Disclaimer:

I do not own The Maze Runner, but thank you once again for all of your votes and comments on Error!

-✼-

Maseo worked for W.I.C.K.E.D.

Maseo was what caused Julia to unleash the Cranks on us.

Maseo caused me to kill Theo.

Maseo was why Theo was dead.

I blinked, letting the information process in my brain before my eyes began to sting. Emotions washed over me like a tidal wave- anger, hurt, betrayal, and grief. Tears slipped out and ran down my face until I was silently sobbing in front of Maseo. My chin trembled as I shook my head and pulled my lips into a frown.

"You shucking son of a--"

Before I could continue my curse, Maseo held up a weary hand and interrupted. "We must go now if we are to stay ahead of the others."

I bit my lip and continued to stare at him with my eyes narrowing. The rage made my glare sharpen until I was practically throwing daggers at him. I sucked in a shaking breath and balled my hands at my sides, my fists shaking.

"Brenda and Jorge are in on it, too," a familiar female voice spoke from the shadows. Maseo closed his eyes in either annoyance or exasperation before a figure stepped into the moonlight.

The young woman had her wavy, dark hair braided down her back and her olive skin appeared washed-out in the silvery light of the moon. Her brown eyes watched my reaction carefully. Her black tank and matching jeans weren't what she was wearing when I met her, but I'd recognize that sadistic smile anywhere. Julia.

"--bitch," I finished lowly, seething at her. My scowl deepened as I practically shook with rage.

"Aw, Maseo," Julia cooed, clasping her hands together and bringing them under her chin as if admiring me. "Look how little she is!"

"What - the shuck- is going on?" I questioned angrily, my eyes shifting between the two as I waited for an answer. When they didn't give one, my tongue filled with poison that caused me to sneer at them. "Huh? You're telling me Brenda and Jorge work for W.I.C.K.E.D, too?"

Julia threw her head back and laughed cruelly. The sound was malicious and dreadfully musical. "Of course they do. Their job was to get you to the safe haven."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Let me guess: it doesn't exist. If it did, you'd be taking me there, but you're taking me to a Berg."

Maseo said nothing in response. He simply huffed and turned around, starting to walk down the slope of the mountain. "Come on. We have to reach the bottom before sunrise."

I couldn't believe it. That entire time, we had left W.I.C.K.E.D only to be brought back there in the end. We were on a wild goose chase for something that didn't exist. False hope had been filling me that entire time, and it was being deflated with every word they spoke. All of the things I believed were really lies behind carefully placed curtains.

Julia gave me a shove so I was forced to walk. I sent her a glare full of hatred before following behind him. My legs ached from so much walking in the past two weeks, muscles cramped and begging for a break.

"What'll make you stop me from running back to Group B?" I asked sourly with my jaw clenched. I had never felt this angry before in my life. Was anything ever not planned? Would I ever be free from the clutches of W.I.C.K.E.D?

Once again, Julia laughed as if my question was obvious. "Stupid girl. They can't see or hear us. Run back to them all you want- you'd starve."

Great. So, I literally had no choice but to follow them. My two favorite people in the world. Yay.

"Why aren't you bringing me back to my group?" I questioned with genuine interest. They were answering my inquiries - or, at least, Julia was - no matter how bluntly. My fear and nervousness were increasing with each realization of how little control I had.

"They don't need you for the Scorch Trials anymore," Maseo answered that time. "Your purpose has been fulfilled, and now they'll move on to Phase Three."

"Phase Three?" I blanched. The safe haven thing I could grasp, but the Flare... "There's no cure?"

"Nope," Julia replied simply like it was no big deal I had been lied to again. "Not yet, anyways. That's what they need you for. And your brother. And maybe that chick."

What was so special about Thomas, Teresa, and I? I had my memories, but what could that contribute to the Flare? What made us different than the rest?

"No more questions," Maseo shot me down before I could ask another. "We've said too much already."

I snapped my mouth shut and rolled my eyes. It was going to be a long walk to the Berg.

-/-

The sun was an orange ball spilling color over the night sky. It spread bright hues that made me yearn for the earth to be normal. If it was, I could enjoy sunrises like that so often that they'd lose their awe-inducing beauty. But the earth was scorched by sun flares, a disease was slowly driving everyone insane, and I was possibly marching to my doom.

The walk was silent except when Julia would whistle and Maseo would shush her. Despite being partners, they didn't seem to enjoy the other's company very much. It was understandable considering they were practically foils for one another. Maseo was level-headed, constantly thinking of the goal and getting the job done. Julia was slightly off the wall and definitely more wild than he was, convinced she knew everything. She was cruel and hated me. I didn't mind. I hated her, too.

"The Berg will land in ten minutes," Maseo announced, causing my head to lift from where I stared at the ground. We were approaching the base of the mountain, where the land leveled out to a hard and dry rock that was severely cracked. "Let's go!"

He broke into a run, leaving me no choice but to copy the action. I attempted to make my breathing as steady as possible as I ran, reminding myself of my time as a Runner. Oh, how much I disliked it. My feelings toward it were no different even then.

