I Corrupt. ~ Minho (The Sequel to "For My Help")

The Unexpected Group

A wave of terror rushed straight through River's bones. She felt the colour drain from her face almost immediately, and her palms started sweating. Who knew that such a simple, normal sentence could cause such an intense fear.

"What?" Minho choked out, beginning to use all of his strength to push himself up into a standing position and River followed his lead. Her legs were shaking, but soon enough she was standing tall.

"Do you want me to spell it out for you? There. Is. Someone. Upstairs." Newt glared at Minho.

"Shuckhead." Minho murmured and pushed his way passed Newt to find Thomas, Newt began to follow but River grabbed his elbow and jerked him back slightly.

"How do you know there's someone up there? How are you sure it's not an animal?"

"No animal's footsteps sound like that." Newt answered, then walked off to join the rest of the group. Looking up to the rickety ceiling above her, River shivered. Biting her lip, she jogged over to the others, hoping to hear some kind of plan.

"We need to leave." Thomas stated, the answer completely obvious.

"I think they already know we're here." Frypan looked beyond the group of teens huddled in fear to a hole in the ceiling not more than a few feet away from them. Before anyone had time to ask what he meant, a figure flew down from the ceiling and landed with a thud on the ground, rolling a few feet.

River yelped slightly and covered her mouth, jumping backwards in shock. They all stood there silently as the figure unfolded himself and stood up to face them, rolling out his neck.

"Well, that landing wasn't as soft as I planned." The man chuckled. There was insanity in his eyes, that was clear, but not as much as the the two other Cranks they had seen before. River wasn't sure if that would really make a difference.

"Who are you?" Minho kept his voice strong and unafraid. River was grateful for that.

"My name is Jorge," he bowed slightly. "And I'm the Crank who rules this place." It was silent for a few seconds as the group took in his appearance.

"How many of you are there?" Newt asked.

"What?" Jorge cocked his head and furrowed his brow so quick and sharp that River was afraid he just might break his neck.

"You say you rule this place? Then there must be other cranks, right?"

"Uh, yes! Of course, hermano! Others!" Jorge laughed a little too loud and continued. "There's plenty a'cranks around these parts. The whole city is filled with 'em!"

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Newt replied with a deadpan expression.

"You'll be cranks too, soon. There's still lots of things you need to understand about WICKED, about the city. There's still things you need to understand about the Flare. If you're not infected yet, well there's always tomorrow then isn't there?" Most of the insanity had left his eyes and he looked almost normal in that instant, but that didn't last long. "But, I'm not gonna talk first, comprende? Those who are at a disadvantage get that pleasure!"

"Disadvantage? I'm sorry, but look around.There are eleven of us and only one of you. I'd say you start talking before we make you." A smug smile was planted firmly across Minho's lips and River elbowed him slightly. He turned his head to look at her and she shot him a glare.

"You didn't just say that to me, did you?" Jorge got really quiet, and River knew this wasn't good. She wrapped her fingers around Minho's arm and stood staring at the man across from him, her grip tightening on Minho. "You have ten seconds to apologize."

"One." Jorge counted. "Two. Three."

"Minho do it." River spoke between her teeth, squeezing the life out of his arm, trying to get him to say something.

"Four. Five." 

"Do it!" Thomas spoke now.

"Six. Seven. Eight." 

"Minho! For goodness sake!" River turned to face him and saw something move out in the hallway. Her heart skipped a beat. Minho must have seen the fear in her eyes because he finally gave in.

"I'm sorry." He yelled quickly, making it all sound like one syllable. 

"Now, I don't mean to demand too much. But I'd prefer to hear something with feeling. Don't you all agree?" He waved his hands towards the Gladers like he was trying to pump up a crowd. When he was met with silence, he became much angrier. "Say it with feeling."

"I'm so, so sorry." Minho replied sarcastically, and Jorge kicked him in the shins so hard River was waiting to hear a bone crack. Minho doubled over in pain, groaning loudly. River cringed at the sight of her friend on the ground in pain.

"With meaning!" Jorge screamed at the top of his lungs.

But Minho didn't respond. Instead, he slammed a fist right back into Jorge's shin as hard as he could. River gasped, shocked at how stupid Minho was acting. But as Minho began to lift up his fist again, ready to strike, River jumped up and grabbed his arm and pulled back hard.

"Don't! They'll kill us!" She screamed, as Jorge looked like he was about to explode with rage.

"They?" Minho asked.

"There's way more of them up there." Thomas confirmed. "If you fight, they'll fight."

As if on cue, three or four more cranks dropped down from the ceiling, much more graceful than Jorge had only a few minutes prior. Then, more came down, and more. River was worried they wouldn't make it out alive. The looks on her friend's faces showed they were worried as well.

The cranks were all different types of people. Men, women, and children all surrounded them, taking them in. It looked as though they were planning the perfect attack in their heads and wouldn't hesitate to strike.

"Please, just give me a minute. It won't do any of you any good to hurt us." Thomas pleaded.

"Oh, really?" Jorge almost laughed.

"There's something special about us. We're valuable. Alive." Thomas looked around the room. "Me and you. Ten minutes. Let me just talk to you. Bring all the weapons you want."

"I don't think I'll need any." Jorge smiled slightly. The kind of smile that would send anyone's stomach churning. 

A few seconds passed and he still hadn't given an answer. 

"Ten minutes." Jorge confirmed finally. "Fine."

River watched in silent fear as Thomas began to follow Jorge down a dark hallway, and she hoped beyond hope that she would see her friend again.

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Author's Note

Hey guys! I've definitely been away too long but I've been busy planning my novel for NaNoWriMo! It's gonna be so intense but I'm gonna try super hard to get it done. If it all goes to plan I might upload it to wattpad afterward!

Also, Halloween is coming up! What are you guys going as? My friends and I are going as a group of nerds but I wish we weren't because I like the original costume idea a lot better. We were going to go as the girls from Madeline and walk in a single file line around the school haha!

Sometime in the near future if I get my camera fixed I might make a youtube channel because I've always wanted to do it. Would any of you guys want to watch if I did?

Thanks for reading!

Marin