Thomas's hand slipped into mine, warm and grounding, as we walked down toward newt, Minho, and fry.

"So it finally happened" fry said when we joined them, a grin tugging at his lips.

I rolled my eyes.
"Oh, shut up" I laughed

"Fry and I win" Minho said, puffing his chest with that smug look of his.

"Are you serious? You bet on me again?" I asked

"Yep. He said you two would happen after we got to the safe haven. Fry and I said before. So... we win. Admit it, newtie" Minho's grin widened.

Newt laughed.
"Alright, alright, you bloody win" he said

I shook my head, laughing despite myself.
"I can't believe they dragged you into this, fry" I said

"What was the first bet?" Thomas asked, curious, his brows raised.

"Don't" I warned quickly.

"Oh, here we go, this'll be good" fry said, leaning in.

"Minho and I were betting on her feelings toward you" newt admitted.

I punched his arm, and Thomas broke into full-on laughter.

"I hate yall. Seriously. And why you didn't bet on Thomas, huh? That's sexist" I said

"No, no, no" Minho said, waving a finger.
"We didn't bet on him because he came to us drooling over you since day one" he added

Thomas's eyes went wide. I broke into laughter.

"Drooling, huh? Do you have feelings for me, Thomas?" I teased, scrunching my nose.

"Maybe I do. Who said that's a bad thing?" He shot back smoothly

"Could be debated" I grinned. He leaned in and kissed me.

"Alright, do that when I'm not around" fry groaned, but he was smiling as the others laughed.

The laughter faded into a soft silence. We sat there together, looking out across the mountains, the firelight of camp flickering against the night.

"I wish Alby could've seen all this." Newt said quietly.

"And Winston" fry added

"And Chuck" Thomas murmured, his thumb brushing over the carved figure chuck had given him. My hand went to the bracelet on my wrist, the one he made for me.

I stayed quiet. I had too many names I wanted to list.

"He'd be proud of you, you know Tommy. Both of you" newt said, his voice gentle.

"Yeah" Thomas whispered, a small, fragile smile tugging at his lips.

Fry broke the heaviness by shouting. 
"Hey, Aris!" He said

The boy waved back from across camp.
"Hey, guys!" He said

"I kinda like that kid" fry said, smiling.

"Yeah. Still don't trust him, though" Minho said

"Did Minho- the guy who trusts anyone in a second- just say that?" I asked, and everyone laughed again.

Then I looked around. Something felt off.
"Hey, where's Teresa?" I asked

"She went up there" newt pointed toward a cliff side.

"I'll be back" I said, standing and walking off.

I walked up to her standing alone, the wind catching her hair, her gaze fixed on the mountains.

"Hey Teresa, you okay? What are you doing up here?" I asked gently

"Just thinking." She answered, not looking back.

"Okay, I'll let you be alone" I turned to walk away.

"Do you remember your mother?" Teresa's voice stopped me cold.

I hesitated.
"Most of her. Some good, some bad" I said

"I remember mine. She was a beautiful woman. Everybody loved her. And before wicked she was all I had. When she got sick, I didn't know what to do. I just kept her locked up. Hidden. I thought she'd get better. Every night she'd make these awful sounds, like screaming. And then one night, she just stopped. She was finally quiet. I went down to her room. And there was blood everywhere. But she was just there, calm. She said she was feeling better. The visions were gone, she'd taken care of them." She said

I frowned, dread rising in my chest.

"She took out her eyes Reyna. There are millions of people suffering out there. Millions of stories just like mine. We can't turn our backs on them. I won't." She said, her voice cracking.

"What are you saying?" I asked

"I'm saying I want you to understand." She said

"Understand what, Teresa?" I pressed

"Why I did it" she answered.

My stomach dropped.

She looked out at the horizon. Lights appeared over the mountains, growing bigger and brighter. The hum of engines filled the air. It was WICKED. 

"Teresa..." my voice shook.

She turned to me, tears streaming down her face.
"Please don't fight them, Reyna." She said

My chest tightened, betrayal slicing deep.
"What have you done?" I whispered, horror settling in.

She cried harder, but didn't answer. She didn't have to.

I turned and ran.

I sprinted down the slope, the helicopters thundering overhead.

"No, no, no!" I screamed as fire erupted over camp, explosions lighting the night. I stumbled up the ridge, watching in horror as chaos tore through tents.

"Brenda!" I yelled, spotting the tent she'd been resting in. I rushed forward-

Hands grabbed me. I spun, fist ready- only to see her face.

"You dumbass. Come on!" she hissed, dragging me down beside Jorge.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Brenda snapped.

"We have to go now. While we still have a chance." Jorge said

"I gotta find the others" I said desperately, trying to run.

"No! Look! Look. We can't help them" Jorge's voice cracked like a whip. He pointed, forcing me to look.

I froze.

