He'd been prepared for Newt to be angry, he was even prepared to hear Newt tell him he hated him. Didn't make it hurt any less but he'd come into this room knowing all too well he was probably going to lose Newts friendship. What Thomas wasn't prepared for was the pleading for death. He couldn't imagine a world without Newt in it, that's why he'd gone through all this in the first place, to keep Newt alive, to keep him breathing. To keep Newt, well, Newt.

Thomas was left staring at the utterly broken boy slumped in the chair. The same chair he was forced into when Teresa turned him into a crank.

Thomas. We have to go to the lab. Unfiltered rage bubbled up inside him, he looked at her from where he was sitting in the middle of the floor. He was sure he looked awful. He was sure he looked downright pathetic.

"Get out of my head," he said remarkably calm, considering he was having to squeeze his hands into fists to keep them from shaking. He stayed on the floor because he knew he couldn't trust his body to move without taking his anger out on her.

"Thomas I understand this was hard. You know I get it but we really do have to go." Thomas looked around the room, everyone was gone, he didn't remember them leaving. But they left newt here, slumped in the chair. Tied by wrists with paper-thin skin. The ropes were too tight, he had to fix it.

"You say you do all of this for me? I think that's bullshit." she flinched at his words but it satisfied some of his anger. He pushed himself closer to newt, trying not to look at the boy's face, instead focusing on the ropes and untying them.

"Thomas you know why I did this."

"I'm in more pain now than I've ever been, Teresa. So you can stop your little act. You're doing this for a cure and nothing else. You don't care about me or the glades. You only care about saving the world." he paused as he moved onto the next knot. "Which is noble and all but at some point, you have to look at all the damage you've caused. Because the people you save, they have to live with the world that's left, and how do you think they'd react if the only way to get their precious cure was through torturing and murdering kids, Teresa? Do you think they'll be grateful?" with shaking hands he moved onto Newts wrists.

"The ends justify the means, we're saving humanity."

"No. humanity is knowing you protect children. humanity is knowing not to commit genocide. Humanity is the doctor with the right arm that you murdered." he was talking through gritted teeth trying to focus more on the knots than on his words.

"I didn't murder her," Teresa said, and he could imagine her crossing her arms. Her bottom lip probably stuck out a little. He remembered her, bits and pieces of her from before they took his memories and they were close. They were always so close, Thomas mourned for his memories of them. He wished he could go back to that younger version of himself. But to do that would mean to help build the maze, again. Would mean to watch his friends die on a computer screen. He couldn't do any of that again. He finished the last knot and scooped Newt up way too easily. He stood there holding the broken boy in his arms.

"Yeah, yeah you did." he turned to look at her, with Newts weight in his arms he knew he wouldn't do anything stupid. "You called them. You turned us all in. you murdered them all." he walked Newt over to the thin mattress and covered him up with a thin sheet.

I was trying to save the world. Thomas stiffened and brushed Newts hair out of his face.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Head." he said slowly punctuating each word.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, and he felt like she was. And he felt like given enough time he could probably come to forgive her. But time wasn't something he had much of anymore. Thomas closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe. He stood, letting his hand fall out of Newts hair and walked out of the room, brushing past Teresa and feeling the bits of his heartbreak all over again.

"Thomas wait," she said coming up behind him. "Here." he looked down at the book she held between them. He recognized it as the one Newt was writing in. Curiosity overcame him, pushing every other emotion down. He took it as if it were a bomb ready to go off. He stared at it for a long time. Teressa stared at him the whole time and he tried to pretend it didn't bother him.

"You should read it," she said knowingly. He looked up at her.

"Did you?" he asked.

"No, not all of it." not all of it. She read the words newt was writing. She opened this book that she had no business touching. "It's about you," she said before walking away towards the lab. Thomas stood there for a long time before making his way to the lab.

The only thing they needed Thomas for was more blood. Which they took, and took until Thomas was shocked he even had any more left to give. When finally they announced that they were done he was sent to his room like a disobedient child. Nobody looked at him twice and he figured this was just how it was going to be from now on. He'd fulfilled his job, he came up with the cure. The only reason he wasn't dead yet was because now he was needed as a living blood bank.

