The Flare → Newt³

10 → "DONT CALL US SUBJECTS"

10 → "DONT CALL US SUBJECTS"

ADELINE BARELY SLEPT. On the bottom bunk, Newt tossed and turned. Adeline faced the wall, staring at pitch blackness. She wanted to climb down the ladder of the bunk bed, wanted to curl up in Newt's arms. But, she felt hesitant on doing so. By the time she did fall a sleep, it was halfway through the middle of the night. Her body relaxed after endless hours of being wide awake and her eyes grew heavy, and that's when she managed to fall a sleep.

—

A loud knocking woke Adeline early the next morning. Adeline's eyes only just flickered open, when the door opened and the same five guards from the day before came in with Launchers raised. Janson stepped into the room right after them.

"Rise and shine." Janson said. "We've decided to give you your memories back after all. Like it or not."

"Like hell you are." Newt responded. He was out of his bed, fists clenched at his sides, glaring at Janson.

Adeline propped herself up onto one elbow, still half a sleep. "What are you doing with me?"

Janson gave her a forced smile. "You'll be watching the procedure, then you'll be taken somewhere while they recover."

Adeline jumped off from the top bunk, almost stumbling. She almost hit straight into Newt, but caught her balance. Adeline glared at Janson. "Right."

Thomas swung his legs around to the floor. "You told us we didn't have to."

"I'm afraid we don't have much of a choice." Janson replied. "The time for lies is over. Nothing's going to work with you three still in the dark. I'm sorry. We need to do this. Newt, of everyone, you will benefit the most from a cure, after all."

"I don't care about myself anymore." Newt responded in a low growl. Thomas watched Janson carefully.

The man's face softened. "Look, Newt, Minho, Thomas. I understand how you must feel. You've seen some awful things. But the worst part is over. We can't change the past, can't take back what has happened to you and your friends. But wouldn't it be a waste to not complete the blueprint at this point?"

"Can't take it back?" Newt shouted. "That's all you have to say?"

"Watch yourself." one of the guards warned, pointing a Launcher at Newt's chest. Adeline couldn't fight her own anger.

"Oh, shutup." Adeline snapped at the female guard. "Quit actin' like we shouldn't be freakin' angry after everything we were put through."

"We're running out of time." Janson interrupted. "Now let's go or we'll have a repeat of yesterday. My guards are willing, I assure you."

Minho jumped down from the bunk. "He's right. If we can save you, Newt — and who knows how many others — we'd be shuck idiots to stay in this room a second longer." Minho shot Thomas a glance and nodded toward the door. "Come on, let's go."

Janson raised his eyebrows at Thomas, who was struggling to hide his surprise. Thomas turned away from the guards and Janson and gave Newt and Adeline a quick wink that only they could see. Adeline started moving towards the door after Minho.

"Let's just listen to what they want us to do." Thomas tried to sound casual. "I worked for these people before the Maze. I couldn't have been totally wrong, right?"

"Oh, please." Newt rolled his eyes. He moved toward the door.

"You'll all be heroes when this is over." Janson said as Thomas followed Newt out of the room.

"Oh, shut up." Thomas replied. They followed Janson down the corridors once again. As they walked, Janson narrated the journey, like he were a tour guide. He explained that the facility didn't have many windows because of the often fierce weather outside, and the attacks from roaming gangs of infected people. He mentioned the severe rainstorm the night the Gladers been taken from the Maze, and how the group of Cranks had broken through the outer perimeter to watch them board the bus.

"I really wish you'd just shut your mouth." Newt finally spat. Janson did, but he never wiped the grin off his face. When they reached the area they'd been in the day before, Janson stopped and turned to address them.

"I hope you will all cooperate today." Janson said. "I'm expecting nothing less."

"Where is everybody else?" Thomas asked.

"The other subjects have been recovering —" Before he could finish, Newt had pounced, grabbing the Rat Man by the lapels of his white suit coat and slammed him against the nearest door.

"Call them subjects again and I'll break your bloody neck!" Two guards were on Newt in an instant. They pulled him away from Janson and threw him to the floor, aiming their Launchers at his face.

"Wait! Wait." Janson composed himself and straightened his wrinkled shirt and jacket. "Don't disable him. Let's just get this over with."

Newt slowly got to his feet, arms raised. "Don't call us subjects. We're not mice trying to find the cheese. And tell your shuck friends to calm down — I wasn't gonna hurt you. Much."

Adeline stood there, eyes darting from Newt to Thomas, who had exchanged a glance. After a moment, Thomas spoke up.

"Newt, Adeline & Minho." he said quietly, before the Rat Man could speak again. "I think he's right. I think it's time we did what we're supposed to do. We all agreed to it just last night."

Minho broke into a nervous smile. Newt's hands balled into fists. Adeline stood there, arms swaying loosely at her sides. It was now or never. Thomas swung his elbow backward into the face of the guard behind him just as he kicked the knee of the one in front. Both fell to the floor, stunned, but recovered quickly. One of them, who had recovered quickly, went to grab Adeline, who was left there stunned. Adeline reacted as quickly as she could, and she kicked him in the groin without hesitation. Newt tackled a guard to the ground. Minho was punching another. But the fifth — a woman — hadn't been touched, and she was raising her Launcher.