The Plan: Teresa

Edward and his friends finally reached the top of the stone building. They leapt across a gap to scale up the giant walls. They climbed up a ladder and stood at a lookout point where there was a hidden telescope. Gally fished it out of his hiding spot and placed it on the ledge and stared through. Looking ahead, Edward saw a tall shiny building with a V shape and windows on every floor. "That's the place?"

"Yes. Lawrence and his crew have been trying to bust in there for years before they joined the Right Arm. The place is crawling with soldiers. Scanners at every entrance,"

"Sounds like a bloody fortress," observed Amelia. "And I assume you have a way to get in there?"

"I do. But you're not gonna like it," Gally aimed his telescope towards one of the highest levels. He stepped aside, looking seriously at Edward. He reluctantly moved in front of the piece of spy equipment and peered through. Through the lens, he saw Teresa walking around her office doing papers. He raised his head, bewildered. A flash emitted in his eye. He saw Teresa's regretful but sinful face again the day he watched her fly away in the chopper with his brother. His friends sensed his anxiety. "I said you weren't gonna like it,"

"No," Edward shook his head. "Anything but her,"

"She's our only way in,"

Edward stared blankly at Gally. "You really think she's gonna help us?"

Gally crossed his arms. "I'm not planning on asking her permission,"

"Are you missing something here? This is the same girl who betrayed us? Same dick who got me, Newt, your brother everyone captured?" Minho reminded.

"I know," Edward said quickly.

"Then why are you so reluctant?!"

Edward tried to speak but a mixture of negative emotions clouded his head, muddling his thoughts. "It's complicated,"

"It's not complicated," Minho marched on him. "You still care about her. Don't you?"

"Minho…" Amelia tried to warn him but he wouldn't listen.

"Do you even care what she did to us?! To you?!"

"Yes, I care!" Edward snapped.

"Minho, Ed…play nice," Amelia tried to sooth the tension.

"You don't care about your brother at all! You don't care about any of us!"

"I just can't be around her! There! I said it!" Ashamed and embarrassed, Edward walked away and slid down the ladder.

"Ed! Wait!" Amelia cried. She frowned at Minho. "Nice going Minho,"

"You're mad at me! He's the one who's refusing to use the girl who betrayed us!"

"You had no right lashing at him like that. He and Teresa were close friends since they were kids. Even if she betrayed him, he can't forget how close they were. If he didn't have his memories from before he was sent up into the maze, he wouldn't be hesitant. But now that he does, it's made him conflicted. But it doesn't mean he doesn't care about Thomas or any of us," compared to guys, Amelia was more understanding.

"We need to catch up to him before he gets into trouble," Gally slid down the ladder to the stone buildings below and the other followed after him. Once he was back on the roof of the stone building, he saw Edward sitting down in front of a closer view of the WICKED building, back bent and hands linked together. He approached him slowly but Edward heard him. "I'm not up for this plan,"

"Look Greenie, I know you and the girl had a connection but this is much bigger than that," he tried to reason. "This is about you and your brother,"

"I am not going near her again! Not after what happened last time! How do we even know using her won't just lead to all of us getting caught," Edward argued back as he turned his head.

"Are you just using this as an excuse so we don't us?" Gally questioned.

"Hey, just because I don't want to use Teresa as our way in, doesn't mean I still care for her," he turned his face to stare back at the view. "I trusted her when I knew she was hiding something and this all happened," Gally stared at him. Minho and Amelia stood next to him at Edward's slouched sitting posture as he continued talking. "She got my brother captured. And I think about him every single moment and I miss him. I want to talk to him. I want to tell him that I'm sorry because it's my fault he was captured. Because I stupidly trusted her and blindly allowed her to betray us all to WICKED. I can't be around her because it always makes me remember that moment when the only family I had left was taken from me. This entire mess is all my fault because I once cared about her and I carelessly caused her to take away everyone we love," Edward turned his back and walked away to the edge of the building. He slumped down and buried his face in his hands. His anger turned to pain, and then to guilt, and then to grief. He sobbed and sniffled.

Amelia felt remorse. She sat beside him quietly and sisterly hugged him. Minho and Gally felt repentance for their accusations. He didn't want to use Teresa because he still cared about her. He didn't want to use her because she was a reminder of the terrible tragedies that had happened to them and their friends since her betrayal. And Thomas being taken away from him was the most awful feeling Edward had ever felt.

