[Word count: 1,550]

| chapter - twenty-five |

\ chaotic good /

You fell asleep again.

Nova's senses painted her surroundings the second she woke, realizing that her head used Frypan's knee as a pillow. She pushed herself up.

"Sorry, Fry." She apologized. "I guess I was still tired after that hangover."

The dark-skinned cook shrugged, "Nah, you're totally fine. You did seem very exhausted, so when you drifted off, I didn't want to bother you. So, I just let it happen."

Both of them smiled, he was always kind and chill.

She heard the sounds of rumbling, as the seat below her bottom vibrated. She was so out of the loop - again - after finally gaining control of herself, that she had totally forgotten they took Bertha, Marcus' vehicle that miraculously fit all of them. Jorge drove, Newt was in the passenger, Nova in the middle whilst Minho was to her right side, and Frypan to her left. And Thomas, Teresa, Aris and Brenda all hung out in more of the large open trunk area.

This felt so surreal to Nova. Moving faster than running speed, without actually having to move. It was bizarre.

It'd been so long since I've been in a car, years actually. It feels good to not have to use our legs for once.

This is my first time.

Oh yeah, right. You were 'created' when I got my memory swiped and was put into the Maze. Right.

Yeah... this is odd... but I kind of like it.

Avery didn't bother answering, she just mentally smiled at that. It felt nice that they were finally getting along.

***

The car came to a slow stop, as Nova heard everyone open the doors and step out, so she figured it was best to follow. And of course, as always, once her feet were on the ground, her senses painted the black canvas. They were on the side of a large mountain. Many mountains, actually.

"Well, I guess we're on foot." Jorge sighed.

"Wait, what?" Nova was stunned. "Why?"

Already? Man, I was enjoying taking a break from walking and running so much...

Minho answered her question, "The road is blocked with many broken down cars."

Nova let out her own sigh of frustration, "Of course it is..."

They all walked on through, carefully. As Nova began to notice her senses seemed a bit fuzzy. It turned out 'seeing' anything on the side of a mountain wasn't the easiest, after all. Especially when there's multiple particles around her at once.

And thus, she brought her arm up, and gripped onto Frypan's shoulder for guidance. And through his orange particles, she could tell he didn't mind at all. Much like the others who are also from their Glade, this was normal.

They all were peering into the old cars and checking stuff out, meanwhile there were crows cawing through the air.

Something is off...

Yeah... it's quiet...

A little too quiet...

It hasn't been this quiet in a very long time...

Nova nearly yelped as she jolted by the sudden sound of a bullet whipping one of the old broken-down cars, that Thomas was next to. As everyone reacted the same way.

It was very clear that whoever the shooters were, they did not know rule number one on being around a blind person. But also, to be fair, they also had no idea who Group A were tagging with.

"Take cover!" Newt yelled, as he immediately sprinted into action.

Without even a second thought, Frypan had no worries of what would happen to Nova. As Newt was swift to wrap his arms around Nova's waste, from behind, and pulled her behind one of the multiple cars around, as Minho was there as well.

All the while Nova's legs were curled, whilst Newt held her against him, as she was between him and Minho. The poor girl held her hands to the sides of her head, as her fingertips seemed to shake, and her breathe began to shiver.

Nova could feel the stitches on her temple, reminding her of the near-death incident she had back at the Crank Warehouse, when one of the WICKED guards shot at them, and it just about grazed her.

The trauma crept underneath her flesh.

"Hey, is everyone okay out there?!" Thomas voice echoed through the hollow dunes of earth, but to Nova, it was a blurb.

It was almost like she was right back to the Crank Party with a drunken mind.

"We're fine!" This was Teresa.

The closest thing she could compare this feeling to was her memory being swiped, and that only brought out more trauma.

"Anybody know where those bloody shots came from?" Newt's voice was always soothing to her, but of course, it only worsened the blurred feeling in her skull.

Her hands clenched around the sides of her head even more, as she began to hear ringing. Her chest heaving. She didn't even notice Newt tighten his arms around her.

You're having a panic attack.

What?

The same thing happened when the Warehouse collapsed and we had to face Cranks again, remember?

Right...

Remember what you told me, breathe in and breathe out.

...

Right.

Breathe in.

Her chest expands.

Breathe out.

Her chest falls.

Breathe in.

Chest heaves.

Breathe out.

Chest relaxes.

Breathe in.

Inhale.

Breathe out.

Exhale.

Better?

"... Better..." Nova speaks in just barely under a whisper, so low, nobody really heard.

She was so out of tune with reality for that moment, she didn't even notice Newt had been calling her name, more than once.

I have deja vu...

Nova's eyes stopped lulling in their sockets as her mind fell right back into focus, the sounds of the world coming back and her senses clearing up.

