the death cure
chapter twelve

❛❛ newt? ❜❜

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Poe couldn't tell if it was the Flare that made him feel less surprised, or that he just didn't care that he's not Immune and he already caught the virus. If he had known before all of this, before he left the Right Arm, he'd be devastated.

His thoughts went to Newt. He needed to go find him.

He shifted his glance from Teresa then pulled his mask back down. Just seconds later, they reached the main level and the lift opened. Teresa led him to the main entrance of the building. There were WCKD soldiers everywhere, but almost all of them were leaving the building, perhaps leaving to find the others; Thomas, Newt, Brenda...

Poe and Teresa were at the doors, he was about to step out but she grabbed his arm, "Wait—" she said, he turned to face her. She pulled out a folded white envelope from her coat pocket, she put it quickly into Poe's jacket pocket. "In case I forget. Now, go. Find Thomas and bring them back here, please"

Poe looked at her momentarily before stepping back away from the doors. He wasn't sure if he believed her, or that he trusted her. But when she explained about Thomas being the cure, he felt the possibility of saving Newt, like Thomas saved Brenda. He had a hard time trusting her, but she let him leave, and never told Janson or anyone of his whereabouts. She never looked away when he turned and ran across the street until he disappeared into an alleyway between two buildings.

All he wanted, as of now, was Newt. To find him.

He ran. Ran like his life depended on it. But really he felt Newt's life depended on him.

Eventually Poe lost his way, he was lost and he wasn't sure where he was going. He didn't know the ways in the city, where Newt could be, or where they could be heading. He stopped running after what it felt like he ran for miles, he stopped to collect his thoughts together.

He found himself under a bridge he didn't recognized, he has never been to this part of the area. He leaned back against a wall as a sounds of sirens passed him by above. He held his chest as his heart pounded almost rapidly, took the jacket off as he got too hot from all the run. Then he remembered Teresa, what she put in the pocket. He held up the jacket and shoved his hand in every pocket before finding a white folded envelope.

On the envelope was written; Poe, in an italic writing.

Before he could even think of opening to see what is inside, his eyes caught the sight of his forearm. It was almost not like when Newt revealed his, only Poe's infected arm was small, the veins were beginning to visible, darkening, bulging, slowly growing, and spreading toward his wrist and up passing his elbow.

He tried to wonder how he caught the virus. Because last thing he remembered was that the Flare was supposedly pass by physical contact; scratch or bite.

That's if the virus is airborne. That's the only explanation. And he's been close to Newt, and even touched him.

Newt can't know. He can't know. It might destroy him. Will he notice that Poe caught the Flare? Neither Newt can know about Anton. That's if Minho hadn't told him or if Newt hadn't known yet. What if he knows already? That would make him worse. It's bad enough already that Poe is not with him, it's bad enough for them both already. He never thought how much he needed Newt this terribly until now—

His chest was hurting, his head throbbed, his shoulder was hurting, it felt like dozens of knives were stabbing his shoulder all at once. A tremendous sharp pain stabbed him. He grabbed his shoulder, let out a loud groan of pain before kicking a wall behind him. The pain only made him frustrated more and more.

It was almost impossible to relax himself. He can't do this alone, he was all alone, no one was with him, no one around... but he has to keep going. He knew he had to keep going.

Finding Newt, Thomas, Minho, Nico, Frypan, Leigh... his friends, finding them was all he has to do. He grasped onto that determination.

I'm coming... I'm coming... His head was throbbing, he put his head back against the wall, shut his eyes closed briefly. He pulled his head forward, shifted his gaze to his left, Nothing, no one was around in the area besides the patrol vehicles driving onto the bridge and on the streets nearby.

He didn't notice the envelope he grasped in his hand until looking down to grab his jacket. He stared at the envelope briefly before picking up the jacket, told himself that he'll open the envelope later as he put the jacket back on and put the envelope back in his pocket. He tried to think where others may have gone to, Brenda, Leigh, Nico, Frypan, and Gally may have taken the Immune kids to safety, to the Crank Palace as they planned. But Thomas, Newt and Minho, Poe knew that the plan was to get back to the Palace, and he only knew one way back to the Palace, in the tunnels, from where they came in from, and maybe that's where Newt are heading.