Gally approached slowly and crouch down on Edward's other side. "Listen Greenie. Things happen and we still feel guilty. Even if Jerry programmed me to try and kill you, I still live with that awful feeling. I see your face every time I close my eyes. I always did ever since the Right Arm rescued me," Edward listened to his pep talk of regret but didn't look at him. "But when I saw you again, it made me remember that what happened wasn't really my fault. If we confront that girl, you'll realise that it was her fault and hers alone,"

"He's right," said Minho. Edward paid more attention to him and twisted his wet face to look at him. "And I felt the same way too when I couldn't find Amelia in the maze," his girlfriend looked up at him, expressing to him that it wasn't his fault. "I felt guilty for it for days. But when we found again and I learnt that it was because of you and Thomas she was alive, I felt true hope again,"

And it wasn't just you that was betrayed. Teresa betrayed all of us. We trusted her. What happened that day was not your fault. You know what Alby always said? 'Pick yourself up and finish what you started'," Amelia motivated. "If you hold yourself back, your courage will die away. And it means everything you and Thomas did to protect and save all of us was for nothing,"

Edward felt for the first time since coming out of the box in the Maze true compassion. His friends had now become the family that he and his brother had taken away from them. He couldn't stand by and do nothing.

"Now get up," Gally offered a hand. "Let's save your brother,"

Edward looked up at saw the sincerity in his eyes. Gally was no longer the same bully he was before. He was now a loyal ally turned friend. He sniffled and wiped his eyes. He clasped the offered hand and was pulled back onto his feet. "I'm truly sorry for all that I did to you and your brother," he apologised.

"I'm sorry too. And I'm sorry for how you were used. I'll make sure Jerry pays for both Alby and you," Edward swore.

"Don't let revenge cloud your moves," Gally advised. "Only focus on your determination to save Thomas,"

"I'm sorry for what I said," Minho apologised. Edward nodded, forgiving him. "What's the plan?"

All faces were on Edward. He felt stuck again. Hearing their words ringing in his head again, all the guilt that had crushed him for weeks dissolved and he only felt determination. "I've got a plan on how we can get Teresa, but I'm gonna need to draw her in myself,"

"You sure you want to face her?" Gally asked.

Edward's eyebrows bent. "I'm ready now," his eyebrows relax and he looked at each of them thankfully. "Thank you,"

"I think we're the ones who should be thanking you," said Minho.

"Save the big thank you for when we rescue my brother and everyone else. Here's out we're gonna capture her,"

Teresa was packing up her office. She heard footsteps outside her glass door. "Yes?" She didn't receive a response. She raised her head and saw Jerry leaning against the window panels. "I'm not talking to you, Jerry. And don't continue thinking there will ever be an us,"

Jerry scoffed. "What did I ever do to you, Teresa?" She didn't answer. He growled, receiving the cold treatment. "Say something,"

"Why did you send those Grievers after Edward?"

"It was just after him. It was to get rid of any Right Arm members still in the city,"

"Come on," Teresa was too smart. "I know you've always been jealous of him. Always have been since we were kids. He was always smarter than you. He was always more appreciated than you,"

"He always had you looking out for him," Jerry added in enviously. Teresa flicked her face up in horror. She saw resentment boiling behind his bold eyes. "I've always liked you for a long time, Teresa. I tried everything to get you to notice me. But you never cared about me the same way you care about Edward,"

"I'm sorry that you feel this way," apologised Teresa. "But I don't regret anything that we had when we were younger," she packed her bag and tried to leave but Jerry blocked her. "If you don't leave now, I'll call Paige,"

"I don't give a damn about her," he seethed sinisterly. "No matter how hard I've worked to please her, she'll never respect me,"

"Not after how you tried to kill Edward. I am going to make this clear Jerry," Teresa leaned closer to his face. "There will never be an us. That I promise you,"

Jerry's fumed through his nostrils. "You're gonna wish you'd hadn't said that" he turned around and left the office. Teresa felt her entire body trembling. For a moment, she felt like he was about to force his lips on hers. But he didn't. She needed to be careful.

She walked out of the building and into the city. She heard complaints from a nearby testing area as she stood at a zebra crossing. She looked at the small mob but turned away again. As she stared across, she saw a tall boy with a hood over his head. Her eyes widened; her lips parted.

Edward eyed her tensely from his spot. Then as a large bus passed between them, he turned and walked away into the crowd.

