Author's notes:
Sorry, forgot the disclaimers… well, you know that I'm not Dashner and that I'm just borrowing his characters and settings to have some fun.
There won't be any very explicit scenes, though I like to write them. Just can't do this when an actor has already portrayed the character. My imagination runs screaming away…
Update rate is around two weeks for this fic.
This chapter got too long, so I divided it. Therefore, the announced 'Gally-Incident' will occur in Chapter 4.
There are two or three more chapters on the glade, then 'The Scorch Trials' will follow.
DECEPTION
Chapter 3 - The Apprentice
Her accent which I'm told is 'broad'
That I have heard and has been poured
Into my human heart and filled me
With love, up to the brim, and killed me
And rebuilt me back anew
With something to look forward to
(West Country girl by Nick Cave)
Early the next morning, Émilie was woken by a relentless tapping and prickling against her back and arm. Being still half asleep, she tried to shoo the disturber away. All she wanted was to sleep a little longer, only a little.
But he was persistent. "Leave me alone." She mumbled and turned away. At least she wanted to turn away. Something hindered her movements considerably. But what was that? She tried to stretch out her legs, when it came into her mind: a sleeping bag! She was lying in a sleeping bag on the so-called glade.
"Émilie! Stand up."
She almost jumped to her feet. The glade! Newt!
"Ready to go?" Newt asked in such a dry tone, which almost made her to chock his mouth with her fist. After the first adrenaline boost the urge faded away and she bundled her sleeping bag together.
"Where are we going?" She renewed her bun, the hairpin had dropped out during the night.
"To the wall. I have to show you something."
Soon they stood in front of the gigantic wall, overgrown to half of its height with ivy. She calculated that it must have taken a few years to reach that height, even though ivy was a fast grower.
Newt was heading to a specific place, pushing the plant aside, revealing a small window. She eyed him questioningly and he made an inviting gesture. Just when she was about to look through the mysterious window, a red light blinded her and she jumped back, almost pushing him over. In the last moment they found their balance.
"What on earth is this?" Her heart was racing while the red light scanned them up and down.
"We call them beetle blades." His expression and bodylanguage spoke volumes about the disdain he felt for the place and its creatures. "They are observing us."
"You mean that we are under observation 24/7?" On second thought this place wouldn't make any sense if they weren't under close observation, she had to admit. The amount of money spent to set this up must have been ridiculous, unbelievable high. One didn't spent so much money at a whim. What was the ulterior motif behind it? The so-called beetle blade vanished as soon as she was within reach to touch it, but she got a glimpse of the letters 'WCKD' on it.
"Yes, once you are used to them, you'll forget about them." He was a tad to negligent when saying it, she could swear that he wasn't accustomed to it. Others might be, but he wasn't, he was aware of what was going on and he was sensitive enough not to forget it.
Newt had propped himself against the wall right beside her and pointed with an inviting gesture to the window. "We call them grievers."
She stepped back, pried through the small window and flinched. The odd combination of flesh and machine parts was repulsive and the despicable purpose was clear. "Whose sick mind came up with such a weird construction?"
"Well, that would be bloody great to know." He cast a glance through the window as well and with a disgusted expression he leaned back. "They are roaming through the bloody maze." He laid a hand on her shoulder, turned her around and looked her straight in the eye. "They are the reason why you stay put in the glade."
As if she was the imprudent type to run headless into a maze, she wasn't as daft as a brush. This was something that needed research and consideration, especially since some of them had explored it for one year and haven't found the exit yet. She laid a hand on his one resting on her shoulder and returned the look. He was deadly serious about it, he had tightened the grip on her shoulder and waited for an answer. Her feather-light touch made him loosen the grip a tad.
"Thanks. The desire for an excursion has passed me." At last on the short term, she thought but didn't say aloud.
They remained longer in the position than the situation justified and for a splint of a moment she meant to see the desire burning inside him. Before she could be sure, he broke the contact, started to head to the homestead and the moment was gone.
