Deserted at Dawn (The Maze Runner)

Chapter 9 // Talking to the Boys

*Robin's P.O.V.*

"Talk," I said flatly. I tried to act neutral; impassive but not bored. I had to keep an act on, for the sake of respect, and my reputation.

"I'm Minho."

"That's nice." Minho. That's a name I can get used to.

"So, what do you wanna know?"

"Everything." About you.

"Right then, we're in the Glade and we call ourselves Gl-"

"How do we get out of here," I asked him in monotone.

"Long story short, you can't," he said sighing dramatically. What?! It must have shown on my face because the next thing he said caught me off guard.

"I know, depressing. Guess ya'll stuck with us, which leads me to what I wanted to talk to you about. Since we're gonna have to live in the same god damn box for who knows how long, we're gonna have to get along somehow."

"I'm listening."

"Yeah Minho, I'm listening too," the other kid said. I realized I still didn't know his name.

"Well, we can start with a little trust exercise, let us down. I can't feel my legs anymore." Anything for your gorgeous little face.

"No. I think you look just fine up there. Now keep talking," I replied. Alex walked up from behind me and pulled her sword out from behind her back.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa wait! You don't want to make choices you might regret," the smaller kid shouted as they both started to squirm in the net. With a clean slice, she cut the rope holding the net up, and they came crashing down.

"Let's hope I don't regret letting you down, for your sakes," Alex said coldly and walked back to the tree. I couldn't help but smile. Minho and his buddy slowly untangled themselves, groaning with every move. When they'd finally managed to straighten themselves, I chose the nearest log and plopped down on it.

"Step one, complete. Now, what's the deal?"

"So you have two choices. One, me and Thomas go to the Homestead, get whatever we took from you, and you can walk back out into the Maze, and die.

"Sounds good."

"Or, we can talk with our leader, let you stay, and you get to not die."

"Sounds even better." I barely got to finish my sentence before another guy appeared.

"What are you doing," he asked in disbelief. Scarlett pounced on him in a matter of seconds, and was strangling him in a head-lock.

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*Scarlett's P.O.V.*

"Who are you?" I screamed in his ear. I tightened my grip around his neck even more.

"Let him go," Minho yelled at me. "It's Newt!"

Taking a closer look at my hostage, I realized that it was indeed Newt.

I loosened my grip from around Newt's throat but didn't trust myself to let him go.

"Who?" Alex questioned stepping out from behind me, holding the tip of the blade dangerously close to him.

"Newt," Minho and I replied simultaneously.

Thomas walked up next to me, and lightly pulled on my arm. A warm feeling tugged at my stomach. Just a mere touch from him would have sufficed. What's wrong with me? I've just met this guy, and look what he has me feeling like.

Newt fell to the ground, coughing and massaging his neck. Minho helped him up, but Thomas kept his hand on my arm.

"Sorry," was all I could get out as I awkwardly brushed his hand away.

"What the bloody hell are you doing with them?" Newt choked.

"It's all good, Newt. I want to talk to Alby about them. They have to stay with us. There's no other choice since there's no shucking way out of here. Don't worry, they're with us now," Minho calmed him.

"We are?" Robin asked. Everyone gave her a hateful glare.

"Okay... guess I'll just..."she trailed off.

"You think Alby's gonna seriously go along with this. Not even his second in command agrees with this."

"You mean Minho? I think he's pretty good with the whole thing," Robin said, turning to Minho who suddenly found his shoes fascinating.

"What, no. I'm second in command," Newt replied confused.

"I knew that was gonna backfire so badly," Thomas chuckled.

"I had to get you to talk to me somehow."

"Oh honey, so you wanted to upgrade to my level of importance," Robin teased.

"How is any of this relevant? Alby is still never going to bloody go along with this," Newt said.

"But I'm guessing you're good with this," Thomas asked.

"No," Newt replied.

"You're good with all of this," Alex asked, a sly smile tugging at her lips. Newt looked Alex in the eyes. For a second he stood frozen like that, but threw his arms up in defeat.

"Yes, fine, I am. I don't see any other way. But how are we gonna get all the other lovin' Gladers to agree without World War III erupting," Newt sighed distressfully.

"I honestly don't know, but why don't we just walk up to this Alby, end of story," Robin responded.

"Didn't you see what he was gonna do to you," Newt said to Robin.

"That was just for intimidation. Besides I was watching the whole thing from the door, there's no way he was ever gonna do anything to her," Minho piped up.

"Okay, then that leaves just the other, oh I don't know, sixty Gladers! They're gonna bloody tear them apart," Newt said sarcastically.

"No one came to tear them apart, or at least Robin, when she passed out in the Homestead. I was watching her the whole time," Minho argued. Robin looked like she had been about to say something, but thought again.

"First off, that was so creepy you can't even begin to comprehend," she acknowledged, "and second, standing here talking ain't gon' do us any good. Like I said before, we'll just have to walk up to this Alby and talk with him." Everyone stood in silence, trying to think of something to say, until Thomas broke it.

"We'll have to tell Alby you're coming though. There's close to no chance of him even talking if you just pop up," he said.

"Okay, anyone got a better idea?" No one spoke. "Guess it's settled then. Now it's only a matter of when."

"Nightfall," Newt said decisively.

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