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C H A P T E R  S E V E N T E E N
"Should this be the last thing I see, I want you to know it's enough
for me. "


FOR a moment, Mataya feels normal amid the many people surrounding her - walking about without a single care in the world really. Almost like, they didn't care about what happens outside of those big vast walls. Like they didn't have the weight of the world on their shoulders. 

Obviously, they had their own ideals that made it feel like the world was turning upside down - but no hardship was as difficult as the teenagers, standing in the crowd. No one, had to fight a fight that wasn't supposed to be fought. 

"I always liked malls." Mataya trailed off, looking at windows of the shops - all so appealing. 

Minho raised an eyebrow at her for a moment, "Weren't you like....in the womb when the sun flares hit?" 

Mataya rolled her eyes, "And that means I can't have a taste for fashion? I was seven when my aunt took me in....you guys were already at WICKED. Malls still existed, for the most part. " She muttered, "That's besides the point. I just liked the whole buzz and feel that came along with being in such a busy place. I was never really a country side kind of girl, and although now, I probably wouldn't mind it, having my fair share of dealing with obnoxious people... but, I liked the thought of never seeing the same person again on the streets. The busy crowds, the different people, the whole buzz that came with living in a city." 

"You are getting a bit sentimental on me..." Minho said, "It makes me oddly uncomfortable." 

Once again, Mataya rolled her eyes before she punched him in the arm lightly and reached forward as her arm wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer to her body. She rested her head on his for a moment, squeezing tightly as he gripped onto her arm holding him. 

She let go after a few seconds and smiled at the boy. "You love it." She made a kissy face at him. "Because you looovveee m-" 

Mataya stopped speaking as a man in dark blue jacket approached them, his gaze set on Thomas. His face was straight, giving her an off vibe as he stopped in front of the group. Her eyebrows furrowed together and he opened his mouth before anyone could get a word in. 

"We know some people escaped from WICKED. And judging by the Berg you just came in, waiting outside those walls, I'm guessing you are all apart of that group. I highly recommend you accept the advice I'm about to give you all. You have nothing to be afraid of now - we're only  asking for help and you'll be protected when you arrive." 

Mataya scoffed, "Yeah, right." She muttered under her breath as she elbowed Minho and nodded her head at the piece of paper being handed to Thomas. The man quickly turned and walked off. 

"This guy must be absolutely bonkers if he thinks we are just going to just trust him! Especially after everything we've all been through? You can't just throw the word WICKED and 'nothing to be afraid of now' in the same sentence and think we are just going to drop to our knees and trust you!" Mataya stepped in front of them, her arms lifting up for a moment before they plop down by her side, she shakes her head and looked behind them, watching the man in the dark jacket disappear within the crowd. "Dumbass..." 

"What does it say?" Minho asks, eyeballing Mataya for a moment - as if silently telling her to shut up.

Thomas ignored her also, looking at the slip of paper. "'You need to come meet me immediately - I'm with a group called the Right Arm.'" He looked up for a second, "There's an address along with it." 

Mataya shook her head, her arms crossing over her chest. "No way. We were with the Right Arm. Vince drove us to WICKED in your stupid plan to surrender and save poor innocent Minho here, remember? Which, by the way, I still don't agree on that tactic and if you ever suggest that again, I will stab you myself." 

Subjects Vengeance // The Death Cure [2]Where stories live. Discover now