Minho POV
A loud banging on the door woke Minho and a few of the other boys. There was a click and a loud squeak, Captain Ronin stepped into the room. He stood in front of the door, feet planted, arms behind his stiff back, his eyes were the only thing moving. He slowly swept the room. He paused when he saw Newt. His eyes kept going and came to rest on Minho, and the girl wrapped in his arms. Minho was awake and eyeing him suspiciously. Alex was still sound asleep. Minho saw his eyes soften as he took at Alex's sleeping form.
"The Doctor wants to see her. I'm sorry to wake her. I know she has been through a lot. And I know it's early." He directed this statement to Minho. He just nodded slowly.
"I'll wait outside."
He turned on his heel and left, leaving the door open a crack. Minho sighed. It was only a few hours...she definitely needed more sleep. Shuck, he needed more sleep! He could feel Newt's eyes on him, he ignored the shank for now, he was still ticked at him. He gently kissed her forehead.
"Hey Sunshine." He said quietly, rubbing her arm. "Come on! Wake up!" He heard her groan. "Come on...open those eyes."
"No." She mumbled.
"Come on. Your Captain Marshmallow is here...I'm sure you can persuade him to get you coffee, he seems to like you."
"I do like coffee." She mumbled, still not opening her eyes.
"You still never told me...why marshmallow?"
"Cuz under his mean tough warrior Viking persona, pretty sure he's soft and gooey like a marshmallow." She yawned and stretched.
"That...actually makes sense." He said, chuckling at her reasoning. She peeked an eye open at him.
"Did you doubt me and my wisdom?"
"Never babe." He kissed her forehead again, "now time to get up or he's gonna come storming back in here. And I'm pretty sure he could rip some limbs off, Wookie style."
She finally sat up, rubbing her eyes.
Shuck she's just so cute!
She leaned over and slipped her combat boots on. He saw something reflected in the fluorescent lights, "was that a knife I saw in there?!" Minho gasped in disbelief,
"Yep." she popped the p. "I slipped it in while I was changing before I left the shower stall. I don't trust this place and I figured they would take my weapons. And I was right. 'Always have something you can defend yourself with!" I remember that being drilled into me... probably from Captain Comfy out there."
Alex shrugged like it was no big deal to just defy the rules of an organisation with armed guards and cameras every few feet. Minho just gaped at her, and his shocked expression turned into amusement and pride.
Such a natural badass.
He smiled at her. "That's my girl."
She got up and stretched again. He watched as her body stretched and bent.
Shuck.. she's hot.
He watched mesmerised as she racked her fingers through her hair and put it up into a high pony.
I want to run my fingers through her hair again...it's so soft...and silky..and...shuck ..
His stomach did a backflip when his thoughts wandered back to yesterday.. She turned around to face him. He stood up. And cupped her face in his hand. He didn't want to be away from her.
"Alex. Use that shuck brain and come back to me! Don't leave me hanging." He whispered seriously.
"Don't do anything stupid, Min. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." She replied cheekily.
"Well...that's gonna be hard. You and Tommy Boy like to cause all kinds of scenes."
"Ya, it's kind of our thing, isn't it? So don't do anything till I'm back." He kissed her forehead again.
"Cross my heart" he whispered against her face. He drew an X. Alex copying him.
"Cross my heart, Love." She pulled away.
As she walked out of the room, he had an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. He glanced at Newt who had a frown on his face.
The guys were all sitting clumped together at the end of a table, near the back of the cafeteria. Thomas had just finished explaining his adventure through the vents. The uneasy feeling Minho felt earlier that morning was growing.
"I wanna know what's through that door." Thomas said for the third time.
"Now, we've been over this. You said they were covered up, so you don't know what you saw. It could've been anything under there." Newt tried to reason.
Minho was frustrated with him too, felt like he was gas lighting Thomas.
Man Alex was right...he just chooses not to see anything that's in front of him, all because why? He had a bed..some food? And this cafeteria food sucks!
"I know exactly what I saw. They were bodies. Aris said they bring in a new batch every night." Thomas retorted.
Minho shuddered. He hadn't had any word on where Alex was. And it had been a few hours. He was getting anxious.
What if she was in one of those coffin things Thomas saw?!