"Breakfast time. Nick and Alby will be relieved to hear that you stay inside." He said looking over his shoulder. "They think you're a troublemaker."
She put on her most innocent expression, exaggerating just a little. "I am the most halcyon person walking on this earth. Don't know why they keep on calling me a troublemaker."
"I don't have the foggiest idea what made them think so." He replied dryly while they sat down with the others and savoured the breakfast.
Her only answer was coquettish look and smile. His responding smirk made her feel the butterflies in her stomach again.
Straightway after breakfast, Émilie went to the surgery. The green liquid fret her, there had to be something behind it. Yesterday, she had pestered anyone on the glade who had come across her way for information, no one had had clues or answers.
She had decided to sacrifice one syringe to examine the content. After all, they had come in a medical chest, they had to have a function. Since no other cushy place was available, she sat cross-legged on the ground, a small board before her, a notepad beside her. The situation was oddly familiar and she turned the syringe to observe the viscous liquid running down the glass.
"Mrs and Mr. du Châtetet, welcome in our institution. It is an honour for us that you decided to move from France and to continue your research together with us. Your pioneering findings are unique."
She was standing behind her parents while the grown-ups exchanged the usual phrases of civility, common among scientists on the same level. Praising the research, the results, the publications and how brilliant they were. In the end her father stepped aside and introduced her.
"This is our daughter Émilie. Émilie, this is Miss Paige and Mr. Janson."
Her parents spared her the usual 'Say hello, Émilie.'-stuff and Mr. Janson stated without further circumstances "We analysed the data and you are right. She is immune and among the most brilliant kids we tested. We are proud to greet such a promising, highly-potential candidate in our tests and to continue her education as you desired. She is among the oldest, but that hasn't to be a disadvantage." He stepped closer to her parents and lowered his voice, but Émilie had a good hearing. "We managed to find the perfect counterpart for her, the tests don't err."
Émilie had stopped thinking about sentences like these long before. Since her parents had found out that they were infected and how much time they had left, they acted utterly strange. She just did what was expected of her without questioning it.
Her parents were overly enthusiastic and were shown their new workstations. They started working immediately, completely forgetting about her and barely noticing that this Mr. Janson led her away in another, more tightly secured part of the complex. She couldn't be angry with them. They were infected and their time was limited to find a cure. Somehow, it filled her with pride that her parents worked with full speed to find the solution and that they were so devoted to their task that they neglected their daughter. Maybe being here among peers was a change for the better.
Mr. Janson opened a door with his key-card and they stood in front of a group of young teens and kids sitting in front of consoles, barely looking up on their intrusion. Some of them were of her age, most of them younger.
"This is Émilie, she is working with your group from now on." Mr. Janson introduced her rather brisk and most of them were turning their attention back on their screens.
He left her standing in the entrance and she was alone with all those kids she didn't know. She noticed a boy still looking at her and spotted the last free console right beside him. She headed with smart pace towards it. Nobody should notice her insecurity.
She sat down and turned to the blonde-haired boy beside her, whose brown eyes examined her with curiosity. "Hello, Émilie. My name is Newt." His warm smile was well-intentioned and for the first time since the journey began, she felt that it could come to a good end indeed.
The green liquid had long reached the other end of the glass-container, her hand trembled and Émilie blinked several times. This was definitely part of her past, she remembered her parents and she remembered meeting Newt. No breakthrough news, but interesting.
But that was the past, she had more important tasks at hand and she concentrated back at them. She let one drop fall on the wood, no reaction. She tested every little thing that was handy and made sense, all with the same result: no reaction.
"Hi." She had been so absorbed that the greeting made her wince.
Gally stood in the entrance, Willi by his side. "Are we interfering?"
"No, not at all." She rose and straightened her skirt.
"I was wondering if you could take care of Willi. He isn't exactly a builder, you know. And he seems quite fond of you." Gally shoved Willi over the threshold.
