𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿

58.. the iron lion

The thick clouds that hung over the ship earlier had thinned, allowing the sunlight to break through and cast a glow over the deck.

The weather was still slightly chilly due to the sea breeze, but the day felt less dreary than the morning.

"Vincent?" Matt called. "I've been thinking about something."

Vincent looked up from the map he was studying, pushing aside his glasses. "Yes, Matt? What is it?"

"We gotta gather everyone for this type of talk. I think I know just the place where we could seek refuge." Matt said.

Vincent raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You know a place? Where is it? And why do we need to gather everyone for this?"

"Like a meeting. So everyone can knows what kind of place it is."

Vincent nodded, understanding the importance of sharing the information with the whole crew. "Alright, I get it. A meeting it is. We'll gather everyone and hear what you have to say."

The living room was filled with the entire group, sitting in a circle on the floor, their attention focused on Matt. They waited for Matt to reveal the information he had to share.

Matt, taking the center of the room, began to explain the plan he had in mind. "Guys, I've been thinking about where we could go for safety. Well, there's a place that I know of – a hidden place, far away from WCKD's reach."

"When Hugo, Luke and I were younger, we lived with a rebel group called the Iron Lion. They had this incredible base they'd spent years building, deep in the city and camouflaged. It was their hideaway, a secret place they used to plan their resistance against WCKD. And I think it could be the perfect place for us to take refuge."

The room fell silent for a moment as everyone absorbed the information.

Vincent then spoke up, his voice laced with skepticism. "A rebel base in the mountains, you say? How do you know it's still there? WCKD could've discovered it by now and taken it over."

Hugo spoke up to address Vincent's concern. "Vincent, you've got a point, but the Iron Lion was good at hiding, real good. They knew how to keep themselves under the radar. And it's not like WCKD can be everywhere at once, right?"

Vincent nodded, acknowledging Hugo's point. "Okay, I'll give you that. But even if this base is still there and WCKD hasn't found it, how do we know it will be a safe haven for us? I mean, how can we be sure we won't be walking into a trap?"

"A trap? That base has been our home our entire life." Matt exclaimed.

Vincent raised an eyebrow, not quite convinced yet. "I don't doubt that. But a lot of things can change, Matt. You've been away for a long time. Maybe the place isn't what you remember, or maybe the rebels no longer trust you. We need to consider all possibilities."

Matt sighed. "Alright, you have a point. But this base is the best shot we've got for safety. We'll be off the radar, secluded, and the Iron Lion knows how to survive tough situations."

Vincent gave a reluctant nod. "I suppose you're right. It's better to have a plan than to be sitting ducks, waiting for WCKD to find us. But, Matt, this place better be solid, or we're in deep trouble."

Matt leaned forward, looking around the room to make sure everyone was on the same page. "Guys, this base isn't just anywhere. It's hidden deep in the city, but close to the mountains. This gives it extra concealment and it'll be harder for WCKD to sniff us out in that area."

"And," Hugo added, a hint of excitement in his voice, "the base has everything we need to survive. Food, clean water, shelter. It's like a small community. We lived there all of our childhood."