Her (Newt fan fiction/The Kill Order sequel)

Chapter 12 - The Trial

Glancing around at the committees' faces, Newt's nerves only grew. He was seated towards the front of a disturbingly pristine, usually empty room in the largest building in the village.

It was the first time they'd ever had to hold a trial, and clearly Newt wasn't the only apprehensive one. Thomas' face did usually look nervous... but today his face looked hollow and sad. He wondered if there was something else bothering him. Frypan was still smiling, but he looked a little uneasy. The rest of the judges looked slightly nervous too, one middle aged woman kept wringing her hands, and the other two were whispering, which was unnerving given the situation. Minho was the only one who didn't seem bothered, his face it's usual bored/pissed off look.

Then she entered the room, her eyes scanning around but dropping to the floor when she saw the judges. Newt tried to smile encouragingly, but it was hard, and a fake grimace was all he could muster.

"Okay, let's start."

Minho had to shout above the nervous chatter in the hall.

"We are here to decide what will happen to Marley. She will give her statement, and obviously there are no witnesses, so then, we vote."

"Lets just get it over with..."

Newt thought he heard Marley whisper, but it might have been him.

"Okay, Marley, give your statement."

"Yes. After the sun flares, and The Flare, anyone who was immune or just somehow didn't have The Flare went to Alaska. All you guys would have gone too..."

Newt looked around and saw the woman nodding, and the man beside her too.

It was still hard for him to accept that this was him as well... and he just had absolutely no memory of it.

Marley continued.

"Anyway, I went there with my Aunt because my parents were killed during the flares, at the start. She was part of the Post Flare Coalition group. I was 16, and so I started school after a while. One day, I was walking home and someone grabbed me, pulled me into a building. I was scared, but they were fair; at first. They took me to the women in charge, I think some of you knew her quite well?"

She paused and there were murmurs around the room, faint yes' could be heard.

"That was my Aunt, and the PFC  had become WICKED. As soon as I heard their plans; the trials - I didn't agree. I felt so betrayed by my Aunt. Then, because of my age, WICKED wanted me to go in The Maze. I was horrified, but surprisingly, my Aunt said no. I didn't think someone like her would care, but she did - enough to stop that. Instead, she put me to work as a creator... But Newt - I always disagreed with her, and what they were doing! It was a creator, or go in the maze myself. You'd have done the same as me. I barely helped, and I think they knew I was against it. Janson hated me. Look - he caught me trying to escape."

She showed everyone her scar, and their were disturbed looks on some people's faces. Newt wasn't so affected since he'd heard it all last night, but still, at the rat man's name he felt his blood boil.

Previously, Chancellor Paige had told me about this place, but said I couldn't go yet. I had to wait. Then WICKED was blown up by the Right Arm; Paige and I escaped just seconds before. It took over a month to set up another entrance and I arrived... Don't worry, only Paige can set up entrances, and she won't anymore. Why? She's... Dead. But don't worry. You're safe. And I'm honestly so sorry for my input with WICKED but know that I hate them as much as you do. So please, don't punish me. Let me stay."

She finished and there was a light round of applause. Shakily, she got down from the raised area and went to sit down - next to Newt. He felt his heart race when she approached, and he grinned.

"You were great,"

"You think it'll be okay?"

He had to think for a moment.

"...Yeah... Yeah, I do."

On a whim, he put an arm round her, and thankfully, a small smile crept up her face. He grinned again.

Now, they just had to wait.