The healer [Maze runner Newt x OC]

Chapter ten

The sun was already high in the sky when Grace stretched in the car and slowly opened her eyes. Surprisingly, she felt clear-headed despite the amount of alcohol she'd had the previous night. She smiled to herself, relieved that she'd remembered to drink plenty of water before passing out. Nights at the bonfire back in the Glade had taught her well.

Wedged between Aris and Teresa on the cramped backseat of Bertha—the old, dusty vehicle Jorge had taken from Marcus—Grace leaned her head against the window. The soft hum of the engine filled the air as the car jostled over uneven roads. Her gaze wandered over the abandoned buildings and dry landscapes passing by, but her eyes landed on Newt.

He sat in the front passenger seat next to Jorge, a rare, wide smile lighting up his face. For a moment, Grace felt a pang of warmth in her chest; it had been far too long since she'd seen him this carefree.

"You're staring," Teresa whispered, breaking Grace's reverie.

Grace quickly looked away, her cheeks flushing as she tried to play it off. "Just making sure he doesn't do something stupid," she muttered, though the corner of her lips twitched into a small smile.

''How you feeling, hermana?'' 

''Better than last night, that's for sure. I just hope a next plan doesn't involve me getting drunk.'' 

While the others either dozed off, chatted quietly, or waited in silence, Grace pulled her notebook from her bag. She flipped through the pages, half of the book already filled with scribbled notes. The things she'd discovered about WICKED were hard to believe, even for her. But she couldn't deny the sinking feeling in her stomach—deep down, she knew it was all true.

The car suddenly jolted to a halt, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Well, I guess we're on foot from here," Jorge announced as he turned off the engine. Up ahead, the road was blocked by a massive pileup of rusted cars.

Grace stepped out, the warm morning air brushing against her face. As the group spread out to check the vehicles for supplies, she found herself alongside Newt. He reached for her hand without hesitation, and she let him, the gesture grounding her amidst the uncertainty.

"This one's empty," Newt said, peering into the window of an old truck. Grace nodded and moved to the next car. Her stomach twisted when she saw shattered glass on the ground. She stepped closer, noticing a bullet hole in the side of the car.

"What the shuck?" she muttered.

Before she could investigate further, gunshots rang out, shattering the stillness.

"Get down!" Minho shouted, grabbing Grace by the arm and pulling her behind a nearby car. She hit the ground next to him and Newt, her heart pounding wildly.

"Is everyone okay?" Thomas called out, his voice echoing across the deserted landscape.

"We're fine!" Teresa yelled back from her cover with Aris, Brenda, and Frypan.

Grace turned to Newt, her breathing uneven. "Can you see where it's coming from?"

Newt shook his head. "No one's in sight. It's got to be a sniper."

Two more shots whizzed by, sending the group ducking lower. Jorge's voice broke through the tension. "Everybody! Get ready to sprint back to the truck! And cover your ears!"

Grace started to rise, covering her ears as instructed, but a sharp voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Drop it," a stranger's voice barked.