A/N: Please pay attention to what is italicized and what isn't in this one. This one is mostly memories Clara has during the changing so it might get confusing if you don't notice the italics, she does drift in and out!
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I floated in the darkness of my subconscious smiling to myself. I was right, Newt and I were close before being sent to the maze. I listened to my surroundings trying to figure out if anyone else was in the room with us as Newt still held my hand. I wasn't nearly as cold as I had been nor was the pain as bad.
Chase grasped my hand tightly as we raced down the white halls of the Wicked building we'd been in for eight years. Alarms blared above us and Jansen's voice sounded over the intercom.
"Subjects A3 and A4 must be brought to lab 34 immediately for testing. I repeat, under whatever force necessary bring subjects A3 and A4 to lab 34 immediately! You guys really shouldn't have tried to run." His voice hissed as the intercom crackled off.
Chase sent a frantic look my way before we rounded the corner. We stopped suddenly when three guards appeared with launchers. I gasped and shrank back against Chase and he started pulling us back the way we came.
"It's useless to run now. Make one wrong move and we will shoot." One of the guards said, taking a step closer to us.
My heart pounded in my chest and the fear of our situation nearly paralyzed me. The panic started building in me, causing me to become lightheaded quickly.
"Clara?" Chase whispered, his grasp tightening on me.
My vision blurred and I realized I was having a panic attack right before I collapsed into him.
"Ah, there she is." Jansen made his way over to me and pulled me up, pushing Chase away from me. He stuck a needle in my arm and my world faded to black.
Chills shot through my body and I could feel my limbs twitching. "Jeff!"
Newt's voice held a bit of panic as he stood and yelled for the medjack . Searing pain splintered through my head and I screamed out as another voice, a much more vicious voice tore through my mind.
We're not done with you yet Clara. You may be safe in the maze for now but we'll get you back.
I whimpered in pain and fear as Jansen's voice echoed through my mind, throwing me into another memory.
"No! Tommy, I can't go like this!" I pleaded with him, my best friend, as we ran towards the box. Chase was supposed to be going to the maze today but him and Thomas had created a plan to get me there instead as a way to keep me safe from Jansen.
"We don't have a choice Clara!" He whispered harshly to me, yanking me down the hall behind him. We stopped in front of a door and he quickly pushed me into the room. Chase ran forward and grabbed my hand, pulling me away from Thomas.
"I'll see you soon, be careful." Thomas said, hugging me tightly before turning and rushing back to his work station.
Chase smiled at me and pulled me to the box. "Okay, once you're in you'll be fine. Newt will be there and so will Minho and the others so you'll finally be safe."
I nodded, tears welling in my eyes as I said goodbye to my twin brother. "I'll see you soon right?"
He nodded but I could tell he was lying. "As soon as you guys get out I'll be here, waiting for you."
The door burst open then and three guards rushed into the room. Two immediately went to Chase while one made his way to me.
The guard grabbed my arm and threw me back with great strength and I hit the floor with a hard thud. Pain erupted in my head, throbbing intensely. Everything blurred slightly and I could taste blood in my mouth.
I could see Chase fighting off his guards to get to me right before the guard kicked me in my stomach.
"Hey!" Chase yelled, tackling the guard to the ground.
He got away from the guards and pulled me up, throwing me into the box as quickly as he could. The box closed up and shot upwards, sending me to Newt.
The blackness returned and I floated along in my subconscious mostly aware of everything happening around me. Newt was laying beside me, his arms wrapped around me tightly as he had done when the trembling had first taken over my body. I could hear a faint voice speaking quietly but I couldn't make out any words. After a moment of listening though I could tell the person talking was Thomas. And then I heard a reply.
"Shut up shank!"
Minho.
I smiled internally at my friends willing my body to let me wake. I was done being in the dark, I was ready to be awake again and away from my memories. I didn't need to see anymore.
My hand rested against my cheek in hopes of calming the fiery burn Jansen's hand had left. I watched him pace angrily in front of me, back and forth before he stopped and turned to face me once again. I shrank back against the wall and pulled my legs up to my chest, favoring my now broken ankle.
