Chapter Text
It’s a new memory Newt has. Funny how he can already separate them from his actual dreams. Maybe because most of his dreams are nightmares but then again, most of his memories are in comparison to his nightmares not that better.
This memory however is a bit weirder than usual. It’s him, together with Teresa staring at an unconscious Thomas, lying on a bed.
They didn’t speak for a while until his younger self breaks the silence.
“Thank you for sneaking me in here.”
She smiles at him kindly. “No problem. Tom told me he sneaks you in his room all the time.”
Newt snorts. “He has a thing for getting into trouble all the time.”
She rolls her eyes with a smile. “Oh, I know.”
“Still,” he says. “I know… you weren’t that big of a fan that we’re hanging out secretly.”
She sighs. “It’s not against you… I have reasons. Intentions. We’re scientists, Newt… We don’t have time for…”
“I understand,” he just says and looks back at Thomas. “but I just don’t get why it’s necessary,” he says suddenly. “Just because he can't speak telepathically yet, they had to make him bloody mute?”
“It’s necessary, Newt.” She says. “I tried my best to convince them to give him more time to learn it but they already gave us enough time-”
Newt hufs. “ That’s ridiculous.”
“I’m sorry,” she says, a look of guilt in her eyes. “I’m a bad sister.”
And now Newt feels guilty.
“What? Shucking seriously? Teresa, you may be everything but you ain't a bad sister.” Newt says, frowning.
Despite playing the strong girl, always in front of her baby brother, she begins to weep a bit. “But I told him I’ll protect him. What big sister would let this happen?”
Newt smiles at her in sympathy. “ If you’re the bad sister, what does that make me then?”
Teresa looks at him now even more guilty. “That’s not a fair comparison,” she says, wiping up her last running tear with the sleeve of her white shirt.
“Exactly!” He smiles, clapping hands, “Life ain’t fair, ‘Resa. We make the best out of it. Like him.” he points at Thomas. “The moment he wakes up, he will try to speak telepathically with you.”
Teresa humms. “Would be a shame if he still couldn’t..” She gives Newt a wide grin. “I mean. How else will he tell you now that he loves you?”
Newt eyes rise open as the man jolts his shoulder.
“Wake up, kid. We’re there in a minute.” The Military man tells Newt. “And wake up your friend. Kid sleeping like he’s made of stone.”
Newt blinks a few times, still not fully awake yet.
He hears Minho groaning. “Shucking hell..” he grunts, “thought it was some klunk dream but it really happened. We’re out.”
Newt nods slowly. “Guess so..” he mumbles, “Slept good?”
Minho massages his neck. “No,” he groans, “but maybe better than that shenk.” He points at Thomas, his Head still on Newt's shoulder.
“Depends.” he sighs, “Did he even sleep?” He asks as he, unlike the man, gently shakes his friend's shoulder. “Tommy, wake up. Thomas. Come on.”
And then Thomas finally raises his Head, quite in a slow tempo. like he was already awake and just leaning on Newt’s shoulder to relax- if relaxing is even possible.
Thomas doesn’t say anything, just sits, resting his arms on his knees, with the carving in his hands and not even looking at him or Minho.
Newt looks at Minho who just gives him a concerned look in return, not sure what to do. Teresa is sadly in the other helicopter, together with Winston and Frypan. He could really need, well, Thomas’ sister's help.
Which is also a thing Newt almost did forget, even though he just had a dream about her.
“Alright, boys!” Shouts the man, frightening Thoma whose head raises up in a flash. “We have to go fast!” And then he opens the way for them, dragging them out of the helicopter, with more shouts following them, like “GO! GO! GO!” while shooting at some weird figures and Newt is sure they remind him of the Glders after a changing, with all that black veins. Newt couldn’t get a better look at them, which might be better anyway, since they need to go to safety.
And then, finally, they are inside, still breathing heavily. Didn’t they run enough?
After looking around in that military base, another Military comes to them, a woman this time, telling them to come with them. Everyone seems to be too tired right now to ask questions. Even though Newt slept in the helicopter. He and the others are tired, hungry and they honestly look bad with all that mud and blood on them.
“You kids stay here. Somebody will pick you up later.” And then she just shuts the door behind them, locking them up.
Thomas tries to open it but it obviously doesn’t work, which turns them all to stare at each other dumbly in silence until they all look slowly behind them. It first looks like a huge storage room, wouldn’t there be that bright light, shining on that long table with food on it.
So much food. And it looks like some angels organized it to look like they are in a storage room from heaven.
“Dibs on that rice!” Frypan says and runs, the others following them. Even Thomas. Well, he is hungry, too.
With that they all grab the nearest dish they could get, eating it like hungry animals.
“That’s better than Frypan’s.” Blurts out Winston with a laugh, with Minho and the others laughing with him. Frypan laughs too but throws a fruit at him, following with a giggering Teresa throwing some rice to them. Bark, who’s actually barking happily because of all the food.
Everyone is just goofing around and for the first time Newt feels safe. Despite them behind closed doors. He doesn’t have to worry about Grievers or organizing supplies like he had to do all the years.
After eating all the food- yes, all of it, they seem all too full to even move. They never had the privilege in the Glade to eat so much. Newt remembers the times where they had to ration their food, when they were almost out of supplies and food.
Everything was still with no one daring to say something. Sure, they had their fun while eating but they all don’t want to speak about what happened in the maze. It’s perhaps too soon, or they just want to forget. Either way, Newt is okay with it.
The silence breaks when the door opens and Man in a leather jacket steps in, a smile on his face. “You kids doing alright?” He asks, the others walking slowly to the adult. “Sorry about all the fuss.”
“Who are you?” asks Newt.
“I'm the reason you all are still alive. And it's my intention to keep you that way. Now, come with me. We’ll get you kids squared away.” Then he goes with the Ex-Glader following him.