"Who the hell is Aris?" Minho demanded, it came out a little more angry than he intended. Thomas nodded to the table in the corner, where a tall gangly kid was sitting, with his sweater hood up, staring broody at a piece of bread on the end of his fork. Minho snorted, and rolled his eyes.
"Well I'm sold." He snickered. Then did a double take. "Hey...isn't he the kid who was in the maze with all girls?"
He turned back to Thomas and Newt. His eyebrows raised. Newt's eyes went wide.
"Shuck. I think you're right. Where is Alex? We need to talk to him! Tommy, he didn't say anything? About his maze?"
Thomas shook his head. Newt banged his fist on the table. "Well I'll go talk to him anyways." He stood up. He slowly sat down with a confused look.
"Where'd he go?"
Minho and Thomas whipped around. He was nowhere to be seen. "Sneaky little thing, ain't he?!" Minho muttered.
Alex POV.
She was sitting in an exam room, on a bed waiting for the x-ray results. Dr Prior had taken a few X rays of her head and neck and then some CT scans and MRI's. Her anxious thoughts were banging around in her already sore head. She woke up with a headache, and now it was pounding. The bright florescent lights didn't help. She was rubbing her temples when a sharp stabbing pain shot threw her head from the back to the front. Alex groaned.
What's going on? And what's taking him so shuckin long??
Her nerves felt shot, this whole place gave her the creeps.
I just want to curl up in Minho's arms and sleep.
Another sharp pain stabbed her. It felt like her mind was being poked with a hot metal poker. She hunched forward groaning. The third time was the worst, her sight was becoming fuzzy and her ears were buzzing. She clamped her hands around her head, holding it, tears formed behind her squeezed eyelids. The pain was becoming unbearable.
Dr Prior and a young nurse had entered the room, he saw her hunched over, her head on her knees, and hands clamped around her head. He rushed over.
"Alex? What's wrong?"
She let a whimper out, "it...hurts!"
Dr Prior nodded, understanding. He looked at the camera in the corner and said directly to it "we can't wait. Surgery needs to be done now."
Alex let out a cry of pain, rocking back and forth, tears running down her face now. He turned to the nurse, "Grab the results. Follow me. We need to get her to OR 2. He's waiting to switch camera feeds. We move now." He said urgently.
The nurse nodded grimly, she grabbed the clipboard and folder. "Ready." He gently picked Alex up, she didn't resist, too focused on the pain in her head, that was making her body spasm with the pain. They left the room in a hurry. He poked his head around the end of the hall.
"Where is Ronin?" He muttered. A second later the large Captain appeared. He held out his arms and Dr Prior handed the small girl over, she was still whimpering in pain. Eyes still clamped shut. The Caption held her close to his chest.
"I'm following you." He said. Together the three ran down the hall to OR 2. Captain Ronin laid her gently down on the operating table.
"Everything else is ready?" The doctor asked.
Ronin nodded. "Everything is packed, and sitting by the Bay Gates. I just need to get the information to that spiky haired kid she's with, he also doesn't trust what he sees and he has the respect and trust of the group. I trust them to make it." Ronin rumbled.
Dr Prior nodded, "Good. Pass me that swab Amy." The young blond nurse handed him what he needed and continued to prep the syringe and the rest of the surgery instruments. The girl on the table was starting to thrash and her cries became louder. "Hurry before we're heard!"
"Ready. Here." She handed the Doctor the syringe. He moved Alex's hair, wiped an area on her neck and inserted the needle tip. As soon as the drugs were in her system she relaxed and was breathing normal.
"Okay. We need to move fast. That deformed chip needs to come out. And we need to find the broken pieces floating. And fast! It's slowly killing her."
Minho POV.
They had waited in the cafeteria all morning. They had lunch. And no signs of Teresa or Alex. Thomas and Minho were both anxious, knees bouncing and thumb nails gone.
"Would you two stop bloody worrying?" Newt whinned.
Minho rounded on him.
"You would think as her brother, you'd be a little more anxious! You seem a little too comfortable here. You haven't even bothered to go ask if she's okay! Your sister and her best friend are missing with no straight answers! Some brother you are." he scoffed.
Minho slammed his hands down on the table and got up to go for a walk around the cafeteria. He needed to run. He needed to blow off steam.
Wonder if there is a treadmill here,. Would they let me back in the med wing? Or maybe just run the shuck halls, it's big enough. Shuck this stupid place. It's like the shuck maze! We're all trapped here.
