Betrayed | the maze runner, Newt

chapter 4

It was somewhere between 8 and 9 pm when Zara got out of the elevator on the fourth floor. Lucky for her, her father was showering so she had no problem sneaking away. She walked over to the bathrooms, got in, made sure there was no one then closed the door.

Right after diner her father'd told her that the ten teenagers from earlier today already... you know. It kept haunting Zara and she hadn't been feeling any better since. And now she had to wait. Wait until Aris would come see her. How? She didn't know. When? Neither. And the question was whether he would come at all.

She went to stand with her back against the white wall. After a long twenty minutes of nothing happening, she sat down leaning to the wall. She still wore the black jeans from that day with a white shirt and black shoes. Despite the long waiting and the silence, the girl was alert. Every single sound she picked up and she kept an eye on the door constantly.

But Aris didn't come through the door.

After almost an hour of complete silence, there were sounds. Zara sat up and looked where it came from. It didn't take her long to realize it was coming from the vent. She watched it as fingers grabbed the metal and pushed the entire plate out. Short after, a head popped up and looked around.

''Hi Aris.'' Zara softly spoke.

The boy was a bit shocked but relaxed as soon as he turned his head to her, still laying in the crawl space of the vent with only his head sticking out.

''Hi.'' He answered. ''I brought someone.''

Zara frowned. ''For when I try to kill you?''

''Something like that.''

Zara pressed her lips together and pondered. ''I can tell you everything I know if that makes you trust me more.''

The boy nodded, giving Zara the sign to start. The girl knelt down next to the vent.

''First of all, you're still in W.C.K.E.Ds hands. The teens they take every day aren't going to some paradise, they're getting killed for their blood. The blood is to find a Cure for the Flare, a virus that affects the brain and turns you into a zombie. People who're infected are called Cranks.''

She paused for a moment to see Aris' reaction. He seemed scared by what she'd told but interested. So, she kept going.

''Janson is my father, that's why I know all these things. But we're not... equal, we're not equal. I hate him, he hates me, and I want to help you and the other teenagers. I'm fully on your side, just so that you know.'' She paused again. 

To Zara's surprise, her pep talk was enough for Aris to shift out of the crawl space entirely. After him, another person followed. When his head and body became visible, Zara recognized the boy she'd talked to after he'd shouted for a girl behind the window.

Zara got to her feet, so did the two boys.

''Did you also hear what I said?'' Zara asked the taller one.

He nodded, still doubting. ''But aren't you gonna betray us?''

''Obviously.''

''I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.''

Zara's mouth curved into a smile. ''Yes, I am. How'd you want me to kill you? With my shoes?''

She was glad to see the two boys could still smile. They seemed to relax a little more. Especially the taller one now she had the feeling Aris already trusted her a bit.

''I'm Thomas, by the way.'' The taller one spoke.

Zara nodded. ''I'm Zara.''

And there they stood, in the bathroom, in a circle. Zara'd already noticed some cuts and little wounds by Thomas. Mostly his hands and face. She wondered what he'd been through to get those.