“Ah, you can call me Mr. Janson by the way,” he says. “I run this place. For us it is a sanctuary, safe from the horrors of the outside world. You all should think of it as a waystation, kind of a... Home between homes.”
“So…” Comes out of Jack, holding tightly into his dog, “are you taking us home then?”
“A home of sorts.” Janson answers. “Sadly there wouldn't be much left of where you came from but we do have a place for you. A refuge, outside the scorch where WICKED will never find you again.” he says, again with that smile of his. Then he looks at their dog and tilts his head, his eyebrows up. “Huh. A dog. That’s new.” Jack smiles.
“Okay, but why are you helping us?”
“Let's just say the world out there is in a rather precarious situation, and 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.” He explains them. “Unfortunately, it also makes you a target. There's no doubt by now you've noticed.”
As Janson finishes his talk, they seem to reach another door “Beyond this door, lies the beginning of your new lives.” He tells them and opens the door with what seems to be his ID card. “First things first, let's do something about that smell.”
And yea. Newt couldn’t agree more.
Teresa goes to the women showe room and the rest of the boys goes to the men shower room.
“Eh, you sure you want to take Bark with you, Jack?” Frypan asks but Jack just huffs. “I won’t leave him alone any second!”
The showers are seperated with walls, but by far not that privately. Not that it bothers Newt. In the glade they had to do the same, even less privately.
For some reason, another woman came, assigning them to their showercabin and when Winston asks her why they couldn’t just use any cabin, she tells him it’s because they aloot their clothes in each cabin and these clothes apparently have identification codes. The others just shrug and they all make their way to their showers. Newt however wonders why there is a need for ID codes. Are there probably really more kids in this facility?
The woman assigns Thomas’ cabin last and without any other word Thomas makes his way to the last shower in the row.
“I forgot about that.” Minho says suddenly.
Newt didn’t understand at first what Minho is even referring to but then he remembers all the fuss they had in the glade.
Newt also remembers something else and slaps Minho’s head.
“Ouch!” Minho cries out dramatically. “What was that for??”
Newt squeezes his eyes. “Seriously, Minho. What shucking slinthead would put - you know what - in a map supply box?”
Minho tilts his head in confusion but then his eyes wide and he gasps. “Ohh…”, he exclaims. “I forgot.”
Newt rolls his eyes. “Well nothin’ we can do about. It probably burned in that bloody fire because of Alby-”
And that is one memory Newt wishes he could oppress more.
Minho gently taps Newt's back.
“Let’s just take that shower.” Newt tells his friend and they go.
Newt gets assigned next to Thomas’ cabin. While the others give happy sounds from them, like Frypan who keeps shouting how great that warm water feels, or Minho who can’t stop giggling like a drunk girl, Newt can’t stop thinking about Thomas.
He hasn’t said a word and Newt fears his friend got mute again. Maybe it was temporary? Newt thinks about the memory he got in the helicopter. WICKED did it on purpose after all for the telepathic connection. Maybe these people here can help them? Some kind of surgery or something? Not like Newt has any idea of that stuff.
Each boy seems to finish showering. As good a hot shower feels on their skin, they can’t shower forever. With fresh clothes and fresh underwear folded next to them, Newt gets dressed. They even got the privilege to dry their hair with a hairdryer. Not that they really need it but Minho gladly takes it. Jack too takes it but not for himself. Newt smiles up when Jack calls for Newt just to show him how good care he takes for his dog.
Thomas comes after them, also in fresh clothes but he ignores them while just looking at the dash of dirty clothes from the glade, all lying around in the corner, including his old runner vest.
Newt can’t take it anymore.. He gets that Thomas doesn’t want to talk anymore- even if he might be mute again, Newt just needs to hear a sound of him.
The other boys all joke around and are completely ignoring them too, so Newt sees this as an opportunity to talk with him.
“Hey,” he says, “feeling good after the showe?”
Thomas seems to be so lost in his thoughts that he jumps a little bit when Newt approaches him.
Newt chuckles. “You alright, Tommy?”
Thomas gives him a light smile. “Yeah.” He says and Newt knows Thomas’ smile isn't much but it’s a start, so he smiles back.
“Actually.” Thomas says, his voice still really soft, “I’m a bit confused.”
Newt blinks. “How so?”
Thomas looks around and approaches Newts ear, obviously not wanting the other boys to hear this. “Did any of you tell them my biologial sex?” He asks, and Thomas doesn’t even sound angry, just ashamed.
Newt frowns. “No, of course not.” He tells him. “Why? What’s wrong?”
Thomas shakes his head. “It’s just weird because they put a binder in my clothes? Is that weird? That’s weird, right? Unless you also got one, but that would be much weirder- I mean, not like it’s wrong if you would but-”
“Thomas.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t freak out,” he says. “They just might know because they have WICKED’s records of us, or something. I mean, we saw it too. And that woman that told us which shower we should use? She also knew our names. So my bet is they know our WICKED records, alright?”
Thomas still looks uncomfortable. “Maybe.”
“Hey, I get it.” he tells him softly but Thomas just pouts. “Okay,” Newt groans, “I don’t- but hey. I’ll protect you, Tommy.” he laughs softly. “That makes you feel safer?”
Thomas gets a bit red in the face. “It actually does.”
“Oh.”
“Yup.”
“Thomas.” Newt quickly says. “I think we should talk about something-”
“Alright, boys!” Janson storms in and Newt could hit his head into the wall. “Before we bring you guys to bed, it’s time for medical treatment. Just some routine work. The basics. Follow me.”
They follow him and Thomas taps on Newt’s shoulder, asking him what he was about to say but Newt just brushes him off, telling him they can talk later or tomorrow about it.
In the medical section Newt seems rather against the idea that some doctors put some needles in his skin. Not that he fears them.
But he’s still allowed to be wary, right?
“Wait, what is that?” He asks.
“Just a little cocktail, calcium, flouate, vitamins A-Z, pretty much everything you've been deprived of out there.” the doctor explains. “Try to relax.”