I'm coming, Newt. Poe proceeded, he jogged to the left. He wasn't sure where the tunnels were, the city wasn't that big, but it was a damn maze.

It felt it's been hours when he jogged around, building to building, block to block, passing through many intersections, hiding from WCKD and patrol vehicles, and rested a few times before he continued running. At times, his arm throbbed, so was his shoulder and head. Even dizzy, lightheaded, he wasn't sure if it was from the running or the Flare, but he managed to keep going anyways.

After another long run, he recognized the street he was in, from yesterday when Gally took him, Thomas and Newt into the city to show them the WCKD building, they ran across this street when curfew was passed and the patrols were almost everywhere—

BOOM!

Poe jumped as he almost ducked for cover, only he covered his head for a second, felt the ground shaking like an instant earthquake, and the wave of an explosion crashing across the city. Coming from his right, there is a massive explosion from the wall, ablaze to the sky like the size of a building, what it seems to be the main entrance of the city.

"Holy shit" Poe breathed out as he gazed up at the explosion. He can feel the heat from where he was standing. The city's alarm blared, the entire city.

Gally mentioned that Lawrence planned on taking down WCKD, was this part of the plan? Take down the whole city as well?

Poe backed away before turning around, focused on where he's going. He remembered these streets, he remembered where Gally led him, he now knew where he was going, where the tunnels were. It would've been a lot quicker if he had gone to the main entrance perhaps, but he didn't want to risk of getting himself in danger and be surrounded by an army of Cranks.

He began hearing what it sounds to be a riot, faintly, coming from the where the wall exploded, it could be them, the army of Cranks. Even the deep rumbling sounds like bombs exploding.

He was almost there, almost there, just maybe a few more intersections or few blocks away.

Running down an alleyway, toward the street, he can just go across, run straight ahead then he should able to find the tunnels. When he reached the end of the alleyway, out of nowhere, there were an army of WCKD with vehicles driving fast, they drove past by him as he ducked down to hide, there were maybe a dozen or more that drove by before turning left at the intersection, like they were all in a hurry.

When most of the vehicles were gone, there were more coming up ahead, Poe got up then sprinted across the street towards the alley.

He kept running and he was almost there to the tunnels.

Something was happening. Chaos. Behind the buildings, he began hearing multiple explosions and gunfire. Like a war. A battle. As he was about to pass by the alley toward the street, he could see what was happening. There was an actual firefight happening, it was a war. Something hit one of the buildings near him, a blast, he jumped to cover as many debris almost hit him.

He kept going ahead, stayed in the alleys while the streets were in chaos. Eventually he found himself at a dead end, having no choice but to going into the streets.

He took the right, he reluctantly left the alley, he ducked down then crawled to the cover as bullets ricochet around and there was another blast near him as two WCKD guards were thrown away.

It was just ahead, to his left, just straight ahead then he should able to find the entrance to the tunnels. He took few deep breaths before he forced himself up then ran down the sidewalk, toward where either WCKD or Crank side, he couldn't tell.

Another blast erupted behind him, causing him to jumped down for cover beside a burning vehicle, in the street beside him, a vehicle was thrown ahead. Then a large group of Cranks charged ahead, starting firing more. There was another blast near him, a building beside him exploded, within the building. Poe was on his stomach, his arms covering his head as his head began ringing, he didn't hear himself screaming, only he could hear muffling through the loud ringing.

There was a familiar deep rumbling sound, he shifted onto his back, looked at the night sky, there was smoke everywhere, all in ember. He saw a Berg. Slowly flying and hovering across. It couldn't be his own, the Right Arm's Berg, it couldn't be.

As the ringing slowly faded and the chaos grew louder. Poe slowly got onto his knees, then on one foot, slowly rose up to take a peek, he looked ahead, the battle ahead was too much, it was impossible to go through that.

Then he saw three familiar people at his right, running ahead toward the battle, one in the front with a grenade launcher, one in the middle with no weapon and behind them with a handgun. Those two protecting and covering the person in the middle.