WICKED soldiers wee herding everyone into the open, electrocuting those who resisted. Thomas. Minho. Newt. Fry.

"No...no...no" my knees nearly gave out.

"I'm sorry. There's nothing you can do for them. If we don't move now, we won't be much better off." Jorge spoke again.

"You two need to go. Now" I told them, voice shaking.

"What?" Brenda said, eyes wide.

"They're not looking for you. You'll be safe. But you have to go now." I said

"Reyna-" Brenda started

"I can't leave without them. I can't." My voice cracked.

"Go" I added

Jorge pulled Brenda back. His eyes softened for a second.
"Good luck, kid." he said, then pulled Brenda with him.

I turned back.

Janson stood at the center of it all, soldiers flanking him.

I glance down at a bag by my feet. Then back to Janson.

"Where's Reyna?" Janson barked.

"Right here" I said, raising my hands as I stepped into the open.

Guards rushed me, grabbing my arms, shoving me to my knees. Janson stoped forward.

"Daddy dearest" I spat

"My child" he smirked, then drove his fist into my stomach.

I coughed, doubling over, but glared at him as the guards dragged me into line with Thomas, Minho, newt, and fry.

"Why didn't you run?" Minho muttered

"I'm tired of running" I whispered, eyes locked on Janson.

A berg descended, whipping the dirt into a storm. Ava Paige stepped out, her calm, cold presence enough to silence the soldiers.

"Is this all of them?" She asked

"Most of them. It'll be enough" Janson replied

"Start loading them in" she nodded.

"You heard her. Get them up! Let's go!" Janson barked

The guards hauled us to our feet. Ava's eyes found Thomas, then me.
"Hello Reyna, Thomas" she smiled like this was a reunion. The Teresa appeared at her side.

"I'm glad you're safe" Ava said, touching her arm.

The boys froze.

"What the hell?" Minho muttered
"Teresa?" Fry's voice broke.
"What's going on?" Newt asked

"She's with them" I said flatly

"Since when?" Thomas asked

"Oh, Teresa's always had an evolved appreciation of the greater good. Once we restored her memories it was only a matter of time." Janson said

"I'm sorry. I had no choice. This is the only way. We have to find a cure" Teresa said desperately.

"She's right. This is all just a means to an end. You used to understand that Thomas. You too Reyna." Ava said

"Yeah, that was before my own father tortured me" I hissed, but my eyes never left Teresa's. Her face crumbled.

"No matter what you think of me. I'm not a monster I'm a doctor. I swore an oath to find a cure. No matter the cost. I just need more time" Ava said

"More blood" Marys voice cut through, stepping forward.

"Hello Mary. I'd hope we'd meet again. I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances." Ava said

Mary's expression hardened.
"I'm sorry about a lot of things too. But not this. At least my conscience is clear" she said

"So is mine" Ava replied.

A gunshot cracked.

"Mary!" Vince screamed as she collapsed, blood soaking her shirt. He caught her, sobbing.

I turned, fury searing me. Janson lowered his gun, smoke curling from the barrel.

"This is what you choose" I said to Teresa, whose eyes were met with tears.

"Load them up! Let's go!" Janson roared.

A guard shoved me. I rammed an allow into his ribs and yanked the small bomb from my belt.

"Stand back!" I screamed, holding it high.

"Hold your fire!" Janson ordered, guards freezing.

"Stand back! Let them go!" I shouted at Ava, tears burning my eyes.

"Put that down, Reyna" Janson said

"Let them all go!" I shouted again.

"You know I can't do that" Ava said.

"Reyna, please stop. I made a deal with them. They promised we'd be safe. All of us" Teresa begged

"And I'm supposed to trust you now?" I snapped.

"It's true. It was her only condition" ava said calmly

"Shut up!" I yelled, my hand trembling over the trigger.

"Everything can go back to the way it was" Ava tried again.

"The way it was? You think I want to go back to beatings, to tortures? To my own father send me to die? You think that's what I want?" I spat

"Reyna, do you really want all of them to die?" Ava asked softly.

"Listen to her, Reyna. Think about what you're doing" Janson said, his voice the same one that haunted me for years, cold and commanding.

My chest heaved. Tera's blurred my vision.

Then- I felt them. Thomas. Minho. Newt. Fry. They walked up beside me, standing with me.

"We're with you, Reyna" fry said

"Do it Reyna" Minho urged.

"We're ready" newt whispered

"It's okay, Reyna. We're with you" Thomas said, voice steady.

"No" Teresa muttered.

"Don't" Ava warned

"We're not going back there" I said, voice shaking but firm.

"Reyna?" Avas voice was almost pleading now.

"It's the only way" I whispered.

Thomas leaned in close, so only i could hear.
"I love you" he said

I squeezed my eyes shut, my thumb ready to press down.

And then- yelling erupted.