After what I assumed was less than ten minutes, Maseo slowed to a stop and held a digital watch up to his face. "Two minutes."

Julia waited with her arms crossed and weight shifted onto one foot. Her mouth was puckered impatiently, dark eyes on the brightening sky. Her youthful face was impeccable compared to mine, which was full of sand, blood, and dirt. I wondered if I'd have access to a shower, at least.

I saw it before I heard it. The Berg descended slowly, causing the wind to pick up around us and for my hair to blow in my face. I shielded my eyes from the dust and sand that blew around in a stifling mixture that made my eyes itch. Then came the sound, as deafening as before even with my lack of hearing.

As soon as the rope ladder was dropped down, Julia grasped onto it with both hands and started climbing. Maseo directed me forward so I would go next. With a sigh, I climbed up as well until I found myself crawling through a hole in the floor of the Berg. I barely had a chance to look around at my all-white surroundings before I was hauled to my feet and forced along.

What was it with W.I.C.K.E.D and the color white? It was everywhere, just like in the main facility. White walls, white floor, white ceiling, white clothes. I looked terribly out of place in my dirty attire and disheveled appearance.

I was lead through a series of hallways - the Berg was much larger than the one I had been in before - filled with unmarked doors on either side. The air was brisk and cool compared to the stifling heat of the Scorch. Everything was so clean it was uncanny- every person I saw had not a hair out of place. I wondered if I appeared strange to them.

The scientist in front of me held open a door, and when I walked inside, my breath was taken away. The woman sitting at the desk was someone I knew. Her brunette hair was pinned back into a neat bun and her lifeless brown eyes attempted to look cheery when I was guided in front of her desk- if you could call it that. The thing was cheap and seemed to struggle holding the weight of a few things.

"Hello, Dylan," she greeted in a velvety voice. "You may recognize me as--"

"I know who you are," I cut her off sharply, but didn't take her by surprise. It was almost as if she was expecting me to intervene. "Ava Paige."

I thought she was dead. I thought I had watched her die from a bullet to the spine. Apparently, it was just another lie. Why was I not surprised?

She nodded and folded her hands on the table in front of her. "Please, take a seat." Her head jerked toward a chair in front of her. I hesitantly sat down on the edge of it. "I'm sure you might have a lot of questions. Maybe the most prominent one is where your friends are. I am being truthful when I tell you they're still in the Scorch. Their assigned agents are making sure they reach the marker before the deadline passes. Why are you here and not with them? Well, it has to do with that device inside of your head.

"We call it 'M.A.R.D: Memory Analysis and Recording Device. It has been installed in your brain to sharpen your memories and deliver them to us so we are aware of what you are seeing and to what extent."

"Janson," I spat under my breath, "you shuckace."

If Ava heard me, she ignored the comment. "M.A.R.D forces your brain to bring memories to the surface once the window of possibility is open. To do that, however, something has to trigger it. We aren't exactly sure what it is yet. It has kept you alive. Remember that.

"We never expected for you to end up in the Glade. As you more than likely already know, you were supposed to be with Group B as the equivalent to Thomas, but we had to replace you with Rachel last-minute. There's a reason we let you stay. After learning that Thomas remembered your name, we anticipated a rapid strengthening of your own memory. And we were correct in doing so. Your brain is much different than the others'."

She passed me a manilla file and nodded for me to open it. When I did, I was met with a picture of what I assumed was me at the age of seven, blank-faced and slightly frightened. Then, behind it, a paper with my information on it typed in blocked letters.

KNOWN INFORMATION: SUBJECT B1

Name: Lucille "Lucy" O'Brien, Dylan, The Error

Age: 16

Age submitted: 7

Group: B, currently residing with A

Flare Status: Unknown

Blood Type: AB

Surviving Family Members: Stephen O'Brien, Thomas, To be Killed by Group B

Excelling Subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Health, Martial Arts

Phobias: monophobia, achluophobia

Acquaintances: Newt (A5), Minho (A7), Teresa (A1), Theo (A12), Sonya (B3), Brent Arson

I glanced up from the file to see Ava watching me expectantly. I raised an eyebrow at her, unable to decide how to feel about my personal information being handed to me as simply as that.

"Why are you letting me read this?" I asked. Was it even real? Was my last name really O'Brien, my full name Lucille?

"Because we want you to remember," Ava replied patiently.

"Yes, but this seems a little showy." I closed the file and put it back on her desk, all the while not taking my eyes off of hers. I didn't know whether or not to trust a thing she said after what she did to us. "Why only me? Why not show Thomas his, or Newt, or Minho?"

Ava folded her hands again, her ruby red lips pressed into a thin line. "I understand your hesitance to believe this, but I can assure you that everything in that file is real. We think that if you read through it, you'll remember your past more quickly."

Her next sentence managed to chill me to the bone.

"You are the one we need, Dylan. You could help us find the cure."

END OF BOOK TWO.

----

to be honest, i really don't know how to feel about this. i tried to explain everything, but i'm afraid it sounds weird. what are your opinions?

i can't believe book two is over already! there's only one more book to go. it's crazy!

the third book should be up soon, if not VERY soon, so stay tuned!!

-kristyn