IT STARTED WITH A MAZE - Newt x Reader (F)

- FREED -

"Understood," Thomas replies, still herding children into the corridor. I see him stop once, scanning the crowd like I'm doing.

Still no Minho.

I keep repeating the same words to every new face, even as my voice starts to crack under the weight of repetition: "This way. We're gonna get out of here. You're safe now. Come on. Keep moving."

I don't stop.

But somewhere inside me, a small whisper starts up - sharp and low, like static behind my ribs.

Where is he? Where is he? Where is he?

We're opening every door.

So why hasn't he walked through one yet?

I stand at the center of the corridor, surrounded by the soft shuffling of feet and low murmurs from the freed children. The air still smells of ozone and gunpowder. My pulse pounds in my ears as I turn slowly, scanning the hall.

Then I catch Thomas's eyes. He's pacing. Newt too - checking empty room after empty room again, even though we all know what we'll find: nothing. "Anything?" I ask, my voice a little hoarse. Small, silent head shakes from both of them. Thomas runs a hand through his hair, frustration starting to bleed into every sharp movement. Newt clenches his jaw. His limp is more visible now, adrenaline fading. But neither of them stop looking. Not yet. I whirl around and lock eyes on Teresa. She's standing too still, too blank. A red flag flaps in my chest. "Where's Minho?" I snap, stepping toward her.

Teresa glances over her shoulder like the answer might just be floating behind her. "He should be here," she says, voice quiet.

"Well he isn't," Thomas fires back, tone clipped.

I don't wait - I stride over to the row of security computers behind the circular desk, monitors still blinking with scrambled feeds. "Can you find out where he is?" I ask her tightly, not caring to filter the edge in my voice.

She nods once, and gets to work. Her fingers tap rapidly across the keyboard. I watch the scrolling data for a second before pulling away.

I make my way back toward the cluster of kids - they've grouped together along the corridor walls, some sitting, others watching us with wide, uncertain eyes. They're brave. Every single one of them.

"Is everyone alright?" I ask softly. I open the pouch on my belt and pull out a few small bandages I packed earlier - just in case. But there's no real injuries, only exhaustion, maybe fear.

"We're okay," one of the older boys tells me.

I exhale. "If you've got the strength," I continue, "help me move these guard bodies into another room."

They don't hesitate. They want to help - anything to have control, even in a small way. Together, we drag the unconscious guards to the far wall, away from the center path. Their weapons get stripped, belts tossed, boots kicked off. They look less like threats that way.

Then I hear Teresa speak again - voice sharper, urgent. "Somebody moved him," she says, eyes fixed on the screen. "They transferred Minho to the medical wing."

My head jerks around. "What?" Thomas says, already walking over.

"That's across the building," Teresa tells him. "North tower. Twenty-sixth floor."

"So we go there?" I say, loud enough for the others to hear.

"Yep. I'm going," Thomas confirms immediately, already pulling his mask back on.

"I'll come," Newt and I say in unison.

There's no room for debate - not from me. Not now.But Thomas hesitates. "One of you should stay," he mutters, tone unsure. "Get the serum with Gally." But even he doesn't sound convinced with the instruction.

From across the room, Gally huffs. "Ugh, you're wasting time," he groans. "You won't be able to split up the lovebirds. Just go. All of you." He doesn't say it cruelly, more like it's a fact, stated plainly. Like he understands something we've all been tiptoeing around. "I can handle the vault," he adds. "I'll get the serum and meet you out back at the bus."

I pause near the vault door as Thomas and Teresa begin heading toward the stairwell. Every part of me needs to go - to find Minho, to be near Newt - but my gut tugs hard toward the vault.

This serum... this cure. It's everything. I hear Thomas call back, "You coming?"

I nod, stepping away. "Yeah."

But first, I pivot to Gally, lower my voice. "Please get the serum," I whisper.

He looks up. Really looks at me this time. His fingers are already working his gear, glasses slipped over his eyes, laser cutter in hand. But he pauses. He must hear the crack in my voice. The tremor I can't hide. "Why're you so pressed?" He asks. Not unkind. Just curious.

I try to explain, but it comes out tangled. "I just-" I shake my head. My heart is torn between two places. "We need it. We need that serum. But I need to find Minho too. And I need-" My gaze drifts to Newt without meaning to.

Gally sees it. Of course he does. He doesn't know the specifics but it's hard to not piece the puzzle together. "Hey," he says gently, as gently as Gally can. "Alright. Of course I'm gonna get it." He snaps the glasses tighter onto his face and lifts the cutter to the sealed lock. "What do you think I'm doing?" He quips, voice half-mocking, half-reassuring. It actually makes me smile - just for a second. Then he jerks his chin toward the hallway, toward Thomas and Teresa disappearing around the corner. Newt's waiting too, hand resting on the wall, watching me. "Now go," Gally says. "Go cause some trouble."

~