He had walked the perimeter of the cafeteria twice, when he saw Dr Prior through the window. He ran to the window, banging on it.
"HEY! DOC! HEY! WHERE'S ALEX?"
The Doctor glanced at him and gave him a small nod. His eyes slipped past Minho, and went wide quickly shook his head. He hurried off without looking back. Minho looked over his shoulder. The guards from the door were marching over.
"Hey kid, sit down."
"Is there any place to run? I need to let off some steam." Minho questioned, crossing his arms.
"No. Now sit down."
Minho, fuming, turned and stormed over to the table.
"What was that about?" Newt asked.
"Just me causing a shuck scene, cuz Alex isn't here to do it for us." He rolled his eyes, "What do you think, Shuck Face? That was her doctor scurrying down the hall. He seemed...I don't know, he knew something, but the guards scared him off" He banged the table in frustration.
Newt placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sure she's fine. If her doctor was there then she's fine."
Minho brushed his hand off, "Ya? She's so fine, where is she? Where's Tes? Maybe they just decided to send them into that room in those body things Thomas saw!" He ran his hand threw his hair, agitated.
"Okay, but until we know otherwise, we should just keep our heads down...and try not to draw any attention to ourselves, all right?" Newt urged Minho and Thomas, knowing they were both impulsive and reckless. They weren't listening. Newt knew they weren't. Both their eyes were glued on the door and guards. Thomas had a look on his face, he was about to do something stupid.
"If you do anything stupid, I'm right behind you." Minho said without even looking at Thomas.
Thomas nodded, still looking at the door, "Good."
"Ride or die." Minho whispered, as he fist bumped Thomas while they both continued to staired at the guards and slidding door suspiciously.
Thomas slapped his hands onto the table, stood up in a rush and marched over to the guards by the door. Minho followed without a second thought, he had no clue what Thomas was planning on doing, but he was right there beside him.
Newt blinked, "What are they doing?" He asked exasperated.
"I think they are drawing attention to themselves." Frypan said drily.
Newt sighed again. "Bloody shanks. Where's Alex to keep them in line?!"
Frypan looked at him and Clint piped up, "uhh, I think that's the whole point of whatever they are doing. Also...you KNOW she would be leading the charge, right? Tes is her best friend..."
Newt groaned in frustration, rubbing his temples. "I'm still the shucken glade mother" He muttered.
"Hang on. You weren't called up here" the one guard said.
"I know, I'm just gonna be a second." Thomas said. Looking past him to the door.
"This is a restricted area, kid." The guard held up a hand, stopping him.
"I just wanna see my friends." Thomas begged.
"Can you let me through? I saw my girlfriend's doctor. I just want to ask if she's okay." Minho tried, stepping forward. The guard had placed a hand on his chest, pushing him back.
"Get your ass back to that table." The guard raised his voice.
The second guard had showed up. He tried to threaten them, "Just remember, you are always being monitored. Breaking the rules-"
The boys didn't care. They tried to push past anyways, only to be pushed back roughly. They tried running past, but were shoved back again.
"Back off!" Thomas yelled, with a shove,
"What's your problem, man?" He was up in a guards' face.
"What the hell, huh?" Minho yelled, pushing the other guard.
"Back off! Why won't you let me see her?" Minho screamed, pushing the guard again. His face was red and he shoved the guard a third time, who shoved him back.
"Control your friend!" One guard called to Newt, Fry, Winston, Clint, A.J and Leo. They all grabbed onto Thomas and Minho, pulling them away. Holding them back from making any more trouble.
"What's happening here?" Said a slippery voice. Minho threw Newt off, turned to glare at Rat Man.
"Thomas?" Janson's eyes widened, in surprise, yet his lip twitched into a smirk. "I thought we could trust each other. You know we're all on the same team here." His voice made Minho want to punch him. It grated on his fried nerves.
"Are we?" Growled Minho. Janson's eyes flicked to Minho, he looking him up and down, his eyes light up, and his lip twitched into what Minho thought might be a smile, but it shifted into a sneer.
"Get them to their bunks." Janson ordered. The guards stepped forward to grab him, but the door behind them opened and Captain Ronin stepped through. His eyes travelled over everyone, then turned to Janson.
"I'll escort them. Leave the one Sargent." He indicated to the guard holding Thomas.
