Powers Against The Scorch

Part 1

Please read the previous story:
Powers against the glade
:)

The helicopter blades began to whirr as they swirled sand all around them. The helicopter picked up from the ground and began to fly off into the distance. Everyone looked back as they watched their home get further and further away until it became nothing but a distant blur of green trees.

Harper closed her eyes and sighed as she prepared herself for what was to come next. Newt tightened his arms around her stomach, Harper lay her hands on top of his and gently caressed his skin with her thumb.
"Harper, can you tell us what to expect when we get there?" Thomas asked.
Harper opened her eyes and looked at him, then the guards and then back at him again. "Well, when we get there, you will all be given new clothes and be brought to the showers to clean off. Then you will go to the cafeteria for a feast then you will be brought to a part of the lab where they will run tests on you. You'll then go to your rooms until tomorrow. There are pretty strict meal times but other than that, not much else will happen."
"Where will you be?" Newt asked.
"I'll be with you until you go to your rooms and then I will have to leave you." She smiled weakly.
"When will we see you again?"
"I'm not sure."

The rest of the ride was painfully silent, everyone knew the truth about wicked but no one could say anything to risk what Harper was planning. They were all very careful with the way they worded their sentences, just in case the guards caught on.

It was nearly night before they landed, lights shone in the distance until a building became visible. The building was huge with light coming from almost every window. The building was surrounded by nothing but desert, a helipad shone with bright lights, signaling where to land. Dozens of guards stood outside the building each holding a gun.

The two helicopters landed, immediately all of the guards ran out and took their stance. The gladers stepped out of the helicopters and followed a guard as he led them to the building. Shrieks rang out from all around them and hundreds of people began running towards the guards. They pointed their guns and fired, loud shots grew into a hum as the people fell to the ground. The gladers covered their ears with their hands as they began running to the building.

A huge metal door swung open and everyone ran inside, they shut the door and they all panted to catch their breath. Thomas looked around and everything became so familiar to him, the walls, the floor even the smell all rang in his head like a dull memory being reopened in his mind.

Footsteps echoed down the corridor as three men approached the group, Harpers' body immediately froze as she caught a glimpse of the man walking towards them, everyone stared down to corridor at the three men coming towards them, the front man smirked at their sudden curiosity as he rubbed his hands together with happiness.
"Well, well, well, I was wondering how long it would take you all to figure it out, some of the other mazes have been here for days." He said.
"'Other mazes?' What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Newt asked.
Harper grabbed his hand to tell him to stop. "There were other mazes in the trials, at least a hundred other kids if not more, it slipped my mind, I'm sorry." Harper said.
"Just as smart as ever I see, Harper, I'm actually really glad, we need your thoughts on a few things." The man said.
"... Dad." She said quietly.
"'Dad?'" Newt repeated.
"Did you not tell them about me? That's not great, is it? Anyway, Harper, would you come with me and we will care for them?"
"... I thought that maybe.. I'd be able to stay.. with my friends for a little while.. to help them get settled in?"
The man clicked his tongue and then sighed, "we will have to talk about this later, but for now, you can go."
She sighed and nodded.
"If you will all follow me." A female doctor said.

Newt held onto Harpers' hand as they walked down the narrow corridor. The nurse opened a steal door to a room full of cubicles and showers, they all began whooping and ran into the room. They each stood in one of the cubicles and took off their clothes, there was a towel rack on the wall with a new set of clothes and two towels. Soap and conditioner lay out on the floor.

Harper stripped off her clothes and hung them on the rack, she turned on the water and stood underneath. The warm water ran down her body and untied all of the knots in her back, she picked up the conditioner and ran her fingers through her hair, her curls bounced as she pulled her fingers through the bottom. She stood back under the water and soaked her hair. A slight chuckle broke from her lips as the bubbles fell to the floor and down the drain. She picked up the soap and brought it to her nose, she inhaled deeply and her nose was filled with the sweet smell of berries and honey, she ran the soap all over her body, massaging her shoulders and feet carefully as she took out all of the stress from the last few days.

She washed off all of the soap and turned off the water. She grabbed one of the towels and dried herself off. She put the clothes on and took another towel to her hair, she bunched her hair with the towel and dried it off as best she could. Everyone else walked out of their cubicle and walked over to the mirror where there was a large enough space for them all to speak.
"What are we going to do?" Minho asked.
"Follow everything they say and don't make a scene." Harper said.
"When you said 'dad' Did you actually mean dad?" Newt asked.
"Yes." She said quietly.
"Why didn't you say anything about it?" Thomas said.
"Why should I?"
"It might have been useful."
"In what world would that have been useful? Father? Carer? Tormentor? They all mean the same in this case so use whatever word you'd like."
"What's wrong with you?"
"Do you remeber when he said we needed to 'talk'? He doesn't just want to talk so I'm sorry if I'm not in the best mood to be tortured all night."
Newt put his hand hand on Harpers' shoulder, she turned her head and smiled slightly at him.
"How long until you leave us?" Newt asked.
"2 hours maybe a little more."
"What happens now?" Minho asked.
"Food. Then... injections."
"Sounds.. great."
"We probably shouldn't speak much more about any of this, there are cameras almost everywhere."
A loud knock at the door made everyone stop and stare at the door.
"Are you ready?" A woman said.

Thomas walked over to the door and opened it, the woman turned and began to walk down the corridor. Everyone came out of the room and followed her. She led them to a huge cafeteria with dozens of empty benches, one bench, however, was stacked with food. Plates full of sandwiches and fruit bowls and pasta. All of the boys and Teresa ran over and sat down, they grabbed handfuls of food and stuffed it in their mouths. Harper stood at the door frame with the doctor. She smiled as she saw everyone enjoying themselves.
"Do you know where she is?" Harper asked.
"No, I haven't seen her, I'm sorry."
"OK, thank you anyway." She sighed and went to sit with the others.

She picked at bits of food but her mind was off in the distance. Everyone was laughing and talking around her but she couldn't seem to focus on them.

After they were finished, the nurse took them to a room full of medical supplies and needles. There were quite a lot of doctors in the room, they were stood over a bed waiting for the others to sit down. There was a chair for each of them, the doctor instructed everyone to sit down. Harper sat across the room and watched as they were all injected with three needles each.
"What are those?" Harper asked.
"Just something necessary." One of the doctors said.
"Aren't we allowed to know?" Thomas asked.
"It's fine, you were in tough conditions, these are just... precautions."

Harper frowned and then sighed. Everyone left the room and followed the doctor to another room. She opened to door and the room had bunk beds and dressers. There was nine bunk beds, more than enough for all of them, and three dressers full of clothes.
"Now, you all get settled in. I need Harper to come with me." The doctor said.
"Wait, why?" Newt asked.
"I'll be back soon." She smiled.

The doctor left the room and Harper followed. The door to the bedroom closed slowly as everyone looked at each other.

Story started 18/02/2021