Thomas the voice was quiet in his head but it still sent him reeling, using the wall to keep himself standing upright. I know you don't want to hear this but you need to trust me. You need to trust me. He'd heard those words from her before. Every time she'd said them things followed driving the stake between her and his trust even farther. His knees buckled and he slid down the wall. His room was only a few feet away, visible even through the black spots in his vision. They're doing this to help you. Doing what? He wanted to ask her but he didn't have the strength. It's okay Thomas. Tomorrow everything is going to get better. Her voice was getting lighter and he was having trouble making out what she was saying but the weight of them felt like cement in his gut. You won't remember anyway. He caught the last of what she was trying to say before she faded from his head completely. Won't remember? His eyes snapped open, making him wonder when he'd closed them in the first place. Tomorrow he won't remember. They were going to take his memories again. They were going to brainwash him into doing their bidding. His fist tightened around something he had forgotten he was holding and with every bit of strength he had left he pushed himself up walked the last few feet to his room.

He stumbled into the chair at his desk and opened the book. He didn't read the words but he flipped through them until he found a clean page and picked up his pencil.

Your name is Thomas.

You were taken by an organization called WICKED

THEY ARE NOT GOOD.

They have the ability to erase your memories. They can alter them even but this, the words in this book is real.

There's a boy in this place somewhere that you saved. His name is Newt. and you love him. He calls you Tommy.

Their others. Minho, Frypan, Gally, a little girl named Chloe. They can't stay here, none of them. You are the cure. I don't know if they'll tell you that part.

But listen it doesn't matter all that matters is what they do to people. To your friends.

They put the flare in newt made him a crank, they tortured him for weeks before that.

We're just kids.

No one deserves any of this, except maybe us.

You and me. We created these trials. We worked for wicked. But we got out until they caught up with us.

We've lost so much to beat them. Please trust these words.

You can't stay in wicked. Find the Gladers.

And get the fuck out.

Thomas sucked in a ragged breath and shoved the book in his desk, under his old one. There was nothing left he could do. He tucked his chair in and curled up in his bed feeling every bit like a terrified little kid because wasn't that all he was? A kid who was forced into all of this. Silent tears soaked his pillow and he hugged his knees to his chest. It wasn't long before sleep came, he barely had the strength to keep his eyes open. When he did fall asleep He dreamt of Chuck and Alby, of all the people he'd lost trying to get them out only to lead them into something far worse. He dreamt of Newt, smiling and happy. He dreamt of what would have happened if they had all just stayed in the glade.

An alarm sounded so loud Thomas sat straight up in bed clamping his hands over his ears. He kicked his blankets off his feet and ran to his door, yanking it open. The hallway was dark save flashing red lights every dozen feet or so blinking in time with the alarm.

"Hey what's happening?" he asked, having to yell over the sound of the alarm, at the two guards running down the hallway.

"Stay in your room" one of them called over his shoulder before disappearing around a corner.

"Yeah, like hell," he said back, the noise drowning out his voice, he started to run the opposite direction as the guards had disappeared to. His feet carried him where he needed to be without much thought. He found the door he was looking for, the one that separated him from his friends, the one his key card wouldn't work on. Luck was with him for once in his shuck life though when a guard slammed the door open, almost knocking Thomas down.

"What are you doing here?" the guard asked, not moving from the doorway.

"I was sent to check for A7." he shouted over the noise.

"You don't have clearance."

"Do you want to tell Ava Paige that?" he asked trying to put all the authority he could into the words. The guard hesitated before stepping aside letting Thomas through. "That's what I thought, now stop focusing on the people that actually work here and go handle the threat." Thomas yelled at the man who actually looked ashamed.

"Sorry sir." the man turned and ran down the hallway.

Thomas toed off his shoe and stuck it in the door to keep it open praying for the first time in his life no one would be coming through this way. He ran through the now unfamiliar hallways hoping he'd be able to find his way to his friends.

Up ahead he saw a familiar figure running through the hallway ahead of him, whoever it was disappeared as fast as they appeared and Thomas forced his legs to move faster, hope invading his head for the first time in awhile, he rounding the corner the figure disappeared into. Minho was just a few feet in front of him and Thomas could have easily caught up to him if he hadn't stopped in shock.

"Hey! Minho!" Thomas yelled, forcing himself to move again. The boy in front of him stopped and turned towards Thomas, he looked about as surprised as Thomas felt but he didn't move and Thomas closed the distance between them in seconds.

