Whatever It Takes ↠ Newt [The Scorch Trials] ¹

TWENTY THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Betrayal

           "WHAT THE HELL do you mean who is she?" Hana snapped at Frankie. "Why are you with them?"

Before Mae could say anything to Frankie or before the red head could reply to Hana, Ava Paige scanned through the rows of teens, clearly searching for someone. Her eyes landed on Thomas and gestured for the guard to bring him to her. She then looked down glanced back at the rows and her eyes met Mae's. The woman then pointed to her.

Janson was the one who yanked Mae upwards and pushed her towards Ava. The girl rolled her eyes as she stood next to Thomas, her jaw clenched while she adjusted her jacket. Her gaze then averted back to Frankie who stared back at her.

"Hello, Thomas, Mae." Ava greeted and noticed Mae's concentration on Frankie and gestured to the red head to come forward. "Mae, I believe you know my helper, Frankie."

"What the hell did you do to her?" Mae demanded, turning to Ava.

"Well, Frankie was always one to comply, so once we got everything we needed from her blood, we restored her memories and she agreed to the swiping of her time in the Maze."

"It was the best choice." Frankie weighed in before anyone else could. "Having personal attachments is dangerous in this line of work. I'd rather do without the burden."

Mae shook her head. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. But she did know that Frankie was dead, the girl standing in front of her now was not the friend she had in the Maze.

"Line of work?" Mae scoffed. "You're supporting the killing of innocent kids. You were that innocent kid. And now you're helping them?"

Frankie shrugged. "For the greater good."

"You're disgusting." Hana jibed from the side.

The red head didn't reply, but her eyes drifted to Teresa who now made her way into the scene, a WCKD soldier following behind in a protective manner. Both Frankie and Ava held their arms out to her, the blonde woman offering a small smile to the blue eyed girl. "I'm glad you're safe."

Mae's eyebrows furrowed as she exchanged looks with her friends. The girl then glared fiercely at Teresa once it had clicked in her head, Teresa was how WCKD found them. Mae tilted her head to the side. "It was you. You're how they found us."

"What the hell?" Frypan exhaled as he stood up, hurt written all over his face. "Teresa?"

"Wait," Newt called, him, Minho and Harriet now standing next to Thomas and Mae. "What's going on?"

"She's with them." Thomas replied bluntly, not making eye contact with anyone.

Minho looked to Thomas. "Since when?"

"Well, just like Frankie, Teresa's always had an appreciation for the greater good, once we restored her memories." Janson revealed, both his hands on Frankie and Teresa's shoulders. "It was only a matter of time."

Both the Gladers and Mae stared at Teresa with disbelief and disgust. They went through all that hell for nothing. Teresa looked to her former friends, guilt flashing across her face. It even made her upset to think Mae would now hate her forever too. Though the brunette would never remember, the two girls were good friends before the Maze.

"I'm sorry." Teresa croaked, her eyes watering. "I had no choice. This is the only way. We have to find a cure."

"She's right." Frankie piped up, but unlike Teresa, her face showed no sympathy. "This is how we save the world."