Marooned | Maze Runner | Minho

62. 𝑅𝒶𝓉𝓈.

Darkness surrounded the two teens as they crept through the moist darkness. Their boots landed in shallow puddles after every step they took. They both held small flashlights that didn't do much to fight the never ending darkness.

Gally held the wrinkled map, carefully studying the path Lawrence had set out for them. Viya followed close behind, keeping her ears alert for any threatening sounds. Lawrence said that there would be no cranks in the tunnels, but Viya didn't believe him.

Cranks were like rats. No matter how hard you tried to keep them out, they'd always get in. They were impossible to get rid of, you could set traps or go hunting. But they'd still always be there.

Gally turned around to look at Viya, he gave a slight nod and a subtle hand gesture towards a hole in the wall. Viya nodded back at him before she climbed into the tunnel behind him.

Wind whipped past Viyas face. A long, sleek train was rushing through the tunnel, it's silver body blurring into a speedy blob.

Gally pointed to a point on the map. It depicted the sewer tunnel, then the small hole into the train shaft. Viya followed Gally's finger towards the rough sketch of a ladder that would supposedly lead into the city. He shoved the map into his pocket as the end of the train became visible.

The second the last train car passed, Gally leaped down from the edge, his boots crunching the gravel beneath him. He didn't have to look back to know that Viya was following behind him.

They ran for what felt like ages, Viya heard the next train in the distance, slowly getting closer and closer. Gally reached the ladder before she did, he quickly scrambled up it. He tried to open the hatch, yet no matter how hard he pushed it wouldn't open. Viya looked up at him with panicked eyes at the base of the ladder.

"It won't open!" Gally yelled.

"Push harder!" Viya shouted back, knowing her advice was useless.

She glanced back at the fast approaching train, this was it.

Just as she was about to close her eyes, the hatch loudly opened. Viya leapt onto the ladder and scurried up it, just as the train passed.

She flopped down onto the floor, heavy breaths filled her lungs.

"Sorry about that." Gally said through heavy breaths.

"Ah no worries." Viya panted.

The pair eventually gathered themselves and began their journey. They entered the city in a deserted train station, they tried their best to blend in yet they still looked out of place.

Viya had worn her nicest clothes, yet in comparison to the city folk she looked like a slob. The women wore stylish pants suits with impractical heels as if to flex the fact that they didn't have to worry about the apocalypse outside. The men wore sleek suits and took calls on cell phones as they walked. Even the children looked above it all, wearing clean and well fitting clothes with bright colors and tidy hair. It was as if the entire world had been flipped, and the world was looking down on Viya.

She knew Gally felt it too, she tried not to stare but it felt as if she had been transported to a different dimension where cranks didn't exist and happiness was in abundance.

They stuck to the edge of the crowd, ducking into alleyways to sketch the street layouts and looking for any significant buildings.

After an hour of searching, they finally found it. The WCKD headquarters.

Viya thought it would've been harder, but like the egotistical pricks they are, they had their logo slapped onto the side of the building in big glowing letters.

Gally quickly scribbled down its location as Viya stared at the building with a mixture of hatred and awe.

"We should get going." Gally said.

"Hm?"
"We should get going." He repeated, "Sun's about to rise."
Viya looked behind her, "Yeah you're right." She said, "You think this is enough for Lawrence?"
"Should be, if it's not he'll send us back."

—----------

Thomas leaned against the table, studying the hundreds of papers scattered on the table. They had been planning Minho rescue for months, and the plan was at a standstill.

"How do we know he'll be on the train?" Brenda asked.

"We don't." Thomas responded coldly.

"They said on the radios that they'll be transferring blocks A,B, and C." Jorge answered, "And you said that you guys were called 'group A', so I'd guess he'd be in that group, no?"

"I wish we could just know for sure." Newt groaned.

The room fell silent as everyone studied the information on the table. Jorge had been spending every minute listening in on WCKDs conversations over the radios. Brenda had been taking groups to go scavenge for supplies while scouting the area. Newt had decided to help teach others how to use weapons responsibly while Nash and Jeff taught people basic first aid.
"I heard something on the radio awhile ago, I'm not sure if i mentioned it." Jorge began, breaking the silence. Everyone's attention fell onto him. "Apparently a van was intercepted and a subject or subjects were taken."
"What does this have to do with us?" Nash asked.

"It means that they probably heightened their security, so the estimated number of guards on the train is probably more than we guessed."
Thomas rubbed his chin, "Fuck." He muttered.

"If only we could just sneak inside the train rather than having to intercept it completely." Newt muttered.

"Yeah, like it'd be so much easier if we had someone sneaky enough to go in and out without getting noticed."
The room fell silent as everyone fantasized about their situation being easier.

"If only Viya was here." Thomas mumbled, though everyone understood what he said.

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AN

gang how are we at 30k reads?!?! 

It's actually baffling 

Tysm for reading!