Variables → Group B [AU]

28 → "PROPERTY OF WICKED"

28 → "PROPERTY OF WICKED"

Can you hear me? Aris repeated. She couldn't hear Thomas, but guessed Aris could. They killed her. Aris said, making Adeline grow sad, remembering Rachel was dead. They killed my best friend.

"What's going on?" This came from Newt, looking back and forth between Thomas and Aris, before his gaze went to Adeline, who had tended as Aris had spoken to her in her head. "Why're you guys looking at each other like you just fell in love?"

"He can do it, too." Thomas answered.

"Do what?" The boy asked.

"What do you think?" Minho said. "He's a freak like Thomas, Matt and Adeline. They can talk in each other's heads."

Newt was glaring at Thomas now. "Serious?"

Thomas nodded. "Who killed her? What happened?"

"Who killed who?" Minho said. "No more of your voodoo klunk while we're around."

"He had someone he could do this with, just like I did. I mean ... do. But he said they killed her. I want to know who they are."

"I don't really know who they are. It's too confusing. I couldn't tell the bad guys from the good guys." Aris said, head dropped, staring at his hands. He couldn't speak, reminiscing.

"Adeline?" Newt asked. "What happened?"

"Her name was Rachel." Adeline started. "It all sort of happened so fast, in one big rush of events. But, they somehow made a girl named Beth ... stab her." As soon as Adeline finished explaining, Aris spoke up, voice quavering.

"She's dead, man. She's dead." Aris covered his face with both hands. Adeline placed a hand to her brother's shoulder in comfort.

"Well, how'd you two end up with us?" Newt asked. "Where are all these girls you keep talking about? How many of them escaped with you? Did they bring all of you here or just you?"

"Hold up." Adeline snapped, "Stop grilling us like this."

Adeline didn't mean to snap, but Newt grilling the both of them so quickly after explaining Rachel's death wasn't something they needed. Aris finally looked up and wiped a couple of tears from his cheeks.

"Look." Aris said. "I'm just as confused as everyone else. About thirty of us survived, they took us to that gym, fed us, cleaned us up. Then they brought me to this place last night, saying I should be separate since I'm a guy. That's it. Then you sticks show up."

"Sticks?" Minho repeated.

Aris shook his head. "Never mind. I don't even know what it means. Just a word they used when I got there."

"Hey." one of the boys called out. The boy was leaning against the wall behind Aris, pointing at him. "What's that on the side of your neck? Something black, right below your collar."

Aris tried to look down, but couldn't. "What?"

Adeline's eyes averted to where the boy was pointing. The boy was right; there was black blotchy writing on the back of his neck, seeping from the neckline of his t - shirt. Pulling it down somewhat to get a look, Newt was there beside her.

"It's a tattoo." Newt said, squinting.

"What's it say?" Minho asked.

The words printed on Aris' neck in blotchy black ink read the words;

Property of WICKED. Group B, Subject B1. The Partner.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Minho asked.

"What does it say?" Aris asked, reaching around to pull his shirt collar down. "I swear it wasn't there last night!"

Newt repeated the words to him, then said; "Property of WICKED? I thought we'd escaped them. Or you'd escaped them, too. Whatever."

Newt sat down, Adeline was still staring at the writing etched into Aris' neck. How on earth did it get there?

"And why would it call you the Partner?" Minho questioned.

Aris shook his head. "I don't have a clue. I swear. And there's no way that was there before last night. I showered, looked in the mirror. I would've seen it. And someone would've noticed it back in the Maze for sure."

"You're telling me they tattooed you in the middle of the night?" Minho said. "Without you noticing? Come on, dude."

"I swear!" Aris insisted. Aris rose to his feet, Adeline watching as he headed into the bathroom. Adeline turned back around. Minho whispered something to Thomas, then plopped back down on the bed. Adeline ran her hands over her face, trying to take in everything that was going on, until Thomas unexpectedly shouted, causing Adeline to jump.

"Whoa!"

"What?" Minho asked.

"Your — your neck." Thomas finally got out. "You have it on your neck, too!"

Minho stared back at Thomas as if he was crazy, pulled at the neckline of his shirt. Thomas ran over to Minho, pulled the neckline of the shirt back. "Holy ... It's right there! Same thing, except ..."

Adeline, for the first time since she'd sat down, rose to her feet. As she got closer, she was able to read it;

Property of WICKED. Group A, Subject A7. The Leader.