The Restored Girl

Chapter 23: One Minute Left

NEWT'S POV
Time: 16 29
Supposed time of detonation: 16 30
1 minute to detonation
People on board the Berg: 11 out of 14

We rush into the berg, and the hangar bay door shuts.

We run into the control room. I see Minho and Quill, with Jorge at the Control panel.

"What's going on?" I demand. "Where's Rhea and Tommy?"

"Sorry, hermano," Jorge tells me. Before I know what he's doing, he lifts the berg into the air. We're rising, and my eyes widen.

"Jorge!" I yell, lunging forward.

"Newt, no!" Minho grabs me before I can charge at Jorge.

I struggle desperately against him. "Rhea- Thomas- they're not here yet!"

There's only one minute left.

"Newt, you need to trust me," Jorge yells, bringing the berg over Denver, towards WICKED. "Rhea gave me instructions. She told me what to do. Please."

I shake my head, anger flooding in me. "You can't leave them in there!"

Jorge looks back at us and meets Minho's eyes. "I'm sure as hell not planning to."

~

RHEA'S POV
Time: 16 29
Supposed time of detonation: 16 30
1 minute to detonation
People remaining in WICKED facility: 3

I smirk as Janson pulls the trigger. Nothing fires out. There isn't any loud sound, nothing. Janson stares down at the gun in surprise, cocking it once more and firing again at me.

"The gun isn't loaded, Janson," I finally say. "Did you really think that Thomas would just throw a loaded gun down on the floor for you to take?"

Janson yells in frustration, tossing the gun away. "It's too late, Rhea. The bombs aren't active any more."

Thomas scowls. "You're lying."

"And I stole your master key," Janson holds up the black detonator that I had just in case. "You kept it in your pocket, Rhea? Really, that isn't very smart now, is it?"

One minute left.

I scowl. "You know what is so good about those WICKED bombs, Janson? They don't come off without a code. A code that only I know. And that means that they're still planted throughout this building."

Janson frowns. "Don't you see, Rhea? I've stolen your master key. There's no way that you can detonate those bombs now."

I shake my head. "Not if what you're holding is a decoy."

Janson's eyes widen. I look up at the clock hanging above the window. Just as I do, the minute hand strikes 4.30 p.m.

"I'm not that same naive kid that I was when you ordered a knife thrown at me, Janson."

Janson's eyes widen. This time, he lunges towards the sword that Gina had dropped. He picks it up, and I get ready my knives to defend myself and Thomas.

But, much to my surprise, Janson turns the sword towards himself.

"Try to see if you can rule the world, Rheana Hunter Allios. But I won't be there to watch you fail," Janson says, taking in a deep breath.

Then he runs the sword through himself, directly into the heart. Thomas sucks in a breath, and my eyes widen.

He's dead instantly, falling to the ground.