*The Fields*

Everyone kept staring at me; eyeing me suspiciously. Keeping their distance. Muttering under their breaths.

They clearly suspected me of almost killing Gally. Might as well lock me up if I was going to get treated like this.

I sighed and continued raking through the soil. Clumps of dirt kept spiralling through the air as I brought my rake down, showering me with brown dust. It was hard work, with the sun pummelling onto my back, but it was apparently easier than being a runner. Still, it was what I wanted to do.

"Doing good, partner," one guy said to me with a wink. Either he hadn't heard of Gally's condition, or he didn't care.

"Um, thanks." I swallowed and continued dragging the tool through the dirt. The guy remained standing by my side. I sighed. "Can I help you?"

He stared at me for a moment, then shrugged. "Names Glenn." He held out a hand and I took it gingerly. What did he want?

He glanced at me once more and then walked away, swinging a shovel back and forth.

That was weird.

"What was all that about?" Newt stalked over, looking vaguely displeased.

I shrugged. Was he getting jealous or worried? "I don't actually know. Told me his name was Glenn then walked away."

He grunted. "He's odd. Your doing a great job, by the way," he muttered with a wink, then strode off.

I heaved another sigh; my arms were beginning to ache and sweat clouded my vision. I was profoundly glad when dinner came around, and I abandoned my post to grab a sandwich from the food shack.

Chuck joined me moments later, and then Newt. Excluding Minho, these were my only friends around here. I suppose the other guys have only left me alone because of the past incidents. But throwing me in the slammer; what was that all about?

"Newt, can I tell Chuck?" I hissed to him while Chuck ran off for a bottle of water.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're asking me if you can tell him your own secret?"

I faltered; he was right. That didn't make sense. "No. I mean would it be stupid or wise to?"

"Well... he's your friend, right?" I nodded. "Then maybe you should. But what if he doesn't react to it well?"

I hadn't thought about that, but it was too late to reply as Chuck came bounding back to the table.

"Hey, Chuck?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to tell you a secret. You and Newt are the only people to know this, okay. So promise you won't tell anyone," I suddenly blurted.

Surprise flashed through his features, but he nodded carefully and leaned forward. "I promise."

That was good enough for me. I sucked in a sharp breath, bracing myself for his reaction. "I was experimented on by an organisation called WICKED before I arrived here and... and they've given me these weird... mind powers and I did that to Gally... I almost killed him." My voice sounded oddly strangled in the latter sentence, and I glanced skeptically at Chuck. What I'd just said probably didn't make sense.

He was watching me carefully, pondering something. "Did you say... WICKED?"

I frowned and nodded, slowly.

"You mean WICKED as in the people who sent us here? The people who designed this whole thing?"

I nodded again.

"The people who spy on us and send us things?"

"Spy on us?" This had perked my interest.

Chuck nodded, matter-of-factly. "There are these weird bugs that scuttle about all over the place. It says WICKED on their bodies. We think they spy on us."

"But that's... why have they done this? What the hell is the point?!" My voice rose in anger, and I gained a few terrified looks from the surrounding gladers.

"We don't know... we ask ourselves that question every day but we still-"

"Rowan!" Jeff's frantic shouting cut Newt off mid-sentence as he bolted across the glade and to our table. "Rowan!"

I jerked out of my seat to meet the panting med-jack, Chuck and Newt behind me. "What's wrong? Is it Gally?"

He shook his head, struggling to get the words out between gasping for air. "It's Minho. He's awake... And he's calling for you."