This Conspiracy

Chapter 42

Author stuff: This chapter was a pain to write. I love Adne, but she was so stubborn to tell me what was going on in this chapter. It almost got to the point where I almost abandoned it. Thankfully, I was able to work through it, so you guys have this chapter.

Trigger warnings: Mourning

Chapter 42

In Which All Signs Point To The Way Out

Adne fell asleep the moment she collapsed in her hammock, and she only woke when the early morning sun pierced the thin curtains and blinded her.

Turning her head, in a vain attempt to go back to sleep, she looked over to Flossy hammock. It was still empty. And it would be until the Med-jacks released her.

As was the nest they'd made for Verena.

She slowly got out of the hammock and made her way to the nest. People could probably use the extra pillows and blankets. She didn't have the time to bring everything down at the moment, but she could stack the pillows and fold a few blankets. She could handle it later that night, after showering.

Adne quickly dressed for the day, headed out to grab some breakfast, and her running pack. The boys were all already down and waiting for the orders for the day. Nick was there, talking to the others.

She quickly grabbed a breakfast sandwich laid out for them — sourdough with bacon, scrambled eggs, and cheese — and joined the boys.

"What's going on?" Adne said.

"Waiting for you," Nick said. "Now that you're all here, remember, keep an eye out for... anything that might be helpful."

"Be good to know what to keep an eye out for," Alfred said under his breath. Apparently, it was loud enough for Nick to hear.

"I would like to know too. I understand the frustration. I would like to get out of this maze as much as any other shank. I've been here long enough. You guys are the only thing still giving the rest of us hope. It's a lot to ask of you, but I'm going to ask you to keep on going. That note? That's the biggest clue we've had in years. And if that doesn't make you want to keep trying, you might want to rethink being a Runner."

The boys were quiet, not meeting each other's eyes as they shuffled their feet. All of them had worked so hard to become a Runner and stay a Runner, why would any of them leave? That'd put all their hard work down the drain. When none of them said anything, Minho spoke up.

"Alright," he said, adjusting the strap of his running pack, "we have a long day ahead of us. So, let's get going."

. . .

Adne found herself running with Minho. For the first time since she became a Runner, the two of them kept relatively quiet throughout the day. They both had their eyes flicking this way and that, hoping for any clues or signs that might help them.

Signs...

She slowed to a trot, eyes catching the World In Catastrophe Killzone Experiment Department plaque. There was something about it, although she couldn't quite place what it was. Her ears and brain were practically buzzing when she looked at it.

"Adne?" Minho said, circling back to her. "All good there?"

"Yeah," she said, eyes never leaving the plaque. "Hey, can I see the map you're doing?"

"Uh, sure." He reluctantly handed it over to her. "What — what are you doing?"

She took her pencil out and marked where the plaque was on the paper.

"I'm not sure yet. But there's something... I don't know." She handed it back to him, tucking her pencil back into her pack. "Just a thought. I could be completely wrong on this, though."

"Sharing your thoughts could be helpful."

"Archie mentioned these signs last night, and it just kind of struck me, I guess. Thought I'd mark down where they were on the map. It's probably nothing, just... just a thought."

Minho's brow furrowed. After a moment, he nodded.

"We'll try to mark the ones we passed on our way in when we head back later, good that?"

"Yeah, good that."

"Now, come on. If we don't pick up the pace, we'll be trapped out here."

The rest of the day was spent in a mutual silence, one or the other marking the spot on the map with where they'd seen — or roughly seen — one of the plaques. Neither of them paid much attention to the locations until they'd gotten back to the Glade and regrouped with everyone else in the Map Room.

The small hut was still a mess that was in the middle of being reorganized, but it was better than it had been the day before. Thankfully, nothing was really damaged by Verena's assault on the place, but there were a few pieces that needed to be replaced. A project for Gally, whenever Clint and Jeff released him.

Adne was looking over their work of Section 7 for the day, frowning. From what they had, the plaques were evenly spread out until the Cliff. They were more clustered together.

"Well that was a waste," she said under her breath, handing the sheet back to Minho.

"What was a waste?" Archie said, coming up behind her.

"Marking where those stupid signs are in the Maze. Thought it'd be something, but it's nothing."

"Wait, you did that too?" Archie pulled out the map he and Dan had done. He held it out for her and Minho to see.

"Great minds think alike," Dan said. "Archie thought of it, too."

Adne looked over the map. They'd done Section 8. For the most part, the plaques were spread out rather evenly, until they got close to Section 7. They were closer together there.

Minho laid their Maps next to one another on a crate so they could compare the two.

"Well," he said, "that's some kind of hunch."

He rolled the two of them up and tucked them into one of his pockets.

"I'll be back. Just going to talk to Nick, Alby, and Newt real quick. Dan, get the rest of the maps from the guys. Archie, Adne, great thinking."

He saluted them and darted off into the Glade.

"Do you think he'll want us to do that tomorrow?" Alfred said, kicking off his shoes. She wrinkled her nose.

"Most likely," Archie said, removing his running pack. He turned to Adne. "What made you think of that?"

"What you said last night," she said with a sigh. She leaned against one of the salvageable crates. "I don't really know. It just sort of... hit me."

"Huh," Dan said, looking over the maps for the day. He'd laid them down on the same crate Minho had done with theirs.

"What is it?"

They all shuffled closer to get a better view.

"Doesn't that look like a letter?"

It almost did. They just needed the sections Minho had to confirm what they all thought.

Author stuff cont'd.: [Law and Order DUN-DUN sound effect]

I actually had this planned for a chapter or two later, but it happened here instead. It's interesting how it affects everything that follows after. I mean, Thomas isn't even here yet...