All he could do was watch.

The blonde haired boy stood in front of the monitor, hands trembling against the table in front of him as he watched the screen, bile rising in his throat. The Beetle Blade scurried after the two runners, and his heart lurched in his throat when the girl began to try and scramble her way through the maze doors. She wouldn't make it, not like that, and for a moment he was sure he was about to watch her die.

Luke, grainy and miniscule on the screen, let out a cry and gave her a hard push before darting backwards himself. The maze doors sealed shut, leaving the two parted by the thick stone doors. The blonde ran a hand through his fluffy hair, brown eyes swimming with tears as he watched the boy he had known for years now get trapped in the one place he had no hope of surviving. The Maze was a death trap - everyone knew it. If you got stuck in there, you didn't even bother to try and get out. You were dead either way.

They had made sure of that.

There was a whirring noise, accompanied by a snarl and the telltale growl of the man made monsters that prowled the maze's halls, and the boy in the video tensed up, his face bone white. He watched with terror thrumming through his blood as Luke stumbled further into the Maze, rounding the corner and-

His hand slammed on the button, turning off the video footage right as Luke let out a blood curdling scream. He knew what came next, and didn't want to see it. Didn't want to see another person he cared about die.

He felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder and glanced up into the eyes of a woman with pale blonde hair. "Come, Newt." She said, her tone clipped despite the sympathy in her steel eyes. "Let's get you back to your room. The others are waiting for you."

"He's dead, isn't he? Luke. He's dead now." Newt asked, voice uncertain and scared. He hated how young he sounded in that moment, like the child who had been dragged into the facility kicking and screaming with his sister in tow.

"It would appear that Luke was the first to realise the dangers of The Maze Trials, yes." Upon seeing the heartbroken look on the sixteen year old's face, the woman in the lab coat raised a hand to cup his cheek. "We knew this would happen, Newt. But he was a necessary sacrifice. One of many to come, unfortunately. We all know why we had to do this."

Newt's blood ran cold at the thought of one of those sacrifices being the girl in the glade, his girl, his best friend, but speaking out wouldn't do any good.

She was already in the glade, she didn't remember anything - didn't remember him - and pretending otherwise would cause more harm than good, no matter how much her absence cut into him like a blade. He wanted her back, damnit, safe and beside him.

"Come." The woman ordered curtly, opening the door. Casting one longing glance at the final monitor, which showed the motionless body of the girl sprawled on the ground, Newt left the room, leaving the woman alone.

Ava Paige surveyed the monitors, as if looking for anything out of place, before closing the door behind her.

"And remember, Newt. WICKED is good."