The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials ~ Newt

4: Bodies

The rooms were not bad. Anna had the distinct feeling they were military, but compared to a hammock, they were luxurious.

"I got top bunk," Frypan declared, but Minho took a flying jump onto the ladder, reaching it first.

"Ahh, too slow," he laughed.

Anna patted Frypan's shoulder sympathetically. "Damn, Fry," she said. "You'll have to choose another top bunk." The cook just shook his head and laughed at her sarcasm.

"I can get used to this," Winston smiled from a bottom bunk.

"Yeah, it's not bad," Newt said appreciatively. Anna smiled from her own bottom bunk. She had missed this side of Newt. Happy, with a little smile on his face.

The guard who had the unfortunate task of leading them to their room locked the door suddenly, the airlock squeaking a little.

"Why are they so worried about us?" Anna asked. "What do they think we're gonna do?"

Thomas shrugged, then turned to Newt desperately. "What do you think those guys want with Teresa?" He seemed worried, which wasn't new for Thomas, especially when it came to Teresa, but Anna had to admit things were becoming strange and sometimes weirdly convenient.

"Look, if there's one thing I know about that girl," Newt said, "it's that she can take care of herself." Thomas didn't look convinced. "Both of our girls can," Newt added, making a point to look over his shoulder at Anna. "Don't worry about her," Newt concluded, climbing into his own chosen bunk on the top.

Thomas met Anna's eyes. She just nodded with pressed lips, and Thomas got the message. She was worried, too. It was odd to her that Newt didn't seem to be, though.

"Why would they have to do more tests on Teresa?" Thomas asked Anna.

She shrugged. "And more tests that they didn't have to do on us?"

Thomas exhaled and let his shoulders droop.

"Maybe because she was the last one?" Anna wondered out loud.

"Can you guys pipe down?" Minho asked from his mattress. "A lord needs his beauty sleep upon his royal bed."

The middle of the night was always lonely to Anna. She stared at a chipped section of the bottom of Newt's bunk and let her mind run in circles before it wore itself out. Tonight was different, though. There were a few factors, but the chief one was seeing Thomas follow the gray-hoodie kid from dinner into their air vent.

She had seen a shadow move through the vent under Thomas' bunk, but didn't think much of it, assuming it was a fan of some sort. But then the shadow unscrewed the screen and the kid's thin arms could be seen in the light from above the sink. Anna pushed herself onto her elbows and made eye contact with him, daring him to move into their room.

He saw her looking.

He put a finger to his lips and pointed to Thomas above him.

Anna felt her gut say that the kid was okay. She crept out of bed slowly, trying not to wake the others, who would surely lose their minds at the prospect. She shook Thomas' shoulder gently. "Thomas," she whispered. "Thomas, wake up."

His eyes flew open and she clapped a hand over his mouth. His eyes were wild until they landed on her. They calmed immediately, and Anna pointed down under his bunk, to the kid. They crouched down and the kid gestured for them to follow him.

"Come on," he said in little more than a breath, freckles shifting. "Follow me."

Thomas looked at Anna, who looked back at him.