"Nova?" Newt calls for her for the millionth time, as she feels him cradle her face in his hands, as if to try and snap her out of it.

"Sorry... lost my head there, for a moment." She gave a little breath chuckle.

"You alright?"

She nodded as he let her face go, "Yeah, just..." She shrugged. "Those bullets were... not very nice..."

Newt understood, "I agree. But don't worry love, they've stopped now."

And she felt grateful for that.

You need to tell them about the thing you and I have going on in our shared mind.

I will. When there's time.

"Everybody!" Jorge hollered. "Get set to sprint back to the truck!" He demanded. "And hold your ears!"

Nova didn't even question what he was planning or why it was happening, she just listened. She was in no state to hesitate right now, and thus, she covered her ears.

***

"Drop it." Nova lowered her hands as an unfamiliar feminine voice spoke, with the cock of a gun. "Now!" She hollered. Another cock of a weapon was heard. "I said drop it!"

Nova was confused, but she had to just assume the girl wasn't talking about her, but possible Thomas, considering he was more of the leader of their group.

"On your feet." She gave sharp commands. "Let's go." Another pause. "Let's go! Move!" Nova heard shuffling footsteps. "Back up!"

"Easy..." Jorge took a careful breath.

"You three, over here now!" The girl kept up with the demands.

"Come on, let's go!" This one was a different girl next to the first one, a lighter voice.

As Minho got to his feet, Nova felt Newt grip her arm and helped hoist her up. She made it easy on him and took a stand, with them.

"Don't be stupid, move!" This was the first one again.

All three of them didn't dare disobey, so they did as they were told, and got closer to their group. All together now.

"Slowly." The second one.

And that's when the first girl seemed to have recognized someone from Group A. "Aris...?" As she removed a scarf that was hiding half of her face.

"Oh my god, Harriet?" Aris was surprised.

"My god..." Harriet practically lost her breath as she hugged Aris. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Sonya." Aris looked to her next after she showed her face and proceeded with more hugs.

Wait a minute...

"Aris, you're lucky we didn't shoot your dumbass." Sonya sounded relieved.

You're sensing what I'm sensing... right?

"You alright, man?" Harriet asked.

Is she and Newt...?

Do you really think so?

"How...?" Aris couldn't be more curious.

"Uhh..." Minho felt awkward though. "What's happening?"

Aris looked back at him with a big smile, "We were in the Maze together."

Harriet went over to the side of the road and whistled, "We're clear guys, come on out!"

A series of, "Copy that!", "We're clear!" and "Stand down!" came from the mountains. It was a bit spooky; Nova would admit. But she tried to relax.

"My god, you're alive." Sonya still couldn't believe it, as she kept looking at Aris.

Harriet and Sonya had the group follow them, through a very short tunnel, as Newt intertwined his hand with Nova's, as they always do. For comfort, affection and also guidance from all of the vibrations he knew she would be getting.

"Back it up, Joe!" Sonya ordered.

I'm still in disbelief of who this girl is.

Me too.

"We're taking them to base." Nova didn't know who Harriet was talking to, but she assumed people from her own group.

"Wait, so, how did you guys get here?" Aris wondered.

Harriet was quick to answer, "The Right Arm got us out."

Nova's eyebrows rose; that instantly caught her attention without any problems.

And as did Thomas, "Wait-Wait... The Right Arm?" He took a breath. "Do you know who they are?"

Harriet gave a small smile, and opened up the door of another vehicle, "Hop in."

From her senses, Nova could 'see' that Harriet had a set of cyan particles.

Whilst Sonya was... blue... just like Newt...

Oh dear... this is about to get real confusing, real fast...

Tell me about it.

-------

Here's chapter twenty-five! :)

What was your favorite part of this chapter?

I know, very short chapter, but heyyyyyy, at least I updated two chapters in one day. :>

And here's a fun fact about me to make it up to y'all:

I was born with something called, Poliosis.

Poliosis is like vitiligo but instead of your skin, it's for your HAIR.

So, I have dark brown hair, but I was born with a large streak of white hair IN my dark brown hair. And when I mean white, it's white. Not blonde. WHITE. Like snow.

Currently, I have multiple areas in my hair that is completely white, the top of my head, an area on the left side of my head, and also my bangs are white as well.

So basically, think of me as Cruella De Vil. Her split-colored hair is Poliosis, that's what I have. Lol.

The perks of having naturally born split-colored hair, is that I don't need a wig to get it whilst my friends do, and they're a bit jealous. LMAO.

BUT ALSO, my Poliosis seems to grow. Every year, I find a new streak of white hair. So, year by year, my hair is slowly turning all white. Which is kind of fun, to be honest. :P

Either way, I hope y'all enjoy.

xoxo <3