"These kids have caused...a disturbance. Get them back to their bunks." Janson turned and left. Ronin watched him go for a moment, then turned back to the Gladers.
"Come on. To you bunks. Move!" He barked at them. Minho shot daggers at him, not moving.
Ronin walked menacingly over to him.
"Move. Now." He lowered his voice and Minho almost didn't hear what he said, he hardly moved his lips.
"Alex is safe. Move and I'll explain." Minho narrowed his eyes.
Do I trust him? Alex did before...do we now?
Minho decided to risk it, and what he said about Alex won his curiosity. Ronin grabbed his upper arm, and directed him out the card lock door. His hand was clamped over Minho's arm, but was surprisingly gentle.
"Sargent. Back behind these kids. Make sure they don't run " he barked at the guards. Ronin pushed Minho into the front and marched him down the corridor.
As he did he hissed urgently through clenched teeth.
"Dr Prior saved her life. There are chips in your brains that monitored your brain activity in the maze and if They wanted, They can control you. The Herculean trial Serum They gave Alex increased her fight or flight, adrenaline and immune system drastically. Anything foreign in her body her immune system, and whatever is in her blood rips it apart- haven't you noticed how fast her body heals? Never really gets sick? Her strength in high risk situations or that threaten those she cares about? All the different trial serums They stuck her with. Her body started attacking the chip, ripping it apart. She could talk to her sister- malfunctioning chip. Her memories returning? Also the malfunctioning chip- They had made them telepathic. Her strength near the end of her time in the maze? The malfunctioning chip. It dislodged after some trauma to her head and it was spreading toxins into her brain causing headaches and muscle spasms. The doctor had to take it out. Never put a replacement in, like They intended. Not sure if her memories will come back all at once, in bits or at all." He paused as they passed some guards walking the other way. They nodded at the Captain. He nodded back.
He continued hissing.
"Now listen carefully kid. She finished surgery and recovering in room 3A. There are 3 backpacks packed and ready by the Bay Gates you came in through. You said yesterday you remembered the way. Get her. Get out. The dark haired girl, Teresa- no idea what they are doing to her. She's a good kid, but don't trust Them. Be careful. If you can, find Dr Crawford, she will lead you to your friend."
He paused, then continued hissing, "Don't trust anyone. Dr Prior, and myself have a few guys on our side, we will do our best to help get you out. There's a gangly blond kid showing that brunet kid behind us, what this place is really doing. Trust him. Alex was right. This place isn't what they appear to be. Eyes open soldier. Take the first opportunity."
Minho had to process all that information quickly. They were almost back to their room.
He turned his head slightly. "Why are you helping us?" Minho said under his breath.
"Because They took everything from me." his voice dripping in venom. He took a breath, "She reminds me of my daughter or what my daughter would have been like if They hadn't taken her. Killed her. Dr Prior lost his sister to The Flair. He wanted to help, but switched sides when he found out Their methods."
Minho was quiet.
Ronin breathed one last set of instructions, "get into the scorch, make it to the building by the mountains, tell 'em CR sent you. And you're trying to get to the Right Arm. It will be hard, but you're a leader, kid. You can do it. Got it?"
Minho nodded his head slightly.
"Good." He whispered. Then he raised his voice, his face set back into stone.
"Get your asses in there! All of you!" And he shoved the guys into the room but before the door clicked shut Ronin nodded slightly to Minho.
"What the hell was that about? You didn't really think they were just gonna let you through?" Newt rounded on Thomas and Minho.
Thomas looked smugly at him, "Nah, of course I didn't." He pulled out the guard's key card.
"Nice." Minho said, impressed with his sticky fingers. He gave him a fist bump.
"I'm gonna find out what's on the other side of that door." Thomas declared.
"Right." Newt was unconvinced.
"Newt, they're hiding something. Okay? These people are not who they say they are." Minho added, agreeing with Thomas, and ultimately Ronin.
He trusted Thomas, even though he never actually thought things through, he had a good instinct. He also trusted Alex, who was usually right, and he trusted his own gut. And he knew Ronin was telling the truth.
"No, Thomas, you don't know that!" Newt yelled agitated.
The rest of the Gladers had circled the three, worry on each face. Newt continued his rant.
"The only thing that we do know is that they helped rescue us from WICKED. They gave us new clothes. They gave us food. They gave us a proper bed. I told Alex this yesterday! Some of us haven't had that in a long time."
