Sanction -Minho-

Chapter 24

Grace kept to herself the rest of the day. She remained quiet. Jeff thought her behavior was odd. As did Clint, but they never said anything. The new girl's name is Teresa. She's only slightly taller than Grace, but they look different in every possible way.

Teresa seemed nice, but they hadn't spoken to each other. Not directly, at least. Thomas had managed to calm her down, as Grace knew he would. She revealed to him that there was something in her pocket. Two syringes full of a blue liquid. Thomas thought it could help Alby.

There were several people in the Med-Jack hut. They were all surrounding Alby, who was suffering. His body was covered in bulging blue veins. "We don't know what this stuff is." Newt held the two vials. "We have no idea who sent it or why it came here with you." Jeff and Clint were sitting beside Alby. Newt was speaking directly to Teresa and Thomas. Grace was standing beside Minho. The two hadn't spoken since earlier in the day. "This could kill him."

Thomas pointed at Alby. "He is already dying." Grace hated that Thomas was right. Alby wasn't getting better. "How could this make it any worse? It's worth a try."

"Thomas has a point," Grace uttered. "Plus, we don't have any other options."

Alby groaned in pain. Newt hesitated, "fine." He handed the vials to Thomas. "Go ahead."

Thomas took the vials. He moved in front of Grace and bent over. He glanced back at Newt to make sure this was what he wanted. Before Newt could give the final go-ahead, Alby grabbed Thomas and yanked him down. "You shouldn't be here!" Grace rushed forward. "You shouldn't be here! No!"

"Alby!" Grace tried to pry the two apart.

"Watch out." Newt and Minho tried to help.

Jeff managed to get one of Alby's arms, but he wasn't letting go of Thomas. "Grab the syringe!" Grace couldn't reach it, but Teresa could.

"Let go!"

Teresa lifted her arm and jammed the syringe into Alby's chest. He instantly let go of Thomas and fell back on the bed. Grace slowly withdrew her hands, but she remained vigilant. There was a moment of silence before Jeff spoke. "I guess that worked."

Grace took a deep breath, glancing at Thomas to make sure he was okay. "You all right, Thomas?"

He looked back at her. "Yeah, thanks, Grace."

"From now on. Someone needs to stay here and watch him around the clock." Grace knew that would be her job. She was a Med-Jack, after all. Besides, Jeff and Clint wouldn't be able to do it. She left them alone with Teresa for ten minutes, and they managed to lose her.

"Hey," a new voice said. It was Gally. "Sundown, Greenie. Let's go." Thomas had to spend the night in the Pit for breaking the rules, again.

The boy didn't put up any fight. He willingly left the hut with Gally. Jeff cleared his throat. He didn't want to volunteer to watch Alby. "I'll stay with him tonight," Grace volunteered.

Everyone looked at her, some with surprise. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." She looked only at Newt. "I can do it."

"Right." His attention shifted to Teresa. "We'll need to figure out what to do with you-"

"But for tonight, take my room," Grace cut in. "I won't be using it."

Teresa smiled at her. "Thank you." Grace smiled back at her.

The four other boys in the room looked between them. "All right then."

"Grace," Clint said. "If you need anything, you know where I am."

"Okay." She started collecting the towels around Alby. The others began to leave one by one. There was only one person left, but they weren't leaving. Grace glanced at them. It was Minho. "Do you need something?"