"What are you doing here? This isn't usually how it goes?"

"What are you talking about man, we gotta get out of here," Thomas said, breathing heavily, the adrenaline that's been fueling him was wearing off faster then he'd like and his major lack of blood was not exactly helping either.

"No, you don't get it shank, you're not real, this isn't real. I've run these hallways over and over again, ran them until they turned into the maze, ran that until it turned into the scorch and ran through that until a couple of cranks caught up to me, this never ends, it's not real." Thomas didn't understand but could only guess he'd been given some kind of hallucinogen

"No, Minho, listen, This is real, we gotta go, I can help you. listen if you just come with me we can find the others, you can all get out." Thomas said, half turning ready to run again.

"What is that shuck thing on your arm?" the blood drained from Thomas's face.

"Listen, just, trust me okay? I can get you out." Thomas could see the war waging in Minho's head.

"Are you a part of WICKED? Now I know this isn't real." Minho turned and started to run.

"I did it to save Newt," he screamed at the retreating shape of Minho's back at the same time as the alarm shut off throwing the hallway into ear-ringing silence.

"What the shuck did you do?" Minho said

"I didn't have a choice Minho! They were killing him!"

"What the shuck did you do slinthead?" Minho said again turning and walking right up to Thomas.

"I helped them. I'm with them but listen I'm getting you, all of you, out of here. I can keep them busy for awhile while you get away."

"I've died over and over again. I've been dissected alive by grievers, eaten alive by cranks, I've been beaten, shot, hell I've died every way I can possibly think only to wake up whole and do it again. I felt that! I wish they'd have killed me for good and you're telling me you're helping them?" Thomas knew guilt. He lived with guilt as long as he could remember, but nothing touched what he felt when he realized how bad everyone else had it.

"Let me get you out of here. You never have to see me again but in order to pull this off, i need your help. Please, Minho." he couldn't meet The other boy's eyes but he could feel the shift.

"Fine. where we going?"

"They have Fry, Newt, Chloe, and Gally."

"Hold up slinthead, Gally is dead, I killed him, and who the shank is Chloe?"

"Chuck's baby sister. If we leave her here they going to put her into a maze, do everything to her that they've done to us." Thomas hesitated. "You didn't hit Gally's heart, he's still alive but WICKED is controlling him."

"Well, then we're sure as shit not bringing him with us. Where's fry?"

"Across from your room." Thomas tried to remember what he saw in the surveillance room. "I think."

"You think. Great. Let's go." Minho took off not looking back to see if Thomas was with him.

Frypan wasn't anywhere on this side of the building and finally, Minho seemed to have given up.

"I'm telling you none of this is real."

"No Minho listen to me go get Chloe I'll look for Fry on my way to get Newt. Meet me back right here do you understand?"

Minho looked skeptical, he still wasn't ready to trust Thomas but he didn't have many choices. He stood and ran in the direction he told him to go leaving Thomas to get Newt.

Thomas ran back through the door where his shoe still held the door open and continued through the hallways, getting to Newts room easily. The door was cracked open and fear took over his mind. He pushed the door open and breathed out a sigh of relief seeing Newt exactly where he'd left him. He walked across the room and slipped his arms under the frail boy's neck and legs. Picking him up easily.

"Tommy." the boy murmured

"Shh, you're going to be alright, I got you Newt," Thomas whispered.

"Where do you think you're going?" Thomas gripped newt tighter feeling the gun pressed into the back of his head.

"Teresa. Please, I can't let them stay here," he whispered.

"Don't you understand yet Thomas. There's nowhere for any of you to go. This is all that's left."

"I don't believe that," he said looking down at newt. "There's somewhere better for them." he said.

"And you? Do you think WICKED's just going to let you walk through the doors? You're their only hope, you're our only hope."

"Yeah, I know."

"Tommy." Newt whimpered in his arms.

"So you're going to condemn the rest of humanity to die for a handful of teenagers?" she pushed the gun harder into his head.

"And you're going to shoot humanity's last hope in the back of the head?" the gun lightened up and Thomas took the opportunity to turn and face her. "I'm not going anywhere. But WICKED doesn't need them. They've served their purpose and now all they need is me. Help me get them out of here." he pleaded gripping newt as close as he could hating the fact that Newt was in between him and a gun.

