*Janson*
I gulped, trying to keep my breathing steady. I recognised the voice as soon as the harsh snarl pulsed through the speaker.
"It's him..." I whispered in a strangled tone. Axel's eyes were wide, glazed. Azela looked confused.
"Janson..." he said in a strangely steady voice. "His name is Janson. And he's responsible for this." His tone turned gritty, fists clenched at his sides.
Kyle overheard and instantly called for back-up. Three soldiers donning similar attire appeared a moment later, saluting in unison.
"Sir."
"Find this man. Shut him up," he barked as Janson continued snivelling into the microphone.
"Don't you see? We're trying to save the world... find a cure. We're not the bad guys. You," he hissed sharply, "are the bad guys. With your... abilities..."
I stood motionless, listening to his droning. The others were doing the same, staring transfixed at the wall so as not to give away their identity. As long as Janson didn't give away who Group C was...
"You could kill everyone in this building if you wanted... you're the threat. Not me. Not us. Not WICKED. But you..." Then he chuckled, and I felt my knees buckle. I leaned against the wall. He was going to say our names. He was going to tell everyone.
"The real enemies are your so called friends... The real enemies are stood right in front of you... The real enemies are..."
There was a loud clang and the barking shout of one of the soldiers. Janson still had his hand on the microphone.
"Ha! You think taking me will solve this little problem? Do you know the truth about your little friends down there? About their powers..."
"Hands behind your back, NOW!"
Then the speaker fell dead.
There was a prominent silence before we all stirred, blinking as if emerging from a trance.
"What... what was he talking about?" Someone asked in a perturbed voice. The other gladers began muttering, glancing about warily, anxiously.
I stared blankly at the ground. They were going to find out.
"They don't know," Axel whispered close to my ear.
"No, but they'll find out somehow."
Azela's eyes were glassy with tears. She was obviously extremely confused, and my heart twanged in sympathy. She was just as clueless as the gladers in some ways.
I quickly placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll be fine."
She nodded, impatiently wiping her eyes. "Who was that man?"
"He's the one who removed our memories. In fact, he's probably responsible for all of this," I murmured, feeling anger ripple through my chest.
The door that the three guards had entered suddenly flung open, and two of the stern-faced men staggered out with Janson trailing between them. They held his wrists in an iron grip; their knuckles were white with pressure.
Janson snorted, his glasses slipping farther down his nose. His dark hair flopped over his weasel-like face, greasy and tangled. His skin was pocked with wrinkles, putting his age somewhere around fifty. Thin lips were pressed tightly together, until he drew them back into a grim smile.
"Ah, it's nice to see you again," Janson snivelled, his voice gravelly and low. His soulless eyes flickered between the three of us, and I felt a sudden surge of hatred.
"You monster!" I screamed, balling my fists by my side.
He let out a shrill laugh, gurgling from his throat. "Oh, my little lab rat," he drawled in a mocking tone. "You still don't get it, do you? We're the good guys here. You're the monsters. You have the power to kill everyone here."
"You really think that's true?" I spat. "You really believe you're the good guys? Experimenting on children.... you think that's going to save the world?! You sick creep!"
Everyone stared at us in horror, transfixed and curious with the drama that was unfolding.
His narrow gaze suddenly darted over my shoulder. His smirk widened, and my stomach churned. "Oh, didn't you know? Your little rescuers here aren't what they seem."
"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Newt demanded. My body stiffened. I threw a quick glance over my shoulder. Newt was glowering; Thomas looked helpless, lingering behind him. He knew what was coming.
I turned back to Janson, meeting his venomous glare coolly. "No, they don't know. But whatever they think of us, at least they won't have to suffer under your ridiculous trials," I said in a steady voice.
Kyle blinked, as if snapping out of a trance. "Get him out of here!" He barked, and relief surged through my shoulders.
Janson released a bone-chilling cackle; goosebumps pricked my skin like tiny needles.
The soldiers began to drag him toward a door, his feet scraping along the floor. "Don't trust them, gladers. Rowan, Axel, Azela... they're not who they seem," he spat before being hauled out of sight.
My heart shattered like glass. He'd told them. He'd said our names. They knew.
"What the bloody hell is he talking about Rowan?" Newt demanded in an anxious voice. "What does he mean?"
My chest began trembling. The others were bearing expressions of utter horror. My mind rang. I couldn't take it anymore. He had to know.
I'm sorry Axel, I whispered, before spinning on my heel to face Newt. My eyes were glassy with tears, but I shed none. This wasn't the right moment.
"Let me show you," I said in a subdued voice.
Newt furrowed his brows as I took a step closer. He recoiled a little, staring at me anxiously. "What d'you mean?"
Without preamble, I flung up my arm and gently brushed my clammy fingers against his temple.
It almost went in slow motion from then on. His face was a mixture of emotions. As soon as my fingers made contact, his eyes flared with shock and pain, mingling in a mass of confusion. He winced and quickly recoiled, jerking his head away. My fingers lost touch, and I stared in horror as I left a scorch mark in my absence.
I burnt him?!
His face was stricken with pain and shock; the others stared at him in stark confusion. Then his gaze levelled with mine, wincing with discomfort. "You bloody freak," he murmured in disgust, receding into the crowd of silent gladers and rubbing his temple. "What the hell are you?"
That struck me hard into the gut, shattering my heart into thousands of individual pieces. My shoulders began trembling ardently. "No... no, no, no!" I whispered in a strangled pitch. "What have I done?"
My eyes glazed with tears. I stared at the ground with hazy vision, my chapped lips trembling. "No..."
Tears began cascading freely down my cheeks; a sob broke through my chest. Nobody knew what to do. They were utterly shellshocked.
I clamped my eyes shut. I didn't want to see them. Him. What I'd done. I just wanted to melt on the spot and not have to cope with the damage I'd caused. To Newt, to myself, to Axel and Azela. I'd messed everything up... again. When would I ever make things right with all that I'd caused?
My knees abruptly buckled, but strong arms caught me before I reached the floor. Someone's body was pressed against mine, cradling me in a tight embrace, the heat from their clothes seeping into my numb bones.
Hands stroked through my hair, warm air breathed on my cheek. I nestled my head into their shoulder, still sobbing. Even without looking, I knew who it was. One of the very few people who seemed to be on my side, who trusted me, who would always stay a true friend, even if I had only just met him.
Thomas.
>>><<<
firstly, is this 'janson' the correct spelling? it was too much effort walking to my shelf and checking the actual book, so i kinda assumed it was spelt like that. i also kinda made up his appearance because i couldn't remember what he actually looks like, so yeah, sorry if it's completely wrong!
so what are you guys' opinions on where the story is headed? i mean, i've literally just ignored the plot of tmr and tst and i don't know if you guys mind that? i mean i could probably continue this story for a few books from the way it's looking, but i think i might just stick to making a trilogy, so yeah, after this, i will be writing another book, but i'm not sure at what point to end it at. i suppose i'll just have to think about it.
anyways, i have an important announcement to make. i'll post it as a separate part so you all actually read it. btw, do all of these a/n's get annoying? just wondering...
thanks for reading, slintheads.