𝐄 𝐏 𝐈 𝐏 𝐇 𝐀 𝐍 𝐘 ༼ ᵗᵐʳ ᵗʰᵒᵐᵃˢ

-☆ Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ Tʜʀᴇᴇ ☆-

•●☆●•

"Sis!" Brenda waved at her from her place, leaning against the door to the Crankard.

Vi grinned, Bren's face had lit up at the sight of her. These two loved each other like twins.

"In the mood to talk to me now, huh?"

"Shut up. I saw Diesel."

Bren's smile dropped. "For real? Come here."

Vi stepped forward and was wrapped in a suffocating hug. She was taller than was Bren was, so she laid her palms on Bren's shoulder's when they separated.

"Yeah. I wanted to punch him, but he. . . Got away."

Brenda's eyebrows flew sky high in surprise, "Does that mean I've won?"

Violet sighed and looked into her sister's eyes. She had now lost her winning streak of successful missions, because of Diesel.

"Yeah, I guess so." she said, smiling a sad smile.

"Oh, Sis. Y'know what, we are gonna find him and kick his ass to Mars!"

"Hell yeah we will!" Vi pumped her fist, encouraged by Bren's bravado.

They chatted for a few minutes more - they didn't see each other that often, as their missions came in randomly, and they were assigned immediately if either was free.

"Alright. So uh, what's the deal with these bastards coming in from the Scorch?"

"I think they - Jorge told me, - are subjects from WCKD. Did he show you the scanner thing?"

Violet hid her surprise, but she'd acknowledge it later.

"Yup."

"Well, he wants to try to scan them."

"Wait, how are they tagged? Does he scan their brains or something?"

"No. He is pretty sure they get surgery done on the backs of their necks, by the doctors in WCKD."

"That's creepy as shit. It's like they are cows or something. Not human beings with thoughts and feelings and crap."

"Yeah, it's really wrong. I couldn't imagine being cooped up in a research centre my whole life."

Violet nodded her agreement. "Well, enough of the pity talk, it's time to haul ass."

Brenda opened up a sand-encrusted electricity box, passing the cover to Vi and flicking a switch, humming while she did it.

"Oo-kay, lights are on, lets get this show on the road." She said, clutching the door handle and swinging it open.

Violet's eyes struggled to adjust in the night, and the shuttering lights slowly blinked into existence, not having been used in ages. She heard the room before she saw it.

Hundreds of Cranks spat and thrashed against their chains, rabid and reaching for the small group on the other side. A storm rumbled from outside the Crankard, adding to the deafening effect. The slow smell of death rose from the jagged floor, making Vi's eyes water.

The group of what seemed to be around ten stood huddled together, eyes wide and frozen with terror. Brenda strolled as casually as she could, all the blackened bodies grasping for hers.

"I see you've met our guard dogs," She shouted over the noise of the Cranks. Vi snorted, coming up next to her. "You guys look like shit."

They just stared at her like she'd grown a second head. Which happened to be likely if you were a Crank. Thankfully, she wasn't.