𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍 & 𝐄𝐂𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘-𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮

ONE

"All these people trying to get in, and you think they're gonna let you through?" Jorge yelled out to Thomas when we got to the edge of the cement barricade.

"It's worth trying."

People continued to scream, begging to be let in. I thought it was sad, they had to know they would never be allowed closer than this. These people weren't worth saving to WICKED. Only the people smart enough would be able to continue to live.

Newt grabbed Thomas' shoulder and turned him to point as someone who was walking straight for us. He wore a gas mask and a gun on one shoulder. His chest was covered by a bullet proof vest, its pockets full of unknown things.

I stood on my toes to see two other men heading our way. "We have to go." I yelled to the boys of my group.

A loud whirring sound filled the air and the crowd went silent. I turned to see giant machines at the top of the wall swiveling on their bases, pointing towards the crowd below.

Murmurs went through the people and they began to scream and run away. I was pulled into a sprint as the machines whined and released bomb after bomb. They hit the floor, sending cement and people flying. There were screams and dust flying in the air, disorienting me.

The hand that had been holding mine-Newt's-slipped from mine and I was pushed against a wall by the stampeding crowd.

My heart was beating quickly and I tried to catch my breath as I searched for my friends but I couldn't see them. People blurred by, running from the death caused by the very walls they wanted to get through.

I saw something dark coming towards me from the side and tried to run, but they were quicker. They were unfazed as I screamed and hit them, carrying me effortlessly through the crowd into an area where no one was and throwing me into the back of a van. Newt and Frypan were already in here and I scooted closer to them, their arms shielding me from the men as they climbed into the van and someone banged on the outside.

We started moving and I panted hard, trying to get a grasp on myself. These people didn't say anything as we rode to wherever they were taking us and it set my nerves on edge.

"Where the hell are you taking us?" I demanded.

One of the men leaned close to the other and said something we couldn't hear. The other just nodded but didn't reply.

We drove for about half an hour before the van stopped and the men let us out. I jumped down into what looked like a parking garage. But it wasn't full of cars, only people. They wore the same gear as the men who kidnapped us and carried guns.

A second van pulled up and out came Thomas and Brenda. They looked shocked and frightened, but otherwise okay. The last van stopped next to theirs and it shook. I could hear Jorge's muffled shouts and the back doors were thrown open, both him and the man who forced him into the van flying out.

He yelled at the man under him, demanding to know where Brenda was. We all knew he wasn't above beating answers out of people. We ran to him, trying to pull him off, but the men who kidnapped us pushed us back, pointing their guns at our chest.

One of the men told the others around him to calm down and I could have sworn I knew that voice, though it was muffled through the mask. "Everybody relax, we're on the same side here."

Thomas threw the man's hands off him and stepped towards the one that had spoken out. "What do you mean, same side? Who the hell are you?"

The man hesitated, turning his head to look at each of us. I squinted my eyes as he took extra time looking at me. I knew him. I knew that stance. I knew the build, I knew his voice. He turned away, pulled his mask off and I couldn't explain the feeling I got when he threw it on the ground, turning to look at us again.

"Hey, Greenie."

"Gally?" Thomas's breath shook as he said the boy's name and I had to dig my nails into my palms to know if this was real or not. My skin burned as I pushed into it. There was no way.

Thomas was a blur as he lunged at Gally and hit him in the jaw, sending the once dead boy to the ground. Guns were aimed at Thomas now and Newt ran forward to stop Thomas from hitting Gally again.

I stood, frozen, unable to move. Unable to hear as Newt persuaded Thomas off of Gally. They joined us back in the group and I watched as Gally stood, holding his jaw. I felt my chest heave with unreleased sobs, my vision blurring. I couldn't hear anything until I saw his lips move, my name reaching me in broken syllables.

Everything came back to me and I pushed myself into a sprint, hitting his torso hard. His vest dug into my shoulder, but I didn't care. He was here and he was holding me. He was actually breathing, though a bit labored.

"How is this possible?" Newt asked. I couldn't bring myself to ask this question, I couldn't bring myself to let him go. "We watched you die."

"No, you left me to die. And if it wasn't for us, you'd be dead right now." He pulled me back and looked at me with anger in his eyes. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"WICKED has Minho here." I answered, wiping my cheeks. I didn't care that they could all see me crying, they couldn't understand the things I have been through. The nights I spent awake imagining a day like this.

"We're trying to find a way in." Newt said.

Gally looked up at the rest of the group but I couldn't look away from him. It had been so long since I last saw him and I took in how much he's changed-grown. His hair was buzzed and he was taller, if that was even possible. He was also fuller.

"I can help with that. Follow me." He started to turn away and I found myself instinctively following him.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Thomas said, causing us to stop. I turned to look at the boy and gave him an exasperated face. Couldn't he put his anger aside for one second?

"Suit yourself, but I can get you through the walls."

"Thomas," I pleaded. "Come on."

He wore his emotions on his face like an open book and even though he hated the idea, it was the only one we had.