Edward had sat silently in the trunk for over three hours. Whilst no one was looking, he sent silent glances over to Brenda. He had felt a little guilty keeping a distance like that from her but after everyone observed them lie next to each other, he just didn't want to give them a reason to tease.
Amelia peered through her goggles through the windshield. "We made it guys! Stop the truck, Jorge!"
Edward felt his body bash against the front as the tyres screeched and the truck stopped. Chuck collided against him.
"Sorry," Jorge chuckled.
"Ha ha," said Edward awkwardly. "Come on Chuck,"
The two of them along with Aris and Harriet leapt out of the back and joined Amelia, Jorge, and Brenda at a cliff edge. In the distance, they saw a rich city shimmering under the sun with tall skyscrapers in the centre. Surrounding the city was a tall wall which through her binoculars Amelia could see giant guns. It was designed to keep anyone out.
"This is where we're gonna find the rest of the Right Arm?" Jorge asked.
"No. We'll find them down there," Amelia pointed down. Copying her line of vision, the group of friends saw settlements of ruins. Layers of ash and smoke piled everywhere. He could see old trucks patrolling the dirty streets, and people in old clothes. They were hungry and poor. They were desperate and dangerous.
"It's gonna be very dangerous down there," Amelia warned. "It won't just be our friends there. There are many Cranks not yet infected by the Flare who won't be allowed access. WICKED may yet already be beginning to take over,"
"Then we must make haste," Edward said determinedly. Everyone else started to get back into trouble. He flicked his eyes to Brenda. "Hey, Brenda..."
She swerved around and looked at him. "Yes?"
"I just wanted to say...sorry for being a little distant. It's just back there when we woke up and everyone was like..." he paused. He didn't want to sound very awkward.
"I get it, Ed," Brenda holding up her hand. "I felt very awkward too,"
"But it was nice that we laid down together. I...I...I mean...you were comforting me and I really appreciated it,"
Brenda smiled a bit. "You're welcome,"
Edward smiled back. The two stood there for too long that Jorge back in the truck blew the horn.
"While you two are still young!" he ranted, gesturing for them to get into the truck. Quickly they rushed over to the truck. Edward was surprised to see Amelia wasn't in her seat in the front. He saw she was sitting in the back with Chuck, Harriet, and Aris. She smiled and gestured to him to sit next to Brenda who was already in her middle seat next to Jorge.
He couldn't back out. He stepped into the truck and sat next to Brenda. Jorge drove off and the other trucks followed behind them. As they made their way towards the last city, Edward felt his mind swimming in a sea of hope.
Thomas roared in pain. WICKED's painful needles sent agony streaming through his body. His head was a mental exploding bomb and every time he felt a memory flashing in the mind his eye, he felt more torture wrecking his body.
Jerry and Teresa continued to analyse him. Ava just stood still emotionless. Janson was pacing around in circles.
"Janson. Stop," Ava ordered plainly.
Reluctantly Janson came to her side and twiddled his fingers as they watched Thomas receive the tenth jolt of pain. His screams echoed out the room.
........................................................................................................................
In cells of steel, the Gladers were sitting glumly on beds. There was nothing to be excited about. Near the door, Minho and Frypan flicked their heads when they heard low but audible screams. Minho stood up slowly. He pressed his head to the door and he recognised who it was. He shared a worried glance with Frypan. The screams grew louder. Minho turned his head to all the worried Gladers. It was awful for them.
........................................................................................................................
Thomas felt the pain dissolve away though his body was weak and tense. He breathed in and out slowly, his eyes still glued shut. Teresa approached him, took out a small torch and shone it in his eyes. They opened slowly. Jerry came to his other side with a notepad. "You'd better have something useful,"
Thomas couldn't react. Jerry grabbed his chin. "Speak!"
"Jerry!" Teresa hissed glaring him cold in the eye.
Jerry huffed out slowly and calmed down. Teresa glanced down at Thomas. "Thomas, can you hear me? What can you remember?"
