i. ADA ✒ Minho [TMR] ✓

ɪɪ: ɪ

A MAN OPENED A DOOR AND TOLD THEM TO HURRY INSIDE. They all obeyed and quickly dashed in the dark room. "What's going on out there?" Thomas managed to ask.

"Nothing we can't handle." The man simply replied and shut the door.

"Hey!" Thomas shouted. "Hey! Hey! Let us out!" He banged on the locked door, then stopped when the lights began to turn on.

He turned and looked at something his friends were already gaping at. He walked closer to see if it's real.

"Dibs on the rice!" Suddenly, all of them were jogging to the table full of food. Food that they never had in a long time.

All of them were already munching. Getting the food they could set their eyes and hands on. They revelled the scrumptious taste of the foods in front of them.

They laughed and joked around like what normal teenagers would do.

Then soon, a food fight has commenced.

It was good to have fun. At least once. All they did for the past few days were work, find a way out, and fight. They're memories were taken from them, and then their friends too. All because of WICKED.

They deserve a break.
But it's much better if their friends were here with them. Eating and laughing. Enjoying their freedom.

░░░░░

"SHE WAS SCREAMING IN HER SLEEP." the nurse stated. "But, we got to calm her down right away." she added.

Ava Paige sighed and looked down at the unconcious short haired girl. "She's gaining back her memories." The blonde looked straight at the nurse's eyes, "We need her, she's our best one. We shall see if she comes with us. If not, erase her memories again." The Chancellor said sternly. "Call me right away when she wakes up."

"Yes, Chancellor."

░░░░░

ONCE ALL THAT FOOD WERE IN THEIR STOMACH. The Gladers sat down in silence. "I don't know who these guys are," Frypan started, "But they can cook." He finished with satisfaction etched on his face.

"Who are they really though? I mean we don't know anything about them." said Teresa.

"What we know is that they're no friends of WICKED." said Newt.

Minho was lied down looking at the black leather journal on his hand. It was Ada's.

If only she was with them now..

He feels regret. Regret that he never got to say anything. He remembered her. From the moment he saw her. He knew she was that person. She was his best friend that he fell in love with.

His first day in the Glade, he distanced himself to everybody and found a picture of him and a short haired girl in his pocket. He always found himself looking at the photo whenever he was alone. Then he started to have dreams about her. He didn't know if they were made up or memories, but he liked to think they were from his past. They were just pieces. He was always dreaming about her, but they were always short. It took him months to know who she really is in his life in the past. Her face was the only clear thing in those dreams, others were vague.

He thought she was beautiful.

And he got to see her beauty in person the day she arrived. He was glad that she arrived. He felt happy to know someone of his past, but he can't tell her right away because they all experienced the same thing. She can be overwhelmed or something. He would think he was weird if he comes to her and tell her about his dreams. So, he gave her time. He approached her himself. He knew she wouldn't remember right away. He believed that she will someday, but now, that can't happen anymore.

All because of WICKED.

"That's good enough for me." said Minho who was lied down, now facing his friends. They looked at the Asian. "You guys think too much." He added.

"We're free. Enjoy it." He finished.

They became silent.

We're free.
We're free.
We're free.

Are they really though?

The silence was interrupted by the sound of an opening door. They all stood up and a thin man with gray hair appeared.

"You kids doing alright?" The rat-like faced man started. "Sorry about all the fuss. We had ourselves a bit of a swarm. But it's over now. The thread has passed."

"Who are you?" Thomas asked.

"I'm the reason you're all still alive. It's my intention to keep you that way." he replied, "Now, come with me. We'll get you kids squared away."

They followed the gray haired man, "You can call me Mr. Janson." He said loudly for the teens to hear from all the metal and machine noises.

"I run this place. For us it is a Sanctuary. Safe from the horrors of the outside world. You all should think of it as a way station. Kind of a home between homes." He elucidated. "Watch yourselves."

"That mean you're taking us home?" Thomas asked.

"A home of sorts." He faced the brunette then turned away, "Sadly, there wouldn't be much left of wherever you came from. But we do have a place for you. A refuge, outside the scorch."

"Where WICKED will never find you again." The gray haired man slowly turned to the teenagers following him and looking around the place. "How does that sound?"

Confusion and suspicion, others both, were etched on the Gladers' faces.

Minho looked at Newt then faced the gray haired man, "Why are you helping us?" asked Minho.

"Let's just say the world out there is in a rather precarious situation. We're all hanging on by a very thin thread." Janson replied.

"The fact that you kids can survive the Flare Virus... Makes you the best chance of humanity's continued survival. Unfortunately, it also makes you a target." He turned to the Gladers, "As no doubt by now you've noticed." He added.

"Beyond this door lies the beginning of your new lives." Janson slid his key card and the door moved up.

"First things first," Janson turned to the Gladers, "Let's do something about that smell."

░░░░░

ADA CAN HEAR THE VOICES AROUND HER. She still couldn't move or open her eyes. She doesn't know what was happening to her. What they put in her. And she's scared now that she heard the conversation earlier. She can't have her memories taken away from her again. She can't forget again.

She was surrounded by hushed voices of the doctors and nurses. Other than that, the sound of the heartbeat monitor is the only other sound she can hear. It was like music in her ears that calms her down.

What happened to Minho?
To Teresa?
Thomas?
Newt?
Alby?
Chuck?
What happened to my friends?
Are they safe?
Or are they-

Ada's mind continued to flow with questions. If only she could ask someone and find some answers, but that can't happen now. She's afraid that when they see her even peek through her eyes, they will do the same thing they did to her and her friends. She doesn't want to work with them. That's worse in her opinion.

I want to escape.
I want to find my friends.

AUTHOR'S NOTE
what do you guys think of the first chapter of part 2?