the death cure
chapter seven

❛❛ save anton and let me save minho ❜❜

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In the morning, after everyone woke up, Gally took the Gladers and others to a room where they can have a meeting to discuss the plans.

Poe was very reluctant about Gally's plans involving Teresa. He and Thomas already explained Teresa's betrayal. Poe was hesitant about using Teresa because she can't be trusted, but without telling anyone, he didn't want to see her.

"She's your friend, isn't she?" Gally asked Poe, "as I recall back in the Glade, you two were close, if you could talk to her about getting us into the building—"

"She's not going to help us" Poe retorted, he ran his hand across his forehead in frustration. "After what she did back in the Scorch, she can't be trusted"

"Even if she doesn't want to help us, we'll make her help us" Gally stated, "You'll just have to lure her into the trap, or Thomas could"

Thomas was standing near the entrance, "No—" he turned around to the table, "No. Poe's right, and there's gotta be another way"

Gally sighed in frustration, "Like what? You've seen the building, she is our only way in"

Poe stood up straight, "You think she's going to help us?"

"Well, I don't plan on asking for her permission," Gally said coolly.

"Am I missing something here?" Brenda said, "This is the same girl who betrayed us, correct? Same dick?"

Gally chuckled softly, "I like her" he gestured at Brenda.

"Poe" Leigh looked over at Poe and Thomas from across the roundtable, mainly at Poe. "What's going on?"

Poe didn't know to answer, they know Teresa betrayed them, but to Poe, it felt it wasn't the first time she betrayed him. He recalled the conversation he had with Teresa back in the Scorch, about how WCKD and her mistakenly sent Poe into the Maze because they thought he was betraying them. But it was them who betrayed him. Can't be the first time he felt broken up by Teresa in the Scorch. If she had done before, she had done it twice, so she cannot be trusted even if she is close to people like Poe, and Thomas.

Poe agape, he was about to say something, but Newt spoke out first, "What, are you afraid your little girlfriend's gonna get hurt?"

Poe couldn't tell if he was speaking to him or to Thomas, or that if he was joking. Poe shifted his attention to Newt, furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Hmm?" He was looking at Poe and he was speaking to him. There was a hint of anger in his expression. "This has obviously never been just about rescuing Minho and Anton. Has it?"

Poe turned to him, confused, and at the same time, afraid. "Newt— what are you talking—" he reached for Newt's shoulder.

But Newt pushed Poe's hand away as he uttered in anger, "Teresa" Newt stood up straight, stepped closely to Poe as Newt's anger and voice grew, "She's the only main reason that Minho and Anton are even missing in the first place. Now we finally have an opportunity to get them back, and what?" As Newt step closely to Poe, he stepped back as the boy was yelling at him. "You don't want to because of her? Because deep down inside you still care about her, don't you? Just admit it"

Poe got scared and more confused. Newt's face was inches from his. Unable to understand where this was coming from or why Newt was suddenly angry over Teresa. Even everyone in the room was confused. The anger the boy has terrified Poe "Newt, I—"

Newt grabbed Poe as he slammed him against the wall behind him while everyone in the room flinched, "Don't lie to me!" He yelled, "Don't! Lie to me!"

"Newt!" Thomas blurted.

Poe trembled, he breathed shakily as he stared at Newt. Then, strangely, as Poe watched Newt's expression suddenly changed as if he just realized what he was doing, his breath was heavy and his face read in guilt. Newt moved back from Poe.

"I'm sorry" Newt breathed out, he turned as he shifted his glance behind at everyone. "I'm sorry"

"Newt," Thomas said, "Why don't we step out for a moment, okay? Come on"

Newt was clutching his arm, squeezing his forearm as if it ached, he weakly nodded in response before leaving the room and Thomas followed him.

Poe watched them until they weren't in sight, his gaze dropped to the floor. To see Newt like that, it was like he was a different person, then suddenly he's his Newt again.

His Newt is always calm, not angry. His Newt holds him in comfort, not push him in anger.

Something's wrong. Something was wrong with Newt unless he has decided to let his feelings out on Poe. But, it didn't sound right to Poe.

"Poe?" He never noticed Leigh approached him until her hand was on his shoulder, "You okay?"

He met her glance, he nodded in response then looked at others who were still at their place around the table. All of them quiet, or just too afraid to speak. "We should uhm . . . take a break. We can continue this after, sound good?" He asked them.

No one spoke briefly, until Gally did, "Yeah, we'll pick this back up after, if anyone's hungry, follow me" he left the room, Bark attempted to follow him but told him quietly to stay with Poe. Nico, Jorge, and Brenda followed Gally.

"Hey, man" Frypan approached Poe, put a hand on one of his shoulders. "You good?"

He wasn't feeling good at all. For some reason, he felt nauseous from all that fear and the distress. He was so hungry earlier but now he wasn't. "Yeah" he nodded.

"You wanna come to grab food with us?"