Right.
Newt tries to relax, alright, but that doesn't work well.
On that day Newt discovers that he was lying to himself about his fear of needles.
What time is it even? He wonders and Newt remembers that he didn’t take his wristwatch with him when he took that shower. Which means it lies somewhere with their old dirty clothes.
So Newt does the most simple thing and asks the doctor what it is.
“4 o'clock,” she says.
That’s not that late-
“-in the morning.”
Nevermind.
It took a long time until everyone finished with the test’s and they insisted not to go to their beds until everyone finishes but then Janson tells them that Teresa’s examination might take longer and that she will sleep elsewhere anyway.
Newt could see it in Thomas’ eyes that he is against the idea of separating them from Teresa but Thomas also doesn’t look like he wants to start useless discussion now.
So finally in their room with bunk beds, Minho is the first one jumping on the top bed making Frypan sulk.
“I could get used to this.” says Winston while getting comfortable on his bed.
“A real bed..” Jack says, already closing his eyes with Bark lying next to him.
“Yeah, it’s not bad..” Newt agrees and then they hear the door behind them gets locked.
Thomas gives Newt a blank stare.
“I admit that was bad timing.” Newt climbs up the top bunk bed. “Don’t think too much into it, okay?”
“But why would they lock us?”
“Maybe,” Minho chirps in. “in case of some danger- like these shucking monsters won’t bark in our room to kill us?”
“Ah, sounds familiar.” Thomas says coldly. “You know. Locked in with monsters outside. Just like the Glade.”
“Hey shuck face-”
“Slim it, Minho.” Newt says, giving him a glare and then turns to Thomas. “And you also slim it. I told you, you don’t have to worry.”
Thomas doesn’t have to say anything in return and silently makes his way to the washroom.
“Where are you going?” asks Newt.
“Brushing my teeth.”
“Brushing his teeth?” repeats Minho. “Are we sure that’s what he does in the WC?”
“What else would he do?” Jack asks but Minho just brushes it off, ‘Nothing’ he says.
Newt rolls his eyes.
At the glade they also could brush their teeth- obviously. He remembers during their first weeks, when Minho, Alby and a few other boys were still the only ones in the maze. They didn’t have toothpaste or toothbrushes until they asked their “creators” for some. That was actually the first time they asked them for something.
It was Gally’s Idea. He was some clean shank which is kinda ironic since he’s the one building in all that dirt.
“What are you doing?” Newt asked him on that day unsure.
“Asking our dear creators for some shucking toothpaste and toothbrushes.”
“Why that?” He asked him. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“You all stink like klunk and I’ll die one day rather from that disgusting smell than from a Griever.”
Newt still remembers what he wrote on that note:
I don’t care if you’re gods or whatever.
Give us toothpaste and toothbrushes.
Sincerely, your fucking shucking people from the Glade.
Beside what happened, Newt misses Gally. That Gally from his good memories. Everyone from the Glade who decided to stay behind, too.
“What’s his problem?” Frypan asks, stopping Newt completely from daydreaming.
“Yeah.” Winston says. “He’s the one who got us convinced to break out after all.”
“Does he think it’s not safe here, Newt?” Jack asks worriedly.
Newt realizes that they are still talking about Thomas and sighs. “Everything is okay, guys. He just needs time. ”
Minho yawns. “Whatever. Fry, turn off the lamp.” And without a word Frypan turns off the lamp and everything goes dark. For the first time he doesn’t need to worry about things that could happen during the night.
Why can’t I sleep then?
He looks around. The others are already sleeping tightly.
Newt doesn’t even know how much time it has been but the light from the WC goes off and he sees Thomas now finally lying down too, underneath him.
Somehow, the thought of Thomas trying to sleep now kind of relaxes Newt’s muscles and he closes his eyes again.
He is finally about to sleep. It feels like ages since he could sleep without worries. Without worrying about any meeting with the other keeper.
Then, Newt suddenly hears a sound. He looks next to him but that’s just Minho snoring peacefully. He must misheard it then-
But there it is again. This time he thinks he can locate it. That whimper. First he thinks that’s Jack. That boy was so happy the whole day, therefore he came to the conclusion that Jack just got to cry now since it’s night. But once he gives a glance to him it turns out that Newt is wrong because Jack is sleeping peacefully while cuddling Bark.
Okay, this time Newt is sure he just heard wrong-
Until he hears it again. And this time- this time, he knows where it’s coming from.
Newt leans his ear to the edge of his bed and like this he hears the whimper underneath him much more clearer.
It’s Thomas, and Newt’s heart sinks. Of course it’s Thomas. Newt just wonders if Thomas cries because of the Maze, because of Chuck, because he’s maybe frustrated- or all of it?
Either way, Newt can’t take it.
He looks underneath him, hoping he’s not going to scare Thomas with the way he creeps out of his top bed to his friends bed.
“Hey,” he whispers.
He sees how Thomas quickly wipes his tears. “Newt?” He manages to say. “Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”
“Could ask you the same thing… You okay?”
“Yes.” Thomas sniffs.
Newt doesn’t buy it of course and klimps down, gesturing with his hands to Thomas to make some room for him on the bed.
“Uh.. Newt?” Thomas asks.
“Hmm?”
“What are you doing?”
Newt shrugs. “Lying next to you?”
“Oh,” He says. “Okay.”
Newt makes himself comfortable next to Thomas.
“Oh, I forgot my blanket,” he says and is about to get up again until Thomas grabs his arm.
“Wait-”
Newt looks at him, a bit amused, when Thomas just stares at him.
“We can… just share my blanket.”
Newt blinks but then smiles at him. “..Sure.”
“So…” he begins, “tell me. What’s wrong?”
Thomas sighs.
“Teresa won’t talk with me.” He explains. “I mean, telepathically.” he adds when he notices Newt's confused face.
“I see,” he nods. “You’re worried.”
