Defender - The Maze Runner (Book 1)

Chapter 49: A way Home

"What the blood shuck is going on out there?!" Newt demanded the second the trio got back inside the safety of the Glade.

"It sounded awful! It sounded like it was all collapsing!" Teresa added.

"Yep. Pretty much!" Alex answered, popping her P. Teresa's mouth opened in shock.

Gally came shoving his way through the crowd, "What the hell you done now, Thomas?" He demanded.

"We saw something, a new passage. It could be a way out!" Thomas answered, still very much out of breath. The crowd burst into excited chatter. Newt had motioned them to follow him, the rest of the crowd following behind Newt and the Runner trio.

"Alby needs to hear this too, He's up, but still pretty tired, and grouchy. Come on." Newt explained over his shoulder.

Chuck was bounding around beside them, "Really? A way out??"

Alex smiled at him, "It's true, Chuckles. We found a door."

"Something I'd never seen before." Minho said seriously, he couldn't believe he'd never seen that section before..

"I think it might be where the Grievers go during the day. I got my hands covered in griever goop!" Alex added.

"Wait! Whoa, whoa, whoa... You found the Grievers' home? And you want us to go in?" Chuck stopped dead, horror struck. Alex stopped and turned to look at him, the rest of the crowd did too.

"Well, their way in could be our way out!" Alex explained, gently, she knew he was terrified of the maze and who wouldn't be scared of grievers?!

Gally scoffed as he shoved one last kid out of his way to get right in her and Thomas's face, "Yeah, or there could be a dozen Grievers on the side. The thing is, Thomas doesn't know what he's done! An' Alex is going right along with it, as usual!"

Wouldn't you be a bit happier if someone said there might be a possibility of freedom?

Thomas on the other hand, had his anger flare up and he was right up in Gally's face, poking him in the chest, "Yeah, at least we're doing something, Gally. I mean, what have you done? Aside from hide behind these walls all the time?"

"Let me tell you something, Greenie. You've been here a month ONE month, all right? I've been here 2 years!" Gally was shaking with anger, the veins in his neck popping. Alex could see his fists balling, and the tension in his shoulders tightened. Thomas didn't look any better, he was right up in Gally's face.

"Yeah, you've been here 2 years and you're STILL here, Gally! What does that tell you? Maybe you should be doing things a differently."

Gally went to punch Thomas. Alex saw it coming. She threw herself at Gally just as his fist came around. He missed Thomas's face by inches. She slammed her shoulder into Gally causing them both to fall. Alex rolled off and came up standing, fighting stance ready. Gally was absolutely livid now. He scrambled to his feet. His eyes were pure hatred. He tried coming at her, but she ducked and just like in the pit a few months before, she sidestepped and brought her knee right into his stomach. But unlike last time, she had months of training and running, she was a lot stronger and more confident in her abilities. She knocked the wind out of him, and he stayed down, gasping for air.

"Gally, as your second in command, and someone who can take you down, I'm telling you this once. Don't ever try that again."

Gally slowly got to his feet, "I remember Thomas. And you. So did everyone else who got stung. What does that tell us? You shouldn't be trusted! You did this!" He hissed.