The Other Side - A Newt Fanfiction

Chapter Fifteen: A Somewhat-Successful Expedition

{Six Months Later}
Pacing back and forth, I let out a heavy, trembling sigh.
A light breeze brushes my hair into my face, keeping me cool as the sun beats down on our group in the middle of nowhere.
Newt, resting his back against a boulder, sits in the dirt. He pulls his goggles over his head and down to his neck before fumbling through his pack to quadruple-check on his tools. "You really need to calm down, (y/n)." He mumbles, not lifting his head to me.
I shoot him a frustrated glance. "'Calm down'? Newt, a half of a year was dedicated to this plan, you do realize that?"
"Yes, but I also realize that you're going to be completely visible once the train gets here."
Groaning in impatient irritation, I stop in my tracks, tapping my foot anxiously with folded arms as I scan the train tracks ahead in the distance. "Still no sign of the train," I mutter, pursing my lips as I roll back my right coat sleeve, checking the time on my digital watch, "which was supposed to be at this spot five minutes ago. What if something is wrong?"
"Like I've told you repetitively the past few months, you need to trust Tommy. He and Vince know what to do."
I roll my eyes, plopping down into the sand beside him. "There's a difference between verbally plotting out a plan and actually taking action. You understand that if Thomas and Vince do not time this perfectly, we're shucked?"
Newt sighs in exasperation, setting his pack beside him before turning to look at me. "Do you trust me?"
Frowning, I look directly into his brown eyes. "You know I do."
"Do you trust my judgment?"
"Newt..." I grumble, burying my head in my hands angrily.
"Do you?"
"You know I do." I mutter.
"Then you agree that Thomas and Vince will make it here. Just as planned."
I lift my head to look at Newt once again, frowning. "Sure, but, even if they do get the train to stop where we've planned, if we are even a millisecond late on any of our moves, we'll be in deep klunk..."
Nodding understandingly, Newt takes in a deep breath. "I know, (y/n). I know..."
I sigh, staring ahead in silence.
After a few moments, I grasp my pack and toss it into my lap, unzipping it and reaching inside to re-check my ammo.
"You know what's funny?" Newt mumbles.
Turning my head to him, I give him a questioning glance.
"Well, it's not funny, it's just-" Newt sighs as he rummages through his things. "While we have had no reason to mourn nor have had any conversations including us screaming for our friends to run, the past six months have been.." He pauses, trying to think of the right words to say.
"On edge?" I mumble.
He nods, looking me in the eyes. "Exactly."
I nod, too. "I know what you mean. It feels as if every second has been spent stressing about rescuing our friends." I mutter. "I feel like WICKED continues to make living comfortably an impossible feat, even while we've been free from them and completely off the grid."
Clearing his throat, he tugs on his bandanna around his neck, adjusting it. "I just hope that this works, so that we can finally move on to the Safe Haven."
I stare at the dirt ground ahead, face falling. "Yeah... Me, too..."
Further silence passes.
"Newt?"
"Hm?" He averts his eyes to me, but I don't return the glance.
"I know that Vince is in charge of this plan, and I know that he said Minho is our main priority, but-"
"Hey," Newt interrupts, placing a hand on my shoulder, "I promised you before, and I'll do it again: if I hear any sign of Aris or Sonya, I will try to help them, too. As long as we have time to do so."
Biting my lip, I look him in the eyes. "Thanks, Newt..." I nod slightly.
He smiles warmly. "I know that they were as close to you as Tommy and I are to Minho, so I'll do what I can."
I force a smile, though I know the likelihood of saving them is slim to nothing.
"Newt?" I mumble.
He lifts a brow. "Yeah?"
"Do you remember...six months ago, when we had first arrived to the Right Arm's camp?"
He nods. "Yeah, of course. Remember it like it was yesterday."
"Do you remember when we were talking alone? Just before WICKED attacked?"
He laughs weakly, looking down. "Yeah..."
"You were going to tell me something...before the first bomb went off." I say, glancing to his right arm as he rubs it gently. "You know, you never finished the sentence, and I've been wondering what it was that you were going to say?"
Newt runs his fingers through his hair, but, with the length it's at, it simply falls back to its original place. Seeming to be taken aback, he chuckles lightly. "I, uh, yeah." A small smile tugs on the corner of his lips. "With everything going on, it's been hard to find a good bloody time to talk about it." He admits.
I nod understandingly. "Good that."