“Yeah… she always talked with me in the Glade. Feels weird when she’s not in my head you know.” Thomas grimaces at that. “-Or not. I mean. Not like you would understand-”
“I had a memory about you.”
Thomas' eyes wide. “A-a good one?”
Newt hums. “Hard to say… I saw you unconscious on a bed..“ He frowns. “It was after your weird operation to make you mute or something.”
Newt notices how Thomas' mind is drifting.
“I know that look. What are you thinking about?”
“After I, uh, stung myself. I had other memories too.”
About Teresa? Newt wonders. Maybe Thomas is aware that she’s his sister.
“About what?” he asks.
“About my mother… about teresa.. But the ones about Teresa were weirdly blurry. I don’t understand why though-” he shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter. I had memories about you .”
Newt gulps. He just realizes how close they are.
“What were they about?”
Is Newt imagining this or is Thomas getting closer?
“It was actually before you had to go to the maze,” he says. “we were saying goodbye.. I mean, you did. I couldn’t speak.”
“Well,” hums Newt. “No need to say goodbyes now, right?”
“Remember what you told me today?” asks Thomas. “At the showers? That we should talk?”
Newt nods. He wasn’t even sure Thomas was listening to him at that time.
“Look, I might sound super weird and, I know it’s pretty surreal since we only know each other for a week but with all the memories it’s like I knew you more than just a week. This sounds weird, doesn’t it? Nevermind-”
“Get to the point.”
“Right, sorry.” he apologizes.
But Newt just smiles. “Tommy,” he begins. “We had some kind of connection- before the maze. I know.”
Thomas blushes. “You could say it like that, sure.”
“Alright.” laughs Newt. “Your turn then. Elight me. What kind of connection?”
“How should I know?” he asks a bit loudly but Newt just gives him a look with one raised eyebrow. “Right.” Thomas says. “I was stung and you not- But hey. How do you even get all the memories then?”
Newt shrugs. “Good question. But I got them since you showed up... Hey, which reminds me, do you remember how we met?”
Thomas grins. “In a cafeteria right?”
Newt wonders how he could remember that moment but not that Teresa is his sister.
“Yes,” he says. “Minho didn’t like you much.”
Thomas frowns. “He also didn’t like me much at the beginning in the Glade.”
Newt laughs at that. “That’s just how that shank is…”
“Mhm..”
And silence. It’s obvious that both are trying to avoid their own chosen topic. That’s what Newt assumes at least.
“We kissed.” Thomas suddenly blurts out and Newt almost chokes on his own spit.
“Bloody hell, Tommy.” he coughs. “Give a boy a warning next time, huh?”
Thomas looks shyly to the blanket. “Sorry.”
“Did I kiss you or you me?” he asks bluntly.
“That’s the first thing you ask?” he asks, almost amusing.
Newt just shrugs. “Well?”
“I don’t know? You? I mean I don’t even think that was our first kiss in general-” He stops. “You think we were, uh, boyfriends?”
Newt thinks for a moment. From everything he and Thomas have seen that should be the logical assumption, right?
“I dunno.” He tells him truthfully. “Kind of weird.”
“...Why?”
“Well, that we would become boyfriends even though we knew we wouldn’t be together forever.. because of the Maze?”
Thomas breaths out. “Maybe you didn’t know at first? I don’t know. Not like it’s important…”
Both look now at the bed above them.
“Is it weird if I say I still feel this connection?”
Newt's answer is quick. “No. Not weird at all.”
“Newt?” he asks and Newt answers with ‘Hm?’
“You think we’re really safe now?” He asks and looks now to Newt.
He also looks now to Thomas. “Yes. I want to believe it’s safe for now, Tommy.”
Now both are having a good look at each other.
“If it’s safe here you think… that thing could work? With us?” He asks shyly. “You know. Since we don’t have to expect to get stuck into the Maze again.”
“..I think it could..” Newt says softly. “You want it to try… the thing?” he asks. "Since we're safe now?"
Newt realizes he wasn’t wrong- They definitely got much closer now on purpose.
“I would like that..” Breathes out Thomas in small whispers and Newt might get a bit too confident, beginning to brush Thomas’ temple up to his cheek.. then his jaw. Without realizing Newt holds his chin, brushing now softly around his lips-
and kisses him.
Thomas, like muscle memory seems to follow and glides in it.
It’s nothing like an extreme french kiss- far from it actually. This might not be a long kiss but it’s also warm and a bit messy. Maybe it’s messy because both probably forgot how to kiss but that’s the fun part. They could both learn together.
Both stop to get some air, looking deeply in the other boy's eyes.
And god. Newt wasn’t aware how much he fell for him.
“I think..” begins Thomas. “You kissed me first in my memory. Definitely.”
Newt laughs.
“...I think we should try to sleep.” He says, not trying to hide his excited smile and cheeks, all flush.
They both try to lie comfortably and Newt is sure: This time he can sleep with no worries.
__________
Thomas has no idea what feels more surreal. A good night sleep with no traumatic memories or a good night sleep together with Newt in a bed.
Maybe both.
First, Thomas thinks this was just all a dream but as he actually opens his eyes he finds his head snuggled together on Newt's chest.
It’s actually quite refreshing for him to get up first. Usually it’s Newt who’s waking him up.
As Thomas stands up he notices Minho, already up and stretching himself.
Minho just shrugs. “Old habits.” He tells him, referring to his runner duties. Not like he has the ability to run here.
Not like there’s a reason for that.
Yes. Because this place is totally safe.
That’s at least what Thomas wants to believe.
He grabs his binder that he hid last night under his pillow, trying not to wake up Newt, and makes his way to the WC. Probably the only place where he feels safe- unless they have cameras- What if they’re watching us-
“Hurry up, shank.” He hears Minho. “I need to wash myself. You’ve been in there for like 10 minutes already.” Thomas basically could hear how Minho is rolling his eyes in annoyance.
