"After the Maze, I got picked up by a group headed to the city. They realized I was immune, patched me up, and they brought me here to Lawrence. Beth got here before I did, so she showed me around, told me what this place was all about." Gally led the group down farther inside the building, passing guards with weapons piled up in boxes. "This group's been at war with WICKED ever since they took control of the city. But WICKED can't hide behind those walls forever. Day's gonna come and they're gonna pay for what they've done."

Piper wanted to believe Gally's word, but she hardly knew him. Beth was on his side as well, and by how Thomas reacted to seeing him again, she had a feeling he was like Beth back in their Maze.

"Do you guys think Gwyn is okay?" Piper asked the girls as they kept walking.

"Beth wouldn't hurt her," Harriet assured her. "They were friends at one point."

"Yeah, but things happened, remember?" she pointed out.

"Wait, did she...?" Aurora began to say, asking in a state of shock.

"Kill Rachel? Yeah, she did," Maeve blurted out.

Aurora's face fell, blinking fast. "Shit. I didn't realize she was killed by one of your own."

Piper swallowed hard, feeling a lump in her throat. "Beth was out of it. Really out of her sticking mind."

Aurora remained silent after that, but Piper could feel her stare as they continued to follow Gally.

Finally, he stopped and turned around. "Listen, uh...he doesn't get a lot of visitors. So, let me do the talking, okay? Also, try not to stare." With that, Gally kept on going, though they were all starting to get reluctant to follow him.

The sound of classical music filled all around them, the mess of knick knacks and plants catching their eyes. The sun was shining through the windows, the place bathing with sunlight. There was a man standing by one of them, muttering to himself so quietly that no one could understand what he was saying. But as soon as he heard them coming down the stairs, he stopped.

"Gally. Glad to see you made it back," Lawrence said. "Jasper told me what happened."

"It was a slaughter," Gally replied. "There's nothing we could do against those guns."

"No, but they can only poke the hornet's nest so long before they get stung." He turned his face so the rest were able to see a side profile. He picked up a red rose and inhaled, taking in the smell from what was left of his nose. "Now, who are these people? Why are they here?"

"We need to get into WICKED," Thomas spoke up, standing beside his old foe. "Gally said you can get us through the walls."

Lawrence looked at us, the glare blocking our view of his face. "Gally should know better than to make promises that he can't keep." He tapped his fingers on the table, then sighed. "Besides, that wall is only half your problem. Getting inside WICKED is impossible." Grabbing his IV pole, the blue liquid dripping slowly, he strolled toward the two boys.

"There might be a way now. But it doesn't work without Thomas." Gally motioned his head towards Thomas, who looked confused at the mention of his name.

"Is that so?" Lawrence questioned. "Do you know what I am, Thomas?" Lawrence came into the light, revealing part of his face to be not so human. His veins stuck out along his face, which made it hard to look away, and one eye seemed to be working. "I am a businessman. Which means I don't take unnecessary risks. Why should I trust you?"

"Because I can help you." Thomas stood his ground, not wincing at his appearance. "You see, if you can get me through those walls, I can get you what you need."

"What is it that you think I need?" Lawrence inquired.

"Time. Every last drop."

Lawrence scoffed, looking at Gally for a brief moment. "Is that what I need?"

"WICKED has something we both want," Thomas pointed out.

The man slightly nodded. "I'll tell you what. Gally and Beth can take two each. The rest stay down here with me. Just a little insurance to make sure you find your way back." He stuck his hand out for Thomas to shake. "We have a deal?" Thomas looked down at his hand and took it, making Lawrence chuckle. "Gally, you and Beth show them the way."

Piper looked at her friends with a worried look, in which they shared the same expression with her, hoping that Thomas was making the right move.

*******

By the time the group got to the entrance to the underground, the sun was going down, and Beth and Gwyneth were finished with their talk. Gally explained to her what Lawrence wanted them to do, which she obliged. While Thomas and Newt were picked by Gally, Beth decided on Harriet and Sonya.

"Actually, I think Piper should go," Sonya spoke up.

Beth rolled her eyes. "Why is that?"

"Yeah, why is that?" Piper asked Sonya.

"Because you might be able to see him, that's why," she whispered.

"Do I really have to take the stick?" Beth asked, sounding annoyed.

Fed up with her already, Piper spun around and faced Beth, crossing her arms. "You know what, yes, you do, and you're not leaving without me."

Beth, wanting to put up a fight, clenched her fists, then sighed in defeat. "Fine. You can go for whatever stupid reason Sonya wants you to take her place."

Piper eyed Sonya, who waved and smirked at her. "Have fun."

A small grin formed on Piper's face. "You are such a crackface."

Gally put a ladder down, leading the way to the bottom. Thomas and Newt followed suit, then it was Beth, with Piper and Harriet going down last. At the bottom, they could feel the dirty water soaking through their shoes and the grainy texture sticking to their ankles.

Newt was the first to groan. "This is gross."

"Yeah, this is great," Thomas added sarcastically.

Beth used her flashlight for Gally as he started up a generator. Lights came on and shined all the way down a tunnel. "There. Now Piper over here won't be stepping on my heels."

Piper rolled her eyes in response. "Don't worry. I'll be sure to stay out of your way."

"I sure didn't miss all this bickering," Harriet commented.

"We got a ways to go, so I'd appreciate it if there wasn't any more bickering from you girls," Gally spoke up.

So they stayed quiet for a while as the boys walked up ahead of them. Finally, Piper started another conversation. "So Lawrence is a Crank, right?" she asked.

"Couldn't you tell by looking at him?" Beth retorted.

