❝Save us from the Flare.❞
Before the Maze. Before the Scorch. Before losing her memories. Before losing him to the virus that she was meant to help find a cure to, Adeline was a normal girl.
But she was also very important, and she didn't know it...
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A/N: This chapter has a spoiler from The Fever Code.
16 → "OUTRAGED"
August, 2148.
DAYS LATER, Adeline is making her way back to her dorm after dinner, when Rachel caught up to her in a panic, breathing heavily. Adeline came to a stop, letting Rachel catch her breath until she could speak clearly again.
"I've been looking for you." Rachel stated. "Come with me!"
So Adeline followed Rachel down numerous hallways, until they arrived at the observation room. Inside, Rachel brought up the monitor and controlled a beetle blade. It scampered towards a wall of the Keepers House, climbed and watched as girls were chasing after Sabrina out of the Keepers House and out into the middle of what the girls called the Sector. Sonya got to Sabrina first and rammed straight into her. Sabrina fell to the ground, and Sonya pinned her down. Girls crowded around them.
"What is going on?" Someone asked. "What happened to Sabrina?"
Harriet explained what had happened, how they'd found a syringe in the supplies yesterday, labeled serum. That they'd inserted it into her forearm, thinking it would help her. And then Sabrina went nuts, running around the Keepers House screaming nonsense about the Maze and escaping through the Maze. Sabrina thrashed and kicked, making Sonya struggle to keep her down. Girls helped her pin the girl to the ground, but Sabrina threw a punch at one of the girls and kicked another in the stomach, causing the girl to let go and double over. Gaining to her feet, Sabrina screamed more nonsense, pushing through the girls. The Maze walls started to move, to seal the girls inside the Maze, when Sabrina ran full speed towards one of the Maze doors. Girls yelled over one another, raced after the girl. Girls tried to stop Sabrina, but she was fast, and moments before the Maze walls had sealed closed, Sabrina squeezed through. A deafening silence swept over the group of girls. They stared at the doors. An argument broke out between them, until Harriet intervened and told them to get to dinner. Rachel turned to Adeline.
"What the hell just happened?" Adeline questioned.
"I have no idea."
—
October, 2149.
(Age fifteen, three months prior to Adeline turning sixteen)
Adeline was finally given her departure date into the Maze a week ago. She was escorted to the Chancellor's office sometime early afternoon, after Adeline was talking to Matt in the Group A observation room. But, when she entered, the Chancellor wasn't there. Instead, it was Dr. Paige, Matt's mother. Here, she explained that the Chancellor asked for Dr.Paige to tell her about her set departure date. Adeline was to be sent up in to the Maze in two weeks time. When she was escorted out of the office, they found Matt eavesdropping outside the door. Matt was escorted back to his barracks, while Adeline was escorted back to her barracks. Adeline slept in an empty barracks now. Almost a month ago Victoria was sent up into the Group B Maze, but Adeline was asked specifically not to prep her to go in. Instead, Rachel had.
There was a rumor circulating amongst WICKED about infected staff members. At first, Adeline wasn't sure on what to believe. Then, one day, a week before her departure date, Adeline was locked inside the barracks. According to Matt, this was the case for him, too. Matt didn't know what was going on until a few hours after. Matt found her in the observation room by herself, where he told her the news. He called it the Purge; where the Elites – Thomas, Teresa, Rachel and Aris – helped his mother carry out a plan to eliminate infected staff members, including the Chancellor. Adeline, suddenly outraged, went off to confront Rachel and Aris, but their whereabouts were unknown. So Adeline ran to the Group A side of the compound, where she found Thomas and Teresa wondering towards the Group A observation room. Adeline was half walking, half running through the hallway. She started calling after them. After Teresa.
"Teresa!" Both heard her voice and spun around, stopping in their tracks. "Teresa, I can't believe you two did that to them."
Teresa knew what she was talking about. It happened just hours ago.
"We had to do it."Teresa said. "It was the only thing we could do."
Adeline shook her head. "You killed them!"
Teresa didn't say anything. Adeline turned to Thomas. "I thought you'd at least understand." she spat at him. Thomas just shook his head.
"We had to it, Adeline." Thomas said. "We had no other choice."
Adeline clenched her hands into firsts in frustration. "They're all dead —"
"They were all infected, Adeline!" Teresa snapped. "I don't understand why you're so upset. In a week you'll be sent up to the Maze with no memory. In a week you won't remember any of this."
Adeline unclenched her fists, making her fingers relax. Then without another word, she spun around on her heels and stormed off.
—
Adeline found herself in Chancellor Anderson's old office. It was late at night, but Adeline couldn't sleep. It'd occurred to Adeline that with everything that had happened over the last few years, nobody knew anything of what was to come. They only knew when it occurred. What did they have in store for Adeline? It had to be in the plans. Adeline scavenged through a drawer of files, but there was nothing inside that could tell anything about the Trials. Then Adeline caught sight of the computer, and moved towards it. Of course, if it was anywhere, it'd be on their software. The computer woke right as Adeline touched the mouse, and on the screen was a log in screen. Adeline, never having any experience with computers, gave a groan. She attempted different log in passwords. Each failed.
As each log in failed, Adeline realised how strictly protected their system was going to be. But Adeline continued to try. Fail. Fail. Fail. As her fingers tapped against the keyboard, and as each password was incorrect, Adeline became more and more discouraged. Then there was a beep. Correct. Adeline had lost count of what code she'd used. Adeline watched as the screen showed the system. Files after files cluttered the screen, and Adeline clicked on one that seemed promising. Trials. Adeline tried that, but the folder was password protected also. Adeline huffed, tried another code. But, after three password attempts, the computer shut off. Adeline, confused, stepped away from the computer right as red emergency lights flashed around the office. Suddenly, the door burst open, and two Guards burst into the room alongside Dr. Paige.
