Song - Angel of Small Death & The Codeine Scene (Hozier)
He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. Brown hair covering his face. Newt sat beside him clutching his hand. Newt hasn't moved an inch since we placed Thomas on the small couch. Even as Jorge strapped Marcus to a chair and began interrogating... and not in the most civil manner.
I sat on the other side of Tom, beside Minho, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest.
I spied Brenda and Frypan in the corner of the room, watching the events unfold between Jorge and Marcus. Fry murmured something into her ear and Brenda had to physically cover her mouth to stop her from bursting into laughter. Aris sat quietly on a chair staring out the window.
And Teresa...
She stood motionless staring vaguely into the abyss. I swallowed at the sight of her, I needed to talk to her because we haven't properly since the Scorch before Winston...
I pushed the thought out of my mind as I stood up. I answered Minho and Newt's questioning eyes by flicking my eyes to Teresa and back to them. They nodded in response. I wanted to stay with Thomas, but I don't think I'll have another chance to speak to Teresa. Let alone Newt. My heart was telling me to talk to Newt now because we hadn't spoken since he snapped which of course isn't his fault because he was worried about Thomas... but my brain told me I needed to talk to Teresa first.
As I passed Teresa, I gently brushed my hand against her wrist and motioned my head outside to the balcony. She stared at me for a moment before nodding and following me outside.
I rested my arms on the balcony's ledge. She stood a meter away from me, stiff like cardboard.
"What's going on Teresa?" I sighed, looking out at the view of the destroyed city.
"What do you mean? She whispered without looking me in the eye.
"Well last time we talked properly you said you wanted to go back to Wicked and implied that all this is our fault," I scoffed.
That made her go quiet. She stared at her feet while fiddling with her fingers.
"Tess... you do know that wicked isn't good... we didn't have a choice? What were we doing... was for the best?" I murmured.
Another pause before she finally spoke,
"How is that for the best?" She whispered.
"What?"
"Do you really think that just saving our handful of friends is for the best?" She muttered.
"It wasn't just us-" I started,
"When we could be saving millions of lives by helping them find a cure?" She hissed.
"There is no cure! Don't you remember? In the years we worked there we made basically no progress instead we watched hundreds of kids, including some of our friends die. Wicked's ways are barbaric. That's why we did it. To save our generation... The immunes... We shouldn't be sacrificed for any older generations," I breathed.
She stood silently for a few moments, perhaps mulling over my words or just coming up with another argument. Then she cleared her throat,
"Yeah... I guess you're right. I just... want to do the right thing," She murmured.
I sighed,
"I know, this is all so damn hard. We shouldn't have to deal with this but... I guess we had to make this choice. And yes, me and Thomas made this one but... there is no going back now. We just have to roll with it and to be honest, I would follow Thomas anywhere. So, if he says run, then I'm going to fucking run," I chuckled softly.
A smile crept on her face.
"We could never keep up with that boy, could we?" She laughed airily.
"No we couldn't... I'm glad we're on the same page now... I've missed having my women partner in crime to break up all the testosterone," I chuckled. She smiled softly.
"Yeah... we had some good times didn't we,"
I smiled softly.
"And those times are still going... can we just promise to be there for each other? Us girls got to have each other's back," I proclaimed.
"Yeah... okay,"
"Awesome... and if we team up with Brenda... we would be an unstoppable girl gang," I laughed. She chuckled at that. Another soft silence
"I really did miss you," She murmured.
I closed the gap between us and wrapped her in a tight hug. She hugged me back tightly.
"Me too," I whispered.
We stood like that for a few moments before a voice made us both jump.
"Guys, Thomas is awake," Frypan revealed from the doorway. We quickly pulled apart and hurried inside, passing Jorge saying some nasty things in Marcus's ear, beside Thomas on the bed. Newt was stroking hair off Tom's forehead. His eyes were open but dazed. I smiled down at Tom as he took in all our faces with a confused expression.
"Welcome back, you ugly shank," Minho laughed.
"We were worried you would never wake up," I chuckled with a small smile.
He sighed while rubbing his eyes. Newt helped him sit up.
"I suggest you talk, you son of a bitch!" We heard Jorge yell from behind us, followed by a loud thumping noise and a groan from Marcus. We turned to see Marcus's head limp to the side but he raised it again. Thomas got to his feet and slowly walked over to the men in the middle of the room.
"I'm sorry but you're going to have to leave my house," Marcus groaned.
"Looks like you've been having fun," Frypan chuckled at Thomas as we stopped behind Jorge.
"Listen I don't enjoy hurting you," Jorge sighed.
"Uh huh," Marcus responded vaguely.
"Okay? Where is the right arm, Marcus?" Jorge asked him.
"Wait this is Marcus?" Thomas interrupted.
Marcus chuckled.
"The kid catches on quick. Are you the brains of the operation?" Marcus coaxed before Jorge grabbed a handful of Marcus's hair and pulled his head back hard. Thomas came to stand in between me and Newt who was seated on a chair. Minho leaned against the table beside me.
"I know you know where they're hiding. So, you tell me, and I'll make you a deal. You can come with us," Jorge offered.
Marcus giggled like a schoolboy.
"I burned that bridge a long time ago. Besides, I made my own deal. You're the one that taught me, never miss an opportunity,"
He threw his back in a devilish laugh once more.
"What's he talking about?" Newt demanded.
"I'm talking about supply and demand. Wicked wants all the immunes they can get. I help provide that for them. So, I lure the kids in, they get drunk, have a good time. And then, later, Wicked come in... they separate the wheat from the chaff," he explained with a sly smirk.
His dark cackle makes my stomach physically sick in anger.
"You son of a bitch," I muttered while taking half a step towards him, preparing to raise my fist before Thomas grabbed my shoulder and gently pulled me back.
"Woah feisty one that little lady," He snickered.
"I changed my mind hermano... I do enjoy hurting you," Jorge sneered before kicking his stomach and sending Marcus to the ground, still strapped to the chair. Jorge grabbed his gun from his pocket and loaded it. He bent over Marcus and held his pistol at his head.
"Talk!" Jorge demanded.
"Okay! Jesus!" Marcus gasped, "Not I'm not making any promises, these guys like to move around," Frypan and Jorge lifted Marcus back upright in the chair. Marcus took a few shaky breaths before speaking,
"They have an outpost in the mountains. But it's a long way away. You got half of Wicked up your ass. You're never going to make it," he chuckled darkly. I almost stormed over there and punched him but calmed myself again.
"Not on foot," Jorge muttered before placing his hands on Marcus's shoulders and leaning into his face... "Where's Bertha?"
Marcus's lip quivered,
"Not- Not Bertha,"