"D.T.I? What the hèck is that?", asked Matt, puzzled.

"If I knew I wouldn't be standing next to you, I'd be running to the next place I'd need to be", said Ed.

Matt sighed and looked around. "I guess we should keep looking?"

Ed nodded in agreement before standing up and looking around again.

Matt got out his phone and took a picture of it. He grabbed a bag and put the vine like object in it, returning back to the area to search for more clues.

After days of strenuous searching-ok, more like 2 hours, Matt slumped down against a tree.

"I...I can't continue", he gasped. "G-Go on without me", he said, holding out his hand.

Ed walked up to him, giving his hand a gentle kick. "You spend too much time with TJ. Listen to me though kid, this ain't a joke. People have died, ok? I intend on living long enough to see everyone who ever believed in WICKED or joined it suffer. So buck up your ideas"

Matt frowned and got up. "Save the story will you? I know. Sun flares, The Flare, WICKED. We've had to grow up so fast... too fast. All I wanted was a little rest. I know you've lost people, Ed. But so have I. I lost my dad, my sister, my mum's probably dead too. Half of my class, kids I grew up with, all went crazy with the stupid Flare. You don't think I want to put an end to it all? Sometimes I wish I wasn't immune because it would be better to live life going crazy than to live life perfectly fine but not really get to LIVE at all"

To Matt's surprise, Ed didn't argue back. He nodded as Matt spoke, listening to every word. He put his hand on Matt's shoulder. "I know, son. I'm sorry all this has had to happen. You're just a kid"

Matt shrugged but gave him a grateful smile. Before he could answer, footsteps were approaching them. Ed pulled him up and ran to a bulkier tree, crouching down behind it, Matt doing the same. 

"Where did Peters say the girl was?", asked a man dressed in the same suit Dessy had described. He was talking to another man in a same kind of suit.

"She said that she'd most likely be here. Something about it being a safe place or whatever", said the other man.

The first man nodded, holding up a medium sized black gùn, ready to fire.

Matt looked over at Ed, ready to say something, making the older man put a finger to his own lips, instructing him to stay silent.

"How long will all this take? I got a missus to get home to ya know", said the first man. Seconds later, both men starting laughing hysterically.

"Good one mate! Your wife's gone to loopy town", laughed the second man.

It was clear to Matt and Ed what he meant. She had caught the Flare.

"I tell you now, I can't wait for this to all be sorted", said the second man, which earned a nod of agreement from the first man.

All be sorted? What did he mean by that? Had WICKED finally found a cure? Not that it mattered to the Group anyway, they were all immune, accept Lani, though that didn't matter much now. It did bring Matt great comfort knowing that the kids taken to do the Maze Trials years ago hadn't just gone through that pain for nothing. It was obvious that Ed was also trying to piece together this information, metaphorical cogs spinning around in his brain.

"Look here!", called out the first man. "Craig look what I found!"

Craig walked over to the first man. "What is it Jesse?"

Jesse pointed to a small piece of cloth that looked like it was from a lab coat. He picked it up, a smirk on his face. "We've got her"

Craig smiled, a proud look on his face. "She can't have gon' far. Let's head that way", said Craig, pointing forward.

Jesse nodded, putting the cloth in his pocket.

Ed had moved forward at that point in time and saw the fabric. The two men left, in search of this mysterious girl.

Both Matt and Ed emerged from their hiding spot, looking at eachother.

"What girl are they on about? What was in their hands? Who are they working for?", asked Matt, questions spiralling in his head.

"Boy, I ain't wearing their suits and a part of their group and if I was I sure as h*ll wouldn't be telling you anything", said Ed, rubbing his forehead for effect.

"Sorry. Just curious. You have to admit, that was a little suspicious", said Matt.

Ed nodded. "I agree with you on that one, kid. They had those bugging gùn things, the ones Dessy described. They couldn't have been loaded with bullets"

"What if they had the kind of bullets that Cal was shot with in them? It looked like a bullet that would fit in one of those gùns", said Matt.

Ed agreed, the wrinkles on his forehead smoothening. "Yeah, I think you're right. They had white fabric in their hands, probably belonging to that girl they were on about"

"So? What would that mean?", asked Matt, confused as to how that mattered.

"It was regular fabric. It was like the type of stuff scientists wear", said Ed. "I'm not too sure though, I didn't get a close enough look"

"So what do we do then?", asked Matt.

"God you don't half ask a lot of questions", he said sarcastically.

Matt sighed, rolling his eyes a little. "Sorry", he said. He seemed to be saying that a lot.

