the death cure
chapter three

❛❛ all right, i get shotgun ❜❜

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Poe made his way back to the main building and Thomas was behind him. Already thinking about getting to bed to sleep the night off or maybe have another sleepless and think about what he should do. Vince's response was predictable, he wouldn't risk of taking his men to the Last City and lose more. Poe can understand that.

"Poe?" Thomas stopped before they reached the building. The blonde boy halted and turned to Thomas. The guy didn't say anything for a moment, it's as if he was struggling to find words. He took a breath in then said, "What do you say if I told you I'm leaving tonight and you can't tell Newt and anyone else?"

Poe merely stared at him while thinking. But he already thought about it today, if Vince can't agree, he did thought about what Vince said about not risking anyone else's life for this mission. The Last City, he imagined the worst and he imagined the impossible, and the consequences. He couldn't let anyone else to face those consequences.

He knew what he had to say to Thomas.

Later that night, everyone had went to their beds to sleep, Thomas stated that he's on the night shift and he'll wait for Poe in few hours so they could leave without anyone noticing. If Poe is unable to leave, Thomas will leave.

While everyone fell asleep, Poe kept his eyes open and shifted his head to his left, looking at Newt who was seemingly asleep. Poe hated the idea of leaving him, he'd be mad, or so Poe thinks because it's rare to see the boy get mad. Though he hadn't seen Newt get mad at him, not since the Glade.

When he shifted his head again to look at Newt again, the sleepy boy let out a sharp breath through his nose then muttered, "If you're waiting for me to fall asleep, you'll be waiting all night unless you tell me what's on your bloody mind?"

Poe heaved a sigh as he shifted his glance at the ceiling. "I'll sleep til you sleep?"

Newt's eyes opened as his brows were pressed together, almost annoyed. "You and Tommy are planning on leaving, is that it?"

Poe said nothing and kept his eyes up at the ceiling.

"I'm not dumb, it's rare to see you and him talking for five minutes even though you two can't be in the same room alone for two minutes or so" said Newt. "If I see you two chatting, that means something's up"

Poe turned his glance at him, "Would you believe if I said that Thomas and I are actually best friends all along since the Glade and we're too ashamed to admit it?" He wanted to make him smile or let out a laugh.

Instead Newt looked rather annoyed, "I can't believe you were planning on ditching me... and Frypan who by the way is Anton's best mate. You know you're not his only best friend. We all want him and Minho back as much as you and Thomas do"

Poe let out a sigh, "I just... don't want anything happen to you... and others. I can't—"

"You ever thought about that I would want the same thing for you? If you had left right now without me noticing, ever thought of what would've happened if you didn't come back?"

Poe shrugged a single shoulder weakly. He'd say it'll be fine, he'd either be in WCKD's hands for the rest of his life or he'd probably be dead. But it didn't sound any better.

"That's why I'm coming. We've been through a lot together since the Glade and we're both still here. Besides, I don't think you'd last a day without me saving your ass"

Poe sighed, he couldn't help but to smile a little. He knew it's impossible to persuade Newt to stay, there was no changing his mind.

"And there's no way we can't do this with only the three of us"

Poe responded with a confused look.

Both Newt and Poe left their bed, Newt had decided to get Frypan and Nico as well meanwhile Teo was still awake and had heard Newt waking up Frypan. Poe was already waiting for them at the warehouse and even got a truck ready. Thomas wasn't there yet.

When Poe saw Teo coming in behind Newt, Frypan and Nico. Poe was about to protest since Teo wasn't in a good shape to come along. "No, no, Poe. I know I can't come" Teo quickly said, he moved to one of the tables and grabbed a chair to sit down. "I'm just here to say good luck"

Poe heaved a sullen sigh.

"If it weren't for that damn bullet that hit me, I wouldn't think for a second to join"

"I know man" Poe nodded.

"It sucks... really. To know that I'll be sitting out here, waiting for you guys to come back, or not, with Anton and Minho or not. And that to think that one of you guys isn't going to come back... it's—" Teo's voice almost broke.

Poe put a hand on his friend's shoulder to comfort. "I don't know what's going to happen, I don't and I can't really promise that I'll come back, or all of us... but we'll try" least Poe knew that Teo had made it. Teo made it and he'll be in Safe Haven within a few days. He'll be waiting there perhaps, waiting for the Gladers.

It is scary, Poe admitted, it is scary to think that he might not make it back, or the Gladers might not come back, or he may fail them and Anton and Minho.

Thomas finally showed up, his footsteps were heard climbing up the stairs as he was about to enter the garage. "Where do you think you're going then?" Newt asked before turning on the lamp. Thomas halted.

Thomas has his hands dropped, let out a disappointment sigh, "Newt..."

New approached him, "Don't be a twat about it... I'm already in" he grabbed the pack from Thomas's hand.

"No. No, not this time" Thomas protested as Newt threw the pack into the truck "Look, even if we find Minho and Anton, there's no guarantee we make it back from this"

Newt turned to Thomas "Well, you'll need all the help you can get then, won't you?" He opened the driver's door and Frypan leaned forward as he smiled.

Thomas scoffed then finally looked over at Poe. Thomas gave him a look of disapproval. Poe shrugged, "He figured it out, alright? I tried"

"Well, we started this together" Newt went on, "May as well end it that way too"

Thomas has a hint of smile on his face. "Okay... let's go get them back"

Nico came back with a pack, the boy sighed loudly, "Alright, managed to sneak out few more pistols and little of ammunition out of the armory" he put the pack into the truck before turning at the Gladers. "As much as I hate this mission, but I rather not stay here and cooped up and wait for something to happen"

"Alrighty—" Frypan got out of the driver's seat, "Let's go" before he went back to the driver's seat, he approached Teo. "Hey man—" he hugged the guy for a moment, "Goodbye, bud"

"Good luck, Fry. Get your boy back here, alright?"

