The Link // Maze Runner Fanfiction // Book 1

chapter twenty-two

The woman smiled even wider and nodded at Gally. "One day, you'll all be grateful for what we did. I can only promise this and hope that you will accept it. If you don't, then this whole operation would be wasted. These are dark times that call for drastic measures. Dark times indeed. Now, we have one Variable left."

I didn't like the sound of it at all. I moved closer to Newt and interlocked our fingers. I could feel his wedding band dig into my skin as he squeezed my hand. It was an odd sort of comfort, but I was eternally grateful for it.

"They...can control me...I don't-I have..to," he choked out. A hand flew to his throat like it was choking him, similar to the incident with Alby.

As quick as it had started, the garbled message ended. The look of worry and sorrow was gone, replaced by a mask of emotionless resolution. Gally reached in his hoodie pocket and pulled out a dagger. Everything happened so fast. The blade windmilled through the air, aiming for Thomas. In a blur of motion, Chuck fell to the ground. I was confused until I saw the handle of the blade sticking out of his chest, right above his heart.

Chuck cried out right before his body started convulsing. I watched, horrified, as Thomas screamed and bent down over him. His eyes were like glistening white marbles and blood poured out of his nose and mouth. Thomas reached over and yanked me down next to him.

"El..f-family," Chuck choked out. "Mum."

He coughed, spraying Thomas and I with blood. He took another gasp and went still. I leaned over his body and choked back sobs. My little buddy- my adopted son-gone. Taken from me by the cold hands of the Creators.

I could sense waves of rage rolling off Thomas. He jumped up and flung himself on top of Gally. I let him throw a couple punches before tackling him. He squirmed underneath me and tried to get out of my hold. Being much stronger than me, he almost threw me off.

"Tommy, you need to calm down. I know how you feel, but it wasn't Gally's fault. They controlled him. We worked for those people, remember? Take your anger out on them and I'll be right there with you," I whispered hurriedly in his ear.

He relaxed enough that I could safely slide off him. Shooting the people behind the glass death glares, I approached Gally's female companion.

"This is for Chuck," I told her through gritted teeth.

Her hollow dark eyes filled with the slightest hint of recognition and fear. She barely opened her mouth to say something before I slit her throat. Blood sprayed from the wound, covering me for the second time today. She made a strangled, gurgle sound and dropped to the floor in a puddle of her own blood.

I landed a hard kick on her corpse before wordlessly walking back to the group. None of them batted an eye or even looked mildly surprised at the act of murder I had committed.

Before the Creators could retaliate, a set of doors banged open. Men and women in heavily padded uniforms burst in, brandishing machine guns. They released a deafening spray of bullets on the Creators. I watched the massacre in horror, watching my old colleagues slump over their desks and chairs. Blood stained every surface and filled the air with a gross, metallicy scent.

Three guards entered the room we were in. None of them even seemed to acknowledge Gally or the woman as they stepped over their bodies.

"Come on, we need to get you out of here!" a man barked.

The guards escorted us away from the building into the outside. Rain fell in sheets, soaking everybody. I paused for a second and looked up at the sky. I imagined Alby and Chuck up there, looking down on us and dumping buckets of water on us. The moment didn't last long as the guards rushed us forwards.

They had a beat up, rusty bus waiting for us. All twenty-something of us filed in and filled up the worn, patched leather seats. Newt and I found one in the back and sat down.

Newt took the window seat and I took the aisle seat. Now that my anger and adrenaline wore off, I could feel the ache of loss and battle. Lazily, I leaned into him and rested my head against his shoulder.

"El, what were you and Thomas planning?" he asked so quietly that I barely heard him.

"I couldn't let him sacrifice himself. I'd rather die honorably than a coward."

Newt turned his head and looked down at me. "I get where you're coming from. Here, come sit."

He patted his lap. I cracked a smile and hopped onto his lap. He kicked his legs up so that our legs tangled and spread out on the seat. I sighed in content and snuggled up against his chest. Even though we were covered in sweat and blood, in his arms was the only place I wanted to be. Soon, I drifted into the welcoming darkness of sleep.