Thomas is surprised his friend is aware of the concept of hygiene.
What’s so weird about it that I brushed my teeth last night? He grumbles in his thoughts.He couldn't brush his teeth for like 8 days after all in the glade-
He stops for a minute. Is Thomas seriously asking himself now if his- if Newt ever had brushed his teeth in the glade?
Not like he minded last night-
And oh god. Thomas remembers. They Kissed.
Thomas opens the door with Minho complaining but Thomas just looks at his annoyed friend in question.
“What are you looking at me like some shucking-”
“Have you guys ever brushed your teeth?”
Minho blinks, finding no words. Maybe Minho is just now in this moment asking himself if he really risked his life yesterday in the maze to this dumb boy.
“Yes, you shucking idiot.” Minho says. “You think we’re some animals in a cage with no sense of hygiene?” And then when he notices that small sheep smile forming on Thomas lips, he gives him a look that just screams i’m so done - walking past Thomas, closing the door.
“Do I even want to understand?” He hears behind him and it’s Jack grimacing at him.
“For all our sake, Jack..” Thomas says. “No.”
Jack nods slowly. “Good that… I, eh, actually woke up because of Bark. He’s hungry.”
“Well, you have to wait until they give us food, Jack, sorry.”
Jack just shrugs. “Is okay. Bark had worse.. I think.”
Suddenly the door opens. A man with a notebook in his hand.
“Oh, good. You’re already awake.”
“Is it time for food?” They hear Frypan mumble in his sleep.
“We need to talk with each new kid privately.”
“..Like an interrogation?” Thomas asks but the man shakes his head.
“No, don’t worry. Simple questions, about you, the maze. We will talk with everyone today so you better tell the other boys.” He hums and looks at his notebook. “Let’s see… the first one is going to be you Thomas. Janson himself wanted to talk with you it seems. Follow me, please.”
Thomas frowns. He totally doesn’t trust them and he feels like his opinion on them is brushing up on Jack who also frowns now.
Jack is the youngest among them. He has no idea how old he is. 14? 15?
Thomas gives Jack a smile. “You tell Minho and the others then, alright? I’ll catch up on you guys later.”
That man told him it’s not an interrogation but the room where he is waiting for Janson sure looks like it. There is even a camera in the corner of the room.
The door opens with a beep and Janson enters the room.
“Thomas. Thank you for seeing me,” he greets him and takes a seat. “Sorry for the inconvenience. I was just just hoping we could get a moment to chat in private and away from the others.”
Thomas looks slightly confused. “I thought you would talk to everyone?”
“Oh, no,” he says. “Other people will talk with your friends but I wanted to talk with you myself.”
“..Alright.”
“Well, I won't take up too much of your time. I really only have one question... What do you remember about Wicked?”
Thomas immediately frowns. “Why do you think I would remember anything?”
Janson smiles at him but rather than calming Thomas all it does is to give him weird chills. “We have read their files from the laboratory…”
They know everything.
“You’re not in trouble.” He quickly says. “We’re just having a conversation. I'm just trying to understand.”
“Understand what?” Thomas slowly asks.
“Who’s side are you on?” Janson asks.
“Not WICKED’s,” Thomas says quietly. “After what they’ve done to us…”
“You don’t like WICKED,” Janson states. “So don’t you think we all would profit if you would give us more hints of WICKED. There are more kids outside waiting to be saved.”
Thomas bites the inside of his cheeks. He hates to admit it but Janson has a point and Newt did tell him it’s safe for now .
“I remember I used to work for Wicked,” he begins. “I remember that they sent me into the maze. I remember watching my friends die in front of me. That’s all. I’m on their side. No one else.”
“Interesting” Jansn says. “You say you worked for Wicked, but they sent you into the maze. Why would they do something like that?”
“I don't know,” Thomas says back, a bit sassy. “Maybe you should’ve asked them before you killed them all.”
“Well. I'll be sure to keep that in mind.” He says, surprisingly rather calm and stands up. “Enjoy the rest of your stay.”
“That’s it?” He asks suspiciously. “Thought you wanted to know how it was in the maze or something.”
“Yeah you've told me everything I need to know,” he says with a smirk and Thomas seriously wonders where he told him one useful thing to him. “You and your friends have all been cleared to join the others. Soon, you’ll all be moving on to greater pastures.”
On his way to the others Thomas’ gut about this place still seems to be the same.
He doesn’t feel safe.
He doesn’t trust any of the adults here.
And Thomas feels terrible because he’s responsible for this. He dragged them out. Maybe Gally was right.
Arriving at the cafeteria Thomas takes a look around him, looking at girls and boys eating their breakfast. So it’s true. They have been helping other kids. At least that part is right.
“Hey, Thomas!” he hears and it’s Minho calling for him on a table with the other boys. “Crazy, right? We really weren’t the only group of kids.” he says with a bright smile “Come on.”
Both join the others again on their table, with them are two other familiar faces. Two boys in the middle of their storytelling. “And there was this big loud explosion and these guys came outta nowhere. Started shooting up the place.”
“It was intense.” says the other boy. “They pulled us out of the Maze and brought us here”
“What about the rest?” asks Newt. “The other people left behind in the Maze, what happened to them?”
He shrugs. “I don't know. I guess Wicked still has them.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense.” mutters Thomas. “So they got you out when you guys were still in the maze?”
He shrugs again. “Pretty much, yeah. But I heard it’s different for every group.”
But why wouldn’t they look for the others if they already kill everyone?
“How long have you guys been here?” Frypan asks.
“Not long, just a day or two.” he says and then turns around, directing to a boy with a gray hoodie, sitting alone at a table
“That kid over there. His name was Aris, I think.”
Aris… Thomas thinks. It feels like he heard that name before.”
“He’s been here the longest. Almost a week.”
Thomas glances surprised by this information.