Minho rounded on Newt, "YA SO? Open your eyes shank! I was in that shuck maze just about the same length of time as you! Don't you feel it? It's not right man, none of this! Alex still isn't back,The captain said she was in brain surgery and we haven't heard anything about Teresa and That Captain told me not to trust them and that Alex was right!"
Newt turned away and racked his hand through his hair in frustration. There was a loud bang and a metal grate came skidding out from under a bed, and then the torso of a blond hair kid. The same kid Minho saw by himself staring at his bread.
"Hey, Thomas."
"What the..." Frypan started.
"You got it, didn't you?" The kid didn't even acknowledge the others. Thomas held up the card, "Yeah. I got it, Aris. Let's go."
He turned to Newt and addressed him, "All right, look, maybe you're right. Maybe we're just being paranoid. But I gotta find out for sure. Just cover for me. I'll be back as soon as I can!"
Minho nodded. "I got ya man!"
Thomas scrambled under the bed and was gone. Minho paced up and down the room, he couldn't sit still. Every time he sat, his knee would bounce and his nerves would turn his stomach. His hands kept running through his hair.
"Would you stop?" Newt whined.
Minho stopped long enough to glare at him.
"We don't know anything yet. Slim it!"
Minho stopped pacing again, "Newt? Shut up. I don't want to hear it." Minho turned to the bed that Thomas disappeared under an hour ago. He heard frantic banging. Then he heard Thomas yelling.
"WE GOTTA GO! WE GOTTA GO NOW!"
Thomas came scrambling out of the vent, panting, his eyes wide and frantic.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Newt asked, getting up from his bed.
"What do you mean, "We gotta go?" A.J. asked
"They're coming. Come on. We gotta go!"
Thomas had run to the door, checking if it was locked. "They're coming for us." He yelled.
He started to rip sheets off one of the beds.
"Paige. She's still alive."
He was only saying half his thoughts out loud.
Paige? Like in Ava Paige? Didn't she shoot herself on camera?
"What happened in there?" Minho asked, helping rip off the rest of the bed sheet.
Thomas was too busy trying to move the mattress in front of the door. "Aris, what happened?" Minho rounded on the other kid. But he just stood there, eyes wide, his face was white as a ghost.
"Thomas, can you just calm down and talk to us." Newt tried to calm him, trying to be the voice of reason.
"She's still alive." Thomas panted. He was now trying to move one of the bunk beds.
"Who's she? Alex? Teresa?" Newt asked confused. Minho knew, he just didn't want to believe it, but he voiced it anyway,
"Ava."
"Ava?" Newt looked at Minho, exasperated with both Thomas and Minho. "Will you just turn around and talk to us?" Newt finally yelled at Thomas, slamming a hand on the door, to get his attention.
"It's WICKED! It's still WICKED!" Thomas yelled back panic in his eyes. Minho felt the fear hit him like a wall of ice water.
"It's always been WICKED." Minho said quietly, the realization hurting. "Thomas. What did you see?" He asked, looking at his friend.
Thomas just shook his head, his eyes still wild, he finally got the bunk moved to block the door, with Minho's help.
"COME ON! COME ON!" Thomas yelled frantically, waving everyone to the vent. Minho clasped his shoulder, "Okay, let's go Thomas. Led the way."
Thomas nodded. He led them through some vents. He kicked open one a few turns later and dropped to the floor.
"You guys go ahead. There's something I gotta do, The Captain told me to do something." Aris said as soon as he dropped to the floor.
"What are you talking about?" Thomas asked.
"Trust me, it's important. You guys wanna get outta here, right? Just go." He urged. Minho nodded, trusting what he said was true, it matched what the Captain told him.
"I'll go with him." Winston volunteered.
"Okay, Winston, go! Go! Come on." Thomas agreed and started running down the hall.
"Thomas stop a sec. Alex is in room 3A. What level are we on?" Minho yelled as they ran. They passed a door that read 310. "Thomas! Right floor, we need to get to room 3! Keep going!"
Alex POV.
She could hear banging, but it sounded far away. Her consciousness slipped back into comfortable blackness. There was another bang. Closer, but it sounded odd, like sound through water. Her eyes wouldn't work, and her limbs were so heavy. She could feel her head spinning. The bed she was laying on was warm and soft. Voices cut through the peacefulness of her quiet black mind. They were muffled, and she couldn't figure out what they were saying. But they sounded urgent.
