My Temporary Stitches - Newt After the Death Cure // Book 2

Prologue

"What do you mean by you pulled the trigger?!" Minho's voice was filled with range.

He can't force himself to look at him. He already knew that this would be his friend's reaction.

"Minho..." Thomas' words came out more like a whisper. "...I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Minho spat. "You of all people knew that he wasn't thinking straight. Shuck face!"

The sound of his knuckles clunking made him tense even more. But he knew he deserve this.

A few seconds of silence fell upon them. As he started seeing the ghost of Newt peeking from a far them. Watching as his two best friends talk about him.

"Stop trying to be the hero Thomas!" Minho's voice cuts through Thomas' hallucination. "You made one wrong move. It was his shuckin final request. His final request when he was out of his buggin mind!"

He knew that sorry or any explanation or just anything that I will say will mean nothing.

"Minho look-" Before he can come up with an aimless explanation. The sound of engines in the sky roared across the Safe Haven.

The rumbling, cranking noise alerted everyone. The torch on each houses lit up as the people turn their heads towards the sky. It can't be.

A berg was flying over their heads and seems to be aiming for a landing spot on the hill.

Thomas took one look over his friend. Their eyes met each other and Minho turned away. His face still stiffed with anger but he shook it off and started shouting.

"Get the weapons in the stocks! Alert the heads! Keep all women and children inside their shacks!"

Without a second to loose Minho sprinted towards the stock room. But suddenly halted his tracks and faced him. "We'll deal with this later. Right now get buggin running for a weapon."

Thomas shook his head and followed hin. His mind still out of focus. It's WICKED.

Questions started pooling up his mind as his palms were sweaty. After everything he had been through WICKED he couldn't believe that he hadn't seen the last of them.

Sudden anger came bursting inside of him. As the faces of Newt, Chuck, and Teresa flashed from his mind. I won't let them hurt my friends again.

He entered the stock room.

-

Almost twenty minutes had passed. The Gladers, carrying their weapons and torches surrounded the Berg landed on top of the hill.

Despite of the crowd and the tension. It was rather quiet. The only sound was the chirping or the crickets, the sound of the ocean, and fire cracking from their torches. They were all waiting.

Hand gripped tightly on each weapon. Waiting for someone to get out and throw a spear square on their chest.

The silence broke down as the sound of the clicking began and the hatch door began to open.

"Wait." Thomas spoke. "Don't attack yet."

When the tip finally touched the ground. The drape of silence came over them once again.

Minho took three steps forward. Holding a tight grip on his knife.

"Minho dont-" He cut his friend off.

"Shut up Shuck face."

The sound of footsteps came clicking from inside as a figure finally appeared.

Thomas' eyes scanned the Berg inside. He was looking for the WICKED logo which should be located on each side of the ship. But there was none.

He shifted his gaze back at the figure. This time it was a person.

A boy looking the same age as him with brown hair and dark eyes wearing a lab coat with pajamas being overlapped by it.
Looking straight to the eye at him.

"Thomas  and Minho." Then he looked at Minho. "I need to tell you something."

"And who the Shuck are you?" Minho tilted his spear. "How did you know our names?"

"That's not important." The boy stepped down to the ground. Unalarmed of the weapons surrounding hin. His eyes fixed on Thomas. "Right now you have to listen to me."

"Valldock." Minho muttered. His gaze focused on the man's nametag on his left chest. "Braun Valldock from WICKED." He spat at his face. What do they want from us?

"You have to hear me out" A tone of frustration on his voice. "Please this is something you need to hear."

Minho grabbed his coat and lifted him up. "You're from WICKED."

"We all are and we all have our share of faults in the past" Despite of Minho's threat to stab him, he kept a firm position, unafraid of the man in front of him. "So please just listen."

"Minho let him go." Thomas spoke. He knew that he wouldn't listen to him.

"Shut up! We're not done yet Shuckface." He groaned. You should've just kept quiet. His subconscious said to him.

"Minho put him down." On the left side of the crowd Brenda came jogging towards them. Lifting a torch on her right hand. Halting near them. "We need to hear what he has to say. I know we all are confused why WICKED is here. So we all want answers  do we? Here it is."

Murmurs started bursting from the crowd. But her face stood hard. Focusing on Braun.

His friend took one death threatening look and pushed him off the ground. "Spill it Shuck Face."

He stood up from his position wiping the dirt from his clothing. He was in calm state as he faced the Gladers on the middle of the circle. The next thing that he'll say can be his last.

Frustration and anxiety filled Thomas' head. Say it already. He had enough of this WICKED and anything that has to do with it. Let's end this for good. He clenched his fists waiting for him to open his mouth.

"Thomas I have her." He paused. "she's alive."

I have her. His heart almost fell upon hearing those words. He froze for a second.  Unsure of what to say. Unsure of what to think. Unsure of what to feel.

"I'm sorry Thomas but it's not Teresa." It was almost as if Braun can dictate what was on his mind. "I saw Skylar a week ago bleeding on Denver's exit. I salvaged her body and right now I'm doing my best to revive her."

And by that moment his heart sank. It's a good thing about Skylar but still. Teresa. She's really gone.

He pulled himself and took one deep breath. But before he could even react Minho spoke. "The girl who was at the Crank Palace with New-"

"Did you see Newt? His body was there also" He cut him off. Anticipating for the answer.

Braun shook his head. "There are no other bodies left on street. Only a couple of cranks but I'm pretty sure they aren't Newt's."

"So now what?" Minho pointed his knife again. "You came here just so you can get to experiment on Skylar or us? Still trying to get the bloody cure? I'm impressed by you and WICKED's stupidity." 

Throughout their conversations and accusations, Braun was showing them confidence. Unafraid that any moment might be his last with there furious Gladers.

"I'm here to make amends for everything. Look believe it or not, I resigned WICKED a few weeks ago and I'm here to help you start a new. This may sound bullshit but I'm telling the truth. And right now I need your help."

Before Minho could react, Thomas spoke. "Why?"

Braun's eyes scanned the circle. Took one quick gaze behind him. For the first time, nervousness came to his expression.

"Follow me inside."