Like Ashes We Fall

Chapter One

When Minho woke up, he didn't want to know where he was.

It wasn't that he couldn't remember- oh no. He remembered everything in perfect, haunting detail. The feeling of Ari's blood soaking through her shirt, drenching his hands. The way she'd spoken to him, like she knew she was going to die. The way she said goodbye. And how he hadn't stopped her because he knew too, she wasn't going to make it.

And after she'd closed her eyes, panic took a hold of him, so sharp and so sudden that his thoughts became clearer than ever before.

WCKD could save her-but at a price.

"Me for her!" Minho had yelled into the small black radio, that piece of technology now a lifeline for Ari. "I will come with you willingly if you help her! I know you want me, I know I'm immune. I'm invaluable to you."

For a moment no one had responded. The Gladers in the back of the truck, desperately trying to staunch the blood flow of Ari's wound hadn't dared to stop him. Finally, the radio crackled. "A brave offer you have made, Minho." It was Ava Paige's voice. "We accept."

"Doctor first! Send the doctor first or I won't go back with you!" His chest heaved in uneven breaths. He couldn't lose her- he wouldn't lose her. He needed her. Death would not separate them. Not after they'd made it so far.

The black vehicles behind them had halted their pursuit, guns lowered. One of the doors opened and two WCKD soldiers stepped out, a man in a white coat between them. They began to walk to where Minho was standing in the bed of the truck. He gritted his teeth as they took their damn time coming over. Ari was bleeding out, the wound in her stomach open and gaping from the bullet. Blood was pooling on the black, ridged bed of the truck.

Finally the men reached them and Minho stepped aside, allowing the man- the doctor- to perch next to Ari. He'd seen the wonders of WCKD's scientific medicine before, sped up healing, bringing people back from the brink of death. That was what he needed now.

The Gladers shuffled back, Chuck's face streaked with tears at the prospect of losing Ari. Minho's own face was wet from moments before when she'd said goodbye but he didn't care. Newt had his fist shoved over his mouth, half to keep from sobbing, the other half from pummeling Minho for making a rash decision to go with WCKD.

Minho hadn't really dwelled on that part yet, he was focused solely on Ari. They were silent as the man peeled backed her shirt to reveal the wound. Fresh blood oozed to the surface. He opened his bag, taking out multiple things, a syringe, a bandage, a cloth. Thomas chewed his lip from beside Newt, getting a good look at the wound for the first time. They did.

This wouldn't be the first time Ari had defied death, Minho thought, thinking back to the Maze. But in the Maze she had fought tooth and nail to survive. To come back to him. This was different. She had sounded...ready. Tired of fighting. A tear trickled down his cheek, leaving a clean streak in the grime and dust. No, he needed her to come back to him this time.

The man was busy cleaning the blood away from the wound. He'd already applied three doses of whatever was in the syringe to the edges of it. She never stirred. The wound miraculously stopped leaking blood. Slowly at first and then all together. He finished cleaning away the blood and applied another strange liquid to a cloth, and lay it directly on the wound. He held the pressure for two minutes, checking his watch as he went. Then he removed the cloth and the wound looked less like a gaping tear and more like a bullet hole. Lastly he pulled out something resembling a stapler and pressed it to the edges of her wound. Minho winced and looked away as he stapled the flesh back together. Then he stood and jumped off the truck.

Both WCKD soldiers moved forward and grabbed Minho's arms. Newt stepped toward them, to help his friend but Minho shook his head. A sad smile washed over his face as he glanced at Ari and then at them. "A deal's a deal."

"Minho-" Newt balled his hands into fists.

Minho shook his head. "Make them pay," was all he said before they started dragging him back to the black SUV. His friends had stood, still clustered around Ari, watching as he was pushed into the car and out of sight.

Janson was sitting there, a sick smile on his face. "You never fail to surprise me, Minho."

Minho didn't bother to answer, somewhere in the convoluted mess he felt better knowing he hadn't lost Ari. She was alive.

"I'm going to enjoy this," Janson had snarled before someone stuck a needle in Minho's neck and he passed out. He'd woken up here, in a medical lab of sorts. Secured to the bed of course. He jerked, testing the bonds. No luck.

He craned his neck trying to get a look around. There was a long row of beds to his left and right as well as in front of him. With a start he realized there were people in the beds- no- kids. Most were sleeping, others staring listlessly off into space. He laid his head back, the room smelling of bleach and fear. It was deathly quiet except for the raspy breathing of someone, struggling to get air.

The doors to his left slid open with a hiss and a team of doctors stepped through. One glanced at a clipboard and then the numbers at the edge of each bed. Minho held his breath as they passed by him and stopped at a different bed a few rows down. A young boy, about fifteen or sixteen, struggled as they neared. "No-no, please no, please, please, please." He moaned, his voice shrill. The doctors paid him no heed as they rolled his bed out of line and for the door.

The kid thrashed, become more desperate. "No, no-please don't-not again, please, please!"

Everyone else in the room was deathly quiet as the boy's cries went unheard. The doors opened with a hiss and Minho could still hear him yelling as they left the room and went down the hall. Whatever it is, it can't be any worse than the Maze WCKD created for us all to die in, Minho thought.

But he was very, very wrong.

Because that was when the screaming started.