The Wolf Trials

Chapter Twenty Eight

In the darkness, a pair of hands clung to the ledge of a door. Newt was dangling in the middle of the shaft, his feet pressed against the walls. Straining to not fall.

Newt was breathing heavily, adrenaline buzzing in his head. They had underestimated the size of the dumbwaiter shaft. It was twice the width the maps had shown.

Newt was reluctant to look down, the darkness of the enclosed space was slowly getting to him.

He hauled himself upwards, pressing against the wall so he was leaning on his elbows. The ledge was barely wide enough to accommodate his arms.

The grip of shoes was slowly slipping. Newt looked at the door in front of him. It was big enough for him to crawl through. A thin gap between metal revealed light beyond. A room? Newt thought.

Balancing on his elbows, he pried his bruised fingers into the gap. He pulled at the door, which creaked before opening.

Light spilled into the shaft. When the overwhelming sensation cleared, he got a good view of the room.

Empty cots lined the walls, each surrounded by equipment similar to that of the room he woke up in.

The room had a clean, medical smell. Newt's nostrils flared in disgust. He pulled out the tablet from his jacket, opening up the map.

He huffed out a sigh. I'm two floors away. So close and yet so far. He thought. Nearest stairwell wasn't far.

He thought about the others. How are they going to get up? The stairs? Newt shook his head, chiding himself. They'll make it up here. In the meantime, I need to find Tommy.

Newt tucked the tablet safely inside his jacket once again. He opened the door handle and walked out. When he rounded the corner, Newt did a double-take. He was in the middle of a reception.

When he casually approached the desk, the man sitting by it gave him a look of disgust. Apparently not happy to see him. The man spoke in a harsh tone, "Interview centre's next right down the hall. Hurry up and don't linger." He eyed Newt's clothing for a moment. The flicker of recognition Newt was expecting never came. He nodded and mumbled a thanks. Walking in the opposite direction to where signs pointed a stairway would be.

Other than the reception, the hallway was empty. The buzz of machinery and lights the only thing making noise on the floor. Newt glanced in a the nearest door closest, the door wasn't made of frosted glass. The temptation to look inside was strong. But Newt resisted. Who knows what could be in there? He thought, turning away.

Eventually, he had climbed up the stairwell. No security had tried to stop him, there had been none in sight.

He raced up the stairs. Only one more flight to go until he reached Thomas. Someone shouted his name, from an open door. "Tommy!" Newt spun around, seeing his old buddy Minho fighting against nurses and guards who were trying to pin him down onto a bed. They were armed with launchers and gas masks.

Newt ran into the room, barrelling straight into a guard, snatching their launcher and knocking them down. With a kick to the head they were unconscious.

Newt whirled around, charging and aiming the launcher at the other guard. Minho used the distraction to hit one of the nurses over the head with a metal tray. With a thud they were sprawled on the floor. Newt fired. The guard let out a scream as electricity fizzed from the grenade, shocking the guard into stunned unconsciousness. Only one nurse was left.

Minho tackled the woman and began beating her with his fists. His face was twisted in anger, Newt had to wrap an arm around Minho and haul him off. A flailing fist clonked him in the jaw.

Moments later Minho calmed down. He gave Newt an apologetic look, as Newt rubbed his jaw.

"Nice to see you're not dead Newt. How's Tommy doin'?"