I stare at Aris in horror. Is he talking about Teresa? Is she dead? Then I remember that he said he didn't know anyone named Teresa. Calm down, I tell myself. I close my eyes and breathe deeply, blocking everyone else out for a few minutes. I need to take a minute to focus myself. When I open my eyes again, Newt is speaking.
"...them too. Whatever." He turns around, visibly frustrated, and goes back to the mattress that we had been sitting on a few minutes ago. His eyes are flooded with frustration, and it startles me for a minute. He's usually so calm. He looks up and sees the way I am starting at him. His eyes soften immediately. I sit down next to him, but keep my distance. I suspect that he needs a minute to collect his thoughts, and me being on top of him probably won't help. I turn my attention back to Aris, Thomas and Minho.

"Why does that thing call you the Partner?" Minho inquires, staring at Aris' tattoo. Aris, who appears just as confused as the rest of us, shakes his head.

"I don't have a clue. I swear. And there's no way that was there before last night. I showered, looked in the mirror. I would've seen it. And someone would have noticed it back in the Maze, for sure." Aris says, and Minho gives him a disbelieving look.

"You're telling me that they tattooed you in the middle of the night? Without you noticing? Come on dude." Minho crosses his arms. Thomas is still staring at the lettering, being oddly quiet. I pull out the card that I had put in my pocket, and cup it in my hands, so that Newt can't see it. It is eerily similar to what Aris' tattoo reads. I look up as Aris storms into the bathroom, probably to see the writing for himself. Suddenly, Thomas' eyes widen.

"Whoa!" He says, and everyone looks at him strangely. His eyes are firmly fixed on Minho's neck, and I think I know why he's so surprised. "Your...your neck!" Thomas seems to be quite shocked, and can barely get words out. "You have it on your neck too!"

"What the shuck you talkin' about?" Minho mutters, pulling at his shirt, trying to see if Thomas is telling the truth. Thomas runs over to him, and pulls down his shirt collar.

"Holy...it's right there! Same thing, except..." Thomas trails off, and reads the writing to himself. Or, he thinks it's to himself. I here his voice clearly in my head though, as he reads Minho's tattoo. Property of WICKED. Group A, Subject A7. The leader.

"What? Dude!" Minho yells, looking at Thomas. Most of the other Gladers have gathered in a tight group behind Thomas, pushing their way forward in order to get a look. Thomas reads the words out loud, causing the Gladers to all voice their responses on top of each other. "You're kiddin' me, man!" Minho says, standing up. He pushes his way through the crowd of boys to follow Aris to the bathroom. And that's when the frenzy begins. Boys turn to each other, tugging on each other's shirts to see their tattoos. I stand up and press myself against the back wall, ready to judo-flip anyone who tries to pull my shirt down. Ya, that's not happening. Voices ring out, reading the writing.

"They all say Group A."

"Property of WICKED. Just like his."

"You're subject A-thirteen."

"Subject A-nineteen."

"A-ten."

"A-three."

I turn to the left, so the boys aren't going to stare at me, and pull my shirt down slightly. Then I pull out a piece of glass and hold it up. The words are backwards, but I can just make them out. Property of WICKED. Weapon 4. The Shadow. I am furious when I read the words. I'm not property of WICKED, like some science toy of theirs. And I most certainly am not a weapon. At least, I'm not their weapon. If I'm anyone's weapon, I'm my own, and I'd like to keep it that way. And what does 'the shadow' mean? Newt walks over to me, and I fling my shirt collar back up.

"What's your's say?" I ask, leaning against the wall. He shrugs.

"Tommy told me it says I'm subject A-five. They apparently call me the Glue." Newt says, and I nod thoughtfully.

"I get that. Glue is what holds things together. You've held the Gladers together. And you're definitely the only thing holding me together right now." My eyes find themselves staring at the ground, realizing that I might have said too much. But, to my delight, Newt places his fingers on my chin and gently lifts up my head.

"Oh, Mir, you don't need me to hold you together. You're a diamond. Unbreakable." The way he says these words makes me almost completely believe them. They way he says these words makes me feel like I truly am unbreakable. I lean in to kiss him, but suddenly Thomas clears his throat. I jump back from Newt, and see Thomas staring at us awkwardly. I blink at him, expecting a very good reason for interrupting my moment.

"Can...uh...can you read mine?" Thomas says, looking a bit flustered. I stare at him, expressionless. He could have asked anyone else. It's a bit funny though, how he's looking between Newt and I, as if realizing for the first time that we care about each other in a different way than he and I do. He can be so clueless sometimes. Newt shrugs and walks over to Thomas.

"Property of WICKED. Subject A-two-." Newt stops reading abruptly, and stares at Thomas' neck. I walk over briskly, and read it as well. Property of WICKED. Group A, Subject A2. Just as Newt said. But what is under it makes my heartbeat speed up.

"What?" Thomas asks, sensing that something is wrong. He turns to try and see it, but like on everyone else, it's impossible for him to see it without a mirror. "What does it say?" Newt and I exchange a glance and I sigh.

"It just says...'To be killed by Group B." I say, and my eyes immediately look up at Thomas, whose face is blank. I rest my hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about it. I mean, they'll have to get through me, and I won't let them lay a finger on you." I say reassuringly, with a slightly playful tone. Thomas smiles at me, and is about to respond, when a loud, blaring alarm fills the room.