Disclaimer: I don't own the Scorch Trials

Chapter Twenty Two:

I awoke up towards the afternoon while there was some heavy debate taking place, I wander over to scope out the issue. Before getting up, I rip the gauze bandage off my head. I didn't want to apper weak, it was a cut, which I can take antibiotics for. If they haven't forced fed me one.

"Guys what's wrong?"

"We've going to need to find or make a mode of transport if we wanna reach the goal in two weeks." Curie mentions

"Isn't that cheating?" I ask.

"Yeah and the Stalkers ain't!" Shouts Soc.

"I agree, but for now we need to eat up and start heading North, Jacob and Leon will be find now with the antibiotics," Nyx brings up.

"Alright that's settled. I gather alot of clothes if anyone wants to change, snagged a few coats, but it's better then dying from the exposure.

We all break apart eating and drinking, some changing my clothes. I zip the remainder of the food in one backpack and kept the hunting knife close by. Tesla broke apart his items neither being what Curie could use for a compass. The next rest stop we make, the trio of crafters are going to make better weapons. After trying to pawn off the elctro gloves to Leon who wouldn't budge, I suppose their mine now. Quick and close up combat, if needed. I'm glad that everyone is caught up to speed, even if I don't trust Tesla. I could see the hate between him and Jacob but they keep it to a minimal. It's surprising why Tes wants to come along, he isn't obligated and neither I or Nyx say nothing about the extra help. But there are time where I catch Nyx staring at Tesla with a questioning look.

'You don't trust him do you?"

'No not really, something isn't right about his appearance.'

'Same, but for now Nyx we need to keep him on a close leash. He's crafty.

'Alright Ross, for now we'll see what he wants in the end.'

'Aye aye.'

Soon after everyone was ready we climb out our hiding hole and went back the way we came. We wasted a day of walking but it was needed so nobody complained. For hours on end, I walk in the middle of the of the group as we headed north, buildings and more broken landscapes began to jump out more and more, the further we went with in this bleak and blistering day. Sure we all had a fresh change of clothes but we still had to remain in our sheet like robes in order to survive. To Tesla it was nothing to him, he went just as he was before, albeit a fresh set of clothes..

There was no determine pace we just made sure no one fell behind.. Soon as the day grew dim, it began to feel as if we we're being watched. A ambush perhaps?

"Stick together, there people ahead," whispers Nyx as he holds us back.

"Don't act rash unless one of us is danger, got it." I to whisper back to the group.

From a distance the heat only aided to the rather stagnant visibility. The mirage of multiple people only increase as the heat rose off the sand making everything further out hazy. It didn't help to either withhold an attack or go for one, the numbers sway during the heat. Only when they were no more than a hundred meters give or take, could a duo be made out.

One was a man, the other a woman, though I could only tell this from the lady's slightly curvy figure. Other than that, they had the same build―tall and scrawny. Their heads and faces were almost completely covered in wrappings of tattered beige cloth, small ragged slits cut for them to see and breathe through. Their shirts and pants were a hodgepodge of filthy clothing sewn together, tied with ratty strips of denim in some places. Nothing was exposed to the beating sun but their hands, and those were red and cracked and scabby.

The two of them stood there, panting as they caught their breath, a sound like sick dogs. They stopped and took in serious amounts of breathes their chest heaving in and out, yet the pair didn't seem to bother after going such a distance so fast under such conditions.

"Who are you?" Nyx called out.

They evaded the question as the circle around us, were they toying with us? This wasn't a joke we're armed. For a while they walk in a crossing motion observing us until the tension broke.

"There are more then us than you, beside each of us are armed, it's your call!" Jacob said having enough with the pair. "I believe our friend ask you a question, who are you?"

"We're Cranks." The female said giving a thick exhale with her dry voice.

"What are Cranks?" Jacob asked.

"What we'll become if we don't get what we came for," I whisper to him.

"The terminally ill of the Flare." Tesla said bringing the others up to speed.

"Yes we're Cranks." This time from the man, his voice surprisingly lighter and less gruff than the woman's. But there was no kindness in it. He pointed over at us just like his companion had done. "Came to see if you're Cranks. Came to see if you've got the Flare."

Soc turned to look at Tes and then a few others, his eyebrows raised. No one said anything. He turned back. "Some dude told us we had the Flare, yeah. What can you tell us about it?"

"Don't matter," the man responded; the strips of cloth wrapped around his face jiggled with every word. "You got it, you'll know soon enough."

"I assume you want something then?" I asked, stepping up to stand next to Nyx. "Does it matter to you if we're Cranks or not?"

The woman responded this time, acting as if she hadn't heard the questions. "How'd you get in the Scorch? Where'd you come from? How'd you get here?"

I was surprised at the- intelligence evident in her words. The Cranks I'd seen back at the helipad had seemed absolutely insane, like animals. These people were aware enough to realize that our group had appeared out of nowhere. Nothing lay in the opposite direction from the town.

Leon leaned over to consult with Jacob, then turned and stepped closer to Nyx. "What do we tell these people?"

Nyx had no clue. "I don't know. The truth? It can't hurt."

"The truth?" Leon said sarcastically. "What an idea, Nyx. You're freaking brilliant, as usual." He faced the Cranks again. "We were sent here by WICKED. Came out of a hole just a little while that way, from a tunnel. We're supposed to go one hundred miles to the north, cross the Scorch. Any of that mean a thing to you?" Leon said just so they Cranks would leave us be.

"Not all Cranks are gone," the man said. "Not all of them are past the Gone." He said that last word in a way that made it sound like the name of a place. "Different ones at different levels. Best you learn who to make friends with and who to avoid. Or kill. Better learn right quick if you're coming our way."