"Well," he takes in a deep breath, "I guess I could tell you..."
Grinning, I turn the rest of my body so that I sit completely facing Newt. "Then spit it out."
Chuckling lightly, he begins, "Well, the thing is (y/n), I was going to tell you that..." He trails off, slowly closing his mouth when the ground begins to vibrate slightly.
Drawing my brows together in concern, I turn to look at the pebbles on the ground to my right, watching them slightly shake and bounce as the ground begins to quake even more.
"It's coming." Newt mumbles, immediately zipping up his bag. "Get in place!" He calls to the other two Right Arm boys who were assigned to help us before quickly turning around and crouching behind the boulder as low as  he can, reaching for the gas cans to his side and pulling them behind the boulder with us.
I quickly fumble through my pack once more before closing it and tossing it over my shoulder, sinking down into the dirt and rolling flat onto my stomach behind the rock, peeking my head around to watch the train tracks; the ground's shaking intensifies as the train finally comes into view from behind the mountains.
Squinting my eyes to get a better look at the WICKED locomotive, I watch it speedily making its way towards us.
"Ready to cover me?" Newt whispers.
I nod, slowly reaching down to the holster around my right thigh, taking the pistol out and cocking it. "You know I am."
In my peripherals, I catch an excited smirk grow on his face as he watches the train inch closer and closer.
Suddenly, I see sparks beginning to fly from the center of the train, and two figures dive against the opposite cart, shielding themselves: Thomas and Vince.
I spot WICKED guards running in their direction from atop of a different rail car, shooting at them and dodging Thomas's and Vince's bullets. In a matter of a second, the sparking portion of the train suddenly blows up, causing the connection between the cars to break apart, and the front half of the train continues down the tracks, leaving the back end behind.
The back half slows to a stop, and I watch Thomas and Vince hop down onto the dirt.
Thomas turns in our direction, bringing his fingers to his mouth and whistling at us before running around to the opposite side of the front car, out of sight.
Newt and I slowly get to our feet, exchanging excited glances.
"Come on!" Vince calls, waving us down.
Newt, adjusting his pack and tossing the gas can over his shoulder, calls to the others, "Alright, let's go! Come on!" With that, he rushes ahead, running towards the train.
Holding my gun tightly, I run as fast as I can, making sure to run alongside the blonde boy as he sprints in a hobbled manner due to his limp.
I can hear Thomas from the other side of the locomotive, pounding against the side. "Minho?! Minho, are you there?! Can you hear me?!"
A loud roar from the people inside beginning to scream and shout at us rises, the kids definitely thrilled to be saved.
Just as we approach the train, Thomas peeks around the front end. "HE'S IN HERE! MINHO'S IN HERE!" Thomas calls from the first car.
As if on impulse, Newt and I sprint to the right side of the car that Thomas is on as the other two boys take the left side, and Newt throws his pack to the floor, dropping the gas can at his feet and quickly taking out the end of torch, pulling his goggles over his eyes.
I stand close to Newt, turning my back to him in order to face the direction that the front portion of the train had taken off in. I see Thomas and Vince staring off at the front half, spotting the remainder of the train halted on the tracks in the distance, armed WICKED guards hopping off of the locomotive and making their way towards us. "It's going to be a close one..." Vince mumbles.
Scowling, I begin to aim my pistol towards the enemies, leaning against the side of the train, ready to shoot.
Thomas and Vince scramble up the side ladders of the car, getting to the top as quickly as possible.
"(y/n), pass up the ropes!" Vince orders.
I slip my backpack down my left arm and onto the ground, opening it with my free hand, my right still aiming the gun. With my left, I pull out the first binding of rope by the hook at its end. "Be ready to catch it!" I call back, beginning to swing the hook-end of the rope in circles like a lasso before throwing it up into the air with the help from the momentum of the spinning.
Vince snatches the metal hook in the air, pulling up the roping and tossing it to Thomas.
"Here comes the next one!" I shout, throwing the second up to Vince, who catches it with ease and rushes to the ladder at the back left corner, clamping the hook around the railing alongside it.
"(y/n), toss me the next one!" Thomas orders as his head pops up over the edge again, already done with connecting the first rope.
I reach down to grab the third, but I'm forced to yank my hand back when a bullet ricochets on the side of the train, nearly blowing off my fingers.
Snapping my head towards the guards that are much closer to us now, I scowl, putting both hands on my pistol. "Shuck you, shanks!" I snap, beginning to discharge my gun at the men.
