Disclaimer: James and Wes are being jerks right now by withholding the Scorch Trials trailer, but they still own the rights, so yeah

Rating: T for Glader language, violence, and some disturbing imagery

Author's Note: Sorry for the long hiatus! I've been extremely busy with family birthdays, hard courses at school, and trying to figure some things out. I'll try to be better from now on, though!

Chapter 34

They stomped through the forest with the sound of a herd of elephants for hours. Thomas became extremely thirsty and hungry, not to mention tired, but there seemed to be no end to the woods. He joyfully agreed when fnally Newt halted and called for a break. Most everyone sat down, but Newt and Teresa approached Thomas, who had been lagging at the back of the group.

"This forest could go on for miles and miles," Newt said. "We need to find a bloody exit and get some water."

"Everyone's pretty worn out," Teresa added. "We think we should get a small group to run and scout ahead. See if there's anything ahead."

"And if there's not?" Thomas asked. Teresa and Newt exchanged knowing glances before Newt said, "We'll deal with that when if it comes up. There's no reason to worry about it now. We can get along without food for a while, but water is a priority."

"Who should go on this little expedition?"

"Newt and I, and if you'll come with us, Tom," Teresa said. "Aris can stay here with the group, and if Harriet wants to come with us she can. If not she'll help with the group."

Thomas nodded, though he himself felt like a living skeleton. He had become just so tired and weary. If he started running again he didn't know if he'd be able to stop until he just collapsed- dead. It scared him, though he wasn't going to let it show. I'm a leader, he reminded himself.

The three of them approached Harriet. She was absently peeling the layers of bark off of a stick and her eyes held a faraway look as if she wasn't quite there. Thomas didn't blame her; if he could travel away in his mind he would.

"Harriet?" Teresa asked softly, kneeling beside her. The girl didn't look up. Thomas knew she was in mourning over her best friend.

"I know you're going through a tough time. We need your help." Teresa laid a hand on the girl's arm. "Please."

Harriet looked up, and her chocolate brown eyes were filled with grief. "Her death won't be in vain," she swore. Thomas remembered Alby's death and how Newt had said the same thing. Then it turned out that it had been in vain. He decided to not mention that.

"No, it won't," Newt agreed, though he didn't sound entirely sure. "Are you willing to run?"

Harriet threw down the stick and pushed herself off the ground. "Working keeps you from thinking about how miserable you are," she remarked. "That's what we always told the girls in the Glade." She sounded like she was trying to convince herself of it.

Thomas smiled a little; he remembered the very same speech. "That's what we were told, too. Glad we're on the same page."

Harriet nodded, and the four of them set off at a jog as they ran towards what they hoped could be an escape route.

Thomas estimated they had jogged three miles directly north from the others before they saw an end to the forest. It wasn't really an end so much as a little hint of civilization woven into a thinned part of the trees. There were a few dozen ragged wood houses with overgrown trees and weeds. The grass stood only a few inches high, so Thomas assumed someone lived there or had been living there recently.

The four of them quietly crept closer, crouching down near the ground to stay unnoticed. They edged closer and closer to the buildings until they could go undercover any closer. There was still no deceptible movement, though Thomas still wasn't convinced.

"What do we do know?" Teresa whispered.

"There is only one option," Harriet replied, conviction in her voice. Thomas looked at her warily; she had that angry look in her eyes that mourners often had after they recovered from the initial grief. This was the stage where they made rash decisions and were most unstable. Maybe bringing her along hadn't been the best idea.

"Let's not get too—" Newt was cut off as Harriet suddenly stood up and started sprinting forward. Thomas and Teresa shot up after her and tackled her by her legs after she had gone no more than ten feet. She squirmed under them and Thomas had to pin her arms down, putting all his weight on the hold.

"Harriet! Listen to me! I know you're upset but killing yourself won't help Sonya now!" Thomas hissed. He couldn't help her until she understood how urgent the situation had become. She could have compromised them all if anyone had been watching.

"Let me go, Thomas!" she yelled, fighting harder. Thomas just used all his weight to pin her down.

"There is more than just your life at stake. She wouldn't want you to waste your life or anyone else's! Please be reasonable, Harriet."

"You know nothing about her!" Harriet shrieked, beginning to flail wildly. "You don't care that she died!"

"Yes I do! I'm a leader just like you and every time someone dies under my leadership it becomes another life on my shoulders. I did care about her, Harriet. I also lost someone that was extremely close to me. You just have to keep your head on your shoulders and think. If not for me for her. For Sonya." Thomas loosened his grip a little, sensing the fight draining out of her. "If I let you go will you not run?"

"It's too late for that," Teresa remarked. Thomas let go of Harriet and rocked back on his heels, watching as a group of soldiers in black uniforms approached them. They all had launchers out and aimed at the trio. Newt still lingered in the forest and Thomas could only hope he was helping the others get away. Then Thomas saw a flash of colour and the boy was running towards them.

"Newt! Why didn't you go save the others?" Thomas asked angrily.

"There's no way out of this bloody forest that would be fast enough to get them all out alive. The game's up for now, Tommy. We're doing everyone a favour by getting them out alive."

"So we're just going to tell them where the others are?" Teresa asked, incredulous. Disbelief clouded her face.

"Being a leader means we have to make hard choices. It's kinder to have them take us then let them wander around lost and starving to death," Newt replied. Thomas had to agree. He'd rather get shot and die quickly than starve and die agonizingly slow.

Then the guards were in front of them. Thomas could tell they were WICKED guards by the technology and the neatness of their uniform. The Right Arm were all ragtag with simple guns; WICKED had all the tech.

"Hands behind your head!" one of the guards yelled. The four did, and another guard shouted, "Are there any more of you?"

"About three miles straight south there's two dozen more!" Teresa said. It made sense for her to answer; the guards would feel less threatened by a girl than by a teenage boy. (Though Teresa was probably tougher than most of them combined).

"Now stand up and come with us! No funny business or we'll shoot you." The four complied and the guards led them into one of the wooden buildings. Inside there was a Flat Trans, confirming Thomas' suspicions. The four were pushed through it and they appeared in a lab room somewhere else. Six guards followed and escorted them to a holding cell. The place seemed familiar and Thomas wondered if it was the headquarters that had been attacked by the Cranks so long ago.

He would have plenty of time to mull it over, though; they were locked into the cells and all they could do was sit and wait until fate would take its course.