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[ MINHO ]

Walking away from the Slammer, Minho looked back and flashed an apologetic smile at Electra. He could barely make out her glare within the darkened hole in the ground but could almost feel the frustration she harboured towards Gally.

Minho had his own frustrations with the boy so he could understand how she was feeling in that regard. Gally strutted in front of Minho with an overconfident essence seeping from him. Minho fought the urge to make a petty comment. Luckily, Newt rushed up to them before he fell into temptation.

"C'mon, we should hurry. Those bloody Grievers could come back any minute." Newt ushered them forward while casting a nervous glare at the open Doors, and Minho studied the expression on his friend's face. Newt's mouth curled into a frown and the wrinkles on his forehead were deep.

"Does Gally have to be there?" Minho asked roughly and caught a glare from Gally. "I mean, this doesn't really involve him, now does it?"

"Nice try, Minho," Gally said. "Newt's called a Gathering. You'll have to defend your case in front of all the Keepers and, just so you know, it's not looking good for you."

"Slim it, Gally," Newt piped up, and the stress was evident in his voice. "We don't have time for this."

Newt led them across the Glade and around them the Gladers were bustling with business. Most of them worked on reinforcing the Glade, paying special attention to securing the Homestead, but others were scattered throughout the entire landscape, tending to other tasks such as retrieving crops or gathering supplies.

As they passed groups of boys, Minho overheard their conversations. Without fail, all of the boys were talking about a specific girl. Electra.

"Finally some good news around here. They keep sending us girls."

"Ehh, I wouldn't get too excited about this new one. She's not much of a looker, is she?"

"Who cares, man? It's another girl!"

Minho walked past the first group of boys, rolling his eyes at their comments. When he neared another group, they were also talking about his best friend.

"Did you see how crazy she is? When she arrived she was covered in Griever slime and blood. She looked like a complete lunatic!"

"I mean, she comes from the Maze, doesn't she? Ya gotta be insane to survive out there."

Again, Minho walked past the group of boys without even turning to look at them. How did they already know so much about her? She'd just arrived, and Minho had only really mentioned the bare details when Electra had first arrived and all the boys swarmed around her.

Word travelled fast in the Glade and Minho felt bad that his friend was caught in the middle of all the gossip.

Newt led Gally and Minho to the Council Hall. Upon walking into the room, Minho immediately noticed the torn wall from the night before and he remembered when a Griever had broken through the wood and grabbed an innocent Glader, then attempted to grab Chuck, and was finally successful in killing Alby.

Alby. The Council Hall had an awkward vibe of silence. None of the Keepers seemed ready to accept the events from the night before. Alby had been only one of the casualties, and Minho pushed away the hot feeling of shame. Throughout the chaos, he'd never bothered to learn who else had died the night before. All he knew was that the Gladers closest to him had survived.

Minho sat down on a chair nearest to the broken wall and Gally sat down in the only empty seat right beside him.

"As leader, I declare this Gathering begun." Newt stood from his chair and looked around at the Keepers in front of him. "Let's not waste any time. Minho, every Glader is losing their bloody mind over the sudden appearance of your new girlfriend. Explain yourself, right now. Once you've said what you want, we will discuss the proper form of action."

Girlfriend? Minho held back a scoff. His cheeks burned when he remembered how he'd kissed her earlier that day, then how she'd pulled away and started crying. Electra was definitely not his girlfriend. The embarrassment clouded his mind and he tried to forcefully push it out by shaking his head.

Why did he even kiss her? They were only friends. Minho remembered when she first showed up in the Glade and how she simply stared at him, the fire glowing behind her. When she'd passed out he felt as if his entire world was crumbling. But then, she woke up and his biggest fears hadn't come to fruition. Perhaps he'd acted out of fear, or out of relief. Regardless, he knew he shouldn't have kissed her. He'd crossed a line.

All the Keepers turned to face Minho and he attempted to avoid all of their judgmental stares. He stood from his chair and took in a deep breath. He had to clear Electra's name, somehow. He didn't want her stuck in the Slammer when she'd be way more help out in the Maze. The entire situation was familiar and Minho was reminded of when he had to negotiate the release of Thomas.