One week is the longest? Means the people here just started recently with their saving programm…
“His Maze was nothing but girls.” At that, all the boys give an undescribed mimik from them.
Aris… Aris, Aris, Aris. Thomas is getting annoyed by this. Where did I hear it?
Minho is the first to speak up, slightly interested. “Really?” he asks.
The first kid shrugs. “Some guys have all the luck.”
“That would terrify me.” says Jack which makes some of the boys laugh.
“Why that?” laughs Winston.
“Oh I know why.” says Minho with a big grin, making Jack scowl.
Thomas just rolls his eyes. “He’s not wrong. If I think about how you guys couldn’t even handle Teresa…”
At that the boys stop laughing.
“True.” admits Frypan. “Girl literally threw a Pan at me.
“You guys had a girl in your group?” The boy asks with wide eyes.
“Eh, yeah. She came just a few days ago..” says Newt. “Why? Is that unusual?”
He hums. “I mean there were at least a quarter boys or girls of the other gender in one group but never just one. That Teresa girl and the dude behind us are the only ones.”
“I hope she’s okay.” mutters Thomas.
Newt looks at him. “Still no contact?” he asks and Thomas shakes his head.
“Hey, what that rat-man even wanted from you, Thomas?” Jack asks him.
“Rat-Man..? Oh- you mean Janson. Nothing, really. Was just kinda weird…”
“Weird, how?” asks Newt. “Did he say something weird to you?”
Thomas plays a bit with his fork. “Not really. But he was just weird.”
I don’t trust him and this place. Is what Thomas would love to say but keeps silent. Newt is giving him concerning eyes. Something that tells him that they will talk about this,
“Good evening, gentlemen. Ladies.” Janson says. “You all know how this works. If you hear your name called... please rise in an orderly fashion, join my colleagues behind me, where they will escort you to the eastern wing. Your new lives are about to begin.”
And with that Janson calls out several names making everyone cheer for them.
“Where are they going?”
“Far from here. Lucky bastards. Some kind of farm. A safe place. They can only take in a couple of people at a time.”
“A farm, huh..” mutters Winston. “We can work with that.”
“Would they seperate us?” asks Jack with a gasp.
The boys look at them with a pitiful smile. “That is mostly the case.”
There's always tomorrow,” Janson tells the kids with a smile when everyone sighs in disappointment. “Your time will come. Go on, eat up.”
Thomas squeezes his eyes. “Is there some kind of plan for who goes first?” he asks and the others look at him confused. “I mean, why is that guy, Aris, who’s been her almost a week, still here-”
Thomas stops when he sees Teresa with another doctor. “What the hell?” he mumbles as he makes his way to the door. “Hey, Teresa? Teresa!”
But he couldn’t get far when the men stopped Thomas.
“Where are they taking her?” He asks them.
The man is silent for a moment but answers eventualöy. “They just have to run a few more tests. Don't worry, they'll be done with her soon.”
Thomas doesn’t believe them.
He goes back to their table getting glances of his friend.
“What was that about, man.” Minho asks.
“Nothing..” he mutters.
“You should eat something, Thomas.” Frypan says. “Maybe then your mood gets better. Worked fine the last time.”
Thomas smiles at that and takes a bite. “Where are these boys?”
“Finished their food and said they would go to their rooms. Some of these Guards escorted them back.”
Escort. Thomas thinks. Like they would escort prisoners.
He sighs and while he eats he keeps trying to contact Teresa with the only result of a headache.
Back in the dorm things don’t seem to change. The Guard told them somebody will come soon to get the next boy for their interrogation- even though they refuse to call it that. Thomas knows what they are trying.
“Hey, what do you think those guys want with Teresa?” Thomas asks quietly Newt, while the other boys relax on their beds, chatting about the other kids from the cafeteria.
Newt gives Thomas a caring grip on his shoulder. “Now, if there's one thing I know about that girl, she can take care of herself. Don't worry about it.”
“I just don’t get why they won’t let me see her…”
“I might know why.” A voice says startling everyone in the room.
“What the hell-” Frypan curses.
Suddenly, the boy, Aris, comes out of the Vent underneath Thomas’ bed.
“It’s him, ” exhales Minho.
“Yeah, it’s me,” he says. “Look, I know where they took her. I saw it.”
“What did you see?” Thomas asks, a hint of panic is showing.
“They took her to the surgery room.” Aris tells them. “Look, something fishy is going on here. Kids keep disappearing.”
“How do you know?” Winstons asks this time.
“I saw it through the vents. Well. Not everything but I swear-”
“Why us?” New questions. “You don’t even know us.”
Aris is still and then points at Thomas. “It’s him.” He breathes out. “And that girl.”
“...You know us?” Jack asks slowly but Aris shakes his head.
“No. Just them. I had memories about them. Nothing much. I just know that we worked together at WICKED.”
“That’s why I thought your name seemed familiar..” mutter Thomas.
“Yeah,” says Aris. “Like it’s familiar, right? I looked at you and saw how you ran after that girl and I just knew why. Especially that girl. Teresa? Yeah. I think I know her well. I heard how you guys said that she just came a few days ago. But what about you? When did you come to the maze?” he asks Thomas.
“...A day before Teresa. Why?”
Aris gasps at that. “Just like us.”
“Us?” asks Newt.
“Look, there was this girl, Rachel. She also came one day before me.”
The boys look at each other. “Were you in a coma for a few days?” Newt asks him and Aris nods.
“Yes!”
“Let me guess.” comes from Newt. “You had a Note, saying you were the last one?”
Aris looks a bit surprised. “That’s true.”
“What happened to Rachel?” Thomas asks slowly and Aris’ face sorrows.
“It was crazy. There was this girl, Beth. She really hated me. A few minutes before these guys saved us she shot an arrow at me but it hit Rachel. She didn’t die. These guys took her and I haven't seen her since then. They told me they took her to a better doctor but I’m telling you they did something to her!”
“Holy shit.” Comes out of Minho’s mouth. “She’s Gally.”
