Clara checked again that her gun was in the holster at her waist, before tightening her backpack straps and joining Newt, Leo, Thomas, and Gally.

Gally scanned her once, frowning. 

Clara glared at him. "What?" 

Gally shook her head. "I thought your eyepatch might be a bit conspicuous,"

"I'm coming," Not an argument.

Gally nodded, holding his hands up. "Of course, but make sure you wear your hood, that goes for everyone,"

Clara scowled, but pulled up her hood, covering her hair. She had had trouble braiding it since Tris was captured. Even now, it was tucked into a loose ponytail. Maybe she would get it cut when they arrived at the safe haven. A new cut for a new life. 

Gally was taking them into the last city. Apparently, there was an underground entrance, that only the rebellion knew about. It was how they had been getting supplies in and out of the city. Though they weren't told, Clara had no doubt that an assault by the rebellion would be coming soon. 

Clara didn't give a fuck.

Whatever happened after they were gone was not her problem. She just had to get Tris and Minho out. The world could burn itself down after they were gone.

Gally gestured for them to follow him and Clara fell into step with Leo, who had also pulled up his hood over his hair. His jaw was set, eyes darting around. There was an unusual nervousness to him-- rare for the typically confident runner. 

They walked silently through the tunnel. Besides the dripping of water echoing in the distance, Clara could hear the rhythmic sound of their footsteps, even Newt's limp, which added a distinct echo to their otherwise on-beat steps. 

The noise of the underground rebellion bunker faded into the distance as they followed Gally-- his head high-- through the sewer tunnel. Despite its origin, there was no remaining smell, and the floor was dry as they approached the city. 

Finally, Gally stopped, glancing back at them once before climbing a ladder and pushing up a manhole. There was a pause, while he popped his head out of the hole. Once he decided it was safe, he gestured for them to follow. Thomas scrambled up after him, Newt following slowly.

Clara moved to climb the ladder when Leo grabbed her arm.

"Clara, are you sure we are doing the right thing?

Clara frowned, looking back at him. There was almost certainly something off. He couldn't keep his eyes on hers longer than a few seconds, and kept glancing about as if someone were watching him.

"What are talking about?" She asked, grabbing the first rung of the ladder. The rusted metal was cool to the touch.  

"Is going after Tris and Minho really a good decision? What if they've already been killed and we are just walking into a trap?"

Clara stared at him for a moment. Something was wrong, she could see it in the way he was shuffling, his hands shoved in his pockets. 

"Why would you say that?" Clara responded. "Tris is coming with us, WICKED's experiments be damned. We are making it together."

Leo sighed, and opened his mouth to respond, but didn't get the chance, as Gally ducked his head back into the hole and hissed at them to hurry up.

Clara scrambled up the ladder, her heart pounding. A second later, she could hear Leo following, somewhat reluctantly. Her head was swimming. Why wouldn't Leo want to save Tris? 

They came out in a shady alley. Despite the buildings all looking new, someone had graffitied the wall next to them. A stark blast of colours against an otherwise steel wall. There was a damp haze in the air and Clara cringed as it landed on her bare hands.

"What is this?" She asked, staring out at it. It was too sticky to be rain. 

Gally glanced back at them as Leo appeared behind her. "Antiviral spray. WICKED keeps it spraying 24/7. It doesn't actually do anything, but they claim it kills the virus in the air."

Clara's heart clenched. As terrified as the protesters had to be outside, it had to be just as scary living in the city, with no one available to cure them. 

There was a pause where Gally waited at the mouth of the alley, before he gestured once at them, and they followed. They quickly merged with a group of commuters, wearing thick medical masks and carrying briefcases. There was little talk, the streets crowded but silent. Clara could feel the fear in the air. 

Gally led them down the street into the downtown of the city, where they stopped in the center of a busy square. Clara tilted her head back, staring up at the massive building. The WICKED logo was emblazed in white neon letters, sending an eerie light over the gloom of the city. It wasn't the tallest building, but it was the most dominant. 

