Subject A250: The Fallen

Thirty-Five: Waiting Traciently

A/N: Another update??? What??? How is this possible?? Is this the real life??? Is this just fantasy???

Gally took them all into a small room down the hall from where they'd been kept. One by one they filed in, filling the limited space quickly. Trace, the Gladers, Brenda, Jorge and Flint on one side of the room, with the Right Arm and Gally on the other, facing each other.

"I thought we better have a Gathering," Gally explained.

"Gathering means meeting," Trace whispered to Flint.

"I gathered that, Trace," he whispered back.

She was about to turn around and compliment him on his unexpected pun when something Gally was saying caught her attention.

"- we have to decide who goes and who stays."

Minho stepped forward. "Wait, what do you mean? Gally, we're all going. Nobody's staying behind."

"It's too dangerous," one of the guards replied. "Cranks are everywhere now– and I mean everywhere. There's no way we'd be able to transport you all discreetly and safely. We'd draw too much attention to ourselves."

"We'll have the best chance if we bring two of you," Gally explained.

"Then Brenda and I will go," Thomas announced.

"What?" Minho clearly wasn't happy with that. "No way! Me and you."

Trace felt left out. "I think I should be the one to-"

"No, Trace."

"No way."

"Definitely not you."

"You're a bit of a liability."

Trace shot a glare in Brenda's direction at that last comment. She wanted to go on the fun mission across Crankland and help Thomas infiltrate WICKED. She could only imagine the powerful duo they'd be together.

"Absolutely not," Newt agreed.

She supposed they were right... just a little bit. She did tend to do whatever the hell she felt like in the moment and not pay attention to any plan whatsoever. Still, it hadn't exactly turned out badly for them in the past. In fact, it'd been kinda helpful.

"We shouldn't even be splitting up!" Minho argued. Trace could hear the strain in his voice. "It'd be safer if everyone went!"

Trace watched as Thomas thomased his way into convincing Minho that this was the right call. "Minho, we need people back here. What if something does happen? Who's gonna carry through with our plans? Besides, someone needs to rally up the forces here. We've got numbers and we need them all on our side."

There was a brief moment of silence as Minho considered this. "Fine," he agreed. "But if you die I will not be happy."

This was one of those moments that sent chills down Trace's spine. What if they'd changed something? What if this panned out differently? What if something did happen to Thomas? Or Brenda? What if they didn't make it?

"Be careful," Trace blurted out before she could stop herself. Once her brain had caught up to her mouth, she added. "Don't die."

"Was that your pep talk?" Flint asked.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Well, that was bloody inspiring," Newt sighed, not really meaning it at all.

Trace tried not to have a meltdown.