Disclaimer: Don't own Death Cure

Chapter Eight:

About twenty-five minutes later Teresa return to her work with a tired look and scowl across her face creasing her forehead with stress. But her vigor and conviction haven't been just yet blanketed it out. All white a traditional and preferred uniform of days past hung to her like an old acquaintance.

"Shall we proceed with the next subject?" Her subordinates asked.

"Very well, hopefully we'll not have another failure." She shot a glance at the team.

"Alright then proceeding with subject C-2."

Teresa sat at a desk observing more this time around. Minho had been hard at work producing what they needed. But pushing just to hard will have severe consequences if they did. Hopefully this attempt would take the burden off her once upon a time friend shoulder. If not we'll, time wasn't on their side so who knows if it comes down to wire. But this was a worse case scenario. For now she will observe and write. That's all she could do to push uncomfortable thoughts out of her mind...

Jacob sat at his throne remorseful that he had to kill his very brother to keep order. His little revolt would had lead to the death of many more. The Drone is the only place they can call home. He knew of the truth which awaited them outside. Endless desert and wastelands, the sun had made life on the surface impossible to survive for long in such numbers. Each month a new kid, more supplies. He wasn't sure why they'd entertained his idea of an arena. The ones who put him and the rest behind the such walls only to hide them from a massive Maze and hideous monster's whom live there of.

They had solved the Maze and found freedom but he turn tail and raised the alarm. He watch men in grubby black suits pick his friends away and out into the wide yonder. Now another problem stood before him that threaten to break the achieved peace he made. Or so he believed. Nyx the constant thorn at his side beat his games and it was down to the two of them to end things.

Jacob knew what must be done, killing is just a chore if it meant the rest would remain safe. He knew more then he let on, he knew how everyone label him a tyrant. Living conditions aren't the best for everyone. But they owed him, yet he never asked to be thanked. He knew paradise can never last. And one day those men in the grubby black suits would return to kill or capture who ever they could. The Drone was a way to make people strong. To repel invaders whenever they might strike.

But the Drone was also a vanity project of pride and ego where he sat himself at the top. Why ranks had meaning why people are placed in pairs. Why the last battles had to be to the death. His fear and ego got the better of him. Why his silly rules existed. There was a reason why no one was allowed to leave unless they dispatch of him. Why only the best of the best got to stand up and challenge him. Why he couldn't fail. All good reasons. If he died in combat it meant he was no longer strong enough to protect his people. But he had enjoyed and relished in the decadence of being the boss.

But one more battle just like the last person who made second rank to challenge him. He stood firm watching as his people gather around the arena. He wouldn't lie. Oh no he waited to put this nuisance in the ground once and for all. Pride Nyx had hurt his ego but it would be pride which would allow him to continue keeping order. Was he a saint of course not. Jacob knew better to ever think that. Six years this had been his, no him and his brother home. And for the last three he'd called the shots. Like his younger more influential brother before him. Jacob had always felt bitter he was never more of a people person. All he knew was strength and bloodshed. Wilhelm the brother he cut down. Jacob once slayed two massive mechanical monstrosity with a sickle to save his life. Now he was alone with out any support but a great leader can and will burden everything himself.

Everyone had soon took their spots surrounding the arena where Jacob sat on his throne with a cheery smirk on his face. Nyx stood tall his purple hair caked with dry blood held him to what he was ready to do. Jacob peered at his people who came to watch. He couldn't look Jane in the eye's after what he got her mixed up into. She would never speak again and that was on him. If he'd only shown some true bravery to confront the interloper known as Joanna. It's the same he can only see the hate filled eyes of Curie whom lost het dearest friend thanks to him. Twelve people have all meet their fates to her hand. It's why everyone wants him dead. There not here for a him whenever he has an exhibition match or delivering an execution which there has been several. Dead that's what they wanted of him.

