THE VALIANT » TST [2]

06. Escape [pt. 2]

"So, let me get this straight," Newt said, panting, "you inserted a needle, that was filled with some type of serum, into Margaret that—"

     "Enhanced her strength, endurance, agility, speed, and reflexes," McCall concluded.

     "Ha, brilliant!" Newt yipped, his whole body tingling with excitement.

     Margaret felt the same way, as she ran faster than the other three, especially Thomas. She was practically leading them to the entrance. And she didn't feel a single ache or tremble in her legs the entire time. The feeling of being weak and frail had vanished into thin air.

     "Alright, there should be a door at the end once we turn right," McCall yelled to Margaret, who was already at the end of the hall, standing in-between empty hallways to her left and right.

     Margaret could see a large door made mostly of metal from a distance. As she ran to get a closer look, she recognized it as the door that Janson had opened the first time they arrived at the facility. At that point, she realized that the only way to get to the front entrance, and ultimately out of the facility, was through that door. A part of her would be euphoric and relieved that she had found the way out, but there was just one problem: the rest of the Gladers weren't there like they were supposed to.

     Margaret was going to tell Thomas as soon as he caught up to her, but then she saw the look on his face; he was already aware of the problem. He was becoming tense, wiping sweat from his brow and slightly shaking his grip on the gun.

     "Where are the others?" Newt asked, looking around.

     Nobody responded.

     "They should be here," Newt said. "Why aren't they here? Thomas? Where are they?"

     "I-I don't know," he stammered.

     "Well, we can't leave without them," Newt said, raising his voice slightly. "What if they're in trouble?"

     Thomas was about to respond when the four of them heard screams coming from the other end of the hallway. He held the gun up and waited for someone to come at them, and that someone was Frypan, screaming like there was no tomorrow. Then the rest of the Gladers appeared behind him, sprinting towards them.

     "Run! Those shanks got guns!" Minho screamed, and then a group of guards with shields and guns appeared from the other end of the hallway, with Janson standing in front of them.

     "Time to go," Newt said.

     Thomas drew the card from his pocket and quickly moved to the control pad. "Okay, come on, come on." He swiped the card repeatedly on the machine, hoping that it would open the door, but it kept responding with a red light for each swipe. "Shit, come on!"

     "Thomas, they're coming," Teresa said.

     "Thomas!"

     When he heard that familiar voice call his name, Thomas handed the card to Minho and tightened his grip on the gun. He turned around to see Janson slowly approaching him, his hands up in defense.

     "Open this door, Janson!" Thomas demanded as he approached him, his body twitching slightly from his rage toward that man.

     "You really don't want me to," he said, shaking his gray head.

     "Open the damn door!"

     "Listen to me!" Janson shouted. "I'm trying to save your life! The Maze is one thing, but you kids wouldn't last one day out in the Scorch. If the elements won't kill you, then the Cranks will. Thomas, you have to believe me. I only want what's best for you."