The Defective Soldier || Newt

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟓

𝕋𝕙𝕖 '𝕄𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕖' 𝕊𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕖𝕣

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"Birdies?" Rowan's voice came through the radio. Just at the right time as well, since Mae, George, and Flor had just detached from the larger group. "Are you out of range?"

"We are, Rowan. Go on," said Mae to the radio.

"Well, Henry and I just met Abraham, William's dad." Rowan paused for a second, but soon she added. "Betrayal plan might be possible. He can open the scanners on all floors. Even the Tests Room, Sublevel Three where they keep the Immunes, and the laboratories."

The radio's beep announcing that the message was over appeared, and a sudden silence took over the three remaining members of Group S outside the city. They exchanged looks, not needing to say a word to understand the other's thoughts. In fact, the same thought appeared in their minds, forcing them to turn to the rest of the group, who chatted rather animatedly on the opposite side of the church. They were all friends and family. If the three of them could go on, even if it could be considered a betrayal, and finish the plan without getting any of them involved, shouldn't they take it? It was for everyone's protection, or that they told themselves.

Reality, which none of the soldiers dared to accept, was different from that. It was only for their own protection—from losing anybody else, from watching anyone else they cared about die. They were only protecting themselves as they always did, refraining from ever accepting any outside help.

"Birdies." Mae turned the radio on immediately, not needing a second glance to know George's and Flor's convictions. "We'll be there in twenty minutes. Inform me when you find Bea and Leen. Don't go looking for anybody just yet. Stay somewhere safe until we get there."

"Sure will." And the beep went off again.

"Betrayers, huh? I bet Janson and Paige would be proud," George tried to joke.

"Yeah, and The Commander will be prouder when we kill them," added Flor, patting George's back as she and Mae got up. "Come on, we have to sneak out now that they're all distracted."

*****

What was real? What was not? Was he awake or in a simulation? The Tests Room seemed just as he remembered it, though it could be a simulation of it—wouldn't be the first time they did that. And his bad leg, they could have realised his method to determine reality from simulation and use it against him. Nothing could really assure him that he was in the 'real world', to put it in a way, much less the very recent memory that he couldn't shake off his mind.

Teresa had appeared. Completely out of nowhere to add up. One moment the doors were closed, sealed like they always were, and the other she appeared with no explanation. Although, perhaps there was an explanation, the mind control just hadn't let her have a single word in before it forced him to pull the trigger. Fortunately, in case he was, in fact, awake, which was close to impossible considering Teresa was most likely dead, someone had saved her. A masked soldier appeared just like her, out of nowhere, and pulled her out of the bullet's trajectory before running out of the room.

The bullet was still embedded in the wall where Teresa had once stood. If only he could approach it, touch it to make sure it was real, he could feel calmer. Nevertheless, he could also touch things in full-fledged simulations if they were thoroughly planned out, which meant that even if he touched it, nothing would change the fact that he still wouldn't be able to discern reality from simulation.

"Five."

The voice wasn't a child's, but a teenager's, another impossible thing. William turned around, this time out of his own free will, letting him meet Dennis's wobbly figure. His face was covered in purple, the veins so prominent that they blended together under the dim light in the Tests Room. It was a bizarre sight, more so taking into account that Dennis had been dead for six years.