To The Shucking End

Chapter 23

Brenda was going to be ok.

She was still resting in the tent when Thomas came out to tell them something surprising.

Brenda's brother was in the Maze with them.

Her brother was George.

The same George that Tanya killed to save Gally after he was stung.

Thomas had pleasantly surprised her when he revealed that he'd told Brenda that Tanya was the one that put George out of his misery after he'd contracted the virus.

And though she'd been pissed and hurt that she was the one to kill her brother, she was at least glad that he wasn't in pain, that he didn't have to turn into a Crank. Not to mention that the girl did just help save her life and delay her turning into a Crank, so she couldn't exactly hate her.

But a person they could hate - that everyone but Thomas could hate - was Teresa.

After they'd been given some fresh clothes and some food and water, they were able to just sit. To just sit and relax and talk and hang out without fear of Grievers, of death. It was so nice to just sit and laugh with her friends - her brothers.

It didn't last long though.

Tanya never really got a chance to appreciate a sunset, or even watch one properly seeing as the sun used to disappear behind the Maze walls before it set and changed the sky different colours. They were sitting, watching the sunset as they reminisced about old times and the people they'd lost, waving at Aris who was talking with Sonya and Harriet when Thomas had asked where Teresa was.

The dark-haired girl hadn't spent any time with them after getting her new clothes, not that Tanya was complaining, but boy, was she about to.

Because when Thomas chased after Teresa, she wanted to make him understand. They talked and she wanted him to understand why she did it.

She wanted him to understand why she'd kept that walkie from that man that was going to give them to WICKED at Jorge's compound.

She wanted him to understand why she'd told WICKED where they were.

And that was how Tanya ended up inside one of the wrecked cars, where Minho had hidden her before they were taken by the guards, all of her friends, bar Thomas, kneeling on the ground as they were scanned, and the Right Arm burned behind them. The Right Arm that did not have the firepower or the manpower to fight back.

Not that they didn't try but Vince, Minho, Newt, Frypan and Tanya were electrocuted before they could get the Gatling gun up and running and Vince was in tears when he watched them execute Mary.

All because of Teresa.

And despite what an idiot he was, Tanya had to admire Thomas' loyalty when he refused to run and gave himself up, the girl peeking out of the wrecked car slightly.

And then Ava Paige arrived, and Teresa was revealed to stand at her side.

"Hello, Thomas," Ava greeted as he was forced to his feet in front of her. "I'm glad you're safe," she said to Teresa.

"What the fuck? Teresa?" Frypan called in confusion.

"Wait! What's going on?" Newt asked.

"She's with them," Thomas explained and asides from bitter hatred, Tanya wished more than anything that Gally was alive so he could gloat about being right about her. She'd have given anything to see that.

"Since when?" Minho asked.

"Oh, Teresa's always had an evolved appreciation of the greater good. Once we restored her memories it was only a matter of time," Janson said smugly, and Tanya wished more than anything that she could put a bullet in his brain to wipe that fucking grin off his face.