Why can't I open my eyes? Why are they so loud? I was sleeping! Slint heads, whoever they are.
She felt a hand on her face. Her body was so tired, her head just flopped to the other side, but she managed a groan. There were more voices now, all yelling over top of each other. She tried to tell them to shush, but she couldn't form words. Or maybe she did, because there was a voice closer now. The hand was back, shaking her shoulder.
Shuck faces, let me sleep. She managed to hear a chuckle. Wait...I know that laugh...Minho..? The shuck is he doing?
"Meeee...nnnoooh", her words slurring. Her eyelids were still so heavy, they wouldn't open. She felt a sharp pinch in the crock or her elbow, making her wince, the sensation of something cool flowing into her veins was cut off. . Minho's voice was trying to say something again. She managed to flop her head back towards the voices, with a groan.
"...gotta go..."
She forced her eyes to open, but only for a brief second, before fluttering shut.
"Come on, you gotta wake up Sunshine, we gotta go!"
She forced her eyes open with another moan. Staring down at her was the most handsome face in the whole world.
"I'vvvve been sssshuckeeed an' gone tooo heaven" she muttered, still slurring.
Minho smirked, "As much as I would like to reply to that, we gotta hurry Sunshine. We're gonna have guards on our butts right away."
"Huh?"
Newt was there beside the bed, he looked worried, he kept glancing at the door. Alex looked past him and she could see the rest of the Gladers standing by the door, they were peering out the crack.
"What's going on? I don't remember anything." her words were coming easier.
"Sorry we gotta go Sunshine. We'll explain later." Minho slipped a hand under her shoulders and under her legs and picked her up, her head flopped. He turned towards the door.
"Why are my limbs like this? They feel like led...I can't move." She whined.
Frypan turned, "Hey, I'll carry her, until she can move on her own. You're a better fighter than me." Minho nodded and passed her carefully to Fry.
"I feel like cargo.." She muttered, her head flopping again. Frypan just laughed quietly.
"I got ya Lil Lady."
"Fry...don't drop me. My head hurts. And I don't want to kick your butt."
"Okay, we need to move! Now!" Thomas whispered urgently, he opened the door a crack and slipped out.
"Hey, Thomas...you thomased that door!" she giggled.
What the shuck Alex! What kind of drugs did they give you?
Minho snorted, hearing her. They sprinted down the hall, Minho leading them, "Come ON!"
They took a corner, only to come to a sudden stop, there were guards at the end of the hall. They turned and lifted their guns
"SHUCK! THIS WAY! COME ON! GO STRAIGHT!" Minho bellowed from the front, they crossed the hall.
"MOVE! MOVE! COME ON COME ON!" Thomas yelled.
"Why are they shooting at us?" Fry yelled.
Alex lifted a hand to her ears, "Loud!" Until she realised she used her arm "HEY! I can move a hand! Sweet!"
"Good, cuz you're getting heavy!" Fry huffed.
"Rude." she pouted.
They rounded another corner, only to be met by a guard, who shot at them with some kind of blue bullets that sent electricity everywhere when it landed, "TURN AROUND BACK THAT WAY! GO!" Thomas yelled. Everyone turned and started running, except Minho.
"MINHO!" Alex screamed. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
He had stopped running and was bouncing on his toes, staring down the hall, where the guard would be coming. Everyone stopped running, turning to see why Alex was screaming.
"MINHO! WHAT THE SHUCK ARE YOU DOING?" Thomas yelled.
Minho clenched his jaw, narrowed his eyes and sprinted back down the hall, and with a yell of defiance, he jumped just as the guard rounded the corner. Minho brought both knees up into the chest of the guard, slamming him backwards. The guard's head smashed into the cement wall. He slid down the wall, onto the floor. He didn't get back up.
"Holly shuck. That was hot, babe." Alex giggled. Minho smirked at her over his shoulder. He bent over to pick up the guard's gun.
"Come on. This way" He waved them over.
They ran down the hall, and rounded the corner and bumped into a woman with a white lab coat. She looked at them for a moment, "What are you kids doing out?"
There was a loud wailing, and red lights started flashing. The Doctor's eyes widened.
"It's her..It's Doctor Crawferd!" Thomas cried, grabbing the doctors arm, Minho passed him the gun.
