Through The WICKED Scorch | A Maze Runner Story (English Version)

42. Like a stab in the heart

Suddenly a horn sounded and we all whirled around. A car came from behind one of the hills and drove up at full throttle.
Who the hell is that now?
"What the...?" Fry Pan groaned, looking at us in confusion.
Without braking, the car sped towards a group of the SWAT unit and did not slow down when they started shooting. On the contrary, the driver accelerated even more and the men had to jump to the side to avoid being run over.
Next the car reached the helicopter Janson had come in and rammed it, which is why it tipped over and slid in our direction. Startled, we jumped to the ground and held our hands protectively over our heads, but fortunately for us the thing came to a halt a little way in front of us.
Now general panic broke out. Some people ran away, others started to fight with the WICKED people. I looked over at Newt, who was lying on the ground next to me, terrified. What should we do next? It looked like we had just been given a chance to survive the whole thing after all.
Newt jumped to his feet and pulled me up. Our three friends were also on their feet now and we gathered ourselves.
"You good?" Thomas asked, turning once in a circle, only to look into the muzzle of a rifle the next moment.
One of the SWAT members was aiming his stun gun at him.
"Thomas, watch out!" someone shouted behind me and when I turned around I recognised the girl.
"Freeze! Drop it, kid! Get out of the way, Miss Francesca!" the man shouted.
So that was the girl's name.
Only now did I remember that Thomas was still holding the bomb. We had been lucky that he hadn't accidentally pressed the detonator when he fell.
"Tommy, throw it!" I shouted and Thomas understood immediately.
He looked briefly at the bomb in his hand, then at our opponents, and the next moment he threw it at them.
"Run! Get down!" he yelled and we all threw ourselves to the ground one more time.
Only seconds later, long before the men had had a chance to react, a deafening bang sounded and the ground vibrated as the bomb exploded.
I looked up and realised that everyone who had been standing nearby was dead.
"Shit!" Minho gasped beside me.
Suddenly someone reached for my right hand and I turned my head. Next to me was the girl, looking at me piercingly.
"Take this! Quick! Come on!"
Puzzled, I let her press a piece of paper into my hand. I looked at her with wide eyes, but she jumped to her feet and took a few steps back from me, as if she didn't want anyone to see that she was talking to me.
"Now put it away!"
We stood up, patted our clothes and I slipped the note into my trouser pocket when suddenly, out of the smoke caused by the explosion, Janson appeared. Horrified, I took a step back. His face did not bode well. He looked as if he would kill us all in the end.
Thomas, who had just tried to get up after taking more of the blast than we did, was surprised by him and took a blow to the face, so he went down again.
"Tommy, no!" I shouted as the man drew his pistol and pointed it at the defenceless Thomas, whom he was now pinning to the ground with one foot.
I wanted to run and help him, but Newt grabbed me by wrapping his arms around my torso and holding me against him. No amount of wriggling and screaming helped. It was probably just as well, because if Janson wanted to kill Thomas, he was guaranteed to shoot me too before I could get within ten feet of him. But I didn't think about such things at that moment, instead I yelled at Newt to let go of me. I resisted his grip so much that he shouted at Minho to help him. And against the two of them together I no longer stood a chance. I could only watch helplessly as Janson pointed his gun at Thomas's head.
"What a waste," he observed, sounding almost sad.
"Mr Janson, stop it! You heard what Miss Paige said about him and the girl!" the girl called Francesca tried to help him.
"Shut up! You should be with her in the Berg by now. Go!" Janson instructed her.
Indecisively she stopped, looked from him to us and then disappeared in the smoke of the explosion.
Now my attention was back on Janson, who was still about to shoot Thomas.
Suddenly a shot rang out and hit the man in the shoulder. Immediately he toppled to the side, screaming in pain. Thomas was free again.
Confused and relieved, I looked around for the shooter. And that's when I saw her - Brenda sitting behind a rock, grinning broadly at us. My heart leapt and I ran to Thomas after Newt and Minho had finally let me go again.
But I was immediately snapped out of my euphoria when a bullet whirred right next to my head. Instinctively, I ducked and looked around for the shooter. Janson was sitting on the floor trying to get a hold of me with his pistol when Brenda fired at him one more time and he took flight.
"Anna, Thomas, come on, let's go!" Newt shouted, beckoning us towards him.
