"I want to meet up," Newt said into the phone as Thomas squeezed his hand in support.
Brenada laughed loudly through the receiver. "You want to meet up? Because you beat the pack and it was a dead end? Now you want my help for what? You think I'm that stupid."
"How do I know if it's a dead end!? You think I'm smart enough to-"
"You're smart enough to force a video link through Janson's computer."
Newt felt his blood run cold. "You know about that?"
"Of course I do, you think I'm stupid or something?"
Newt swallowed and leaned into Thomas a bit. "What do you want from us?"
"Janson, I need to find Janson."
"I don't know where he is?!" Newt snapped.
"But you've been lying to me."
"How the fuck have I been lying to you?!" Newt snapped. "I'm trying to make sure you don't murder my freinds."
Brenda was quiet for a moment. "You don't know? Oh my god you don't know?!"
"Know what?!"
"You've helped me more than you even think." With that Brenda hung up the phone.
Newt stared at the deadline and shook his head. "That bitch is insane."
"What did she say?" Minho asked.
"She said there was something I don't know and I've been lying to her?"
"What the hell could we not possibly know?"
"Hey," Teresa said as she turned her computer around. "Every time I try and go on the game my screen goes black and it's just beeping."
Newt made a face. "Well that's weird."
"Hold on Newt shut up." Thomas put his hand in front of his face and closed his eyes.
Minho made a face. "The fuck is this kid on?"
Thomas opened his eyes suddenly. "It's not beeping, it's morse code, get a pen!"
"God Tom you're so sexy!" Teresa exclaimed as she scrambled to grab a pen and paper and thrusted it into his hands.
Everyone was silent as they huddled around Thomas and the computer, watching him slowly write down dashes and dots.
"What does it say?" Minho whispered.
Teresa smacked him upside the head. "Shut the fuck up."
"It's an address and a time," Thomas mumbled as he scribbled more on the pad. "I-It's signed."
"By who?" Newt asked.
"I can only pick up the J then the rest is glitchy."
"Great so it could be Janson or Jorge," Minho scoffed.
"Yeah not too helpful, where is this meetup place?" Newt asked.
Thomas typed something into his phone then showed it to Newt. "About a half hour away, date and time is tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Teresa asked. "Do we go?"
"I think we should. We're all there this time. They can't do anything against the four of us."
"Unless they have guns." Thomas huffed.
"We have to go!" Teresa exclaimed. "We're so close here!"
"I agree," Newt said. "But I think I should go alone."
"Fuck that!" Thomas snapped.
"Yeah I agree with him, Newt what the hell?" Minho frowned.
"What are you going on about?" Teresa asked as she frowned. "You know we're always in this together dude."
"It's about what the game asked me. It asked if I'd risk your safety for this and I won't, I wouldn't," Newt answered as he wiped his hands on his pants. "I'm sorry but I can't let you guys go."
Thomas pulled Newt into his chest and clamped his hand over his mouth. "Okay now Newt is quiet. We should sleep early so we can all go tomorrow."
Newt struggled and yanked Thomas' hand off. "I'm serious!"
"I am too." Thomas frowned. "You wouldn't know about this meeting if it wasn't for us, so we're going and I don't feel like fighting with you again so stop."
Newt fell quiet at that. "Okay, we all go tomorrow."
"We're gonna be fine," Thomas said softly as he kissed Newt's cheek which made him flush and shove him away.
"That doesn't make me change my mind. I hate this."
"And we hate you so shut up." Minho grinned as he shoved his leg.
"We have to go back home in three days," Thomas mumbled against Newt's shoulder where his lips were pressed against his T-shirt.
"I know," Newt said softly. "We'll figure it out."
Newt wasn't sure if he was referencing his relationship or the murderer.
____
Newt's leg was jumping as Thomas drove to their meeting place. Thomas had his hand on his knee to try and chill him out but it wasn't working. They weren't very prepared. Minho had one of Newt's kitchen knives shoved in the waist of his pants and Teresa had a small pink can of pepper spray. Newt had on a huge hoodie to cover the metal water bottle he had with him as a sorry excuse for a weapon. Thomas didn't even seem nervous which was the most infuriating. He was driving humming to that damn 1975 song and acting like not a damn thing was wrong in the world. Newt wanted to strangle him.
"Newt you need to chill, you're freaking me out," Minho huffed from the back seat.
"I can't." Newt snapped. Thomas squeezed his leg in warning.
"It's going to be fine Newt I promise," Thomas said softly as he turned into a parking lot. "We're not stupid, we're gonna be careful."
Newt hummed softly and leaned his head against the window. "As long as Tommy stays by me, I know Brenda has a target on his back."
"He's gonna be fine Newt," Teresa said seriously as she leaned forward. "We're not going to let anyone hurt him regardless."
Newt nodded and Thomas turned off the car. "Okay, you guys ready to push out?"
"Stop making this sound like a military mission," Newt grumbled as he opened his door and hopped out.
