I tried to focus. I really did. But when they sat Newt across from me, in the laboratories, it was next to impossible. Every time I looked up, I caught him glancing over at me too. Only making my heart flutter out of control even more.
They had given us new clothes. Newt now had a blue long sleeve, his hair brushed and you could see the highlights in his hair from the sun. Everything about him was attractive. I, on the other hand, sat on a gurney alone in a men's long sleeve that was probably one size too big because Newt's placements of hickeys would not comply with any of the women's shirts. Something I think he was proud of. We were all cleaned up, dry, and thrown into the lab, something that Thomas looked especially pissed about.
"What is that?" Newt asked the man in a lab coat in front of him.
The doctor held up a syringe with a long that I could see from across the room, "Just a little cocktail. Calcium, folate, vitamins A through Z. Pretty much everything you've been deprived of out there. Try to relax."
I eavesdropped on Thomas and his nurse next, who had taken about eight veils of blood from him and another eight from me a few minutes ago, "Sure you got enough there?
"Evening, Dr. Crawford." A man greeted a woman in heels and a traditional lab coat as he walked by.
She nodded at him, "Good evening. How are the new arrivals holding up?"
"So far, so good." He answered, disposing of the needle that was just in Newt's arm.
She pivoted in front of me, giving me a warm smile. I attempted to smile back, but this whole exchange made me queasy. "And you must be Fiona." She pulled the curtain around us, giving us a sense of privacy. It still made me feel better than if anything were to happen, it would only take one scream for the boys to be at my side, even if they couldn't see me.
"Rumor has it that you were the only girl for over two years. How was that?"
"It's all I've ever known, so I don't really know how to answer that." I felt the need to defend by boys.
"Do you know why you were the only girl for so long?" She seemed more curious about the topic.
"There was an error. I was sent in someone else's place." I gave her the only bit of information I knew.
She nodded, taking down notes, "Any idea who made that error?"
"I did. At least I think I did. That's what I've been told."
"Who told you that?"
I didn't answer right away, this little chat of ours was beginning to seem more one-sided.
"I'm sorry," She returned with that bright smile. "I'm just trying to get all the information I can. The more we understand WCKD the greater chance we have at ending them once and for all."
I nodded, deciding to answer the previous question in hopes that WCKD would never see the light of day again, "Thomas. He received some of his memories back."
"Excellent, thank you." She wrote her final notes, setting the clipboard down on the table. She picked up a needle and injected it into the bag of water that was linked up to my arm, rehydrating me since I got here. "That will help right any infections that got into your system in the maze trials."
"And then am I free to go?" I asked.
"One last thing," She walked over to a case, pulling out yet another needle to poke me with. I rolled my eyes, starting to get tired. "This isn't a regular shot. It has a little device in it, it'll regulate your hormones to prevent the conception of any child."
My eyes widened slightly, making her chuckle a little. "Oh... wow."
She grinned, and I understood why a female doctor was sent in to specifically see me. She rolled up my sleeve, I hissed as the needle pierced my skin. She took it out, placing a gaw and tape over it. "One less thing to worry about."
I just nodded, the sleepiness of all this moving on finally hitting me. I didn't plan on falling asleep, but the drowsiness came in a wave. I tried to keep my head above it all but I couldn't stay above the water. My body grew so tired it could not carry on any longer and sunk into a dreamless sleep.
--
One of the head doctors greeted Fiona, creating a sickening feeling in my stomach.
"Thomas?" I woman appeared catching my attention. "Come with me, please."
She leads me down several hallways, coming to a stop in front of one metal door. She opened it, holding it so I could walk inside. Upon my entry, I spied Janson seeing in a metal chair on the other side of the table.
He gave me a grin, "Thomas, thank you for seeing me. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I was just hoping we might get a moment to chat in private, away from the others. I looked around the room, seeing us completely alone in this cement box. There were no cameras and only one central light, shining down onto the middle of the table. I felt the cold metal under me as I sat down, letting him continue. "Well... I won't take up too much of your time. I really only have one question. What do you remember about WCKD? You're not in trouble. We're just having a conversation. I'm just trying to understand."
"Understand what?" Was my first question.
He leaned forward, making sure he could see me clearly when asking, "Whose side are you on?"
"I remember I used to work for WCKD," I told him, not entirely proud of it. "I remember that they sent me into the maze. I remember watching my friends die in front of me. I'm on their side."
"Interesting. And Miss. Fiona, what about her? What do you know about her from before the maze?"
"Is she alright? I something wrong with her?"
"Oh no, quite the opposite. We have reason to believe that she was part of a great experiment, one that took place before the maze trials. She specifically might have been a child who was subjected to a program with the goal of stimulating the brain into advanced intelligence."
It suddenly occurred to me that our brains of the operation might have been tainted by WCKD all along. But I knew Fiona, I trusted her. Even if what this man was saying was true, how could she have known or even cared? "I know WCKD had a three-inch binder with her name on it. And another one after all the damage she caused to WCKD.
