Edward cringed as he rubbed his head. Brenda flopped against him with a big bruise on her face and Chuck's head was on his lap. He twisted his head and saw Hans growling in pain on his back. Amelia was lounging over Minho's stomach. Frypan has Harriet, Sonya and Aris piled on top of him. "Is...is everyone okay?"
Chuck mumbled a bit until he was helped up. Brenda groaned painfully sitting up. "You okay?" Ed asked her.
She nodded, too breathless from the impact to speak.
Loud footsteps thumped outside. Ed turned and saw WICKED soldiers pointing their guns at him. "Put your hands up!"
Suddenly the sound of bullets burst the scene and all the soldiers were taken down. Behind them were Vince, Gally and some Right Arm soldiers who had circled back to return for them.
Edward stared at his rival, the one who had thrown the knife and nearly killed him. "Gally?"
Gally unexpectantly looked a little nervous seeing him. "Hey Greenie," he stepped inside the wreckage and offered a hand to Edward. But the boy pushed it away.
"I'm good thanks," he turned his back and pulled Brenda up onto her feet, then Chuck.
Gally sighed in defeat. Edward did not trust him at all.
"Dad..." breathed Amelia as her father helped up her.
"Come on! We have to hurry! Everybody out!" he ordered.
Bruised and battered, they stumbled out of the badly-damaged jeep. Vince noticed Hans. "Who's this man?" he demanded.
"He's a friend," explained Edward. "He has the information Thomas hid from WICKED,"
"It's true," Hans said. "I'm a friend of the brothers,"
Vince glanced again at Edward and suddenly hugged him, "It's good to finally meet you, Edward. Thank you so much for saving my daughter,"
Edward blinked. After Vince let him go, he glared at Amelia. "Vince is your father!"
Amelia shrugged.
"No time for questions Greenie! We gotta go!" Gally urged.
"What's he doing here?" Edward demanded.
"Did you not hear what he just said?!" snapped Minho.
"Guys!" Sonya screamed. Everyone saw her point a finger down a narrow alleyway. They saw WICKED trucks passing through. Soon they would find the road they came up and join it and capture them.
Hans expression burned. He threw off his bag and shoved it into a surprised Edward's hands. "Ed...don't let it fall into his hands,"
"Hans what are you doing?" he asked.
"Giving you and your friends time," he grabbed a gun from a soldier and suddenly rushed off into the narrow alleyway towards the trucks.
"Hans no!" Edward tried to run after him but Gally held him back. "Let me go!"
"He's saving us! Don't let that be in vain!" he shouted.
Edward fought back. "And why should I trust you? You nearly killed me!"
Minho rushed over to help Gally. "Ed! We can't save him! Either we go now or we all get captured!" He couldn't persuade him.
Knowing she had to step up, Brenda rushed and positioned herself in front of Edward. He clasped his hand. "We will save him. Please, Ed..."
Seeing the importune in her eyes made Edward stand down. Minho let him go peacefully but Edward pushed Gally away.
......................................................................................................................
Hans made it to the other road on the other side of the buildings. He waved his hands and shot a gun up in the air. He saw the jeeps stop and WICKED soldiers pour out. They recognised him. One shouted, "Stop right there!" But Hans shot off. The soldiers pursued him.
......................................................................................................................
Vince led the teens and his men towards his jeep. The others had gone ahead to get all the other children to safety. Quickly they managed to board and Vince shot the vehicle off just in time before any more WICKED tricks could spot them. Edward watched out worriedly, fearing for Hans.
Brenda soothed his shoulders in comfort. He turned his head again and eyed Gally dangerously. "How are you still alive?"
"Minho wasn't as a good shot as he thought," he simply answered eying Gally.
"Ed, I know you don't trust him. But he saved us from that train," Minho explained.
"It's really Ed who deserves the credit," said Gally. "I was rather impressed by the information you got to the Right Arm," he said approvingly.
Edward was not swayed. "So just like that, we're supposed to be cool? What about my brother? Why isn't he here?"
Gally sighed. "I'm sorry Greenie. Your brother wasn't on that train. He was on a jet with Ava and he's in the WICKED building,"
Edward hung his head and blinked his eyes. Everyone stared at him with despondent faces. Brenda gently snaked her hand into his and clasped it. He clasped it back, wanting comfort. He remained quiet for the rest of the drive, feeling Brenda's hand in his and later Chuck's head leaning against his shoulder. The bag Hans had given to him remained between his knees.