Thomas was silent for a moment. He was in and out of the room. "Box...man..." he blabbered out slowly.
"Who was this man?" Teresa didn't sound impatient but her tone implied urgency.
Thomas couldn't answer. He was too tired.
Jerry huffed in anger. He grabbed Thomas's face. "Give us the name!" Thomas wouldn't breathe a word. He kept shouting at him. Teresa tried to tell him to back off but he wouldn't.
Ava flicked her face to Janson. "Get him under control,"
Grunting through his teeth, Janson marched over and grabbed his son and pinned him against the wall. "The next time you look after a patient, you treat it carefully,"
Jerry did nothing but frown back. Janson let go of him. Ava approached Thomas gently. "Thomas...tell us who that man was,"
Thomas felt himself hold back.
"I will give Newt that serum if you give me that name,"
"H...H..." Thomas struggled to pronounce the name. "Hans..." His eyes fully closed and his head fell to the side.
"We gave him ten jolts for that?!" Jerry complained. "Who is Hans?"
"Hans worked here," Ava explained. "But then he disappeared. Shortly before Thomas and Edward betrayed us,"
"So, he gave a box to Hans?"
"Could he did," Janson criticised. "Problem is we don't know where he is now,"
"I know where he could be," Ava said assertively. "Load Thomas and every immune up. We're going to Denver,"
"And what about the Cranks?" Teresa asked.
"They'll be loaded too,"
"You seriously taking them with us? When could they very well become infected?!" Janson snapped.
"I am keeping my word to Thomas," said Ava determinedly. The doctors came in and they pulled the needles out of Thomas again before rolling him out.
........................................................................................................................
The truck reached the outskirts of the shabby settlement. It couldn't proceed further with the streets crowded and terrorism roaming around every corner.
"This is where we leave the truck," Amelia said. "One truck of us goes on. The rest of you stay here!"
She and the others stepped out of the truck and took some guns.
"How are we going to find Vince in this place?" Chuck asked.
"He has his ways of hiding constantly," Amelia said. "He'll be the one finding us. And I'll be the one having to tell him that Mary is dead,"
A solemn Edward touched her shoulder in comfort. "I'm so sorry Amelia. Let me tell him Vince for you. Save you the pain," Amelia tearfully hugged him and he rubbed her back in comfort. Brenda showed no envy at all. It was simply just a friendly comforting hug. The group of seven walked into the ruined village, pulling up hoodies to keep a low profile.
Edward clutched onto Chuck's hand tightly, keeping him closer. He dreaded losing the young boy next to him who would always be his surrogate younger brother. They walked carefully through the streets, keeping as much distance as possible from the violent mobs.
"This is not a nice place," blabbered Aris uncomfortably.
"The sooner we find Vince the better," Harriet agreed.
"Keep it down," Jorge hissed. "We won't find them if we attract attention,"
Aris and Harriet shut their mouths. Amelia continued leading the way. They walked for what seemed like hours through the narrow-deserted streets. It took longer but remaining hidden was the best option.
"There was a ruined building just north of here," Amelia said. "No one comes here so Vince will certainly find us here,"
"And if he doesn't?" Brenda asked. She didn't get an answer.
As they walked, Edward turned his head to observe the number of strangers in the open air. He noticed one, in particular, was walking alongside the ruined building they were walking through. The man looked like he was in his fifties with short, grey hair that was ruffled. His walking poise seemed to attract Edward's attention. Narrowing his eyes, he glanced at the man walking alongside the group over ten metres away.
Chuck noticed what he was doing. "Ed? What are you looking at?"
"That man," Edward didn't look down at him.
"What man?"
"That man," Edward pointed across but by the time Chuck turned his head, the man had disappeared. "What? He was just here?"
"Guys!" Amelia shouted again. "This is no time for distractions!" Her rant made Edward focus back on moving onward but he still saw the man in the mind of his eye. They came to a wide road where trucks pulled up and down. "We'll need to be very careful," she warned. "This is gonna get dangerous,"
Edward felt Chuck press his body against his side. He hugged him tighter.
