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"What if we get there and a bunch of Cranks try to kill us?"

"Then we’ll fight ’em!" Minho frowned as if disappointed that Thomas had asked such a stupid question "What else you wanna do? We’re alht Plus, if they could fight dozens of Grievers, a bunch of half-s shouldn’t be too o I’ll eat one of those granola things while alk"

A fewfor the city, the gray sky above them ready to burst and bleed water at any moment

They were only a couple of s when they ca in the sand on his back, wrapped in several blankets Jack had been the one to spot him first, and soon Thouy, staring down at him

Thomas’s stomach turned as he studied the er had to be a hundred years old, though it was hard to tell―the wear and tear of the sun ht’ve made him just look that way Wrinkled, leathery face Scabs and sores where his hair should’ve been Dark, dark skin

He was alive, breathing deeply, but he gazed at the sky with an eod to come down and take hin he’d even noticed the Gladers approach

"Hey! Old man!" Minho shouted, always the tactful one "What’re you doing out here?"

Tho wind; he couldn’t i out But was he blind as well? Maybe

Thoht beside theHe held his hand out and waved it right above the old guy’s eyes

Nothing No blink, no movement It was only after Thomas pulled his hand back that the ain Just once

"Sir?" Thoe to him, conjured up from the murky memories of his past He certainly hadn’t used the sent to the Glade and the Maze "Can you hear ain, but didn’t say anything

Newt knelt next to Thoold et him to tell us stuff about the city Looks haro in there"

Thohed "Yeah, but he doesn’t even see talk"

"Keep trying," Minho said fron ambassador, Thoood ol’ days"

For so funny back, but he couldn’t think of anything If he’d been funny in his old life, every scrap of humor had certainly vanished in the memory swipe "Okay," he said

He scooted as close to the man’s head as he could, then positioned himself so their eyes were square, just a couple of feet apart "Sir? We really need your help!" He felt bad for shouting, worried the oldway, but he had no choice The as gusting stronger and stronger "We need you to tell us if it’s safe to go inside the city! We can carry you there if you need help yourself Sir? Sir!"

Thepast him, up at the sky, but now they shifted, slowly, until they focused on his Awareness filled thelass His lips parted, but nothing cah

Thomas’s hopes lifted "My na through the desert for a couple of days, and we need more water and food What do you "

He trailed off when the man’s eyes flicked back and forth, a sudden hint of panic there

"It’s okay, on’t hurt you," Thouys But we’d really appreciate it if―"

The man’s left hand shot out from beneath the blankets wrapped around hith far greater than seemed possible Thomas cried out in surprise and instinctively tried to pull his arm free, but couldn’t He was shocked by the ainst the o of me!"

The man shook his head, those dark eyes full ain, and a rough, indecipherable whisper rose froave up the struggle to free his arm; instead, he relaxed and leaned forward to put his ear close to the stranger’s ain, a dry rasp that was unsettling, spooky Thoht the words storm and terror and bad people None of the

"One more time!" Thomas yelled, his head still cocked so his ear rested only inches above the man’s face

This ti only a feords "Stors outstay awaybad people"