"Okay, uh, hear me out. Her name is Electra, and she's been living in the Maze since the early days. She got dropped in there right around when I did and was tasked by the Creators to protect the Glade from Grievers which, by the way, she was successful in for three years before all this stupid Ending klunk."

Minho looked around at the Keepers. All of their eyes were glued on him. None of them even uttered a word, hungry for more information.

"So yeah. I met her on her first day and she made me promise not to tell you guys about her." Minho decided it would be best not to mention the voice. They'd probably think she was insane if she heard a voice in her head.

"And that's pretty much it. But listen, she's tough. She's killed loads of Grievers in the past and honestly, she's a huge asset for us finding a way out of here. None of us are even close to her skill level and she knows the Maze better than any of us. Even me. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that we need her help if we want a chance of actually escaping and I don't think keeping her locked in the Slammer is a smart idea if that's what anyone was planning on doing."

The Keepers shuffled around for a few moments, thinking about what Minho had just admitted. Newt seemed especially lost in thought and somehow his eyebrows wrinkled even more.

Naturally, Gally was the first to speak up, "So, what I'm hearing from this is that you've been lying to us for three whole years. She was tasked to protect the Glade? Where was she when boys were dying out in the Maze?"

"She was tasked to protect the boys inside the Glade, not the Gladers in the Maze." Minho knew his statement felt weak, but he was just repeating what Electra had told him countless times over the years.

Gally opened his mouth to reply, but Newt spoke first, "Right then. If that's all you have to say Minho, then let's go around and discuss what we think should happen. Winston, you can go first."

Winston furrowed his eyebrows as he looked uncomfortably over at Minho. "I'm sorry but I just don't understand why she lived out there all this time? Or how she lived out there. I mean, before you and Thomas nobody had ever survived a night in the Maze. Minho, you must know how crazy this all sounds."

Newt looked over at Minho and nodded to permit him to speak.

"She actually couldn't enter the Glade even if she wanted to. She had this weird device implanted into her arm by the Creators and it would electrocute her whenever she tried to enter the Glade. As for how she survived, well you're gonna have to ask her yourself. It's unbelievable, but I promise it's true." Winston still looked confused, so Minho added on. "As for Thomas and I, we only survived because she helped us that night."

His last sentence caused the Keepers to begin murmuring to each other, and Gally turned angrily towards Minho. "C'mon man. You just said she didn't help the Gladers out in the Maze. What made you two so special?"

"Gally, wait your turn," Newt said sternly while writing frantically on the piece of paper in his lap. "Winston, what do you recommend in terms of action?"

Winston shrugged. "I can't trust her, considering she remained hidden this whole time. I think she should stay in the Slammer until we find a way out of this place."

Minho fought the urge to speak up. He didn't want to sink down to Gally's level and disrupt the order of the Gathering. However, he knew if Electra was stuck in the Slammer then their odds of finding a way out would be reduced significantly.

Newt finished jotting down some notes before nodding. "Alright. Frypan, what about you?"

Frypan stood up. "Winston, you were there when she showed up last night. She saved our lives! You saw how bravely she fought that Griever. I've never seen anything like it. Keeping her in the Slammer would be putting us right back where we were before we knew of her. We'd be completely defenseless against the monsters."

"So, what are you suggesting?" Newt asked.

"She seems to trust Minho and while I don't trust her, I definitely trust Minho. If he keeps an eye on her, I don't see why she needs to be kept in the Slammer."

Gally muttered something under his breath but thankfully, the ugly boy kept quiet as the other Keepers offered their opinions. Most of the boys were wary of Electra and said some variation of her staying in the Slammer. Every time one of the Keepers mentioned keeping her locked up, Minho's muscles tensed.

Then, it was Gally's turn. The taller boy sent Minho a wicked glare before he spoke, "When did all of you guys turn into weaklings? The Slammer? You think that's the appropriate punishment for what's happened? Minho and that girl have been lying to us for three years! That girl has let a bunch of us die, all because she wanted to remain anonymous. She's a coward. traitor. She's even worse than Thomas and the other girl. Why am I the only one with sense anymore?"