"(y/n), the rope!" Vince calls as he joins Thomas at the edge, dodging another bullet.
"I'm a little busy!" I snap, doing my best to block Newt with my body as I fire at the guards.
Thomas begins to shoot at the men, too. "Vince, get the other hooks!"
Without a moment of hesitation, Vince jumps down from atop of the car with ease, tossing both binds of rope over his shoulders before quickly climbing back up the ladder.
"Newt, how you doing?" Thomas calls anxiously as the blonde boy burns into the metal that locks the container to the train itself.
"Don't rush me." Newt says flatly, searing into the metal.
"How about you concentrate on getting the last two corners of the container locked up?" I chime in as I reach down to grab another clip, reloading my pistol and shooting back at the guards ahead, hardly phased from the bullets ricocheting and flying past me. "You've got terrible aim, klunk-for-brains!" I shout at the guards.
Thomas and Vince finish clamping the corners of the car to the ropes, and Thomas lies flat on his stomach on the roof of the container, firing at the guards.
"Newt, (y/n)!" The brunette boy shouts. "Get up here!"
I quickly glance over my shoulder to check Newt's progress, the lock almost melted into two now, but not completely. "Give us a second!" I call as I continue to fire at the men.
Vince jumps down onto the ground in front of me.
"What the shuck do you think you're doing?!" I snap at him. "You're lucky I wasn't in the midst of pulling the trigger!"
"Get up there, (y/n)!" He commands.
I groan, quickly closing my pack and tossing it over my shoulder, looking to Newt just as the glowing hot metal breaks into two, the bottom half falling to the dirt. "Done!" I shout to Thomas, jumping up onto the ladder and climbing to the top as fast as I can.
Vince shouts at Newt to follow, and he does just as ordered, climbing to the roof of the car after me.
"Newt, lay low!" I order, crouching carefully on the container, aiming and firing at the guards.
Lying flat on his stomach, Newt slides beside me. "Here, give me your pack! I'll hand you the magazines!" He shouts over the gunshots.
As quickly as possible, I toss my backpack to Newt, sticking my tongue out slightly in concentration as I fire wildly at the men.
"Vince, get up here!" Thomas orders, dodging a bullet that flies past his head.
"In a minute!"
Tired of crouching, I jump to my feet, firing the remaining bullets. "Pass me another round!" I order Newt.
The blonde boy pushes his hair back out of his eyes, staring at me in shock. "Sit down before you bloody get shot!" Newt snaps.
"Another round!" I snap back.
Groaning in irritation, Newt unzips my pack and tosses me another clip.
I reload with ease, returning to firing shots.
"(y/n)!" Newt shouts.
"Newt, I'm fine!" I snap. "These slintheads have got klunk aim!"
"You're the one acting like the bloody slinthead!" He retorts, suddenly grabbing my arm and yanking me down towards him just as I fire another shot, causing the bullet to barely miss Thomas.
The brunette boy looks back at me in horror. "You almost shot me!"
"Wasn't me!" I shout defensively, pointing at Newt.
"Sorry!" Newt calls back, shielding his head as a bullet flies past.
In my peripheral vision, I can see the two boys climbing on top of the rail car from the left side, joining in on firing at the guards.
"Broke the connection?" I call to them.
"Yep!" The first boy calls back, ducking as a bullet flies past him.
After Newt tosses me another clip, I begin to get antsy in the midst of fighting. "Brenda and Jorge should be here by now!"
Newt nods rapidly, jolting with a start as another bullet flies over his head. "I'll ask Tommy!" He shouts over the gun fires, army-crawling towards Thomas at the front end of the container. "Where are they?!"
Dodging a bullet that ricochets off of the roof of the locomotive, I manage to make out Thomas's response of, "I don't know!"
Great. We're shucked.
However, like an ironic twist of fate, the wind begins to roar and whirl around us, picking up to high speeds within seconds, and I look up to see a Berg hovering directly above us.
Face lighting up, I scramble to my feet. "About time you showed up!" I call, laughing as Brenda and Fry peek out of the opening hatch, lowering down a hook.
Thomas, jumping to his feet and gathering the four rope loops on the center of the roof, waves Newt over. "Help me get these connected!"
Cautiously standing, Newt rushes over to Thomas to provide aid, shielding the back of his head with his arms as if that will protect him from the bullets.
