The Death Cure

Thomas is confused by the answer and threatens to shoot the guard that told him they worked for the Right Arm. The guard tells them they should talk to the boss, but he cannot tell them where the boss is. Minho fires the gun, shooting off the guard’s toe. Minho keeps interrogating them, threatening to shoot again. One guard says that they could bring a couple of the prisoners back with them who could ask some of the people there, but not necessarily the boss. One of the guards tells the prisoners that it is dangerous outside and that likely only half of those who leave will make it to the boss. There are Cranks killing people.

To silence the rest of the crowd, Minho shoots the gun into the ceiling. The woman continues to explain what it is like outside: “It’s crazy out there. It’s all happened really quickly. Like they’ve been hiding and waiting for a signal or something. This morning the police were overpowered and the gates were opened. Some Cranks from the Palace joined them. They’re everywhere now” (209). Further, the guard tells them a smaller group will attract less attention.

Thomas votes that he and Brenda go. Minho disagrees. He thinks he should go, too. Thomas convinces Minho to stay behind and watch things by suggesting that if he and Brenda die, someone would need to find Frypan, who was separated from Teresa and Aris. The guard who guides them is named Lawrence.

Lawrence gives them a choice before they go outside: go in the van and risk being easily seen or go on foot and risk taking longer to get to the base. Brenda and Thomas opt for the van. They get into the van and start it up, but before they can go, they hear something on the roof.

Lawrence hits the gas, but no one falls off the van’s roof. The person slides down to peek into the windshield: it is a wild woman with perfect teeth. She starts to hammer her hand on the windshield, and Lawrence slams on the brakes. The woman falls off the van, and they take off before she can climb on again. When they reach the end of an alley, they turn onto a larger street. Groups of people are up ahead.

It gets darker outside, and Thomas comments on Lawrence’s driving speed, which is very fast. Before the man can offer a reply, “Thomas flew forward and was snapped back by the seat belt. They’d run over something, and it was caught beneath the van—metal, from the sound of it. The van bounced a couple times, then came to a stop” (215). Lawrence turns the van headlights back on. In front of them, dozens of people stand, blocking the road. They part and wave the van forward.

After a quick discussion, Lawrence guns the van forward. They pass almost all the people, but then they hear a pops, and the van swerves, pinning a couple Cranks. Lawrence reverses the vehicle, but, after a moment, the tires only spin. The Cranks begin to attack the van, smashing it with their hands and heads as well as sticks and shovels. The van moves, but they can barely see through the windshield.

Thomas hears the glass in the back of the van shatter and sees an arm wiggling through the broken window. He goes into the back and picks up a snow pick, which he uses to hit the arm. Brenda hands him the gun, and he shoots two more Cranks. Lawrence continues to rock the van. Soon, they continue forward quickly and make it to a garage door that closes as soon as they enter.

Lawrence tells Brenda and Thomas they need to exit the van so the “boss’s” guards know who they are. He suggests they wait in the van until he knocks on the windows to let them know it is okay. When he knocks on the van, they get out and a spotlight centers on them. Lawrence explains to the guards what happened. Thomas tells the guards why they want to see the boss, and they agree to take them there.

Gally is there. He tells the boss that he can trust Thomas and Brenda. The boss’s name is Vince. He tells Thomas and Brenda they are kidnapping immunes because he wants to mimic WICKED to get inside their compound.