We ran, now closely followed by another guy from WICKED, who aimed his stun gun at us, narrowly missing us several times. Again Brenda saved us by shooting at him.
"Get outta here! Go! Go!" Minho shouted to us as we reached the others.
He waved us behind him and now shot at two men who were chasing us. It looked like he had taken the rifle from someone.
"Minho, let's go!" Thomas shouted at him and stopped short before following me to Newt and Fry Pan into the cover of some barrels.
"Get out of here, go!" Minho instructed him, firing again at our pursuers.
He got one of them, but several followed and then his ammunition ran out. He had to reload and the men used this time to shoot at him. One of them hit his target and we had to watch helplessly as Minho went down twitching.
"No, Minho!" I shouted.
"Minho!" Thomas also yelled at the top of his lungs.
But it was too late. He toppled over a crate of provisions standing next to him and looked at us in horror. The next moment the men were at him and grabbed him under the arms.
"Minho, no! Minho!" I shouted again and again and our eyes met as they dragged him along.
I jumped out from behind the barrels and ran without thinking for a second. They were just about to take Minho away.
Minho!
They might as well have amputated my legs. I had spent the last three years with him, had been out in the maze with him every day. I would rather die than leave him to WICKED.
"Anna, Thomas, come back!" I heard Fry Pan shout behind me and I realised that Thomas was following me.
I wanted to turn and shout at him to stay away, to get to safety, but my legs kept carrying me, running after my keeper, who was being carried further and further away from me.
"Minho!"
Again and again I yelled his name.
I rushed past Jorge, who tried to hold me, but I managed to avoid him. Thomas didn't manage to do so, as I could hear him complaining loudly as he was held, but still I didn't turn around.
I had almost reached them when I was suddenly swept off my feet and hit the ground with a thud. Horrified, I gasped as the air was forced from my lungs by someone landing directly on top of me. I looked up and recognised Vince who was now grabbing me, helping me to my feet but not letting go.
"No, no! Minho!" I screamed and started to cry. "Not him, you Slintheads! Not him!"
With all my strength I tried to resist Vince's grip.
"Let go of me! Let go of me! Minho, no!"
My screams drowned out the chaos around us and everyone who was still alive and conscious was now looking at us.
"Anna! Stop it, you can't help him!"
I would have loved to bite him, to hit him, but my strength left me. Sobbing, I collapsed in his arms and put my hands to my face.
"Minho, no Minho..." I sobbed, feeling my breath leave me, so shaken by the sobs now.
I lowered my hands again and watched him being dragged into the Berg, still unconscious. Janson rushed in as well and the last of his men followed him as the hatch began to close.
Paige, Janson and Teresa looked at us silently, Aris and Sonya looked down at us in despair, the girl - Francesca - stared at me wide-eyed and had that apologetic look on her face again, but I couldn't take my eyes off my friend who hung motionless in the arms of the two men who had taken him away.
I just couldn't believe it. They really took him away. And there was nothing I could do but stand here and watch the Berg take off now.
As it disappeared behind the mountains, taking Minho with it, I slumped in Vince's arms. I felt my consciousness slipping away and didn't even try to fight it.
It didn't matter. It was over.
Footsteps came closer and someone called my name. Newt.
"What's wrong with her?"
"Was she hit?" This was Fry Pan.
"No, I think she's just unconscious..."
"But why?" I felt Newt put a hand on my forehead.
"Come on, let's lay her down."
"Does anyone have anything for her head?"
"Here, my jacket!"
Vince carefully laid me down on the floor and someone slipped a jacket under my head that smelled like Newt.
"What's wrong with her now? Why isn't she waking up? Anna, come on..." he said desperately.
"She's fainted. That's what they call a broken heart." That was Brenda's voice. She put a cool hand on my forehead. "She'll be fine, don't worry. Let her rest."
"Okay, we have to save everything that can be saved!" said Vince.
"I'll stay with her." Newt sat down beside me and took my hand.
"Me too," Brenda said and I was glad when she clasped my other hand with her cool fingers.
Then my consciousness slipped away completely.
I hadn't spent more than an hour without Minho for over three years - apart from some nights. We had walked the maze together every day and he had saved my life so many times. I couldn't imagine life without him and just thinking about it was dark and dreary.
But the more I slipped into unconsciousness, the clearer the fact that WICKED had just sealed.
Minho was gone.