Destroyer - The Death Cure (Book 3)

Chapter 13: Cranky Pants

Alex opened the truck door and got out. She crossed her arms glaring at the city at the bottom of the mountain. The Last City was huge. The inner city was built up; tall skyscrapers that looked brand new and shiny. Buildings with all sorts of new architectural designs. And surrounding all this was a wall. Huge stone walls hundreds of feet into the air. On the other side of the massive walls, was the rest of the city. Outside the walls looked like another Crank City. Buildings were old and falling apart, they were close together, everything looked old and dirty and crowded. It was a stark contrast from inside the walls.

Newt, Frypan and Thomas came to stand beside her.

"Funny...Spent three years trapped behind walls, trying to break out, and now we wanna break back in." Newt said dryly, shoving his hands into his jacket pocket

"Yeah. It's hilarious." Thomas rolled his eyes, he sighed and turned to Jorge.

"Jorge, how do we get in?" He asked.

"Don't look at me, hermano. Those walls are new." He had also came to stand at the edge of the road. Their rescue mission just got a thousand times harder.

"I guess that's WICKED's answer for everything." Frypan said wearily. He rubbed a hand down his face, "Well, we ain't gonna figure it out from up here." He spun around and went back to the truck with Jorge, where Brenda Kenzie and Finn were waiting.

"You really think he's in there?" Alex asked quietly, glancing at Newt and Thomas, scared to know their answer. The knot of anxiety had grown in her chest again, making it feel heavy.

"I guess we'll find out." Thomas shrugged, he turned away from the view as well.

It was just Newt and Alex standing side by side staring down the mountain. She saw him glance at her out of the corner of her eye. But she kept her head forward.

"Are you doing okay?" He asked softly.

"No. But I'm shucken hilarious, so it's fine." Alex snarked.

Newt made a noise in the back of his throat. He closed his eyes for a moment, like he was trying to keep his composure. Alex was quiet for a moment thinking.

"Honestly? I don't know...just..tired." She said heavily.

She finally looked up at Newt. He really looked into her eyes and could see she wasn't fine. Everyone could see it. It wasn't just lack of sleep, but her lack of hope and happiness. Both those combined made her act the way she did, the self abuse, the anger and defiance, the sarcastic remarks. Everyone knew she was hurting and struggling.

He didn't say anything, just rubbed his forearm absentmindedly.

"Okay, how about physically. How are you feeling physically?" He asked.

"Tired. Better? Hangovers are the worst. But thanks shucked up experiment of a body, feeling like nothing happened." She joked.

His expressionless face made her drop her half smile. She studied his face; his narrowed eyes, creased forehead, pursed lips and deep frown. He wasn't looking at her with his usual concern, it was disapproval, bordering on disdain. Anger flared inside her.

"Is that why you shucken left me behind? You didn't think I was capable of handling a rescue mission?" She demanded turning to face him now, arms crossed and a frown on her face.

He sighed, and ran a shaking hand through his hair, his face looked pained.

"Alex...you couldn't even make it through Sonya's debrief...you drank until you blacked out- and the amount woulda' killed Ronin three times over! And if Jorge, Cap and Tommy hadn't found you...you would have killed yourself. Tommy felt so bad he tried to do it on his own..the stupid shank. He blames himself, he was the one who ultimately picked which train car to take...And you were still out, recovering..." he scolded.