The explosion shook the ground beneath us, fire lighting up the street. We all flinched.

"They're supposed to take down WICKED, not the whole damn city" gally muttered.

"Gally, come on" Thomas said, already moving again.

Gally lingered. I grabbed his shoulder.
"You're with us now, okay? We've got your back" I said

He studied me for a beat, brow furrowed.
"You're different than I remember" he said

"People change" I said, patting his shoulder before pushing forward.

"Tunnels are right up ahead." Gally said, then his hand shot up.
"Shit. Hey, hey-get low" he ordered.

We crouched behind wreckage, the world burning around us. My body screamed with weakness- the tests, the beatings, the running. Everything was catching up.

"What the hell ate they waiting for?" I whispered.

The answer came with another explosion behind us. Gunfire. Screams. Dozens charging through the smoke.

"Down!" I shouted as bullets cracked through the air.

"We gotta go!" Gally barked. Minho and Thomas hauled newt up as we sprinted.

We dove into the wreckage of a half-collapsed store, hiding between toppled shelves.

"Brenda, are you there?" Thomas hissed into the radio.

"Thomas- I'm here" her voice crackled back.

His face twisted.
"Shit. We're not gonna make it." He said

"Wait what are you talking about?" She demanded

Shots rang through, plaster raining down around us.

"Just take the others. Hey everybody out while you still can" Thomas said

"No." Brendas voice snapped.

"Brenda-" Thomas started.

I held out my hand. Thomas hesitated, then pressed the radio into my palm.

"Brenda" I said, my voice breaking.

"Reyna? Rey, are you okay?" She asked

"Listen to me. You have to go. I can't have you dying because of me" I said

"No. I'm not leaving you." she shot back.

Thomas leaned in.
"Even though you should?" He asked.

Silence, then her voice again, steadier.
"Guys- don't worry. We're coming to you." She said

"What are you talking about?" I asked

"Our rides here!" She shouted, and a roar of a berg filled the background.
"Just look for us in near the tunnels" she said

I looked at Thomas, then newt, pale and shaking.
"We need hurry" I said.

"Almost there! Newt, just hang on, almost there" gally urged, but a car exploded, flipping into our path.

"Back. Back" gally barked, dragging us behind cover.

We sat newt down. His breathing rattled, black blood spilling from his lips.

"Leave me" he rasped.

A berg flew overhead.
"Okay, that's them. Come on" Thomas said

"Go without me, man" newt croaked. His chest heaved, his body almost convulsing.

Thomas's eyes locked on mine.
"Reyna. Minho- you gotta run ahead and grab the serum and get back to us as soon as you can" he said

My stomach dropped.
"No. Minho goes. Gally covers him. I'll only slow you down" I said

"What-?" Minho stared

"They're right. Let's go" gally cut in, already tugging Minho forward.

Newts shaking hands caught Minhos arm.
"Thank you. Thank you, Minho" he said

"Heya you just hang on, you hear me?" Minho said, voice breaking before he sprinted off with gaily.

Thomas squeezed newts arm.
"Okay, they're through. Come on." He said

Newts breathing turned guttural, almost animal.

"Hey, hey, newt! Newt!" I shook him. His eyes flickered back.

"We're gonna make it. We gotta go. Let's move" i told him, trying to help Thomas to get him up.

"No, no, no, Reyna, Thomas-" newt muttered.

"Newt, please" I beg.

He pressed two necklaces into my hands, his voice frantic.
"Take it! Please. Please, Tommy- Rey, please" newt pleaded.

I shoved mine over my head without thinking. He gave the other to Thomas.

"All right- I need you to give me everything you got" Thomas said

"Just us three, okay? Let's go" I whispered, gripping his arm.

We hauled him up, dragging him through chaos, step by step.

"Come on, newt. Please. No, no, no" my words fell apart when his body sagged.

"Hey, hey- no" Thomas muttered.

He checked his heart, he was still alive. But we were running out of time.

We dragged him further, my arms burning, when the radio hissed.

"Reyna? Thomas? Can you hear me? I need you to listen to me." Teresas voice cut through, desperate.

"I know you have no reason to trust me. But I need you to come back. You can save newt. There's still time for him. There's a reason Brenda isn't sick anymore. It's your blood. Both of you. Do you understand? She isn't sick, because you both cured her. I don't understand but your blood together destroys the flare. She doesn't have to be the only one. All you have to do is come back. And this will all finally be over." She said

I froze. My chest tightened.

"Please. Just come back. I know you'll do the right-" she started.

The signal cut out.

I looked at Thomas, tears streaming his face.

Then newt moved.

He staggered up, back hunched, eyes wild.

"Newt?" I whispered.

He turned. But those eyes weren't his.

He lunged.

"Newt! It's us! It's us!" I screamed, shoving him off Thomas. He snarled, slamming me into the ground.

"Kill me!" He begged, voice breaking through he madness.

I stood up, newt in front of me.
"Reyna- Thomas- kill me" he said

Thomas and I held are hands up gently, both of us sobbing.

"Please, Newt. Stay with us" I said

For a moment- he did. He blinked, clarity breaking through.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Rey, Tommy..." He said.

Then he ripped Thomas's gun free, shoving it to his temple.

"No!" We both shouted, knocking it from his hand.

His fury came back tenfold.

The knife flashed. He swung wildly- slicing my temple, slashing at Thomas. I barely dodged as he tackled me again, the blade glancing off my arm .

"Newt!" I screamed, shoving him back.

He turned on Thomas, the knife biting deep into his chest. Thomas roared, grappling, blood dripping. He threw newt off, panting.

I scrambled to my feet, but newt was already stumbling, knife clutched tight. He eyes locked on me.

He lunged. Grabbing my arm and pulling me close.

I froze. Waiting for pain.

But the blade never came.

I looked down, he had buried it into his own chest.

My scream tore through the chaos.

"Rey...Tommy..." newts voice was small. Then he collapsed into our arms.

"No, no, no, no-newt" I sobbed, clutching his as the light drained from his eyes.
"Newt, please. Please don't leave me" I cried

Thomas's cries broke beside me.

I pressed my forehead to newts chest, refusing to let go.

But the silence was final.

We backed away slowly, broken. My hand brushed the gun on the ground. I picked it up, meeting Thomas's shattered eyes. He gave me a nod.

Brenda's voice shouted our names in the distance, but neither of us moved.

We turned away, walking toward the city that had taken everything from us. Toward WICKED.

I tightened my grip on the gun, tears blurring my vision.

We were going to end this. 
Even if it killed us.