They Don't Own Me

Chapter 43

Months Later

"Ready?" Erin asked looking over at Ivy and Eliza. Ivy wore a light shirt under her coat and flexible pants that matched Erin's while Eliza wore a nice looking suit.

"As always," Eliza responded. "I'll meet up with you two after our shifts. Remember, we leave the City together, just like we enter."

"Guess we'll see you in a couple hours," Ivy said, smiling at her friend.

The three exchanged goodbyes before Eliza parted ways, heading to her specific entrance.

"Nighthawk to Phoenix, do you copy?" Ivy made no sign of recognition when she heard Isaac's voice in her ear. By now, she had gotten used to being surprised by his check-ins before work.

"I copy, Nighthawk."

Erin and Eliza went through the same check-in, but with the names Sparrow and Dragon.

Ivy swiped her ID card, causing the glass door to open before her.

"Access Granted," the computer said.

"Entering the tower now," Ivy reported without moving her lips.

"Copy that, Phoenix. Check in if you guys need anything."

"We know the drill, Nighthawk," Erin replied with the slightest hint of a smile on her face. "We'll keep you posted."

"Never hurts to give a reminder. Just stay safe you two."

"Always," Ivy said before the comms in their ears went quiet.

Erin followed behind Ivy as they headed toward the guard locker room.

After escaping from Talisman Theater a year ago, their group came to the Last City where they met Lawrence, an old acquaintance of Wolf's. Ivy and Erin were given extensive training by Isaac, learning how to fight like WCKD guards and how to use their weapons. Within no time, they had developed a plan. Erin and Ivy would go undercover as WCKD guards, gaining access to WCKD's main base and its information while Eliza would go undercover as a scientist. Eliza was "helping" the scientists of WCKD develop a cure for the Flare; so far, all attempts had been only temporary cures. Nothing lasted more than a few days.

The three women were given new names to use when at WCKD, along with fake IDs developed by Eliza with Isaac's help. Because Ivy had been in the Maze and WCKD had her information, as well as facial recognition, she had to go through several physical changes. Her normal brown hair had been dyed a lighter brown and cut so short that it almost reminded her of Newt's hair. Eliza had designed small chips that altered their appearances, including fingerprints and other small physical changes.

With Jocelyn's help, her skin was now stained with several tattoos. On the back of her neck and right shoulder were a series of stars, one for each member of the Glade that had died. On her left shoulder was a drawing of a maze, similar to the one Ivy had been trapped in. A vine of flowers traveled down a large portion of her right thigh and a small group of birds were on her left wrist, each symbolizing a person from their small family. Each of them had the set of birds, thanks to Jocelyn.

Erin unlocked the door to the guard's locker room and held it open for Ivy. The two stepped inside, swiping their ID cards again to clock in. They quickly made their way to their lockers so they could grab their stuff.

"Morning, Jackie!" Ivy turned her head at the familiar voice and offered a smile to Bill, one of her co-workers. All guards shared a locker room, though Ivy was used to being around guys at this point in her life. "How are you?"