"It kinda is a mission though," Minho pointed out as he hopped out of the car.
"Be serious." Newt huffed as he made his way next to Thomas and took his hand. Thomas interlocked their fingers and squeezed his hand.
"It's that way right?" Teresa asked as she pointed toward a small building. It looked like a T-Mobile shop which was just weird.
Thomas made a face. "Uh, that's where the address said."
"A T-Mobile store?!" Minho snapped. "Why couldn't it be something cool like, walmart, they sell guns there!"
Newt smacked his palm to his face and shook his head. "We're gonna fucking die."
"Come on, it's gonna be fine," Thomas assured him again as he tugged him toward the store.
"If you let go of my hand I'll cut your balls off," Newt huffed as he followed the other three in through the door.
"Protective, you're like a dog," Thomas laughed as he stopped in the middle of the store.
All the lights were on, but it was totally empty, which was weird.
"Aren't there supposed to be people?" Minho asked as he took a hesitant step backwards.
"Hello?" Teresa called out as she held the pepper spray tighter in her hand.
Silence fell over them as a door slowly opened from behind the counter.
"I didn't think you'd come."
Newt squeezed Thomas' hand harder as he stared at the man in the door frame. It was unmistakably Janson. He looked like shit, his eyes were sunken in and he resembled someone who hadn't slept in days.
"You called us here." Teresa pointed out.
"Well yeah, but it was quite the encrypted message."
Minho shrugged. "Care to tell us why you called us here."
Jason sighed and leaned against the counter. "A few reasons actually, some worse than the others."
"Brenda is very adamant on finding you," Newt said as he frowned.
"Of course she is, did she contact you?"
Thomas nodded. "She said there was something Newt didn't know."
"Newt?" Janson looked confused.
"He doesn't know our names jackass!" Teresa hissed as she smacked him.
"It's not even his real name calm down!"
Janson cringed slightly. "Did she tell you anything else?"
Newt shook his head.
"She knows Jorge is still alive," Janson said. "She knows that I know and she has some list of everyone I told. She wants us stopped. You didn't tell her anything about that did you?"
Newt shook his head. "No, never. She does know we forced a video link with you."
Janson bit his lip. "Okay that's bad but not awful. There's no way she could have listened in, you guys somehow made that link quite secure."
Teresa hopped up on the counter. "Are you alone here?"
Janson nodded. "I'm at a dead end."
"So you're desperate and you need us?" Thomas asked as he looked at him curiously.
"Essentially yes." Janson sighed and ran his fingers through his graying hair.
"Well then what's the plan?" Minho asked as he crossed his arms. "We beat the pack, it was pointless, we're just kids."
"It wasn't pointless though. Beating the pack sends a copy of all the information on your computer to Brenda and Jorge. For them it just gave them a way to track you."
Newt's blood ran cold. "So she tricked us?"
Janson nodded. "She made the damn pack of course she tricked you."
Newt wrapped his arms around Thomas' forearm as if that would keep him safe from danger. "She threatened our lives."
Janson shook his head. "No, from the way you're wrapping yourself around him I'm guessing she threatened his life and he's the boyfriend because she only wants one of you."
"She wants Newt?!" Teresa asked in disbelief. "Why would she want him, we don't even know who the hell she is?"
Janson sighed. "I didn't want it to have to come to this, but I do your names. I know everything about each of you because I looked into it."
"You stalked us?!" Minho snapped.
"Listen!" Janson yelled. "I knew there was more to this and I was right."
Janson pointed at Newt. "Blonde one, Newt right? But that's not your real name which your friend confirmed for me."
Newt tightened his grip on Thomas as he shook his head.
Janson nodded. "It's Issac. Your sister was Elizabeth and I didn't have to look that up to know that."
Newt felt his stomach crawl into his throat. "What are you saying?"
Janson gave him a half hearted laugh. "I didn't have to look up Elizabeth's name because I picked it out."
Newt shook his head quickly. "You're lying."
"I'm not."
"Newt," Thomas said carefully as he gently put his arm out in front of him as some protection thing "Calm down."
"He's lying!" Newt screamed as tears blurred his vision. "He's fucking lying."
Minho and Teresa exchanged a look.
"I'm your dad Issac."
"You're not," Newt said softly as he grabbed Thomas' arm so hard it hurt. "You can't be."
Janson let out a breath. "I don't think you want to get into old family drama, and it doesn't cut it, but I'm sorry."
"I hate you!" Newt yelled.
"Chill," Thomas said just as softly as he put his hand on Newt's chest. "Babe seriously chill."
"She's dead and you weren't there!" Newt screamed again, his throat was starting to hurt. "She died- someone killed her- I was by myself I was alone! I-I can't tell mum sh-she-" Newt cut off as a sob ripped through his voice.
Newt didn't know what to do so he just wrapped his arms around Thomas' shoulders and buried his face in his neck so he could cry without Janson seeing his face.