"Don't be. Curiosity is good- at the right times. And this is not the right time", said Ed.

Matt nodded. He knew he had a lot to learn. Suddenly, he remembered something. "Wait. Did the fabric look worn or smooth?"

Ed shrugged. "I don't know. Like I said, I didn't have a good enough look.  Why would it matter anyway?"

"We need to go after them. We need to get a better look at the fabric", said Matt, acknowledging Ed's question but not answering it. He started walking off in the direction the two men went.

Ed walked after Matt, grabbing his arm. "What the h*ll do you think you're doing?!"

"Trust me Ed! I know what we need to do", said Matt, pulling his arm away.

Ed sighed sharply but listened. "Tell me what you know first"

Matt nodded, grateful that he was able to help. "You know how Cassie's always talking about clothes?"

Ed nodded. "Yeah. That girl lives and breathes it"

"That's right! I remember her talking about one of the faults in the local factory that supplies the clothes for most of us here. The fabric came out loose and slightly torn and the issue never got fixed", said Matt.

"You've lost me. How does that help?", asked Ed.

"If the fabric from that coat isn't worn out then the owner of it is either from another area or lives in a place that make their own fabrics and supplies", said Matt.

Ed nodded, the cogs in his head spinning again. "Go on..."

"If the person lives in a place that make their own things they'll most likely be one of the people who work in THIS organisation", said Matt, pointing to the vine like object they found earlier. The one that said. 'D.I.T'

Ed clapped his hands together, a rare and bright smile on his face. "Good job, Matt!", he beamed, patting his sboulder.

Matt smiled, proud of his contribution. "I didn't think you even knew my name"

"I know all your names", he said truthfully. He wasn't one to be all sentimental and to be at one with his emotions. He lost too many people.

Matt smiled, feeling a little closer to Ed. Who knows? Maybe they'd be best friends now? Haha no, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

"Come on then. Lead the way", said Ed, breaking the silence.

Matt nodded with a smile and walked on, a look of determination on his face.

After 10 minutes of walking, they saw two gùns on the ground and the piece of fabric from earlier.

"What the hèll...", said Ed, confused.

"It's definitely one of their gùns! The farbric... I was right! It's smooth", said Matt eagerly.

Ed was thinking of a response.

Just then, someone kicked Matt, making him fall to the floor.

Ed's eyes widened and balled his fists, ready to fight. He felt someone behind them and swung his fist backwards.

The person grabbed his arm and twisted it back. Matt slowly got back up but the person reacted quickly, kicking him again, making him collide with the floor once more.

Ed kicked the person's leg, making them kneel down but they were still twisting his arm. He gained a better look at the person.

A girl around Matt's age.

"Who the hèll are you?!", he growled, trying to hide his suprise.

The girl rubbed her leg before getting back up. She didn't answer Ed. Instead, she clenched her fists as if she was preparing just in case they fought her.

Matt finally got back up, his leg aching. "That's one strong kick you got there", he said, holding onto Ed's shoulder.

People would probably be intimidated by Ed but the way the pair stood, Matt limping and in discomfort couldn't scare an ant. It was actually quite a funny sight.

Ed caught on to this and sighed. "Look tougher", he whispered.

The look on Matt's face was priceless. He turned back to face the girl and tensed up, screwing his face up to look 'fierce and tough'.

Ed raised his eyebrows at him and gently slapped his shoulder. "Quit that. You look like you need the toiled"

The girl looked at the older man, a confused look on her face.

"Oh, toiled means toilet in Welsh. That's what he is. Welsh. Not a toilet", said Matt, assuming that was what confused her.

This made the girl crack a smile and held back a laugh. 5 seconds of looking at the pair already confirmed they weren't a threat to her.

"Ok enough of the chit chat. Who are you?", asked Ed.

The girl looked a little unsure.

"We'll tell you ours. I'm Matt and this is Ed", said Matt, being friendly.

The girl looked at Matt, then at Ed.

"Iona. My name's Iona"

Matt smiled and looked over at Ed.
"Hello then, Iona. We aren't here to hurt you. We just want answers. Like who THIS belongs to", said Ed, holding up the fabric.

Iona looked at the fabric with a frown. "That belongs... belonged to me"

Ed and Matt's eyes widened. Had they just fallen for her trap?

"Explain", said Ed.

Iona wasn't suprised by this and nodded before looking back. "Not here though"

Matt and Ed nodded.

"Ok where the-", asked Matt.

"Oi! You can't be here! Get em' Jesse!", yelled Craig, one of the men from earlier.