"𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑘𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑦 𝐼'𝑣𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑒𝑡.
𝗔𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴,❞
Will and Mae worked on the Maze almost everyday. Programming, creating, perfecting. At first, they had been excited. Dr. Paige and Dr. Leavitt choose them for the task, along with Teresa and Thomas.
But as the days went on, and they finished with the Maze, Mae realized what she was actually helping with.
Her and her bestfriend were moving along the process to put their other friends in danger.
Like Teresa and Thomas, Mae and Will had been introduced to each other about a few months after she met her first friends one faithful night. Will was the same as her, isolated from the others- given tasks that he didn't want to complete.
The reason they were introduced later was due to the fact that Thomas and Teresa weren't making fast progress on the Maze- they needed help. So, the Chancellor and his team concluded that the other Agnes sister and another boy who was smart enough to help take the project further would be a great solution.
Will and Mae quickly became fast friends- they shared wit, compassion, stubbornness. As they completed their 'special project', they grew more and more suspicious of WICKED's intentions. Their worries were confirmed when they saw George get stung, and go half out of his mind. Alby was forced to end his life, a traumatic event that Mae could barely stand to watch.
Fuming, the pair demanded answers from the WICKED supervisors. But they provided the same response as always.
"We're taking care of it."
"We'll fix it."
"Remember, this is for the greater good."
Later that night, Will and Mae were meeting in an old storage closet, the same one they used to meet their friends who were now trapped in that insufferable Maze. They sat close to each other, trying not to knock over any supplies and get themselves caught.
"We need a plan, and fast. Before someone else... Ends up like George," Mae whispered, trying to push the image of George's crazed eyes and bloody hands from her head.
"I know. But what are we supposed to do? WICKED won't listen to us." Will said, resting his head in his palms. Mae nodded, looking straight into the eyes of her friend. It was virtually impossible to think of anything.
"We could... volunteer to go up in there and break them out of the Maze?" The boy suggested, shrugging slightly. Mae resisted the urge to slap him, but took a deep breath instead.
"They would wipe our memories, you idiot! You know for one of the smartest kids in this whole place, you really are the dumbest boy I've ever met."
"At least you get to look at my pretty face all day long," Will said cockily. The girl stared at him with an unamused look on her face for a few seconds, until she couldn't contain it any longer, bursting into giggles. Will laughed right back, his lips curling up into a smug grin.
The pair didn't come up with any brilliant ideas, aside from turning all of WICKED into cranks- but they decided that wouldn't be the best idea, considering their friend Newt wasn't immune.
And it would be a very cruel thing to do.
The next morning, a woman with dark hair and sweet brown eyes named Dr. Cooper woke Mae up urgently. Terrified something had gone wrong in the Maze, the fourteen year old girl quickly got dressed and left Teresa sleeping in their room.
Dr. Cooper led her to a private meeting room, and she looked extremely paranoid as she glanced around to make sure no one was watching them. Will was already waiting, sitting in a chair and fiddling with the zipper of his jacket. He gave Mae a small smile when she took a seat next to him, and he looked just as confused as she felt.
"I'm sure you're both very curious why I called you here-" The woman was rushed, but still wore a warm smile. "And you're very entitled to know. I need your help."
Mae's smile dropped.
"You guys have asked for our help in the past. It only ended up with our friends in a deadly stone box. What makes you think we want to say yes?" She asked, frowning.
"Yeah? Trying to manipulate us into hurting more innocent kids?" Will snapped, leaning back in his seat with his jaw clenched.
"No. I want to help you save those children." Now, their attention was caught. They shared a look, unsure of whether to trust her or not.
"How do you expect to do that?" Mae asked curiously.
Dr. Cooper took a deep breath, shuffling through some papers on the table in front of them.
"I need you to promise to keep quiet. You can't tell anyone about this- not your sister," She looked straight at the girl now. "Not your friends, Dr. Paige, anyone. This must remain secret." The doctor said, her tone suddenly more serious and stern than before.
Will and Mae shared a look. They didn't know Dr. Cooper too well, but she had always been kind hearted and treated the kids less like subjects, and more like humans. That being said, this could be just another one of WICKED's sick tests- and they couldn't be one hundred percent sure that she was telling the truth.
