Eliza Taylor as Rita
Rita is named after scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini
this goes for the whole book: Disclaimer that I don't own the maze runner, James Dashner does
•••
You can't take my baby!" A woman with dark hair yelled at the stern-looking woman across from her.
"We won't let you," agreed a light-haired man who held onto his wife's hand tightly.
The stern-looking woman, Ava Paige, sighed impatiently. "Mr and Mrs. Tatro, young Katherine is in danger."
"Everybody's in danger now!" Gregory Tatro exclaimed angrily. "Ever since that damn sun flare and this mystery virus spreading, nothing's been safe!"
"You've been tested and you are not immune. The disease already has a hold on the both of you," Ava explained quickly while glancing at her watch. "Katherine, she has hope, she can survive this and possibly help find a cure. WICKED wants to help her. WICKED is good."
"She's a four year-old little girl!" Exploded Jaycee Tatro venomously, her thin lips curling into a snarl and her accented voice becoming less understandable through her anger. "You don't truly expect us to hand our child over to you just like that? Do you?"
"No, I didn't," Ava pinched the bridge of her nose as she felt a slight headache coming on from the stubborn young couple. She glanced toward the stairs to her left and then to the guards behind her. "I didn't want to do this. I wanted you to make the right decision on your own."
"What are you talking talking about?" Demanded Gregory in a panicked voice as Ava signaled with her hand to the guards.
Suddenly the men surged forward and restrained the young couple so they could not move out of their grip.
"Hey!" Yelled Gregory angrily as he saw Jaycee wince in pain as the guard's grip left bruises on her arms. "Let go of her! What are you doing?"
"If you won't willingly hand Katherine over, then I will take her forcibly," Ava said shortly as she turned on her heels and headed toward the staircase.
"No!" Cried Jaycee. "Please, not my baby! She's all we have!"
Both parents struggled against the hold of their captors and both failed to escape.
Soon Ava's high heels clicking against the wooden stairs could be heard over the couples yelling and struggling. When she became visible again, a little blonde haired girl could be seen trailing behind her with a hold on her hand.
"Mummy? Daddy?" The girl said in a small, scared and sleep-laced voice. "What's happenin'?"
As the couple struggled even more to get free, with tears streaming unchecked down their faces, Ava picked Katherine up and headed toward the front door of the small house.
"Be strong, baby!" Jaycee screamed as Ava took her baby girl.
"Don't give up hope!" Yelled Gregory. "We'll find you! We'll always find you, Princess!"
Their voices turned to muffled yells as Ava slammed the door closed.
She carried Katherine to the back door of a car, and then strapped her into a carseat.
"I want Mummy and Daddy," Katherine cried softly.
Ava shook her head at the small girl and with a small smile said, "WICKED is your family now, Rita."
"My name's Kathy," Katherine said with a pout on her lips.
"Not anymore," Ava closed the door and walked to the other side. She opened the driver side door and climbed in. She turned on the engine and began to drive away.
WICKED headquarters
10 years until Maze Trials
"Welcome to your new home, Rita," Ava led Katherine to a large room with many educational stations with children at them. She led her over to a group with four girls and began introductions. "Rita, this is Rachel, Harriet, Sonya, and Teresa."
The girls all smiled timidly at Katherine, who only shyly looked to the ground.
"Now," Ava knelt down next to the frightened child, careful not to get her pristine white pants dirty. "Why don't you play with the girls for a while. Then I'll introduce you to some of the boys."
Katherine's bottom lip began to tremble and tears filled her bright blue eyes.
Ava sighed while fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "Fine, lets sit you down somewhere while you calm yourself. But you need to work with me or we won't be getting along."
She led Katherine to a small group of boys who were quietly coloring. She sat Katherine down in a plastic red chair, and then turned on her heels and exited the room.
A small Asian boy turned to her with a wide smile. "Hi! My name is Zachary! I-I mean Minho. Don't tell Miss Paige that I said that. My name is M-Minho. What's yours?"
Katherine stayed silent, staring at her small hands, and after a few moments the disheartened boy turned back to his drawing of a rabbit and continued to color it.
Katherine looked up from her hands to catch a blonde haired, brown eyed boy, eying her curiously. When he caught her gaze, his chubby cheeks flushed pink and his eyes dropped back to his coloring book.
••••
3 hours later
While the rest of the children munched happily on a snack of carrot sticks and celery, Katherine still sat in her plastic red chair.
Eventually the blonde boy from earlier ventured over to her and sat down in a chair similar to Katherine's.
"My name is Newt," the boy, Newt, said softly to her in an accented voice, similar to hers. "I know you don't like to talk, or you're sad or somethin', but if you want a friend, I'll be it."
Newt continued talking, "it's not so bad here. I miss my Mummy, but there's lotsa fun things to do."
When Katherine remained silent, Newt smiled and sat quietly next to her.
"Real name?"
Newt looked up in surprise when he heard a timid voice come from the left of him. "Huh?"
"They call me Rita, but I'm Kathy," Katherine continued. "What's your real name?"
"I'm Michael," Newt told her. "But Mummy called me Mikey."
"We talk the same."
Newt began to laugh. "Yeah, I guess so. All the other kids think I talk funny. They are the ones who talk funny, though. Everyone at home sounds like this."
Newt's smile suddenly dimmed as he thought about home.
"I don't like it here," whispered Katherine as tears gathered in her eyes.
"It's okay," Newt whispered back as he put a small, slightly chubby arm around her. "I'll be here to make it better."