"If they have Minho and Tris," Gally spoke, gesturing towards the building. "They'll be somewhere in there."

Clara exhaled slowly, clenching her jaw. Even from across the square and underneath her hood and eyepatch, she could make out armed guards and cameras scanning the square as people moved in and out of the building. 

"We have to get in there," Thomas breathed. "We could maybe steal some of the uniforms? Slip in somehow." 

Clara pressed her lips together. It was going to be hard, but they could do it. She would go in for Tris. 

A loud commotion started at the bottom floor of one of the buildings. Clara twisted to look at it. A small coffee shop, with wooden chairs and tables, had been swarmed by armed guards that had appeared out of nowhere. They all had WICKED logos on their sleeves.

"What are they doing?" Clara asked, taking a step towards the commotion. A frail-looking man, with heavy eyebags, was being dragged out of the shop. He was thrown into the square and the crowd rushed back, staring at him. He was murmuring to the guards, but Clara couldn't make out what he was saying. She could just see his lips moving. 

Gally let out a sad sigh. "No matter how hard WICKED tries to keep the virus out, it keeps coming in. He's been caught with symptoms. He'll be banished or killed to stop the spread."

Clara blinked twice. She didn't like cranks, but surely WICKED had to be close to a treatment-- especially if Teresa had chosen to return to them. Couldn't they give them out to the people living here? 

"Come on," Gally hissed. "We should leave before WICKED catches us here." 

None of them moved though, watching as the man begged. There was a pause in the crowd, all of them surrounding him in silence, staring onwards. Clara pulled her hood down farther, watching underneath the shadows. 

A gunshot rang out beyond, and quickly, the crowd was thrown into chaos, everyone trying to run. One of the soldiers turned, clobbing his mate on the upside of his helmet. His gun had misfired. 

The sick man took the opportunity to flee, vanishing into a nearby alley. Clara didn't hesitate, following the man while the guards were distracted. 

She could sense the others following her, sense the irritation. 

Clara followed the man down the maze of alleys, until he finally stopped, panting for breath. Clara approached cautiously, her hands held up to show she had no weapons.

A hand grabbed her shoulder. It was Leo again, his eyes narrow.

"What are you doing?" He asked. "Don't you remember WICKED's warning? Only one of each boxmate was immune."

Clara scowled at him. "I don't give a shit if I'm immune or not, he needs help."

Leo stared helplessly as Clara approached the man, who had huddled down in the dark corner, holding himself tightly. She could see the signs now, the same ones that had plagued Winston. Dark veins were crawling up his hands, and his eyes were bloodshot. 

"I'm here to help," Clara spoke softly as if he were a scared toddler. "I'm not with WICKED. I'm a medic, and I want to help."

The man blinked up at her slowly, a thick haze clouding his eyes. Clara's heart clenched. She couldn't do anything but ease the pain if her knowledge of the Flare was correct. The man was too far along to treat with anything but whatever WICKED had-- and she couldn't risk bringing him with them. She had nothing to give him, no way of transferring the blood of an immune, which she had discovered could stave off the illness for a while-- based off of Thomas and Brenda. 

Clara dug into her bag, before taking out a few painkillers and an antiviral. It would only ease the pain long enough for him to be fully taken, but it would provide him a few minutes of clarity to get out of the city before he was killed. 

She approached him again, and she could feel the four men's harsh glares on her back. She crouched, holding them out to him. 

"Here, they will help you feel better for a bit, long enough to escape," She spoke.

The man stared, gently taking the pills from her, squeezing her fingers lightly in thanks. 

Clara nodded, and stood. She couldn't make him take them, but she had given him the opportunity. 

Leaving the man behind, Gally stared at her for a moment, and Clara could almost see a hint of newfound respect. 

Gally led the way back through the city. "Tonight, after curfew, we will go into the building. That is where we find the Gladers, and then get the fuck out of here."

~~~

Hello lovelies!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please feel free to vote and comment, I love hearing from you all!

Until next time,

Indigo