Breaking The Code (Part one)

The sun

The group huddled together as the door to the massive hangar opened, flooding the space with a blinding light. Zara squinted, raising a hand to shield her eyes. Outside, the roar of the helicopter blades grew louder, the wind whipping through the open space and pulling at her hair.

The men in black stood in perfect formation, their faces obscured by masks. One of them, taller than the rest, stepped forward and spoke in a cold, monotone voice.

"We're taking you to safety," he said, his words clipped and emotionless.

"Safety?" Minho scoffed, stepping forward despite the weapons aimed at them. "Yeah, right. Like we're supposed to believe you're the good guys."

The man didn't flinch. "You have no choice. Follow us."

Newt exchanged a wary glance with Zara, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Do we have a bloody choice in this?"

"No," the man said flatly, gesturing for his team to move.

The group was herded toward the helicopter, the men in black surrounding them like a wall of shadows. Zara's heart pounded as she glanced back at the destroyed lab behind them. Whatever lay ahead felt just as dangerous as what they were leaving behind.

As they stepped outside, the heat hit them like a wall. The air was thick and dry, the sun glaring down from a cloudless sky. Zara's breath caught as she took in the world around them.

The landscape was barren and lifeless, a vast expanse of scorched earth stretching as far as the eye could see. The ground was cracked and charred, as if the very land had been burned away. In the distance, the remnants of buildings jutted out of the earth like skeletal remains, their edges jagged and broken.

"What... what happened here?" Frypan muttered, his voice trembling.

Thomas's jaw tightened as he scanned the desolate horizon. "The Flare," he said quietly. "The sun flares Ava Paige talked about. This is what's left."

Zara felt a chill run down her spine despite the blistering heat. The Maze had been a nightmare, but this—this was something else entirely.

"Keep moving," one of the masked men barked, shoving them forward.

They climbed into the helicopter one by one, the cabin cramped and cold despite the heat outside. The men in black secured them in place, their movements quick and efficient.

As the helicopter lifted off, Zara pressed her face to the window. Below them, the world looked even more desolate, the scorched desert stretching endlessly in every direction.

"How is anyone supposed to survive out there?" she whispered, her breath fogging the glass.

Thomas leaned closer, his expression grim. "Maybe they don't."

The helicopter soared higher, the ground below becoming a blur. The silence inside was heavy, broken only by the hum of the engines.

Zara's mind raced with questions. Who were these men? Where were they taking them? And what kind of "safe place" could exist in a world like this?

Minutes turned into hours as they flew, the landscape below shifting slightly but remaining just as harsh and unforgiving. Zara tried to piece together everything they'd learned, but the puzzle only seemed to grow more complicated.

Just as she felt herself drifting into exhaustion, the helicopter jolted, snapping her back to attention.

"What was that?" Newt asked, his voice sharp.

The pilot's voice crackled over the intercom. "Turbulence. Stay calm."

But the unease in his tone suggested otherwise.

Zara glanced at Thomas, who was gripping the armrest tightly. "Something's not right," he said under his breath.

The helicopter jolted again, more violently this time. The hum of the engines grew louder, almost frantic.

"Everyone, hold on!" the pilot shouted.

Before Zara could process what was happening, the helicopter dipped sharply, throwing them against their restraints. Outside the window, the sky seemed to tilt, the horizon disappearing as the ground rushed up to meet them.

Zara's heart raced as the alarms blared, the cabin filling with flashing red lights.

"Brace yourselves!" someone yelled, but their voice was drowned out by the deafening roar of the engines.

The last thing Zara saw before the world went black was Thomas's hand reaching for hers.

NEXT PART COMING SOON