Vince drove the jeep to the far outskirts of the city till he came to a stone road leaning down into an underground layer. Some men outside closed it up so that any WICKED soldier looking out for them wouldn't find them. They drove into what used to be an old parking lot where they saw all the other jeeps parked with the other kids and soldiers. All but Edward and Brenda jumped off the jeep.
"Come on Ed," Brenda motivated. "Now that we're all together, let's get your brother back,"
Edward saw her bright positive smile. She wasn't worried anymore. She was hopeful. Just like he needed to be. He stepped off the jeep carrying Hans's bag and he helped Brenda off. They followed their friends down to some lower levels where hundreds of men had gathered.
The teens sat around a table.
"What happened to you, Ed? How did you know that man?" Aris asked.
"His name is Hans. He used to work for WICKED like Mary. He saved me earlier today and restored my memories. That's how I remembered how to destroy the Grievers,"
"So Thomas gave him the information he discovered?" asked Amelia.
Edward remembered his words. "Well...kind of," he reached into the bag and pulled out the silver box. He placed it on the table for everyone to see,"
"So the information is in the box?" Chuck asked.
"Thomas believes it contains a message. From our father," Edward's voice turned low. All eyes stared harder at him. Brenda comforted him again as he hid his wet eyes. He found the courage to speak again. "A message...that he didn't want Ava to see,"
"It could be the cure to the virus," suggested Harriet.
"Don't put any hopes up," Vince warned. "But we mustn't let this fall into her hands,"
"It needs both me and Thomas to activate it," said Edward. He sniffled and wiped his eyes. He faced everyone again. "We need to find a way into the city to save, Newt, Jorge and Hans,"
"I've got you covered there!" the sound of Lawrence made everyone turn their heads. They approached the group with Vince. "My men have finally found a way into the city," he reported.
"Edward, this is Lawrence," Vince introduced.
Lawrence glanced strangely at Edward. "I knew your father Daniel. I was well acquainted with him and your mother. I'm very sorry about what happened to him,"
Edward swallowed the lump in his throat. "How do we get into the city?"
Leaving the box with Vince, Edward and a few of his friends followed Lawrence to a huge pothole "Through there lies a tunnel that leads to you a train station. Follow the ram and you'll find a loose hatch. Step through and you'll find yourself within the city,"
Edward was about to step down but Lawrence's gun hooked his arm. "No way Daniel. WICKED is looking for you. You'll get spotted,"
"That's my brother who's imprisoned. I'm going,"
"If you're going, then you'll have to put up with Gally,"
"No," Edward fumed.
"Sorry Greenie but I've been in that system before so you need me," he said.
"I'm going down as well," said Amelia.
"Me too," Minho voted.
Edward didn't like Gally coming but he was glad Minho and Amelia were. Chuck tried to step down but he stopped him. "No Chuck. It's too dangerous. I'll be back soon. I need you to protect my father's box. Can you do that?"
Chuck didn't want to leave him with Gally but it cooled his temper knowing Minho and Amelia were coming. "Promise. You just promise to come back?"
"Have I ever broken a promise?" he asked.
"No," Chuck hugged him again. Before he headed down, Edward took a warm glance at Brenda. He slid down the ladder and found himself in a sewer tunnel with a thin stinky stream flowing between his feet and light bulbs trailing along the wet walls. Gally landed behind him. Edward gave him a backwards warning glance before he swerved around and led the way, carrying a torch. Once Amelia and Minho landed behind him, Edward walked a few metres behind Gally. They followed him along the tunnels, turning corners until they came to a ladder leading upwards.
"Stay here," Gally ordered. He climbed up. Edward had retained his temper but had managed to keep himself under control.
Minho and Amelia shared a nervous glance.
"Ed..." Minho stepped up. "I know you don't trust him. I wouldn't either if I was in your shoes, but this plan to save Thomas, Newt and everyone else doesn't work without trust,"
"You expect me to trust him? After everything, he's done?"
Minho shrugged. "What other options do we have?"
Edward sighed.