"Just tell us your plan, then we can decide." Will stated finally, as if he had read Mae's mind. Dr. Cooper nodded solemnly, preparing to explain her proposal.
"WICKED has made some grave mistakes. The Flare has manifested itself within our walls, I've already identified three individuals I can clarify are infected. Once Dr. Paige and the others find out, they're going to enact the Purge. The Purge is a secret emergency procedure meant to... 'get rid' of the infected so that WICKED can continue it's search for the cure."
"When the purge happens, Dr. Paige will come to you for help, as you are immune."
"What do you mean, come for us to help?" Mae questioned, curious and nervous for the answer. Dr. Cooper's face flashed with pity and sorrow.
"She will ask you to eliminate the infected."
"What does eliminate mean?" Will inquired, now sitting on the edge of his seat.
"She will..." Dr. Cooper struggled to spit the words out. "Have you inject them with poison. Kill them."
Mae's eyes widened at the thought of ending someone's life, let alone the people who had basically raised her, no matter how bad they treated her. She glanced at Will, who looked terrified. Seeing their reaction, the older woman's expression softened sadly.
"No child such as yourselves should be tasked with that mission. Which is where my plan will come into action,"
"When Dr. Paige initiates the Purge, you will use the commotion and weakness to sneak into the control room for the Maze, shut down the simulation, and announce to the kids what's happening. I've arranged a Berg to help carry us out of the facility, and to a safe city called Denver." Dr. Coopers plan seemed risky, but it made sense. Mae played the whole thing out in her head over and over again, the gears in her mind turning at record speed.
She barely noticed Will's intense grip on her hand, and his quick breathing.
"Will we get punished by the universe if we take away a chance at the cure?" Will squeaked.
"I've actually found a way to research brain activity without the Maze trials. Just puzzles and social interaction. We can continue the study in a safe house, in Denver." Dr. Cooper smiled slightly. Then, as Mae and Will sat in thought, she glanced at the clock, clearly paranoid.
"Now you take a day and think on it, and I'll come see you tomorrow. I hope you will consider my offer," She said, her voice gentle.
__
"We're going to do it." Will announced. Dr. Cooper's smile grew, and she stood from her seat. She reached over the table to shake each of the teens hands enthusiastically, thrilled for them to be apart of the new beginning.
"Wonderful. I'm going to speak with Vince tonight, who will be flying the Berg. I expect Dr. Paige will approach you all within three days, asking you to participate in the Purge. Remember, say yes and act as aloof as you can. While your friends are enacting the protocol, you'll use this key-" She handed Mae a key card with a picture of herself on it and the words 'Dr. Mary Cooper' at the top. "To get into the Maze control room. I expect you know how to use the speaker feature?"
The pair nodded, soaking the information into their brains like sponges.
"Let your friends know where to go, instruct them through the Griever hole, and lead them to the me. I'll bring them to the Berg from there. Remember, they won't know who you are, so be patient. Do you understand?"
Another nod, but silence from Mae and Will.
"Then I will see you then. Good luck."
__
That night, guilt consumed Mae.
Not because she was going to take down WICKED- but because she didn't involve her sister in the plan. But Dr. Cooper's words to her echoed in her mind- 'don't tell anyone'. She tossed and turned for hours, trying to do everything in her power to sleep.
She knew if Will was there, she could talk to him until she fell asleep.
But he wasn't, and she couldn't risk their plan by sneaking into his room.
Soon after, the guilt was too much to bear, and her trust for her sister was too strong to keep Mae quiet.
"Teresa?" She croaked from the bottom bunk. She heard some ruffling of sheets, and then a soft sight from her older sister.
"Yeah?"
"I'm hiding something from you."
"I knew it! You and Will are kiss buddies!" Teresa cheered. Mae grimaced, her cheeks burning red. She was grateful no one could see.
"What? No!" She spat.
"Oh. Then what is it?"
"Please don't rat me out. You and Thomas are going to come with- It will be perfect." Mae rambled. She could practically hear Teresa roll her eyes.