Wilhelm his little brother could calm any mob. He stripped him of his authority and now more recently his life. A threat to their way of life. Nyx the plucky back who could kill now poised to kill him. With this last issue to tend with he would resume his leadership. His skins crawls with a never ending paranoia. How much he wanted to scream aloud he was doing what was best for them. But before understanding could take hold of him, manic temptations call out to him dragging away sanity. He was the king and this was the Kingdom he'd built it would be a cold day in hell befoe he would lwt anyone and he meant anyone take this away from him. Nothing will stand in his way this was his stage and his arena. When he performs it's with perfection and the crowd must be satisfied. So from his throne, mind ready to do battle he stood and clapped for his nemesis.

"Well then, this is it then. Not just a battle for life or death. Nor the freedom of my people, but war of ideals. A clash of wills between the two of us. I hope you're prepared to win it all or to lose it all. Because I am!" Jacob said readying himself.

"Jacob we need not have to do this, let us go. Come if you wish but we can't stay here forever no matter what you believe."

"What I believe? Oh no that's not it. If there was anything better out there for us why hasn't anyone come to retrieve us, why send us more people and supplies? We are all what's left and we need to accept that this is where we all belong!"

"I'll never accept that. Beyond these walls is our tomorrow and the rest of our lives." Nyx said with conviction. His friends needed him so they could live life on their own decisions.

"Enough. You've came to do one thing and one thing only. I won't convince you of the error of your ways, but I promise you that you'll never have to worry about the outside ever again!" Jacob declare dropping his axes and his prized hacksaw blade sword. Instead he grips tightly a long yet sturdy and narrow blade white blade. That appears to vanish when held a certain way. In a swishing motion his cut off the long strands of his orange hair which could hinder him before leaping down into the arena which is a perfect circle. People began filling in the seats which encircle the circle.

"No axes or hacksaw blade?"

"Not this time, I won't outright kill you like some dog, you've proven yourself strong enough to fight with me giving it my all!" Jacob said breathing steady as he toss the sheath aside.

Jacob thin katana was pure white with offish pink tint around the edge, wrapped and held with large five sided star base with a black and white trim. Both side where forged with sharp ridge like groves to slice at all sides with the edge being serrated wired thin. Nyx held a long saber like sword sliver stained with blood, his left hand gripping a shield in the shape of a rectangle which the sword slides in and out of.

"I guess I'll consider my self honored." Nyx said smoothly ready at a moment's notice.

Jacob leap from his seat and landed perfectly in the arena, his sword thrusting forward his anger leading each strike like a paint stroke. Nyx quickly struggles to return the momentum before getting nicked in the cheek. Jacob drew first blood, and with a colliding counter both sword clamber in the middle as sound waves ring out across the arena. Nyx sword had slid into his heart. But then and there gave way to a fatal flaw of the system a clink in the chain. Memories can be scrambled and tampered but they couldn't replicate what never happen. Like him dying.

Suddenly the illusion broke it's hold on him. The Drone faded and a sterile room occupied his sight. People frantically shouting at an issue. The world was still to him but people in the room ran around like chickens without a head. And then she appeared at his eye level. The masquerade had been broken.

"Hello Jacob." Teresa spoke staring at him like a enraged animal behind a glass wall at the zoo. His eyes twitch violently at her. Being tortured with memories of the past. The one thing he couldn't forget was her betrayal.

"Why are you doing this to me?" He asked rattling from the machine, before something slipped into his IV as the light in his eyes darken.

"Test aborted with inconclusive results, please escort him back with the others as an evaluation is done on his sample." Teresa said to her staff like a robot wrapped up in her work. It had been all morning with the testing. She had a meeting in few hours along side Ava Paige.

She had to clean up and look presentable as well as figure out who she would nominate to ongoing study. But it did occur to her that the one to present was Minho. He was the one they needed. But what that meant for him, she fein ignorance to make it less gruesome in her mind. WICKED IS GOOD, after all. The words she held to her like a candle in the dark. Her justification in this calamity the world resides in. A creed indoctrinated into her since she was a child. WICKED IS GOOD!

A/N: A return to normal format and main story this was something extra and a little detail to past events.