Amelia stepped in. "I know you'll find this hard to believe Edward, but Gally was once a true friend of mine. When my father found him and he learnt what you and your brother did, he felt truly remorseful for the way he treated you two. And as much as he knows that Jerry programmed him to try and kill you, he still feels so guilty about what happened. Please just trust him. Do it for Thomas,"
Edward pressed his lips together stiffly and nodded. If it meant getting his brother back, then it was worth it. Gally appeared at the bottom of the ladder. "Ready?"
Edward glanced again and Minho and Amelia's truthful faces. Then he looked again at Gally and nodded. they followed Gally up the ladder into a small enclosed space. Gally pushed a vent door open. Edward stepped through and found himself in a giant underground tunnel. An underground train line. His two friends and ally stepped through.
"We gotta run," Gally urged. "Won't be long until the next train comes. Follow me," they followed him left, jogging and then gradually running. Suddenly Edward heard a loud rumbling, echoing against the shiny walls. He saw the tracks shaking. "Hurry!" shouted Gally. "Come on! Nearly there!"
They sprinted a dozen more meters until Gally rushed over to the left and pushed a loose silver panel revealing a hidden tunnel. "Quickly," The rumbles boomed like thunder and they saw the train head only fifty feet away. Minho and Amelia jumped in first, and then Edward stepped in. He saw Gally about to be crushed by the train head but quickly he pulled his shoulders into the tunnel and he landed on his side. The train passed by and as it drove further down the tunnel, the sound grew quiet until it was gone.
Gally stood up, staring down at Edward who had pulled him in. HE offered a hand. Edward accepted it and he pulled him up. They shared a simple look of acknowledgement. "Thanks," said Gally. He walked off and led the way. Minho and Amelia smiled at Edward, proud of him that he was beginning to let go of his anger. They followed Gally again. As they approached the final loose slab of metal that Lawrence mentioned, Gally pushed it open and they all stepped through into the open air.
Edward peered around and saw they were in a shiny metropolis. Tall buildings. Sparkling glass. And crowds of people walking to and fro wearing maskings. Once Amelia stepped through, Gally closed it quickly and he urged the group to follow him. They walked past infrastructures of bridges and railway lines and stations. They followed him to the outskirts of the city where they saw old-aged infrastructure.
"Time to climb," instructed Gally.
Edward saw that it would a bit of a climb to reach the lookout point that Gally was taking them to. It was worth anything if it meant saving Thomas.
......................................................................................................................
Thomas was rolled on a bed across the white hallways, panting heavily. After leaving him for hours in his cell, in the darkness of his devastation, Ava ordered him to be taken again to be tested. They managed to extract enough serum from his head to be used but it took over twenty runs. He couldn't fight back. He was too weak. And every time he shut or closed his eyes, he always saw the Maze and the Monsters and the mother who always ran away from him no matter how far he treated her.
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Teresa walked into the doctor's lounge where a little girl of Indian descent, infected with black veins streaming up from her feet to her eyes, lay down hoping for a cure. She carried the serum they had managed to extract from Thomas. The girl's blood-red eyes saw her. "Hi, Miss Teresa,"
"Hey," she greeted kindly as she sat down. "How are you feeling?"
A doctor sanitised her arm. "How are you feeling?" she held her hand.
"Okay,"
Teresa extracted the serum from the vial with a needle.
"Is that gonna make me better?" the girl asked desperately.
"I hope so," Teresa injected the needle into her arm. The girl clenched her teeth and curled her toes and fingers. Once every drop vanished into her body, she pulled the needle. "There we go. All done," she said.
The girls breathed in and out slowly. Teresa observed her carefully. Some of the veins disappeared up her neck. She was beginning to get better.
......................................................................................................................
Ava watched with satisfaction through the glass windows. Janson joined her. "Oh that is incredible," he remarked, watching the girl sit up and talk to Teresa who was so relieved than ever.
A pair of pounding footsteps walked over. It was Jerry. Janson didn't turn to meet him.
"I've got some wonderful news, Ava. The men found Hans," Jerry hoped for some praise.
"Bring him forward," was all Ava Paige gave to him. "And bring Thomas down too," She was escorted back to her office and the soldiers pushed down a bruised battered middle-aged man to the floor.
"Found him in the city,"
"Just like you found that man Jorge," she said. "Are you that stupid that you didn't realise he was just another distraction?"
