"….they're almost to the top. Only a few more minutes and we'll finally be able to get the information we need. Can you believe it?! Finally after all this time we can save everyone. I'm so excited! Aren't you Thomas?...THOMAS!" Teresa's voice cut through Thomas's daydreaming. "Were you even listening?" Theresa whined, a pout forming on her lips.

"Uh…no." He answered truthfully, wincing at the rage flaring up in Teresa's eyes. She opened her mouth to yell at him, but he cut her off before she even began, lifting his hand and shaking his head. "Actually Theresa, I'm not feeling so good so I'm gonna go to my room." Thomas stood, without even waiting for an answer and walked away. Teresa stood dumbfounded as she watched him leave. He had been acting strangely recently and she debated telling Chancellor Paige. If things got weirder, she would report it. Theresa shook her head in agreement with herself.

Thomas entered his room, flopping onto his soft mattress, rebounding after his initial landing before settling in. Flipping onto his back he stared at the ceiling. "What the hell are we doing to them?" He asked no one in particular. He glanced at his alarm clock, thinking back to the medical room. She had spoken to him in his mind! Thomas was sure only he and Theresa had that ability. It was given to them at a very young age, even though he had struggled with it at first. Could they have given it to Meraya first and not told him? Thomas supposed there was really no need for him to know, but he couldn't help wonder who her partner was. What guy was lucky enough to talk to her like that? It was very intimate and Thomas found himself growing restless at the idea.

"The hell Thomas." Pulling himself from those thoughts, he needed to focus on what was important. He needed to focus on what Meraya wanted to talk about. He thought back to the uneasiness he felt during the commencement of the trials. Up until last night, Thomas had been so sure of what he was doing. If anyone had asked him, he would have been on hundred and ten percent steady in his beliefs, but now…he wasn't so sure.

Thomas meet me in my room. 5 minutes. Her voice was so clear in his mind, Thomas was curious as to why it felt so natural to him. Checking the clock, he got up and discarded his lab coat he always seemed to be wearing. He traded it in for a more confortable V-neck button up sweater. Checking himself in the mirror he felt nervous. He ruffled his hair, trying to get it to lay just the right way, smoothing out his shirt and jeans until he felt presentable. That feeling never game so he gave up with a sigh and headed to the girls room.

Thomas couldn't remember ever speaking to Meraya directly but he knew her. They all knew each other but Thomas never really spent time with anyone other than Theresa. Perhaps that could explain his nervousness. He nodded to himself. That was definitely the reason butterflies tore through his stomach and his palms began to sweat. All too soon, Thomas found himself in front of Meraya's door. He swallowed, steadying his frayed nerves and raised his fist to knock, just as he did, the door slid open and Meraya appeared, perched on the edge of her bed, legs crossed indian style, fiddling with a rubix cube.

Meraya's head snapped up when the doors opened. Seeing Thomas, she smiled and waved him in. He hesitantly stepped through the door and stood awkwardly near the entrance.
"So uh, what…what do you want to talk about?" Thomas asked, rocking back and forth on his feet.

"We both know this is wrong Thomas."Meraya got right to the point, shocking Thomas. It was one thing to be uneasy but to reject everything they've ever known was still quite a shock to his system.

"What do you mean?" Thomas furrowed his brow, moving to sit next to Meraya. "This is the way! We can save everyone with these trials Meraya!" Thomas stressed the importance the best he could but he knew she had already made up her mind.

"Thomas I ran every scenario I could possibly think of! It won't work! We are taking innocent children and torturing them for what? To save people we've already lost!" Meraya searched his eyes for understanding but found none. "Don't you see? There's no hope for people. We weren't meant to survive this. If you aren't already immune naturally…" Meraya didn't even finish her sentence, memories of her younger brother flashing in her mind. He wasn't born immune like her. He got sick right before Meraya was brought here and she never knew what became of her little brother.

"WICKED is good." Thomas whispered softly. "WICKED is good and we're going to find a cure." Thomas said it stronger the second time. With that he stood and walked out of Meraya's room, but if anything, his beliefs were even more shaken than they were when he entered. "WICKED is good." He reminded himself on his way back to his room

That night neither Meraya nor Thomas got any sleep, the Trials weighing too heavily on both of their minds.