"Minho?" He uttered. Nico, Gally. "Gally!" He shouted. But none of them responded or looked, they just kept running ahead, the chaos was too loud to hear him. A blast near him prevented him from running to chase after them, he stayed down.

Where was Thomas and Newt?

He back away from the fire, he ended up in an alley near him, the building on the right was burning. He glanced ahead where Minho, Gally and Nico had run to, Poe knew they were heading to the tunnels because the direction they were going to was where the tunnels were—

"Poe!"

He heard someone, almost faintly.

"Poe!"

He shifted his gaze around before he spotted someone across the street, waving his arms high.

"Poe!"

"Thomas?" He blurted. "Thomas!" He was about to run to him but bullets were flying and hit the wall he was leaning against on, missed by inches. He could see another person on the ground near Thomas, and he knew it was Newt.

Newt, Newt, Newt.

Poe looked left and right, he could get hit if he goes, but then he thought, Shuck it. He ran, ran to Newt.

There was a blast near him and bullets flew by him as he lowered his head down while running, he stumbled while running.

But then he made it. Thomas was there to reach him and pulled him into cover. Poe staggered before reaching a wall and leaned against it. He coughed, his mouth and throat was all dried, his rib cage hurt as he breathed, his legs ached.

"Jesus, Poe, what the hell happened to you?" Thomas said.

Poe didn't answer, he didn't want to explain, but his attention was caught on Newt instead.

Poe was shocked to see how Newt looked barely recognizable, his veins darkened and had spread all over his neck up to his cheeks, almost reaching his head, his mouth was covered in some black fluid, it was all over his chin, his eyes were bloodshot, there was no colour in his eyes anymore, his once brown eyes had turned to black.

Suddenly everything was forgotten besides Newt. He could turn any moment. He didn't expect the Flare would spread this quick, quickly taking Newt away.

Newt. My Newt.

Newt could barely even focus, he could feel it taking over, barely kept his sanity and his focus. Like nothing mattered.

Then he saw Poe. The way he looked at Newt.

He can't see me like this. Not like this. He turned his head away.

"Newt?" Poe got down, reached for his cheeks. "Newt" he gently turned his head to make him look. "Hey, hey, Newt"

When Newt looked at Poe, out of all the words he could say, he asked, "What took you so long?"

"I'm here, I'm here now" Poe reassured him.

"And Anton?"

Poe paused, it felt as thought something had punched his chest when Newt said the name. He thought of the boy. The Crank boy he shot, the Crank boy who was once Anton. "I tried. I tried to find him—" he lied. "But... I'm not giving up, I'll keep looking"

Newt's breaths were short and quick. "Good"

"Hang on a little more longer for me, okay?"

Newt's breaths wheezed as he took a few deep breaths before responding with a nod. "I'll sleep 'til you sleep" he promised.

That is something that they say to each other almost every night. It's a promise that neither of them had broken. There was a single shred of hope that they'll make it. They'll make it through this, they have to. Newt has to make it now.

"Thomas" Poe turned to Thomas who was beside him. "Tell me what's happening, why haven't he got the serum?"

"Brenda and Leigh has 'em, but Minho— Gally and Nico went on ahead to get it, Brenda is near the tunnels, they're coming"

Poe nodded shakily, "Okay, let's keep moving then"

"Okay" Thomas grabbed one of Newt's arms and Poe grabbed the other. "Newt, give us everything you got, all right? Right now, you ready?"

Newt tried to nod and responded "Yeah"

"One, two, three!" Thomas and Poe pulled Newt's arms over their shoulders. Newt yelled as if he was in pain. They carried Newt as they went into the street.

"Poe— Poe... Thomas" Newt tried to speak, Poe and Thomas we're heading toward a building, the doors, in the other side was there was nothing as what it seems, safer. "Thomas... Poe... I want you— you two... are gonna... look out for... each other... please"

It's as if Newt was making last wishes, like he knows he wasn't going to make it. Poe ignored what he was saying. "We're almost there, Newt. We're almost there. Hang in there for me" Poe went through the door first, kept Newt on his shoulders and pulled him in as Thomas never let him go. "We're almost there"

"Poe... I—" his words were caught in a cough as they were walking in an empty street.