Thomas instantly shushed him and rested his hands on his back, rubbing soft circles.
"I know you hate me," Janson said, the emotion fleeting from his voice. "I get it, but that's why she's using you. She knows, that's what she didn't want you to find out."
"I think we need to be done here," Thomas said harshly as he practically cradled the back of Newt's head.
"This is bigger than emotions, this is about saving the lives of children!" Janson protested.
"You could have warned him!" Thomas spat. "Fuck you really! It's not fair to him."
"Go back to the car," Minho said. "We'll finish it up here."
"Are you sure?"
Teresa scoffed. "Yeah what is grandpa here gonna do?"
Thomas nodded and nudged Newt. "Come on."
Newt lifted up his face and wiped his eyes, the embarrassment immediately washing over him.
Thomas didn't seem to care, he took his hand back and led them out of the god forsaken store and back to the car. Thomas ushered him in the backseat and closed the door behind them.
"Wanna talk about it?"
Newt shrugged. "Not sure yet."
"Are you okay?"
Newt shrugged again. "I really don't know."
Thomas scoffed. "That was the last thing I was expecting, I'm sorry I didn't think he'd spring that on yo-"
"I'm glad I know."
"What?"
"I'm happy I know Tommy, I'd rather know than not. It's important, we needed to find this out so Brenda can't use it against me."
"It sucks though," Thomas pointed it out as he gently nudged his knee.
Newt nodded and rubbed his eyes again. "I can't tell mum she- bloody hell she'd lose it."
"Okay then we don't tell her. I mean how do we know he's not lying?"
Newt shook his head. "He's not."
"How do you know?"
"He called her Elizabeth, no one did. Mum said dad named her so she made everyone call her Lizzy. He couldn't have found that online."
Thomas nodded. "Okay, shit yeah okay."
Newt scoffed out a laugh. "What are the fuckin odds."
Thomas hooked his arm around his shoulders and pulled him into his body. "Does this change anything for you?"
Newt shook his head. "I mean I don't want him to die, but I didn't want him dead before too."
Thomas pressed a soft kiss to his temple. "Because you're a good person."
Newt rolled his eyes. "Stop sweet talking me, you know it works."
Thomas laughed and pressed another kiss to his cheek. "You're just so cute, you make it easy."
Newt flushed and pushed him away. "Knock it off...thank you though."
"You helped me with math, I help you when you realize your dad is a superpower of one of the most powerful tech companies of the world."
Newt laughed at that. "You think he'll buy me a new computer?"
"I think he owes you one technically."
"For the childhood trauma?"
"Maybe two computers and you can give one to your wonderful sexy boyfriend."
"Shut up."
Newt jumped when the driver's side door swung open.
"You guys good in here?" Minho asked as he popped his head in.
Thomas gave a thumbs up. "All good."
"We got contact info," Teresa said as she hopped in the passenger seat. "And I stole his wallet so we can get McDonalds on the way back because he was a dick to Newt."
"You robbed my dad?" Newt asked as he looked at her.
"Uh yes?"
Newt broke into laughter at that, forgetting that he was crying just moments ago. "What the fuck T?"
"I thought we needed some revenge?"
"He tell you what he plans to do next?" Thomas asked.
Minho nodded. "It's a lot though and it involves finding Jorge and us staying at WICKED for an extended period of time to help."
"You think my mom will believe me if I say field trip?"
Minho laughed. "Hell no, that's why I'm just telling my grandma I'm going."
"My parents won't care," Teresa said as she threw her feet up on the dashboard. "But let's figure that out later. I think we need to have a mental health night."
"The fuck is that?" Newt asked.
"One where we don't think about WICKED or the game or Janson or Brenda and we get drunk like we did ages ago."
"Brenda would easily be able to kill us if we were all dru-"
"Newt shut up you broke the rule."
"What rule?"
"No talking about that stuff either."
Newt huffed and crossed his arms.
"And Min and I will sleep in the basement so you and Thomas can do your gross couple stuff!" Teresa exclaimed.
"This is your way of cheering me up?" Newt asked with a small smile on his face.
Minho nodded. "Yeah dude, we care about you or whatever, just accept it."
Newt smiled wider. "Okay let's have a mental health night."
Teresa cheered and turned on the radio. "If we get home safe because I don't trust Minho's driving."
"I'm a good driver."
Newt snaked his arms around Thomas' waist and nuzzled his face into his shoulder.
Thomas laughed. "What are you doing."
"You're my emotional support right now."
"So that means you need to attach to me like a koala?"
Newt nodded. "Yes now be quiet I'm emotionally healing."
Thomas snorted out a laugh but kissed the top of his head. "You're quite lucky I love you."
"I love you too Tommy," Newt smiled as he held on tighter.
Minho and Teresa were screaming along to some song in the front seat. Fuck Brenda, she couldn't take this away from them.
_____
Someone predicted this and I hate you I thought I was being so smart
Should next chapter be mental health night or more plot?