Numbness.

That was all I felt as we were taken from the place we had lived for years in the helicopter. Thomas had somehow fallen asleep while Newt and everyone else had conversations, I don't know what about.

Then the helicopter landed and we were dragged out. In front of us, stood a large building with spot lights everywhere. Gun shots were heard and men screamed.

"Cranks!!"

I helped Newt a long as he struggled to run. He hadn't ran this much in years. Shouts and shots were the only things we could hear until we reached the building and the door shut.

"What the shuck is this place?" I asked, looking at everything around us. It was a massive warehouse.

People fussed over us as we were fed, with a massive meal. Once we were done, we sat down on the tables around us while we talked. Then the door slowly opened and a man stood there with his gun by his side. We all stood up as another man appeared.

"You kids doing all right?" He spoke, "Sorry about all the fuss. We had ourselves a bit of a swarm."

"Who are you?" Thomas asked.

"I'm the reason you're all still alive. It's my job to keep you that way. Now, come with me. We'll get you kids squared away." He walked off.

"Is it just me who thinks he looks like a rat?" I filled the silence and Fry snorted. "What? I'm serious. He is a ratman."

"Y/n- oh my god." Newt chuckled as we followed the man.

"Just saying." I shrugged.

"You can call me Mr Janson. I run this place." The man said as we walked behind him.

Ratman is better. I'll call you ratman.

"For us it is a sanctuary, safe from the horrors of the outside world. You all should think of it as a way station. Kind of a home between homes."

"That mean you're taking us home?" Thomas asked.

"A home...of sorts. Sadly, there wouldn't b much left of wherever you came from. But we do have a place for you. A refuge, outside the scorch, where Wicked will never find you again. How does that sound?"

"Why are you helping us?" Minho raised an eyebrow.

"Let's just say the world out there is in a rather precarious situation. We're all hanging on by a very thin thread. The fact that you kids can survive the flare virus makes you the best chance of humanity's continued survival." Janson explained, "Unfortunately, it also makes you a target, as no doubt by now you've noticed. Beyond this door lies the beginning of your new lives."

He swiped a card through a lock and the door rose up, showing a long white corridor.

"First things first, lest do something about that smell."

-

We were shown into a shower block. Everyone took a separate section and we quickly undressed. They had warm, really warm water. It was so refreshing, I could have stayed there forever. Some of the boys celebrated and cheered. It was mainly Minho, Fry and Winston.

When we stepped out there were some clothes set up. Different sizes for different people. It felt weird changing out of my glade clothes but I did it anyway. I made sure to keep the knife Chuck made me for me in my pocket.

Once again, some men collected us and showed us to what looked like a lab. Most of the doctors were female. Teresa was taken to a separate room, and this angered Thomas for some reason.

The doctor by me, injected my arm with a blue liquid. It looked just like the liquid that healed the grievers sting but it couldn't have been the same. I didn't bother asking what it was, there was no point.

"Y/n?" A man asked as I rubbed my arm where I had been stabbed.

"That's me.."

"Come with me, please."

I was led into an interrogation room. I took a seat and waited for something to happen. Then Janson walked in.

"Y/n! Thank you for seeing me. Don't worry, I will be talking to Thomas after you."

"Cool." I replied bluntly as he took a seat opposite me.

"I have one question."

"Okay."

"What do you remember about Wicked?"

"I- what?"

"You're not in trouble. I'm just wondering. We need to know."

"Know what?"

"Whose side are you on?"

I hesitated for a second, "I was basically a lab rat for Wicked. So was everyone else. They used us. They injected me so much with random liquids. I remember watching my best friends and boyfriend get set into the maze. I remember being her daughter."

"Her? Who is her?"

"Dr Ava Paige. Y'know, the one who blew her brains out. She was my mother."

"Oh- okay.."

"I'm on their side." I indicated to my friends.

"Interesting. Enjoy the rest of your stay."

"Thank shuck that's over." I pushed off the table and stood up, so did he.

"You and your friends have all be cleared to join the others." He opened the door.

"Others?"

"You'll see." He smirked.

-

The guards walked me through the halls but they kept getting to touchy. I didn't like it. It make my blood boil.

One of them roughly shoved me into a room. It was a canteen. Boys and girls sat around tables chatting and eating. Who the hell were the other kids?

I saw Frypan and the others so I began to walk over. But then one of the man slapped my ass. My shucking ass. What a weirdo.

That got me even more mad. I whipped round and in doing so kicked him in the gut causing him to stagger back into the wall with a grunt.

"What the fuck?" He swore, whilst coughing.

I walked over to him.

"Don't touch me again."

"Jesus Christ, okay." He stood up straight before walking away.

When I turned around again every single person's eyes were on me.

"Oh, shuck." I mumbled under my breath, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

I quickly ran over to my friends and took a seat beside Fry. Everyone's eyes were still on me.

"Y/n, that was shucking awesome!" Minho shouted. After that everyone went back to talking amongst each other.

"What did Janson want?" Newt asked.

"Just asked me some dumb questions." I shrugged. I noticed two boys across from us, I didn't know them.

I turned back to Newt , "Who are all these random people?"

"We weren't the only Maze." Fry answered.

"Oh." I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"That was something you did over there." One of the unknown boys said.

"Thanks, I guess. So what happened in your maze? How'd you escape?"

The door I had just entered from opened and Thomas walked through. Minho brought him over.

"There was this big, loud explosion and these guys came out of nowhere," the boy explained , "started shooting up the place."

Thomas sat between Minho and Newt.

"They pulled us out of the maze and brought us here."

"What about the rest?" Newt said. "The other people left behind in the maze, what happened to them?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I guess Wicked still has them."

"How long have you been here?" I asked.

"Not long. Nothing but a week. That kid," he turned his head to a boy in a grey jumper, "has been here the longest."

"His maze was nothing but girls." His friend spoke.

"Really?" Minho chuckled.

"Oi! You had one girl. Two, if you count Teresa." I said.

"Yeah, but y'know, you were, uh, .. Gally's."

"Oh yeah! And then you planted a spear in his chest." I snarled and he rolled his eyes.

Then Janson came out and started talking about how he was going to escort people away. When people's names were called they celebrated and smiled while lining up. Everyone groaned when he shut his clipboard. It's like they wanted to leave.

"Where are they going?" I asked.

"Some kind of farm. A safe place. They can only take a few people at a time."

——————

First chapter - done 😩

This chapter SUCKED. But it's gonna get better, I promise <3