"Where is she?" He pointed it at the Doctor.
"Who?" she asked.
"YOU KNOW WHO! TERESA! WHERE IS SHE?" Thomas shoved her down the hall, pointing the gun at her back.
"Hurry!" Minho encouraged the group.
Dr Crawford led them to the med wing, and opened a door, half way down the hall. Thomas shoved the doctor inside first, and the rest of the Gladers piled in behind her.
Thomas started yelling at the doctors. "WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS SHE??"
He was waving the gun around. He looked crazy. No one knew what he was capable of doing. One doctor glanced at a curtain.
"Fry put me down!" Alex demanded, before he did anything, she was wiggling out of his hands. He protested, but she didn't care. Her legs were really shaky, but she managed to stay on her feet. Thomas was yelling at the doctors to sit against a wall. Alex managed to wobble her way over to the curtain, her head was still dizzy.
Now that she was standing, black spots danced in her eyes. She pulled the medical curtain back. Teresa lay on a bed, an air tub under her nose and an IV in her arm. Alex sat down beside her, she couldn't stand much longer.
"Tes?" She shook her shoulder.
"Tommy she's here!" Alex yelled. Thomas came running, having passed the gun to Minho.
"What did they do to you?" Thomas asked quietly. Teresa had woken up, and was blinking at them, looking confused, and scared.
"GUYS! THEY'RE COMING!" Newt warned from the door.
"WE GOTTA GO NOW!" Minho yelled.
Alex quickly as she could with shaking hands gently removed the IV, Thomas ripped the air tub off her, "Come on, we gotta go. We gotta go!" He pulled her up, frantically looking around for an escape.
"Guys? They're coming! Where do we go?" Frypan yelled, he was peeking out the small window.
"Frypan! Move!" Newt yelled, "Get back! Get back!" He pushed a big metal cart over and slid it in front of the door. Just in time, there was a bang at the door. The guards had shown up.
"They've got the door barricaded." A guard called.
"Send backup!"
"WHERE IS CAPTAIN RONIN! THIS IS HIS JOB!"
The guards were yelling from the other side, Alex could hear Janson's voice. She shuttered.
"Okay, WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE! WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE!" Minho screamed as he was backing up, pointing the gun at the door.
"Where do we go?" Alex asked. Looking around the room, there were no other doors.
"PUSH!" Came a yell from the guards, the metal cart wasn't going to hold for long.
"THOMAS!" Alex yelled, pointing to the window.
"Everyone back! Come on!" Thomas picked up a stool and hit the window, it cracked.
"HURRY!" Alex yelled.
"Newt! Help. HELP!" Thomas yelled, Newt ran over and picked up another stool.
"Ready?"
They smashed the window together. Thomas hopped over the broken window. Frypan laid a blanket over the shards of glass, and then climbed over followed by Clint, Leo and A.J. Minho tossed Thomas the gun. Minho helped Teresa through the window, picking her up and passing her to Newt, she was still trying to wake up from whatever drug they gave her. Alex's movements were still sluggish too, her dizziness wasn't helping. Minho did the same to Alex, picked her up and passed he to Newt, who set her down. Once the girls were over, Minho easily hopped the window.
"GO! GO! GO!" He yelled.
Thomas flung open the door. On the other side of the door, blocking their way was Captain Ronin. He didn't seem surprised at all to see them.
"Shoot me and get out. NOW!" He caught Alex's eye and then Minho's, he nodded at Minho, who yelled, "Thomas DO IT!"
Thomas pulled the trigger and shot the Captain who dropped to the floor convulsing with blue electricity jumping all over his body.
"Sorry man!" Minho whispered as he passed, "we owe you!"
Minho grabbed Alex's hand and pulled her out into the hall.
"LETS GO LETS GO!"
Alex tried to keep up as best as she could, if Minho wasn't holding her she would have stumbled and fallen behind. Newt was helping Teresa. Thomas had the gun. Minho was screaming directions at them from the back. And everyone ran like their lives depended on it. Because it did. Again.
"There it is! That's it!" Minho had led them to the sliding cardlock door. Thomas shoved passed, swiping the card key. Nothing happened. It beeped red, denying them access.
"Shit" Thomas muttered. He tried again. The same thing. He kept trying. Swearing each time it beeped red.