"I've got you covered!" I shout over the roar of the high speed winds, somersaulting across the roof of the car and jumping to my feet, using my body to shield the two boys as I fire back at the WICKED guards, taking them out one-at-a-time.
As I glance over my shoulder to Thomas and Newt, I see the brunette jump up and grab onto the hook from the Berg, frantically sliding the rope loops from the car onto it with the help of Newt.
Once the last one is tightly connected, Thomas waves at the others in the Berg. "GO, GO, GO!" He orders.
Within a split second, Fry and Brenda disappear from the hatch door.
"Vince, get up here!" Newt calls over the edge of the roof, waving him up.
Yet another bullet flies past my head, but, this time, it comes from behind, from one of the other guys on the car with us, and the gunshot itself was so close to my right ear that it rings horribly, making any sound from my right side impossible to hear. "Shuck!" I shout, covering my ear and shooting a glare at the boy behind me, who's face is flushed with utter terror.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Watch where you bloody aim!" Newt shouts before I can, crouching down on the roof of the container. "(y/n), get a proper footing!"
Before I can crouch down myself, the container jolts as it is suddenly lifted into the air, the sudden movement throwing me off balance and sending me over the edge.
"(Y/N)!" Newt screams.
Just as I fall off, Vince, who is in the midst of climbing the side ladder, grasps tightly to my right arm and catches me just in time. "Careful there, kiddo!" He calls.
Although I am merely dangling from the rail car, that is now a few yards in the air, by Vince's arm clasped to mine, I manage to laugh in relief.
Newt's head peeks over the ledge, eyes widening when he catches me in his sight. "(y/n)!"
"I'm fine!" I call.
"Grab onto her!" Vince orders, beginning to swing me right to left like a pendulum in attempt to get me high enough to reach Newt and get pulled up onto the car.
Reaching my left hand up to Newt, the blonde boy manages to get a tight grasp onto it, and I let go of Vince with my right hand in order to tightly clasp both of mine to Newt's, and he pulls me up with a grunt.
Once I've got a proper footing on top of the storage container, I scramble the rest of the way onto the roof, dusting off my hands. "That was a close one!" I laugh.
"Are you bloody crazy?! If you had completely fallen, we wouldn't have been able to go back down to get you!" Newt exclaims, grasping my shoulders tightly.
Taken aback, I try to laugh it off. "But I didn't completely fall-"
Before I can finish, Newt suddenly pulls me into a tight embrace, hugging me with all of his might.
A little surprised by Newt's response, I slowly return the hug.
"That's the second bloody time you've done this..." Newt whispers in my ear, letting out a weak laugh in relief, sounding like he is on the verge of tears.
I smile, squeezing him tighter. "There won't be a third, I promise..."
After a few moments, he pulls away to carefully get to his feet, pulling me up by my hand to stand beside him.
I turn to look out at the ground below, the wind blowing my hair about as I watch the hopeless WICKED guards shrink to little specs in the distance.
Patting my back to get my attention, Vince pulls me into a celebratory hug, and then goes on to give another to Newt while Thomas excitedly pulls me into a bear hug, whooping in excitement.
We did it. We saved Minho.
Although I should feel upmost joy, the thought sends a pang of pain in my heart.
Aris and Sonya. I failed them.
• • •
Sitting at the back end of the container, legs dangling over the edge, I stare off into the mountains in silence, lips tugged downward in a small frown.
"Hey," the accented voice says from behind, and I turn back to see Newt just as he goes to take a seat beside me. "Are you alright?"
I sigh softly, looking back out into the scenery as the Berg flies us across the vast desert. "Yeah, I'm fine..."
I can feel Newt's eyes lock onto me, and he draws his brows together in concern, examining me. "No, you'r not." He says flatly. "That's the greatest bloody lie in the world: 'I'm fine'."
Looking down at my hands, I fidget slightly with a weak laugh. "Yeah, it is..." I sigh. "I just... I feel like a complete failure."
"What? What are you talking about? You were incredible today."
"But I didn't find time to save Aris and Sonya..." I mumble, brushing my hair behind my ears in attempt to keep it from being pushed directly in my face by the wind.
Sighing softly, Newt rests his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, (y/n)..."
"It's not your fault." I shake my head. "I should've fought Vince more on making our target count three instead of just the one..."
"You tried, and he said no. You know just as well as I do that Vince cannot be persuaded easily."
"As their leader, that shouldn't stop me from fighting for them." I mumble, staring at the horizon.