"What are you recommending then, Gally?" Newt asked, flashing a look over at Minho. Minho tried to read his friend's expression but he wasn't sure what Newt was trying to say.

"If she's as tough as Minho's saying, then do you really think the Slammer can even hold her back? It's naive to think that if we keep her in there that she'll actually stay in there. She lived out in the Maze for three whole years? Good, let's keep her out there. I say we take her, Minho, Thomas, and the other girl, and downright Banish them like the traitors they are."

As the Keepers began talking over one another, Minho instinctively jumped from his chair and faced Gally. "Banishment? The doors aren't closing anymore dumbass so good luck with that."

"Maybe we'll chain you up then and offer you as a sacrifice to the Grievers. Seems like a fair punishment considering how many of us you let die, hm?" Gally's lips curled into an ugly smile, and Minho forcefully pushed him backward, sending him falling into his chair.

"Everyone settle down!" Newt yelled over the noise, rushing over to Minho and pulling him away from Gally. "Seriously, we don't have time to bicker like this."

Minho pulled away from Newt's grip and motioned away from Gally, letting in a deep breath. The rest of the Keepers started to settle down as Newt made his way around the room and chastised them. Eventually, all the Keepers found their chairs again, and Minho was standing in front of the semicircle, all of their eyes on him.

Minho exchanged a look with each Keeper, minus Gally, before speaking, "Electra isn't a monster, she's just a girl. A girl who was dropped in the Maze, all alone, then had to fight every day for her survival. She may not look it, but trust me, she's scared. She got dropped in here without her memory just like the rest of us. She wants to find a way out of here more than anyone."

None of the Keepers spoke; they all just stared at Minho with a disbelieving attitude. He rolled his eyes and groaned, "Okay then. Newt, you haven't said anything yet, what do you suggest?"

Newt looked up and met eyes with Minho, giving him a small nod to go back to his seat. Minho complied, and once he sat down, Newt cleared his throat to speak.

"Actually, I think Gally has a point, for once." Newt stood, and Minho's heart fell into his stomach. Banishment? Newt would never agree to something that drastic, would he? He'd agreed to all the previous Banishments, so maybe Minho wasn't immune to the ultimate punishment.

Again, Newt looked at Minho with an undistinguishable expression on his face before he continued speaking, "If we believe the klunk Minho is saying, then keeping her in the Slammer wouldn't do anything. She survived three years in the Maze so our dingy little Slammer isn't gonna hold her back. If we confine her to the Slammer, she'll break out and she'll be angry with us and therefore uncooperative.

"I agree with Frypan too. I absolutely cannot trust her, but I trust Minho. So, what I suggest is that we let her out of the Slammer, but keep her under permanent supervision from either Minho or myself. If anything suspicious happens, then we can talk further about appropriate measures, but as of right now, Banishment and sacrifice are completely barbaric ideas. Everything is bloody nuts right now, but I'd like to believe we're capable of keeping the order, at least for now."

Newt looked away from Minho, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't think Electra would be so keen on having to be constantly supervised, especially by someone she didn't know, but he knew it was a good compromise. Gally grumbled in his seat but the other Keepers seemed to agree with Newt as they all slowly nodded as they considered the leader's proposition.

They all voted and thankfully the majority voted for Newt's idea, although it was a closer call than Minho would've liked.

"Alright then. Electra, Tommy, and Teresa can stay in the Slammer for the night, then in the morning Electra's 24/7 supervision will commence."

Newt dismissed the Keepers and Gally was the first to bolt up from his chair and stalk out the Council Hall door. Minho hid a smile behind his hand before walking towards Newt who remained sitting down in his chair.

"You've known her this whole time, haven't you?" Newt placed his paper and pen on the floor and looked up at Minho, who simply nodded. Newt nodded back. "I'd love to hear a bit more about her then. Explain everything, now."

Minho pulled up a chair and sat in front of his friend. He shuffled with his hands uncomfortably, unsure how much he should confess. "I met her two weeks after I got here, and–"

"You already said that." Newt's tone was firm, but not angry. "Let me clarify what I need you to explain. The device in her arm, what is it?"