Poe didn't reply right away, he shook his head, "No, I'm good. I'll eat later"

Frypan was hesitant to leave the room, but eventually, he did. Poe hadn't moved from the wall until Leigh told him, "Come on, let's— get outta here, take a breather, all right?"

Poe agreed, Bark followed the two out of the room before winding up outside on a balcony, on their right was the wall, buildings towering the walls.

"So, something happened out there last night that might've pissed him off?" Leigh leaned back against the frame of the entrance.

"No," Poe was thinking about when they went into the city, what he might've said, but there wasn't anything he could think of to upset Newt. "He has been . . . off, recently. I don't know . . . like something's bothering him. I don't think it's about Teresa. I mean, the guy hated my guts before when I arrived at the Glade."

"Well, you . . . could go talk to him" Leigh reluctantly suggested.

"You think?" Poe raised his brows in concern.

Leigh shook her head, "No, of course not. You should wait for him to come to you, I mean, he threw you on the wall, he should come to you instead"

Bark yawned loudly, laid himself down on the floor.

"I'm not mad or anything, I'm just confused," Poe said.

"Still, you should wait, he'll come clean" Leigh pushed herself off the frame and approached forward to the railing. The two of them said nothing, not for a moment, they merely gazed ahead at the entire Palace. The girl let out a sigh, "You know, I once had someone, back in the Spring . . . Not really had, I just had something . . . felt something . . . for her . . . I would do anything for her, never said no to her at anything . . . until things started to fall apart around the Spring"

Poe looked at her, this was something she had never told him.

"There was a conflict between Rachel and Beth, and I had to pick a side. But I doubted her, Beth, and it was the first time I let her down, felt like I betrayed her. Then you know the rest of the story, Shades cane charging into the Spring, WICKED and the Right Arm came . . . WICKED got to me, but Beth . . . all I saw was her being caught in an explosion . . . It sucks, you know. That you lost someone you loved, and you both ended in such bad terms . . . That's something I can never forgive myself for"

Poe merely stared at her, expressing a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry" it was all he could think of to say.

"I haven't told anyone about it until now" Leigh tried to smile, but rather her smile was full of guilt and sadness. "I've been trying to tell . . . Him about it. Tell him that I need more time, that I'm not ready, not ready to move on, but I think the truth is that I'm scared. I know the truth, the truth that I . . . have something for him"

Him? He wanted to ask, but the person she was referring to was obvious. Poe had seen her with him a lot the past couple of months. He decided to say something, hope that it'll encourage her. "You remember Winston?"

She returned his glance. Nodding in response.

"Teo had something for him" he rubbed his arm. "But Winston died before Teo could tell him. I think Winston knew, I think he did. Teo still beats himself up for it. Greatest regret in life is that he never told him, even though he had plenty of chances . . . Teo told me that if I had something for someone, I should tell them before it's too late . . . And I did . . . I told Newt... Best decision I've ever made... Best thing that had ever happened to me"

Leigh half smiled. Her gaze dropped to the ground.

There was someone clearing their throat from the room they came out of, they both turned and see Newt across the room, standing by the entrance of the room, he held his hands together as if he was nervous.

Leigh glanced at Poe again, "See?" She said in a low voice and half smirked. "I'll see you in the meeting room"

"See ya" he said, he nudged the dog to get up, "Go, go with her," he told him. The dog obeyed and followed the girl.

Newt moved aside for Leigh and Bark to leave the room before approaching Poe. He stood where Leigh stood before. He didn't speak at all, as if he couldn't find the right words to say, neither Poe spoke, rather waited for Newt to say something.

"I'm really sorry" Newt finally said, "I didn't mean for what I said back there, I just . . . lost myself there"

Poe's glance remained on Newt, meanwhile, the boy kept his gaze down on the floor, Poe was afraid of what he'll say next, he hoped it was nothing.

Newt heaved a sigh, "Shuck . . . You'll figure it out later anyways—" he lifted his arm up onto the railing, then pulled his sleeve up.

It was like a jolt that hit Poe, in his chest, it was pain. Now he wished that Newt was merely angry. This was worse, the last thing that he would ever let happen. Newt has the Flare and it's slowly taking him from Poe.

The veins in Newt's forearm darkened, slowly growing and spreading. They can be seen weakly pulsing against the skin.

"How?" Poe found the question a little dumb, out of all the other words he could've said.

"Does it matter?" Newt replied, still looking down at his arm.

Poe didn't respond. Many thoughts ran around in his head, the thought of his world without Newt was entirely impossible to picture. Newt seemed to be giving up on himself, he was scared, Poe can see that, so he cannot allow that. There must be something, there has to be.

"We'll figure something out" Poe reassured, "There's gotta be something—"

"No—" Newt finally looked at him, his eyes were glistening from the coming tears. "I mean, I don't want this to distract us from rescuing Minho and Anton. They have to come first"

"But, Newt—"

"Poe, please . . . You remember what I told you about what happened to my leg?"

Poe nodded.

