The Chosen [The Mazerunner]

20: T h e R o a d A h e a d

"I don't know," Frypan shrugged. "But I think we got most of them."

Jorge pushed the accelerator flat against the floor. The car lurched forwards, bumping up and down against the uneven earth floor.

Everyone was relieved when, a few moments later, the car shot out of the exit and into broad daylight once again.

Thomas leaned his head back against his seat with a sigh. "Thank goodness you guys came when you did. I thought we were goners for a moment back there. How did you find us?"

Jorge's face hardened as he pulled the vehicle over onto the side of the road.

"Alright, everyone get out!" he barked.

They all complied, Newt carefully supporting a still-swaying Brenda.

"Harriet, go stand at the rear of the jeep and keep your eyes peeled for any more unwelcome intruders," Jorge commanded roughly. "Frypan, Winston, go help her, you don't need to be a part of this discussion. Newt," he paused when he saw the tall blonde standing with Brenda, "Oh, never mind, you can stay."

Harriet motioned a reluctant Frypan and Winston to follow her and as they walked off, Jorge turned steely eyes on Thomas.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he berated him. "Just leaving without us, aye, without even a thought for your own safety? You could've gotten yourself killed! You could've gotten my niece killed!"

Thomas winced and drew back, seemingly speechless.

"Now listen here, you asshole, if you ever pull a stunt like this again, I'll..."

"Jorge!" Brenda yelled. "It was my fault, okay? If I hadn't insisted on coming with him, none of us would be in this mess. Just chill."

Jorge inhaled deeply before turning to her, "But what if you had died, Be? Man, you nearly did!"

"Yeah, well I didn't, did I? C'mon, Jorge, the worst is over. We're alive! We got outta there. But now we need to keep moving forward...for Vince's sake."

Jorge stared at her for a long moment and then his shoulders sagged. "Yeah. I know. Clint tried to stop us from coming after you but he wasn't very successful."

"I figured," Brenda mumbled, almost embarrassed by the whole situation.

"You're lucky to be alive right now, Brenda," Newt told her sternly as he kept a firm grip on her shoulders. "What were you thinking? That we'd just let you go back to WCKD all by yourselves?"

"Obviously not," Thomas replied, running a nervous hand through his thick, dark hair.

"Shut-up!" Jorge waved a finger in Thomas' face, his cheeks the colour of beetroot red. "I'm still really pissed at you! And as for you, Brenda, I think the scare of nearly dying is punishment enough. Now come over here and let me bandage up that foot of yours."

Jorge started back towards the car and Brenda, leaning heavily on Newt, hopped after him.

Suddenly, a startled cry of dismay reached their ears.

"What's wrong?" Jorge demanded as he rushed over to where Harriet and the boys, were clustered around the boot of the jeep. "What is it?" Upon reaching the scene, however, he froze. "You've got to be kidding me ... "

"Hi guys."

Brenda stopped stock-still. "Chuck?"

The little roly-poly boy sat up from his cramped position in the boot, an extremely guilty look plastered on his face.

"W-why did you bring him here?" Brenda cried. "You should've left him with Trish and the others! It's too dangerous!"

"We didn't bring him," Harriet retorted. "He brought himself."

"Chuck, why are you hiding in the boot?" Jorge asked him sternly.

"I - I'm sorry," the little boy looked crestfallen. "When I heard that Brenda and Tommy were missing ... I-I just wanted to help but I knew you'd never let me! So, I stowed away. I'm sorry, guys."

His announcement was met with a brief moment of silence.

"Well ..." Frypan cleared his throat awkwardly. "There's nothing we can do about it now, is there? Come along, little chap, let's get you a drink. You looked parched."

Chuck nodded, shooting Brenda an apologetic look before scurrying after Frypan.

Brenda bit her lip and shook her head.

Great, just great.

Half an hour later and they hit the road again. This time, Jorge was at the wheel, Frypan and Winston were next to him and the others and all their gear were squished into the back.

As they began the long, tiresome journey through the Scorch, Harriet enlivened everyone's sober mood with a long, exaggerated recount of the recent happenings leading up to the present. Everyone laughed and was constantly objecting to her comments, but she'd ward them off and continue.

Brenda, on the other hand, remained silent, staring out of the window at the endless rolling sand dunes of the Scorch.

They had passed their first challenge: cranks.

Now they had to get past their second one: the Scorch.

And, sooner or later, they would have to overcome their third one: WCKD.

They had left everything behind.

They had no choice but to move forward.

Gif: The jeep.

Q: Do you ship Brenda and Newt and if so, do you have a cute shipname in mind?

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