Emilie was all smiles, she had the shy boy locked in her heart. "Perfect. He can help me with my research and my pharmacy."
"Pharmacy?" The puzzled look on Gally's face was priceless and she had to laugh.
"Yes. What is definitely lacking here is something at least close to medicine."
Somehow that was beyond his horizon and grumpily he shoved Willi further inside. "He is all yours."
"Sit down here." She pointed to the opposite side of the board and Willi imitated her by sitting cross-legged on the ground.
Gally hesitated, irresolutely remaining at the entrance. "You need a table."
She had completely forgotten to ask for one. "Yes, you are right. That would be great."
"I'll organise you one."
Gally was one of these caring and thinking for themselves guys, who were far too rare. "Thanks, Gally."
Gally left them alone and Émilie turned to Willi. "Now, Willi, at the moment I'm trying to find out what this green liquid is for. Do you have any ideas?"
In the beginning, he was too shy to blurt out his conclusion, she had to encourage him and started with the obvious. "It was in the medical chest, it is filled in syringes. What do you think is its purpose?"
His eyes brightened. "It is a medicine."
"Right. But we don't know if it is for healing or a darker purpose. I wouldn't risk using it, before I have some clues. I put a drop on the board. What do you see?"
Confused he observed the drop closely from all directions before he answered rather insecure. "Nothing."
"Right again. That is an important information. It isn't caustic, at least not much. There is also no smell, meaning that either it doesn't evaporate or is odourless. Every little one of these observations is noted down in this notepad, so that we don't forget about the details." To every one of her explanations he had nodded eagerly.
"What do you suggest? What should we try next?" she challenged him.
He looked strained and patiently she waited for his answer. "We could taste it."
She tipped with the pen against her lips and interposed. "It could be poisonous."
He frowned and thought hard. "Mix it with liquids like water."
"Exellent…."
"Hi, what are you doing?" Newt had appeared in the doorframe and leant casually against it, he must be observing them for some time already. It was becoming a bad habit that anyone came around, leaned in the doorframe and interrupted her.
"We are trying to figure out what this green liquid is supposed for. Willi is my new apprentice."
"Bloody good choice." She wasn't quite sure if he meant Willi for choosing to work with her or if he meant her for choosing Willi.
He remained in the doorframe so this wasn't just a flying visit. "What is it, Newt?"
"I made some progress. Wanna see?" He pointed with his head to the outside, the bold smile promised fun. With this expression on his face, she would have followed him everywhere, the smallest sign of his little finger would suffice. Not that she would admit it aloud.
"Of course. Willi, test everything that comes to your mind and note it down. Just don't come in direct contact with it."
Eagerly, Willi nodded and pleased she logged that he started by making notes. He got by himself, this was his appointment.
She went with Newt in the front of the house. "What do you want to show me?"
Again, his sly glance promised some fun. "We race. Just for the fun of it." He pointed with one crutch to the opposite side of the glade. "Turning point is over there. Finish is here." He drew a line with a crutch in the ground before him.
She eyed him up and down, there was something roguish about him she couldn't resist. Tough she wasn't a fast runner, she had a chance, he had a handicap. "Accepted. "
They took their stance at the line and Émilie started to count. "One, two, three,… go."
Much to her surprise it was a head-to-head race, he was as fast as she was. Only on the way back, she gained a small lead. In the end she arrived quite breathless and let herself drop on the back putting her feet up. Newt threw the crutches aside and fell down beside her, equally putting his feet up. They turned their faces to each other and burst into laughter, his wholehearted laugh made her day. She hadn't seen him this casual and relaxed since she had arrived. It felt familiar as if they had done this a thousand times before.
"That was good." Newt said, gasping for breath.
"You are surprisingly fast." Her pulse was high above the normal level and it didn't get better by looking at him. Luckily her head was already red from running.
