𝐃𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐈𝐀 - TMR, Gally ² / ³

𝟢𝟢𝟦，𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥

Wiping tears off her cheeks, she walks over the hard sand. Her attempts of reaching out to Gally through her mind haven't worked. She has given up.

What she didn't add in the letter, was that if she would've stayed with them and would've escaped with them, they never would've succeeded.

She had too much stuff to bring for her plan to work. Many chemicals she stole. Weapons. And her plan doesn't include bringing the Gladers in danger, so she couldn't have brought them anyways.

The letter she gave Gally will help him enough. She gave him the exact amount of information he will need to get somewhere safe. It hurt to leave him, but she had to.

He'll be finding either her parents or any group of people. She figured out that it's not just the lake in the Glade that can make her remember more, but also sink water. So she spend the previous night constantly dipping her head in it to do her best on helping him.

It's confusing, but she'll make all of it work.

Camil will be safe with Thomas. She knows because Thomas wouldn't leave anyone behind and with some preparation beforehand, they'd make it.

Eventually, she stops walking in front of a building that looks abandoned. There's slight hesitation to go inside— but she needs a place to stay.

Sighing, she steps inside. Dust immediately heaves her breaths and makes her cough.

Maybe not the best place after all.

"Ah, come on," she hisses, struggling to take her flashlight out. Even with the daylight shining in, it's not enough to brighten the whole place up.

It only takes a minute to figure out she's in a hotel. Abandoned, but not completely destroyed. If she just removes the glass from the floor, get the dust away, and make sure to get electricity, then this ain't too bad.

"Hello?" She tries. If there's Cranks or anyone, she'd rather find out now.

The place is too big to go looking for anyone, though. She needs some rest after two sleepless nights, in which she stole and figured things out through the vents.

Joan sits down on the couch. Wipes dirt off it, tests if there's nothing weird about it, then lies down.

Tomorrow, she'll make a serum. Heal a few Cranks, or at least give them that serum every day, and have them to work for her.

She needs to find a way to destroy WCKD before sharing she thinks she has a cure. And save her friends.

***

When she wakes up, it feels like she has slept for days. It's annoying to not know what time it is, or what happened while she was asleep, or literally just the fact she isn't exactly safe right now.

Quickly, she takes a piece of bread she stole. Puts it in her mouth as she settles her chemicals on the ground. It takes a while and it's somehow fun and boring at once, but she eventually succeeds to make what she thinks might be a serum against the Flare. Not a permanent cure. Just enough to keep someone human for a few more days.

Once that's done, she inserts the liquid into a syringe she brought and starts walking around the place, knife in her pocket, gun in her waistband, and the syringe in her hand. 

The hotel doesn't have anything special to it. Lots of hallways with doors she definitely doesn't want to open as long as she's alone. A broken elevator. Cracking stairs. 

The windows are so dirty that barely any daylight shines in. She moves through the hotel without a flashlight, though. At the end of a hallway on the second floor, she stops. There's a single door at the end, and soft humming escapes from whatever is behind it. 

Her grip tightens around the syringe, other hand reaching forward for the handle. She pushes it down, slowly, then opens the door as she grabs her gun. 

All she sees is a man. He's sitting on an unmade bed, head down. His clothes are ripped. Hair's messy. Smell isn't great, but she doubts that she smells good. 

"Stand up."

A low groan leaves his lips. "Who are you?"

"Stand up," she repeats, clicking her gun. Luckily, the man stands up, head still down. She sees his dark curls above the very pale skin. "What are you? A crank?"

"If your friend were a Crank, would you still call them an it? Would you consider them as a whole different species? Out of nowhere?"

"I didn't bring any friends. Nor was that my question. Answer me."

"I don't think I'm very healthy," is all he says.

She takes a breath. "What's your name? How long have you been here and where did you come from? Are there others?"

"Jasper," he announces. "I've been here for... I don't know. I came from my now dead family. There must be some people in the basement, but I don't know them."

Joan's eyes focus on the blood on his hands. "What's that from?"

"My lovely Rhea and Sapphire."

"Your family?"

He nods.

Trying to keep her voice steady, she continues, "Did you murder them? Or tried to save them?"

"I tried to- I tried..." His words fade into a cry. "I don't know what got over me! Suddenly, my little Sapphire was on the ground, blood blood blood-- blood was all around her. Woman stormed in. Before I knew it, I had my dearest people dead in front of me."

Okay, he's a Crank for sure. 

But besides the fact he murdered his own family, her face remains of steel. "And now? What was your plan?"

"Stop the voices."

This could work very well. "Okay, Jasper, I have an idea. I save you from this virus, keep you provided of food, but you'll have to work for me."

"And do what? You're just a little girl with a gun."

"You'll follow my orders. You'll help me defeat WCKD. I keep you alive. I'll try to give you anything you want, as long as I can get it."

He finally looks up, a slight frown on his face. She guesses he's at least older than forty. And isn't weak. 

"But you have to swear you'll do anything I tell you. You promise me you'll always speak the truth. If something happens, you tell me. You hear news? Tell me. If not, I'll send you to a rougher death than a bullet through the head."

"Would you? A small girl, a minor, kill me?"

"Yes," she says, and the answer comes so fast that she surprises herself with it. "Do we have a deal?"

He glares at the syringe. "You said you could save me?"