Different (The Maze Runner)

Chapter 22

"Alyssa, this is Aris." Teresa points to a boy standing across from me and her.

Aris smiles a little. "Hey."

"Hi."

"So, you're the rumored werecoyote?"

I nod. "The Trial."

"You're more than a trial. You're a human being."

I laugh. "Yeah, right. I'm as much a human being as a sponge is a starfish."

"Well, whatever you consider yourself, you're more than just a trial. It isn't your only purpose."

"Actually, it is. That's the only reason I'm here."

Teresa says "well since you two are hitting it off so well I'm gonna step out."

I grab her arm and quietly say "don't you dare leave me alone with him."

"It'll be fine. I've got work to do." She takes my hand off her arm and walks out of the room.

Aris says "so, mind if I ask to see the werecoyote part of you?"

I take a deep breath and close my eyes. When I open them, they're blue.

"Wow."

My eyes return to brown. "I'm another trial, an attempt to find a cure."

"So, there's a group of you then?"

I shake my head. "Just me."

"So would that mean you're...?"

I nod. "This was an attempt to save me before it's too late."

"And, how long has it been?"

I look at the ground. "Maybe a couple months? I don't know, I stopped keeping track of time."

He nods. "What did Teresa say your name was again?"

"Aly-Coyote."

"I know your name isn't Coyote."

"That's what Chancellor Paige wants me to go by."

"Well, I wanna know your real name."

I sigh. "Alyssa."

He nods again. "Well Alyssa, I'm Aris." He sticks out his hand, and I shake it.

--

"Coyote, come with me." A blond woman who by now I know is Chancellor Paige walks up to me.

I nod and stand up, then follow her into another room. "Is there a problem? Time for my check again?"

She shakes her head. "No, we're done with those checks. It's been well over a couple years, we've got everything we need."

"Then what's the problem?"

"You were just monitoring Subject A5, correct?"

I nod. "Yeah?"

"Then you must be aware, his suicidal intentions have returned."

I slowly nod. "Yes, I saw that."

"Well, he's one of our most promising subjects. We can't let that one get away. We need to save him."

"Would you like me to control him?"

She shakes her head. "You'd have to constantly be controlling him in order for that to work. We need our subjects to act of their own free will. I'm considering a new Variable."

"Which would be?"

"A girl in their Maze. And I want that girl to be you. You've taken special interest in that subject, here's your chance to do him some good."

"But... what about my job? My brother? My friends?"

"We've got plenty of employees, your brother would follow you, and your friends are going in anyways."

I look at the ground. "I-I'm sorry but I can't. I can't do that to Aris."

"Oh right, you're currently in a relationship with Mr. Jones."

I nod. "I can't do that to him. I love him I can't just forget about him and go running around a Maze with another guy."

She puts a hand on my shoulder. "Alyssa, he'd know it'd be in the interest of finding a cure. He knows that A5 is a highly valuable subject that we'd do anything to save, since we're so early in the trials."

I sigh. "This isn't much of a choice, is it?"

"We've already decided. You get three weeks. You're next."

"Why me?"

"Because. We have reason to believe Mr. Newton might've already fell in love with you before we put him in that trial. Whenever you'd go in and be the one to test him, he'd always do his most impressing work. You cause him to work harder. You could be the only one who can save him now."

I nod.

"And, you won't be able to communicate with your significant other. You need to believe there's Newton, and only Newton."

"Why don't you just send Thomas and Teresa next and get them out of there?"

"Your brother is going to be a highly important variable. We need to send him in before them Newton can't wait two months."

I look up at her suspiciously. "Chuck will be an important variable? What's he gonna do?"

She looks into my eyes. "Something that'll narrow down our options for a Final Candidate. Trust me."

I nod slightly. "I have no choice but to trust you at this point."

She nods. "I suggest you let your brother know about the change of plans."

"Yes Chancellor Paige."

"You've been here for years, call me Ava."

I nod. "Yes Ava."

--

I walk into a room with a small table and two glasses of water. There's a boy sitting at the table, he has blond hair and brown eyes. And his face... it's familiar. It's Newt's face. That little boy is Newt. And I'm me, just a few years younger.

I walk through the room and sit across from him at the table.

"Hi Coyote." He smiles at me.

"Hey Newton." I pull a small bag from under the table and put it on the table. "Ready?"

He nods. "Ready."

I open the bag and spill the contents onto the table. It's a puzzle with probably about one hundred pieces.

He immediately grabs at the table and starts putting the puzzle together. Within the next seven minutes or so, he's finished.

"Wow, I think that's a new record."

He smiles. "I did good?"

I nod. "You did excellent."

"Anything else?"

I shake my head. "No, just one today. But there's gonna be quite a few tomorrow, so get some rest."

He nods slightly. "Yes Coyote."

I smile a little and say "if you want, you can call me Alyssa."

"Alyssa?"

I nod.

"Why?"

I shrug. "That's my real name. That's what most of my friends call me."

He smiles. "Okay, Alyssa."

I smile slightly. "I've gotta go head back to work, but I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

He nods. "Have a good day."

I nod. "Thanks. You too."

**A/N hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated much lately, been having a crazy time, and I have a maze runner/teen wolf imagines blog on tumblr now and I get lots of requests for that. But I go back to writing this every time I clear out the ask box. So, I'm gonna try to write more now.