The Death Cure

Tunnels

Newts P.O.V

Me and Penelope retrieve Frypan before going to the spot where a car was parked. Frypan and Penelope hop in the car, and just as I'm about to, Penelope stops me.
"Wait, what if you did that thing, where you wait outside with the lights off and then when Thomas walks up, you turn the light and are like "where do you think your going?"?"

"Why would we do that?" Frypan asks. She shrugs. "It seems fun."
I smile. "No, it's a good idea. We'll do it. You two stay here and I'll wait out there. When he comes up this way, I'll do the thing and he'll probably ask about Frypan, so I'll open the door and Frypan, you'll wave and Penelope, poke your head out next to him. Got it?"
Her and Fry nod. "Great." I smile once more at my girlfriends hilarious plan. Girlfriend? Is that what we're calling each other now. It feels weird...I don't know, I'll talk to her about it later.
Anyway, I stand outside with a lamp turned off and my hand rests on the switch. Right on cue Thomas came up. I turn the gas lamp on.
"Where do you think your going then?"
It startled him.
"Newt..."

"Don't be a twat about it. I'm already in, come on." I say taking his bag from him.
He tries to object.
"No. No not this time. Look, even if we find Minho...there's no guarantee we make it back from this."
Even that doesn't deter me.
"Well then you'll need all the help you can get won't you." I smile and open the drivers side door revealing Frypan and Penelope. Yet Thomas still shakes his head, but before he can say anything I say something first.
"We started this together...might as well end it that way to"
Finally, Thomas caves with a shrug.
"Okay, let's go get him back."
——————
The drive is long and dark; Penelope falls asleep most of the way through, which I don't mind. The sound of her sleeping breath is somewhat calming.
"So, why is she here?" Thomas asks
I look at her then back a Thomas

"I tried to get her to stay behind, but she was stubborn, which is odd because normally she's very passive with stuff like this, she just tells me to be careful and sends me off."

"She cares about you Newt, I think more now then she did. If she's willing to risk her life to make sure your ok, while you try and save one of our friends, I'd say that shows more compassion and care then anything else....And I'm personally glad she's here, that girls one hell of a shot."
I let out a chuckle at Frypans remark, but I also take time to think about what he said. And he's right, that girl really does love me.
We stay silent most of the ride, every so often each of us falling asleep. Dawn emerges and we still drive. Penelope wakes up around mid day, and I'm happy to see her. She makes small comments about the scenes outside, but they fall quiet when we reach a point where we can't continue.
It's a long pitch black tunnel, there are signs around us, all of them warnings.
Sensitive contact area and
Virus checkpoint.
"That's not ominous at all." Penelope says sarcastically, though no one laughs.
The 4 of us step out of the car not only to stretch our legs, but look around.
Thomas walks closest to the tunnel, while Penelope doesn't move far from the car. Frypan and I take the middle area. Though we all look in the same direction.

"You want us to go in there?" I say, nodding towards the tunnel.
"I don't want to come across as too negative, but if I was a Crank, that's exactly where I'd be." adds Penelope.

"I don't think we have a choice." Says Tommy looking at his map. I realize he's right and sigh
"Alright. I get shotgun" I say as I walk back to the car.
We all hesitantly get in and buckle up as Frypan drives slowly down the creepy tunnel. He splashes through puddles of, I don't know what and turns on the headlights to get a better view. But the tunnels disgusting. It's brown dirt covers all the walls along with some towhee substances I don't want to name.
I peek behind me at Penelope, who has her stone
In one hand, and her gun in the other. Gripping both tightly. I didn't know she brought her stone, but I don't blame her.
"Take it slow" I tell Frypan. I notice that there are cars littered throughout the passage way and all of them are broken and covered in dust.
Our car suddenly stops and I look through the windshield. A Crank stands in the distance, making choking sounds and jerking around. The three of us look at Thomas with an expression of 'I told you so'.

"It's okay. It's just one, so take it slow, go around him. We'll be fine." He says trying to-and unsuccessfully-convince us.

