This chapter marks the end of the first part of the Maze Runner series so if you have watched the movies or read the books, don't be shocked by what happens next (forgive me about it but I had to...)

The boys shouted in surprise for a moment, bumping into each other before the door in front of them opened into a concrete corridor. Fluorescent lights hung above them, the sound of dripping water filling the air as they poked their heads through the door before making their way out. It had been ages since any of them saw steel pipes or anything in the form of technology and infrastructure as they walked, trying to figure out the way when Ikuya pointed to a sign above the door saying 'Exit' in English.

"Seriously?" Rin groaned as Ikuya turned the knob and pushed the door forward, the smell of gas and blood wafting in the air as the boys stared in horror. The hall in front of them was a scene of chaos, bodies strewn everywhere and the lights and computer monitors emitting static. The lights popped and fizzed above them as they walked, the boys' tiptoeing over the bodies of scientists and soldiers who looked like they hadn't been dead for a long time. In a room with a one-way mirror lay the bodies of two boys who will never see the day of light again. Haru said a silent prayer to them as the sound of clapping filled the air

"Bravo. You made it," Hiyori grinned as he stepped through the door, his foot crunching the fingers of a man nearby. Ikuya gritted his teeth as Hiyori winked at him before turning his attention to the surviving Gladers. "Did you kill all of them?" Rin hissed as the boy shrugged. He was in a white lab coat but it was spotless despite the carnage around him and he wore a smile as though he had just opened the best Christmas present of all time.

"Nah nah. This happened a while ago. I came here to deliver a message from our beloved director of WICKED. He insisted I came in person," he said as he dipped into a low bow. "First off, they apologize for putting you through such horrors for the past three years but it was for the sake of saving humanity. You think you might know what hell is, but that isn't entirely true. The world has been ravaged by a virus called the Flare, which has turned nearly 90% of Japan's human population into mindless creatures. What we have been doing with you is to experiment and see how young people such as yourselves, who are somewhat immune to the virus, survive in harsh conditions and hopefully replicate whatever makes you tick."

As Hiyori explained it all, he looked only mildly guilty for putting them through hell as he smiled. "But not to worry! Sensei has gathered a lot of data so all your hard work and sacrifices won't be in vain! Rest assured, you made it through the first round of the trials so congratulations!" he grinned as Rin yelled, "You monster! You put us through that, killed so many people, just to find a damn cure you won't even know will work?!" "Tsk tsk. You don't appreciate the science behind all of this. We're so close now with the help of young minds who put their lives into research." "I don't care! All those deaths! Seijirou! Kirito! Nakagawa! All of them! Why did they have to die?!" Rin yelled as Makoto shouted, "Enough!"

Rin calmed down only slightly as Makoto steered him away, earning a whistle from Hiyori when Haru noticed him reaching into his pocket. The boys shoved back as their former doctor removed a gun from his pocket, pointing it directly at Haru's forehead with only the slightest amusement and pity. "Shame, but I have to get rid of you, Haru. You nearly threw the whole project off course because of your going into the Maze. And you too, Ikuya. I always wondered what was going on in that brain of yours."

Ikuya flinched at his words, his green eyes boring into brown ones as he snarled,"Leave my friends out of this, you weirdo." Hiyori merely laughed as he cocked the gun, a smile playing on his lips as he murmured, "Sorry, but I can't let you steer off your goal for the future." Before Ikuya could say further, there was a cry as Rin flung a dagger at Hiyori, who gasped just as a gunshot filled the air. The boy staggered as he stared at the blood dripping from the wound, the wooden shaft still protruding from his chest as he stared at Rin. "You… I never knew you had it in you…" he gurgled as he collapsed to the ground, twitching slightly before lying still. As Haru was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a small whimper came from Hayato, who had suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Haru-onichan. I don't… feel so good," he whispered as he collapsed onto his knees. Haru scooped him up before he hit the ground, screaming as he stared at the blood pouring from the gunshot wound in the little boy's chest. "Hayato! Holy… stay with us! We'll get some help!" he shouted as he looked for a medic, only to find the one available was now dead. Haru could only watch as the boy gasped for breaths, knowing each one he pulled could be his last.

