*WARNING* If you haven't read Book I, please read it before this one!
(y/n)'s out of the maze, or so she thought.
Memories of the past come back to her in her sleep. When she wakes up in a strange, unfamiliar place far from the maze, she's instantl...
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Everything is going to change.
A woman's face comes swimming into my vision. Pale skin. Blond hair. Stark white lab coat standing out against the blue of everything else.
Ava Paige.
"(Y/n)? Can you hear me?" She lowers her face to mine, eyes peering at me, a slight frown furrowing her brows. My head lolls to the side, the whites of my eyes starting to show.
"(Y/n). I'm sorry for doing this. It's not what your father would've wanted. But I'm afraid you leave me with no choice." Her face hardens, mouth pressing into a thin line. My mind is foggy, and already the effects of the Swipe are starting to take effect. I'm starting to forget who I am, where I am, what's happening to me.
"You're wrong, Ava." One last attempt to open my eyes and look the Chancellor in the eye. Talking is an effort, like I'm trying to say the words through a mouthful of thick syrup.
"There's always a choice." I smile at her, teeth showing. A fleeting look of regret flashes across her face before the procedure fully puts me out of consciousness.
—————
"(Y/n)! (Y/n)!" Minho's lightly shaking me awake. A series of explosions of pain rocks my body.
"OW THAT SHUCKING HURTS!" I scream at him, tears beginning to leak out of my eyes.
"Sorry, sorry! I wasn't thinking straight!" Blearily, I open my eyes. The helicopter has landed, and it's dark outside. The helicopter door slides open, and the first thing I notice is how cold it is. A light sweeps out across the empty expanse of desert sand.
"We're here, kids. Get out and run to base. Now!" The boys start jumping out and making a run for it.
"What's the rush?" I grumble.
Somewhere outside, an inhuman shriek sounds. It's definitely not an animal, but it's far from human too. A chill goes up my spine. My face pales when the shriek is joined by countless others, coming together in a twisted symphony.
"What are those?" Minho asks, a hard edge to his voice.
"Cranks." The man in the helicopter with us swiftly grabs his rifle. "You guys need to go now." I get off Minho and pull myself out. A sharp cry of pain escapes my lips but I grit my teeth together, leaning on the side of the helicopter for support. Inside, I can hear Minho shaking Thomas awake, yelling at him to get up.
A huge square building sends giant beams of light sweeping across the sand dunes. It looks like a fortress, and I'm guessing it's their base. A line of men dressed in more identical black uniforms run out. They take their stance in the sand, and start firing at the dunes beyond. My hair flies around my face in the wind that is not only caused by the helicopter, but also Mother Nature itself.