Then something happened to Poe. A sharp pain stabbed in the shoulder, that million of knives stabbing him in the same time feeling, he couldn't keep it in, accidentally dropping Newt, he and Thomas both stumbled forward. Poe fell forward as he grabbed his shoulder where the pain was.

"Poe!" Thomas called, he kept going with Newt still on his shoulder.

Newt gagged, spewed out, he couldn't keep up anymore, he collapsed.

"No, no! Newt!" Thomas cried.

Poe saw Newt on the ground, "Newt!" He rushed forward and went to the boy's side. The boy's breathing worsened, it sounded terrible, a deep hoarse, then it was like he couldn't breathe anymore, only that he wasn't suffocating.

He just stopped breathing.

"No, no! Newt!" Poe shook him to wake him up while Thomas pressed his head on the boy's chest to see if he could hear his breathing. "Get him up!" Poe urged as he got up and grabbed Newt's arm. Thomas did so, he grabbed the boy's other arm and they both began to drag him. Poe's arm was still hurting him that he could barely lift Newt up.

"Poe, come on!" Thomas uttered.

Poe's eyes swelled up as he began to feel helpless. He collapsed to his knees as he felt he couldn't go on anymore. Thomas was still trying to drag the unconscious boy.

Poe just needed a little moment to let the pain pass.

"Thomas?" Teresa's voice spoke around them. Sounded hollow and loud for a soft voice. It echoed around the city. "Can you hear me?"

Poe glanced up, as if trying to look where Teresa was, he had hoped she had come.

"I need you to listen to me" she went on, she was speaking through an emergency broadcast, her voice speaking all over the city. It was odd that by the sound of her voice, calmed Poe. "I know you have no reason to trust me... but I need you to come back"

Then Poe remembered what she said. What she told him.

"Thomas, you can save Newt. There's still time for him"

Thomas glanced back at Newt, still unconscious while Poe stayed beside him. Thomas and Poe exchanged glances.

"There's a reason Brenda isn't sick anymore. It's your blood"

She said she needed to be sure, Poe recalled. To run test and said she'd let him know once she knows. Poe moved as he slowly got up, his arm throbbed as he felt his blood flowing down to his wrist and hand.

"Do you understand? She isn't sick...because you cured her"

Then there was hope. A sudden hope for Newt, for Poe. And hope was standing right in of them.

"She doesn't have to be the only one... All you have to do is come back... And this will all finally be over... Please... Just come back to me... I know you'll do the right—"

There was a sudden interruption, like everything had been shut off, the main power cut off, it was dark for a second before emergency power came on. Two spotlights ahead turned on.

It was quiet between the two boys. But in the distance, war was still going on.

"Thomas" Poe broke the silence, he knew what he had to do now, but there was no way that they'd make it back to Teresa with Newt. They still need the serum that could keep the Flare at bay and Minho, Gally and Nico still haven't arrived back with the serum.

Thomas turned around, he looked at Poe for a second until his eyes shifted over Poe's shoulder. He had the look of fear and confusion.

Poe followed his gaze and turned around.

Only to see Newt, his back turned. For a moment, Poe thought his Newt was back, like he was okay now. "Newt?" He uttered.

Newt turned around. Only for Poe to find all of his hopes shattered down as he saw Newt, unresponsive, his eyes had turned entirely black, those eyes were looking at Poe, the boy was unresponsive.

"Newt" Poe hoped Newt can recognize him.

Only Newt responded with an inhuman screech as he charged at Poe.

"Newt!" Poe grabbed him before pulling him around then pushed him where Thomas was standing.

Thomas shoved him off and Newt fell to the ground. "Newt! It's me! It's us!"

Newt got up then charged at Thomas.

*

Somewhere near the tunnels, Brenda was waiting, with Jorge, Frypan, Leigh, the Immune kids, all of them in the Berg, along with Vince, Bark, and even Teo came along who stood at the threshold of the ship, leaning his back. Brenda had the serum in her hand. Bark had started barking as if he knew something was coming.

