Destroyer - The Death Cure (Book 3)

Chapter 14: Taken

Janson

"You were right, sir!"

A guard sat at a security desk with computer screens from wall to wall. He stood up calling for Director Janson, pointing to one of the middle screens. "The drone sweep picked her up outside the walls, along with Thomas!"

Janson hurried over, his beady eyes alight with excitement.

"Get the guns online!" He barked.

Two other guards sitting further along at the desk punched a few buttons on their keyboard. The view of Beyond the Wall showed up. The screens showed a massive crowd of angry civilians. Some were holding signs stating their displeasure with what WICKED was doing. A few people in the front were throwing rocks at the walls. Janson snorted in derision.

"When will these people learn? WICKED has the might and power." He muttered to himself in amusement.

The guard who called him over pointed to a screen, "sir!"

There on screen was the girl who had thwarted him over and over. The girl who started this whole uprising mess all because she had some feelings for a boy. She was the straw that finally broke the camel's back. Ya sure some cowards defected from WICKED, but they always went quietly, too scared of what WICKED would do to them if they were ever found. Not this girl, no, she had to go and ruin everything, steal information and cause others to think it was okay to defy them. He hated her. She was the symbol of hope that the people on the outside wanted.

She stood against WICKED, defied him and the means to find a cure. Which gave others the idea that they too could question WICKED and what they do. Now he was fighting against two resistance groups, The Right Arm and this other group just outside the city walls. Janson wanted to break her. Did these people not realize WICKED was doing all this to help humanity, he was trying to save the world..or at least those he believed deserved to be saved.

And then there was Thomas, her little sidekick. Just as troublesome. Another little weasel stealing information and born with a gift that could save humanity, and there he was waltzing around selfishly keeping a cure to himself. Janson just needed to get his hands on Thomas's blood and dissect his brain. Alex and Thomas, together, they were always trouble for him. He recognized a few of the others with her, they were standing at the front of the crowd, pointing at the walls and talking amongst themselves.

"Sir. Guns are ready!"

"Fire. Fire at will!" He breathed, a manic smile on his face.

The guards hesitated for a second.

"Sir? The civilians?" One questioned.

"I SAID FIRE!" Janson screamed.

"Yes sir." He mumbled, glancing at his partner quickly.

They pressed the button for the guns mounted in the walls. The guns shot into the crowd. They couldn't hear it, but it was chaos to watch. People falling dead in the streets, with a spray of blood and guts, people running and screaming, parts of buildings nearby blowing apart, the road blasting apart, leaving huge craters. Janson lost sight of her in the crowd. He growled in frustration. Those guns in the wall were effective in destruction but not accurate in precision.

"Sir...?" The guard asked timidly, "we uh...lost them, in the crowd. Orders?"

There was a creek behind him, he spun around and saw that the control room door stood agar. He narrowed his eyes.

"Orders, Sir?" The guard asked again.

Janson turning back to the screen.

"Send out a patrol. Tell them not to come back until she's found!" He snarled.

He spun on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

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Teresa

Teresa was left to her own devices. Now that they had moved the rest of the kids to this new building, they hadn't used her much. She was allowed to wander, but had to stay in the locked sector of the labs, levels 2 and 3. And they didn't seem to use the control chip much anymore, they still used her; she was still allowed to work in the labs;  they sent her into a room after they were done with Minho to 'talk to him' and tell him WICKED was trying to save the world. They constantly threatened to use the chip...she just read the questions in a monotone voice, that seemed to satisfy them. Other than that, WICKED seemed to have forgotten about her. She wasn't complaining at all, but it was lonely.

She was wandering down a hall when she heard loud voices. She heard Janson's voice, and she shuddered. She was going to turn around and leave when she heard a name that made her freeze. She was terrified to get caught.

I should go...I don't want to be caught! Especially by Janson! I'm not the reckless kid I used to be...I'm not good at sneaking around for information anymore! I've seen what they would do...but if Alex and Tom are here...

She heard someone say "drone sweep picked them up".

What would Alex do? She would kick in the door say something sarcastic and shoot the screens... I am not Alex and I don't have a gun, but...

With her hands shaking, and lower lip trembling, she slowly and quietly tiptoed to the door, it was mostly closed, but she peeked through the narrow crack.

She saw Janson standing behind some guards at a desk, he was pointing at one screen. Teresa's eyes went wide, and she had to slap a hand over her own mouth.

There on the screen was Alex, Thomas, Newt, Frypan, Brenda and Jorge, and two other kids she didn't recognize. But they were here! They were all facing the walls, Thomas and Alex were leaning towards each other, Alex was pointing at something and Thomas was nodding.

They didn't come here to rescue us, did they? That's suicide! Especially trying to get in here! But...Thomas and Alex always find a way...

Teresa's blood went cold when Janson said fire at will. She watched frozen to the spot, horrified when they shot the huge artillery guns into the crowd of civilians. She searched desperately for Alex or Thomas or Newt...anyone. She saw a flash of red hair. She let out the breath she had been holding, feeling dizzy she placed her hand on the door. The door creaked. She let out a gasp. Spun on her heel and fled down the hall. She had to tell Minho! They couldn't give up hope!

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Alex

They were fleeing the massive guns that fired into the crowd. Alex lost sight of everyone. Thomas had grabbed her hand as they fled. They ducked under a door frame for a moment.

"Do you see anyone?" Alex planted.

"No! I lost them! Shuck!" Thomas cried. He poked his head around the frame. "Okay, those guys in gas masks are coming this way again. We need to run. Find the others later."

Alex nodded in agreement. Thomas gripped her hand and they sprinted out from hiding. Alex saw a few of the masked men blocking their way ahead, she pulled Thomas sideways towards an ally. They ran down the alley, being chased by a few of the masked men, only to be blocked in by a truck that pulled up and slammed to a stopped. They were trapped. They had to skid to a stop, the men were fast and gained on them quickly.

"SHUCK!" Alex screamed.

The men grabbed Thomas. And threw a bag over his head, hulling him towards the truck. Alex was grabbed from behind. She screamed in anger and frustration.

She heard Captain Ronin in her head, his gruff voice giving instructions "what do you do soldier if you're attacked from behind?"

Alex went limp. The deadweight caught the guy off guard, Alex slid down to the ground, twisting on her back so her feet faced the guy she kicked him in the crotch. He collapsed to his knees with a loud yell. Alex kicked his face with her heel, breaking his nose. She scrambled to her feet, there were still four more guys and 3 others had already taken Thomas.

All four guys lunged at the same time. Alex drove her knee up into one guys chest and an elbow into another guy. Something heavy slammed into the back of her head, making her drop. Her world went fuzzy, her eyes wouldn't focus. Black spots danced in her eyes. She felt hands grab her and drag her to the back of the truck. She was tossed in and her world went black.