Newt's P.O.V

We climb out of the trapdoor and shut it. To our surprise, there's no one about. We're in another part of the Maze- not where most of the Immunes are.

I look around and realize that, although its been a very long time since I was a Runner, I know this particular place. Paige knew what she was going- she'd chosen the place where she knew we'd end up.

I close my eyes, and bits of memories come back to me. Conversations and shared jokes with the Keeper of the Runners. This is where Minho and I used to have our quick lunch.

He always knew where he was going, Minho did. Never got lost. Not once. For that short time when I was a Runner, he was my teacher as well as a friend. The one who'd be showing me all the tricks in the Maze and then would be messing about in the Glade.

He was two types of people that only I understood - one was serious, calculated and we watched each other's backs, the other, sarcastic, quick to answer, and every now and again, bad-tempered. He was quick to switch between both.

Of course that all changed when W.I.C.K.E.D decided to intervene and I got my bloody limp.

"It looks so peaceful," says Jane, bringing me back to reality.

I open my eyes. "Yeah. Without the buggin' Grievers."

"When Rachel got her memories back, she said that she and Aris helped build this."

"That's what Tommy said to, only with him and Teresa. Alby and Gally didn't believe them."

I wince, remembering Alby, my former best friend, our great and fearless Leader. What he was before he went through the Changing.

"Beth didn't either," says Jane," Maybe we weren't meant to believe them."

"What do you mean?"

She shrugs," Well it's not exactly a realistic-sounding story is it?"

"Nothings ever realistic now. If someone had told me that there was a disease called the Flare, everyone who's not Immune are crazy and are called Cranks, and that one day I would tell me best friend, Tommy, to shoot me in the head, I think I would have told them to go see the Med Jacks and make sure that their bloody head was screwed on right."

Actually that would be Minho saying that. I would probably be the one having to take that protesting someone to the Med Jacks.

Jane laughs- and it echoes around, bouncing off the Maze Walls. It wasn't even that funny; I was just trying to make a point. But after a moment, I realize how long its been since I've heard laughter. Probably before Teresa came up in the Box or before Alby had been stung and our new Greenie had managed to survive a night in the Maze with Minho against all odds. Before everything got suddenly more serious.

"Come on," she says," We need to find the Immunes and your friends."

"I'll drink to that." I say," I know where to go from here. Follow me."

And she does. We run. The familiarity of being a Runner coming back at me. It was me following Minho before, going as far as we could go during the day, and adding to the Maps in the evening. It made me proud that I had helped by finding out another new section or a different quicker route to another place. But of course, it was all ruined when Tommy came along and said that there was no way out after all and it was all a test. If he had known all the hard work we had put into trying to find a way out, he may have phrased it differently.

It's not a long journey- the scared chatter of people get louder and louder. We round a corner, and lo and behold, are people as far as the eye can see. We stop, taking it all in. There's a range of ages-some are babies being held in their parents' arms. A few are old people, which makes you wonder how they've managed to survive for so long.

Jane walks forward a few steps and pulls out her Launcher. I stare at her.

"Jane," I start. Was W.I.C.K.E.D. controlling her? Hadn't her chip already been taken out? What was she doing? She looks at me, a nonchalant expression on her face.

"Newt," she replies evenly- and she walks over to a woman who's busy, trying to comfort some kids and talks to her. The woman nods at something she has said and Jane gives her the gun. She cocks her head at me.

"Come on Mr. Selfless. Give it to someone who needs it more that you."

A burly man who was leaning against the wall, and is standing next to the woman moves towards me.

"I'll have it," he growls, and I quickly hand it over.

"All right! Listen up!" Someone yells over us. We turn at once, like a tidal wave, trying to locate the source of this new voice. I've got a feeling that it's Minho speaking.

"We're gonna split you shanks into groups," the voice continues-ok, it definitely Minho," They'll be about 50 in each, and then we're gonna get the shuck out of here. Is that clear?"

There are murmurs and nods. One little girl who has short auburn hair, holding a toddler's hand, and looks about six tugs at a woman's shirt, who must be her mother, " What does 'sh-u-ck' mean?," she asks, trying it out, " and why did that man call us 'sh-anks'?"

"It doesn't matter Clary," replies the woman quickly.

It's easier said than done getting us into groups. I don't have a clock but I'm guessing it takes us around twenty minutes, which considering that there are about 500 of us, is pretty fast-but it's not fast enough.  I don't know how long Vince's patience is going to last, or how long it will take to plant the explosives.

Throughout it all, Minho and Tommy shouting orders, I made sure that I never lost sight of Jane. We are both placed in Sonya's group, and I have to nudge Jane to stop staring at Sonya and giving herself away.

Tommy waves his hands to get the Immune's and our attention.

"Listen up!" He says," WICKED is planning to use you for science. Your bodies-your brains. They've been studying people for years, collecting data to develop a cure for the Flare. Now they want to use you as well."

He pauses for effect. All around us little children are whimpering. That's the thing with Tommy. Always straight-out honesty, but at the same time he never realizes that he's great at scaremongering people.

"but you deserve more than a life as lab rats." he continues. You can't miss the sigh of relief from the crowd," You are-we all are- the future, and the future isn't going to happen the way WICKED wants it to. That's why we're here. To get you out of this place. We'll be going through a bunch of buildings to find a Flat Trans that'll take us somewhere safe. If we're attacked, we're going to have to fight. Stick with your groups, and the strongest need to do whatever it takes to protect the-"

There's a violent noise and it cuts off Tommy's lengthy and very inspiring speech, which is unfortunate, since at that moment he was actually telling us that plan- a historic moment which with Tommy, has never been done in full detail.

"What was that?" Minho yells.

Tommy looks around puzzled. There's a rumble getting louder and louder, like an earthquake which has been holding back for years, and is now unleashing its full power. Scared, Jane tightens her grip on me, and I realize how much worse this must be for her as I remember that she's claustrophobic.

A large portion of what used to be the East Door is broken off and it falls, almost in slow motion to the people below. A strangled noise comes out my mouth, as if I want to yell a warning, which I do, but I don't know how.

I lunge forward and pull the auburn haired-girl with the toddler towards me in the nick of time. But I couldn't save the others; they are crushed to death right before our eyes. The girl screams and Jane comforts her and says that we'll be taking care of her now, and to be a big strong girl for her brother.

Tommy stands there frozen. Minho is shouting something at him. We have to get out of here. Now.

Before the Right Arm blow this place up.