STEEL || The Scorch Trials • Newt [2]

Chapter 16

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My muscles tensed up, my eyes squinted shut, my ears drowned out the noises in my surroundings. A new emotion had emerged deep inside my soul. Loyalty. Bravery. Courage. Strength. All of those combined into one. I felt like a new person that was only going to last for a millisecond. I felt like a brave warrior willing to take her life for her people. I was ready to see the other side of it all. The whole new different dimensions of the universe that God Himself has created. I was ready to see my loved ones again. Alby, Winston, Clint, Jeff, Zart, Chuck. Maybe my own parents. I could feel their presence all around me. They were ready to greet us, welcome us home. We just had to wait for it to happen.

"Thomas, stop!"

All of a sudden, we heard a low horn to a truck beeping loudly. The person laying their hand down on the horn didn't stop as if they were trying to get W.I.C.K.E.D.'s attention. We naturally turned our attention to the army truck that came barreling through the burning supplies. The truck drove in the center of the camp as soldiers opened fire on it. The vehicle then rammed into the helicopter, sending it to flip over and break the fans.

They flew in our direction, so we ducked. Now we made our chance to escape. People immediately scattered like roaches, some fighting back. They attacked the guards, grabbing their guns to finish them off. I stood up to my feet quickly, darting my eyes everywhere, oblivious to our situation for a moment. A W.I.C.K.E.D. soldier aimed the gun at Thomas, but he remembered the bomb still clutched in his hands. He tossed it at the three soldiers, then yelled for us to get down.

I didn't hesitate for even a second as I dove into the sand, using my arms to shield myself. I felt the ground under me shake as the bomb detonated. Broken pieces flew into the air, then I felt something sharp stab me in my side. I cried out in pain as I glanced down, horrified that a wooden steak about a foot long had gone through my left side and exited out. But not all the way as it stuck inside me. Thinking irrationally, I quickly moved my hand to remove it. I cringed, gritting my teeth together as I felt the splinter move inside me. Then, it was over. One end of the wooden steak was covered in blood. My blood. I glanced down at my torso to find a small open wound where the steak had entered. It was going to leave a mark.

I ignored my screaming pain as I stood up to my feet again, moving to the truck that scuttled around the camp. The door to the vehicle opened, then Jorge hopped out. I widened my eyes. He was alive. But how? The place got overrun, there was no escape for him.

A guard cocked his gun back and ordered him to freeze. I went to go help him immediately. I didn't even get far though as Jorge pulled out a handgun to shoot him. Well, he can take care of himself.

I suddenly heard Thomas grunting in pain. I looked over, then saw Rat Man punching Thomas. He pinned him down on his back as he swiftly pulled out his handgun, cocked it back and aimed for his head. He said something inaudible, but I knew Thomas was in danger if I didn't move to help him. Just like Jorge, somebody fired a shot at Janson as he fell to the ground. Thomas and I looked over our shoulders to find Brenda in the rocks. She cocked the rifle back, ready to fire another round.

Janson wasn't dead from the shot. It barely grazed him. But that didn't make him give up. He aimed the gun in my direction, putting me in a position where I didn't have time to react. Thankfully, Brenda had my back as she fired at him again. The bullet hit the sand next to him, sand dusting in the air. This time, Rat Man didn't stand a chance as he stood up to run back to the Berg.

We were back to square-one. Everyone had already picked up the guns and began firing away again. I ran to grab a rifle off the ground. There were still a ton of bullets left in the clip as I shot at the guards trying to grab an immune. I saw Vince running back to the same truck with the big machine gun. He began firing away at the guards while steering it. I then heard Minho's voice, but I couldn't hear over the booming sounds of gunfire.

Minho's voice came back again, but it was closer to me. I looked to my right to find Minho running towards me, yelling stuff at me. I didn't know what was happening until it made sense. He was warning me to move out of the way, to get out of here. He was already coming at me as he shoved me out of the way. Newt came out from behind a crate to help me up and run for cover. When I glanced back at Minho, I now understood why he pushed me.

A W.I.C.K.E.D. soldier fired an electric bullet at him. He tensed up while spasming, then fell to the floor. Minho tried to get up, but he couldn't move. Thomas and I came out from behind the crate to help him, but it was too late. Two soldiers picked him up on either side of his arms and dragged his unmoving body toward the Berg where a handful of immunes were packed tightly together. My heart sank. They were going to take Minho away from us.

I called out Minho's name as I ran after him, but I felt two arms holding me back once they caught up to me. I recognized the arms to be Newt's. What is he doing? That was my best friend being dragged away toward a nightmare he would never escape. We had to go after him!

"No! Let go of me!" I begged as I squirmed around.

"Rosalee, I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do!" Newt said honestly in the most heart wrenching way.

"But it's Minho! They're going to take him away! Newt, please!"

I slipped out underneath Newt and ran toward the two guards taking my friend toward the Berg. Newt was faster than me, so he apprehended me once again. This time, he physically picked me up and threw me over his shoulder as he ran along with the remaining survivors.

"NO!" I screamed. "Minho!"

I still fought for my best friend. I wasn't going to just abandon him, leave him behind for bait so we could make our escape. That wasn't fair! Not to him. And not to me! Not the Runner who memorized the Maze, who taught Thomas to become another Runner, who became good friends with me the first day I arrived in the Glade. The one who made fun of me about having a secret crush on Newt, though it was obvious to him I was showing it. If these people got away with taking him, then I was never going to see him again. I wasn't going to hear his witty personality, I wasn't going to tease him anymore, nothing. I didn't want another brother figure of mine gone.

The ones who didn't get taken retreated out behind the dried up bushes, helplessly watching W.I.C.K.E.D. take our loved ones. Because that's what they have always done, just take things from us. They took away our people, our families, our friends, our memories, our lives! If they wanted something, then they would do anything to get it.

The guards, Janson and Ava retreated into the Berg with a few kids that were about to become test subjects. As the door began closing, I happened to catch a glimpse of Teresa. She was going to help them ruin their lives even further! She was going to work with them, help them find this so-called cure.

After the back door had shut, the Berg started up again and lifted into the air. They took what they could then left. Just like that. I stared helplessly after the flying machine through a blurred vision as I fell into the sand, sobbing just as hard when we lost Chuck. Newt held onto me, turning my head to let me cry into his shoulder. My best friends just got taken from me. I'd hate to say it, but Newt was right. There was nothing we could do to help them. Ever.