Here we go for another, hope you're all still tagging along!
Question of the chapter: Who is your favorite secondary character? I like Jorge, he's pretty funny.
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They all seem shocked by the turn of events, but right now, Thomas is too electric to touch. As they wait for the sparks to die down, guards make their way over to Thomas.
Once they're near him, Minho and Newt spring forward, pouncing upon the unsuspecting guards. They beat upon a guard each, as Jorge fires his Launcher at the rest of them.
Lori remains beside Thomas, making sure no one brings harm to him as he recovers. He drags himself onto his hands and knees, and starts to crawl to the ramp of the Berg. Lori wants to help, but he still has sparks dancing along his skin.
As Thomas crawls further up the ramp, the two other boys and Jorge back their way towards the Berg, all three now firing at the guards once more.
"That's it!" Jorge yells at them. "Grab his butt and drag him in!"
Lori nods and rushes over to Thomas, grabbing his shoulders and trying to drag him the rest of the way up the ramp. When she realizes she doesn't have the strength to pull him up, she calls to Newt. He is beside her in seconds, lifting Thomas by his shirt, walking him in, and dropping him onto to the floor of the Berg.
The door shuts and the locks click as Jorge fires up the Berg.
"Sorry, Tommy," Newt mutters to the boy who groans in pain from being dropped like a sack of potatoes. "Could've been a bit more gentle, I 'spect."
Lori rolls her eyes, before noticing that Thomas has blacked out. Must have finally hit his pain threshold.
The Berg finally takes off, and they're out of the compound. They're free.
Lori makes her way towards a large cargo hold that contains multiple low-hanging cots. She sighs as she slides down onto a cot. Not moments later, is Newt sitting beside her.
"So, you wanted to talk."
All of a sudden, she feels extremely nervous, not sure whether she wants to anymore. "Uh - yeah - I guess."
"Do you want me to go first, or -"
She shakes he head, looking up from the ground to his chocolate brown eyes. "No, no. I asked to talk, so I should start."
She goes quiet once more, dropping her eyes back to the metal floor. They sit in silence for a while longer, before Newt clears his throat expectantly.
Lori looks back up awkwardly. "Right. Sorry. I just - I need to talk to you about, well, you. About the Flare."
Newt lets out a breath slowly, his eyes averting hers as soon as the word 'Flare' left her lips. "What about it?"
"What do you mean 'what about it?" Her eyebrows crease. "You're walking around like a tough guy, as if this isn't affecting you, you're treating everyone like crap, and you've basically ignored me ever since you found out."
"I'm sorry. For all of it," He swears, looking her in the eyes. "I didn't mean to, but, well it's not something I want to bloody dwell over. I've got the Flare, and there ain't nothin' we can do about it. I'm learnin' to accept that. You should too."
Lori begins to feel tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "This isn't something I can just learn to accept, Newt. You are the one that told me not to get my memories back. You told me that we could make new ones together. But now, you're going to leave me."
"It's not like I want to. And you still could've changed your mind about the buggin' Swipe. We didn't get those until after he read the list with my shuck name on it," He retorts.
Lori scoffs lightly, "I didn't get rid of the Swipe, because I promised you that I wouldn't. Don't you get it? I might not remember everything that happened before, but I've got to know you again. And I know, that I'm not going to be able to handle losing you."
His eyes search her face, a sad look in his eyes. "I don't want to leave you, I really, truly don't, Lori. This isn't something I wanted. I wanted to save all my friends, finish these Trials, get away from WICKED, and be happy; with you."
Lori doesn't reply, all she can do is smile. She believes every word; she knows he wouldn't lie to her. But she doesn't know how to reply. Not yet.
Newt takes her hand in his. "Lori, I don't know what'll happen in a month, a week; hell, I don't know what'll happen tomorrow. But, if the Flare is how I'm gonna go, then I'm gonna go out bloody fighting. I can't sit out of the fight, because that's just prolonging what we both know'll happen. What I do know, is that I'm gonna spend as much time as I can with all the people I care for. Especially you."
She looks from his eyes to their hands and back again. All these words, words she loved hearing, just made her heart sink lower. "I just - I can't handle the thought that they're taking you away from me, and there's nothing that I can do about it."
He shrugs wearily. "Maybe, maybe not, but either way, I know what I'm fighting for while I'm still breathing."
Lori lifts one side of her mouth in a small smirk, "Oh, really? And what's that?"
"You know what," he smiles softly. "You. Always has been, always will be."
At this point, Lori forgets the rest of the world around them. The Maze, WICKED, the Swipe, the Scorch; everything. In this moment, it is just Newt and herself, and that is what matters to her right now. That, and that alone.
