Divided // The Death Cure [Book 3]

TWENTY-TWO

T H I R D   P E R S O N   P O V 

Kasey listened intently to the conversation Brenda was having with Thomas and came to the conclusion that she was going to lose Leah. 

Brenda perked up at the sound of an aircraft landing outside. "Vince?" Brenda breathed as the man stepped into the light. 

Jorge came up to them and chuckled. "Yeah, I picked up a stray," he joked. "Ready to go?" 

"No, Thomas is still inside," Brenda sighed. Vince grinned.

"Well, let's go get him then," he said and held out his hand to Brenda.

"Hell yeah," the girl cheered and took his hand. The rest of the group entered the aircraft and once everyone had found a seat, the plane took off.

Inside the walls, Thomas and Minho were fighting to keep moving. Gally moved ahead of them to clear the path, but it was almost impossible as bombs went off everywhere around them and guns were fired. 

"Just leave me," Newt said with a raspy voice. The disease that was coursing through his veins was starting to get to his head and Leah refused to let herself think of what would happen if they were too late to help him.

Another loud explosion sounded and the group was forced to get to the ground to take cover. Leah pressed her back against the wall behind her as she sat down next to Thomas. Her body hurt in every way possible and she wanted nothing more than to get out of this hell hole.

Their attention was drawn to a Berg flying over the city. The hope that had once left Newt's eyes immediately returned. 

"That's them, we gotta go. Newt, come on." Thomas moved to heave Newt off the ground but he refused. 

"Just go without me. You'll be way faster." He let out a raspy cough. Newt's breathing became heavier and heavier with the minute and this meant that they didn't have long before he'd turn into something that was the opposite of the Newt they knew.

"Minho, you run ahead, get the serum and come back to us as soon as you can. Leah, you go with him, stay with Brenda, it's not safe anymore," Thomas spoke up. 

"No way, I am not leaving you behind," Leah immediately protested. 

"Leah, if something happens to you I will never be able to forgive myself. Please, just think about the baby, okay?" Thomas grabbed her face in his hands. She blinked away the tears.

"Just come back to me, okay?" she said with a trembling voice. 

"Always." He quickly pressed a loving kiss to her lips before she got up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. 

"I'll go with them," Gally offered and Thomas nodded. 

"Wait." Leah knelt down in front of Newt. "Just hang in there, Newt. We'll get you that serum and we're getting you out of here. Just, hold on a little longer, okay?" she said firmly.

Newt coughed. "I will. Just take care of yourself." Leah nodded before pressing a kiss to his forehead. She got up again and ran with Minho and Gally to fetch the serum.

Thomas peeked over the wall they were hiding behind to find the guards of Wicked still shooting at the imposters. His attention was drawn back to Newt who had started to breathe heavier. "Newt? Newt, hey, look at me!" Thomas knelt down in front of him and grabbed his shoulders. Newt's restless eyes stopped and focussed on Thomas. "We gotta get moving. We won't be safe much longer here," he said.

"No, no, just take this! Take it!" Newt bellowed as he ripped off the necklace around his neck and held it out to Thomas. Thomas hesitated. "Just... Please, Tommy... Please..." 

Thomas nodded softly, taking the necklace from Newt's grasp and tucking it into the pocket of his pants. "Okay, now, let's go find Leah and Minho," Thomas said firmly and was relieved to see Newt nod his head.

He threw Newt's arm around his neck and pulled him off the ground. Newt had barely any strength left in his body so Thomas was forced to carry most of his weight. 

The duo limped through the streets and Thomas looked around in fear, trying to find a way so they wouldn't be shot or hit by a bomb. He found a broken window and heaved Newt through it, trying not to hit any of the broken glass shards that were sticking out. 

They entered a distant place where there were no signs of danger yet. Thomas knew they were getting closer and closer to the Berg with the serum so that's why he didn't stop moving. He had to save Newt. He refused to lose another one of his friends.

Newt let out a groan before he stopped trying to stay on his feet. Thomas lost grip and Newt fell to the ground, where he remained still with hitched respiration. "Newt!" Thomas called and leaned close to Newt's head to hear to his relief that he was still breathing. It wasn't normal breathing though, it sounded like he was on the verge of choking.

Thomas refused to give up so he hooked his arms under Newt's armpits and started dragging him with him. But unfortunately, Thomas wasn't strong enough to drag Newt with him because his legs started to fail him and he dropped to the floor, right next to Newt. He let out an exasperated cry. 

"Thomas? Leah?" His head perked up at the sound of Teresa's voice sounding through the air. "Can you hear me?" she asked. "I need you to listen to me." She paused. Thomas looked around, trying to find where her voice was coming from.

He figured that she must've got into Wicked to talk to him through the speaker system."Leah, I know you have no reason to trust me, but... I need you to come back."  Thomas slowly got to his feet. "Leah, you can save Newt. Your baby can save Newt. There is still time for him." Thomas's eye fell on the body of his friend on the floor. 

"There is something about your baby's blood. The combination of yours and Thomas' blood was what we needed to find a cure."  Thomas felt tears pricking in his eyes and Leah couldn't believe what she was hearing as her hand rested on her belly. "All you have to do is come back and this will all finally be over." Thomas was about to believe her, and so was Leah. "Please, just come back. I know you'll do the right th-" Her voice was cut off as the power went out.

Thomas was left in the dark. Two emergency lights flickered on but were nothing compared to the lights that once shone. 

Thomas slowly turned back to Newt, only to find him back on his feet.