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Tho ports and watched the deliriously angry crowd below It was hard to believe that what he was seeing was real

"Look at the a fewat so people like wild anio," Brenda answered "They wereit’s inevitable"

Minho threw his hands up "How can you worry about them? Was I alone just now? Withwe could’ve done," Jorge called from the cockpit Thomas winced at the lack of compassion

Minho turned to face him "Just shut up and fly, shuck-face"

"I’ll do h He fiddled with so

Minho slumped to the floor, almost like he’d renades?" he asked no one in particular, looking at an empty spot on the wall

Thomas had no idea how to respond, no way to express the sorrow that filled his chest He sank down next to Minho on the ground and sat there without saying a word as the Berg rose higher and fleay froone

CHAPTER 41

Eventually, Thoot themselves up and went to sit on a couch in the coe in the cockpit

With time to think, the full reality of what had happened hit Tho boulder Ever since Thomas had entered the Maze, Newt had been there for him Thomas hadn’t realized just how much of a friend he’d become until now His heart hurt

He tried to remind himself that Neasn’t dead But in some ways this orse In most ways He’d fallen down the slope of insanity, and he was surrounded by bloodthirsty Cranks And the prospect of never seeing hiain was almost unbearable

Minho finally spoke in a lifeless voice "Why did he do that? Why wouldn’t he come back with us? Why would he point that weapon at er," Thoh he doubted it was the truth

Minho shook his head "You saw his eyes when they changed Co He’s crazy, ood thing"

"Coain?" Minho asked as he turned to Thoo, they’re not theone and he’s not aware of what’s happening to hi"

Minho almost looked offended by the notion "Nice try, slinthead, but I don’t believe it I think he’ll always be there just enough to be screa every shuck second of it Tore ain Tho the full dread of Newt’s fate, until the Berg landed with a thump back at the Denver airport

Thouess we’re here"

"I think I understand WICKED a littlethose eyes up close Seeing the madness It’s not the sa I’ve watched plenty of friends die, but I can’t i worse The Flare, man If we could find a cure for that …"

He didn’t finish the sentence, but Tho Tho about this was black-and-white It never would be

Jorge and Brenda joined them after they’d sat awhile in silence

"I’; Tho to let her knoith his eyes how terrible he felt Jorge just sat there, staring at the floor

Brenda cleared her throat "I know it’s hard, but we need to think about e’re going to do next"

Minho flew to his feet and pointed at her "You can think all you want about whatever shuck thing you want, Ms Brenda We just left our friend with a bunch of psychos" He stormed out of the rooed "It’s okay He ith Newt for two years before I showed up in the Maze It’ll take hie said "Maybe we should take a couple of days and rest Think it all through"

"Yeah," Thomas murmured

Brenda leaned toward hi out"

"There’s only one place to start," Thoht" She squeezed his hand once e Let’sto eat"

The two of them let Tho which no one spoke less words at a time, the four of the about Newt as he wandered the Berg aiht about what their lost friend’s life was going to become, what little left of it he had

The note

Thomas stood dazed for a moment, then ran to the bathroom and locked the door The note! In all the chaos of the Crank Palace, he’d cootten about it Newt had said Thomas would knohen the time came to read it And he should’ve done it before they’d left hiht then, ould it have ever been?

He pulled the envelope out of his pocket and ripped it open, then took out the slip of paper The soft lights that ringed the low It o short sentences:

Kill me If you’ve ever beenthe words would change To think that his friend had been so scared that he’d had the foresight to write those words ry Newt had been at Tho alley He’d just wanted to avoid the inevitable fate of beco a Crank

And Thomas had failed him

CHAPTER 42