Tired of Running

68|| the traitor

// but for now
it's time to run \\

     •
    
     Harper lay curled up with her head in Newt's lap, breathing slowly as she watched the sun start to set below the mountains.  Minho was yawning, half asleep as he leaned back against a rock.  "I don't know how he can just take her back."  Harper sighed, "The same way you would if Wicked took control of my brain..."  Newt was cautiously playing with her hair, frowning to himself.  "I don't trust her...  You would have fought it.  You would have-"  Harper shook her head, "Min... Please.  It's not her fault."  Newt stayed quiet, not wanting to voice his complete agreement with Minho.  It would be different if it were me.  Harper stretched slightly, rubbing her face tiredly.  The trucks were all loaded, people starting to finally quiet down.  Teresa was standing on the cliff, watching the sky.  Thomas had gone to join her..  Harper didn't trust her either, but they were good together.  "Hey-"  Minho nudged Harper, making her jump, "I asked you a question, shank."  Harper shook her head, "Sorry...  What?"  "The Safe Haven,"  Newt repeated, "What do you think it'll be like?"  The Safe Haven.  Harper didn't even know if she believed it existed...  "I dunno... Hopefully quiet. Away from the world..." She sighed, her spirits even lower now. Newt wrapped his arms around her tightly, using the top of her head as a chin rest. Harper closed her eyes, letting her mind once again quiet in this moment.

"RUN-" It took an entire minute for chaos to spread. Newt had pulled Harper against his chest, rolling onto the ground face down. People were screaming as an explosion shook the camp. No... No no no. Guns were being fired, more screaming, the loud motor of a Berg shook Harper's skull, making her cover her ears. No. It was them. "ITS WICKED-" Thomas was running like a mad man through the camp, racing madly towards Jorge and Brenda, who were beside Vince, firing away. "THOMAS-" Harper screamed for her brother desperately, not at all surprised he was in the middle of the fight. Minho had run after him, streaking passed Harper just as she reached for him. "NEWT-" Her voice was full of warning, grabbing his arm tightly. The boy ran, pulling her along behind him.

Harper crashed into Aris on the way to Thomas, both falling to the ground, her head hurting from the impact, "What happened-" She had to shout over the noise, "Teresa betrayed us." The boy looked terrified, panicked, angry... Harper felt her blood boil. She strained her eyes to focus through the crowd, finally locating Minho. Harper joined his side, grabbing his gun and running towards the traitor herself. Gun raised, heart racing with fury. Newt was yelling, Minho was running after her, looking proud- but she knew she wouldn't- she couldn't- "HARPER, NO-" Thomas had joined in just as another explosion hit a truck, killing the five men near it. This was all her fault... She did this to them. "TERESA." Her voice didn't shake this time, her hands steady, "You did this. We're back in their hands because of you." Harper forced herself to breathe, "I will not let them go back." Teresa's eyes were wide, looking to the far off gladers desperately as if they would stop this crazy crank. "Harper-" A gun fired, followed by the zaps and crackles of electricity. Harper hit the ground hard, screaming as tendrils of electricity traveled over her paralyzed body. Somewhere behind her, there was a rage filled scream. Harper stayed conscious just long enough to see Minho body slam into the man that shot her.

Only minutes later, someone kicked her hard on the side. Harper moaned, rolling onto her face. Her hands were tied. A gag in her mouth. "IF YOU TOUCH HER AGAIN I WILL MAKE SURE YOU- BLOODY FINGERS OFF-" Harper's ears rang as she tried to focus on Newt and Minho's combined rage. Her head hurt... Her body ached.
Newt.
Minho.
Where was Thomas?
Harper forced herself to focus, begging herself to just stay conscious. Minho was staring down Jansen. Jansen... Insults and curses formed in Harper's head but she forced them away. "Hey-" A Wicked guard grabbed her roughly, "I see you woke up-" He shoved her into Minho roughly, the bondage doing nothing to catch herself. She fell right into Minho's knee, groaning in pain. Minho had been gagged, but was still clearly yelling. Newt had moved over Harper, staring at her in worry, "Fine-" she spat out, getting the gag away from her mouth. "Minho-" Harper looked at the boy sternly, "Stop. You need to stop, they'll kill you." Minho was still fighting, jerking violently to break through the rope, "Please." Harper hit him with her knee, her eyes now desperate. Minho stopped fighting, looking at Harper anxiously. Jansen smirked as he approached, "Hello again, Mister Park... I must say it's nice to see you again. Even though it is...unfortunate circumstances." Harper stared up at the man, putting all her hatred and anger towards WICKED into one look- towards one man.
"Shuck off."
Minho smirked proudly- solely for the fact that his girl hadn't used the glader slang... Jansen just smirked, "All in good time I'm sure. Unless of course..your friends can save us from that fate." This comment made something in Harper boil, her brain flipping a switch. She jumped to her feet, mindlessly, tackling the rat man with no arms in use, falling forward stupidly...helplessly. Another gun fired, making Newt and Minho both jump to their feet. "That's enough." A woman stood beside the man who had fired the gun, sighing quietly, "Please. Fighting will only make things worse." Harper stood to her feet, shaking. Ava Paige.

The woman narrowed her eyes slightly, "I'm afraid we have no use for her..." Her voice was emotionless- as if she were talking about a single scrap of left over fabric. But isn't that all she was? A leftover... A useless piece to the wrong puzzle... Janson, eagerly, had raised his own gun. "Don't worry about her, Chancellor. She won't feel a thing..." Harper's heartbeat betrayed her, but she stared into the man's eyes coolly. Minho and Newt had already came running, "STOP." Thomas stood up from the middle of the wrangled subjects, "Let her go, Janson." The man rolled his eyes, "Thomas.... There you are." Thomas was holding a grenade. His other hand on the pin. You shuck idiot.
"I said let her go. Or I will end it right here. How useful will my blood be if it's all over the ground?" The WICKED employee's faces had changed- panic, anxiety, fear... They knew him too well to know he wasn't bluffing. Janson, slowly, lowered his gun, "Alright, Thomas... No need to be rash." Harper finally exhaled, closing her eyes. Thomas lowered his arm, looking slightly more satisfied, "Let them all go... I'm the only one you want." Ava nodded, looking to Janson for just a moment. The man's rat teeth showed again as his lip twitched just slightly, into a smirk. "No..." He raised his gun again, firing it at Harper.