The night had finally come. It was time to rescue Minho.

Gally was stressed to the max, rushing and stumbling around the room and making sure we knew what the plan was. Though all of us were ready, he seemed the most paranoid and frustrated, which I found pretty ironic and funny, despite the grave situation.

"Calm down, Gally," Newt said as the boy helped him suit up his WICKED uniform frantically.

"Calm down, what d'ya mean, calm down?" Gally glared at him. "You do realize that if this plan fails - that's it, it's over, right?"

"Yeah, but worrying so much like that isn't going to help," Thomas piped up from the corner of the room. He, too, was putting on the WICKED guard uniform that Teresa had stolen for us a few days prior. "We'll be fine, just slim it."

"Walkie talkie, or gun?" Brenda asked me as we stood by her bedside.

"Gun," I answered immediately.

"Damnit," she muttered under her breath, and pulled out a pistol from her pocket. She tossed it to me and I caught it, smirking.

"Guess I'm responsible for protecting you then," I said, nudging her playfully.

"You'd better do a good job at it, Rose, or I'll kill you before WICKED does."

"I'll keep that in mind."

When Gally was done helping Newt suit up, he went over to Thomas, but the latter waved him away, making it clear he was still wary of the guy. Gally didn't seemed to care too much as he picked up his own uniform and suited up immediately. Teresa pulled on her formal jacket and Frypan made sure his walkie talkie was functioning properly.

"Everyone got their stuff?" Gally asked around once he was done suiting up. "Good. Now let's go."

He led us out the underground base and into the town outside, where we descended down into the sewers once more, probably for the last time ever. I zipped up my hoodie and tied my hair up into a high ponytail; I didn't want my hair strands blinding me as I ran for my life.

We ran down the train tracks in pairs, Gally going first with Teresa, then Brenda and Frypan, then me and Newt. Thomas volunteered to go last.

"You alright?" I asked Newt when it was our turn. I was a little concerned as he had been coughing a little when we were walking along the sewer tunnels.

"Yeah," he replied, though I knew he was lying judging from the croak in his voice.

"Are you sure-?"

"I'm fine," he said, a little too harshly. I recoiled a little and his face softened. "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay," I said softly. "Tell me if the pain gets too unbearable, yeah?"

I grabbed his hand, squeezing it in an attempt to comfort him, and at Gally's signal, we ran down the train tracks together, our heartbeats quickening along with our pace. The familiar rumbling train noises echoed down the tunnel, and I poured on speed, dragging Newt with me.

"Come on!" I called out to him. He stumbled a bit and I grasped his arm to steady him; we continued running. The train appeared into view, and we leaped to the side and climbed up the metal railings just as the train zipped past us with a terrifying whoosh.

As soon as the locomotive disappeared at the other end of the tunnel, Thomas started running towards us, his strides hurried. I felt the tunnel walls tremble around me and heard the next incoming train - Thomas ran faster, his legs whirling into a blur as they sped up, beads of perspiration clinging onto his head for dear life. Finally he made it to us and leaped onto the metal railings, the next train only a few metres away. He hung on as it shot pass, and when it was gone we helped him climb up into the tunnel with us.

Gally led us through the tunnel, then the maintenance room, and through the wide open chamber that resembled an airport but was really just a centre for people to enter and exit the city. We ducked down a side alley and found ourselves on the top of a building overlooking the city, and went down numerous flights of stairs to get to pavement level.

"Alright, everyone ready?" Gally whispered, his dark, determined eyes sweeping over our faces.

"Can I have a moment with Newt, please?" I asked.

"Be quick about it," Gally said curtly.

I nodded and pulled Newt away to the side, near enough to my friends so that they could keep an eye on us but far away enough so they couldn't eavesdrop.

"What is it?" Newt asked me, eyebrows furrowing in concern.

"Just in case," I whispered, grasping his hand. "Just in case we don't survive this..."

Newt frowned. "Rose..."

"No, listen to me. You and I both know that our lives are in more danger than our friends'. Our chances of survival are very, very low, and I can't bear the thought of either one of us not coming back, or-or returning as a Crank."

Newt set down his helmet by his feet and squeezed back my hands, grasping my face at the same time. "We're going to be fine, ya hear me? We're going to be fine."

"Just in case," I whispered, and reached up and pressed my lips to his. He kissed me back, slowly at first, then with more urgency. I wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling him closer to me, wishing the moment would last forever.

"I need you to promise me something," he whispered when we pulled away.

"What is it?"

"Promise me this, if I lose to myself you... you won't mourn and move on to someone else."

"Newt, you... you know I can't do that."

"Please," he said, gripping my hands firmly, his dark eyes full of intensity. He stared at me and I hung my head as I tried to blink back tears.

"Okay," I said quietly. "I promise."

He leaned in and kissed me again, and this time, there was no hesitance. There was a sharp prick in my arm and I flinched, but I continued kissing him anyway as I tried to ignore the sudden pain in my infected arm.

"Stay safe," I whispered when we pulled away again.

"You too."

He reached down to grab his helmet, and we walked back towards our friends, who were trying - and failing - to pretend like they weren't spying on us.

Thomas raised his eyebrows at us. "Done already?"

"Shuck off." I shoved him. "Now let's go."

