Gen was silent, moving behind the group with her back pack slung over one shoulder and the stuffed bear tucked under her arm. She was staring ahead, her eyes locked onto the back of Matias's head the entire time. Even when he turned his head around to look at her, she didn't falter. Not even the mocking smirk or the seductive wink could cause her gaze or expression to change. She didn't trust him. But, Peter had taught her to keep her friends close and her enemies closer.

"The tunnel should be just ahead." Jorge announced to the group, not looking back at them as he spoke. However, when his younger brother cleared his throat, he stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face him. "What?" He snapped, his eyes narrowing with fury.

"This tunnel you're talking about. I've met the girl you look after. How do you know she didn't go to see that Marcus fellow you used to talk about back when you were obsessed with the Right Arm." Matias had a wide grin on his face that made Gen want to punch him, but Jorge seemed to be actually considering his proposition.

"What's the Right Arm and who is Marcus?" Minho snapped, moving towards Jorge with the young Aris just behind him.

"The Right Arm are just urban legends, nothing more, nothing less." Jorge muttered unconvincingly. He was a good liar, but not that good. He knew something that he didn't want anyone else to know. Something that Matias also knew. "As for Marcus? He's what you call a... is it 'shuck'?" He asked, his sharp gaze moving to Minho and in that moment, he looked exactly like Matias.

"Don't be stupid, hermano." Matias cooed, his head snapping around to look to Gen, "What do you think, gorgeous?" He asked.

"About what?" She asked flatly, her hand moving to the blade her kept strapped to her hilt, Matias's eyes watching her as her fingers brushed the hilt, before they flicked back upward to meet her gaze and he pursed his lips. Gripping the hilt, she could feel Nik moving up behind her, ready to pull her back at any moment.

'It's not worth it.' Nik told her, his hand finding it's way onto her shoulder.

'I could end all of this right now. Look at him, he's mocking me. He wants me to make a move. He thinks he can underestimate me.' She replied, gritting her teeth.

'Think about this, Matias is a lot more dangerous than anyone else here would know... other than Jorge that is... but, the point is. You know what he is capable of. You also know that as soon as you'd made a first move, Minho'd jump in to save the say. No matter how much he may be an arse right now, the guy still loves you. That kinda love just doesn't go away. Trust me, I know.' he was thinking about Sonya, the girl who kept him going. The girl that Gen would never stop looking for. Nik belonged with her and she would make sure they were together... eventually. Loosening her grip on the blade and allowing her hand to fall back to her side, Gen took a breath, relaxing her body. She could feel Matias's eyes watching her and as her shoulder relaxed and she set her gaze back onto him, she was surprised to see him flash her a devilish smile, as if to say that she had impressed him before he moved towards her, stopping no more than a few inches from her.

"Be careful with that blade, love. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." He said, ducking his head and slowly leaning forward to press his lips against her cheek. It was a dig at Minho, who immediately rushed forward and trying to shake off both Newt and Aris who tried to hold him back,

"Get off of her, slinthead!" Minho cried, causing Matias to turn on his heel and return to his previous position, he had gotten the reaction he had hoped for so, his pathetically fake attempt at affection towards her once again disappeared.

"And, to answer your question, Genevieve. What I want to know is whether you think we should go to see if Marcus has seen our missing children or do we go to the tunnel and hope they're stupid enough to just wait around?" He asked

"What're you asking her for, shuck?" Minho growled, his look of fury seemingly becoming more apparent that ever.

"Don't engage him." Newt warned, moving towards Minho who still had both of his fists clenched. "What do you think the best course of action is for getting Thomas back alive?" Newt asked, looking squarely at Jorge.

"Brenda is smart." Jorge sighed, "But, Marcus is smarter. If they moved towards him, that would only mean trouble." He said.

"Trouble we can handle." Gen said, her gaze still locked with Matias, who smiled in response to her comment.

