Finality | The Maze Runner / Newt ³ ✓

{1.0}

Disclaimer:

Thomas: My sister went on a cruise so now I'm cutting all the sleeves off my shirts.

Aris: Why?

Thomas: She's like 85% of my impulse control.

-✼-

The truth was out in the open— at least, to Thomas, it was. He shot me a look that said, You were right, but also simultaneously appeared like he didn't want to believe it. Who would?

Even I didn't. Though my hunch had been correct, I didn't feel any satisfaction because of it. Cold dread filled me in place of it. I had expected this to happen, but now that it had, I still wasn't prepared for it to hit me so hard.

I love you. Those words echoed in my head. Maybe being brought here only urged the Flare on more, faster, and maybe his brain was already slipping. I held onto the sentence, replaying it over and over so I could never forget what his voice sounded like when he said it. After all, I was certain I'd never hear him say it again.

"Show us where he is," Minho ordered. When I looked at him, I saw the anguish in his eyes he was trying so desperately to hide, his clenched fists at his sides, the ticking of his jaw as he fought not to lose his temper.

I knew there was only one way this was going.

The guard's hands rose in defense. "Did you not hear what I just said?"

"Your job's not done," Thomas shot back. It was filling me with despair. Since he was my twin and I knew him so well, I could read his thoughts like they were being presented to me in a book. It doesn't matter what Newt said. We're going to find him.

They were ignoring Newt's request because they thought they knew what was best for him.

My lips puckered sourly. I looked at Garret, who appeared pale and was glancing at Minho and Thomas nervously. It seemed like he was taking back everything he said before; he knew they were entering even more dangerous territory by doing this. After all, he had been in the Glade longer than I had, and he'd likely seen his fair share of Minho explosions.

The shorter guard shook his head. "No way. You asked us to find your friend and we did. Give us our money."

"Look, guys," Garret tried to say, "maybe we shouldn't—"

"Does it look like we're with him yet?" Jorge demanded, cutting him off. "No one makes a dollar until you get us all together."

Brenda nodded. Minho's eyes drifted to Garret and I, waiting for our agreements as well.

"I think we're going to stay behind," I said carefully, gauging his reaction.

"Absolutely not," Thomas protested immediately. "It's not safe."

"I'll have Garret with me," I fought back. Then, in order for Minho not to blow up and possibly cause a scene, I lied, "We weren't in a good place when he left. I don't want to make it worse right now."

It was a half-truth. We had fought, but the very last second before he was taken through the door had someone mended the wounds from our arguments. But if Newt caused a scene, I didn't want to be there to witness it.

"Sorry, but the raven-haired one's right," the mustache guard said with a shrug. "You two won't be safe, and both of us need to go with them in case there's trouble."