(UNDER MAJOR EDITING) 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 || 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

The door creaked open, I followed closely behind Newt as we entered.

The train compartment full of other teenagers, their wrists bonded with chains that connected to the ceiling.

I searched their faces, instantly rushing to Aris and Sonya. Aris' face full of bruises and scratches, Sonya's was pale and had dark circles around her eyes.

I hugged them tightly, Harriet joining.

"Bolt-cutters. I need bolt-cutters." Someone handed me a pair, without hesitation, I snapped the chains in half.

Thomas and Newt walked to the back, concern replaced the relieved look that I had just seconds ago when Thomas said the words that I dreaded to hear.

"He's not here."

How? I was sure that I discerned his yells from the outside.

Despite being crestfallen about Minho, I assisted Sonya and Aris out of the train to get them a drink of water.

Aris winced while I cleansed his wounds.

"Sorry."

He smiled weakly, taking a sip of water.

"Took you guys long enough to rescue us." He joked.

I rested my hand on his thigh, troubled by the bruise on his face.

"What happened?" Thomas spoke my mind.

"I fought back. Tried to, anyway"

"Why? They could've injured you way worse." I frowned, squeezing his thigh.

"You would've done the same thing."
He smirked, knowingly.

"You guys are lucky you found us
at all. They had us on the move a lot.
It felt like something big was happening." Sonya stated.

"Any idea where they were heading?"

"All I know is, they kept talking about a city." Aris answered Newt.

"I didn't think there were any cities left." Harriet said, I hummed in agreement, racking my brain for any memory of a city that still stood.

"That's because there aren't." I glanced at Brenda. "Not still standing away."

"Okay, wait. What about Minho? Why wasn't he on the train?" Desperation laced in Thomas' voice.

Aris paused, sharing a worrisome glance with Sonya.

"I'm sorry, Thomas. He was."

---

Thomas laid a map down on the table.

"There. That's it. It's a few hundred miles." Thomas said, pointing at a circled area on the worn out map.

"Based on the railways,
everything Aris told us that's gotta be where they're headed. That's where they're taking Minho."

"We can take everyone who can fight. Follow the roads where we can. We can make it within a week." He stood face to face with Vince, trying his best to convince the man with his 'thought out' plan.

"A week?"

"It took us six months to get here. We got over a hundred kids here now. We can't just hang out here forever, after what we just pulled."

"You wanna wander off to some random point in the map? You don't even know what's there." Irritation growing in Vince's face as he spoke.

"I do." Jorge spoke up.

"It's been a few years, but I've been there. The Last City. That's what W.C.K.D called it."

"It was their whole base of operations. If that city is still standing, that's the last place you wanna go, Hermano."

"That's the lion's den." He spoke slowly, making it sound menacing.

"It's nothing we haven't done before." Thomas said, showing absolutely no signs of backing down.

"Yeah. With months of planning and reliable information, the element of surprise, none of which we have now."

"Vince, I've thought this through. Would you just hear me out?-"

"HEY. The last time we went off half-cocked, I lost everything!" Vince cut him off. "You remember that?" He raised his voice, referring to Mary.

Thomas hung his head in guilt.

"Look, I know it's Minho. Alright? But you can't ask me to put all those kids on the line for one man."

"I won't do it."

Thomas' eyes filled with disappointment, frankly, mine did too.

The arguement cut off promptly as the radio static interrupted. Voices came from the radio as well as Berg engines.

"Searching the grid now."

W.C.K.D's here.

"Fuck." I said to myself before I ran to the light switch, pulling the lever down. The electricity powered down and all the lights shut off with a loud click.

I rushed out behind Newt, bright rays of light shone down from two bergs that flew not too far away from us.

"They're gettin' too bloody close." Newt said more to himself than me.

We all made our way to our respective hammocks. Almost everyone was out cold once their heads hit their pillows.

I packed a small bag, only essentials.

"I'm sorry, guys. But Minho is in danger. I'll see you if I make it back alive." I whispered to the sleeping figures of Aris, Sonya and Harriet.

Silently, I snuck out along with Newt and Frypan. We waited patiently with the car for Thomas to arrive.

His unmistakable footsteps were in earshot and the zip of his bag.

"Where do you think you're going then?" Newt switched on a lamp. I stood next to him, leaning against the car with a wide smirk on my face.

"Newt, Sarah..." Thomas sighed.

"Don't be a twat about it."

"We're already in." I finished.

"Come on." He took Thomas's bag and walked back to the car.

"No. No, not this time. Look, even if we find Minho, there's no guarantee we make it back from this."

"Well you'll need all the help you can get then, won't you?" Newt said and opened the door to reveal Frypan sitting in the driver's seat, waving.

"Well, We started this together. May as well end it that way, too."

Thomas's face morphed into a smile.

"Okay. Let's go get him back."