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' WIRES. ' CHAPTER 004. CRANKS.
THEY DROVE UP to the city and Neve was surprised to see the number of people congregating around the walls. There were makeshift tents and living areas set up all around, the skeletons of buildings were all that was left outside the stone walls. People in tattered clothes sat in clusters along tin train cars and broken construction tools. Crumbling concrete walls were scattered around it all, forming tunnels over the sand. Even through the metal van door, she could tell that the people were either whispering or yelling far too loudly for her liking.
"So WCKD did this?" she asked with a low whistle. The contrast of it all; the starving people outside the wall, the shiny blue skyscrapers inside. It was almost funny. She pulled her fingers away from the window and chose to look upwards at what was sitting atop the walls.
"Yep. That's WCKD," Gally stated. Neve craned her neck to see the turrets Tuck had mentioned. Beside them stood figures in black uniforms, each holding a gun at their side. As if the walls weren't enough.
"That is so fucking selfish," Neve scoffed. Half out of jealousy for the people who lived inside the walls, for the people who hadn't lost all the luxuries of a "normal life", and half out of sympathy for the people who sat outside the walls, for the people who knew her pain.
"Oh, you have no idea," Tuck agreed, "These assholes are hell-bent on finding a cure, they've been at it for years. They're willing to take everything from an entire generation of immunes just so they can make sure they get to live a nice life." Neve had heard of immunes, but she wasn't sure she believed it, that people could actually protect themselves against something so relentless. She had looked the Flare in the eyes, she'd touched it; it was anything but weak.
"Look, we got a place a little further out in the streets, we're gonna drop you there and you can go chase whatever you're looking for. That way you stay out of WCKD's sight and away from any cranks. Before you even say it, you're welcome. I'd ask for payment but honestly, money doesn't do nothing anymore, so just go," Tuck explained, turning down a corner. The buildings and streets were more intact here. It was less of a junkyard and resembled more of what it once was: the outer part of the city. There were still lots of people in the streets, clothes hung like garlands over the road, people held fabric over their noses and mouths, hurrying from place to place.
"I think I like the open sand better, to be honest," Neve commented, eyeing the dirty faces.
"You're seriously introverted, huh?" Declan said, following her line of sight.
"Take a look around, buddy. We've got sadistic mad scientists on one hand and dirt-caked premature cranks on the other." Neve nearly grinned. Once again, she almost found it funny. Almost.
They pulled up to the old building. Neve's eyes ran over the structure, over the graffiti-littered walls. Slowly, the van rolled inside and Tuck hit the breaks, taking the key out of the ignition. Gally slid the door open and stepped outside. There were plenty of people here but it wasn't nearly as crowded as outside. Neve got out of the van, grabbing her bag. There were already several people in masks standing around the car, guns at their sides.