"Well, yes, but he didn't seem so out of it," she pointed out.

"You mean, he wasn't past the Gone," Beth stated. "No, he hasn't lost it just yet. That IV pole is giving him the Bliss."

"The what?" Harriet spoke up this time.

"The Bliss. It's a very expensive drug that only so many can afford. It slows down the brain function, which slows down the Flare. It's not a cure, just a temporary treatment."

"He's delaying the inevitable," Piper said.

"Pretty much."

"So what did you and Gwyn talk about?" she blurted out.

Beth scoffed. "You're one nosy stick."

"I'm just curious."

"Well, it's none of your business."

Piper opened her mouth to say something back, but Harriet stopped her, motioning her to not even think about responding. So she bit her tongue this time, for Harriet's sake. Of course, it  really wasn't any of her business to begin with.

Gally led them to a door, which he opened, sticking his head out. Then, he motioned the others to follow him out, joining the crowds of people walking with briefcases, professional clothes, and face masks. Piper felt like they all stood out from the rest of the people, wondering if they were drawing too much attention.

The lights from the tall buildings caught her eye, drowning out the moving people and transportation that was going on around them.

"Red zone, departing the station in five minutes. Thank you."

"Come on, this way," Gally said, leading them away from the crowd.

Once it was just them, Piper took more notice in the lights shining from the tall buildings. It was dark outside, the night hovering over them. The group slowed down and took it all in. Piper thought about how Jorge referred to this place as the lion's den, where she knew what to expect going in. While she could see why he called the city that, being inside now made her feel like she was standing in the middle of a jungle, full of chaos and surprises.

"This is a long way from the Glade," Newt commented.

"I can't believe this has been here all this time," Piper added.

"Fifteen minutes to mandatory curfew. Please proceed home in an orderly fashion. Remember, this is for your safety. Thank you for your compliance."

"Yeah, we better get off these streets," Gally told them as the announcer went off. "I know it's hard, but act like you've seen it before."

"That means, you, stick, so stop staring with your mouth wide open," Beth muttered near Piper's ear.

They began to quicken their paces as sirens began to blare and wail louder by the second. The six of them hid away from the car coming by, staying as still as possible.

"They've definitely upped security," Gally remarked, then faced the others. "I'm guessing you shanks have something to do with that."

"Well, Thomas took the lead, and we just followed him," Piper said.

Thomas turned toward her. "Thanks."

"Hey, the credit has to go to someone," Harriet pointed out.

"All right, let's just get out of here, yeah?" Beth spoke up, ending their conversation.

So this time, Beth helped lead the way with Gally. They crossed streets and avoided sirens or any other potential path of getting caught. They climbed a wall, where the two took the group inside an abandoned building. Everyone went a ways up, keeping up with them, then eventually, they arrived at their destination.

"There it is," Gally announced, pointing at the building with the letters WICKED shining vertically in the distance. "If WICKED's got Minho and Lillie, that's where they'll be keeping them."

"So that's where all of the immunes are at now," Piper assumed. "After that ambush we pulled on the train, there's no way WICKED would take the chance of moving any more kids."

"Wow, nothing gets by you," Beth replied, pulling out a telescope.

Gally took the object out of her hand, who placed it on a railing, turning it so it would stay in place. "Lawrence has been trying to find a way in for years," he explained. "Place is crawling with soldiers. They got surveillance everywhere." Gally looked through the telescope for a moment, then lifted his head back up.

"Scanners on every floor, too," Beth added.

"Sounds like a bloody fortress," Newt spoke up.

"Yeah, I thought you said you had a way in," Thomas said, sounding almost irritated with Gally.

Gally looked at Thomas, then back at the building, his hands fidgeting against the railings. "I might."

"You might, Gally? What the hell do you mean by that?" Thomas retorted.

Gally sighed, then motioned toward the telescope. "Take a look."

So Thomas slowly went in front of the telescope, then looked through it. He stood there for a brief moment before rising back up and staring at the building as if he had seen something shocking. "Teresa..."

"I said I had a way in," Gally reminded him. "I didn't say you were gonna like it."

"Thomas..." Piper intervened, getting his attention. "Is he there, too?"

He turned to face her and nodded his head. Piper looked in the telescope, adjusting her vision, and pointed it at the window. Sure enough, Aris was standing beside Teresa, engrossed in a clipboard, jotting something down. Every now and then the two were conversing, looking at their clipboards and comparing notes to each other.

Piper let out a small gasp as she took her eye out and faced Harriet with a sad look. "He's there with her."

"Who's he?" Beth asked, then widened her eyes in realization. "Oh, don't tell me that boy from the Glen is why you switched with Sonya to come out here."

"His name is Aris, in case you forgot," Piper snapped.

"So, I'm guessing he's now on WICKED's side?"

"Well, he wasn't at one point."

Beth shook her head. "I can't believe you have feelings for a traitor."

"Beth!" Harriet hissed her way, shooting her a warning look.

Piper hated to admit it, but Beth had a point. Aris was considered a traitor now, thanks to Teresa's persuasion, however she managed to do so. But seeing him inside, with her, working for their goal, their agenda. It hit differently and a lot harder.

"We need to head back," Gally finally said. "Let's go."

So Gally led the boys back down, followed by Beth. Harriet placed her hand on Piper's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." She took one last glance at the building before heading down with the others.

~~~~~~~

A/N: Yup, this was long, lol.

I definitely realized that I began getting back to this book (which is about a pandemic, I might add) RIGHT when we're going through a PANDEMIC ourselves.

Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! Song above is Jungle by X Ambassadors and Jamie N Commons.

Comment, vote, more to come!

-A