Whatever It Takes ↠ Newt [The Scorch Trials] ¹

THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Burned

           THOMAS HESITATED AND looked at the Cranks before he took a step forward, the rest of the group following shortly. Mae rolled her eyes, having no choice but to trail behind. "Because following the unknown girl into a dark building guarded with Cranks trying to eat us always ends well."

The short haired girl led them through a small hall. Mae looked to the side and crinkled her nose in disgust at the smell. It was a mix between decaying bodies and dust.

"How do you catch them?" Thomas wondered, referring to the Cranks.

"Catch them?" The girl scoffed. "You think we're stupid?"

Mae looked back to see Newt behind her and she nodded, silently answering the question. The boy cracked a small smile before giving her a playful nudge, urging her to look forward. The brunette whipped her head to the side to see metal bins lined up, fires lit up inside of them, providing warmth around those who stood by them.

The stranger looked back at Thomas. "We don't catch them. We just take precautions when people start to turn."

The group walked through a giant hole in the wall to be met with two men playing cards on a sofa. One man slammed his cards on the table in front of him once he looked up at the group. Mae raised her eyebrows at the man's actions and he stood up.

"Wait!" Teresa called. "Those things back there are your friends? And you just chained them up?"

"No worse than cutting them loose to Crank land." The unknown girl deadpanned with a shrug. Teresa's face hardened, pursing her lips in anger.

Frypan raised an eyebrow. "What the hells Crank land?"

Mae leaned in close to the cook. "Sounds like a fun holiday destination." The tall boy flashed a small smile at her to which she patted him on the back in response.

The girl in the tattered clothing wrapped her fingers around a door handle and turned to them, a smirk plastered on to her face. "You guys aren't from around here, are you?"

No one replied and she slid the door open with ease. Mae's mouth parted once she followed after her to reveal what looked like an old warehouse. It was empty, only broken chairs and carpets scattered across the ground. The sound of quiet talking and crackling fire filled the room and the girl looked around to see adults, wearing ripped clothing and their faces devoid of any emotion– like they had given up on everything.

The girl led them up to a short flight of stairs, only to be stopped by a tall bald man, who came out of a small secluded room. He walked forward and stopped by Minho, his eyes looking him up and down. "So, now we're taking in strays?" His tone was taunting.

Minho's expression hardened as he stared at the man, not blinking or averting his eyes anywhere else. He had just been struck by lightening and lived, he wasn't about to let a stranger scare him off.

"Back off, Barkley." The strange girl ordered, her voice weirdly calm. "Jorge saw them first."

Just when Barkley and Minho finished their little stare down, the bald man let him up the stairs, but then his gaze landed on Mae. She still had bags under her eyes, but looked better than she had earlier in the day. The man blocked her way and smiled. Aris and Newt stepped closer to her– so close that Mae could hear them breathing behind her.