Newt kept his gaze locked to his feet, everything had changed since the Glade. Hell, since Thomas had disappeared. He hated the sound of this Marcus shank even more than he hated having Matias and Jorge leading the group. Things were far simpler back when there was a clear understanding of who was in charge. According to WICKED that role belonged to Minho, but he and the others all knew, deep down, it was really Thomas who held them together. Who lead them into the darkness. He was also one of Newt's best friends. "Then let's get going to find this shank and our friends." Newt said. He was happy to find that Minho didn't argue with him, instead placing his hands on his hips and looking to Jorge who nodded,

"It's about a half hour walk north. Not too far." He said, a clear annoyance in his tone as he spoke. He was certain the annoyance was merely due to the fact it was Matias who suggested to find Marcus. As the group moved once again as a cohort, Minho shot forward to walk beside Jorge, but, at the same time kept his distance. It was a power play, Minho wanted to be in charge. But, then again Minho didn't always make the best decisions. Shifting his feet, Newt set his gaze back onto Matias, he wanted to have a word with him. Preferably when Gen wasn't around, but as Matias moved towards her, Newt quickly knew that keeping him away from her was going to be difficult. Matias didn't care about her the way he and Minho did. She was a trophy; no, a toy. She was a toy that Matias was dying to sink his teeth into and then throw away once he had gotten bored of her. Newt however, was thankful that Nik had stayed close to her since Matias joined the group. He knew of the man's wrath a lot better than Newt did. Taking a breath, Newt moved towards the three of them, he could hear Matias's mocking words that he just knew were swimming in Gen's head. He was playing with her and Newt wouldn't stand for it.

"Matias, right?" Newt said, causing Gen's head to snap around to look at him, her eyes wide.

"That's right, Newt." Matias replied, his gaze not shifting from Gen as he spoke.

"Can I have a word with you?" He asked. There was no sense in using Minho's tactic to deal with the man. It was quite clear that Matias didn't mind the abuse, in fact, he seemed to find it entertaining. As Matias shifted towards him, Newt was glad that Nik had grabbed Gen's arm, pulling her away from them. The last time he had spoken with Gen, he had to admit that things didn't really go as well as he wanted. But, if he could protect her just once, like Minho did constantly, perhaps he would be able to find it in himself to stop blaming himself for ruining his and Gen's friendship.

"Start talking then, limpy." Matias snapped, his hands in his pockets as he and Newt followed the group. Newt almost scoffed, Matias thought he was intimidating. But, Newt had lived with the likes of Minho, Gally and Alby for three years. He knew this game better than Matias would ever know.

"Gen isn't your bloody play toy and I'll be dammed if I watch you destroy her." Newt said simply, looking towards Gen who had her eyes locked onto them from where Nik was dragged her along by her arm. "You've already got her on edge, isn't that enough?" Following his gaze, Matias shrugged his shoulders, waving to Gen who immediately snapped her head back around to look ahead of her.

"I think you know the answer to that, Muchacho." He replied, "Let's look at this scenario properly shall we?" He smiled, clapping his hand onto Newt's shoulder, "You finish this little trial, go back to WICKED. Yes? What do you think is going to happen to our favourite little minx after that?" He asked. The question was rhetorical, but it didn't make Newt any less uncomfortable, "She either lives the rest of her very short life as Peter's little experiment or she comes and lives with me in my big house with all my money and servants and dies at an old age with everything she has ever wanted." He said, "Or, if her attitude continues, she'll maybe die at let's say... a middle age." He shrugged. Just as Newt opened his mouth to speak, Matias spoke once again, "There's only so much a man can take, you know?" He said, "Even you could understand that. How hard it must be watching the girl you love meander along behind that arrogant, pathetic excuse for a man with obvious delusions of being a leader." he laughed. "Must be tough being all in love on your own." He smirked, looking back to Gen. Newt swallowed,

"Why the bloody hell do you even want her anyway?"

"Boredom, nostalgia, etcetera. Mostly to piss off Peter. He has no intention of handing her over to me. Which is why I am here." He answered. Newt was somewhat surprised at Matias's honesty.

"And you think I'm just gonna hand her over?" Newt asked, "To you or WICKED?"

"Of course you won't. You're a love sick puppy." Matias nodded, "But, you don't have the stomach to kill me and killing me is the only way to stop me." Newt was silent, Matias was right in what he was saying, Newt couldn't kill him, no matter how much he wanted to. He wasn't like Minho or Gen. He wasn't as strong as them. "But, in saying that." Matias continued, breaking Newt's train of thought, "I'm not the kind of guy to say, 'Well, if I can't have her, no one can.'. So relax, muchacho and try to enjoy the time you have left with your beloved." Matias said, with a smile before he ran forward to blend in with the others, leaving Newt alone with his thoughts.

Hey guys, so sorry for the long time it took for me to upload it has been a pretty busy time for me. So, I have tried to incorporate some of the Scorch Trials movie as I did with Lost Within The Walls. Hence why the group is now moving towards Marcus (Loved Alan Tudyk's performance as him BTW). So, hopefully you enjoyed this chapter :)