𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘- TMR, Minho

014, 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐭? 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭

The sun burned mercilessly overhead as the group trudged through the Scorch. The relentless heat weighed on them, the air dry and heavy as it filled their lungs. Each step felt like it could be their last, but they pushed forward, driven by the need to survive and the hope of finding a way out.

Lila walked ahead, her eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of danger. Minho and Newt followed close behind, their usual banter subdued by the exhaustion. Teresa walked in silence, her gaze focused on the ground as she stayed close to Thomas.

"How much further?" Frypan asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Shouldn't be far now," Lila replied, squinting as she looked toward the distant mountains. "There's supposed to be some kind of outpost up ahead. If we can make it there, we can rest and figure out our next move."

"Assuming WCKD isn't already there waiting for us," Minho added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Lila smirked, but didn't respond. She knew Minho was right. WCKD had been two steps ahead of them this entire time, and it was only a matter of time before they caught up again. But for now, they had to focus on surviving.

They continued walking in silence, the tension between them growing as the landscape remained desolate and barren. Thomas glanced at Teresa, noticing the distance she'd been keeping from the rest of the group lately. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but every time he tried to approach her, she brushed him off.

Lila slowed her pace, allowing Teresa to catch up. She hadn't forgotten their earlier tension, but something in her gut told her that staying divided wasn't going to help anyone. "Hey," Lila started, glancing at her from the corner of her eye. "You doing okay?"

Teresa hesitated, clearly surprised by the attempt at friendliness. "I'm fine," she muttered, not making eye contact.

Lila sighed. "Look, I know we're not exactly best friends, but if something's bothering you, it might help to talk about it."

Teresa shifted uncomfortably. "I'm just trying to focus on staying alive."

"Right." Lila nodded, her tone skeptical. "That's what we're all doing. But if you've got something on your mind, something that could affect the rest of us, now's the time to say it."

Teresa remained silent for a moment, her lips pressed into a thin line. "It's nothing. Really."

Lila wasn't convinced, but she decided to let it go for now. "Alright, but if you're planning to pull something, just know that I'll be watching."

Teresa glanced up, meeting Lila's eyes for the first time. "I'm not planning anything."

"Good," Lila replied, her tone flat. "Because if you are, you're not just putting yourself at risk. You're putting all of us in danger. And I won't hesitate to do what's necessary to keep this group alive."

The air between them was thick with unspoken tension, but Lila turned and walked ahead before things could escalate further. Teresa's expression remained unreadable, but there was something about her that Lila just couldn't shake—a sense that something was off.

Ahead, Minho was waiting for her, leaning casually against a broken piece of wall. "So, how'd that little heart-to-heart go?"

Lila rolled her eyes. "She's still as friendly as ever."

Minho grinned. "Figured. She's a tough nut to crack."

"Yeah, well, I don't trust her," Lila said bluntly. "Something's not right with her."

Minho's grin faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "You think she's hiding something?"

Lila shrugged. "Don't know. But whatever it is, it's gonna come out sooner or later."

They continued walking, their conversation dying off as they caught up with the rest of the group. As they approached a cluster of rocky hills, Lila raised her hand to signal them to stop.

"Hold up," she said, her voice low. "I think I see something."

The group immediately crouched low, scanning the horizon. Lila squinted, her sharp eyes narrowing as she spotted movement in the distance. A group of figures was approaching, their forms blurred by the heat waves rising from the ground.

"Cranks?" Frypan whispered, his hand already reaching for his weapon.

"Can't tell," Lila replied, keeping her voice low. "But we need to be ready."

As the figures drew closer, it became clear that they weren't Cranks—but they weren't WCKD soldiers, either. They were a ragtag group of survivors, dressed in tattered clothing and armed with makeshift weapons.

"Who are they?" Thomas asked, his brow furrowing.

Lila stood up, her hand resting on the grip of her gun. "We'll find out soon enough."

The group of survivors stopped a few feet away, their leader stepping forward. He was a tall, grizzled man with a scar running down the side of his face. His eyes were cold and calculating as he sized up Lila and her group.

"You lost?" the man asked, his voice rough.

Lila crossed her arms, her posture unyielding. "No. Just passing through."

The man chuckled darkly. "No one just passes through the Scorch. Not without a reason."

"We're looking for shelter," Lila said, her voice steady. "Heard there's an outpost nearby."

The man raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think we're gonna help you?"

"We're not looking for a fight," Lila replied. "We just need a place to rest, and we'll be on our way."

The man eyed them suspiciously for a moment before glancing back at his group. "You're not with WCKD, are you?"

"No," Lila said firmly. "We're running from them."

The man seemed to relax slightly at her words. He gave a short nod. "Alright. There's an old bunker not far from here. You can stay there for the night. But you leave by morning."

Lila nodded in agreement. "Deal."

As the group began moving again, following the man and his people, Minho sidled up next to Lila. "That went better than expected."

"Yeah," Lila muttered. "But let's not get too comfortable. Something tells me this place isn't as safe as they're making it out to be."

Minho shot her a grin. "What, you mean the guy with the giant scar and murder in his eyes didn't give you the warm fuzzies?"

Lila smirked, glancing sideways at him. "You've got a real knack for sarcasm, don't you?"

"It's a gift," Minho replied with a wink.

"Just keep your guard up," Lila said, her tone serious. "We're not out of the woods yet."

As they approached the bunker, Lila couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go very, very wrong.