"Me, Will and Dr. Cooper are going to break out the guys in the Maze during this thing called the Purge. Then we're all going to a safe city, called Denver."
Teresa was silent for a moment, and Mae was positive she was in support of the plan. Maybe she was just thinking.
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. WICKED provides us food, a bed, work to do. We're going to find the cure," She finally spat, with such force it made her sister almost flinch. An over flow of emotion gripping Mae, she didn't bother to fight off the frustration and confusion laced in her tone.
"Did you see what they did to George? We can't keep letting that happen!" She snapped back.
"It was a mistake, Mae. Everyone makes mistakes. But they're going to fix the serum, and everyone will be alright again. And we're one step closer to getting rid of the virus," She explained, her voice less menacing than it had been just a second ago.
"You don't understand." Mae grumbled. She couldn't believe her sister was siding with them- the people who had taken them from their home- forced them to be separated from the other kids.
"Just don't do it. You're going to mess everything up." Mae refused to hear Teresa's words, rolling over on her side to face the grey wall.
No- it was going to work. And she would save them all- Minho, Newt, Alby, Chuck, Thomas and Will.
__
"This way!" Mae hissed under her breath, her back pressed against the wall with Will to her left. They glanced around before the girl waved him forward, toward a door that was supposed to have the Maze controls behind it. Gripping the key card in her right hand, she approached the door cautiously with her best friend closely behind.
The halls were basically deserted, due to the fact that Teresa, Thomas, Aris and Rachel were running around and killing the infected WICKED workers on the other side of the building, leaving the perfect opportunity for Will and Mae to get their friends out of the Maze.
"Alright, she just said to tap the key card there," Will pointed to the little device in the wall next to the door. Mae nodded, bringing the card to it and smiling as the light flashed green.
Before she pushed forward, she grabbed Will's arm, turning to him swiftly.
"We have to do this quick. We're going to save them, ok?" She coaxed, staring right into his bright and curious eyes. "Behind this door is the next phase of our life. Are you ready?"
"I'm always ready," Will smirked. Mae gave him a mock-glare, before pushing the door open.
What was waiting for them would certainly bring the next phase of their lives- but not in the way they had been so ready for.
"I told you, Mae." Teresa's eyes were wide with a mix of pity and regret. Mae's mouth fell open slightly as her eyes darted from her sister to Dr. Paige, then three huge guards- with launchers, then lastly to Dr. Cooper, who's arm was being held firmly by one of the guards. Her usually bright eyes were dark with fear.
"I- what? Teresa, what did you do?" She breathed. She felt Will trembling from beside her, his hand gripping hers.
"Mae, we put our faith in you with this project. It seems we were mistaken. Please do not fight us, or we will be forced to react."
Frozen in place, Mae watched in pure terror as the Guards ripped the keycard from her hand, grabbing Will's shoulders with such force he yelped out in pain. They did the same to her, waiting to Dr. Paige for further instruction.
"No! Please, I'm sorry we won't do it again, we just thought-" She started pleading for forgiveness, her eyes locked with Teresa. She saw tears brimming in her sisters blue eyes, which only angered her further.
"I'm sorry Mae." Dr. Paige said solemnly.
"What are you going to do to us?" Mae shouted, thrashing in the guards grip, her heart pounding in her ears. Will was silent, and she could tell he was trying not to cry.
"Teresa's only request was that you be kept safe. You'll be locked in a room by yourself for a few years until we can put you into Maze. It's what's best for us all." In a panic, Mae's gaze jerked from the doctor to her friend, who was beginning to be dragged further from her and closer to the door.
"What are you going to do to Will?" She asked, her voice dropped to a whisper. She looked at him- he was paralyzed with fear, his eyes conveying the words 'don't let them take me.'
"What are you going to do him!" She repeated, louder that time.
Dr. Paige didn't answer. She simply nodded to the guards, and they disappeared with Will in their clutch.
"WILL!" Mae shrieked.
WOW THAT MF WAS LONG UM- SORRY IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FEVER CODE U ARE PROBABLY CONFUSED. awww look guys, it's teresa's first betrayal! BUT I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE WILL BACK STORY, played by our very own Dylan Sprayberry! This is sort of all over the place but I loved this chapter.