"Converge on 3. All R-16 personnel...non-lethal only." The announcement was heard over the wailing alarm.
"Shuck! Come on!" Alex muttered. She did not want to be trapped by Janson.
"No, no, no!"
She saw a group of guards with tactical gear and shields rounding the corner.
"Shuck!" Alex whispered. She was terrified of Janson. But the moment, her anger was stronger, she knew there was something not right about him and this place.
"Thomas! Alex!" Janson yelled. The group of guards had stopped half way down the hall.
"Open this door, Janson you rat!" Alex yelled, her anger rising and she could feel the hot burning in her chest. He smiled evilly at her.
"You don't want me to, my dear."
That sent her over the edge, the stupid sweet names from a human Rat. Her anger turned to rage. She was done being his guinea pig. His test subject. She couldn't quite place him, but she knew enough to trust her gut; more needles and pokes, no more unknown serums injected into her. She walked forward, despite Minho's attempts to stop her. Her legs were still shaky, but she kept going, she ripped the gun out of Thomas's hands and held it up, her finger on the trigger. Thomas didn't protest, and walked forward with her.
"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR YOU UGLY SEWER RAT!" Alex screamed.
"Listen to me! I'm to save your life. The maze is one thing, but you kids wouldn't last one day...out in the Scorch." He tried to reason.
"Watch me!" She spit at him. His face twisted into rage
"If the elements don't kill you, the cranks will."
"Is that a threat or a challenge?" She hissed at him.
He turned to Thomas now, knowing Alex wasn't going to listen. He used to be the reasonable one.
"Thomas, you have to believe me. I only want what's best for you."
Alex scoffed. "And I'm going to take Ava Paige's job."
"Yeah, let me guess. WICKED is good?" Thomas mocked.
"Nice one Tommy." Alex said.
Janson dropped all his formality, knowing he wasn't going to get them to come nicely. "You're not through that door."
As if the universe was finally on their side, and just to mock Janson, the sliding door clicked green and slid open. On the other side was Aris and Winston.
"Hey, guys." Aris smiled at them, and waved. Everyone pushed through, Minho yelling at them, "Come on! Thomas! Come on! ALEX! Let's go!"
Alex pulled the trigger of the gun, shooting a guard, as she backed up. Janson was furiously yelling into his walkie talkie and yelling at the guards around him at the same time. Alex shot at the guards over and over.
"Go, go. Stop them! Shut the main door!"
Alex used all the electric bullets from the gun.
"Tommy I'm out, we gotta book it!" She chucked the empty gun at the guards, it flew down the hall and hit one of the shields, knocking the guard over. She spun on her heel, Thomas grabbed her hand, they sprinted for the sliding door that was shutting.
"MOVE! COME ON!"
"ALEX RUN!"
"RUN THOMAS!"
Everyone was screaming at them. The door was almost closed. Alex glanced at Thomas, who looked back.
"SLIDE" she yelled.
They both dove and slid on their hips, like they were sliding into home plate. Just as the door slammed shut. Aris smashed the key panel with a piece of pipe, making it spark. The door wasn't going to open again.
"Total tomased that!" She huffed. Minho helped her to her feet.
"Totally. 9.5 on the execution. The slid was exceptional. But don't ever do that again!" He scolded her.
"No promises babe. I live life dangerously."
"I know, and that's why I love you! But shuck, girl you scare me." he rolled his eyes, but she smiled.
"Thomas, what's going on?" Teresa questioned.
"Come on Tes, they said they would explain when we're safe." Alex reassured her, grabbing her hand.
"Over here! Come on! Come ON!" Minho yelled, they ran to the big bay doors they had come through when they first arrived. Janson banged on the window of the door "You little shits!"
Alex turned and walked backwards and at the same time as Thomas and Minho, gave him the finger. She smirked back at him. Janson was seething with rage. Alex lifted her hand and Minho gave her a high five.
They turned around and laying on the floor were 3 packs, a pistol, Alex's bow and a full quiver of arrows and her shoulder harness.
"Nice! He did keep them safe!" Alex smiled up at Minho as she slipped it over her shoulders.
"Ya, Captain said he had these packed and waiting" Minho answered, slipping a backpack on, handing one to Thomas and another to Frypan. Thomas grabbed the lever to open the door. The big bay door slid open. The harsh wind hit the group of remaining Gladers, bringing a wave of sand with it.