𝐒𝐀𝐅𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 ★ 𝙏𝙈𝙍

[41] Lawrence

the three girls held tightly onto each other as the Van sped down the streets. the journey was only a few minutes long, the van swerving down a sharp turn before screeching to a stop. The doors were flung open and they were greeted by more masked Gunmen. "Get out!" the man yelled at them. Brenda hurriedly ushered the girls out of the van. Elsie looked around her surroundings. they had been taken to an old abandoned parking lot. all around them were more and more masked people with guns. 

The screeching of wheels filled the air as the second van came swerving into the parking lot. Elsie frowned. the van was jerking from side to side as if there were a fistfight going on inside it. she heard the sound of yells and struggling from inside it, and just a moment later, the door swung open, one of the masked gunmen flying out of the back. Jorge leapt out of the Car, pouncing on the man and punching him continuously. "Where is she you son of a bitch??" he roared. Everyone went running over to stop Jorge.

Elsie stood still, watching it all go down with Katie hanging onto her hand. the two girls looked at each other with wide eyes. it was absolute chaos. The Gunmen rushed forward, pulling Thomas and Newt away from the fight. Brenda desperately tried to calm Jorge down, trying to pull him off of the Guard. Jorge stopped at the sound of her voice, quickly standing up.

"Everybody relax! we're all on the same side here!" one of the masked guys said. This enraged Thomas. "What do you mean the same side? who the hell are you??" Thomas spat. The masked Guy turned to look at Thomas, removing his mask. Elsie almost collapsed when she saw who the mystery guy was.

"Hey Greenie"

"Gally!" Elsie exclaimed, her eyes wide. everyone wore the same expression of shock. Elsie couldn't quite understand it. she had thought Gally dead, killed by a spear through the chest. but here he was, alive and well. she didn't know how to feel. relieved? angry? he had killed her best friend. but then again, she had known him so long.

One thing lead to another, and Thomas went running at Gally, socking him in the face and sending him flying. "Oh God!" Elsie groaned. Thomas kneeled over Gally, preparing to punch the shit out of Gally. The men immediately lifted their guns at Thomas preparing to shoot, but before Thomas's fist could collide with Gally's face, Little Katie ran forward, grabbing onto his clenched fist. "No! Tommy, Stop!" she begged him. 

Thomas didn't look at Katie, breathing heavily as he stared down at Gally with a look that could kill. "He killed Chuck" Thomas hissed. Elsie walked over, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We know. I remember. I was there too." she whispered. "But I also remember that he was stung, and he had lost his bloody mind. So please, listen to your little sister"

"Please, Tommy, calm down. You're scaring me" Katie whispered, holding onto his fist with both her little hands. "Look at me" she cried. Thomas took a shaky breath, averting his eyes from Gally. he glanced at Katie, taking in the scared look on her face. he hesitantly lowered his fist, letting Katie engulf him in a hug. he took a step back, wrapping his arms around her little figure and hiding his face in her shoulder, calming down. 

Elsie reached out to Gally to help him up. Gally took her hand gratefully standing up. "Well, you've changed a lot haven't you little spitfire" he muttered, looking Elsie up and down. "running around in a pair of black lace up boots and a shotgun in your pocket"

"Well, I'm not the little girl you used to know" Elsie replied nonchalantly, taking a step back. "How's your jaw doing?" Gally lifted his hand to his jaw, cradling in his hand. "Kind of had that coming" he muttered. "Anybody else? Fry? Newt?" Elsie sidled over and slapped him across the face. "For old times sake" she muttered. "No hard feelings"

"How??" Newt asked him, trying to take it all in. "How is this possible? We watched you die!"

"No, you left me to die" Gally retorted. "and if we hadn't found you when we did, you'd be dead right now. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh, we're just here on summer holidays" Elsie said sarcastically, crossing her arms. Gally raised his eyebrows at her, looking to Newt for an answer. "Minho" Newt replied. "WICKED has him here... we're looking for a way in"

"I can help with that" Gally said, turning on his heel. "Follow me"

"I'm not going anywhere with you" Thomas hissed, standing in the corner with Katie hanging onto his sleeve, still trying to calm him down. 

"Suit yourself" Gally shrugged. "But I can get you through those walls."

---

"After the maze, I got picked up by a group headed to the city" Gally explained as he walked with the Gladers through the building. "They realized I was immune, patched me up, and they brought me here to Lawrence. This groups been at war with WICKED ever since they took control of the city, but WICKED can't hide behind those walls forever. Day's gonna come and they're gonna pay for what they've done."

Gally stopped for a moment, turning to the Gladers and lowering his voice. "Listen, uh- he doesn't get a lot of visitors. So let me do the talking, all right? and try not to stare"

"Wonderful." Elsie muttered under her breath, following Gally down a staircase into what she assumed was This Lawrence's man lair of his own. 

"Gally. glad to see you made it back" The man, Lawrence called over his shoulder. he stood at the other end of the room beside a little flower garden, tending to the plants on the shelves. "Jasper told me what happened."

"it was a slaughter. there's nothing we could do against those guns" Gally explained. 

"No, but they can only poke the hornet's nest so long, before they get stung" Lawrence replied, picking a red rose and lifting it to his face, the face that Elsie couldn't see yet. he sniffed the rose deeply, exhaling. "Now, who are these people? why are they here?"

"We need to get into WICKED" Thomas spoke up, taking a step forward. "Gally said you can get us through the walls" Lawrence turned to look at Thomas, Elsie getting a glimpse of his face. his face was deformed. Elsie suddenly understood why Gally had warned them about staring. filled with Understanding, she didn't stare at him any longer, instead letting her eyes wander around the room and his little rose garden. to Elsie, it looked as if he had been infected by the Flare. she had noticed those dark purple veins visible on parts of his skin, and it might be the reason to his deformities. "Gally should know better than to make promises that he can't keep" Lawrence replied. "Besides, that wall is only half your problem. Getting inside WICKED is impossible." 

"There might be a way now," Gally informed him. "But it doesn't work without Thomas"

"is that so?" Lawrence said breathlessly as he limped forward into the light, his face now clear to everyone. his nose had been bitten off, he was blind in one eye and the side of his face was covered in what looked like fungal growth. Katie couldn't help but let out a little gasp, hiding behind Thomas and peaking out. Elsie burned with embarrassment, hoping that Katie's reaction hadn't upset him. "Do you know what I am Thomas?" he asked. he leaned in up close to Thomas. "I am a Businessman" he whispered. Katie whimpered, her head disappearing behind Thomas's back. 

"Which means that I don't take unnecessary risks. Why should I trust you?" Lawrence asked.

"Cause I can help you" Thomas replied, keeping a brave face. "You see, if you can get me through those walls, I can get you what you need"

"What is it that you think I need?" Lawrence asked, leaning in close. "Time" Thomas replied. "Every last drop" he glanced at the drip of medicine that Lawrence had dripping into him from a line connected to his wrist. "is that what I need?" Lawrence chuckled. 

"WICKED has something we both want" Thomas persisted. Lawrence was silent for a moment as if thinking about it. "I'll tell you what," Lawrence spoke up. "Two can go for now. the rest stay down here with me...Just a little insurance to make sure you find your way back"

Thomas looked over at Elsie, gnawing on his lip. "Three" he bargained. Lawrence thought for a moment. "Alright. but no more than that" he declared. "we have a deal?" Thomas nodded, the two shaking hands.