The Girl In The Last City

Part Seven: WICKED's Answer For Everything

The truck bounced against the rocky terrain that it drove across. The four of you were completely out of breath from the events that had just occurred. Your head had a light ache but nothing too severe. Other than that it was just some cuts and bruises, nothing you couldn't handle.
Thomas looked at Fry who looked at Newt who looked at you. You glanced over at Jorge who put down the metal barricade that covered his window, then you saw him smile through the mirror.
"I'm impressed, you almost lasted a day." The man laughed and your group all glanced at each other. You noticed that Newt was still out of breath and he was rubbing his right arm.
"Hey, you okay?" You asked and the boy smiled warily.
"Yeah, you?" He asked and you nodded. Brenda turned in her seat to face you and your rebellious group. She then shook her head with a smirk.
"Sorry." You heard Thomas say from behind you with a slight laugh edged in his voice. "We didn't want to bring you guys into this."
"I think what he means to say is," Fry said as he poked his head up from in between you and Newt. "Thanks for saving us."
"You guys are insane." Brenda scoffed and you laughed lightly.
"If you haven't figured that out by now then I'm a little concerned." You joked and then with a smile, Brenda turned forward to look at the road ahead.
"Well, your welcome." Brenda said. "Why didn't you think we'd be willing to come? We've come this far already together." The girl added.
"You two should get to go to the Safe Haven. This mission may stop you from making it back before the ship leaves." You told them but Brenda sighed.
"We thought of that before we left." She said. "So we have someone on the inside who is willing to stall Vince as long as possible."
"Who?" You asked but Brenda turned to you with a smile.
"Who do you think? Take a wild guess, who out of all The Right Arm would care enough to stall a man like Vince?"
"Aris." You said and the girl nodded.
"That's the man. Though, he didn't look too thrilled that you had left without telling him. Your lucky he's an understanding kid." Brenda informed as she turned back around in her seat, and a sudden guilt built up inside of you.
You meant to write Aris a note before you left just so he knew. But you didn't. You just hoped that when you got back he wasn't going to be mad at you. Suddenly you heard Jorge clear his throat.
"Well don't get your hopes up." The man said. "That checkpoint back there, that was the city's last defence. If that was over run then chances are that the city is too."
"Yeah, unless they found another way to keep the Cranks out." Newt suddenly said as he looked out the window.
You did the same, looking out over the mountain as did everyone else. Jorge hit the brakes hard, making a cloud of dust. He then put the truck in park. You knew your mouth was hanging open in shock. All the others got out of the truck and you followed after them.
You all stood and looked out to see the massive city in the horizon with huge skyscrapers and a massive wall that wrapped around. Around the impenetrable wall was a ruined town, dusty and broken. It was nothing compared to the city right in the middle of its rouble and debris.
You all stood in shock at the sight. You may have been happy to see it if it weren't WICKED who built it. You looked over at Brenda as she looked out wide eyed.
"Something tells me," you finally spoke. "that this is actually WICKED's last defense."
"It's funny," Newt then joined. "We've spent three years trapped behind walls, trying to get out. And now we want to break back in?"
"Yeah, it's hilarious." Fry commented flatly from atop the truck. Thomas turned to Jorge, who just stood there looking out in awe.
"Jorge, how do we get in?"
"Dont look at me hermano, those walls are new. I guess that's just WICKED's answer for everything." Jorge told him as he took off his gloves.
"Right, they see a problem, they hide from it." You mumbled.
"Well we aren't gonna figure it out from way up here." Brenda then said. "Let's go."
With that, both Jorge and Brenda walked back to the car while Frypan just sat back down. You walked over to Newt who was just staring off into the distance, clutching on to his right arm.
"Are you sure your okay?" You asked him and he looked at you dazed. He then pulled himself together and looked at you seriously.
"Why would you do that?" He asked and you looked at him puzzled.
"Do what? I didn't do anything." You answered but the blondie shook his head.
"Back in the tunnels, when the windshield broke and we crashed. You leapt out in front of me like a shield and blocked me from the glass. Why?" You looked at him taken aback.
"Why? Because Newt, I didn't want you to get hurt." You told him.
"But you got hurt instead." He said but you shrugged it off.
"It was fine, I'm fine."
"No. No it wasn't. I thought, well, I don't know what I thought." Newt said and then paused to think of a better way to put his message across. "I just, don't do that again. I can't risk losing you, that has happened way too many times and I just can't bloody stand it." You were touched that Newt cared so much, and it made you feel guilty for worrying him.
"Hey." You said, taking his hand and squeezing it. "You gave me your word that your with me until the end. Now let me give you mine." You told him and he seemed to be more at ease with that in mind.
"Alright. But maybe you should go talk to that shank." Newt said, pointing behind you to Thomas who was standing at the edge of the mountain side, looking at WICKED's city.
"Hey, you swear your okay?" You asked Newt before he left and he smiled that soft signature smile.
"Yes, I give you my word." Newt said and you smiled back.
"I'll meet you in the car then." You told him and Newt nodded, waking back to the truck that Jorge had just started back up.
You made your way over to stand beside Thomas who didn't look at you. The two of you just sat in silence for a while, admiring the city built on the once sandy dead scorch.
Considering the ruined city just outside the borders, you'd say that this Last City, as Jorge had called it, was built from it. It certainly wasn't the same. The building and skyscrapers inside the walls were shiny and hard to miss. They were well built and sturdy while the ones outside the Last City were quite the opposite. The majority were completely destroyed, only leaving half of what it used to be while some were just piles of debris.
"It's a mess down there." You finally spoke and Thomas looked down to his feet, and then back forward.
"What do you think we're gonna find in there?" Thomas asked but you clearly knew what the real question he wanted to ask was.
"I think you know exactly what we're going to find in there." You told him and he looked at you. "You know who we're gonna find in there." You corrected.
"Teresa." Thomas said and and you nodded. "You don't have to worry about me, all I care about is getting Minho. I feel nothing towards her anymore."
"We both know only half of that statement is true." You said and Thomas sighed, looking out into the distance again. "I'm not worried about you, I know where your loyalty stands, that much was obvious when you stood by me during the betrayal in the mountains. I'm worried about Minho. Whatever they're doing to him, we just have to get him before they put him through something that he can't handle." You said, thinking about Minho and what he could be going through. You heaved a heavy sigh that was laced with worry.
"I wouldn't be too scared." Thomas said. "For as long as I've known Minho, I know he's a fighter. Whatever WICKED throws at him, he can take it."
"I hope so."
"Hermana!" You turned and saw Jorge waving you back to the car. "You want to go or what?"
"Come on." You said, patting Thomas on the shoulder. "We got a man with an overly huge ego to save."