"I found a way to use the crutches to push off. I'll try to improve it further." He was determined, that was a good start.
"Just don't practise too much. There won't be a chance for me to catch up with you." She teased him.
All of a sudden he turned serious, a tad too late it occurred to her that this might not the best topic. "I was a runner before the accident."
All his cheerfulness seemed gone, but he had brought the issue up. "Yes, Nick mentioned it. What happened?"
"Wanted to give up the job anyway." He evaded answering her direct question, he wasn't ready to talk about it.
The way he stared into the clouds above didn't please her, it was too gloomy. She propped herself on her arm, plugged a clover-leaf and started to chew on the stipe. "What will you do instead? Do you have plans already?"
"Not yet." Still, he evaded her. He needed a perspective.
"You could help me with my pharmacy. I want to have a little plantation with medicinal herbs. I'll need help besides Willi." She suggested.
"I could try." That wasn't exactly what she called overly enthusiastic, but it was a start.
"About your accident… " She knew that it wasn't wise to bring the topic up again, but she had to get it off her chest.
"Yes?" at least he faced her this time, but the expression in his eyes was the one of a small boy, mortally terrified and frightened, only for a second and his cheerful façade was back. She didn't want to know what he could hide once he perfected this mask.
"I am sorry about it, but this way we could meet again." What had happened that scared him that much? It couldn't have been the grievers. He had ran through the maze for a longer time and he hadn't been scared of the grievers then.
'He failed. He gave up. His mind is weak.' This sickly voice, mocking her. Full of scorn and derision. The naked spite in his features. He wanted to hurt her and what upset her most was, that he was successful. She had to take the initiative and she had to take it fast.
The black-haired boy again. Another meeting, but the same hushed tone. 'Go in and help him. Do whatever is necessary that he DESIRES to make it out of the maze. At any cost. I don't care HOW you manage it, I trust you. Spare me the details.'
She had to shake her head, the brief memory had been too real, but Newt frowned and looked with that gloomy expression that made her attentive.
"Yes, at least there comes something good out of it." He said under his breath and she blinked a few times to get back on the track of their conversation.
"Newt?" she looked intensely at him.
"Yes?"
"Life is a game made for everyone." She smiled warmly at him and he returned the smile, the butterflies in her stomach returned. She took his hand and squeezed it. "Go on and play it."
His face was so close, being unaware of it, they had to have moved together. He took the clover-leaf out of her mouth. "You know nothing, Émilie."
There was only one person on this earth who could tell her that she knew nothing without consequences and he was right in front of her. She felt his breath on her face, he reached out with one hand and she could fell his warmth on her cheek short before he touched her.
"Émi! Émi!" Willi had gotten into a flap and came running out of the house.
Teeth-gnashing, Émilie turned. Once again her magic moment was ruined. "What is it?"
"I have found something, you HAVE to look at it."
"Fine." She rose, dusted off her clothes and lent Newt a hand to help him stand up. Newt followed them into the surgery and soon Willi and Émilie were sitting cross-legged on the ground while Newt had taken a seat on the bed. The board was between them.
"Now look at this." Willi put two drops of green liquid on the board. "I have tried various things…"
"Come to the point." Newt interrupted Willi rather grumpily.
"Pray continue." Émilie said with a warning glance to Newt. Willi couldn't know that he had disturbed them. He had come with best intention.
"That's the reaction with water." A drop of water intermingled with the liquid and nothing happened.
"And now try blood." Willi suggested with a barely concealed agitation.
Émilie took out her knife and pricked in her finger. A small drop of blood appeared and she squeezed until one drop fell into the liquid. It turned black instantly, before turning back to red.
They exchanged a meaningful glance and Émilie picked up the notepad to look through it. Willi had been thorough and tested nearly everything available. Nothing had shown a reaction. Except the blood that turned black and back to red. She was sure that she had seen nothing like this before. And the discolouration to black didn't look confidence-inspiring.
