Remember for the Both of Us [COMPLETED]

29: Leave Me

We straggled back to the room, silent. "What the..." Newt muttered, staring at the window. I started as I realized a brick wall stood immediately outside. "No way they could've put that up in the time we were gone."

Minho tentatively walked up to the bars. "The mortar's dry, too. This has to be the same kind of trickery as the... the bodies."

"None of this is going to make sense," I croaked, throat aching and sore from puking. Suddenly all the fatigue of the last few days came crashing in, and sat down on my bed, hard. "You heard what he said. We need to sleep, and what happens in the morning will happen in the morning."

Slowly everyone rolled into their beds. Thomas, closest to the door, flicked the light off. The room stilled, breathing softly. As the rustling and shifting of sheets stopped, I called out to the Chancellor in my mind. Who knows? I asked.

Nobody but a few I can trust, she answered almost immediately. I'll make sure they won't find you. But you'll still send us data.

Not like I had a choice, I grumbled. And I still hate you, by the way.

Hope--

Lynn, I corrected her, too sleepy to summon anger or chastisement.

Lynn, she sighed. Sure, we have different agendas. But really, aren't we both trying to save the worlds we love?

||

I woke in the morning to Newt pulling aside the blankets. "H--sorry, Lynn? Teresa? It's time to wake up. Guess what's happened now..."

As we rolled out of bed, Minho came wobbling over to us, still drowsy. "We all have some kind of tattoo on our necks," he mumbled. "Look."

He pulled his collar down to reveal black writing on his skin, just like my tattoo. It read Subject A7: The Leader. As we leaned in to look, I couldn't help but notice the oh-so-casual way Teresa placed her hand on Minho's back. I sent her a teasing look as we backed away. "What's that for?" she laughed, mock-offended.

"Nothing..." I trailed off, though my tone said plenty "Nothing at all."

"Wait, do I have one?" she asked Minho, running after him. "Minho, look!"

"What does yours say?" I turned to Newt, who had come up to stand behind me.

"A5: The Glue," he said, bemused. "Do you--"

"I already know what it'll say. You can check if you want." I pulled my hair off my neck as he leaned down. 

"Subject C1--"

"The Actress," I finished for him. "Right?" He nodded. "We should go out into the center room and start preparing to leave. And Newt?"

He turned around, and I stood up on tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "I know it's going to seem wrong, but you have to trust me when I say to do what Janson said. I'll go out and freeze up, and you need to walk through the Flat Trans. I promise--" my voice broke "I promise it'll work out."

"Lynn..." He took my hand. "I don't want to leave you. I can't leave you. There has to be some way--"

"Yep." I kissed him on the cheek. "I'm working on it."

He flushed and went off to help the rest of the boys prepare makeshift bags to carry the food supplies. I worked silently for the morning, dreading the moment when the blank grey pane would appear.

As the time grew nearer, we took last sips from the taps in the bathrooms. I surveyed the faces waiting for the Flat Trans. Minho's eyes were steely with determination, and I noted with a small smile Teresa clutching his hand. Thomas looked sick, a pale tinge to his face. And Newt's eyes were flickering between the Flat Trans and me, dark with worry. 

The seconds ticked on, and Newt edged back to my side, slipped my hand into mine. I closed my eyes and smiled, trying to memorize the warmth of his fingers. Just in case something went wrong.

"I love you," he whispered. "I hope we're doing the right thing."

I opened my mouth to return the sentiment, but my lips froze, trembling, and my fingers turned to steel rods, immobile. My eyes flicked in their sockets to the wall, where the Flat Trans hummed into existence.

Chancellor? I asked. Chancellor?

There was no answer.