Hope for Us (NEWT) [COMPLETED]

Ch 53 - Same Old, Same Old

~Sara~

She couldn't stand to be separated from Newt. Not in a moment like this. Things had gone way past the radar, and that wasn't how they were supposed to roll out.

Sara struggled against the guards that were dragging her along, following Janson. Rebecca looked back at her apologetically, but Chancellor Paige gave her a stern look, which made her face forward again.

Sara had noticed a certain tension between the two of them, one that she didn't remember ever witnessing when she used to live in HQ. Had Paige done something to Rebecca? If so, then she had two people to worry about. Paige and Janson. Rebecca had been held back, Sara knew it, because those were the moments when she had to fend for herself in the Glade. But she couldn't just take out all the responsibility on Rebecca. She'd helped more than Sara could ever make up for.

Next thing she knew, Sara was forcefully seated onto a chair in Janson's office. The guards stood by the door, one on each side. Janson took a seat in his big chair, and Rebecca and the Chancellor stood right beside him.

"What do you want?" Sara asked, irritated. "Why'd you have to separate me from my friends?"

"Sara, do you remember anything?" he asked her, eyeing her with curiosity.

"No," she replied, frowning. "Why would I? Heard you took care of that." She gave him a sardonic smile.

Janson cleared his throat. "Just making sure. It's procedure."

"Sure it is," Sara dragged the words out. "Just like killing a bunch of innocent kids for your selfish project," she muttered. Rebecca pursed her lips and shook her head subtly, but urgently, reminding her that her mouth needed a little refrain. Again, Paige turned to her, and Rebecca's expression switched to an idle one immediately.

Janson outstretched his arms. "I've only done my job to protect and potentially save humanity. So that you can live a better life. Because you're my niece, and you were sent to that Maze by mistake." He lowered his voice, then tried to reach out and stroke her cheek.

Sara swatted his hand away immediately. "Don't—touch—me," she growled. "Niece?" She laughed. "And I thought your lame excuse for the trials was the worst I've heard today, Rat Man." Then she smirked at him. "You're not my uncle," she said, before spitting on the floor and giving him a hateful look.

His mouth twitched in anger, and his scowl only broadened. "I want her sedated in the next hour. Remove her existing memories of the Maze until now... then remove the Swipe. I want the old Sara back. The one who supported my cause. But don't remove the implant in case... she needs a little persuasion."

Sara entered a full-blown panic.

Shuck. I can't let him know.

She looked to Rebecca for help, but she didn't have anything to say to her.