30

                                    

                                          
Even though they all had mixed feelings about it, Teresa became their plan. More specifically, the plan was that Thomas and Gally would go back to the city together to kidnap Teresa. And that worked. But when they asked Teresa some questions in the abandoned church >which they had chosen for the next part of the plan< things got complicated. Because Teresa wasn't necessarily willing to take them to Minho. 
"Well, actually we don't really need her," Gally said at some point. "As far as I know, the doors in the tower work with a fingerprint scanner. So we actually only need one finger." 
"Okay, stop! Nobody cuts off anyone's body parts here," J chimed in. Then she looked at Teresa. "Please help us." 
J didn't know if it was her beginning request or Gally's threat. But eventually Teresa agreed to at least remove their trackers, the tiny devices that W.I.C.K.E.D. had implanted in all of their necks. 
So one by one they sat down on a chair while Teresa treated them. The cut burned, and as the dark-haired girl pulled the tracker out of her skin, J squeaked. But the pain was bearable because it only lasted a short time. 
When it was Thomas' turn, J was still standing nearby so she could hear what they were talking about. 
"Brenda seems to be doing well again," Teresa stated at some point. Thomas didn't give the impression that he wanted to get involved in the conversation. "Hmm, yes, the infection is gone." 
"But Thomas...", Teresa frowned. "That can't be true, that's impossible..." 
J basically saw in Teresa's eyes how a the pieces connected to one big picture. And when their eyes met, it clicked for J too. Thomas! It was Thomas. Brenda got the cure from Thomas' blood. And she was fine again.
What if that would work again? But J had neither the resources nor the expertise to find that out, let alone to create the cure. But Newt needed help. And the only one who was able to do that was Teresa. J didn't want to tell her anything about Newt, after all, Newt had hardly told anyone. But she had to find out if there was a chance. Whether Thomas' blood could really help or not. So J stood by Teresa when Thomas' treatment was over. 
"How sure are you?" J asked quietly. 
"I have to test it," Teresa and she had apparently really had the same idea. "You take the cloth with his blood, I'll distract the boys. They won't like and won't believe this."
Of course, the guys would insinuate to Teresa that this claim was a ploy to lure the gladers back to W.I.C.K.E.D. So J nodded. However, she could no longer answer because Gally came towards them. So they had to act quickly now. Immediately, Teresa discreetly moved her hand towards the scalpel with which she had cut the trackers out of their necks. 
Instantly, Gally's hand shot forward and grabbed Teresa's arm. Then he gave the dark-haired girl a warning look. That was J's moment. She quickly grabbed the piece of gauze that Teresa had used to dab Thomas's wound. 
When Gally then classified the situation as defused and walked away again >taking the scalpel with him<, J passed the bandage on to Teresa. She quickly shoved the blood-stained piece of fabric into the pocket of her jacket. Then she looked at J questioningly. Teresa wasn't stupid, she knew there was a reason why J had just done that.
"I want Minho out and I won't help you deceive anyone," J made clear. "But if you promise me that these tests will help, I will come to you. Then I will do the tests myself." 
"Why?", Teresa looked at her blankly. And even J was surprised by her words. That wasn't something she had planned to say. She never thought about going back to W.I.C.K.E.D. But the fact that Newt was sick now had never been planned too.
"I have my reasons." Of course Teresa knew that there was more to it than saving Minho. Because if it would be done with Minhos freedom, then J wouldn't have to offer herself for further tests. 
"Okay," Teresa took it as it was, when J didn't explain any further. 
"But I need to know something," J then remembered something else. Teresa nodded immediately. "Why was I in the labyrinth with the boys? That wasn't planned, am I right?"
Teresa sighed almost painfully. She didn't look like she wanted to answer that. Her words confirmed this suspicion. "I can tell you, but I'm not sure if you want to hear it."
"Please, I'm sure," J insisted. Still, Teresa hesitated for a moment.
"All right. You should actually belong to group B, the girls and Aris. But you didn't want to forget Newt and never see him again. So you... manipulated something when they wanted to send you into the maze." Teresa sounded very matter-of-fact when she spoke. Too matter-of-fact. 
"Manipulated?", J asked skeptically. 
"The boy you replaced... he... died," Teresa continued speaking choppily. She kept checking J's reaction in between each word. "You killed him..."
"I have... what? Killed him?", J gasped. Teresa nodded. "Part of bringing us to the maze was that they let us drown. But not really drown, because we are still alive. But you let him drown. Then you got into the water in his place. I don't know how you did it, why the doctors didn't stop you. But in the end it wasn't a problem, you got into the labyrinth. The only thing that might have bothered was that you didn't really lose your memory."
"How so?", y/n asked. "I can't remember anything about my life before the maze."
Teresa nodded, then shook her head. "But you always knew the boys' names, that's how you also knew Newt was your brother." 
"So it was always about Newt," J muttered, suddenly realizing that she would definitely go back to W.I.C.K.E.D. if it would saved her brother. What she had just heard proved that she couldn't be without him. So she had to stop this disease from killing him. Teresa nodded with a reassuring expression, as if she was able to read J's mind. 
"Okay, then count on me. I'll do all the tests if I have to," J confirmed again. But then she had another idea. "But only on the condition that you take the tests. You're the only doctor I'll accept."
Teresa smiled briefly, then her look became questioning. "You never distrusted me, not like the boys. Why?" 
"Why should I? The sense of right and wrong is subjective. I know that you have your own reasons that definitely justify your decisions." Now Teresa looked sad. And somehow that made J sad, so she nudged the dark-haired woman on the shoulder with a grin. "Besides, you're my best friend, did you forget that?" 
"Even though we're no longer in the glade?", Teresa asked uncertainly. J laughed. "I would have liked you back then too, even if we hadn't been the only girls there. I will always like you." 
"Good, because I will always like you too," now Teresa smiled too. Then she imitated J's movement and also nudged her on the shoulder. "You're also my best friend."