Finality | The Maze Runner / Newt ³ ✓

{1.4}

Disclaimer:

Thomas: I wasn't that drunk last night

Newt: You were flirting with Minho

Thomas: So? He's my boyfriend

Newt: You asked him if he was single

Newt: And cried when he said he wasn't

-✼-

Minho pointed his gun at the ceiling and fired without a change of emotion. His face was blank, impassiveness plastered over whatever real feelings he was burying inside. Thomas jumped at the sudden noise. I was too shocked by the lady's words to feel much surprise. The crowd, however, lapsed into complete silence, which was what Minho wanted.

The lady continued. "It's crazy out there. It's all happened really quickly. Like they've been hiding and waiting for a signal or something. This morning, the police were overpowered and the gates were open. Some Cranks from the Palace joined them. They're everywhere now." She paused, daring to look a few of us in the eye. "I promise you don't want to go out there. And I promise that we're the good guys. I don't know what the Right Arm has planned, but I do know that part of it includes getting us all out of Denver."

"Then why are you treating us like prisoners?" Flo demanded, her usual sneer back on her face. I had almost forgotten she was there. She and the remaining members of Group B were huddled in one area.

"I'm just doing what I was hired to do," the woman responded coolly, repeating the phrase she'd said countless times thus far. She turned to Thomas. I think it's a stupid idea to leave this place, but like I said, if you're going to, you can't take more than a couple of people. Those Cranks spot a big group of fresh meat walking around and it's all over. Weapons or no weapons. And the boss might not like it if a crowd shows up – our guards see a van full of strangers and they might start shooting."

"Brenda and I will go," Thomas announced automatically. A flash of hurt crossed my face as I turned to him, wrinkling my brow.

"No way," Minho protested, clearly upset by the decision as well. "The three of us."

I tried not to let it affect me that Thomas didn't want us coming along on that mission, that he'd chosen Brenda so quickly and without giving us a say in the matter. Brenda, whom he'd known barely more than a month or so. I didn't have anything against the girl, but...

"Me and her," Thomas said, sounding surer of himself now. "We did pretty well for ourselves back in the Scorch. We can do it."

"You asked for Asprin the second we untied you and Brenda looked like she'd fallen down five flights of stairs," I deadpanned without a single blink. A guilty expression formed on my brother's face at my words. "Don't be stupid."

"All of us should go— it'll be safer," Minho pressed. I could've sworn that he appeared offended as well, a crease between his eyebrows and mouth pinched in a frown.

Thomas sighed as he mulled it over. He ran a hand down his face and kept it there for a few seconds before letting it fall to his side with a slap.

"Okay," he conceded. "Dylan, you're going. Minho, we need someone back here to watch over things. You and Garret can keep an eye on things here with Jorge. Plus, I hate to admit it, but what if something does happen to us? Stay behind and make sure our plans don't die. They've got Frypan, Minho. Who knows who else. You said once that I should be Keeper of the Runners. Well, let me do it today. Trust me. Like the lady said, the fewer we are, the better our chance of being unnoticed."