Disclaimer: I still and will never own Death Cure.
Chapter Seventeen:
I didn't hesitate, I couldn't. I unintentionally blink before pulling the trigger of the Launcher. A fast bolt of arc lightning; strikes one of the guards. Leaving them stunned to the floor. My friend's follow in the same fashion, as we fought our way into the room. The area was nothing but grey steel and metal walls, like a prison would be. A desk and console took up the middle as a vault occupied the back. Several doors align the area. Each a small cell all obviously occupied.
Eventually the fighting died down. Quickly we rush to open the cell doors each pulling up our helmet's. Kids and teenagers stood within all of them I assume to be immune and the one's WICKED got during the raid. They huddled towards the wall where the bunks lay. Even with my helmet removed and gun lowered, the fear was all to fresh in their minds.
"Your safe now, let's get you out of here." I spoke in a soothing voice.
"C'mon let's go." Newt said to some more kid's.
More and more we free, the less I saw of any hope of Minho or the others. "How do we get into the vault!" Demanded Gally his pistol aimed at a conscious guard.
"You can't."
Gally ran to the vault door. "Guys this might take sometime."
"Ross?" A voice called out, causing me to turn around. There with his black hair, with his purple dye now faded by time stood Nyx. Behind him were all the others, even Leon. WICKED had really saved him that night out in the Scorch.
Quickly I rush over to pulling them into a hug with warm tears dripping out of my eyes. "Guys I can't believe it."
"Neither can we." Leon spoke.
"Ross move!" Curie commanded, breaking the reunion up.
"Curie don't!" Nyx warned, as her eyes look over toward Teresa with malice. She seconds away at pouncing at Teresa.
"No Nyx, you didn't witness it. You didn't see what she did to me and Jacob. How she kept Minho as her prized experiment. She must pay, I swore she would."
"Curie please hold back for now, right now she's the key of getting you all out and us finding Minho." I pleaded with her.
"Where is he?!" Thomas demanded rather forcefully. Pressing up her menacingly with the intent to harm her if she'd lead us on a goose chase.
Gally was fast to start drilling into the mast of the vault, with the two of us forced Teresa, to the console. She typed as fast as her treacherous fingers could putting in her credentials.
She began to search up Minho. "Somebody moved him up to the medical bay. Thomas that's on the other side of the building." She said worried.
"Okay take me to him, right now!" He demanded.
"Alright I'm coming with you." Newt said.
"Newt no you're not. You need to stay here with Gally and wait for the serum." Thomas replied sternly.
"You're not running around this building in your condition, c'mon Thomas let's go." I spoke up loudly.
"You two can't do this on your own. Minho comes first remember?"
"Just go, you're wasting time I'll get the serum and we'll meet you out back."
"Okay fine, lets go." Thomas said forcing Teresa along.
"We're coming to, Minho's our friend too." The Nyx and the rest said running behind us.
"Absolutely not. Nyx you need to help Gally get the other's out. Brenda should be preparing a way out as we speak for all of you." I said quickly before taking off.
Reaching the main level the three of us stood in formation letting her lead the way. Thomas on her right, Newt to her left. Leaving me to cover her back. Guard and soldiers went every which way in the highly illuminated floor. Eventually we come to elevator. Thomas presses the call button.
The elevator took a while as Thomas let out a grunt of frustration. "C'mon, c'mon." When the door open we manage to all pile in. Thomas in Newt in the back me to a side wall and Teresa in front as she pressed the desired floor. Slowly the door began to shut close, nearly making it is a hand which slips in allow the door to open.
"Hold the door." A voice said nonchalantly. Janson appear and quickly moved in standing side to side with Teresa. Janson the man who I detest with every fiber of my being. My mom's task master stood with us. If only I could fire my Launcher at him or better ring his neck as I watch the life fade from his rat like eyes.
I had the uncanny feeling Thomas has similar thoughts if not worse for this man. If he wants kill Ava Paige, I want Janson then.
You're working late." Jason noted glancing at Teresa.
Teresa just stared at the metal doors.
"See, that's what I like about you, Teresa." Janson continued, "No matter how bleak things get, you just...Well, you never give up. Times like this, you need a friend that you can count on."
"I'll bear that in mind." Teresa noted still staring ahead of her.
"There is one thing you should know. One friend to another." Janson added, "Thomas is here."
Three of us had exchanged glances. Teresa looked at Janson.
"A surveillance picked him up outside the walls." Janson continued, "Ava didn't want you to know, but there is a chance that he may try and contact you, and if he does...Well, I'd like to think that I'd be your first call."
"Are you going to kill him?" Teresa asked trying to hide her emotions
"Would that be a problem?" Janson asked with a quizzical look settling on his face.
The elevator doors opened after what seems like forever. There fall upon us a stark quietness for a moment before Teresa spoke.
"This is me." Teresa said as she started to walk out the doors, I went next followed by Newt then Thomas.
Teresa quickly lead us down a long stretch of hallway, it was too open for my taste. Prefect place for a ambush to be sprung, with us on the losing side. But still I kept my eyes peeled for any danger that would impede our progress.
"Thomas, you have to listen to me. Getting that serum won't save Newt. It might buy him some time, but…" Teresa said quickly.
"Just ignore her. She is trying to get inside your head." Newt swiftly interrupted.
"Just because you given up on friendship, doesn't mean we will." I said bitterly as I bit down on my lip.
"Thomas, listen. You know what's going on out there..." Teresa continued as if she completely deflected our comments. "People are dying, the world is dying."
"And people got themselves into this mess." I yelled out.
"There is something about both of your blood I don't understand." Teresa said glancing between myself and Thomas.
"What are you saying?" I question.
She didn't immediately answer, as we stopped at the door to the medical wing.
"Open it." Thomas ordered the impatience in his voice was very clear at this point. Teresa scan her thumbprint and the door slides open.
"Let me run some tests…" Teresa added, "I promise I can protect you two."
"Yeah? Like you protected Minho?" Thomas said furiously, spinning around as he threw off his helmet. Quickly getting into Teresa personal space. She had triggered Thomas to the point, I fear he might just wring her neck.
"What are you doing?" Newt asks trying to hold Thomas back.
"How many more people is it going to take. How many more people do they have to round up, torture, kill? Huh? When the hell does it stop?"
"It stops when we find a cure." Teresa stated steadily.
"There is no goddamn cure!" Thomas yelled in Teresa's face.
I pull on his shoulder, we couldn't stand here and argue. "C'mon we need to move." I said with an air of caution, removing my helmet just as well. My eyes had began to swell with anger. That was until Janson's voice came from behind Teresa. And my eye's traded target's.
"Don't waste your breath Teresa." Janson yelled, he a gun trained on Thomas then me, "They made their choice long ago." Janson said making his way closer and closer, as squad of armed men trailed behind Janson, aiming their sights on us. The armed men yelling and shouting for us to lower our weapons.
This was slowly becoming a unavoidable standoff, as we kept aim with our Launchers yet slowly inching backwards. We couldn't run, nor could we out gun them. Minho could be right around the corner, but there was nothing neither party could do. We either risk getting shot in the back or stand our ground and lose. Still during the heat of the moment, my eyes never left Janson. The question which remains is this, who's going to shoot first?
A/N: Man I been having the hardest urge to write but here is the next chapter. Sorry for the wait.