The Glade was fractured. Zane's betrayal had left a scar deeper than any Griever wound. Trust was gone. But in its place? Fire. You, Newt, Minho, and a few others began meeting in secret—beneath the old windmill, where the cameras had long since shorted out.
Minho called it The Ember Circle. A rebellion in the making.
"We don't just survive anymore," Newt said, voice low. "We fight back."
Plans formed quickly. You'd trap Zane. Not with brute force—but with proof. You needed him to confess, to reveal his connection to WICKED, and to do it on record.
Step One: The Bait. You started spending time near Zane again—just enough to make him think you were cracking. You let him see you argue with Newt. You let him believe the bond was breaking.
Step Two: The Wire. Frypan rigged a broken lantern with a salvaged transmitter. You tucked it into your satchel, right before meeting Zane by the Maze wall.
"You were right," you said, voice trembling. "Newt's pulling away. I don't know who to trust."
Zane smiled. "You can trust me."
Step Three: The Hook. You let him talk. Let him brag. Let him say too much.
"WICKED doesn't care about love," he said. "They care about control. And I've given them everything they need."
Step Four: The Reveal. You stepped back. "Thanks, Zane. That's all we needed."
Newt emerged from the shadows, Minho behind him, holding the lantern. The transmitter blinked red—recording complete.
Zane lunged, but Minho tackled him. The Gladers surrounded him, no longer afraid.
"You betrayed us," Newt said. "Now you'll see what loyalty looks like."
Zane was locked in the Deadheads, guarded day and night. But the rebellion didn't stop there.
The Ember Circle grew. Maps were redrawn. Routes were tested. And deep in the Maze, a new symbol was carved into the stone:
🔥 We are not pawns. We are fire.