Aris raises an eyebrow. “What?”
“That girl that shot your friend… Somebody tried to kill Thomas. His name was Gally.”
“Did Teresa try to save you?” Aris asks sadly.
“No… It was a boy named Chuck..”
“Oh.” says Aris. “Sorry.”
“Wait!” shouts Thomas. “Could you speak with Rache- in your mind?”
Aris blinks but nods eventually.
Can you hear me? Thomas asks and Aris’ reaction is priceless.
Y-yes.
What does this mean…
Wait. You weren’t mute during your time there, right?
Or that girl, Rachel?
What? No.
Oh man, I can't believe this…
I tried to talk with Teresa
but she won’t
respond to me anymore…
Same thing with Rachel…
"What happened?" Interrupts Newt, looking between them. "Why're you two looking like you just fell in love?"
"Isn't it obvious? He's a freak, just like Thomas," says Minho but there was no hunch of hate in his voice.
“I’m sorry,” says Thomas to Aris, ignoring Newt and Minho. “I just don’t understand… It seems like…”
“Like Ari’s group is our counterpart.” Newt finishes, everybody looking at him. “He’s like.. the male version of Teresa or something.”
“...What now?” asks Winston. “Just because he’s our counterpart of whatever, doesn’t mean this place is jacked, right?”
Newt sighs. “Can you prove that this place is dangerous?”
Aris looks at Thomas. “I will show you what I see everyday. I can’t show more without an ID Card to get through the door… Especially alone..”
“Alright.” says Thomas. “But not now. We will do that tonight. They are going to bark in our room every 20 minutes, maybe for the interrogation.”
Aris tilts his head. “Interrogation?”
Newt rolls his eyes. “That’s what Thomas jeeps calling it.”
“Well. It kind of is. Janson asked weird questions.”
“Same,” says Aris. “Asking on which side I am.”
“What did you say?” asks Minho.
Aris shrugs. “Told him I’m on nobody's side but mine.”
Minho looks impressed. “Huh. Wouldn’t think you had the guts to say that.”
“You know,” begins Aris. “You really remind me of my friend, Harriet.”
“That so?”
He nods. “Yeah she was pretty cool.”
“You had a thing for her?”
Aris gives him an unimpressed look. “She’s gay.”
“Oh,” says Minho. “Wait, why do I remind you of her again?”
Aris grins and shrugs. “You’re kinda hot-headed aren’t you?” He goes back to his vent. “Anyway, see you guys then later.” And there he goes.
“What just happened,” Minho asks but with a weird look on his face. “I don’t trust him.”
Frypan laughs. “I like him.”
“Well, I will wait for my judgment until he shows Thomas that thing tonight.”
They hear the door opening just in time, luckily for them after Aris is gone.
“Alright, boys,” says a different man this time. “Minho is next.”
__________
“Newton?”
Newt hates that name.
“Newt,” he corrects the man.
“Right,” he says. “You’re the last one on the list.”
Newt gives Thomas and the others a look. It’s almost time for Aris to show up.
He follows the man to a room, Mister Janson sitting there, like he was waiting just for him.
The Guard closes the Door, leaving Newt alone with the Rat-Man.
“Take a seat, Newton.”
“Newt.”
He smiles. “Of course. Take a seat.”
Newt takes a seat but gives the Rat-Man a not trusting look. “Why are Thomas and I the only ones talking with you ?”
“Hmm so you noticed. Good,” and there it is again. That weird smile. “You and Thomas are… a special case. Teresa included.”
Newt raises an eyebrow. “Teresa? Because she and Thomas worked for WICKED?”
“Correct.”
“Okay, and? I didn’t work for them… or did I?”
Janson stands up. “Oh, no. You didn’t… In fact, you might have been the reason why Thomas stopped working for them.”
“Aha,” comes from Newt, suddenly having enough of Janson but he just keeps giving Newt that weird fake smile.
“Indeed,” he says. “We know about your relationship with Thomas. We also know of Thomas and Teresa.”
It’s one thing that he knows Teresa and Thomas are siblings but…
“What do you exactly know about me and Thomas and how the hell is that even relevant to any of this?”
“Do you know how they choose their partner for a telepathic connection, Newt?” Janson asks him instead.
“I guess they choose somebody with, I dunno, similar to the other?” He answers.
“You would think that… We, hmm, checked Thomas’ records, you know… What they did to him…”
That makes Newt wonder: What did they do to him?
His hate for WICKED just grows and grows.
“You probably already know that he, well, was mute. Just that this wasn’t the only experimental thing they did to him.”
“...Like what?” Newt slowly asks.
“For once, it’s indescribably … Did you know he’s biologically a boy?”
Newt blinks a few times. “No, he’s not biologically a boy…”
Janson laughs at that. “Oh, I know he’s trans. Don’t worry. We got all your guys medical records…”
“Okay? I don’t understand what you mean then...”
“WICKED tried many things to confuse him. His real identity,” Janson says and Newt thinks he seems to enjoy this.
“Alrigh’ will you jus’ shucking tell me or will you bug me more?”
Janson looks at him amused, his eyes suddenly seem to shine in excitement.
What the hell is with that guy?
“Changing a little boy’s sex to these of a girl… You see, according to the medical records, Thomas was indeed a biological male boy. He was WICKED’s test subject from day one. Changing his whole Identity and he didn’t even realize. So much that little Thomas got dysphoric for thinking he is a trans male, with no connection to his biological female sex and gender.”
Newt wants to throw up. “What he fuck? So what? WICKED changed his sex to this of a girl just to confuse him? What do they gain from it, when he’s now, well, Trans because he wants to be a shucking boy?”
Janson sits down again. “Tragic, no?”
Newt looks disgusted at him. “Why are you even telling me this? Does he know? And how can they even change the shucking sex? That’s impossible!”
