As Bluebell, Aris and Thomas reached the hallway that stopped them previously they each lowered themselves from the vent opening. "C'mere," Aris said as he held his arms out to Blue and helped her down. Thomas looked between them quizzically. Aris practically had hearts in his eyes every time he looked at the beautiful girl. As they closed the vent, Thomas gave Bluebell the card and she swiped it through the pad on the door. The light went green and the lock moved from the door.
She slipped the card into the waistband of her leggings and beckoned for the boys to follow her. As she walked through the lit corridors, she peered into a room. "What are they?" Aris asked as he followed her gaze. There were weird, coiled up organisms floating, suspended in tubes of liquid. They lined the entire room. "Grievers. Baby ones," Thomas said, using his hands to move the two along, one on Aris' shoulder and one on the small of Blue's back.
Then they arrived at a second door, yet this one just opened. As the big, metal doors slid to either side, a new room was revealed, and the three teenagers couldn't believe what they were looking at. People, suspended in the air with tubes and things coming off of their heads. "Teresa?" Thomas asked as he walked up to a girl with long, dark hair falling down in front of her face. He carefully pushed it back, letting out a sigh of relief when it wasn't her. Aris on the other hand didn't look so happy. "Rachel..." he hummed softly. "They took her the first night. I told her everything was going to be okay," Aris continued, looking up at his friends lifeless face. Bluebell took his hand in hers, trying to comfort him. He gave her a forced smile, appreciating her efforts.
As the doors opened again, the group scrambled to hide behind anything they could. They heard the voices of Janson and some other guy discussing how 'she needed to speak with Janson urgently'.
As they grew closer, a button was pressed and a huge holographic screen appeared, displaying Ava Paige sitting behind a desk. Bluebell's eyes widened and she looked to the boys who seemed just as surprised. They saw her die. She was fucking dead.
"Good evening Dr Paige. Lovely to see you again, although I'll admit I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon," Janson started. "Change of plans Janson, I will be arriving a little sooner than expected, first thing tomorrow morning," Ava said, standing and walking around the holographic desk. "We'll be delighted to have you. I think you'll be pleased with the progress we've made. As you can see, early results have been extremely promising. Whatever it is you've been doing to them in there, it's working," Janson smiled, seeming to be quite proud of his work.
"Not well enough. I just received board approval. I want all the remaining subjects sedated and prepped for harvest by the time I arrive," Ava said, looking over documents in her hands. Hanson's jaw locked in place in frustration. "Doctor Paige, we are going as fast as we can. We are still running tests~"
"Try something faster. Until I can guarantee their security, this is the best plan," Ava cut him off. Her tone of voice was completely void of emotion or sympathy. "Ma'am, security is my job. We're on 24 hour lockdown here. I am assuring you... the assets are secure," Janson said, his annoyance starting to become more clear. "Have you found the Right Arm?" Ava started a new topic, ignoring Janson's previous statement as if it didn't matter to her whatsoever. "The Right Arm," Bluebell whispered. The name sounded so familiar although she was certain she'd never heard it before.
"Not yet," Janson said quietly. Ava made a disapproving humming noise, tilting her head to the side slightly. "We've tracked them as far as the mountains," Janson begun before he was yet again, cut off by Ava. "So they're still out there! And they've already hit two of our installations. They want these kids as badly as we do. And I cannot- I cannot afford another loss. Not now, when I am so close to a cure.
If you are not up to the task, I will find someone who is," Ava finished, her voice firm and demanding. "That won't be necessary. Might I suggest we start with the most recent arrivals?" Janson smiled, trying to please the angry woman in any way he could, he just wanted this conversation over.
"Just get it done."
As Janson began to walk away Ava piped up again. "Janson," she said, her voice suddenly sombre and heartfelt. "I don't want them to feel any pain," she spoke. "They won't feel a thing," Janson spoke, before he walked away, the screen disappearing before the two men left the room for good.
"I'm freaking out," Jesse said, pacing back and forth. "You remember everything, shouldn't you be the one that's sure of everything?" Newt questioned harshly. "I don't remember shit! Every day the memories drift further and further away. It's like they gave me all my memories back just to take them away again, I only remember the outlines because im reminded of them every day," Jesse continued. "So you remember you worked for WCKD, you had a drunk mother who they killed and you made out with Newt and that's it?" Minho chuckled, earning a punch in the arm from Jesse. "Yes, yes that's it," she said sarcastically. "You know darling you could relive that last memory," Newt said, his cocky demeanour back and stronger than ever. "Fuck off," Jesse rolled her eyes. "Wanker," Newt muttered under his breath.
Just as the girl was about to charge over and shove the blonde dickhead against the wall and threaten him until he cried, the vent was kicked in and in scrambled a terrified looking Bluebell and Aris, followed by a manic Thomas. "We gotta go, we need to leave," Thomas kept repeating as he ripped off bedsheets. The other Gladers shouted questions, trying to figure out what was happening but they were greeted with no responses. Aris was frozen in place and Blue had just wrapped her arms around Minho's neck and buried her head in his neck. "Blueberry, talk to me," Minho said, brushing her hair back with his hand. "It's WCKD. It's still WCKD, Its always been WCKD," Blue said, looking around at the room. "She's alive. Ava's alive," Thomas said as he tied the sheets to the door lock before grabbing a mattress and pressing it against the door. "Tommy! What did you see?" Newt screamed, pinning the boy against the mattress, his height and dominance frightening Thomas slightly, although he didn't show it.
Janson strutted down the halls, stopping when he got to Group A's room to open the door. As he tried to push it, it didn't move. Janson nodded at his colleagues before moving out of the way so they could break the door open. The room had been destroyed, sheets, pillows and mattresses were strewn about everywhere. But there was absolutely so sign of Group A.
