We'd been walking for hours; it felt like days. The heat has sucked everything out of us. Our water gone. The ground rolled on forever toward the mountains. Night finally dropped and we collapsed, using packs for pillows. I stared up at the empty sky and tried to stop thinking. I hadn't slept properly since Winston- two nights now, maybe more. Time blurred.

Something nudged me awake. I rolled to my left and froze- tiny lights blinking against the mountain line. I shook Thomas.

"Guys, guys- hey, get up!" I hissed, shaking everyone awake. They scrambled, running dust from their eyes.

"Do you see that? It's lights" I said. My chest hitched.

"We made it" Thomas breathed. Like a prayer.

A thunderclap cut the air. The storm blew in fast, lighting slashing the sky. I glanced at everyone,
"Go, go, go!" I yell. I grabbed and my bag and we take off running.

"Come on! Move!" Thomas yelled. I slowed to help Teresa; once she was ahead I sprinted to catch Minho. A white flash split the world and everything went sideways. 

Pain exploded across my skull. I hit the sand hard and tasted metal. My hand came away sticky- blood. I pushed myself up and saw Minho flat on the ground, unconscious still.

"Minho!" I screamed and ran to him, but Aris and newt were already on him. Newt shoved me toward the building.
"Go- we got him. Get inside!" He yelled.

Fry held the door open. We tumbled through and he slammed it behind us.

"Put him down! Does anyone have a light? Watch his head" Thomas barked. A flashlight cut the dark and fell on Minhos face.

"Minho, wake up-please!" I yelled, standing right beside him. My head pounded. Everything blurred. Then a ragged breath- Minho exhaled.

"There he is" fry said, relief flooding his voice.

"There you go. Are you okay?" Newt asked

"What happened?" Minho rasped out

"I think you got struck my lighting" Thomas said

Minho groaned.
"Oh" he muttered. And everyone laughed.

My vision darkened at the edges; black dots flooded. My legs felt like jelly.

"Mean hoe alive?" I croaked, trying to be myself, stupid and loud.

"Yeah, he's fine" someone answered.

"Good cause- I think I'm about to pass out" I mumbled. I stumbled and someone caught me.

"Reyna!" A dozen voices yelled.

"What happened? You okay?" Thomas asked, helping me sit up. I tasted copper.

"Head-Blood" I managed. Thomas tore cloth from his shirt, hands already in the frantic light, and wrapped it around my head. The wrap was rough but it helped. I blinked. The ringing slowed.

"You alive?" Minho rasped.

"Can't kill me, jackass" I muttered and gave him a thumbs up.

Minho smirked.
"Yep, she's fine. She just likes the attention" he said. I flipped him off.

"Can you stand?" Thomas asked

"Yeah. Fine" I lied, letting him help me up.

A smell- rotting metal- hit us.
"What's that smell?" Teresa asked

A crank lunged from the dark.
"Behind you!" Teresa screamed; everyone jumped back. The crank tore against its chains.

Then, impossibly, a girl walked through the cranks like she owned them. Boots soft on the ground, no fear in her step.

"I see you've met our guard dogs" she said.

"Who's that?" Newt breathed.

"You guys look like shit" she added flatly.

"Feel like it" I mutter

"Come on- follow me." She said
"Unless you want to stay here with them" she said, and she didn't sound like she was joking.

We followed. Men with guns lined the path. I slid my hand to my waist to feel the could weight of the gun and knife. Small comforts.

"Come on- keep up. Jorge wants to meet you" the girl said as we walked past radios and bunk tests.

"Who's Jorge?" I ask

"You'll see. No ones come out of the scorch in a long time. You've just got him curious. And me too" she said

I glanced around.
"Anyone else starting to get a bad feeling about this place?" Newt whispered

Thomas glanced back.
"Let's just hear him out. See what he has to say" he said

I mentally roll my eyes, turning to meet.

I mouth the words:
"I have my gun" to newt, and he gives a small nod.

We entered a room that smelled of oil and old smoke. A man hunched over a radio, moving the knobs.

"Jorge, they're here" the girl said

"Quiet" he muttered. Moving more of the knobs on the radio.

I heard it faintly go silent. He cursed.

"Do you ever get the feeling the whole world's against you?" He asked, spinning around.

"Three questions. Where did you come from? Where are you going? How can I profit?" He asked. He looked broad, dangerous.

No one answered.

"Don't all answer at once" he said, with a dry laugh.

"We're heading for the mountains. Looking for the right arm" Thomas said.

A ripple of laughter.
"You're looking for ghosts, you mean. Question number two, where did you come from?" He repeats the question.

Minho stepped forward.
"That's our business" he said

A guard grabbed Minho and Thomas in an instant. My stomach dropped.

"Hey!" I lunged; a guard grabbing me. The girl moved fast and scanned Thomas's neck with a small device. She stepped back and handed it to Jorge.

"You were right" the girl said

"Right about what? What is she talking about?" Thomas demanded

"I'm sorry, hermano. Looks like you're tagged. You came from wicked. Which means you're very valuable" Jorge said plainly.

My hand slowly moved to my waist.
"Put them away" Jorge said casually, like ordering coffee. My hand was moving before I thought. I raised my gun.

"I don't think so." I said, voice cold as I held my gun up to him.

"If you can't help us, then we're just passing through. We're leaving now" I said

Jorge's eye flicked right- he was signaling the girl. Her arm reached for my gun. I moved faster. I spun, grabbed her wrist, twisted, and snapped her into a headlock, keeping my eyes on Jorge. Men lunged. I kept my voice low and steady, my gun on the girls head.

"Tell your men to back off or I shoot" I told him. My head ached but my finger did not tremble.

He hesitated- then nodded for them to leave.
"Thomas, close the door" I said, and he listened.

"Ten minutes." I said looking at Jorge.
"If I can't convince you, you take us back. If I can, you help us get where we want to go- and you come with us." I said

"How do I know you'll hold up to your side of the deal?" He asks

I gestured back at everyone behind me.
"Lock them up while we speak." I said flatly.

"Reyna-" Thomas started

"Thomas, shut up. No questions" I snapped, harsher than I meant it to be. My throat tasted of iron.

"So do we have a deal?" I ask

"Sure, hermana" he replied, and I let the girl go.