Teresa trailed after him through the increasing crowd but she was slowed down by people passing in and out of a station. She managed to get inside the station but she didn't see Edward. She steered her head around anxiously but then she saw him walking off to a section of the station that was very spaced. She dashed in her heels to get to him. "Edward!"

Edward turned his head and he saw the girl he once cared for pursuing him. Still hooded, he disappeared down a staircase.

Teresa followed him down but she ended up on an empty underground platform. She glanced around but saw no Edward. She sighed. Gentle slow footsteps approached her. She turned around slowly and saw Edward appear from the shadows pulling back his hoodie. "Edward,"

"Teresa," he greeted coldly.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for my brother. The brother you took from me,"

"You shouldn't be here. If Janson and Jerry find out you're here…"

"Why do you care? Jerry sent his Grievers to try and kill me and my friends,"

"I know he did. I swear to you, I had no idea of his intentions,"

"I want to ask you something," Edward marched deliberately but a little menacingly on Teresa. "Do you regret it? What you did do to us? All the lies? All the acts? Everything about you that wasn't true?"

Teresa felt her eyes tearing up. She could see how he was clearly hurt by everything she had said and done since they first met when she came up in the Box. "Sometimes," she confessed, her voice low. "But that night when Thomas was stuck in the Maze, I helped you because I…"

"Wanted me to trust you quickly the moment you arrived in the Maze?" accused Edward. "Do you have any idea how guilty I felt for all these weeks? How much I blamed myself for everything you did to us?"

A tear fell down Teresa's fragile face but he didn't care. "I'm sorry," she apologised. "But I did what I thought was right. I'd do it again,"

Edward stared eerily at her. "Good. Because you're going to help us do what's right,"

Teresa's lips parted as he flicked his eyes to the side. Before she could react, she felt some hard smash against her head. She fell to the floor, eyes closed. "I've been waiting to do that for a long time," huffed Amelia. She tossed the bar to the side. "Well done,"

Minho and Gally came out of their hiding place and tied Teresa's hands and ankles. They gagged her mouth and placed a sack over her head.

"Now to get her back to the hideout," said Gally. "If we're gonna save the others, we need to act tonight before WICKED find out she's missing," With a secret passageway right next to the rail, they sneaked through back into the tunnel that would take them back to the others, carrying Teresa's unconscious body.

Whilst Minho and Gally carried her, Amelia and Edward talked.

"You did the right thing," she praised. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Good," he simply answered. "Not looking at her,"

"I don't blame you for being conflicted. It's not hard to just fully destroy your care for someone that you care about. Even if they betray you,"

"Sometimes I wish Hans hadn't restored my memories. I would have rather not remember how close we were than have to live with the burden of knowing we were friends with her,"

"We're all very proud of you Ed," Amelia patted her shoulder. "And I know Thomas is too,"

Edward managed a simple smile. But it dropped again. "Why do you still feel this way?"

"It's not just Teresa's betrayal I've been feeling guilty for,"

"Tell me," insisted Amelia. "I want to help you, Edward,"

Knowing he couldn't bury his feelings any longer, he looked regrettably at her. "It's about Brenda's brother. George,"

Chuck sat at a table guarding Stephen's message box with Brenda and Vince as he promised. He was worried.

"You okay kid?" Vince asked.

"I'm just worried about Ed," he lamented. "He's always been there for me,"

"He'll be back soon," said Brenda faithfully.

Chuck reached into his pocket and pulled out the little wooden figure he had carried with him since the Maze.

"That's a nice trinket," said Brenda.

"Thanks. I made it for my parents. I just wish I could remember who they were. Since I came up in that Maze, I've always wanted to find my family,"

Brenda felt sorry. "Something I learnt when I was a kid is that sometimes what you've been looking for turns out to be by your side the entire time," Chuck looked at her in understanding. "The Gladers are your family Chuck,"

Chuck looked at his figure and realised she was right. "Thanks, Brenda,"

"You remind me of my brother George,"

"I'm sorry about what happened to him," apologised Chuck.

"You've nothing to apologise for. It's just…WICKED. It's all WICKED," Brenda's voice was dropping.

"Don't worry Brenda…" Vince rubbed her shoulder. "We'll get Jorge back,"

"Guys! Guys!" Aris came rushing towards them. "They're back!"

Instantly the three stood up and Chuck grabbed the box. They rushed over to the pothole and they saw Minho climbing out. He looked back down and he heaved up a heavy mass of Teresa before Gally climbed through. He reached a hand down for Edward and helped him out and then finally Amelia.