"All right," Amelia pulled up her hood over her head. "We're going in. Everybody stay close and don't stare at any stranger. Just keep walking," She took the first step out onto the open road of likely danger. Everyone followed closely behind her. They walked up the dusty road, feeling sand blowing against them from the rumbling tyres of the large trucks. Dangerous men noticed them. They reduce eye contact and continue looking forward.
Edward made sure Chuck was next to him every second. As he looked ahead he saw Amelia's hooded head steer from left to right making sure no one noticed them. She suddenly ushered them to the side of the room when a large truck came streaming past them. On board were a gangster crew covered with gas masks. One gas mask, in particular, was aimed directly at Edward. He looked down, losing eye contact. The truck drove away and they walked again, walking a little clustered together rather than in a straight line. As he walked keeping a firm hold on one of his best friends, Edward felt Brenda's fingers graze his.
He turned his head slightly and saw her face. She looked nervous and was struggling to hide her anxiety. He pressed his lips together and nodded at her. She nodded back. Their fingers interlinked. They clung tightly. Brenda knew Edward holding onto her hand would make her feel safer.
........................................................................................................................
Thomas was strapped to his chair again, metal rings around his wrists and arms, ankles and legs again. Soldiers stood guard at the door. His body was so weak, that nearly all his strength died out. As his eyelids fell backwards, he envisaged his father's head standing over him. He heard his gentle voice ringing in his head.
My son. Don't give up. You are stronger than you know. Your brother needs you. Your friends need you. Your love needs you. Don't let WICKED win.
But it's done. Thomas's hope had dissolved away. They've won.
No, my son. It has only just begun. Don't give up. I love you, my son.
Thomas felt his father's hand touch his cheek affectionately. The sensation made him remember how happy they were when the days were glorious and all they had was each other. Stephen's apparition disappeared but his loving words, though imaginary but inspiring sent Thomas's body into a state of resolve.
........................................................................................................................
In a separate cell on the train, that shaken as it sped along the track, Newt cried gently, holding his pendant and heart-half tightly. His screwed eyes remained shut as Thomas and Sonya remained the only thing on his mind.
........................................................................................................................
Minho in a filled carriage of Immunes was silent, emotionless. Like Frypan and all their friends shackled to the chairs with him. Reaching for his neck, he felt Amelia's necklace around his neck. His heart was torn from being separated from her again. He prayed she was safe with Edward. He knew his close friend would keep her safe. His troubles were interrupted by the sound of
He heard sniffling. Twisting his head, he saw Sonya crying. She cradled her heart half, thinking of her brother. Minho wished he could comfort her had he not been shackled to his chair. He watched some of the girls comfort Sonya with side hugs and pats on the back.
"You think Edward and Chuck are okay?" Frypan asked next to him.
"They are," Minho answered positively. "And so is Amelia,"
"Do you think Newt and Thomas are okay?"
Minho couldn't answer that. He didn't know how Newt was doing or how much trauma Thomas was experiencing from all the torture he had been through. "We have to hold hope for them,"
Suddenly they heard a loud rumble. The train shook and nearly everyone would have fallen off their seats were they not shackled. The train stopped and Minho and Frypan felt their heads bash against the seats in front of them. They growled in pain.
"What was that?" Frypan demanded.
Loud thumps echoed on the ceiling. All the Immunes felt their hearts jump.
"I think we're about to find out," Minho said. The thumping become louder and they heard loud shears coming from outside. The fear was becoming even worse. They watched as they saw sparks flying off the metal door. The girls huddled together. the Gladers held their breaths. Were they being rescued? Or were even more cruel people coming to capture them? The shearing silenced. The door was suddenly kicked open. Three men in gas masks marched in.
"Who are you?!" Minho demanded.
The tallest pulled off his gas mask. The moment he did, the Glader's mouths dropped.
Minho turned pale. "No way,"
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I guess you all can guess that that man is. Also, what do you all think of Brenda and Edward? I hope I've added good chemistry to the couple so far, please let me know.