Chapter 7

Were they seriously planning on killing Thomas? Teresa couldn't believe it. Thomas was the Top Candidate and WICKED needed him. They couldn't get rid of him! She had to find a way to stop this.

"Why do we have to kill him?" she hesitantly asked Janson. It was obvious that the man was trying to hold back from rolling his eyes or snorting disdainfully.

"We don't plan on actually killing him!" His tone was one that suggested that she should already know this. "Thomas is the Top Candidate at the moment and it would be beyond foolish to just get rid of him! We're going to create a simulation, trick his mind. Make him believe he's about to be killed! With you and Aris playing your parts, as well as what we've set up in the mountains of the Scorch, it will all give it that effect!"

Perhaps he saw her doubt because Janson added, "It will all work out, Teresa. WICKED has had this all planned out for a long while - they know what they're doing.

"I know you don't want to hurt your friend, but it's necessary. You know that, you're a smart young lady.

"Thomas won't actually be killed, remember! Although, after this, I'll bet he'll wish he had been!" That last part had been said quietly, as if Janson was talking to himself. Teresa pretended she hadn't heard.

She knew the man was right and she knew it had to be done. It was for the good of the world and she was willing to go through with it if it meant sparing innocent children from the horrors she herself had experienced firsthand. Whatever it takes, she told herself.

"When will I need to do this? When will I meet up with Aris?"

"That's the attitude!" Janson enthused proudly. "You need not worry about it just yet; you'll know when the time is right."

She knew she would - WICKED would find a way to contact her or they would use the chip in her head to stimulate certain thoughts to tell her it was time. If she had a sudden, random impulse to go looking for Thomas in the Scorch, then she would know it was WICKED telling her he was nearby and it was time to act.


The screams needed to be authentic, the reactions genuine.

Teresa's screams would be echoed for miles across the desert plains of the Scorch as WICKED's Doctors administered small, controlled doses of Grief Serum. Teresa already had her memories, but it was possible for her to still go through the Changing. Without any Griever sting to fight, the Serum would just be burning through her body, attacking her cells at random, making the screams worse than if she had actually been stung.

Thomas would come running. She knew that. The people at WICKED knew that. He would always come running and a small part of her deep, deep down felt kind of bad for playing on his emotions this way. But it has to be done! she told herself. It was that thought that prevented her from feeling any sort of guilt over what was happening, determination to get the world back to what it used to be keeping her going. WICKED was good and they had a purpose. The planet and every living being on it needed them, needed her. That's why she had to do this and that's why she didn't mind.

"They're almost here," one of the Doctors told her, "Just a few more minutes, okay?"

She nodded.

The Doctors prepared another needle and the injection slid into one of the veins in the side of her neck. The burning started almost immediately and the speaker system was turned on once more as Teresa howled into the microphone placed by the chair she was in.


Thomas took off running towards the girl in the distance and Minho really wanted to follow. His friend had a bad habit of attracting trouble and in this unknown environment, he might need all the help he could get. But Newt stopped him.

"He seemed sure it was Teresa and the two of them have some special connection. We shouldn't get in the way of that."

"You make it sound like they're going on a date and not possibly into a situation that will get them both killed!" Minho sarcastically responded, rolling his eyes.

"We need to trust Thomas with this. Too many of us could overwhelm Teresa and we don't need that - we just need to figure out what's going on."

"Why're you worried about overwhelming her? You forgotten what she did? And just minutes ago, she was screaming for the whole world to hear! Something's going on, Newt!"

"Ya don't think I know that!" his friend snapped and Minho had the feeling that he'd maybe pushed it too far. Newt was worried about Thomas just as much as he was, but he was making it worse by implying he didn't care.

"Sorry, I just-"

"I know, I feel it, too. Shank's like a brother to me - to you, too, probably - and neither of us like to think of anything bad happening."

"Look! There he is!" someone called out. The Leader and the Glue shared a puzzled look as their friend ran straight past them, not even sparing a glance their way, and continued as fast as he could onwards, showing no signs of stopping.

Minho knew that the boys all needed a break and that they should rest before the sun came up, but he also knew they couldn't lose Thomas. They had no idea what lay in wait for them in the Scorch and needed to stick together. He sighed before gathering everyone together and relaying what was going on. There were sighs and groans and complaints, but they all started running anyway.

"The slinthead better have a good reason for this," Minho muttered to himself as he forced his tired body onwards.


Teresa watched as Thomas ran off and continue on past the others. She took a deep breath to calm herself. She had a few more days left before she had to "kill" Thomas. For now, she would focus on getting to Group B. A Flat Trans had already been prepared. She took one last around her before stepping through. The next time she saw her friend, Thomas would be fighting for his life.