She slides closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying her head in the crook of his neck. She feels like she wants more, but she knows that this means more to her. This single act feels more intimate then anything she could imagine this conversation ending in. Awkwardly saying goodbye would just dismiss the conversation, and kissing him would just make it seem as if that were all it was leading to; that could wait until another time.
Right now, it is just Newt, Lori, and their arms around each other, acting as a barrier to protect them from all outside forces. His arms are tight around her waist, reminding her of how protective he is of her.
She remembers when she first met up with them in the Scorch and how the stranger, at the time, had kissed her. She remembers slapping him, and the look on his face when he realized that she didn't remember him.
That whole time in the Scorch, she wanted desperately to get her memories back; she couldn't stand to look at the sad expression on his face day in and day out. But now, she realizes what is important. They proved WICKED wrong. If their love was something manufactured in the Maze, then they wouldn't have been able to rekindle it.
Since they were able to, maybe that means that they can really make it through this. That what they feel for each other is real. That is the thought that is carrying Lori through the fact that she may or may not lose him some time soon.
She shocks herself, as she realizes what she thought. The love they feel for each other. The love he feels for her.
The love she feels for him.
A tear escapes, and she knows that she has finally found something solid in a life where everything is always moving.
Lori tightens her embrace, not wanting to risk that he'll slip away from her.
"I love you," she whispers in his ear.
He freezes up for a moment, thinking that he was hearing things; that he had imagined those words leaving her lips.
"I love you, too."
They remain as they are, a comforting silence enveloping them.
/\/\/\/\/\
Lori wakes up hours later, her head on Newt's bicep as they lay on the cot they had been sitting on before they fell asleep. Newt is still sleeping, so Lori still not wanting to wake him up. She closes her eyes, to see whether or not sleep will drag her under once more.
Unfortunately, just as she feels herself going under, Minho comes walking down the hallways, smacking doors and saying to meet for a Gathering.
Lori rolls up onto her elbow, gently calling Newt's name, waking him up. His eyes open slowly, searching before settling on her own. This drags a smile onto his face, as he lifts a hand to slide some strands of hair behind her ear.
"We gotta go," she smiles.
He drops his hand and closes his eyes, sighing heavily. "Back to work then, I guess."
She raises her eyebrows, before swinging her legs over the edge of the cot, holding out her hand to help him up. He accepts the gesture, and keep hold of her hand.
They reach the meet up point, where Minho and everyone else await them. "Glad you lovebirds could leave the nest long enough to join us," he smirks.
Newt shakes his head, "Minho, why have you called a bloody Gathering?"
"Thought it's be fun, for old time's sake," he shrugs. "Plus, according to Thomas, Brenda got some exciting news to share with us."
He still doesn't look like he trusts Brenda, but he does trust Thomas, and that keeps him off of her back; for now.
"Well," Brenda begins. "As you guys know, we're on our way to Denver. I've got a contact over there, Hans, who used to work with WICKED. He knows all 'bout them contraptions in your heads. And," A wide grin takes over her face, "He knows how to remove them."
This silences the group for a moment, before debates erupt about whether or not this is a good idea, and whether or not they can trust someone who worked for WICKED.
It took over an hour of back and forth arguing between them all, to come to the agreement that they should go to Denver. They decided to vote on it in the end, but some are still unhappy with the decision.
Lori, personally, is overjoyed. The thought of finally not having to worry that WICKED will start controlling them at any minute looming over her head really lifts a weight off of her shoulders, even if it's only small.
They plan to land Jorge's Berg at a private airport, where they'll tell the attendants they're Immunes looking for government transport jobs. Thankfully, luck is on their side for now, where the Berg is unmarked, so that the people won't know that it is a WICKED Berg.
Jorge informs them that for security reasons, they'll all be tested and branded as immune to the Flare, which is the only way they'll be able to enter the city. This catches Lori's attention, and her eyes flit to Newt.
He wont be able to enter the city with them, because he's infected. He'll have to stay on the Berg while they go.
"No," Lori shakes her head rapidly. "I change my mind. We can't just leave him here!"
Newt drops her hand and steps in front of her, grabbing hold of her shoulders. "You don't have a choice. If this guy can help, then you aren't gonna miss your bloody shot. I'll be here when you get back, and then we'll figure somethin' out."
"Promise?"
He looks her in the eyes, then places a kiss on her forehead. "Promise."
After hammering out the small details of the plan, they grab something small to eat, before Jorge leaves to pilot his Berg. He instructs them all to take a nap while he flies, so that they'll be well-rested by the time they reach the city; he doesn't want them to miss their chance at a good night's sleep. Especially since they're not sure when they might get another.