"Haru-onichan," he whispered as he cradled the young Glader, who fumbled his small hands in his pockets to reveal the small carving he had been doing for the past month. It was a small dophin, the wood chipped in several places and uneven around the edges as he hiccupped, placing it slowly into Haru's bigger hand before gripping it. "Promise me… that you'll give this to my family…" he whispered as he choked on more blood, the red liquid dribbling onto his shirt as Haru hugged him. "Yes… I promise. No.. you'll give it to them yourself! Just hang in there!" "I… I dreamed I had an older brother. He looked so kind… how… I wished I could have met him…" Hayato whispered as his eyes slowly got dimmer. The others gathered around, not able to do anything as their youngest comrade died in Haru's arms.

The older boy wailed as he hugged Hayato to his chest, screaming his name even as the body grew cold. He gripped the dolphin in his fist, nearly breaking it as he howled and apologized to Hayato. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry," he whispered as he smoothed the boy's hair, making him look like he was having a peaceful sleep. Rin sniffed as he cried, Makoto holding onto Nagisa who was crying loudly as he tried to control his own tears. "Haru-chan," Makoto whispered as the doors were thrown open, voices shouting as men in military suits came in, grabbing the boys by the arms to drag them out.

"Don't! We can't leave him like this!" Haru screamed as he clung onto Hayato, not letting him go until two men grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him to the open. They didn't bother to pick the younger boy up, letting him lie there even as Haru trashed, screaming his name as the other ran. Rin and Makoto didn't have the strength to fight back while Nagisa stared blankly into space. As they got into the open, Haru had to close his eyes as the sun hit him like a wave, his feet hitting the soft sand as they ran towards a helicopter waiting for them, the men throwing them on board as they signaled the vehicle to take off.

"Hey, you kids alright?" one of them shouted as he pulled down his mask. The older man was rough around the edges, his eyes speaking of much better days as he held the gun to his chest for dear life, as though expecting to be killed at any moment. "Who the hell are you people?! What's…" Rin shouted as they gaped at the scene around them. The Maze became smaller below them, the network of corridors surrounded by a large complex that shielded them from the horrors of the outside world which were indeed worse than the Maze.

Japan had been reduced to a land of sand and dust, the air so suffocating that they could barely breathe. Buildings lay abandoned and broken, skeletons of their formers selves and the city devoid of all life. The sun glared an angry red above them, the temperature so high it could have been summer in the dessert. "Don't worry, kids. You're going to be alright now," the man grinned as he spoke into his walkie-talkie. "Targets secured! Heading to base now!" he yelled as Haru stared at their old prison, the tears still running from his face as he thought of Hayato lying to rot in the Maze.

The board of directors of WCKD sat around the table, their faces glued to the screen as they witnessed the series of events involving the deaths of Hiyori and Hayato. Some of them whistled as the younger boy slid to his knees and Haru cry out in horror as he tried to save him in vain. When the video finally ends, the group turns to face the man in charge of it all, his face hidden in shadow as he turns to face them.

"Well, it seems everything went according to plan," he smiled as he took off his coat and folded it onto the chair in front of him. He took up the glass of water in front of him, swirling the liquid within as he continued, "The first Maze trials are now over and all survivors are being brought to the Base within the Scorch. As we speak, preparations for the second part of the Maze Trials are at work. We're closer to the Cure than we've ever been, folks. Let us have a toast to our hard work and getting closer to curing the Flare! Cheers!" he said as everyone lifted their glasses, sipping in silence as he grinned, "Now, let us begin… phase 2."

Forgive me for killing Hayato but I felt it wouldn't work if he hadn't died like Chuck.

So let's see... Seijirou = Alby = Dead. Hayato = Chuck = Dead. That's the death count for now and it will continue to rise.

Stay tuned for the next chapter!