fragmentary → scorch trials | newt

chapter sixteen

Elodie ran to the two girls, she was unsure of what had happened to Sonya and Harriet, she always thought that they might have had the same fate as Alex. 

"Elodie!" The girls embraced and Elodie was flooded with happiness. She had never been more happy to see her old friends. 

"You guys are alive!"

They wore thick jumpers and scarves, they looked extremely different to when they were in the bunkers. Harriet whistled and called out to the snipers on the mountains that they were safe. The gladers came out of hiding, cautious of the two girls and unknown soldiers. They immediately began leading the group through the high rocky canyons.

"I didn't know where you guys went." Elodie said, "I regretted not coming with you as soon as you left." 

"Yeah, after we got out we were brought to this place." Harriet explained.

"We were gonna come back for you, Luke, Aris and Alex but it was way too risky." Sonya added. "Wait, Alex isn't here??"

"Yeah..." Elodie bit her lip, "She didn't make it." 

"Oh no." They were shocked, stopped silently and rubbed Elodie on the back. The girls continued on, everyone else following.

As they made their way through the valley, army trucks and more soldiers came into view, busily going around. A gate opened and revealed even more military and trucks.

"How did you guys get here?" Aris asked.

"The Right Arm got us after we got out of WCKD, they brought us here." Harriet said as she put her machine gun in the back of one of the trucks.

"Wait, wait, the Right Arm?" Thomas questioned. "Do you know where they are?" 

"Hop in."

****

The rocky road made for a tough ride up to the mountains, every bump made Elodie's heart jump as she was scared of falling off the edge. When they arrived, the group hopped out of the trucks and saw a camp full of people, refugees and soldiers alike, all doing their own task. Crates and small tents were scattered throughout the grounds. 

Elodie followed closely next to Harriet, Aris and Sonya, the group was reunited minus Rachel who they conversed about dearly, and exchanged information about WCKD's schemes. 

"They've been planning this for over a year now." Harriet turned to the others.

"You're lucky you guys found us when you did. We move at first light." Sonya asked a man nearby, "Where's Vince?" He pointed in the direction of a tent in the centre of the camp.

"Who's Vince?" Thomas asked.

"He gets to decide if you get to stay." Harriet smiled. They went further through the camp

"I thought the Right Arm was supposed to be an army.." Minho said unimpressed by the small numbers and limited supplies.

"We were."

A man emerged from the tent, he had long ragged hair and a matching beard. The group began to feel a sense of unease.

"This is what's left of us. A lot of good people died getting us this far..." Minho was kept in his place, for once feeling a tad guilty about his comment. "Who are they?"

"They're immunes. Caught 'em coming up the mountain." Harriet replied.

"You check 'em?"

"I know Aris, Luke and Elodie, I trust them."

"I don't. Check them." 

A group of guards closed in on them, looking over each of the 'intruders'.

"Hey boss." One of them pointed out Brenda's heavy breaths and pale face, her features darkened by the poison of a crank. She finally gave in and fell to the ground, 

"Brenda! Brenda!" Jorge immediately fell beside her. "Brenda? Talk to me!" 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Elodie heard her faint cries. 

"What's going on?" Vince asked.

"I don't know." 

Vince pulled down her sock and revealed a dark bite mark, from what could only be a crank. Everyone was set into a panic.

"Oh shit! Crank! Crank! " Vince got up and immediately pulled out his gun and pointed it at Brenda ready to shoot. Elodie felt Luke pull her back, making sure there was no accidental shot. The group jumped away. Jorge was pulled away by two soldiers, he still tried to get out of their grasp.

"No don't!" Thomas stepped swiftly in front of Vince, motioning for him to stop. "Wait, wait!" 

"Step back!" Vince shouted, his finger ready to pull the trigger. 

"Listen, okay, listen!" Thomas pleaded "This just happened okay, she's not dangerous yet." 

"You shouldn't have brought her here!" Vince still raised his voice at the boy. 

"I know."

"We let cranks in here now, the safe haven doesn't last a week! Step back!" Elodie could tell that Vince would do whatever means necessary to keep the safe haven from collapse. She gulped nervously, scared for what would happen to Thomas if he still insisted. 

"I told her you could help. There's gotta be something you could do, please." Thomas still insisted.

"Yeah there is.." Maybe Vince understood... "I can put her out of her misery!" He cocked the gun again. Jorge winced, tried to wriggle his way out of the soldiers.

"Vince! That's enough! Let him go." The soldiers let go of Jorge. A woman stepped into the debacle. 

"She's infected Doc. There's nothing we can do for her."

"No, but he can." She turned to Thomas, "But he can. Hello Thomas."

The group looked at each other confused, Thomas was curious. 

"What? You know me?"

"Interesting. It makes sense they put you in the maze." She made her way to Brenda's flail, almost lifeless body and checked her pulse. "Though I must admit. I was worried they'd kill you after what you did."

"What I did?" Thomas was still confused as were the others. 

"The first time we spoke you said you couldn't take it anymore, watching your friends die one by one." The gladers looked up at him. "The last time we spoke you gave me the coordinates of every WICKED  compound, trial and lab." 

Everyone looked at him astonished.

"He was our source." Vince was even in awe. 

"We couldn't have pulled all this off without him." She began giving orders, "Get them some warm clothes, take her to the tent." 

She took Thomas with her and left everyone with their thoughts. Elodie looked at Teresa who's eyes were stained with tears and the others watched him walk away with pride, amazed at their friend.

"Well, Thomas really is a hero isn't he." Newt clicked his tongue.