Minho shrugged. "Neither of us really know. It was freaky though. It had that same W.I.C.K.E.D. logo that's on all of our supplies, so we figured the Creators put it in her. On her first day, I tried to bring her into the Glade and she almost died. She got electrocuted from the inside, from that thing."

Newt leaned back in his chair, bringing a hand up to his chin. He studied Minho for a few seconds and Minho felt tiny under his friend's gaze. Newt was usually the nicer one of the two, but at this moment Newt's stare was intimidating to say the least.

"Okay, and she cut it out of her to save our lives last night?" Newt asked, and Minho nodded. "Good that, but there has to be more to the story, right? Our Medjacks could've easily taken the thing out of her. Why did she stay out there?"

"Well, the Creators tasked her with protecting the Glade."

"Again, I know that. How did she get tasked? Can she remember her life before the Maze? How can she remember this supposed task?"

Minho swallowed hard. Newt was smart. Should he tell him about the voice she heard? He didn't know how else to explain why she would stay out there the entire time, when the safety of the Glade was so close by, or why she hadn't interfered with any of the Gladers the entire time.

"There's something you're not telling me, Minho. I need to know all the details if I'm meant to trust her to help us find a way out of here. Can she talk to the Creators? Does she have her memories somehow? What is it?"

"Okay, but you can't tell the other Gladers. They'd think she was insane or something." Minho waited for Newt to agree.

Newt's face scrunched into confusion, but he nodded. "Yeah, sure. This stays between us."

"On her first day the Creators talked to her somehow, like in her mind. They told her to protect the boys inside the Glade, but to remain hidden. I thought the whole voice thing was a scam but she believed in it and I didn't want to lose her trust."

"In her mind?" Newt almost laughed but then looked up at the ceiling as if remembering something, "You know, Tommy said something similar to me the other day."

"It was about hearing Teresa, yeah? He told me too. Electra's voice isn't like that. Thomas keeps hearing Teresa; Electra only heard the voice that one time."

Newt seemed like he wanted to ask more about Thomas, but instead, he asked about Electra, "You don't think Electra's voice was real? So basically, she's jacked up in the head?"

Minho scrunched his nose. "I think she did hear the voice, but I think the entire thing was a test of some sort, to see if she'd comply with this mystery person."

Silence. Then, Newt asked another question. This time, his tone was lower, almost a whisper. "And Tommy? With Teresa?"

"Probably real too, but I don't know. You can ask him when he wakes from the Changing."

Newt was lost in thought for a few moments and Minho took it as his cue to get up and leave. He stood from his chair and made his way to the door, pausing as he held it open.

"Good luck supervising Electra, by the way," he chuckled. "She can be a bit difficult at times, especially around new people."

A scream in the distance caused Minho to shuffle back into the room. Newt stood from his chair and ran through the gap in the wall, before bolting back into the room with fear plastered on his face. Minho could tell exactly what was happening before the words left his friend's mouth.

"Grievers."

Without a thought, Minho raced outside through the broken wall, his eyes instantly panning over to the Slammer. With chaos burning through his peripherals, he breathed a silent sigh of relief when the Slammer's door was still intact and the entire area looked deserted.

Newt rushed past him, limping towards the chaos and yelling at the Gladers. Minho couldn't process what his friend was saying, his eyes were still glued on the Slammer. When he saw a pair of hands holding onto the wooden bars, his feet carried him over and he kneeled in front of the door.

Peering down into the darkened room, Electra was staring right back at him. Her eyes were on fire and he instinctively flinched when he saw her. But when she realized Minho was in front of her, she immediately softened.

"Great. Minho let me out of here." She tugged on the bars, her eye contact unwavering.

"I think we're safer in here than out there," a girl said from deeper within the Slammer.

Electra turned to face the voice, and Minho squinted to look past and recognize Teresa. She was sitting beside an unconscious Thomas, who was sick and sweaty. Teresa gently wiped his sweat away before locking eyes with Electra.

"What a load of klunk! I don't care where we're safer, Teresa." Electra's tone was ice cold, but Teresa didn't even flinch. Electra turned and met eyes with Minho

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