The remainder of the drive seemed to last forever. When the truck, finally, rolled to a stop outside the Hanger depot, Thomas couldn't clamber outside quick enough. He had felt on edge, throughout the whole drive, watching Newt from the front seat of the vehicle. Lawrence hadn't muttered a word since they'd lifted Newt on to he back seat. If it wasn't for the slow and gentle rising of his chest, you would be forgiven for thinking he was dead. He was covered in blood. It leaked down the side of his face from a cut above his eye. It trickled from a deep gash along his arm. His trousers were stained with the stuff, whether it be his own or someone else's. It was as if his entire body had been tinted red. It upset Thomas to see him like that.

Before long the other Gladers had been told of his arrival. Minho appeared first through a side door attached to the hanger.

"Thomas", he called, "What gives? We thought you'd be back hours ago."

Minho grabbed Thomas by the hand and pulled him in for a momentary embrace. Thomas heard Minho sigh deeply as he patted him firmly on the back with his loose hand. This was Minho's way of telling you he's glad you're okay. He would never say it out loud, so this was as evident as he made it.

"We drove over a garbage can on the way back", he revealed as a loud banging sound crashed against the back of the van, "but that wasn't the only thing that stopped us."

"I'm going to kill you Tommy!" a voice yelled from inside the truck.

Minho looked sharply at the van, then quickly back at Thomas. "You made a friend? He seems nice."

"It ain't funny."

"That better not be my replacement slinthead", Minho joked as he peered around the truck, "I thought we had something special."

"Slim it."

Thomas knew what seeing him would do to Minho.

No one had forgotten Newt, but they had all tried to put their emotions on hold so they could deal with WICKED first. This wasn't going to be easy.

The click of a lock cut through the tension infused air. Before Thomas could explain anything, one of the rear van doors flew wide open. Minho watched as a beaten, blood drenched, figure limped weakly around the side of the vehicle. The three Gladers were reunited once again.

Newt looked livid.

Minho looked stupefied.

Thomas wanted to run before Newt lunged at him.

All of a sudden, bringing Newt back seemed like a really terrible idea. Although, there was nothing else him or Lawrence could have done; leaving him there just wasn't an option.

"How...how are you feeling?" Thomas stuttered.

Newt gave him a look that seemed to say 'shut it before I hit you'. He clearly wasn't happy about being brought back to the Hanger. His arms hung like weights by his side, he looked physically and emotionally drained. There was no promise of hope in his eyes like when they had first met. Only anger. Thomas waited for Minho to go crazy, to start demanding an explanation as to what Newt was doing in the van. Instead, he fixed his eyes on Newt and waited patiently for him to speak.

"Where- the bloody hell- is that Lawrence shank?" Newt asked with gritted teeth. "When I see him I'm going to return the bloody favour!" he shouted pointing to his head. "I told you not to bring me here. Why the bloody hell didn't you listen?"

"When does he ever listen?" Minho pointed out. He paused for a moment then added "It's good to see you. What the hell happened?."

Thomas knew that Newt wouldn't stay mad once he saw Minho.

"I escaped the Crank Palace and ended up on a roadside in the middle of nowhere. I was on my own until Tommy here drove by. His slinthead of a driver hit a garbage can, so when he got out I asked him to do me a favour.", he shot Thomas a fearsome look, "but now I'm here."

The pain in Thomas' side was increasing once again. How he was managing to stand up, for so long, he would never understand. He wondered if Newt remembered what he had told him. It didn't matter. They were all immune whether he believed it or not.

"You know why I brought you back!"

"Slim it Tommy!"

"Why did you bring him back?" Minho clamoured.

Thomas snapped back at Newt, "Why won't you just believe me?"

"Because it ain't the buggin truth!"

"Why did you bring him back?" Minho roared above the bickering sounds of his friends.

Thomas couldn't hold the words in any longer. Minho deserved to know the truth, despite what Newt thought.

"Newt ain't a crank", he mumbled, "he's immune like you and me. WICKED injected him with Griever venom so that he'd feel like a Crank without actually being a Crank. It sounds crazy but it's the truth."

Newt wouldn't look at Thomas. He fixed his eyes on the ground and muttered harsh looking words under his breath. It was all on Minho now. Thomas didn't know how he would react or if he'd even believe him.

He watched as Minho ran his hand through his hair and sighed like his brain was on overdrive. A slight smile pulled at his lips which filled Thomas with relief.

"Good that." he agreed.