NEWT POV
A massive explosion knocks me off my feet. I fall against Thomas, landing on top of him. I scramble to my feet, red in face. I pull him up after me. We rush to the others. I glance at Thomas. Tears fall down his face.
The world is a sea of ash and flame. Hot tears start to leave my eyes as well. Teresa betrayed us. We stand with Vince by a car. He hands Minho a gun.
"Hey! Do you know how to use this thing?" Minho nods. "Cover me!"
I take a gun as well. I pull the trigger and knock a soldier down. He falls back, blood flowing from his chest. I wince. Then, I see Thomas run off.
"THOMAS, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" I shout.
"BRENDA!" Is all he says in response.
"Shit." I mutter. "TOMMY, BE CAREFUL!" I cry.
He smiles wryly at me and runs off. I bite my lip. He's not going to be careful. He never is. Then, I hear a crash and the world blurs. Electricity runs through my body and I can't move. Now I'm glad Thomas ran away.
I kneel in a line with the rest of the people captured by WICKED.
"How many did we get?" Janson asks, pacing in front of us.
"All of them. Give or take." An armored man says. I chuckle.
"Give or take what?" Janson says angrily.
"Well, they lost a few." He says.
"Where's Thomas?" Janson asks hurriedly.
"I'm right here." Thomas says, emerging from the fire.
"THOMAS!" I shout.
A soldier knees me in the back.
"Quiet!" He hisses.
"Thomas!" Janson says, walking over.
He punches Thomas in the stomach. I try to get up again but a soldier jabs a gun into the small of my back.
"One more sound or move and I swear, kid." He says into my ear.
Another soldier pushes Thomas into line with me.
"Why didn't you run?" I whisper.
"I'm tired of running, Newt." He says.
"GET 'EM ON!" Janson shouts.
We stand.
"Hello, Thomas." Ava Paige says. "I'm glad you're safe."
Teresa stands next to her.
"Since when?" Thomas asks dryly.
"Teresa's always had an evolved appreciation of the greater good. Once we restored her memories, it was only a matter of time." Janson says.
"I'm sorry, Thomas." She says earnestly. "I had no choice. This is the only way. We have to find a cure."
"This is all just a means to an end. You used to understand that, Thomas." Ava says. "No matter what you think of me... I am not a monster. I'm a doctor. I swore an oath to find a cure! No matter the cost. I just need more time. More blood."
Mary, Vince's wife comes forward.
"Hello, Mary." Ava says. "I hoped we'd meet again. I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances."
"I'm sorry about a lot of things, too. But not this. At least my conscience is clear." Mary says forcefully.
"So is mine." Ava says.
And a gunshot pierces Mary's stomach.
"MARY!" Vince cries, rushing over to her. He takes her in his arms. "MARY!"
I move closer to Thomas and he takes my hand. Then, Thomas takes something out of his pocket. The bomb.
"EVERYONE STAND BACK!" He shouts. "Stand back!"
"Hold your fire!" Janson says quickly.
"Everyone, stand back!" Thomas cries again. "Stand back. Let 'em go."
"Thomas, put it down." Janson says, inching closer, hands in front of himself.
"Let 'em all go!" He shouts.
"You know I can't do that!" Ava insists.
"Thomas, please stop." Teresa says. "I made a deal with them. They promised we'd be safe. All of us."
"And I'm supposed to trust you now?" He asks.
"It's true. It was her only condition." Ava says.
"Shut up!" Thomas yells.
Everything can go back to the way it was. Thomas... do you really want all of them to die?" Ava asks.
"Listen to her, Thomas. Think about what you're doing." Teresa pleads. "We're with you, Thomas."
"No. Don't." Janson says.
"Do it, Thomas." I say into his ear, chin resting on his shoulder.
"Do it." Minho says.
"We're ready. We're not going back there." Thomas says, hand shaking slightly.
"Thomas?" Teresa says
"It's the only way." He says.
"Thomas!"
A vehicle crashes in from behind us. Brenda and Jorge. I grin.
Thomas starts to run but Janson knocks him down and puts a foot on his chest. He cocks his gun and points it between his eyes.
"What a waste." He says.
Then, a gunshot hits his shoulder. I turn to see Brenda waving. I pull Thomas up and we continue to run.
We sprint over until all of us hide behind a box. Except-
"MINHO!" Thomas shouts as one of those electric guns hits him. WICKED takes him onto their plane. "MINHO!"
We sit in the wreckage as dawn emerges.
"What do we do now?" I ask, my head on Thomas's shoulder.
"Well, we pick up what's left of us. We stick to the plan. We get you kids to the safe haven. Then we start over, I guess." Vince says.
"I'm not going with you." Thomas says.
"What?" I ask, looking at him.
He moves to stand on a large rock. "I made a promise to Minho. I wouldn't leave him behind. I have to go after him."
"Hey, kid, look around you. Alright? WICKED just kicked our ass. You think about where you're headed." Vince says, gesturing around us.
"I'm not asking anyone to come with me." He says.
"Thomas, listen to me." I say, rising to my feet as well. "I've known Minho for... Well, as long as I can remember. So, if there was any way that we could help him... trust me, I would be up there standing next to you. This, what you're talking about... is impossible. More like suicide." I say, trying to make him understand.
"Maybe." Thomas says. "But I know what I'm supposed to do now. It's not just about Minho. It's about all of us. It's about everyone WICKED's ever taken, everyone they will take. They'll never stop. They'll never stop, so I'm gonna stop them. I'm gonna kill Ava Paige."
"I have to admit... I'd like some revenge." Harriet says.
"Well, that's a good speech, kid." Vince says. "So, what's your plan?"