Newt kneaded his under-lip and looked thoughtfully on the board. "What should we do with this world-shaking news?"
Émilie shot another look at him to tell him to spare them with his cynicism. "At least we know that it is reacting with blood and not with spit or acid."
There was only one logical next step. "We need a more concrete test object. I'll need a pig." Émilie said.
They both stared at her as if she had lost her mind.
"No. You don't." was Newt's immediate answer.
Émilie expressed her disappointment. "We don't have any pigs around? What a pity! They are the closest to humans regarding the metabolism."
"I said 'no, you don't.' I didn't say that we don't have any pigs around. They are part of the basis of existence on the glade and we don't know if this might kill them. And if it is killed this way, we can't eat it. The poison would still be inside." Newt explained.
This was beyond her horizon. There were pigs on the compound and she couldn't use them? "But this is the only way we can be halfway sure if it is a cure or a poison."
"Cut it out, Émilie. You are not going to perform any animal testing. Point."
She was in a gigantic test lab and wasn't allowed to make minor tests? Something was awfully wrong, this was not the final word. "This is a community. Right, Newt? That means it is not up to you to decide. I'll ask Nick for permission, he is the one in charge."
They were staring at each other, the electricity flowing this time was completely different and Willi had taken a step back. She knew she was being unfair and telling Newt directly that he wasn't the one to decide had hurt him. Newt remained seated on the bed with pinched lips while she ran out.
She found Nick rather fast and his first response was an equal blunt "No."
She didn't surrender so easily and pestered him until he gave in to call a gathering of the keepers just to be left alone. So there still was a chance, all she had to do was persuade them of the necessity to test the medicine. A piece of cake! There were reasonable boys among them.
In the afternoon she had to accept, that reasonable was an elastic term. Though she had brought logical and judicious arguments forward, her request was refused. Only two of the keepers had voted for her.
Not that this would stop her, she would have to find another solution. She stormed out of the meeting room, directly to the surgery. She took the opened syringe and held it into the light, turning it and observing the liquid while it floated in the glass container. "Just wait. I'll figure you out sooner or later." Even if she had to test it on herself.
"Émilie?"
She almost dropped the syringe, in the last moment she caught it. "Hi, Past."
"So absorbed in your thoughts?"
"Yes, I am trying to figure out what this is for." She showed him the syringe.
"In for some distraction?" His words and movements were unmistakable and sighing she laid the syringe aside and put a hand on his shoulder to keep him in distance.
She had to clarify it, before it got too complicated. He must have noticed her hesitation because he became a little reserved. "Listen Past. I have to make it clear. I really like you, but I want to keep this on cordial terms with you. I like to tease and to flirt, but we're keeping this on neutral ground. Never ever there will be more than this."
"Understood." The slight disappointment in his voice was undeniable but he didn't seem to take it too seriously. "Friends." He offered her a hand and she accepted it.
He kept the contact a little longer than necessary and she could tell that he hadn't given up the hope to sway her. When he left, he stopped short in the doorframe and said "Hello Newt."
She just knew that this was Past's way of telling her that Newt had overheard their conversation and only a second later Newt stood in the surgery. "You can be really off-putting, you know?" He didn't even disguise his earwigging as well as he didn't hide his satisfaction about what was said.
"Well, that's part of my nature. Better being blunt now than regretting it later. He is kind of perfect, he deserves being treated decently."
"He is kind of perfect?" He raised an eyebrow, suggestively emphasising 'kind of'.
"Yes, it's my pick here." She knew she was cheeky, but if one adjective suited her, it was confident. "And I was never content with the number-two choice. Not once." She couldn't break the eye-contact though it might have been wise as intense as it was.
Willi came rushing into the room. "Can we start with the garden?" And another moment was ruined.
"Sure." She sighed. "Nick told me to ask Past for a place and that's exactly what we three are going to do."
Author's notes:
Next chapter: The Incident