Steel and Stone [The Maze Runner (Scorch Trials) Fanfiction]

Walk Away

Mal's POV

"All right everyone! Let's go!" Minho shouts, his voice hard and cold. He was dealing with Skylar's disappearance as well as could be expected, all things considered. Newt stood close beside him, keeping a worried eye on our leader. Without Skylar to balance him out, we were all a little worried. At least those of us who knew.

"Where are we going?" Someone whines, I don't know who.

"To the safe haven slinthead." Minho replies sharply. I see Ashley and Brenda making their way over to him, and decide to follow, curious as to what they have to say.

"I thought you said we were waiting another day?" Ashley says. With the threat of losing another member of our group, we had moved our schedule up a day. "Now we're leaving today?"

"We are, You're not." Minho says, glaring at them, "we don't need your help."

"What!" Brenda says looking shocked. "That was our deal! Get you to the safe haven, and we get the cure?!"

"It's not like you need it." Minho says, his voice a low growl, just loud enough for the two girls, me, and possibly Newt to hear.

I see Brenda's face go from shocked to terrified. "How?!" She hisses, glancing around in a circle, as if she could spot the rat.

"Doesn't matter." Newt interrupts, pushing away a seething Minho. "Give us a reason to trust you, or we'll leave you here."

"You need us to get out of the city." Ashely suggests, crossing her arms.

"Hmph." Newt laughs, "no I don't think that we do." He says, pointing to the clearly visible edge of the city. Even Newt, who's usually as mild as they come, is angry today. "Try again."

"They'll kill us if we don't come with you." Brenda says softly, dropping her usually tough act. Now that I know she works for W.I.C.K.E.D, I'm instantly suspicious of her. I wish we didn't have to bring her, but Newt says we do. He says we can't just leave her to die, and that we might need her skills later, whatever that means. I disagree. I think we could do just fine without both of them. Especially Ashley, she's worse than Jessica with the way she whines, complaining about everything, then acting like an innocent princess when people tell her to shut up. Stupid Shank. Even I'm angry today. Skylar's disappearance has made us all angry. She was a sister to me, and I hate WICKED for taking her. Silently I touch the backpack which holds Kay, the only thing I have left of Skylar.

"Alright." Newt says, "but we're back in charge, and we better not have any problems."

"Fine." Brenda hisses back, obviously angry with the proposition but not having much of a choice. Ashely sighs but makes no argument. The girls wander off, whispering to a surprised Jorge before making their way to the back of the group.

"Alright let's head out." Minho announces, heading to the front of the group. Newt and I follow, taking our places behind him. Now, more than ever, we must stick together.

"Wait a minute!" James shouts, frantically pushing to the front of the crowd. He is one of the boys from group B, and from what I've heard, has already caused quite a bit of trouble for Minho and Sky. I wonder what his problem is now. "Aren't you forgetting something?" James says breathlessly, his question clearly directed at Minho.

"No..." Minho says slowly, his eyes narrowing at James' interruption.

"Um, you sure?" James says, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Yes I am sure," Minho replies, his jaw clenching. "if there's something you need to say James, why don't you just say it."

"Where is Skylar?" James finally asks, his harsh voice full of accusation. What? Does he think Minho killed her? As soon as the words are out of his mouth, the whole group starts to spin in circles, looking for Sky, only to find her absent.

"Skylar went ahead of us." Minho says sternly, but I can see the pain in his eyes. "She'll meet us at the safe haven."

"That's a pile of klunk!" James yells, stepping forward until he stands just feet from Minho. His eyes narrow at Minho, "you killed her didn't you?"

That's all it takes, Minho snaps and lunges and James, tackling him to the floor. I peak through my fingers to watch the rolling mass of limbs and fists, dotted by groans of pain and growls of anger. Even Newt just stands and watches, clearing wanting James to be punished. Eventually, Brenda and Thomas, with the help of a few others, manage to separate the two boys. But by then the damage is done. Minho's lip is gushing blood, but that's nothing compared to the state of James's face. Both of his eyes are black, and blood drips from his, now crooked, nose.

"Stop it!" Thomas yells, holding Minho back. "Shucking use your brain Minho!"

"Did you hear what he said?" Minho hisses in reply, yanking himself out of Thomas' grasp, but surprisingly, making no move toward James.

"Just ignore him." Newt says, waving James off and attempting to settle the whole situation down. But even Newt sends a deadly glare in James' direction. Anyone with half a brain knows Minho would never hurt Sky.

Minho glares once more at James, who sits barely conscious at Thomas' feet, before stepping back to the front. "Now, as I said before, Skylar will be meeting us at the safe haven, and I intend to be there, so I'm leaving, you can stay here or you can come, I don't really care which." And with that, he walks out the door.

Newt sighs and takes my hand before leading me out the door behind Minho. Thomas follows closely behind, and soon, so do the rest of the gladers. Once again, we will play W.I.C.K.E.D's game, and just like before, we will face the unknown together, as a group.