"With all respect Chancellor..." Jerry tried to say.
"I think you should leave," Ava ordered. She glanced at him disappointedly. "I know you sent those grievers out without my permission,"
"I was trying to take out the Right Arm for you and do my job. What did you expect me to do? It didn't matter anyway. Edward destroyed them all,"
"Leave," Ava ordered. "You're dismissed," Jerry stomped out of the office in anger.
Hans with bleeding lips and a black eye glared at her. "What have you done with Thomas?"
"He's fine," Ava lied.
"You think I'm gonna believe that," he jeered. "You're a liar Paige. You're a liar and a monster,"
"Where's Edward?" she demanded, impatient. "I know you were just another distraction so that he could get away,"
"Even if I could, I don't know where he was going. You will never get your hands on what Thomas discovered. What have done to him?"
Ava blinked her eyes, hearing his words. She cocked her head and Thomas was dragged through another doorway. He fell to his knees panting, his arms quivering as they supported him. Hans freed himself from the soldiers and genuflected to him, helping him up. "It's all right," he soothed.
Thomas recognised that voice behind his exhaustion. "Hans..." he breathed. One look in that man's eyes made him remember that night.
......................................................................................................................
Thomas and Hans talked in a dark corner in the WICKED compound.
"You make this as far away possible," Thomas raised the silver box to the man. "My father hid this for a reason. And I cannot let Ava get his hands on it, not after everything she has done. It could be a message from him to me and Ed,"
Hans pursed his lips. "Thomas...there's something I need to tell you,"
"What?"
Before Hans could, they heard a loud echo of footsteps from the corridors. Swiftly, Thomas pushed the man into a hidden dark corridor and they heard the group of scientists retreat.
"There's no time. You must leave,"
"No Thomas. I will not leave you and Edward. I've cared for you two for years,"
"Hans, they won't suspect me. You're the only one I trust to get this somewhere safe. Go to Denvers and we'll find you there,"
Hans knew there was no other choice. He took the box. "I will get to Denvers but promise me you two will be careful. Whatever happens, don't give in. Do whatever it takes to survive and keep those close to you safe. And remember, don't underestimate your father as WICKED did,"
His words struck Thomas. "What?"
Hans realised he had just said a big mistake.
......................................................................................................................
Hans could not believe how pale and how covered Thomas was in needle marks. He glared coldly at Ava. "What made you so vile? You may think you're a doctor but Mary and I know what you truly are. We regret that we allowed you to blackmail Stephen into unleashing that virus upon the world,"
"It doesn't have to be this way if you would just tell me what Thomas gave to you?"
"Never! I'll never betray him,"
"He betrayed you," Janson spoke suddenly.
Hans fumed at her, not believing him for one second. Ignoring Ava's warning glares, Janson continued taunting the middle-aged man. "He gave you away just to try and save his Cranky boyfriend. Yet you put so much faith in him,"
"I'm sorry," Thomas breathed out in a low voice, his heart crushed by how he had betrayed a man he couldn't remember.
Hans held no resentment. "Then he did what he did. And I couldn't be proud of him for choosing love over easy," he declared.
Ava cocked her head and the soldiers suddenly pulled Hans away from Thomas. Thomas was too weak to try and stop them. The doctors restrained him, raising a sedative needle. "Take care of him," she ordered Janson and she left the office.
Janson pulled out his gun and pointed the barrel in front of Han's head. "I tire of your stubbornness you old goat. Tell me where the boy is,"
Hans stared into his cruel eyes, unafraid. "No matter how many lives you take Janson, there will always be someone to stand up to you. Just like Stephen did,"
"Say hello to him for me," Janson seethed.
His words made Thomas turn to him in shock. Was it him who killed his father? This horrible rat man who murdered Mary in gold blood. Janson's finger traced over the trigger. "No!" But bang! Han's head had a bullet held in the middle between his eyes. He fell to the floor, his head becoming battered in a pool of blood.
Thomas screamed but he was injected with the sedative. His eyes closed and all he saw was Han's head tilted towards him with wet eyes of hope and faith.
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Oh no, Hans has now been killed. So sorry he didn't get to appear much. And Janson killed Stephen? It seems possible. I hope you all enjoyed this. Sorry for the long wait. Been facing writer's block since the passing of our beloved Queen. May she rest in peace. :(