"Smartest thing you've said all day." Gally hefted his helmets and nodded. "Suit up boys. It's time to break into WICKED."

He, along with Newt and Thomas, quickly put on their helmets until their faces were completely obscured from view. Gally grabbed Teresa's arm and pulled her down the street, pulling out his gun and looking around for danger as she led the way towards WICKED. Thomas followed them behind swiftly, readying his gun as well.

Newt hesitated a little, his hand still holding mine, then with one last smile at me he finally let go and joined them. The four of them disappeared into the misty night air, their silhouettes blending into the darkness.

I watched them walk off with sadness in my eyes, my worry and concern for them all - especially Newt - growing with each passing moment. I couldn't help but think about what would happen if they didn't come back.

"Hey," Brenda's voice interrupted my train of thoughts. I felt her warm, colloused hand wrap around my arm, jerking me back to reality.

I blinked as I focused on her. "S-Sorry," I muttered. "I just can't help but worry."

"You and I both," she said, giving me a small smile. "But we have to stick to the plan. You're supposed to protect me, remember?"

I sighed, nodded, and pulled out the pistol she gave me. I made sure it was loaded, and with a quick nod to Brenda and Frypan, we started down the opposite direction, our footsteps echoeing disconcertingly in the calm quiet of the city night. We ducked down alleyways and side streets, taking careful caution to avoid security.

As we rounded a corner and hid behind a row of trees in a park, Frypan nudged us to get our attention.

"This is where I leave you two now," he whispered, his voice shaking slightly from nervousness.

Brenda and I nodded. "Good luck," I said, patting his shoulder. He smiled anxiously at me, then slunk off into the darkness, leaving me alone with no one else for company except for Brenda.

She gave me a solemn nod and together, we darted down the streets again, dodging out of security's sight whenever a car or drone flew by with uneasy silence. As we headed down another park, a sudden pain flared up in my arm and neck again and I hunched over, gasping slightly. Brenda froze in her tracks and stared back at me as I started coughing. I stumbled forward and leaned against the side of a building, my head spinning. I tasted bile in my mouth.

"Hey, hey, you alright?" Brenda asked as she jogged back to me.

"I'm fine-" My words were interrupted by another round of coughing.

"Hey, you wanna rest for a while?" Brenda asked worriedly.

"No, I'm fine," I said stubbornly. "Let's go."

And before she could protest I stumbled down the road and towards our destination, leaving no space for arguments. Truth to be told I felt horrible, for a sudden ache was racking throughout my entire upper body and a headache had surfaced - but I knew we didn't have time to wait for me to get better. Minho was counting on me.

A few minutes later Brenda and I found ourselves face-to-face with the warehouse that Gally had snuck us into previously. Very carefully, we crept in, trying to conceal our footsteps and heavy breathing in the quiet din of the room. Just like I saw last time, rows and rows of bright blue buses lined up around the warehouse, their orange neon signs glaring at us.

"Cover me," Brenda whispered, and I swept my gaze around the area, holding my gun out warily. We ducked behind a bus and waited for a moment; we heard the low chatters and footsteps of guards a few metres away from us, their boots heavy against the stone floor.

I felt another sharp pain shoot up my arm and I pulled back my jacket sleeve; the veins on my wrist had thickened, their black and red roots snaking up to my elbow. I could only imagine what the veins on my neck looked like at that moment.

Brenda glanced back to me and her eyes widened as her gaze drifted to my arm. I quickly pulled down my sleeve - but it was too late. She had saw it.

"You're infected," she gaped at me. "Okay, change of plans, you take the walkie talkie." 

And before I could even blink she snatched the gun out of my hand and tossed me the device, its speaker crackling slightly.

"But-" I protested.

"Nope." Brenda shook her head defiantly. "I know you're hurting a lot so I'll take the gun. I'll cover you, alright?"

I sighed, but I knew she was right. My arm was hurting so bad that if I tried to shoot I would miss all the shots and end up killing myself by accident.

"Fine," I gritted my teeth. "Now can we hurry?"

"You got it."

Brenda grabbed my good arm and pulled me to the back of another row of buses, the pistol gripped tightly in her other hand. As she scanned the area for any nearby guards, I turned on the walkie talkie, for it had been crackling more insistently than the previous minute.

"Brenda, how are you and Rose doing?" Came Thomas' muffled voice over the static.

"It's Rose here," I replied wearily. "And we're still working on it."

"Copy. Make sure you're ready on your end."

"Understood-" And before I could finish my sentence, my chest heaved and another round of painful, violent coughings forced their way out my mouth, echoing throughout the warehouse.

"Hey, who's there!" I heard a guard yell from the other end of the warehouse.

"Shit," I breathed. "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, just stay here!" Brenda said, loading her gun. "I'll take care of it."

And she ran off, aiming her gun towards the sound of the guards' shouts.

"Rose?" Thomas' voice sounded from the walkie talkie. "You... You okay?"

"I think you know the answer," I whispered, my voice now raw and scratchy. "I'll be fine, don't worry about me. How's Newt holding up?"

"He... He's not doing too well either, but I'm watching him."

"Good," I whispered back. "See ya."

I turned off the walkie talkie and leaned back against the bus, eyes closed and an insistent headache pounding in my skull.

I could literally feel the Flare virus eating away at my brain.