/\/\/\/\/\
Thomas calls a second Gathering later on, saying that he needs to tell them all something.
Once they're all seated, he begins.
He tells them that he's been having dreams. Memories. They had been coming back to him in small doses, and he'd been trying to piece it all together, trying to figure out what it all meant.
No one says a word as he speaks; mainly because he makes them all swear to stay quiet until he is finished.
He tells them about how he remembered being a kid, being taken by WICKED. finding out he's immune, training with Teresa, and everything else.
Minho shrugs, "I don't see what that has to do with anything. Just makes me hate WICKED even more."
"Good thing we left, and I hope I never have to see Teresa's shuck face again," Newt growls, sounding a little irritated.
Lori rests a hand on top of his, hoping that he may calm down a little. The side of his mouth quirks up slightly, but not a lot.
"Brenda's a bloody princess compared to that know-it-all."
Brenda rolls her eyes at the boy's comment, "Um . . . thanks?"
"When did you change?" Minho blurts out randomly, generating a questioning look from the whole circle.
"When did you become so shuck crazy against WICKED? You worked for them, you did all those things they wanted you to do in the Scorch. You were all ready to help them put that mask on our face and mess with us all over again. When and how did you come so strongly over to out side?"
Brenda lets out a long, frustrated sigh. She sounds irritated and tired of being questioned by the boys. "I have never been on their side. Never. I've always disagreed with how they operate - but what could I ever do on my own? Or even with Jorge? I've done what I needed to do to survive. But then I lived through the Scorch with you guys and it made me realize . . . well, it made me realize that we have a chance."
No one responded to her, not even Minho. That had left him speechless, because he didn't really expect such an honest answer.
Thomas decides to change the subject, dragging the focus away from Brenda's past job. "Brenda, do you think WICKED'll start forcing us to do things? Start messing with us, manipulating us, whatever?"
"That's why we need to find Hans. I can only guess what WICKED will do. Every other time I've seen them control someone with the device in their brain, that person has been close and under observation. Since you guys are running and they have no way of seeing exactly what you're doing, they might not want to risk it."
"Why no?" Newt questions. "Why don't they just make us stab ourselves in the leg or chain ourselves to a chair until they find us?"
"Like I said, they're not close enough," She responds. "They obviously need you guys. They can't risk you getting hurt or dying. I bet they have all kinds of people coming after you. Once they get close enough to observe, then they might start doing things to mess with your head. And I have a pretty good feeling they will - which is why getting to Denver is a must."
Thomas nods, "We're going and that's that. And I say we wait a hundred years before we have another meeting to talk about stuff."
"Good that," Minho nods. "I'm with you."
Clara immediately agrees with Minho.
The three from the Glade look over to Newt and Lori, waiting expectantly for a response. Lori looks to Newt, and he just shrugs.
"I'm a Crank. Doesn't matter what I bloody think."
Lori looks down, throwing his hand away. "Stop saying stuff like that," She hisses, trying to hold back tears.
Thomas looks over to Lori, "You need to come with us, Lori. It's your only opportunity to get rid of the Swipe."
She looks up to Newt, but he doesn't say anything, so she just nods, not wanting to talk.
"We can get him into the city," Brenda says to Lori, before turning to Newt. "At least long enough to have Hans work on your head. We'll just be really careful to keep you away fr-"
She doesn't get to finish, as Newt stands up from his chair, punching the world above it roughly. "First of all, it doesn't matter if I have the thing in my brain - I'm gonna be past the buggin' Gone before too long anyway. And I don't wanna die knowing I ran around a city of healthy people and infected them."
Knowing that he's right, no one says anything.
Lori feels her heart sinking. She wants Newt to come with them, but then she knows that what he says is right, and she doesn't want to be that selfish person who risks the lives of others; that's not who she is.
The blonde's face turns darker, "Well, don't hurt yourselves tryin' to talk me into it. We all know WICKED's fancy cure is never gonna work, and I wouldn't want it to. Not much to live for on this piece-of-klunk planet. I'll stay on the Berg while you guys go into the city." He doesn't give anyone a chance to reply to his statement, just walks off down the halls of the Berg.
Lori stands up to follow him, but half-way down the hall, she changes her mind. She runs into the closest room and collapses onto the nearest bed.
She curls up into a ball, trying to keep the outside world away from her.
Lori tries to forget all the problems following her around, but her thoughts just keep travelling back to the Scorch, the Flare, and everything else involved. And Newt.
How come he can't just try to help make this a little easier? I know that it must be hard, but can't he try to be strong? If not for himself, then for me?