I Promise | The Maze Runner

Chapter 23: Promises ✔️

Thomas sets the map on the table. "There, that's it." He points to the city on the map. "It's a few hundred miles. Based on the railways, everything Aris told us, that's gotta be where they're headed. That's where they're taking Minho and Kat. We take everybody who can fight, follow the roads when we can. We can make it back within a week."

Vince sighs. "A week?!" He asks. "It took us a year to get here! We got over a hundred kids here now. We can't just hang out here forever, especially after what we just pulled? You want to wander off to some random point on the map. You don't even know what's there!"

"I do." We all look over at Jorge as he walks into the room. "It's been a few years, but...I've been there. The Last City. That's what WICKED called it. It was their base of operations. If that city's still standing, that's the last place you wanna go. That's the lion den."

"It's nothing we haven't done before." Thomas says with a shrug.

"Yeah, with months of planning!" Vince says. "And reliable information, the element of surprise, none of which we have now."

"Vince, I've thought this through-"

"Last time we went off course I lost everything, remember that?!" Vince yells, cutting Thomas off. "Look, I know it's Minho, but you can't ask me to put those kids on the line for two people...I won't do it."

There's a silence, none of us saying anything. The radio in the corner starts up, static and voices coming through. We all look over as the sound of bergs and helicopters coming closer.

"Get the lights!" Thomas says, turning and running out of the building with Vince.

I turn off the lamp and follow Newt out of the building as all the lights go out. Two bergs fly over the city not to far from our camp. Search lights come from the berg, flashing down onto the rubble of the city. We watch for a few seconds before they fly away. 

I look over at Newt. "Thomas is going to be an idiot and still go." 

Newt nods, agreeing with me. "I'm going with him." Newt says, looking towards me. "Stay here-"

"No." I interrupt him. "I'm going too. You can't make me stay here."

He sighs. "Spencer, I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want you going."

"Too bad." I say, crossing my arms. "I'm going whether you like it or not."

Newt sighs, running his hand through his hair. "Fine. Get anything you think you might need. And guns." He adds.

I nod. "Meet me by the truck." He says with a nod, running off to do something.

I go over to my tent, grabbing my backpack and filling it with different things.

"What are you doing?" 

I look over my shoulder to see Pip. I sigh. "This doesn't concern you." I reply.

"Where are you going then?" She asks, coming over and sitting on her cot. "Looks like you're leaving. What about your promise?"

I stop. Damn promises. I turn to Pip. "We're getting Kat and Minho back- you are not coming!" I say, cutting her off before she can even start.

The tent flap opens again and Toby walks in. "Pip, it's not safe for you to come." She says, grabbing her own backpack.

"And what are you doing?" I ask, turning to her.

"I'm coming with you. Pip is not." Toby replies, putting stuff in her bag.

"You know what, fine." I say, turning back to my bag.

"So I can come?" Pip asks.

"No." Toby and I say at the same time.

Toby and I grab our bags and put them on our shoulders. "Pip, I promise I'll come back."

"You promised you wouldn't leave me!" Pip yells before storming out of the tent.

I look at Toby before sighing. "Let's just go put this in the truck." I say, leading her out of the tent.

I walk over to the truck where Newt, Fry, and Jesse are talking. Newt looks up. "Hey, looks like you also are bringing somebody." Newt says, nodding his head to Toby.

"We can use all the help we can get." I reply.

"We should get some food and water. Just in case." Newt suggests.

"I'll help you." Fry volunteers. 

-----

"Toby, have you seen Pip?" I ask Toby while putting my jacket in the back of the truck.

"No, not since she ran out of your tent." Toby answers.

"I'm just worried about her." I say, leaning against of the truck.

"I'm sure she's fine. She's got everybody here looking our for her." Toby says. "She's probably just on the beach, don't worry too much."

-----

Thomas walks up to the truck, not seeing Newt or myself. Newt turns on the lamp and Thomas looks up, surprised by the two of us. "Where do you think you're going, then?"

"Newt..." Thomas says, looking at Newt.

"Don't be a twat about it, we're already in." Newt says with a smirk, taking the bag from Thomas.

"No, no, not this time." Thomas says as Newt puts his bag into the truck. "Even if we find Minho and Kat, there's no guarantee that we'll make it back from this." Thomas says, trying to convince Newt and I.

"Well, then." Newt says. "You're gonna need all the help you can get then, won't you?" Newt opens the door of the truck to reveal Fry, Toby, and Jesse in the truck. Newt leans against the truck, looking back at Thomas. "We started this together, might as well end it that way too."

"Alright." Thomas says, nodding. "Let's go get them back."