"We found this. It was inside the griever." Thomas says, handing newt the metal piece.

"These are the same letters we get in our supplies." Newt points out, frowning.

"Yeah. Whoever put us here obviously made the grievers. This is the first real clue- the first anything you've found in three years. Right, minho?" Thomas asks

"Right" Minho agrees, arms crossed.

"Newt, we gotta go back out there. Who knows where this might lead us." Thomas says

"You see what he's trying to do, right?" Gally interrupts, standing up.
"First he breaks our rules, and then he tries to convince us to abandon them totally. The rules are the only thing that have ever held us together. Why now are we questioning that? If alby was here, you know he'd agree with me. This shank needs to be punished" he says

I push off the wall I was leaning against.
"Hey, gally. Shut the hell up, would you?" I say

The whole crowd shifts, eyes snapping to me.

"What did you just say?" He asks

"Oh, you didn't hear me? Let me repeat myself- Shut the hell up, would you?" I step forward

"I heard you the first time. What makes you think you have any right to tell me to shut up?" He asks

"Maybe it's the fact that you're a complete jackass?" I shrug

"You know what-" he starts, but I don't let him finish. My fist connects with his jaw and he goes down hard.

"Reyna!" Voices shout as Minho grabs my arms, pulling me back while gally scrambles to his feet.

"I'll say it again" gally growls, voice louder this time.

"No, I'll say it again. Shut the hell up before I make you, shank!" I yell, fighting against Minhos grip.

"Enough! Both of you!" newt yells, his voice sharp enough to cut through the chaos. Everyone freezes.

"You're right. Thomas broke the rules, and now so did Reyna. One night in the pit, no food, both of you." Newt declares.

"One night in the pit? Do you think that's gonna stop him from going into the maze? Or Reyna from going insane?" Gally spits

I grit my teeth to stay quiet.

"No." Newt answers calmly
"And we can't have non-runners running into the maze whenever they feel like it. So let's just make this official. Starting tomorrow you're a runner." He nods at Thomas. Then looks at me.
"And starting tomorrow, Reyna- you're a member of the council." He says

My head snaps up. Where did that come from?

The crowd erupt in noise, half cheering, half arguing. Gally mutters something bitter under his breath before stroking off. Fry tires to calm him down, but he shoves past and disappears into the crowd.

Thomas thanks newt quietly, and Minho leads him out.

When the others finally clear out, I turn back to newt.
"Mind telling me where that came from?" I ask

He meets my eyes, steady.
"You're different, Rey. Everyone's seen it since the day you came up." He says

"No shit- I'm a girl" I mutter.

"Not because you're a girl. Because you think differently. You don't let emotions cloud a decision, not when it matters. You're ruthless when you need to be. Alby and I talked about it for a while. We need you on the council" he says

Something twists in my chest, uneasy. Ruthless. The word clings to me like blood I can't scrub off. For a second, I hear the echo of that cold voice from my nightmares:
"Pain first. Then cold. Then blood. Repeat"

I swallow hard and try to shake the feeling off.
"That might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me, momma newt" I say

He laughs and I speak again.
"Thank you. I mean it" I say,the faintest smile on my lips.

"That might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me" he says

Before I could answer, shouting erupts outside. We bolt out and follow the noise to the lookout. The girl- the one from the box- was awake and throwing things down at everyone clustered below.

Newt runs forward, trying to reason with her. I hang back, shaking my head at how stupid they all are to stand directly under a crazy girl with a death grip on supplies.

Thomas and Minho push through, looking just as lost as the rest. Enough of this. 

"Hey! It's me, Reyna!" I shout up.

The throwing stops. Her head pokes out, eyes narrowing.

"Thomas is here too. We're going to come up, alright?" I yell, then she steps back out of sight again.

"Just us" I motion everyone else back before climbing.

The girls standing with a machete raised when I climb up.
"Woah, easy" I say, hands up, careful.

"Where am I? What is this place? And why can't i remember anything?" She asks quickly

"This is all normal. We've all been through it." I tell her gentle as I can.

"Your name will come back to you in a couple of days. It's the only thing that-" Thomas starts

"Teresa" she cuts in

"What did you say?" I ask

"My name. It's Teresa" she says

"Okay. Teresa. I'm Reyna, this is Thomas. But you already knew that, huh?" I say

"They said I kept saying your names in my sleep. Who are you?" She asks

Thomas shakes his head.
"We don't know. None of us can remember. We all woke up here just like you did" he said

"Hey- I promise.... I'm going to take this" I murmur, slowly taking ten machete from her hands. She lets me.

From below, gally yells. 
"What's going on up there?" He said

I roll my eyes. Looking over the edge.
"Is she coming down?" Newt asks

I look back at her, then back down.
"Just give us a second, alright?" I yell

We sit in the edge, legs dangling. Teresa stares out at the maze, pale.
"She's the last one ever. What does that mean?" She asks

"I'm not sure." Thomas admits.
"But ever since you came up the box hadn't gone back down. I just think it's got everyone a little worried" he adds

"Especially gally" I mutter

"He thinks it's my fault." She says softly

I hesitate.
"Are you sure you don't remember anything else?" I ask her.

"I remember...water. Feeling like I was drowning. These faces staring at me. And this women's voice saying the same thing over and over." She says

I tense.

Thomas, Teresa and I speak at the same time.
"Wicked is good" we say.

A chill runs down my spine. That phrase. That voice. For a second, it's not a woman's voice I hear- it's his. Calm, commanding. The same voice that drilled pain, cold, blood, repeat into me until I forgot how to feel. The voice I almost recognize.

I used to think it was just nightmares, but now- now I know it's not.

Thomas breaks the silence.
"Ever since I've been here I've had these dreams. Well i thought they were dreams....You-you were there. And Reyna- you were there too. I remember you saying everything was going to change" Thomas says

Teresa frowns.
"What does it mean?" She asks

"I don't know. I just always get pieces." Thomas admits

"And the others don't remember anything?" She asks

"No. Just us." My voice was low.
"Why are we different?" I add

Teresa digs in her pocket, pulling out two small vials.
"These were in my pocket when I came up." She says

I take one, handing the other to Thomas. The glass cold in my hand.

"W.C.K.D. Wicked is good." Thomas muttered

"What if we were sent up here for a reason?" Teresa whispers

I glance down at the vial, heart pounding.
"Alby" I mumble, suddenly remembering the leader still unconscious in the med-jack room.