little immune {the scorch trials} (request)

˜*°• 32 •°*˜

Ava Paige, alive and well, strutted down the Berg's ramp, her face pointed and expressionless. She was clad head to toe in pristine white clothing, an armed guard to her left and right. When she reached Janson, she slowed to a stop, surveying the rows of prisoners.

"Is this all of them?" Ava asked sharply.

"M-most of them," Janson replied. "It'll be enough."

Ava hesitated for barely half a second, then gave a curt nod. "Start loading them in."

"Yes, ma'am." He barked orders at WICKED's guards, who began hauling Right Arm members into the ship as chancellor swept over to Thomas, Y/n, and the rest of the Gladers. Suddenly, Thomas was yanked to his feet and shoved face-to-face with Ava, her piercing blue eyes fixed on his.

"Hello, Thomas." Not a trace of emotion in her voice.

Someone else approached the group then, someone who was very much the last person Thomas wanted to see at that moment.

Ava held out an arm, and Teresa stepped cautiously into the embrace. "I'm glad you're safe," the chancellor told her.

The true nature of the situation hit the other Gladers like a wave. They all stood up, gathering around Thomas. Minho's eyes were narrowed, Newt's hands balled into fists. Frypan muttered a series of curse words, and Y/n looked like she could have cried. Thomas wanted nothing more than to give her a hug, make it all go away. He'd just gotten her back, and if he lost her again to none other than WICKED ...

No. He wasn't going to think about that. They were all going to make it out of this. They had to.

"What the hell?" Frypan demanded. "Teresa?"

"Tell me this isn't what I think it is," Newt growled.

Thomas shook his head, as if to say I really wish I could. "She's with them."

"Since when?" Minho asked.

Before Thomas could reply, Janson appeared beside his comrades. "Oh, Teresa's always had an evolved appreciation for the greater good. Once we restored her memories, it was only a matter of time." The man wore a menacing smile as he spoke, and Thomas wanted nothing more than to punch it right off of his rat-like face.

"I'm sorry," Teresa said. Two simple words, as though that made up for everything the Gladers were about to endure because of her. Thomas found himself unable to look straight at her.

"I had no choice," she continued, eyes misty with tears. "This is the only way. We have to find a cure."

Ava placed a hand on her shoulder. "She's right. This is all just a means to an end. You used to understand that, Thomas. No matter what you think of me ..." She sighed. "I am not a monster. I'm a doctor. I swore an oath to find a cure, no matter the cost. I just need more time."

"More blood, you mean."

All eyes instantly fixated on the speaker, who had just weaved her way to the front of the crowd.

Ava Paige visibly stiffened. "Hello, Mary. I hoped we'd meet again. I'm sorry it had to be ... under these circumstances."

Mary scoffed. "I'm sorry about a lot of things, too. But not this. At least my conscience is clear."

"So is mine." Ava's glare was ice cold. It didn't even waver when the gunshot sounded from Janson's hand and Mary collapsed to the ground, clutching her bleeding abdomen.

"Mary?" Vince darted forward and caught her in his arms. "Mary? Mary? Mary?!" As the final bit of life drained from the woman whom he considered his best friend, Vince's body shook with sobs. "NO!" he screamed, over and over.