28

                                    

                                          
The closer they got to the cities center, the more crowded the people were in the streets. So they finally had to give up their vehicle and fight their way through the crowd on foot. J held both Pan and Newt by one hand, so she won't lose them. There were posters on all the facades providing information about the flare and the symptoms of the disease.
It was strange, somehow it seemed as if everyone here was heading in the same direction, towards the high-rise buildings that they had already seen from afar. J read the signs that some held up. Let us in. We are not animals. W.I.C.K.E.D. is evil. 
But suddenly the people dispersed. Then two cars came through the street. With wide eyes, J looked at the armed men sitting there on the vehicles. They didn't belong to W.I.C.K.E.D. They wore different clothes. More like mercenaries, green and brown. And they had these breathing masks on so J couldn't see their faces. But there was one... J jumped when the guy turned his head towards her. Like already said, she didn't see his face. But something about the way he sat there on the wagon, the way he held his rifle, the way he turned his head, seemed strangely familiar to J. She just didn't know where from she could know this guy. And she didn't have time to worry about it either. They had to move on. 
However, they didn't get far. Because it was as the signs of the incited mob had already predicted. The Skyscrapers, W.I.C.K.E.D.s vantage point, was a fortress. Surrounded by a high stone wall that reminded J of the walls of the labyrinth. 
J knew the others were thinking that too. She could see it in their faces. After all, they had to go in there. But how?
Suddenly the situation got completely out of control. Shots were fired. J looked around in confusion until she realized that W.I.C.K.E.D. was shooting >from the wall in front of them<. The guns were aimed directly at the crowd. They had to get out of here. 
Chaos broke out, everyone tried find safety. J lost Newt and Pan's hands, which she had been holding on to until now. Didn't matter, what was important now was that they got out of here. They would find each other again. So J kept running. After a few meters she tripped over someone else's foot and another one elbowed her in the ribs. She almost fell if someone hadn't caught her. One of the guys with the breathing masks who had passed them in the car earlier had grabbed J's arm. Nothing happened for a moment, then he dragged her with him. J tried to free herself and started screaming. But she stopped when they reached a car into which the masked man pushed her. Because Thomas and Brenda were already sitting inside. The two of them looked as overwhelmed as J felt. What did these people want from them? Who were they? Again, J felt like one of these guys looked familiar without her seeing his face.
When the car stopped again and they were escorted outside, they were in some kind of underground parking lot. Another vehicle was parked next to them. And the roar that came from inside didn't sound good at all.
When the rear doors opened, one of the masked people rushed out and Jorge jumped after him. He tore the mask off the stranger's head and beat him. "Where is she? If you did something to her, then..."
"Jorge!", Brenda ran to the scuffles. "Hey, I'm here. I'm fine!"
Jorge immediately stopped shouting. Now Pan and Newt also came out of the other car. Her brother immediately came up to J and looked her up and down. When he saw that she was fine, he seemed more relaxed. In fact, they all seemed fine. However, they still didn't know what kind of people they had met here. That seemed to concern Thomas too. "Hey, who are you? What do you want from us?" 
Now one of the masked people came towards Thomas. When he was close to him, he took off his gas mask. 
"No!", Pan gasped. Newt stared, his eyes wide in surprise. J clapped her hands over her mouth.