"You'll stay?" she asked

"Yes. If I can get them out."

"Fine." she dropped the gun.

"Where is fry?" he asked softly

"Gone. we can't find him anywhere."

"He already got out?"

"Yeah" they stood there for the length of a heartbeat staring at each other. Thomas didn't want to make the first move with the gun still in Teresa's hand and she was still torn. She tucked the gun away regardless and headed out the door. Thomas released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and followed her.

"I'm getting you out of here Newt," he said more to himself than anyone else.

They made it through the halls without seeing a single guard. They made it all the way to where Minho sat with Chloe in his lap.

"What the shuck is she doing here?" Minho yelled setting Chloe down gently before launching himself at the girl and wrapping his hands around her throat.

"Minho hey. Hold on wait!" Thomas laid Newt down gently careful not to wake him before turning to try and pull Minho off of her.

"Where's Frypan Thomas? You said you'd get him.

"He's gone, he's already out of here." Thomas said, "let her go she's going to help you guys get out."

"I don't want her help she turned us in!"

"Don't you think I know that?!" Thomas yelled causing Minho to loosen his grip and look at him "I know what she did. I know more than you do. But right now she's your ticket out of here. So stop trying to kill her and let's go." Minho let go of her and turned to look at Newt.

"What happened to him?" Minho asked.

"He's healing," Thomas answered, picking him up. Teresa scooped up Chloe and Thomas tried to act like it didn't bother him. They made it all the way to the other side of the building without being spotted. Thomas carried newt the entire way, ignoring Minho when he offered to help. Minho would have his hands full soon enough.

Ahead of them a door with the word exit glowing red above it burst open, men dressed head to toe in black filed in, the word SWAT written in white on their backs. Thomas and the rest of the Gladers stopped short as the men ran straight at them.

"Who the shuck are they?" Minho asked.

"Not WICKED," Teresa answered.

"We found more." one of the men closest to them said into a radio on his shoulder.

"Follow us, we're here to take you home." a second man said nobody moved. Thomas's head was spinning.

"Let me take him." a third said, holding his arms out to Thomas, who took a step back and shook his head. His aching arms protested but Thomas wasn't letting Newt anywhere with these people. "Alright let's go we don't have much time," he said ushering them through the hall, the exit sign getting closer. Thomas watched Minho run through the door, the blinding light swallowing his shape.

"Thomas!" Thomas stopped short of stepping through the door. "You said you'd stay." she said and Thomas didn't look, just stood there ignoring the man yelling in his ear to hurry up and go.

"Thomas!" that wasn't Teresa. He wasn't prepared for the spray of blood to hit his face when the man next to him was shot in the head. He could hear Chloe's scream. He could hear Newt saying his name. He could feel a pain shooting through his leg as he fell hard to his knees.

"No." And then he watched Teresa turn away from him, watched her shoot Janson. Saw Chloe in her arms covering her ears and crying. He had to get them out. But someone was grabbing him someone was pushing him through the door. His legs didn't work. The door slammed closed.

"Tommy." he looked down. Still grasping onto newt who was looking right at him, who was clear of black veins. Who was being pulled out of his arms?

"No." he yelled, grabbing at Newts arms trying to get him back but he was being dragged away. Thomas forced himself to stand, he dragged his left leg behind him and tried to get to newt who was being put in the back of a car, no, a van, somewhere in the back of Thomases mind the word ambulance bounced around. "No, Newt." he cried.

"Wait." someone was holding him back. He could see people over Newt.

"They're going to take care of him its okay, can you tell me your name, can you tell me what's going on in that place?" the man asked. All Thomas could see was Newt.

"Move out of my way."

"I can't do that, your friend is getting the medical help he needs. I see your leg's bleeding, we need to patch that up.

"Get out of my way," he screamed punching the man square in the nose and pushing past him. Something tackled him to the ground. His head slamming into the concrete had his vision swimming.

"We have to treat your injuries and get your statement. You kids are safe now." Thomas wasn't listening, his eyelids were too heavy. He could hear commotion somewhere close by.

"That's my son! That's my son! Let me through, Stiles! That's my boy." Thomas heard the voice as he faded out of consciousness.

Lydia sat in the back of a classroom that she wasn't supposed to be in. her eyes starred unlinking In front of her while her fingers worked on the page where she wrote 'Not Stiles' over and over again.