"You sure you gave her the right drug, Jasper? She isn't supposed to be out this long."

"I know what I was doing, Gally. Although she might be a little... tipsy when she awakes."

"Joan and I were always drunk without alcohol. Nothing new."

Confused, she continues listening for a while. Once the uncomfortable position on this wooden surface starts hurting, she moves a bit.

"Alright. Time for you to leave, Jasper." Thomas's voice.

"Sorry? I'm not—"

"We made a deal that you'd by safe with Lawrence as long as you brought her to us. Never said you could stay. Besides, she won't love you as much as she did before." 

"Fine." A grunt, followed by the sound of a door slamming closed.

She senses someone walking closer to her. With a quick movement, they tug the blindfold off her eyes, and she blinks against the sudden light.

After her eyes have gotten used to that, she looks around. The orangish lights are actually dim. It's a big room, with quite some furniture. In front of her, there's multiple people. Familiar people.

Gally, Thomas, Newt, and Frypan. And two faces she has seen in her dreams before.

"Welcome back," says Thomas.

She refuses to meet Gally's eyes, so keeps them on Thomas. "What do you want?" She bites out.

There's a fuzzy feeling in her stomach, though. And her head feels funny. As if she had too much moonshine.

"For you to stop murdering everyone before you turn into the actual villain. Stop killings yourself by taking your own blood. Stop thinking you'll manage to overpower WCKD all by yourself."

"You underestimate me, Thomas."

"What were you even planning on doing?"

"Break in, get the innocents out, blow them up." At that, she can't help but smile. It's kinda funny— no it's not. It's the damn drug Jasper put in her water.

Finally, she looks at Gally. He has changed in the six months they didn't see each other. For sure recognizable, but he's different.

He looks freaking awesome.

"Where is Camil? Chuck? Minho? Winston? And who the fuck are that?"

They all share a glance, betraying the answer will be no good. "Camil and Minho have been captured by WCKD," Thomas announces. "Chuck is safe with your f— Vince. Winston... he, eh..."

"He killed himself before we turned into a Crank," Newt says.

Ah.

"Good to know," she replies, while she feels like throwing up. "Would you let me go?"

"No."

Slowly, her hands, which are tied on her back, reach for her pocket.

"We removed that knife."

She moves to shake— "And the one in your waistband," Fry adds.

Okay, maybe they didn't— Yeah, nothing in your shoes, either."

"Don't have to try your wrist."

"And the hairpin is right here." Thomas holds the thing up, and pulls at the end; the blade appears.

"Alright. Fine. You got me."

One good thing about them not knowing many girls, they don't know how much they can hide in their bras. She still has a knife. Just can't really reach it.

"Well, and now?"

"You're going to help us."

"Absolutely not. Go to the damn Safe Haven or something. I've got a whole army I can send at the city. And what do y'all have? Not much."

"I don't think this is going to work, Hermano," the man she recognized before murmurs.

"We're going to break in, dressed as guards, save Minho and Camil and the other kids, then break out."

"And then what? WCKD will still exist? Blow them up."

"Lawrence will do that."

"I have no idea who that is, but sure." After a few seconds, she grins at Thomas. "Where is your little girlfriend?"

He stiffens, and Newt steps closer. "Don't listen to that, Tommy."

"You know, really thought you would be together with Newt by now. Come on, pull out a pickup line or something."

The man leans in to murmur to Thomas again. "How much drugs did Jasper give her?"

"Probably too much."

"Helpful," she snickers. "I'm not helping with your plan, though."

"And what if we force you?"

Her eyes flash to Gally. "And how do you want to do that? You won't electrocute me."

"Got a point," Frypan mumbles.

"Thanks, Frypan."

"Otherwise, we'll keep you here," Thomas decides.

"You didn't even make a proper plan, did you? Because you're making this up. Really thought I'd say yes."

"Yeah, we kinda did. We thought you were our friend," Newt says.

"One of the last few times I saw you, you left me to die with a Griever."

"I thought you could still bloody control them!"

"Then why didn't you force me to stop them instead of attempting to throw my into the Slammer?"

Silenced— she can't help but grin a bit. While they're the ones who have her tied up, she got them right where she wants.

Thomas shakes his head. "How many people have you killed at this point? Does it feel that good?"

"I mean, had to find a way to get pleasure after leaving Gally behind."

The girl next to that man snorts. When she receives a few glares, she starts coughing. "Think I might have a cold," she apologizes, but the smirk is there.

"You really want to back to all those Cranks and give them your blood until you die? Because they'll eventually die if you die, too."

"Yeah, and if I go, they'll definitely die. Unless maybe I can have a little of your blood?" She tilts her head to the side. "I'm not helping you. But if you want me to be around that badly, you can always come with me."

"We're not doing that."

"Okay. Just know that I won't be helping you."

"Then we'll keep you here. Tied up, so you can't do much."

"Kinky."

"Oh my freaking God." Newt runs a hand through his hair. "Just tape her mouth already."

Her mouth opens, and— "Do not say whatever dirty thing you just thought of," Gally interrupts.

Her mouth closes again.

It's silent for a while. She trails her eyes over them, but it's so awkward that she eventually bursts out laughing, which only makes their faces funnier, and only makes her laugh louder.

"This is insane," the man comments.

"And who are you?"

"Jorge."

"And you?"

"Brenda."

"Unfortunately, there could've been greater circumstances to meet, but nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Thomas murmurs something to Gally, who shakes his head. More murmurs until he rolls his eyes, then nods.

He kneels down in front of her. "Give the other knife."

"My hands are tied together."

Sighing, he unties them. "Give the other knife."

"Make me."

"Joan—"

"Or grab it yourself." She shrugs. "Dark red might be even better than navy blue, right?"

His jaw tightens. "Please just take the knife."

"Begging— cute, but no."

"They really are ready to keep you here, and tape your mouth shut, alright?" Gally lowers his voice. "Just do it."

No matter how much her stomach twists, or how good his voice sounds, or how much impact he has on her, she shakes her head. "You're free to take it, though."

"I'm not doing that."

"Why not? Nothing you haven't done before. And you've got my consent." Her eyebrows raise. "What's the problem? Afraid you're gonna get a problem?"

Three seconds, her hands have unfortunately been tied together again, and her mouth is covered with tape.

Even more unfortunate, she knows that as long as she keeps wetting the tape with her tongue, the sticky part will eventually give up, and she'll be able to get it off her without using her hands.

It satisfies her that they'll never ever be able to catch up with how much she knows, or how fast she can think.