"What's your way?" Nyx finally spoke up and asked. "You came from that town, right? Is that where all these Cranks live? Is there food and water there?"

I felt the same urge as Nyx―to ask a million questions. Shit I was half tempted to suggest we capture these two Cranks and make them answer. But for the moment the pair didn't seem intent on helping at all, they split again to circle back around to the side of the of us.

Once they met up in the spot where they'd first spoken, the distant town almost seeming to float between them, the woman said one last thing. "If you don't have it yet, you'll have it soon. Same for all the other groups out and about here. At your current rate, you'll miss all the bloodletting.

The two strangers then turned around and ran back toward the cluster of buildings on the horizon, leaving all of us in stunned silence. Soon, any evidence of the running Cranks was lost in a blur of heat and dust.

"Other group?" Tesla said. I was in too much of a trance staring at the disappearing Cranks and worrying about their warning.

"Group B. They're after Ross's friends, the group he was with originally." Curie said after taking in everything into account.

"I see. Not only do we have to find that cure, there a group needing our help."

"My friends escaped WICKED and caused trouble for the higher-ups so it would make sense they send another group to hunt them down. Perhaps they were promised the cure just like us, only they would have to murder all the others. Which includes us I assume."

"When has WICKED ever played fair, never! So I say we find this other group of puppets and wipe them out." Jacob said with a rallying voice.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, but let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Eventually everyone has calmed down as we headed towards the town, it staggering decaying brilliance. Of course Cranks of all various degrees would migrate there. I rather not go through that encroaching horror show but it was a step in the right direction. It's been a long five mile walk since we left Basecamp. The sun still hung high beating it hateful glare upon us.

It was awhile before the town was close by, I turn over to the group. "Bathroom break. Seriously go now, I'd think we be safer if we didn't have to stop inside that town."

Everyone broke apart for the break, Jane and Curie went to their own lady things, I just took a small area of sand and just let everything flow out. I rather this now then have to go during a emergency. Once I'm done i start to plot out more of the map. Taking a seat I just let my self think, haven't been able to do that in some time. I've been keeping a straight face for most of the time. What if I don't reach them in time, I'll never forgive myself.

"This seat taken." A voice from behind says.

"Of course not it's just sand." Sitting next to me is Jacob.

"Are you alright man, I mean this must be stressful."

"Yeah, but I don't wanna think about that, I'm just focusing what happens after we get the cure. What's left for us, I don't remember where I came from, all there is just WICKED."

"That sucks. I remember when they came for me and my brother, our father tried fighting them off. He lost his life, my mother she just walked out on us beforehand. There gotta be something you remember, just focus."

"I dunno, there nothing there that connects, sorry."

"Don't force it. One-day the answers will come for now let's get going."

"I'm proud of you Jacob you've been keeping to your word. It just took awhile to let the group accept you." I said as the two of us meet with the others.

Jacob pulled me in very close then began to whisper. "Don't trust Tesla, he's up to no good I don't know what but I'll find out."

I nod in agreement as the group was a bit rested and ready to go through the town. Despite the looming buildings it was a particular ghost town which frightened Curie. It felt like at any moment something was ready to grab us out of the woodworks ready to snare, entrap or kill us. Cognitive or not, our previous encounter prove that one can't be too safe.

The surrounding area wasn't a big as I thought, but as I step further in a city was sprawled out in the far distance, rusty and decay full of luntiacs ready to snatch at you. Atlest for now our little walk in of the town was more open. Eventually when we reach deeper into the city, everything going to be tight knit.

"Do you hear that?" Calls out Nyx. The was an loud unrecognizable sound calling.

"Sound like a dying animal," peep Curie after a long retreat of slience.

"Best if we avoid the unfortunate soul." I speak up after recently fighting yesterday.

Keeping a fast pace I made sure no one was left behind as the surrounding area become more odd, Cranks hiding in the shadows watching us as we pass. Whispering amoung themselves. Was this a trap, but within no time we got past the den of freaks and creeps.

I kept looking for something to attack at us, when suddenly a figure stood in the backdrop. I knew this body shape anywhere. Without thinking I bolted off after the figure till I was away from the group, my legs aching from sprinting so far in a short distance, the cry's and calls from my friends from behind.

"Teresa!"

I ran up and pull her body to face me. It was her, but she looked as if she hadn't been with the group in sometime, like she was clean from the grim and sweat of the Scorch. Her eyes etch out to me, blank and dull.

"Teresa it's me. Ross."

"I, I know who you are." Teresa said bitterly.

"All this time calling out for you, inside my head. Like the old days." I said stroking her cheek.

"And all this time I been avoiding you. It's your fault, but then again so is it mine." She said, pressing her nose up on mine.

"Why? Why Teresa I don't understand…"

"Does it matter? We together again and I have a way out of this nightmare. Just do as I do." Teresa suddenly pull out a knife and began to cut her self in small doses. "Now you try, make sure you get it good and deep inside your stomach. Then we can be together forever," she spoke calmly.

"I don't know, this isn't the answer." I refuse sheepishly.

"It'll hurt just a tiny bit, just like when I took your blood back in the Glade. I'll even help." Teresa wrapped her hands around mine, as I flip the knife to insert into myself. Her hands guiding me smoothly as I no longer feared doing this to myself, her mouth slowly inching around mine, but before contact something is pulling me away.

"Don't take me away, I have to be with her. You're destroying my only shot to be with her!" I scream and shout as someone is pulling me further away, and as with each tug Teresa seems to get further away.

"It's a mirage, it isn't real."

"Let me go," I say to my unknown assailant.

"I'm sorry about this!" Next thing notice a sharp pain going across my face, the nothingness.