Admit Defeat (TMR fic 2)

Chapter 55

(amazing song~)

The mountains aren't that big, in the end. It takes us most of the night to reach them, but we'll be able to hide out in a cave or something by the daytime and reach the Safe Haven by the next morning. It's lucky, too, since that's our deadline.

One week. One hundred miles.

We're going to make it.

That's when they appear at the base of the mountains. Girls, everywhere. Slipping out from behind boulders, sneaking across the Scorch. They have weapons – knives, swords, light bows. I guess we're lucky they don't have guns.

It doesn't take Aris's eager "Harriet!" for us to know that this is Group B.

Teresa is in the center of them, a spear in her hand. She's in charge, obviously. Thomas visibly melts a little with happiness to see her, whatever the circumstances. He's like a puppy that accidentally bonded with a psychopath.

I hate her because she is Thomas's biggest weakness.

She could hurt him so, so badly. And... if Group B is supposed to kill Thomas... and Teresa is with them...

I push my way to the front of the Gladers, standing just ahead of Thomas. Teresa is a cold, sharp blade poised to strike. I am fire and gasoline. I am Ash.

"Leave us alone," I say, my voice steady. Despite that, my hands are trembling with the force of the fists I'm clenching.

"We're taking him," one of the girls says, nodding at Thomas.

My eyes catch on the girl next to her, and I frown slightly. Why do I feel like I've seen her before?

"Tom. Trust me." Teresa is staring at him, her eyes pleading.

Oh no you don't.

I take an aggressive step forward, wanting to tear Teresa to pieces, needing to protect Thomas.

The girl who had spoken earlier draws her bow, aiming it directly at me. For a moment all I can see is blood spurting from Ben's head after Alby shot him, feel the twitching of the boy's body as he died.

Then I remember the feel of soft grey fur, of my cat that I had once owned.

WICKED had taken him, too.

I will never let them take Thomas.

Not without a fight.

I lift my chin and take a step towards the girl. "You don't get to have him. He's one of us, and we're not letting him go."

She still has the bow drawn, so it must not be very powerful. We're staring each other down, her dark eyes piercing into mine.

Then she aims, pulling the bow up slightly and sighting down the arrow shaft. I'll just move out of the way when she releases, and-

She fires.

Newt slams into me at the exact same moment, pushing me out of the way. Everything goes into slow motion, and all I can think, with a sickening feeling in my gut, is that I know how Thomas felt.

The day Chuck died for him, the day he lost a friend to survive - I know how that feels. And I hate it. I hate it more than I've ever hated anything.