𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿

34.. all my soldiers stand at the ready

It was a quiet night, the sky above them a velvety black sprinkled with twinkling stars. The camp was mostly silent, the only sound the soft rustle of leaves in the gentle night breeze.

In their tent, Thèrèse and Teresa were snuggled up together, their arms wrapped around each other. Thèrèse had her head resting on Teresa's shoulder, her eyes closed.

The com crackled to life, the whispers of Vivian, Jorge, and Vincent filling their ears.

"Code red, alert," they whispered urgently. "Move out quietly. There's an intruder, WCKD is moving in slowly."

Teresa's eyes widened at the news, her expression hardening. She shook Thèrèse gently, whispering urgently. "Wake up, we gotta go. Now."

Thèrèse stirred at Teresa's gentle shaking, her eyes fluttering open groggily. "What's going on?" She mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

The Gladers quickly and quietly took up their positions, their eyes scanning the landscape around them.

They had managed to reach a point high up in the mountains, above the rocks that lined the forest. The air was thin and cold at this altitude, and the view of the forest below was breathtaking.

Teresa's hands gripped her weapon tightly, her eyes darting around, searching for any sign of WCKD's forces.

The Gladers spread out, taking cover behind trees, rocks, and anywhere else they could find. They could hear the faint sounds of the approaching forces, the soft crunch of leaves and twigs beneath boots.

Thèrèse stood beside Teresa, her own weapon held at the ready. Her eyes were sharp and focused, sweeping the shadows around them for any sign of movement.

Thomas and Minho crouched together behind a large boulder, their weapons cocked and ready.

Gally and Teresa were positioned higher up, hidden amongst the trees, their shotguns on standby.

Frypan was hiding amongst the bushes, his eyes sweeping the treeline. Aris was tucked away behind a rock, his small frame making it easy to conceal himself.

Nancy, Vicky, Harriet, and Sonya were stationed at strategic points around the perimeter, their weapons ready.

Bea stood behind a thick tree trunk, the vines particularly covering her as she wielded her bow and arrows gently.

Brenda and Thèrèse were positioned together, with their weapons ready and hidden behind the thick tree trunks as well, just a few meters away from Bea.

The sounds grew louder as the WCKD forces drew closer, their footfalls heavier than before.

Teresa and the others held their breath, their muscles tense as they waited in silence. Gally looked over at her. "Ready?" He mouthed silently.

The rain started suddenly, a light shower that quickly turned into a steady downpour. It made the terrain even more treacherous, the rocks slick with water, and the air thick with foggy mist.

The Gladers cursed under their breaths at the rain, the way it added another layer of difficulty to the already dangerous situation. But they stayed focused, their weapons gripped tightly in their hands.

"We stay put," Teresa hissed to Gally, keeping her voice low. "We can't risk moving in this rain. We'll wait for them to come to us."

Gally nodded silently. "Yeah, we have the high ground. They're the ones walking blindly into the unknown."

The rain continued, the droplets pattering on the trees and the rocks around them. It was hard to see in the foggy mist, and the Gladers strained their ears to listen for any signs of movement.