"Will do" Frypan and Teo broke off the hug and the old cook went back to the driver's seat.

"Teo—" Newt approached Teo to hug him as well.

"Watch Poe for me, okay?" Teo said while they embraced.

Newt let out a soft chuckle, "You know I will"

Then it was Thomas's turn and the hug was rather quick before saying their farewells. Then Teo called, "Nico"

Nico just stared strangely at the guy, "I'm not hugging you, man"

Poe smiled as he almost laughed. "Just sayin good luck, mate" said Teo.

"Oh, yeah. Goodbye, shank" Nico responded along with a wave before he went into the back seat of the truck.

Then Teo stood up, grabbed the crutches under his arms and turned to Poe. "Well, this is it, mate"

Poe looked at Teo, they looked at each other momentarily, Poe had a lot of words to say but he knew he didn't have time to say it all. Instead, he put his arms around him into a long hug. He hugged as if it's truly the last time they see each other because it might be. "Maybe I'll see you soon"

"Yeah, See ya soon"

Poe pulled away and looked at his friend again before walking to the truck.

Once he got into the truck, in the back seat with Nico and Newt, Frypan turned the engine and began to reverse towards out of the garage while there was Teo in front of them standing by, watching them leave. He raised a hand and waved at the Gladers. The truck reversed around until they were facing the exit before driving forward to the exit. Poe shifted his glance over the seat, looking toward the back window as he could still see Teo waving.

Newt followed his glance, Poe didn't turn his gaze away even when Teo wasn't in the sight anymore until Newt brushed Poe's chin, getting his gaze on him, Poe's look was sullen as he looked at Newt. He shifted around on his seat to sit straight and face the front. He rested his head on Newt's shoulder.

Poe eventually fell asleep when the first hour passed, though Newt  fell asleep first while Nico was already snoring as his head laid back against the seat.

It was very early when Poe woke up, he wasn't sure if he was woken up by Frypan's driving onto a pothole or the terrible dream he had about Anton. While everyone else, Newt, Nico and Thomas were still sleeping. The sun was barely out as he glanced out the window, between the north and east was where the sun was rising meanwhile behind was almost night, he looked over at Frypan, then leaned forward to get close.

"Hey" he pat the old cook's shoulder, "how about you stop for a moment and let me take the wheel while you rest?"

Frypan rubbed his eyes with one hand, "Yeah, sure. Thanks man".

They stopped for a moment to switch seats, Thomas woke up for a quick moment to see why they had stopped but went back to sleep anyways. They proceeded driving down the road.

It was another few hour drive, they've estimated the miles as few hundred miles to the Last City but Poe felt it was more than few hundred miles, perhaps it's because of the roads, he almost got lost which forced him to look at the map and made a wrong turn once.

Throughout the drive, Poe was thinking, thinking what they're getting themselves into when they arrive the Last City, what could happen to them if they don't make it out. He wondered what he'll be running into, if it is WCKD's last operation, he can't help to wonder about her. If Teresa is going to be there. She must be.

Has he been thinking about her, there are times he does, that sudden ache in his heart starts pinging whenever he thinks about her. How can he be feeling that way if he had only known her for a week? It was barely even two weeks since he met her and he has no memories of her before the Glade. She told him they've known each other since they were children. What he wondered is what would happen if he runs into her?

The sun was complete, the truck grew humid as the sun beamed through the windows, the humid woke the Gladers and had to open their windows. Not long the clouds rolled in and blocked the sun for a while. They arrived the lands where there was green, hills and mountains they were heading towards.

They drove pass by a large sign that read "MANDATORY INFECTION CHECK: 2 MILES AHEAD"

"You sure we're on the right track?" Nico asked when he saw the sign.

"Positive" Poe assured.

He noticed multiple vehicles aside of the road, he hadn't seen any before, they must be getting close somewhere.

When they drive two miles, Poe slowed down as they arrived a place to what it seemed to be a checkpoint, it was abandoned, have been for a long time by the looks of it's building's condition and the vehicles all in dust and rust.

Poe let out a sharp breath as he spotted a tunnel ahead, "Oh shit" he stopped the truck before they could go any further. "Check the map if there's any other way around" he got out of the truck and the boys followed while Thomas grabbed the map to check.

They approached the tunnel but stopped twenty steps ahead. "There's gotta be other way around" Nico sighed.

Thomas looked at the map momentarily then said, "There isn't"

"You want us to go in there?" Newt glanced at Thomas then turned his gaze at the tunnel again. "I don't wanna come across as too negative but if I was a Crank, that's exactly where I would be"

There were eerie noises coming from the tunnel, echoes like an odd screech whistle, Poe wanted to to think its just the wind. He didn't think through about coming cross with Cranks at all like he forgot they existed. It's been a while since they came cross with Cranks, not since within a few months ago.

"I don't think we have much of a choice" said Thomas.

The five Gladers stared into the dark tunnel for a long moment until Newt said, "All right, I get shotgun"

*****

I think I'll stop there, I don't want to rush
things if I put too many scenes from the movie
into one chapter, I don't want to think that
this final part of the story to be rushed and short.