( 15. the truth )

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The medical wing had finally settled into an eerie silence, the faint hum of machinery the only sound accompanying Ellie's footsteps. The soft glow of overhead lights reflected off the sterile white walls as she made her way back to her room, exhaustion pulling at her limbs.

Her thoughts were a muddled tangle of everything that had happened that day. She was desperate for sleep, for a moment of quiet in her otherwise chaotic world.

Then, the sound of metal scraping above her froze her mid-step.

Her heart leapt into her throat as her eyes darted upward, catching a vent cover shifting in the ceiling. Before she could react, two figures dropped down in front of her, landing in near silence. Thomas and Aris.

"What the hell are you doing?" she hissed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Thomas straightened, dusting off his hands as he held up a small object that gleamed in the dim light. "Ellie? That's actually perfect, we need to show you something," he said, producing what looked like a stolen keycard.

Ellie's eyes widened. "How did you get that?"

Thomas didn't answer, his jaw set in that stubborn way she'd come to know all too well. Instead, he moved toward the door at the end of the corridor—the one she'd been explicitly warned to stay away from.

"Coming?" he asked over his shoulder, swiping the keycard.

Ellie glanced between him and Aris, panic prickling at her spine. "We shouldn't be going in there," she said, her voice sharp with unease. "There are dangerous chemicals—"

"Is that what they told you?" Thomas's tone was flat, his expression unreadable. Something about it made her stomach twist.

The door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a darkened room. Ellie hesitated only a moment longer before following them inside, her fear outweighed by her curiosity and trust in Thomas. The moment she stepped through the threshold, her breath caught.

The walls were lined with massive glass tanks, faintly illuminated by an unnatural green light. Inside the tanks floated grotesque, unfinished forms—baby Grievers, their translucent skin barely clinging to spindly limbs. They twitched and pulsed as though alive, their grotesque features reminiscent of her worst nightmares in the maze.

Ellie slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp. Her stomach churned at the sight, but Thomas and Aris moved forward without hesitation. "What the hell is this?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Thomas glanced back, his expression hard. "Proof."

Before she could ask what he meant, Aris gestured for them to follow. They slipped through another door into a larger room, and the sight waiting for her stole her breath.

Rows of teenagers and children hung suspended in tanks filled with pale blue liquid, their fragile forms connected to tubes and wires that snaked out in every direction. Oxygen masks covered their faces, and their small bodies barely moved, as if they were caught in a perpetual sleep. The rhythmic beeping of monitors filled the room, but to Ellie, it sounded like a funeral dirge.

Her legs carried her forward without conscious thought, drawn to a young girl who couldn't have been more than ten years old. The girl's dark curls floated around her face like a halo, her tiny chest rising and falling so faintly it was barely perceptible.

"What have they done to you?" Ellie whispered, her voice breaking. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she reached out, her fingertips brushing the cool surface of the tank.

Thomas's voice broke through her trance, sharp with urgency. "Teresa?"

Aris shook his head, his expression tight with pain. "No. It's Rachel," he said softly. "They took her the first night. I told her it was going to be okay."

Ellie turned to him, her heart shattering. "You knew her?"

"She was my best friend," Aris admitted, his voice cracking. "I promised her we'd get out of this together."

Ellie wanted to say something—anything—but the sound of footsteps outside the room sent a jolt of panic through her. Thomas grabbed her arm, pulling her behind a cabinet with Aris close behind. Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure it would give them away.

The door opened, and Janson's voice filled the room. "You sure this can't wait?"

"She was very specific, sir," a second voice replied. "She wanted to speak with you personally."

Janson sighed impatiently. "As if I don't have enough to deal with. Fine. Let's get this over with."

Ellie's fingers dug into Thomas's arm as the voices drew closer. She held her breath, straining to hear every word.

"It's good enough. Make the connection," the second man said. "Good evening, Doctor Paige. Lovely to see you again."

Ellie's stomach sank. She recognized the name.

"Change of plans, Janson," Dr. Paige's voice crackled through the room. "I'll be arriving a little sooner than expected. First thing tomorrow."

"We'll be delighted to have you," Janson replied smoothly. "I think you'll be pleased with the progress we've made. As you can see, early results have been extremely promising. Whatever it is you've been doing to them in there, it's working."

"Not well enough," Paige snapped. "I just received board approval. I want all the remaining subjects sedated and prepped for harvest by the time I arrive."

Janson hesitated. "Doctor Paige, we are still running tests—"

"Try something faster," Paige interrupted. "Until I can guarantee their security, this is the best plan."

"Ma'am, security is my job," Janson replied, his tone tight. "We're on 24-hour lockdown here. I assure you, the assets are secure."

"And yet, the Right Arm is still out there," Paige countered. "They've already hit two of our installations. They want these kids as badly as we do. And I cannot afford another loss—not now, when I'm so close to a cure. If you're not up to the task, Janson, I will find someone who is."

"That won't be necessary," Janson said quickly. "Might I suggest we start with the most recent arrivals?"

"Just get it done," Paige ordered. "I don't want them to feel any pain."

"They won't feel a thing," Janson assured her.

The voices grew fainter as the men left the room. Aris was the first to move, tugging at Thomas and Ellie. "We gotta go. Now."

Ellie's legs felt like lead as they crawled back into the vent, her mind spinning with everything they'd seen and heard. Whatever safety they thought they'd found in this facility had been another lie.

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