The Absent Cure (Book Three)

Chapter 3

Jamie stood in shock. Unable to move. Newt turned and looked at her with concern. Jamie turned to Thomas.

"I told you he was on that train."

Thomas rolled his eyes.

"I told you guys!" shouted Jamie, standing up and pacing the floor. "See, I knew I wasn't crazy!" she said as she pointed her finger at Newt. He jumped in surprise.

"Well, let's not get to hasty about that." said Sonya.

Harriet sniggered, trying to hold back a laugh. Jamie just glared at them.

"I'm just saying that since I know him well, I was able to identify his voice."

"Ya, well so can I." said Thomas.

"What do you mean? You literally knew him for two days." said Jamie crossing her arms.

"Ya, well maybe I identified with him better because I'm able to spread my legs without being stared at." said Thomas.

"What are you talking about, all the guys in the glade respected me, right Newt." said Jamie, turning to Newt for reassurance.

Newt looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. He laughed nervously.

Jamie frowned. "Right?!"

Newt gulped. "Well, lets just say, not all the gladers were mature enough for your arrival."

Jamie's jaw dropped. Thomas covered his mouth, trying to hold back his amusement. Jamie blushed furiously.

'How didn't I notice?' Jamie thought.

"Aw it's ok Jamie. Most of the guys there were slintheads anyway." said Frypan

Jamie sat back down quietly. Unable to speak because of embarrassment.

******

Jamie sat against the wall as Thomas explained his plan to go and find Minho.

"There, that's it. It's a few hundred miles. Based on the railways, everything that Aris told us, that's gotta be where they're headed. That's where they're taking Minho. We take everyone who can fight. Follow the roads where we can. We can make it back within a week."

'A week?' thought Jamie.

"A week?" said Vince. "It took us six months to get where we are now. We've got over 100 kids here. We can't just hang out here forever after what we just pulled. You wanna wander off to some random point on the map. You don't even know what's there."

"I do." said Jorge.

'Of course he does. He has the whole world mapped on the back of his hand.' thought Jamie.

"It's been a few years, but I've been there. The Last City. That's what WCKD it. It was their whole base of operations. If that city is still standing, that's the last place you wanna go, hermano. That's the lion's den."

"It's nothing we haven't done before." said Jamie.

"Yeah, with months of planning, and information, the element of surprise, none of which we have now." said Vince sturnly.

"Vince, I've thought this through. Would you just hear me out?" said Thomas, trying to defend his right.

"THE LAST TIME WE WENT OFF HALF-COCKED..." shouted Vince right into Thomas' face. He stopped and took a few steps back. He sighed. "I lost everything. You remember that?.....Look, I know it's Minho. All right? But you can't ask me to put those kids on the line for one man. I won't..."