❝You are all still here because of an uncanny will to survive.❞
Solving the Maze was meant to be the end. No more tests. No more puzzles. They thought that by escaping the Maze that they'd been stuck in for two years, they could go back to their old...
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11 → "THE SCORCH"
ADELINE FROZE, and so did Newt. He followed her gaze, noticing the two bodies approaching them. Newt tensed, as if he sensed something off. He reached out and pulled her behind him, shielding her away from the two strangers. Once again, Adeline found she really didn't care that he did.
"Everyone pack in tighter." Minho said. "And get ready to fight these shanks at the first sign of trouble."
The two people finally came to a stop before the group of Gladers. One was a man and the other was a woman. Both were tall and scrawny. Their shirts and pants were filthy clothing sewn together. The two of them stood there, panting as they caught their breaths.
"Who are you?" Minho quizzed the two people. The strangers didn't respond, nor did they move. Their chests heaved in and out. Minho repeated his question. Instead of answering, the two strangers split apart and started walking in a circle around the Gladers. It was like they were sizing them up, ready to kill. Adeline tensed as they did so; she swore she stopped breathing for a second. There are a whole lot more of us than there are of you. Start talking. Tell us who you are."
"We're Cranks." Said the woman. She pointed over the Gladers, although Adeline had no clue why.
"Cranks?" Minho said. "Just like the ones that tried to break into our building a couple days ago?"
"We're Cranks." This time the man spoke. He pointed over the Gladers just like the girl had done. "Came to see if you're Cranks. Came to see if you've got the Flare."
Minho turned to look at Thomas and then a few others, his eyebrows raised. No one said anything. He turned back. "Some dude told us we had the Flare, yeah. What can you tell us about it?"
"Don't matter." the man responded. "You got it, you'll know soon enough."
"Well, what do you bloody want?" Newt asked, stepping up to stand next to Minho. "What's it matter to you if we're Cranks or not?"
"How'd you get in the Scorch?" The woman quizzed. "Where'd you come from? How'd you get here?"
"We were sent here by WICKED. Came out of a hole just a little while that way, from a tunnel. We're supposed to go one hundred miles to the north, cross the Scorch." Minho answered upon consulting with Newt, then turned and stepped closer to Thomas. He faced the Cranks again. Any of that mean a thing to you?"
"Not all Cranks are gone." the man said. Adeline had no idea what the man meant about the Gone. "Not all of them are past the Gone. Different ones at different levels. Best you learn who to make friends with and who to avoid. Or kill. Better learn right quick if you're coming our way."