"I don't like hurting you Clara but you need to learn how to cooperate!" He sighed and started pacing again.
I looked around the white room before looking back at the monster in front of me. I hated this isolation room nearly as much as I hated Jansen.
"Your cooperation is expected but not necessarily needed. As you know by now we don't want to kill you since you're still very valuable to us but Clara, we only need you alive. Nothing more. Do try your best to keep that in mind. Acting foolish as you have been won't get you anywhere except in here with injuries. Am I clear?"
I barely registered the words he was saying as I focused on the most recent memory I had of Newt and I. He had snuck into my room the night before he was sent into the maze. We talked the entire night before he had to leave and he left me a sobbing mess when morning came.
Pain suddenly erupted in my head and I screamed out, falling to the ground with the forcefulness of the attack.
"Listen to me when I speak to you!" Jansen angrily spat at me. He reared back and kicked me again only this time in my side. My arms wrapped around my stomach weakly as I nodded to him in response.
"That's more like it! Remember, we just need you alive. Nothing more!" He stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him and leaving me a broken mess on the floor.
My eyes opened suddenly and I took in a deep, staggered breath.
"Clara?" Newt appeared above me then and he smiled down at me.
My eyes remained on his as I struggled to escape my memories and stay with him this time. After the last memory I could go a lifetime without knowing anything else about my past.
"Are you alright love?" He asked quietly, lightly caressing my cheek.
My vision slightly blurred and I felt myself being dragged back into the blackness. I whimpered and struggled to stay with him, squeezing his hand tightly.
"It's okay love, I'll be here when you wake up."
Chancellor Paige gave us the tour of the Wicked facility on the second day we arrived, explaining everything to us along the way. Chase grasped my hand tightly and we walked side by side, terrified we'd be separated.
"And to think we're lucky enough to have found twins that only one of you is immune. You both have no idea how truly valuable you've become to our research!" She was talking animatedly about everything as we passed lab after lab.
Chase glanced at me worriedly and I knew what he was thinking. Which one of us wasn't immune and what did that mean?
"Today we'll be showing you exactly what tests you'll both be put through and you'll meet a few of the other candidates as well. Actually, here's one of them now." She gestured to the small boy, about our size, that had just walked out of one of the labs. He had short brown hairs and deep brown eyes with a very timid smile. "Thomas, this is Chase and Clara. They're the twins I told you about."
I glanced at Chase once more. She told people about us? We must be special.
"Hi Thomas." Chase said politely, extending his hand. They shook hands and Thomas turned to me.
"Go ahead Clara." Chancellor Paige nodded at me.
I grabbed Thomas' hand and we shook quickly before I released it and stepped slightly behind Chase, my anxiety rising.
"Clara, are you a bit shy?" Chancellor Paige asked with a small smile, peeking around Chase at me.
Chase squeezed my hand and I nodded up at her.
"No worries dear, before you know it you'll feel right at home here." She smiled warmly at me and I smiled up at her. I liked this lady.
She continued walking down the hall and Thomas joined us, walking by Chase. They started talking to one another and in no time were making jokes and laughing with each other.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" A deep voice asked as a tall man rounded the corner.
"Director Jansen, these are the twin candidates Chase and Clara that I've told you about." Chancellor Paige told the man with a small smile.
The man was tall with dark hair. His face reminded me of a rat. And he creeped me out in ways you couldn't imagine.
"Hello, Chase, Clara, Thomas." He replied with a nod to each of us.
I remained positioned slightly behind Chase since I already felt unnerved by this man. He turned his cold gaze to me. "You have nothing to worry about here young Clara. We'll make sure you're taken care of." He winked at me before retreating into the lab he had come from.
Chancellor Paige glanced at me and sent me a small smile as we continued our walk, even she looked nervous. Thomas and Chase were both watching me as we walked by the lab and Jansen was staring out. He grinned when he saw me cringe into Chase's side, a look of victory spread across his features.
