T R U S T [The Maze Runner || Newt || Book 2]

Chapter 18

Flashback

Clara quickly weaved her way through the halls of the Wicked building, praying that no guards would show up to take her away, and within a few seconds, she'd made it to the maintenance room. She swung open the door and saw Newt, Teresa, Minho, Alby, Thomas, and another boy she didn't recognize standing inside. All of them looked at her and smiled, except the new kid who just stood awkwardly looking at her. He had short-cut hair and interestingly shaped eyebrows, but other than that he wasn't bad looking. Newt walked up to her with a smile on his face and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards them.

"Nice to see you, shank." Minho joked, earning a slap on the head from Alby, who spoke next,

"He's right, it's good to see you again Clara." He said sincerely,

"We thought you'd gone and died on us, we didn't see you for so long." Newt chuckled and Clara smiled at all of them, grateful to be welcomed back so eagerly.

"Clara, this here is my friend Gally, he's the whole reason we have a way to get out," Minho announced, motioning at the new boy who nodded at her.

"Yeah, about that, what exactly is the way out?" She asked, looking around at all of them,

"Well, the thing about Wicked is that it's a hell of a lot harder to get in than it is to get out, they kind of rely on the elements of the outside wilderness and the cranks to keep us inside," Gally started, and Clara knew he was right. The fear of cranks and the unknown was the tool they used to scare the kids into thinking they were safe here, thinking this was home, "I've got a cousin in Canada who I've been communicating with. Once we're out we'll have people in the woods waiting for us to take us to him."

"And how are you planning to get out? There's cameras everywhere, they'll be watching us."

"That's where Teresa comes in," Alby answered, looking at the girl,

"I've been learning the security system over the past few months. I've lined up a bunch of recordings to loop for the night, and gotten rid of any trace that I messed with the system. Wicked will only be seeing empty halls for the night. And I know where the rest of the guards are stationed, it's all set up."

Clara could barely believe what she was hearing, she had a chance to get out, to get away from this place.

"What do you say? You in?" Newt asked her, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Clara looked around at everyone in the room, at her friends, and nodded her head.

"Let's get the fuck out of here."

Gally lead the group to a series of hallways on the other side of the compound Clara had never seen before, making sure to check for guards before every turn. Her heart raced and she felt sweat rolling down the back of her neck, she was terrified. She kept praying that Teresa was right when she said they wouldn't catch them, and that Gally really knew what he was doing. Newt seemed to notice the anxiety that was practically dripping from her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, nodding his head at her with a smile on his face, but it did little to ease her nerves.

After a few minutes, they reached a long hallway, which had a large door at the end of it and they ran towards it. They stopped at the door and Gally looked it up and down, Clara realized that this door wasn't a part of his plan by the look on his face.

"Gally, what's wrong?" Newt whispered, looking around to make sure they weren't being followed.

"It has a fingerprint lock. Only Wicked employees can open it."