"Eddie!" Chuck rushed into his open arms.

"Told you I'd be back Chuckie," he reminded me as he ruffled his hair. He saw the delighted Brenda and smiled at her.

"Thank goodness," Vince hugged her tightly. He eyed the unconscious Teresa coldly. "What is she doing here?"

"She can help us get inside WICKED," said Amelia. "But we need to do it tonight before WICKED finds out she's missing,"

Vince knew she was right. "When will she wake up?"

"Any moment now," said Edward. He stood up again. "I need to have some time to myself for a while," he wandered off, his friends watched out confusedly.

Chuck looked at Amelia. "Did something happen?"

Amelia sighed. "It was a bit tense for him seeing Teresa again. But he got through it. Just not sure he's quite got over his guilt yet,"

Though a little insecure about hearing about his encounter with Teresa, Brenda looked out for him as he disappeared into an outdoor space for some air. She pressed her lips together.

Edward was on a balcony. He stared up at the half moon in the sky and the glowing skylight, praying that whatever happens, he would be back in Thomas's arms again. Footsteps approached him but he didn't turn.

"Are you okay?" It was Brenda. He turned to see her concerned face. "Amelia said you were feeling not a lot like yourself,"

"I'm fine Brenda," he answered.

"You say that but you actually don't," she walked to stand beside him. They stared up at the night sky. "It's beautiful,"

"It is. I just hope it can still be like this after we rescue my brother and everyone else,"

Brenda turned her head a little. "Can I ask you something?"

Edward looked into her eyes. "Of course,"

"Were you in love with Teresa?"

Edward pursed his lips and stared up again at the wall. "I don't know. I know that we were close once. But whatever it was that we had, it's not there anymore. Why do you ask?"

"Amelia said you were reluctant at first," Brenda's tone hinted at a slight touch of jealousy.

"I just didn't feel ready to face her again," he confessed.

"Well, how are you feeling now?"

"A little better,"

"Do you think you're ready to let go of that guilt?"

"If I can be honest, not exactly. But…" he rotated his body and she rotated hers and they faced each other. "…I am ready to accept what's past. And I feel that in a way it's gonna help me get through,"

"I know you can get through it," Brenda smiled positively. They felt their hands touch and gently hold not to each other.

Edward had no idea what he was feeling being alone on that balcony with Brenda but it was something far greater than he imagined. As she looked into her warm eyes, he remembered his conversation with Amelia back in the tunnel. Tell her how you feel and all will be well.

"Brenda, there's something I need to tell you…" Edward was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Gally. The pair turned to him.

"She's awake. Time to interrogate her," he noted. He furrowed. "Did I interrupt something?"

Edward used this moment as an opportunity to hold back the truth a little longer. "No. Let's go get my brother and our friends back,"

Ava Paige sat in her office sipping some gin. She stared out at the glass window through the walls.

"Taking the edge off, I see," It was Janson who spoke.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she wondered.

Janson peered through the massive window. "It's a lovely city,"

"Hmm. The walls. It's amazing what people can accomplish when their survival's at stake. Squeeze them hard enough, there's nothing they can't do. No line they won't cross. How's the girl?"

"She seems to be…healing. But very, very slowly. This does mean we're on the verge of a breakthrough," Janson tried to sound encouraging but it was failing miserably.

"The virus is airborne," the doctor said gravely. "No wonder Newt was infected so quickly,"

It's inside the walls. That serum was our last chance. Anyone not already infected will be inside of a month,"

Janson wasn't afraid at all. "Okay. We can handle this. We just need to evacuate essential personnel and set up at another safe zone farther north,"

Ava turned her face up to him. "You think that'll be enough? We still need what Stephen hid. And yet you've failed to find Edward,"

"Don't blame this on me. And don't hold me responsible for what Jerry did. I'm already handling him enough as it is,"

"As if you've done that properly before," the director sarcastically remarked.

"Even if we might not find what Stephen hid, we've still got 28 immunes right inside this building aside from Thomas. We can find more,"

"You would. You'd hunt every last one of them down till there was no one left. Despite everything we've done to them, everything we've put them through. At least we gave them the tools they'll need to survive. Keep searching for Edward. And do another run-through on Thomas,"

"As you wish,"

So they've got Teresa and now they're going to plan to break their friends out. And Brenda and Edward are growing closer every moment. It's only a matter of time before they... See you all soon