Break My Bones

Chapter 7: Gally

Rachel sat in silence beside Thomas where he was seated between her and Brenda.

None of them dared look at each other as they kept their eyes warily on the masked - and more importantly, armed - soldiers who had settled into the actual seats opposite where the three were on the floor against the back of the van. Rachel's hands were clenched tight as she waited for them to arrive wherever they were being taken, her heart still pounding with adrenaline and her mind split into worry for herself and her current companions, and Newt.

She hadn't been able to see what happened to him and the fear that he was lying somewhere back in that plaza, shot, made it impossible for her to stop the way her hands trembled. Thomas seemed to notice but he kept his mouth shut for once and didn't comment as he kept his eyes on the soldier - the tallest of the lot and the one that had accosted and subsequently kidnapped him - right across from him.

Suddenly, their environment grew darker and Rachel tensed as she realized they had entered into a building, wherever that may be. The light through the windows steadily disappeared, indicating they were going deeper and deeper into somewhere and Rachel wondered if they were headed underground; which was odd because she was fairly certain WCKD's preferred method was air.

Thomas tensed beside her and she knew he was thinking the same thing; only for all of them to squint as suddenly light spilled into the van once more through the windows and Rachel wondered if perhaps they had arrived at a Berg loading point - it would explain the light.

A sudden banging on the back of the van made them jump before they tensed as the soldiers in front of them raised their guns and pointed them meaningfully at the trio. The back of the van opened at the same time and she, Thomas and Brenda glanced back to see they were surrounded by armed, masked soldiers outside too.

"Get out!" One of them commanded, and Thomas glanced at his companions before sliding out first.

He squinted at the masked man, trying to see something through the masks while Rachel and Brenda warily climbed out behind him just as a second van came screeching into the building that they found themselves in. It took a second for Rachel to realize it was an old shopping mall parking lot, which explained the square of sunlight coming in - they had to be on the level right below the rooftop parking.

A noise made her glance back at the second van that had just arrived and Rachel was alarmed as she saw it jostle violently.

The surrounding soldiers all raised and cocked their weapons immediately warily, waiting instead of opening the van up as they had done with Rachel's team. Thomas stepped forward, standing protectively before Brenda and covering Rachel as he stood ready to face whatever came out of the van.

The other van shook and jostled again - and then suddenly the back door was forced open and two men fell out. Well, one (the masked one) fell out; the other (whom Rachel realized a beat later was Jorge) lunged out of the van so he could accost his captor once more.

"Where is she?!" Jorge roared. "Where is she, you son of a b-?!"

"Hey! Hey, hey!" Brenda yelled while Thomas swore and Rachel cried out as they all lunged forward in alarm while Jorge continued to viciously punch the man underneath him again and again.

The soldiers meanwhile were swarming toward Jorge as Thomas and Brenda tried to get to him before he could kill the man and end up killed himself. Rachel meanwhile had run headlong into Newt as the teen climbed quickly out the van behind Jorge.

"Newt!" Rachel gasped, grey eyes lighting up in relief instantly even as he caught her. Newt's expression mirrored hers before their second of respite was interrupted Brenda's yells and Jorge's punches mixed with the soldier's shouts crashed over them once more.