Feral → newt, tmr

Chapter 8: Chocolate Cookies

As they run, the maze captivates Katherine; it’s both magnificent and terrifying, a labyrinth that hides danger in its shadows. After hours of navigating twists and turns, Minho finally slows, glancing back at them.

"So… you and Newt have a thing going on?" he asks casually, but the underlying curiosity is evident.

"Nah. What makes you think that?" Katherine replies.

"Nothing," Minho shrugs, but Katherine can see the doubt in his eyes.

Thomas gives her a knowing look, as if he’s deciphering a riddle only he understands. They share an unspoken bond, the kind only twins possess, able to read each other’s emotions in a heartbeat.

"Minho?" Katherine calls out, curiosity sparking in her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"You got a tattoo on your neck too?"

"Yep. Subject A4, The Agile."

"What tattoo?" Thomas asks, his brows furrowing in confusion.

Katherine stops, and her brother mimics her, looking perplexed. She reaches behind him on her toes, peering at his neck. "Group A, subject A2-I. The Leader."

"What’s yours?" Thomas asks, intrigued.

"Group A, subject A2-II. The Feral."

"Feral?" Minho chuckles, then blinks in realization. "Wait—"

"Twins," Katherine states, glancing at Thomas. "They recognize both of us as a single subject."

"That’s weird," Minho comments, but Katherine shrugs it off, unwilling to let anything dampen her spirits.

"Who cares?" she replies, and they resume their run, the thrill of the maze fueling their energy.

"Not much further to the inner ring," Minho announces, and they press on until they stop before a section marked with the bold number seven.

"That’s strange," Minho mumbles, his gaze fixed on the section above him.

Katherine raises an eyebrow, concern creeping into her chest. "What?"

"Seven isn’t supposed to be open for another week," he replies, stepping cautiously into the section.

"What the hell is this place?" Thomas asks, his voice low as he surveys the array of large, sharp panels before them.

"We call them blades," Minho explains, but his confidence wavers when he notices something on the ground. He crouches to pick up a bloody, ripped tank top.

"It’s Ben’s, isn’t it?" Katherine’s heart sinks, fear gnawing at her.

"Yeah," Minho confirms, dropping the shirt like it’s on fire. "A Griever must have pulled him down here."

Suddenly, a beeping sound echoes through the space, freezing them in place as they search for the source. Thomas pulls a device from his backpack, something they found inside the Griever.

"Whoa, hey!" Minho protests, his eyes darting between the device and Thomas.

Thomas moves it around, and the beeping fluctuates. He walks back toward the blades, and it quiets down. Turning to go in the opposite direction, the device starts beeping again.