Janson chuckles at that. “I’m not a Doctor. He probably didn’t even consider that some body parts shouldn’t look like this- despise his high intellect.. But I can't tell you more.”
Yeah. No. Not buying that.
“Why tell me this in the first place?” Newt asks. “He doesn’t know, right? Why won’t you tell him?”
“No, he doesn’t,” he admits. “You seem to be his voice of reason. We want to take more medical examinations on him- his body, to be exact. But we know he doesn’t trust us since we are still taking care of Teresa. But he will listen to you.”
Newt squeezes his eyes. “Who says I'm trusting you guys? And why would you guys even need to examine him? Not like he’s sick because of this.”
“No but we could help him to get to his… original gender.”
Newt doesn’t answer, his sight directly to the table.
I don’t trust them. I need to see these medical records for myself. At this point, he could just try to manipulate me because he needs Thomas' trust for some shucking reason.
Janson eventually claps his hands. “Well! I'll give you a day to think about it, okay? You can go now.”
Back in the Dorm, he sees Aris and Thomas, apparently back from their own adventure in the vents.
“Newt,” says Thomas, looking pretty exhausted.
“Thomas,” says Netw. “I need to tell you something-”
“He showed me.”
Newt blinks a few times. “What?”
“I saw it through the vents. They bring the kids from this morning unconscious to some room.. and-” Thomas stops for a moment. “-Are you okay? You look shaken up.”
Newt rolls his eyes. “I’m okay. Just had a bloody talk with the Rat-Man.”
“The Rat-Man?” asks Aris.
“That Janson klunk,” explains Minho and looks to Newt. “What did he do to you that made you look so.. Like you lose your klunk.”
“ Nothing ,” sighs Newt, annoyed. “He’s just so weird. ”
“I know right!” Says Thomas. “But why did he want to talk to you? ”
“Yeah,” laughs Frypan. “unless you also worked for WICKED- Oh shuck, you worked for WICKED didn’t you?”
Newt groans. “No.”
All the boys breathe out.
“Look, Janson is weird, anyway,” says Thomas. “This whole place is weird!”
“But don’t even know what you saw, right?” asks Winston.
“Well, no, That’s why we need the ID Card to see what’s in that room. Where they bring the other children.”
Airs sighs. “I have to go. They always check at 3 o'clock. Thomas, are you in?”
He nods. “I’m in.”
Newt groans. How is Janson even expecting him to convien Thomas like that?
And why should he believe Janson anyway. It’s impossible to change the whole sex, or is it? Newt doesn’t know anymore when somebody is lying to him or not.
“Newt..” says Thomas.
“Forget it. I can’t convince you to stand still, anyway.”
“Are we good?”
“What. Of course we are, Tommy.”
“Did Janson really not do anything weird?” Minho asks again, the other boys aren’t listening anymore and talk with each other.
“No… he was merely talking about Thomas- which was the weird part…”
“What. Why me?”
“Look,” says Newt quietly. “I think he’s trying to manipulate me.”
“So I am right. This place is weird.”
“Or,” says Minho. “Just the Rat-Man is weird.”
“How is he trying to manipulate you by using me anyway?”
“Eh… He knows, you know.” Newt looks quickly to Minho but his friend just looks neutral.
“Dude,” groans Minho and rolls his eyes. “I know you guys have the shucks for each other. So Rat-Man knows, too?”
Newt nods. “For some reason… He said he has our records from WICKED… but what does WICKED know about our relationship anyway?”
“DId he tell you he will kill me or something?” asks Thomas.
“No.. something else.” Newts sighs. “This might take a while to explain.”
Minho shrugs. “We have time until these Men will check on us later.”
“Yeah, well… I think if you really plan to go into that room with Aris then only if I try to search for our medical records. He told us he has it. Must be in his office or something.”
“Alone?” Asks Minho. “No way. I go with you. And I bet Aris knows where he has it.”
Thomas looks pensive. “Alright. Sounds like a plan. But what did he tell you about me?” And Newt grimaces at that.
Oh boy.
“He told me your biological sex is male.”
Minho and Thomas raise an eyebrow.
So Newt explains to them everything Janson told him, minus Thomas' relationship with Teresa.
And after he told them their expressions really have no change.
“I know how that sounds,” adds Newt quickly. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
Thomas coughs. “Uh, I think I would know?”
Minho frowns. “You sure?”
Thomas glares at him. “We just took a shower a few hours ago. Yes, Minho. I am sure,” and looks back to Newt. “I’m also pretty sure he didn’t expect you to tell me this.”
“Ergh,” comes from Minho. “Why does he want to examine your body? Gross.”
“I know right?”
Newt rolls his eyes. “Well he expects me to give him an answer tomorrow.”
“Just play along,” says Minho and Thomas agrees with a nod.
“I can’t believe he basically told you I’m too dumb to notice my own Sex?” Thomas says, looking irked.
Minho laughs at that. “Sorry. It’s kinda funny,” he punches Thomas lightly. “Well, whatever. I need to sleep for tomorrow. You guys don’t stay awake too long.”
“Lights out boys.” says Newt and the others groan.
“Always playing the mood breaker,” mumbles Frypan and Newt smiles.
“Think you can sleep alone today?” he asks Thomas, who’s cheeks glow red.
It’s not
“I think so,” he says. “We couldn’t talk about that yet.” And Newt knows about what he’s talking about.
Newt nods. “Yeah. I’m sorry, Tommy. I told you the place is safe but now…”
“Does that mean you don’t want to try?” He asks worriedly but Newt just smiles.
“We can still try?” Newt answers, what also sounds like a question.
Thomas beams and smiles. “Yeah.”
Minho snorts. “You guys are disgustingly adorable. Stop.”
Thomas smirks. “You like us.”
He rolls his eyes. “Go to sleep, Thomas," he groans. "And when did that even happen in the first place? I mean, I knew but..? When have you guys been a thing for real?
Newt and Thomas shrug.
“We always have been.”