Twisted

Chapter 40: Burning City

"How much longer Dr?" I asked.

It only took me about 10 minutes to explain in short the terrible situation we were in. Jorge, Vince, Magnus and Jasmine went to get the Burg ready. I stayed behind, bouncing on my toes or pacing back and forth.

"About two more minutes. I know it's hard to be patient, my child. But in this situation I cannot make any mistakes." He said gently as he placed the serum into the last mixing machine.

"I know. Just... anxious."

"Understandable." He gave me a smile over his shoulder.

I ran a hand over my wild hair. The wet hair had dried and turned into curls around my face. My clothes had mostly dried. I paced up and down the hall, waiting. With a huge sigh I shoved my hands into my pockets and leaned against the wall. My hand felt something damp and crumpled in my pocket. Confused I pulled it out.

The note.

I'd completely forgotten about it. Newt had said I would know when the time came to read it. And I should’ve done it after he left me on the stairs, I should have read it right then and there. If the time hadn’t been right then, when would it have ever been?

I gently in folded it, peeling the envelope open, it was still slightly damp from our jump into the pool. Gingerly I pulled out the small slip of paper. The harsh lights of the hall glared down and made the two short sentences hard to read.

Kill me. If you’ve ever been my friend, kill me.

I read it over and over, wishing the words would change. To think that Newt, my friend had been so scared that he’d had the foresight to write those words made me sick to my stomach. I remembered how angry Newt had been at me specifically when he swung the launcher in my face  Newt didn't want to become a Crank, no matter how much he said he was okay.

I shook my head violently, and slid down the wall, my head in my hands.

He's not a full crank, he's still there just enough to be screaming on the inside, deranged and suffering every shuck second of it. Tormented like a human buried alive. I needed that serum and I needed it now. I stood up and wiped the tears from my cheeks and marched with a new urgency and determination into the lab.

"Dr Hans-"

"Ready. Here you are dear. Two full ready to administer syringes. Just stab and push the button at the top." Hans cut me off and held out two full pre-filled syringes with a dark red serum inside. "It won't work instantly. So...if he's as gone as you say, you might have to sedate him. In which case, I have made these." He handed me a clear syringe.

The door opened behind us, I twisted around, Sarg came limping towards us.

"Sarg? What's going on?"

"Laurence is off his rocker! He's gone full crank! He hasn't been taking the serum. He's destroying the whole city! That wasn't the plan!"

"Ya we noticed. The entire city has gone to shuck! Also cranks are crawling the streets!"

"Ya, apparently he teamed up with Crank City... somehow. But we needed to leave. Asap!"

"No. Not yet. Our guys are still in the city, and WICKED has been rounding up immunes to restart the Maze Trials."

Sarg cursed.

"Well, if you help me pack up, and anyone else who escaped, help me pack up the lab and we will start our journey to The Right Arm." Dr Hans suggested.

"At this point, whatever." Sarg threw his hands I to the air.

"I've talked to Vince."

"Talked to me about what?" He asked walking back into the lab with Magnus behind him.