That was the first night I ever had a nightmare of Jansen.
I returned to the blackness, aware of the activity in the room around me. There were several people talking all at once but Newt's hand remained on mine. And then I heard a voice that chilled me.
"I can't. I can't tell you what I saw."
Alby. I longed to open my eyes and talk to him, share with him what would now torment me but I couldn't. I was stuck in the black abyss of my mind.
"What's stopping you mate?" Newt asked, leaning away from me.
"They won't let me." Alby's voice quivered and it sounded as if he was going to cry. What did he see? I had to know. And why was he awake before me, if anything it should take him longer to heal. Something cold slid into my arm and I flinched when it was pulled out. A needle.
"It's okay Clara. Just something to help you with the pain." Jeff whispered to me soothingly. He patted my shoulder and I felt cool hands brush the hair from my forehead.
"Come on love, wake up. I know you can do it." Newt was then hovering over me, talking sweetly and I so wish I could join his world once more.
I struggled to pull my eyes open, to stay with them and avoid the nightmares but something kept me in the dark. Something or someone. I realized then that Jansen had a hold on my mind and was making me relive all of these memories to cause me pain.
That's right Clara. I'm in control. Don't forget it.
I cringed when the cruel voice drifted into my mind once more. Newt's hand tightened on mine and I heard him sigh softly before sitting beside me once more.
"Clara, if you would like to follow me we can get started." Chancellor Paige led me to lab 34 where the majority of the tests they'd run on me would take place. We walked into the white room and I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Jansen leaning over someone with dirty clothes. They were tied to the chair and struggling to get out of it. And they appeared to have large sores covering their face.
I gasped and grabbed Chancellor Paige's hand, stepping behind her. She glanced at me before turning to Jansen. "I thought you'd have the crank out of here by the time they were brought in?!" She yelled at him.
Another boy entered the room then, the blond boy I had met the other day, Newt.
"Oh, relax! It won't hurt them to know what they're trying to save the human race from! Newt, Clara, come see this." Jansen retorted, looking at us with a look that said he wasn't asking.
My hand still clenched Chancellor Paige's hand tightly and she pulled my hand from her grasp. "Clara, go with Newt here. You'll like him." She smiled sweetly at me before taking my hand and putting it in Newt's. We stared at each other with small smiles before walking up to where Jansen was. Newt stepped closer to Jansen and pulled me slightly behind him. I looked at the person in the chair over Newt's shoulder still grasping his hand tightly.
"Come closer." Jansen said, angrily, grabbing my shoulder and roughly pulling me forward. Newt stepped up with me, putting his body in between Jansen and I as we looked at the flailing body in the chair.
"This is called a crank. Nasty fellow isn't he? Clara, this is what your father would have looked like if we hadn't disposed of him when we did."
"Director Jansen! That is no thing to say to a young child!" Chancellor Paige yelled, stepping up behind me.
Newt looked at me with a sad expression before his curiosity won out and he moved to stand closer to the crank.
"She's going to hear and see a lot worse Paige and you know it! After everything they'll go through this won't seem like anything." He turned his attention back to the crank. "Notice how he's struggling to get free of the ties on his legs? That's because he's a monster. A monster that shouldn't even be alive. This is what you'll be putting an end to. This is why you're both here. You're here to save the world." Jansen said with a smirk in our direction.
The man suddenly lashed out towards us and Newt quickly jumped back, pulling me with him.
"How cute, they seem to have already taken to one another. It'll be a shame should something happen to one of them." Jansen said with a wicked grin in our direction.
"Director Jansen, I remind you to please behave professionally with the candidates and behave yourself!" Chancellor Paige spat out at the man. She smiled lightly at us before walking quickly out of the room. Newt glanced at me before backing us up towards the door as well.
"Oh, no worries children no harm shall come to you yet. Let's get you both set up for your initial testing." He smiled a smile that sent chills through my body and apparently through Newt's too since he pulled me closer to him. I smiled gratefully to him as we walked to the tables together, hand in hand.