The Defective Soldier || Newt

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟕

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕕 𝔼𝕤𝕔𝕒𝕡𝕖 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕟

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The metallic odour was unmistakable, swarming William's senses as he stared, unmoving, at the crime he had committed. Nothing was like he had left it. The body had been moved to the centre, allowed to bleed through the clothes and form a pool of blood on the floor, as if to honour The Tests Room's history. After ten years of supposed deaths and continued suffering, The Tests Room finally had its first ever real victim, which, ironically, was its own creator.

A hand rested on William's shoulder, though not from whom he was expecting. William turned his head to meet his father's uncovered face, the ice-blue eyes all men in their family shared staring directly into his own with a warm feeling behind it. It had been so long since he had seen anything like that, like everything would be fine, even if he didn't want to. Because it was meant to be so. Because he deserved a happy ending.

"How are you feeling?" his father asked dubiously, as if such a simple question could get him to cry his eyes out in a matter of seconds.

"Like a robot." William let out a bitter chuckle as his eyes got back to the corpse. "Or a soldier. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference, isn't it?"

"Well, there is one significant difference between them." His father descended the hand from his shoulder to his back, making a few circling motions to show his concern. "Robots can't love, can they?"

"Maybe I'm a high-tech robot," William retorted.

"Regardless, to love you need to feel emotions, William." Abraham had to raise his arm somewhat to wrap it around his son's shoulders. "I know they're hard to handle, but you can do it. Although first things first, we need to find Teresa and get out of here."

"You do that," said William, "I have to—"

"Flor, get everyone out of the building. Now!"

The voice had changed in the months William hadn't heard it, but it still carried the same demanding tone. It was like her signature, like the promise that all plans said were guaranteed to succeed. Mae was giving orders, and Flor wasted no time to listen carefully to each one of them.

"We won't leave you behind," replied Flor into the radio. "We already found William. We can help."

"William's with you?" Mae's tone somehow softened for a split second, only to regain its usual matter-of-factly one that William so much missed. "Good... We got Minho and the serum, too. We just need to find a way out. It's been difficult ever since Thomas decided to piss off Janson. The more isn't the merrier in this situation, Flor. Get out."

Flor doubted, gripping the radio in her hand with all her might, though, with a defeated sigh, she accepted. "Sure will... See you all in the tunnels. Alive! You included."

"I promise," answered Mae, and then the radio went silent.

The radio trembled in Flor's hand, keeping itself together despite the impressive strength the soldier was using against it. Between awe and worry, William stared for a few seconds before he decided to act. He knew perfectly well Flor couldn't let Mae behind. Not now, when they were so close to freeing themselves from WICKED. Though what awaited outside those walls was unknown to him, he believed there was a plan—if not Mae's, Thomas's—and said plan he would follow. However, what if Mae didn't make it? They were so close to the general laboratories. Two more turns and they would be there, ready to help. But what to do with Chuck and Abraham? William knew just by observing his father that he had been trained to be a guard. But Chuck? He could hardly hold his stunning gun properly. The poor boy was young, undeserving of seeing someone die.