planted on the ground and Peter is good with a sniper. If anything goes sideways, Peter can handle it, I know he can."

Peter nods, smirking wide. "Oh, I can."

"He's the only piece I'm moving on the board, and if I'm going in first, I need to make sure I have good cover." Mae finished.

Gally smiled as he walked back over, patting Thomas' shoulder, "Works for me." He hands Mae her pack, adjusting the straps on her chest.

Mae placed one hand on the entrance door, looking back one last time at her family. "See you soon. Give me four hours max, if anything happens, I'll walkie you."

"Good luck, Mae."

Mae nods, releasing breath. Her eyes shift to Gally one last time, her smile faltering. Gally could only offer an encouraging wink, mouthing something along the lines of 'you got this'. Mae couldn't help herself, rushing forward to throw her arms over his neck, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Why does this feel like the last time we'll see each other?" She whispers.

"Won't let that happen, Flower. I just got you back." Gally whispers back.

Mae pulls back with a smile, her palm resting on the side of his face. She took all of him in, wanting to capture the memory before it fades. His deep-water eyes, his cupid's bow of his lips, the soft freckles on his face, the shape of his smile. Mae released a breath, burning the image in her mind.

Then, she pulls away completely, pulling the hood over her head, covering her face with a scarf. She nods once at her team, before pushing the doors open and stepping outside of Lawerence's base.

[ MERRY CHRISTMAS GLADERS !! ]
very excited to write a few au chapters before
the big battle scene. we'll get some ava + mae
content & a special surprise that I've been
waiting to share.

* 4,507 words
* Dec, 24, 2024