Newt purses his lips together. "You do understand that we've been out of our Mazes for well over six months now. Your responsibilities have shifted."
I shrug in response, looking down at the ground directly below.
Huffing a soft sigh, Newt looks me up and down in silence.
Long minutes pass, and I begin to feel eased slightly by Newt's presence, and I exhale softly through my nose, closing my eyes as I soak up the sunlight and the breeze and Newt's comforting atmosphere.
As the sun begins to lower from it's peak of noon, Newt pulls me to him, gently wrapping me in his arms and resting his head atop of mine, sighing softly as he stares out into the horizon, too.
I can't fight the slight blush rising in my cheeks.
He does not say a single word.
Silence is safe.
• • •
"Alright, make sure you're all well secured. Can't have another slip-up." Vince says as the Berg begins to lower the storage container to the ground at our camp.
Grasping onto the rope with a light laugh, I nod. "Don't worry; I've got my feet planted this time."
Smiling at Thomas, Newt, too, grasps onto one of the ropes as he stands.
The container jolts slightly as it makes contact with the sand below, and the two boys that assisted us climb off of the car as Vince, Thomas, Newt, and I each pull a rope off of the hook from the Berg.
Harriet calls for us to step back from the Berg rope before sliding down from the hatch of the aircraft and landing on the roof with ease, and then Brenda and Fry begin to lure the rope back into the hatch of the Berg from above us.
Jumping down to the ground from the container, Vince calls up to Newt. "Hey, pass me your packs from up there!"
Newt does as ordered, tossing his down to Vince.
He fumbles through the bag before taking out a little handheld saw, turning it on and cutting into the lock on the door.
Shielding my eyes from the sun, I look back up at the Berg and wave at the others. "See you in five!" I call.
Frypan gives me a thumbs up in response before he and Brenda disappear into the Berg, and Jorge flies it off to land it somewhere at the edge of the camp.
Smiling widely, I grasp onto the railing of the ladder at the side of the car, sliding down smoothly. Thomas, Newt, and Harriet follow behind anxiously.
Sawing through the lock, Vince manages to break the metal in two. "Got it." He says, stepping out of the way.
Without a moment of hesitation, Thomas charges into the door, swinging it open full-force before turning and rushing into the darkness. Murmurs begin to rise from inside.
Newt quickly limps into the container from behind, and I follow behind him quietly.
Countless kids, chained up in rows of three on each side of the aisle, stare back at us with pale faces and sunken-in eyes.
My heart sinks at the condition of these kids. "What the shuck was WICKED doing with them...?" I whisper to Newt, disgusted.
He looks back at me with worried and frustrated eyes, shrugging slightly before turning to walk farther down the aisle behind Thomas.
I trail my eyes over the sea of broken teenagers as I slowly walk down the aisle. "Don't worry, we'll be getting you out... It's alright, you're safe now..." I whisper reassuringly back and forth.
A gasp comes from behind me, and, suddenly, Harriet rushes past me, nearly pushing me over, and she latches on to a particular person a few rows down.
My eyes widen as I see two familiar faces. "Aris? Sonya?" I hardly get out, rushing after Harriet. "Aris! Sonya!" I exclaim.
As Harriet hugs Sonya, I see Aris's tired blue eyes falling onto me, his face lighting up slightly, barely strong enough to smile. "(y/n)..."
I hug him tightly, heart racing with upmost joy. "You guys are here! I can't believe you're here!" I exclaim, squeezing my eyes shut as I hold him as tightly as possible.
"We can't believe it either..." He chuckles.
I pull away, cupping his face and examining his pale, gashed up appearance, though unable to stop smiling. Switching places with Harriet, I give Sonya a massive hug, too.
"I'm so glad you found us..." She whispers.
I can feel her shaking as I squeeze her tightly, and then I pull away, staring at my two friends with utter joy as I stand up straight. Expecting a returning glance, I shift my eyes to Newt, only to see him staring ahead at Thomas. As I avert my eyes to the brunette boy, my smile fades when I see his somber expression, and he shakes his head.
Patting Harriet's back, I whisper, "I'll be right back..." before squeezing past her and stepping back into the aisle, walking towards Newt with furrowed brows. "What's going on?" I ask.
Newt slowly turns to look back at me, clenching his jaw as his brown, broken eyes lock onto mine. "It's Minho..."
"He's not here..." Thomas chokes out.