Subject of the Flame | Maze Runner [2]

THREE

"No, you don't understand. Claudia let me bring it into my room but this morning it was gone."

"What? Why would they even let you keep it in the first place just to steal it back in your sleep?"

"I don't know, but it's weird. The door to my room was so loud. I think I would've heard the thief barging in."

"Maybe someone climbed through the vents," Minho said absentmindedly but jolted when Electra burst into laughter beside him.

"The vents? Really, Minho?"

Minho flashed a smile, "Don't tell me you didn't consider it."

"Of course I did. But do you think they have grown adults climbing through the vents of this place and stealing from their precious survivors?"

"I mean I kinda hope so. It would be funny, wouldn't it?"

Electra slowly shook her head, again trying to hide a smile by taking more bites and slurping down a glass full of water.

Thomas, who had been uncomfortable in his seat ever since Electra had shown up, finally spoke up, "Electra, do you know where Teresa is?"

"No. We were separated for our interviews. The workers love her though, so it's no surprise they took her somewhere." Electra looked up at Thomas. "You worked with WICKED too, yeah? Why aren't they taking you?"

There she was. The angry Electra he'd gotten so used to knowing over the years. It'd only been a matter of time before her shell popped back out, and she pushed everyone away.

Thomas recoiled at her tone, "I'm just worried, that's all."

Electra sighed, glancing over at the Group B girls. The other table's whispering had only gotten more intense, and the girls took turns staring at Electra. The only boy at the table remained silent most of the time, simply looking at Electra as if she was a ghost.

"I'm guessing they think you're the Teresa of this group," Minho whispered.

"Well, I hope they don't." Electra's face scrunched. "It is weird how the other group only had one boy, though. Maybe he was like me."

Like her. As in outcasted to live in the Maze for three years. Minho didn't want to believe that anyone else had suffered as she had, but by the looks of the boy at the other table, and how he sat with his gray hood over his head, looking off into space, maybe he had been like Electra. On the other hand, perhaps he'd been more like Teresa, or maybe he'd occupied a completely different role. Minho hoped for the last option.

"If they don't stop staring I swear I'm gonna-" Electra started but as the doors to the cafeteria flung open, a man walked confidently into the room with workers flagging him at his tails, and everyone in the room went silent.

Electra leaned in close to Minho, "That's the guy that interviewed me. A real dingbat if you ask me."

Minho studied the man's features as he made his way to the front of the room. His shifty brown eyes darted around the room at all the Gladers; his slightly crooked, long nose twitching; and dark black hair combed over his balding head.

"Looks like a Rat Man to me," Minho whispered, and a couple of the Gladers who had overheard him stifled their laughs.

Rat Man stood silently in front of the Groups for a few moments, calmly folding his hands before clearing his throat, "Welcome. I've already had the pleasure of meeting a few of you, but for those I haven't met yet, you can call me Janson. I'm the head of this little rescue establishment. I wish we could have rescued more of you guys, but we sincerely tried our best."

Minho preferred his nickname for the man. He scoffed when Rat Man chewed on his cheek. Somehow he was able to look calm and nervous at the same time.

"Now, I'm sure you're all wondering what you're doing here. Don't worry, you all hopefully won't be here for long."

Both Groups began murmuring at his comment, but Rat Man continued, "We have a Haven lined up for you all, a farm of sorts, where you can live out your days in peace. Unfortunately, the necessary transportation will not be able to get here for another week. So, in the meantime, enjoy your stay here. It might be a little boring, but I'm sure it's better than where you came from."

Then, Rat Man raised his hand, excusing himself through a different door than where he'd entered the room. Minho watched the man take a card out of his inner jacket pocket and, slipping past two burly men, Rat Man swiped his card before the doors slid open just for him and promptly closed once he'd left the room.

Minho wondered how Rat Man could be the head of anything, much less wherever they were. He seemed very on edge at all times which, frankly, wasn't an ideal quality for a leader.

The Groups were washed in silence for a few moments as if neither of them wanted to be the first to resume the low whispers. The Group B table gave in first, and all the girls clustered together in the middle of their table, all whispering over one another and making an incoherent mess of words.

A couple of the Gladers at Minho's table resumed their talking, seemingly unfazed by what Rat Man had just told them. Newt and Thomas simply looked at each other before each of them took turns surveying the room.

Minho turned to Electra and her eyes were glued to the door where Rat Man had left.

As if Electra could feel his gaze on her, she spoke, her voice barely even carrying over to Minho beside her, "What do you think is back there?"

Minho shrugged, "Not sure. Whatever it is, they don't want us going there."

Electra was completely captivated by the door, and Minho was certain she was about to get up and subsequently get herself in trouble by trying to force herself through. Instead, it was Thomas who jumped out of his chair, distracting Electra from her own mission.

Thomas ran up to the windows spanning the side of the cafeteria and yelled out to Teresa who was walking in the hallway just outside. The girl barely looked into the cafeteria before she was blocked from view, walking in the direction where Rat Man had left all the Gladers.

Thomas shook his head, bumping into one of the men guarding the door, "Where are they taking her?"

"They just have to run a few more tests," the blond man replied, his voice monotone. "Don't worry, they'll be done with her soon."

"Is she okay?" Thomas asked.

The man paused, "She's fine."

Minho and Electra shared a glance. Her eyes opened the slightest bit before tilting her head in the direction of Thomas and the door. Was she suggesting they try to force their way through? Minho shook his head at her, and she sighed before turning back around to her food.

"Not right now," Minho whispered, and Electra raised her eyebrows.

A handful of workers entered the room before anything else could be done. Minho was ushered away by David, the worker who'd been supervising him and the rest of the Gladers for the last 24 hours.

"Dinner's over. Lights out in twenty," David said over the rustle of the cafeteria.

A lady in a lab coat came up to Electra, gently grabbing onto his best friend's arm and leading her away from him. Electra didn't take her eyes off Minho until she was escorted out of sight, and Minho felt a pit in the bottom of his stomach when she disappeared behind a wall.

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A/N: hey! as u can see i changed the lore surrounding this entire place lol. instead of them taking a couple kids each day, they're sort of all just waiting for transportation to the haven :) hope it makes sense!

i felt that bc i'm only doing the two mazes from the book that this made more sense lol bc there's really not that many of them !