"You know what happened, and Minho was the one who found me and saved me. He saved me, and I gotta do the same for him because I owe him. I need you to understand that. You said that you thought that you were protecting Anton, but you realized he was the one protecting you and he saved you . . . and now you must save him. Save Anton and let me save Minho, all right?"

Poe was unable to argue against him, Newt was right, but he still must save him too. Save Anton and save Newt, why not save both? He had a lot to say to Newt, so many, tell how scared he was for him, tell him how much he means to him, how important he is to him. He must stay strong, he's not the one with the Flare, he must stay strong for Newt.

Poe, after he couldn't respond momentarily, he nodded as he looked at Newt. "Okay . . . okay"

Newt pursed his lips, nodding, sniffling before dropping his gaze on his arm. He was truly scared. Poe thought of the times where Newt comforted Poe when he was scared when nightmares woke him up, when he was sad. He wished this was a nightmare. Poe stepped closely to Newt until he reached him. He reached Newt's hand, the part where the virus was already spreading, kept his eyes on Newt as he pulled his sleeve down over his arm before pulling the boy into his arms. He held him tightly and long.

For the first time in a while, Newt began crying softly on Poe's shoulders as he held him back.

Poe could feel the boy's chest heaving and his own heart pounding against Poe's chest. "You're gonna be okay . . . " Poe said softly, his hand stroke Newt's hair, "It'll be fine . . . We'll be fine" He never let go, it must've been one of the longest he has ever held him. He'll let go until Newt tells him to.

They proceeded the meeting, Poe and Newt were the last to arrive the room, Poe initially agreed about Gally's plan, that they should use Teresa to get into the WCKD building, Poe figured it was the only chance they got. He came to his sense that he must do whatever it takes to bring Anton back and let Newt save Minho.

Before Poe, Thomas and Gally head back into the city to get Teresa, Gally decided that Nico should come along this time instead of Newt. He argued against this, he wanted to come along, but Poe told him, "Newt, I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to stay here this time"

Newt frowned at him.

Poe leaned closely, glanced to his left to see if anyone is close to hear them speaking while Nico, Thomas and Gally were about to climb down into the hole. "You gotta take it easy for yourself, Newt" he said in a low voice, placed his hand on Newt shoulder, "or you'll make your . . . condition worse. Please, just . . . stay here and relax, all right? Please?"

Newt's eyes shifted down, his head lowered, let out a doleful sigh, "I'm just worried about you, that's all. Can't look out for you while you're out there and I'm here"

"Hey" Poe brushed Newt's chin to get him to look at him then put his hand back on Newt's shoulder, "I'll be back, I always do, don't I?"

"Poe" Gally called, Poe shifted his glance to Gally, he was about to climb down the ladder, "Let's go"

Poe nodded then draw his attention back to Newt. "I'll see you soon, okay?" there was no hesitation at all when he kissed him. It was quick, it was something that Poe does before he and Newt parted ways, it was like their own pinky promise, then later, they're together again.

Poe left Newt, followed Thomas, Gally and Nico into the sewers. When they were about to reach the hole into the train tunnel, the thing that Poe was thinking before, that he wanted to ask Gally about it.

"Gally, the thing that Lawrence has, he's been injecting himself, what is that?"

Gally was walking ahead as they were metres ahead from the hole to the train tunnel. He shifted his gaze over his shoulder, quickly glanced at Poe "They call it the Bliss. Bliss Serum. Supposedly it slows down the Flare, doesn't entirely cures the Flare, it just relaxes the person . . . say like you're rescuing nine kids from a burning building, but you wouldn't be stress about it if you drop some in the fire along the way"

"That's just . . . sick" Thomas said.

"Damn," Nico murmured, "Honestly, I wouldn't mind getting my hands on that stuff"

"Feels damn good for the Cranks for sure" Gally went on, "But after a few dosages, you're not yourself anymore. The Serum makes a person not feel anything anymore"

"But, Lawrence, he seems . . . okay" Poe noted, "He's still . . . human"

Nico scoffed, "Human? Have you taken a good look on his face recently?"

Poe sighed sheepishly, ignored what Nico said.

"I know where you're getting at, Poe" Gally halted when they reached the hole, turned around and looked at Poe. "I've seen what the Flare does to people, they slowly lose their minds, lose their sanity . . . and even throwing their anger on the people they're close to"

Poe was almost surprised, Gally knows about Newt.

"But if you're really going with this, getting the Serum for Newt, he won't be the same when he takes it, who knows what it'll do to him or what he'll be like, could be worse . . . he won't be the same person you know"

Poe stared almost mournfully at Gally before responding, "What could be worse than losing him to the Flare? It's Newt we're talking about"

Gally merely stared, it was strange to see how sympathetic he looks.

Then Thomas spoke out, "I say once we get our hands on the serum, we're giving it to Newt, we save him"

Gally sighed sharply, "Lawrence won't be happy about it . . . but sure, it's Newt, we'll give the serum to save him"

*****

well, this chapter had some moments
and this entire chapter makes me sad.
happy New Years everyone :)