Then someone came running that caught Teo's attention. It was Minho, with Nico and Gally. "Brenda!" Minho called. Brenda instantly turned her attention. "Where's the serum?! We need it now!"

"Where's Thomas?!" Brenda urged.

"Come on! We don't have time, let's go!" Minho turned around, "Hurry! We gotta go now!"

With that, Brenda followed him, even Gally, Frypan, Nico and Leigh followed.

*

When Newt crashed onto Thomas, he fell back and hit his head hard on the concrete floor. Newt had started hitting Thomas while he was unconscious until Poe pulled Newt off of Thomas. Poe shoved Newt off, they had a hard time to held him down. He kept begging for Newt, called his name over and over.

When Poe rolled off while Newt was on him, he pushed him off.

Newt was on the ground, almost still, as if by some miracle, he regained his sanity, "Please!... Kill me!" He looked up at Poe.

"Newt, I'm here, I'm here" Poe tried to calm him.

But Newt lost his sanity again. He got up then charged and jumped at Poe again. He fell backwards as Newt was on top of him.

Poe struggled to get Newt off as he was trying to reach Poe's head while the boy was snarling and growling. Poe got Newt's hands before losing the grip and one of Newt's hands was on Poe's neck. "No! Newt! Please!" He grabbed the boy's wrists as he cried out "Newt!"

Then, Newt instantaneously stopped, Poe saw the boy's sanity coming back. The look on the boy's face, like he was horrified for what he was doing, like he just realized what he was doing.

"Poe—" Newt breathed out heavily, "I'm sorry— Poe, I'm sorry"

Poe reached Newt's shoulder as he tearfully said, "It's okay, it's okay..."

Newt's breathing intensified again, he could feel the Flare charging back, he had to do what needed to be done before he hurts Poe or anyone. He reached the gun from his holster, cocked it as everything was about to fade again, kept his eyes on Poe as it would be the last thing he sees before lifting the gun to his head and was about to pull the trigger.

"NO!" Poe quickly hit the gun off Newt's hand.

Newt yelled out another inhuman growl before grabbing Poe.

*

Back near the tunnels, Brenda, Leigh, Minho, Nico, Gally and Frypan ran into a battle that was still going on between WCKD and the Cranks. They nearly got caught by a blast as everyone but Brenda took cover behind a vehicle.

Brenda kept running ahead while Leigh screamed while being held back by Nico, "Brenda!"

Brenda kept going, "Thomas!" She called out and kept on running.

*

Thomas regained his consciousness, slowly before he saw what was happening. He shifted his head before seeing Newt on Poe, Poe struggling as he was kicking his feet around. Newt had his hands on Poe's neck.

Thomas quickly got up, rushed forward, "Newt, stop!" He grabbed him off and pulled him away from Poe before pushing him as they both fell. "Newt!"

Newt was on the ground, pulled out a knife from it's holster then slashed around at Thomas. He dodged the knife, but Newt jumped at him with the knife raised. He was on Thomas, about to stab him, but Thomas caught Newt's wrists as the knife was inches from Thomas's chest.

When the knife reached Thomas's chest, he yelled in pain until Poe charged at Newt, grabbed him the waist as they both rolled on the ground until Poe pushed Newt away with his foot.

Poe got up, so did Newt. And behind Poe was Thomas, Thomas's hand reached something near him, unaware that it was a gun he was reaching as he was too focused on Newt before getting up.

Newt lunged at Poe again as he slashed the knife at Poe twice, but he dodged both before he caught Newt's hand that was holding the knife, knocked it off of his hand, Poe grabbed Newt, pulled him around before shoving him off to where Thomas was.

Thomas, stepped forward, saw that Newt stumbling toward him, Thomas raised his hands at Newt before the boy impacted on Thomas.

Then there was a deafening blast in the air that startled Poe.

A gunshot.

Suddenly everything stopped, including Newt. He was still as he was standing in front of Thomas, there was no space between the two.

Thomas, horrified, he didn't realize what he has done until he looked down, a gun, the gun was in his hand, and the barrel pressed against Newt's chest.

*****

I honestly have no words... <\3