Whatever It Takes ↠ Newt [The Scorch Trials] ¹

FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Hanging Out

          MAE'S ARMS HUNG down over her head and she sighed. She glanced up at her feet to look at the rope that tied tightly around her ankles. Thanks to Thomas' plan in listening to what Jorge had to say, the group were all tied upside down over a pit that could kill them if they were dropped.

"This is just great. Thanks a lot Thomas." Mae retorted. "Glad we followed your lead."

"Good plan, Thomas. 'Just hear what the man has to say', really working out for us." Minho remarked mockingly.

"Shut up you two." Thomas grumbled. "Maybe I can reach the rope."

Mae rolled her eyes when she heard both Thomas and Minho grunting as they tried to get a hold of the thing that kept them from plummeting to their deaths. "Yeah and then what, Thomas? You untie yourself and fall to your death? Another quality plan right there. Well done. Just relax, hang out."

The group erupted into a series groans, except for Minho who grinned at Mae's last comment. She was growing on him. Thomas gave up and stopped trying to grab the rope, Mae was right.

"Enjoying the view?" The voice of Jorge mused, earning another eye roll from Mae as the man walked out from the shadows.

"The hell do you want?" Thomas snapped.

Jorge let out a small chuckle. "That is the question. My men want to sell you back to WCKD. Life has taught them to think small, I'm not like that."

"The size of your head says differently." Mae murmured, only loud enough for Newt to hear her, who shot her a warning glare, which she ignored.

"Something tells me that you're not either." The man finished, gesturing to Thomas.

"Is it blood rushing to my head or is this shank not making any sense?" Minho questioned, his voice sounding like he had a blocked nose.

Jorge glared harshly at the boy before turning back to Thomas. "Tell me what you know about the Right Arm."

"Thought you said they were ghosts." Newt recalled, his voice hoarse and strained.

Jorge shrugged. "I happen to believe in ghosts, especially when I hear them chattering on the air waves."

"What are you? A child?" Mae scoffed.

The man pointed his cane in her direction. "I believe the child is at the end of this stick."

Mae smiled sarcastically, her face growing redder. "Which end?"

Jorge's smirk disappeared and was instantly replaced with a scowl. The group tried to resist their urges to show their amusement, but couldn't. If Jorge wanted them dead, they'd be dead, but he kept them alive, which meant he wanted information. Newt, Aris and Frypan grinned at Mae's comment and Minho let out a laugh. Thomas smiled to himself, shaking his head in amusement and the corner of Teresa's lips tugged upwards.

"Watch your mouth, hermana. You wouldn't want your friends to watch as you plummet to your death."

Mae rolled her eyes yet again again as she watched the man make his way to the lever that controlled the ropes holding them up. Her heart rate picked up and she took a deep breath. Jorge held on to the handle, his eyes glued to Thomas.

He, once again, pointed his cane at Thomas. "You tell me what you know and maybe we can make a deal."

"We– we don't know much." Thomas revealed broadly, brushing Jorge off.