"Take it slow. Take it slow." Frypan repeats, like a mantra.
Penelope glances out out her window and suddenly screams. A Crank is there, pressed up against it. Then, with a thud, one is on Fry's window, and mine, and Thomas'. All of them trying to get inside.
"Fry we gotta go!" Tommy yells
"Drive!" Screams Penelope.
Frypan can't seem to move the car, but after continuous yelling from us, he gets it going and we drive as fast as we can trying to shake the Cranks. Penelope shoots at them from the back, and I see a few go down on the rear view mirror.

Unfortunately one specific crank has latched onto the hood and is trying to punch the glass. Frypan swerves back and forth trying to throw him off but, it doesn't working.
"Frypan watch your head!" Penelope yells from behind me, I look to see she's cocked her gun and is aiming to shoot.
"Drive straight!"
Frypan obeys and Penelope shoots. The bullet hits the crank right in the head and he falls off the hood.
Fry turns back and says
"That's exactly what I was talking about!"
Thomas' face flashes with fear.
"Frypan watch out!"
He redirects his vision to the road where we find ourselves about to hit a large piece of concrete that's jutting out from the side. Fry tries to move out of the way but the car hits and we flip over.

I can't focus as I'm being jostled around in the car, but thankfully it comes to a-painful-stop. Once things stop spinning and the car is still. Thomas asks.
"Everyone ok?"
"My hand. Oh shit my hand." Frypan's clearly not ok.
As I crawl around in the car, I look for Penelope. I find her laying on her side in a ball.
"Penelope, Penelope." I yell crawling to her.
She uncurls slightly but I see blood seeping through her jacket on her arm. And she's crying.
"Hey, It's ok. We just have to get out of here. It's ok."
I try to comfort her as Thomas busts one of the windows. We all make our way out of the car in a fit of dust and coughing. As I help Penelope out, she is silent and once she's out she sits up against the car.
I move the tangled hair out of her face.
"Look at me, hey." Tears form in her eyes, but she bites her lip to stop the tears.
"Your ok. We're ok. I'm going to wrap your arm." I take her jacket off slowly and it reveals a bloody gash. "Oh god" I whisper. I want to take care of her, but there was a lot of blood.
"It's ok, I got it." Frypan kneels down next to me and takes over tending to Penelope's wound. I thank him and stand up. Frypan had wrapped his bleeding hand, and is now finished on Penelope's bloody arm.
I help her stand up, and hand her her jacket, which she ties around her waist. But we hear the scream of Cranks down the tunnel. We don't move, but simply stare down the dark alley, but we get going when one comes into view and lets out an inhuman shriek.
I reach for my gun, but it's not loaded.
"We gotta go now! Run!" Thomas commands.
Tommy, Frypan and I begin to run, but Penelope doesn't move.
"Penelope, run! We have to go!" I think she's frozen in fear, but I notice she has her gun in her hand. She shoots twice and takes down the Crank.
"Nice shot" Frypan says. She turns to face us and breathes out a horse "thanks". I see her try to take a step, but she falls.
I jog over and catch her before she hits the ground. Her blood loss has made her weaker, and pale.
I take her arm around my shoulder and help her stand.
The group and I run farther and farther into the tunnel, and for a moment I think we're going to make it, but for only a single moment. We come to a literal dead end, as in if we went any further, in any direction, we'd be eaten by Cranks. We're trapped.
And what's worse is Penelope goes limp.
"No no" I whisper and try to wake her up, but it's futile.
I'm dead, we're going to die. I think, but the roar of an engine says otherwise.
The Jeep, Bertha, comes roaring in crushing at least three Cranks on the way. The car comes to a halt and Brenda pops out the top.
"Guys get in!"
She has a gun and begins shooting at the Cranks.
Thomas easily hops in but Frypan has to help me get Penelope in the car. We load her in, Frypan with her arms and me with her legs. As soon as we are in-Jorge who's driving-speeds off to the light at the end of the tunnel.