Subject of the Flame | Maze Runner [2]

TWENTY-ONE

[ ELECTRA ]

❧

The stillness in the air made Electra's blood run cold. She contemplated running at the odd man in front of her and tackling him to the floor, or at least trying to threaten him, but something about Jorge's crazed eyes told her to stay firmly put.

"You people forget how to talk?" Jorge asked. "Or you just scared of the Cranks? Scared we'll pull you to the ground and eat your eyeballs out? Mmm, tasty. I love a good eyeball when the grub's running short. Tastes like undercooked eggs."

Minho, dauntless as ever, stepped forward, doing a perfect job of hiding his pain. "You admit that you're a Crank? That you're freaking crazy?"

Electra's ears perked when the ceiling above her cracked. She peered into the hole where Jorge had jumped down but saw nothing.

"In the Scorch, we're all crazy." Jorge outstretched his arms, beckoning the Gladers toward him. "Now, come, come, my new friends. I'd only eat your eyes if you were already dead. Of course, I might help you get that way if I needed to. Understand what I'm saying?" His tone was anything but inviting, and he looked at each of the Gladers in turn, surveying all of them with a crooked smile.

Just as Jorge's gaze settled on Electra, she heard another crack. Her eyes flashed up to the hole once more, seeing nothing in the darkness, before darting back to Jorge. The man's smile widened as her eyes rested on him, and she could barely detect his slight gesture at the ceiling, as if taunting her to go and see what was up there. She tilted her head at him. Was there something up there? Was there someone up there?

"Something wrong, girl?" Jorge asked, provoking her even further.

Electra rested her hand on her knife, which was hidden behind her back, tucked in her waistband, but she didn't bring it out. "How many of you are there?"

Jorge's gaze trained on her hand behind her back, before he raised his pointer finger at her, wiggling it back and forth. "Tsk, tsk. That's not how this is going to work." He began slowly walking towards her. "Those who are at a disadvantage have to speak first. I want to know everything about you. Where you come from, why you're here, what in God's name your purpose could be. Now."

Minho blocked Electra before Jorge could reach her, raising an arm to stop the man in his path. "We're the ones at a disadvantage? Unless the lightning storm fried my retinas, I'd say there are eleven of us and one of you. Maybe you should start talking."

The Crank let a scoff tumble out of his mouth. "Looks like the girl is more perceptive than you are. That's threatening."

"So, you feelin' scared?"

"Nah. Just makes her more appetizing." He pointed lazily to the group, before resting his gaze on Electra. "If she doesn't start cooperating then what use is she to me besides free food?"

Electra felt a boy near her from behind, as if silently warning her to stay put. Similarly, Electra reached a hand forward and rested it just above Minho's forearm, not quite touching it but conveying a warning sign.

However, Jorge's next words dissolved any warnings just as quickly as the lightning had destroyed everything in its path. "I bet the rest of you'd be so much more collaborative if I made you all watch what I do to her."

Just like that, Minho and Electra both pounced at the man. Minho got to Jorge first, sending the two tumbling to the floor. Electra, however, couldn't move forward a single step before she was restrained by her arms. Newt yanked her backwards, gripping hard onto her wrists.