The Priceless Variable

Nightmares

It's the middle of the night. Mallory is sound asleep on her side of the bed, while Joel is tossing and turning on his side. A bad dream is playing in his mind.

*Start of Dream*

WICKED invades the Safe Haven from above and guards dropped down from the helicopters. They took control over anything and anyone in sight. To some of the kids, it felt like the invasion at the Right Arm's base in the Scorch all over again.

Mallory and her family were the only people standing, while everyone else was positioned on their knees. But, WICKED guards held them by their arms.

"My project! It will work." a guard said.

"They're not your project!" Courtney objected.

That same guard was looking up and down at Mallory until he got a good glimpse at her necklace.

"You look like you're the priceless one, aren't you? Yeah, I suppose you'll do. You'll just have to give me twice as much blood." he said as he pulled Mallory's arms behind her back.

"Let go of her!" Joel demanded.

"Who's that? Your Daddy?" the guard mocked.

"Dad, don't do anything stupid." Mallory said to him.

"You took the words right out of my mouth. Get your hands off my daughter!" Joel said in a stern voice.

"Or you'll what?" the guard said.

"STOP!" a voice yelled.

Everyone's attention moved to the person who just yelled. It was a kid that looked to be about ten years old. He was in a wheelchair and had Crank veins growing on his skin.

"Caleb? What are you doing here?" a man asked the kid.

"What are you doing? I don't want this." Caleb said.

"Son, this is not the time." the man said.

"Look at how you're acting. Who do you think is in trouble now? You or them?" Caleb questioned.

"Caleb, just go wait by the helicopter. It's not safe for you out here." the man instructed.

"It's not safe for me anywhere, Dad." Caleb told the man.

Mallory struggled with the guard's grip on her.

"Dad!" she called out to Joel.

"It's okay, sweetie. You're gonna be okay." he reassured her.

"Let go of me!" Mallory demanded, while trying to get her arms loose.

The man saw the fear in Mallory's eyes. It was in that moment that he realized that it wasn't right. They can't put someone in danger to save someone else.

"Stand down." he ordered the guards.

"Sir, with all due respect, I need one of these kids to prove my methods." the guard said, tightening his grip on Mallory's arms.

"Not like this." the man said.

"To save your son, sir." the guard said, referring to sick boy.

"Let her go!" the man ordered.

Then, all of the WICKED guards released their hold on the people. Joel came beside Mallory and wrapped his arms around her. Luke and Courtney joined in too. Everyone else was surprised to see people who worked for WICKED actually backed off for once.