❝ 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 ❞
▬▬ Chapter 09
• . ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳₊·͟͟͟͟͟͟͞͞͞͞͞͞➳💧

Madison sighed, her legs shaky as she stumbled out of the car, the sudden motion leaving her head spinning. Minho was at her side in an instant, his strong arms steadying her before she could collapse. "Easy there," he said softly. She nodded, sobering up quickly as the world around her steadied.

"Well, I guess we're on foot," Jorge muttered, scanning the desolate horizon, his expression grim.

The group moved forward, navigating a labyrinth of abandoned, rusting vehicles scattered across the cracked road. Madison and Evie kept their distance from each other, the space between them filled with a weighty, unspoken tension. It hung in the air like a storm cloud, unyielding and suffocating. Everyone felt it—the silence only amplifying the rift between the two friends.

Eyes scanned the surroundings warily, looking for threats hidden among the wreckage. The stillness was eerie, like the calm before a storm. Suddenly, a gunshot shattered the quiet, the deafening clang of the bullet ricocheting off a nearby car narrowly missing Madison.

"Get down!" Thomas bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos.

"Take cover!" Newt added, diving behind a derelict sedan as the others scrambled for safety.

Madison ducked behind a battered vehicle with Aries and Evie, her breath coming in short, panicked bursts. Her heart thundered in her chest as adrenaline coursed through her veins.

"Is everyone alright?" Thomas called out, his tone laced with urgency.

"Yeah!" Madison replied, her voice shaky but loud enough to be heard over the din.

"Where did those bloody shots come from?" Newt asked, his sharp eyes darting across the landscape.

Before anyone could answer, a commanding voice pierced the air: "Drop it! Now! Hands where I can see them! Move it, back up!"

The group froze, startled by the sudden bark of orders. Emerging from the shadows, two figures approached with raised weapons, their faces obscured by masks.

"Madison? Evie? Aries?" one of them called out.

The trio blinked in disbelief, their eyes widening as recognition dawned.

"Harriet! Sonya!" Madison shouted, breaking into a run as she and Evie embraced their old friends.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?" Harriet asked, her tone a mix of relief and confusion.

"You're lucky we didn't shoot your dumb ass, Maddie," Sonya muttered, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I missed you too," Madison said, her laughter breaking the tension.

The sound of boots crunching on gravel drew their attention as more people emerged from the shadows, their faces wary but curious. Harriet whistled sharply, signaling it was safe. "Come on out! It's clear!" she yelled. Relief rippled through the group as they lowered their weapons.

"My god, you guys are alive," Sonya said, her voice thick with emotion.

The group moved toward the waiting trucks as Harriet and Sonya exchanged hurried words with their companions. "Hop in," Harriet said, opening the truck's doors. "We'll take you to base."

The drive was silent, everyone absorbing the whirlwind of emotions. As the vehicles approached a sprawling mountain camp, Madison's eyes widened in awe. Tents stretched out in organized rows, and people bustled about with purpose.

"Welcome to the Right Arm," Harriet said as the group disembarked. "We've been building this for over a year. It's all for us."

The reunion was interrupted by an urgent call from Vince, the camp's leader, as Brenda suddenly collapsed. Panic spread through the group, Jorge's cries cutting through the commotion. Guns were raised, tension high as Vince ordered them to check Brenda.

Just as the situation threatened to spiral out of control, a calm, authoritative voice spoke from the shadows. "Stand down." A woman stepped into the light, her gaze falling on Thomas and Madison.

"Hello, Thomas. Madison," she said with a knowing smile.

Madison blinked, caught off guard. "You know us?"

The woman nodded. "Interesting. It makes sense they put you two in the maze. Twins. Though I admit, I thought WICKED might kill you, Thomas, after what you did."

"Twins?!" Madison and Thomas exclaimed in unison, their voices echoing with shock.

The woman chuckled softly. "You didn't know? WICKED separated you for the trials. Twins would be too strong a bond. They needed to test you individually."

Thomas's breath caught in his throat. "But... why?"

The woman sighed, her expression somber. "WICKED believed separating you would push you to your limits, force you to grow in different ways. You, Thomas, were placed in the Glade to lead. Madison, you were placed in a maze designed to test resilience and adaptability. They wanted to see how far they could push you."

Madison's voice was barely a whisper. "So... we were experiments."

"Yes," the woman admitted. "But you were also their hope. You're immune, both of you. They believed you could unlock the cure."

The revelation left them reeling, the weight of their shared past settling heavily between them.

Later, as Madison sat with Evie, Aries, Harriet, and Sonya, the conversation turned lighter, filled with laughter and stories. But Madison couldn't shake the whirlwind of emotions from the day.

"Madison," Evie said softly, pulling her aside. "Can we talk?"

"Of course," Madison replied, following her behind a tent.

"I'm sorry," Evie began, her voice trembling. "For everything. I overreacted. I was angry, but I never stopped caring about you."

Madison's throat tightened. "No, Evie, I was selfish. I wasn't thinking about how my choices affected you."

Tears brimmed in Evie's eyes as she embraced Madison. "We're all we've got, Maddie. I love you."

"I love you too," Madison whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

As they rejoined the group, Thomas approached Madison, his face etched with a mix of wonder and hesitation.

"So... twins, huh?" he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Madison laughed softly, the sound laced with disbelief. "It's crazy, right? All this time, and we didn't even know."

Thomas reached out, resting a hand on her shoulder. "But now we do. And no matter what WICKED tried to do, they didn't win. We found each other."

Madison nodded, her heart swelling with newfound resolve. "Yeah. They didn't win."

AUTHORS NOTE;

Wow, this chapter was such an emotional rollercoaster to write! We've got reunions, big reveals, and a lot of feelings flying around. Can you believe Thomas and Madison are twins?! I've been sitting on that twist for a while, and it's been so hard not to spill the beans. 😅 It's going to add a whole new layer to their dynamic, and I can't wait to explore what this means for their relationship moving forward.

I also wanted to give a little love to Evie and Madison's arc here. Forgiveness and friendship are such important themes in this story, and I hope you felt the raw emotions in their moment of reconciliation. 🖤

Let me know your thoughts on the chapter—did the twin twist surprise you? What are your theories on what's next for the group now that they're with the Right Arm? I love hearing from you all!

Thanks so much for reading and sticking with me through this journey. You're the best! 🥰

xoxo,
GARCAIIEIIEIe