"DO you remember what was in that binder? If there was anyone else?"
"I don't know. But I remember they wanted her dead but they couldn't kill her without disrupting the trial anymore."
Janson sighed, pushing himself back in his chair, "So you worked for WCKD, but they sent you into the maze. Why would they do something like that?"
"I don't know. Maybe you should've asked them before you killed them all."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." He smirked. "Enjoy the rest of your stay."
"That's it?" I wondered, feeling like he cut the meeting short for some reason.
"Yeah, you've told me everything I need to know. You and your friends have all been cleared to join the others. Soon you'll all be moving on to greener pastures."
I nodded, hoping to get back to my friends as soon as possible before I noticed, "Wait. Others?"
His smile grew, as he opened the door. He signaled to the woman who brought me down here who was waiting patiently against the wall. She pushed off, leading me back down the halls and into new ones. When we entered the next set of doors. It was filled with kids right around the same age as me. Talking and laughing at tables filled with food.
Minho ran up to me, "Hey, Thomas!"
"Hey, Minho, what's going on?"
"We weren't the only maze." He informed me, sitting me down next to two other boys while they were in the middle of a story.
"And there was this big, loud explosion, and these guys came out of nowhere. Started shooting up the place. "
"It was intense." The other chimed in.
"They pulled us out of the maze and brought us here." The larger boy finished.
"What about the rest?" Newt questioned the boys, his eyes darkened and serious. "The other people left behind in the maze, what happened to them?
"I don't know." They admitted, "I guess WCKD still has them."
Newt glanced over at me, the guilt of the boys was left still sinking in, "How long have you guys been here?
"Not long. Just a day or two. That kid over there has been here the longest. Almost a week." They pointed a boy with his grey hood up at the corner of another table. A different kind of smirk as they looked back at us, "His maze was nothing but girls."
Minho raised his eyebrow at the sound of that, "Really?"
"Some guys have all the luck." He commented, confusion coming to his face. "Didn't guys get girls too?"
"Two of them. Fiona, in the beginning. And Teresa was the last one."
"Where are they? The boy on the left smirked, looking around the room.
Minho chuckled at the annoyed glances Thomas and I gave him, "Careful, there shank, you might lose a finger talking about them like that."
He frowned, just now noticing Newt and I. He cleared his throat and seemed perfectly relieved when Janson entered the room to take our attention.
Janson walked into the room, silencing us and getting our attention just by walking in. "Good evening, gentlemen. Ladies. You all know how this works. If you hear your name called.. please rise in an orderly fashion, and join my colleagues behind me.. where they will escort you to the eastern wing Your new lives are about to begin.
"Connor." Was the first name in a list of names. Each teenager stood up with a bright smile, all but skipping into a line in front of the cafeteria. Two girls hugged when they were both called, making me think they were in the same maze together as well. A boy named 'Squiggy.' Was called, and received multiple types of praise from the surrounding kids that only stopped when Janson instructed us to settle down. He finished the last of the names, putting his list down.
"Now, now, don't get discouraged. If I could take more, I would. There's always tomorrow. Your time will come. Go on, eat up."
"Where are they going?"
The boy on the right sighed with envy, "Far from here. Lucky bastards. Some kind of farm. A safe place. They can only take in a couple of people at a time."
I looked up at the group moving in a single fine line. We could see them walk down the hall behind a sheet of glass. Even with the burnt end cut out of her hair and new clothes. I would still recognize Fiona anywhere. She stood next to Janson, looking in at everyone that walked by her. "What the hell?"
"Hey, Fi? Fi!" I woke right over the glass, smacking it to get her attention.
A guard pulled me back, trying to calm me down, but to me, he was only keeping me from my friend. "Hey, hey, hey.
"Where are they taking her?" Newt ordered for answers, coming to my side.
"They just have to run a few more tests. Don't worry they'll be done with her soon." He told me. I looked back at her she looked scared. She looked at me and then back at Janson, telling him something that made him smile. He put his hand on her shoulder, guiding her away.
"Is she okay?" He questioned next.
The guard brushed it off, "She's fine."
We stood down, seeing her go out of sight with Janson. I looked over at Newt, and he grabbed my arm. Directing me back to our table with the others. I had to force myself to give them a once of trust. I followed Newt's lead.
When we got back to our food, an amazed smirk on the lips of the boys we were talking to before, "With all due respect, dude... She's hot."
There wasn't a doubt in my mind that Fiona made Newt's world go around. And after all those days surrounded by gladers, every day she chose him. His cheeks burn red, knowing that even if these boys from another maze tried, she wouldn't give them a second look. Newt smiled, deep down he knew where he and Fiona stood. "Trust me, mate, I know."
--
HOW AM I DOING SO FAR? A FEW FEEL-GOOD CHAPTERS BEFORE THE PAIN KICKS IN.... LOVE YOU IN ADVANCE
B